Love Story in the 1970s

On Fei Ni's birthday, she realized most of her wishes from last year had come true.

She was still with Fang Muyang, and she would be attending university next year—though whether Fang Muyang could join her remained uncertain.

She wasn't greedy this year, making only one birthday wish: for Fang Muyang to go to school with her.

Last New Year, Fang Muyang had celebrated with Fei Ni's parents while his own were still at the agricultural machinery factory. This year, before the holiday, Fei Ma had arranged for her daughter and son-in-law to spend New Year's Eve at the Fang family, preparing a pile of festive goods for Fei Ni to bring along. Fei Ni and Fang Muyang had a hectic New Year's Eve—first sending gifts to their older siblings at the post office, then shortly after retrieving parcels with the claim slips.

Old Fang had three children. On New Year's Eve, both his eldest son and third daughter called to greet him and sent gifts for him and his rebellious son.

Having his youngest rebellious son and daughter-in-law accompany him for the New Year brought him great comfort. Last year, he and his wife had been at the agricultural machinery factory, where many kind colleagues invited Teacher Mu to celebrate with them, while his own invitation felt like an afterthought—they'd tell Teacher Mu, "Bring your spouse along," as if he were someone's accessory. Nothing beats being at home!

The rebellious son and daughter-in-law were making dumplings in the dining room, while his wife was in the kitchen following a recipe to prepare a dessert.

Old Fang was deeply moved and felt inspired to compose a poem. Before he could retreat to his study to write, his rebellious son called out from the dining room, "Dad, come help with the dumplings."

Aunt Yang had returned to her hometown for the New Year a few days prior, leaving the household chores to Old Fang again. Though he believed having a job justified avoiding housework, with just him and his wife at home, who else would do it? So he did it haphazardly, relying on the canteen that still provided meals during the holiday. Yesterday, upon learning his rebellious son and daughter-in-law were coming, he woke before five to clean the entire house, even the corners. He was, after all, a decent father. His efforts went unnoticed by his rebellious son, who only saw him now drinking tea, listening to records, and flipping through the newspaper. How could he have the energy to make dumplings?

Fei Ni nudged him with her elbow. "Let Dad rest properly."

"Our dad loves making dumplings. You can't take that joy away from him."

Who actually enjoys making dumplings?

Old Fang, understanding his rebellious son and daughter-in-law's efforts, said, "No need to make too many. Dumplings are just symbolic; what matters most is our family being together."

Fang Muyang's approach to dumpling-making was unusual. While others aimed for uniformity, he strived to make each dumpling distinct, treating the task as a form of amusement.

Fei Ni found him slow but didn't rush him, instead speeding up her own pace.

Fang Muyang shaped one dumpling into an animal resembling Fei Ni's zodiac sign. "Does this look like you?" he asked.

Fei Ni held it in her hand, examining it. The dumpling's expression did bear a slight resemblance to her—specifically, her serious side. Yet, when transferred to an animal, the seriousness faded, leaving only playful teasing.

He was making fun of her again!

But with Old Fang in the living room and her mother-in-law in the kitchen, Fei Ni couldn't join in the banter.

"You're just slandering me," she whispered. "Hurry up and finish. No matter how much it looks like me, once it's in the pot, you won't be able to tell."

"Then take a good look at it now while you can."Fei Ni took another look and felt that Fang Muyang had indeed wrapped the dumplings very well—it would be a shame to boil them. "Then let's take a camera and photograph them."

Fang Muyang hadn’t expected Fei Ni to be so serious about it.

Fei Ni took it to heart and used the camera to take pictures of all the dumplings Fang Muyang had wrapped.

Old Fang thought how lucky his wayward son was—even wrapping dumplings was treated like a treasure by his daughter-in-law.

Fang Muyang had wrapped four animal-shaped dumplings, each representing the zodiac signs of the four of them. His and Fei Ni’s zodiac signs were the same.

