Chapter 006: Reunion of Fellow Villagers

I was startled: Is that so? It looks quite serious.

At the end of the hometown association meeting, Yiming pulled me over to find Daxiong and Weizi, saying that we should take a group photo. When the photo was being taken, Yiming stood next to me, followed by Daxiong and Weizi. At the moment the shutter clicked, Yiming draped his arm across my shoulder and placed it on Daxiong's shoulder. In that instant, I felt my own nervousness, staring somewhat foolishly at the flash. With a click, the photo was taken, and I stood there a bit dazed until it was over. Yiming smiled at me and said, "Eighteen, you haven't really taken a photo before, have you? Why are you still not reacting?" Yiming draped his arm across my shoulder and placed it on Daxiong's shoulder. In that instant, I felt my own nervousness, staring somewhat foolishly at the flash. With a click, the photo was taken, and I stood there a bit dazed until it was over. Yiming smiled at me and said, "Eighteen, you haven't really taken a photo before, have you? Why are you still not reacting?"

At the evening gathering of fellow townspeople, I almost forgot. Yaoyao was shouting at my dormitory window from downstairs, and it was only then that I realized and went straight down. When Yaoyao saw me, her eyes widened: "Hey, Eighteen, I told you not to wear that Real Madrid sweatshirt anymore. Are you crazy? It's neither masculine nor feminine. Who are you trying to scare?"

That afternoon, I received two phone calls in my dormitory, both seeking my services as a tutor. One was for an elementary school student, and the other for a high school student. A few days ago, I had posted some flyers in various communities looking for tutoring opportunities. It had been nearly half a month, and I had not received any calls. I was about to give up when, unexpectedly, on Saturday, I received a call. However, the offered rates were not high. The family of the elementary school student offered 20 yuan per hour, while the high school student's family proposed 25 yuan per hour, both for three sessions a week, each lasting two hours. Su Xiaoyue was quite dismissive: "Eighteen, don't do it. It's been nearly half a month, and I had not received any calls. I was about to give up when, unexpectedly, on Saturday, I received a call. However, the offered rates were not high. The family of the elementary school student offered 20 yuan per hour, while the high school student's family proposed 25 yuan per hour, both for three sessions a week, each lasting two hours. Su Xiaoyue was quite dismissive: "Eighteen, don't do it. It's only twenty-something yuan per hour, and even impoverished students are unwilling to do such work. Is it worth it for you?"

Yifei began to worry that I would return to school late, thinking the journey was unsafe. I rolled up my sleeves and laughed, saying: Do you know what my greatest advantage is? It is that I am tougher than men. If robbers see me, they will definitely take a detour; who knows who would be robbing whom?

After the hometown association meeting, Yao Yao was taken away by Xu Xiao Huai to an unknown place. I walked back alone, feeling a bit gloomy, when Yi He caught up with me and asked: "Eighteen, what’s wrong? You seemed a bit unhappy just now"

Dudu put down the novel in his hands and looked at me with a sob: "Eighteen, you don't understand. It is precisely because it is fake that it is touching. Where in reality is there such sincere love? When there is no real moment, the fake becomes particularly precious. How can I not cry?"

I said it was nothing, perhaps the military training these days has been exhausting. Yi Ming sighed and told me to go back and get a good night's sleep, then bid me farewell

I awkwardly looked at Yao Yao, remaining silent, as I too did not understand why Yi Ming suddenly pulled me to take a photo with Wei Zi and Da Xiong. I had not yet recovered from the tension I had just experienced.

Dudu glanced at me, nodding while wiping away tears: "Eighteen, you, you take it, use it, I don't need it anymore, I haven't needed it for a long time."

Arthur emphasized the word "borrow" heavily, and I smiled and nodded, saying that I would consider it if the need truly arose that day

Yiming called out a few times, and the boy turned around. After exchanging a few pleasantries with Yiming, he pointed at me and Yaoyao: "Daxiong, let me introduce you, Eighteen, Yaoyao"

I was momentarily at a loss for words, unable to speak. Indeed, what does not exist in reality—can it still awaken a sense of compassion that moves people, even if it is false?

I took a sip of water and sighed heavily: Don't mention men to me just yet, tell me where I can buy a second-hand bicycle

Su Xiaoyue looked at me coldly: Ah, the scene is that of a robust eighteen-year-old riding a bicycle that is beyond repair, with a few elementary or high school textbooks in the basket. There is not a single valuable thing on him; any thief would have to turn away or take a detour just to avoid him. Who would dare to rob an eighteen-year-old? Rest assured, a million times over.

