Chapter 170

"Li Ye, there is a parcel for you downstairs."

Li Ye was washing clothes in the washroom when a classmate from the neighboring dormitory came over to let him know.

"Thanks! I'll go down and pick it up in a bit."

"No need to thank me, but Li Ye, you sure get a lot of parcels."

That classmate smiled and walked away.

With one semester almost over, Li Ye had become somewhat famous in this dormitory building.

One reason was naturally his handsome appearance and excellent temperament.

The second reason was that he received parcels and letters almost every week, to the point where the rumor that "Li Ye receives love letters all day long" circulated faintly from time to time.

In Wu Runfu's words, Li Ye was a "low-key flirt," passively attracting attention at every moment.

After Li Ye finished washing his clothes and went downstairs to get the parcel, he happened to be seen by a few familiar students who egged him on to open it and take a look.

"Li Ye, what's in your parcel? It's so heavy? Let us have a look!"

"It's not convenient, not convenient, sorry!"

Li Ye took the parcel and walked off on his own, leaving those few classmates feeling a bit puzzled.

In truth, it wasn't that Li Ye was stingy; it was really that the contents of this parcel were not convenient to show to people he wasn't familiar with.

These were the economics books and magazines Li Ye had entrusted Pei Wencong to mail over from Hong Kong.

If it were a few years later, after the Economics Department became a popular major, it would naturally be a very positive behavior for everyone to hold overseas magazines and discuss some of the world's cutting-edge economic topics.

But in '82, these topics were extremely sensitive.

Especially the World Economics major that Li Ye was studying; it was one of the most sensitive majors of all.

After the college entrance examination was restored in '77, the Jingda Economics Department initially only had one major—the Political Economy major. It wasn't until 1980 that Jingda took the lead nationwide in offering Western Economics courses.

However, this pioneering move was met with much controversy and pressure, and even received an investigation from superiors to analyze whether the Jingda Economics Department's direction in running the school was correct.

Consequently, many universities that followed Jingda's example in adding Western Economics courses were also implicated and criticized, and some even stopped their Western Economics courses.

"Market economy liberalization" was not something that could be achieved overnight; it went through who knows how many twists and turns.

Academic criticism of "bourgeois liberalization" lasted for several years, until March 1983, when the leader of the Jingda Economics Department, Dai Lao, published an article in the "Jingcheng University Journal" titled "Research on Modern Western Economics and Our Country's Economic Modernization," proposing an attitude of "overall criticism, individual reference,"

and then, the first official daily newspaper reprinted this article on half a page, and only then did Western Economics have formal room for survival on this land.

But it was still '82, and there was still some time until next March. If Li Ye were to show off magazines from overseas now, it would certainly attract some upperclassmen to borrow them, and then spark a major debate.

Li Ye didn't reject such discussions, or even arguments, but that would involve too much of his energy and time, so he would take these books and magazines to the Sihe Academy in Zaojunmiao to read and study them first before making a decision.

"Li Ye, Brother, wait for me."

As Li Ye was taking the parcel upstairs, Sun Xianjin chased after him in a hurry from behind.

"Are you going to find Jingjing? I didn't see you go to the cafeteria for dinner today?"

"No, Brother, don't always make fun of me." Sun Xianjin denied it embarrassedly, then shook the newspaper in his hand and said, "Look, I got a copy of the first issue of the 'National College Student Economics Journal'."

"You actually found it? Let me see."

It was jointly initiated in the summer of 1979 by the Economics Departments of seven institutions including Jingda, Nankai, Xiamen University, Renmin University, Fudan, Jinan, and Wuhan University, along with academic groups of students from the Graduate School of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, and they advocated for its founding to all universities nationwide.

Li Ye reached out and took the newspaper, asking Sun Xianjin, "Where did you get this good stuff?"

The first issue of the "National College Student Economics Journal" wasn't just a newspaper; with the enthusiastic submissions from economics students nationwide, over 40 articles were screened and collected, totaling over 90,000 words, which was very commemorative.

"Can I not handle the things you entrust to me, Brother?" Sun Xianjin said proudly, "I exchanged it from Zhu Vanguard Commander of the '79 class for the price of five bags of sugar-coated peanuts.

Originally I offered eight bags of sugar-coated peanuts, but Zhu Vanguard Commander had been using this newspaper to line the bottom of his trunk to prevent moisture, so the condition wasn't very good. I haggled with him for three minutes and talked him down to five bags."