Fei Ni deliberately placed peanuts in four of the dumplings. Whoever found a peanut would be blessed with good luck for the entire next year. In Fang Muyang’s own family, they had never put such things in dumplings before. During the New Year, his home was always the most chaotic because the housekeeper had gone home, and more than half of their New Year’s Eve dinner consisted of various canned foods. Chaotic as it was, there was still a festive atmosphere. During the holidays, Fang Muyang would paint New Year pictures, Mu Jing would write couplets, and their eldest brother would repair the household appliances his younger brother had broken while also guiding him in making fireworks. This guidance wasn’t free—the New Year’s cards their eldest brother gave to his classmates and teachers were all painted by Fang Muyang. To please his wife, Old Fang would have the three children perform with him on New Year’s Eve. He played the accordion, the eldest son played the piano, the third daughter played the flute, and the youngest son played the violin. Each performed their own piece with no sense of collaboration whatsoever. After the performance, gifts and red envelopes were distributed. Fang Muyang would snatch his red envelope and rush downstairs to set off firecrackers.

It wasn’t until Fang Muyang went to the countryside that he ate dumplings with coins in them at a local family’s home. They were filled with cabbage, and the only hint of meat was dried shrimp—a rare treat, as white flour was usually too precious to eat. When the locals invited him to eat dumplings, he would only take one out of politeness, after all, they could only afford to eat dumplings once or twice a year.

Fei Ni told Fang Muyang that if someone swallowed a coin in a dumpling, it could be troublesome, so it was better to use peanuts for good luck.

Most of the New Year’s Eve dinner was prepared by Fei Ni and Fang Muyang. Neither of them were particularly skilled in the kitchen, but in this household, they seemed quite capable. Old Fang also contributed to the meal by opening two cans.

The four of them sat around the table. Old Fang looked at the spread of dishes, first expressing his gratitude for his daughter-in-law’s hard work, then inviting his wife to give a speech. He planned to share his own New Year’s reflections after she finished, as a lot had happened that year, and it couldn’t be summed up in just a few words. Unexpectedly, Teacher Mu directly thanked their son and daughter-in-law and gave the signal to start the meal.

Fang Muyang, wanting to support his father, urged him to say a few words before they began eating.

Old Fang cleared his throat and began his speech. He first thanked his wife for their mutual support, saying that without her by his side, he might not have peacefully endured those difficult times. When he became emotional, he reached for his wife’s hand, but Teacher Mu found it too sentimental in front of the children and refused to cooperate. Old Fang felt a slight loss of face, but it wasn’t serious. After thanking his wife, he expressed gratitude to his daughter-in-law for standing by his wayward son during his hardships and for helping him organize his manuscripts. With only four people at the table, Old Fang felt he couldn’t leave out his son, so he thanked him most for helping him acquire the television, refrigerator, and other household appliances.

Fang Muyang replied that it was no trouble—after all, it was all done with his father’s money.

After expressing his thanks, Old Fang shared the messages he had prepared for each of them.The entire family held great respect for Old Fang, waiting for him to finish speaking before picking up their chopsticks, but his speech showed no sign of ending. Fang Muyang interrupted his father's remarks, "Dad, try this dumpling—I made it."

Old Fang swallowed his prepared speech along with the dumpling.

After the New Year's Eve dinner was over, it was natural to clear the tableware. Old Fang insisted on washing the bowls.

As the younger generation, Fei Ni and Fang Muyang couldn't possibly let their elderly father do the dishes, so they took on the responsibility themselves.

The two squeezed into the kitchen to wash the bowls. Fang Muyang's fingers came into contact with cold water, and droplets splashed onto Fei Ni's arm.

"Cold!" Even her expression of displeasure was whispered. She was a bit annoyed and deliberately dipped her own fingers in the cold water to pinch Fang Muyang's arm. Perhaps she pinched a little too hard, and she asked him if it hurt.

Fang Muyang said he wouldn't have it any other way.

