The Fire That Changed Everything

When the educated youth dormitory caught fire, Zhou Weiguo rushed into the flames like a madman to save me, ignoring everyone trying to stop him.

Just as I was feeling moved, I suddenly saw bullet comments floating before my eyes.

【How despicable! The male lead has a serious illness but doesn't want to burden his pregnant true love, so he deliberately set the fire and pretended to save her, just to make the female lead feel indebted and willing to stay! Despicable!】

【Poor female lead—right after marriage, her husband becomes paralyzed and she has to serve him like a beast of burden for the rest of her life because of this 'life-saving debt'!】

【But the true love snatches her spot, secretly gives birth to the child, goes to university and finds a good job—tch, what a tragedy!】

I looked at Baixue, whom I had already dragged to the doorway, and let go of her hand.

1

【The female lead really has it rough—after marriage, not only does she have to care for the scumbag, but the money she earns is secretly sent by him to his true love who's attending university.】

【That's right—she not only supports the male lead's family but also pays for the true love's university education. A whole crowd of people leech off her back, and just when she's finally served the male lead until he's about to die, he sets another fire to burn both himself and her to death just to leave the house to his son, tch.】

Seeing Zhou Weiguo about to rush in, I let go of Baixue's hand, took several steps back, covered my mouth and nose, and hid under the bed.

"Lihua? Lihua?"

I watched as Zhou Weiguo rushed in, looked around, didn't see me, hesitated about whether to go out, then tripped and nearly fell.

"Lihua, I finally found you! Hey? Baixue? Baixue, wake up! Baixue?"

Zhou Weiguo frantically picked up Baixue and rushed out.

I struggled to crawl out from under the bed. Just as I was about to rush outside, the ceiling beam above me, having lost its support, came crashing straight down.

I covered my head and pressed tightly against the wall.

"Sweetheart, quick! Back up! Back up! The back window has burned through and fallen out. Get out through the window, quick!"

"Yes, yes, the window is low. Just climb up and you'll get out. Quick!"

"Quick, quick! This way you can avoid the fate of being entangled with that scumbag. Go, sweetheart!"

I bit my lip, decided to trust the bullet comments, and turned back toward the rear.

The fire at the back was even more intense than at the front. If not for my trust in those bullet comments, I would never have turned around to rush into the sea of flames.

I choked, barely able to keep my eyes open, but finally saw the bullet comments indicating the window's location.

Sure enough, the wooden window had already fallen. Without hesitation, I rushed forward, grabbed the window frame, jumped, and rolled outside the educated youth dormitory.

I ran to the riverside and quickly washed my face clean.

2

Piecing together the bullet comments, I roughly reconstructed my entire life.

I was the protagonist of a book, just with a bitter fate calculated to keep me here, while Zhou Weiguo was already having an affair with Baixue at this time.

Because Zhou Weiguo was ill and couldn't bear to burden Baixue, the two of them designed this to keep me here, while Baixue took my spot to attend university.

I would be trapped here for life, burdened by the debt of saving his life, caring for Zhou Weiguo. The money I earned would not only be sent to Baixue for university but also support their two children.

Before I was even thirty, Zhou Weiguo's illness would become terminal, and for the house, he would set another fire to burn me to death.

This was my life.

My hands washing my face suddenly paused.

So, those times he helped me before—were those all designed by him too?

Because he had helped me twice, I had some goodwill toward him, and today he was taking advantage of that goodwill to calculate against me again.

If not for the bullet comments warning me, I really might have stayed to care for Zhou Weiguo because of today's life-saving debt, and even married him!

I narrowed my eyes and quickly finished washing my face.

I then rushed to the mountain to gather firewood and ran back toward the educated youth dormitory.

The mouth was on Zhou Weiguo's face—I was afraid that even though he hadn't saved me, he might still twist the story to involve me later.

Public opinion can be terrifying. I absolutely couldn't let myself be bound by this so-called debt of gratitude for a lifetime like those bullet comments said.

3

By the time I ran back to the educated youth dormitory, gasping for breath with the firewood on my back, Zhou Weiguo's voice was indeed loudly echoing out.

"It's nothing, my injuries aren't serious, as long as Lihua is safe."