A boy named Daxiong politely extended his hand to shake ours, then looked at me in surprise: "Um, I haven't seen you in the dormitory, right? And I haven't seen you play football either? Isn't Yiming quite familiar with you? Don't you stay in the dorm?"

Yiming smiled and gave Daxiong and *Tu* a punch: "Hey, eighteen is a girl, you got it mixed up"

Fei shot me a glance: Eighteen, Arthur is indeed a wealthy young heir, but his interest in me is merely superficial, lacking any genuine feelings. As for me, first, my family is not poor, though I certainly do not possess Arthur's wealth; second, I only wish to find a man who can treat me sincerely, without getting involved in any kind of game. You, being a newcomer, may not know how many girls Arthur has pursued during his two years at school. You can ask Arthur; I can guarantee he himself is not even aware.

When Daxiong left, Yaoyao looked at me resentfully and said: I told you to change your clothes, but you just wouldn't listen. Look, now there's a problem, isn't there

Yiming returned to his seat and looked at Yaoyao with a smile: "Hey, what's wrong? Who owes you money?"

Yiming Xiaoxiao pointed at a tall and robust young man in the middle of the restaurant and said to me and Yaoyao: "That one is from last year's Economics and Management program, named Daxiong. Just wait a moment, Daxiong, Daxiong."

The next day, with the help of Dudu, I finally found Dudu's bicycle that had been around for eight hundred years in the carport downstairs. It was in a dilapidated state, and after inspecting it, I had no choice but to drag it to the repairman for fixing. I replaced the inner tube and some other parts, and after wiping it clean with a cloth, it looked somewhat acceptable. In any case, I felt at ease with this kind of bicycle; no one would pay it any mind wherever I left it

I pushed a little: traveling around, I have two tutors, both not far away, and they are both in the evening, so I can only ride a bicycle

Yifei has not responded: Buying a second-hand bicycle, why? Are you planning to tour around Beijing?

I went to the second floor of the restaurant with Yao Yao, and there were quite a few people. It seems that Liaoning is not only rich in resources but also in population. I registered our names at the entrance with Yao Yao when I heard someone call my name. Looking up, it was Yi Ming, who had come with me for the orientation. We are not only in the same province but also in the same city, and we live quite close to each other. I still remember how badly I got carsick when we took the school bus to the university during the pick-up. On the way, Yi Ming took the initiative to switch seats with me so that I could sit by the window. Later, the bus made a stop, and Yi Ming got off. When he got back on, I found out that he had bought me some motion sickness medicine, for which I was very grateful. After arriving at the university, Yi Ming was assigned to the same class as Yao Yao. During military training, we hadn't seen each other, so it was nice to finally meet. I was also very happy. I signed my name and walked over to Yi Ming with Yao Yao. Yi Ming looked at me and smiled, saying, "Eighteen, are you a Real Madrid fan? Or are you a fan of number 11?"

I am also frustrated: Alright, changing clothes, what kind of outfit do you think I should wear to avoid being mistaken for someone else, tell me.

I am also surprised: I live in the dormitory, don't I? I do not play football

I leaned over and quietly asked, "Hey, that Arthur seems to have been treating you well. What do you mean by that?"

Nobita suddenly realized: No wonder, I apologize, I was wrong.

Yao Yao pouted and remained silent. I turned my head to look elsewhere, only to realize that he regarded me as a brother, a very handsome brother

I shook my head in panic and turned to look for Yao Yao. Yao Yao pouted and looked at me unhappily, saying: "Hey, are you all from the same hometown? Everyone is, so why is it that only you four handsome guys are in the photo? We didn't get a chance to be in it?"

One Fei Hehe said: There is no need to buy one, Dudu has an old car that hasn't been used for eight hundred years. You can take it and use it, but I don't know if it's broken to the point of being unusable. Isn't that right, Dudu?

Yiming was momentarily taken aback, but quickly responded: "Well, you know, just now Daxiong thought that Shiba was a man. When the four of us took a photo together, anyone who saw it would definitely think we were brothers. We looked quite handsome together. What are you, a little girl, doing joining in? If you have the ability, grow up to look like Shiba, and I will treat you as a brother too. How about that?"

I frowned at Dudu and said: "Hey, is it really worth it to get so affected by reading romance novels? The stories in them are all fictional, and look at how much you've cried. Is it really worth it?"

