Other villages didn't have this privilege.
Xinniu Village had a better geographical location than the others, and coupled with the fact that there were many educated youths, they had a vehicle to take people back.
People from other villages had to figure out their own way home.
Before long, the vehicle was full.
"Tomorrow won't work, I have to accompany my sister tomorrow. Let's make it the day after tomorrow, come find me then." Ji Zhuxin was standing outside the vehicle, smiling.
Once the New Year approached, more people came looking for her.
She rubbed her cold hands together, got into the vehicle, and closed the door.
"This winter is too hard to bear." Ji Zhuxin clicked her tongue.
The village chief's wife smiled, "Isn't that the truth. But it's much better now; people used to freeze to death in the past."
Ji Zhaoxi stuffed a tin thermos into Ji Zhuxin's arms. Ji Zhuxin smiled, pressing her hands tightly against it, "How was the exam?"
Since there were outsiders present, Ji Zhaoxi whispered, "Just average."
Seeing her like that, Ji Zhuxin knew exactly what she meant, and the smile in her eyes deepened.
"You must be exhausted from these past few days. When we get back, your sister will cook a big meal to nourish you."
Chen Yiping, who was sitting by the window, hadn't said a word. Ji Zhuxin looked at him, "What about you, Yiping? Are you confident?"
Chen Yiping sounded a bit impatient, "I don't know."
The village chief's wife looked at him with a helpless expression and patted Ji Zhuxin's hand, "Leave him be. He's like this no matter who talks to him."
Ji Zhuxin smiled, showing that she didn't mind.
If his surname wasn't Chen, she wouldn't have bothered to ask.
The villager driving asked in a gruff voice, "So how many college students is our village going to produce this time? It has to be more than the neighboring village, right?"
"Whoever can make it will make it, why bother comparing with the neighboring village?"
Qin Du sat next to Ji Zhaoxi, and neither of them spoke.
Ji Zhaoxi placed her bag on her lap and carefully grabbed Qin Du's fingers. The bag perfectly hid their hands.
Qin Du's body stiffened for a moment, and his breathing grew a little heavier. He relaxed the tension in his hand, letting her play with his fingers.
Ji Zhaoxi touched his palm and secretly gave it a little scratch. Qin Du's throat tightened, and he looked out the window.
She was just playing around, but he was having impure thoughts. Qin Du suddenly felt a bit disgusted with himself.
Ji Zhaoxi's hands were very soft. She used to do some chores, but after she grew close to Qin Du, he did most of the work for her.
After she started preparing for the exams, she hadn't done a single chore.
Ji Zhaoxi lowered her head and touched the webbing of Qin Du's hand between his thumb and index finger. There were thick calluses there, formed from years of carrying earth cannons.
Ji Zhaoxi curiously scratched it. Qin Du's breath suddenly hitched, and his ears grew redder and redder. He tightly grasped her hand to stop her from moving around anymore.
He gently kneaded her hand, coaxing her.
Chen Yiping, sitting diagonally behind them, witnessed everything.
He stared at their tightly clasped hands with an ugly expression.
Were those two crazy? Secretly holding hands in broad daylight under everyone's noses, weren't they afraid of being caught and publicly criticized?
Watching the patrol team passing by on the road, Chen Yiping furrowed his brows tightly, thinking it would be better if they just got caught.
As soon as they arrived home, Ji Zhuxin hurriedly shooed the two of them out of the vehicle.
"Hurry, hurry, go rest first. I'll call you when the food is ready."
One was exhausted from taking the exam, and the other was exhausted from accompanying her.
Mother Qin's mood improved significantly when she saw them return.
However, she still felt a bit regretful. Her son was originally supposed to take the exam just like the other youths.
The books in the side room needed to be packed away. Ji Zhaoxi hadn't spoken to Qin Du the entire way back and had felt stifled; now she stuck to him like glue.
Ji Zhuxin poked her head in and saw Qin Du packing his things, while Ji Zhaoxi kept blocking his way, refusing to let him pass.
"Ji Zhaoxi! Stop bullying your Brother Qin Du!"
The special privileges of a college entrance examinee only lasted for a few hours.
Ji Zhaoxi responded with a wronged tone and stepped aside to let Qin Du pass.
Seeing her pitiful look, Qin Du couldn't resist pinching her cheek.
He had seen someone else pinch her cheek in the car earlier, and he had wanted to try it ever since.
After packing his things, Qin Du went to the kitchen to help.
Seeing him come in, Ji Zhuxin quickly said, "No, no, you guys go wait outside."
"It's fine, Sister Zhuxin. I have nothing to do anyway."
Qin Du started chopping vegetables right away.
Ji Zhuxin observed his expression and said cautiously, "Qin Du, this time was really an accident, but it's okay, you can sign up again next time."
But in reality, she wasn't sure if Qin Du would ever be able to sign up.
Even though they said class background didn't matter, everyone in the village with an unclean background had failed to sign up this time.
Qin Du paused for a moment and gave a low hum of agreement.
He no longer wanted to take the college entrance exam route. It was too slow, and he had no time to keep waiting.
That evening, Ji Zhuxin drank with Mother Qin. Ji Zhuxin liked drinking liquor, and so did Mother Qin. However, due to her illness, Mother Qin couldn't drink too much and could only regretfully take a couple of sips.
"Why hasn't that young man with the glasses come looking for you anymore?"
Mother Qin asked curiously while eating meat.
Ji Zhuxin's face was already flushed from the alcohol. She waved her hand dismissively, "Him? He's incredibly stingy. He bought a bag of White Rabbit candies for Zhaoxi and kept bringing it up for half a month."
She really looked down on such a stingy man and decisively ignored him.
He didn't even treat her sister as well as Qin Du did.
Mother Qin's face also showed some disgust, "A man like that is no good, absolutely no good."
Ji Zhaoxi hadn't expected to be involved in this topic. She ate a bit of fermented glutinous rice, her eyes lighting up.
Mother Qin glanced at Qin Du and shook her head, "He never talks."
Ji Zhuxin gnawed on a bone and comforted her, "It's fine. Qin Du is a hard worker, talking is secondary. Maybe he'll talk more in the future if he finds a talkative wife."
Ji Zhuxin was completely tipsy by now and poured herself another cup of liquor.
Once you get hooked on alcohol, it's hard to quit.
Speaking of this, Mother Qin also grew curious, "Son, what kind of girl do you like? Before, there were rumors in the village that you liked Educated Youth Lin, but you said it wasn't true."
Ji Zhaoxi didn't say a word, quietly eating her food.
Qin Du knew Ji Zhaoxi wasn't looking at him, but he still suddenly felt a bit flustered, "Mother, stop talking about this. I don't like anyone."
Mother Qin immediately frowned, "You don't like anyone? How can that be?"
Ji Zhuxin leaned back in her chair, her forehead sweating from the heat, "Auntie, leave the young people alone. They're just too embarrassed to say it."
Mother Qin sighed, "Too embarrassed to tell even his own mother."
If he likes a certain type, he should just say it. What is there to be embarrassed about?
This meal was exceptionally difficult for Qin Du to get through; his heart felt stifled and irritable.
Ji Zhaoxi had also quieted down at some point and barely spoke for the rest of the meal.