"Lihua..."

My heart tightened as I pushed through the crowd and rushed inside.

But I saw Zhou Weiguo holding the still unconscious Baixue. While he was clearly looking at Baixue, what came out of his mouth was that he had rushed into the sea of flames for me.

My heart turned cold as I quickly said:

"Wow, Comrade Zhou, did you save Educated Youth Bai? You're truly admirable!"

When Zhou Weiguo saw me, his eyes went blank for a moment—he thought I was still inside and hadn't come out.

How was I suddenly coming from outside instead?

He opened his mouth.

I said again:

"Comrade Zhou, what's wrong with Educated Youth Bai? Oh! She's passed out!

"Quick, quick, everyone help out. Send Educated Youth Bai to the hospital. Quick!"

The bullet comments had said that Baixue was already pregnant at this point. Sending her to the hospital was definitely the right move.

This way, her pregnancy couldn't be hidden.

When Zhou Weiguo heard that Baixue was to be sent to the hospital, his face showed a moment of panic.

"No, no, there's no need..."

I pushed Zhou Weiguo aside and had everyone lift Baixue up.

"Oh dear! It's a human life!"

"If something happens to Educated Youth Bai here, none of us can escape responsibility!"

The villagers who were watching heard this and thought—yes, that's true!

Soon someone went to the brigade to borrow a tractor. Everyone anxiously lifted Baixue onto the tractor.

Zhou Weiguo couldn't stop them. Just as he was about to follow, I grabbed him.

"Comrade Zhou, look, you're injured here. Quick, get it bandaged first."

I held tightly onto Zhou Weiguo, my nails almost digging into the flesh of his arm.

Zhou Weiguo winced in pain and paused.

The tractor didn't wait for him at all, rumbling off toward the city.

"Hey! Wait, wait!!"

I watched Zhou Weiguo chase after it for a long distance before finally stopping, exhausted.

"Lihua, how could you..."

"Comrade Zhou, you should call me Educated Youth Wen! If you call me that, people who don't know might think we have an improper relationship!"

4

Zhou Weiguo paused and sighed.

"Lihua? Are you angry that I saved Baixue?

"I was going to rush in to save you! I looked for you for a long time. Look, I'm injured too!"

Zhou Weiguo pitifully raised his arm, revealing the burn wound.

I smiled faintly: "Comrade Zhou, that's not right. You clearly rushed in to save Educated Youth Bai."

"You were injured saving her too. How can you ask me to remember your kindness instead? That's not right!"

"You're being unreasonable."

Zhou Weiguo choked: "No, I really did it for you..."

【Hahahaha, this is too funny, this male lead.】

【Sweetheart is really so clever, so clever.】

【Oh dear, sweetheart, quick! That female supporting character has woken up. She's afraid her pregnancy will be exposed and is causing a scene asking everyone to bring her back. Quick, chase after them!】

【You must expose her pregnancy. This way she has moral character problems, and it will be completely impossible for her to take your place to study. Quick, quick, sweetheart!】

I froze, then busily pulled on Zhou Weiguo's sleeve and ran forward: "Oh no! I just saw some blood on Educated Youth Bai's pants. Could she be injured?"

"Quick, quick, let's chase after them and see!"

"What?"

"Why didn't you say so earlier? If something happens to Baixue, I'll hold you responsible!"

Zhou Weiguo's face turned pale.

When he heard this, he shook off my hand and rushed forward.

Soon he left me far behind.

I watched Zhou Weiguo quickly disappear from sight and leisurely walked toward the city.

5

Qingcun Village was a small village.

The whole village only had me, Zhou Weiguo, and Baixue as the three educated youth sent down.

Usually, only the three of us lived in the educated youth dormitory, and we ate together too.

A few days ago, the brigade leader said Qingcun Village had one spot for an educated youth to go to the city for study. Since universities weren't recruiting students now, if we could go to university under this name, we would still get a university diploma upon graduation.

This was a tremendous opportunity.

Originally, I hadn't paid much attention to this matter, but I never expected that the brigade leader would specifically choose me.

The brigade leader said that Zhou Weiguo had been distracted since arriving, not putting his mind into the fields.

