Chapter 76

When Zhenzhen heard her name, she stood up. As she lifted her head, she happened to catch Xi Junjie glancing her way, his expression rather meaningful. Zhenzhen didn’t overthink it; instead, she was a little excited at the thought of doing a dialogue exercise with Xi Junjie. Among French majors, Zhenzhen had never dared claim she was the best, largely because of Xi Junjie. His pronunciation was flawless, his grammar smooth, and he could converse with the teachers in French during class without the slightest pressure. To put it bluntly, he spoke French like it was his native tongue. Zhenzhen honestly couldn’t understand why he had chosen this major—was he here to slack off?

The two of them stepped out from their seats. Seeing that Professor Meng wasn’t in a rush for them to begin, Zhenzhen thought they could discuss the scene briefly beforehand. But just as she walked up to Xi Junjie, he smiled faintly at her and started speaking in French: “You’re here?”

Zhenzhen couldn’t help but shoot him a glare—why wasn’t he sticking to the script? They hadn’t even rehearsed lines or anything and he was already starting? But when she caught the professor beginning to time them out of the corner of her eye, she couldn’t worry about it anymore and forced herself to reply, “Yes, I’m late.”

Xi Junjie looked at Zhenzhen seriously. “You are a little late.” His deep gaze seemed to peer right into her heart, and his voice carried a touch of melancholy: “Being away from you so long, every second feels like an entire century.”

Zhenzhen’s face flushed instantly, as red as a blazing cloud. Though she knew it was just a routine test, the way he looked at her made it impossible not to get immersed in the moment. Gazing into those profound eyes, she couldn’t help but cover her face—Oh my god, how can someone this good-looking speak so flirtatiously? That’s just cheating.

After only one semester of French, most of the class had limited proficiency, and apart from Zhenzhen, no one else really understood Xi Junjie’s line. Still, these were students from the top university in the capital—nobody was dumb. When they saw Zhenzhen momentarily stunned, then blushing, they all realized Xi Junjie had said something quite… spicy.

A few of the guys in the class had a crush on Zhenzhen. Some of them had already made plans: once they learned a bit more French, they’d confess to her in it—maybe they’d have a shot. But who would’ve thought Xi Junjie would skip straight to the action while everyone else was still planning? Listening to his smooth, beautiful French and looking at his face—prettier than most girls—the other guys could only cover their faces in defeat. It wasn’t that they weren’t trying. It’s just that the competition was way too strong.

Many girls liked Xi Junjie too. Boys these days often looked a bit rustic in both dress and demeanor, but Xi Junjie was different. In summer, he always wore crisp white shirts; in spring and fall, his sharp Zhongshan suits only enhanced his air of elegance. Whenever he walked into class, it was like all the other guys disappeared from the girls’ view.

Seeing Xi Junjie, who rarely spoke to girls, now looking so seriously at Li Mingzhen on the platform, the girls in the audience were practically clawing at their seats, wishing they could pull her down and do the scene themselves. Whether or not they could understand the French didn’t matter—just being able to speak a few lines with him would be enough to tick off a life goal.

But it was still a final exam. Zhenzhen quickly snapped back to focus. She wiped her face, got into the right headspace, and resumed the dialogue. Looking at Xi Junjie, she curved her lips into a gentle smile. Rising slightly on her toes, she patted him on the shoulder and said, in a heartfelt tone, “Son, I know you don’t want to leave mom, but this is how it is when you start elementary school. You’ll get used to it by second grade.”

Meng Huaishu let out a sudden chuckle. What had been shaping up to be a romantic scene—with such a good-looking male lead—would normally have continued naturally with an average girl. After class, they’d hang out a bit, and maybe something would blossom. But Li Mingzhen clearly wasn’t your average girl—just one line and she turned a love scene into a mother-son talk.

Even Xi Junjie gave her a speechless smile. He hadn’t expected her to flip the script to gain the upper hand like this. Still, the exercise didn’t limit the characters’ identities, and as long as Zhenzhen could keep the dialogue going, no one could say she was wrong.

Xi Junjie shook his head with a smile and played along, putting on a wronged expression. His long lashes fluttered, almost stealing Zhenzhen’s soul right out of her body. Her heart pounding wildly, Zhenzhen really wanted to recommend he apply to a drama school—what a waste to study French with a face and expressions like that.

The two of them ran a marathon on this completely off-topic scene until Professor Meng finally called time, and they both sighed in relief. Still grinning from ear to ear, Meng sat on the podium thinking he should do more activities like this to bring the boys and girls in class closer together. They acted like monks and nuns who’d taken a vow of silence—way too uptight.

Xi Junjie and Li Mingzhen returned to their seats, and Professor Meng continued drawing lots. Compared to the first group, the following dialogues were either awkward or dry, full of stilted grammar and stiff phrasing. Some students could barely keep the scene going for more than two or three minutes, and Meng was nearly bored to sleep.