"Not bad, not bad. It's just that I don't know if Zhu Vanguard Commander will regret it later."

Back in the dormitory, Li Ye flipped through the articles from students in the newspaper, as if from between the lines, he could feel the passion and sense of responsibility of "the rise and fall of the nation, every man has a share."

【There are too many masters.】

This was Li Ye's sincere feeling.

Among the college students of the '77 and '78 classes, there were too many monsters. They weren't like Li Ye, who had a pair of wise eyes that could see through the future, but their sharp thinking ability made Li Ye feel surprised from time to time.

Actually, thinking about it carefully, it wasn't strange. There were 80 people in the Jingda '77 Economics class in total. After a few decades, at least half of their names could occupy the top spots on Baidu searches.

If you want to say it was just the times creating heroes, without enough wisdom and intelligence, that would definitely be deceiving oneself.

Li Ye flipped through the newspaper carefully, while Sun Xianjin sat restlessly on the side.

After a long while, Sun Xianjin leaned toward Li Ye and asked, "Brother, for the economics lecture tonight, will you ask that Wen classmate to listen to it?"

"I didn't ask her today. I reckon that for the lecture topic tonight, it will definitely be even more intense than the last one. She doesn't really like that kind of noisy environment."

"Oh~"

Sun Xianjin sat back on the bed in disappointment, his head lowered and looking very dejected.

Li Ye sensed something was wrong and asked, "What's wrong, youngest one? Do you have something to find Wen classmate for?"

"No, no," Sun Xianjin said coyly, "Bian Jingjing said the other day that she was quite interested in the Economics Department. I just wanted to invite her to listen to the lecture together,

but to invite a girl rashly, I always feel... it's too deliberate. If you and Wen classmate go together, wouldn't it be very natural?"

"Heh, not bad, youngest one, you've finally opened up."

Li Ye smiled and said, "Then I'll go call Wen classmate tonight! You brat, you owe me a favor!"

"Brother, I owe you two favors," Sun Xianjin said, holding up two fingers, "I've inquired clearly, Bian Jingjing and Wen classmate both live in Building 17. When the time comes, we'll go downstairs together to call them..."

"..."

"Fine, those who can get into Jingda, there are no fools."

Li Ye and Sun Xianjin arrived downstairs at Building 17 at the same time and asked a female student who was going upstairs to call Watching Wen Leyu and Bian Jingjing down.

Then, the two of them saw a figure flash by from the windows on the second and third floors respectively.

Watching Wen Leyu came down in two minutes. Seeing Li Ye and Sun Xianjin together, her puzzled little eyes seemed to be asking: "What did you bring a lightbulb here for?"

Li Ye smiled and said, "There's an economics lecture tonight. Would you be willing to go listen to it with me?"

"Fine, let's go!"

Watching Wen Leyu nodded happily. Although she really didn't like noisy and chaotic environments, since Li Ye asked her, she wouldn't object.

However, Li Ye said, "Wait a moment, we're waiting for another girl."

Watching Wen Leyu was a bit surprised, but seeing Sun Xianjin on the side, she immediately understood.

Looking at the nervousness and expectation on that kid's face, what else was there not to understand?

Five minutes later, Bian Jingjing came down.

Li Ye saw that the strands of hair on her forehead were a bit damp, and immediately felt that Sun Xianjin still had hope.

In this day and age, for a girl to be able to hurriedly groom herself before seeing a boy, it at least proved she didn't hate you.

However, Sun Xianjin's reaction was a bit slow, as if he were waiting for Li Ye to speak for him.

【Damn it, why don't I just provide you with a one-stop service!】

After Li Ye glared at Sun Xianjin, the kid finally said hesitantly: "We're going to listen to a lecture. You said the other day that you were a bit interested in economics, so are you willing to go listen to it together?"

It was only with powerful facial control that Li Ye managed to keep his expression unchanged.

The cold and indifferent Watching Wen Leyu even slightly curled the corners of her mouth, finally turning her face away quietly, her little shoulders shaking several times before she quickly returned to calm.

This made Sun Xianjin even more embarrassed.

However, Bian Jingjing said generously, "I'm already down here, so of course I have to go listen, right? But you can bring me in, right? I heard the economics lectures are packed every time."

"Of course I can get you in."

Sun Xianjin gave his word, grinning happily.

The four of them walked all the way toward the small auditorium where the lecture was being held.