Everyone earned eight work points per day, but Zhou Weiguo slacked off every day, hoping to return to the city. Naturally, he just went through the motions at work.

Getting four work points a day would be burning incense in gratitude.

And Baixue was even more excessive. Since arriving here, she either said this part hurt or that part ached. The brigade leader had no choice but to silently endure it.

Only I, after arriving, worked tirelessly, even leading the village women in making city-style pickled vegetables and identifying medicinal herbs.

The villagers could always secretly sell a little and earn some income.

This was a great help to the village, so the brigade leader used all his skills to help me secure this spot.

It was also around that time that I inexplicably fell into the river once, and Zhou Weiguo saved me.

Another time, a poisonous snake suddenly appeared in my room, and Zhou Weiguo found it and captured it.

Plus his daily concern for me, and he was quite handsome, I couldn't help but develop some different feelings toward him.

Until this time.

A few days ago, he went to the city, and after coming out, he designed this great fire.

It was only after seeing the bullet comments that I learned that when he went to the city this time, he was actually diagnosed with an illness called "ALS"—I heard that it would gradually cause loss of limb function, and in the end, he could only lie in bed.

To avoid burdening Baixue, and to fulfill Baixue's wish to replace me for university study, Zhou Weiguo designed today's fire.

First, he could get a free nanny.

Second, I could earn money to help him support Baixue and the child!

Truly a vicious heart!

Just thinking about these things made me feel cold all over.

6

The village where I was sent down wasn't far from the city. On the way, I saw a fellow villager driving an ox cart and hitched a ride.

When we were nearly at the city, I saw Zhou Weiguo running until he almost collapsed. I waved.

"Comrade Zhou, keep it up!"

"Educated Youth Bai is waiting for you to rescue her up ahead!"

"Wait, wait for me, give me a ride!"

I quickly urged the fellow villager to go faster, "Uncle, it's a matter of life and death. Please hurry!"

The villager who had been about to stop cracked his whip down on the old ox's back.

The ox cart shot forward like an arrow.

In the flying dust, I saw Zhou Weiguo finally sit down on the ground, exhausted.

7

【Sweetheart, quick, quick! They're right at the main gate. Baixue is making a scene about leaving!】

【Quick, quick! They're already getting on the tractor. Fast!】

I rushed over like the wind. While running, I gritted my teeth, picked up a sharp stone from the roadside, and fiercely cut my palm.

"Oh! Why are you leaving?"

"Are you alright, Educated Youth Bai?"

"Educated Youth Wen, you're here? Quick, quick, Educated Youth Bai is making a scene about going back! You'd better persuade her."

I supported Baixue, my right hand gently sliding over her pants. Feeling it was about right, I pulled my hand back.

"Oh! Educated Youth Bai, what's wrong with your pants?"

"Everyone, look quickly! What's this? Why is there so much blood?!!"

Everyone looked where I pointed, and indeed saw a large area of blood on Baixue's pants.

Baixue's face changed: "I, I, I'm fine, I'm fine. I want to go back!"

"Let me go back, quick!!"

A straightforward woman said.

"This, so much blood, could it be..."

Everyone looked at each other. Though they didn't say anything, they all showed meaningful expressions.

"You? What do you mean? I already said I'm fine. Leave! Quick!"

I sneered inwardly.

We finally got her to the hospital—how could she leave so easily?

I looked around, saw a doctor and nurse walking over, and screamed miserably.

"Oh! Help! Help! This female comrade is covered in blood. Quick, quick, save her!"

The doctor and nurse heard this and rushed over without thinking.

The villagers were also afraid that something might really be wrong with Baixue, so even though she resisted, they still helped carry her down and pushed her into the hospital.

I saw the belated Zhou Weiguo and couldn't help but laugh.

8

But I never expected that shamelessness could truly be invincible.

Because my palm had lost quite a bit of blood, after seeing Baixue being wheeled away, I went to the hospital restroom to wash my hands.

When I came out, after asking about Baixue's ward, I went up.

Who knew that just as I was about to enter, I heard Baixue's anxious voice.

"Brother Zhou, what should we do? What should we do?

"The doctors already suspect my pregnancy! What should we do?"