Fei Ni lowered her head and ignored him.

Fang Muyang set off firecrackers downstairs and asked Fei Ni to make a wish.

Fei Ni made the same wish as she had on her birthday—that Fang Muyang would be able to attend university.

Fei Ni asked Fang Muyang, "What did you wish for?"

"I hope in the new year, you'll love me a little more."

"You're not serious!" As if she didn't already love him enough.

In the new year, Fei Ni and Fang Muyang received large red envelopes. Their in-laws still treated them like children.

Having received so many gifts from the in-laws, the three elders of the Fang family naturally had to reciprocate.

Fang Muyang transported Fei Ni and the various gifts, big and small, back to her parents' home.

The first thing Lin Mei said upon seeing Fei Ni was, "Have you received your admission letter?"

Since the college entrance exam ended, Lin Mei had been waiting for Fei Ting's admission letter to arrive. Only after learning that Fei Ni hadn't received hers either did Lin Mei feel relieved, confirming that the admission letters simply hadn't been sent out yet, rather than Fei Ting not being accepted.

Fei Ni and Fang Muyang also prepared a large red envelope for their unborn nephew or niece. Fei Ni felt certain her brother would get into university, and since students don't earn salaries, finances would inevitably be tight. Normally, her brother and sister-in-law would never accept money, so they could only express their goodwill by giving a red envelope to the child.

Lin Mei refused, "No one gives red envelopes to someone who hasn't even been born yet. Besides, you two will be starting school this year. In my eyes, students are still children—they should only receive red envelopes, not give them."

Fei Ni laughed, "So, in your heart, is my brother a child too?"

"If he gets into university, I won't let him give out red envelopes anymore."

Fei Ni insisted on giving the envelope, so Lin Mei had no choice but to accept it. Among family, pushing and pulling over such matters would only create distance. Feeling the thickness and size of the envelope, she knew it was no small amount and said to her unborn child, "Your aunt and uncle have not only given you red envelopes for the next thirty years but have even included your wedding gift money."

Perhaps Fei Ni's New Year's wish came true, as Fang Muyang was the first in the family to receive his admission letter.

Originally, Fang Muyang planned to wait until Fei Ni's letter arrived before sharing the news with the family. But he couldn't stop Xu Hui from coming to their home to ask.

Since Fang Muyang had been staying at home unemployed, Fei Ni's mode of transportation had once again become the back seat of his bicycle. Just as Fei Ni entered the alley, she saw Xu Hui smiling at them.This was Xu Hui's fourth visit to Fei Ni and Fang Muyang's home. The first time was after the college entrance exams, the third time was to paint Fei Ni's portrait, and the third time was to deliver the framed painting to Fei Ni. Her portrait of Fei Ni hung in Fang Muyang's studio, meaning that whenever Fang Muyang went there to paint, he would have to admire her work. The only drawback was that the Fei Ni she had painted remained the dignified version—Fei Ni hadn't drunk the wine she had prepared, so her demeanor had been ordinary. Fang Muyang had seen it, but he was far from feeling inferior. She thought about painting another one, but getting Fei Ni to model for her again wouldn't be easy.

Xu Hui's first three visits were mainly for Fei Ni, but this time it was for Fang Muyang. Today, she had received her admission letter from the Art Academy and, overjoyed, was eager to find out if Fang Muyang had been admitted as well. If he had, that would be great. If not, she planned to introduce him to her tutor. Fei Ni was far more capable than Fang Muyang, but she had no teaching experience. Even if she tutored him, she might not hit the right points. How could Fei Ni understand the struggles of people like her and Fang Muyang?

Xu Hui not only brought the good news of her admission but also a small cake as a gift.

As soon as she saw Fang Muyang, Xu Hui announced that she had been admitted to the Art Academy. Fei Ni inwardly sighed, thinking it didn't look good. Fang Muyang and Xu Hui had applied to the same school in the same city, so logically, their notifications should have arrived on the same day.

