Sorry, My Beloved Is The Motherland - Chapter 12.1 - Arguing With A Green Tea Is Better Than Dating

/* T/N: “Green Tea” (绿茶, lǜchá) refers to a person, typically a woman, who appears innocent and sweet on the surface but is actually manipulative and cunning. The term is derived from the idea that green tea looks pure and refreshing but can have a bitter aftertaste, symbolizing the contrast between outward appearance and true intentions. */

After a few hours of bumping along, the car finally arrived in the county town. It was much more bustling than Tula Gaqi, but no one was in the mood to wander around. After checking out the exam venue, they quickly found a guesthouse nearby to stay in. This was the county’s military guesthouse, very close to the exam site, specially approved for the educated youth who had traveled a long distance.

Ning Fu and Liang Huixue shared a room, while Gao Han shared a room with Cui Guofu and Du Qingquan, who had arrived in the county earlier.

Although they were all taking the college entrance exam, everyone’s mindset was different.

—Cui Guofu had no real hope for the exam. He was treating the “exam leave” like a sick leave, wandering the hallways with a world map, which held playing cards and sunflower seeds.

He hadn’t even reviewed properly. This year was just a trial run; if it didn’t work out, he could try again next year.

But Du Qingquan and Gao Han were clearly not as relaxed. As soon as they closed the door, they buried themselves in their studies, skipping dinner altogether.

Liang Huixue was also very nervous.

How did this nervousness manifest? She began to constantly observe Ning Fu, or rather, “spy and then imitate” would be more accurate.

Ning Fu read a book. Liang Huixue quickly took out her notebook and reviewed her previous notes.

Ning Fu drank water. Liang Huixue silently poured herself a cup as well.

Ning Fu closed her eyes to rest.

—This she did not imitate. Instead, she lightened her breathing, seemingly trying to make herself invisible in the room, but her eyes never stopped following Ning Fu’s every move.

Ning Fu opened her eyes and, as expected, met Liang Huixue’s evasive gaze.

Ning Fu, like an emotionless robot, let the awkward silence continue to spread.

Alright, who hasn’t been a “green tea” at some point?

Liang Huixue didn’t wait for Ning Fu to ask. Under Ning Fu’s gaze, she became increasingly uneasy and finally began to explain, “I… I didn’t mean to, I’m just too nervous…”

She cautiously moved closer to Ning Fu, looking at her with innocent, doe-like eyes, “You… you’re really not going to read a bit more? I’ll read a bit longer. I won’t disturb you, right?”

Ning Fu: “No, you won’t.”

Probably everyone encountered such a classmate during their school days—when you copied the questions, she copied the questions; when you sat in the front, she would also sit in the front; whatever book you read, she read the same book. She always wanted to be the first to know your homework progress, exam rankings, and when she charted her grades, she didn’t forget to chart yours too.

Nicely put, it was called concern; not so nicely, it was called being a sycophant. That “concerned” gaze was like a maggot clinging to a bone, always closely following you. If you said these people had bad intentions, it seemed they didn’t, but the most worrying part was when they might develop bad intentions.

Guarding against a thief for a thousand days made you seem paranoid, and that was truly suffocating.

Liang Huixue then meekly asked, “If I have questions, can I ask you?”

Ning Fu: “Yes.”

Liang Huixue indeed asked a few questions, and Ning Fu explained each one.

Suddenly, Liang Huixue started crying.

“…You’re so amazing, I really envy you,” she said, choking up. “Everyone likes you… and you’re so well-prepared for the exams…”

Ning Fu took a deep breath.

Oh my god.

Low-level “green tea” behavior could be quite tiresome, far less refreshing and memorable than high-level “green tea.” What was more alarming was that this original protagonist seemed to be “green tea without even realizing it.” — She cried with such genuine emotion, her feelings so authentic, yet she herself didn’t fully understand why she was doing these inexplicable things.

Liang Huixue’s psychology wasn’t strange. Right now, she just needed some sympathetic and loving comfort. If, in the process, Ning Fu felt guilty enough to relinquish “everyone’s affection,” that would be even better.

Of course, there might also be a small ulterior motive to disrupt Ning Fu’s study rhythm and mental state before the exam.

She wasn’t doing it on purpose.

She just watched as Ning Fu went from being inferior to her in every way to surpassing her in everything, and… she felt wronged.

That’s right, she felt wronged.

Ning Fu smiled slightly, “Really? Thank you for liking me.” She patted Liang Huixue’s shoulder, “Don’t cry. Don’t worry. Keep working hard, and good luck!”

She added a motivational gesture, so sunny and full of positive energy!

Of course, the concept of “positive energy” might not have been popular back then; it should be said that it was filled with revolutionary optimism!

Nothing hits a “green tea” harder than a straightforward, deadpan response.

When a “green tea” says, “Brother, your girlfriend is so fierce, I could never be as confident as her,” you respond with, “Lack of confidence is indeed not good, keep working hard!”

When a “green tea” says, “Brother, your girlfriend is so smart and socially adept, unlike me who always clumsily offends people,” you respond with, “Then you should learn from her, keep working hard!”

Being straightforwardly encouraging was even more disarming than being passive-aggressive.

—Let the motivational cheers of a socialist striver echo in the other person’s mind at all times!

Liang Huixue was still crying, but she was stunned when she heard Ning Fu’s words, choking up.

Despite her efforts to control herself, she couldn’t help but let out a long hiccup, the sound strange and resembling a scream.

She looked at Ning Fu with tear-filled eyes, trying to read a hint of mockery from the sincere, encouraging smile on her face. Because she instinctively felt deeply mocked. Ning Fu’s seemingly ordinary words somehow felt like a sharp knife, stabbing deeply into her sensitive and fragile heart!