"It's okay, it's okay, I've already sent them away. Don't worry!"

"How can I not worry! They'll definitely know soon. When they know, the brigade will know too! How will I have any face then? Never mind people pointing fingers everywhere, but university... university will be hopeless too!"

I heard Zhou Weiguo busily comforting her:

"It's okay, I've already thought it through!"

"Wen Lihua is here too! In a moment, I'll go beg her, ask her to take responsibility for your pregnancy using the life-saving debt. You'll definitely be fine. Believe me!"

"Impossible, how could she possibly take responsibility for this? She's not a fool!"

"If, if she's unwilling, I'll say, I'll say I've long had relations with her! Have you forgotten that I deliberately went to her room twice before? And I specifically let two villagers see. At that time, the village people will definitely look down on her. Even if she's covered with mouths, she won't be able to explain herself clearly!"

"Don't worry, I'll definitely let you go to university, and she'll definitely stay behind. I guarantee it!"

I saw Zhou Weiguo come out and quickly hid to the side.

Then I watched Zhou Weiguo walk toward the doctor's office.

When the doctor saw him enter, he picked up a pen and asked: "What's the patient's name?"

I saw Zhou Weiguo pause, then said softly:

"Lihua, Wen Lihua!"

I leaned against the door, my face cold.

9

【Damn! What is this! This is clearly starting to scheme against our female lead!】

【What's going on? How can this person be so disgusting! Everyone, quick, think of a way to expose this disgusting man's schemes!】

【I'm really, so angry! Although I like reading stories about suffering, seeing such a tasteless man really makes me want to spit!】

【Sweetheart, quick, quick! Those villagers that the scumbag sent away are back. Now go back to the ward and expose this. Quick!】

My heart trembled. I withdrew my gaze from the bullet comments and turned to run toward the ward.

Just as I reached the doorway, I heard Baixue's weak voice.

"It's nothing. During the fire, Educated Youth Zhou didn't see me because he was saving Educated Youth Wen. My thigh was hit and started bleeding. I hadn't noticed it myself before."

"It's such trouble that you sent me here. Thank you so much."

Listening to Baixue inside still trying to solidify the story that Zhou Weiguo was my life-saver, I sneered and took several steps back.

If you're unkind, don't blame me for being unrighteous.

I put on a nervous expression, quickened my pace, and rushed into the ward.

As soon as I saw Baixue, I asked with concern:

"Educated Youth Bai, the doctor says you're pregnant?!!!"

"Oh! What should we do about this? You were just bleeding. What did the doctor say? Can the baby be saved?"

My words made the lively ward instantly fall silent.

Baixue's face suddenly turned deathly pale.

"You, what did you say!! Say it again!!

"What, what pregnant or not? When did I get pregnant?

"The doctor said I was, I was hit, that's why I'm bleeding. You, you're making false accusations!!!"

I looked at her in astonishment.

The villagers' gazes traveled back and forth between me and Baixue several times. Some people's expressions became meaningful.

Others made jokes.

"That, that maybe Educated Youth Wen heard wrong? Right? Ah, ha ha"

Others looked at Baixue with disdain.

"Educated Youth Bai! We all know what kind of person Educated Youth Wen is."

"If she hadn't really heard the doctor say you were pregnant, she definitely wouldn't speak carelessly."

"Come to think of it, people have been saying you and Educated Youth Zhou are close. This child, couldn't it be Educated Zhou's?"

The entire brigade only had me, Zhou Weiguo, and Baixue as the three educated youth.

The villagers had no entertainment, so naturally, whether there was something to do or not, they would pay extra attention to us three educated youth.

But this attention wasn't malicious.

They just felt that the educated youth from the city were cultured, plus they were very curious about the city, so they paid a bit more attention.

"What, close to me? What are you talking about?"

Zhou Weiguo suddenly walked in holding the medical record and asked curiously.

When Baixue saw Zhou Weiguo, tears suddenly started streaming down her face.

"Brother Zhou, Brother Zhou, it's Wen Lihua! She's bullying me!

"She said I'm not injured, I'm pregnant!! I, I really don't want to live anymore!

"I'm a perfectly respectable young woman from a good family, and she's saying I'm... whimper whimper, I really can't live anymore, whimper whimper..."

