《My Wife Is A Miracle Doctor In The 80s》 Chapter 1 - 1 She Became Matcha Chapter 1: She Became Matcha Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Dr. Tang, you¡¯ve arrived.¡± The passing nurses all greeted her with a nod. ¡°Yes, I have,¡± Tang Yuxin adjusted her sses. Underneath the clear lenses, her eyes were ck and soulless. She smiled, faint lines appearing at the corners of her eyes. ¡°Dr. Tang seems to have aged a lot, hasn¡¯t she?¡± a nurse cautiously remarked. ¡°Indeed,¡± another nurse kept her voice low. ¡°Between us, don¡¯t spread this around, but Dr. Tang has divorced. Her husband had an affair with her younger sister, and was caught in the act by Dr. Tang. She has been cuckolded and now she¡¯s like a matcha.¡± ¡°Really? That¡¯s terrible for Dr. Tang. She worked so hard, even sent that man abroad for studies and look what happened.¡± ¡°That¡¯s men for you, always fond of beauty, of something new. No man would like a homely woman like Dr. Tang who works all day like a nun. She¡¯s only 33 but looks like a woman in her forties.¡± The two were whispering about Dr. Tang, unaware that the woman they were discussing was not far from them, holding a ss of water. She ced a hand on her ear, tucked her hair behind it, revealing her not so young skin. Divorced in midlife, childless, life had been frustrating and pathetic for Tang Yuxin. She turned around with the ss in her hand. She had only taken a few steps when she saw a man walking towards her, leaning on the wall for support. He stumbled, almost falling, shook his neat short hair and tried to take another step, but his body lurched forward, about to fall. But he didn¡¯t feel the anticipated pain of falling. He opened his eyes to see a female doctor supporting him with her shoulder. ¡°Mr. Gu, are you alright?¡± He wanted to speak, but the dryness in his throat just made his lips quiver. He then lost consciousness, thest memory being the reflection of his emaciated likeness in the doctor¡¯s eyes¡­ He looked like a ghost, barely alive. Tang Yuxin rubbed her shoulder, and turned back to the single room assigned to high-ranking officials. She wasn¡¯t responsible for this room ¨C it had a dedicated doctor. The man was one of their most special patients. It was a pity, even a high-status didn¡¯t save him from his disease. She put her hand on her arm, as if driven by some spirit, yet unsure why. As habituated, she tucked the loose hair at her temple behind her ear. In her hand was Mr. Gu¡¯s file. Gu Ning, 38 years old, divorced, his ex-wife, Zhang Xiaomei. Zhang Xiaomei, a name Tang Yuxin was familiar with. Together they grew up in the same vige, but Zhang Xiaomei was the Golden Phoenix who had made it big. She married into wealth, coddled by her high-ranking husband who even donated his kidney when she fell ill. But a few yearster, Mr. Gu fell ill, and Zhang Xiaomei divorced him. Tang Yuxin didn¡¯t know who was less empathetic in the world, men or women. Closing the wardrobe, she put on her clothes, ready to go home. But the word ¡°home¡± was like a cruel joke to her. Could the ce she was going back to still be considered a home? Chapter 2: Car Accident Chapter 2: Car ident Trantor: 549690339 She reached the front door of the house, took out a key from her bag, but after trying for a while, the key wouldn¡¯t even fit the keyhole. With a ¡°clink¡±, she threw the key into a trash can nearby, and then just stood there waiting. She didn¡¯t know how long she had been standing, her legs were so numb. Only after a while did she faintly hear footstep sounds from behind. ¡°Why are you here?¡± A middle-aged woman hurried up to Tang Yuxin as soon as she saw her and clutched her arm, ¡°Who let youe here?¡± ¡°This is my house,¡± Tang Yuxin stared at the middle-aged woman in front of her, her red lips always held a bit of mockery, ¡°Mom, do I have to report to you when Ie back to my own house?¡± ¡°You and Yong¡¯an are divorced,¡± the middle-aged woman¡¯s voice was shrill, ¡°Your sister is now pregnant, stop stirring trouble for her.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Tang Yuxin yed with her fingers. There was a deep mark on one of them from a ring. She poured half her life into that ring, but now it¡¯s unrecognizable. ¡°I¡¯ve been divorced from Zhang Yong¡¯an for less than a month, and she¡¯s pregnant?¡± ¡°Mom, your daughter is as fast as you.¡± Suddenly, with a p, she turned her face. There was a burning pain on her cheek. She touched her face, which was bing numb. ¡°Tang Yuxin, if you dare touch a hair on Jiani¡¯s head, I will not let you off.¡± It was a threat, a mother¡¯s threat to her own daughter. Tang Yuxin¡¯s heart was cold. That was her mom, her biological mother. She deserved it. Yes, she deserved it¡­ She trusted her mother too much, but her mother used her whole life. She was too trusting of people, or more precisely, these so-called family members. And she trusted a man too much. Did Tang Yuxin even have a family? She turned and left step by step. The night wind brought a chill as if it were early winter, but it was only just the beginning of autumn. The autumn wind swept up and full of fallen leaves, carrying some destion of the night. She, however, had nowhere to go. She had lost her husband and her house. She lifted her head and took a deep breath of the cold air. Suddenly, she stopped, took out a cell phone from her bag, and held it for a long time, but never made a call. She wanted to say, ¡°Dad, I¡¯m sorry.¡± But she had no face to say so. Cold wind kept pouring into her neck from all directions, making her involuntarily shudder. Her squinted eyes were stung by the headlights of a caring from the front. She quickly moved to one side, but the car with its bright light came rushing towards her like a rocket. Before she could even react, the car had already hit her. Shey on the ground, her face touching the cold surface. Then, she opened her eyes, which seemed like bottomless ck holes, and for the first time, she saw the moths under the streetmp. The moths were swarming towards the light, time after time. Just like her. ¡°Mr. Gu, here it is.¡± The door of the hospital room opened, a doctor hurriedly let Gu Ninge in, and at that moment, Gu Ning¡¯s face was so pale that he seemed like a bloodless ghost. One of his arms was being gripped by his other hand, visibly swollen. He walked in, only to see a woman lying on the hospital bed, her entire body covered in blood. Chapter 3 - 3 – My Kidney is Yours Chapter 3: ¨C My Kidney is Yours Trantor: 549690339 ¡°How did this happen?¡± ¡°Mr¡­ Mr. Gu¡­¡± Tang Yuxin opened her eyes, uttering almost silently. Stretching out her hand, her eyes, dark as abyss, seemed blind to the world. She knew she was dying. As a doctor, she understood that her skull had been shattered and surgery was pointless. She had lived a tiring life and didn¡¯t want to hang on anymore. Even if she did survive the surgery, she would end up half-dead, only burdening the man who truly loved her. Her hand was held. This hand was clean, warm, and she could feel its calluses, many and hard. She thought any woman held by this man must be very fortunate. And she, she felt it. ¡°Mr¡­ Gu¡­¡± Knowing her time was running out, she had some things to say. Just as Gu Ning was about to speak, Tang Yuxin squeezed his fingers using herst remaining strength. ¡°I know, I¡¯m going¡­ There¡¯s no need to save me¡­¡± She didn¡¯t cry. Perhaps many people fear death, but she felt a kind of relief. Thirty three years was enough. ¡°Mr. Gu¡­¡± After trying hard for a while, she finally spoke, coughing up some blood from the corner of her mouth as if her life was fading away. ¡°After I¡¯m gone¡­¡± she said in between coughs, the air entering her lungs reducing, ¡°Give my kidney¡­ Both of them¡­ to you. I¡¯ve checked¡­ we¡¯re¡­ a match¡­.¡± Her pupils started to dte, but she still pressed on. If she didn¡¯t say it now, she might never have another chance. ¡°You¡¯ll¡­ find a better woman, to apany you throughout your life. I have money in my ount¡­ and the driver owes mepensation¡­ That¡¯s the value of my life¡­ Please, give all that money¡­ to my father and tell him¡­ I¡¯m sorry¡­.¡± Opening her eyes once more, her vision blurred, barely able to see anything. The only recognizable thing was the scar at the corner of Gu Ning¡¯s eyes, faintly visible. ¡°I remember the first time I saw you, there was no scar near your eyes, only on your arm, bitten by a beast¡­¡± She continued to speak, even though she couldn¡¯t see anything anymore. Her pupils kept dting and her life force vanished with the weakening sound of her voice. ¡°Back then, you justy there, like you were dead. I used my only handkerchief to bandage your wound and told you many stories until they found you. The next time we met, you were ill¡­¡± ¡°Mr. Gu, do you think¡­ I¡¯ll go to heaven?¡± Her fingers tightened once more, arge hand rested on her forehead. It seemed like she could hear heavenly music, the most beautiful she had ever heard in her life. She thought she could go to heaven. Although she was clumsy, although she was foolish, although she had lived a pathetic life. Suddenly, with a beep, her heart tlined on the monitor. At the age of thirty-three, she passed away, and the one who bid her farewell was Gu Ning, a man she had no rtions with. In ordance with her dying wish, her kidneys were removed. Sadly, one was damaged in the ident. The other was given to Gu Ning. Chapter 4: Quarrel Chapter 4: Quarrel Trantor: 549690339 Gu Ning organized her funeral, his face expressionless as he stared at the photo on the tombstone, the ck and white image capturing her evesting smile, and the old man huddling against the gravestone with his white hair bristling. A gust of wind suddenly blew across the sky, stirring the leaves on the ground to dance in the air. In the early light, at sunset, within life, outside life. Souls yearn¡­ The remnants of the sunset dyed half the sky scarlet, then faded into crimson. Tang Yuxin was awakened by a burst of quarreling. She nkly opened her eyes and stared at the ceiling above her head, where the ster had peeled off. This was a long, distant memory, so distant that she had almost forgotten when it happened. The only time she¡¯d seen the walls at home peel like this was in her first home, her father¡¯s house. She hadn¡¯t returned since she left. She¡¯d forgotten much, lost many memories over time. But she hadn¡¯t forgotten this ceiling, stripped of its ster, nor the rusty ceiling fan above it, which was covered in ayer of dust. ¡°Tang Zhinian, let me tell you, why should I give you my daughter?¡± A woman shouted angrily, shaking the whole house, causing another piece of tattered ster to fall from the wall. ¡°Tang Zhinian, I¡¯ll definitely take Xinxin. You¡¯re a grown man who can¡¯t even feed himself. How can you raise a daughter?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± the honest farmer squatting there responded, his eyes red, his face drawn, and a thickyer of blueish-gray under his eyes. ¡°I can¡¯t give you Xinxin. I have nothing left, only her.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not up to you,¡± the woman sneered, ¡°She¡¯s my daughter and she¡¯s always loved me. Let¡¯s leave it to her. When she wakes up, ask her who she wants to live with.¡± The man said nothing, but he could be heard choking on his words. But no tears fell, perhaps he swallowed them all. Tang Yuxin listened to the incessant quarreling outside. She stared nkly at the ceiling for what felt like forever, until she closed her eyes again, not knowing whether she was sleepy or dead. When she opened her eyes again, the sunlight filtering in through the broken ss was warm. She died in autumn, an autumn chillier than winter, an autumn icier than winter, and yet, it now felt like spring. ¡°Yuxin,e eat.¡± A man walked in, a simple-looking young man bearing a bowl. His clothes were washed to a pale color, his skin tanned and dark. His big hands, like palm-leaf fans, held a small bowl. The man smiled, a foolish yet affectionate smile. He ced the bowl in front of Tang Yuxin and yfully ruffled her hair with his big hand, ¡°Finish your food first, and then dad will take you fishing, okay?¡± Tang Yuxin stared at the man for a long time. She instinctively reached out, but her hands were pitifully small. She stared at her own hands for quite a while, but didn¡¯t move. ¡°What is it, you don¡¯t want to eat?¡± the man asked, brushing the top of his daughter¡¯s head again, ¡°You tell me, what do you want to eat? Dad can cook it for you. Oh, don¡¯t we still have eggs at home? My dear Yuxin, do you want to eat steamed eggs? Your dad will make them for you.¡± Chapter 5 - 5 She Came Back to Life Chapter 5: She Came Back to Life Trantor: 549690339 The man quickly finished what he was saying, set down his bowl, and hurried to the kitchen to make a steamed egg for his daughter. As he left, Tang Yuxin reached out and gazed down at her own hands. They were tiny, with short, slender fingers like miniature chicken feet. Her skin was as soft as cotton. Biting her finger, she carefully climbed down from the bed and went in search of a mirror, ording to fragments of memory she had. The rural home they lived in was self-built. The only mirror was arge one embedded above the wardrobe. She ran to the mirror but was not even half its height yet. The three-year-old child reflected in the mirror was her. Big eyes, small face, and hair tinged with a dry yellow hue. Her hand reached to touch her face and, simultaneously, the child in the mirror did the same. Then, she pressed her face against the mirror. Had she returned? Was she back home? ¡°Xinxin¡­¡± Unable to find his daughter inside the house, Tang Zhinian was panicked. Where did the child go? Could she have wandered to the toilet on her own? ¡°Xinxin?¡± Putting down the bowl in his hand, he was preparing to search for his daughter when he turned around and saw Tang Yuxin standing in front of the mirror. Both her tiny hands clung to the mirror, standing there barefoot, her feet stark against the floor, neither socks nor shoes on. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you wearing your shoes?¡± Walking over, Tang Zhinian gently picked her up and ced her on a chair. He then wiped her small feet with his hand. His rugged face bore an unwavering expression of love for his little girl. Tang Zhinian was a big, strong man with a kind and honest demeanor. His biggest pride in life was his daughter, Tang Yuxin. Seeing how fragile and endearing she was, he was certain she would grow up to be a beautiful young woman. ¡°Daddy will get the egg for you,¡± he teased, touching her cheek before standing up to go to the kitchen. Little did he know, as he turned away, Tang Yuxin¡¯s typically cheerful eyes turned dark, devoid of any light. Suddenly, two big tears squeezed out of her eyes. She quickly wiped her face clean with her sleeve and reached down to touch her soft and tender toes. A three-year-old child. Yes, that¡¯s it¡ªa three-year-old child. Not long after, Tang Zhinian returned, looking much younger than he would be in thirty years. His back was straight, his waist unwrinkled, and his hair was ck. Hebored in the fields to support his family. There was nothing wrong with earning a living by the sweat of one¡¯s brow. He squatted down, took the spoon, and began to feed his daughter. Tang Yuxin ate her food bit by bit without being as fussy as she used to be. She remembered how picky she was as a child, rejecting this and that dish, yet her father always pampered her, preparing all kinds of delicious food for her. Yet, ever since her parents divorced, she ended up living with her mother, Sang Zhn, and she had to correct all her spoiled tendencies because of her younger yet more spoiled stepsister, Wei Jiani. Every good thing, be it food or clothing, always went to Wei Jiani first, and she ended up wearing Wei Jiani¡¯s cast-offs. Chapter 6: Dad in His Youth Chapter 6: Dad in His Youth Trantor: 549690339 If she was the princess before going to the Wei Family, then it could be better said that she was truly a princess when she had a father. For her, there are too many unreliable people and things in this world. Even her biological mother nned her entire life, leaving her to wonder whom she could rely on or trust. Therefore, after her divorce, she lived alone. At that point, she realized that the one who loved her most in the world was not her mother, but her father, whom she had always despised for being ugly, poor, stupid, and ipetent. A dad is a real dad, but a mother might belong to someone else. ¡°My little Xinxin is behaving so well today.¡± Tang Zhinian gently pinched his daughter¡¯s small face. His rough fingers brought a touch of sincerity. Tang Yuxin cracked a smile. Her wrinkled eyes looked incredibly beautiful as she forcefully swallowed the tears that were threatening to fall. She wouldn¡¯t cry, yes, she wouldn¡¯t cry. Now that she¡¯s seen her dad, she will fulfill in this life the filial piety she couldn¡¯t fulfill in her past life. The mistakes she made in this life, she would make up for in this life. The people she feels guilty towards, she¡¯ll repay herself. Tang Zhinian was pleased. His daughter was exceptionally obedient today and she wasn¡¯t picky about food anymore; she finished a whole bowl of eggs. Previously, she rejected so many things: she wouldn¡¯t eat eggs that were too soft or too firm, she wouldn¡¯t eat without soy sauce, she wouldn¡¯t eat anything that was broken. Today¡¯s carefully steamed eggs were still somewhat broken, but thankfully, she didn¡¯tin and ate them all. Only after Tang Zhinian wiped his daughter¡¯s little feet clean with his own sleeves could he manage to find her shoes to help her put on. Although he, Tang Zhinian, had little to his name and was buried in the busy farmwork from dawn till dusk with little hope of providing his daughter with afortable life, he gave everything he had to raise her. Other children wore homemade clothes, sometimes with patches; it was amon sight in these austere times. However, Tang Zhinian never let his daughter wear patched clothes. He bought her clothes from the town, saving food from his own mouth to provide for his daughter. No matter how hard life got, even if he had to go hungry, he would never allow his daughter to suffer. Regardless of others favoring sons over daughters, his love for his little Yuxin was unquestionable. Even her name was given by the vige¡¯s primary school principal. When Tang Zhinian reached out to carry his daughter, Tang Yuxin gently shook off his big hand. ¡°Dad, Xinxin can walk by herself.¡± No matter what, she was an adult. Inside, she was a thirty-something year old soul with the life experience of three decades. She couldn¡¯t possibly let her father carry her, although she was currently very young, very young indeed. ¡°Alright,¡± Tang Zhinian chuckled, ruffling his daughter¡¯s head, ¡°Has my Xinxin grown taller?¡± Tang Yuxin started to follow her dad, taking small short steps behind Tang Zhinian. Her legs were too short, her steps too small, but Tang Zhinian always matched her pace, fearing she might fall. When they got outside, Tang Yuxin squinted her eyes against sunlight, shielding them with her small hand. The warm light fell like raindrops on her face and her onion-like petite fingertips. Chapter 7 - 7 – It’s Great to Have a Dad Chapter 7: ¨C It¡¯s Great to Have a Dad Trantor: 549690339 She hadn¡¯t left her father yet. Nor had she left home. Was everything about to begin anew? Outside the vige, there was arge river. In the early days, people used to draw water for drinking from this river. The water was clear and there were fish in the river. The adults in the vige liked to catch fish in the river, and the children, having grown up by the river, were excellent swimmers. Tang Zhinian was no exception. In terms of swimming, Tang Zhinian was the best in the vige. He would dive in, hold his breath for a while, and when he emerged, he would have already caught a big grass carp over a foot long. The small grass carps caught were ced in a bucket. Tang Yuxin sat on a rock, looking at her small bucket, breathing in the fresh air of the country. The air had the smell of earth and a hint of water¡¯s freshness. This was life in the 1980s. The simplicity of vige life, its poverty, but also the honest living, where everyone minded their own business. Although life wasn¡¯t perfect, a harmonious family life made it blissful. She ced her little hand on her thigh, and pinched her leg secretly. It hurt, but she smiled. Now, she was finally sure that she had been reborn, back to when she was three years old. At that time, she was still a little princess, doted on by her father. As people said, having a stepmother meant having a stepfather, and having a stepfather often meant getting a stepmother. She was nothing but a tiny, unimportant cabbage in the field, suffering hardship with her stepmother and stepfather. However, it was different with her father. Her real father truly loved her; he was her only real family. In her previous life, she must have been blind to follow her mother. The living expenses delivered by her father every month didn¡¯t benefit her much. When her sister ate noodles, she was left with the soup. When her sister drank soup, she had to lick the bowl. Even her husband ended up belonging to her sister. If in this life, she¡¯s stupid enough to be a nanny for others again, she¡¯d rather jump into the river and end her life. At this moment, arge hand was ced on her head, ¡°Let¡¯s go home. How about Dad makes fish soup for you?¡± ¡°Ok,¡± Tang Yuxin replied with a joyful smile, her arched eyes sparkling and clear. Seeing his daughter¡¯s joy, Tang Zhinian felt his heart melting. He picked up his daughter with one hand and carried the bucket in the other, heading home. Tang Yuxin felt slightly embarrassed. After all, she was already over thirty years old. But her father at the time was truly young, only about twenty-five. He was tall and strong thanks to constantbor in the fields, filled with physical strength but not much brain power. It wasn¡¯t that he was stupid, but rather that he was too honest. He was the kind of man who only knew how to give, treating his wife and daughter well, never realizing that his wife was always scheming against him, a simple, straightforward countryman, even having their daughter in on it. Tang Zhinian made Tang Yuxin sit on a small stool where he could keep an eye on her. From time to time, he would nce over to see what she was doing, whether she was behaving and whether she could stay still, while his hands never ceased working. He skillfully killed and cleaned the fish. In the vige, which man wouldn¡¯t just find somewhere to sit, put his feet up on the table, and wait for his wife to serve him they finished eating, they¡¯d leave their bowls and stroll around with their hands speddinner. Once behind their backs. Chapter 8 - 8 This is Uncle 2 Chapter 8: This is Uncle 2 Trantor: 549690339 Unlike Tang Zhinian who perhaps due to growing up in poverty and losing his parents at an early age, the responsibility of taking care of his younger brother was hard to bear. But when he finally tied the knot with a beautiful woman, introduced to him through an acquaintance, he was grateful beyond words. This, he felt, was perhaps a blessing earned from the good deeds of his past lifetimes. He loved her deeply, never wanted her to lift a finger, and when they had a daughter, he loved her deeply as well. Even though he hadn¡¯t had a son, he cherished and adored these two special women in his life. However, the very thought that his wife was seeking a divorce and nning on leaving with their daughter was like a stab at his heart. The stinging pain, the involuntary tears welling up in his eyes ¨C he barely escaped cutting his own hand while lost in these thoughts. Quickly shaking off the unnecessary emotions, he focused on preparing soup for his daughter. No matter what, he would never let Xinxin leave him. His wife must remarry in the future and may have other children, and he feared his Xinxin might suffer hardships. As for himself, he had no ns to remarry. He would devote his entire life to raising his daughter, hoping she would be able to get an education at a university. By doing this, he would do right by the Tang family ancestors. Now, he no longer wished to keep his wife, knowing he couldn¡¯t hold on to her. He was just a man from a rural area with no particr skills, while Sang Zhn had a job, a government job. He knew, he wasn¡¯t good enough for her, and she wasn¡¯t interested in him. Therefore, the divorce was inevitable. However, he would not let Sang Zhn have his daughter. She, who couldn¡¯t even cook properly, how could she raise his daughter? He put the fish into the pot, waiting for the soup to cook. He walked over and crouched on the ground, lightly touching his daughter¡¯s cheek. Today, Tang Yuxin seemed a bit out of the ordinary, not as talkative as she usually was. ¡°Xinxin, what¡¯s on your mind?¡± Tang Yuxin shook her head, then bestowed upon Tang Zhinian a grin. Seeing his daughter¡¯s adorable expression, Tang Zhinian cuddled her, held her hand, and made her sit at the table outside. ¡°Just a bit longer and the fish soup will be ready. Xinxin will be able to enjoy it soon.¡± ¡°Hmm¡±, Tang Yuxin nodded vigorously, giving the impression that she was maturing with each passing day, bing more obedient and better-behaved. In no time, Tang Zhinian brought a bowl of fish soup. But when he tried to feed Tang Yuxin, she shook her head. Taking the spoon in her own tiny hand, she began drinking the soup. As one who had been using chopsticks for thirty years, she found the spoon hard to handle and spilled some soup despite being careful. Nevertheless, Tang Zhinian showered praises upon his daughter, causing her to blush. As Tang Yuxin was struggling with her bowl of fish soup, there was sudden hurried footsteps from outside, getting increasingly chaotic. ¡°Big bro¡­¡± a voice sounded from afar. Tang Yuxin lifted her head to see a young man in his twenties standing at the door. He looked a lot like Tang Zhinian but was more refined, like a schr. Was this¡­ Her second uncle? Yes, her second uncle. The one she had long forgotten. He had died young when she was about three years old. He died in an ident while digging the vige¡¯s septic tank when the earth copsed on him. His death was immediate. In those days, medical facilities were inadequate. There was no possibility of post mortem examination. Hence, he was burried hurriedly. It was onlyter, when the vige relocated the grave, they found out that he died due to a broken thigh and several broken ribs, which had probably punctured his viscera. Chapter 9: Still Need to Leave Chapter 9: Still Need to Leave Trantor: 549690339 Her pitiful uncle from her previous life was childless, so she was the one burning paper money for him every Qingming Festival. But over the years, she was too young, and could barely remember what her uncle looked like. All she heard was how capable her uncle was; he was good at learning, handsome and skilled ¨C a pity luck didn¡¯t favor him, so he was unable to attend college. But if he were still around, at least his temper would differ from that of Tang Zhinian. Tang Zhinian was too good-natured, without a temper ¨C enduring all grievances he faced. Unlike Tang Zhijun who defended his honest elder brother, even though he was educated, he wouldn¡¯t bother with reasoning. He would go straight to using his fists. Furthermore, he¡¯d learned martial arts from a master for a few days, which improved his agility remarkably. He made a name for himself in the vige. Even though he looked refined, in reality, he was a martial artist. Just a capable man like this met such an untimely and tragic end. After his death, no one else would stand up for Tang Zhinian. Vigers said that had Tang Zhijun lived, Tang Zhinian wouldn¡¯t have led such a life, handing all the money he¡¯d painstakingly earned to his ex-wife to raise another man¡¯s daughter. His own daughter, meanwhile, barely had enough food or clothing. Tang Yuxin was still in a daze when someone suddenly picked her up. Turning around, she saw a pair of smiling eyes, which belonged to an intellectual yet strong man. ¡°Does our little Xinxin miss uncle? Uncle misses you dearly.¡± ¡°Look at this,¡± he held Tang Yuxin with one arm and went through his pocket with the other, handing her a handful of peanut candies, and shoved them into her pocket, ¡°Xinxin, remember not to give these candies to anyone, not even mom, ok?¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Tang Yuxin nodded, reaching a hand into her pocket, ¡°Xinxin won¡¯t give them to mom, but to dad.¡± Tang Zhinian¡¯s eyes well up with tears upon hearing that. He quickly turns around, dries his tears using his sleeve, and scoops out some fish soup from the pot into a big bowl. ¡°Here, have some fish soup,¡± he ces the bowl in front of his younger brother. ¡°Thank you, brother.¡± Tang Zhijun cradled Tang Yuxin in one arm while lifting the bowl with the other, guzzling down more than half of it. Hand her to me please. After Tang Zhinian received his daughter, he noticed Tang Yuxin¡¯snguidity, her long eyshes drooping weakly. Realising she¡¯s tired, he covers her with a nket. Seeing that she¡¯s asleep, he stealthily walks out and sees Tang Zhijun still holding his bowl, finishing thest of the soup. ¡°What is it, brother? Is she asleep?¡± Tang Zhijun asked softly. ¡°Yes, she¡¯s asleep,¡± replied Tang Zhinian, taking the bowl to help himself with whatever little was left. Not picky, he filled the bowl with half boiled water from the kettle and started drinking. ¡°Brother, is sister-inw still nning on the divorce?¡± The thought of it made Tang Zhijun frown. A perfectly good family and now talks of divorce; their child is already so big. Sang Zhn initially willingly married his brother. He always thought Sang Zhn wasn¡¯t suitable for his easy-going brother, but thetter was smitten, so there was nothing he could do. The two brothers sold nearly everything they had to marry her home. After the marriage, she refused to do this and that,ining about the rural toilets being dirty, his brother being dirty ¨C she was just not a woman meant for a domestic life. Now she was inciting divorce, an unprecedented event in their vige. Chapter 10: A Conversation Between Two People Chapter 10: A Conversation Between Two People Trantor: 549690339 Tang Zhinian drank all the soup from his bowl and then put it down, his face filled with worry. ¡°Let her leave if she wants to, I know, she looks down on me, thinks I¡¯m incapable, I won¡¯t hold her back anymore, let her do as she pleases, but, I won¡¯t give her Xinxin, Xinxin is my daughter, even if I have to starve for the rest of my life, I won¡¯t let my daughter suffer. But she would, I won¡¯t let my daughter suffer with her.¡± ¡°What if she wants Xinxin?¡± Tang Zhijun felt uneasy about the situation. He hadn¡¯t been sleeping welltely, fearing that their little niece would be taken away by her biological mother and then suffer. What then? ¡°I disagree, she can forget it,¡± Tang Zhinian tasted the bitterness in his mouth, making him wonder if the soup was somewhat bitter, or maybe he had put in soda powder. ¡°But she¡¯s her biological mother.¡± Tang Zhijun moved his lips, but thest four words were still not spoken. Yes, it¡¯s not just anyone, it¡¯s the biological mother, the real mother. If Sang Zhn wants to take Tang Yuxin away, and Tang Yuxin wants to go with her mother, then what can they do? They can¡¯t stop it. Tang Zhinian put down his bowl and covered his face, a grown man like him, actually started crying. He didn¡¯t cry out loud, just let out a few sobs, but it wasn¡¯t hard to hear his sadness. Tang Yuxin reached into her pocket and pulled out a peanut candy. She unwrapped it, put it in her mouth, and immediately a sweet taste spread. There may not be any candy in the future that tastes as good, but this was the best candy she had ever eaten. Outside, she could hear the voices of Tang Zhinian and his brother. Their voices weren¡¯t loud, so she couldn¡¯t hear clearly. But most of what they were discussing centered on the divorce and who she would end up with. She opened a small drawer and took out a little box, her treasure box. As a child, she had cared about it deeply and didn¡¯t let anyone touch it. She even brought it with her to the Wei family. But barely a day after she arrived, Wei Jiani had broken it. She had cried to her mother after Jiani broke her treasure box, but her mother neitherforted her nor reprimanded Jiani. Instead, she told her as the older sister she should be more forgiving. From that day on, she realized she had be an extra, and everything had changed. She now had a stepfather and a stepmother. She opened the treasure box, reached into her pocket, took out a few peanut candies, and put them back into the treasure box one by one. Then she covered it, put it back in the drawer, andy down to sleep again. After Tang Zhinian and Tang Zhijun left, it didn¡¯t take long for Sang Zhn to arrive. They knew Sang Zhn woulde back, otherwise, Tang Zhinian wouldn¡¯t have picked this time to go out and leave his daughter alone. For Tang Zhinian, nothing in this world was more important than his daughter, and it was the truth. In his past life, he had suffered all his life, never married, but sacrificed everything for his daughter. All that he got in return, were white hairs on his behalf. Tang Yuxin was sleeping when she heard the unpleasant sound around, like the sound of a rat gnawing on her fingernails and toenails when she was a child. She was familiar with this sound, so much so that she could never forget it even if she lived a lifetime, through birth and death. When she was little and Sang Zhn had taken her to the Wei family, they had put her in a little storage room filled with rats that nibbled at her hands and feet every day. She was just three years old then, but no matter how much she called out for her mom and dad at night, nobody came to rescue her. They let her grow up in such a distressing environment. Chapter 11: The Girl Thief Chapter 11: The Girl Thief Trantor: 549690339 Later in life, she grew ustomed and numb to her circumstances, she even grew up. But the memory of being bitten by a mouse never left her; thus, she was afraid of them. However, she was now a woman of thirty-three, not the child of three. Even if she was terrified, she was no longer capable of curling up and screaming for help. She opened her eyes; the room was bright though no light was on. She turned her head and noticed that the noiseing from the room was not caused by a mouse but by a person. Was someone stealing from them? But that seemed impossible. Their ce was one of the poorest in the vige. And in the current times, it was unlikely for a thief to tantly rob someone¡¯s house. Even if there was a thief, they would steal from the wealthy, not from them. Then again, there were her clothes, her new clothes that her father had just bought for her. She hadn¡¯t worn them many times. Even though she was small, she was still raised by Tang Zhinian with a lot of affection. Thus, at a young age, she had developed a sense of elegance. She saved this dress for the New Year as it was slightly oversized. Tang Zhinian nned on letting her wear it the following New Year. Why was this thief, amongst all things, interested in stealing her clothes? She sat up and indeed, there was a person squatting by the wardrobe. This person had shoulder-length hair held back with a clip. It was a woman, a female thief. No, she corrected herself, smirking. This was her mother. She was taking her clothes for Wei Jiani, wasn¡¯t she? Wei Jiani was just a year younger than her, but taller. The oversized clothes would fit Wei Jiani just fine. In her previous life too, it was the same. Her clothes, the expensive and pretty ones that she loved, were all taken by Sang Zhn for Wei Jiani. Don¡¯t ask why Sang Zhn was better to someone else¡¯s child than her own. It wasn¡¯t the way others thought. Most people didn¡¯t know, but Tang Yuxin knew. She knew exactly why because Wei Jiani wasn¡¯t someone else¡¯s daughter; she was Sang Zhn¡¯s biological child. When Wei Jiani was just a few months old, Sang Zhn took off to work outside, and she didn¡¯t return for nearly a year. When she did return, Tang Yuxin was close to two. In that year, Sang Zhn wasn¡¯t working outside as she imed, but staying with Wei Jiani¡¯s father, Wei Tian, to have a baby. They all thought she didn¡¯t know, but she, being a doctor, couldn¡¯t ignore the striking resemnce between Wei Jiani and Sang Zhn. Hence, the first thing she did upon starting work was to run a DNA test using samples of their hair. The result was as she expected, Wei Jiani and Sang Zhn were indeed mother and daughter. Sang Zhn deceived her, tricked her father, and fooled everyone. The birth of her biological daughter crowned her with lifelong scheming, while her father was crowned with the metaphorical green hat of deception. In herst life, all her motherly affection disappeared. The remaining bit was pped away when she learnt that Zhang Yong¡¯an, her husband, was being seduced by Wei Jiani. Even knowing that, Sang Zhn didn¡¯t protest but instead seemed to see it as a rightful act. Was it because Zhang Yong¡¯an had a job at a publicly listedpany and made hundreds of thousands a year, or because he lived in a house bought with the money she had saved painstakingly? Chapter 12 - 12 Stealing Her Clothes Chapter 12: Stealing Her Clothes Trantor: 549690339 At this moment, she stared coldly at Sang Zhn rummaging through the cabs, taking out one article of clothing after another. These were all for Wei Jiani, weren¡¯t they? Sang Zhn had no idea Tang Yuxin was awake; she didn¡¯t recognize that this was not the old Tang Yuxin. Underneath the skin of a three-year-old child lurked a pitiful soul that had experienced hardships and weathered storms. It was only after Sang Zhn nearly emptied Tang Yuxin¡¯s wardrobe that she stood up. Turning around, she was startled and involuntarily stepped backwards, bumping into the cab behind her, which was enough to make her tear up. She saw the child on the bed was wide awake, staring straight at Sang Zhn. These were not the eyes of a child, but rather gloomy, cold, and somewhat chilling. ¡°Xinxin, when did you wake up?¡± Rubbing her waist, Sang Zhn walked over and ced her hand on Tang Yuxin¡¯s hair. There was still some maternal affection in her eyes. No matter what, this was her daughter. But over time, her heart had swayed. Having married Wei Tian, she unconsciously favored Wei Jiani. Gradually, this favoritism drained away any remaining ounce of motherly love she had. Tang Yuxin lowered her eyes, pretending to be still half asleep. She rubbed her eyes andy back down to continue her slumber. Sang Zhn, of course, harbored no suspicion. Once she saw Tang Yuxin asleep, she reached for the pile of clothes she¡¯d just dumped on the bed, only to find herself unable to pull them away. What¡¯s going on? She traced along the clothes only to spot Tang Yuxin¡¯s little hand clutching a corner of the clothes tightly. The child¡¯s hand was tiny, but how could it hold so tightly? She yanked at the clothes with all her might, only to end up pulling Tang Yuxin out of the nket. Tang Yuxin sat up, clutching the piece of clothing tightly to her chest and refusing to hand it to Sang Zhn. Sang Zhn was in a hurry to return to town. If she didn¡¯t leave soon, there¡¯d be no transport avable, and she¡¯d have to stay here. The mere sight of Tang Zhinian was revolting to her, how could she possibly share a bed with him? ¡°Xinxin, listen to mom, let go.¡± Sang Zhn coaxed Tang Yuxin, ¡°Mom is storing your clothes for you. In a few days, Mom will take you to live in the city. There¡¯s lots of delicious food there, and we can live in a tall building. Xinxin, don¡¯t you want to go?¡± Tang Yuxin didn¡¯t say a word, only hugging her clothes tighter, refusing to let go. ¡°Xinxin¡­¡± Sang Zhn¡¯s patience wore thin. Wasn¡¯t this child very obedient in the past? She used to follow her every word. She had taken her clothes before, and just a few days ago, she told her she was going to pack her clothes to move to the city, and she agreed. So why was she acting so differently today? ¡°Xinxin, let go.¡± As the skies darkened, Sang Zhn¡¯s temper grew increasingly vtile. Whereas Tang Yuxin only hugged her clothes tighter, bowing her head, remaining silent, and avoiding eye contact. Sang Zhn abruptly pped Tang Yuxin¡¯s back, perhaps with more force than intended, sending Tang Yuxin rolling onto the bed, her head hitting the corner of the table. At this moment, both Tang Zhinian and Tang Zhijun, who had just returned from the fields, heard Tang Yuxin¡¯s heart-wrenching cries just as they were approaching the door. Chapter 13: Dropping the Child Chapter 13: Dropping the Child Trantor: 549690339 Tang Zhinian immediately dropped the farm tool he had been holding and ran inside. When he entered the house, he saw Sang Wen standing stupidly aside, while his daughter Tang Yuxin¡¯s tiny body was sprawled on the floor like a little ball, crying loudly. ¡°Xinxin¡­¡± Tang Zhinian¡¯s eyes were almost red. He ran over, covering the distance in a fewrge steps, and quickly picked up his daughter. Tang Yuxin¡¯s forehead had swollen up significantly and she was gasping amidst sobs. ¡°Don¡¯t cry, don¡¯t cry, Daddy¡¯s here.¡± As Tang Zhinian spoke, he couldn¡¯t help but shed tears. He cherished his daughter like the apple of his eye, and had always been extremely careful with her. Even when Sang Zhn insisted on working and left their baby with him, this man went from house to house, begging for milk, to raise her with sheep¡¯s milk. He made sure that Tang Yuxin didn¡¯t suffer or get hurt. But now, his child¡¯s forehead was swollen with a huge bump. ¡°What have you done? Why did you push my daughter?¡± Tang Zhinian¡¯s voice bordered on a shout, his eyes inmed with anger. ¡°I didn¡¯t, I swear I didn¡¯t¡­.¡± Sang Zhn was also stunned with shock, so much so that she¡¯d forgotten to help Tang Yuxin. She hurriedly tried to exin her intention of just grabbing a piece of clothing, but regardless of her exnations, Tang Yuxin had fallen over. That was the undeniable reality. ¡°What right do you have to take my daughter¡¯s clothes?¡± Tang Zhinian ripped the clothes from Sang Zhn¡¯s hands, ¡°Sang Zhn¡­¡± he gritted his teeth, his eyes frighteningly red, ¡°Fine, you want a divorce, I will give you one, but Xinxin, I absolutely will not hand her over to you. Have you ever fed her a mouthful of milk? Have you raised her? Have you ever changed her diaper? Where were you when she called for her mother? The first word she learned was ¡®Daddy¡¯, not ¡®Mommy¡¯. I¡¯ve raised our daughter with so much effort and you think you can just leave? Fine, leave if you must, as long as you treat her well. But tell me, what have you done? What have you done?¡± Tang Zhinian held his daughter even tighter. The small child, barely a year old, was still sobbing, with a huge bump on her forehead ¨C it was red and swollen, an rming sight. Tang Zhinian picked up his daughter and started walking towards the door. Tang Yuxin pulled on his clothes. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Does it hurt a lot?¡± Tang Zhinian gently brushed his daughter¡¯s small cheek, the rims of his eyes reddening as though he was about to cry. ¡°Daddy, don¡¯t let mom take my clothes. She¡¯s bad.¡± She rested her head on Tang Zhinian¡¯s shoulder, her lowered eyshes concealing the cold glint in her eyes. Not a single item of hers would Wei Jiani get in this lifetime, not even a thread. ¡°Zhijun, gather the clothes and keep them. Don¡¯t let them get stolen.¡± Tang Zhinian carefully hugged his daughter and instructed his brother. In the past, he was worried that his daughter might choose to leave with Sang Zhn. After all, she might still love her mother. If that was the case, no matter how heartbroken or reluctant he was, he would have let Sang Zhn take her. But now, he realised that he was utterly wrong in his thoughts. Sang Zhn was not fit to be a mother. No, he was wrong again. Sang Zhn was indeed a good mother, but she was not a good mother to Tang Yuxin. Chapter 14: Just like that, Becoming a Mother Chapter 14: Just like that, Bing a Mother Trantor: 549690339 Tang Zhijun went over and picked up all the little clothes that had been left on the floor and the bed. He stuffed them all into a cab in a fit of annoyance, stood in front of it, his face clearly showing his resistance to Sang Zhn taking the clothes. She wanted to take the clothes even before the child went with her. How could that be possible? Moreover, looking at the situation, even if Yuxin follows this mother, she won¡¯t have a good life. She could even let the child fall like this. But never mind, it could be unintentional or careless. However, could it be that as a mother, she had no consciousness at all to help the child up and to take the child to the doctor for a check-up? This was a head injury. What if something serious happened? Little Yuxin is only three years old. Sang Zhn didn¡¯t know what to do. Stand, sit, leave, stay, nothing felt right. Actually, she knew she should go and join them, but when she thought about her other, even younger daughter, she felt entirely at a loss. What should she do? It was getting really dark outside. If she didn¡¯t leave soon, she would have to stay here. No, she couldn¡¯t stay here. She bit her lip. What would Wei Tian think if she stayed? ¡°Zhijun, I have to attend to some business at the factory. I¡¯ll leave first ande back tomorrow to check on Xinxin. Her fall wasn¡¯t too serious. She¡¯ll be fine.¡± Herugh was painful, and her face didn¡¯t look good. Even when she said those words, they were all in a jumble. Tang Zhijun curled his lips. During all of Xinxin¡¯s illnesses, was she ever there? She imed to love Yuxin. What a joke! Didn¡¯t she worry about her own daughter? The child had just been injured, but she wasn¡¯t worried at all and even thought about leaving. Was that how she acted as a mother? No, Xinxin could not be handed over to this kind of woman under any circumstances. When Tang Zhinian came back holding Tang Yuxin, Sang Zhn had already left. The room was in a mess, even the shoes he had made for his daughter for the New Year were left outside. ¡°Is she okay?¡± Tang Zhijun carefully took Tang Yuxin from him. The child¡¯s face didn¡¯t look good. She opened her eyes but didn¡¯t want to talk. She had a big lump on her forehead, but fortunately, it wasn¡¯t bandaged. ¡°She¡¯s fine. She just has a bruise, and it¡¯ll be okay in a few days,¡± Tang Zhinian gently rubbed his daughter¡¯s head. ¡°Where is she?¡± He didn¡¯t see Sang Zhn when he returned. Actually, he knew in his heart that Sang Zhn had gone home. He had held out some hope that she might have realized her mistake and stayed. But it seemed he was disappointed. She didn¡¯t love this daughter at all. But if she didn¡¯t love her, why did she want to take her away? ¡°How could she be any different? She left a long time ago. Brother, with her like this, we can¡¯t let her take Xinxin away under any circumstances.¡± Tang Zhijun was so angry that he punched the wall, causing more pieces of the old wall to fall off. Tang Zhinian stayed silent, gently pulling the nket over his daughter. He then took the new shoes that had been ced aside and silently put them back in the wardrobe. It was only when the two men had left the room that Tang Yuxin opened her eyes. She touched her forehead, her tender little lips now slightly pale and not as rosy as before. She carefully climbed down from the wooden bed, ran to the door, and crouched down, pressing her ears against the door to listen to the faint sounds outside. The soundproofing in the house wasn¡¯t very good, so as long as voices weren¡¯t deliberately lowered, she could still hear something. Chapter 15: Are These the Real Reasons? Chapter 15: Are These the Real Reasons? Trantor: 549690339 Outside, Tang Zhijun angrily ryed the incident of Sang Lan leaving without waiting for Tang Yuxin to Tang Zhinian. The more he talked about it, the angrier he became. ¡°Brother, do you think she¡¯s still fit to be a mother? Even if she had to leave, shouldn¡¯t she wait until Yuxin is okay before she leaves? How could she be at ease when her child has been injured like this?¡± ¡°She had to catch the bus.¡± Tang Zhinian still tried to defend Sang Zhn, but no matter how much he tried to exin, he couldn¡¯t even convince himself anymore. Even if she had to work in the city, couldn¡¯t she leave a dayter in the evening? Did she have to wait until tonight? Even if it was early tomorrow morning, would there be no buses then, would she be toote? Which factory shifts start at midnight? This is clearly ack of responsibility. What kind of mother does this? ¡°Brother, you can¡¯t give Xinxin to her,¡± Tang Zhijun sat down on the chair, suddenly, he seemed to recall something ¡ª a thought that terrified even him. ¡°Brother, do you think, if she took Xinxin away, would you provide child support?¡± ¡°Yuxin is my daughter,¡± Tang Zhinian turned and looked at his younger brother, ¡°no matter where she is, she is my daughter, I would willingly support her for her entire life.¡± Tang Zhijun gritted his teeth. He didn¡¯t utter his spection, because it was too cruel for his simple-minded older brother. Brother, do you think, if she took Xinxin away, is it because she knows your character and that you¡¯d support Xinxin? You would never remarry, and any money from your toil would go to Xinxin. If she remarries and has another child, would you have to support them too? He clenched his fists, feeling utterly useless. If Xinxin really went with that woman, she was only three years old, how would she live her future days, and how would his older brother live? The noise from outside faded significantly. Finally, the sound of footsteps gradually disappeared, fading into the distance until they could no longer be heard. Only then did Tang Yuxin touch the bump on her head. Her young face lost its childlike innocence and instead took on a weary worldliness. She never understood why Sang Zhn brought her away in the first ce. It was onlyter that she understood she was not only Sang Zhn¡¯s means of receiving child support, but also a way for Wei Jiani to get a free nanny and a tool for her to save face. She didn¡¯t know if this scheme was Sang Zhn¡¯s doing or Wei Tian¡¯s. From the outside, Wei Tian always appeared to be a good person, always smiling at everyone. However, behind the smiles was a chilling insincerity. He knew everything, yet he never intervened. Whether it was Sang Zhn hitting Tang Yuxin or Wei Jiani bullying Tang Yuxin. After she was taken away by Sang Zhn, her father would send her money every month. Even when she and Zhang Yong¡¯an were paying their mortgages, her father, despite his old age, worked the dirtiest and hardest jobs at the construction site on top of tending to his farnd. Yet in the end, the house didn¡¯t end up in her hands. Who was really good to her and who wasn¡¯t, could not simply be discerned by words alone. She spent a lifetime seeing clearly, only to get blinded in the end. She had given up so much in her lifetime, yet all that she had given was not worth her life. Chapter 16: Loyal Uncle Chapter 16: Loyal Uncle Trantor: 549690339 She turned around again, then carefully climbed onto a little stool and got into bed to sleep. But soon, she opened her eyes again, climbed down, opened the wardrobe, and took out that new dress. She held the dress as if it were a doll. The dress had a fresh smell of cotton and was patterned with small red checks. Although the colour was somewhat vulgar and the style was old-fashioned, it had its own simplicity and purity, unique to this era. She liked this era, but time passed and the era changed, until one day, the whole world had to face drastic changes. If one didn¡¯t live through those times, they would never know that such a world once existed. Technology advanced, but human feelings grew colder. ¡°Daddy will take you to old man Chen, let him look after you,¡± Tang Zhinian picked up Tang Yuxin. The ¡®Old man Chen¡¯ he referred to was an outsider in the vige. No one knew where he came from. When he arrived, he looked desperate and didn¡¯t even have a decent set of clothes. Now living alone, childless, he kept to himself most of the time. He collected herbs from the big mountain behind the vige to sell. He was a man of few words and had a very serious look, which made children frightened of him. They believed him to be a man-eating monster. Among them was the young Tang Yuxin who used to be scared even at the mere mention of ¡®Old man Chen¡¯. Though she had only vague memories, she did remember that she would burst into tears whenever she saw him. It was only after she was taken away by Sang Zhn that she never returned to the vige and never heard about Old man Chen again. As for what happened to old man Chen afterward, he followed thews of the world like everyone else ¡ª birth, ageing, sickness, and death. After all, he was already quite old at that time. ¡°Zhong Uncle, are you in?¡± Tang Zhinian knocked on the door of a semi-old y house. Most vigers still lived in y houses, with only a few in newly built brick houses due to poverty. ¡°I¡¯m here,e in,¡± A faint, deep voice responded from inside the house, and it was this kind of voice that scared children. Children liked those who smiled and sounded cheerful, not those who frowned all the time and spoke like ghosts. Only then did Tang Zhinian take Tang Yuxin inside. The house was not big. There were no rooms, nor a hall ¨C just a courtyard filled with drying herbs, which led to the living quarters. As soon as one entered, they would be hit with the scent of herbs ¨C the room was full of their fragrance. Although the ground was packed mud, it was quite clean, and even a thinyer of water had been delicately swept across it. An old, lean man stood there, his hair almost white, but his back was surprisingly straight. He was taking care of a medicinal nt, holding a watering can in one hand, while the other behind his back. There was a hint of a sage about him. Only that he didn¡¯t smile much. However, the present Tang Yuxin really didn¡¯t know what she was thinking when she was a child, not understanding where old man Chen resembled a ghost at all. She felt he was more of a fairy. There was a faint aroma of herbs on him, possibly due to his long-term contact with these nts. Without thinking, she sniffed, finding it strange that the scent of these herbs brought a sense of tranquillity and rity to her. She sniffed several times, confirming her feeling. Being a doctor herself, although a western medicine practitioner, she knew that some herbs had mutual enhancing or counteracting effects. And some herbs, beneath theirplex aroma, produced a scent that could make one feel more alert and clear-headed. Chapter 17: The Strange Grandfather Chapter 17: The Strange Grandfather Trantor: 549690339 So this is it. Chen Zhong put down the watering can and turned to see the child Tang Zhinian was cradling in his arms. Unlike her usual crying and fussing, she seemed to be sniffing something. Had she smelled something? ¡°Uncle Zhong, could you take a look at my little girl?¡± Tang Zhinian set Tang Yuxin down, took her tiny hand, and walked her into a room. Tang Yuxin obediently allowed her father to lead her by the hand. Her eyes curiously scanned the various nts Chen Zhong was raising indoors. It was really just some in grass, without flowers or branches. Was it any different from the wild grass covering the mountains? But it had a simple and pure scent. The grass swayed faintly with the breeze that came from the window, giving off a tantalizing, womanly grace. How strange. She looked up and gave Chen Zhong a smile, her eyes curving into adorable crescents. ¡°Hello, grandpa.¡± She politely addressed him without needing any prompt from adults. Tang Zhinian lovingly stroked her petite head. He had no idea when the child became so well-behaved and intelligent. Chen Zhong had a straight face, not one for unnecessary smiles orughter, but there was a hint of kindness in his eyes. It was as if a ray or two of light had seeped into a perpetually dark corner, enabling one to see the dust particles dancing in that light. He reached out and ced his hand on Tang Yuxin¡¯s forehead. ¡°How did you hurt yourself?¡± He asked. With gentle pressure, Tang Yuxin began to feel a slight ache in her head. It wasn¡¯t exactlyfortable, yet she didn¡¯t shy away. ¡°She fell.¡± Tang Zhinian¡¯s expression briefly darkened before deciding not to mention that Yuxin¡¯s own mother had pushed her. Of course, by pushed, it was Yuxin herself who had said it, but it was a fact that Sang Zhn had identally pushed her. ¡°Does it hurt here?