"Be a good girl and wait at home. I'll take care of you later."
Jiang Ye's voice was low and magnetic. When he said the words "take care of you," they sounded irresistibly seductive, almost like they carried an electric current. Xie Jiajiao's scalp tingled uncontrollably, and her smooth, fair toes curled slightly.
Bastard.
Shameless.
A rogue.
Jiang Ye had already left some time ago, but a rosy flush lingered on Xie Jiajiao's face and only gradually faded away.
Still, her small face remained puffed with anger, clearly expressing her strong dissatisfaction with Jiang Ye's behavior.
Xie Jiajiao huffed, "Who said I'm going to wait here like a good girl? Who said I want you to 'take care' of me later? As if she's some kind of…"
"...like a lovesick woman!"
"She is not!"
After a moment of embarrassed irritation, Xie Jiajiao gradually calmed down.
Everything had changed.
In the dream, maybe because she didn't cooperate, when Jiang Xiu barged in with others, she and Jiang Ye were naked and embracing, confirming the scandalous affair. After that, she drifted through a muddled half-life, ending in a miserable fate.
But now, the exact same scene played out differently — because of her slight change, she was no longer affected by rumors, firmly holding the initiative in her hands.
This time, marrying Jiang Ye, she was open and aboveboard, not bearing the disgrace of being labeled a seductive woman or having the bad reputation of sneaking into bed with a wild man — and enduring endless gossip and torment.
As for not marrying Jiang Ye, Xie Jiajiao had never even considered it.
She gently stroked her flat waist and abdomen, a soft glow flickering in her eyes.
Then, with careful but resolute steps, Xie Jiajiao walked out of the small room. It was midday; warm sunlight streamed through the broken shack like scattered gold, pouring over her. The lively spark in her eyes and brows made her look stunningly beautiful.
Unfortunately, no one saw this breathtaking moment.
She lifted her foot, stepped over the threshold, and landed outside.
The sunlight was dazzling but warm, as if heralding a new beginning to the tragic life she had dreamed of.
Xie Jiajiao left the hut and headed straight for the youth workers' quarters, planning to finish lunch before going to work in the afternoon.
Earlier, she had been too preoccupied chasing after Su Yu, which caused a lot of embarrassment.
On the way back, Xie Jiajiao thought clearly: since she was sent down to the countryside, and with the college entrance exam not yet restored, there was no chance of returning to the city anytime soon.
But since she couldn't return now — it was only October 1975 — and almost two years had passed, she couldn't behave as she had before: slacking off, throwing tantrums, or chasing after Su Yu.
She needed to work hard, earn work points, and integrate into rural life, contributing to the country's development.
Although her initial reason for going down to the countryside was because of Su Yu, as a third-generation military family with pure revolutionary roots, Xie Jiajiao still harbored ambitions to help build the countryside.
"Jiajiao."
A voice broke her thoughts. She looked up and saw Su Yu and Liu Niannian approaching, supporting each other as they walked.
Her gaze lingered on their linked arms for a moment.
"Jiajiao, don't misunderstand," Liu Niannian quickly let go of Su Yu's arm and hurried to explain when she noticed Xie Jiajiao's reaction. "It's just that Su Yu got hurt, so I was helping him walk."
Xie Jiajiao responded with a faint "hm" and turned to leave.
That dream had been too real, too terrifying. Now, when she saw Su Yu, she could no longer summon even a flicker of romantic feeling. Even towards her once trusted cousin Liu Niannian, she now looked upon her with disdain.
Having grown up spoiled, Xie Jiajiao was always willful. Since she didn't like the two of them, she wouldn't force herself to endure it. She decisively disappeared — out of sight, out of mind.
This very act was misunderstood by Su Yu and Liu Niannian.
Liu Niannian thought: Angry? Furious? Xie Jiajiao has a bad day too? Finally, it's Xie Jiajiao's turn to secretly cry behind closed doors, instead of her hiding in a corner, envying Xie Jiajiao.
Su Yu thought: I knew Jiajiao was faking it. See, she got jealous just seeing me with Niannian and threw a little tantrum.
However…
Recalling what had happened in the broken shack, Su Yu adjusted his broken eyeglass frame and smirked disdainfully, as if bestowing Xie Jiajiao with the greatest favor.
He secretly thought: This time, Jiajiao has to buy me a new pair of glasses. I'll grudgingly forgive her for being immature.
Otherwise…
Forget it!
"Su Yu, you see, Jiajiao still cares about you," Liu Niannian spoke up at just the right moment. "She was just confused for a moment, trying to get your attention but went about it the wrong way. I'll go inside and talk to her — she'll realize what she's missing."
Su Yu felt relieved hearing this, his confidence recovering after the blow.
But on the surface, he maintained a composed and delicate expression, firmly denying.
"Niannian, you misunderstand. Jiajiao and I are just pure revolutionary comrades," Su Yu said, taking Liu Niannian's hand and looking at her tenderly. "Niannian, you should know, you're the only one I've ever liked."
Liu Niannian looked at Su Yu affectionately for a moment, then quickly averted her eyes, withdrew her hand, and turned her back on him.
"No."
"Su Yu, I don't like you."
"Jiajiao likes you."
"Only Jiajiao is worthy of you. I'm just an outsider's niece living under someone else's roof."
Liu Niannian's words were full of loneliness and helplessness.
That moment made Su Yu recall the misty, restrained look in Liu Niannian's eyes earlier, like a long spear piercing deep into his chest. Without hesitation, he turned her around and pulled her into his arms.
"Niannian, you like me, don't you?"
Though Su Yu spoke in question, his tone was certain.
"You only rejected me because Jiajiao likes me, and you were afraid of hurting the bond between sisters. You were also afraid your uncle would blame you, so you endured the pain and said no."
"But Niannian, matters of the heart come from the soul—they can't be forced."
"Niannian, I don't like that foolish, useless Jiajiao. I like you."
Listening to Su Yu harshly belittle Xie Jiajiao while passionately confessing his love to her, Liu Niannian felt a surge of relief. She only wished she could drag Jiajiao over and shove the truth straight into her heart.
"No, I don't."
Tears long held back welled up in Liu Niannian's eyes and streamed down her cheeks. She pushed Su Yu away and ran into the female youth workers' dormitory, hiding her face.
That tearful, fleeing figure, caught off guard and accused—wasn't that guilt?
Despite living under someone else's roof, enduring disdain and harsh treatment, she remained strong, never giving up any chance to learn, always among the top in every exam.
So kind and resilient—how could such a wonderful woman exist in this world?
One hundred times over, even a hundred Xie Jiajiaos could never compare to this Niannian.
Su Yu gazed longingly after Liu Niannian's retreating figure, completely unaware that behind him, her face was full of disdain for him—no trace of sorrow.
As Liu Niannian hurried inside, she wiped the tears from her face with a bitter expression, then found Xie Jiajiao's bed and resumed her role as the caring, meddlesome cousin.
"Jiajiao, you're so foolish! How could you get mad at Su Yu and just randomly find a countryside boy to date?"
Cluck cluck cluck.
[The briquette coal has arrived, and Er Shazi is going to be the sucker again.]
Xie Jiajiao was about to reply but was instantly distracted by this strange comment.