Chapter Twelve: Tang Xue’s Prince Charming (New Book—Please Take a Look!)

Returning to the village, it was already past four in the afternoon. After unloading the supplies he had purchased into the house, Li Yi set off with several bags toward the sent-down youth camp.

Although he was not yet married, Li Yi had already decided that Tang Xue was going to be his wife. Knowing how harsh life was at the camp, he couldn’t help but want to bring some nutritional supplements to his future wife.

Moreover, Li Yi was fairly certain that, barring any mishaps, Tang Xue was already carrying his child.

At this moment, Tang Xue was essentially eating for two and had to ensure she received proper nourishment.

When Li Yi arrived at the camp, he found Tang Xue’s dormitory locked tight; she wasn’t there.

Without a doubt, she must have gone to work.

Although the policy to return sent-down youth to the cities had already been implemented nationwide, and the college entrance exams had been reinstated for three years, allowing some outstanding students to leave the countryside through exams,

the first groups to return to the cities were not ordinary people—they either had connections or excellent academic records.

Yet these were the minority. The vast majority of sent-down youth still endured the rural hardships, waiting for their chance.

Take the Nianzishan Brigade’s sent-down youth camp, for example: originally there were sixteen young men and women, but in recent years only five had returned to the city, leaving eleven behind.

Those who remained lived much as before, working daily with the production team to earn work points; otherwise, they risked facing food shortages come autumn.

However, with the option to study for the university entrance exams now available, many stayed up late after work to study.

In short, all the unmarried sent-down youth were desperately trying to find a way back to the city.

Li Yi asked around and learned that today’s production task was weeding, taking place near the small river bend.

The small river bend was not far from the village, barely a kilometer away, so Li Yi carried his things and hurried there.

In the cornfield, Tang Xue was hoeing alongside other members of the production team.

The corn was already more than a dozen centimeters tall, and at this stage, the soil needed loosening and weeds had to be removed. They also had to thin out the excess corn shoots to ensure the remaining plants had enough nutrients.

While weeding and thinning, her fellow villager Zhang Xinyao asked, “Xiaoxue, are you really going to marry Li Yi?”

Tang Xue nodded. “It’s come to this; do I have any other choice?”

“Well... there really isn’t much choice left. But once you marry Li Yi, your household registration will be transferred to Qingshan County. After that, returning to the city will be impossible. Don’t you think that’s a shame?” Zhang Xinyao said.

The thought of possibly spending the rest of her life toiling away in the fields cast a shadow over Tang Xue’s heart.

“Perhaps it’s all fate,” she sighed.

“Li Yi isn’t exactly a good match. If you truly don’t want to marry him, you can just pretend this never happened.”

“How can I do that?”

“Why not? You’ve already received notice to return to the city. Once you get a certificate from the brigade, you can leave.”

Zhang Xinyao went on, “Once you leave, you probably won’t have any more contact with people or things here. You could just treat all this as a dream.”

Hearing this, Tang Xue froze.

What had happened was so sudden, and she had been caught right on the kang bed by someone—it threw her completely off balance, leaving her in a daze these past few days.

Whether it was marriage or other matters, she had passively complied according to the Li family’s wishes, without much thought.

Now, hearing Zhang Xinyao’s words, Tang Xue suddenly felt as though she might have another choice.

But thinking about her family situation, she hesitated again.

Life in the countryside was hard, but at least it was just physical hardship.

Returning to the city and facing those at home might not be any better—perhaps even worse.

“Forget it, Xinyao. Some things happen and just happen. Even if you can run away for a while, can you run away forever?”

“That may be true, but if you marry Li Yi, what about your brother Cheng? Can you really let him go?”

Zhang Xinyao and Tang Xue came from the same place and were close, so she knew some of Tang Xue’s circumstances.

She knew Tang Xue had always had someone she liked—Tan Cheng, a childhood playmate who grew up in the same courtyard.

If not for this mess, once Tang Xue returned to the city, she might have married Tan Cheng.

Hearing that name, Tang Xue’s hand trembling on the hoe.

But soon her expression calmed. She knew she no longer deserved Brother Cheng.

He was so outstanding, like a prince from a fairy tale—so unattainable.

And she? Sent down to the countryside by her parents, lost her virtue, not even a Cinderella—how could she dare hope to stand beside him?

“Xinyao, don’t say any more. There’s no going back. Everything is gone.”

Seeing Tang Xue holding back tears, Zhang Xinyao sighed deeply. “Xiaoxue, don’t be too sad. You have to look forward.”

“We’ve suffered all sorts of hardships and trials these years in the countryside. I believe there’s no obstacle we can’t overcome, as long as we don’t give up.”

“Mm.”

“For now, Li Yi may not be a perfect match, but the Li family’s values are first-rate. If you really intend to marry Li Yi, with such in-laws to support you, and given your good relationship with Li Na, life shouldn’t be too bad.”

Zhang Xinyao continued, “If after marriage Li Yi could get his act together, it might just work out.”

Tang Xue smiled bitterly. “You know Li Yi. Do you think he can ever settle down?”

“Well... maybe... possibly...”

Everyone knew what kind of person Li Yi was: lazy, uneducated, a neighborhood loafer.

If he didn’t get worse, that was already a blessing. Expecting him to settle down was just a dream.

So even though Zhang Xinyao wanted to comfort Tang Xue, she couldn’t say anything too insincere.

Just as Zhang Xinyao hesitated, a tall figure approached them.

Seeing who it was, Zhang Xinyao grew tense. “Xiaoxue, isn’t that Li Yi?”

Tang Xue looked up and indeed saw Li Yi, her heart suddenly fluttering.

For some reason, she recalled the words he had said before so many people yesterday—each one so resolute.

“I... I’ll go see him first...”

Zhang Xinyao smiled. “Go ahead. I’ll cover your work!”

Blushing, Tang Xue thanked her and hurried toward Li Yi.