¡± Chen Zhong asked Yuxin after pressing a spot. ¡°No,¡± Tang Yuxin bit her lower lip, ¡°it¡¯s sore.¡± ¡°Sore?¡± Chen Zhong raised an eyebrow and pressed another spot. ¡°Numb.¡± He moved his hand slightly upwards and pressed again. ¡°Sore, numb.¡± Yuxin frowned, but withstood the difort. If it were any other three-year-old, they might have cried their eyes out by now. After checking the locations, Chen Zhong removed his hand and held it behind his back, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s nothing serious.¡± ¡°Thank you, Uncle Zhong,¡± Tang Zhinian touched his daughter¡¯s small head, and was relieved now knowing his daughter wasn¡¯t seriously injured. He feared any possible brain injury which the vige doctors wouldn¡¯t have been equipped to detect. He was told she needed to go to a big hospital for a check-up, but the vige hospital was too far and required expensive fees which he could not afford. Hence, he sought help from Uncle Zhong. Tang Yuxin kept stealing nces at that graceful little nt. Somehow, she hade to like it, and the faint chilly aroma she had sniffed earlier. Yes, what she smelled was a cool, refreshing aroma. Standing there, she felt as if all her senses had been heightened. Tang Zhinian then picked her up, preparing to take her home. Tang Yuxin kept looking at that non-grassy grass, non-orchatid-like nt until they left. The scent had faded by the time they reached the door, but there was still a hint of unidentifiable aroma lingering in her nostrils. Inside, Chen Zhong continued tenderly taking care of the nt, delicately watering it without spilling a single drop. Chapter 18 - 18 The Mother-in-law Comes Chapter 18: The Mother-inw Comes Trantor: 549690339 ¡°That little girl¡­¡± he muttered to himself. ¡°She¡¯s quite perceptive, to have such a sensitive feeling?¡± On that medicinal nt, some water droplets hung, refracting beautiful shadows under the light from the window. With a drip, a droplet bent a leaf and gently rolled down, emitting a strong herbal aroma in the room. Tang Yuxin was a quiet child who didn¡¯t like to go out much after her head injury. However, she had be much more sensible, partially due to Xinzi¡¯s recement. Although she was still Yuxin, she was now the thirty-three-year-old Yuxin. At this moment, she sat in front of the stove, tossing firewood into the hearth. Initially, her actions scared Tang Zhinian, making him break out in a cold sweat. But then he discovered that Tang Yuxin was actually quite adept at making fires. He even bragged about this to his younger brother, making Tang Yuxin cover her blushing face in embarrassment as if she wouldn¡¯t want to meet anyone. She was thirty-three years old, not three years old, she wasn¡¯t that stupid, alright? Since then, Tang Zhinian was no longer scared of letting his daughter into the kitchen. He was always afraid that children handling knives or other things would hurt themselves. But Tang Yuxin never moved towards the cutting board. She just sat in front of the stove, adding firewood and operating the bellows. The consequences of which were that she hadn¡¯t seen a bellows for many years and it was considered an antique where she came from. Simrly, spinning wheels and other things were ordinary items for vigers, but raremodities for her. And these items would no longer be seen in a few decades, if one could see them, it would probably be on TV. With her assistance, Tang Zhinian¡¯s cooking speed had increased. At least he wasn¡¯t running around anymore, worrying about the fire and the food. Sometimes when the fire went out, he had to start it up again. He ced a bowl of noodles in front of Tang Yuxin, stroked her face and said, ¡°Eat.¡± Tang Yuxin ate her meal, bite by bite, no longer needing to be fed. This made Tang Zhinian, as a father, feel a bit lost. It seemed his child was maturing, even though she was only three years old. But now she could walk, talk, and didn¡¯t need to be fed anymore. While he was eating with loud slurps, he nced over at his daughter, who was eating slowly but dutifully spooning food into her mouth and not onto her face or scattering it on the table. Just as she lifted her head to say she was full, a noisy sound came from outside, almost like a band of invaders marching into a vige. Tang Zhinian quickly put down his bowl and stood up. ¡°Mom¡­¡± He called out. ¡°Hmm,¡± the middle-aged woman who walked in raised her chin revealing tworge nostrils with ckheads on her nose. She was well dressed in a chestnut-colored new padded jacket and new trousers, her feet d in ck leather shoes that were currently in fashion. She sat down, casting a dismissive and disdainful look at Tang Zhinian. It was beyond doubt that she looked down on Chen Zhinian. Chapter 19: Robber Chapter 19: Robber Trantor: 549690339 This woman, the mother of Sang Zhn, did indeed look down on Tang Zhinian. He had no parents and only a few acres ofnd. If her daughter hadn¡¯t been rejected in marriage, how could she possibly marry her off to an unsessful man like Tang Zhinian, who had no abilities at all? Her daughter was destined to live off the state for life, she couldn¡¯t possibly be here, farming thend with him. Her daughter, with that appearance and character, all top-notch, once Zhn¡¯s life improves, she could help her two younger brothers. With Tang Zhinian, even if he worked himself to death, he couldn¡¯t possibly provide for a university student. And her eldest grandson excelled in his studies; the teachers even said he was college material. Their family couldn¡¯t afford to send a kid to college. Of course, funding a college student was a burden shared by the whole family. Her niece was receiving state benefits and her monthly ie was a few dozen yuan. If she saved this money, it would be enough to cover the tuition for her grandson¡¯s university education. It was clear that Tang Zhinian was tantly exploiting her daughter. Besides, as she squinted her eyes, looking at Tang Yuxin who was led by Tang Zhinian, she looked down on Tang Zhinian and consequently looked down on Tang Yuxin too. She had small eyes and a small nose, clearly taking after her father; she bore no resemnce to her daughter¡¯s good looks. As she grew older, she would be ugly. As for Tang Yuxin, she also lowered her head, pretending to look at her toes. Her seemingly clear eyes were shrouded in inscrutable coldness. She smirked. Her sarcasm was palpable. In her past life, she had seen enough of some people¡¯s faces and knew their characters well. Every year, when she and Wei Jiani visited Sang Family for the New Year, the grandmother showed extreme affection for Wei Jiani. All the nice food, fun things, and useful items were saved for Wei Jiani. Wei Jiani, pretty and generous, with her sweet mouth, often received a lot of New Year¡¯s money. As for her, when she was in Tang Family, she had new clothes for the New Year, but when sheter moved to Wei Family, she could only wear Wei Jiani¡¯s hand-me-downs. Whether too small, ugly, or ripped apart, and she didn¡¯t even know that Wei Jiani¡¯s new clothes for each New Year were actually bought by Tang Zhinian for his own daughter. Yet, when they eventually got to her, they were all ragged and torn. ¡°Mom, have you eaten?¡± Tang Zhinian held his daughter¡¯s little hand tightly and anxiously asked his mother-inw. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare to eat the food in your house,¡± the mother of Sang Zhn replied sarcastically, ¡°You just need to get divorced from my daughter. There¡¯s no love left, why are you still tormenting her?¡± ¡°Mom, even if we divorce, I want Yuxin.¡± Tang Zhinian stroked his daughter¡¯s little head, a sh of sadness in his eyes. Without divorce, Yuxin still has both parents, but with divorce, she would either have no father or no mother. His daughter was still young, and he did not want her to be that pitiful. Tang Yuxin nestled behind her father, standing close to him. ¡°Are you implying that our Zhn would harm her own daughter?¡± Sang¡¯s mother was ufortable upon hearing these words. What did Tang Zhinian mean? Was he afraid that they, the Sang Family, would abuse their own daughter and granddaughter? ¡°No¡­¡± Tang Zhinian hurriedly attempted to exin. He didn¡¯t mean that, he just didn¡¯t want anyone to use this matter to hurt the still young Tang Yuxin. Chapter 20: The table is gone, and so is the daughter soon. Chapter 20: The table is gone, and so is the daughter soon. Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Alright,¡± Sang¡¯s mother cut off Tang Zhinian¡¯s words directly, ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear any of this nonsense. I¡¯m just here to tell you that our separation is confirmed. We¡¯re taking Yuxin with us.¡± ¡°She is Zhn¡¯s daughter. Where does a daughter not follow her mother but follows her father instead? Remember this, we¡¯ll head to the Civil Affairs Bureau the day after tomorrow to get this marriage annulled. Oh, and regarding Yuxin¡¯s child support, I need every single part of it. If I miss out on a penny, I won¡¯t let you off, Tang Zhinian.¡± ¡°Eldest and second son,¡± she continued instructing her two sons standing behind her, ¡°I quite like the look of this table. Let¡¯s take it away. After being with him for so long, Zhn hasn¡¯t gained anything good. It isn¡¯t excessive to take away a table, right?¡± Without hesitation, Sang family¡¯s eldest and second son really did move the table. After all, this was not the first time. After Zhn severs ties with Tang Zhinian, there wouldn¡¯t be anything left to take away. Tang Zhinian had to watch helplessly as the table from his home was moved away. He lowered his head and saw Tang Yuxin¡¯s swollen, tear-streaked eyes. He squatted down and cried while hugging his daughter. ¡°Daddy, don¡¯t be afraid,¡± Tang Yuxin extended her small hand and patted her father¡¯s shoulder. Even without a table, Daddy still has Yuxin.¡± Tang Zhinian was just about to burst into tears. Without a table, he was about to lose his daughter too. When Tang Zhijun arrived home, enraged by the news that the Sang family had taken away the only dining table they had, murderous intent arose within him. ¡°Brother, how can they do this? Every time theye, they steal something. Last time, they took the hoe from the field. The time before that, they took the pot. Now, the table; they¡¯ve pretty much taken everything we have.¡± ¡°Brother, why do you let them bully and torment you like this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Tang Zhinian gave a bitter smile as heforted his younger brother, ¡°Let them take. After all, this is thest time.¡± ¡°Brother, are you sure about this?¡± Tang Zhijun knew what his brother was contemting. ¡°Brother, are you actually considering the divorce? We brothers exhausted our inheritance to marry her back then. If you get a divorce now, considering our current situation, it will be difficult to find another wife.¡± ¡°Yes, I made up my mind.¡± Tang Zhinian is usually indecisive, otherwise, he would not have hesitated over a divorce for so long. ¡°If Yuxin stays with me, I will take good care of her. If she goes with Zhn, I will work hard in the field. No matter what, I won¡¯t let Yuxin suffer.¡± ¡°Brother, you¡­..¡± Tang Zhijun knew that Tang Zhinian would do this. Regardless of whether his daughter stays with him in the future or not, he has decided to support her alone for the rest of his life, never to marry again. ¡°Daddy, I want to go to Mr. Chen¡¯s ce,¡± Tang Yuxin tugged at Tang Zhinian¡¯s sleeve. Due to the recent issues at home, not only was Tang Zhinian feeling vexed, she, too, felt highly agitated. She thought of the mysterious herb kept in Chen Zhong¡¯s house; it seems to help clear her mind and restrain rash actions. She¡¯s still young, she can¡¯t act impulsively. In reality, when the Sangs forcefully took away the table, she almost couldn¡¯t help tosh out at them, berating their shamelessness and disgrace. Chapter 21: Not Afraid of the Old Man Anymore Chapter 21: Not Afraid of the Old Man Anymore Trantor: 549690339 Yet, she knows, she can¡¯t now, she is still young, only three years old. Even if none of these people know that her soul has been reced, they¡¯ll, in the end, attribute all faults to Tang Zhinian, using him of not teaching Tang Yuxin well. Quite possibly, she might get taken away by Sang Zhn again, returning to the fate of her previous life. In this lifetime, she will absolutely not leave the Tang Family with Sang Zhn. She wants to follow her father; she wants to ensure her father leads a good life, in a big house, instead of providingbour in older age, supporting her loser daughter, paying for her daughter¡¯s university education and her daughter¡¯s house. But neither the house nor the daughter exists anymore. ¡°Are you going to Grandpa Chen¡¯s ce?¡± Tang Zhinian squatted down, after a moment, realizing that the Grandpa Zhong, voiced by Tang Yuxin, referred to Chen Zhong. He gazed in awe at his daughter¡¯s delicate face, ¡°Xinxin, weren¡¯t you always scared of Grandpa Chen before? You even went out of your way to avoid his house, why do you want to go there now?¡± In fact it¡¯s not only Tang Yuxin who fears Chen Zhong, all kids in the vige do. That is the part Tang Zhinian does not understand. After all, Uncle Zhong is a good man. Although he is not easy to approach, if the vigers ask him for any help, he always assists. He is not inhuman, or a cold-hearted devil as others portray him. Howe the vigers now frighten children saying they¡¯ll feed them to Chen Zhong if they cry, and the children immediately stop crying? What¡¯s up with Tang Yuxin now? What she used to fear the most, she now seems to desire. ¡°It smells good at Grandpa Zhong¡¯s ce.¡± Tang Yuxin wrinkled her little nose. She wanted to smell those scents ¨C the fragrance of herbs, and the cold scent of that strange nt. Alright then. Tang Zhinian picked up his daughter and took her to Chen Zhong¡¯s. ¡°Uncle Zhong, are you home?¡± He knocked on the outside of the door and also called out inside. By all ounts, he knew someone was inside because the door was open. If nobody was at home, naturally, the door would be closed and locked. Even though the people in the vige were pretty decent and honest, it wasn¡¯t like they were the sort to leave houses unlocked or find loose change out on the road. Locking doors is meant to keep out honest people and deter the crooks. Everyone knew this. ¡°I¡¯m home,e in.¡± Inside, indeed, came the voice of Chen Zhong, not very enthusiastic. Perhaps coupled with his clearly unfriendly face, most people would be disinclined to engage with him. Tang Zhinian was notpletelyfortable either. He braved himself to step inside. Butpared to all this, it was the sad face of his daughter that he hated to see even more. What¡¯s wrong? Are you feeling unwell somewhere? Chen Zhong put down the herbs he was sorting, and watched Tang Zhinian and his daughter with indifferent eyes. ¡°Uncle Zhong, it¡¯s nothing,¡± Tang Zhinian quickly exined, ¡°My daughter Yuxin said your ce smells good, and she wants to hang around here. Do you mind?¡± He asked cautiously, fearing Chen Zhong might reject them. Chen Zhong¡¯s gaze lingered on Tang Yuxin¡¯s face for a while. Just when Tang Zhinian thought he was about to expel them, he nodded. ¡°Alright, you can leave her here. Juste and pick her up around dinner time.¡± They had just had breakfast, and lunch was still about four hours away. Tang Zhinian, calcting his timeframe, believed he could work a good stretch in the field. As for leaving his daughter here, he felt entirely at ease. Chapter 22 - 22 Cold Fragrance Chapter 22: Cold Fragrance Trantor: 549690339 Aside from how well-behaved Tang Yuxin is now, Chen Zhong is also a man to be trusted. Tang Zhinian let go of his daughter¡¯s little hand, then crouched down in front of her. ¡°Be obedient, don¡¯t make any noise to alert Grandfather Chen, understand?¡± ¡°Mm,¡± Tang Yuxin nodded vigorously, her little head bobbing. ¡°Wait for daddy to finish his work in the fields, then I¡¯ll pick you up, alright? We won¡¯t cry, and we won¡¯t touch any of Grandfather¡¯s things.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Tang Yuxin again bobbed her head in agreement. Only then did Tang Zhinian stand up. He waited a bit before he left, but he was still uneasy. He decided he woulde backter to check. ¡°Come here,¡± Chen Zhong waved Tang Yuxin over. His face was stern, his gaze sharp. If Tang Yuxin were really just a child, she¡¯d probably be scared to tears by now. She obediently went over and stood in front of Sun Zhong. A three-year-old child is actually still tiny, all little arms and legs. She wondered how this little body grows to be an adult. She lifted her small face with effort. From her perspective, everyone was towering over her, just like giants. Most children her age were still crawling around in the dirt, some still wore crotch-open pants and had a persistent runny nose. Therefore, she felt her age was a bit awkward. ¡°What does this smell like?¡± Sun Zhong asked the little tot in front of him. Normally, he didn¡¯t like children, noisy and dirty as they were. But the one in front of him seemed rather clean, and didn¡¯t give off any offensive odors, nor did she have a snotty nose, much less sucking back her snot. ¡°Medicine,¡± Tang Yuxin pointed at the herbs drying outside. ¡°They smell good.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the scent of herbs,¡± Chen Zhong agreed. His ce was filled with various kinds of medicinal nts, each having a distinct scent. From the refreshing scent of herbal grass to others, but to be able to identify these scents wasn¡¯t extraordinary. Children had sensitive noses, after all. ¡°And that one,¡± Tang Yuxin pointed at a seductive nt on the table. ¡°Very fragrant.¡± She said and took a big whiff of the room air, mingling with the scent of herbs, and a hint of cold fragrance emerged. It instantly reminded her of mothballs, shooting straight to her brain, and the chaotic thoughts she had been gued with suddenly became clear. ¡°Oh, you can even identify this scent?¡± Chen Zhong asked skeptically, then he scooped Tang Yuxin into his arms, and in her heart, two streams of shameless tears flowed. Keeping up the act wasn¡¯t easy, she was a grown woman in her 30s, but here, she was tossed about in everyone¡¯s arms. Her face was burning. But she had no choice, she was small after all. ¡°What does this smell like?¡± Sun Zhong flicked a verdant nt. It was like grass yet not grass, like an orchid yet not an orchid, but its growth was certainly lush. Yes, wild herbs tend to thrive without humans meddling. They can grow lush even when neglected. Tang Yuxin leaned in close for a sniff and instantly, a wave of freshness rose from her nostrils, saturating her lungs, and sharpened her senses. ¡°Cold fragrance.¡± Tang Yuxiang shivered. ¡°A fragrance that feels cold.¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct,¡± Chen Zhong set Tang Yuxin down on her feet again. ¡°This is Ink Frost. It¡¯s refreshing, and when paired with the other herbs here, it gives off a unique fragrance that clears one¡¯s thoughts. Inhale more, and your eyes will brighten, your mind will clear, seems like you are a fortunate one.¡± Chapter 23 - 23 Clear Mind Soup, a Great Thing Chapter 23: Clear Mind Soup, a Great Thing Trantor: 549690339 Tang Yuxin¡¯s eyes sparkled slightly. She was correct after all. So, her eyes can be brighter, she can be smarter. Then, does this mean she wouldn¡¯t need to wear sses in the future? She wouldn¡¯t have to touch her eyeballs every day to remove her contacts? She sniffed it hard again. She could clearly feel the cold fragrance entering her nostrils, then her lungs, and finally, her brain. She sat down by the door, lifted her small face, and watched Chen Zhong continuously drying the herbs. ¡°Agave.¡± ¡°Chicken-heart grass.¡± Chen Zhong sorted and named the herbs while Tang Yuxin watched and remembered. ¡°Little girl,e here.¡± Chen Zhong waved to Tang Yuxin, she stood up, her mind now incredibly clear. ¡°What is this?¡± He pointed to the medicinal herbs he had just sorted and asked. Tang Yuxin blinked. Was he testing her? Should she tell him? If she doesn¡¯t say, doesn¡¯t that mean she¡¯s slow? She remembered all of them perfectly, adult thoughts with a child¡¯s memory, plus the Clear Mind Soup she had just taken, it¡¯s impossible to forget. ¡°Agave,¡± she lifted her little face, her milky voice was clear, repeating exactly what Chen Zhong had said earlier. ¡°And this?¡± Chen Zhong was stoic, but somehow she could tell that he was in a pretty good mood. ¡°Chicken-heart grass,¡± Tang Yuxin said, still like a child, her voice was youthful, but her eyes were extremely bright, repeating the words perfectly. ¡°Are you thirsty?¡± Chen Zhong stroked Tang Yuxin¡¯s hair. He became more patient and kind towards her. Luckily, he was an upright person, stern when serious, kind when smiling. Otherwise, Tang Yuxin might feel a chill ¨C he wouldn¡¯t be a human trafficker, would he? ¡°Thank you, grandfather,¡± said Tang Yuxin. This made Chen Zhong¡¯s smiling face look even more pleasant. Soon after, Chen Zhong had a cup for Tang Yuxin. As soon as she saw what was inside the cup, her heart dropped. What was that in there ¨C some kind of wild grass? Could she decline it? She lifted her face and looked at Chen Zhong, trying hard to act innocent and cute. ¡°That¡¯s Clear Mind Soup,¡± Chen Zhong understood that the little girl was repulsed by the drink. ¡°Don¡¯t judge it by its appearance. This is a good thing. It¡¯s a precious heritage passed down from my ancestors. Look at my eyes, they¡¯re good because I¡¯ve been drinking this since I was a child.¡± Tang Yuxin quickly put the cup in front of her. No matter how hard it is to drink, she must finish it. Clear Mind Soup, just hearing its name tells you it¡¯s good stuff. She did not want to be short-sighted, she did not want to wear sses. Plus, Chen Zhong¡¯s eyes were indeed good. At his age, he had no cataracts, and he could see clearly enough to mend his own clothes with a needle. An ordinary man of his age would have lost his sight long ago, but he hadn¡¯t. Therefore, the soup must be good, especially since it¡¯s passed down from his ancestors. How could it be bad? ¡°Grandpa, can I give this to my dad?¡± Cradling the bowl in her hands, she looked up at him, hopeful. She wanted her father to still have sharp hearing and vision even when he got old, not to be like in her past life where he lost sight in one of his eyes due to personal reasons. ¡°It¡¯s not that you can¡¯t,¡± Chen Zhong walked to his herbs. ¡°If youe over next time and can still remember the names of these herbs, I will give you the Clear Mind Soup. You can give it to whoever you want.¡± Chapter 24: Pulling up a Shoot to Help It Grow Chapter 24: Pulling up a Shoot to Help It Grow Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Okay then,¡± Tang Yuxin lifted the bowl again, gulping down the Clear Mind Soup bit by bit. By the time she next returned, she would certainly be able to take the Clear Mind Soup back with her. Just as Chen Zhong stated, the soup wasn¡¯t spectacr in appearance, but it wasn¡¯t too unpleasant to drink either. It was swallowable, having a faint hint of bitterness. Ah, the taste was akin to a light chrysanthemum tea. Additionally, her throat felt exceptionallyfortable after finishing the soup. At this moment, she didn¡¯t think much about why Chen Zhong asked her to memorize all these things, assuming it to be a deliberate difficulty set by him. However, she wasn¡¯t afraid of such hardship. After all, she was a medical student, and had been a doctor for ten years. Although she studied western medicine, she found these areas slightly rted to medical science, let alone memorizing herbs, which proved to be no difficulty for her. The next day, as Tang Zhinian went to farm, he sent Tang Yuxin to Chen Zhong again. Chen Zhong had instructed to bring the little girl over. Yuxin also liked it here, saving Zhinian the worry of taking his daughter to the fields where he would have to worry about farming and whether his daughter would trip over or get hurt. Do you still remember? Chen Zhong asked Yuxin, who was clean and tidy. Even though she was taken care of by her father, he didn¡¯t spoil her excessively. Instead, she was scrupulously clean, her hair sleek and smooth, and her little face was always clear and clean, unlike some vige children whose faces seemed to have not been washed in hundreds of years and had frostbitten cheeks in winter. Without a doubt, Tang Zhinian was a thoroughly dutiful father. He never let Yuxin get frostbite on her hands and face. Little girls should not suffer frostbite, otherwise, they will turn ugly in the future. At present, Tang Yuxin is still a cute and beautiful child. However, when she came to the Wei family, she became a child who could barely have three meals a day. Her face was swollen, her hands frostbitten. Unlike others, her delicate hands had suffered frostbite for over a decade. Hence, her hands were fleshierpared to others, unattractive in shape. Thankfully, her profession as a physician required her to wear gloves on most days. No one knew what her fingers looked like. It didn¡¯t matter whether or not her hands were fleshy as long as she could hold a scalpel. ¡°What is this?¡± Chen Zhong asked Tang Yuxin, but hisplexion wasn¡¯t too good. He had be the grumpy old man again. It was then that Tang Yuxin reacted. She had been lost in thought, no wonder Chen Zhong¡¯s expression had changed. She remained idle for a long time. However, in Chen Zhong¡¯s ce, she forgot about this. This is¡­ she tilted her head, pretending to consider. ¡°Agave.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Chen Zhong finally let out a satisfied noise, though his face was still stretched. ¡°What about this?¡± he asked again. ¡°Bai Zhi,¡± this time, Tang Yuxin recited without hesitation, verbatim, and unerringly. Chen Zhong¡¯s face finally rxed, looking like a typical benign old man, less stern, more affectionate. ¡°And this,¡± he pointed at something else. It should be quite challenging. It was almost identical to agave. However, he had exined the differences to Tang Yuxin yesterday¡ªone was the tip of the leaf, the other was the taste¡ªif Yuxin had listened carefully and remembered, she should be able to identify it. However, it seemed that he had been a little over-eager trying to promote her growth too soon. Chapter 25: It’s a Medicinal Herb, Not Firewood Chapter 25: It¡¯s a Medicinal Herb, Not Firewood Trantor: 549690339 At present, Tang Yuxin was just a three-year-old child, the age when kids are at their most oblivious. They still crawl and roll about in the dirt, ying with their siblings in the mud, needing someone to feed them or else they¡¯ll get food all over their faces and all over the table. They can¡¯t even talk well, let alone read or write, so how could they possibly remember so much? Tang Yuxin ran over and picked up a long-leaved herb. She brought it to her nose and sniffed. ¡°Grandpa said, the one that looks like Agave is called Qinghuan Grass, and it smells sour. This one smells sour.¡± ¡°Um, right,¡± Chen Zhong finally smiled at this point, but his smile was naturally cold. Some people are like this, their smiles seeming almost nonexistent. Others, though, naturally have good faces, their lips turned up, their eyes warm. But the things they do are even worse than pigs and dogs, kind of like Zhang Yong¡¯an. Even now, she could still recall the sweet words he once had for her. ¡°Yuxin, don¡¯t worry. Once I¡¯vepleted my studies, we¡¯ll get married. We¡¯ll live in a big house and have more money than we can spend.¡± ¡°Yuxin, I promise I¡¯ll give you a good life. We¡¯ll feast on delicacies from the mountains and the sea, and wear the finest silks and satins.¡± ¡°Yuxin, if I ever let you down, I¡¯ll be worse than a dog or a pig. May I be poor and destitute in my next life, never achieving anything.¡± People like to swear on their next lives, but who knows who they themselves will be in the next life, or where their next life will take ce? Will they recognize each other, remember each other? ¡°The little miss is not bad,¡± Chen Zhong, a man true to his word, brought out a package andid it down. ¡°I¡¯ll let your father take this home. When you¡¯re older, I¡¯ll teach you how to prepare it. This is the Chen Family¡¯s most precious secret.¡± Tang Yuxin was a bit puzzled. If it¡¯s such a precious secret, why would he teach her? As it started to get dark, Tang Zhinian came to pick up his daughter. On his way home, he held his not-so-weighty daughter with one hand and carried arge snakeskin bag in the other, filled with various roots and bark. That very evening, Tang Yuxin instructed her father to boil water and then steeped it. She took a bowl for herself and gave her father one too. She picked up the small bowl and, without any repulsion, began to drink. But Tang Zhinian was breaking out in a cold sweat. Is this really drinkable? And what about those dried sticks and withered grass? He thought they were for burning. So, they¡¯re meant for drinking? ¡°Grandpa said, it¡¯s good for the eyes. Can we drink this together, daddy?¡± Tang Yuxin blinked her eyes, her face full of anticipation. Her innocent appearance was irresistible, and Tang Zhinian, who adored his obedient daughter, couldn¡¯t resist her serious and deliberate acts of cuteness. With a grit of his teeth, he also picked up the bowl. His daughter had already drunk hers. As her father, he couldn¡¯t let her down, right? Otherwise, he¡¯d be theughing stock to his child. Besides, Uncle Chen had said that it was drinkable. If he said it was, then it was. He couldn¡¯t help but feel curious. He had thought that the herbs were for starting fires, but as it turns out, they were for making tea. He took a sip from the bowl, and the taste actually set his fears aside. Although the liquid looked like urine and smelled average, it tasted fairly decent, or at least, it was potable. Chapter 26: The Sang Family Comes Again Chapter 26: The Sang Family Comes Again Trantor: 549690339 In the early morning of the following day when Tang Yuxin woke up, she nned to visit Chen Zhong again. She loved the scent of medicinal herbs there and the cool aroma of Ink Frost, and being a doctor herself, she had a strong affinity towards medicinal materials. However, just as they were about to leave, the Sang family arrived, all with long faces, clearly signaling ill intentions. The Tang family didn¡¯t even have a proper table or chairs anymore, all had been taken by the Sang family. Tang Zhinian had procured arge tree stump from the mountain and had managed to even out its edges to fashion a table sturdy enough to have a meal on. Even the stools were made from tree roots. Although they weren¡¯t aesthetically pleasing, they were indeed very solid. Besides the earthen kang bed formed with mud in the house, there was nothing left. Even if the Sang family wanted to take it, it would be impossible to demolish the earthen kang bed and carry the mud back, right? Upon hearing that the Sang family hade, Tang Zhijun, fearing his good-natured elder brother would be taken advantage of, hastily called over a few youngds from the vige to show some force. In this situation, they couldn¡¯t afford to lose morale. However, as they approached their house, Zhijun started to feel that he might have gone overboard by bringing so many people. Was he nning to p the others¡¯ faces? However, as all had already gathered, it was not appropriate not to enter either. As he reached the doorway and saw the situation inside, he broke out in a cold sweat. The small room was packed. The Sang family arrived in greater numbers than expected, from aunts and uncles to cousins and nephews, all with long faces, it was clear they were here to stir up trouble. Tang Zhijun led the young, robust men from the vige into the house, and when the two forces met, sparks flew and an explosion seemed imminent. However, due to the group Zhijun brought, it seemed the Sang family was taken aback and had to reconsider their aggression. With this being Li Tang Vige territory, the Li and Tang ns had thergest poptions. The vigers were united and would not let outsiders bully any of their own. Tang Zhijun stood next to Tang Zhinian and saw that Zhinian was holding Yuxin tightly, his whole body trembling. A grown man of over six feet was on the verge of tears. ¡°Big brother¡­¡± He anxiously called out to Tang Zhinian, ¡°Why have theye?¡± ¡°Why?¡± Mother Sang spoke with a bitter tone, ¡°Obviously, we are here to divorce.¡± ¡°If you wish to divorce, then do it! Why did you bring so many people?¡± Upon hearing the word ¡®divorce¡¯, anger red up inside Tang Zhijun. If they wanted a divorce, then proceed with it. Why did they have to bring so many people to his house? Did they intend tomit murder or arson? How good had his elder brother been to the Sang family! Every New Year, even when Sang Zhn wasn¡¯t home, he never neglected giving the Sang family their festive gifts. During plowing season, his brother would disregard his own field, and toil from dawn till dusk for them. What thanks did they receive in return? They weren¡¯t even generous enough to offer them a sip of water. Mother Sang snorted starkly, continuing to re at them through her nose. ¡°We¡¯re taking Yuxin with us, along with her belongings. Clothes, shoes, everything. We¡¯ll also need to discuss child support, Tang Zhinian, how much do you n to give us each month?¡± Chapter 27: Taking the Child Away Chapter 27: Taking the Child Away Trantor: 549690339 Tang Zhinian held his daughter tightly, his lips thin and taut, the chapped corner of his mouth splitting open with a cut that bled, like the state of his heart at that moment. ¡°I can¡¯t give you my daughter,¡± Tang Zhinian held Tang Yuxin even tighter. Yuxin was his flesh and blood, growing up under his care. How could he bear to hand her over to others, never to see her again, never to hear her call him ¡°daddy¡± again. ¡°You won¡¯t give her to us?¡± Mother Sang¡¯s voice rose, ¡°She is my daughter¡¯s child. How dare you not hand her over!¡± ¡°Yes, she was birthed by your daughter,¡± Tang Zhijun stepped forward to shield his older brother, speaking vehemently, ¡°But my brother is the one who raised her alone.¡± ¡°Tang Zhinian, we are not fools,¡± Sang Zhn finally stepped forward from the crowd, ¡°You divorced me, give our daughter to me. Now give her to me,¡± She extended her hand towards Tang Zhinian, had he not held his daughter so tightly, she might have dashed forward to snatch the child from him. ¡°But didn¡¯t you say¡­,¡± Tang Zhinian¡¯s sturdy hands were mmy with sweat, ¡°You said we¡¯d let the child decide. She¡¯s three years old now, old enough to understand.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Sang Zhn didn¡¯t seem to worry. No matter what, Yuxin would eventually have to leave with her. Yuxin was her daughter; naturally she would have to take her away. ¡°Yuxin, I am your mommy,¡± Sang Zhn cooed at Yuxin, ¡°Agreed, right? You, Mommy, will leave together? We will go to the city, live in a big house, eat delicious food, wear pretty clothes, see all kinds of cars, sound good?¡± Last time when she spoke this way to Yuxin, she agreed immediately. Children are easy to appease, after all. Yuxin remained held by her father. The youngdy in front of her was none other than her mother from her previous life. Thatughing face, as it had been in her past life, still seemed hypocritical and somewhat disgusting. Yes, in her previous life, Sang Zhn had just managed to deceive her into the Wei¡¯s home and left her father. She even nned to trick her into giving away herpensation money. This womancks principle and moral integrity. If she did have any, she wouldn¡¯t have had an affair with Wei Tian during her marriage and given birth to Wei Jiani, falsely iming that she was Wei Tian¡¯s daughter from his previous marriage when, in fact, she was her own child. This life was just like thest one. Sang Zhn brought many people with her, trying to coax her with sweet words. Yuxin never nned to leave with Sang Zhn. She hadpletely forgotten about this matter. It was not this day that she was taken away by Sang Zhn and Tang Zhinian, fearing for his daughter¡¯s hardships, scraped together his life savings of five hundred yuan and handed it over to Sang Zhn. That sum of money at that time was equal to fifty-thousand yuan in today¡¯s terms. As for whose pockets this money ultimately ended up in, Yuxin didn¡¯t know. All she knew for sure was it certainly wasn¡¯t hers. Sang Zhn continued to extend her arms, waiting for Yuxin to allow her to hold her. She eagerly awaited to leave this impoverished ce, and of course, she would take the money from home. Otherwise, how could she, a single woman, raise a daughter? ¡°Yuxin, what¡¯s the matter?¡± She kept smiling, but her face started to twitch. What¡¯s wrong with this child? Has she gone stupid? Why isn¡¯t she obedient today? Normally, she would eagerly seek out her mother. Chapter 28 - 28 Walking with Mom Chapter 28: Walking with Mom Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Yuxin,e over to mommy. Mommy will take you to see the tall building with many floors, and lots of yummy food. Sang Zhn extended her hands forward. Mommy will buy you a beautiful dress, how about that?¡± Tang Yuxin remained still. Just when Sang Zhn couldn¡¯t help wanting to snatch Tang Yuxin away, Tang Zhijun stood in front of his eldest brother. ¡°Enough, Sang Zhn,¡± he called out Sang Zhn¡¯s full name. ¡°What¡¯s the point of deceiving a child like this?¡± ¡°What deception?¡± As soon as Sang Zhn heard this, her face turned stern, ¡°I¡¯m talking to my daughter. It¡¯s none of your business. Get out of my way!¡± Tang Zhijun clenched his teeth and stood stiffly, blocking his eldest brother and niece from Sang Zhn. As long as he was there, he wouldn¡¯t let the Sangs bully his honest, naive older brother or take Little Xinxin away. ¡°Sang Zhn, what¡¯s the meaning of all this? Weren¡¯t you going to let the child choose? Just let her choose.¡± ¡°What would she know?¡± Sang Zhn rudely interrupted Tang Zhijun. ¡°She¡¯s just three years old. If you guys confuse her, wouldn¡¯t your words be the final say? Today, I must take my daughter away.¡± ¡°Zhiping, go help your sister take the child over,¡± Sang¡¯s mother said arrogantly. She was sitting like some empress dowager. Why waste time here? Just get the kid, grab our things and leave this poor ce. Staying a minute longer made her ufortable. The two Sang brothers advanced forward, and the vigers Tang Zhijun brought followed suit. Both sides seemed ready for a fight. Just then, a childish voice rang out¨C very clear, very crisp. Like droplets of cold water, it seemed to freeze everyone¡¯s heart with its chilling, piercing tone. ¡°Daddy can not get a stepmother. Can you, mommy, be content with only one child?¡± Tang Yuxin lifted up her face and stared at Sang Zhn, ¡°Mommy, can you do it? Can you be content with just me?¡± ¡°How is that possible?¡± Sang¡¯s mother harshly replied before Sang Zhn could. ¡°Your mother will eventually remarry. How could she only care for you? In the future, she will need someone to support her in her old age.¡± ¡°But my daddy only needs me,¡± Tang Yuxin said, clinging to Tang Zhinian¡¯s neck. Her father, who was honest to the core, did not marry in his previous life for fear of wronging his daughter. She believed he would do the same in this life. ¡°Yes, I can,¡± Tang Zhinian replied, hugging his daughter tight. ¡°I, Tang Zhinian, can live my life without taking another wife, without needing a son.¡± His Zhijun was still here. Plus, having a daughter brought him tremendous satisfaction. He didn¡¯t want a son who would end uppeting for affection with his beloved Yuxin. His Yuxin was such a good and beautiful girl. He would never ever let her be bullied by anyone, not even his own son. At this, Sang Zhn¡¯s face froze, as did the face of Sang¡¯s mother. ¡°Xinxin,e with mommy. You can¡¯t live without a mother, can you?¡± Sang Zhn suddenly teared up. Was she ying the card of family bonds? But how many of these tears were real and how many were feigned? Tang Yuxin didn¡¯t want to guess. Maybe Sang Zhn¡¯s tears were real, maybe she was genuinely concerned, maybe she was genuinely heartfelt. However, in a few years, in a few decades, could she still maintain this? Or would she be that selfish mother, who did whatever it took to hurt her ex-husband and the daughter he bore, all for the sake of her own daughter? Chapter 29 - 29 You Have a Little Sister Now Chapter 29: You Have a Little Sister Now Trantor: 549690339 Using the money from the daughter her former husband gave his life for, to support her other daughter. Can you say this mother is selfish? Yes, she is selfish towards Tang Yuxin, but selfless towards Wei Jiani. All mothers are selfish and biased. All you could say is that she favors her other daughter, and Tang Yuxin, being incapable, could not win her mother¡¯s love, and she doesn¡¯t want such kind of motherly love in this life anyway. She turned her face away, refusing to look at Sang Zhn¡¯s hypocritical face. Before her rancor sets in, she hopes that Sang Zhn would no longer appear before her. Otherwise, each recollection of past life events would intensify her resentment. Xinxin, Sang Zhn was torn apart, she refused to believe that the daughter she gave birth to was unwilling to go with her, even rejecting her. ¡°I¡¯m your mother, Xinxin, I¡¯m your mother.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Tang Yuxin turned her little face back around, abruptly, her innocent face was adorned with a pair of bottomless ck eyes that seem clear and bright but were actually inscrutable. ¡°Mother has a little sister now, she doesn¡¯t need Xinxin.¡± With her little mouth puckered up, the words she spat out, one word at a time, were tinged with an unexpected chilly gust of wind that unexpectedly made Sang Zhn shudder. And the phrase ¡®little sister¡¯ also changed herplexion somewhat. ¡°Yuxin, what are you talking about? How can your mother possibly have a little sister?¡± Her voice harsh, she directly chastised her daughter. Yet, the panic in her eyes and the abrupt change in her voice tone, clearly revealed her angst. Tang Zhinian, an honest man, might not understand. He probably thought that his daughter was referring to Sang Zhn¡¯s colleague¡¯s child, whom she brought along, as her little sister. But it was not so. He was too naive, too trusting of Sang Zhn. His assumptions were just that, assumptions. In reality, Sang Zhn had long made him a cuckold. And this cuckoldry hadsted for over two years. All Tang Yuxin did was to mention it. Whether it happened or not is not something that Sang Zhn could deny by simply saying it didn¡¯t. Heaven knows, earth knows, Tang Yuxin knows, and obviously, Sang Zhn herself knows too. The affair she had, the child she bore. She can¡¯t deny it. In the end, Sang Zhn became conscience-stricken. She was wondering if Tang Yuxin had seen something. But that was impossible. Jiani was only two years old and had always been with Wei Tian. She had never been to Li Tang Vige and, naturally, she hadn¡¯t mentioned anything to Tang Yuxin. But Tang Yuxin clearly had never seen Jiani, and she was just three years old. How did she know all this? But Sang Zhn¡¯s heart was uneasy because of Tang Yuxin¡¯s words. Perhaps it was guilt; she was scared and was afraid of being found out. Upon seeing Sang Zhn appearing distraught, coupled with the words Tang Yuxin had just uttered, particrly the phrase ¡®little sister¡¯, Tang Zhijun had a sudden sinking feeling. Could it be that Sang Zhn had someone else and so insisted on divorcing his brother? Sang Zhn no longer insisted on taking the child, and Mother Sang felt her face burn. Why did people look at her so strangely, as if she was exposed and surrounded by others? They didn¡¯t take their belongings, refused to take money, and didn¡¯t even mention the child. The family came in haste and left as if fleeing in disarray. ¡°Big brother, don¡¯t you think this is strange?¡± After seeing off the vigers and expressing his gratitude, when Tang Zhijun returned, he discussed the matter with Tang Zhinian. Chapter 30: Actually, He Knows Everything Chapter 30: Actually, He Knows Everything Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Your sister-inw seems eerily guilty. Do you reckon she¡¯s seeing someone else?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t speak nonsense. There¡¯s no such thing,¡± Tang Zhinian cautioned his brother, ¡°Though we¡¯re getting divorced, she still remains your sister-inw until it¡¯s finalized.¡± ¡°But, bro¡­¡± ¡°Your sister-inw definitely seems guilty. Do you think she¡¯s with someone else?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t speak nonsense. There¡¯s no such thing,¡± Tang Zhinian chided his brother once again. ¡°We may be headed for divorce, but until then, she¡¯s still your sister-inw.¡± ¡°But, bro¡­¡± Tang Zhijun had a hunch that something was off. It was strange how, out of the blue, she stoppeding home, showed no affection for their daughter, and talked of divorce. It was far-fetched to believe that she bore no feeling of guilt in her heart. He had wanted to discuss this with Tang Zhinian, but his older brother had turned away, focusing instead on their daughter, evidently uninterested in discussing these matters. He appearedpletely convinced of his own cuckoldry. Tang Zhinian tucked in Tang Yuxin with her nket, hisrge hand resting on his little daughter¡¯s head. This small, tender being was his daughter, the only child he¡¯ll ever have in his life. ¡°I know,¡± he spoke, his eyes reflecting an unacknowledged hurt, ¡°Your mother looked down on me. When we married, she wasn¡¯t really interested in me. The only reason she agreed was because of the generous wedding gifts from my family.¡± ¡°Later, after I married her, I earnestly wanted to treat her well, regardless of how arduous or exhausting it was. But in her heart, I wasn¡¯t the man she wanted.¡± ¡°I also know that our divorce is inevitable. Regardless of whether your mother is seeing someone else, it doesn¡¯t matter. If she wants to leave, then she should just go. I still have you. What¡¯s the use of keeping someone by force, if their heart is not here with you?¡± Tang Yuxin wasn¡¯t asleep, not really. She only opened her eyes after Tang Zhinian left. She had always perceived her father as an honest, simple farmer, with slow wits and focused solely on tilling thend. But now, she finally understood. He knew and understood everything. He had a clearer perspective than anyone else. The reason why he gave money to Sang Zhn even after knowing about her marriage. Perhaps he just wanted Sang Zhn to owe him a favor. In her previous life, her deepest regret was towards this father. Initially, it was Sang Zhn who forbade her from meeting her father. She was too timid, too fearful. Butter, it was her father who started avoiding her, probably threatened by Sang Zhn. She could only realize how difficult her father¡¯s life was after she started working. Yet, she didn¡¯t know how tomunicate with him properly anymore after all these years. Just when she decided topletely disregard Zhang Yongnian and Sang Zhn, intending to live safely with her father, she died and hurt her father¡¯s heart all over again. She was well aware that in her previous world, her death wouldn¡¯t have elicited tears from anyone besides Tang Zhinian. Perhaps in her view, her absence would make things a bit better, at least she wouldn¡¯t stand in the way of certain people. But her poor old father was left to outlive his child. Sang Zhn and Wei Jiani still carried on, but her father lost his only daughter. At this thought, she felt a sudden chill in her eyes. She hurriedly reached out to wipe her face, only to discover that she had inadvertently been crying again. Chapter 31: Going to Find Mom Chapter 31: Going to Find Mom Trantor: 549690339 No matter what, she knew that Sang Zhn was certain to divorce, and she would definitely not follow along Sang Zhn¡¯s path in this lifetime. The next day, Tang Zhinian put an extrayer of clothes on his daughter and then picked her up. ¡°Daddy, are we going out?¡± She asked Tang Zhinian, who was walking out. They were clearly on the road out of the vige. Where were they going? ¡°Yes, daddy is taking you to see mommy.¡± Tang Zhinian bundled up his daughter with a scarf. Although it was spring, there was still a chill in the air. ¡°I don¡¯t want mommy,¡± Tang Yuxin turned her face away. She was long past the age of needing her mother. When she was bitten by a rat, where was her mother? When she was hit by Wei Jiani, where was her mother? When her own sister stole her husband, where was her mother? All her life, she¡¯d only saved up enough for a house. Originally, she nned to have her father move there with her, but they tricked her into handing it over to Wei Jiani first, saying this would help Wei Jiani get married. But who did she marry? She married her sister¡¯s husband, her own brother-inw.Y0u can read sh0rt, t0uching, and r0mantic st0ries ab0ut c0uples, as well as children¡¯s st0ries f0r free 0n sitest0rys(.)c0m ¡°Okay, no mommy,¡± said Tang Zhinian, as he felt the items in his pocket, the family¡¯s household registration and his marriage certificate. He was prepared to divorce. Since it came to this, there was no need to dy any further. He would also let her go, let her live her own life. Tang Zhinian held Tang Yuxin and boarded the bus. The bus stop was not far outside the vige, just wait by the side of the road. Although Tang Zhinian seldom ventured into the city, he knew the bus schedule. The transport from their vige to the city was convenient enough. An hourly service from six in the morning till eight at night, it was the same bus that Sang Zhn took between Li Tang Vige and her workce. Sang Zhn¡¯s workce was a textile factory in the city, which she hadboured much to enter. After she started working there, she changed, looking down on the vige folk, and Tang Zhinian too. No, it should be that she never respected Tang Zhinian. She always felt that marrying him was beneath her. Given her appearance, she really should get married into the city. So when she was working in the city, she never mentioned she was from the vige. Also, she was pretty and knew how to dress up, wasn¡¯t she just like a city dweller? Tang Yuxin sat in the bus, looking out of the not-so-clean window. She knew that at this time in her previous life, none of this had happened. Today, she should have been taken away by Sang Zhn. She too sat in the same bus, watching thendscapes recede behind her. Signs of wilderness were everywhere, and the bus was bumping here and there. Somehow, she fell asleep amidst the jostling, and knew no more till she woke up again in the Wei Family¡¯s house. From then on, she went from being the Tang Family¡¯s little princess to the Wei Family¡¯s little cabbage. She sat obediently in the bus seat, swinging her little feet. This trip, who knew if they would encounter Wei Tian. If they were lucky, they might really run into him. She¡¯d let her father see clearly the ugliness of Sang Zhn. Such a woman did not deserve to be someone¡¯s wife or mother. If only that could happen. She didn¡¯t wish to see them suffer, but she wanted to distance herself from those people. She wouldn¡¯t seek revenge because she didn¡¯t yet have the power to do so, but she also didn¡¯t want them to turn around and hurt her. Chapter 32 - 32 This Child Grows Well Chapter 32: This Child Grows Well Trantor: 549690339 After approximately an hour of being jostled in the vehicle, they finally arrived in the city. Tang Yuxin rubbed her eyes, feeling a slight sting and difort. She wanted to sleep, but she managed to stay awake until now without dosing off. Carrying her in one arm, Tang Zhinian also got out of the vehicle. In order to save a few cents on the fare, he walked to where Sang Zhn worked. These few cents could be used to buy a few more pieces of caramel for his little Yuxin. Tang Yuxin could feel that Tang Zhinian was not only a little out of breath after a short walk, but his clothes had also be somewhat damp. Holding her, despite her not being too heavy, was exhausting after a while. However, no matter how tired he was, Tang Zhinian never stopped. After approximately two hours, they finally arrived at the textile factory where Sang Zhn worked. ¡°Comrade, could I ask if Sang Zhn is in?¡± Tang Zhinian had never been here before, so he was a bit nervous. Even his voice quivered as he spoke. ¡°You¡¯re looking for Sang Zhn?¡± The gatekeeper sized up Tang Zhinian for a while, then looked at the child he was holding. The child was quite attractive, very well-behaved, and rather pretty. ¡°What a beautiful child,¡± the gatekeeper couldn¡¯t help but praise. Tang Yuxin opened her small mouth and smiled, looking even more cute and lovable. Yes, she is beautiful. When she was young, she often heard this praise. However, she heard it mostly when she was at home. Old people in the vige always said Tang Zhinian¡¯s child was very pretty, with double eyelids, big eyes, and a little face. But as the elderly saying goes, children should not be too beautiful; otherwise, they may not look as good when they grow up. Perhaps it refers to her. She was beautiful as a child, but after growing up, she became unattractive, short, and thin. Her skin was also amongst the worst, dark and dull. On top of that, she wore sses, which gave an impression of knowledge but did not add to her attractiveness. She wondered if her in, pure appearance now was a mask, that she was initially a freshly steamed baozi butter became a monotonous bun. ¡°Hold on,¡± the gatekeeper seemed pitiful toward the child. On a cold day like this, workers in the factory wouldn¡¯t be allowed to leave while working. Tang Zhinian, holding Tang Yuxin, sat on the steps nearby. He took out a warm water bottle from his coat and ced it in front of his daughter. ¡°Yuxin, take a sip of water.¡± Tang Yuxin shook her head, ¡°Daddy, you drink.¡± ¡°Daddy won¡¯t drink,¡± Tang Zhinian replied with a smile. However, his lips were visibly chapped. The water he carried wasn¡¯t much, fearing that if he consumed it all, his daughter would have nothing to drink. Tang Yuxin shook her head again, ¡°If daddy doesn¡¯t drink, Xinxin won¡¯t drink either.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Tang Zhinian opened the bottle, took a small sip by himself, then handed the bottle to his daughter. Learning from her father, Tang Yuxin also took a small sip. The father and daughter sipped their water alternately. It didn¡¯t take long for the bottle to empty. Shaking the now empty bottle, Tang Zhinian felt a bit uneasy. Chapter 33 - 33 Her Stomach Hurts Chapter 33: Her Stomach Hurts Trantor: 549690339 How could they have failed to notice that they had already finished their water? They weren¡¯t thirsty right now, but what aboutter? They still needed to take the bus and go back. Soon after, the old gatekeeper stepped out. They informed him that Sang Zhn hadn¡¯te to work today. Hadn¡¯te to work? Tang Zhinian calcted the time, that wasn¡¯t possible. It wasn¡¯t her off-day, how could she not be at work? Tang Zhinian was more aware of Sang Zhn¡¯s work schedule than anyone else. He was constantly calcting it, thinking about when she¡¯d be working and when she mighte to see their daughter. However, no matter how long her time off was, she never seemed toe back. Recently, she wasing home more often, but it was to divorce him. That¡¯s right, the old gatekeeper nodded his head, she hadn¡¯te in, and hadn¡¯t been seen since yesterday afternoon. I see, Tang Zhinian sighed, but what could he do? If she wasn¡¯t there, he couldn¡¯t wait endlessly. Though it didn¡¯t matter to him personally, he could just huddle somewhere, but what about Xinxin? She was so young, what if she caught a cold? He had just decided to leave with his daughter but Tang Yuxin started speaking to the gatekeeper in her little girl¡¯s voice. ¡°Grandpa, could you please give us some water? We have a long journey home and we¡¯ve run out.¡± ¡°Sure, there¡¯s plenty of water,¡± the gatekeeper replied. The title of ¡°grandpa¡± tugged at his heartstrings. He gave a stern look at the adult Tang Zhinian. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you just say so if you didn¡¯t have any water? Water doesn¡¯t cost a dime, you know. I wouldn¡¯t mind if it was just you, but the child is so small. You couldn¡¯t possibly let her go thirsty, could you?