Zhou Weiguo's face changed.

The hand holding the medical record at his side suddenly tightened, but his eyes looked toward me.

"Educated Youth Wen! You need to be responsible for what you say!

"I just asked the doctor. The doctor said Educated Youth Bai injured her thigh! How could you spread such rumors?!!

"I never knew you were this kind of person!"

After finishing, he sighed again.

"I know, you have feelings for me.

"But today, I rushed in to save people. I really went in because of you.

"Saving Educated Youth Bai was just, just something I did along the way!

"Oh, I understand. You must be unhappy that I was carrying Educated Youth Bai out, right? Don't worry, I'll keep my distance from her in the future!"

Hearing Zhou Weiguo say this, most of the villagers hesitantly looked toward me.

I knew what they meant—wondering if I had really heard wrong.

Or if I was deliberately framing Baixue?

My face darkened.

I wanted to curse out loud but forced myself to calm down.

Now cursing would be useless, and would instead make everyone think I was framing Baixue and getting angry out of shame.

I paused and smiled.

"Comrade Zhou, I really don't know how to respond to that."

"You say you clearly saved Educated Youth Bai, but strangely, you keep trying to pin this non-existent 'life-saving debt' on me."

I pretended to be scared and took a step back. "You're doing this—could you be plotting something against me? I'm actually a bit scared."

Zhou Weiguo: ...

Baixue: ...

Everyone in the ward looked at each other, once again casting meaningful glances at the two of them.

Indeed, when the educated youth dormitory caught fire, I wasn't even in the room.

And Zhou Weiguo had saved Baixue, but in this short time, they had already said several times that Zhou Weiguo rushed in to save Educated Youth Wen.

After saying it so many times, even they subconsciously felt that Zhou Weiguo was my life-saver.

Zhou Weiguo and Baixue saw the suddenly enlightened crowd and both gritted their teeth.

"Educated Youth Wen, look at you, ha ha."

Baixue forced a laugh.

Zhou Weiguo also came to his senses. He glanced at me and suddenly said.

"Since Educated Youth Bai is fine, let's go back first."

Although it wasn't the busy farming season.

But every household had plenty to do, and there really wasn't much time to waste here.

However, I couldn't just let them leave like this.

Once they were discharged today, the medical record in Zhou Weiguo's hands would have my name on it.

At that point, this would be a glaring handle. Even if I were covered with mouths, I wouldn't be able to explain myself clearly.

I saw Zhou Weiguo place the medical record on the table and reach out to help Baixue up, when I suddenly walked over.

"By the way, what's this?"

My quick hands snatched the medical record and opened it.

"Huh? It really says pregnancy?"

My voice was a bit loud, instantly making Zhou Weiguo and Baixue freeze in place.

10

"What pregnancy?"

Someone crowded over.

Only then did Zhou Weiguo come to his senses and try to grab the medical record from me.

"What are you doing?! Give that back!"

Of course, I wouldn't let him take it. I dodged and retreated several steps.

"Huh? It says pregnant here? And it says 7 weeks?"

"7 weeks is more than a month!"

"Good, Educated Youth Bai. You're clearly pregnant, yet you said your leg was crushed. And you said I was framing you."

"And Comrade Zhou, you clearly knew Educated Youth Bai was pregnant, but you said I admired you and was framing her."

"Huh? That's not right. Why is my name on this medical record? Wait wait wait, this isn't right!"

Just as I was thinking about how to prove that the name on this medical record was indeed written incorrectly by the doctor, bullet comments suddenly appeared again.

【Sweetheart, quick! That doctor is in the next ward!】

【Quick, bring him over and have him prove that the name on here is fake. Quick, quick!】

I ran out like the wind.

When I dragged the bewildered doctor over, Baixue glared at me as if she wanted to eat me alive.

"Doctor, is this patient pregnant?"

Zhou Weiguo's face changed as he blocked in front of Baixue: "Wen Lihua, what are you doing?!!"

I completely ignored him and looked at the doctor: "Doctor, she did have blood all over her pants just now, so we sent her here."

I didn't mention that Baixue had been choked unconscious by smoke.

