The 1970s: Married First, Fell in Love Later-Chapter 133 - 132: The He Family Has 2 University Students

Chapter 133: Chapter 132: The He Family Has 2 University Students

Little Chen was smiling too. He picked Shiyi up and tossed the little one gently in the air, drawing a happy laugh.

He Ziming jumped to his feet. "Big Brother, Big Brother, me too!"

Xiao Yang gave him a light kick on the behind. "Have you seen how much you weigh? Shiyi is tiny. You think Big Brother can toss you?"

He Ziming clutched his behind and whined, "I’m still a baby too! You’re all playing favorites."

When Xiao Yang raised his foot to kick him again, He Ziming saw it and scurried over to Mr. He.

"Grandpa, Second Brother is hitting me again."

Mr. He just smiled and patted his head.

The two brothers, He Lang and He Nan, couldn’t stop laughing.

He Nan asked He Lang, "Sister-in-law also took the college entrance exam. If she gets in, she’ll have to go away for school. What will you and the children do then?"

He Lang shook his head. "We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it." He actually already had a plan, but with the results still unknown, it was pointless to say anything.

"Big Brother, I heard Mom wants to find you a new wife, but you refused?" It wasn’t that He Lang was prying. Mrs. He had secretly asked him to try and persuade his older brother, and He Lang wanted to know his thoughts on the matter too.

He Nan’s expression stiffened for a moment before he sighed. "I know Mom means well. But I’m just not in that frame of mind right now. I just want to focus on raising Ziqing and Ziniannian properly. I don’t want to think about anything else."

"You’re worried about what the children will think, aren’t you?"

He Nan nodded. "That’s part of my consideration. Besides, in my situation, what kind of woman could I possibly marry? I’m fine being single."

He Lang understood. Finding a stepmother for the children was a tricky business. Even if the kids could accept her, it would be hard for an outsider to truly be of one heart with the family.

Mr. He glanced at them but said nothing.

After the New Year, the acceptance letters started to arrive in late January.

The first letter to arrive was for Yang Xiaoxia. She had been accepted into a technical secondary school in the provincial capital.

Yang Xiaoxia had graduated several years ago and had since had two children in a row. As she put it, "You lose your mind for three years with one pregnancy, so with two, that’s six years of being scatterbrained."

A technical school was still an excellent outcome. Yang Xiaoxia was so happy she was jumping for joy, and Uncle He’s entire family was ecstatic. Graduating from a technical school meant you were assigned a job, which was an incredible stroke of good fortune.

Next came the acceptance letters for the educated youth. Two had gotten into technical schools, and three had gotten into universities. Among them, Wang Shumin had been accepted to a university in Beijing City.

"Yes! I can finally go back home!"

Xue Yue’s letter arrived after that; she had been accepted to the Foreign Language University in Beijing City.

They had planned this all along. Xue Xingzhou had suggested she apply to the Foreign Language University, and since Xue Yue didn’t know much about the options, she took her brother’s advice.

They planned to attend university in Beijing City together. A major reason was that Xue Xingzhou wanted to get into the People’s Public Security University, and its best campus was in Beijing City. Xue Yue didn’t want to be too far from her brother, and He Lang supported her.

Xue Yue and He Lang had also discussed what would happen to him and the children if she were accepted to a university and had to leave home.

He Lang didn’t treat it as some insurmountable problem. "It’s simple," he said. "Wherever you go, the kids and I will go. Our family will never be separated."

"But what about your job?"

He Lang said casually, "I’ll just give my job to my older brother. I can do any kind of work, but I can’t be thousands of miles away from you. I wouldn’t be able to stand it."

Xue Yue, moved, threw her arms around He Lang. "I couldn’t bear to be apart from you, either."

He Lang gently patted her back and chuckled. "That’s why our family isn’t splitting up. Have you forgotten? We’re not short on money. If things get tight, we can just sell a bit of that stuff we have buried. It’s more than enough to buy a house anywhere."

Xue Yue smiled. "When you put it that way, we have your daughter to thank for all this."

He Lang nodded smugly. "Of course. She’s my daughter, after all. Already providing for the family at such a young age."

