Zhou Xiaoling looked at Lin Xiaoxiao and nodded earnestly. "It's true. My second brother always said that the toughest places build the strongest character. Besides, with my limited skills, I wouldn't have been able to stay in Beijing anyway."

A thought crossed Lin Xiaoxiao's mind: Zhou Xiaoling might have come to Longbei because of Lin Zihao. But she had no proof.

After strolling around outside, they returned to find that Lin Zihao had already left.

Lin Xiaoxiao and Zhou Xiaoling listened to the radio on the recorder for a while before washing up and getting ready for bed.

Zhou Huai'an was propped against the headboard, intently reading a book—another foreign-language original—with an English dictionary beside him.

It was clear that reading in English was still a struggle for him. He frequently paused to look up words and jot down notes with a pen.

Lin Xiaoxiao couldn't help but admire the determination of people in this era to keep learning despite the challenges. Their perseverance was truly moving.

She climbed onto the bed and leaned over to look at his notes—neat and carefully written.

Curious, she asked, "You've written all this down, but can you pronounce the words?"

Zhou Huai'an shook his head. "Not very well. The instructor during our training had a strong accent."

Lin Xiaoxiao was surprised. "You studied English during training?"

Given the turmoil in recent years, she thought English had been largely abandoned. She remembered that when the college entrance exams first resumed, English wasn't even a required subject.

Zhou Huai'an nodded. "Some work-related materials involve English. If we can't understand them, we'll be at a disadvantage if things change. Even with something as basic as firearms, if we can't read English, we can't understand foreign data or specifications—like range."

This was especially true in his field, nuclear research, where much more was at stake.

Even though he was in security, he needed to understand everything—just in case.

Lin Xiaoxiao could sense that this quiet man put all his effort into his work, never considering how it might change his life.

It was what people called the "spirit of dedication."

Lin Xiaoxiao felt a restless itch inside. She was fluent in English—she'd attended international conferences without a translator. Teaching Zhou Huai'an would be effortless.

But if she revealed she knew English, how would she explain it to him?

Zhou Huai'an could feel her fidgeting beside him like a restless kitten. He turned to her. "What's wrong?"

Lin Xiaoxiao scratched her head. "I heard from Sister Hongmei that the college entrance exams might be reinstated. Do you think someone like me could take them?"

A flicker of surprise crossed Zhou Huai'an's eyes. Lin Zihao had also mentioned this today, saying educational policies were likely to change dramatically, with a greater emphasis on knowledge and talent.

That's why he'd brought Zhou Huai'an more books, encouraging him to keep studying.

In fact, much of Zhou Huai'an's broken English had been taught to him by Lin Zihao.

"It's still unclear what the policy will be," Zhou Huai'an said. "But if it opens up completely, you should be able to take the exam."

He and Lin Zihao were only speculating for now.

Lin Xiaoxiao seized the opportunity. "I want to try. I'll go buy some books tomorrow. I'm not sure if the bookstore will have any, but if the exams do happen, I don't want to be unprepared. Even if they don't, knowledge is always worth having."

If university wasn't an option, there were always night schools.

No matter what, she needed to get a diploma.

Zhou Huai'an loved the hopeful, determined light in Lin Xiaoxiao's large, bright eyes. It was infectious.

Almost without thinking, he reached out and touched her short hair. "You're clever. You can do it."

Seeing Zhou Huai'an take the initiative—for once—Lin Xiaoxiao, never one to miss an opportunity, threw her arms around his neck. "Comrade Zhou Changsuo, don't worry. Even if I become a college student, I won't leave you behind. Wherever I go, you'll always be my home base."

She said it with passionate conviction.

Zhou Huai'an gazed deeply into her eyes and nodded. "Okay."

Thrilled, Lin Xiaoxiao kissed him. "Tomorrow at noon, we'll go buy books. And if there are any tapes, we'll get those too. We can study English together."

She'd settled on a simple plan: study alongside him and later claim she was just a fast learner.

Zhou Huai'an nodded calmly. He saw right through her little act—but if it made her happy, he was content.

Without realizing it, he'd grown accustomed to having Lin Xiaoxiao buzzing around him. He looked forward to her returning from class, felt happy when she was happy, and wanted to cheer her up when she was down.

Zhou Huai'an told himself it was just habit and duty. He didn't yet recognize it as something more.

True to her nature, Lin Xiaoxiao was a woman of action. The next morning, after seeing Zhou Xiaoling off, she happily went to class. When she returned, Zhou Huai'an had already prepared lunch.

As soon as they finished eating, she dragged him to the Xinhua Bookstore.

Fortunately, it wasn't far—only a ten-minute walk.

Along the way, Lin Xiaoxiao asked several times if he needed to rest.

The bookstore had a limited selection. Many books were still banned, and academic titles were scarce.

Lin Xiaoxiao browsed through titles like The Raising of Breeding Pigs, Complete Guide to Livestock Care, and Growth Environments for Crops...These were the most common.

Finally, in a corner, she found a book on physics problems.

She dusted it off, sighing in disappointment. "Only one useful book."

Zhou Huai'an wasn't surprised. "I can try to find you a full set."

Lin Xiaoxiao looked at him in surprise. "You can?"

Zhou Huai'an nodded. With someone as resourceful as Lin Zihao around, it wouldn't be a problem.

Lin Xiaoxiao shot him a look. "You could've mentioned that earlier! We wasted all this time for nothing. Come on, let's go buy tapes."

So they headed next door to the department store.

Recording players were luxury items, and tapes were even rarer.

There weren't even any English tapes for sale!

Lin Xiaoxiao wondered if she should buy some blank tapes instead. If she found an English tape later, she could copy it herself.

As she stood at the counter deliberating, Zhou Huai'an waited patiently nearby with his crutch.

Then a taunting voice cut through the air: "Well, well, if it isn't Lin Xiaoxiao? I heard you married some big shot. Turns out he's just a cripple."

"Think this gimp can even make it into bed at night?"

The remark was followed by mean-spirited laughter.

Lin Xiaoxiao's temper flared. She'd forgotten that in Longbei, she knew—or was known by—quite a few people.

And Chen Wei was the ringleader of the local troublemakers, always surrounded by a group of hoodlums.

So today, they'd crossed paths.

She turned and glared at the group of leering men leaning against the nearby counter. "Say that again?!"