ARC 2: Stepmother in the Seventies ✦ c71~116 (46)
✦ 39
Translator: InkyDragon (https://inkydragontranslation.wordpress.com)
A cry echoed through Zhou Village, shattering the afternoon tranquillity. “Gu Shi Chu! Gu Shi Chu! There’s a letter for you!”
The mailman, a stout man with a booming voice, scanned the cluster of villagers gathered around the well. “There’s a letter for you, Gu Shi Chu! It’s all the way from Beijing…”
“Beijing?” An auntie echoed, her curiosity piqued. “Does Gu’s family even have kin in the capital? I can’t recall her mentioning any.”
Gu Shi Chu had never received mail before. The lack of family or outside connections kept her mailbox quiet. It was this very reason that the mailman didn’t recognize her.
“Well, someone needs to get this to her then,” the mailman declared, holding up the official-looking envelope. “Any idea where she lives, good folks?”
Another auntie, ever eager to help, puffed out her chest. “Of course, of course! Her house is just down by the end there. Follow me!”
With a grateful nod, the mailman followed the auntie, weaving through the dusty paths until they reached Gu Shi Chu’s small dwelling.
As luck would have have it, Gu Shi Chu was outside with Zhang Wei Hong, tending to her modest vegetable patch.
“Gu girl! You’ve got mail!” the auntie bellowed from the gate, excitement lacing her voice.
Zhang Wei Hong’s head snapped up, a flicker of hope igniting in her eyes. “It must be your acceptance letter, Shi Chu!” she exclaimed, darting towards the door.
Reaching the gate, she flung it open and practically snatched the letter from the surprised mailman’s hand. “Here you go, Shi Chu! Open it, quick!”
Gu Shi Chu took the envelope from her friend. She tore it open and unfolded it. There, in bold black letters, was the admission notice from Splendor University, confirming her acceptance and instructing her to report on a specific date.
“Is it the admission notice?” Zhang Wei Hong asked nervously.
Gu Shi Chu nodded, passing the notice to Zhang Wei Hong, who, upon reading it, leapt with joy. “You did it! You’re really going to Splendor University! This is incredible!”
The mailman, witnessing their celebration, couldn’t help but grin. “University, eh? Congratulations, Comrade Gu Shi Chu! That’s fantastic news!”
“Thank you, please come in for some water,” Gu Shi Chu offered with a smile.
The mailman stepped inside, followed by curious villagers drawn by the commotion. They were astounded to learn of Gu Shi Chu’s university acceptance and peppered her with questions, seeking confirmation.
“With the notice in hand, there’s no doubt it’s real,” the mailman assured them, speaking on Gu Shi Chu’s behalf.
“This is… unbelievable,” one villager finally managed, his voice tinged with awe. “We never thought someone from the Gu family would be this… bright.”
“Indeed! It’s truly beyond our expectations, isn’t it? She’s the first from our village to receive a university notice,” another added.
Zhang Wei Hong stood up for Gu Shi Chu, saying, “What’s so surprising? Shi Chu has always been smart and diligent. Getting into university is only natural for her.”
“That’s right! I’ve always believed she was talented and capable from a young age. She outperformed others at work, and now she’s done the same in the university exams. I knew I wasn’t wrong about her,” chimed in a woman who had previously criticised Gu Shi Chu behind her back.
“Yes, exactly! I’ve always seen Shi Chu as exceptional. She earned more than others when working and now excels in university exams. I never doubted her potential,” echoed another woman who had often spoken ill of Gu Shi Chu’s ambitions and fate.
“Little Gu, when you succeed in the future, don’t forget us, the elders from our village…” a villager said, his voice thick with newfound warmth.
“Right, there’s that saying, something about ‘even when wealthy, don’t forget about dogs…’ “
“What’s with the dog? The saying goes: ‘Do not forget one’s origins when prosperous!’ If you’re uncultured, don’t embarrass yourself.” A third villager corrected the misquote, their voice laced with a hint of superiority.