"Now she wants to leave. If something happens to the baby after she leaves, can you take responsibility for that?"

The doctor's heart tightened: "Nonsense! I already told you she's newly pregnant, and the fetus isn't very stable yet. She needs to stay in the hospital for a few days.

"You want to leave?

"Let me tell you! If you don't listen to the doctor and the baby is lost after you leave, don't blame us!"

After speaking, the doctor angrily started to leave.

The villagers also looked at Baixue with contempt.

But how could I let the doctor leave so easily?

I grabbed the doctor and opened the medical record.

"Doctor, the name on here isn't right either! She's clearly called Baixue, how can the name be Wen Lihua?"

The doctor frowned, took it and glanced at it, then his gaze fell on Zhou Weiguo as he said sternly: "Didn't you say the patient's name was Wen Lihua?"

"This..."

Now I didn't need to say anything. The villagers in the room were all speechless.

Even Zhou Weiguo played the part of a quail, lowering his head without daring to say a word.

I took a deep breath and secretly pinched myself.

"Good, Zhou Weiguo, you're framing me!!"

I rushed forward and gave Zhou Weiguo a hard slap across the face!

"Clearly it's Baixue who's pregnant, but you said she injured her thigh!

"Clearly she's pregnant, but you deliberately told the doctor my name. What exactly are you planning?

"If I hadn't come today, or if I hadn't seen the medical record, would the pregnant person have become me tomorrow?

"And the one with questionable morals would have become me?"

I nodded as if suddenly realizing something. "I understand. You must be resentful that the brigade recommended me for study, so you're thinking of framing me!

"I'm telling you, this isn't over!!"

After finishing, I wiped my tears and rushed out of the ward.

"Hey, hey, Educated Youth Wen, wait for me."

Just as I went out, the villagers behind me called out and chased after me.

"Oh! Educated Youth Wen, don't be angry."

"We were all present for this. You go back to the brigade and find the brigade leader!"

"We can't have such black-hearted educated youth in our village. It's disgusting!"

"Yes, yes, why does today feel like watching a grand opera? It's dazzling!"

"Hmph! If we hadn't come today, who knows how badly Educated Youth Wen would have been bullied!"

Everyone protected me as we got on the tractor together.

When we reached the village, I didn't even need to say anything. Everyone chattered about what had happened at the hospital today to the brigade leader.

The more the brigade leader heard, the more shocked he became, the more astonished, and finally his face turned completely dark.

He looked at me and comforted: "Educated Youth Wen! Don't worry about this matter. The recommendation spot is yours, and no one can take it!"

He thought for a moment: "This way, you go pack your things now. Tomorrow morning I'll have brigade people escort you to the city. Since you have to leave anyway, leaving early will save you from being constantly targeted!"

His face turned cold: "As for Comrade Zhou and Educated Youth Bai, I still need to go to the commune about this matter. How to handle them will depend on what the commune says."

"Oh captain, the educated youth dormitory already caught fire! The things inside are probably all gone! This, this, where will Educated Youth Wen sleep when she returns?"

Only then did everyone come to their senses.

"It's okay, it's okay. The fire was in the main room. The rooms should be fine. I'll go back and take a look now."

After speaking, I ran toward the educated youth dormitory.

Fortunately, the fire was extinguished in time. Except for the main room which was severely burned, the rooms weren't badly damaged.

They had just been smoked, so the walls were blackened in many places.

I looked around and saw no one, then took out a pile of leaves from a crack in the earthen wall. Inside were the various vouchers and over a hundred yuan I had hidden.

After putting everything in my pockets, I started packing my room things.

The bedding and such could still be used for one more day. I didn't have many clothes of my own, so I could just pack them in a box.

Other things, the journey was long, so I didn't plan to bring them.

But I never expected that late that night, Zhou Weiguo would knock on my door again.

Although there were only three educated youth in our village, men and women were still separated.

Zhou Weiguo was in the next courtyard, and this was where I and Baixue lived.

Having been calculated by Zhou Weiguo and Baixue at the hospital during the day, plus seeing my original tragic life in the bullet comments,

At this point, I felt that any contact with Zhou Weiguo and Baixue could lead to trouble.

