In the middle of the night, Cheng Tianyuan tossed and turned, unable to sleep. It could have been the uncomfortable sofa or perhaps the weight of his thoughts that kept him awake. The single room was small, and as he shifted on the narrow bed, he caught a glimpse of Xue Ling peacefully asleep.
The young woman, tired from a day’s work, lacked the elegance of a fairy tale princess or her usual vibrant and fiery demeanor. Instead, she appeared gentle and sweet, like a soft and adorable lamb, soundly asleep.
Cheng Tianyuan’s gaze deepened as he looked at the sleeping beauty, his heart filled with a mixture of excitement and apprehension. She would soon be settling into a stable life, and in a day or two, she might no longer need his help with overnight shifts. Then, they would each have their own lives, and the points of intersection between them would seem to fade away.
On their wedding day, right after entering the bridal chamber, she had complained incessantly, hinting strongly that they were incompatible and could never build a family together. Her words were a constant reminder that their future together was uncertain.
The Civil Affairs Bureau was located in the northern part of the county, and once she stabilized, she would likely take the initiative to suggest…
Lost in a swirl of thoughts, he gradually succumbed to drowsiness and fell asleep, not realizing when it had happened.
Early in the morning, Cheng Tianyuan went out to buy breakfast while Xue Ling, who hadn’t slept well the previous night, remained snugly wrapped in her blanket.
“The soy milk and fried dough sticks from this place are delicious. The dough sticks get less tasty when they’re cold, so come and have breakfast.” He placed the food on the table and headed to the small balcony to wash his hands.
Enticed by the aroma of the fried dough sticks, Xue Ling, driven by her appetite, threw off the blanket, hastily put on her outerwear, and hurriedly went to freshen up.
“Brother Yuan, let’s eat together!” Holding the warm fried dough sticks, she offered him a bag.
Cheng Tianyuan shook his head and replied, “I only bought one portion for you. I’ll have breakfast at the Supply and Marketing Cooperative.”
He had always been frugal with his meals. A bag of soy milk and two dough sticks cost as much as five large steamed buns, which he considered a bit expensive. It also wouldn’t be enough to fill his stomach.
“Wait a moment!” Xue Ling handed him the soy milk bag and said with a warm smile, “It’s a bit chilly in the morning. Have some warm soy milk. One bag is enough for me.”
Cheng Tianyuan, captivated by her sunny smile, took a few sips and nodded appreciatively.
“It’s quite sweet, isn’t it?”
With a slight curve on his lips, he replied softly, “Yes, it’s quite sweet.”
As he descended the stairs, a gentle warmth filled his stomach, and the lingering sweet scent of soy milk still tickled his senses. This kind of morning made him unintentionally reminisce about his childhood days in the alley.
Back then, their family wasn’t affluent, but they weren’t as tight on money as they would later become. Every morning, his mother would make soy milk and steam a bamboo basket of buns. They would gather around a small table, enjoying a harmonious family breakfast.
He couldn’t help but tug at the corner of his mouth, smiling gently, and walked briskly towards the Supply and Marketing Cooperative with light steps.
Elated after savoring breakfast, Xue Ling changed into fresh clothes and headed to Ronghua City Newspaper.
With a spring in her step, she reached the newspaper office in no time. It was still early, and the office was bustling with activity.
A young man was typing on an old typewriter, and when he noticed her peeking around, he smiled and inquired, “Who are you looking for?”
Xue Ling confidently introduced herself, explaining her purpose for coming, and politely asked for directions to Director Liu’s office.
“Oh, it’s you!” The young man, named Liu Xing, grinned broadly. “Director Liu mentioned you when she was on her lunch break yesterday. She said you graduated from a foreign language college in the capital!”
His voice was quite loud, attracting the attention of others in the office.
Xue Ling graciously nodded to acknowledge the greetings from her new colleagues, maintaining a polite demeanor.
Liu Xing patted his chest and enthusiastically said, “I’m Liu Xing, like the stars. I’m in charge of layout here. Welcome aboard, Xiaoxue! We’ll be colleagues soon.”
Xue Ling, being a true northerner, had an open and straightforward personality, and she laughed heartily.
“I’m not your official colleague yet. I’m here today to discuss my employment with Director Liu. It’s not confirmed yet!”
Liu Xing was overjoyed that they were getting someone with Xue Ling’s qualifications and sunny disposition.
“Xiaoxue, the newspaper is in dire need of talents like you! We’ll be colleagues soon, so let’s work well together. Just wait here for a moment; I’ll inform someone to process your employment paperwork right away.”
For someone like Xue Ling, a university graduate specializing in a rare field, she was a highly sought-after commodity in the 1980s. Coupled with her cheerful and composed demeanor, Director Liu’s enthusiasm for her was evident.
The process of onboarding went smoothly, and Director Liu introduced Xue Ling to her new colleagues. She would be taking over the English section, replacing Wang Qing, who had been handling it temporarily.
Wang Qing, a young woman in her early twenties, was delicate in appearance, gentle in temperament, and had two braided hair twists. She was dressed in a nylon dress.
Upon hearing that Xue Ling would be taking over the English column, Wang Qing breathed a sigh of relief.
She only knew a few simple English words and couldn’t handle the task at all. However, since there was no immediate replacement available at the newspaper, Director Liu had asked her to hold the fort temporarily.
With each issue, she felt herself getting thinner and more strained, as it was a daunting task for her.
“Xiaoxue, I can finally pass this hot potato to you, a true professional,” Wang Qing said with a wry smile.
Xue Ling laughed and responded, “I’ll need your guidance, Wang Qing.”
Liu Xing chimed in, “Wang Qing is the most famous writer in our Ronghua County, even though she’s young. She’s published a collection of essays and two novels!”
“Wow!” Xue Ling exclaimed. “So, you’re the great writer, Wang Qing? My apologies for not recognizing you earlier.”
Blushing, Wang Qing covered her mouth and laughed shyly. “I just write for fun… I’m not a serious writer. We’re colleagues now, so there’s no need for formalities. We can learn from each other. When you have time, please teach me English!”
“Sure!” Xue Ling agreed cheerfully.
Liu Xing added with a grin, “I’ll need to learn too!”
The other middle-aged colleagues chimed in, shaking their heads and smiling.
“Whenever we see English, we get a headache. We’re too old to learn.”
Xue Ling quickly adapted to her new work environment. Her desk was located in the corner, with Liu Xing sitting across from her and Wang Qing next door.
Director Liu mentioned that they were the youngest trio in the office, so she arranged for them to sit together.
“Our newspaper currently has twelve staff members, including two security guards, the director and deputy director, and you’ve already met the other colleagues. By the way, our deputy director is away on a business trip and won’t be back for a few days. I’ll introduce you to her when she returns.”
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