Yaoyao interjected: I already told Eighteen not to wear that, but she completely disregarded it, as if her brain were lacking some connections

That girl, Su Xiaoyue, just doesn't get along with me. I looked at Su Xiaoyue and smiled: "Well, usually I really don't want to listen to you talk, but this time, you are right."

Yifei smiled at me: Do you understand now? Dudu is a philosopher

I glanced at Su Xiaoyue without saying a word. The impoverished students also volunteer at school, earning only 5 yuan per hour, and they work just 4 hours a day. Meanwhile, private tutoring outside commands at least 40 yuan per hour, yet no one is willing to accept that. What kind of theory is this? Is this called dignity? Or is knowledge priceless? I cannot comprehend it, presenting a facade of poverty while still feeling a bit hungry. My concern is not about the price, but about the distance. The nearest high school student's home is also a 25-minute walk from my school, and another elementary student's home is a 40-minute walk away. They all require evening tutoring, but there are no buses available at that time. Even if there were, after finishing the tutoring, there would be no transportation left. I do not have a bicycle either, so it seems I need to buy one. I will ask Fei when he returns where I can buy a second-hand bicycle.

I slowly returned to the dormitory, where Dudu was sitting on the bed, tearfully wiping her eyes with a handkerchief. I couldn't understand why Dudu was crying so much, and it seemed like her tears were specifically reserved for the protagonists of romantic novels. She would even cry inexplicably over trivial matters. Yifei glanced at me while flipping through her textbooks and asked, "Hey, how did the hometown association meeting go? Were there any handsome guys?"

Arthur came to see me at noon and handed me the passbook for the account he had opened, saying that it contained six months' worth of living expenses for six people. I just needed to withdraw it on time for them. I expressed my gratitude to Arthur, saying thank you. After looking at me for a moment, Arthur cautiously said: "About that eighteen, if you need money, you can borrow from me. I will lend you the money, and you can pay me back later"

At a gathering of fellow townspeople, I met quite a few people, including Daxiong, Xiaonuo, Weizi, Ding Doudou, and Xu Xiaohuai. This trip was not in vain. Yiming and *Tu* Shu were very talkative, hardly pausing throughout the evening. I have a good impression of Yiming; he is very cheerful and loves to tell jokes.

I looked at Yao Yao with dissatisfaction: "What's wrong? It's quite good, it's not like we're going on a blind date."

Yao Yao glared at Yi Ming, saying: "Hey, why did you just take a photo with Shi Ba, Da Xiong, and Wei Zi? We are also from the same hometown. What do you mean by showing favoritism?"

A smile directed at me: It is a person, appearing quite serious. Ah, do bad people label themselves as bad on their foreheads? Matters of the heart are inherently difficult to articulate; each individual has their own thoughts and way of life. What one believes to be right is not necessarily so, and what others believe is not necessarily wrong. You will understand this better as you gain more experience.

In the evening, I called the parents of two tutoring students separately to arrange the schedule for Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, as well as for Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, I will go to the high school student, tutoring from 8:00 PM to 10:00 PM. The parents of the high school student mentioned that their child finishes school at 6:30 PM, and after dinner, they need a little time to rest, so I can only start tutoring at 8:00 PM. The schedule for the elementary school student is better, as it is from 7:30 PM to 9:30 PM. However, the elementary school student's home is also far from my school, and after finishing the tutoring, they need to return to school around 10:30 PM. The high school student also needs to return to school around 10:30 PM. The parents of the high school student mentioned that their child finishes school at 6:30 PM, and after dinner, they need a little time to rest, so I can only start tutoring at 8:00 PM. The schedule for the elementary school student is better, as it is from 7:30 PM to 9:30 PM. However, the elementary school student's home is also far from my school, and after finishing the tutoring, they need to return to school around 10:30 PM. The high school student also needs to return to school around 10:30 PM

I also laugh: No, it’s just that I feel this piece of clothing is comfortable to wear

I purchased one hundred blank envelopes and then gathered the six individuals whose applications for financial aid from the school had not been approved. I informed them that the school had contacted external enterprises, and some were willing to sponsor their living expenses, which would be sent to them punctually each month. The amount for each individual would be determined according to the school's standards. Furthermore, each recipient was required to provide me with a signed name and the amount received. The six individuals were very pleased and expressed their gratitude to me. In conclusion, I solemnly reminded them to learn the skills necessary for self-sufficiency, as external support can only be temporary and cannot last a lifetime. They agreed.

Yiming chuckled: Alright, just be yourself, just be yourself