Chapter 7: Could It Be That They’re Planning to Rent a Place Together Outside?

Thirty years from now, perhaps the people will come to realize clearly that foreign languages are merely tools for communication—optional and not indispensable.

Treating foreign language as a compulsory subject for the college entrance exam is truly unnecessary.

Because ninety-nine percent of students will never use English again after graduation, yet they invest more time and energy in foreign languages than in any other subject.

This is the essence of exam-oriented education, bearing a resemblance to the rigid, formulaic essays of the past.

While waiting in line to pay, Su Wanqing stood in front, Liang Jiyong behind her, and Di Yutong beside them.

After exchanging a few words with Su Wanqing, Di Yutong suddenly turned to Liang Jiyong and said, “You’re acting strangely today!”

“What do you mean?” Liang Jiyong didn’t quite understand.

“The things you said today were different from before, quite odd. What’s even stranger is that you actually let Wanqing pay by herself!”

Liang Jiyong smiled helplessly. “It seems every time I try to pay for her, she refuses.”

“But you always ask! Today, you didn’t. Be honest—have you transferred your affections? Is it because of the girl you were just reading with?”

Hearing Di Yutong’s words, Su Wanqing found the same thought unexpectedly stirring in her mind.

An inexplicable discomfort settled in her heart.

She had always been sure that Liang Jiyong was not the boy she liked.

Yet, when his attitude toward her changed, she felt a sense of loss and unease.

Perhaps she had grown accustomed to Liang Jiyong’s protection and attentiveness.

Suddenly losing that felt like a loss.

But Su Wanqing was a smart girl and quickly understood: it was like owning a doll that, while not her favorite, had always belonged to her. One day, when someone else took it away, she would feel unhappy.

But since it wasn’t her favorite doll, she shouldn’t be too upset.

Still, she didn’t know if she was a little sad after all.

“People always change,” Di Yutong said. “I feel that the blow I took last night enlightened me completely. No more wasted effort—I’ll cherish my time and study hard. Of course, my feelings for Wanqing haven’t changed one bit!”

Di Yutong puckered her lips, uncertain of the meaning.

Su Wanqing, however, felt a strange lightness in her heart.

She was somewhat annoyed—how could this be? Did she really care about Liang Jiyong?

But he wasn’t her type.

In her mind, the prince charming should be brave and protective, qualities Liang Jiyong possessed.

But that was only the basic requirement. He should also be gentle, erudite, calm, and magnanimous.

Suddenly, the person standing behind her moved away—perhaps remembering there were more books to buy.

The person behind took a step forward, and Liang Jiyong suddenly caught a faint scent of books.

He turned sharply and saw a quiet, pretty girl standing there.

She smiled shyly, embarrassed, and kept her head lowered to avoid his gaze.

Liang Jiyong was at a loss; this coincidence was too much. What irritated him most was that Di Yutong’s words were surely overheard by the girl, which explained her awkwardness.

Liang Jiyong shot Di Yutong a sharp look. Only then did she notice the girl, and with a slightly embarrassed tongue-out gesture, she said nothing.

That small instinctive act seemed to carry a natural charm.

A phrase popped into Liang Jiyong’s mind: a born beauty.

Strangely, three girls appeared in his thoughts at once. If only...

What was he thinking? Liang Jiyong quickly crushed the unrealistic fantasy in his mind. One man, one wife—this was the law. Illegal things were out of the question.

Ah, how he longed for the old days when as long as one could afford it, marrying multiple wives was acceptable!

Leaving the bookstore, the heat waves rolled in outside.

“It’s only half past three, still early. Dinner isn’t until six. Where shall we go now?”

Di Yutong glanced at the sky, unwilling to brave the heat for shopping.

“Let’s check out the cram school classrooms. I think we’ll have to rent a place outside. Last year the cram school had one big classroom where twenty or thirty people slept on bunk beds. That smell—I really can’t stand it!”

Su Wanqing came from a privileged background. Though she lived in the dorm during high school, it was a six-person girls’ room—clean and fragrant.

But the cram school girls’ living conditions were harsh as well: twenty or thirty per room. Even though girls tended to be cleaner and there were no flying smelly socks, she couldn’t imagine the scene.

“Hey, you two, are you planning to rent a place and live together?” Di Yutong teased half-jokingly.

“Ah, nonsense! You’re the one living together!” Su Wanqing quickly tapped Di Yutong’s arm.

“I said the same courtyard, not the same room. You misunderstood, not my fault!” Di Yutong grinned.

Su Wanqing looked worried. “There will be more students in cram school this year. Last year, the liberal arts had four classes with over eighty students each. This year, they say one class will have a hundred. If you sit in the back, you might not even see the blackboard!”

Liang Jiyong sighed. “Based on cram school tradition, seating is assigned according to test scores. Don’t worry, you’ll definitely be in the top three and can choose your spot. I’ll be the unfortunate one stuck in the last row!”

“What are you afraid of? Haven’t you always sat in the last row all these years?” Di Yutong said.

“It’s different now. Our high school classrooms weren’t that long. Cram school rooms are at least twice as long.

And before, I often didn’t even know which subject was next. Now it’s different—I’m serious. I want to get into university!”

“Heh, I feel like you’re talking nonsense seriously,” Di Yutong said. She wasn’t confident about Liang Jiyong’s university plans.

“Hope you’re not joking. Otherwise, it’s a waste of a year. You might as well join the army. I think you’d make a good soldier!”

Liang Jiyong laughed. “No need. I’m already a good soldier. Don’t worry, I’ll study hard and at least get into Yunzhou University! By the way, what’s the cutoff score for Yunzhou this year?”

“550!” Di Yutong answered.

