Chapter 276: Chapter 271: Xinhua’s Peach Blossom
Zhang Weihong indeed had set her sights on Tian Xinhua. Zhang Weihong came from an ordinary "big yard" family in Beijing; her father was an unremarkable staff member of the armed department, and her mother was an ordinary collective worker. She had two older brothers and an older sister, and being the youngest in the family, hers was considered an average family in Beijing—not poor, but not wealthy either.
However, Zhang Weihong showed an exceedingly high political consciousness and revolutionary zeal from a young age. Her greatest loves in life were the green military uniform and Chairman Mao badges. Since becoming a proud member of the Red Guards at the age of twelve, Zhang Weihong had immersed herself daily in the fervor of criticizing and rebelling against the "old ways."
Her high revolutionary consciousness, coupled with her uncompromising approach to relationships, made Zhang Weihong stand out among the Red Guards and become well-known far and wide. If it had not been for being born at an inopportune time, she might have had a chance to be received by Chairman Mao due to her notable reputation. This was something that Zhang Weihong always resented and regretted for the rest of her life.
Though the Cultural Revolution had collapsed, Zhang Weihong’s revolutionary zeal hadn’t cooled at all. Instead, it had grown even stronger. After entering the university, Zhang Weihong’s rich history naturally made her become an honored class leader.
At this time, in addition to continuing the revolution, Zhang Weihong had another life goal—finding a revolutionary partner. That’s when the handsome, well-born (from a revolutionary family), and capable Tian Xinhua stepped into the scene. (There’s always been a beautiful legend within Qing University’s campus that Tian Xinhua is the descendant of a senior leader.)
Zhang Weihong was as enthusiastic about Tian Xinhua as she was about the green military uniform. However, Tian Xinhua had always disregarded her advances, which deeply frustrated her. Yet, such minor setbacks were not enough to defeat the revolutionary young marshal, Zhang Weihong.
I will not give up!
Zhang Weihong was brimming with confidence for the future!
Tian Xinhua, who was chatting with a group of friends on the Great Wall, sneezed. Surely, Ah Nan must be thinking of me? He grinned contentedly as he rubbed his nose.
"Xinhua, it couldn’t be that old maid Zhang Weihong nagging about you, right?" Lei Gang teased.
Tian Xinhua gave him a glare. After listening to Lei Gang’s nonsensical talk last night, he had nightmares all night long, constantly chased by a tigress, which wore him out.
"Who is Zhang Weihong? Xinhua, is she your friend?" Zhang Jie’s ears were very sharp.
"No, she’s the class leader of our class, a very annoying female classmate. Let’s not talk about her anymore." The mere mention of Zhang Weihong’s name now gave Tian Xinhua a headache.
Lei Gang was whispering something in his wife’s ear, and Zhang Jie’s expression became increasingly strange as she kept sizing up Tian Xinhua.
Tian Xinhua couldn’t care less about these two fools. Ever since leaving Inner Mongolia, Lei Gang and Zhang Jie had changed a lot and didn’t resemble their former selves back in the military region at all. If Ah Nan knew that her Sister Zhang was a woman who liked to throw punches, her eyes would pop out.
"Xinhua, you better watch out. If Sisi finds out about a certain Zhang Weihong..."
Although the rest of the sentence was left unsaid, everyone sensed the implication in Zhang Jie’s words, especially with her fists repeatedly clenching and unclenching. Everyone shuddered. Who would have thought that the slender Miss Zhang was actually a martial arts master? They had all witnessed with their own eyes how those fair and delicate hands split a brick in two!
Of course, Wu Tianfang wasn’t surprised at all. As a childhood friend of Zhang Jie and Lei Gang, he knew the two of them through and through. That’s why he hid to the side, watching Lu Fei dance around like a clown, thoroughly amused.
Tian Xinhua quickly promised loudly, "I swear to Chairman Mao that there is absolutely no relationship between that Zhang Weihong and me. Zhang Jie, you mustn’t spread rumors to Ah Nan."
Zhang Jie giggled, very satisfied with Tian Xinhua’s response. She had always kept in touch with Sisi and had become good sisters, so naturally, she felt obligated to help her dear sister clear all obstacles.
"Xinhua, where are you spending the New Year?" Huang Xiaoguang was devouring a pig’s trotter, his lips glistening with grease.
"Of course I’ll be going back."
"How about I go back with you? My parents still won’t let me enter the house!" Huang Xiaoguang said with a miserable expression.
Tian Xinhua glanced at him irritably. "Why would you come to my house instead of going back to your own during the New Year? Don’t you know that your parents were just speaking out of anger? If they truly disowned you, where would you get the money to buy pig’s trotters? Who’s providing for your comfortable life? Is it just from your little allowance?"
A glow of realization dawned on Huang Xiaoguang’s face. Yeah, if his parents truly disowned him, why would his elder brother keep sending him money and tickets? His parents are really something, being shy with their own son. Why not just speak outright!
"Thanks, brother. If you hadn’t reminded me, I was really planning to go to Inner Mongolia to hang out with your cousin!" Huang Xiaoguang slapped Tian Xinhua’s shoulder happily.
"How’s my cousin? His hand is alright now, right?" Tian Xinhua hadn’t found the time to ask about Hu Weiwen.
"It’s all good now, as if it was never broken. And ever since Li Zhuangzi died, those old soldiers in the factory have been much more restrained, no longer as blatantly aggressive as before."
As Huang Xiaoguang said this, he couldn’t help but secretly observe Tian Xinhua. Seeing that Tian Xinhua only smiled faintly, showing no reaction to the name Li Zhuangzi, not even a flicker in his pupils.
Huang Xiaoguang had done some research; books say that the most direct response of a person to the external world should be their pupils, which would contract even if the body doesn’t react. But looking at Tian Xinhua now, if it wasn’t that he truly knew nothing, then this man’s ability to conceal must be at a supremely high level.
When Li Zhuangzi, Zhu Xiangdong, and Xu Feifei had their incidents one after another, Liu Yongsheng told him that it must have been Tian Xinhua’s doing. At the time, he thought it impossible. A sixteen or seventeen-year-old boy, how could he have such influence? Moreover, with such ruthless methods, it didn’t seem like something a young boy could do.
But Liu Yongsheng was adamant that it was Tian Xinhua’s doing, which left Huang Xiaoguang half-convinced. That’s why today he brought it up with a probing mind, only to be frustrated by the outcome.
Sigh, never mind, whether it was Xinhua’s doing or not, it has nothing to do with him. Besides, those scum got what they deserved. Xinhua must have been acting on behalf of justice.
Huang Xiaoguang couldn’t keep things to himself, and after musing for a while, he began joking with Lei Gang and the others again, not forgetting to munch on the pig’s trotter.
Tian Xinhua watched Huang Xiaoguang with a smile. Of course, he knew Huang Xiaoguang had been probing just now. Huang Xiaoguang’s probing surely had no malicious intent, probably just curiosity. But no matter what, he would never reveal the truth. Some things can never be shared with friends; let the truth remain buried forever.