At last, everyone had finished their test. Seeing that there was still time left, Meng started explaining some of the better lines from the exam. Unsurprisingly, he had written down Xi Junjie and Zhenzhen’s entire conversation on the blackboard word for word. Watching her classmates furiously take notes, Zhenzhen looked completely devastated. She was certain this would become part of her black history one day.

The French exam felt like the kickoff to finals week. Soon enough, all the teachers began mentioning final exams in class. The whole campus atmosphere grew tense. Students who had been happily composing eight poems a day now packed away their leisurely moods and threw themselves into hardcore review.

Amid this tension, the first issue of the Capital Campus News for journalism majors was finally printed. Thanks to Zhenzhen’s reminders, the student editors belatedly realized the importance of cost control. They printed 20% more papers than they needed to break even.

Staring at the towering stack of newspapers, Zhenzhen was dazed. Writing the articles wasn’t enough—they had to sell the papers too? Wei Yujin divvied up tasks for the dorm and said excitedly, “This is our class’s first issue—everyone work hard and let’s get off to a strong start!”

Zhenzhen sighed and resignedly picked up a pile of newspapers. “I’ll go sell at the cafeteria entrance.”

“I think a few people already went there,” Guo Xiaoqiao said, glancing up while counting her stack. “Why don’t we go to the library entrance instead?”

Zhenzhen nodded. These class-assigned tasks were unavoidable, so better to get it done quickly and save time for final reviews. Each of them carried a thick bundle and headed out. As they walked along, Zhenzhen shouted in a clear voice, “First issue of Capital Campus News! Exclusive interview with Mr. Wangwo on the Nobel Prize in Literature! Don’t miss it—just 20 cents!”

At that time, 20 cents was already pricey for a newspaper—the mainstream Capital Daily cost less. But they had printed so few that the per-unit printing cost naturally went up. Many members of the journalism club were nervous, afraid their paper would flop after just one issue.

No one knew how sales were going at the cafeteria, but Zhenzhen’s spot was doing quite well. Her bright voice drew attention, and when students heard there was an exclusive with Mr. Wangwo, a crowd gathered at once.

That illusion of “limited supply, high demand” was exactly what Zhenzhen had hoped for. As she sold papers and took money, she would occasionally highlight exciting parts of the interview. Those who had bought the paper didn’t even rush off—they opened it right there to find the content Zhenzhen mentioned. Meanwhile, those reluctant to buy crowded closer, trying to sneak a few extra peeks.

In no time, a crowd gathered around Zhenzhen and Guo Xiaoqiao, and the two hundred copies of the newspaper they brought were sold out in less than half an hour.

Zhenzhen dragged Guo Xiaoqiao out from the throng of readers, both of them having gotten their hands covered in thick ink. With their hands this dirty, they obviously couldn’t go straight to the library to review, so Zhenzhen planned to return to the dormitory to wash up with soap first, then find a quiet spot to enter the space and continue studying. Guo Xiaoqiao, as a key member of the journalism club, couldn’t let go of her responsibility for distributing the newspaper. She parted ways with Zhenzhen in a hurry and jogged off to the journalism office to grab more newspapers to continue selling.

Students strolled about in small groups nearby, so Zhenzhen couldn’t teleport. She could only lower her head and dash toward the dorm. But after only a few hundred meters from the library, she unexpectedly ran into Xi Junjie, who was on his way there.

Zhenzhen didn’t hold to the feudal idea that boys and girls shouldn’t talk to each other. She greeted Xi Junjie with a casual wave and a friendly hello, planning to walk past him and continue on her way.

Xi Junjie’s gaze paused briefly on her inky hand, and a hint of amusement appeared on his face. “What, did you go dig coal?”

Zhenzhen wiped the sweat off her nose with the back of her clean hand and explained, “Our journalism department just published a new issue. I just finished selling the copies I was in charge of, and I’m heading back to the dorm to wash my hands.”

Upon hearing that, Xi Junjie took a neatly folded white handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to her. “Here, wipe your hands first, or you’ll smear ink everywhere.”

Zhenzhen had been the kind of kid who always carried a handkerchief, but she couldn’t bear to use one on something like ink. Hands could be washed clean after a few scrubs, but once a handkerchief got stained with printing ink, it was basically done for.

She waved him off and politely declined, “I’m almost back at the dorm, I’ll wash them there. No need to ruin your handkerchief—I wouldn’t want to owe you a new one.”

Xi Junjie smiled faintly at her bluntness and stepped aside to let her pass. Zhenzhen thanked him and was just brushing past when he suddenly called out, “Wait!”

