Chapter 207: Li Ye: This Gift of Yours Is Too Precious

Finally, the semester began, and Li Ye returned to Dormitory 209 right at the deadline for check-in.

As soon as he entered the dorm, Wu Runfu, the social butterfly, shouted at him: "Li Ye, you finally showed up! If you didn't come, Xiao Yao would've suffocated the gift he got for you until it molded!"

"For the past two days, he's carried it while eating, sleeping, even going to the toilet—afraid it might turn into a little person and run away!"

Sun Xianjin, just back from Heilongjiang, snapped: "What are you babbling about? I didn't clutch it to keep it from running—it's you guys who don't understand and keep fiddling with it!"

"That's not right!" Wu Runfu feigned surprise. "Didn't you say ginseng can turn into a little baby and run away? Who's talking nonsense now?"

"No, you guys are outrageous."

Seeing Sun Xianjin flustered by Wu Runfu's teasing, Li Ye quickly interjected: "Stop it, stop it—we're all brothers in this dorm, but some jokes shouldn't be made! Look how upset little Yao is—don't you know how to care for the young?"

"Right, right, care for the young—I admit fault, I admit fault, but I wasn't the first one to get upset!"

Wu Runfu dropped his grin, looking innocent. "Here's the deal: Xiao Yao brought a small ginseng root from home and insisted on giving it to his big brother Li Ye.

I just said, 'Seven li is ginseng, eight li is treasure—yours is too small,' and Xiao Yao flew into a rage, hid it away, and won't let us even look at it."

Before Wu Runfu finished, Xiao Yao, Sun Xianjin, blurted out: "What do you mean 'small ginseng'? Have you ever seen a big one? It's not for you—why are you complaining?"

"Alright, alright, alright—don't get upset, Xiao Yao. Let me take a look. They don't know what they're seeing—they think this is a wuxia novel, always talking about thousand-year ginseng!"

Li Ye quickly smoothed things over. Among the six in Dorm 209, he was closest to Sun Xianjin; this younger brother had traveled all the way from home to bring him a gift, and if others mocked it, Li Ye had to defend his honor.

But when Sun Xianjin pulled out the "small ginseng," Li Ye froze.

He gently pinched one of the root's fine hairs, tugged it slightly, felt its elasticity—and his expression turned grave.

Li Ye said seriously: "Xiao Yao, this gift is too valuable. I can't accept it."

Sun Xianjin was about to explode again: "Why not? Li Ye, are you also saying it's too small?"

"I think it's small? Hmph~"

Li Ye smiled and asked Sun Xianjin: "Xiao Yao, do you know how much this ginseng is worth?"

Sun Xianjin blinked in surprise: "I don't know the exact value, but everyone at home says it's a precious thing."

Li Ye nodded, pointing at the tiny ginseng with its dry skin and long roots: "This one ginseng—conservatively, it could buy several bicycles; generously, it could buy half a courtyard in Zhongguancun right next door."

"."

"No way!" Wu Runfu exclaimed. "That tiny thing's worth that much?

The other day, when I went to the temple fair with Chen Sihai, I saw stalls selling ginseng—every single one was bigger than this!

That's why I said yours was small—wouldn't that offend someone?"

"You offended someone," Li Ye said. "Do big ginseng roots even get sold at temple fairs? Those are all artificially grown, force-fed fertilizer from birth—no different from radishes in the field."

"But this one from Xiao Yao is pure wild ginseng. Even two li is already rare—

From what I know, anyone who finds a two-li wild ginseng in the mountains will slaughter pigs and sheep and throw a feast for the whole village. So now you decide: is this thing valuable or not?"

"."

This time, not only Wu Runfu was stunned—even Chen Sihai, who'd been smirking beside them, froze.

Wu Runfu muttered to Sun Xianjin: "Xiao Yao, how many li is this ginseng?"

Sun Xianjin tilted his head up thirty-five degrees: "Two li seven qian."