¡± This scolding made Tang Zhinian, the grown man, blush. This rural farmer from Shi City was still honest and direct. The gatekeeper wasted no time and filled their water bottle to the very top. Tang Zhinian ced the water bottle inside his jacket. The cotton jacket he was wearing was very big, big enough to hold more than just the one water bottle. However, this time they were returning empty-handed. Tang Yuxin continued to be carried by her father. Since arriving here, Tang Zhinian hadn¡¯t let her go. Although his arm ached from the strain, he had heard that the city was not safe, and many children had been kidnapped. Therefore, he needed to keep his daughter close. However, Tang Zhinian was at a loss as to where to go next. They hadn¡¯t found her, and she hadn¡¯t been at the employee dormitory. Coming here was no small feat. If they went back today,ing back would be a challenge. They had farm work to do and vegetables to grow. Plus, the weather was bad, and he couldn¡¯t be bringing Yuxin out all the time. Zhijun was working in someone else¡¯s field, and he couldn¡¯t take care of Yuxin. Besides, Zhijun didn¡¯t have any experience being a father. How would he take care of a child this young? Throughout the journey, Tang Yuxin was far from calm. She had a lot on her mind. After Sang Zhn had taken her to the Wei Family, Wei Jiani fell ill and was hospitalized for over a month. Now, Sang Zhn was nowhere to be found. She hadn¡¯t been at work or the employee dormitory. The gatekeeper mentioned that she had been taking a lot of time off. That meant that right now, she should have been at the hospital. She couldn¡¯t remember when in her previous life she had gone back with Sang Zhn. But even if they dyed for a few days, it wouldn¡¯t change the fact that Wei Jiani was sick. After much hesitation, Tang Zhinian decided to head towards the bus station. ¡°Daddy, my stomach hurts.¡± Tang Yuxin squeezed her eyes shut and managed to squeeze out a few tears. Although she wasn¡¯t a child, she couldn¡¯t naturally master the ability to cry orugh onmand. But she at least managed to force out a few tears. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Tang Zhinian asked in surprise. Chapter 34 - 34 Who Loves Their Child More Chapter 34: Who Loves Their Child More Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Why does my stomach hurt?¡± ¡°Daddy, my stomach hurts¡­¡± Tang Yuxin was reminded again of her pathetic fate in her past life. The healthy young farmer in front of her was now nothing but a thin old man, which made her feel unwell and made her eyes tear up uncontrobly. ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay, don¡¯t be afraid,¡± Tang Zhinian quickly hugged her daughter, ¡°Daddy will take you to the doctor. After seeing the doctor, the pain will disappear.¡± Now, he genuinely thanked their fortune of living in the city. What would they do if this were a severe illness? Stomach pain is not a minor issue. He hurriedly took his daughter to the only hospital they have here, a ce they both know. Wei Jiani was also staying in this hospital. Tang Zhinian carried his daughter into the hospital, got registered, and busied himself attending to her. Tang Yuxin¡¯s small hand was tightly clutching the corner of her father¡¯s clothing, while herrge eyes brimmed with curiosity towards her surroundings. She hade to this hospital in the past to see Wei Jiani. Of course, it was Sang Zhn who brought her, and she was told to perform somersaults to entertain Wei Jiani. Back then, she was only three and understood nothing. When Wei Jiani asked her to do a somersault, she did it; when she was coached to growl like a fierce dog, she mimicked it; when Wei Jiani wanted to ride on her back like a horse, she resisted. Wei Wani even scratched her face. She cried for her mother, but her mother advised her that Wei Jiani was her younger sister, and she needed to yield to her. So, whenever there were new clothes, they were always worn by her sister first; whenever there was something appetizing to eat, she could only drink the soup. In their studies, whenever her sister performed poorly, she was coaxed to stay back a year with her. Moreover, she had to work and provide for her sister¡¯s college fees rather than attend college herself. If it weren¡¯t for her father who insisted on her going to college and even paid her tuition, there¡¯s no way she could have be a doctor. She only came to realize all of thister. Otherwise, given the Wei family¡¯s prejudice, how could she possibly have continued studying? They would have certainly made her work and use her earnings to fund her sister¡¯s tuition and living expenses. Not much has changed; Wei Jiani still gets sick. Tang Yuxin wondered if it was because Wei Jiani fell ill that Sang Zhn wanted a quick divorce. Moreover, she also demanded Tang Zhinian to produce the alimony, all of which was used for Wei Jiani¡¯s hospital fees. Vaguely, Tang Yuxin remembered that Wei Jiani¡¯s illness during that time was particrly severe. Back then, Wei Tian and Sang Zhn were just ordinary workers. They might not have even earned a hundred in a month. Wei Jiani¡¯s hospitalization supposedly cost a lot. While they valued their child, they also valued their money. Hence, they were quick to finalize the divorce with Tang Zhinian. Though Tang Zhinian did not earn much, he could still borrow money. Given his kind nature, most people in the vige would lend him money upon request. They were only concerned about borrowing money; as for repayment, that was something that Tang Zhinian had to take care of. Tang Zhinian, indeed, went all out. He borrowed from everyone in the vige and managed to gather five hundred dors, all of which Sang Zhn took away. Afterwards, Tang Zhinian spent several years paying off this debt. In addition, when something happened to Tang Zhijun, Tang Zhinian aged significantly as a result and had to take on aborious life. One could say that Tang Zhinian¡¯s tragedy started the day Tang Yuxin was taken away. And Tang Yuxin¡¯s sorrow began the moment she left the Tang family. Chapter 35 - 35 Actually, She is Hungry Chapter 35: Actually, She is Hungry Trantor: 549690339 Tang Zhinian carried his daughter to see the doctor. The registration fee at that time was very cheap, only a few cents, but there were so many people in the hospital that they had to stand in line. And Tang Yuxin seemed a bit lethargic, didn¡¯t want to talk. In fact, she was thinking about how to make her father understand the true colors of Sang Zhn, so as to stay away from that woman and not to be taken away by Sang Zhn. Sang Zhn was not their hope as a father and daughter, but rather the executioner who would kill them. Tang Zhinian held his daughter trembling, his palms were cold with sweat, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± The white-coated doctor touched Tang Yuxin¡¯s forehead. The child seemed listless, and he couldn¡¯t figure out what was wrong. ¡°Doctor, my daughter has a stomachache.¡± The color drained from Tang Zhinian¡¯s face, even paler than Tang Yuxin¡¯s. He was truly frightened. ¡°Stomachache?¡± The doctor touched Tang Yuxin¡¯s forehead again. It wasn¡¯t hot, and she didn¡¯t appear to be sick. Her little face was rosy and healthy. What could possibly be wrong? He had them set her down. The doctor asked Tang Zhinian to ce Tang Yuxin on the nearby examination bed. Then he checked for a long time, asking if this hurt, if that hurt, and Tang Yuxin kept shaking her head. ¡°Child, tell Doctor Uncle where it hurts.¡± The doctor again kindly asked Tang Yuxin. The child must be in pain. Children this small don¡¯t lie. Tang Yuxin lifted her little face. She was bright, pretty, and clean cut. Indeed, a good-looking child has its advantages. She could feel that the doctor¡¯s attitude toward her was very sincere, he even smiled genuinely. ¡°Uncle, Xinxin¡¯s tummy hurts,¡± she pointed to her stomach, ¡°tummy is hungry.¡± The doctor ¡°¡­¡± Tang Zhinian ¡°¡­¡± ¡°How long has this child not eaten?¡± The doctor asked Tang Zhinian. At this, Tang Zhinian felt embarrassed, licking his chapped lips. ¡°We haven¡¯t had anything to eat since we came out this morning.¡± ¡°This morning?¡± The doctor furrowed his eyebrows, ¡°What were you thinking? Even a small child would get hungry, let alone an adult. It is no wonder her stomach hurts.¡± After pondering for a while, he opened a drawer, took out a piece of bread, and put it in front of Tang Yuxin. ¡°Take it.¡± ¡°We couldn¡¯t possibly¡­¡± Tang Zhinian quickly shook his hand. They hade for an examination, not to eat someone else¡¯s food. ¡°Just take it,¡± The doctor stuffed the bread into Tang Yuxin¡¯s hand, ¡°It¡¯s almost my mealtime, and I won¡¯t eat it. Give it to the child.¡± ¡°Thank you, Uncle,¡± Tang Yuxin politely thanked him. She really thought the doctor in front of her was the most adorable person she had ever met, which is why she became a doctor in her past life, and she would still want to be a doctor in this life. ¡°This child is very well-behaved,¡± The doctor ruffled Tang Yuxin¡¯s hair affectionately. She had been very good since they arrived, she didn¡¯t cry, and she cooperated fully. She was a well-raised child. ¡°Thank you, Doctor,¡± Tang Zhinian thanked him profusely. He carried his daughter out, sat on the bench outside, took out the bread, and put it in front of Tang Yuxin. If Xinxin ate a little, she wouldn¡¯t be hungry, and her stomach wouldn¡¯t hurt. Tang Yuxin took it, but with her small hands, she split the bread in two, and put therger half in Tang Zhinian¡¯s hand. ¡°Daddy, eat.¡± ¡°Daddy¡¯s not hungry, Xinxin can eat,¡± Tang Zhinianughed heartily, but didn¡¯t touch his piece of bread. Chapter 36: Found the Person Chapter 36: Found the Person Trantor: 549690339 ¡°If daddy won¡¯t eat, Xinxin won¡¯t eat either,¡± Tang Yuxin put down her bread, disying her obstinacy as a young girl. Tang Zhinian hadtely started to get a sense of his daughter¡¯s temperament. She¡¯s grown, and has be more perceptive, but she¡¯s also be more stubborn. She was always a stubborn child. He had no choice but to pick up the bread and started eating with his daughter. On their way back, he nned to buy more for her to snack on. For drinking, he took out a bottle of water from his own bag¡ªthe water was still hot. They were in the hospital, so the avability of water was not a concern for them. With the bread shared and some water drank, both father and daughter were now satiated, at least for the time being. ¡°Daddy, I need to pee,¡± Tang Yuxin tugged at Tang Zhinian¡¯s sleeve, her face expressing an unbearable helplessness. It was like being thrown back to her childhood, where she had to cope with less than ideal situations. However, this particr issue of going to the bathroom was a constant headache to her. When she was younger, after using the toilet, it was her father who cleaned her up. However, she was a girl, a thirty-year-old woman. The mere thought of needing such help was heart-wrenching. So now, when she needs to use the restroom, she insists on doing it herself. Tang Zhinian didn¡¯t think much of it, assuming it was just part of his daughter growing up. But how much could a three-year-old have grown between now and the past? How much could she have changed? He asked a nurse for directions and then took his daughter to the restroom. The ce where they had fetched water earlier was quite close to it. Be careful, don¡¯t trip and fall, he silently told his daughter. As a grown man, Tang Zhinian couldn¡¯t go into the women¡¯s restroom, nor could he just let his little girl go in alone. What if she fell into the toilet pit? Tang Yuxin finally ventured into the restroom, amidst her father¡¯s numerous admonishing. She was extremely desperate to relieve herself. Even though she could¡¯ve just peed behind a big tree considering her age, as an adult at heart, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to do so. Back then, toilets weren¡¯t flushing ones. In the hospital toilets, there was a water drainage channel and the waste would be washed awayter. After being careful and using the restroom, Tang Yuxin finally emerged. ¡°Daddy, I want to go upstairs,¡± she pointed to the stairs. She noticed when she had arrived that the pediatric ward was on the second floor. ¡°Alright.¡± Tang Zhinian thought his daughter just wanted to y on the stairs, so he held her hand as theyboriously climbed up. Despite Tang Yuxin being tiny, her family had made sure she was well-nourished and healthy, which gave her the strength to move around rather briskly. When they reached the second floor, Tang Yuxin, hand-in-hand with her father, began wandering around. She had forgotten which room they were supposed to visit and could only search randomly until she cast her gaze towards a faucet and saw the back of a woman. She found the figure incredibly familiar. Seems like Tang Zhinian recognized her too, after all, this was a woman he had shared bed and pillow with¡ªit was impossible for him not to recognize her. However, why was Zhn in the hospital? Was she not feeling well? Worried, he hurriedly carried his daughter and went to Zhn, who was carrying a stic basin and walking towards a ward. Tang Zhinian hastened to catch up but stood outside the ward. Mid-way through entering the ward, he suddenly froze, because he could hear voicesing from the half-open door. ¡°Nini, mama will make some yummy food for you, okay?¡± Sang Zhn was seen tenderly stroking her daughter¡¯s hair and telling her, ¡°Our Nini needs to be a good girl, okay?¡± Chapter 37: Ran Into Chapter 37: Ran Into Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Mama¡­¡± Wei Jiani was not even two years old, and her speech was still staggered and unclear. She clutched her mother¡¯s fingers tightly,ing across as quite delicate and cute. ¡°Yes, Mama is here, Mama is here.¡± Sang Zhn cooed at her daughter with care, aware that her health was considerably fragile and that she would often drift back to sleep within minutes. ¡°How is that affair progressing?¡± Wei Tian, taking advantage of Wei Jiani¡¯s sleep, pressed Sang Zhn further. ¡°The hospital bills are still outstanding. When will you finalize the divorce with Tang Zhinian?¡± ¡°It¡¯s almost done,¡± Sang Zhn said, not particrly eager to discuss the matter, ¡°We had agreed nicely that after our divorce, Yuxin would live with me, and he¡¯d give me five hundred yuan. Then he would continue to give me a hundred yuan each month. But now, Yuxin refuses to stay with me for some reason.¡± ¡°You need to sort this out quickly,¡± Wei Tian expressed his impatience, ¡°I get uneasy seeing you always running over there.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Sang Zhn sighed. The child from the other side didn¡¯t want toe with her. What else could she do? She could only first prepare the child, and if the child was willing to walk with her, the rest would be easier, certainly more manageable. At the very least, she needs to get the five hundred yuan first. They have to pay for Nini¡¯s hospital bills, the cost of Nini¡¯s illness had made them destitute. Just as she was about to continue speaking, suddenly, the door outside burst opened. Somehow, the loud noise startled Sang Zhn, sending an involuntary shiver down her spine. As she slowly turned her head, she saw two figures, big and small, standing right at the door. Her face drained of color instantly. Sitting next to her, Wei Tian was taken aback as well, hisplexion matched hers, and his body became rigid from shock. Tang Zhinian red furiously at Sang Zhn, then at Wei Tian, and finally his gaze fell on the stack of clothes on the side. These were the clothes he had bought for his daughter, handpicked with love. Xinxin hadn¡¯t worn them yet but they¡¯ve already gone missing. He thought he had misced them. Turns out, he hadn¡¯t. They had been given to another child to wear. Since they loved another child so much, let that child call them ¡®mother¡¯, then why did they need his Xinxin? Is it possible that all they wanted was that 500 yuan? Did they want him to provide for their entire family? Bending down, he scooped up Tang Yuxin and ced his hand over her eyes, shielding her from witnessing things, she shouldn¡¯t have to see. ¡°Tang¡­ Tang Zhinian¡­¡± Sang Zhn hurriedly got up, ¡°You¡­ you are misunderstanding¡­ It¡¯s not what you think!¡± She wanted to exin, but every attempted exnation fell t and seemed worthless. To put it bluntly, if someone else had made these usations, Tang Qinian might haveughed them off, but he was not a fool despite his naive nature. He had seen it with his own eyes, and heard it with his own ears. How could there be any falsehood? ¡°Pack your things,¡± he said, his face calm but the turmoil inside him was about to break through. No man could bear such betrayal. He truly wanted to kill these adulterous women, but each time, the sight of his daughter held in his arms made him refrain. He held back, suppressed his rage, he even felt like a cuckolded man, but he swallowed all that bitterness, for he had to swallow it no matter how painful, no matter how hard it was. ¡°Let¡¯s finalize the paperwork,¡± cradling his daughter closer, he turned away, not bearing to look back at the scene, ¡°I have brought the necessary documents like the household registration, ID cards, and marriage certificate.¡± Chapter 38: Just Like That, We’re Divorced Chapter 38: Just Like That, We¡¯re Divorced Trantor: 549690339 Sang Zhn had been signaling Wei Tian repeatedly, but he ignored her signals, closing his mouth and remaining silent. There was nothing left to say. Wei Tian, who had been making valid points in previous arguments, now became as timid as an old turtle, not daring to make the smallest sound. Originally, they had hundreds of ways to make Tang Zhinian divorce, and regardless of the method chosen, Sang Zhn could always gain something ¨C either money, property, or certain forms ofpensation. Tang Zhinian would not let her leave empty-handed. However, now even if she desired something, Tang Zhinian would not be likely to give her anything. A man can bear a woman¡¯s disfavor, can endure her departure, but he cannot tolerate the green hat of betrayal atop his head. At the time they sat in the civil affairs bureau, Sang Zhn held tightly to her clothing. She could onlye here, only silentlye over, for fear that Tang Zhinian would cause trouble at her workce or Wei Tian¡¯s home. If that happened, both her and Wei Tian¡¯s future prospects would be ruined. ¡°Zhinian¡­why¡­why are you in the hospital?¡± She cautiously asked, her tone unexpectedly humble. Ever since marrying Tang Zhinian her status had been the highest in the Tang Family. Neither Zhinian nor Tang Zhijun dared to raise their voices against her. ¡°To divorce you,¡± said Tang Zhinian, holding their daughter. There was no clear emotion in his voice. ¡°But, how did you know I was at the hospital?¡± Sang Zhn¡¯s tone rose in obvious anger. Was he tracking her? ¡°Xinxin had a stomachache,¡± he gentlyid his hand on their daughter¡¯s head, ¡°I brought her here to see the doctor,¡± he lifted his face and stared directly at Sang Zhn. ¡°Have you ever asked Xinxin from beginning to end what she wanted? She¡¯s perfectly healthy, so what do you think I¡¯m doing at the hospital? You treat other people¡¯s children kindly, but ask yourself, how do you treat Xinxin? Do you behave like a mother should?¡± Tang Yuxin¡¯s eyes were closed, but she wasn¡¯t asleep, and she didn¡¯t n on letting her father know that Wei Tian was the baby¡¯s father. She didn¡¯t want her father¡¯s cuckoldry to be too severe. She would let him think that Sang Zhn neglected her own daughter because of someone else¡¯s child. Sang Zhn was clearly guilty, and when faced with these questions, she remained silent, not daring to refute a single word. Luckily, he still didn¡¯t know that Nini was her child. If he found out, she feared her reputation would be entirely ruined. She didn¡¯t know about Tang Zhinian yet, but Tang Zhijun, that was the real problem, bold and persistent. So, she gritted her teeth and didn¡¯t argue for anything in the divorce, not even the custody of her own daughter. She was afraid, afraid that her secret pregnancy would be discovered. If so, Tang Zhinian and his brother would never forgive her. The two of them divorced in this way; Tang Zhinian packed up his things, picked up his daughter, and left. As Tang Yuxin looked back at her mother onest time, her eyes were void of any light, like two ck holes, a sight deeply terrifying. ¡°Xinxin, Xinxin¡­¡± Chapter 39: Second Uncle Moved Back Chapter 39: Second Uncle Moved Back Trantor: 549690339 Sang Zhn finally realized something: that girl was also her daughter. As long as Tang Yuxin acknowledged her, nothing bad would happen, nothing at all. What could Tang Zhinian do even if he found out? He still loved his daughter and wouldn¡¯t allow his daughter¡¯s mother to be disgraced or be an object of public scorn, right? Yet, Tang Yuxin turned her face away. With a calm expression, she stayed close to her father. Right now, both of them exuded an air of mncholy and were rigidly unapproachable. At that moment, Tang Zhinian stopped, and then lifted his daughter onto his shoulders. ¡°Xinxin, would you like some bread? Daddy can buy you some,¡± said Tang Zhinian, with a smile on his face. He affectionately tousled his daughter¡¯s hair, but his eyes were full of sadness, ready to overflow. He was still upset, indeed quite aggrieved. ¡°Alright,¡± Yuxin tightened her grip on daddy¡¯s fingers and apanied him into the store. Given the rare opportunity of visiting the city, Tang Zhinian bought a lot of things for his daughter. Though there wasn¡¯t much in the way of snacks avable at the time, things like bread, peanuts, and milk candies were some of the few options avable. And Tang Zhinian bought them all, with no mind to the cost. He then took his daughter to the department store, intending to buy her some clothes, as all her new clothes had been taken away by Sang Zhn. Now, as the weather was warming up, Tang Yuxin had nothing to wear. They had arrived empty-handed, but upon departing, carried a heap of shopping bags. ¡°Brother, how is everything?¡± Tang Zhinian had been waiting for his older brother toe back. He had been waiting nearly all day; was something wrong? Just when he was growing restless, Tang Zhinian finally returned with Tang Yuxin. He quickly took Yuxin from Zhinian¡¯s arms. Seeing that she had already fallen asleep and that his elder brother was carrying many shopping bags, he proposed an idea. ¡°Zhijun, move back home,¡± Tang Zhinian, after putting the shopping bags away, straightforwardly suggested this to his brother. ¡°Okay,¡± Tang Zhinian agreed without asking further questions. But the fact that his elder brother could say such words implied that the marriage had ended. Back when his elder brother got married, the Sang family, in addition to demanding an excessive dowry, had also insisted that Tang Zhijun move out. At that time, Tang Zhinian had refused, saying that there was no reason his younger brother should have to leave his own home. Still, in the end, Tang Zhijun had indeed moved out. He knew that if he didn¡¯t, his elder brother wouldn¡¯t be able to get married. Now it had been more than four years since he lived in the family home; in the interim, he had been living in a small, dpidated house in the vige. Now, he finally got to move back home, yet he couldn¡¯t bring himself to feel happy about it. If the price of moving back in was his elder brother¡¯s divorce, he would rather live in that dpidated house in the field for the rest of his life. Tang Zhinian didn¡¯t say much else. He locked his household registration, ID card, and divorce certificate in a cupboard. After all the preparations, he breathed out a long sigh of relief. Really, he thought, what was the big deal? He had nned on going there to get a divorce anyway. Regardless of the reason, he and Sang Zhn were simply ipatible. The divorce was inevitable. Since the divorce was unavoidable, why dwell on the past? However, he felt somewhatforted, at least his daughter, his precious Xinxin, was still by his side. He still had a daughter, he still looked forward to seeing her grow up, and he could still carry on with his life. Tang Zhijun moved back home with his scant belongings. They had threerge tiled rooms at home. One was used for storage, and the other two were living quarters. Tang Zhinian moved into the room he used to live in, which had not been inhabited for a long time since the Sang family members used it when they visited. He settled his bedding there. Chapter 40: Where on Earth is it? Chapter 40: Where on Earth is it? Trantor: 549690339 He sat there, heaving constant heavy sighs. But soon enough, he stood up again, rolled up his sleeves and decided to give his full efforts. If everyone worked hard enough, surely their lives wouldn¡¯t continue to get worse. ¡°What are you looking at?¡± Tang Zhijun asked, pinching his little niece¡¯s face. The little one was round and tender. He believed no other kid in the entire vige could be as beautiful as his little Yuxin. Tang Yuxin broke out a milky white toothy grin. She lowered her head, continuing to eat her meal, trying to figure out when her second uncle had had the ident. She remembered it vaguely happening around when she was three, not long after she had left the Tang family. She didn¡¯t have strong memories of her third uncle; if she hadn¡¯t been reborn, she wouldn¡¯t even remember what he looked like. Her third uncle looked a lot like her dad. However, he likely resembled their grandmother more, with his thick eyebrows andrge eyes. All the Tang family members were tall ¨C her dad was 1.75 meters and her third uncle was even taller, about 1.8 meters. Yet she was only barely over 1.5 meters after growing up, with Sang Zhn not being too tall either at 1.63 meters. They hadn¡¯t inherited great height, and maybe it was also because their nutrition was not good when growing up, leaving her quite short. She continued to eat her meal obediently, and after she was done, her third uncle washed the bowls and then took her hand for a stroll outside. Lately she had been puzzling over when her uncle had had that ident. But she had no clue, and no one had ever mentioned it to her. Where was it? Where could it be? ¡°Zhijun, good timing,¡± said old Mr. Zhang from the vige, calling out to them. ¡°The manure has piled up a bit too much at the vige entrance. Could you handle it? You could also make some money from it. You¡¯re the only one who can handle this task.¡± ¡°Ha-ha¡­ Okay uncle, don¡¯t worry, I got it.¡± Tang Zhijunughed, revealing a mouthful of white teeth. The vige had good water which was nourishing, so even those who seldom brushed their teeth had good teeth. Even the teeth of the elderly folk were not too yellow. ¡°Once your second unclepletes the job, he¡¯ll be able to buy some delicious milk candies for our Xinxin,¡± Zhinian said, picking up Yuxin as they walked towards the other end of the vige. That ce was where the vigersposted manure. How to dig out thepost was a mystery to the vigers but Zhijun knew. He was tall and sturdy, smart and handy. As long as he could excavate thepost from the vige each year, he would earn a dozen or so yuan. Right now, in the transition between Spring and Autumn, those extra yuan could surely help in improving their living conditions. Tang Yuxin was surprised and shocked at the same time. Was that dreadful event happening soon? She had heard in her past life that the second son of the Tang family had died while excavatingpost. Thepost pile, which had umted over a year had copsed on him, killing him instantly. The previous day, the second son of Tang had even mentioned wanting to see his little niece after earning some money. But, he never got the opportunity to do so, and after that no one was left to support honest and straightforward Zhinian ever again. Tang Zhijun took Yuxin over to the manureposting field to take a look, but kept their distance to avoid the stench reaching little Yuxin. Chapter 41: A Narrow Escape Chapter 41: A Narrow Escape Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Uncle, when will you dig the poop?¡± Tang Yuxin asked, wrinkling her little nose. And Tang Zhijun was left somewhere between wanting tough and cry. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll dig it when you fall asleep, and then I¡¯ll get you some sweet milk candies,¡± he replied. Tang Yuxin grabbed Tang Zhijun¡¯s clothing. Fine, she wouldn¡¯t sleep then. She intended to keep an eye on her second uncle. In herst life, she didn¡¯t stop anything. But in this life, she was determined to save Zhijun¡¯s life. Tang Zhijun picked up the shovel, ready to start digging the manure. It was best to get these things done early, since there was nothing to do in the fields at the moment. Not long after he left, Tang Yuxin mbered out of bed, carelessly put on her shoes, and ran out after him. At that moment, Tang Zhijun was busy scooping out the manure from the pit. He had already managed to dig a big hole, and his figure stood right in it. ¡°Second Uncle, Second Uncle¡­¡± Tang Zhijun put down his shovel. Had he heard Yuxin¡¯s voice? Hadn¡¯t she been asleep? She usually didn¡¯t wake up until nightfall. That¡¯s why he had ventured outside instead of ying with her. His big brother was a great farmer and a handy carpenter. Now that there was no work in the fields, he could take advantage of this free time to make a few stools for others to pad his ie. He was the one looking after the little girl these days. Fortunately, she was easy to take care of and didn¡¯t make a fuss. His thought was to finish this job while she was sleeping to earn a bit more money for some tasty treats for her. So, why was she awake now? He put down his shovel and, sure enough, saw Tang Yuxin standing not far away, her little face white as a sheet. What had happened? He quickly walked over to her. But realizing how he must smell, he felt a bit helpless. He knew how much the little girl, Xiaoyu, loved cleanliness. ¡°Second Uncle¡­¡± Tang Yuxin ran over and hugged Tang Zhijun, apparently not fazed by his smelly clothes. But soon her face wrinkled up into a small knot. ¡°Second Uncle, you stink.¡± Tang Zhijun knew she wouldin. ¡°Yes, Second Uncle knows he stinks. I¡¯ll go home, take a bath, and smell wonderful.¡± However, before he finished speaking, he heard a sudden ssh from behind him. As he turned around, he waspletely stunned and a cold sweat broke out on his forehead. Tang Zhinian dusted off the stool he was working on. The stools he made were sturdy, and he was good at conserving materials. This allowed him to take on side jobs as a carpenter in other viges whenever he had free time, pulling in some extra money. Without this additional ie, he wouldn¡¯t be able to indulge his daughter based solely on their farm¡¯s ie. Although he was a man from the countryside, he made sure his daughter was always clean and wore the nicest clothes, much like a city child. Now that he had hope for a better life, he was determined to save more money. He wanted his daughter to wear the prettiest clothes, eat the tastiest food, aspire to go to high school, and eventually college. It was his failure as a husband that he couldn¡¯t keep his wife around. Therefore, he tried topensate his daughter in other ways. He blew the dust off the stool again, then examined it from top to bottom, looking for any rough edges. ¡°Zhinian, Brother Zhinian¡­¡± Suddenly, one of the vigers ran up, panting heavily. He pointed in a certain direction, but was too breathless to speak. Chapter 42 - 42 People Are Fine Chapter 42: People Are Fine Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Huh, Qiangwa, what¡¯s up, any problems?¡± Tang Zhinian picked up another piece of wood, pondering whether it could be made into another small stool. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Qiangwa suddenly jumped up, pping his own kneecap. ¡°Zhinian, hurry and check it out, the dung pit at the vige entrance copsed.¡± ¡°Huh, copsed?¡± Tang Zhinian was surprised, ¡°How did it copse all of a sudden?¡± ¡°Yes, it copsed,¡± Qiangwa said with a choking voice, ¡°Zhinian, hurry and check it out, I heard your brother Zhijun was shoveling dung earlier on!¡± Boom! Tang Zhinian felt his head explode. He threw down the wood in his hand and ran off, almost tumbling forward. ¡°Zhijun, Zhijun¡­.¡± He called out while running, not knowing how his legs were carrying him forward. When he arrived, there was a stink all around. The air seemedpletely permeated with the smell, fermenting and filling every corner. The dung heap had truly copsed and was big enough to bury several people. ¡°Zhijun¡­¡± He wanted to rush in, his eyes turning red with urgency. But the people around him stopped him, not allowing him to go in. People were still digging, all with grave faces. Feeling weak at his knees, Tang Zhinian broke into loud sobs. The two brothers depended on each other for survival. After their parents passed away, Zhijun was like a son to him. How their life had been, outsiders wouldn¡¯t understand, but they knew it implicitly. Their life had been hard. The two of them made it to adulthood, started their own families, and were just in their twenties. Now, to suddenly lose one another, how heartbreaking would that be! ¡°Brother,¡± suddenly, it sounded as though someone was calling him. Tang Zhinian squinted his eyes and almost popped his eyes out when he saw who was standing in front of him. ¡°Zhijun?¡± ¡°Brother, it¡¯s me,¡± Tang Zhijun, holding Tang Yuxin¡¯s hand, also had teary eyes. Who said men couldn¡¯t cry? They, the men in the vige, had all cried before. Their tears were not out of pain but gratitude; grateful that they could continue to live, to be with their family, to take care of their loved ones. Tang Zhinian quickly wiped away his tears and got up from the ground. He ran the few steps to his brother, touching his arm and then his head. ¡°Zhijun, you¡¯re okay, right?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Tang Zhijun broke into a smile and picked up Tang Yuxin. ¡°This time, we owe it to our Yuxin. She saved my life. If she hadn¡¯te to find me, I might have been buried there.¡± Thinking of the scene, even now cold sweat was breaking out all over his body. Even one minute would¡¯ve been toote. Yes, even if it had been a minuteter. If Yuxin hadn¡¯te running, the oue, well, he would have been buried in the dung heap, and the result would have been death. Tang Zhinian hugged his daughter so tightly he was hurting Tang Yuxin. But Tang Yuxin still acted innocent although her tightly clenched fist was soaked with cold sweat. Once they were back home, Tang Zhinian started lecturing his brother. Chapter 43: Scold Him to Death Chapter 43: Scold Him to Death Trantor: 549690339 ¡°How many times have I told you not to do this, how dangerous it is! Why won¡¯t you listen? I told you to learn carpentry with me but instead you keep persisting in this dung business. At this rate, you¡¯ll be so smelly you won¡¯t be able to find a wife. Who would want to marry such a stinky man? You¡¯ll put out the Tang Family¡¯s lineage. How will you face our parents in the afterlife?¡± Tang Zhinian was berated to the point where he could only stand there, looking like a wronged little girl. As he wiped the sweat off his head, he realized it wasn¡¯t easy to endure such scolding. His eyes started wandering aimlessly. ¡°Where did that little girl go? Why isn¡¯t she here to save her uncle? At this rate, your uncle¡¯s face will be bleeding from all the yelling.¡± However, Tang Yuxin¡¯s tiny head popped out from behind her father. Then, with her small hands resembling tender ginger, she began massaging her little face. Tang Zhijun felt like vomiting a liter of blood on the spot. Usually, the kid was cute, but now, her behaviour was like a knife in the heart. Meanwhile, Tang Zhinian was still ranting. He is a generally amiable person, but once his bottom line is crossed, he spares no one. ¡°You tell me, if one day you¡¯re killed by dung, don¡¯t you dare admit we¡¯re brothers in death. I¡¯ll be too ashamed of your disgrace.¡± ¡°Bro, if I die, who would even care that I smell?¡± Tang Zhijun¡¯s mouth twitched. They had been arguing for half an hour. Couldn¡¯t we stop mentioning the word dung? ¡°Our parents in the underworld.¡± Tang Zhinian was genuinely upset with his brother¡¯sck of aspiration. And then he thought about the incident earlier. If Tang Zhijun had died from being buried in dung, he would never be able to face their parents again. ¡°You are not allowed to deal with dung anymore!¡± Tang Zhinian shouted at Tang Zhijun, ¡°If you continue, I¡¯ll break your damned legs.¡± He found it awkward to say these words. Dung. Just dung. He was about to dip his head under the table when he saw Tang Yuxin clinging to their father¡¯s leg. Tang Yuxin, to his surprise, bended her crescent-like eyes upwards and scratched her petite face. Frustrated, Tang Zhijun wanted to ruffle her hair so much that it would look like a bird¡¯s nest. The news of the copse of the dung heap in the vige caused people to be very cautious. In this age, life was fragile. One small mistake could cost a life. Hence, it was best to avoid dangerous tasks. Like the vige¡¯s dung pit, no one dared to find dung now, for the money was not worth risking a life, especially not being buried alive by dung. It would be embarrassing and a disgraceful way to die. The vigers were superstitious and nobody wanted that. ¡°Uncle Zhong, thank you for your help,¡± Tang Zhinian left his daughter with Chen Zhong. Tang Yuxin liked the aroma of medicinal herbs at Chen Zhong¡¯s ce. Therefore, whenever the Tang brothers were busy, they left their young sister Yuxin here. ¡°It¡¯s no problem, I also enjoy spending time with her, she¡¯s quite precocious.¡± Precocious? Tang Yuxin nibbled on her own fingers. Being a woman in her 30s who had lived a full life, pretending to be a child was a disservice to herself. Once Tang Zhinian left for work, Chen Zhong pulled Tang Yuxin¡¯s hand and began teaching her about medicinal herbs, even testing her on the lessons from the previous ss. It seemed as if he was purposely training her, yet she was only three years old. No matter how precocious she might appear to him, she was far from being a prodigy. Chapter 44 - 44 She Wants to Read a Book Chapter 44: She Wants to Read a Book Trantor: 549690339 But Chen Zhong was just like a force-feeding duck, cramming stuff into her brain relentlessly, seemingly unafraid of bursting it. And now the result was that she had not yet burst, but Chen Zhong was still shoving knowledge into her noggin. Nheless, Tang Yuxin loved to listen. As long as it was rted to medical skills, she adored it. In her previous life, she had been a dependable internal medicine doctor. Her mentor once said that she had a good temperament, could tolerate loneliness and was steady. In operations, she was decisive and resolute ¡ª if something needed sewing up, she sewed it; if something needed cutting, she cut it. It was just a pity that she wasn¡¯t born into a medical family, as her achievements could have been even greater. So back then, she served as a small internal medicine doctor in that hospital, not particrly outstanding. Maybe after a few more decades of hard work, she could have be a director or something. Unfortunately, she didn¡¯t live long enough. Now, her interactions with these herbs brought her immense joy. Every day, just smelling the aroma of these herbs would put her in a great mood, even if Chen Zhong ruthlessly pulled at her buddingprehension, she happily allowed him to do so. ¡°Grandpa is giving you something,¡± Chen Zhong, taking Tang Yuxin¡¯s small hand, led her into his study. Chen Zhong had a myriad of books, many of which were ancient, perhaps even the only copies in existence. He unfurled a scroll, then squatted down before Tang Yuxin. Unable to help it, Yuxin was so small she could barely reach an adult¡¯s thigh. Either she had to raise her head or the adult had to squat down. ¡°Yuxin, look, this is for you. Do you see the red dots on it? Remember them, and grandpa will quiz youter.¡± ¡°All right,¡± Tang Yuxin took over the scroll, pretending to be an innocent little girl, although a wave of excitement swept through her heart. As someone who had studied medicine before, especially Western medicine, she found traditional Chinese medicine rather mystic. She had never had the opportunity to explore in her past life, but now she had a fantastic chance to do so, which could not be missed. The scroll depicted an Acupoint Map of the human body. The lines represented meridians, and the red dots were acupoints, all clearly marked. She thought, even if she were stupid, silly, or clumsy, she had begun to study, to memorize from the age of three. Over time, these would be instinctive, like certain memories deeply imprinted in her mind since childhood. ¡°Grandpa, may I look at those baby dolls in your books?¡± She pointed at the ancient books in Chen Zhong¡¯s study. Ah, these antiques could be considered national treasures in the future. Being able to see them was her fortune. Misfortunes were uncertain; those books surely contained valuable information, which she had been drooling over for quite some time. If she wasn¡¯t too young, she would have taken a bite already. Just like a sponge that had lost its moisture, these books now were her life-sustaining water. She needed water; she wanted to drink water. She desired books; she hungered for reading books. Nevertheless, she needed to bear with, to pretend being a little kid. ¡°Go ahead, go,¡± Chen Zhong waved his hand for her to y on her own. Anyway, Tang Yuxin was well-behaved. She wouldn¡¯t be naughty or mischievous like other kids. Luckily, he had some affairs to attend to, like processing the recently collected herbs, which left no time to apany her. Tang Yuxin ran excitedly into the study and picked out a book. Chapter 45: Some Advantages Can’t Be Taken Chapter 45: Some Advantages Can¡¯t Be Taken Trantor: 549690339 On the book, there indeed were pictures of babies, but they were all names of herbs and recipes for treating diseases and saving people. She sat on the ground, holding the book, and started reading it carefully. After Chen Zhong had finished his own work, he found that Tang Yuxin was still inside. She had been there for several hours. Could a child really have such a good focus? Anyway, he had never seen one like her. He went over and found that Tang Yuyu, who was inside, was slumped against the corner of the table. She had fallen asleep unknowingly. Indeed, she was holding a book in her small hands. It was the medical book passed down from his family. Of course, the child did not know how to read, she was only looking at the pictures of babies. And thus, she had fallen asleep while reading. Chen Zhong shook his head. He fetched a nket to cover Tang Yuxin, letting her continue sleeping. Children will always be children, with their variability. After he left, Tang Yuxin opened her eyes. Her eyes were bright, showing no sign of sleepiness. In fact, she was awake all the time. She had pretended to sleep only after hearing Chen Zhong¡¯s footsteps. She felt it was better to be a carefree three-year-old. Chen Zhong said she was extraordinarily precocious. But being too precocious was not a blessing, but rather a curse, especially in this era. Vigers were very superstitious. Anything abnormal was considered a demon. She didn¡¯t want to be thought of as a demon, so she must be careful in the future. She flipped through the book again and resumed reading with interest. However, she was very careful. She was reading the book, but her ears were catching the sounds around. Every time Chen Zhong was about toe in, she would either be ying or sleeping, or holding the book upside down, or mumbling to herself. She presented herself as a normal child. People in the vige have started the busy nting season. Therefore, everyone in the vige was very busy. Li Tang Vige is a vegetable-growing area. All families not only have their own vegetable plots but also share some part of the river beach where they can nt sweet potatoes, peanuts, and potatoes. However, thend of Li Tang vige is most suitable for growing vegetables, making it arge vegetable-producing area. The nearby viges are also vegetable-growing areas, with their dedicated vegetable wholesale centers. During farming season, everyone in the vige gets so busy that even children help in the field, being either help or not interrupting adults. Recently, Tang Yuxin has been staying with Chen Zhong. Otherwise, Tang Zhinian really wouldn¡¯t know how to deal with his daughter. The field is both dirty and dusty. If he was busy working, he couldn¡¯t take care of her. Looking at the children of other families who were clean when they went to the field and rolled into mud balls when they returned home, and they couldn¡¯t go home until noon sometimes and had to eat the pancakes brought from home. They, as adults, could make do, but children couldn¡¯t. Despite being poor, he never let his children suffer. Fortunately, Chen Zhong liked Tang Yuxin very much and was willing to look after her, managing her meals, sleep, and ytime Seeing this, others thought about how much this could save them and wanted to send their children to Chen Zhong as well. However, Chen Zhong¡¯s stern face not only deterred the adults but also scared the children into crying, forcing them to refuse to go to Chen Zhong¡¯s. Chapter 46 - 46 Your Child Grows Well Chapter 46: Your Child Grows Well Trantor: 549690339 It¡¯s heartbreaking to see one¡¯s own child so timid and unassertive when a three-year-old from Tang Zhinian¡¯s family is not scared at all. But why is our child so easily cowed? There were indeed many who proposed solutions, but after several trials, only Tang Yuxin ended up staying with Chen Zhong. She would often sit in Chen Zhong¡¯s study and watch her dolls, and when she didn¡¯t have anything else to do, she would learn about medicinal herbs and acupressure points with him. Of course, she spent most of the time ying. Despite having a wildly vivid imagination, she knew she had to remember the lessons. Otherwise, Chen Zhong would not have always greeted her with a friendly expression. His demeanor had noticeably softened, and he still ensured she had three meals a day. This was Tang Yuxin¡¯s first year after her rebirth. Ever since Tang Zhinian divorced Sang Zhn, thetter never returned. Sometimes, thinking about these past events would unsettle Tang Zhinian, flooding his chest with a formless anger and difort. Not anger for himself, but for Tang Yuxin. Every time he saw Tang Yuxin being well-behaved and obedient, looking adorable, he felt a sense of injustice and heartache on her behalf. How could Sang Zhn abandon such a sweet child? It¡¯s been nearly a year, and she has not oncee to see her daughter. Is someone else¡¯s child better than your own? Why does everyone else love their children, while she Sang Zhn, stubbornly ys the fool? Once the child is grown, she will most likely be seen as an ungrateful return for her upbringing. ¡°Daddy will take you to buy clothes,¡± Tang Zhinian said cheerfully, holding his daughter as they headed into town. New Year was approaching, and he wanted to buy new clothes for his daughter. He earned some from selling vegetables today which he decided to spend on a new outfit for her, putting aside other needs. Tang Yuxin remembered the new cotton dress in the cupboard that she had not yet worn. She wanted to tell him about its existence, but seeing his joyful expression, she kept her words to herself. It was rare to see him this happy, even a bit enthusiastic. Otherwise, he would be forever digging in the fields without a hint of joy, seemingly using farming as an escape from something. Even the most honest man, when discovering he¡¯s wearing the proverbial ¡®cuckold¡¯s cap¡¯, is unlikely to act as though nothing happened. He can¡¯t help but wonder if anyone knows, if they¡¯re pointing fingers behind his back. A man can tolerate many things from a woman, just as Tang Zhinian did with Sang Zhn. She could neglect the family, she could leave their daughter to his care, but she could not humiliate him by making him a cuckold. The green of it makes men envious. There is no man who can withstand such dishonor. Therefore, Tang Zhinian, who initially wanted to salvage their marriage, abandoned the thought. Sang Zhn, who had originally intended to take more from him, divorced out of guilt. Even the Sang family, always so demanding and insatiable, dared not make a scene. Only because, They felt guilty. Only because. They were afraid, The guilty party always bows its head in shame. Tang Yuxin was worried that if things continued this way, her genuine, hardworking father might be a dejected man, only knowing how to farm, and forgetting how to smile. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, sweetheart?¡± Tang Zhinian asked, rubbing his daughter¡¯s head and pulling her to sit next to him. Tang Yuxin shook her head, then grabbed onto the little braids her father had neatly made for her. ¡°Your kid has grown up beautifully.¡± Chapter 47 - 48 This Strange Aesthetic Chapter 47: Chapter 48 This Strange Aesthetic Trantor: 549690339 The woman sitting next to them was quite envious of Tang Yuxin, who was being held in Tang Zhinian¡¯s arms. Although they were all from the countryside, why was his child so fair, tender, and clean? Her little face was really beautiful, with big eyes, and a small mouth, all of it was so white and adorable. ¡°My child is a bit more behaved and doesn¡¯t dirty her clothes, so she looks cleaner,¡± Tang Zhinian said modestly. But everyone could hear the pride in his voice. Tang Yuxin touched her little face. She was cute as a child, but she worried she would be ugly when she grew up. Well, no matter what, she had to grow taller first. At least she wanted to be one meter sixty. It would be a relief if she could reach one meter fifty. There is no milk for sale now, and milk powder was quite expensive. Plus, she was quite older now. If she continued drinking milk powder, people wouldugh at her. So, what should she eat to grow taller? Starting from now, she needed to develop a good dietary n for herself. She couldn¡¯t expect her father to buy her expensive food, so she decided to eat as much as possible from whatever was avable around her. She was always deep in thought and did not talk much. People perceived her as a well-behaved, easy to raise child. In reality, children these days were easy to raise. They could spend a whole day ying with a piece of mud. The older kids took care of the younger ones, and the younger ones cared for the ones even younger. If Tang Yuxin were to live in the city now, she would be considered the first generation of single children. But, in the rural areas, even if they had to fight hard, parents would always try to give birth to a son. If a family had no male heir, they would be ridiculed for not having anyone to carry on the family name after their death. However, Tang Zhinian didn¡¯t mind this at all. He had no ns of remarrying. He just wanted to raise his daughter well, let her receive education, get into a good university, and escape from their poor mountainous region. Upon reaching the city, Tang Zhinian held his daughter¡¯s small hand and took her to buy clothes. There were norge shopping malls at that time. The supply and marketing cooperatives were transitioning and bing the People¡¯s Store, where people could sell their own items. Tang Zhinian bought his daughter a floral cotton jacket. If her cheeks were a bit redder, she would look like aplete country bumpkin. He couldn¡¯t understand the modern aesthetic sense which deemed it tacky. Regardless, Tang Zhinian liked it, and Tang Yuxin didn¡¯t mind either. Although its mboyant colors were considered vulgar, which child in the vige did not dress like this? Having a new piece of clothing was already a big deal. Some families with poor conditions did not even have new clothes. Therefore, she was very content and satisfied. Tang Zhinian also bought some items for the Lunar New Year. He needed to buy couplets, peanuts, to offer to the children who would visit their home. Even if the adults didn¡¯t eat, the children would definitely need to have some. No matter the family¡¯s circumstances, he had never ever skimped on anything for his daughter. Tang Yuxin held onto the corner of her father¡¯s clothes all the time, trying to free up his hands as much as possible for shopping. The lighter bags, she would carry herself. Tang Zhinian¡¯s shoulders were weighed down by a snake-skin bag, with his daughter in his arms. And carrying all the other bags of shopping, they made their way home. The journey back was undoubtedly tough. Chapter 48 - 49 That’s Not Mom Chapter 48: Chapter 49 That¡¯s Not Mom Trantor: 549690339 She looked around. After getting used to therge mall with numerous supermarkets, it was her first time in such a primitive marketce. In thete 70s and early 80s, the country was still very backward. Even the items in the mall were one of a kind and there were not many styles to choose from. But for people nowadays, this was considered fashionable. But one had to obey the rules if they were to survive here. To be too radical was not beautiful, it was a death wish. She turned her face away, but her small mouth involuntarily pursed. Her eyes, dark to the bottom, turned cool, like a slight breeze blowing in March that carried no warmth, only coldness. Not too far, a man was holding a two or three-year-old child, picking out clothes. The little girl kept rejecting his choices, yet the man kept on coaxing her. Apparently, the woman had said something to the little girl that calmed her down. The man then ced the little girl on the counter, and the woman took a pair of shoes to put on the child. They were truly a sweet family of three. However, the woman¡¯s face was all too familiar, sharing an uncanny resemnce with hers. What are you looking at? Tang Zhinian ced hisrge hand on his daughter¡¯s small face. Following his daughter¡¯s gaze, his expression soon mirrored Tang Yuxin¡¯s. He blocked his daughter¡¯s eyes with his hand and lifted her into his arms with the other hand. His palm was warm yet extremely rough, causing Tang Yuxin¡¯s skin to feel slightly raw. At that moment, Sang Zhn felt two unfriendly gazes intermittently looking her way. She turned her head subconsciously and upon seeing Tang Zhinian and his daughter, her face changed instantly, showing signs of distress and mainly awkwardness. ¡°Mommy, can you hold me?¡± Wei Jiani reached out her little hand for her mother to hold. If Sang Zhn didn¡¯t pick her up, she would cry. Both were daughters but since Tang Yuxin hadn¡¯t yet turned one year old, he was the one who raised her. Comparing both his daughters, the difference was evident even in little details. Sang Zhn loved Wei Jiani. To Sang Zhn, Tang Yuxin might be just someone else¡¯s daughter. At that moment, Tang Zhinian¡¯s eyes became like sharp knives as he stared at Sang Zhn fiercely. He then picked up his bag and strode out. It was impossible for him to ever forgive Sang Zhn in this life. However, he abruptly stopped, as if realizing something, causing his face to be even more unpleasant. ¡°Yuxin, how did you know about having a younger sister?¡± Tang Zhinian asked his daughter. The girl who was just in Sang Zhn¡¯s arms and had just referred to Sang Zhn as her mother, looked surprisingly like Sang Zhn. He then remembered how Sang Zhn had disappeared for more than a year when Yuxin was just a few months old. Could it be possible¡­? Tang Yuxin also clenched her dress, realizing that Tang Zhinian was starting to suspect something. She lowered her eyes, deliberately speaking in a childish voice, ¡°Mommy said the clothes were for Uncle¡¯s little sister. She said the little sister was very pitiful and had no mother. But, Daddy, where is Uncle¡¯s little sister?¡± Tang Zhinian held his daughter a little tighter, ¡°Xinxin, did you see your mom just now?¡± Tang Yuxin shook her head, ¡°I don¡¯t know. Xinxin doesn¡¯t remember Mommy. The auntie just now looked like Mommy, but she¡¯s not Mommy because the auntie has her own child.¡± Chapter 49 - 50 The Little Girl Who Stuffs Ducks Chapter 49: Chapter 50 The Little Girl Who Stuffs Ducks Trantor: 549690339 She was lying. In reality, how could she possibly forget certain people and certain events? Even if she were to live her life two, three, or even four times, she would never forget. Especially the face of Sang Zhn- even if she were reduced to ashes, she would not forget it. What she remembered most, of course, was her cold face, her favoritism, and her maniption of her and her father, from the moment she was born until her death. ¡°Our Xinxin is so clever, she knew that wasn¡¯t her mom,¡± Tang Zhinian said with a smile, patting his daughter¡¯s hair. However, in his eyes was an inexplicable gloom, still because of Sang Zhn. She had actually loved another person¡¯s child more than her own. ¡°She¡¯s not mom,¡± Tang Yuxin puckered her lips, ¡°She never put shoes on for Xinxin.