So I didn't answer, but instead took a broom and stood guard by the door.

"Lihua, are you asleep?

"Baixue is fine, she's already safely returned. Lihua? Are you in there?

"Hey, Lihua, I know you must think Baixue's child is mine, but it's really not. I just pity her.

"And I don't know why that medical record has your name on it. You must think it was me, right? Lihua, you've really wronged me. My heart for you..."

I didn't continue listening but opened the back window, quietly climbed out, and rushed to the brigade leader's home.

When the brigade leader heard that Zhou Weiguo was actually trying to break down my door, he cursed and brought people to follow me angrily to the second-floor educated youth dormitory.

At this point, Zhou Weiguo still thought I was in the room.

"Lihua, really, my heart only has you, but, but Baixue is really so pitiful.

"Her parents look down on her and won't find her a job in the city, so she had no choice but to come to the countryside! If, if you could let her have this study opportunity, she could just return to the city, and we, we could be happily together!

"Lihua, I know you have feelings for me too. Have you forgotten the two times I helped you before? Lihua, I don't mean for you to be grateful, I just, I just like you too much. I want to spend my life with you.

"Lihua, come out. If you don't come out, I'll break down the door! It's so late, a man and woman alone together, as long as I'm seen in your room, you won't be able to explain yourself even if you're covered with mouths. Lihua..."

I watched the brigade leader's face grow darker and darker. Before Zhou Weiguo could finish speaking, he shouted sternly and rushed in with people.

"Zhou Weiguo! What are you doing?!!"

The brigade leader's words made Zhou Weiguo jump.

He turned his head and saw the brigade leader and several others with faces black as a pot's bottom, and me.

"Lihua? You, how are you outside?"

The captain snorted: "Outside? Waiting in your room for you to threaten her?"

"Zhou Weiguo, I usually see you looking respectable, but behind my back, this is how you bully Educated Youth Wen?"

"I heard that at the hospital today, you made Baixue's pregnancy into Educated Youth Wen's issue. Do you know I can send you to the public security for this?!!"

The brigade leader wanted to say more, but seeing me still standing to the side, he paused: "Take him away first. Lock him in the cowshed. I'll deal with him tomorrow!"

Zhou Weiguo was dragged out of the educated youth dormitory by two people.

I looked at the tightly closed door across from me and snorted coldly.

Even though Zhou Weiguo had rushed forward time and again to cover for Baixue, even though Zhou Weiguo had now been taken away by the captain to the cowshed,

But Baixue didn't explain a single word, nor did she come out.

She just let Zhou Weiguo take all the blame.

I slammed the door shut with a "bang."

But it didn't matter.

Baixue was already pregnant. As long as she still had any sense of shame, she and Zhou Weiguo would never be separated in this lifetime.

I fell into a deep sleep.

11

Early the next morning, I boarded the village's tractor heading to the city.

The train ticket had been bought for me in advance, and the proof and materials for studying in Beijing were all prepared by the village.

I watched the village where I had lived for three years gradually recede, feeling only gratitude in my heart.

Although I had been forced to come to the countryside, the people here were truly very, very good.

If not for the captain's efforts, with universities not recruiting students now, I would have had no opportunity to step onto a university campus.

Arriving at the train station, the tractor turned to leave.

I suddenly couldn't help but jogged a few steps, catching up with the driver.

"Uncle, help me deliver a message!"

"What did you say?"

The roar of the tractor echoed in my ears.

The uncle couldn't hear what I was saying at all.

"I said, help me deliver a message!

"I, Wen Lihua, I will come back again!"

"Daughter? What did you say? Speak louder!"

I smiled and waved: "You'd better go back!"

I picked up my luggage and left the mountains.

Heading toward an unknown future.

Epilogue (Zhou Weiguo's Perspective):

After that day, I was locked in the cowshed for four days.

On the fifth day, I was released.

When I came out, I immediately rushed to the educated youth dormitory, but Baixue told me that Wen Lihua had already left.

And she said the brigade had already talked to her.

They asked if her child was mine. If it was, we had to marry.

If not, the pregnant Baixue would have to leave the village.

Baixue and I married.

But just after getting married, my hands and feet gradually seemed to lose strength.

