Chapter 35 – “You look so ugly, not even comparable to Sister Fangfang”
The Xu family members all looked towards Xu Xiangdong.
Xu Xiangdong looked at his family with confusion and surprise in his eyes. His scalp tingled a bit, but he still insisted, “No, I didn’t say I liked her. I just suddenly wanted to take a look at her. I didn’t say I would definitely date or marry her.”
Xu Xiangdong intended to first get to know Wen Yulan and see what kind of person she was. If he found her appealing, maybe he would consider dating and even marriage. After all, he didn’t have anyone he liked at the moment.
But if he found her unsuitable, he would never date or marry Wen Yulan.
Although he wanted to help Wen Yulan avoid a calamity, as it was a matter of life and death, he wouldn’t sacrifice his own future to save someone else.
He still yearned for a loving and happy life like his parents’.
He wished for a wife he liked, someone he could grow old with.
“Alright, since you’ve made up your mind, I’ll arrange it for you,” Zhang Ailian felt that her eldest son might be curious about Wen Yulan, who had a big reputation.
But that was fine; looking didn’t mean he had to date or marry her.
“But since you’ve decided to get to know Wen Yulan, you must be serious. Don’t just go through the motions,” Zhang Ailian reminded him.
The Xu family didn’t engage in playing with people’s feelings.
“Mom, I know,” Xu Xiangdong assured.
Zhang Ailian went to find a matchmaker to arrange Xu Xiangdong’s blind date.
Xu Jinning, feeling bored, wandered around the village.
After a few days of rest and with Zhang Ailian providing various supplements, her body had recovered significantly. However, the fundamental damage to her health couldn’t be healed so quickly.
Today was Xu Jinning’s first time strolling around the village.
At this time, there weren’t many people in the village; most of them were working in the fields.
Xu Jinning also walked towards the place where everyone was working. From a distance, she saw numerous figures bending over, busy in the fields, creating a lively and bustling scene.
Leaning against a large tree, Xu Jinning breathed in the air of the 1980s, which was indeed much cleaner than the polluted air of the 21st century, filled with smog.
Looking up, the blue sky and white clouds were vividly clear, as if washed by water, giving a refreshing feeling at a glance.
At this moment, Xu Jinning noticed a child not far away.
It was a little boy, around 7 years old, wearing clothes patched with repairs. He crouched under a big tree, holding up one hand, opening and closing it repeatedly.
The hand remained raised, as if it wouldn’t tire.
Curious, Xu Jinning walked over slowly, crouching down beside him and asked, “Little brother, what are you doing?”
The little boy seemed oblivious to Xu Jinning’s approach and did not hear her words. He continued his repetitive movement.
Not bothered by the lack of response from the little boy, Xu Jinning observed his actions and realized that the boy was trying to catch the light.
Yes, he was reaching out to grasp the light that filtered through the gaps in the tree.
Wherever the light went, his hand followed, reaching out, attempting to grasp and hold onto it.
Unfortunately, he didn’t know that light couldn’t be captured.
Feeling somewhat bored herself, Xu Jinning thought she must be really idle to sit on the ground quietly watching this silent little boy play with the light.
Initially, she thought the boy might be impolite and uninterested in talking to her, hence the lack of response to her inquiry. However, as she observed him more closely, she felt that things might not be as they seemed.
A faint speculation arose in Xu Jinning’s mind, but she kept it to herself, continuing to sit there with her hands around her knees, silently watching.
After an unknown amount of time, a group of children suddenly ran over.
“That fool is here.”
“Look, what is that fool doing?”
“He’s so silly, actually trying to catch the sunlight.”
“Fool, why are you ignoring us? Oh, I forgot, you can’t speak.”
“…”
Four or five kids, a year or two older than the little boy, were relatively strong, unlike the thin appearance of the small boy.
Compared to the fair skin of the little boy, these boys had darker skin, indicating that they were often outside, under the sun, running and playing.
As soon as they arrived, they noticed Xu Jinning.
However, perhaps realizing that Xu Jinning was older than them, and she was not their target, they ignored her.
Instead, they focused on the boy catching the light, surrounding him and taunting him with offensive words.
Though their voices were still childish, the hurtful things they were saying made Xu Jinning furrow her brows, instantly disliking these kids.
Naughty children existed in every era.
However, the little boy seemed oblivious to them, continuing to catch his light.
His indifference irritated the other boys.
“Do you look down on us?”
“Fool, fool.”
Saying this, the kids pushed the little boy.
The boy catching the light seemed not to hear what they were saying. Their presence, however, blocked his light-catching activity.
The little boy’s cheeks turned slightly red, emitting some impatient sounds.
“Look, the fool is going crazy.”
Seemingly, the excitement of infuriating the little boy fueled these kids, and they continued to push him while laughing.
“Hey, what are you doing?” Generally, Xu Jinning would avoid getting involved in children’s matters.
However, these kids were being too much.
The little boy hadn’t provoked them at all, yet they were bullying him.
Xu Jinning couldn’t stand by.
“Are you with this fool?”
She hadn’t been out these past few days, having recently arrived at Qinghe Production Brigade. It was normal for these kids not to recognize her.
“I won’t let you bully him.” Saying this, Xu Jinning shielded the little boy, who was crying in fear, behind her.
“He’s a fool. Do you want to play with a fool?”
“Xu Yu is a fool. He’s not ‘Yu’ (jade), he’s ‘Shi’ (stone). Are you with the foolish stone?”
“Fools can’t even talk.”
Xu Yu! The mute fool!
Upon hearing this name, Xu Jinning was momentarily stunned, instantly recalling a plot from a book.
So, this little boy was Xu Yu!
Xu Jinning was surprised, but she didn’t dwell on it for now.
“No matter what he’s like, I won’t allow you to bully him. Leave now.”
“Hmph, you’re with the fool. Maybe you’re a fool too.”
Just then, one of the kids seemed to recognize Xu Jinning.
“I know you, you’re Uncle Xu’s new daughter.”
“You look so ugly, not even comparable to Sister Fangfang.”
“My grandma said Uncle Xu and them don’t like you at all. They all like Sister Fangfang. Everyone in our village likes Sister Fangfang.”
“Because of you, Sister Fangfang left.”
And this kis will be some sort of genius ? Maybe even mcs future partner ?