Liang Jiyong felt a pang of pain.

Then he smiled casually. “My grades are just over the halfway mark. It’s tough, but I like challenges. Yutong, see you at Yunzhou University next year!”

“Hehe, I’ll be waiting for you, junior!” Di Yutong teased.

Liang Jiyong was stunned. If he ended up at Yunzhou University, he’d truly be her junior.

“Where to now? It’s so hot.” Su Wanqing asked.

“How about you two go back to the bookstore and read? I’ll scout the cram school area and firm up the housing situation.”

Su Wanqing frowned. “But it seems unsafe to live outside the school. Since the Red Star and National Cotton factories shut down, many young workers have gone astray. There are even people outside extorting students!”

But living in a crowded dorm with twenty or thirty people was unbearable and disrupted studying.

Liang Jiyong had dealt with some of those street toughs more than once.

They had fought, drank, and though not all the young workers were bad, life forced them to survive by any means.

He knew a few whose grandparents, parents, siblings, and relatives all worked in the same factory.

Apart from hustling for money to eat, the whole family would starve.

Men could endure hardship and maintain a dignity that kept food on the table.

For women, physical labor didn’t help. They had to resort to makeup, selling their skin and bodies. In the face of survival, honor and decency became irrelevant.

“That is a problem. By the way, Uncle Kui just said this year our factory has thirteen students in cram school. Why not rent a courtyard together, two or three people per room? It shouldn’t be too expensive, and living together would be safer.”

“Good idea. When we get back, I’ll contact the female students, and you handle the males.”

“Okay, do you have a list?”

“Logistics has it. Ask Uncle Liang. There are four girls and nine boys total. I’ll notify three other girls, and you take care of the eight boys.”

Liang Jiyong nodded. More boys than girls—typical.

Son preference was still very evident.

“Bring us back two crispy rolls. I just ate one!” Di Yutong said.

“Girls shouldn’t drink too many cold drinks. I’ll bring you some soda,” Liang Jiyong said.

After speaking, he waved his hand and headed toward the high school.

Su Wanqing’s face flushed slightly.

She had been sensitive to cold since childhood and couldn’t tolerate cold drinks. Especially during certain days, too much cold would cause severe pain.

Liang Jiyong obviously knew this, which was why he warned them not to drink more cold beverages.

But before, Liang Jiyong hadn’t seemed so considerate.

He was rough and careless, somewhat brusque and domineering.

The two returned to the bookstore and found two seats in the outdoor rest area.

“Wanqing, have you noticed something strange about Liang Jiyong?” Di Yutong asked.

Su Wanqing frowned. “Seems like he’s changed—a bit steadier than before.”

“Hmm, have you felt your heart stir?” Di Yutong looked at Su Wanqing.

Su Wanqing hurriedly said, “Don’t say such things. I already told you, he’s not my type.

But I do feel that this time, he really wants to study.

Actually, Liang Jiyong is quite smart; he just never cared about school. This year, I hope he can get into university!”

“Yeah, but he better not turn out like that guy from the eighth year. I wouldn’t want to teach foreign languages to him on the podium!”

“That’d be interesting enough. But even five years would be too much,” Di Yutong laughed.

...

Liang Jiyong toured Yunzhou No. 1 High School. During summer break, few people were around.

The security teacher didn’t treat him as a thief because although he was notorious for fighting, he had no other bad behavior.

After seeing the vague conditions of the cram school dormitory, Liang Jiyong was more determined to live off campus.

Living in a large dorm with twenty or thirty people? He didn’t know if his taste buds could survive.

Being familiar with the area near No. 1 High School, he inquired about several courtyards rented long-term.

He quickly learned the approximate prices.

Rent per month was about fifteen to twenty yuan per person.

Depending on the room size, options included single, double, or triple rooms.

Triple rooms were the most common. Most preferred not to live in a large dormitory outside.

Two or three people living together meant they could study together without much disruption.

Yunzhou No. 1 High School’s dorms were decent, mostly six or eight-person rooms.

Due to the rising number of repeat students in cram school and the lack of funds to build new dorms, the school had to convert several dorms into large group rooms.

But these big dorms were cheap—annual fees were only fifty or sixty yuan.

Living outside cost around two hundred yuan.

It didn’t sound like much, but times had changed.

Thirty years later, prices might be thirty times higher—about five or six thousand yuan.

For workers earning just over a hundred yuan monthly on average, this might still be affordable.

But for students from nearby villages, fifty or sixty yuan was a heavy burden.

Liang Jiyong clearly remembered a few years ago when he went with his parents to his ancestral village.

Many still lived in adobe houses, seven or eight people crammed into one room.

No household appliances, not even flashlights.

His father handed him a pack of Red Plum cigarettes costing one yuan fifty cents.

The man in his forties took two puffs and put it out, saying he’d save it for later.

Many still depended on the weather for survival.

In drought years, they could only wait for government aid, or else starve.

Liang Jiyong was surprised; some young men worked outside, so how could their families be so destitute?

But he soon understood it was hard to find work.

Without skills, even manual labor didn’t guarantee a job due to surplus labor.

There were few jobs in towns and counties.

Many farmers feared going to coastal regions to work.

Capitalists there treated workers like dirt, making them work over ten hours daily and often withholding wages.

In bad times, workers might not even get paid or afford to return home.

Many who worked away never returned, their fates unknown.

So many young people preferred to endure poverty at home rather than risk coastal jobs.

At the time, Liang Jiyong didn’t understand, as these accounts differed from his sister’s glowing descriptions of Lingnan.

Looking back, it must have been a propaganda issue.

Bad stories spread without proper guidance, leading to exaggerated fears.