I watched Baixue's belly grow day by day, but because of my illness, I couldn't help much at all, and my heart ached for her.

Later, Baixue gave birth to a son for me.

When the child was two, I was completely unable to move, and even my speech became slurred.

We saw many doctors, but they all said they couldn't find the cause of the illness.

These years, Baixue had to care for the child and me, and her temper grew worse and worse.

Completely unlike the gentle and lovely person before marriage.

Finally, when I soiled myself again, she crashed the basin against me in a breakdown.

"I've really had enough of you!!

"Do you know you've ruined my life?!!

"I saw your medical records. Why did you know you were sick but still married me? Wasn't that intentional?"

By now my tongue was stiff, and I couldn't speak at all.

I couldn't even shake my head.

I wanted to say, no, I didn't want to burden you.

I wanted Wen Lihua to stay.

I wanted to say, I really wanted to see you live well, but at that time, if Baixue didn't marry me, she really would have had no way to survive.

"Speak! Are you dead? Why did you harm me?!!

"Did you know you would be like this, so you deliberately got me pregnant, deliberately married me, made me take care of you? Speak!!!"

No, really not.

In my urgency, I vaguely managed to stammer out what I had done to scheme against Wen Lihua, just so she could go to school.

Who knew Baixue just laughed and said:

"Don't put on such a devoted act! You're disgusting!

"If you really loved me, when Wen Lihua left, you could have let me go instead of choosing to marry me and making me take care of you for a lifetime!

"You're just a selfish thing. You schemed against Wen Lihua, and you schemed against me too!!!"

After that, Baixue never had a kind word for me again.

When she was unhappy, she would slap me, or even kick me. This became common.

I knew she wanted to leave, but couldn't bear to part with the child.

I was afraid too, afraid she would really leave me, and then I would really starve to death.

So, another two years passed.

During these two years, Baixue became involved with a widower in the village.

Every night, they would lock me in the room.

And she herself would make noise with that widower.

I hated!

I wished I could kill her!

But I didn't even have the strength to open my mouth.

I thought of death countless times, but even death became my luxury.

One day, I suddenly heard that the village was going to build a primary school!

This was tremendous news. I looked at my son, rolling on the ground covered in dirt.

I thought, if the village had a school, my child could study too in the future.

Finally, when the school was completed, everyone went to see the excitement.

Baixue was in a good mood that day and rarely put me on a cart, willing to pull me to see the excitement.

The primary school was built so well, a two-story building of blue bricks.

More than ten classrooms up and down!!

"Oh! Educated Youth Wen is back!!!"

"Quick! It was Educated Youth Wen who paid for our school. Quick, let's find Educated Youth Wen!"

"Oh, don't call her Educated Youth Wen anymore. She's our principal now. We should call her Principal!"

"Yes, yes..."

I looked up and saw Wen Lihua being escorted toward the school.

Wen Lihua seemed to have changed, yet also not changed.

Still so young, but she had become so beautiful.

"Slap!" My face stung with pain.

I wanted to make a sound, but couldn't say a word.

The cart was forcefully turned around, and I almost fell to the ground.

"Hmph! What are you looking at? A toad wanting to eat swan meat!!!"

That night, I had a dream.

I seemed to dream that on the day the educated youth dormitory caught fire, I really saved Wen Lihua.

Then she married me, managed the household, and worked tirelessly.

She took good care of me. I was always clean, unlike now with this strange smell that even my son found disgusting.

But, why did I see myself secretly sending all the hard-earned money Lihua earned to Baixue?

Baixue went to university and found a job.

But never came back to see me even once.

My son was the same—outwardly, no one knew that child was mine.

But, I was already a disabled person. I had left behind a son, so I definitely had to plan for him.

When I felt my body gradually failing, I finally set a fire to burn both myself and Lihua to death.

I absolutely cannot let the family property fall into Wen Lihua's hands!!

I suddenly jolted awake.

I blankly stared at the ceiling.

How could I, how could I have treated Lihua like that in my past life?

Clearly, she was so gentle and careful with me.

Clearly, she would rather suffer herself than let me live poorly.

But, how did I...

How did I become so blind?

I hate it so much!

(The End)