Chapter 1496: Restlessness

Jiang Xinyu still couldn’t calm down. Seeing his wife like this, Wei Kaiyun ached for her terribly. He made another trip into the city.

Time had reached July 1st. This time, it was Wei Kaiyun who went with her to the city.

She called Yao Shimin.

"Xinyu, Xinyu."

"Jingyi, are you ready?"

"All set. Our introduction letters are all issued. I’ll bring the six kids over."

"Okay. I’ll call Station Chief Zhang."

"No need. In a bit, Yao Shimin will go buy the tickets, don’t worry about it. Once he’s bought them, he’ll call you. The kids can start their vacation tonight."

"Okay, I’ll wait for Yao Shimin’s call. Tell me the departure time. I’ll come pick you up then."

"Alright."

Jiang Xinyu could hear Qiao Jingyi directing Yao Shimin to go buy the tickets.

"Xinyu, we’re bringing you lots of fabric."

"Jing, don’t bring too many things. I’m already worried enough about you all."

"It’s fine, Zhiwei and Xiangting are older now, they can help take care of the younger ones. Don’t worry about us.

Besides, everyone’s talking about an earthquake coming, I feel like a lot of people are starting to take it seriously."

"That’s good. I don’t know if it will really happen, but being careful never hurts."

"Mm, I already told Yao Shimin he has to sleep outside at night."

"Right, that’s how it should be."

After the two of them hung up, Wei Kaiyun finally took his wife to eat.

Seeing her still absent‑minded, "Xinyu, we’ve done all we can."

Jiang Xinyu stiffly nodded. "I know. I don’t even know what’s wrong with me, I just can’t calm down."

"Xinyu, this won’t do. We’ve done everything we should. If it really happens, you’ve lived up to yourself."

Jiang Xinyu let out a sigh. "I understand all of that."

They simply had no idea how serious it really was. So tragic it was beyond human endurance, impossible to accept. In her previous life she had gone through it too, but because she was in the countryside and the epicenter wasn’t here, although there were houses collapsed and people injured, it wasn’t too severe.

But her friends were all in the county town. It wasn’t the epicenter either, but it was still much worse than in the countryside.

She finished lunch in a daze, and the couple went home.

She had no energy to tidy up, so Wei Kaiyun pulled her into the truck to lie down for a while.

He’d already said every comforting thing he could think of this past month. It hadn’t helped much, so he stopped trying to persuade her. She had to walk out of it herself.

Jiang Xinyu watched the time, and two hours later dialed the number for Yao Shimin’s office.

"How is it?"

"I bought seven sleeper tickets on the train at 3:30 p.m. on the 2nd."

Jiang Xinyu suddenly let out a breath of relief. "Good, I know. I’ll time it right to pick them up."

"Alright. Xinyu, you be careful too."

"I know. Yao Shimin, nothing matters more than staying alive, especially things outside our bodies."

Hearing that, Yao Shimin froze for a moment. "Got it. I understand."

"I’ll call you again tomorrow before you get off work to confirm."

Yao Shimin was surprised. Jiang Xinyu had never been like this. It was as if she didn’t trust that Jing and the others would really be coming.

"Okay. There won’t be any problem."

The two drove home. The children had all sensed Jiang Xinyu’s anxiety lately, and were very worried about them.

That afternoon she didn’t go to the school. This year the higher‑ups had already assigned two people to the school: a vice principal and a dean of studies. Jiang Xinyu had already let go.

That night Jiang Xinyu held Wei Kaiyun’s hand. "I’m resigning tomorrow."

"Fine, I’ve long since not wanted you worrying about it."

"I just don’t have the heart to care about that place now. Let Li Yungui apply to the higher‑ups for a few more teachers.

Wei Kaiyun, I think at the latest we’ll definitely be able to leave the year after next."

"Xinyu, don’t rush about anything else. By the time everyone really leaves, it still won’t delay the kids."

Jiang Xinyu paused, realizing what Wei Kaiyun was worried about.

"Alright, I understand." Indeed, even if they all had to take exams, there were still two months to make arrangements.

The next day she went to find Li Yungui. "Village Chief Li, this is my resignation letter, please help process it."

"Xiao Jiang?"

Jiang Xinyu smiled. "It’s fine, I just don’t have the heart to stay at the school, I’m afraid I’ll hold the kids back. And at the end of this month my niece and nephew and some friends will be coming—seven of them. I want to spend time with them."

"Xiao Jiang, that won’t interfere with anything. The school’s already on vacation."

Jiang Xinyu shook her head. "Village Chief Li, my mind just isn’t in it anymore."

Seeing how firm she was, Li Yungui sighed. "You’re the one who built this school up. You can bear to leave it?"

"Heh, I haven’t contributed much to the school. And it’s not like I’m leaving the village, I just don’t want to work anymore."

"Alright then, I’ll take care of it." A thought suddenly came to Li Yungui that they might be planning to leave.

After lunch, Jiang Xinyu wanted to head out, but Wei Kaiyun stopped her. "Sleep a while before you go, it won’t be too late."

They only set out at two in the afternoon. Jiang Xinyu sat by the phone waiting.

She waited until five before calling Yao Shimin.

"Xinyu, don’t worry, I’ve seen the seven of them onto the train."

Jiang Xinyu felt as if she heard her heart thud back into place.

"Yao Shimin, let me warn you one more time."

"I know, I’ll definitely take it seriously."

On the drive back, Wei Kaiyun felt his wife was much better than she’d been recently.

Jiang Xinyu’s resignation was approved only a week later. Now she stayed home and tidied the house.

"Mom, why don’t we just have Sister Xiangting live with us two sisters?"

"Your Aunt Qiao needs a place to live too. It’ll be just right, the three girls together. As for Zhiwei and the others, they’ll stay with Xiao Qiang."

Now at home it was just Jiang Xinyu and Zhang Qiu’e every day. She couldn’t bring herself to do anything else, she just took charge of cooking.

Zhang Qiu’e knitted sweaters and pants for the kids and made shoes.

At noon, Zhao Xiaoli came back. "Xinyu, I don’t want to work either. I think I’m pregnant."

Jiang Xinyu showed the truest smile she’d had in a while.

"That’s great. Yue Lanfeng has been wanting to be a teacher, we’ll hand it over to her."

Now Jiang Xinyu had company. They were all temps, so the paperwork was even simpler.

Two days later Li Yunqiang came over. He felt really embarrassed, like he’d stolen Old Yang’s wife’s job.

"Accountant Li, you’re overthinking it, I’m the one who doesn’t want to work. I want to focus on the pregnancy." She’d already been to see Doctor Liu, and she really was pregnant.

Now Li Yunqiang felt at ease. To be honest, from the start he’d wanted his wife to be a teacher, but she hadn’t passed the exam—she just wasn’t strong enough, and there was nothing to be done.

Now that she had this chance, of course it was a good thing.

As for what the other educated youths thought, it really didn’t matter. No one was competing with his wife for it, and besides, it was only first grade, he wasn’t worried she couldn’t teach it.