- (“富贵不忘本” fù guì bù wàng běn: “Do not forget one’s origins when prosperous.” This means that even when one becomes wealthy and successful, they should remember their roots and where they came from.)
Ever since receiving her acceptance letter, Gu Shi Chu had been bombarded with a whirlwind of praise and flattery from the villagers, a level of enthusiasm she had never experienced before.
No wonder the ancients said, ‘No one inquires about the poor in a bustling market; distant relatives appear when one is wealthy.’”‘ Gu Shi Chu hadn’t even begun her journey to success, and yet these people were already trying to ingratiate themselves, hoping to gain advantage from her future success.
- (“怪不得古人都说 ‘穷在闹市无人问，富在深山有远亲’” (guài bu dé gǔ rén dōu shuō ‘qióng zài nào shì wú rén wèn, fù zài shēn shān yǒu yuǎn qīn’) translates to “No wonder the ancients said, ‘When poor, no one asks in the bustling market; when rich, one has distant relatives in the deep mountains.’” When someone is struggling or poor, few people pay attention to them or offer assistance, even in a busy urban setting where there are many people around. However, when someone becomes wealthy or successful, distant relatives or acquaintances suddenly appear, seeking to establish closer relationships or benefit from their newfound wealth.)
Gone were the days when they had sneered and rolled their eyes at Gu Shi Chu for being an orphan.
Perhaps they understood that the moment Gu Shi Chu received that university acceptance letter, her fate diverged from theirs.
From that moment forward, she would completely rewrite her own destiny, while they would remain peasants, bound to the fields and the rhythms of the seasons for the rest of their lives.
When the other educated youth learned that Gu Shi Chu was the first to receive a university acceptance letter, they flocked to her, eager for news and advice. Though envy gnawed at their hearts, they clung to hope, anxiously awaiting their own letters, their futures hanging in the balance.
Not long after, another acceptance letter arrived, this time for Zhang Wei Hong. She burst into Gu Shi Chu’s house, tears of gratitude streaming down her face. She embraced Gu Shi Chu tightly, thanking her for encouraging her to never give up.
Zhang Wei Hong hadn’t applied to universities in Beijing. She had chosen to go to the city where her family lived, unwilling to be separated from her parents again. Being admitted to the best university in her hometown was a dream come true, and she was overjoyed.
“The thought of being separated from you in the future is unbearable,” Zhang Wei Hong said, her voice choked with emotion.
“You can write to me, and you can also come to Beijing to visit me during holidays,” Gu Shi Chu comforted her, her voice filled with genuine warmth.
“I suppose that’s the only way,” Zhang Wei Hong replied, her voice tinged with reluctance.
Over the past few years, she had thrived in the village thanks to Gu Shi Chu’s occasional help and comfort. They had forged a precious bond, a revolutionary friendship, and the thought of being separated filled her with sorrow.
Gu Shi Chu could only offer a comforting pat on the back, aware that time would eventually soothe even the deepest sorrows.
Another person who was stunned to learn about Gu Shi Chu’s acceptance was Li Dan Yang.
After hearing the news that Gu Shi Chu had been admitted to university, Li Dan Yang became restless, almost frantic.
“How could Gu Shi Chu possibly get into university? She never even took the exam! It’s impossible for her to go to university…” she exclaimed incredulously.
Doubt gnawed at her, making her question her own memory. How could Gu Shi Chu possibly go to university? In her past life, she had always been in Zhou’s village, never taking the university entrance exam.
Why was this life different? Oh, right! It was because she had snatched Gu Shi Chu’s marriage proposal and married Zhou Wei Guo instead, wasn’t it?
But why did this one act cause such a drastic change in Gu Shi Chu’s life? How could she possibly go to university? And how did she manage to get in? This shouldn’t be happening! Gu Shi Chu was supposed to suffer like she did in her past life, lonely and destitute, after taking away her husband and stepchildren. How could she possibly get into university?
Li Dan Yang was consumed by anxiety. Why was everything so different from what she had imagined?
─── ❖ ── ☆ ── ❖ ───
( )………( )
(๑✪ᆺ✪๑)
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