232: Chapter 232 Xia Linzi works to support Zhou Chong's schooling

Zhou Chong's voice was very gentle, carrying a hint of a smile and a trace of suggestiveness in his gaze as he looked into her eyes and spoke earnestly.

Xia Linzi took the apple, her fingers trembling and her face instantly flushing to her ears, looking like a ripe apple herself.

She lowered her head, not daring to meet his eyes, and whispered, "Th... thank you."

"You're welcome."

Zhou Chong looked at her shy expression, and the smile at the corners of his mouth deepened.

"Linzi, I think you're a really good person—gentle, kind, and quiet. I quite like you. Do you like me?"

These words were like a beam of light, instantly illuminating Xia Linzi's world and making her feel like the luckiest person on earth.

She jerked her head up, her eyes shimmering with tears. She was too emotional to speak and could only nod vigorously, her voice choked with emotion, "I do."

"Then shall we apply to the same university after the College Entrance Exam?"

"Okay."

The two of them made a promise to each other.

At that moment, she felt that all the waiting and her secret crush had been worth it; because of those words, her youth had become incomparably beautiful.

...

High school graduation arrived, and the results of the College Entrance Exam were released.

Zhou Chong got into a First-tier university in Zhongzhou City, becoming one of the few college students in the village; his parents were incredibly proud of him.

Xia Linzi, however, failed to get in. She felt a bit dejected, feeling that she was no longer worthy of Zhou Chong, yet she was still happy for him and sincerely wished him well.

She found Zhou Chong and told him that she wouldn't be going to school anymore and was going to find a job.

Zhou Chong felt sorry for her.

But just a few days before Zhou Chong was set to report to the university, he found Xia Linzi with a look of worry on his face, his brow furrowed as he spoke in a helpless and aggrieved tone.

"Linzi, my family's financial situation is poor. My parents are just farmers who have spent their lives toiling in the fields with their faces to the ground and their backs to the sky. It was already very difficult for them to support me through high school."

"Now, I'm still a long way off from having enough for university tuition and living expenses. I'm truly at my wit's end. I don't want my parents to worry about me anymore, but I don't want to give up the chance to go to university either."

Upon hearing this, Xia Linzi immediately grew anxious, her heart tightening as she said, "Then what should we do? We can't let you miss out on school. Going to university is your dream and your chance to change your destiny; you absolutely cannot give it up."

Zhou Chong looked at her, his eyes full of expectation and dependence. His voice was sincere and affectionate as he took her hand and gently stroked it.

"Forget it, Linzi. Since you didn't pass anyway, I won't go either."

"No, you must go to university, otherwise your life will be ruined."

"How about this! Since I didn't pass anyway, I'll go work to support your schooling."

"How can that be? No, I can't let you do that."

Zhou Chong immediately refused.

"Zhou Chong, listen to me. You just focus on your studies; don't worry about the money."

Zhou Chong was deeply moved.

He held Xia Linzi's hand.

"Linzi, when I graduate, I'll definitely earn a lot of money to repay you twofold. Then I'll marry you and give you a good life—we'll live in a big house and you'll wear beautiful clothes, never having to suffer again."

He paused and continued, his tone incredibly firm as if he were making a vow, "I swear, I will only be good to you in this life. I will never let you down."

"Once I graduate from university, we'll get married. I will use my entire life to love you, cherish you, and take care of you, making you the happiest woman in the world."

"Linzi, do you believe me?"

Xia Linzi believed him without the slightest hesitation.

In her heart, Zhou Chong's words were like an imperial decree; they were her faith.

She liked him, loved him, and was willing to do anything for him. As long as he could attend school smoothly and they could have a future together, she was willing to do anything and didn't care about the cost.

She went home and packed her bags—a small backpack containing a few changes of clothes.

One early morning, while her parents were still asleep, she left a note that said, "Mom, Dad, I've gone to Zhongzhou City to work. Don't worry about me, I'll be fine," and then she boarded a train bound for Zhongzhou City alone.