But Fang Muyang hadn't mentioned anything about being admitted. He probably hadn't made the cut. Notices for postgraduate admissions had already been sent out, and Fei Ni was momentarily unsure whether to encourage Fang Muyang to pursue a master's degree or retake the college entrance exams.

Though disappointed, she had been prepared for this outcome and didn't show it on her face. But how could she persuade Fang Muyang to take the exams again? She knew he disliked exams intensely.

Fei Ni invited Xu Hui inside, served tea, and divided the small cake into three portions. Xu Hui ate her own cake, sipped the tea Fei Ni had brewed, and sighed to Fang Muyang, "You're so lucky." Her tone carried seven parts envy and three parts jealousy.

The tea Fei Ni usually drank was brewed by Fang Muyang, but whenever Xu Hui visited, it was always Fei Ni who made the tea. This led Xu Hui to misunderstand, thinking that Fei Ni supported Fang Muyang both spiritually and materially, even serving as his muse, while Fang Muyang did nothing—not even going to work—and only focused on painting. Every time she visited their home, Xu Hui would marvel at how Fang Muyang had managed to find such a pleasing and understanding partner. Why hadn't she been so lucky?

Fang Muyang did feel very fortunate, but he didn't need Xu Hui to come all the way just to tell him that.

He asked Xu Hui, "What are you here for?"

"I wanted to ask if you've been admitted to the Art Academy."

Xu Hui's question came off as somewhat provocative. If Fei Ni hadn't known Xu Hui's temperament, she might have thought she was deliberately trying to provoke Fang Muyang.

Fei Ni was about to say to Fang Muyang, "It's okay if you weren't admitted. There are two more exams this year." But before the words left her mouth, she heard Fang Muyang say, "I was admitted."

As Fei Ni heard these three words, she was refilling Xu Hui's teacup. She didn't even notice when the tea overflowed. Xu Hui's hand was holding the cup, and the hot tea spilled onto her fingers. She let out a sharp cry from the burn.Fei Ni felt apologetic as she took Xu Hui to rinse her fingers under running water, yet the joy sparked by Fang Muyang’s acceptance still shimmered in her eyes, impossible to conceal.

Before leaving, Xu Hui said to Fang Muyang, "You’re really lucky."

Misunderstanding Xu Hui’s meaning, Fei Ni explained that Fang Muyang had studied diligently before the exam and hadn’t gotten in by sheer chance.

"I meant he’s lucky to have married you."

Fei Ni felt too shy to tell Xu Hui that both she and Fang Muyang were fortunate.

After Xu Hui left, Fei Ni asked Fang Muyang, "Why didn’t you tell me earlier?" Even as she asked, she already knew the answer.

"I wanted us to celebrate together."

"If you got accepted, I’d only be happy for you—it wouldn’t pressure me." She was certain she would get in too.

Fei Ting also received an acceptance letter from a prestigious engineering institute. He had chosen it as his first option not for its faculty, but because it was the closest key university to home, making it convenient for him to frequently return and care for Lin Mei during her pregnancy.

Learning that her brother had been accepted, Fei Ni’s joy grew threefold.

Though Fei Ni was confident about getting into university, the delayed arrival of her acceptance letter stirred some doubt. One night, she even dreamed she had finished the exam but forgotten to write her name. In the dream, Fang Muyang went off to university while she remained at the hat factory.

The nightmare was so terrifying it jolted her awake.

Fang Muyang held Fei Ni, kissed her forehead, and comforted her, "Dreams are the opposite of reality. If someone like me could get in, there’s no way you won’t."

"What do you mean, ‘someone like you’? I think you’re wonderful. Don’t put yourself down like that."

Fei Ni only had that nightmare once. Afterward, Fang Muyang held her every night as they slept, his warmth pulling her away from bad dreams.

While comforting Fei Ni, Fang Muyang also asked his mother to help check Fei Ni’s exam results.