¡± And sure enough, after Tang Yuxin said that, Tang Zhinian didn¡¯t question it, really believing that Sang Zhn had had her brain muddled byrd. He would adore his own daughter and let her adore someone else¡¯s. Carrying loads of packages home again, all the way, Tang Zhinian was holding his daughter with one arm. He might be a in farmer with no education, but he did have shoulders that could shield his daughter from wind and rain. His shoulders could carry the whole family, and they could carry his daughter as well. ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± Chen Zhong reached out and knocked on Tang Yuxin¡¯s forehead, ¡°Why are you daydreaming? Don¡¯t you like looking at your dolls today?¡± He then knocked on the table, drawing Tang Yuxin¡¯s attention back. Tang Yuxin touched her forehead, pouting, ¡°Grandpa, that hurts.¡± ¡°Does it still hurt?¡± Chen Zhong knocked on her again, ¡°Your book is upside down. Why are you so distracted today? Take a good look at your dolls, it¡¯ll be good for you in the future.¡± But Tang Yuxin had a baffled look on her face. She had just be a four-year-old girl. What could she understand? The ¡°dolls¡± they were talking about were the images in these books, some were Acupoint Maps, some were Meridian Maps, some were nt names used in traditional medicine, and some were about what they called the rtionship of generation and restriction etc. Traditional Chinese medicine emphasizes bncing Yin and Yang, transformations of the five elements, conforming to the seasons and cultivation of the body¡¯s vital energy. All of these were what Tang Yuxin hade to understand after a year of studying, then stuffed into her little head daily by Chen Zhong, as if force-feeding a duck. Even adults may not understand theseplex principles, but they were all pushed into her mind, no matter how much she could absorb and digest. Of course, every time he asked, Tang Yuxin would shake her head, even if she had already memorized these things by heart, but she would never tell Chen Zhong. Despite this, sometimes she seemed a bit slow, causing Chen Zhong to feel both frustrated and determined, and he continued to ¡®feed¡¯ her. She looked back at the room full of books, she had already read more than half of the books here. If she were to finish all of them, it would probably take a few more years. She was able to retain some of it, because after all, she was not that smart and from memory, she was able to recall some of it. She was just working hard, memorizing as much as possible. However, thanks to a child¡¯s strong memory, these memories grew with her, and she managed to remember a good deal of it. Whenever she took a book, Chen Zhong would exin it to her, and then she would remember more. In this way, she managed to remember seventy or eighty percent of the contents. Chapter 50 - 51 Hoping to Grow Taller Chapter 50: Chapter 51 Hoping to Grow Taller Trantor: 549690339 She no longer needed to doubt whether Chen Zhong was going to teach her or not. It was confirmed ¨C he was treating her like a disciple and instructing her, despite not having said it explicitly, his actions had made it clear. ¡°Grandpa¡­¡± Tang Yuxin put down her book in hand and ran over, pulling at Chen Zhong¡¯s hem. She lifted her little face, blinked her eyes, and disyed a charming innocence. She was used to being young again, ustomed to starting over, and had also learned to adorably y cute and obedient. ¡°Grandpa, is there any medicine that can make me grow taller? So that Xinxin can be as tall as Dad?¡± She asked in her milky voice. Chen Zhong rubbed her head. ¡°Silly girl, if you grow as tall as your Dad, no one would want you.¡± No way, Tang Yuxin thought. Future tall models were usually around 170 cm. Even if she genuinely grew that tall, she could still y basketball or be a model. Of course, she wouldn¡¯t be unmarriageable. Several decadester, the number of men would exceed that of women, There might be old bachelors unable to find wives, but there would never be any ugly women who couldn¡¯t be sold into marriage. ¡°Grandpa, is there?¡± She scrunched up her little nose, even if she had to be as tall as a utility pole, she did not want to be a dwarf. She no longer wanted to wear high heels every day until her feet ached, or buy shoes with hidden heels. In fact, she wouldn¡¯t mind adding a few more centimeters to her height. She didn¡¯t want to have to pay ten yuan every time she bought trousers, just to have them altered, not only costing her money but also ruining the trousers¡¯ style. And she didn¡¯t want to end up treating an ankle-length dress as a nightgown. ¡°Let me think,¡± Chen Zhong stroked his chin. If he were an ancient person, that action might have given him a wise,posed air. But modern people were unustomed to growing beards, hence it just looked a bit strange. ¡°There is,¡± Chen Zhong patted Tang Yuxin¡¯s forehead, ¡°I can give you the prescription, which consists of a few herbs mixed together, and I can even help you boil it. As long as you take it, you¡¯ll definitely grow taller. But you have toe and learn to read with me every day in the future.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to go to school,¡± Tang Yuxin was actually thrilled inside, but she couldn¡¯t let the old man gloat. He had already squeezed her spirit dry. She was worried that Chen Zhong would uproot her growth as a young sprout. ¡°If you want to grow taller, you must go to school,¡± Chen Zhong narrowed his eyes, threatening poor Yuxin mercilessly. Tang Yuxin¡¯s eyes turned red. She was now ustomed to being a child and could easily control her tears. She looked really pitiful with tears dotting her eyes, and arge tear trickled down her cheek. ¡°Grandpa, can I still grow taller without having to write?¡± ¡°No,¡± Chen Zhong lengthened his face, just like when Tang Yuxin first saw him, aloof, haughty, and of course, bad-tempered. Tang Yuxin nibbled on her finger and rolled her eyes at her childish behavior, realizing she had to y the whole card. She would have to give in deliberately. She sniffled, ¡°Then Grandpa, I¡¯ll learn to write, I want to grow tall, I don¡¯t want to be as short as Uncle Pingwa.¡± Pingwa was a viger. Standing only 149 cm tall, he was short and fat and looked like a watermelon. He was over thirty and still couldn¡¯t find a wife. Whenever the vige children did not eat their meals properly, they were warned that they would end up like Pingwa ¨C unwanted by anyone. Of course, Tang Yuxin was one of them. Recalling her past life when she was only 152 cm tall, just making it over 150 cm, Tang Yuxin felt like crying, even in her dreams. Chapter 51 - 52: How Difficult It Is For Her Chapter 51: Chapter 52: How Difficult It Is For Her Trantor: 549690339 So, in order to grow taller, she had to ept even the most inhumane of requests. She didn¡¯t want to learn handwriting. She had been in school for a long time already. Starting from scratch again was torture for her, plus she was only four years old. It was unreasonable to put such pressure on a young sprout like herself. When she was about to leave, Chen Zhong gave her a bag of herbs, ¡°Take this home and ask your father to prepare a foot bath for you. It doesn¡¯t require much, just a little. This bag willst a month. Come back to me when you run out. Also,¡± he sternly added, ¡°remember toe and learn handwriting with me tomorrow.¡± Alright, Tang Yuxin carried the little bag with her tiny hands. It wasn¡¯t heavy ¨C it was actually quite light. It contained nothing more than leaves, grass, roots and such. At least, she won¡¯t have to drink it. No matter how beneficial herbs are, in excess, they can be harmful. Common sense dictates that all medicines can be poisonous inrge amounts. It¡¯spletely true. She was anyway supposed to take foot baths every day. It was a habit she had developed from her previous life. She couldn¡¯t sleep without it. Her father, Chen Zhinian, instilled this good habit in her. No matter how busy or tired he was, he made time to prepare a foot bath for her. Tang Yuxin was prone to getting cold hands and feet in the winter when she was little. It was Chen Zhong who advised them to make her soak her feet. With time, she got better. At first, Chen Zhinian was skeptical. However, after sticking with it for a year, Tang Yuxin showed improvement. At least, some color returned to her face. Therefore, Chen Zhinian continued the foot baths without fail. Now that Tang Yuxin brought a bag of medicinal herbs home, saying that it was for her foot baths, he didn¡¯t doubt it at all. When the herbs were soaked in a basin, a faint fragrance wafted out. It smelled like fresh green grass, only a bit more subtle. Tang Yuxin immersed her little feet in the basin. Her petite toes were round and soft, simply adorable. She could never have dreamed of going back to her childhood and experiencing all of this again, only everything was different this time around. As for her future ns, she didn¡¯t have any clear idea yet. She was only four, and at this age, kids should be enjoying their ytime. They don¡¯t understand much and usually follow adults around or are led by their older siblings, ying with mud, and being mischievous everywhere they go. Tang Yuxiny on her little bed. She had fought hard for it to get her own bed at such a young age. Children her age usually still slept with their parents. It was tough to get this small separate room for herself. She even deliberately fell off the big bed a few times, iming that it was Tang Zhinian who had knocked her off. Tang Zhinian was dumbfounded at the time. After simr situations urred several times, he had no choice but to partition a small room and make a small wooden bed for his daughter. It was a one-meter bed with a guardrail. Despite this, he still found it hard to believe that he would¡¯ve knocked his daughter off the bed while asleep. He was ordinarily rather still when sleeping. Was it possible that he moved in his sleep? Tang Yuxin finally got her own little room and no longer had to intentionally fall off the bed. After a few falls, she ended up with quite a few bumps on her head. At first, Tang Zhinian was naturally worried about his daughter. He would wake up several times a night, afraid that she would kick off her nket or fall out of her bed. After secretly observing her for a few days, he found that Tang Yuxin was a very peaceful sleeper. She wouldn¡¯t kick her nket or even turn over in her sleep. She would sleep soundly until morning and, thankfully, never fell out of bed again. Chapter 52 - 53 She is still a baby Chapter 52: Chapter 53 She is still a baby Trantor: 549690339 Carried away with worry for half a month, finding sleep hard toe by. He eventually managed to let his anxieties rest. Atst, Tang Yuxin found herself with her very own private space. The book she held in her hands was borrowed from Chen Zhong. Additionally, she held a notebook where she noted down the key points from the book. She was studying medicine and knew how critical this knowledge was. Sometimes she thought that the books Chen Zhong had was the only one of its kind, procured from a ce she didn¡¯t know, perhaps passed down through his family. However, these books wouldn¡¯tst long. The following year, when she was only five, a great flood engulfed Li Tang Vige. Almost the entire vige washed away ¨C the roofs were barely left, never mind books. The books became nothing but dust in the flood. As for what happened to Chen Zhong, she never intentionally inquired. Word said that the Li Tang Vige suffered massive damage and wasrgely destroyed. It was only with government funding that the vige was resurrected. The vige underwent several years of reconstruction and gradually improved day by day. In those years, it felt as though the vige was going through its toughest times. Tang Yuxin was too young to preserve those books. She was fragile and fearful of any suspicion. She feared that the life she had struggled for wasn¡¯t joyous, but monstrous. So, every step she took was like treading on thin ice. She dared not make any missteps. The rural people were superstitious, so she dared not express herself too explicitly. Thus, she utilized Chen Zhong¡¯s book collection slowly and deliberately, copying as many as she could. With a shake of her little arm, she wondered how many books she could cover in a year. She would copy rare books.. The others, she would try to find. If she could find them, she wouldn¡¯t need to copy them. ¡°How is this character written?¡± With a snap, Tang Yuxin¡¯s hand was hit. She quickly withdrew her little w, eyes watering as she ttened her lips. Then, she looked at the character she had whimsically drawn on the paper. A farmer borrowed two marbles from me. I said give it back in three days, he said four. I headed for his house and circled around. Three leeks cost three dimes, a piece of tofu six dimes, a string of candied hawthorns seven dimes, I am that farmer. This was a game rural children loved to y. Just for fun, she drew it without much thought. Then she was hit on her hand. She was still a baby. How could anyone be so cruel to a baby? Chen Zhong was strict in certain aspects, especially in medical skills. He couldn¡¯t afford to bex. In the past, Tang Yuxin would get her palms pped if she mispronounced a name of a medicine. Chen Zhong used to say, ¡°Never underestimate a medicine name. Even a tiny mistake can cost a life. If you mispronounce, you can correct it. But once a life is taken, how can you return it?¡± Tang Yuxin understood this well. She strived to remember it clearly. The errors were just because she was a child. A child makes mistakes. All she wanted was some normalcy. ¡°Write correctly,¡± Chen Zhong again pped the desk. His face longer than a horse¡¯s, while Tang Yuxin was on the verge of tears, holding her calligraphy brush. Indeed, the calligraphy brush. Chen Zhong said, ¡°How could one be a good doctor without good handwriting?¡± Chapter 53 - 54 A Good Handwriting Chapter 53: Chapter 54 A Good Handwriting Trantor: 549690339 She admitted that in ancient times, doctors often had their unique handwriting styles to prevent others from stealing their medical prescriptions. Thus, their handwriting was usually hard formon people to decipher. Even though there wereputers and smartphones in the future, nothing could truly rece one¡¯s handwriting. Handwriting was the facade of a person; her handwriting in the past was neither good nor bad but legible enough. Of course, it wasn¡¯t pretty. If given the opportunity to write beautiful characters, she would be very, very willing. But she was just a four-year-old, an undeveloped sprout. She couldn¡¯t even hold a pen properly; how could she possibly write any characters? However, Tang Zhinian was certainly pleased that his daughter could learn to write. There were no nurseries in the vige, so all the children would run around ying with stones, bricks, and mud. The best they could hope for was coping Xinxin: very young, but able to act as a literate individual, even learning to write. Chen Zhong had once mentioned a long time ago that he believed Tang Yuxin had the potential to be a great medical learner. She was focused, had a good memory, and most importantly, showed remarkable aptitude in medicine. Consequently, he wanted Tang Yuxin to learn traditional Chinese medicine from him. As to how far she could get, no one knew, just like how nobody knew when his life would end. However, being able to pass down his medical skills, preventing his knowledge from being lost, was his greatest hope in life at this moment. Luck was on his side for having found a disciple like Tang Yuxin. The first time she was able to identify the scent of the medicinal herbs marked the beginning. A year has passed since then, and even though he sometimes stuffed her with knowledge like force-feeding a duck, he had no choice. He worried about not being around when Tang Yuxin grew up. What was the most tragic thing in life? The disciple was still too young when the master was about to die. However, the childtely seemed somewhat unruly. She needed a good disciplining. ¡°Grandpa, I want that one,¡± Tang Yuxin pointed to the oldest few books inside. She had almost read all the older books there and was missing these. Chen Zhong walked over, took the books down for the little girl, not just one book, but four books. Then he ced them in front of Tang Yuxin. ¡°Look more at the drawings,¡± Chen Zhong rubbed Tang Yuxin¡¯s wee head. Why did this child seem to grow so slowly? She was still so petite; she couldn¡¯t even hold a few books. Tang Yuxin turned a page, finding it filled with handwritten text. However, the characters were difficult to recognize. Even though she had been a university graduate in her previous life, she couldn¡¯t recognize a single one of these characters. Indeed, she couldn¡¯t recognize any of them. The font seemed to be a special one. She pushed the book forward. ¡°Grandpa, it¡¯s not good-looking, it¡¯s all twisted.¡± She tried to express herself in the simplest terms possible. ¡°Of course, it¡¯s twisted.¡± Chen Zhong grabbed a small braid in Tang Yuxin¡¯s hair. ¡°These are personally handwritten by your great-great-grandfather, and the handwriting is unique to our Chen Family. If you don¡¯t learn our handwriting, you won¡¯t understand our prescriptions. So these twisted books are for you. You can read them when you grow up.¡± Tang Yuxin blinked, but she was secretly astonished inside. Chapter 54 - 55: Introducing Younger Brother Chapter 54: Chapter 55: Introducing Younger Brother Trantor: 549690339 Giving her something so precious¡­ but this was exactly what she wanted. She had been wondering how to preserve these books, and the more she could keep, the better. After all, these books were valuable, and it would be such a waste if they were lost. Chen Zhong¡¯s gaze towards these books waspletely different from his gaze towards others, and even his movements were extremely careful. So, could she assume that these were, in fact, the most important books to Chen Zhong? ¡°Uncle Zhong, this is really too much,¡± Tang Zhinian said when he came to pick up his daughter. Not only was he holding his daughter, but he was also taking several of Chen Zhong¡¯s books. But how could they take something that belonged to someone else? Chen Zhong was already helping them take care of their child every day, and he felt embarrassed enough about that, to take food and other things as well, he would have to be absolutely shameless. ¡°It¡¯s for my disciple, what¡¯s it to you?¡± At Chen Zhong¡¯s retort, Tang Zhinian was left speechless. And with that word, ¡°disciple,¡± Tang Yuxin was officially given a status. From now on,ing here was nothing less than a rightful thing, and even if she ate her master¡¯s food, it would be totally justified. And taking things from her master was also okay. When Tang Yuxin got home, she wrapped these books in stic and put them under her little bed. It didn¡¯t matter that she couldn¡¯t understand a single character in them, it would have been a waste to look at them. ¡°Yuxin, Yuxin¡­¡± someone was calling her name outside. She got down from her bed, put on her little shoes, and ran out. Standing at her door were two little girls about her age who yed together when they were free. One of them was older, about six or seven, and the others were younger, around her age, probably three or four years old. The older one was named Zhang Xiaya, a child from a neighboring family. She was indeed older, eight years old. She hadn¡¯t started school yet because of herte birthday; the school wouldn¡¯t ept her until the next year. Therefore, she stayed here, helped her family with farming, and yed with the younger children in her free time. Tang Yuxin¡¯s attentionnded on one of the girls. This girl was slim and dark-skinned, her nose running with snot that she immediately sucked back up with a sniffle. Tang Yuxin couldn¡¯t remember who this girl was. She vaguely remembered such a figure from her memories, but as she rarely returned to the vige past the age of three in her previous life, the memories were fuzzy. Since her rebirth, familiar faces were few and strangers were many. ¡°Sister Yaya, who is she?¡± She ran over, grabbing onto the older girl¡¯s arm as if afraid that Zhang Xiaya would be taken away, filling her with a sense of vignce. ¡°That¡¯s Yin Di. She just came back from her hometown to live in the vige.¡± Yin Di? Tang Yuxin couldn¡¯t remember who Yin Di was. There were many Yin Di¡¯s in the vige. By her name, it was clear that she was a product of family nning policies. But she did seem familiar; Tang Yuxin supposed she had some connection to her? Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have forgotten the others but remembered her. Zhang Xiaya took the children to the riverside, dug up some mud, threw it onto the ground, and gave each child a piece. Zhang Xiaya was undoubtedly the queen bee among them. Not only was she older and more sensible, they all admired her because of her age. Thus, these little ones looked up to Zhang Xiaya. Chapter 55 - 56 It’s Her Chapter 55: Chapter 56 It¡¯s Her Trantor: 549690339 Of course, Zhang Xiaya also gave Tang Yuxin a lump of mud, saying that they should make a stove and a pot with it. Tang Yuxin looked at her clean little hands and the clean clothes she put on just today. She wasn¡¯t one to y with mud; while other kids had their clothes washed by their mothers, hers were washed by her father. Her father was already very busy and tired, so sometimes her uncle would help wash her clothes. The men of the Tang family were homebodies, the quietly dependable sort that only those with discerning eyes would appreciate. Zhang Yindi sniffled on her long, runny nose. ¡°Yuxin, aren¡¯t you ying?¡± ¡°No,¡± Tang Yuxin pinched her fair, tender small fingers, ¡°Dad changed me into new clothes today, I don¡¯t want them to get dirty.¡± ¡°Then give yours to me.¡± Zhang Yindi, with her mud-covered hands, immediately reached out to grab the lump of mud Tang Yuxin was holding as if someone would snatch it away. Tang Yuxin furrowed her eyebrows slightly, how was this feeling so familiar? Zhang Yindi, such amon name, yet what past incidents could she have possibly forgotten with this person in her memories? ¡°Yindi, what¡¯s yourst name?¡± Tang Yuxin knelt on the ground, poking her palm with her little finger, her face soft and adorable like a little Baozi. The children in the rural areas matured early, running around freely likembs ever since their childhood. All the children here were used to growing up in this way, so they did not mind getting a bit dirty. Yet Tang Yuxin stood out. She was always clean, quiet, and therefore, the vigers always said that Tang Yuxin was like a child from the city. Every time Tang Yuxin heard this, she was somewhat helpless. The thought of a woman in her thirties ying with mud alongside the kids made her wish she could voice out her thoughts. Your Majesty, I simply cannot do this. Zhang Yindi lifted her face, it was skinny and tanned. She had small monolid eyes and two red cheeks, the typical physical characteristics of Northwestern people. ¡°Myst name is Zhang too. My name is Zhang Yindi.¡± ¡°Zhang Yindi?¡± There was a sudden sour feeling in Tang Yuxin¡¯s heart. It was her. She can¡¯t believe it was her. She looked so different as a child, but when she grew up, she transformedpletely¡ªincredibly beautiful, elegant, and married to an enviable husband that every woman dreamed of. But at that time, she had no longer used the name Zhang Yindi. Instead, she had changed it to Zhang Xiaomei. No wonder Tang Yuxin remembered the name but could not match it with the corresponding person. She had only met Zhang Xiaomei, who was Zhang Yindi in the past, once in the hospital. Back then, Zhang Xiaomei did not recognize her, while she managed to recognize Zhang Xiaomei. Thetter had indeed changed a lot in appearance, but she was the Golden Phoenix who flew out of their vige, and the man she married was Mr. Gu Ning. A gleam shed across Tang Yuxin¡¯s eyes, she really wanted to find a hint of the future Zhang Xiaomei in Zhang Yindi¡¯s current appearance. However, regretfully, she couldn¡¯t even find a hair that was simr, let alone the whole likeness. Zhang Yindi now had small eyes, a t nose, and a square face. As a doctor, Tang Yuxin knew too well that even with growth, a square face couldn¡¯t transform into a sharp, oval face. Thus, it only meant that Zhang Xiaomei¡¯s final appearance was not a result of maturing into beauty, but stic surgery. However, why didn¡¯t she cherish what she had? Mr. Gu was a good man. If it was her, if it was her, then, regardless of life or death, she would never leave him like that¡ªheartlessly, and without uttering a word. For a man suffering from a severe illness, this could be more devastating than anything else. Chapter 56 - 57 She Has Grown Up Chapter 56: Chapter 57 She Has Grown Up Trantor: 549690339 Her eyes gradually drained the little warmth that was left within them. Yindi lifted his dark face, his head tilted in confusion, his face all muddy. ck and skinny with unremarkable features, there was no trace of color detectable on his face. She involuntarily shuddered and then dropped her gaze, running away from Tang Yuxin like she had seen a ghost. ¡°Xinxin¡­¡± Just then, Tang Zhijun came to pick up his niece. ¡°Uncle!¡± Tang Yuxin ran over and hugged Tang Zhijun¡¯s leg, lifting her little face, ¡°When did youe home, uncle?¡± ¡°It¡¯s time for your dinner, your dad made some rice today,¡± he said, ¡°Let¡¯s go, we¡¯re headed home.¡± Tang Zhijun picked up his niece and headed home. The other children who had been ying in the mud gradually followed the adults and left, but Yindi continued to y with her mud toys until her mother came. Seeing that Yindi had transformed herself into a mud monkey, her mother immediately tugged her ear. Yindi was raised by her grandmother, as at that time birth control was heavily imposed, and households with two daughters were forced into sterilization. Despite this, their family had two money-loss daughters and desperately wanted a son, so they secretly sent Yindi away and hidden until Yindi¡¯s baby brother was born and they returned to the vige. Even back in the vige, they had to pay a fine of five hundred yuan. This amount meant nothing in the future, as it could be spent in one visit to the supermarket. But this five hundred yuan now, it was the livelihood of a whole family for several years. Yindi¡¯s mother disliked her a lot. In her heart, she always believed that the five hundred yuan was not spent on her little son, but on Yindi. If Yindi hadn¡¯t cost them, they wouldn¡¯t have needed to hide, spending five hundred yuan in the end. That¡¯s how it was in rural areas. The elder ones shifted their burdens onto younger ones, with one pitiful person stuck in the middle. Yindi was just that person who grew up like this, which resulted in her selfish nature. She could only take from others, but no one could ever owe her anything. When they got home, Tang Yuxin wriggled out of Tang Zhijun¡¯s arms and ran towards the outhouse. ¡°Xinxin, slow down¡­¡± Tang Zhijun reached out and caught the little braids on his niece¡¯s head. ¡°Uncle, I need to pee,¡± Tang Yuxin was red in the face, one because she was in a hurry, and another because she, a thirty-year-old woman, had to discuss her toilet needs with a young man in his twenties, especially when the man was her uncle. ¡°Uncle will take you there,¡± Tang Zhinian adored his little Yuxin. Still, it caused him great difort. ¡°Little Xinxin, Uncle used to take you to the toilet and help you wipe your butt. Why don¡¯t you let Uncle help you now?¡± As he spoke, a hint of grievance surfaced. ¡°Ah, kids grow up, they no longer depend on their uncles.¡± But she¡¯s only four years old. Even five-or-six-year-olds in other families still have their family members help wipe their butts. Some even wet their pants at eight or nine. Can someone tell him why his little niece is so sensible that he ends up feeling useless? Chapter 57 - 58 Because of Her Mother Chapter 57: Chapter 58 Because of Her Mother Trantor: 549690339 At this moment, Tang Yuxin¡¯s face was flushed red, she hadn¡¯te back home, how could a child understand that? Every time she thought about the fact that her uncle had wiped her bottom for her, she just wanted to find a wall and bang her head against it. Children might not understand shame, but she was an adult, wasn¡¯t she aware of the concept of shame? ¡°Uncle, I need to pee,¡± Tang Yuxin tugged at her own hair and then ran in the direction of the restroom, she was almost fleeing. And Tang Yuxin could still hear the sound of her shameless uncleughing heartily. She really couldn¡¯t understand what was funny; what on earth was so amusing about the situation? Yes, that¡¯s right, you tell me, what on earth is so funny? What is the joke here? She truly didn¡¯t get it. Nowadays, vige restrooms are all outdoor types; adults and children use the same restroom, you don¡¯t even need to flush, everything is as it is. When the septic tank is full, it can be used as fertilizer for thend. At the beginning, Tang Yuxin couldn¡¯t get used to the restroom at home. After all, she had been using a flush toilet for so many years. Suddenly having to change, she really wanted to find a tree to solve the matter. In fact, she did sneakily find a tree once, but no one knew. The restroom at home does stink, however, as she kept using it, she slowly got used to it. She has been back home for over a year now. Whatever cannot be ustomed to, she has gotten used to. Just like going to the restroom, it¡¯s just like that now. After finishing her business, she tore some toilet paper from a brick, and with great effort, managed to wipe her bottom properly. Yet, it also left her drenched in sweat. She was still too small. Looking at her small hands, she clenched them into fists, she still couldn¡¯t do much, and had to obediently act as a baby. After she came out of the restroom, she ran to the basin and was about to wash her hands. ¡°Child, howe you are so clean?¡± Tang Zhijun pinched his little niece¡¯s cheek, ¡°Isn¡¯t this a bit too clean? You wash your hands dozens of times a day, Little Xinxin, aren¡¯t you afraid that you¡¯ll wash your own skin off?¡± Tang Yuxin turned her face away and ignored him. Outside, Tang Zhinian couldn¡¯t help butugh out loud, ¡°What, did you upset her again?¡± Tang Zhijun scratched his head, ¡°I just wanted to help her wipe her butt, and she ran off. She¡¯s not even talking to me now.¡± And Tang Zhinian was almostughing his belly sore. ¡°Haven¡¯t I told you before, she¡¯s grown up now, she knows how to feel shy.¡± ¡°Brother, how big could she possibly get? She¡¯s only four years old. What¡¯s the difference between four and three? Justst year she was apletely dependent baby, suddenly she¡¯s all grown up, won¡¯t let people dress her, won¡¯t let people wash her face, even wiping her bottom she can do on her own.¡± Tang Zhijun ced his hand on his daughter¡¯s small head and sighed gently, ¡°It might be because of her mother.¡± ¡°Again with Sang Zhn,¡± Tang Zhijun¡¯s face would flush red with rage whenever Sang Zhn¡¯s name came up, ¡°Even if they¡¯re divorced, isn¡¯t the child still her own flesh and blood? Her job is so close to Tang vige, howe she neveres to see her child?¡± Chapter 58 - 59 – It’s Because You’re Too Stupid Chapter 58: Chapter 59 ¨C It¡¯s Because You¡¯re Too Stupid Trantor: 549690339 Tang Zhinian fell silent, just apanying his daughter as they ate. Tang Yuxin sat there obediently, spooning rice into her mouth one bite at a time, never spilling a grain. The meals at home were typically noodles or dumplings. Had she ever expressed a desire for anything else? Before she was three, she could be quite picky and often asked for things from the local store. But after turning three, it was as if she had grown up overnight, suddenly bing so sensible. It seemed as if she knew the household was struggling financially, and she no longer even nced at her once-favorite store. ¡°Brother, I¡¯m done eating,¡± Tang Zhijun put down his bowl and wiped his mouth, ¡°I¡¯ll head to the fields now, get the soil turned, and nt the crops as early as possible.¡± ¡°Alright, you go ahead,¡± Tang Zhinian cleaned up the bowls on the table. Once the children were settled, he would join Zhijun. The brothers had never divided their property, including thend, which was all shared. Apart from not having women in the house, they were no different from the other vigers. They were always busy in the fields, hardly having a single day for rxation. And most people in the vige lived just like this. After washing the bowls, Tang Zhinian took Tang Yuxin to Chen Zhong¡¯s ce, before heading to the fields. If the brothers started sowing their crops early, they could feel a bit more rxed once the seeds were in the ground. Tang Yuxin was used to being at Chen Zhong¡¯s ce. Unlike other children in the vige, who yed in the mud, she was clean like a pampered youngdy from a wealthy family. Compared to the vige children, she was immacte. Therefore, Tang Yuxin seemed like someone else¡¯s child. At least, in the eyes of the vigers, Tang Yuxin didn¡¯t need her clothes washed daily, and Tang Zhinian never had to discipline her for being naughty. Tang Yuxin¡¯s charm melted everyone¡¯s heart. She was currently learning to write from Sun Zhong, starting with brushwork. Although she was small, her persistent efforts over several months were beginning to bear fruit. Half a yearter, when she grew a bit older, Chen Zhong started teaching her how to stitch. Initially, she practiced using a piece of cloth filled with cotton, poking the needle into it. Each time Tang Zhinian saw her doing this, he became anxious. He felt like taking her away right there and then. It was a needle! What if she identally pricked herself? He fretted about this for half a month, even developed blisters in his mouth from the anxiety. Eventually, he realized that Tang Yuxin wasn¡¯t afraid of the needle and she was meticulous with her stitching, never once hurting herself. ¡°Don¡¯t be so melodramatic,¡± Chen Zhong dismissed Tang Zhinian¡¯s worries, ¡°Just because you¡¯re dim-witted doesn¡¯t mean everyone else is.¡± That remark stung deeply. At first, Tang Yuxin¡¯s needlework technique was gentle, and she applied little force. However, ording to Sun Zhong, learning to stitch should start from a young age. Practicing until the needle feels like part of your own body. So when the timees to use it professionally, it wille naturally. He said he started learning needlework around Yuxin¡¯s age. However,pared to him at that age, Yuxin was much more focused. Chapter 59 - 60: There is a Successor Chapter 59: Chapter 60: There is a Sessor Trantor: 549690339 Practicing acupuncture is an extremely tedious process, but it is something that Tang Yuxin can persist in. Therefore, he became even more convinced that he must train Tang Yuxin. This way, he would have a sessor and his Chen Family¡¯s esteemed medical skills would not be lost. However, when it came to dullness, in Tang Yuxin¡¯s view, nothing could be as monotonous as the three years of preparing for the college entrance examination. She often didn¡¯t sleep enough due to her rigorous study schedule, especially in her senior year. Despite her poor grades at the time, she studied day and night to get into university. She worked so hard that she never slept well and rarely slept for eight hours. Usually, she would only sleep after midnight and wake up around five in the morning. Yet, her efforts were not in vain, as she sessfully got into university that year with a better score than Wei Jiani. This effectively was a p in the face for Sang Zhn and Wei Jiani. It was also her first time regaining some dignity after moving into the Wei Family, especially because she was then able to leave and no longer had to be Wei Jiani¡¯s backdrop or the Wei Family¡¯s maid. Compared to those three years in high school, what did she consider tedious now? A person¡¯s life is finite. Every second lost is gone forever and there will be no next second. The lost moments will always be missed. She did not believe that just because she was reborn, she had the right to waste such a precious life. Regardless of whether she was four or two years old, she would make good use of every second. Every day she woulde here to learn to write and then sit on the ground practicing needlework with a cotton ball. Half a yearter, her needlework material had changed from a cotton ball to a hard paper cotton board. The hardness increased considerably, making it much more difficult to perform her needlework. Ordinary five-year-old children would find it almost impossible to prate the hard board, but thanks to her gradual progress, Tang Yuxin surprisingly had quite a strong grip. After just half a month, she was able to insert the needle again. ¡°She¡¯s truly gifted,¡± Chen Zhong was greatly satisfied with Tang Yuxin¡¯s progress, having devoted almost all of his time to nurturing his young disciple. If the ancestors of the Chen Family knew that he had found such a good student, they would have been extremely pleased. ¡°There is a sessor now, yes, there is a sessor now,¡± he mused. Tang Yuxin, however, pouted. Was she truly gifted, or was she simply being coerced into it? After a while, sticking into the hard paper cotton board no longer phased Tang Yuxin and Chen Zhong made another one for her. He filled a small jar with roast rice bran, wrapping it with a piece of red silk cloth. The rice bran jar was very suitable for beginners to practice different acupuncture techniques because of the varying hardness of the rice bran inside. When encountering a ce that was difficult to needle, you could practice reinserting the needle, making it perfect for those learning acupuncture. So, in the time that followed, Tang Yuxin was often seen holding the little jar, incessantly needling into it. ¡°Yuxin, let¡¯s go out and skip rope?¡± Zhang Yindi, whose hair was carelesslybed, ran in. After living in the vige for more than a year, she was carefree as long as she had enough to eat and drink. She had be familiar with the vige children, ying here and there every day, mud caking their clothes. Dragging her three-year-old brother around, they would both get a scolding and then the day would be over. Chapter 60 - 61: Worrying Chapter 60: Chapter 61: Worrying Trantor: 549690339 ¡°I¡¯m not going,¡± Tang Yuxin said, clutching her jar of rice bran. Her wrists ached from the constant stirring, but she couldn¡¯t stop. She felt no need to jump rope, as she was already learning the Five Animal Frolics with Chen Zhong, which was plenty of exercise. Even without jumping rope, she wasn¡¯t going to get fat. ¡°Come on,e on¡­¡± Zhang Yindi came running over and grabbed Tang Yuxin¡¯s sleeve, leaving greasy handprints on it. Tang Yuxin looked at the oily prints on her clothes and felt the urge to push Zhang Yindi to the ground and beat her up. Zhang Yindi hastily sheathed her talons and wiped her nose. What else could Tang Yuxin say to that? Realizing her mistake, Zhang Yindi quickly ran off, quickly forgetting her misdeeds and finding other kids to y with. Tang Yuxin set the jar of rice bran down and fetched a tub of water. She took off her dirty clothes to wash them. Thankfully it was summer, and her clothes were made of lightweight fabric. When Tang Zhinian returned home, he found his daughter diligently washing her clothes, a look of seriousness on her young face. As a father, he was filled with mixed emotions ¡ª pride in his daughter¡¯s good behavior, but sadness at her premature maturity. What other child her age would wash her own clothes? She not only washed her own clothes but also those of her father and Zhijun, and she did it as skillfully as an adult. ¡°Daddy,¡± Tang Yuxin rushed to greet Tang Zhinian as soon as she saw him. She threw her arms around his leg, dampening his trousers, which he didn¡¯t mind at all. He chuckled and pulled out a basket from behind him. ¡°Xinxin, look, daddy did some carpentry work for someone today, and they gave me some meat as payment. Should I cook it for you?¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Tang Yuxin¡¯s eyes narrowed into half-moons as she giggled. It wasn¡¯t often that rural families ate meat; most could only enjoy it once a year during the New Year festival, and even then, it had to be carefully rationed and shared. But in their family, Tang Yuxin was always the one who got to eat the meat. Tang Zhinian and Tang Zhijun were content sipping mere meat soup. The tiny lump of meat wasn¡¯t much; even after it was cooked, it only filled a small dish. Despite being in, just the smell was enough to make anyone swallow involuntarily, especially those who hadn¡¯t had a whiff of meat in months. Even the most in dish was a feast under such circumstances. ¡°Xinxin,e eat the meat.¡± Tang Zhinian cheerfully scooped all the meat into Tang Yuxin¡¯s bowl as he encouraged her to grow taller. Without showing any reluctance, Tang Yuxin picked up the meat and eagerly popped it into her mouth. Right now, she had only one goal¨Cto grow up as quickly as possible. A five-year-old child should just act like a five-year-old and not be silly. ¡°By the way,¡± Zhijun said, stuffing his mouth with rice. Regardless of the taste, he gulped it down with gusto, making anyone watching him hungry. Tang Zhinian asionally helped his daughter with her meal, but he ate very slowly. All his thoughts were centered on his daughter. He had no idea what he would have be if she weren¡¯t around. ¡°Brother, what should we nt? The field is ready, but it¡¯s getting colder outside. If we want to nt winter vegetables, we might need to buy a lot of stic sheets. I don¡¯t think we have enough money left.¡± Chapter 61 - 62: Worries about Farming Chapter 61: Chapter 62: Worries about Farming Trantor: 549690339 Tang Zhinian furrowed his brow, deeply uncertain. ¡°Zhijun, stic sheeting isn¡¯t cheap, the money we¡¯ve earned over the years may all go into that. What do we do about having no money for the New Year?¡± He reached out and patted his daughter¡¯s little head. ¡°No one can guarantee the winter vegetables. If it snows and copses the greenhouse, we¡¯ll lose everything¡ªnot just our investment in the stic sheeting, but the seedlings and ourbor costs. Not to mention, we¡¯re afraid we¡¯ll lose all our capital.¡± ¡°Bro, we can¡¯t just not nt anything, right?¡± Tang Zhijunid down his bowl. ¡°Leaving thend empty isn¡¯t an option either. We should save some money. We still have a pile of debt at home. As Yuxin grows older, she needs to attend school, which requires money for books, notebooks, and pens.¡± ¡°Also¡­¡± He touched his little niece¡¯s small face again, ¡°I want to send Xinxin to a good high school in the future. Good high schools are in the city, so we¡¯ll need to pay tuition, which is not a small amount.¡± Thinking about these things, Tang Zhinian¡¯s heart ached. Yes, they still owed money to others. It was all the money Sang Zhn had asked for during her visits home. They had no money at that time, so he had to borrow for her. Adding up, they¡¯d borrowed over three hundred yuan. To pay it off, the two brothers would have to work for an extended time. ¡°Brother, why don¡¯t we grow coriander?¡± Tang Yujun¡¯s eyes suddenly lit up. Coriander yielded a high crop, was frost-hardy and could survive even in very cold weather. ¡°I also thought about growing coriander,¡± Tang Zhinian said. In his heart, he too had this idea. ¡°Let¡¯s nt a smaller amount, about one-fifth of thend. We¡¯ll leave the rest fallow for now. We only have enough stic sheeting for this plot.¡± ¡°Should we borrow some money?¡± Tang Zhijun thought about their financial situation. They hadn¡¯t made much money this year. After feeding themselves, there wasn¡¯t much left. If they had to pay off some of the debt, they would truly have to tighten their belts. If they didn¡¯t grow some vegetables to earn some money, they might not even be able to afford new clothes for Tang Yuxin during the New Year. ¡°Who do we borrow from?¡± Tang Zhinian let out a sigh. ¡°Our lives aren¡¯t easy, but neither are others¡¯. Besides, we¡¯ve already borrowed so much and haven¡¯t paid it back yet. How can we have the nerve to borrow again?¡± There¡¯s a saying, ¡®lend to the needy, not to the poor¡¯. If they borrowed again, the Tang brothers¡¯ integrity might be at risk. Moreover, the situation in each family wasn¡¯t great, and they could barely make ends meet. With so many mouths to feed, no one could spare any money to lend. So, the idea of buying stic sheets was shelved for now, and Tang Zhinian decided to use some leftover stic sheets to nt a bit of coriander. As for the winter, they could only grow crops that withstand the cold. Tang Yuxin quietly ate her food, but her mind was racing. She seemed preupied. Even when she was at Chen Zhong¡¯s to practice writing, she was clearly distracted and kept getting sidetracked. With a ¡°pop¡±, her small hand was pped. It felt like the ruler used for punishment in ancient times. Getting hit on the palm really hurt. She quickly pulled back her hand and hid it behind her, probably now appearing red from the strike. She looked up, giving Chen Zhong an innocent gaze. Chapter 62 - 63 Borrowing Money Chapter 62: Chapter 63 Borrowing Money Trantor: 549690339 Isn¡¯t it quite normal for children to be lost in thought? It¡¯s pitiful to see a kid like her. She¡¯s so young yet she¡¯s forced to cram knowledge into her mind every day, like a force-fed duckling. ¡°What¡¯s the matter with you today?¡± Chen Zhong tapped the table with the ruler in his hand. ¡°Not writing properly, not reading properly, are you trying to annoy me to death?¡± ¡°Grandpa¡­¡± Tang Yuxin suddenly put down her pen and hid her hands behind her back. ¡°Could Grandpa lend me some money?¡± ¡°Borrow money?¡± Chen Zhong¡¯s face instantly sank. How could such a small child know about money? Kids her age should be carefree and only concerned with eating and ying, not knowing about money or that it can be used to buy things. Did an adult teach her about money? Chen Zhong was wealthy. His entire Li Tang vige was backed by mountains. Besides, he didn¡¯t need to make a living from his medical practices. At the very least, he had no shortage of food. Even without money, the vigers had ess to vegetables, meat, and eggs. Moreover, his patients were not only from Li Tang vige, but also from nearby viges. He was one of the few good doctors in the area. His money came from selling the herbs he gathered. Even though he lived in the vige, he travelled monthly to sell herbs. If he was lucky, he could find valuable herbs like ginseng and lingzhi. The prices for these were high, so regardless, Chen Zhong did have money. Tang Yuxin knew Chen Zhong had misunderstood. She hastily reached out her tiny paw to tug at his clothing. Considering how honest and straightforward her father was, there was no way he would teach her to ask for money like this. ¡°Grandpa, do you have money?¡± She blinked her watery eyes that looked like they could start watering any moment. ¡°Second Uncle and Dad want to nt vegetables, but they don¡¯t have money for seeds. They said they can¡¯t nt vegetables then. If they had money for seeds, they could nt vegetables and use the money to buy Xinxin new clothes.¡± Hearing this, Chen Zhong¡¯s expression softened, much better than before. ¡°They told you this?¡± Chen Zhong squatted down to ask Tang Yuxin. He knew children her age wouldn¡¯t lie. He was especially confident in Tang Yuxin, who was too mature for her age, and too understanding. He believed in his judgment, and in his apprentice. ¡°No,¡± Tang Yuxin shook her head. ¡°They were talking about it at dinner.¡± ¡°Grandpa¡­¡± She tugged at Chen Zhong¡¯s sleeve again, ¡°Could you lend Xinxin the money? Xinxin will pay you back when she saves up her New Year¡¯s money.¡± ¡°With that little New Year¡¯s money of yours,¡± Chen Zhong patted Tang Yuxin¡¯s head, ¡°you only get a few bucks a year. How long is it going to take you to pay me back?¡± ¡°Then Xinxin will go with Grandpa to pick herbs and sell them for money.¡± She looked genuinely troubled. Given her small stature, if she had to go up the mountain to collect herbs, she would end up looking like a little coal ball. With herplexion, she would tan easily and then turn pale in winter. She¡¯s her dad¡¯s adorable little princess, his thermal jacket. If she tanned for a year and turned into a little charcoal, her dad might break down in tears. ¡°Alright, that¡¯s settled.¡± Chen Zhong stood up and went out. After a while, he came back with a roll of bills, inserted them into Tang Yuxin¡¯s tiny pocket, and said, ¡°Take this home to your dad. Remember our deal: when you¡¯re older, you¡¯ll go up the mountain with Grandpa to gather herbs and pay me back.¡± Chapter 63 - 64: Hot Potato Chapter 63: Chapter 64: Hot Potato Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Alright,¡± Tang Yuxin was crying inside, but she had to put on an innocent facade. She didn¡¯t know if she had got herself into trouble with Chen Zhong. At night, Tang Qinian came to pick up his daughter. As always, this honest rural man, full of thanks, broke into a grin at the sight of his daughter. He held her little hand, ready to take her home, amusing her with stories of the delicious food he¡¯d cooked, which were just the usual dishes. But the little girl was always very amodating, echoing her father¡¯sughter with her eyes. Chen Zhong had lived long enough to tell the real from the false, the sincere from the insincere. ¡°This little girl is something else, huh?¡± He sighed, then walked over to the desk. On the semi-old desktop were some character writings that Tang Yuxin had finished today. He picked them up and looked. These were practiced for almost half a year and they look quite decent. At night, Tang Zhinian held a small basin, Tang Yuxin held a small basin, both father and daughter soaked their feet in the basin. The water in the basin was a slightly light brown color. This was a foot-soaking medicine that Chen Zhong had mixed. It was said that it could help them grow taller in the future. Tang Zhinian could no longer grow taller, but Tang Yuxin was still young. Tang Yuxin wasn¡¯t sure if it was effective, but every night after she soaked her feet, she would sleep really well. This was definitely true. ¡°Dad look,¡± Tang Yuxin fished around in her pocket for a while before pulling out a stack of Big Unity banknotes. Tang Zhinian was taken aback. He quickly pulled his daughter in front of him, his face pale. Where did this moneye from? His first thought was, did this child steal it somewhere? Seeing Tang Zhinian¡¯s expression, Tang Yuxin immediately knew what he was thinking. Regardless of anything, she would never steal other¡¯s things. Not in her past life and not in this one. Although her life is difficult, she is a person, a person who must uphold her morality. Even if she were to die, she would never betray this principle. ¡°I borrowed it from Grandpa,¡± Tang Yuxin stuffed the stack of Big Unity banknotes into Tang Zhinian¡¯s hand. ¡°Dad, can we nt fragrant vegetables? Let¡¯s rece all our crops with those. In the future, grandpa and I can go to the mountain to pick up medicinal herbs and repay Grandpa with the money.¡± Tang Zhinian¡¯s palm was sweating, his hand holding the money was a little numb. He wiped his face, entrusted Tang Yuxin to a neighboring caregiver for a while and then went to Chen Zhong¡¯s house. ¡°Uncle Zhong, I apologize. Our child is still young and naive,¡± Tang Zhinian hurriedly put the bundle of Big Unity in front of Chen Zhong. His face was scarlet with embarrassment. ¡°It¡¯s hers once it¡¯s given,¡± Chen Zhong continued sorting his herbs, not even giving the bundle of cash a nce. ¡°Uncle Zhong, take this money, please.¡± Tang Zhinian felt the money in his hand like hot potatoes. They couldn¡¯t take people¡¯s money, even if they were poor. ¡°It¡¯s a loan,¡± still focused on his herbs, Chen Zhong didn¡¯t turn his head. ¡°Uncle Zhong, we really don¡¯t need it,¡± Tang Qinian felt the money burning a hole in his hand, no matter what, he couldn¡¯t ept it. ¡°Have you had enough?¡± Chen Zhong turned around, his face visibly irritated, ¡°I didn¡¯t give it to you, it¡¯s for my little apprentice. When she gets older, she will go to the mountain with me to dig for medicinal herbs to sell. If you ask me to take it back now, you¡¯re deliberately trying to p my face, aren¡¯t you? You want me to lose face in front of my little apprentice?¡± Chapter 64 - 65: “She Borrowed Chapter 64: Chapter 65: ¡°She Borrowed Trantor: 549690339 ¡°No, no, Uncle Zhong. Not what I meant¡­¡± Tang Zhinian hurriedly shook his hands and tried to exin, but he was tongue-tied and couldn¡¯t get the words out. ¡°This is your money. How could I take it?¡± Chen Zhong really wanted to throw a handful of medicinal herbs in Tang Zhinian¡¯s face. How could someone be so thick? ¡°I¡¯ve already said that I lent this money to Yuxin. How she wants to use it is her business,¡± Just as Tang Zhinian was about to speak again, Chen Zhong had already started to be impatient. He took up a broom and started hitting Tang Zhinian, ¡°Can¡¯t you see I¡¯m busy? Have you no sense of propriety? You¡¯re so dim, how did you manage to have such a smart daughter?¡± ¡°Go, quick, don¡¯t disturb me while I¡¯m drying herbs.¡± Chen Zhong did not hold back when hitting Tang Zhinian with the broom, and Tang Zhinian was promptly driven out. With the two hundred yuan in his hand, he was torn between staying or leaving. Upon his sullen return, he saw Tang Zhijun ying with Tang Yuxin and jump ropes. The two of them seemed to be having a great time. ¡°Bro, you¡¯re back?¡± Tang Zhijun handed the red rope to his niece and asked curiously. ¡°Bro, why did you leave Yuxin alone at someone else¡¯s house, what if she got lost?¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Tang Zhinian reached out to hug his daughter and let her sit beside him. ¡°Look,¡± he held out his hand, in it a stack of banknotes. Tang Zhijun was taken aback, where did all this moneye from? He took the money, counting each bill. There were twenty bills, two hundred yuan! ¡°Bro, where did thise from?¡± The brothers knew how much money they had. They had just a few tens left. After buying stic sheets, their rice jar would be empty. That¡¯s why they were hesitant to buy or not. But where did his brother borrow this money from? ¡°She borrowed it,¡± Tang Zhinian pushed his daughter forward, ¡°from Uncle Zhong. I wanted to return it to Uncle Zhong, but he wouldn¡¯t take it. Instead, he chased me out. He said Xinxin can repay him with the herbs she digs from the mountain.¡± Tang Yuxin cocked her head, looking puzzled. ¡°Our Xinxin is so smart,¡± Tang Zhijun picked up his little niece and kissed her on her small cheeks. ¡°Bro, let¡¯s go buy those stic sheets.¡± Tang Zhijun rubbed his hands, preparing for a big task. With this money, they could buy quite a bit of stic sheeting and build at least five greenhouses. If they can sell the vegetables in five greenhouses before the new year, and the price is good, the brothers can turn their lives around, and life at home will be better. ¡°But¡­¡± Tang Zhinian was still hesitant, this was not a small sum, what if they suffered a loss? What if they lost all two hundred yuan? ¡°Daddy, don¡¯t be scared,¡± Tang Yuxin stood up, threw away the red rope she had been ying with, then ran over to Tang Zhinian and hugged his leg. ¡°If daddy¡¯s veggies don¡¯t sell, Xinxin will dig herbs to pay back grandpa.¡± ¡°Bro¡­¡± Tang Zhijun clenched his teeth, ¡°Let¡¯s take a gamble, who knows? We might seed. Everybody¡¯s nting less this winter, not just in our vige, but in other viges as well. Everyone¡¯s afraid it¡¯ll be as cold asst year. But I don¡¯t believe it. We¡¯ve already had two cold years. It can¡¯t be that cold this year, right?¡± Chapter 65 - 66: Opportunity Chapter 65: Chapter 66: Opportunity Trantor: 549690339 Theirnd justy vacant there; all they needed was to purchase some stic sheeting to use. At most, they¡¯d lose the money they spent on a few pieces of stic. When next spring arrived, they could work a bit harder to earn back the money they¡¯d lost. ¡°Well¡­¡± Tang Zhinian was somewhat swayed by his younger brother¡¯s words. Other things aside, he needed to save some money to tidy up their house. Not to mention, he needed to save for his brother¡¯s future wife, and his daughter¡¯s education. If they continued farming in their present way, when would they be able to save enough money? They probably would need many years to repay the money they owed. He ced his daughter on hisp. ¡°Xinxin, what vegetable do you think daddy should grow?¡± Tang Yuxin showed a small smile, ¡°Grow fragrant vegetables.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Tang Zhinian steeled himself even more. Wiping his face, he said, ¡°Zhijun, let¡¯s eat first. Tomorrow, I¡¯ll leave Yuxin with Uncle Zhong, then we¡¯ll head into town to buy some stic film.