She didn't tell her parents where she was going, nor did she tell them about Zhou Chong. She only wanted to earn money quickly to help Zhou Chong scrape together enough for his tuition so he could study in peace; once he graduated, they could be together.

...

When she first arrived in Zhongzhou City, it was Xia Linzi's first time in such a large city. Looking at the heavy traffic and the rows of skyscrapers, everything felt strange and new, yet it was also filled with unease and fear.

She had no degree, no skills, and no connections, so she could only look for the most basic and grueling jobs.

She spent two whole days wandering the Labor market until her feet were blistered. Finally, she found a job at an Electronics factory on the outskirts of the city, becoming an Assembly line worker.

The work intensity at the factory was extremely high. She had to work twelve hours a day in two shifts.

The day shift was from six in the morning to eight in the evening, and the night shift was from eight in the evening to six in the morning. There was only a thirty-minute break for meals, with no other time for rest.

The work on the assembly line was dull and repetitive; every day was spent repeating the same actions: plugging in components, assembling, and inspecting.

Her fingers were often worn raw by the machinery, bleeding and scabbing over and over again. Her hands became covered in thick calluses, becoming so rough they didn't look like the hands of an eighteen-year-old girl.

The dormitory was an eight-person room with bunk beds. In a cramped space of less than twenty square meters, four iron bunk beds were crammed in to house eight female workers.

The air was thick with the smell of sweat, stinky feet, and instant noodles; the mixture was enough to make one want to vomit.

In the summer, the room was as hot as a steamer. There was no air conditioning, only an old electric fan that blew hot air. She couldn't sleep at night and could only fan herself with a hand fan.

In the winter, the room was bone-chillingly cold. There was no heating, and the quilt was too thin to block the freezing wind, leaving her to huddle under the covers, shivering.

Every day, Xia Linzi was exhausted. She would fall asleep the moment she returned to the dorm, lacking even the strength to speak. Sometimes she was too tired to even wash her face and would fall asleep directly on the bed.

But she never complained, nor did she ever think of giving up.

Because she had something to look forward to: she had Zhou Chong and his promise.

She thought that as long as she could hold on for four more years until Zhou Chong graduated, their lives would improve, and all her sacrifices would be worth it.

To earn more money, Xia Linzi took the initiative to apply for the night shift.

The night shift pay was slightly higher than the day shift, and there were more subsidies; she wanted to save more money for Zhou Chong.

The night shift lasted ten hours from eight in the evening to six in the morning. She couldn't sit or stop; she had to stand and work the entire time.

The lights in the workshop were dim, and the roar of the machines was loud enough to make her ears ache.

Once, she worked seven consecutive night shifts with only one day of rest in between, and her body reached its limit.

At four in the morning that day, while she was plugging in components, her vision suddenly went black. Her legs gave way, and she fainted right next to the assembly line, hitting her head on a machine and raising a large bump that began to bleed.

Her coworkers were terrified and quickly helped her up, calling for the Workshop director.

The director saw how pale she was and that her lips were turning purple, so he told her to go to the hospital.

Xia Linzi couldn't bear to spend the money and said she was fine, just too tired, and that she would be okay after a short rest.

She sat on the floor and recovered for over ten minutes before slowly standing up to continue working.

That morning, when she returned to the dorm and lay on the bed, her whole body ached as if it were falling apart, and her head was spinning severely.

She touched the bump on her head, tears falling from the pain, but she still took out her phone and sent a text to Zhou Chong: "Zhou Chong, I received my wages today. I've transferred 1,200 yuan to you. Eat well and don't be afraid to spend it."

Zhou Chong quickly replied: "Linzi, you've worked hard. I'll marry you as soon as I graduate."

Seeing those words, Xia Linzi felt that all the suffering was worth it.

Then she continued to work her heart out to earn money.

...