Back To The 80s-Chapter 627: Extra Two: Controllable Range Target Lock Eleven_1
Jiujiu nodded again.
Li Duo and his mother’s move to X Province didn’t turn out well. His maternal uncle wanted to help them, but his aunt prevented him.
Moreover, his mother had been mentally unclear and died when he was barely ten years old.
After his mother’s death, ten-year-old Li Duo had no choice but to live with his maternal uncle’s family.
His uncle’s family already had four sons, and having another half-grown boy to feed meant his aunt always looked displeased.
To be able to eat, Li Duo picked up cow dung in a big basket every day and tended to the sheep before dawn.
His aunt did not allow him to go to school, so every day, he would lead sheep to the school and eavesdrop from outside the classroom.
The school teacher pitied him, and allowed him to audit classes. But even then, his aunt complained that he was eating their food without working, and fought with his uncle every day.
His four cousins were around his age. They often ganged up on him, and dragged him to secluded areas to beat him up. They felt that the arrival of Li Duo in their house was the reason their parents fought constantly.
Every time he was beaten, they hurled insults at him.
Li Duo would curl up on the ground, covering his head. He never cried. He always believed that one day he would become stronger and fight back.
Eventually, his uncle had a big fight with his aunt and insisted on sending Li Duo to school till he was eighteen and enlisted in the army.
Li Duo finished narrating his past and turned to look at Jiujiu: "Jiujiu, you once said that you needed to learn medicine quickly as you were afraid that you might run out of time. Even then, I felt we were similar. But you were too young then, and when I saw you again, you appeared in my rifle scope, all grown up. I don’t know why, but you acted like a stranger towards me. I thought I would wait for you to grow up a bit."
Jiujiu stared at Li Duo in shock, her eyes full of surprise and a hint of joy.
Li Duo continued, not giving up: "Jiujiu, I think we could give it a try."
Jiujiu shook her head: "No... no."
Li Duo looked at Jiujiu: "Jiujiu, what are you afraid of?"
I... it’s not that, I just..." Jiujiu stuttered.
Li Duo looked at Jiujiu and smiled, "You don’t have to rush. Take your time."
For the rest of that day, Jiujiu had no idea what Li Duo had taken her to eat, nor how she arrived back at her dormitory.
As Jiujiu laid on her bed with her luggage, she was still dazed.
Li Fei handed Jiujiu several big apples from their hometown: "They’re from our orchard. Very sweet. Give them a try."
Jiujiu sat up, picked up a big apple, and smiled, "Thank you."
When the other roommates arrived, they all brought plenty of local specialties for Jiujiu.
Jiujiu, overwhelmed by their sudden enthusiasm, quickly got out of bed and took out the local specialties that Gu Xiaobei had bought for her and shared them with everyone.
The young girls laughed and chatted while Jiujiu ate her apple, her face shining with an unstoppable smile.
Starting from that day, whenever Li Duo had time, he would look for Jiujiu. They would have meals together and visit parks together.
Jiujiu felt that their relationship lacked something.
In October, Jiujiu received a package and a long letter from Chen Gang from the Tibetan Area.
Only then did Jiujiu find out that Chen Gang had gone to the Tibetan Area.
The letter was full of Chen Gang’s admonitions:
Jiujiu, you must be happy.
In the Tibetan Area, there is a wild flower called the Galsang Flower. It is said to bring luck and happiness. Big Brother Six has dried a thousand for you; you must be happy.
Jiujiu, Big Brother Six is in the Tibetan Area and it might be a long time before I can see you again. I might not be able to make it back for your wedding. I’m sorry.
...
Jiujiu’s vision blurred. Big Brother Six had made such a big decision without telling her.
Would Big Brother Six, who loved her the most, never return?
The lukewarm relationship between Li Duo and Jiujiu continued until the eve of Jiujiu’s graduation from university.
Sometimes, Jiujiu felt that she and Li Duo were more like siblings. Li Duo took care of every single part of Jiujiu’s life.
Jiujiu felt that this kind of relationship was not right. It wasn’t love. But she didn’t know what love felt like. She saw her female classmates often arguing with their boyfriends under the Phoenix tree, but neither she nor Li Duo did that. The two of them, both new to love, were dealing with love in a frighteningly rational manner and thus, the feeling of being in love was absent.
Li Fei also had a new boyfriend recently, and was upset because they would have to return to their respective hometowns after graduation.
Jiujiu saw Li Fei crying on her bed, and wondered if she would feel the same if she went back to her hometown and Li Duo stayed in S City. The thought was hard to bear.
Sniffling, Li Fei sat up and looked at the lost Jiujiu, "Jiujiu, what will you and Li Duo do? What if you can’t get into grad school and have to return to your provincial city? Will you break up?"
Jiujiu shook her head, "No, I could wait for him in S City."
"But you staying in S City would mean you’d be unemployed, doesn’t that make your four years of university meaningless?" Li Fei asked, forgetting her tears, and stared at Jiujiu.
Jiujiu lowered her head and said quietly, "As long as I can stay in his city, it doesn’t matter what I do."
Li Fei shook her head, "Jiujiu, that’s not right. It’s not worth it to do this for a man. And in the end, he might find you unambitious and despise you. Do you think that’s worth it?"
Jiujiu shook her head, "Li Duo is not that kind of person."
Li Fei sighed, "Jiujiu, have you ever fought with Li Duo? If he doesn’t show up at the time he promised, would you be mad?"
"No, why would I be mad? His job is unpredictable. It’s normal that he can’t keep his promise," Jiujiu murmured.
Li Fei, forgetting her own messy love life, sat next to Jiujiu and asked, "What’s the point of this? And do you think Li Duo knows how humble your love for him is? Or is he simply enjoying having such an obedient girlfriend, never worrying that you might hold him back? If that’s the case, then you’ll always be his second priority."
Jiujiu looked at Li Fei in surprise, "That’s not true, Li Duo is not that kind of person."
Li Fei sighed, "Jiujiu, tell me, if you and a stranger were both kidnapped, do you think Li Duo would save you first or the stranger?"
Jiujiu opened her mouth to answer, but Li Fei quickly covered it, "Don’t answer just yet. I know you’d surely say it’s his job. But does it really not bother you at all? Jiujiu, love is supposed to be selfish. You’d want to be the only person in the other person’s heart."
Jiujiu lowered her head. Of course, she wanted that. However, she didn’t even know how long her current relationship would last. Would Li Duo leave her and cut off contact completely if he found out about her breast condition?
Jiujiu suddenly looked up at Li Fei, as if she was both talking to herself and to Li Fei, "I can’t go on like this!"