¡± ¡°Deal,¡± Tang Zhijun picked up his chopsticks, stuffing food in his mouth. His body radiated energy, knowing the family¡¯s turnaround depended on this. Finally, Tang Yuxin also let out a sigh of relief. She picked up her little spoon, quietly eating her food. Luckily, she remembered some things. Throughout her previous life until her death, she had never forgotten how her mother had entrapped her and her father. Remembering to about two years after her arrival at the Wei family, not long after Wei Jiani¡¯s birthday. Wei Jiani was born in winter, around November of the lunar calendar. During that time, it was almost at the peak of winter. With only a month¡¯s difference between her and Wei Jiani¡¯s birthdays, Wei Jiani could celebrate hers, while she could not. From then on, she realized her status in this house was far lower than Wei Jiani¡¯s. She remembered it clearly; one night when she went to the toilet, her legs were trembling from the cold. She saw that the light in the living room was still on. Remembering Sang Zhn¡¯s words about turning off the lights or she¡¯d beat her, she went to switch off the light and saw a pile of coriander in the living room. Sang Zhn and Wei Tian were busily bundling up the coriander. Both being from the countryside, wrapping up vegetables wasn¡¯t a difficult task for them. ¡°This is the only correct crop Tang Zhinian has nted. This coriander can be sold for more than a yuan per jin. Hisnd has thousands of jin, isn¡¯t that worth thousands of yuan?¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Sang Zhn was very triumphant. ¡°I said Yuxin was ill and needed to go to the hospital. Not only did he give me all his money, but I also got this coriander. Once we sell these veggies tomorrow, we¡¯ll have money in our hands. If he can bring us a few more tricycle loads, once we sell all of them and Jiani grows a little older next year, we can send her to the Youth Pce.¡± ¡°That sounds great. Let¡¯s set this as our n. We¡¯ll have Nini learn piano. My daughter must be well-rounded in the future.¡± Wei Tian was thrilled as the two happily discussed their earnings without a hint of shame. It was that night when the not yet five-year-old Tang Yuxin grew up for the first time. She learned that her mother had swindled her father¡¯s produce and used that money to enroll Wei Jiani in the Youth Pce. There, Wei Jiani learnt to y the zither, while she did chores, washed clothes, swept, washed dishes, and cooked at home. Chapter 66 - 67: The Wei Family Knows Calculations Chapter 66: Chapter 67: The Wei Family Knows Calctions Trantor: 549690339 Wei Tian had used that money to open a small convenience store, and life in the Wei family improved day by day. On the other hand, the honest and simple Tang Zhinian was all alone, without any siblings, children, or grandchildren,boring day and night on his few acres ofnd. In that year, for some reason, coriander became very popr. Ultimately, it was sold for one and a half yuan per pound; even so, there were no unsold vegetables left. In the entire vige, only Tang Zhinian nted a few pieces ofnd with coriander. The coriander that year was of very good quality. Everyone thought that it would be a cold year with snowfall, but oddly enough, it was a warm winter, and no snow fell at all. Unlike inter years, where off-season vegetables were everywhere and transportation was developed, vegetables from the south could be eaten in the north, and vegetables from the north could easily be transported to the south. Sometimes it only took a day or two to do so. At that time, a worker¡¯s monthly sry was about forty yuan, but this coriander was sold for more than a yuan per pound, almost as expensive as gold. If they nted all thend with coriander this year, it was impossible not to make a good profit from the few acres they farmed. There were three people in their family. The distribution ofnd in the vige was based on the number of people. Thend was re-allotted every four years. Since it hadn¡¯t been four years yet, Sang Zhn¡¯s share also had to be included in their family¡¯snd allocation. Two acres per person, so their family had eight acres. Even if they only nted two acres, they could sell it for at least three to four thousand yuan. Three to four thousand yuan at that time could buy a house. She had good ns for this money; it would be of great use in the future. As she sat in Chen Zhong¡¯s house, working on a small can, she seemed a bit absent-minded. Her father and uncle had been gone for so long, why hadn¡¯t they returned yet? She was worried that something might have happened, so she was lost in thought. With a pat, her head was knocked. ¡°As a child, why do you worry so much? Why are your thoughts so heavy?¡± Tang Yuxin rubbed her head and then lowered it, continuing to work, until familiar footsteps came from outside. Only then did Tang Yuxin smile happily. Her father was back. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Xinxin, we¡¯re going home.¡± Tang Zhinian was beaming with joy. It seemed that the stic sheets had been bought. When they got home, there were rolls of stic sheets on the tricycle in the courtyard. Once again, Tang Yuxin marveled at how low the prices were at this time. Two hundred yuan, decadester, might be gone with a single trip to the supermarket, but here it could buy so many new stic sheets. Tang Zhinian gave his daughter something to eat, then brought out the stove at home and began to cut the stic sheets ording to the size of the greenhouse. The shorter pieces needed to be joined, and the longer pieces could be cut. Joining them was easy; put an iron on the stove and ce an old newspaper on top. Using the warmth of the iron, they could melt twoyers of stic sheets together. The two brothers were full of enthusiasm, while Tang Yuxin felt sleepy after a while. Being small in stature, she couldn¡¯t provide much help, so when she felt sleepy, shey on her small bed and fell asleep. When they were almost done, Tang Qinian remembered his daughter. There was only her at home, and he didn¡¯t know if she had been running around. When they looked at the time, they were startled. It was already about four in the morning. Chapter 67 - 68 They Haven’t Eaten Yet Chapter 67: Chapter 68 They Haven¡¯t Eaten Yet Trantor: 549690339 ¡°I¡¯ll go check on Xinxin,¡± said Tang Zhinian promptly, setting down the iron he was holding, and went inside the house to check on his daughter. To his delight, he found Tang Yuxin sound asleep, with her shoes and socks off, and her nket neatly spread over her without any sign of disturbance. As he moved closer, he adjusted the cover for her. He initially felt drowsy, but now he was wide awake. ¡°Bro, let¡¯s not sleep tonight.¡± Tang Zhijun didn¡¯t feel sleepy either. He suggested getting the greenhouse setup done and the seedlings nted, after which they could rest. This was the best time to do so because waiting a few days longer could dy their ns. Throughout the night, the two brothers worked tirelessly on the greenhouse. By the time Tang Yuxin woke up, they were still busy outside. She picked up her clothes, dressed herself carefully, sneaked out of bed, and put on her little shoes. Then she ran outside. Outside, brothers Tang Zhinian and Tang Zhijun had been working all night, yet they showed no signs of tiredness. Shrouded under the night¡¯s darkness, they were about to finish, after which they couldplete the greenhouse and start nting seeds. ¡°Xinxin,e here and warm yourself by the fire,¡± As soon as Tang Zhinian saw Tang Yuxin had woken up, he motioned her to sit near the stove where it was cozy. Meanwhile, another stove was preparing a pot of porridge, the soothing sound of which echoed in the background. Tang Yuxin quickly sat herself between the two stoves, the heat making her small face glow with a rosy tint. Tang Zhijun gently pinched Tang Yuxin¡¯s face. ¡°Look at our Xinxin¡¯s sweet face, she¡¯s growing up so beautifully. Wait till we¡¯ve earned enough money, Uncle will send you to Youth Pce to learn piano. Our Xinxin will be just like a refineddy, already good at calligraphy. If she learns piano too, she would be proficient in all ¨C music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. And on top of that, she is intrigued by medicine. Any man who marries Xinxin will be truly blessed.¡± This trait required careful nurturing. The two brothers, Tang Zhijun and Tang Zhinian, hastily ate a few bites before heading out to set up the greenhouse. Theter it got, the more trouble it would cause. Especially since the weather seemed to be worsening, rain might hinder them. After dropping off his daughter at Chen Zhong¡¯s, the two brothers headed out to the fields. At lunchtime, Tang Yuxin struggled to eat the bun in her hand. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Chen Zhong asked as he took a bite of his own bun. Vigers in the countryside usually ate steamed buns, they were white, substantial, and satisfying. Chen Zhong led a fairlyfortable life, always having white flour to make buns ¨C something even considered a luxury amongst vigers. Simrly, Tang Yuxin had been enjoying white flour buns since her childhood. Her father, Tang Zhinian, had neverpromised on her meals. However, today the child was eating very slowly. Was it the result of the buns being not so delicious? But that couldn¡¯t be; they were the same as yesterday¡¯s, soft and of white flour. ¡°Daddy and Uncle didn¡¯t have their meal,¡± Tang Yuxin said, putting down the bun she no longer wanted to eat. She knew that today, because of needing to fix the greenhouse, her father and uncle were rushing. Hence, they wouldn¡¯t be preparing lunch. Otherwise, by now, Tang Zhinian would havee to pick her up for the meal. Although her family had limited means, Tang Zhinian was an honest man and did not take advantage of others. Xinxin rarely had her meals at Chen Zhong¡¯s. If he hadn¡¯te to pick her up, that meant they probably had been up all night and hadn¡¯t eaten today either. Chapter 68 - 69: Delivering Food Chapter 68: Chapter 69: Delivering Food Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Alright, alright,¡± Chen Zhong gently patted Tang Yuxin¡¯s little head, then took a small basket and ced four white buns and a te of pickles inside. He put the basket in front of Tang Yuxin. ¡°Take it to your dad and second uncle, tell them it¡¯s a loan from me.¡± ¡°Thank you, Grandpa,¡± Tang Yuxin hopped off the stool and picked up the basket. It wasn¡¯t too heavy for her to manage. Holding the basket, she walked toward her family fields. Children around four or five years old were amon sight in the vige. Unliketer years where children were strictly supervised for fear of cars and bad people, they now ran freely around the vige. Here everyone was familiar and cars were mostly tricycles. Bicycles were in minority, let alone private cars, hence why children were allowed to run freely and adults didn¡¯t worry too much. Tang Yuxin headed to her family¡¯s field; it wasn¡¯t far. For an adult, it would take about five minutes, but for a child, it might take up to ten. At that moment, the two brothers Tang Zhinian and Tang Zhijun were already working on the second of their five sheds. They were nning to skip lunch that day. The sooner they finished their work, the sooner they could start nting. ¡°Dad¡­¡± Tang Yuxin stood at the edge of the field and called out to Tang Zhinian. Tang Zhinian turned around suddenly and seeing his daughter, he felt a leap of surprise. He quickly halted his work and ran over, squatting down in front of her. ¡°Xinxin, what are you doing here?¡± Wasn¡¯t she supposed to be at Chen Zhong¡¯s house? How had she ended up at the field? Tang Yuxin put the basket she was carrying in front of Tang Zhinian. ¡°Grandpa lent it to us.¡± Tang Zhinian didn¡¯t know what was in the basket. He lifted it and uncovered it, finding four white buns and a small dish of pickles inside. His expression turnedplex, his eyes heated with gratitude. He didn¡¯t consider himself unfortunate. His wife having run away with someone wasn¡¯t a big deal; he still had his daughter, and she was his entire world. He asked Tang Yuxin to grab the corner of his clothes as they both went to sit inside the tiny room in the field. This used to be where Tang Zhijun lived. It wasmon for people in the vige to build small houses in their fields. It provided a ce to watch over the crops and to live. For a few years, Tang Zhijun lived here, leaving the house for his elder brother and sister-inw. It was only after Sang Zhn left that he moved back home, leaving this ce vacant. However, during busy farming periods, they still sometimes lived there. ¡°Zhijun,e to eat,¡± Tang Zhinian washed his hands in a nearby water basin and called Tang Zhijun over for lunch. As soon as Tang Zhijun arrived, he spotted the four white buns. ¡°Bro, where did thesee from?¡± He wiped his hands on his clothes and, being famished, immediately picked one up to eat without washing his hands. This was typical behavior for vigers; he¡¯d never heard of anyone dying from it. ¡°Uncle Zhong lent us. Xinxin brought them over.¡± Tang Zhinian also picked one up, stuffed some pickles inside, and started eating. Thankfully, they had brought a thermos of hot water. With two buns each and some water, their meals for the day were sorted. Tang Yuxin sat obediently to one side. Her small face was flushed pink from the cold wind, but it was still baby-soft and extremely adorable. She always took good care of her face, so it didn¡¯t get the severe redness often seen on the Northwestern teau. The redness was normal and would fade once she got back home and warmed up. Chapter 69 - 70: 8 Greenhouse Vegetables Chapter 69: Chapter 70: 8 Greenhouse Vegetables Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Be careful, don¡¯t wander around aimlessly.¡± Tang Zhinian patted his daughter¡¯s head and instructed her. He wasn¡¯t afraid that his daughter would get lost, but rather worried that she would get captivated by something new and refuse to leave. ¡°Mmm,¡± Tang Yuxin nodded fervently. She responded affirmatively to whatever Tang Zhinian said. She yearned to grow up quickly in her heart. After all, an adult¡¯s heart resided within a child¡¯s body. She was tired of acting cute and childish, and it made her want to cry. Later, after Tang Yuxin had finished exploring and the Tang brothers had finished eating, they gained new energy. Without hesitation, they quickly built the remaining three greenhouses. Fearing the arrival of snowter in the year, they reinforced the greenhouses with wire ropes to increase their load-bearing capacity. Even if it snowed, it would not be a big deal. As long as they worked hard to clear the snow, the greenhouses would continue to stand firm. The brothers were diligent and notzy, and would not allow idleness to ruin the newly constructed greenhouses. By the time it was getting dark, the three greenhouses were finallypleted, very sturdy. Both ends were covered thickly with soil, and everything was well packed. Tomorrow, they could start nting the seeds, and they wouldn¡¯t need to worry about the rain, as they would be safe inside the greenhouses. After several days of hard work, they managed to nt all the coriander seeds. In total, they built five new greenhouses. Coupled with the three existing ones, the Tang family now had eight greenhouses filled with coriander. Upon seeing the new greenhouses in the Tang familypound, the vigers were skeptical. They questioned the profitability of the coriander and whether it could cover the cost of the greenhouse materials. Not to mention, if there was a heavy month-long snowfall like in previous years, it would be a tedious task to continually clear the snow from the greenhouses. The vigers stillrgely relied on mother nature for their livelihood, despite the advent of the 1980s. Regardless of the vigers¡¯ skepticism, concern, or silent ridicule, waiting to see the Tang brothers lose their investment, the coriander in the Tang family¡¯s eight greenhouses germinated, and the seedlings grew healthily. The lush green growth added vibrancy to the bleak autumn season. Despite this, winter was approaching. In the north, people burn fireces in the winter. Regardless of how cold it was outside, having a firece at home ensured a warm winter. Especially when getting into bed, warming your hands by the firece provided exceptionalfort. Tang Zhinian checked on the crops every day. The coriander had always had a high germination rate. With the stable weather, the coriander grew rapidly, and within a month, robust seedlings had sprouted. These seedlings were growing strong. The brothers left the house before dawn and only returnedte in the evening, solely dedicated to tending the seedlings. With the increased germination, they had to thin out the seedlings to prevent the coriander from growing too thin. If they were too sparse, the yield would be low. Chapter 70 - 71: One Winter Chapter 70: Chapter 71: One Winter Trantor: 549690339 The coriander in the eight greenhouses grows better each day, all thanks to this year¡¯s unusually warm winter. However, everyone knew this was only temporary, and that the cold would eventuallye. As expected, the temperature began to drop after a while, frost started to appear, and the ground started to freeze. Inside the greenhouses, though, the temperature was still manageable, nowhere near as cold as outside. Furthermore, coriander nts are frost-resistant, so after enduring the freezing cold for several days, Tang Zhinian began to feel relieved. His main concern was the cold damaging the coriander leaves, but they remained perfectly fine, still a vibrant shade of green. They were now waiting for the snowfall, for which they were well-prepared. In truth, their preparations were quite simple; everyone in the vige knew what to do. They needed a wooden board suspended on a long bamboo pole, one long enough to reach the greenhouse made of stic. Suddenly, Tang Zhinian opened his eyes wide and sat up. He gently touched his nket, pulling it up slightly. Tang Yuxin was sleeping beside him. She was well-behaved and didn¡¯t kick off her nket or roll around in her sleep. Tang Zhinian was thankful for that, because had she done so, he would have been too worried to sleep soundly, fearing his daughter might kick off her nket, fall ill, and then what? He also took care not to identally hit her, hence sleeping quite a distance away. There were only two heated brick beds in their winter house. Therefore, Tang Yuxin had to sleep on the brick bed instead of her usual small wooden bed. Tang Zhinian put on a jacket, put on his shoes, then quietly opened the door. When he just stepped outside, the door to the other room also opened. From inside, Tang Zhijun came out, rubbing his eyes and yawning. ¡°Oh, bro, why are you awake?¡± Tang Zhijun yawned again, struggling to open his eyes as he was still sleepy. ¡°I came out to see if it¡¯s snowing.¡± Tang Zhinian tightened his cotton jacket. The moon outside was bright, casting a frosty glow on the ground, and also on the withered tree in the courtyard that had already lost all its leaves. The stars were sparse and the moon was clear. Tomorrow was going to be good weather, unlikely to snow. It¡¯s a good thing that it hasn¡¯t snowed. Tang Zhijun rubbed his hands together, admittedly they were apprehensive about the snow. They had to worry about sweeping the snow, so he hadn¡¯t slept well for half a month, fretting about the coriander in the field and the greenhouses. If the greenhouse remains intact, the crops inside will grow well. If the greenhouse copses, everything inside is ruined, leaving their year¡¯s hard work essentially wasted, leading to a big financial loss. ¡°Big brother, you should go back to sleep. You still have to keep an eye on Xinxin. Don¡¯t let her kick her nket off. It¡¯s so easy to get sick in this cold winter.¡± Tang Zhijun repeated the most frequently spoken words to Tang Zhinian this winter. There is only one child in the family. No matter what happens to them as adults, they can handle it, but they must never let their child go hungry or cold. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, she¡¯s very well-behaved.¡± Whenever Tang Zhinian mentioned his daughter, he couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°She has never caused me any trouble. She dresses herself and eats on her own, even goes to the bathroom without needing help.¡± ¡°Our Xinxin is easier to take care of than other kids.¡± Speaking of this, Tang Zhijun also wore a proud look. Initially, he was worried that they, two grown men, couldn¡¯t take care of such a small child. But in fact, not only could they take care of her, but they also managed to keep her clean and beautiful. Chapter 71 - 72 They Succeeded Chapter 71: Chapter 72 They Seeded Trantor: 549690339 If the coriander can bring in money, he¡¯s going to buy a bicycle, then take Xinxin to learn piano. He believes his little Xinxin is just like the youngdies from the ancient nobility. No matter what, he can¡¯t let his child suffer. Time passed another half month. During these two weeks, the brothers woke up nearly every midnight wondering if it had snowed. Initially, they had agreed that one would wake up one day, the other the next day. But ended up both waking up together. Of course, Tang Yuxin knew about their repeated rising. Biting her little finger, she turned to look back at their shabby house with bare walls. Their family¡¯s turnaround depended on this year. Originally, the Tang brothers were notzy, they were very diligent. As long as you worked hard, you wouldn¡¯t starve this year. However, their family¡¯s poverty was actually her fault. If it wasn¡¯t because she had a mother like a vampire sucking the Tang Family¡¯s blood. The Tang Family wouldn¡¯t have be so poor, with a pile of debt on top of that. She even thought of buying a radio for them to listen to weather forecasts. But they already owed a lot of money to people, and there was no surplus money in the house. Any excess money was reserved for buying seeds. Although she knew that they could sell the coriander for money, her father and uncle didn¡¯t know. So all she could do was wait. Two more hard months, and their coriander will be ready to sell. By then, the family¡¯s circumstances would be better. Not only could they pay off their debt all at once, but they could also build a house. The houses in their vige were all old-fashioned rammed-earth houses, and those were built when her grandparents were alive. The roof was still tiled. But as time went by, even the tiles started to leak rain. Whenever it rained, the house would be filled with pots and pans collecting water. The drip-drop sound was pleasant to the ear, but it was also cold. Sometimes when they weren¡¯t careful, they wouldn¡¯t even have a quilt to cover themselves. Tang Yuxin thought if they build a new house, she could have a small room to herself. She could do whatever she wanted without her parents treating her like a freak. Two monthster, Tang Zhinian excitedly lifted the canopy and saw the coriander inside, green and lush. Almost none of them were yellow leaves. Each stalk was growing extraordinarily well. This is so good! Tang Zhijun squatted down, carefully touching the field of coriander with his fingers. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen coriander growing so well before. Brother, we did it. As he said these words, his eyes welled up with tears, barely holding back from crying. They¡¯d been farming their entire lives. They started as kids farming with their grandparents, then their parents, and then by themselves. But they¡¯d never seen such good crops. They were so green, and there weren¡¯t even any yellow leaves. ¡°Yes, we did it,¡± Tang Zhinian also wiped his face. Eightrge greenhouses! That should yield several thousand jin. And this year the vegetables grew so well, they should all reach their expected mass. And this year, there wasn¡¯t any snow. Yes, it didn¡¯t snow at all. They were worried for three months, fearing a snowfall. They were prepared for snow removal, but not a single snowke fell. ¡°Brother, I¡¯ll go to the market in a bit to check the vegetable prices. Our coriander can be sold now. And we have so much. If we can find a regr customer, that would be best.¡± Chapter 72 - 73: Such Expensive Dishes Chapter 72: Chapter 73: Such Expensive Dishes Trantor: 549690339 Tang Zhijun was about to head out, unaware of what prices to expect, he knew he needed to ask around first. ¡°Alright, off you go.¡± Tang Zhinian once again made sure to seal the greenhouse, especially during these times, you could never be too careful. Who knew if it would snow in the next few days? They¡¯d been toiling all winter, and just when their vegetables were ready for market, a snowfall now would render all their efforts pointless. A little undercut in vegetable price is tolerable. They¡¯ve had a sessful harvest this year and could make a few hundred yuan. Let alone making any profit, at the very least, they could pay off their debts and secure a few stic greenhouses. If they nt again next year, they would start making money. Tang Zhijun, being frugal about money, walked all the way to the wholesale market. For the past few years, they¡¯d been bringing their vige¡¯s produce to this market to sell. Cycling would make it a half-hour trip, walking, however, might take up to an hour and a half. Once he arrived at the market, he made a quick tour around it. The volume of vegetables was inherently low at this time, and there were not many people around, including vendors selling coriander. He circled around a few times but saw no coriander vendors, leaving him clueless as to how much coriander was selling for. Determined not to walk for an hour and a half in vain, he found a spot and sat down. Frozen from the cold, his hands and feet started to go numb. It wasn¡¯t until he moved around for a bit that he saw a man pulling a tricycleden with bundles of coriander. He was about to approach when several people beat him to it. They quickly surrounded the man inquiring about the price of his coriander. The coriander seller jerked his head and lifted his chin, as if he was peddling gold, not vegetables. ¡°Eight cents a pound, no haggling.¡± Tang Zhijun stood there,pletely dumbstruck. What, what? He swallowed hard. Eight cents, eight cents, a pound? The coriander was in pretty bad condition, with yellowish-green leaves, unwashed, and likely lumpy with soil. He knew this as a farmer himself. To increase the weight during winter, vendors would add some soil to the bundle and sprinkle it with water ¨C the dirt wouldn¡¯te off no matter how much you shook it. Yet, such poor-quality coriander could fetch eight cents. He almost choked on his own spit. He¡¯d thought one cent would have been too much, but eight cents was utterly unexpected. To make matters more exciting, usually, the better the quality, the higher the price. Their own crops were so fresh and crisp, if such poor quality coriander could fetch eight cents, wouldn¡¯t theirs sell for an entire yuan? ¡°Big Bro, Big Bro ¡­¡± he hurried over and stopped a vegetable vendor. His jovial demeanor and sweet talk swearing, ¡°big bro,¡± helped him develop a quick rapport. ¡°Big Bro, why is the coriander so expensive? In prior years, wasn¡¯t it just a penny or two? How did it suddenly skyrocket to eight cents?¡± ¡°Ahhh¡­¡± the vegetable vendor also sighed. ¡°There are fewer farmers growing it now, only a handful among a few viges in a 10-mile radius. Greenhouses are required, but given the snowfall in recent years, greenhouses copse. So, not many people nted this year, leading to a vegetable shortage. So, an eight-cent or even a one-yuan price tag doesn¡¯t seem that exorbitant.¡± Tang Zhijun listened closely, taking all of it to heart. ¡°So, Big Bro, can you still buy our product?¡± Chapter 73 - 74 They Became Rich Chapter 73: Chapter 74 They Became Rich Trantor: 549690339 He can sense the reluctance in the vendor¡¯s eyes. This was bulk-rated at 80 cents, a dor, at least they could make a profit of 50 cents or even a dor per pound sold. Vegetables are quite strange, it¡¯s said that a carrot doesn¡¯t require washing if it¡¯s plenty, the more expensive the vegetable, the more valuable it is, and the more people there are to eat it. ¡°Buy, of course buy, buy as much as possible,¡± the vendor also wanted to buy, but where could he get the vegetables? ¡°Sir, I have some growing at home, will you buy them?¡± Seeing that the time was ripe, Tang Zhijun probed, if these vendors could buy from his home, that would be even better, it would save them from venturing out to sell vegetables during the wee hours, wasting time. Given his eightrge greenhouses, if they cleaned up around the clock, they¡¯d still have vegetables to sell by New Year¡¯s Eve, and those would be their pre-New Year vegetables. The post-New Year vegetables would be cheaper. ¡°You grow them at home?¡± The vendor¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°Really, how much do you grow?¡± Tang Zhijunughed, showing a bit of the farmer¡¯s simplicity, but was also very shrewd. ¡°I grow quite a bit at home, and they¡¯re better than the ones we just saw. The leaves are bright green, we don¡¯t charge much for a pound either, just a dor, makes the math easier. Of course, that¡¯s the current price, as we approach New Year¡¯s Eve, prices will certainly rise.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± the vendor knew well that prices for pre-New Year vegetables usually doubled or even more, especially those from the South, which were even more expensive. ¡°Brother,¡± the vendor tried to get on Tang Zhijun¡¯s good side, ¡°I¡¯m not busy right now. Could you take me to see your vegetables? If they can be harvested today, I¡¯ll take some.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Tang Zhijun grinned broadly. The vendor had an electric tricycle, which could reach the vige in less than ten minutes. Tang Zhijun started out on foot, but ended up returning sitting in the vendor¡¯s electric tricycle, heading straight into the fields. The vendor initially thought there would only be a small amount, as this year¡¯s crop was indeed small everywhere, and he didn¡¯t really believe what Tang Zhijun said about the fresh and green vegetables. However, when he saw the neatly arranged eightrge tents, and the tender green vegetables inside, he was taken aback. He wanted to roll around in them right away. My God, so many, such good vegetables, even better than those from the South. If he sold these vegetables, he¡¯d make more than 70-80 cents per pound. So he made a deal with Tang Zhinian directly, starting with a dor, of course, the prices would fluctuate with the market, the higher the market price, the higher the buying price. Lower prices were unlikely because as time goes by, the vegetables would be scarcer, hence, their prices would only go up. Smart people won¡¯t drive down vegetable prices right now, because there¡¯s only one ce with vegetables, but many vendors. When Tang Zhinian heard that a pound of coriander was being sold for a dor and the vendor himself came to get it from the fields, he stood stunned for several minutes, pinching his own thigh hard. ¡°Zhijun, is that true?¡± How could that be possible? The coriander in previous years was only sold at two or three cents. At the peak, during New Year¡¯s time, it was forty cents. On regr days, when prices were at their lowest, nobody even asked about coriander. Coriander is frost-resistant and has a high yield, but not many people want it. It¡¯s really just a seasoning, who eats it as a vegetable every day? So the price won¡¯t be too high, but this year was an anomaly, not only did it not snow, but the vegetables were also lush and green, with good water content, excellent color, and good weight. Most importantly, the price was extraordinarily high. Chapter 74 - 75 Can’t Afford to Lose that Person Chapter 74: Chapter 75 Can¡¯t Afford to Lose that Person Trantor: 549690339 One pound is a dor. We have eight greenhouses here, which will yield at least 5,000 pounds of vegetables. That¡¯s 5,000 dors in total. ¡°Bro, stop daydreaming,¡± Tang Zhijun quickly interrupts Tang Zhinian¡¯s trance, ¡°The buyer ising for the veggies tomorrow morning, so we must start packing them right away.¡± ¡°Okay, okay,¡± Tang Zhinian pats his face, ¡°Let¡¯s pack the vegetables right away. We have to supply 200 pounds by tomorrow morning, which is arge amount for the two of us to prepare.¡± However, when Tang Zhinian turns around and sees Tang Yuxin standing behind him, he doesn¡¯t know what to do. It¡¯s gettingte, so he can¡¯t leave Yuxin at Chen Zhong¡¯s ce. Chen Zhong does like Tang Yuxin and has considered her a little apprentice, but he never mentioned babysitting for the Tang family. Tang Zhinian doesn¡¯t like to take advantage of others. They have already troubled Chen Zhong several times, and it will take time to pack all the vegetables from these eight greenhouses. He can¡¯t just leave his child at Chen Zhong¡¯s ce every day. He cannot always trouble Chen Zhong. He is also worried about his daughter. ¡°Daddy, I¡¯ll go with you.¡± Tang Yuxin runs over and hugs Tang Zhinian¡¯s legs, ¡°Yuxin can help daddy pick veggies.¡± ¡°Bro, bring her along,¡± Tang Zhijun thinks for a while and feels it¡¯s better to take his niece, ¡°Otherwise, no one would take care of her. We can light up the firepit in the field, so she can sit above it and won¡¯t get cold.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Tang Zhinian takes his daughter¡¯s tiny hand and leads her onto the field. Inside the little house on the field, there¡¯s water, food, and electricity. Picking vegetables is no problem here. The firepit is warming up the room, it¡¯s not too harsh. ¡°Oh?¡± Tang Zhijun pinches his niece¡¯s cheeks, ¡°Our Xinxin is so clever, she knows how to pick vegetables already.¡± Tang Yuxin touches her face to see if it¡¯s dirty. ¡°Oh, you and your cleanliness,¡± Tang Zhijun teases his niece¡¯s face, then uses his sleeve to wipe Tang Yuxin¡¯s little face. The result is that it gets dirtier, and soon her face looks like a cat with spots. Tang Yuxin pouts, her little face full of grievance. ¡°Alright, stop teasing her, or she may start crying.¡± Tang Zhinian moves his daughter behind him, urges to work faster, and see if they can prepare 200 pounds of vegetables for tomorrow. If not, you¡¯re not eating.¡± ¡°He he¡­¡± Tang Zhinian scratches his head, smiles broadly, turns around and starts packing the vegetables. They move the vegetables directly from the greenhouse to the little house, where it¡¯s warm and cozy. Tang Yuxin helps her father to pick vegetables with her tiny hands. The coriander grown in their field this time is quite easy to handle without much yellow leaves. They just need to trim a few yellow leaves and then tie them in bunches with straws. As Tang Zhinian used to say, too much radish does not wash the mud. So there¡¯s no need for the coriander to be squeaky clean, just decent. ¡°Bro, I saw others adding some mud in their bunches.¡± Tang Zhijun gives a heads-up, having never thought his honest big brother would do such a thing. ¡°What nonsense are you spouting??¡± Tang Zhinian red at his younger brother, ¡°How could we do that? We, the Tang family, are honest. Besides, the coriander from these eight greenhouses can sell for four to five thousand dors. Isn¡¯t that enough for you to spend? If people found out, we wouldn¡¯t be able to live down that disgrace.¡± Chapter 75 - 76: Money Saved Chapter 75: Chapter 76: Money Saved Trantor: 549690339 ¡°I was just making a casualment,¡± Tang Zhijun said, dumbstruck by his older brother¡¯s rebuke. He wiped away the sweat on his forehead. Fortunately, he only mentioned it in passing. If he had stated directly that he wanted to add mud to the vegetables, with one pound of vegetable and one pound of mud, he was sure that his older brother would have beaten him to death. Tang Yuxin looked at this one, then that one, truly clueless as to how her grandparents¡¯ two children could be so different. Her father had been honest all his life, but her second uncle was incredibly shrewd, more suited to being a businessman. She now finally understood why the vigers used to say that if her second uncle had been around, her father wouldn¡¯t have been bullied by Sang Zhn regardless of circumstances. If being honest meant being destined to be bullied, then she would rather her father was not so honest. But as the saying goes, ¡®It¡¯s easy to change rivers and mountains, but hard to change one¡¯s nature.¡¯ Like right now, Tang Zhinian plucked all the yellow leaves off the coriander, as if afraid of someone else receiving a bad deal. By evening, they had bundled up at least two hundred pounds of vegetables. Once the vegetable peddlers got their hands on them, their expressions showed that they were very satisfied with the produce. They could hardly find a single yellow leaf on them. They weighed a handful and found them to be pure vegetables, very clean, and likely free of any earth clods. The vendors were satisfied and paid promptly. After weighing, they handed over three hundred yuan directly, saying one hundred yuan was a deposit for tomorrow. They wanted three hundred pounds more. Tang Zhinian, holding his three hundred yuan, was close to tears. This was the most money he had ever earned. Thend usually provided just enough to get by. When could he ever get so much money at once? The money was too much; they weren¡¯t at home, and it felt unsafe to leave it there. ¡°Brother, should we deposit it?¡± Tang Zhijun thought about it and decided it was better to deposit it. If the eight greenhouses of vegetables were sold, it would be at least five thousand yuan. That was a lot of money. Who in the vige has ever seen so much money? ¡°Yes, let¡¯s deposit it.¡± Tang Yuxin was also nodding incessantly. ¡°What do you know?¡± Tang Zhijun picked up his little niece. ¡°Our Xinxin is truly the lucky star of our family. Without our little Xinxin, we wouldn¡¯t have been able to grow so much coriander, and we wouldn¡¯t have been able to make so much money.¡± He pinched Tang Yuxin¡¯s face, really adoring his little niece. He almost wanted to give her his heart. Fortunately, little Yuxin didn¡¯t go with her mother back then. Otherwise, who knows what kind of temperament Xinxin would have developed? Tang Zhinian handed the money in his hand to Tang Zhijun, ¡°Alright, you should go deposit the money. I¡¯ll go clean up the vegetables.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Tang Zhijun handed the child to Tang Zhinian and prepared to deposit the money, hopping onto his tricycle and departing. Half an hourter, Tang Zhijun came back, now with a passbook instead of cash. Even now, holding the passbook, he found it hard to believe. They actually had money to deposit. Of course, there was no time to revel in his feelings now. The customer wanted more vegetables tomorrow ¡ª three hundred pounds, and more than three hundred yuan. Chapter 76 - 77 – You want her to sell vegetables Chapter 76: Chapter 77 ¨C You want her to sell vegetables Trantor: 549690339 Tang Zhinian stepped into the greenhouse to find his brother and niece busily tending to the vegetables. It was a warm day, and they had chosen to work in the greenhouse instead of the small house. Though Tang Yuxin was quite small, her quick hands matched an adult¡¯s speed in sorting the vegetables. He swiftly got himself a stool, sat down, and joined them in sorting the vegetables. The following day, they harvested nearly two hundred and ny jin of crops. The vegetable seller gave them three hundred yuan upfront, with one hundred yuan as a deposit for the next day¡¯s haul. Once Tang Zhijun had deposited the money, he rushed back to prepare the next day¡¯s crop. As he was busy working in the greenhouse, a sudden guest gave Tang Zhinian a start. ¡°Uncle Zhong, what brings you here?¡± Tang Zhinian quickly stood up. The greenhouse was undoubtedly cramped, requiring them to stoop to work inside. ¡°Can I note?¡± Chen Zhong came striding in, stopping to look at Tang Yuxin, who was helping her father with the Coriander. He noticed her little hands, red and chilly from the cold, and felt a sudden pang, ¡°If I don¡¯te now, she¡¯ll end up bing a farmer.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with being a farmer?¡± Tang Zhinian didn¡¯t see anything wrong with being a farmer. His family had been proud farmers for three generations. ¡°Oh,e off it!¡± Chen Zhong angrily plucked a coriander stem and tossed it at Tang Zhinian¡¯s face. ¡°You want her to nt crops, just like you, peddling them on a tricycle?¡± Tang Zhinian was taken aback. He couldn¡¯t quite reconcile the image of his dainty little Xiaoyu peddling vegetables on a tricycle. The thought was quite terrifying. ¡°Uncle Zhong, you don¡¯t have to do this. We can handle it.¡± Tang Zhinian quickly dusted off his hands, intending to take the vegetables from Chen Zhong¡¯s hands. He couldn¡¯t bear to see him working for them. ¡°Oh, hush,¡± Chen Zhong rolled his eyes at him. ¡°I want to help; it¡¯s none of your business. I¡¯ve got nothing else to do in winter. Only after you finish can I take her back to study. Luckily she¡¯s still young. If she grows a bit more under your influence, she¡¯ll be aplete loss. She has such potential to be a great doctor.¡± Tang Yuxin simply grinned and kept sorting the coriander with her dad. As for Tang Zhinian, all he could do was hang his head in shame, unable to retaliate. He had no choice. His family was in desperate need. The coriander was their main source of ie now. Once they earned enough money, they could improve their living conditions and cover Tang Yuxin¡¯s future school expenses, ensuring a better life for their kids. Chen Zhong¡¯s involvement significantly sped up their workflow. They managed to harvest more than four hundred jin of vegetables a day. Even then, they couldn¡¯t keep up with the demand from the vegetable vendor. ¡°Zhijun, should we hire some vige folks to help? We can pay them a few dors a day.¡± Tang Zhinian discussed the idea with his brother. In their current state, they could only harvest three to four hundred jin of vegetables a day, which was not enough. He wanted to harvest all the vegetables as quickly as possible, to ensure the money was in their hands. Because right now, their vegetables were their money, but only if they could sell them. Until the money was in their hands, it was not real. ¡°No, we can¡¯t let others help us.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Tang Zhinian didn¡¯t understand. ¡°Only our family is nting vegetables in the vige. The rest are just idling around. Helping us would earn them some money, and we¡¯d be able to harvest more each day. We¡¯d earn money faster that way. Isn¡¯t that great?¡± Chapter 77 - 78: Fear of Trouble Often Causes Trouble Chapter 77: Chapter 78: Fear of Trouble Often Causes Trouble Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Brother, we¡¯re making quite a lot of money selling these vegetables,¡± Tang Zhinian knew exactly how much money they had at home, both brothers did. ¡°Bro, you know the saying- it¡¯s not the theft that scares me, it¡¯s the possibility. We invite our fellow vigers to help out of goodwill, but if it gets around that our family is making a lot of money, won¡¯t that stir up trouble?¡± Upon hearing this, Tang Zhinian broke into a cold sweat. It made sense- vige gossip spreads like wildfire. When everyone¡¯s poor, it¡¯s no big deal; nobody can mock anyone. But what if their family suddenly had a lot of money? What would they do if people started asking for loans? If they refuse, they lose face. If they lend, and then can¡¯t help everyone who asks, they won¡¯t be seen in a good light either. Everyone in the vige knew that their family grew a lot of coriander, which brought in good money. But exactly how much, nobody knew for sure. If they let the vigers in to help, it wouldn¡¯t be up to them to control the rumours. ¡°Brother, let¡¯s just work a little harder for about a month. By the end of the year, we should have sold most of our crop,¡± they suggested. The little shed in the field was already cleaned out, and an electrical line had been run from their home. This way, they could take turns for rest at night. All they had to do was prepare about 300 pounds of vegetables each day. After thinking it over, Tang Zhinian nodded in agreement, leaving the matter of seeking help unsettled. Whoever makes money in a family, it¡¯s likely to make others jealous. They¡¯d just have to work harder on their own to guard their gold mine- their vegetables. Besides, it¡¯s just one busy month- not too bad all things considered. Tang Yuxin also moved over there. After all, who would look after such a big kid like her? Every night, one of the brothers would sort the vegetables while the other rested up. Even though it was hard work, they made about 300 yuan a day. That made it worth the sweat. During the day, Tang Yuxin would help her father and uncle pick vegetables and assist in other ways. Chen Zhong disapproved of this, but his unwillingness could only represent himself, not Tang Yuxin. Don¡¯t be fooled by Tang Yuxin¡¯s age; she was mature beyond her years. Even though Chen Zhong grumbled andined, he had no choice but to crouch in the greenhouse every day, listening to Tang Yuxin recite her lessons. That¡¯s right. He listened while she recited. As for the Tang brothers, hearing this was like a constant hum in their heads. Could their young niece, Tang Yuxin, truly understand everything? As days went by in the midst of their hard work, a steady stream of ie, exactly 300 yuan, came in daily, not more or less. Then a few grocery vendors came by, stating their need for coriander. Since they were short-staffed and couldn¡¯t prepare the vegetables in time, the vendors took matters into their own hands. They didn¡¯t even bother picking up the yellow leaves and tied them up in bundles. They were so efficient, as if they feared someone might beat them to it. There¡¯s a saying: too many radishes, no need to wash the dirt. As long as there wasn¡¯t any additional mud in their crops, they were honest enough people. The Tang brothers didn¡¯t mind. They were always straightforward- no added dirt or water in their vegetables. The vendors were wee as long as they didn¡¯t damage their crops. Chapter 78 - 79: Marrying You Off Chapter 78: Chapter 79: Marrying You Off Trantor: 549690339 By the time of Chinese New Year, only the final shed of coriander remained after seven others had been emptied. Despite the price fluctuating between $1 and $1.30, it always seemed more rather than less. In the few days leading up to the New Year, the vegetables from thest shed were likely the most expensive. These crops, grown the longest and of the best quality, bore newly vibrant leaves. They produced a lot of weight, selling for at least $1.50 per pound. Once the final load of vegetables were sold, all eight of the Tang family¡¯s greenhouses were empty, just in time for the 28th day of the Lunar New Year. The brothers hadn¡¯t slept for two days and nights, all to ensure thest shedful of vegetables was sold in time for New Year¡¯s Eve. ¡°The 28th day is here,¡± sighed Tang Zhinian flipping through the calendar. They had yet to shop for New Year¡¯s goods or buy new clothing for Tang Yuxin. They, as adults, may not need anything for themselves, but traditionally they should buy their child a new outfit every year. Yuxin¡¯s favourite peanut candy was also a must. The New Year¡¯s shopping should also include some peanuts and seeds. This was customary in their vige¡ªchildren would go door-to-door wishing families a happy new year, and the families would offer them peanuts and seeds in return. Even the poorest household would still ensure to buy some festive goods. They might put up with difficult conditions, but they couldn¡¯t deprive their child of the New Year experience. ¡°Let¡¯s go, brother, let¡¯s bring Xinxin with us to buy New Year¡¯s goods,¡± yawned Tang Zhijun. Despite having stayed awake all night, he was more alert than he had ever been. They had made a substantial profit after all. His cracked lips spread in an ear-to-ear grin¡ªthe previous n had been to make about five to six thousand from the eight greenhouses, but they had ended up making nearly twelve thousand. This made the Tang Family the only household in the vige with a five-figure ie. Once spring arrived, they could finally renovate their house and even afford to send Yuxin to the Youth Pce to learn music. ¡°Sounds great,¡± Tang Zhinian was equally excited ¨C not just because New Year was approaching, but also because their hard work over the winter season was finally paying off. The Tang Family could finally turn their situation around. ¡°Zhijun, once springes we will start to rebuild the house,¡± said Tang Zhinian. Tang Zhijun sat Yuxin in the pedicab and wrapped her in a quilt to protect her from the winter chill. After making sure her face was well-covered by a scarf, he gave her a warm water bottle to hold. ¡°That¡¯s the n,¡± Tang Zhijun was long ready to rebuild their house. Once it was rebuilt, they would have a spacious two-story house, just as he had envisioned. ¡°Once the house is rebuilt, you should consider getting married,¡± Tang Zhinian added as he climbed onto the tricycle, positioning himself in a way to shield Yuxin from the wind. ¡°Brother, I am not in a rush,¡± Tang Zhijun disagreed as just the mention of marriage stirred up his inner resistance. He was reminded of Sang Zhn, his sister-inw, who had burdened his brother for four years since she was brought to their family. Tang Zhijun feared he would end up with a simr fate. While Sang Zhn was no good, Tang Yuxin, their little Xiaoyu, was a well-behaved and intelligent child. If their coriander business had been sessful this year, it was thanks to her help throughout the winter. Despite her tender age, she had helped them tirelessly, and withoutin, even when her small hands turned red from the cold. She never uttered a word. Chapter 79 - 80: Spending Money Chapter 79: Chapter 80: Spending Money Trantor: 549690339 This temperament is just like the Tang family¡¯s people, very honest, Luckily, Tang Yuxin didn¡¯t know what her second uncle was thinking, otherwise, she might have to touch her old face again out of embarrassment. She¡¯s actually a cunning person at heart. Where is the honesty he speaks about? In the previous life, it was because she was too honest that Tang Zhinian suffered all his life, and she had to endure injustice for a lifetime. In this life, she absolutely won¡¯t let herself suffer, nor be too honest. Since the New Year came early, in thete lunar month, the weather was still very cold. The wind blew on her face, and it felt painfully bone-chilling. Tang Yuxin was covered with a quilt, her small hands and feet were kept within it. Her face was well wrapped up, and she held a hot water bottle in her arms, so she didn¡¯t feel cold at all. She leaned her little face on Tang Zhinian¡¯s back. Her small body seemed to have never grown up, still just a child who could be held in her father¡¯s arms. In private, she let out a sigh of relief. Atst, they had money at home. With money, they could make ends meet. The saying ¡°a penny stumps a hero¡± is absolutely true. Finally, he could pay back the debt he owed others. He no longer had to worry about where the next meal woulde from upon waking up, running out of rice, and having no flour left. That is precisely the life they lived before. Sang Zhn never contributed a cent to the family from her sry. Instead, she asked for money from Tang Zhinian every month. Additionally, Sang Zhn¡¯s olddy used to take this and that from them. No wonder Tang Yuxin didn¡¯t even want to call that woman grandmother. She hadpletely drained thest bit of warmth in her heart for her mother, let alone her grandmother. She still remembers, the face her grandmother made, when she pointed at her nose and cussed her out in front of a crowd. Vige people have crude ways of insulting. She endured and suffered it all. ¡°What are you even worth, a poor ghost like your father. How can you evenpare to my Jiani, who¡¯s like a fairy. You¡¯re nothing but a piece of shit.¡± ¡°With that look of yours, you can¡¯t evenpare to a strand of Jiani¡¯s hair.¡± Poor ghost, wretch, ungrateful creature, a loser¡­those used to be her names. Wei Jiani was like a rose in the garden, and she was merely a neglected cabbage in the soil. Therefore, she had no affection for Sang Zhn or anyone in the Sang family. All her feelings were left in the past life, and they were destroyed by them. Tang Zhinian took his daughter to a department store in the city, and then, holding Tang Yuxin¡¯s hand, he guided her to buy clothes. Even though it was already the 28th of the Chinese New year, there were still plenty of people in the department store. It was so crowded that Tang Zhinian held onto his daughter¡¯s hand tightly, not daring to let go. He bought a red coat for his daughter, just right for the season, and a pair of red leather shoes. The two items totaled more than forty yuan. When Tang Zhinian took out the money, he had always been willing to buy the most expensive clothes for his daughter, even when the family was poor. Even if there was no money at the time, he never let the girl suffer, let alone now, when they¡¯ve just made a fortune. Chapter 80 - 81: Not Buying a TV Chapter 80: Chapter 81: Not Buying a TV Trantor: 549690339 Initially, the salesperson upon seeing Tang Zhinian¡¯s clothing, knew he was from the countryside and would presumably be unwilling to spend so much on clothes for a child. But in the end, Tang Zhinian did fork out the money without batting an eyelid. The banknotes he handed over were whole bills, but without any change. Later, he lifted Tang Yuxin up and sat her on top of the tricycle. The brothers went on to buy sunflower seed candy, peanuts, and other New Year goodies, as well as spring couplets. As they passed a department store, Tang Zhijun paused. ¡°Bro, we should buy a TV. It¡¯s not sustainable to keep going to the vige center to watch one,¡± he suggested. Tang Zhinian pondered ¨C a television was a considerable expense nowadays. Previously, they could only dreamt of owning one, let alone buying it. But now, they were financially capable. With more than ten thousand at hand, a television couldst them over a decade. Even if they didn¡¯t watch, Yuxin would. Thinking of his daughter¡¯s future, he braced himself and decided to get one. The decisive looks on Tang Zhijun and her father¡¯s faces clued Tang Yuxin in on their n to buy a TV. Yet she was resolute that it was not the time to do so, and it would be a waste. ¡°Father, I don¡¯t need a TV. I really don¡¯t¡­¡± Tang Yuxin pulled at Tang Zhinian¡¯s sleeve. She desperately tried to appear tired, to make her father and uncle reconsider the expenditure. With their hard-earned money at stake, she was prepared to push every button she could to change their minds ¨C shame, tears, and all. Tang Zhinian was at a loss. Other children enthusiastically craved a television, but Yuxin. She found it too noisy and was vehement in her refusal for them to buy one. Eventually, Tang Zhinian had to relent, and they left empty-handed. ¡°Bro, perhaps it¡¯s better to buy itter,¡± suggested Tang Zhijun. ¡°You see, we¡¯ve just sold the coriander. Without a doubt, the vigers estimate we made several thousand from it,¡± reasoned Tang Zhijun as they continued their journey. ¡°Indeed,¡± agreed Tang Zhinian. Concealing their mary sess seemed impossible. Buying the television would unsettle the other vigers and their close neighbors. It wasn¡¯t unusual for vigers to resent another¡¯s sudden wealth, regardless of how hard-earned it was. They hadn¡¯t be overnight millionaires. Months of tireless work had paid off, but to their fellow vigers, the sum they had earned was something a whole family might take more than a decade to umte. The ns for the television and a new build were scrapped for now. After much thought, Tang Zhinian decided to postpone the construction of a new house until the next year or the year after. Tang Zhijun was young enough to wait a few years for his marriage. At Tang Zhinian¡¯s age, he should have been wed by now. But his previous engagement fell apart after his bride-to-be fell ill and passed away before the wedding. The vigers were superstitious, iming that Tang Zhinian was jinxed, that his fate would bring harm to his wife. And even with the diminishing values of a maiden, no one was willing to offer their daughter to him, especially given Tang family¡¯s poverty. Tang Zhinian resided in thest of the y-brick houses in theirpound, whereas Tang Zhijun lived in the small shack in the field, which made it even impassable for Tang Zhijun to find a wife. Chapter 81 - 82 Buying some good stuff Chapter 81: Chapter 82 Buying some good stuff Trantor: 549690339 Even a ce to live he doesn¡¯t have. Who would agree to marry him? And for what? To eat dirt or the wind from the northwest? Tang Zhinian has always thought that he has held back his younger brother. It was because years ago Sang Zhn insisted that Tang Zhijun move into the hut in the fields. He always felt guilty about it. But regardless of all, he was determined to find a wife for his younger brother. He would never marry again. He just wanted to raise Yuxin properly. He didn¡¯t spend too much time thinking about other things. As for the future of the Tang Family, everything would have to depend on Zhijun. If Tang Zhijun knew his elder brother was shouldering such a heavy burden on his ount, he¡¯d probably cry himself to death. Once in the vige, all those who knew them couldn¡¯t stop looking at the inside of the tricycle. What good thing had the Tang brothers bought to bring back? A TV set? A washing machine? How could the vigers not know about the eight greenhouses of coriander they were growing? The dailyings and goings of vegetable sellers, and this year the price of coriander had frighteningly sky-rocketed. This harvest was for sure a huge turning point for the Tang brothers. They had nted eightrge greenhouses of coriander and both brothers were experts in vegetable farming. The vegetables were grown in substantial weight and quality. This time they could earn several thousand more. ¡°Zhinian, what did you buy?