But what surprised everyone was that He Ziqing had actually gotten into Beijing University—one of the top universities in the country.

Even Xue Yue was stunned for a moment. "Is Ziqing really that brilliant at her studies?"

He Lang admitted he had no idea either.

Even He Ziqing herself was in disbelief. She had taken a bold chance applying to Beijing University and had actually been accepted.

He Nan was so emotional his eyes turned red. He kept wringing his hands, completely at a loss for how to react.

Mrs. He joyfully hugged He Ziqing. "I never imagined! The He family has produced a university student! Our Ziqing, you’ve really made your grandparents proud."

He Nan and Xue Yue also came over to congratulate Ziqing.

"That’s amazing, Ziqing! You really did us proud," Xue Yue said, giving her a thumbs-up in admiration.

He Ziqing smiled shyly. "You’re amazing too, Third Aunt. You didn’t even go to high school, and you still got into a university in Beijing City."

Xue Yue’s lip twitched. ’How can I tell her I started studying two years in advance?’ she thought. ’With all that prep time, my results were just so-so. I only got in because I had a head start.’

Mr. He made a grand gesture. "Our family has two university students! Tomorrow, we’re throwing a big banquet to celebrate. It’s my treat."

He Lang grinned. "That’s our dad for you—always so commanding! No wonder our family produced two university students."

Mrs. He’s face was also wreathed in smiles. She didn’t say a word about the expense. An event like this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and it certainly called for a celebration.

Gu Yuwei was waiting at home, her patience wearing thin. Her acceptance letter still hadn’t arrived, and when she heard that even Xue Yue—who hadn’t even finished high school—had gotten into a university in Beijing City, she grew even more agitated.

He Ze tried to console her. "Just wait a little longer. Their letters didn’t all arrive at the same time. Yours is probably just delayed." 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

Gu Yuwei could only suppress her anxiety. But after another week passed without a visit from the mailman, she knew something was wrong.

"He Ze, I’m going to the post office to ask if they missed mine. If someone like Xue Yue can get in, I’m definitely better than her. Maybe the mailman forgot to deliver it. This isn’t right. I have to go check."

He Ze also thought that if a woman like He Lang’s wife could get into a university, then maybe the mailman really had misplaced his own wife’s letter.

"Okay, let’s go to the post office and ask right away."

The two of them went to the post office.

A postal worker searched for a long time before shaking his head. "Still nothing. All the acceptance letters have been delivered. We wouldn’t dare delay something so important. If you haven’t received one, it means there isn’t one for you."

Gu Yuwei said in disbelief, "How could there be nothing? I’m sure I passed. You must have lost it."

The postal worker grew angry as well, retorting with a sneer, "I said there’s nothing, and I meant it. If you don’t believe me, go check with the Education Bureau. Don’t take your anger out on us just because you failed."

Gu Yuwei’s face went pale, and her hands began to tremble uncontrollably as if she were trying to restrain herself. "You’re lying," she kept muttering. "I know I passed."

Seeing that Gu Yuwei was on the verge of a breakdown, He Ze quickly pulled her out of the post office.

On the way back, Gu Yuwei was completely silent, as if her soul had left her body.

He Ze tried to comfort her. "Not many of the educated youth passed the exam. It’s not the end of the world. Staying home to take care of the kids is a good life, too."

Gu Yuwei slowly lifted her head, her face contorting into a twisted, hideous expression as she stared at He Ze.

"Did you do this on purpose?"

He Ze froze. "What?"

Gu Yuwei laughed, a manic, unhinged sound. "How could I have been so stupid to trust you? If you hadn’t waited half a month to get me those books, would I have failed? You did this on purpose! That bitch Xue Yue—what does she have that I don’t? Why is she so damn lucky? Her man is better than mine, her life is better than mine, her luck is better than mine! Why? Tell me, why?!" Gu Yuwei grabbed He Ze by the collar, screaming hysterically.

In her fury, she slapped He Ze across the face.

He Ze stared at Gu Yuwei’s frantic outburst as if she were a stranger. A storm raged in his heart. ’Is this the life I’ve been chasing after all this time?’