Chen Sihai gasped: "So this really is a treasure?"

Sun Xianjin said: "I don't know if it's a treasure, but in our forest farm, if anyone finds a good one, they always host a feast for all neighbors and friends."

"Let me see, let me see."

"No, you can't."

"Why not? Xiao Yao, don't be so stingy."

"I'm not stingy! If you want to look, go buy five jin of radishes—they're big and white. Don't stare at my little ginseng."

Wu Runfu and Sun Xianjin started playfully bickering again.

Li Ye smiled, carefully wrapped the ginseng, and put it back into Sun Xianjin's suitcase.

He couldn't accept it—he'd seen one like this in his past life.

That was back when he worked at his company; the boss had ordered him to drive the accountant to pick up a ginseng and deliver it as a gift.

When the accountant paid for it, Li Ye gained a whole new understanding of that unremarkable-looking wild ginseng.

After delivering the gift, that understanding was reinforced once more.

Giving gifts is an art—would you ever offer something ordinary to certain people?

That ginseng from his past life, Li Ye felt, was even inferior to Xiao Yao's.

Even in 1983, wild ginseng was rarer than it would be in the future, though still more common than later decades.

But when Sun Xianjin saw Li Ye putting it back, he wasn't happy.

"Big brother, what are you doing? Looking down on me?"

"Xiao Yao, you shouldn't give this to me. Save it—give it to your future father-in-law."

"I don't even have a future father-in-law yet! Besides, my family gave me this because I told them I made a real friend, and your grandfather fought the Japanese—so just treat it as a gift for your grandfather!"

Sun Xianjin's face flushed, but stubbornly pulled the ginseng out again and shoved it into Li Ye's hands.

"You… fine. I'll hold onto it for you for now."

Li Ye felt Sun Xianjin's stubbornness and reluctantly took it—but he resolved: when Xiao Yao got married, he'd give an equally valuable gift as a wedding present.

"Li Ye, Li Ye, let us see it again."

"You can look, but don't touch! Lose one root hair, and it'll cost you a month's living allowance."

"Yeah, yeah, we just want to study the difference between wild and cultivated ginseng."

Wu Runfu and Chen Sihai launched into a full scientific investigation of the tiny ginseng, while Sun Xianjin, now triumphant, wore a smug grin.

On the first day of the new semester, the homeroom teacher held a class meeting, reminding students to obey laws and regulations, stay safe, and warning girls not to walk alone at night.

Li Ye still admired her—1983's harsh period was coming soon, and Mu Yunning had an uncanny sense for it.

But after the meeting ended, Mu Yunning kept Li Ye behind alone.

"Li Ye, where were you on the 25th at eight p. .?"

Li Ye instantly knew: someone had reported what happened on the bus after his airport return.

Several people on that bus knew his identity—who was it?

"Professor Mu, I was on the bus returning from the airport, but I did nothing illegal or improper. If anyone accuses me, I'm willing to confront them face to face."

"You still want to confront them?"

Mu Yunning gave him a look. "Remember—if anyone asks you that question, say you don't remember."

Li Ye: "."

Mu Yunning added: "The department has already covered for you, saying this requires verification and investigation. You understand, right?"

"Understood, understood—thank you all for your protection. But the third-year international student, Nakamura Naoto, was also on that bus. If I say I don't remember, won't he help me recall?"

"This isn't his doing. He's too smart to do something so foolish."

"Hmph~"

Mu Yunning sniffed sharply. "Next time, be less showy—it won't benefit you. Also, you should visit Professor Zhang. You know where his house is, right?"

Li Ye nodded. "I know. I'll visit him today—thank him for protecting his own."

Mu Yunning narrowed her eyes, studying Li Ye for a long moment, then suddenly said: "Do you think only he protects his own?"

Li Ye: "."

Actually, Li Ye had already asked Senior Yu Xiufen—he knew today was the day several seniors and senior sisters came over for a gathering. So even without Mu Yunning's reminder, he'd planned to visit Professor Zhang's home today.

