1970s Gangster Couple

47

"You..." Wang Juan found herself unable to argue with Xiao Xiao. She thought that by marrying Wang Wei and giving her worker's quota to her sister from the maternal family, she would at least feel guilty when confronted by her in-laws. However, it wasn't the case. Not only that, Xiao Xiao was surprisingly calm.

Trying to please her or using harsh words didn't work. Wang Juan's face turned red. She left with a parting remark, "This matter won't be over so easily." She then picked up her cloth bag and left.

The woman next door pushed open the door with a face that suggested she had just heard a secret. Obviously, she had been eavesdropping. Xiao Xiao smiled and nodded at her. She didn't mind that the conflict with Wang Juan might become gossip. This woman seemed to enjoy spreading rumors.

Otherwise, Xiao Xiao wouldn't have revealed the situation to the onlookers. She didn't have a penchant for crowds.

The woman, called Qin-jie by Wang Juan, was flustered when she realized she had overheard others' conversations. Xiao Xiao greeted her with a smile, and she quickly closed the door and left.

After closing the door, Xiao Xiao tidied up a bit, grabbed a cloth bag, and headed out.

Having been here for a while, she hadn't had the chance to explore the books in this area. Originally, she thought of checking if there were any bookstores on the street. After searching around, she found nothing.

Xiao Xiao frowned. She couldn't just go to someone's house and ask if they had any books.

Just as she was thinking about it, an old man pulling a cart passed by her. Xiao Xiao's gaze swept across the cart and suddenly noticed that many books were pressed under most of the cardboard boxes.

She watched as the old man pulled the cart into a courtyard. Xiao Xiao hurriedly followed. Upon entering the courtyard, she found it filled with various types of garbage.

The old man unloaded the things from the cart and casually threw them on the ground. Upon turning around and seeing Xiao Xiao, he asked in confusion, "Who are you looking for?"

Xiao Xiao smiled at the old man and inquired, "Grandpa, may I ask where these books will be taken?"

The old man kicked one of the books with his foot and said, "You mean these? They will be transported outside the city for disposal. Nowadays, people don't read much. What's the point of having books?"

Hearing the old man's words, a surge of anger welled up in Xiao Xiao. These were all pieces of knowledge, yet they were being discarded. If humanity did not have an unwavering thirst for knowledge, there would be no way for the human race to stand firm in the interstellar space, especially considering the stark contrast in physical abilities and other aspects when compared to other races.

Although understanding that this was a special situation under specific historical conditions, Xiao Xiao couldn't help but feel heartbroken. She squatted down to pick up the books that seemed to be in relatively good condition, stacking them beside her.

"This comrade, are you taking these books to start a fire?" The old man observed Xiao Xiao picking up the books, not surprised, as many people came to collect paper for fuel.

Xiao Xiao neither confirmed nor denied, instead asking, "Can I take these away?"

The old man didn't care and said, "Sure, take them. Anyway, they're just some old books that no one wants." Currently, apart from schools in the city still conducting classes, most other schools were essentially in a state of semi-abandonment.

After filling a bag with books, Xiao Xiao left.

When she reached the dormitory entrance, she saw Wang Wei hastily opening the door with an anxious expression. Upon seeing her, he quickly grabbed her, "Where did you go?"