The Tender Beauty is Sweetly Doted in the 20th Century Novel!-Chapter 198 - 197: People in the Countryside Marry Early
Her single word "husband" left the boys who were following behind her frozen in place, each one of them looking as if they’d been struck by lightning.
The one who looked especially flustered was even more shocked.
He stared in disbelief at the tall and sturdy He Chen, then at the slim and petite Ye Manman, and squeezed out a sentence from between his teeth.
"You’re married?"
Ye Manman nodded unabashedly, "Yeah, I’ve been married for a year, and I’m pregnant now too."
She knew her looks could easily attract unwanted attention, and if she didn’t nip those ideas in the bud today, she’d be in for endless trouble later on.
Of course, Ye Manman’s main concern was not making He Chen unhappy.
It was perfect timing since he was there too, and by saying that, she lent it extra credibility, putting He Chen’s mind at ease about her being eyed at school.
The boys were clearly struggling to accept one bombshell after another.
His face scrunched up like a dumpling, "You’re pregnant too?"
Ye Manman’s figure was excellent, slim yet curvy, and her pregnancy wasn’t showing at all yet. The boys scrutinized her and still couldn’t tell she was expecting.
They were feeling completely crushed.
On the first day discovering the new goddess of the freshmen, they hadn’t even started their pursuits before finding out she was not only married but pregnant. It’s a double whammy no man can easily take.
Ye Manman nodded again, "Yes, almost three months now."
Completely shattered.
The boys were speechless, standing there dumbfounded before apologizing to her and He Chen with sour faces.
"Sorry, we didn’t mean anything by it, we just didn’t know Ye was married. Don’t worry, we won’t ask these questions again in the future. We’re really sorry about today."
Given their sincere apologies, there was naturally no reason not to accept.
But after the boys left, the girls from their class who had followed out were not too friendly towards her.
Evidently, several girl cliques were hostile, and some intentionally muttered spiteful comments while passing by them.
"See, I told you they’re from the countryside; they all get married early."
Anyone who could get into Qing University, even locals, had some skill.
All of them entered through the unified high school exam, and thus looked down on Ye Manman, who was from the countryside and a social entrance student.
Even though Chen Yuqing had warned everyone not to be arrogant, nobody who got into Qing University would admit they were average, each was filled with confidence.
They left once they finished speaking, heads held high, totally unafraid of Ye Manman getting upset.
He Chen’s expression was far from good.
Since arriving in Jing City, no, from the moment they boarded the train, He Chen was acutely aware of the rural-urban wealth gap.
Even in such a prestigious school, there were many who looked down on rural folks, and those sneers and disdain from locals during his hustling days were like daggers carving into He Chen’s heart.
He sometimes resented why he wasn’t born into privilege, why Ye Manman didn’t marry into city life from the start.
But such thoughts often vanished quickly, and now those dismissive looks and words had transformed from daggers into whips spurring him forward.
His background couldn’t be changed, but there’s nothing wrong with that. He loved his parents dearly; though they gave him nothing much, they gifted him a healthy body.
He Chen believed that no difficulty was insurmountable, that even a rural person could carve out their own sky.
He didn’t need to impress those who looked down on him, he just wanted to live better and better in the future!
"What’s wrong? You upset?"
Although He Chen didn’t say anything, Ye Manman keenly sensed his turbulent heart.
She held his fingers, filled with confidence.
"Let them talk; no matter how much they look down on a rural person like me, it doesn’t matter. Since we’re in the same class, same school, they can forget about standing above me; they can only enjoy their momentary victory now."
Ye Manman wasn’t blindly confident; this was her second stint in university; she’d not only attended college domestically but studied abroad too, always winning awards wherever she went.
Not only were the modern educational resources miles ahead of this era, even with the same conditions now, it was impossible for them to surpass her.
Those conceited girls who looked down on rural people, she’d spend the coming years teaching them to be humble.
Often people won’t admit their insignificance until they stare down an insurmountable mountain.
He Chen clasped her small hand in his palm, infected by her confidence.
"Alright, let’s work hard together."
"Mm-hmm."
Afterwards, Ye Manman formally started school, hardly staying at home during the day.
He Chen, besides remembering her prenatal check-ups and regularly preparing some supplements, devoted the rest of his time to work.
Initially, after a few days of classes, Ye Manman thought Cheng Yuan would have settled in and was planning to call her school. Unexpectedly, Cheng Yuan boldly showed up at their school.
She asked from the gate all the way to the foreign language department, finally being led to Ye Manman’s dorm building.
That afternoon Ye Manman had class; she’d eaten at the cafeteria and was returning to her room for a break when she spotted Cheng Yuan, doubting her eyes.
She rubbed her eyes and after confirming, exclaimed in surprise.
Cheng Yuan, who had been feeling miserable about finding out which dorm, unexpectedly met her.
She initially wanted to rush over and hug Ye Manman, but remembering her pregnancy, she stopped abruptly.
"Manman, I’ve missed you!"
She grabbed Ye Manman’s hand, red with excitement.
Ye Manman was thrilled too, giving her a gentle hug, "You silly, how did you just show up here? Didn’t I write to you about calling once you settled in? You could have ended up lost!"
Cheng Yuan was embarrassed, her cheeks flushing.
"I’m not that silly; besides, calling is expensive, we just arrived in Jing City, it’s better to save. See, I’ve found you, haven’t I?"
"Yes, yes, you’re the smartest."
Ye Manman was complaining, but the smile never left her lips.
She took Cheng Yuan’s hand, "Have you eaten? Want to grab a bite? Our school cafeteria is pretty cheap, and the dishes are delicious."
"Sure, let’s talk while we eat."