Scores weren’t disclosed to candidates, and admitted students wouldn’t know their exact marks unless they specifically inquired.

When Teacher Mu checked her daughter-in-law’s results, she also looked up her son’s. Just as Fang Muyang had said, the gap wasn’t just a few dozen points.

Teacher Mu went directly to the admissions office of the neighboring university and asked why Fei Ni hadn’t received her notification yet. Fei Ni’s score, excluding English, had exceeded the cutoff for her first choice by nearly forty points—there was no reason she shouldn’t have been admitted. The admissions staff explained that the delay wasn’t due to insufficient scores; the issue was that her results were too high, with a perfect score in English. Another institution had wanted to cultivate Fei Ni as a specialized talent and had transferred her file early. After multiple negotiations to ensure Fei Ni could attend her first-choice school, the matter was resolved. The acceptance letter had been mailed out, and barring any issues, Fei Ni should receive it that day.

Fei Ni had just taken a seat in the cafeteria when the letter arrived. Sister Liu waved the envelope in the crowd, urging Fei Ni to treat everyone to candy. Both the sender and postmark were from a university even Sister Liu, who had only attended elementary school, recognized. Though she had never been to college, Sister Liu knew that universities only sent such notifications to accepted students.When Sister Liu went to fetch her own mail, she spotted Feng Lin and noticed her staring intently at Fei Ni's letter. Distrusting Feng Lin, she decided to retrieve Fei Ni's letter as well. Such a crucial letter—losing it would be disastrous.

Fei Ni sat among her workshop colleagues and opened the envelope. Those around her lost interest in their meals, focusing solely on observing her expression.

Fei Ni read the letter word by word, then carefully placed it back into the envelope and tucked it away securely, her face betraying no hint of joy. She rose from her seat and hurried toward the cafeteria window, leaving the female workers waiting for an update.

Sister Liu began to doubt her initial assumption. If Fei Ni hadn't been accepted, spreading the news everywhere would only embarrass her.

Some of the female workers tried to ease the tension: "Given Fei Ni's caliber, getting into university shouldn't be an issue. The problem is the school she wants to attend—everyone in the country is vying for a spot. Just think of how many applicants there are nationwide."

"I heard there's something like a third choice. Maybe Fei Ni could get into another university."

"Fei Ni has such high standards. She might not even want to go to another school."

When Fei Ni returned, everyone fell silent.

She carried a large lunch box filled with meat dishes. The cafeteria lady had even scraped the bottom of the pot directly into it. Fei Ni smiled and said to everyone, "We'll have to make do with this today. Tomorrow, I'll treat everyone to something better."

The implication was clear: Fei Ni had been accepted.

Sister Liu gave Fei Ni a hearty pat on the back. "You really know how to keep a secret! You had me scared to death just now."

With such a joyous occasion, everyone thought it was only right for Fei Ni to treat them, and no one held back.

"You've really brought honor to our workshop. That Xiao Liang from the next workshop hasn't even greeted me since she got into some teachers' college. Is that necessary? Fei Ni's university is ten times better, and she's still treating us to a meal."

Fei Ni's happiness only became apparent after she left the cafeteria. She looked up at the sky and noticed the clouds seemed especially playful that day.

At work, Fei Ni smiled as she looked at the hats she had made. She couldn't wait to share her acceptance news with Fang Muyang.

Finally, when her shift ended, Fei Ni practically ran out.

Fang Muyang had already heard from his mother that Fei Ni's admission notice had been mailed. Seeing her expression, he knew she had received it. Her steps were quicker than usual, almost a sprint toward him, but she slowed down as she approached. Still, her eyes gave her away. He saw in them a look reminiscent of her childhood photos—a mix of pride, innocence, and irrepressible joy.

Fang Muyang asked Fei Ni, "Shouldn't you treat me to a meal today?"

"How did you know?"

"Of course, I knew. If you didn't get in, who would?"