Chapter 121 - 118: School Starts
He leaned in and whispered a few words into Zhou Lian’s ear. If one could ignore the roguish curl of Li Xiu’s lips, it was a perfect picture: the man handsome, the woman gorgeous, lost in a moment of tender affection that even the finest artist could not capture.
Alas, as Li Xiu finished speaking, Zhou Lian’s face visibly turned red, then purple, and finally, a deep, stormy crimson. She began to flail in his arms, but her struggles were feeble, barely making a ripple before he locked her firmly in his embrace.
"Bao’er, don’t be angry. See? My suggestion is great! It’s good for you and good for me—a win-win situation!"
Staring at his shameless expression, Zhou Lian knew there was nothing she could do about him. ’I never would have guessed that this man, who seems so noble and upright on the surface, would have absolutely no sense of decency in private,’ she thought. ’Forget living one extra life—even if I lived ten more, I could never match his thick skin.’
The young couple spent three more sappy days together, and in the blink of an eye, it was time for Zhou Lian’s classes to begin. Li Xiu was up bright and early to get ready. The man, who had been well-fed and satisfied these past few days, looked full of vigor and high spirits. He dressed his daughter in a small, white, short-sleeved top, powder-blue shorts, little white socks, and a little powder-blue sun hat. Against the colors, chubby Little Nono’s skin looked so fair it seemed to glow.
Zhou Lian also changed into the new clothes Li Xiu had bought for her: an ankle-length, powder-blue skirt, a form-fitting white top with three-quarter sleeves, and white mid-heels. Her long hair was woven into a fishtail braid and secured with a jade hairpin. She truly embodied the lines of that old poem: as serene as a flower reflected in water, as graceful as a willow caressed by the wind.
Li Xiu’s attire was much simpler by comparison: black trousers and a white shirt. The watches on his and Zhou Lian’s wrists were clearly a matching set.
Carrying Zhou Lian’s bookbag, holding his daughter, and with his wife by his side, Li Xiu felt like a triumphant general returning from victory. Brimming with pride and satisfaction, he headed off with his wife to register at Beijing University.
Walking down the street, the family of three became the center of attention. Their striking looks, fashionable clothes, and the cute, pretty, chubby baby drew all eyes. When they reached the gate of Beijing University, they likewise attracted the stares of many students. After all, in an era where most people wore black, gray, or blue, their family’s outfits were exceptionally stylish and beautiful.
She registered with her admission notice. Zhou Lian had been accepted into the Classical Chinese Literature program in the Department of Chinese Language and Literature, which was the major she loved most and was best suited for.
The professor handling registration stared at the family of three, somewhat taken aback by their attire. He was even more surprised when Li Xiu produced a thick stack of documents just so she could be a commuter student instead of living in the dorms. The professor felt a bit resigned. Most students who got into university these days wanted nothing more than to live on campus; it was rare to see someone request to live off-site. He had seen students with children before, but they usually still lived in the dorms. However, when he saw their home address was only a ten-minute walk away, he understood. He briskly processed the paperwork.
Zhou Lian’s household registration, grain ration status, and other credentials were also transferred to the school. At that moment, Zhou Lian officially became a bona fide student of Beijing University.
Since she had to be back on campus for the new student orientation meeting that afternoon, Li Xiu and his family didn’t linger and went straight home.
Back home, Zhou Lian was sulking, glaring at Li Xiu with her cheeks puffed out. Li Xiu was completely baffled. ’I don’t think I did anything to upset her today, did I?’ Still, he knew his wife needed to be comforted. "Bao’er, what’s wrong?"
"It’s all your fault! You insisted I wear this outfit, and now everyone stares at me. I don’t want to attract so much attention," Zhou Lian said with a pout. Even though some people on the streets wore fashionable clothes, the majority still dressed very plainly.
"Bao’er, you like this outfit, right? Since you like it, why should you care about anyone else? You have a husband and a child, so why does it matter what other people think? What’s important is that you’re happy. When you’re happy, I’m happy. Understand?" He placed their daughter on her little bed to play by herself, then turned and gently embraced his wife, patiently reasoning with her.
’This is the era of Reform and Opening Up, a time for a hundred flowers to bloom,’ Li Xiu thought. ’My wife loves beautiful things, so why should she have to suppress her nature because of what other people think? By sending her to university, I’ve made it clear I don’t want her to just stay home and be pampered by me. I want her to do what she loves, to live this life as freely and unrestrainedly as possible.’
She thought about her husband’s words, and her mind drifted to the future she knew, an era where people could express themselves freely. ’He’s right,’ she mused. ’My husband is doing this for my own good. Why should I care so much? I should live as freely and stylishly as I can within the limits I have. After all, who knows if there will even be a next life?’
Seeing the tension gradually fade from his wife’s face, he knew she had come around. He gently kissed her hair and said no more. ’It isn’t easy to get a second chance at life,’ he thought. ’Who knows what the next one will hold? In this life, I will do everything in my power to shelter her under my wing and let her live happily and freely for her entire life.’
The two of them, embracing quietly, had no idea yet that under Li Xiu’s boundless, unconditional spoiling, Zhou Lian would one day become the object of every woman’s envy: with a handsome, devoted husband, a pair of exceptional and filial children, and not only fame and fortune for herself, but also an ageless beauty, as if time itself had stopped for her.
After dropping Zhou Lian off at her classroom, Li Xiu strolled leisurely with his daughter by Weiming Lake. ’Her class meeting should last about two hours,’ he figured. ’We’ll just wait for her here.’
Sitting in the classroom, Zhou Lian ignored the curious gazes from all around. It wasn’t that she was being aloof; she honestly didn’t know what to talk about with these classmates from a different era. She was only here because she loved to learn. As Li Xiu had put it, ’The family isn’t counting on you to make money. You just need to do what you love.’ Besides, the jobs assigned by the university upon graduation wouldn’t suit her, and Li Xiu wouldn’t let her take one anyway. His plan was for her to ’study as much as you can, for as long as you can, and then devote yourself to research.’ It was a path that perfectly matched her major and her passion.
After the class meeting ended and the textbooks were distributed, the teacher dismissed the students. Classes would officially begin the next day, so today was for students to explore the campus and at least find out where the cafeteria, dormitories, and large lecture halls were.
Zhou Lian slowly flipped through the books on her desk, waiting for Li Xiu to come pick her up. For some reason, none of the other students in the class had left yet; it seemed they were all waiting for something.
When Li Xiu arrived at the classroom carrying their child, the teacher had only just left. Seeing the tall stack of books on his wife’s desk, Li Xiu’s mouth twitched. He gently placed Nuonuo in his wife’s arms, took a pre-prepared rope from Zhou Lian’s bookbag, and tied up the books. Then, he took the child back from her, picked up the bundle of books, and said softly, "Bao’er, there’s nothing else to do. Let’s go home."
As they watched Li Xiu hold his child in one arm and the books in the other, with the beautiful Zhou Lian following beside him, the classroom fell silent. The male students sighed inwardly with regret. The beautiful flower was already taken. Although this was an era of great ideological change, no one was a fool. One look at Li Xiu and you could tell he was not someone to be trifled with. Moreover, he was handsome and his clothes were clearly expensive. None of the boys in the class dared to entertain any ideas about Zhou Lian now.
As for the female students, their hearts were filled with a sour feeling. Good-looking, well-dressed, well-married, with a beautiful child—this Zhou Lian was truly an object of envy. However, seeing her complete outfit, no one would dare to cause trouble for her. After all, that was human psychology: when someone is a little better than you, you feel jealous; but when they are on a completely different level, all you can feel is admiration.