¡± A woman with green bean eyes approached, casting envious and covetous gaze at the bulge under the quilt in the tricycle. She¡¯s feeling ufortable about where to put her hand on that quilt-covered object, guessing its high cost ¨C could it be a TV? In the vige, few families could afford a television, but now the Tang brothers have be the very few. ¡°There¡¯s nothing much, Auntie,¡± Tang Zhinian hurriedly stretched out his hand to block the woman¡¯s hand as if it belonged to a sleazy man. He didn¡¯t want her to unveil the quilt. ¡°Oh, Zhinian, I just want to take a look. I won¡¯t take your things. What are you afraid of?¡± People are such that if you don¡¯t let them see, they think you have something to hide. Tang Zhinian, who was tongue-tied, didn¡¯t know what to say. He just blocked this woman¡¯s hand and said, ¡°Auntie, you can¡¯t uncover the quilt.¡± ¡°Why can¡¯t I, I am not asking for your things?¡± Encouraged by her seniority, the woman decided to act despite Tang Zhinian¡¯s resistance. She shifted him aside to get a closer look at the ordinary New Year goods in the tricycle. They were melon seeds, peanuts, and candies, no different from what others bought home. Even the poorest families would buy them. The quilt was abruptly pulled open, and the woman was given a big fright. Tiny Tang Yuxin, curling up her small body, reached out a small hand asking for the quilt back. Tang Zhinian quickly pulled the quilt over his daughter to wrap her up and held her in his arms. Children should never be exposed to cold. In such freezing weather, uncovering her quilt was an invitation to sickness, wasn¡¯t it? The woman looked very embarrassed. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you just tell it was Yuxin in there? Why didn¡¯t you say so?¡± ¡°Auntie, my Xinxin has always been like this,¡± Tang Zhinian holding his daughter exined. In the past, whenever Xinxin fell ill, they would always wrap her up like this to see a doctor, especially in this chilly weather, the cold wind. Who would unveil the quilt of a child? The woman walked away with her face pulled long, mumbling and cursing under her breath. Chapter 82 - 83: The Flood is Coming Chapter 82: Chapter 83: The Flood is Coming Trantor: 549690339 Tang Zhijun arrived just in time to see Tang Zhinian holding Tang Yuxin, with a grim expression on his face. ¡°Bro, what¡¯s wrong?¡± He took Tang Yuxin from Tang Zhinian¡¯s arms, and touched her little face, wondering why they had woken her when she was perfectly fine. Tang Yuxin, with her big eyes the color of ck grapes,¡¯ looked as innocent and confused as ever. Did they imagine we brought home something? They snatched the nkets, nearly freezing poor Xinxin. As Tang Zhinian spoke, his voice filled with a hint of annoyance. It¡¯s a good thing we didn¡¯t buy a TV, or who knows what they¡¯d be saying about us? Does it mean our family is destitute and that we can¡¯t have any money? Do we have to live a meager life, barely getting by? Tang Zhinian then carefullyid Tang Yuxin in the tricycle, ¡°Bro, let¡¯s go, let¡¯s go home, it¡¯s getting cold.¡± Tang Zhinian cycled the tricycle while Tang Zhijun helped by pushing it from behind. Although they had made some money, they couldn¡¯t help but feel uneasy. There¡¯s nothing wrong with earning money with our own hands, is there? In the evening, Tang Zhijun brought out a check. ¡°Bro, keep this here for now. We can talk about building a house next year or the year after. Don¡¯t touch it until then,¡± he said. Tang Zhinian, holding the check, didn¡¯t know where to safest put it. Eventually he rose, cing the check in the back of an old cab in the kitchen. A check is necessary to withdraw money from the bank. If the check is lost, so is the money. Yuxin yed with her hair as she sat to one side, her eyes rolling in thought. Lowering her head, she touched her little feet and sighed in relief. She had been considering why they shouldn¡¯t buy a TV or build a house. Building or buying would be in vain, as any flood could take everything away. It would be better to keep the money and rebuild their home when necessary. She now knew where her father had hidden the money. ¡°Right there, Uncle. Keep going,¡± Tang Yuxin ced her little hands on her hips, strained her neck and tiptoed to see Tang Zhijun sitting up in the fork of a tree. At only twenty, Zhijun was like a big kid to her. She had practically grown up on his back. When they yed together, he was like an older brother, both of them carefree. Currently, her most precious belongings had been carelessly wrapped in old stic sheets by Zhijun and hung up in the tree. Inside the wrapped sheets were the family¡¯s winter clothes. It was still just the beginning of fall, and the winter clothes were safely locked away inside the cupboard. No one was thinking of airing them out just yet. That wouldn¡¯t happen for at least another month. Even though their clothes were not valuable, they would be left with nothing to wear if they were all lost. Yuxin still remembered the flood that year. Even if she hadn¡¯t experienced it firsthand, there were still photos. The vige had been nearly obliterated. Houses copsed,nds were submerged, and all their belongings were swept away by the flood. Only a fewrge trees in the vige had survived. Chapter 83 - 84 She is powerless Chapter 83: Chapter 84 She is powerless Trantor: 549690339 And part of it was their family tree. This tree was said to be nted by Tang Zhinian¡¯s grandfather a hundred years ago. The tree was tall and sturdy, with its trunk split at points that were big enough to serve as a bed,fortable enough for a person to sleep in. Tang Yuxin had secretly wrapped up all the important items at home in stic and asked her uncle to store them in the tree. Apart from clothes, she also saved Chen Zhong¡¯s cherished books. She brought back a few more whenever she had the chance. As for the other books, she kept them in mind. It was impossible to save all of them, only the ones that mattered most could be rescued. One night, as Tang Yuxin was falling asleep, she vaguely heard the conversation between the two Tang brothers. Rubbing her eyes, she listened closely. ¡°Brother, why have you withdrawn all the money?¡± Tang Zhijun looked at the sum of money and felt afraid. What if the money got lost? This was all their family fortune. ¡°The bank is moving,¡± Tang Zhinian replied with a frustrated look, ¡°they¡¯re moving it into the city, which is too far.¡± ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean you should have withdrawn all the money, right?¡± Tang Zhinian was struggling to follow his elder brother¡¯s thinking. ¡°Just because the bank is moving, does it mean they have to divide the money?¡± ¡°Uncle said there¡¯ll be a credit union opening soon around here. They offer higher interest rates. So I withdrew the money to deposit it there when it opens. Besides, I always find it unsettling to hold a small check. What if it got lost?¡± Tang Zhinian would feel relieved only if he could see that check daily. There was more than ten thousand on it, and he was scared. No wonder he was scared. He had grown up without ever seeing that much money. The idea of money turned into a piece of paper was hard to ept. He felt morefortable with real cash in hand. Tang Zhinian looked back at his house, wondering how they could safely store this much money there. After a lot of thinking, the brothers decided to use an old and crude yet practical method. They found a broken pot, wrapped the money in a stic bag, put it in the pot, and then buried it. Tang Yuxin was speechless for words. She had just breathed a sigh of relief, now she had to worry again. She thought checks were fine. If lost, she might be able to get it reced, which could be a bit troublesome. But the money deposited in the bank would not be washed away by floods. Even if the bank got bombed, their money would still exist. But now that the check had turned into cash, it indeed became more substantial, but also more dangerous. If a flood came, they would have nothing. She began thinking about how to move the money up to the tree. It also had to be well-wrapped. If it got soaked in the impending rain from the flood, it would be ruined as well. When the two adults of the house were out, she sneaked into the kitchen. She carefully removed the firewood ced beneath the cutting board, being careful not to hurt herself. She stretched her little hand in and took out a pot. Then she took out the things inside the pot. Touching the object tightly wrapped in a stic bag, she knew it was the money. Chapter 84 - 85: The Future Arranged by Second Uncle Chapter 84: Chapter 85: The Future Arranged by Second Uncle Trantor: 549690339 She put the jar back and stacked firewood on top of it. Recently, the Tang brothers had been busy tending to the fields. When they returned home, they were so tired they didn¡¯t even want to eat, let alone check on the money they had hidden away. Besides, they might have looked at their cheques, but they definitely wouldn¡¯t bother with the cash. They had absolute trust in their secret hiding ce for the cash, and they never worried it might be stolen. Tang Yuxin moved the money back into her room and took out an old doll. The doll was bought by Tang Zhinian for her when she was little, saving every piece of his own food to afford it. It was always a treasure to her and she kept it till adulthood. However, once the thirty-year-old Tang Yuxin came back, the doll lost its favor. The doll was quite big, weighing more than fifty kilograms. In the countryside, which child, like her, still had a doll to hold? Therefore, her life in the vige was quite unique. She removed all the cotton stuffing from the doll and then stuffed the money into it. However, the doll now weighed much more than before. After pondering for a while, she bundled the doll with some manuscripts and a few books she had written. ¡°Did you want this put away?¡± Tang Zhijun took the doll, feeling its weight, and saw the bundle of handwritten manuscripts attached to it. A small child who could not likely read much yet had such well-written characters. So, Tang Zhijun felt both surprised and proud. Their little Yuxin was smart. In the future, she could be a painter. He had already begun nning various identities for Tang Yuxin ¨C a musician, a painter, a scientist. But he had never thought that Tang Yuxin might be a doctor in the future. Her interest in medicine was deeply rooted and undeniable. ¡°Uncle, put it up there,¡± Tang Yuxin pointed at a big tree outside. Fearing that Tang Zhijun might discover something, she wanted to act swiftly and get it over with. All right, Tang Zhijun squinted. He would never refuse his niece¡¯s request. He held the heavy doll in one hand and his niece¡¯s little hand in the other. When they got to the courtyard, he tied the doll to his back, warmed up his hands, and quickly climbed up the tree. He ced the doll on a branch. After he climbed down, he felt something was missing. He went inside and brought out arge piece of tarpaulin. ¡°Look at this,¡± he rubbed Tang Yuxin¡¯s little face, ¡°Uncle will cover this on top for you. Don¡¯t worry, no matter how much it rains, it won¡¯t get wet.¡± Tang Yuxin¡¯s eyes curved into a smile. That¡¯s right, her Uncle understood. And her adorable appearances melted her Uncle¡¯s heart. He cheerfully scaled the tree like a monkey, covered the things Tang Yuxin had hidden in the tree with the tarpaulin, and tied it up securely. Not only rain but even a storm wouldn¡¯t affect it now. Tang Yuxin reached Chen Zhong¡¯s doorstep and knocked, but no one was home. Chen Zhong had gone up the mountain to gather herbs. Such a pity that he had so many herbs and books in his house. How about breaking into his house and taking everything out? But after thinking about it, she decided against it. Chapter 85 - 86 The Flood Really Came Chapter 85: Chapter 86 The Flood Really Came Trantor: 549690339 She turned around and took onest look at the entire vige, a vige she had barely any recollection of. Several years from now, a new vige may rise up in its ce, but it would never be the same as the vige of the past. With her own eyes, she witnessed, for the first time, the transformation of the whole vige, and the passage of time beneath the engulfing waves. Indeed, at times, the catastrophe stood starkly before her. That day, Tang Yuxin and her brother, Tang Zhinian, were busy working in the fields. Like most others, they too were out in the fields when suddenly, thunder and lightning rolled in. Tang Zhinian quickly dropped his hoe onto the ground. He hastily scooped up Tang Yuxin and took her to a small house. His heart pounded erratically, a suffocating sense of dread creeping up his throat. The rain intensified, pouring relentlessly to the ground as if being dumped from a bucket. ¡°We¡¯re in trouble!¡± someone shouted, ¡°Flood¡¯sing, run for your lives¡­¡± Tang Zhinian¡¯s face went pale as he nced at his brother. ¡°Brother, I¡¯m going home to get the money,¡± Tang Zhijun, wiping the rain from his face, stubbornly resolved. Their hard-earned money was buried at home. He couldn¡¯t abandon it. The money was their lifeline. He had intended to use it to send little Yuxin for piano lessons. ¡°Don¡¯t go,¡± Tang Zhinian caught hold of his brother, ¡°We can earn money again, but if we lose our lives, we¡¯ll lose everything. Let¡¯s go.¡± Without a word, he removed his coat, draped it over his daughter, and started running towards the hill. The vigers followed suit, each scrambling towards higher ground with their families, leaving everything behind. Hands were either empty, or clutching at their children. Tang Zhinian looked back onest time at the vige, his eyes red and swollen. In just a few minutes, the floodwaters had reached the vige, slowly submerging it. He clenched his jaw, forced himself to turn away, and continued to run uphill with Tang Zhinian. The whole of the vige ¨C old and young ¨C was there, shivering in the cold. Cries of children mixed with sobs of women and the elderly, filled the air amidst the deadly floodwaters. Thankfully, a headcount revealed that everyone had escaped the vige without any casualties. As it was the farming season, most were outside when catastrophe struck, enabling them to run for their lives in time. In the blink of an eye, the floodwaters submerged the entire vige, even drowning some rooftops. People stood in stunned silence, wondering when the floods would recede, worrying about their savings stored at home, their chickens, sheep, and the store of grains. But this flood had washed everything away. Everything. The rain continued to fall. Tang Zhinian, with Tang Yuxin in his arms, took shelter under arge tree. The thick leaves kept the rain at bay. At that moment, he was no different from the rest of the vigers. All their efforts for the year had been wasted. He felt like crying. Suddenly, a little hand rested gently on the back of his coarse hand. ¡°Daddy, we¡¯ll be okay,¡± Tang Zhinian touched his daughter¡¯s face and pulled her closer, protecting her from the rain. The people of the vige huddled together, neither eating nor drinking. Tang Yuxin reached into her pocket, pulling out a piece of candy. This candy was saved from the New Year¡¯s stash. She never ate any of it, instead kept it aside. She had an intuition about the imminent flood, so she filled her pockets with many such candies. Chapter 86 - 87: Lost Home Chapter 86: Chapter 87: Lost Home She ced a piece of candy in Tang Zhinian¡¯s hand, and then another in their uncle¡¯s palm. Upon seeing the candy in his hand, Tang Zhijun covered his face, choked with emotion. The rain finally ceased after a day and night. The floodwaters retreated three dayster. During those three days, vigers had to scavenge edibles on the mountain. There were some wild fruits there to tide them over. Tang Zhinian, Yuxin and their siblings survived those arduous days and nights through the pieces of candy that Yuxin had and the wild fruits they gathered. The flood stopped rising and military personnel came for rescue, providing them with ample food, water, and clothing. About three dayster, after the flood had receded, they returned to the vige. But almost all of their old houses had been swept away. Usable items had been washed away, their bedding, the livestock they reared, the grain- everything was nearly gone. Their houses were gone and so were their belongings, but theirnds remained untouched due to their location halfway up the hill. Only a few households¡¯ crops were flooded, but most of them were unaffected, including those of Tang Zhinian and his siblings, except for a small corner that was inundated. The destruction of their houses didn¡¯t matter, their possessions being washed away didn¡¯t matter ¨C as long as they were alive. And the government was responsive. Shortly after they returned to the vige, relief was dispatched: regardless of anything else, each family was given a relief fund of 200 yuan, a bag of rice, and flour. People tidied up their homes. Those whose homes were inhabitable moved back in, and the government provided tents for those who couldn¡¯t. Reconstruction could beginter. It might sound nice, but in reality, the damage each family suffered was significant. Tang Zhinian, his siblings and Yuxin stood dumbstruck at the entrance of their house. The door was gone, the house was nearly razed. The only thing that remained was the roof. Everything inside had been washed away, even the earthen bed had copsed. If not for the grand anthus tree at the front door, they wouldn¡¯t have been able to locate their house. Tang Zhijun rushed to the kitchen. Upon entering, he fell into despair, as the chopping board and firewood were gone. The jar where he hid money was also missing. He stubbornly dug the floor, but found nothing. There was no jar, no money. ¡°It¡¯s ok, we still have thend, we are all alive,¡± Tang Zhinianforted his brother with a pat on the shoulder. Tang Zhijun tried to smile, but it looked more like crying. Everything they owned had been washed away, even the money was gone. Tang Zhinian was filled with more sadness and guilt than Zhijun. If he hadn¡¯t brought the money home, only the check would have been washed away. They could have found ways to recover that, couldn¡¯t they? But now, the money was most probably swept somewhere, maybe even pocketed by someone. Tang Zhinian had his daughter stay outside. Together with Zhijun, they cleaned up the house. After making some patchwork repairs, it was still habitable. At the very least, there was still a roof. They could also use wooden boards to substitut the missing walls. It would do. Chapter 87 - 88: Hidden Things Chapter 87: Chapter 88: Hidden Things Tang Yuxin lifted her head, looking at the towering tree. The tree was full of dense leaves and even after experiencing such a massive flood, it still stood tall, showing no signs of falling. Because the tree was so thickly covered with leaves, the things she had her uncle hide in its branches could not be detected unless paid close attention to. She looked around. The people around her were clearing out the uninhabitable houses, figuring out ways to make do. Before long, the vige chief came around, going door to door informing them that the county would send people to help rebuild their homes. They would receive donations from various ces, and the vige could be rebuilt. For the moment, everyone would have to endure some hardship and prioritize cleaning up and tidying where they could. Together, they would ovee this difficulty and face it head on. Floods are pitiless, but people arepassionate. Their houses are in such a state that they couldn¡¯t do anything about it. But they couldn¡¯t also just let their newly nted crops go to waste. By nighttime, the county had sent over numerous tents. The flood had receded quickly and the ground had dried fast. By nightfall, when you stepped on the ground, there was no mud anymore. One tent was allotted per household. The night air was frigid, and the whole family had to squeeze into one tent. They ate, drank, and went to the bathroom inside the tent. Their food was either bread or steamed buns delivered alongside the tents. Water was brought in by the county in a sizable truck. If they wanted to drink, they had to fetch it themselves, using whatever vessels they could find. The two brothers, Tang Zhinian and Tang Zhijun, only took some water, and then crawled into their tent, nevering out again. None of them could fall asleep. At midnight, only the young Tang Yuxin was asleep, resting her head on her father¡¯s leg, covered by her father¡¯s clothes. Tang Zhinian ced his hand on his daughter¡¯s hair, sighing audibly from time to time. The wind was piercingly cold at night, causing the leaves on the tree outside to rustle. Suddenly, Yuxin sat up. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Tang Zhinian touched his daughter¡¯s little face. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Xinxin, the floodwater is gone. We are safe, really, don¡¯t be afraid.¡± ¡°Dad, the tree,¡± Tang Yuxin pointed outside. ¡°Yes, the tree. What about the tree?¡± Tang Zhinian got hold of a military coat and wrapped his daughter in it. He too heard the sound of the wind shaking the leaves. Don¡¯t be afraid, it¡¯s just the leaves of the tree rustling. ¡°Tree,¡± Tang Yuxin extended her little hand again, ¡°Dad, tree.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Tang Zhijun suddenly stood up, opened the tent. ¡°Brother, there are some things that little Yuxin kept for herself on the tree. I¡¯ll go and get them.¡± Tang Zhinian was confused, wondering why they stored their things in a tree for no apparent reason. However, in a short while, Tang Zhijun had thrown many things down from the tree and brought each item into the tent. Inside the tent, they had a candle lit, so it wasn¡¯t too dark. There were quite a few bags, not too many when put up there separately, a little bit today, a little bit tomorrow. However, when taken down all at once, it was a lot. Nearly half the tent was filled up. ¡°Howe there¡¯s so much stuff?¡± Tang Zhinian was slightly surprised seeing half the tent filled with things. ¡°I didn¡¯t think it would be this much either,¡± Tang Zhijun scratched his head, indeed, there was quite a lot. Chapter 88 - 89: Hiding Good Things Chapter 88: Chapter 89: Hiding Good Things He opened something wrapped in oilcloth, and as he peeled back the outeryer, a shudder ran through his fingers. ¡°Bro, isn¡¯t this our winter clothes?¡± Tang Zhijun hurriedly pulled out one piece. It was newly bought during the New Year, too precious to wear on ordinary days. He had nned to leave it for next year. But then this sudden flood came, he thought the clothes had been washed away. Surprisingly, they had all ended up in a tree. He pulled out several more pieces from the bundle, indeed, they were all winter clothes, some belong to him, and some to Tang Zhinian. A small hand reached forward and grabbed a red cotton jacket. ¡°It¡¯s Xinxin¡¯s.¡± Tang Yuxin hugged her cotton jacket tightly, ¡°Xinxin¡¯s, Daddy¡¯s, Uncle¡¯s, we hid them all.¡± Tang Zhinian didn¡¯t know whether tough or cry. He scooped his daughter into his arms. This clever child had the foresight to hide their belongings. ¡°Let me see what else is inside?¡± Tang Zhijun grabbed another package and opened it. There were some books, presumably belonging to Chen Zhong. There were also clothes ¨C mostly Tang Yuxin¡¯s, plus a few pieces for them two. They couldn¡¯t be med for hiding fewer clothes, their wardrobe was fairly limited. ¡°Our Xinxin has learned to hide things well. Even the flood couldn¡¯t wash them away.¡± Tang Zhinian lightly touched his daughter¡¯s cheek. Now with these clothes, their household¡¯s burden was considerably eased. There¡¯s no need to buy clothes now, saving them quite a bit of money. They only had two hundred dors, which had to cover repairs for the house, buying bedding, cookware, and clothes. Under normal circumstances, clothes for four seasons can cost quite a sum. But now, they had what they need. Though not much, it would be sufficient tost a year. By next year, they could earn some more money and then gradually add more clothes. ¡°Oh right, and there¡¯s this, I remember it,¡± Tang Zhinian took another package. It was the best preserved because it contained a doll ¨C his niece¡¯s favorite. He unwrapped the outeryer of oilcloth and found a perfectly dry doll. After stitching the doll up, he would give it to Tang Yuxin. In his heart, it seemed that from the very start, all Tang Yuxin wanted was this doll. All the paper stuffing was pulled out, but something about the doll Tang Zhijun was holding felt strange. The doll was a gift from him to his niece. Although water-absorbent, the cotton inside the doll couldn¡¯t possibly make it this heavy? He felt the doll¡¯s stomach; there seemed to be something inside other than cotton. It was too hard; could it be a book? Curiosity piqued, he lifted the doll up and found the stomach was split open. He felt the inside again; it wasn¡¯t cotton, it was something hard. ¡°Let¡¯s see what this is? What good thing did our Xinxin hide this time?¡± He pinched his niece¡¯s cheek lightly, ¡°Tell me, what did you hide inside this time?¡± Tang Yuxin just giggled and sat obediently next to her dad. Chapter 89 - 90: Lost and Found Chapter 89: Chapter 90: Lost and Found Tang Zhijun reached his hand into the open belly of the doll, and pulled something out. Then, with a ¡®thwack¡¯, a dull sound came from the ground. Quickly, Tang Zhijun picked up the object that had fallen to the ground. He held it unbelievingly in his arms as if he was feeling something. Then he ced the object on his knee with trembling fingers and slowly unwrapped it. When what was inside was revealed, he impulsively picked it up again. When he looked up at his elder brother, Tang Zhinian, thetter had the same expression, as if he had seen a ghost. ¡°Brother, our family¡¯s money is all here, not a penny less. I personally wrapped it, threeyers.¡± Indeed, this was undoubtedly their family¡¯s money. He had counted each bill himself, made marks, then bundled it solidly. Even the oilcloth used to wrap it hasn¡¯t changed. This was their money. ¡°Xinxin, where did you get this?¡± Tang Zhinian picked up his daughter and sat her down on a pile of clothes. ¡°Uncle gave it to me, said it was for buying candy to eat,¡± Tang Yuxin replied without faltering. ¡°Given to you? How is that possible?¡± Tang Zhinian widened his eyes, ¡°This money was clearly kept in my jar, I¡¯ve never taken it out.¡± ¡°Uncle gave it to me,¡± Tang Yuxin wrinkled her little nose. After all, she was a child and she would not lie. ¡°Brother, I didn¡¯t¡­,¡± Tang Zhijun looked innocent and perplexed. He had clearly kept the money in the jar himself, ced it there with his own hands. ¡°Xinxin doesn¡¯t lie,¡± Tang Zhinian stroked his daughter¡¯s head, ¡°Maybe you gave it to her while sleepwalking. I used to sleep deeply and dream of kicking her under the bed several times.¡± This was something Tang Zhinian had personally experienced. This so-called sleepwalking was when people are actually asleep, but because their minds are on something, they unknowingly do certain things. Perhaps Tang Zhijun was constantly thinking of buying candy for his young niece, so he had taken all the money out of the jar without realizing it himself. And all this while, he had assumed that the money was still in the jar. ¡°Could it be?¡± Tang Zhijun touched his head, could this really be the case? Could he be sleepwalking? No way, he still didn¡¯t believe he could sleepwalk, handing so much money to Tang Yuxin. But if it wasn¡¯t so, then how could he exin finding this money inside the doll? Tang Yuxin was so young, she had no reason to lie, moreover, she did not have any concept of money, let alone knowing where to keep it? If there was no issue with Tang Yuxin, then the troublemaker might be him. And from then on, the two brothers of the Tang Family always thought they had sleepwalking symptoms, not knowing that their ever-so-honest niece, Tang Yuxin, had honestly fooled them. ¡°Brother, what should we do with this money?¡± Putting aside how this money ended up inside the doll, now it¡¯s like their lost money has been restored, making them feel like they¡¯ve flown from Hell into Heaven. ¡°First, put it on the tree,¡± Tang Zhinian pondered and spoke, already aware of the saying ¡®wealth should be kept secret¡¯. As for these clothes, it can be imed that they had been stashed in the house buried underground. Regarding the money, it¡¯s better not to talk about it. Currently, within the vige, everyone was in this state, with houses gone, things gone, even money was gone. Chapter 90 - 91: A Lifetime’s Hard Work Is Lost Chapter 90: Chapter 91: A Lifetime¡¯s Hard Work Is Lost But they still have more than ten thousand yuan right now. And if that were to be the talk of the vige, it wouldn¡¯t be about people wanting to borrow the money. There are so many households in this vige, borrowing from one wouldn¡¯t work, borrowing from another wouldn¡¯t either; in the end, they¡¯d all be stuck in a predicament between a rock and a hard ce. Indeed, the situation that Tang Zhinian was worried about had happened before in the vige. A young viger who had made some money was eventually forced to move out of the vige due to constant borrowing, leaving behind a whiff of bitter rtionships. Even until now, the family hasn¡¯t returned. Tang Zhinian wasn¡¯t fond of handling suchplexities, so he just decided to act as if all their money had been washed away by the flood. He was firm in keeping this secret, for he knew he still needed to send his daughter to school ¨C these were her future tuition fees. Tang Zhijun tucked the money back into an oilcloth bag, climbed up therge tree in their yard, and hid the money high in its branches. They¡¯d retrieve it once they had a roof over their heads again. They moved their belongings to the little shed in their farnd early the next morning. Then, they carried on tending to their small plot ofnd. As the vige chief had said, they could always rebuild their house; you wouldn¡¯t freeze to death from sleeping outside, but if they abandoned theirnd, there wouldn¡¯t be anything left to eat. With old and young mouths to feed in the family, how could they survive without their crops? Then starvation would be the only oue. Everyone in the vige, along with those who came from the county, pitched in to help mend their homes ¨C somepletely rebuilt, others patched up as best as they could. Regardless, they needed a ce to shield them from the wind and rain. They added a couple of bricks to the Tang family¡¯s house, and then used wooden beams to construct a roof. It was good enough to live in for the time being. All the bedding and other necessities were ruined and needed to be reced. The two Tang brothers rode a tricycle into town to purchase supplies. After tidying up, Tang Zhinian made a table and chairs out of wooden nks. Their home was slowlying back together. On the first day back, Tang Zhijun retraced the ten thousand yuan they had hidden in the tree. He deposited it at the town¡¯s credit union before the next dawn, to avoid any unpredictable misfortune. They only kept around a hundred yuan at home, thinking that should suffice. The two brothers kept their heads down, tending to the fields as usual, hoping for a good crop yield and decent prices this year. Although they knew they had ten thousand yuan now, it didn¡¯t seem to be enough upon closer consideration. They needed to rebuild their house, feed three mouths, and Tang Yuxin was still young. They also needed to find a wife for Tang Zhijun, which might require building another house. Tang Yuxin sat in Sun Zhong¡¯s now empty house, clutching a wooden nk, practicing her needlework. Chen Zhong ran his hand over the fresh wall of his house. The flood had washed away all the valuable things he had umted over the years, including his collection of books. ¡°Ah¡­¡± he sighed, reflecting on his life¡¯s worth now washed away. Thankfully, he walked over, squatted down in front of Tang Yuxin. ¡°You¡¯re a tough little girl, not washed away by the flood. In the future, all of grandpa¡¯s hopes lie with you.¡± He gave her head aforting ruffle, finding a glimmer of sce in his heart. Chapter 91 - 92 Grandma’s Arrival Chapter 91: Chapter 92 Grandma¡¯s Arrival However, Tang Yuxin couldn¡¯t help but feel a shiver run down her spine. Were they nning to uproot her life as cruelly as they would a small sapling? She bowed her head, continuing to thread the wooden board in her hands; she could already fully feel the force required for each needle insertion. The newly erected house had a distinct smell of raw wood. However, it wasn¡¯t unpleasant; rather, the scent of the wood brought her closer to nature. Although it wasn¡¯t as restorative as being surrounded by the aroma of various herbs initially, it was still not bad. ¡°Learn well,¡± Chen Zhong said with a beaming smile, showing no signs of difort despite losing so many things. In fact, he seemed to feel a sense of relief. Yes, maybe it was a kind of relief. It was better without the herbal books, better without the herbs. He could forget about his past, his identity, his life before, and just focus on mentoring his little apprentice. ¡°You promised to repay the money you owe me by gathering herbs.¡± Tang Yuxin suppressed her emotions, feeling her heart well up with tears. She felt as if she had sold herself for a paltry two hundred yuan. How could she be so cheap? On tiptoe, she put the wooden board on the shelf, nning toe back tomorrow to continue practicing. Then she straightened her clothes, ready to go home for dinner. She had to walk the path from her house to Chen Zhong¡¯s every day, sometimes several times a day. Now, even if she closed her eyes, she could find her way back. She picked a foxtail flower from the side of the road and put it to her mouth, blowing softly. The flood had washed away everything here, only the weeds remained, thriving amidst adversity. They were proof that life could persist through any hardship. And she, she needed to be as resilient as the weeds, never giving up, no matter how difficult life became. ¡°Yuxin¡­¡± Suddenly, someone called her name. The voice was eerily familiar, but where had she heard it before? It must be a memory from her past, one of those painful memories¡­ ¡°Yuxin, granny has missed you so much!¡± In a swift movement, a handrge as a pat stretched out and picked her up. Tang Yuxin, not liking the feeling of her feet leaving the ground, was peeved. She looked up at the woman holding her; swollen eyes, prominent cheekbones, features etched with scorn and malicious intent. From Yuxin¡¯s memories of her past life, the pain that cut the deepest was linked to this middle-aged woman, who imed to miss her but actually wanted her dead. ¡°Yuxin, my poor little Yuxin,¡± the woman, Sang¡¯s mother, wailed ostentatiously. She scrunched up her face, as though trying to squeeze tears out of her dry eyes but failing. She just screamed louder, as if afraid others wouldn¡¯t hear her. After several more of these dry wails without receiving any response from Tang Yuxin, Sang¡¯s mother lowered her gaze, only to meet Yuxin¡¯s icy cold eyes; they were not the eyes of a child, but prating, icy, and ominous. And it almost scared her into dropping the child on the ground. ¡°Yuxin,¡± sheughed nervously. ¡°Did your father make a lot of money selling coriander? Granny missed you. Would you like toe with me? Your mother is back at home. She can buy you some meat to eat.¡± Sang¡¯s mother coaxed Tang Yuxin. Her beady eyes gleamed with shrewdness, yet her calctions were clear. She had heard that Tang Zhinian had made a fortune growing coriander. Last year, the price of coriander had been unusually high, over one yuan per jin. Rumor had it he had grown it in more than a dozen greenhouses, making tens of thousands of yuan. Oh, how wonderful it would be if Zhn and Tang Zhinian divorcedter! A good-natured man like Tang Zhinian would surely give the money to her. With these tens of thousands yuan, she could build a new house and even buy a television. She loved watching TV. Chapter 92 - 93: Something Happened to Your Little Yuxin Chapter 92: Chapter 93: Something Happened to Your Little Yuxin It was too early for the divorce, but no matter what, she had to get her hands on this money. It was her son who came up with this brilliant idea. Isn¡¯t there still Tang Yuxin? Even if her daughter divorced Tang Zhinian, Tang Yuxin is still her granddaughter. She missed her grandchild and wanted to take her granddaughter to stay with her for a few days. This wasn¡¯t too much to ask, right? Of course, if the child came, she would need to eat and drink. Tang Zhinian should give her some living expenses. She had this idea for several days, and she couldn¡¯t help herself anymore today. ¡°Yuxin, tell grandma, where does your dad keep the money he earns?¡± Tang Yuxin remained silent. The hand holding her little arm tightened. ¡°Yuxin, tell the truth to grandma. Otherwise, grandma will hit you,¡± she said, squeezing Tang Yuxin¡¯s arm hard like she did before. Frankly speaking, Tang Yuxin is like Tang Zhinian, naive and weak. In her previous life, she had a submissive temperament, allowing anyone to bully and manipte her. Yet the heartless Sang¡¯s mother threatened a five-year-old child. ¡°Yuxin, grandma is really getting angry. ¡± She frowned, her facial expression grim as a witch¡¯s, her fingernails pinching cruelly into Tang Yuxin¡¯s arm. Tang Yuxin suddenly opened her mouth wide and bit Sang¡¯s mother¡¯s shoulder. Sang¡¯s mother screamed and threw the child down. Meanwhile, at the Tang¡¯s home, Tang Zhinian couldn¡¯t help but stand up. He had been walking around outside for a while. Normally, his little Xinxin would have returned home by now. The vige wasn¡¯t big, she couldn¡¯t get lost. But why hadn¡¯t he seen her shadow so far? The food inside had already cooled off. When Tang Zhijun returned from the field and put down his hoe, he saw Tang Zhinian standing at the door, obviously looking for something. ¡°Has little Yuxin note back yet?¡± He nced into the house. There was no one there. If she was there, she would have brought the second uncle wash water by now. ¡°Yeah, she hasn¡¯t returned yet. I¡¯ll go check,¡± Tang Zhinian was concerned about his daughter, but he didn¡¯t think anything bad had happened to her. She might have lost track of time at Chen Zhong¡¯s home. ¡°Brother, let me go,¡± Tang Zhijun quickly halted Tang Zhinian, ¡°I¡¯m quicker on my feet. I¡¯ll be back soon,¡± saying this, he rolled up his sleeves and prepared to go outside. Before he could leave, a man named Big Money from the neighboring family ran over breathlessly. ¡°Brother Zhijun,e and see, something happened to your little Yuxin.¡± ¡°What happened?¡± Tang Zhijun went pale. There was only one person in the world who could make him change his expression so quickly, and that was Tang Yuxin. ¡°What happened?¡± Tang Zhinian felt like everything was going dark. If it weren¡¯t for Tang Zhijun holding him, he didn¡¯t know if he would have been able to stand. ¡°Your little Yuxin was thrown down by Sang Zhn¡¯s mother and banged her head.¡± Big Money was also quite angry, ¡°That mother of Sang Zhn, she initially tried to run, but was caught by the vigers. Now the vigers are watching her. Brother Zhinian, Brother Zhijun, go check on Yuxin.¡± Chapter 93 - 94: Bad Granny Chapter 93: Chapter 94: Bad Granny And when he thought of Tang Yuxin, her face drenched in blood, he was utterly terrified. She¡¯s such a beautiful child, anyone would cherish her like a treasure. Yes, she is a girl, but she is pretty, has a good temperament, and is known to be able to write big and meaningful characters. She¡¯s also obedient with a sweet mouth, making the thought of having a beautiful daughter like her attractive, even to this old bachelor who is yet to get married. Imagine how proud he¡¯d be to show her off. But it¡¯s such a beautiful child who was beaten. This audacity to hurt someone in their vige is shocking. Do they think they can bully the people of Li Tang Vige so easily? When they targeted Tang Zhinian and piged his home in the past, they swallowed their anger because it was a matter of the Tang family that they had no say in, as it was his mother-inw¡¯s actions. But now that Tang Zhinian is divorced, what right does the Sang family have to hit someone else¡¯s child? Tang Zhinian clenched his hands tightly, outrage emanating from his being, he hurried outside to find his daughter in the lead. ¡°Brother Zhinian, don¡¯t worry. Little Yuxin is fine. Uncle Zhong has already bandaged the wound. She¡¯s just frightened,¡± reassured Dacai, leading the way. Tang Zhinian opened his mouth but no words came out. He staggered into Chen Zhong¡¯s house to find Tang Yuxin sitting quietly on a small stool, her head wrapped in gauze, her little face pale. ¡°Xinxin¡­¡± Tang Zhinian¡¯s voice was hoarse with emotion. He hurriedly squatted down, not daring to touch his daughter. Was she okay? Where was she injured? Just her head? Did the injury reach her brain? With her beauty and intellect, would she be disfigured, or mentally damaged? ¡°What¡¯s with that look?¡± Chen Zhong gave Tang Zhinian a sidelong nce, then put away his medical box. ¡°The medicine passed down in my family guarantees there won¡¯t be any scars, and nothing¡¯s wrong with her head. She¡¯s still as smart as ever.¡± That¡¯s right, she¡¯s still as smart as ever. If not, the first one to cry wouldn¡¯t be Tang Zhinian, but him. It was hard enough to find a suitable child for an apprentice, if she were to be mentally affected, he would drown himself in tears. ¡°Dad,¡± Tang Yuxin pouted, eyeing Tang Zhinian pitifully. Tang Zhinian held his daughter, his eyes welling up with tears. ¡°Daddy, Grandma is mean,¡± Tang Yuxin lowered her head, choking on her words. She couldn¡¯t let her victim role go to waste; the wound on her head hadn¡¯te for free. Outside Chen Zhong¡¯s door, many vigers were gathering. They were shocked when they heard that Tang Zhinian¡¯s daughter had been beaten by an out-of-towner. Nothing like this had ever happened in their vige. Even if a child made a huge mistake, no one would even suggest beating them, let alone causing the child to bleed, especially if it was done by an outsider. Such an atrocity was unbearable for anyone. Tang Yuxin, with an ebbing and flowing voice between cries and storytelling, tears streaming down her face. ¡°Daddy, Grandma said our coriander made tens of thousands of dors. Daddy, didn¡¯t we lose all our money in the flood? We don¡¯t have any money left to buy eggs for Xinxin to eat.¡± Chapter 94 - 95 You old witch Chapter 94: Chapter 95 You old witch Tang Zhijun red with bloodshot eyes at Sang¡¯s mother, who was blocked by the vigers. Upon hearing these words, the others also got angry, Didn¡¯t they know that their vige had been flooded? They were still demanding money. Even if Tang Zhinian had the money, it was not the Sang family¡¯s turn now, let alone the fact that the flood had washed away everything. They didn¡¯t even have food, how could they have ten thousand yuan? Not only do they want money, they¡¯re now even hurting kids. Sang¡¯s mother, under the fierce gaze of everyone, felt weak in her legs and hands. She was known for her loud voice, but now she didn¡¯t even dare to let out a fart. The vigers were furious, not even a bully would go as far as they had. Bullying Tang Zhinian was one thing, but took everything from Tang family, moved Tang Zhijun to the little shed in the field, now they were even beating kids. Were they making fun of Li Tang vige being flooded and losing all their wealth? If this incident were to spread, their Li Tang vige would be seen as a vige that can be bullied. Their children can be beaten by anyone, who in the future would dare toe to Li Tang vige, the men in the vige couldn¡¯t get a wife or have children. ¡°Let¡¯s go, we can¡¯t let this go on,¡± said an auntie who couldn¡¯t bear to watch, Li Tang vige may be hit by a flood, but they couldn¡¯t let others bully them. ¡°Yes, we can¡¯t let this go,¡± several older women, wiping their tears secretly, looking at the pitiful little Tang Yuxin, remembered their own past. The vige was suffering a severe disaster, they hadn¡¯t even recovered yet, they were already being bullied by outsiders, what was the point of a vige that couldn¡¯t even protect their children. Tang Zhinian, holding his daughter, his eyes were red as if he was about to cry. The little one he held in his arms was even more pitiful, her head was wrapped in a piece of gauze. The skin that was originally fair, has now lost all color, the whole person looked wilted, like a little flower baked by the summer sun, she was as pitiful as you could imagine. ¡°She¡¯s my granddaughter. So what if I hit her? Is it any of your business?¡± Sang¡¯s mother was uneasy under all those judging eyes, she began to lose her patience, hit her own child, how could that be wrong? ¡°You old witch,¡± the moment Tang Zhijun heard this, his face turned green from anger. He picked up a chair and threw it at her. Despite her guts, Sang¡¯s mother hadn¡¯t seen a showdown like this, she had always been rude and arrogant in the vige, ignoring others, but no one had ever roughed her up, let alone thrown things at her. She covered her face and screamed even before the chair had hit her. And then everyone smelled a sour and foul stench. Sang¡¯s mother¡¯s legs shook, and clear yellow liquid seeped out from her trouser legs. ¡°Daddy, she peed her pants.¡± Before the child¡¯s words fell, there came a sshing sound, and a smell that was hard to describe filled all around. The child covered her nose, then pointed at Sang¡¯s mother with her little finger. ¡°Daddy, she pooped her pants.¡± And then, lumps of yellow and smelly stuff dropped from the leg of Sang¡¯s mother¡¯s pants. Suddenly, someone couldn¡¯t help covering their mouth, ran outside and¡­ Threw up. Chapter 95 - 96: Planning to Reap the Benefits Chapter 95: Chapter 96: nning to Reap the Benefits Zhn¡¯s mother couldn¡¯t remember a single time in her life she had been this humiliated. Her legs quivered as she felt disgrace not just in her own vige, but now in another¡¯s vige as well. Even though Tang Zhinian decided not to pursue, the vigers didn¡¯t agree. How could they ept it when a child had been beaten up in someone else¡¯s vige? Being already irate due to the recent flood, their resentment had only grown stronger. Zhn¡¯s mother was from Sha Vige, which was on higher ground and thus the houses were in good shape. Yet, even well-built houses had been severely damaged by the flood. Everyone in the vige was trying to recover their losses. Zhn¡¯s mother thought of her son-inw, no, her former son-inw. She wondered if she could exploit the situation somehow. Everyone in the viges around knew about Tang Zhinian and his brother making quite a sum of money from their coriander ntation. Coriander was high in demand that year. Even a small yield could bring in good money. So with several acres of it, the earnings would bound to be substantial. Zhn¡¯s mother regretted her actions deeply. If only she had dyed the divorce, she could have had a share in it. She didn¡¯t believe for a second that Tang Zhinian would dare not give her the money she deserved. At least four to five thousand wouldn¡¯t have been a problem. How could the Sang family not be green with envy at the money the Tang brothers were making this year? They regretted their decision of not cultivating coriander in theirnds. Now, their fields were flooded leaving them with nothing. They were on the brink of starvation and had coaxed Zhn¡¯s mother to get money from Tang Zhinian. Despite the vige being washed away by the flood, money wouldn¡¯t be. Only fools would keep their money at home and not in a bank. The excuse was simple ¨C the grandmother missed her granddaughter. Once the little girl was home, Tang Zhinian would obediently pay up the money. Even if he had divorced Sang Zhn, the granddaughter still belonged to the Sang Family. Just as the brothers were contemting what to do with the money, they heard amotion at the door. They saw their wives arguing with some strangers on their return. Their mother was sitting on the ground, her pant legs dirty and a foul smell pervading the surroundings. They also spotted Tang Zhinian and his brother in the crowd. ¡°Tang Zhinian, what are you up to?¡± Tang Zhinian casually nced at the two irritated Sang brothers. They once ragged on him relentlessly, reducing him to a shadow of his former self. The thought of it filled him with sadness. Looking at the items in the Sang household, every single one of them was moved from his house. Everything from table and chairs to small kitchen utensils, and therger furniture, all belonged to them. ¡°Tang Zhinian, what¡¯s the meaning of this?¡± Sang¡¯s eldest brother was enraged. He was unable toprehend the sudden shift in his status. Before, Tang Zhinian treated them with utter respect. But now, he was showingplete disregard. Why was his mother sitting on the ground? This was the mother-inw of the Tang family. Did his sister marry into the Tang family just to be a birthing machine? Chapter 96 - 97: Venting Anger Chapter 96: Chapter 97: Venting Anger ¡°What¡¯s the meaning of this?¡± Tang Zhinian, trembling with anger, and the other people from Li Tang Vige were here to vent their anger this time. ¡°You folks from Sha Vige are bullying us, even bullying us from Li Tang Vige. Everyone knows that we¡¯re the vige that got flooded. You guys instead run over to our side extorting money, and when there¡¯s no money, you beat up children.¡± ¡°Look at¡­¡± The man pointed at Tang Yuxin who was being held by Tang Zhinian. ¡°Look at what you¡¯ve done to the kid. This is inhumane. Not to mention you¡¯re her own maternal grandmother. Is our Yuxin a picked up orphan or what that you, Sang Family, mistreated her so horribly? This child so beautifully grown will have her face ruined.¡± As the crowd parted, Tang Yuxin held in Tang Zhinian¡¯s arms was revealed. She looked weak, her small face drained of colour. Her long eyshes drooped down, expressing an image of a soft, pitiful little creature as if bearing a great grievance, prompting the adult men and women to want to hold her and give her a good squeeze. Any family would hold such a girl as the apple of their eye. Besides, nowadays with family nning policy, not to mention city folks, even in the countryside, children are few. Which child isn¡¯t the apple of their parents¡¯ eyes? But this grandmother treats her granddaughter so poorly, as if trying to beat her to death. ¡°If you, Sang Family, do not give us a good exnation, we¡¯ll find your vige chief. You¡¯ve bullied us from Li Tang Vige, as if we¡¯re easy targets, right?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± another person raised the voice equally angry, ¡°We couldn¡¯t intervene in previous matters when you wanted to disgrace Tang Zhinian as it was a family matter. But now, the two of you have divorced, your hands, no matter how long, cannot reach into someone else¡¯s house.¡± Tang Yuxin sniffled, ¡°Uncle, our table,¡± she pointed at the table ced inside the house, speaking in a milky voice, then she pointed to the stool, ¡°our stool,¡± and then she pointed one by one at each item, sobbing after each sentence. Everyone in the vige knew that the Sang Family used to visit the Tang Family and took whatever they could, how else could the capable Tang brothers, both hardworking people, and Tang Zhinian, a skilled carpenter, live like this? Now, they finally understood why. As Tang Yuxin pointed out each item, even a child would know that these things belonged to their own family. Everything in the Sang¡¯s house, including the tables and chairs, even nts and trees, were all taken from the Tang Family. How shameless could somebody be, to do something like this? The people from Li Tang Vige became more infuriated, while the onlookers from Sha Vige were red-faced. Seeing Sang¡¯s mother sitting dejectedly, none of them had the face to stay there any longer. The Sang Family carried away everything from their son-inw¡¯s house. Furthermore, a few individuals who wanted to get married into the Sang Family were having second thoughts. Sang¡¯s daughters might be beautiful, but what good is beauty? After marriage, divorce was inevitable; they didn¡¯t even want to keep their own child. How heartless this woman could be. The looks that these people threw at the Sang Family were bing uncanny. Of course, no one cared. They would have to deal with the problems they caused. Don¡¯t drag the people from the vige into this mess. The vige¡¯s young girls, each one better than the next, were not like the shameless Sang Zhn. Chapter 97 - 98: Move All Chapter 97: Chapter 98: Move All It wasn¡¯t long before the vige chief of Sha Vige arrived. Upon seeing Sang¡¯s mother sitting on the ground, wailing and pounding her leg incessantly, and Sang Family¡¯s two sons with forced smiles on their faces, he became diposed. As for the two daughters-inw, they probably found the situation too shameful to even show their faces. ¡°It¡¯s just as well that you¡¯re here, uncle, someone recognized the vige chief of Sha Vige. This is also their reason foring here. Nowadays, people from your Sang Family areing to our vige to beat children. Look at the child they¡¯ve beaten.¡± Tang Yuxin was also very helpful, opening herrge, teary eyes. Such a pitiful little appearance made everyone who saw her hearts ache. They all thought if their own child was beaten, they would fight against the perpetrators too. ¡°What do you think we should do?¡± The vige chief didn¡¯t want to interfere anymore. This event was aplete loss of face for their entire Sha Vige. An entire vige hade to make a ruckus here and they were the ones at fault still. Tang Yuxin lifted her tiny face, tears streaming down without stopping. Added with the blood-soaked gauze on her head, she looked just terribly pitiful. ¡°Our home was washed away, we have no tables or chairs left.¡± Even though her voice was small, at this moment, it sounded very clear and sharp to the adults around. ¡°Right,¡± a person from Li Tang Vige pointed to the furniture inside. ¡°All these things originally belonged to the Tang Family. Now, our vige has been washed away by the flood. We do not want anything from your Sang Family. Just return the things you took from Tang family, that¡¯d be enough.¡± ¡°How can this be possible?¡± A middle-aged woman ran out from the inside, she was stout with a face full of flesh. Everyone else was so thin that they looked like skeletons, but she was so fat that she looked like she was oozing oil. It would be a lie if she imed she didn¡¯t steal and eat, even a ghost wouldn¡¯t believe her. ¡°But these are all ours.¡± ¡°Yours?¡± An aunty reached out and shoved the fat daughter-inw. If you¡¯re stubborn, others can be even more stubborn. These things were put together by Zhinian, one piece of wood at a time. ¡°You Sang family and all the shameless things you did, don¡¯t think others don¡¯t know. We didn¡¯t take you to the police only because Zhinian was kind-hearted. Otherwise, just for Sang Zhn¡¯s affair alone, we would never forgive you.¡± With those words out, both the vigers fell silent. The fat aunty twisted her mouth, ¡°I don¡¯t usually bber about, but I really can¡¯t stand this today. I have seen your whole family talking andughing with the man from the city. You are so shameless to cheat on your husband and even use Zhinian¡¯s things.