Xiao Yan felt a wave of disgust as Hanniù shuffled toward her, but she forced herself not to show it. She couldn't afford to anger the village party secretary or his wife.

She sidestepped him with a tight smile. "Hanniù, where are your parents? I need to talk to them."

Seizing the moment while he was distracted, she hurried into the courtyard. Hanniù trailed after her, calling, "Wife, don't run! Where you go? We go sleep!"

Once inside, Xiao Yan raised her voice. "Sister Yuelian? Are you home?"

Yuelian had been watching from the window the whole time. She saw her son pestering Xiao Yan but didn't feel like intervening. If her son got to hug or touch the girl, so much the better—her family would be the ones gaining something.

But with Xiao Yan standing in the yard shouting, Yuelian could no longer pretend not to hear. She came out holding a bed brush, dusting herself off with a false smile. "Xiao Yan, what brings you here?"

Xiao Yan held up the two jin of pork. "I went to town today and bought some meat for you.

You've lost weight lately—I thought you could use a good meal."

Yuelian's eyes lit up at the sight of the meat, but remembering Xiao Yan's reputation, she remained polite. "You really shouldn't have. We can't accept this. Please take it back."

Xiao Yan had been unusually attentive lately, and Yuelian couldn't help but be suspicious.

Hanniù jumped excitedly beside them. "Eat meat! Meat! Wife eat meat!"

He suddenly lunged forward and wrapped his arms around Xiao Yan, yelling joyfully, "Wife eat meat!"

Xiao Yan nearly gagged at his foul odor. She wanted to shove him away, but with Yuelian standing right there, she had to endure it. She patted his back gently. "Hanniù, let go. I need to talk to your mom."

But Hanniù only held tighter, chanting about going inside to sleep.

It wasn't until Yuelian decided her son had gotten enough of a advantage that she finally stepped in. She smacked his arm. "Let go! Look at you—how could someone like you dare hope for Xiao Yan? Let go now, or I'll tell your father to use the whip!"

The mention of the whip made Hanniù flinch. He released Xiao Yan and jumped back, still mumbling, "Wife..."

Yuelian offered an apologetic look. "I'm so sorry, Xiao Yan. You know he's not right in the head.

Please don't take it to heart."

Xiao Yan was convinced Yuelian had done it on purpose—she could've pulled him away sooner.

Swallowing her anger, she forced a smile. "It's fine, really. He doesn't know any better. I don't blame him."

After exchanging a few more strained pleasantries, Xiao Yan left the meat and hurried away, desperate to avoid another embrace from the idiot. She couldn't wait to scrub herself clean—the whole encounter left her feeling filthy.

At lunch, when the village party secretary returned home and saw a full bowl of red-braised pork on the table—with Hanniù drooling beside it, chopsticks in hand—he was puzzled. "What's the occasion? It's not even the New Year."

Yuelian served him a bowl of potato rice, then one for herself and their son. "Xiao Yan brought it.

What's going on with these educated youths lately? Why are they all suddenly showing up at our door?"

The secretary, who'd served in the army for several years and was considered something of an intellectual in the village, had heard the rumors. "They're saying the return-to-city policies are loosening. There's even talk of restoring the college entrance exams. They'll probably need my signature to apply."

Yuelian glanced at her simple-minded son, then thought of Xiao Yan. An idea began to form. "In that case... maybe we don't need to worry about finding a wife for Hanniù after all."

Her husband didn't follow. "Why's that? Did someone agree?"

"Xiao Yan," Yuelian said, tapping the table. "She needs your help. Make her a deal—she marries Hanniù, you sign her papers."

The secretary stayed silent, chewing a piece of pork as he turned the idea over. It wasn't entirely unreasonable... but would Xiao Yan really agree? If not, he could simply refuse to sign—leave her stranded in the village forever.

But even if she did marry Hanniù, what was to stop her from leaving him once she returned to the city or got into college?

He shared his concerns with Yuelian.

She thought for a moment, then her eyes gleamed. "Simple. She shares his bed first—has to give us a grandson. Once there's a child, where can she run? Even if she leaves, she'll have left us an heir."

The secretary liked the sound of that. A child would tie her down—or at least leave something behind.

Yuelian grew more pleased with the plan. She put another piece of meat in her son's bowl. "Eat up, Hanniù. We'll find you a pretty wife soon."

Then she fetched a slightly dented lunchbox, filled it with pieces of pork, and announced, "I'll bring this to Xiao Yan. If she's going to be our daughter-in-law, I should be nice to her."

Her husband frowned. "What are you doing? Going to the will raise suspicions."

But Yuelian disagreed. "Let them talk. If everyone shuns her, she'll have no one to turn to but us."The more isolated Xiao Yan was, the better....In mid-September, the news broke: the National College Entrance Exam was restored. The announcement was printed in the People's Daily and broadcasted far and wide. Almost overnight, every corner of the country knew.

Eligible candidates were ecstatic, reading and re-reading the newspaper reports.

When Lin Xiaoxiao heard, she was stunned. Weren't they supposed to announce it in October for a December exam?

The exam date was the same—only the announcement had come early. Maybe her presence had changed the timeline? Whatever the reason, it was good—more time to prepare.

Zhou Xiaoling read the article aloud to her several times. "Sis, it's really happening! The exam is back! You can register at the health clinic—or through my brother's work unit."

Luckily, Lin Xiaoxiao didn't have many bureaucratic hurdles. She wasn't tied to any unit, and few family members in the compound were signing up, so quotas were plentiful.

"I really have your brother to thank for this," Lin Xiaoxiao mused.

Then she pouted slightly. "And he's still not back. All we got was a telegram two days ago saying he's safe."

Zhou Xiaoling tried to comfort her. "I think he's doing pretty well—at least he sent word. Some guys leave and you don't hear from them until they suddenly show up again."

Lin Xiaoxiao rested a hand on her slightly rounded belly. "You don't think he'll wait until after the baby comes, do you? The kid won't even recognize him."

Zhou Xiaoling couldn't say for sure. "No way. Let's focus on something happier. After lunch, I'll take you to register. Let's secure your spot first."