When Li Ye arrived at Professor Zhang's door, before he could knock, the door suddenly swung open from inside.

"Bang~~"

Senior Yu stomped her foot with a sharp cry—like an adult startling a child—catching Li Ye off guard.

Honestly, Senior Yu was truly lively.

Seeing Li Ye stunned, Yu Xiufen laughed: "I saw you coming from the balcony, carrying so much stuff—I came down to meet you."

Yu Xiufen casually took both bundles from his hands: left, a bag of cured pork, smoked chicken, vegetables, and meat; right, a burlap sack full of books and magazines.

Li Ye couldn't help laughing: "Senior Sister, you came to meet me at the door? You could've come downstairs—it'd be more sincere."

Yu Xiufen glared. "What? You want me to greet you with full honors? Get inside and start cooking."

"."

Li Ye finally understood why she'd spotted him from the balcony—she'd been waiting impatiently for him to come cook!

Fine, cooking it is—who else was the newest recruit?

But Yu Xiufen was just teasing him. Once Li Ye entered the kitchen and got to work, she chased out Professor Zhang's wife, Teacher Lyu, and the two of them handled all the cooking.

Honestly, as the top chef before Li Ye arrived, Senior Yu was no slouch—the two worked in perfect sync, leaving Teacher Lyu no room to interfere.

When Peng Rui, Zou Mengcheng, and Wang Zhiyuan arrived, the table of dishes left the three bachelors groaning with delight.

"Little brother, you must've been a woman in your last life—your face is 'masculine with feminine beauty,' and your cooking? Absolutely legendary. Whoever marries you will be blessed."

"Peng Senior, you say that," Li Ye grumbled. "Nine and a half of ten restaurant chefs are men—my cooking isn't special. And this isn't 'masculine with feminine beauty'—this is 'handsome'!"

"Exactly! Li Ye is handsome! Peng Rui, if you can't speak properly, just shut up."

Yu Xiufen shot back at Peng Rui, then turned to Li Ye: "But Peng Rui was right—anyone who marries you will be blessed."

"Li Ye, you're over twenty now—got a girlfriend yet? We have a senior sister from the class of '80—I'll set you two up sometime."

"Hahahaha~"

Peng Rui and Zou Mengcheng burst out laughing. Zou Mengcheng said: "Yu Xiufen, stop it. Cai's temper? Even Wang Zhiyuan can't handle her. Li Ye's no pushover either—they'd fight every day if you paired them."

"You don't understand! Cai's temper is bad only because she hasn't met the right person—once she does, she'll be gentle."

"Impossible. She's been a tomboy her whole life."

"Even a tomboy's a returnee student—why can't she talk to Li Ye?"

"Hahaha~"

Everyone laughed again, leaving Li Ye utterly confused.

Professor Lü smiled and explained to Li Ye: "They're talking about Cai Minying. She went abroad to study at Lighthouse last year. Maybe you'll meet her someday."

"Huh~"

Li Ye chuckled awkwardly and shook his head, saying nothing—this was just a joke.

But Professor Zhang suddenly said: "Stop playing matchmaker. Li Ye already has a girl he likes. Don't go stirring up trouble for the kid."

"You have a girl you like?" Yu Xiufen asked immediately, eager for gossip. "How old is she? Local or from out of town? Is she pretty?"

Li Ye didn't satisfy Yu Xiufen or the other three senior brothers' curiosity—he only looked at Professor Zhang.

Professor Zhang said: "Don't look at me. The Student Affairs Office dug up every detail of your past. You wouldn't believe what they found."

"Danced with a girl by Weiminghu. Took on over twenty lawbreakers in a righteous act. Co-authored 'The Lonely Army Looking Homeward' with a Class 80 senior. Published it in Hong Kong."

"On the bus back from the airport, you were extremely rude to international guests, angering many domestic and foreign people present."

(End of Chapter)