¡± Listening to these words, Tang Zhinian epted the sympathy from others. But such sympathy felt like ps on his face. He felt like a cuckold, getting his head so green it seemed like it was going to blossom. He originally didn¡¯t want to pursue this matter, but hearing these words, he gritted his teeth. Looking at his daughter in his brother¡¯s arms, he became angry and gutsier. Today, he was firm about moving these things. Everyone was making a cuckold of him, and he still had to deliver these things to others. Zhinian might be easygoing, but he wasn¡¯t a fool. Move, move everything. Everything that belonged to him, Tang Zhinian, he wanted to take it all away. Several young men in the vige immediately rolled up their sleeves and began moving the furniture, pots, utensils. Whether it was Tang Family¡¯s or not, they moved it all. Tang Zhinian took his daughter from Tang Zhijun¡¯s arms. He just looked coldly at the Sang Family. Any feelings he might¡¯ve harbored for them had nowpletely vanished. Chapter 98 - 99: Impaled Chapter 98: Chapter 99: Impaled The chubbydy curled her lips in disdain, ¡°I am not the type to meddle often, but I can¡¯t bear to stand by any longer today. I remember when your family was lively and cheerful with the townsfolk. Now, you shamelessly steal men and even use Zhinian¡¯s things.¡± Tang Zhinian scoffed at her words, acting as though he appreciated the sympathies extended towards him. However, these ¡®sympathies¡¯ felt more like p after p on his face. He felt like he was made a fool. His humiliation was so intense, it seemed to flower like green fur on his head. Initially, he didn¡¯t want to pursue this matter. But after hearing those remarks, and when he saw his little daughter cradled in his brother¡¯s arms, his anger red up, resolute and firm. His decision stood ¨C he would move these things today. He wasn¡¯t going to let other people mock him further or give away the things belonging to his household. Zhinian might be honest, but he certainly wasn¡¯t a fool. Move everything. Move. Whatever belonged to Tang Zhinian, he would take away. The youngds in the vige, without hesitation, rolled up their sleeves. They moved the furniture, the cutlery, and even the pots and pans. It didn¡¯t matter who in the Tang family they belonged to, they moved everything. Tang Zhinian took his daughter from Tang Zhijun¡¯s arms, and with a cold stare, looked at the members of the Sang family. Any shred of affection he had initially was now gonepletely. He realized that everyone knew of this, everyone except him. The whole Sang family had kept him in the dark, deceiving him and urging Sang Zhn to find another man. Even the most honest man wouldn¡¯t allow himself to be aughingstock. Tang Yuxin lowered her head, clutching her father¡¯s clothes. Her red swollen eyes held no trace of innocence, only the clear sting of bitter rejection. He would break this off cleanly, regardless of whether it was Sang Zhn or the rest of the Sang family. She wouldn¡¯t provide Tang Zhinian with any illusion that Sang Zhn was forced or that there was any justification for her actions. No reason, no justification, and certainly no bitter circumstances. Sang Zhn simply didn¡¯t find Tang Zhinian worthy enough. She willingly strayed. Any possible leniency now would only add anotheryer of pain in the future. Her heart was already severely wounded; she didn¡¯t want her father to carry the burden of a woman for the rest of his life, whether that woman was his ex-wife or his own daughter. The Tang brothers, Zhinian and Zhijun, moved everything back to their home. The original solid wooden tables, chairs, and a small wooden bed, which Zhinian had made for his daughter, was back in ce. When his daughter grew up, she would have her own bed to sleep on. No matter how much the two daughters-inw of the Sang family protested, everything was moved. When Sang Zhn returned to find her home empty, coupled with hearing the sarcastic remarks of her sisters-inw, her face burned with embarrassment. She knew well what she had done ¨C abandoning her husband and child, having an extramarital affair. If this had been in ancient times, she would be punished severely. Surrounded by her sisters-inw, who were making snide remarks, and her mother, who was shedding tears and ming the Tang family for mistreating her, she just felt overwhelmed with shame and embarrassment. Sang Zhn knew exactly why she and Tang Zhinian had divorced. Listening to her mother incessantly grumbling, she felt as though her heart was being pierced through again and again. Chapter 99 - 100: Taking the Daughter Away Chapter 99: Chapter 100: Taking the Daughter Away Furthermore, her two sisters-inw had an overly watchful eye on everything. Originally, she wanted to fund Jiani¡¯s piano lessons from the money at home. However, now it seemed like it was better to stay quiet. If she brought it up, both sisters-inw would likely be shocked. When Sang Zhn left Sha Vige, the vigers looked at her differently. She could vaguely hear whispers of ¡°abandoning wife and daughter¡± and ¡°flighty,¡± making her face burn as if it had been scalded with boiling water. She quickly covered her face with her sleeve and did not dare to stay a second longer. However, when she left the vige, she suddenly changed her direction. She headed towards Li Tang Vige. Tang Yuxin picked up her rice bran jar again and practiced her needlework skills. She started this practice when she was over three years old and had been practicing for two years now. As she grew, so did the strength in her fingers. Now she could pierce the rice bran jar entirely. Chen Zhong said she would soon be able to use a skin b. Anyway, she had always been pushed in this way, so she, this little Miaomiao, was used to being cultivated hard. ¡°Yuxin, how could you be using a needle?¡± A sharp voice rang out. Tang Yuxin lifted her face holding the rice bran jar and saw someone she hadn¡¯t seen in a long while ¨C Sang Zhn. If everything had followed the trajectory of her previous life, she would now be at the Wei Family¡¯s house,boring for them, and serving Wei Jiani hand and foot. And Sang Zhn, her mother, would always say the same phrases. Yuxin, you¡¯re the older sister, so you need to give way to your younger sister. Yuxin, you¡¯re the older sister, how could you bully your younger sister? Yuxin, you¡¯re the older sister, your sister just likes someone. Aren¡¯t you supposed to make it happen for her? She made sacrifices for others, but who was there to make sacrifices for her? She held the rice bran jar and turned to run. ¡°What happened?¡± Tang Zhinian lowered his head, looking at his daughter hanging onto his leg. Wasn¡¯t she outside, enjoying the warmth just a while ago? Before he could ask anything more, he heard a woman¡¯s scream following a set of footsteps from outside. ¡°Tang Zhinian, how could you let my daughter y with a needle? Are you trying to kill her?¡± Tang Zhinian picked up his daughter. His once good-natured face now showed no hint of a smile. Before, every time he saw Sang Zhn, he was cautious and careful, even if he didn¡¯t eat or wear enough, he always put his wife first. Now, seeing Sang Zhn again, he just felt disgusted that he once shared a bed with such a woman. ¡°Tang Zhinian, don¡¯t you know how dangerous a needle can be?¡± Sang Zhn took a step forward, meaning to take the rice bran jar from the arms of Tang Yuxin who was in Tang Zhinian¡¯s embrace. Tang Yuxin held onto her rice bran jar a bit more tightly and then turned her little body, burying her small face and the rice bran jar in Tang Zhinian¡¯s chest, not even giving Sang Zhn a nce. Her little bit of mother-daughter sentiment had all but dissipated in her two lifetimes. Tang Zhinian took a step back, causing Sang Zhn¡¯s grasping hand toe up empty. ¡°What are you here for?¡± The question he asked carried hardly any emotion. Father and daughter were both hiding as if from some flood or fierce beast. This was too hard for Sang Zhn to bear. ¡°I¡¯m here to take my daughter away,¡± Sang Zhn couldn¡¯t stand it. The once obedient Tang Zhinian, who never contradicted her, was now avoiding her as if she were a ghost. In her consciousness, even though they were divorced, Tang Zhinian was supposed to be hers for life. Not because she loved Tang Zhinian, but because she had given birth to his daughter, extending the Tang Family line. Tang Zhinian owed her for that. Chapter 100 - 101 Are they Compatible? Chapter 100: Chapter 101 Are they Compatible? But when did this happen? She not only broke off all rtions with Tang Zhinian but had cut off all connections. Tang Zhinian hugged the child in his arms tighter. His normally honest face looked fierce at the moment, ¡°Sang Zhn, leave my house immediately. I don¡¯t want Xinxin to know about the shameful things you¡¯ve done. I never want my daughter to know she has such a mother who left her husband and daughter behind, not caring for her own child at all.¡± Tang Zhinian remembered when his daughter was still a baby, he had to swallow his pride and beg the people in the vige who had children to help feed his starving baby. He and his brother even scrimped and saved to buy a nanny goat, which ended up being stolen by people from the neighboring vige. Little Tang Yuxin would cry from hunger, leaving the two grown men, unarmed with how to raise a child, with red eyes. Yet, every time Sang Zhn came back asking for money, he went out of his way to get money for her. Yet once Sang Zhn got the money, she wouldn¡¯t even look at her daughter. What right does such a woman have to call herself a mother? She left shortly after her daughter was born, caring more about other people¡¯s child. Now she even dared to im her daughter back. This was simply a huge joke. Sang Zhn took a step forward, reaching out to take the child held by Tang Zhinian. Suddenly, a pping sound echoed. Tang Yuxin turned around and pped away Sang Zhn¡¯s hand with disgust on her face. ¡°Bully¡± Her soft-spoken words practically drove Sang Zhn into hell. Her daughter was calling her a bully. Tang Zhijun walked in from outside, holding in his hand a small bamboo cage with a cricket inside. Tang Yuxin might be a girl, but she actually enjoyed it, she never showed any signs of fear. His face changed when he saw Sang Zhn. ¡°Brother, why is she here?¡± ¡°She wants to take Xinxin away,¡± Tang Zhinian¡¯s voice was soft but cold when he said this, even with a hint of sarcasm. ¡°Hah¡­¡± Tang Zhijun suddenlyughed,ugh of disbelief that brought tears to his eyes. ¡°This is the best joke I¡¯ve ever heard. Xinxin has been raised by us, two men, ever since she was born. What right does she have to take Yuxin away? Is she worthy?¡± With each ¡°No right¡±, ¡°Is she worthy?¡± Sang Zhn could barely stand. The three Tangs in front of her, both young and old, looked at her with extreme disgust. Even Tang Yuxin felt the same. ¡°Tang Zhinian, how dare you turn my daughter against me?¡± Sang Zhn clenched her fists, feeling betrayed. She sneered, ¡°I thought you were an honest man, who knew you could actually turn my daughter against me, to even disown her own mother.¡± You never had me. Tang Yuxin wanted to scream aloud, spilling all of her suppressed feelings. However, she didn¡¯t, she said nothing. All the past experiences have been buried deep in the memory of her past life, along with love from her family in this life, and her uncle¡¯s devotion. She is no longer the pitiful cabbage of her previous life, she is the little princess of her father and uncle. Though their family was poor andcked money, they were diligent andplete without Sang Zhn and Wei Jiani. Chapter 101 - 102 Mother’s Jealousy Chapter 101: Chapter 102 Mother¡¯s Jealousy ¡°Isn¡¯t mom going back home to see little sister?¡± When the Tang brothers were at a loss for words, Tang Yuxin twisted her little face, her reddish tiny lips uttered words that once again struck Sang Zhn in the chest, almost killing her. This feeling of being stabbed in the heart, it¡¯s called pain. At the thought of her sick daughter at home, Sang Zhn¡¯s lips moved, but she couldn¡¯t utter a single word for a long time. She had initially nned to take Wei Jiani back to her parents¡¯ home, so they could help to take care of her for a while. But now, with themotion caused by the Tang family, her mothers and sister-inws were barely looking at her humanely, seemingly eager to drive her away. Seeing the fair and plump Tang Yuxin, a hint of jealousy flickered in her eyes. If Tang Yuxin had returned home with her back then, would she still be in such a mess? Tang Yuxin, two years older than Jiani, could now entirely take care of her sister at five years old. If Tang Zhinian could provide some monthly living expenses so they wouldn¡¯t have to worry about their daughter, she and Wei Tian could work normally. But now, everything had changed. She not only had to take care of her young daughter at home, but her family could not provide much help either, and she had little money at her disposal. However, the Tang family seemed to be doing better and better. Her Jiani is often sick, as frail as a kitten, but why does her sister Tang Yuxin possess a rosyplexion and remains obvious fair. Tang Yuxin was not just a child. A soul in her thirties could surely detect the resentment and jealousy in Sang Zhn¡¯s eyes. She understood that in her past life, Wei Jiani had frequently been ill, and Sang Zhn had always thought it was because she gave birth to her, which led to the weak constitution of Wei Jiani. Therefore, she Tang Yuxin owed Wei Jiani her entire life. Indeed, children bore with the person you love are cherished, whereas she was nothing more than an unwanted straw. If she wasn¡¯t any useful, she might have been kicked out of Wei¡¯s Family long ago. As for Sang Zhn, she did not hold any expectations, hence there was no disappointment. Of course, there wouldn¡¯t be love hurts. Without love, there would be no hurt. Sang Zhn clenched her teeth with force and left in resentment. Tang Zhinian set his daughter down, then held her little hand. ¡°Xinxin, daddy will take you to grandpa¡¯s. We will eat when we¡¯re back, okay?¡± He smiled at his daughter. In fact, he was afraid Sang Zhn mighte backter. Even if she did note back, he had to clean up the mess at home. ¡°Okay,¡± Tang Yuxin took Tang Zhinian¡¯s hand and went with him to Chen Zhong. She was still holding the jar with the rice bran. Chen Zhong couldn¡¯t wait to see her grow into a towering tree. He was too old, and she was too young. He was afraid he wouldn¡¯t live long enough to fully train her to be a doctor. What would they do then? Medical skills could not be half-mastered. These skills involved human lives and required utmost precision. Seeing the rice bran jar in Tang Yuxin¡¯s arms, a smile spread across Chen Zhong¡¯s face, bloom like an old chrysanthemum. This dependable child is the most lovable. In fact, he overestimated Tang Yuxin¡¯s reliability. She only held the rice bran jar because she had nothing else to do. Otherwise, she would probably be holding mud in her hands. ¡°Yuxin, prick a few needles for grandpa to see.¡± Chen Zhong squatting down, with no sense of despair that his house was destroyed by flood, didn¡¯t he still have a ray of hope? That was Tang Yuxin. They could gather herbs again; everything important from the books, Tang Yuxin remembered. The less vital ones, he would slowly teach herter. As long as this child was here, she could inherit all his medical skills, and his life would not be wasted. Even if his legs gave out, even if he closed his eyes forever, he would have lived up to the Chen¡¯s Family¡¯s legacy. Tang Yuxin obediently took the rice bran jar and pricked the jar with a few needles. ¡°Good,¡± Chen Zhong was pleased with Tang Yuxin¡¯s technique. She had started practicing when she was three. As she grew, her strength gradually increased. The speed of her needle insertion now seemed like an innate skill. Chen¡¯s Eleven Needle Methods required practice from an early age, yet no one started as early as Tang Yuxin, who had begun at age three. By five years old, she could already prick through the rice bran jar. So, they could practice with something else. ¡°Let¡¯s try something different today,¡± saying that, he stood up and walked into the house. Although Chen Zhong¡¯s house had been wrecked by the flood, it was essentially still intact, and most of the things were preserved. However, the books and herbs had been ruined, but it could be inhabited after a simple clean-up. Soon, he came out again, this time with a small wooden board in hand. He ced it in front of Tang Yuxin. ¡°From now on, we will practice with this. You¡¯ve practiced with it before, but you didn¡¯t have enough strength then. Now you can use it.¡± Tang Yuxin took it, stroked the thin tungwood board coated with silicone gel. She could practice on this silicone gelyer first, and when the strength of her needle application technique was strong enough, she could practice on the one-centimeter thick tungwood board. Once the Chen Family¡¯s Needle Method was mastered, the needle would essentially be part of her body, and she could control it at will. In her previous life, she didn¡¯t have this opportunity, but now that she had it, she would definitely make the best use of it. She ced the wooden board on herp and began practicing. A five-year-old child might seem small, but her seriousness was evident. At home, Tang Zhinian and Tang Zhijun had almost finished tidying up. The brothers climbed up the big tree in their courtyard and retrieved their things. Everyone kept their doors shut, not knowing what you had at home. However, they were grateful to vigers who helped them retrieve their belongings. Of course, this was secondary. The main thing was that the vigers supported them, preventing the Sang Family from ever bullying Tang Yuxin again. Tang Zhinian remembered this act of kindness, but now was not the time to repay. The vige had just been flooded. Most families had lost nearly all their belongings. If they unted their wealth now, it wouldn¡¯t be a wise move. After the New Year, when they sold the crops from theirnd, they would repay this kindness. ¡°We had originally nned to send wee Yuxin to the Youth Pce to learn the piano.¡± Tang Zhijun was somewhat annoyed at the flood that wrecked their home and disrupted Tang Yuxin¡¯s piano lessons n. He had no idea when they would be able to get it back on track. They didn¡¯t mind, but Wee Yuxin would consequently miss her ideal learning age. Chapter 102 - 103: She Doesn’t Love Piano Chapter 102: Chapter 103: She Doesn¡¯t Love Piano They say that interest should be cultivated from a young age, but he couldn¡¯t imagine that Tang Yuxin¡¯s hobby would be ying in the mud, as many children in the vige did. Such a scene is too beautiful for him to imagine. ¡°You may insist on her learning, but there¡¯s no guarantee she¡¯ll actually learn,¡± Tang Zhinian patted his younger brother¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Our little Yuxin is a willful one, and certainly an opinionated one.¡± You should ask her when she gets home if she¡¯s interested in learning the piano. After all, she¡¯s his daughter, and Tang Zhinian had a hunch that Tang Yuxin wouldn¡¯t like it. If she indeed didn¡¯t like it, wouldn¡¯t Zhijun¡¯s fervent push be like ¡®shaving one¡¯s head and carrying hot potatoes on it¡¯? No matter how keen he was or insistent he became, if Yuxin didn¡¯t like it, there¡¯ll be no use at all. Tang Zhijun gritted his teeth; he believed his little niece was a traditional sophisticated girl. ¡°Xinxin, do you want to learn the piano?¡± Tang Zhijun crouched in front of his niece. Every time the little girl punctured the wooden board with the needle in her hand, his heart seemed to skip a beat. ¡°Learn the piano?¡± Tang Yuxin raised her face, her expression confused, ¡°What piano?¡± ¡°The one from the Youth Pce. Xinxin, you can learn anything you want,¡± Tang Zhijun, who himself hadn¡¯t received much schooling, dropped his bottom on the ground and met his niece¡¯s wide, shining eyes. Unable to resist, he pinched her little face again. It was as soft as a ball of cotton. ¡°No,¡± Tang Yuxin bent down again, clutching a wooden board and practicing with a needle, ying the piano held no interest for her; she had passed that phase. In her previous life, Wei Jiani, who was bestowed with a piano, indeed made her envious. At that time, it was an electronic piano, costing thousands, which Wei Tian indulged his daughter in having, regardless of the cost. Once, she curiously touched the electronic piano and was hit by Sang Zhn. With her tiny hand stinging and red, she cried and hid in her little den, listening to Wei Jiani¡¯s piano ying outside, the sound from the initial cacophony to harmonious melodies. The piano ended up apanying Wei Jiani through her elementary, middle, and high school years, enabling her to blend in well amongst her peers. Tang Yuxin had once yearned for that. She also dreamed of ying the piano with her own delicate hands, producing beautiful notes. But in the end, she never touched a piano, and her yearning for it had faded in her previous life. This time around, she had no thoughts of learning the piano. Learning the piano was considered a luxury to people of her status. Her family didn¡¯t have the money for it, and she didn¡¯t love the piano; she preferred to hold a needle. And Tang Zhijun felt like crying but had no tears; she had indeed predicted correctly. Tang Yuxin didn¡¯t like the piano. ¡°Daddy¡­.¡± Tang Yuxin swiftly climbed onto Tang Zhinian¡¯sp. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± No matter how tired Tang Yuenian was during the day, seeing his daughter made him feel that it was all worthwhile. ¡°Daddy, Juanjuan said her dad got two plots of homesteadnd. Daddy, don¡¯t we want any?¡± Tang Yuxin blinked her eyes at Tang Zhinian. In the past, it was not easy to get homesteadnd in the vige; a lot of proof was required. Like the two brothers, Tang Zhinian, it¡¯s not been easy to want homesteadnd. However, due to the recent flood, almost all the houses in the vige were washed away. The government helped build some, and quite a few people were considering acquiring homesteadnd to rebuild their houses. Chapter 103 - 105: The New House Chapter 103 - 105: The New House Therefore, now is the perfect time to get a homestead plot. Once the time passes, it will be difficult. Tang Zhinian thought for a moment. How could he have forgotten about this homestead plot? "Brother, what do you need the homestead plot for?" Tang Zhijun was squatting on the ground, holding a bowl, drinking corn gruel. In the morning it was corn gruel. By evening, after adding some noodles to it, it would be corn gruel with noodles. Paired with a te of pickled mustard greens, it was a dish he could never tire of. Tang Zhijun took another sip of the corn gruel and noodles. We''ve got enough space in our house; why on earth would we want to get another plot? "It''s not for me," Tang Zhinian nced at his younger brother, "Eventually, you will marry and need a wife. Do you n to spend the rest of your life living with your elder brother?" "What do I want with a woman if she doesn''t want you and Yuxin?" Tang Zhijun hadn''t thought about getting married yet. But if he ever did and ended up with someone like Sang Zhn, he''d rather stay single. His elder brother had raised him like a father. There was no reason to let his brother go after he''d started his own family. "Utter nonsense! Even if you wanted to live with us, we wouldn''t allow it," Tang Zhinian wished he could smack his brother. He was still the same little rascal who''d grown up, but he couldn''t spank him anymore. "Fine by me," Tang Zhijun''s eyes , followed by a yful smile. "In that case, we''ll get two plots. We''ll keep one for Yuxin, so she can get a live-in husband in the future." It''s rare in the vige for a family to have only one child, and a daughter at that. Given Tang Zhinian''s nature, he most likely would''t marry again. In such a case, it would only be fitting that the daughter gets a live-in husband. Tang Zhinian also nned to find a live-in husband for his daughter. As the only child, he wouldn''t know how to handle it if she were bullied after getting married. It''s much safer to have her under his watchful eyes. But these are future concerns. Yuxin is only five now. What''s the rush? Thus, they decided to allocate two homestead plots. Even if they don''t build on them immediately, they will still belong to them in the future. The next day, after finishing his work on the farm, Tang Zhinian and his brother went to visit the vige chief to ask him about the homestead plot. They wanted two plots in total, as is customary for a family with only a daughter. Since it was a part of the family nning, the vigers took care of it, so the vige chief immediately allotted two plots. However, choosing where to locate these plots became a headache for Tang Zhinian. When Tang Yuxin heard about it, she climbed down from the chair and pulled her father outside. Tang Zhinian had no choice but to follow his daughter''s steps as she pulled him outside. The loving father would do anything that his daughter asked for. Even if she told him to jump into a river, he would do as she said. Tang Yuxin led Tang Zhinian to the easternmost end of the vige. This was a barren area that no one had cultivated. The soil was not good and there were some ditches, so no one wanted it. Our vige still had plenty ofnd but less people. Unlike the future, when the poption would multiply several times keeping thend area same, we now had plenty ofnd and fewer people. "Daddy, Xinxin wants to build a house here." Tang Yuxin pointed at the empty ground. At this point, Tang Zhinianughed helplessly. He had no idea where she had heard about them nning to build a house. She was still so young, but she was indeed bing more and more crafty. Chapter 104 - 106: Darkened Chapter 104 - 106: Darkened However, how to build a house when there were no neighbors around was a concern. He hadn''t thought about it before. He originally nned to build a couple of houses next to his own, so they could all be connected, and offer some mutual support to one another. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "I think that ce is fine," Tang Zhijun didn''t feel too fussy about the location of the house. "I even feel that ce is better. There are fewer people, more space, and it''s close to our farnd. It''s also close to the school Xinxin is going to attend." Tang Zhinian didn''t have strong feelings about other matters, but when it came to his daughter''s schooling, he had to consider it more carefully. The vige did indeed have a primary school, but the junior high school was abination of several viges, and quite some distance from their vige. In fact, their vige was the furthest away. If they lived here, it might be closer. Although it was only a ten-minute journey, those ten minutes that could be saved offered more time for sleep. After hesitating for a while, Yuxin persistently wanted to build the house there. Once the father agreed, the uncle also obliged his niece. Eventually, Tang Zhinian hardened his resolve and told the vige head that he wanted two courtyards on that vacantnd. Only after the area had been marked off with white lines did Yuxin finally breathe a sigh of relief. Although the ce seemed to be the most unpopr in the vige, a few yearster, a main road leading directly to the county town would be built. There would be a fair amount of vehicle traffic every day. More importantly, the future vegetable market would be relocated to the opposite side. If they built a house here, since her uncle knew how to fix cars, even having an air pump and inting tires would make them a few cents. Not to mention the possibility of doing other things. Yuxin didn''t know what kind of advantage her rebirth bestowed upon her, and she never thought about it. She felt her rebirth itself was a golden opportunity. In this life, she didn''t follow her mother back, she didn''t be Xiaobai of the Wei family, her uncle was still very much alive, and the fate of her family had actually changed significantly. As for the rest, she wasn''t in a rush, she was only five years old after all. She didn''t understand why some books would write that a few-year-old child could lead the whole family to be rich. She felt that her five years were spent just being an ordinary child. She once again picked up the wooden board and started practicing her suturing skills. Time always seemed to pass quickly in childhood. It felt like she had just returned not long ago, but she had already grown from three to five, and then from five to seven years old. Children in the vige started schoolte, around the age of eight. This was something that couldn''t be helped. In the city, children start school at six or seven years old, but here it was eight. Not a half-year younger would do. Yuxin put down the wooden board in her hand. Over two years, her suturing skills, though modest and unassuming, had be an integral part of her. It was in sync with her thoughts and came naturally to her. Looking at her own small hands, she pulled up her sleeves. Her hands were tanned, but her arms were still fair. She sighed, it was inevitable¡ªshe couldn''t stay pretty forever. As a child, she was a chubby, cute child. As her features developed, she remained cute. Although she wasn''t as chubby and round as before, her eyes were still big, and her face small¡ªstill a cute little girl. However, sincest year, she started learning how to gather medicinal herbs with Chen Zhong on the back mountain. As a result, she got herself all tanned. Chapter 105 - 107: Digging Coal Chapter 105: Chapter 107: Digging Coal Every time Tang Zhinian saw the little dark-skinned girl before him, he couldn¡¯t help but weep, tears streaming down his face as if rivers of noodles. This was not his soft and delicate daughter, but some coal miner from who knows where. ¡°Why the hell are you crying?¡± Chen Zhong had had enough of Tang Zhinian¡¯s foolish demeanor, he was weepy and sorrowful every day as if he had stolen his money. ¡°Uncle Zhong, can you stop my daughter from going to the mountain?¡± For so many pitiful years, he had painstakingly raised his daughter, fearing her skin would darken. It was only now he realized how sensitive Little Yuxin was to sunlight. One day in the sun and she looked like a coal miner. Before, she was like a white steamed bun, but now she had be a darkened bun. ¡°What would she do if she doesn¡¯t go to the mountain?¡± Chen Zhong really wanted to p Tang Zhinian. ¡°Can you, a grown man, not be so damn pathetic?¡± ¡°But she¡¯s really dark¡­¡± Tang Zhinian was on the verge of tears yet again. ¡± Who will want her if she¡¯s so dark in the future?¡± ¡°Is that your worry?¡± Chen Zhong restrained his impulse to kick him out, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with being dark-skinned? Your daughter looks just like you! If anyone is to me, it¡¯s you for being dark, not me.¡± Those words hit Tang Zhinian where it hurt. He felt useless, for not having given his daughter a fairplexion, condemning her to tan so easily. What would she do in the future? She might really have to settle for being someone¡¯s bride-to-be. Tang Yuxin put down a basket filled with herbal nts, bark, and roots she had gathered. Thanks to her efforts over the past two years, there were significantly more medicinal herbs in Chen Zhong¡¯s care, many of which she had dug out from the mountain. Chen Zhong appreciated his apprentice more and more, thus he pushed her harder. Luckily, ¡®little sprout¡¯ Tang Yuxin was a resilient one, she didn¡¯t falter along the way. She was precocious from a young age, smart, and had great potential to be a doctor. But the most important thing was, she had a very steady temperament, her unaffected demeanor seemed quite mature for her age. Tang Zhinian med himself for his daughter¡¯s somber temperament. It was all his fault. Why did he think about leaving his daughter with Chen Zhong in the past? After spending so much time with that old schr, it had shaped his daughter into someone who didn¡¯t act her age. ¡°Your dad¡¯s here again.¡± Chen Zhong wasn¡¯t thrilled every time he saw Tang Yuxin¡¯s little dark face. ¡°Oh¡­¡± Tang Yuxin put her herbs in the bamboo basket, nning to take them out and dry themter. He mes me for having you collect medicine and darkening your skin, but you¡¯ve always been dark. How can this be my fault? What, are you never going to be in the sun this life? ¡°Oh¡­¡± Tang Yuxin¡¯s reply was as simple as before. She had been darkst life, she was used to it, why should she feel anything different about it? ¡°Yuxin,e here.¡± Chen Zhong extended his hand towards Tang Yu. ¡°Okay,¡± Tang Yuxin walked over, standing in front of Chen Zhong. At seven years old, she hadn¡¯t grown much. Her eyes remained like a clear, cool spring. At times innocent and na?ve, at times deep and unreadable, reflecting the trials of countless times she¡¯d weathered. The young her remained calm and still as a pond, barely any ripples of emotion showing. Chen Zhong ruffled Tang Yuxin¡¯s hair, ¡°Sigh, you¡¯ve gotten ugly.¡± Tang Yuxin ¡°No problem, you¡¯ll grow out of it.¡± Chen Zhong chuckled. It was no wonder Tang Zhinian felt like crying. His originally beautiful daughter had be a coal miner. It was something no one would want. Chapter 106 - 108 Cold Fragrance Pills Chapter 106: Chapter 108 Cold Fragrance Pills Tang Yuxin touched her own face, actually feeling guilty towards her father. In both her lifetimes, she had never been pretty. It was a shame to think about her youthful beauty as a child. Everyone said she would grow up to be beautiful, but in the end, her looks fell short. This seemed to verify her belief that a child who was attractive would be ugly when they grew up. ¡°Here, this is for you,¡± Chen Zhong took out an old piece of paper. It seemed ancient, as if it had been preserved for some years now. She took a look and was surprised to find a medical prescription. The peculiar part was the ingredients ¨C frost collected on the day of first frost, snow from the Winter Solstice, rainwater from Rainwater day, and snow from the day of Major Snowfall. This reminded her of an ingredient in Dream of the Red Mansion, namely the Cold Fragrance Pills consumed by Xue Baochai. The ingredients seemed rather simr and yet the requirements for this prescription were more demanding. But what if there was no snow in winter, no rain on Rainwater day, no snow on Major Snowfall day, or no frost on the day of first frost? She frowned slightly. No matter the purpose of this prescription, it seemed impossible to fulfill. They could predict many things, but they couldn¡¯t predict the weather. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Chen Zhong knew what Tang Yuxin was thinking, ¡°I have all these ingredients. I¡¯ve stored them for five years.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Tang Yuxin simply responded with an ¡®oh¡¯. Whether it be frost, rain, or snow, he had gathered them all over a span of five years. ¡°Grandpa, are you sure they are still good after five years? They didn¡¯t go bad, did they?¡± ¡°What nonsense are you talking?¡± Chen Zhong red at Tang Yuxin. ¡°I buried them underground. How could they go bad? Have you ever seen alcohol go bad? It only gets better with time.¡± But that was alcohol, not water. Tang Yuxin definitely wouldn¡¯t drink water that had been stored for five years. Either mold would have grown in it, or some other organism. A woman can be unattractive or poor, but she absolutely cannot be unhygienic. That¡¯s her bottom line. She would neverpromise on this, even if it meant drinking water stored for five years. Chen Zhong tapped Tang Yuxin¡¯s head, considering herck of appreciation. However, upon seeing Tang Yuxin¡¯s rough, coal-ck face, his heart ached. Maybe it was because the contrast was too stark¡ªthere was no hurt withoutparison. Who would¡¯ve imagined that such a soft, cute, and popr girl in the vige would one day turn into this shriveled, ck-faced girl? This stark contrast was almost unbearable, except for Tang Yuxin who had already epted the harsh reality of bing less attractive with age. Chen Zhong gently touched Tang Yuxin¡¯s hair. Probably the only redeeming parts about her were her hair and eyes, which were crystal clear, deep and tranquil, as light as fog. But even her disposition now seemed cold, not at all like a child. ¡°ording to this prescription, go find the corresponding herbs. I have stored the precious medicinal ingredients for five years and they are all for you. The ingredients could make almost ten years¡¯ worth of pills. Have you ever read Dream of the Red Mansion?¡± Tang Yuxin nodded. She had read it several times, watched it on TV in her previous life and read the book in this life. ¡°Heh¡­¡± Chen Zhong smiled again, ¡°This medicine is simr to the Cold Fragrance Pills mentioned in the book. It¡¯s a secret recipe of our Chen Family. Girls start taking it before they turn ten. After consuming it for ten years, it can turn your darkplexion into a fair one. Moreover, it makes your bones smell sweet. After your death, your bones will still hold that sweetness.¡± This kind of body scent originated from the bones. Regardless of weather changes or passing years, it would always remain within the bones. Chapter 107 - 109 Making Medicines Chapter 107: Chapter 109 Making Medicines The girls from the Chen family naturally carried a scent, thanks to certain herbs they consumed. But after a century of change, the present Chen family was not like its former self, with their fortunes diminished and few of their kin remaining. Chen Zhong had no idea where the other descendants were now; here, he was thest of his lineage, the only one that he knew of. He had always kept the waters collected from different seasons, not for any other reason but because it was a tradition of the Chen family. These waters were often difficult to find, unless you had extraordinary luck and a significant amount of goodwill to amass it all within a year. Few people had such extraordinary luck. It took Chen Zhong five years to collect all four kinds of seasonal water, and he¡¯d generously handed it over to his young apprentice. He sighed. ¡°You can¡¯t keep getting uglier, or not only will your father burst into tears, but I will too.¡± ¡°There hasn¡¯t been anyone unattractively ugly in the Chen family. If you turn out to be hideously ugly, how can I face our founding patriarch?¡± Tang Yuxin had to resist the urge to roll her eyes. Why did he keep emphasizing how ugly she was? Yes, she was a bit short, darkplected, and thin as a monkey in her previous life, but was she really that ugly? At most, she was ordinary. Nothing more thanmon. In other words, she was just a grain of sand in the sea. But she couldn¡¯t possibly be so ugly that it was unbearable to look at, could she? That being said, she shook the medicine recipe in her hand. It seemed fun, and while she wasn¡¯t sure if it would provide the expected fragrance, she had a bit of anticipation about whitening her skin. Who wouldn¡¯t want to be more beautiful? Of course, she was no exception. Both now and in the future, a beautiful child was always more likable and had more opportunities than others. At least, it would be more pleasant to look at. And she took another look at the list of medicinal herbs on her recipe. This knock-off version of the Cold Fragrance Pills was not too difficult to make. Most of the herbs required were readily avable and a few fresh ones could be found in the mountains. There was a saying, ¡°when you live on the mountains, you live off the mountains¡±. The hill behind Li Tang Vige was truly a treasure-trove, growing all sorts of medicinal herbs. It all depended, however, on whether people recognized their value. The next morning, she took a small bamboo basket and set off for the mountains by herself to collect herbs. Now, she could safely do so without any danger. From the age of six, when she first went into the mountains with Chen Zhong, she had spent almost every day there. At first, her father, Tang Zhinian, worried that his daughter would get lost. He was always absent-minded, almost wanting to confine his daughter to the home. But as time went on and Tang Yuxin grew tanner and more robust, Tang Zhinian became more at ease. This dark-skinned daughter of his would not attract unwanted attention. People always wanted beautiful children, so his ordinary Yuxin, might not even be tempting to a wolf. If Tang Yuxin knew that being dark-skinned conferred such great benefits, she might not want to be fair again. She gathered several herbs on the mountain, strictly following the recipe. As for the other, more rare, medicines, Sun Zhong had some stockpiled. Perhaps because a few of these herbs were mentioned in the Chen family forms, Chen Zhong paid extra attention to them. Although some herbs had been washed away in a flood, Chen Zhong had gathered quite a collection over the past two years. Preparing this prescription was not particrly difficult. Chapter 108 - 110: Darkened Even More Chapter 108: Chapter 110: Darkened Even More She had dried all these herbs, prepared each one with her hands, selected, soaked, and ground them each without seeking help from anyone else. For who could assist her in such a task anyway? Arge quantity of herb powder was all mixed with water and honey into tiny beads the size of pearls and then stored in a jar. Tang Yuxin estimated that the Four-season Water that Chen Zhong kept was enough to prepare one prescription, which came out to be over three thousand six hundred pills, enough for ten years. And preparing these many pills had taken her half a month. ¡°Would they spoil over time?¡± Tang Yuxin held a small medicinal pill, trying to take it into her mouth, but couldn¡¯t. Chen Zhong nced at her, ¡°The forms of our Chen Family don¡¯t spoil easily.¡± ¡°Would it upset the stomach, since even medicines are known to be toxic?¡± Despite her words, Tang Yuxin held the pill to her mouth and swallowed it directly. It didn¡¯t taste bad; it had a subtle herbal vor and since the pill was small, it wasn¡¯t difficult to swallow. If she was to take one pill daily, it seemed like it wouldn¡¯t be an unpleasant experience. But, she was afraid it might harm her. ¡°You think too much,¡± Chen Zhong red at her, ¡°For generations, our Chen Family consumed these fragrant pills without any ill effect. Go on, take your pill. He patted Tang Yuxin¡¯s head. When you get fairer, your father won¡¯t sigh at me every day like I was the one who made you dark. Even without me, you would still be dark.¡± Tang Yuxin nodded seriously. Indeed, she had to admit, her darkplexion wasn¡¯t due to sun exposure, it was inevitable consequence of her genes. If she could just avoid growing any crooked features, that would be good enough for her. At least, she could face people confidently. Her demands were not high, just this one thing: and of course, not to be too short, soaring over 160 cm would be best. She put the bottle of medicine on her bedside table in a small jar. Half of the jar, over three hundred pills, was enough for the year. Making a prescription wasn¡¯t easy in the Chen Family. When a girl is born in the family, her parents would start collecting ingredients from her birth year. By the time the child was around five years old, they would begin administering the pills. Thus, the girls of the Chen Family had a distinct advantage. And Tang Yuxin really wondered, after death, would her bones truly smell fragrant? It was such a strange thing to ponder upon, one that spanned such a long time, it seemed as though she might be overthinking things. That night, she had a dream in which she was all grown up. She was back to her previous life, wearing thick cotton clothes as she walked through the school. Upon looking up, she saw her ordinary, featureless face. Again, she grabbed a pill from the jar and put it to her mouth, swallowing it down without water. She had been taking the pills for a year now, yet witnessed no significant changes. She was still dark, darker than the previous year, even. Softly, she sighed, hugging the jar of medicine, which had fewer pills now. She had taken them for nearly a year, yet there were no visible effects. ¡°Grandpa, I¡¯ve gotten darker.¡± With a lift of her finger, she had thrust a needle into the copper-wood te, only the tail of the needle slightly shaking. Her finger strength could match Chen Zhong¡¯s. So, she had mastered the needle technique. But since mastering the needle, why had she grown darker? Chapter 109 - 111: Starting Elementary School Chapter 109: Chapter 111: Starting Elementary School ¡°Do you think that¡¯s a divine medicine?¡± Chen Zhong stretched out his hand and patted her head, ¡°Haste makes waste. Your foundation is too poor. You¡¯ll have to take it for at least two years before seeing any effect.¡± Is this a blow? Tang Yuxin touched her face. Actually, she really didn¡¯t want to eat it anymore, because she didn¡¯t believe too much in it. What pill in this world could magically make people fairer, prettier, and even smell better after eating it? She had decided not to believe Chen Zhong anymore. She was perfectly fine, why should she take any medicine? But, when the night drew in and it was time to sleep, she found her hand reaching into the jar out of habit, lifting a pill out, and popping it into her mouth as if it were a jellybean. It was not until she swallowed the pill that she realized she had decided not to take the medicine any more. But she took it anyway. Well, let it be. There has been no harm in taking it for a year. Actually, she felt her sleep had improved and that she could sleep through the night now. So she decided to treat it as a sleep aid, after all, Chen Zhong wouldn¡¯t harm her. He wouldn¡¯t have gone to such lengths just to poison her. ¡°Xinxin, tomorrow Dad will take you to register,¡± Tang Zhinian patted his daughter¡¯s head. Seeing her little dark face made him want to cry, but thinking about the other children in the vige, they were all simr to Yuxin. Maybe the children brought up in this vige were all the same, born fair-skinned but they all turned dark-skinned when they grew up. ¡°Register?¡± Tang Yuxin looked up from her bowl, ¡°Hmm, register for what? Where are we going to register?¡± ¡°For school,¡± Tang Zhinian chuckled, ¡°Our Xinxin has grown up and will be a pupil.¡± School. Tang Yuxin almost choked on the food she had just put in her mouth. School. Primary school. But could she not go to primary school, and sit in the ssroom with those snotty-nosed kids in the vige, reciting 1, 2, 3? She almost wanted to cry at the prospect. She lowered her head and continued to eat in silence. ¡°Our Xinxin is so clever. I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll get into university in the future.¡± Tang Yuxin let out a small sigh. Alright then, she¡¯ll attend school and aim for university. By the time she¡¯s of age, university graduates will be a dime a dozen. The continue education wouldn¡¯t be so impressive, but if she could just keep studying at her current rate till graduation, she should be able to get a job in a good hospital. In her era, job cement was guaranteed for graduates. However, this was only reserved for her generation. Future graduates would have to find work on their own. Earning a university degree during this time was hard, getting into university was difficult, but once you graduated, you had guaranteed job security. The next day, Tang Yuxin, with a new backpack on her back, was taken to the vige primary school by Tang Zhinian. At the time, schools were vige-based. Each vige had a primary school, each group of about ten viges had a middle school, and only three high schools were avable in the city. All students rotated between these few schools. There was no exception to this rule unless you stopped studying or moved out of the vige. Otherwise, all students would attend these schools. If not this one, then that one. If not this school, then that school. Registration fees at the time were very cheap, the total cost for textbooks and various school fees was only about ten yuan. Chapter 110 - 112: The Cleanliness-Loving Child Chapter 110: Chapter 112: The Cleanliness-Loving Child Tang Zhinian had not only registered his daughter for school, but also brought her the needed textbooks. When he and Tang Zhijun were covering the books with protective sleeves, even a semester of use wouldn¡¯t diminish their newness once the sleeves were removed. Tang Yuxin sprang out of bed early in the morning and strolled to the kitchen. She opened up the rural-style stove, which wasrge and held two pots: one for cooking food, the other for heating water. Due to the necessity of preparing three meals a day, the water in the second pot was always hot, ready for any household tasks, including washing faces. Despite her tender age, she practiced her own set of hygiene rules meticulously. Even in the midst of summer, she would refrain from consuming cold water or using it excessively. In her past life, she had overworked herself with chores such as washing, cooking, and taking care of Wei Jiani, often resorting to cold water for all her needs. It led to significant harm to her health, resulting in what she would onlyter realize in medical school as a serious case of cold uterus. Her inability to bear children due to this condition resulted in Wei Jiani¡¯s opportunistic move. The memory of Wei Jiani, pregnant with her belly, gloating one day, still stuck with her. ¡°Sister, if you truly love Yong¡¯an, then why don¡¯t you let me have him? You can¡¯t be this selfish. Yong¡¯an is the only son in his family. Surely, you don¡¯t want the Zhang Family¡¯s lineage to end with you?¡± ¡°Sister, I¡¯m carrying Yong¡¯an¡¯s child, and his mother also treats me well. If I were you, I would voluntarily leave. Don¡¯t your feelings for Yong¡¯an imply you should step aside?¡± It was only then that she realized that Zhang Yong¡¯an¡¯s promises of lifelong love and gratitude were all lies. Men¡¯s words couldn¡¯t be trusted, and women turned out to be no better. Therefore, after her rebirth, she avoided using cold water whenever she could. She nned to take better care of herself because she wanted her own children someday. What she sought was a faithful and honest man. He might be poor, or not handsome, but she yearned for his loyalty above all. She removed the lid and used adle to scoop some water for herself to wash her face and brush her teeth. ¡°Little Xinxin¡¯s awake, huh?¡± Tang Zhijun stretchednguidly as he emerged, his face sporting a childish grin that hadn¡¯t changed for years. ¡°Uncle, it¡¯s time to wash up.¡± Tang Yuxin pointed to the basin of clean water. Tang Zhijun found his niece¡¯s cleanliness somewhat amusing. One basin of water was more than enough for a family¡¯s morning routine in any rural household. Yet there she was, insisting on using three different basins. Unlike her, the two men were more carefree, simply sshing their faces with water. Tang Yuxin opened a small box containing Baiquelin, a high-end product at the time. She used it to moisturize her face. Tang Zhinian knowing her liking for it, always bought it for her. He figured as long as she didn¡¯t get frostbite, a little suntan was eptable ¨C God forbid she damaged her face from the cold and ruined her marriage prospects, no matter how generous the dowry. Tang Yuxin walked into her small room and picked up her school bag. ¡°I¡¯ll walk you to school,¡± Tang Zhijun was quick to offer, pushing his meal aside. ¡°Uncle, I haven¡¯t eaten yet,¡± Tang Yuxin set down her school bag, having timed everything to perfection. She knew she would have ten minutes to make it to school after finishing her meal. Chapter 111 - 113: Little Black Girl Chapter 111: Chapter 113: Little ck Girl She sat down, picked up her bowl, and began to eat by herself. ¡°Brother,¡± Tang Zhijun really felt that this kid was not as fun as she grew older. ¡°You see other people¡¯s children, they need adults to take care of this and that, isn¡¯t our Xinxin growing up too fast, so much so that I don¡¯t even have the slightest sense of aplishment as an uncle?¡± This very young girl could arrange everything and could deliver their meals and water, and in the field, except for the heavy tasks, there¡¯s nothing that she couldn¡¯t handle. What kind of child is this? Being too sensible is not good either. Doesn¡¯t that deprive him, as her uncle, of any parental feelings? ¡°Uncle, have your own child, then you¡¯ll feel aplished,¡± Tang Yuxin picked up a white steamed bun, tore off a piece, and stuffed it into her mouth. Tang Zhinian lifted his face, squinted his eyes and stared at his brother. ¡°Zhijun!¡± He called out Tang Zhijun¡¯s name, indicating that he had something to say. ¡°Oh,¡­¡± Tang Zhijun quickly stood up, ¡°I just remembered that I have something else to do, brother, I¡¯m leaving first.¡± Saying that, he reached out and grabbed a steamed bun, tucked it into his pocket, and left quickly, almost as if he was fleeing. Is getting a wife equal to going to the execution block? Tang Zhinian red at his brother, frustrated. They had been discussing this matter for two years, and the mere mention of it scared him off! Does he really want to remain unmarried for the rest of his life and disappoint the Tang family? ¡°Dad, I¡¯m going to school,¡± Tang Yuxin picked up her school bag, straightened her uniform, clearly revealing the traits of a somewhat obsessivepulsive child. ¡°Okay, go ahead,¡± Tang Zhinian patted his daughter¡¯s hair, his face warm and friendly again. Tang Yuxin walked out. Outside, the clear sky remained wonderful. At this time, in the Northwest, there was no smog, no sandstorms, and people didn¡¯t even know what those were? The sky was blue and vast, and the people were simple and honest. Even the sun was warm. She put her hand over her eyes, her little nose twitching. Indeed, being alive is wonderful. Being able to live this life again is wonderful. Being able to live like a human being in this life is wonderful. The school was in the vige. For them, these children who had been ying around in the vige since childhood, going to school was the easiest thing. It¡¯s simply moving from one yground to another yground. ¡°Yuxin, Yuxin, wait for me¡­¡± A little ck girl ran over with a military school bag slung over her shoulder. The bag seemed to drag on the ground. ¡°Yuxin, let¡¯s go to school together.¡± The little ck girl ran up and took Tang Yuxin¡¯s hand directly. Tang Yuxin suddenly felt her hand sticky. She looked at the two streams of snot hanging from the little ck girl¡¯s nose. The girl sniffed up her snot and used her other hand to wipe her nose, then wiped her hand on her clothes. Suddenly, Tang Yuxin felt as if a herd of horses had thundered past. She discreetly freed her hand from the little ck girl¡¯s grip and put her hand in her pocket. ¡°Yuxin, your school bag is so nice.¡± The little ck girl¡¯s eyes were shiny, ¡°Can I carry it?¡± Be your handkerchief for wiping snot? Tang Yuxin pulled her bag behind her. ¡°No touching, no carrying,¡± she wrinkled her nose cautiously. She was a bit obsessivepulsive, partly because she was a doctor in her previous life, which made her somewhat germophobic. Just thinking about the snotty hand that had just grabbed her, she felt a disgusting and nauseating sensation. Chapter 112: 114: Peach Blossom Facade Little ck Sister cracked her own mouthughing, seeming not to be embarrassed by the rejection. Of course, it might be because she was so simple-minded, this half-grown girl, still so innocent. Little ck Sister hopped around happily. Children at this age dress indiscriminately, and the best fabric they had was called Dacron. Only the little daughters-inw from the wealthier families in the vige could wear an outfit made from it. As for children, they wore clothes repurposed from adults¡¯ clothing. Tang Yuxin had no mother; her father and her uncle¡¯s clothes could not be modified into her own, hence, all of her clothes were bought. Inparison with other children in the vige, she could be considered a noble. Little ck Sisterughed with her mouth wide open, while walking and picking wildflowers from the ground, cing them in her hair. Being such a candid and innocent girl, it was hard to imagine her as anything else. Yuxin found it impossible to connect this naive girl before her, with the noblewoman she would be in the future. It seemed like it couldn¡¯t be her. It seemed like everything has changed. It seemed like she was still the same person, just wearing a different face. But in reality, they were not the same person. Even now, she didn¡¯t understand what Gu Ning saw in Little ck Sister that made him so dedicated to her, taking care of her all his life, even giving her his kidney, despite his own health deteriorating as a result. But his heart never changed. Sometimes she would remember a saying.
