“Dad, trust me—real estate is going to be worth a fortune. Once you’re out, I’ll buy a place in the city and we’ll move. Ten, twenty years from now, life will be unimaginable—technology advancing everywhere, phones, computers, air-conditioning, TVs, washing machines, every household will have them. The longer we live, the more we’ll enjoy the benefits of progress.”
Her father chuckled. “Did Junsheng tell you that? You never wanted to study, but now you sound like a little expert.”
Ming Ming pouted. “Dad, don’t underestimate me. I can predict the future! Otherwise, how do you think I managed to… um, resolve all that trouble with Yuan Chenglong’s family?”
Leaning in the doorway, Junsheng smiled. Chen Weiguo waved him over. “Junsheng, take her away, she’s driving me crazy.”
Instead, Junsheng sat down, intrigued. “So if the country develops that fast, those who seize the opportunities can really soar?”
“Exactly!”
“Then tell me this—will the college entrance exam come back?”
“Of course it will!” Ming Ming answered without hesitation.
“Oh? Then why aren’t you studying politics? No college entrance exam, no university. No university, no future. When that development comes, it won’t matter to you.”
He added casually, “Or do you want me to use the old method to keep you in line?”
Chen Weiguo, clueless, chimed in, “Yes, yes, Junsheng, you’d better keep an eye on her.”
Ming Ming’s face went blank.
Yan Junsheng, you really are from the same generation as our dean…
As for what “the old method” was—well, there was no set answer.
…But knowing this old bastard, it couldn’t be good!
The surgery was a success. Doctors said Chen Weiguo’s overall condition was good, and he should fully recover.
Ming Ming finally let go of her fears and started enjoying herself again.
With her father in a luxury ward, nurses on call, and little for her to do, she decided to drag Junsheng out for fun.
Decades later, Beicheng’s fermented mung bean drink—douzhi—would become a viral curiosity online.
As a native of Beicheng, Junsheng stayed far away from it. Ming Ming mocked him for being squeamish.
She insisted on trying it.
One sip—
“Ughhh!”
Ming Ming nearly retched her stomach out.
“Oh my god, how do you, Beicheng people, drink this mop-water?”
She said it so loud that locals turned to glare. Junsheng hurried to cover her mouth, smiling apologies all around, then turned back to stress, “Don’t lump me in with them. I may be Beicheng-born, but I’ve never touched that… mop water—I mean, douzhi!”
Ming Ming glared at the bowl like it was a pile of poop, but her eyes burned with determination. Junsheng thought she was steeling herself to keep drinking.
“If it tastes that bad, just toss it. We’re not hurting for money. Wasting it’s fine.”
“…I’ll take it back for my dad.”
Better her poor father suffer than her.
Junsheng: “…”
Such a dutiful daughter.
They carried the bag around all day, finally feeling guilty about the father recovering from surgery upstairs.
Well, Ming Ming felt guilty.
Junsheng didn’t. With Chen Weiguo stable, he would’ve been glad if she had forgotten about him and kept having fun.
Back at the hospital, Bai Houxiong called Junsheng away. Ming Ming went up alone.
In the ward, she poured the douzhi into a bowl and presented it proudly.
“Dad, I brought you a Beicheng specialty. Try it!”
Chen Weiguo sniffed and recoiled. “What is this rancid stuff?”
“It’s not rancid—it’s authentic Beicheng douzhi! Everyone drinks it here. Try it quickly, or Junsheng will drink it all when he gets back. I barely snatched it from him!”
“Out, out, let him drink it!”
“No way, Dad. Waste is shameful. Just try it, please, please—”
Despite her coaxing, he flatly refused, pointing at her nose and ordering her to throw away the contaminated bowl.
Sulking, Ming Ming set it down on the table—just as a female voice sounded behind her.
“Hello, is Yan Junsheng here?”
Ming Ming turned and saw a refined young woman standing at the door.
The woman smiled and said,
“I’m Bai Yuehua.”
Sam Williams On TYMIMA Chapter 152