Li Ye and Watching Wen Leyu quietly fell behind, Sun Xianjin led the way with light steps, and Bian Jingjing naturally "became a pair" with Sun Xianjin.

Only then did Watching Wen Leyu ask Li Ye in a low voice: "Did your dormitory's youngest one take a fancy to Bian Jingjing?"

Li Ye asked curiously: "You know Bian Jingjing too?"

Bian Jingjing was in the Law Department, with her dormitory on the second floor; Watching Wen Leyu was in the English Department, with her dormitory on the third floor. Li Ye didn't know how the two of them knew each other.

"It doesn't count as knowing each other," Watching Wen Leyu shook her head and said, "It's just that there are always male students looking for Bian Jingjing downstairs. A few days ago, someone was even reciting poems loudly for her downstairs, so we knew her name."

Li Ye laughed in surprise and said, "A fair lady, a gentleman's good match. It seems our youngest one needs to put in more effort!"

Watching Wen Leyu looked at Li Ye sideways and asked with a smile: "A fair lady, this is the first time I've heard you use such words!"

Li Ye listened to Watching Wen Leyu's words and felt the tone was a bit off.

He had never commented on girls before. Even though he was already very familiar with Hu Man, Jiang Xiao, and others, he wouldn't comment on whether they were pretty or ugly.

As a result, he said one extra word about a "fair lady" today, and Watching Wen Leyu noticed it.

Li Ye checked himself, and it seemed he really had said too much.

Bian Jingjing had the shadow of those athletic beauties from later generations, quite pleasing to the eye, so it was normal to praise her.

But Li Ye really was just "appreciating," without a single inappropriate thought.

Girls who practice high jump are a group of beauties recognized by the sports world.

They are tall and slender, with good elasticity and high flexibility. As a girlfriend, taking them out is pleasing to the eye and gives face; marrying them as a wife, they can also pass on excellent genes to the next generation.

But one incident in his previous life made Li Ye understand that behind every beautiful thing, there is her bitterness and helplessness.

At that time, Li Ye had a rich second-generation friend with whom he had a decent relationship, who was infatuated and desperately pursued a girl who practiced sprinting.

She originally didn't want to, but couldn't resist the friend's enthusiasm, and eventually they successfully held hands.

But after only two months, that friend cut off the relationship, determined to break up with the sprinting girl.

Everyone scolded him for having no conscience, including close friends like Li Ye.

As a result, once when he was drunk, that guy cried and said: "Who among you is willing to spend a lifetime hugging a girl who is harder than a man?"

Later, everyone found out that the sprinting girl's eight-pack abs were truly as hard as steel, and her physical fitness was good, and her explosive power was strong. It was just that in less than two months, she had destroyed that friend's male self-esteem and the beauty in his dreams.

Later, this rich friend never touched a girl who practiced sports again.

In his words, loving sports and practicing sports are two completely different things.

For example, the three hurdle goddesses who appeared later were pointed out by him with a single needle: "Turn off the lights, and there are airports in front and back. Can you tell the front from the back?"

Li Ye and the others immediately pulled out the video to identify, and sure enough, it was different from ordinary girls.

The human body has its perfect balance. When strengthening certain parts, other parts will inevitably be damaged or changed.

Among the three hurdle goddesses, only one had a little bit of fat on her waist.

But a little bit of fat might affect performance.

So in Li Ye's eyes, a girl like Bian Jingjing is not the same species as his perfect Watching Wen Leyu.

But now Watching Wen Leyu was unhappy, and Li Ye couldn't talk nonsense, so he could only explain it flexibly.

So he met Watching Wen Leyu's eyes and explained in a low voice: "The phrase 'fair lady' can only be used for the praise of an onlooker; it cannot be used directly on the girl you like.

Otherwise, I won't call you Xiao Yu in the future, I'll call you 'fair lady'? Can you get used to that?"

Watching Wen Leyu's little face turned red, and sure enough, all her sharpness disappeared. She pouted and whispered: "I am not a fair lady."

Li Ye said seriously: "In everyone's heart, there is a fair lady who belongs only to themselves.

Even if she wasn't before, as long as she lives in a boy's heart, she is.

What's more, my Xiao Yu is a fair lady to begin with!"

Watching Wen Leyu's beautiful eyes turned, looking at the serious-looking Li Ye. After sizing him up for a long while, she reached out and silently held Li Ye's hand.

Her hand was not big, but she held it very tightly.

(End of chapter)