Rebirth begins with an arranged marriage

Chapter 25 Bitterness

"Let's go back!"

Teacher Tian waved his hand, signaling Tang Huaiyi and Song Siyuan to go back to the classroom to study.

Back in the classroom, the two didn't have time to talk and continued their morning reading.

Before they knew it, morning reading time had ended, and the students were leaving the classroom one after another. Song Siyuan closed his book, angrily ran up to Tang Huaiyi, and said, "Tang Huaiyi, who did this despicable thing?"

"We only exchanged a couple of words, and I didn't intend to chat much longer, why does this person make such a fuss!"

"We're in the same dorm, so it seems like he's the only one who studies, and none of us do?"

Tang Huaiyi also felt something was amiss: It was just two sentences after lights out... Who would make such a fuss and go to the homeroom teacher to complain?

Seeing that most of the students had left the classroom, leaving only Tang Huaiyi, Li Xiujuan, and him, Song Siyuan lowered his voice and said his guess: "I've thought about it for the morning reading class. Li Jialiang and the other three from Class Two in our dormitory definitely won't tell on us—even if they did, Class Two's homeroom teacher won't send Teacher Tian to scold us."

"It's only been three days since school started, teachers can't complain about each other, right?"

Tang Huaiyi nodded: "Yes, you're right."

"The only ones who could have snitched on this are the two remaining students in our class."

"One is He Genbao, and the other is Ma Laixi," Song Siyuan said. "I don't know who these two are... I didn't hear clearly last night. If I had, I would definitely know who snitched."

"Not necessarily. It's possible that they might just file a complaint quietly," Tang Huaiyi said.

After hearing this, Song Siyuan scratched his head in embarrassment, and muttered a curse under his breath, still feeling lingering fear: "Just two sentences, and he went straight to the homeroom teacher, damn it... If Teacher Tian really calls my parents, my dad will break my legs. He values ​​my studies very much, and he'll really make me suffer."

"If I really didn't study, I could accept getting beaten up; but this trivial matter is not worth it at all."

"Alright, don't be angry anymore. It's really my fault. If you hadn't taken care of me, neither of us would have been reported. From now on, let's talk during breaks or after meals and be more careful." Tang Huaiyi comforted Song Siyuan. "If your parents are really called in, I'll tell your dad that this really wasn't a problem with your studies, but that you were trying to help your classmate."

Upon hearing this, Song Siyuan smiled broadly: "Haha, Tang Huaiyi, I'm relieved to hear you say that."

She then bent down and pulled out a small enamel basin with a lid from under the desk, lifting the lid: "Bring me the jar, I'll give you some pickled vegetables, my mom's pickles are delicious."

Tang Huaiyi, seeing that he couldn't refuse Tang Huaiyi's hospitality and also wanted to make friends with him, declined slightly but then let Tang Huaiyi serve him some pickled vegetables. There were various kinds, including chili peppers, cucumbers, white radishes, and pickled mustard tubers. They were completely different from the dark, hard, and salty pickled mustard tubers at Li Xiujuan's house. They were bright brown and a little oily, and looked delicious.

"Thank you, Song Siyuan."

"No need to thank me!" Song Siyuan waved his hand. "The other students have all left, shall we go eat together?"

Tang Huaiyi stood up: "Okay, let's go eat."

After taking a few steps, seeing that Li Xiujuan hadn't gotten up, Tang Huaiyi looked at her questioningly: "Li Xiujuan, shall we go eat?"

"You guys eat first, I'll eat later," Li Xiujuan replied.

She learned from her mistake. Last time she went to Teacher Chen's house with Tang Huaiyi, Teacher Chen scolded Tang Huaiyi. If she ate with Tang Huaiyi and Song Siyuan this time, and there was any bad gossip, it would be bad to implicate Tang Huaiyi again.

Tang Huaiyi saw that she had her head down, and after a moment's thought, he understood.

"Let's go, I'm still waiting to eat your pickled vegetables. Don't overthink it, Song Siyuan isn't the kind of person who talks nonsense."

"Yes, yes, I don't tattle." Song Siyuan nodded, then looked a little confused: "What gossip?"

Tang Huaiyi explained, "Didn't I tell you? Li Xiujuan and I almost got married. Both of our families were quite poor, and we were classmates and friends who knew each other. We even ate together."

Song Siyuan was a little surprised: "You two ate together?"

Tang Huaiyi nodded and then invited Li Xiujuan to have dinner together.

Li Xiujuan then picked up her teacup and followed beside him, asking with concern, "What were you talking about? Who complained about you?"

"There's this classmate who, I don't know if she's overly sensitive or just upholding justice..."

Tang Huaiyi whispered about how Song Siyuan's words about giving him pickled vegetables last night had been reported to the homeroom teacher.

Upon hearing this, Li Xiujuan also became a little worried: "You have to be careful. If your parents are really called in... then your schooling will be in trouble."

Tang Huaiyi nodded, understanding the situation.

If his parents are really called in, they'll probably feel that studying is useless, a waste of time and money, and they'll want him to drop out of school and get married.

However, now that things have come to this, how could Tang Huaiyi possibly back down?

Even if Teacher Tian were truly so heartless as to call his parents over such a trivial matter, Tang Huaiyi would absolutely not give up and accept his fate.

As Song Siyuan watched the two of them walking side by side, carrying teacups and talking in hushed tones, the astonishment on his face gradually turned into realization—these two, it's like they're married, their relationship is really something else...

As they talked, the three of them walked to the cafeteria. Most of the students had finished eating and left one after another. Guan Xiaolin was guarding the soup bucket and steamed bun basket for "Senior Three Class One" and said to Song Siyuan, "Why are you late too? You're the only one left who ordered soup."

Song Siyuan scratched his face a little embarrassedly: "Sorry, class monitor, I had something to talk to Tang Huaiyi about."

Guan Xiaolin was just saying it casually. She scooped some "noodle soup" for Song Siyuan's breakfast from the soup bucket and handed him a steamed bun and a cornbread.

Then they gave Tang Huaiyi and Li Xiujuan each a steamed bun.

Just as Song Siyuan was about to speak, he saw that Tang Huaiyi and Li Xiujuan each only had one cornbread bun, and his eyes widened immediately: "You two... how come you only ate so little? How can you be full?"

Tang Huaiyi smiled and said, "It's alright, but we'll change our meals in a couple of days."

"That's too little..." Song Siyuan said softly, "Aren't you hungry? How about I give you some noodle soup?"

"No need, you eat yours, we'll eat ours, you don't need to feel uncomfortable."

Tang Huaiyi was talking to Song Siyuan, so he couldn't very well lead him to a corner of the campus.

The three of them squatted in front of the stacked cement slabs, sitting on the unstable bricks, and began to eat breakfast.

This was the first time Tang Huaiyi and Li Xiujuan had eaten at this place since high school.

Before this, the two of them had silently taken the cornbread and found a corner to eat it by themselves.

What you need to avoid is the strange looks from your classmates, or the surprise of someone like Song Siyuan, and sometimes even the well-meaning but misguided looks of someone like Guan Xiaolin.

It's actually quite a sad story...