The Educated Youth 02

But when dawn broke and Wei Xiangyang's drunkenness faded, he looked at Fang Xiaoxia lying beside him and panicked. He had only been using her; he never intended to stay here!

However, the situation was beyond saving. When Fang Zhiyi found out about the incident, he demanded with a stern face that Wei Xiangyang take responsibility. Wei Xiangyang left, his face full of frustration. Fang Zhiyi glared fiercely at his daughter, turned around, and went back into the house.

After thinking it over and over, Wei Xiangyang decided to tell Zhang Qingqing about the incident. To his surprise, she didn't mind at all. Instead, she thought he did it out of jealousy. After a moment of thought, she came up with a plan for him.

Hearing Zhang Qingqing's words, Wei Xiangyang was initially shocked. He then lowered his head in deep thought, and finally nodded firmly.

Just like that, Wei Xiangyang and Fang Xiaoxia got married. The wedding banquet was very simple, given the scarcity of supplies, but Fang Xiaoxia smiled brightly, believing she had found true love.

However, rumors from the outside brought her a faint sense of unease. It was news about the educated youths returning to the city. She heard that some of them who had married local villagers simply abandoned their wives and children to flee back to the city.

There was a quota for the educated youths to return, and this quota was in Fang Zhiyi's hands. He had to submit a list to the commune, and only after the commune's approval could the youths go back.

For a time, the Fang household was bustling with visitors. They were all educated youths from the village, staring eagerly at the return quotas.

Faced with Zhang Qingqing's request, Fang Zhiyi was put in a difficult position. Truthfully, her performance during her time in the countryside had not been good. If he gave her a spot, the other educated youths would inevitably cause trouble. This was no trivial matter like before. Especially since Wei Xiangyang married his daughter, Fang Zhiyi had consciously distanced himself from Zhang Qingqing, regaining some of his rationality.

But then Wei Xiangyang also came to him. He wasn't asking for a spot for himself, but for Zhang Qingqing.

As soon as Wei Xiangyang spoke, Fang Zhiyi's guard went up. If Wei Xiangyang was speaking up for Zhang Qingqing, what exactly was their relationship? He tossed and turned all night. For the sake of his daughter, he ultimately wrote Zhang Qingqing's name on the list without hesitation.

As long as Wei Xiangyang didn't leave, it was fine. As for being cursed at, he could endure a few insults.

Zhang Qingqing left Xiashan Village with the first batch.

Because of this, the other educated youths banded together to report Fang Zhiyi for favoritism. Their joint protest drew significant attention from higher-ups, who immediately sent someone down to talk to him. After the conversation, he was temporarily relieved of his duties as production brigade captain.

Fang Zhiyi felt somewhat disheartened, but looking at his daughter, he accepted his fate.

When the second batch of return quotas was submitted, Fang Zhiyi discovered that Wei Xiangyang's name was on it. This made him anxious. He ran straight to the new captain's house to ask, only to be told that it was decided in a meeting and it was not his place to interfere.

Furious, Fang Zhiyi returned home to confront Wei Xiangyang. But before he could speak, he saw his daughter joyfully packing her things.

Dad, Xiangyang said he's taking me back with him!

The fists Fang Zhiyi had clenched slowly relaxed.

Wei Xiangyang looked at him apologetically. Dad, don't blame me. I just felt that since we're married, I have to take Xiaoxia back to meet my parents. Besides, the conditions in the city are better. If we have children in the future, going to school and all that will be much more convenient.

This reasoning was simply flawless.

Fang Zhiyi also knew that his daughter couldn't stay in the village forever. Now that there was an opportunity, coupled with his son-in-law's promise, he could only nod in agreement.

Dad, rest assured, we'll write back as soon as we settle down! Wei Xiangyang's face was full of sincerity.

He took Fang Xiaoxia and left.

Fang Zhiyi did indeed receive a letter. It was in his daughter's handwriting. The words weren't pretty and there were even typos, but the letter simply stated that the city was great and her parents-in-law treated her very well.

Fang Zhiyi read the letter and smiled with relief. Then came some rare goods sent by his son-in-law. These items gave Fang Zhiyi a lot of face in the village, and the other villagers were full of envy. After all, to return to the city, some educated youths had fought bitterly with their wives. Fang Zhiyi's son-in-law, however, was not only a good person but also took his wife back with him. The Fang family had hit the jackpot. Fang Zhiyi wore a proud smile, constantly boasting about his good judgment.

His daughter wrote to invite him to the city. Having never traveled further than the town in his entire life, Fang Zhiyi declined the invitation.

He figured he shouldn't go and embarrass his daughter.

When a telephone line was set up in the village, Fang Xiaoxia called for the first time. She sounded somewhat aggrieved, but having recently received nutritional supplements from his son-in-law, Fang Zhiyi actually scolded his daughter over the phone, telling her not to cry over every little thing as it was embarrassing.

He never imagined that this call was his daughter's cry for help.

After that, his daughter's letters became fewer and fewer. However, his son-in-law would send things over during holidays. Every time Fang Zhiyi returned to the village with large and small packages, he would show off to everyone how capable his son-in-law was.

That was until he heard the news of his daughter's death.

Wei Xiangyang said a few words over the phone, nothing more than claiming that Fang Xiaoxia had a stubborn personality, had a brief argument with the family, and ran out in a fit of pique to jump into the river.

Fang Zhiyi was heartbroken, but looking at his son-in-law who had traveled thousands of miles back, he couldn't bear to blame him, only sighing incessantly.

After burying his daughter's ashes, Wei Xiangyang stopped contacting him. Fang Zhiyi understood, though. He aged significantly all at once, constantly and unconsciously recalling how his daughter looked when she was little. Finally, one day, the next-door neighbor didn't see Fang Zhiyi come out. It wasn't until the afternoon that a villager who came knocking realized something was wrong.

When they entered, Fang Zhiyi had already died in his house.

Meanwhile, in the city, Wei Xiangyang and Zhang Qingqing had just taken their wedding photos. Wei Xiangyang was even holding a child, his face beaming with a bright smile.

What happened to Fang Xiaoxia after she went to the city? Fang Zhiyi asked.

She was made things difficult for by Wei Xiangyang's parents, mocked by the neighbors, and worked like a horse for the Wei family, Little Hei sighed. The original host's daughter was too honest; she never fought back and just obediently did all the chores.

Everything was novel to Fang Xiaoxia when she arrived in the city, and she completely failed to notice the change in her husband's attitude.

Wei Xiangyang's parents were very affectionate towards their son, but they treated her as if she were invisible. To prove herself, Fang Xiaoxia took the initiative to take over the Wei family's household chores. Even when scolded by Mother Wei, she would just smile. However, Wei Xiangyang was no longer willing to touch her, which made Fang Xiaoxia, who wholeheartedly wanted to bear him a child, feel quite anxious.

That was until she went out and bumped into Wei Xiangyang and Zhang Qingqing walking hand in hand on the street. Agitated, Fang Xiaoxia rushed forward to confront Wei Xiangyang.

What is your status? Married? Do we have a marriage certificate? Wei Xiangyang shielded Zhang Qingqing and loudly questioned Fang Xiaoxia.

Fang Xiaoxia didn't know what a marriage certificate was. She only knew that in the countryside, a marriage was official once they bowed to their parents.

But she did not leave. Instead, she stubbornly continued to manage the household. The neighbors all thought the Wei family had just hired a nanny from the countryside.