Chapter 427: Chapter 427: If I Can’t Live Well, Then No One Will!

Jian Jingchuan went back to Yan City in the third year of middle school, and Jiang Xingye sent him to the train station.

Xu Qinghuan returned from the intersection and saw Lu Mingxu standing by the roadside, eagerly looking at her.

Xu Qinghuan walked over, and he stood in front, handing her two red envelopes, "These are for Xingxing and Chijing."

He was afraid that Xu Qinghuan wouldn’t accept them, "I earned some money last year."

The industrial development of Shangjiang Team was going well, and after he arrived, he didn’t suffer much hardship, immediately got a job at the factory, and received a monthly salary.

Last year, during the autumn harvest, it was his turn. He joined the rush for a few days and was assigned to threshing but didn’t exert much effort.

However, when it came time to distribute the grain, he received quite a bit, enough to eat.

He also saved a little money.

Xu Qinghuan accepted the red envelopes, and Lu Mingxu was very happy, like a child rewarded.

He walked Xu Qinghuan home, "During the New Year, the educated youth point made dumplings, sauerkraut meat dumplings, and they were quite tasty."

At the doorway, as he intended to say goodbye, Xu Qinghuan invited him in to sit for a while.

When he entered, he was too excited, moving clumsily, almost tripping.

In his arms, a cat’s head peeked out, catching the attention of the two children, Jiang Xingcan and Jiang Chijing, who both stared at him.

Lu Mingxu was very nervous and pushed the cat’s head back into his embrace, but soon, it popped out again.

Jiang Xingcan laughed heartily, and Jiang Chijing’s eyes also lit up.

Qing Xiao sensed a territorial infringement threat and walked in steadily. The cat quickly burrowed into Lu Mingxu’s arms, making him extremely nervous.

"It’s okay, Qing Xiao doesn’t bite," Xu Qinghuan comforted him, "Are you studying too? How are you doing with the ’Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry Series’? Can you do it?"

Lu Mingxu applied to Zheng Siqi and others to borrow books. They had asked Xu Qinghuan because, after all, the books were lent to them by Xu Qinghuan.

Xu Qinghuan said, "It’s good he’s willing to study. He’s still young, and it’s impossible for him to stay in this countryside all his life."

Only then did Zheng Siqi lend him the books.

"Some I can do, some I can’t," Lu Mingxu, extremely embarrassed, asked, "Can I come to ask you about the parts I can’t do?"

Xu Qinghuan nodded, "For the ones you can’t do, you can bring them to me for explanation."

Lu Mingxu was overjoyed, afraid of bothering Xu Qinghuan, dared not sit long, and got up to leave.

At the door, Xu Qinghuan called out to him, "Lu Mingxu!"

He turned his head.

"You can’t choose your birth, can’t choose which family you’re born into, or who your parents are, but you can choose what kind of person you want to become!"

Lu Mingxu’s eyes gradually filled with tears, his lips quivered and trembled, unable to speak for a long time.

After all, he was just a fourteen or fifteen-year-old boy.

Xu Qinghuan didn’t care for him because they shared the same mother, that was laughable to Xu Qinghuan.

She just saw him as young, with life like a blank sheet, and gave him some pointers if he’s willing to make something of himself, it would make a person.

Xu Qinghuan stood up, walked to his side, patted his shoulder, "The future is in your own hands. Think about what you want to do, pursue it, and live a good life."

"I will!" In his heart, he silently called out "Sister."

Regardless of whether she acknowledged it or not, in his heart, she was his only relative in this world.

Previously, at the educated youth point, only Lu Mingxu and Duan Qingmei never went to Xu Qinghuan’s house. Every time he asked the educated youths for help, someone would say, "You should go too," but Lu Mingxu was afraid it would upset Xu Qinghuan and never crossed the line.

Now with Xu Qinghuan’s words, he could go openly, and indeed, he gained a lot.

After the New Year, Kong Lijuan came to see Shen Jinju.

Shen Jinju was also on guard, putting away all her books and pens after finishing her homework every day, afraid of being watched.

At this moment, the table was completely clean.

"Have you found out if they are all studying? Is the college entrance exam going to be reinstated?" Kong Lijuan asked.

"I asked before, but they wouldn’t say. No policy has been announced yet, so they don’t dare tell."

Upon hearing this, Kong Lijuan knew Shen Jinju was lying, that she was siding with Xu Qinghuan and others, surely having heard some news from Xu Qinghuan.

"I see your husband goes to Xu Qinghuan’s house quite often now, what’s he doing there?"

"Just talking about production team stuff with Jiang Xiaowu. What else can men talk about?" Shen Jinju said casually.

The more indifferent Shen Jinju seemed, the more uncomfortable it made Kong Lijuan.

"All being educated youths, you guys are excluding only me now?" Kong Lijuan wasn’t one to hold back, "I don’t even have the capability to pass, even if I could, it wouldn’t affect you in any way?"

Shen Jinju dared not offend her, what if she reported them?

No policies had been announced yet.

"Hey, what are you talking about? If there’s any policy, I’ll let you know. Just like you said, we’re all educated youth. Even if you and I marry into Shangjiang Team, crucial moments, in their eyes, we are outsiders."

"Ha, the whole educated youth point is studying fervently, when asked, everyone claims ignorance, isn’t that picking on me?" Tears started rolling down Kong Lijuan’s face, "Every day Xu Qinghuan’s house is full of people, what else is there to discuss?"

"Your husband goes there too. I don’t believe you haven’t heard anything."

During the work hiatus over the New Year, Xu Qinghuan’s house indeed seemed like a tutoring class. The educated youths came in groups, Dong Liangcheng, with a weak foundation, came daily without skipping, and after learning, would also tutor Shen Jinju.

He’d hear once, then explain to Shen Jinju, deepening his understanding.

After a whole month, he improved a lot.

Shen Jinju also benefited from this.

"Why dig so deep into it!" Shen Jinju said earnestly, "You and I aren’t smart people, just follow the smart ones. No harm in learning what they learn, never going wrong."

"Learn? How, without books, without materials, how to learn?"

"I don’t have extras, just one set of textbooks, you can use the middle school ones, Dong Liangcheng needs the high school ones."

"Even Dong Liangcheng is studying?" Kong Lijuan’s unrestrained tone cut into Kong Lijuan.

"Tell your man to follow along too, learn a few words, at least he won’t be blindly ignorant."

Shen Jinju replied without hesitation.

She truly regretted feeling sorry for Kong Lijuan before.

Kong Lijuan unceremoniously took the book back. When Sun Lazy returned, he saw her putting the child to sleep, sitting at the table reading.

"What are you doing, learning what?"

Sun Lazy couldn’t read a single word.

Though Shen Jinju mocked her, Kong Lijuan had no intention of helping Sun Lazy improve along with her. She never planned to bring Sun Lazy into the city.

Qiu Linghua, eating seeds and gossiping everywhere, beaten multiple times for not changing her ways, heard that the educated youths were all studying, and the city might reinstate the college entrance exam.

Previously unconcerned, Qiu Linghua despised Kong Lijuan. Now fearing Kong Lijuan could enter the city, leaving her son a bachelor, Qiu Linghua grew worried.

As soon as Kong Lijuan left, she stuffed the books Kong Lijuan brought home into the stove, setting them alight.

When Kong Lijuan returned and couldn’t find the books, she asked around and realized it was Qiu Linghua’s doing.

She rushed into the kitchen, seeing the ashes of burned pages, fury burning to the top of her head.

Picking up an axe, she smashed the home’s iron pot, "If I can’t live well, no one will!"

She had had enough of this wretched life.