Zhenzhen stopped abruptly and turned back. With the motion, her hand swung a little—and with a loud “smack,” she watched in horror as her inky hand left a perfect black handprint on Xi Junjie’s white shirt.

Xi Junjie stared at his shirt, momentarily dumbfounded. Zhenzhen gave him an awkward smile and stepped back. “Uh… I didn’t mean to. How about I wash it for you?”

Xi Junjie looked at her expressionlessly. “I’m not wearing a vest underneath.”

Zhenzhen covered her face helplessly. “Dude, I was just being polite!”

Xi Junjie looked at her speechlessly, then after a pause, offered a piece of advice. “You should probably break that habit of covering your face whenever you’re embarrassed.”

“Huh?” Zhenzhen’s attention was still fixed on the blackened shirt, her brain not quite catching up.

Xi Junjie glanced at the random black smudges on her face and couldn’t bear it any longer. He stuffed his handkerchief into her hand and muttered, “Wipe your face properly,” before hurrying off.

Zhenzhen looked at the handkerchief in her hand, then at Xi Junjie’s retreating back, and couldn’t help muttering, “Why does this guy act like he’s got a crush on me?”

Whether Xi Junjie heard her or not, he suddenly paused for a split second—then quickly walked away.
—

After the school announced the final exam dates, Wei Yujin finally understood what Zhenzhen had said earlier. Although some newspapers still hadn’t sold out, nobody at the journalism club—including herself—had the energy to care anymore. Initially, the girls in the dorm just took their books to the restroom early in the morning to study, but now the bathroom had practically turned into a second study room.

Girls in the dorm building weren’t just bringing stools to the bathroom to study late into the night—some even moved entire desks in and studied from dawn till dusk. Although Zhenzhen was already a strong student, she had to take exams for three different majors, which meant she had three times as much to review compared to her dormmates. Luckily, the madness didn’t last too long. As the summer heat rolled in, students at Imperial Capital University finally finished their very first round of final exams.

As soon as she handed in her last exam paper, Zhenzhen couldn’t even be bothered to eat lunch—she immediately called out to Wang Xinwen to go home. By late July, the weather in the capital was scorching. With eight girls crammed into one dorm room, no air conditioning, and not even a fan, the air was so hot and stuffy that even breathing felt unbearable.

Mingbei, Wang Xinwen, and Zhenzhen took the bus home together. As soon as she got back, Zhenzhen dropped her schoolbag, washed her hands in a rush, and darted straight into the backyard. Sitting cross-legged on the ground, she plucked a persimmon and took a bite—the sweet and tangy flavor made her sigh with relief after three in a row.

After a few days of eating, sleeping, reading, painting, and studying antiques at home, Mingnan arrived from Bingcheng with Meng Xiaoxi and their two sons.

Since Grandma Li came to the capital with Zhenzhen, this was the first time she’d seen Mingnan’s family. Seeing how much the chubby great-grandsons had grown in half a year, she beamed with joy.

Zhenzhen’s house was spacious. They all stayed in the main courtyard now, with several rear courtyards still empty. While preparing rooms for Mingnan’s family, Zhenzhen also fixed up a room for Mingxi, thinking he could come stay a few days whenever he got a break.

Ever since Mingxi and Xie Yanan transferred back to the capital from the west, they’d continued working in scientific research. But the couple never talked about what exactly they were working on, and the Li family had the good sense not to pry. By rights, of Grandma Li’s four grandsons, Mingxi had the most success—his title was unknown, but he earned over two hundred yuan a month. Xie Yanan didn’t make as much, but she still pulled in over a hundred yuan a month—more than a Level 8 worker in Beicha.

The couple lived comfortably, with generous benefits beyond their salaries. If there was any regret, it was that Xie Yanan hadn’t shown any signs of pregnancy since giving birth to Yuanxiao. Grandma Li had heard from Li Muwen that the country was going to implement a family planning policy—one child per family. She was thinking they’d better hurry up and try for another before it took effect.

She didn’t know what Mingxi and his wife discussed in private, but judging from his relaxed attitude, she couldn’t help but worry. Only recently had Yanan mentioned she wanted to start taking care of her health to prepare for another child, which eased Grandma Li’s mind a bit. Still, she couldn’t help muttering to Wang Sufen, “Yanan hasn’t put on any weight all these years. Should we have Zhenzhen take her to see Doctor Zhang? I really think his medicinal soups work wonders.”

Noticing how Grandma Li’s hair had obviously darkened, Wang Sufen nodded in agreement. “I think so too. I’ve only been drinking his formula for a month, and the soreness in my waist is already much better.” But while she trusted the doctor’s skills, Wang Sufen still hesitated about the idea. “Mom, if we suggest this to Yanan, will she think we’re looking down on her?”

