Chapter 7

While it was the same for her sister Yang Suxiu, who had also married into a rural family with modest means, she gritted her teeth and lent the three ten-thousand yuan she had saved for building a house to Yang Sulan.

It’s often said that seeing one’s uncle is like seeing one’s mother, but Ye Lingtian could never feel close to these two worldly uncles. On the contrary, every time he saw them, a strong sense of disgust welled up from the depths of his heart.

This time, when Ye Lingtian was admitted to university, the two uncles only made a phone call and said a few insincere words of congratulations. They didn’t even send a red envelope, let alone show up in person. Only Ye Lingtian’s aunt and her family came specially to congratulate him, and they were now having lunch together at Ye Lingtian’s house.

“Sister, is Lingtian’s tuition enough? I heard university tuition is very expensive, probably over ten thousand yuan a year? If it’s not enough, I can go to Daya and see if we can find a way?” the aunt asked Yang Sulan, concerned, as she ate.

Daya is Yang Suxiu’s eldest daughter, Li Xiaodan, who married into a suburban area of the county a few years ago. Her husband is called Yu Jianjun. The couple started by growing vegetables and selling them at the county market. Later, Yu Jianjun learned the skill of making handmade noodles in eastern Guangdong and bought a machine to make noodles and dumpling wrappers. They rented a small stall at the market to sell handmade noodles and dumpling wrappers, and their business was doing reasonably well, though it was very hard work. They had to get up at two or three in the morning to make noodles and dumpling wrappers, and then spend the whole day running the stall, getting only a few hours of sleep each day.

When they heard that Ye Lingtian had been admitted to Yanjing University, the couple, busy with their business, couldn’t find the time to come, so they asked Yang Suxiu to bring a red envelope as a congratulatory gesture.

Yang Sulan looked gratefully at her sister and brother-in-law and said, “Suxiu, you’ve been so thoughtful. Not only did Lingtian get into Yanjing University, but he also became the top scorer in the national college entrance exam! A few days ago, the county education bureau leaders came, and the county committee rewarded him with twenty thousand yuan, and the education bureau rewarded him with ten thousand yuan. That covers more than half of the tuition. We’ll figure out the rest later!”

The three ten-thousand yuan borrowed previously hadn’t been repaid yet, and now she was worried about not having enough money for her son’s university education, so she was planning to borrow from her daughter and son-in-law. After all, her sister and brother-in-law were both in the countryside, and earning money was not easy.

Yang Suxiu sighed with relief after hearing Yang Sulan’s words and said comfortingly, “Oh, that’s good. It’s good that he can go to school.”

“Lingtian, you must study hard. When you graduate, try to find a good job. The family will be counting on you, okay?” Uncle Li Shide, a simple and honest farmer, said to Ye Lingtian with a face full of hope.

“Sure, Aunt, Uncle, you can rest assured. I will definitely study hard and make sure my mother lives a good life, no longer suffering from others’ mistreatment or cold faces!” Ye Lingtian clenched his teeth, his eyes shining with determination.

The sun was bright, and the sky was a clear blue, like a vast ocean.

On the special express train from Linzhou to Yanjing, Ye Lingtian, dressed in new clothes, was excitedly looking around. It was his first time on a train, and he couldn’t help but feel a bit curious about everything around him.

It was the period when students from various universities were returning to school, so the railway transport was in a small peak. The train was noticeably more crowded than usual, with many people sitting at the ends of the carriages. Fortunately, the air conditioning was on, which helped to freshen the air and make the smell in the carriage less unpleasant.

Ye Lingtian’s seat was by the window in a double row. His seatmate was a man in his thirties, wearing glasses and looking quite refined.

Across from them was a middle-aged couple in their forties, dressed very simply. They seemed to be from the countryside. The man looked weak and pale, and after boarding the train, he took some medicine from a few bottles. He was probably going to a big hospital for treatment.

Ye Lingtian didn’t have the habit of chatting with strangers. Seeing that the others weren’t talking, he took out a magazine and started reading.

The train continued northward. By the time it reached Jiangkou Station, it was already five in the afternoon. The middle-aged man sitting next to Ye Lingtian got off with his luggage. Just as the train was about to start, a tall young woman, carrying a leather handbag on her shoulder and dragging a suitcase with her right hand, hurriedly walked in.

The tall woman looked at her ticket and the seat number on the carriage wall, then glanced at the few people. Finally, her gaze fell on Ye Lingtian, and she smiled and said, “Young man, could you help me put my suitcase on the luggage rack?”

Ye Lingtian looked up and sized her up. She was about twenty years old, very tall, at least 1.7 meters, with long, black hair cascading over her shoulders. Her skin was fair and smooth, exuding a youthful glow.

She wore a light purple blouse, and her ample chest formed two prominent peaks, extremely alluring. Around her neck, she wore a sparkling platinum necklace, exquisitely crafted.

Her tight jeans hugged her round, firm buttocks, and her long, slender legs formed beautiful curves, even through the jeans, their charm was hard to hide.

“Sure, no problem,” Ye Lingtian smiled back at the tall woman, put down his magazine, and lifted the suitcase onto the luggage rack.

“Thank you!” The tall woman smiled at Ye Lingtian again and then looked at her seat. Noticing that it seemed a bit dirty, she took out some tissues from her handbag and bent down to wipe the seat’s fabric.

As she bent over, Ye Lingtian caught a glimpse of a deep, white cleavage from her neckline. Just looking at the cleavage, he could tell how full her exposed chest was, making him imagine all sorts of things.

The purple lace bra holding her full, snow-white breasts added a mysterious allure. A fragrant scent, like orchids or musk, filled his nostrils, carrying a hint of mystery and temptation, intoxicating his heart.

It was the first time Ye Lingtian had seen such a seductive scene. He felt his blood rush, his heart pounding wildly, and a sense of breathlessness. His lower abdomen grew warm, and his little brother involuntarily stood up, a wave of desire surging in his heart.

At that moment, the tall woman had finished cleaning the seat and looked up, only to see Ye Lingtian staring straight at her chest, his lower area bulging like a tent. She immediately understood what was happening, her face turning red with a hint of anger, and she let out a light huff.

Hearing the huff, Ye Lingtian realized his indiscretion, feeling his face heat up. He quickly crossed his legs to hide the tent and turned to look out the window, pretending to admire the scenery passing by.

Seeing Ye Lingtian’s embarrassed face and his tactful turn to the window, the tall woman decided to ignore him. She took out a small purple MP3 player from her handbag, put on the earphones, and closed her eyes to listen to music. She swayed her head slightly to the rhythm, clearly listening to DJ music.