Chapter Nine: An Unexpected Encounter with a Classmate

After selling most of the wheat ears, everyone’s faces were beaming with smiles, and a few elders even joked playfully with the younger ones.

After the meal, several of them took turns resting against the tree where the ox was tied.

Whenever passersby saw the wheat ears for sale, they would buy some to taste.

The children who had bought roasted wheat kernels yesterday came out to play and were delighted to see the wheat ears again. The roasted kernels from the day before had a unique flavor that left many longing for more. It was a pity they had no land at home to grow wheat; otherwise, they could have harvested some to roast themselves.

Just as the group felt disappointed, a few children had just left the residential courtyard when they spotted two carts full of wheat ears. Their excitement was boundless, and they quickly approached to inquire about the price.

“Oh, it’s you again? No roasted kernels today?”

Yang Xingwu looked up and saw several children he didn’t seem to recognize. The only connection was that these were the students who had bought roasted kernels at the school gate yesterday noon.

Realizing this, Yang Xingwu quickly greeted them.

“There’s plenty of wheat ears today, so we’re not roasting any. If you want some, you can roast them yourselves—I’ll teach you. Plus, buying the raw ears is cheaper: one cent per ear. You can buy three ears of raw wheat for the price of one roasted kernel! Since you’re students, you know how to make the best deal, right?”

At first, the children felt a bit let down by Yang Xingwu’s words. But when they heard it was only one cent per ear—which was two cents cheaper than yesterday—and that Yang Xingwu would teach them how to roast them, their disappointment quickly turned to excitement.

Without hesitation, they pooled their money—some two cents, some five—and miraculously gathered two yuan. After buying all the wheat ears, Yang Xingwu kept his promise and taught them the roasting technique. The group of children left happily, clutching their wheat ears.

Each had a clear role: some sneaked home to fetch matches, others gathered firewood from the woods. Soon enough, they reconvened, lit a fire, and began roasting the wheat. Everyone remembered Yang Xingwu’s advice to occasionally turn the ears during roasting. They only stopped when the aroma of the wheat filled the air.

They laid the roasted ears on the ground to cool before dividing them up, each person receiving several. They eagerly began to eat.

After finishing the kernels, they threw the stalks into the fire, destroying any trace.

Their faces were soon smudged like little tabby cats, blackened with soot, creating a comical sight.

“These roasted kernels are really delicious!”

“Absolutely! Let’s pool money to buy some more tomorrow!”

“Agreed!”

“No way, we don’t have enough money. We barely managed two yuan from over ten of us. Maybe we should ask our parents to buy some!”

“That’s a good idea, but they only cook them!”

“Are you stupid? You don’t have to tell them you want them roasted—just sneak a few to roast secretly, then we can pool more money and eat more!”

“Right! Why didn’t I think of that? Ai Jun is so smart!”

The dozen or so children whispered and plotted, treating this as the most important matter of the week.

...

Yang Xingwen and his younger brother, along with their cousin Yang Xinglong, watched the carts while a few elders leaned against the tree where the ox was tethered, resting.

The three brothers chatted casually, only busying themselves when customers came by.

After a while, Yang Xingwu heard someone calling him. At first, he thought it was just his imagination, but then he heard the voice again.

“Xingwu?”

Turning his head, he saw a young man wearing a blue vest, military-green jacket, and yellow rubber shoes—a striking outfit that made him stand out even in the whole school.

He looked somewhat familiar, but he couldn’t immediately recall who this was.

The man called out again and quickly approached, patting Yang Xingwu on the shoulder.

“Xingwu, are you feeling better now?”

Only then did Yang Xingwu realize this was a high school classmate—though strangely, this person didn’t appear in his own memories of the original owner.

“I’m much better. What are you doing here?”

Liu Jianjun didn’t mind Yang Xingwu’s tone. This classmate was usually quiet and studious, always buried in books. A few days ago, if it hadn’t been for him and some classmates helping carry Yang Xingwu to the infirmary, they wouldn’t have had much contact.

So when he saw Yang Xingwu near his home today, he was a bit surprised. Out of camaraderie, he came over to say hello.

“My home’s right here. What about you? Need any help?”

Hearing this, Yang Xingwu remembered that this classmate was known for helping others. Though they didn’t interact much, it was clear he was kind-hearted and well-liked.

In school, the original owner was the type who paid no attention to anything but his studies—a proud and determined soul.

“I’m selling roasted wheat kernels to earn some pocket money. Try some; they’re really good!”

Saying this, Yang Xingwu took a bundle of wheat ears from the cart and handed it to Liu Jianjun.

Liu Jianjun looked at Yang Xingwu’s enthusiasm, feeling a bit awkward at first. But realizing Yang Xingwu probably knew he had helped carry him to the infirmary, he accepted the kindness without question.

“Alright, I’ll try. Back in the countryside, I used to sneak wheat ears from the production team. It’s been a long time since I had any—this is perfect.”

As he spoke, he glanced at the few remaining wheat ears on the cart, noting that sales seemed to be going well.

“Yeah, back during the communal eating days, we used to sneak out at midnight to do this. It really is delicious.”

“Exactly! I miss those childhood days. By the way, Xingwu, when will you be going back to school? The doctor said you’re malnourished and not eating enough. Now that you’ve sold these wheat ears, you should be able to return soon, right?”

“Still need some time. Today’s May twentieth, tomorrow’s Grain Full, and in twenty days the wheat should be ready for harvest. I’ll stay at home to recover and help out with farm work, then return to school.”

“What? You’re not going to take the college entrance exam? Everyone in class knows how hard you’ve worked. Taking a whole month off—can you still keep up?”

Liu Jianjun worried that his classmate might have lost his drive after falling unconscious.

Indeed, with the college entrance exam less than two months away—the crucial final push—it seemed unlikely he would give up now.

Normally, Yang Xingwu would have returned to school long ago. This must have been a huge blow to him.

Although their No. 6 Middle School wasn’t prestigious, it still produced a few college students each year. Among nearly two hundred science students in the second year, Yang Xingwu ranked in the top ten—a borderline position. With luck, he might get into a vocational college; without, he would fail.

“I’m definitely taking the exam! Why wouldn’t I? I can study at home too. We’ve already learned all the material; now it’s just a matter of reviewing.”

“Besides, when I get tired of studying, I can help out at home. I can balance both work and study!”