“She won’t. Yanan’s not that sensitive,” Grandma Li replied, popping a slice of pickled ginger into her mouth. “I’ll talk to Zhenzhen about it.”

Zhenzhen was busy mounting a calligraphy piece Su Weiran had given her. Grandma Li sat across from her, waiting until she was done cutting and ironing before bringing up the topic of Xie Yanan.

Zhenzhen wiped the sweat off her forehead and smiled. “Actually, I was planning to visit Mr. Zhang anyway, so I’ll bring it up to her then. When is Second Sister-in-law coming over?”

“Probably Sunday,” Grandma Li said quickly. “That’s what they said last time.”

Once the calligraphy was mounted, Zhenzhen climbed up to hammer a nail into the wall and hung it up. Then she retrieved two century-old ginseng roots from her space, casually wrapped them in a cloth bag, stuffed them into her backpack, and headed out to find Zhang Renzhen.

It only took a little over twenty minutes to walk from Zhenzhen’s house to Zhang Renzhe’s. After leaving the Houyang area, Zhenzhen stopped by the supply and marketing cooperative and bought a milk popsicle. She munched on it as she strolled over to Zhang Renzhe’s home.

Zhang Renzhe was sitting in a shaded spot in his courtyard, leisurely making tea while fanning himself. He looked completely content. Zhenzhen knocked on the door ring, then poked her head in with a grin. “Mr. Zhang, may I come in?”

Zhang Renzhe glanced at her with feigned annoyance. “And if I said no, would you actually leave? Always up to your nonsense.”

Zhenzhen giggled and pushed the door open, taking a seat in the chair opposite him. Before she could say anything, Zhang Renzhe poured her a cup of tea and set it in front of her. “Eating popsicles again, huh? Didn’t I tell you to watch what you eat? You’re young now and your body can take it, but when you get older, you’ll regret it.”

Zhenzhen instinctively covered her mouth, looking at him innocently. “I only had one bite.”

“That was a pretty big bite.” Zhang Renzhe snorted. “Look at your lips, all frozen. I bet you had at least one whole one.”

Zhenzhen chuckled and pulled two cloth-wrapped bundles from her bag, placing them on the table. “Sir, take a look at these. How much do you think they could sell for?”

Zhang Renzhe shook his head, half amused. “You’re always so mysterious. What good stuff have you got this time to trade for money?”

“Just take a look and you’ll see.” Zhenzhen picked up the teacup and took a sip. The warm tea slid down her throat, washing away the sticky sweetness of the popsicle and replacing the summer heat with a calming fragrance.

Zhang Renzhe carefully unwrapped the first bundle, layer by layer, until a whole wild ginseng root lay before him. He lifted it with great care and held it close to his nose. The faint medicinal aroma, mingled with the scent of soil, gave him a jolt of energy.

“This is good stuff,” he said, clicking his tongue in appreciation. He inspected the roots closely. “The appearance is excellent, no signs of breakage.” He glanced up at Zhenzhen. “Ginseng of this age and quality isn’t easy to come by again once it’s sold. Are you sure about this?”

“I’m sure.” Zhenzhen picked up the kettle and refilled the teapot, pouring two more cups. “If I tried selling it myself, I’d probably get ripped off. That’s why I came to you.”

Zhang Renzhe gave her a look and opened the second bundle. The ginseng inside was even thicker and seemed older. “Alright, leave them here. They’ll sell in at most two days.”

Zhenzhen nodded, then grinned. “These are my private stash, okay? Don’t go telling my family.”

“Private stash?” Zhang Renzhe chuckled. “Look at you. What, you dug them up secretly and your grandma and mom don’t know?”

Zhenzhen gave a sheepish smile and raised her cup to him. “You really get me, Mr. Zhang.”

After chatting for a bit, Zhenzhen brought up Xie Yanan. “My grandma’s thinking it’d be good if she could get pregnant again before the policy window closes. She wanted to ask if you could help with some health conditioning.”

Zhang Renzhe had visited Zhenzhen’s house often and was familiar with the Li family’s situation. Though he’d never met the couple from the Mingxi family in person, just knowing one was a scientist was impressive enough. He nodded. “Alright, I’ll stop by this weekend and bring the money along too.”

As soon as she heard the word “money,” Zhenzhen lit up with joy. “Then I’m counting on you!”

Leaving Zhang Renzhe’s place, Zhenzhen’s mind turned to the topic of housing. In her memory, the housing reform in Huaguo would officially begin this autumn. Starting next year, cities like Modu and Huadu would gradually begin selling commercial housing. Back then, most people still relied on work-unit allocations and were reluctant to spend their own money to buy. But with today’s low prices and prime locations, the more units one could buy, the better. Let them sit for twenty years—by then, they wouldn’t just be houses anymore. They’d be gold.