The Sweetness of the Seventies-Chapter 89: Looking Down on_1

Old Man Bai, Old Man Qi, Zuo Li, and Xiang Rong listened to the singing, their thoughts drifting back to the remarkable years gone by.

In times of national crisis and suffering among the people, there always had to be those who took up the knife and shouldered the gun, defending the ravaged motherland...

They sacrificed countless lives and heads to usher in a new life and the rise of a powerful new country.

Now that the wars had ended, they, who knew only fighting but not politics, had become marginalized, pushed to the edge. However, their sincere hearts remained unchanged; even in destitution, seeing the common people fed and living stable lives was already a great consolation. They harbored grievances but no hatred.

Qi Xiaoyan’s singing was so moving that it brought tears to everyone’s eyes, deeply touching them.

"Such a beautiful voice and genuine emotion, you have a talent for singing," Professor Wang murmured. "Come, I’ll teach you to read music notation. Learn it well, and you’ll achieve great things in the future..."

Qi Xiaoyan rubbed her hands nervously and said, "I didn’t bring any paper or pen..."

"You don’t need paper and pen, just use your eyes, ears, mind, and heart," Professor Wang replied, drawing a music staff on the ground with a stick to explain the basic principles of music to Qi Xiaoyan.

Qi Xiaoyan listened intently, committing the lessons to heart, sometimes inferring broader principles and asking about things she didn’t understand.

He Tiantian watched from the side, admiring in her heart, truly Qi Xiaoyan had a gift for learning music. Following Professor Wang’s instruction could provide her with a different path in life.

As for what would become of her, He Tiantian, she had no idea. Apart from the protection of Snake King, and the fact that she was diligent and prettier than most, she seemed not to have many other strengths.

He Tiantian felt a sense of loss, but suddenly, images of her last time seeing her dashing, much older childhood friend and now boyfriend, the wealthiest man in Su Province, Huo Yingjie, on the big screen flashed through her mind.

She might not have any strong points, but Huo Yingjie did, and all she needed was to win him over—then she wouldn’t have to worry about anything anymore!

At this moment, He Tiantian surely didn’t realize that there was a phrase that fit her thoughts perfectly: Men conquer the world, women conquer men, and by extension, women can also conquer the world.

With this realization, He Tiantian stopped letting her mind wander aimlessly.

From then on, Qi Xiaoyan often joined He Tiantian at the livestock team, and every day she learned many useful things about professional music.

Over time, Qi Fangfang started to notice something strange.

Why did Qi Xiaoyan keep going to the livestock team?

So whenever she had free time, she followed He Tiantian and Qi Xiaoyan to the livestock farm to play.

When Qi Fangfang showed up, He Tiantian would no longer let Professor Wang teach Qi Xiaoyan.

Although Qi Xiaoyan didn’t understand, considering Qi Fangfang’s tendency to pry and both her grandma’s and mother’s nature as gossips, she had a vague idea of what was going on and didn’t ask He Tiantian, simply helping out with the chores instead.

In order to facilitate feeding, the livestock team had to cut the forage into small sections of about five to six centimeters and then pack them into hemp bags for easy access. It shouldn’t be left outside in a pile, because if it rained or snowed, it would be hard to preserve and access.

Qi Xiaoyan was helping He Tiantian with the chores, Qi Fangfang sat aside resting, sneaking glances at He Tiantian and Qi Xiaoyan. Could it be that Qi Xiaoyan really came just to help He Tiantian with her work and nothing else?

Qi Fangfang didn’t believe it and remained skeptical.

After following them for three days, Qi Fangfang saw that she always accompanied He Tiantian in her chores until she couldn’t hold back any longer. She found Qi Xiaoyan privately and asked, "Xiao Yan, have you been helping Sister Tiantian with work all this time? There are so many people in the livestock team, it shouldn’t be your turn to work there. What are you really up to? How about we go see a movie together?"

Qi Xiaoyan laughed and said, "Hehe, I’ve got nothing to do at home and I’m quite bored; that’s why I thought of hanging out with Sister Tiantian."

"Shall we go? It’s Wangjia Village’s turn to show a movie; if we go early, we can get good seats!" Qi Fangfang suggested, "Let’s invite Sister Tiantian to join us."

"Wangjia Village? That’s very far away, about eight li. Anyhow, it will come to Hujia Village in a few days, and then it will be our village’s turn. I’m not going to travel that far to watch a movie," Qi Xiaoyan declined. Her parents wouldn’t go, and her older brother and sister-in-law had children and wouldn’t go either. If she followed Qi Fangfang, then Qi Fangfang’s brother Qi Jianguo would surely go as well, and He Tiantian, who despised Qi Jianguo, definitely wouldn’t attend.

"Why don’t you have any fun, acting like an old granny," Qi Fangfang complained, "Come on, let’s invite Sister Tiantian; I’ll treat you both to sunflower seeds."

"Sister Tiantian has to work at the livestock team during the day, and then run all that way to watch a movie at night — that’s too tiring. Besides, it’s about to come to Hujia Village and then our village, there’s really no need to go that far. If you don’t believe me, you can ask Sister Tiantian; she definitely won’t go. She won’t, and neither will I," Qi Xiaoyan explained. "Alright, I’m home now. You should hurry back too, it’s getting late. I won’t invite you in to sit," she added as she went into her house.

Seeing Qi Xiaoyan close her door, Qi Fangfang felt stuffy with frustration. Qi Xiaoyan had become smart, not so easily fooled!

It was all because of that He Tiantian, sly as a fox. Her older brother seemed bewitched by He Tiantian, even though Tiantian didn’t spare a glance for her excellent brother.

This made Qi Fangfang very angry, and it was one of the reasons why she tirelessly supported her brother’s pursuit of He Tiantian!

Qi Fangfang returned home with a downcast air, not speaking a word.

"What’s wrong with you? Did someone bully you?" Mother Qi was always defensive and doted on her late-born daughter. In Mother Qi’s eyes, her daughter was always right. Seeing her unhappy like this meant she must have been wronged outside.

Qi Fangfang drank water silently, still not speaking.

"Did Xiao Yan buy something nice again that you also want?" Mother Qi asked, "Is it expensive? I have a piece of fifty cents here that your brother gave me. If you want it, I’ll buy it for you."

Seeing her mother this way, Qi Fangfang was touched but also felt a bitter sting. Except for family, everyone else was fake. If that He Tiantian married into their family, Qi Fangfang would make sure that Mother Qi wouldn’t be too kind to He Tiantian. Who made Tiantian so hard to chase?

"Mom, I’m fine. I’m just upset to see Qi Xiaoyan and He Tiantian getting along so well. They’re always together and never include me," Qi Fangfang muttered, implying that Qi Xiaoyan and He Tiantian were excluding her.

She wasn’t wrong; indeed, He Tiantian and Qi Xiaoyan were excluding Qi Fangfang, because neither of them liked her!

"If they don’t want to play with you, just don’t bother with them. They both look like fox spirits, and despite your brother being so old, he still won’t agree to the match your aunt arranged," Mother Qi complained, unimpressed by He Tiantian. "I don’t know what got into your brother, fancying that little fox spirit He Tiantian. So what if she has fair skin and big eyes? Nothing special there; she’s so skinny, probably not good for childbearing."

If He Tiantian were there to hear Mother Qi’s words, she would definitely retort that it was her son who couldn’t bear children, not her, He Tiantian!