To be united in heart until death. She thought it was just an idealized life in the fantasy. She had witnessed many separations at the hospital, yet Gu Ning was someone who would sacrifice everything for his woman. She really didn¡¯t understand that. Why could Zhang Xiaomei be so heartless, just turning and leaving, abandoning her husband without any remorse? And now Zhang Xiaomei was still Little ck Sister, naive, silly, and of course, ugly. So, Tang Yuxin believed, there are no ugly women, onlyzy ones. Little ck Sister, Zhang Yindi turned her head, smiled with her mouth missing two front teeth. ¡°Yuxin, why aren¡¯t you moving? Are you scared of ss? Don¡¯t worry, follow me, there¡¯s nothing to be scared of,¡± she said, patting her small chest. These were the most innocent feelings of a child, making such gestures, revealing her toothless smile. Even the words she uttered were spoken with a sense of straightforwardness. It was ridiculous, but also sentimentally touching. But, Tang Yuxin couldn¡¯tugh, nor be moved. If she hadn¡¯t met the high-borndy in the future who was like a queen, she would never believe that she would eventually be Zhang Xiaomei. Tang Yuxin lowered her head, having already reached school. Recollections from her previous school years were mostly forgotten. She seemed to have started schoolte, around nine years old. While children in the city started school early, she startedte initially because she had to take care of Wei Jiani, who was two years younger. Later, she didn¡¯t start school until Wei Jiani did. She didn¡¯t even go to kindergarten and had poor memory of school life. However, her school life wasn¡¯t as smooth as Wei Jiani¡¯s, who was beautiful, smart, and had a good foundation from attending kindergarten for several years. Everyone alwayspared her with Wei Jiani, without considering the reasons. Why is your sister so beautiful when you¡¯re so ugly? Your sister is so talented, she can y the electronic piano. Why don¡¯t you even know how to sing in a choir? Your sister is good at studying and always ranked among the top students, while you are always at the bottom of the ss.
Chapter 113: 115: This is Elementary School Every time there was a parent-teacher meeting, no matter whether it was Sang Zhn or Wei Tian, they always proudly epted others¡¯ praises, but they seemed to forget that Tang Yuxin¡¯s parents never once came to a meeting. Therefore, going to school was not a pleasant memory for Tang Yuxin. But, she forgot about these unpleasant memories. The school in the vige wasn¡¯t far from their home. Someone her size could get there in only fifteen minutes. The vige elementary school was quite dpidated at the time. The legs of the desks were broken, and all that was left of the windows were mere frames. Gusts of wind would often pass through these frames and blow onto the delicate faces of the children. And Tang Yuxin was one of those children. Their teacher was a middle-aged man who spoke amon northwest dialect. His own Mandarin was not good, but to the children here, it was very endearing. Because most children in the vige can¡¯t speak Mandarin, their daily conversations were all in the local dialect. Their teacher had assigned seats for each one of the little radishes. Tang Yuxin was seated in the front row close to the ckboard, causing her to sigh deeply. She¡¯d always been seated at the front of the ss in her previous life. Could it be that it will be the same in this life? Was she destined never to reach a height greater than 1.6 meters? Then why had she worked so hard to eat well these past few years? Was it for horizontal development? She hadn¡¯t heard what the teacher was teaching ¡ª all the children attending school were like that. Who was actually listening? Some secretly took out their homemade paper cards and started ying on the desks, and her deskmate, a snotty-nosed little boy, would sniff whenever the teacher spoke. He was totallyparable to Zhang Yindi.
Moreover, there were some behind her, heads buried deep in their desks like little mice, stealthily eating the cakes and vegetables they had brought from home during breakfast. ¡°Couldn¡¯t you finish eating on the way? Couldn¡¯t you finish eating before ss?¡± The teacher would bang on the desks and holler from time to time, feeling like someone in the throes of menopause. The ssroom was lively, but Tang Yuxin was leaning on her desk, her chair wobbling. Then there was a loud crash. The brick propping up her chair had copsed. She fell t on the ground,nding on her butt. The pain stunned her. That was still bearable. The problem was her little deskmate ¡ª he ended up falling on her and even got his snot all over her clothes. ¡°Mom, I want my mom ¡­¡± The snotty boy suddenly cried out, revealing a gap from his missing four front teeth, as air visibly leaked through. Tang Yuxin shut her eyes, really wanting to push the person off her violently. Dude, I just served as your cushion. I haven¡¯t even cried, why are you sobbing? The teacher quickly helped the snotty little boy up, then Tang Yuxin. Looking at the snot on her clothes, Tang Yuxin had an urge to die. The veins on her forehead began to twitch. She really wanted to go home and wash her clothes with disinfectant. ¡°How was school today?¡± Tang Zhinian asked his daughter, fearing that she wouldn¡¯t limate to school life. ¡°Fine,¡± Tang Yuxin didn¡¯t want to tell him that her bench had copsed at school. If she had, her father surely would have taken his tools and fixed all the benches in the school. It was just that they were very busy in the fields right now. There was already a lot to do, and they couldn¡¯t keep up. If they dyed for a few more days, they wouldn¡¯t be able to nt the seedlings in the fields Chapter 114: 116 Over Five Years As for those stools, she might only use them for one more semester. By next year, she would switch schools, from primary school to the old middle school campus. Even though it¡¯s still dpidated, and absolutely perfect in its way, at the very least, all the desks¡¯ legs were intact. ¡°Eat a little more,¡± Tang Zhinian gently pushed more food towards his daughter. He also picked up his bowl to eat. If there was one thing that had vastly improved about Zhinian over the past few years, it was his ability to garden and, of course, his cooking. Tang Zhinian certainly had no intention of remarrying. Thedy next door had introduced him to several possible matches, but he had no interest in meeting any of them. ¡°What about Uncle Chen?¡± Tang Yuxin asked her father. Her uncle Chen had note home for dinner these past few days. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about him. I don¡¯t know what he¡¯s been up to recently. He¡¯s not a kid, if he¡¯s hungry, he¡¯lle home to eat,¡± Zhinian replied. ¡°Alright,¡± Tang Zhinian pat his daughter¡¯s little head and put down his bowl with one hand, ¡°You still have to go to your grandpa Zhong¡¯s ce. Get going, your dad can handle things here.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Tang Yuxin did not argue with her father about chores. She was still too short to reach the stove and had to stand on a small stool to wash the dishes. Let alone washing arge pan. If she had to wash that, it would probably hit her and she would be buried underneath. When she got to Chen Zhong¡¯s ce, she knocked on the door but no one answered. He was probably up in the mountains gathering medicinal herbs. Tang Yuxin pulled out a key and opened the door. She ced the sun-dried herbs in the yard and walked into the inner room. On a small bed inside, there were lumps that looked like a human. She walked over and lifted the quilt to reveal a human-shaped wooden dummy.
The dummy was very lifelike, with facial features and movable joints. The wood was also polished very smoothly. She took out a small bag and in it a small cloth bag, then ced it on herp. This life-sized wooden man that her father had spent months making for her was now her practice model. The surface was polished silky smooth as well, and it even had acupoints and meridians drawn on it by Chen Zhong. Her hand strength was now significantly improved, so she practiced on this life-sized wooden dummy. Once her skills improved, she was allowed to practice on real people. She took out a needle, closed her eyes, steadied her thoughts before piercing the needle in. In the beginning, she often mistakingly ced the needles, even though she had memorized all the acupoints on the human body. Theory and practice are vastly different. If it had been a person, they probably would have been killed by her incorrect cements. When Chen Zhong returned, it was almost three o¡¯clock. He had indeed gone into the mountains to gather medicinal herbs. He used these herbs to treat patients in the vige. Since he was running out of some herbs, he had gone out to gather them. When he opened the door, he found all the herbs he had ced in his house now in the yard. The young girl must havee over. His affection for the little girl grew stronger each day. Studying medicine was a monotonous affair; there were hundreds of acupoints on the human body. Understanding these herbs as well as the conflicting effects of different medicines was particrly challenging . It was remarkable that at such a young age, she could persist. It had been over five years now. Chapter 115: 117: She Endured It Suddenly, he ced his hand over his mouth and coughed. A sweet, metallic taste filled his throat. Trembling, he opened his hand and sure enough, saw streaks of blood in his palm. ¡°I wonder how many more years I can hold on,¡± Chen Zhong sighed, putting down the medicinal herbs he had been carrying on his back. He then prepared himself a medicinal brew. The ce he had chosen to settle was good, nestled up against an untouched mountain. A ce with mountains and waters, it was a suitable ce for eternal rest. He had no children. So, before his death, he intended to help treat the illnesses of the vigers. At least, by the time he died here, he would have a burial ground instead of rotting away unceremoniously. If he hadn¡¯t happened to ept a disciple who could carry on his mantle, he might already be gone. He wanted to live a few more years, and teach her as much as he could. ¡°Live a few more years,¡± he sighed again, as he ced the herbs into the pot. Soon, the entire room was filled with a heavy scent of traditional Chinese medicine. Various herbal scents were entwined together, as confusing as the worries on his face, emanating an air of inexplicable regret. When Tang Yuxin arrived at school in the afternoon, she made sure the desk was stable after propping its leg up with bricks. No matter what, the desk wouldn¡¯t fall now. The snotty boy was still sniffling, asionally wiping his nose with his sleeve. He nced at Tang Yuxin, fumbled in his pocket, and pulled out a peanut. ¡°For you.¡± Tang Yuxin epted the peanut without aversion, peeling and eating it. The boy cracked a smile, let out a sniffle, and looked rather adorable in his rustic innocence. The primary school curriculum was simple: phonics, Chinese, math. There were no art sses, but music sses were given, primarily teaching popr songs of the day. ¡°Learn from Lei Feng, we are the sessors of socialism¡±, with the national anthem being a must.
Tang Yuxin behaved like the other children, doing what they did. Mostly though, she spent her time studying the remedies in the notebook Sun Zhong hadpiled for her. This was the knowledge Chen Zhong had gained over his life as a doctor. The scribbles were so illegible that nobody else could possibly discern the content. Only she could. Of course, she was careful not to let the teacher discover it. The teachers at that time were very sharp-eyed and responsible ¨C and also big on corporal punishment. After school, she packed up her bag, and then took the broom from the sanitation corner to clean up. The children were pretty obedient to the teacher. Whatever the teacher said, they followed, sweeping when told to sweep, sprinkling water when told to do so, and not leaving the school when told not to. They were all teacher¡¯s good students. In their innocent eyes, it seemed briefly, as if all one¡¯s anger just vanished. Tang Yuxin packed her bag and headed home. ¡°Tang Yuxin¡­¡± Her desk-mate, the snotty boy, came running over. His bag was hanging messily from his body, and his runny nose was streaming again. At first, Tang Yuxin had wanted nothing more than to kick him away, as far as the Pacific Ocean. But then, she got used to him, and she could bear it. ¡°Tang Yuxin, can we walk home together?¡± Chapter 116: 118: The Strange Uncle ¡°Okay,¡± Tang Yuxin picked up her own backpack and took the lead, even though it¡¯s usually the girls who followed the boys, but her little desk mate, Li Yang, was following behind her. Could it be because she emanates a sense of security? No matter how small Tang Yuxin appears or how much she looks like a little girl, she doesn¡¯t feel like one. She cannot possibly put herself on the same level or view herself as equal to these children. If she had still been alive in her previous life, if she could still bear children, then her children would be older than Li Yang. Huh, what¡¯s that¡­ Tang Yuxin suddenly stopped in her tracks, startling Li Yang. He sniffled, Tang Yuxin, why did you stop walking? ¡°I have something to do, you go ahead.¡± Tang Yuxin turned her head and saw Li Yang wiping his nose, which honestly was a little gross. She quickly turned away and started repeating to herself that she didn¡¯t see it, she couldn¡¯t see it. Li Yang wiped his nose with his sleeve and said, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go first.¡± Then he hopped away, his sniffing still faintly audible in the air. Tang Yuxin felt as if this could be a persistent nightmare for her. And the nightmare would be filled with this kind of sound. She ran forward until she spotted a man wielding a spade and turning the soil. It was none other than her second uncle, whose life she had saved.
In her past life, there was no Tang Zhijun in anyone¡¯s living trajectory. Therefore, Tang Yuxin did not know what his fate had been, although she knew about others¡¯ to some extent. However, to her, Tang Zhijun was an unknown enigma. How his life would unfold and what kind of life he would lead were beyond her knowledge. Regardless, as long as he stayed as Tang Zhijun, and maintained his character, things would not go too badly. People who love tough always have good luck. Hardworking people are seldom poor. At this moment, her second uncle was standing in the field, turning the soil vigorously. His muscles were rippling, showing how much effort he was putting in. His technique was right, his posture was right, everything seemed right except for the fact that it was not theirnd. ¡°Brother Tang¡­¡± a woman¡¯s voice echoed from a distance. Tang Yuxin quickly hid herself behind arge tree. Fortunately, her small body was perfectly concealed by the tree. Naturally, nobody would suspect that someone was spying. A woman approached. Her clothes were old and faded from numerous washings, and there was a patch on the corner. Although it was a patch, it had been sewn carefully, not a simple square patch. Instead, it looked like a little flower, and the stitches were fine and neat. It was well-repaired. Tang Yuxin had good eyesight, neither nearsighted nor farsighted, probably because she was young, or maybe because she had been drinking herbal tea. As a result, she had sharp senses, capable of both seeing and hearing clearly. She watched as the woman walked over, put down the basket she was carrying, and took out a tea bowl from it. ¡°Brother Tang, have some water first.¡± Chapter 117: 119 What are you doing ¡°Thank you,¡± Tang Zhijun took the bowl and began to drink heartily. After finishing, he wiped his mouth, ready to get back to work, hoping to plow the entire field today. By tomorrow, he could nt the seeds and once they were watered, there wouldn¡¯t be much left to do. If he were to dy it any further, the seeds wouldn¡¯t make it into the ground in time and rainfall would mean an extra few days of waiting which was toote. ¡°Brother Tang, eat something,¡± a woman offered. She pulled out a steamed white bun from the basket. It looked good and round, and of course, everything made from white flour tasted good. People¡¯s lives had improved somewhat, they weren¡¯t as deprived as they used to be. Having white flour wasn¡¯t that rare anymore, though not many people could make buns that looked this good. ¡°You eat it. I am not hungry. Take it home for Sisi.¡± Tang Zhinian declined, the afternoon sun shone on him, his skin glowed with a vibrant bronze. As sweat trickled down his forehead, he looked both strong and honest. Everyone said that the brothers of the Tang family were decent, but Tang Zhinian had a particrly charming face, withrge eyes, double eyelids, a handsome young man. Even without education, even as a full-time farmer, he had a sense of cleverness that set him apart from others in the vige. His smile revealed a set of bright white teeth. The woman took back the white bun, her youthful face filled with the traces of time was touched, just like the wind of the past few months, you could always feel the warmth that words couldn¡¯t express, even when it was cold ¡°Go home,¡± Tang Zhijun told the woman, ¡°Sisi is still young, she is scared being home alone.¡± The woman¡¯s lips moved for a long time. Finally, she nodded. She left the thermos on the ground within his reach and then stood up. The most eye-catching thing about her was the piece of clothing she mended carefully. It wasn¡¯t until the woman¡¯s figure disappeared from view that Tang Zhijun picked up his hoe. But before he could get to work, a pair of little feet appeared in front of him.
He was stunned, and as he looked up, he saw a familiar small face. Tang Zhijun dropped the hoe out of his hands, a drop of cold sweat emerged on his forehead, he fell on his rear, startled out of his wits. ¡°Xinxin, when did you get here?¡± After wiping the cold sweat off his brow, he asked with a stutter. ¡°Just now,¡± Tang Yuxin pulled one of the farming tools from the ground and sat on it. ¡°Uncle, what are you doing here?¡± ¡°Nothing much?¡± Tang Zhijunughed awkwardly, clearly looking guilty. ¡°Oh¡­¡± Tang Yuxin didn¡¯t bother to expose her uncle¡¯s clumsy lie. Tang Zhijun stopped working, walked to the side, and poured some water from the thermos. ¡°Uncle, was that Aunt Xiangcao earlier?¡± With a splutter, Tang Zhijun spat out the water he had just taken into his mouth. ¡°Uncle, were you two having a secret meeting here?¡± ¡°Cough¡­¡± Tang Zhijun hadn¡¯t recovered yet and started to cough violently. ¡°Uncle, are you two in a¡­ ¡± Tang Zhijun immediately covered Tang Yuxin¡¯s mouth, saving himself from any further embarrassment. ¡°Xinxin, you can¡¯t say such things recklessly, understand?¡± Tang Yuxin nodded obediently, yes, she understood, she wouldn¡¯t spread this around.
Chapter 118: 120 Xiangcao Chapter 118: Chapter 120 Xiangcao ¡°You can¡¯t tell your father either,¡± Tang Zhijun was seriously instructing Tang Yuxin. Tang Yuxin nodded again, then pointed to the big hand that Tang Zhijun was using to cover her mouth. Tang Zhijun hurriedly removed his fan-likerge hand, while Tang Yuxin¡¯s small face turnedpletely red from suffocation. She was coughing continuously, and Tang Zhijun was anxiously patting his little niece¡¯s back. He seemed to have suffocated his little niece just now. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Tang Zhijun was sweating with worry. He hoped he hadn¡¯t actually hurt her. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Tang Yuxin scowled at Tang Zhijun¡¯s big hand which was covered in dirt. ¡°Uncle, did you wash your hands?¡± she asked. ¡°No¡­¡± Tang Zhijun hurriedly began wiping his hands on his clothes. He knew his little niece had this particr quirk, but he had been working in the field so he couldn¡¯t just stop to wash his hands whenever. Tang Yuxin quickly stood up, picked up her backpack, and ran into the house, leaving Tang Zhijunughing behind her. But a whileter he straightened his back, his heart beating anxiously. Never mind, he thought, putting it aside for now. He would nt the field first. As Tang Yuxin walked past one house, it looked rtively new. The house was built the year of the flood, courtesy of the government, much like the rest of the vige. Even though it was still tiled, it was fairly new. There was a stack of firewood outside, and inside,undry hung on a string, women¡¯s and children¡¯s clothes, but no men¡¯s.
This was Zhang Xiangcao¡¯s home. If not for the flood washing away their old house that leaked everywhere, they might still be living in a mud-brick house. Zhang Xiangcao was not a local, but a daughter brought over by an outsider, a widow. Back then, Zhang Xiangcao was a beautiful flower, always clean, never dirtying her shoes, with two shiny, oily braids on her head. In that era, she was a colourful sight. Many of the vige¡¯s young men took notice of her. She was amiable, literate, hardworking, not whimsy, and had a good reputation in the vige. But no one dared to marry her, for marrying her would mean marrying her widowed mother as well. Zhang Xiangcao had said that anyone who wanted to marry her had to agree to support her mother too. So although many young men considered her, none had the courage to take that step. You can¡¯t have your cake and eat it too. How could they support their mother-inw? In those years, times were hard for everyone. Bearing another mouth to feed might result in their own starvation. And if others were unwilling, Zhang Xiangcao didn¡¯t insist either. Then came the time of the ¡°educated youth¡± being sent to rural areas. At that time, a young educated youth fell in love with Zhang Xiangcao. He didn¡¯t mind taking care of an extra mouth, as he was on his own here anyway. Their life was going well and they lived in harmony. The educated youth was a teacher at the local primary school and made a decent wage. Zhang Xiangcao was industrious. Xiangcao¡¯s mother was no exception. Everything was going smoothly until college entrance exams resumed and the educated youth could go home. Zhang Xiangcao personally saw her husband out of the vige. She understood his longing for a better life and respected his pursuit of higher education. Chapter 119: 121: Matters of the Zhang Family Chapter 119: Chapter 121: Matters of the Zhang Family So even though her heart was torn apart, she still let her husband go. When the educated youth returned to the vige, he promised toe back for Zhang Xiangcao and her daughter after his exams but never did. Soon after he left, Zhang Xiangcao found out she was pregnant. But who was it that said that waiting in itself was a sign of growing old? The flower of the vige was gradually withering away. Flowers were never meant to bloom forever; they eventually wilt and waste away. Just before their child was due, a message finally arrived from the educated youth, but it wasn¡¯t his physical presence but a divorce letter. Many men can fall passionately in love, but how many can maintain it? Not long after, Zhang Xiangcao gave birth to a girl, Sisi. She constantly called out for her child, her heart filled with resistance. Yet one year passed, then two, then three. Xiangcao¡¯s mother left this world when Sisi was just two years old. And even when drawing herst breath, she never closed her eyes. The child was still young, and Zhang Xiangcao was a woman. What was she supposed to do? How was she going to live and survive? Even though Xiangcao¡¯s mother was reluctant, she eventually left this world with regret. Zhang Xiangcao buried her mother and started her life anew, raising her two-year-old child alone. She was a woman, incapable of many tasks. At that time, individual ownership ofnd was just beginning. Her familyprised only her and her innocent and oblivious child. Zhang Xiangcao went from being the vige¡¯s flower to an ordinary vige woman. Her child Sisi spent her childhood on her mother¡¯s back, toiling away together, often uncertain when their next meal woulde. Their life was truly pitiable. Little Sisi, who was three years old but seemed no different from two-year-olds, was tiny and skinny. She didn¡¯t talk much and hid from people whenever she could. This was the state of Zhang family. Everyone in the vige knew it. Zhang Xiangcao never considered remarrying. She was a divorced single mother, poor, aging, and not as alluring as she was when she was a young woman. She¡¯d aged, and in the vige, there were no suitable men that she could marry, only older bachelors. Zhang Xiangcao might have been poor, but she was also strong-willed. No matter how tough it got, she gritted her teeth and raised her daughter by herself, working the fields. She managed to keep both of them alive.
Well, Tang Yuxin rubbed her chin in thought; it seemed okay. She felt that Aunt Xiangcao was quite suitable to be Zhijun¡¯s wife if he intended to marry. However, she probably felt this way because she was living in an era of fast-food marriage, where getting married and divorced was as easy as sipping water. If the couple feltpatible, they¡¯d stay together. If not, they would separate. Expressing love one day and trading blows the next. But things were different now; people were rather apprehensive about divorce, especially those women who were divorced and had children. If Tang Zhijun were also a divorcee, then it wouldn¡¯t matter. But he wasn¡¯t. He was still a young man in his prime. And he was physically whole, spirited, diligent, and had made quite a bit of money with his brother from farming. With such advantageous conditions, he was sought after in the vige. Chapter 120: 122: Looking at each other Chapter 120: Chapter 122: Looking at each other The girls he wanted were nonexistent, but Tang Zhijun never seemed to take a liking to any of them. Could it be¡­ Tang Yuxin bit her own finger, wondering if her Uncle liked the young widow in the vige. Well, she agrees. But, her agreement is useless if her father disagrees. Tang Yuxin is already bothered with this. If her father knew, he would definitely break her uncle¡¯s legs. The Tang Family lineage depends on Tang Zhijun. And for Tang Zhijun, out of all the possible matches, to want to marry a widow, who¡¯s also burdened with a child! Although her father was honest, he had a rather ingrained chauvinistic outlook. Some things can bepromised, but some can¡¯t, such as letting Tang Zhijun marry a widow with a child. She¡¯ll need to think this through. Tang Yuxin really felt overwhelmed by too many responsibilities. She¡¯s only eight, and felt she was aging prematurely due to all the stress. However, she had greatly underestimated the gossiping abilities of the women in the vige. Their information disseminating abilities could rival the inte¡¯s efficiency. At dinner that day, Tang Zhinian¡¯s gaze was fixed on his younger brother, making Tang Zhijun lose his appetite. Being watched constantly like this would make anyone feel ufortable and unable to eat. ¡°Bro, why are you staring at me like that?¡±
Tang Zhijun straightened his body, subconsciously touching his face, wondering if he failed to wash his face in the morning and was now looking dirty. ¡°Zhijun, how old are you now?¡± Tang Zhinian lowered his head, asking his younger brother a seemingly irrelevant question. ¡°I¡¯m 25,¡± Tang Zhijun responded with a wide, toothy grin. ¡°Oh, really?¡± Tang Zhinian looked sharply at him, ¡°When I was your age, Xinxin was almost three.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Tang Zhijun, who was usually forgetful, could never forget this particr fact, that his brother had married early, and within a year, Sang Zhn had given birth to Tang Yuxin. At that time, Tang Zhinian was a new father, and without any elders around, had learned how to take care of his daughter by seeking advice from families that had children. It wasn¡¯t easy for a grown man to y both the roles of father and mother. ¡°Zhijun, I¡¯ve asked Aunt Chang from the vige to set up a blind date for you. You¡¯ll meet her the day after tomorrow.¡± Tang Zhinian nonchntly dropped this announcement. ¡°A date,¡± Tang Zhijun¡¯s face froze. ¡°Bro, I¡¯ve said it before, I¡¯m still young and not ready for marriage, let alone meeting a date?¡± ¡°Young?¡± Tang Zhinian tossed down his chopsticks, ¡°Didn¡¯t you just say when I was your age, Xinxin was almost three years old? You¡¯re 25, how can you still consider yourself young? Don¡¯t use your age as an excuse!¡± ¡°This time, you must meet her, whether you like it or not.¡± Great, this felt like forcing a duck onto a perch. Their parents were no longer there, and now the eldest brother, in essence, acted as the father. He could decide matters rted to Tang Zhijun¡¯s marriage. Aunt Chang said that the girl is quite nice, and a teacher at that too! In these times, teachers represented the intellectuals. Given that neither of them were well-educated, securing a match with a teacher might just be a blessing from their departed parents. If Tang Zhijun were to refuse this time, he would definitely break his little brother¡¯s legs. Chapter 121: 123: Want to Marry Her Chapter 121: Chapter 123: Want to Marry Her When Tang Yuxin came home from school, she noticed a strange tension in the house, her father¡¯s face seemed longer than a horse¡¯s, and her uncle, looking as scared as a mouse running from a cat, kept retreating. ¡°Dad¡­¡± Tang Yuxin called out to Tang Zhinian, wondering what had happened. Had they had an argument? But they were the exemry brothers of the vige. Just like Wa Song and his elder brother. They were such good siblings, could they really have gotten into a fight? ¡°Xinxin is back,¡± said Tang Zhinian, his face lifting slightly at the sight of his daughter. ¡°There¡¯s food in the pot, serve yourself. Your uncle and I have something to discuss.¡± Alright then, Tang Yuxin ced her school bag on the table, and then went into the kitchen. When she returned, she was holding a bowl of noodles that had been made at noon and reheated in the evening. She was starved and nothing tasted better than these noodles. Sitting on a stool, Tang Yuxin ate her meal, but her ears were attuned to the conversation around her. Suddenly, with a loud p on the table, Tang Yuxin jumped, forcing the noodles in her mouth down her throat. She then sipped some soup from her bowl. Without the soup, she might have choked. Did they really need to make such a noise?
They could have just shouted. They didn¡¯t have to copy others who bang on tables and smash bowls. She could hear them perfectly well. ¡°What do you mean by all this? Tell me!¡± Tang Zhijun hollered at his brother, his face covered in spit. Poor Zhijun was scolded like a henpecked husband and didn¡¯t dare retort. He didn¡¯t even dare to wipe away the droplets of spit on his face. ¡°Bro, what do you want to hear?¡± Tang Zhijun sighed as if he was resigned to his fate. ¡°What¡¯s going on between you and that widow?¡± Tang Zhijun¡¯s face looked even longer than a horse¡¯s now. When he heard this, he nearly blew his top. ¡°There¡¯s nothing,¡± Tang Zhijun lowered his head and wiped his face, ¡°and bro, she¡¯s not a widow, she¡¯s divorced.¡± ¡°Is there a difference?¡± Tang Zhinian roared at his brother again. ¡°Bro, I want to marry her.¡± Tang Zhijun wiped his face once more, this time his tone was unwavering. ¡°Marry her?¡± Tang Zhinian thought he had misheard, ¡°Tang Zhijun, are you out of your mind? You¡¯re a young man, and she is a widow with a child. You still want to marry her?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Tang Zhijun nodded, ¡°Bro, the rumors are already spreading like wildfire. If I don¡¯t marry her, who else will?¡± He found it very upsetting that he had been the subject of town gossip simply because he had helped her a few times. Rumors can be more violent than wild beasts. As a man, he didn¡¯t care, but how could a woman with a child survive such humiliation? Wasn¡¯t this equivalent to sentencing them to death? Yes, he had made up his mind. He wanted to marry her. Despite his previous hesitations, he was now firm in his decision. He would treat her well, he would be kind to her and her daughter. Chapter 122 - 124: Never Marry, Even in Death Chapter 122: Chapter 124: Never Marry, Even in Death ¡°Brother ¡­¡± Tang Zhinian didn¡¯t get an answer for a long time, and when he looked up again, he saw the muscles on Tang Zhinian¡¯s face twitching. Tang Zhinian clenched his teeth; you could hear the grinding sound of his upper and lower teeth. ¡°You want to marry her, fine.¡± Heughed, but it was a kind ofughter that didn¡¯t make Tang Zhijun happy at all; it even made his heart skip a beat. ¡°Fine, you marry her,¡± Tang Zhinian¡¯s voice was biting and intermittent, ¡°Tang Zhijun, unless you¡¯re not a Tang, or until I¡¯m dead. If you really marry that widow, don¡¯t ever call me your brother, our Tang Family won¡¯t have such a shameless son like you.¡± Their Tang Family couldn¡¯t afford the shame. A young man with good health and not handicapped in any way yet plenty of youngdies are interested in him, but he chooses not to marry a maiden, and instead marry a divorcee, a widow, with a child. Tang Zhinian dropped his chopsticks in a huff and quit eating. Tang Yuxin looked sympathetically at her second uncle. Tang Zhijun gave his niece an awkward smile, his face showing some unspeakable worry. Persuading his stubborn eldest brother was easier said than done. Tang Zhinian was affable, honest, and not prone to anger, but he had standards, especially regarding his brother¡¯s marriage. No matter how ugly or dumb the bride, it was okay, but she absolutely couldn¡¯t be a divorcee with a child. It was already hard enough to feed the family, let alone feed one more mouth. The country was implementing family nning, and he wanted Tang Zhijun to have another child, even if they had to pay the fine. At least, the Tang Family lineage needed to be preserved. But if he married a woman with a child already, how could they have more children in the future? In a vige, one was only allowed two children max. If all ended up being daughters, better not to have any. Was this aiming for the extinction of the Tang family? ¡°Second Uncle¡­¡± Tang Yuxin put down the bowl she was holding. ¡°Are you really going to marry Aunt Xiangcao?¡± She blinked her eyes, seemingly innocent, yet her clear eyes were always cold and quiet, not resembling a child. ¡°Yeah,¡± Tang Zhijun was like recalling something, he had been scolded badly by his elder brother earlier on, yet as soon as he thought of that woman, he seemed to float off into a lovesick haze. And Tang Yuxin was certain. Her second uncle really liked Aunt Xiangcao. Tang Zhijun chuckled, and some memories dyed the bottom of his eyes slowly. ¡°At that time, she was the most beautiful girl in the vige. If sheughed at you, your soul would probably be hooked. The most likable part of her was her long, thick braid¡­¡± Was her second uncle in unrequited love? Tang Yuxin propped her face on the table, as if listening to a cliche story. Called¡­ Youth, wait for your sister to grow her hair to her waist, I¡¯ll strangle you, okay? ¡°Second Uncle, all these years you have not married, is it because of her?¡± Tang Zhijun scratched his head and chuckled, his face turned from red to ck. Even if he didn¡¯t say anything, his actions already spoke volumes. ¡°Second Uncle,¡± Tang Yuxin¡¯s eyes crinkled into a smile, her childish face had an unspoken maturity, ¡°If I can help you marry Aunt Xiangcao, how will you thank me?¡± Tang Zhijun suddenly jerked upright, then reached out his arms and lifted Tang Yuxin off the ground. Chapter 123 - 125 Grateful to You for Lifetime Chapter 123: Chapter 125 Grateful to You for Lifetime Even though Tang Yuxin was still an eight-year-old girl, she had the maturity of an adult deep down. She found it very awkward to be held like that, even by her second uncle. ¡°Xinxin, my wonderful niece, if you really manage to persuade your father about my situation, I will be eternally grateful to you.¡± No substance in his words. Tang Yuxin rolled her eyes, She didn¡¯t expect her uncle to say anything pleasant. To her, this meant his promise thatsted for a lifetime. She brought the dishes and other items back into the kitchen. Then she moved a small stool and washed all the bowls inside. Then the pot, rural cooking usually involved big pots, so big that she could bathe in them. If it were an adult, they could easily lift it up, but she couldn¡¯t. She had to scoop out the water in the pot bit by bit with a gourddle. The pot had a fire underneath it, and after a wipe with a dishcloth, it was clean. Housework was not difficult for her, just that her father, Tang Zhinian, did not allow his daughter to do it. Until now, at the age of eight, she was able to do some of it. In fact, there was no need to mention her being eight, or that she had been doing heavy work all her life. Even before she was four, she could do many things. When she was with the Wei Family, she was cleaning, looking after the kids and washing dishes at age three. By age four, she was boiling water, drawing water, cooking. After the age of five, she was basically fulfilling all the house chores by herself. For all these years, she had always lived like this. While with the Wei family, she ate a meal for one, but did the work for the whole family. When she went to school, she was seen as Jiani¡¯s essory. During college, she worked and studied simultaneously, and, after graduating, she lived frugally to financially support Zhang Yong¡¯an studying abroad. The reality was, all her efforts in her past life were made for others, and she gave all her time to the people who did not love, cherish or value her. The person who loved her the most in the world¡ªher father¡ªeventually got nothing from her but her ashes. Then a hand reached out, picking her up from the chair. ¡°Xinxin, let Daddy do these things,¡± Tang Zhinian released his daughter and organized the dishes neatly inside the cupboard. ¡°Daddy, I can do a lot of things now,¡± Tang Yuxin puffed out her small chest. She was very useful, truly, but the adults couldn¡¯t see. ¡°Daddy knows,¡± Tang Zhinian ruffled his daughter¡¯s hair, ¡°My Nini is, of course, the best. You write good characters, your grades are also good, and you can cook meals too.¡± Tang Yuxin then wagged her tail even higher. She looked outside. Tang Zhijun was not there. The sky outside was dark, but there was a moon hanging in the air. The moonlight shed on thend, and the moon itself was so bright and pure. ¡°Where is the second uncle?¡± Tang Yuxin asked Tang Zhinian. Where had Zhijun gone thiste? ¡°He¡¯s working in the field,¡± Tang Zhinian touched his daughter¡¯s head, ¡°You stay at home and do your homework. Daddy will go outter to nt the vegetables in the field before it gets toote. The weather is good today.¡± Tang Yuxin looked out of the window again. Not sure which child broke one of the panes on the wooden window, it was patched up with stic, but the other ones were fine. So they had a clear view of the bright frost-covered scene outside, which was enough for them to see clearly. ¡°Daddy,e sit down, I have something to tell you.¡± Chapter 124: 126: Heavenly Dao’s Fairness Chapter 124: Chapter 126: Heavenly Dao¡¯s Fairness Tang Yuxin pulled Tang Zhinian aside, knowing that something needed to be addressed. It was likely that Aunt Xiangcao was already shut behind doors as gossip swirled. Women shouldn¡¯t make life hard for other women, women who were strangers. And why should men make life hard? She carried a small stool over and sat down in front of Tang Zhinian. Seeing his daughter¡¯s serious look, Tang Zhinian straightened up. He knew his daughter¡¯s nature. Perhaps because she grew up without a mother¡¯s care, she was more sensible than most children, listened, but also had a lot of her own opinions. She voiced her thoughts clearly, and was often seen as an adult in daily life. ¡°Dad, do you really despise Aunt Xiangcao?¡± Tang Yuxin tilted her head and asked. She wanted to know why her father disapproved of Zhang Xiangcao. Was it because she was divorced, because she had a child, or for some other reason? ¡°Kid, don¡¯t think too much.¡± As Tang Zhinian ran his fingers through her hair, he was instantly put off by the mention of Xiangcao¡¯s name, let alone her actual presence. What is a widow doing with a child, clinging to an unmarried young man like Tang Zhijun? ¡°Dad, can you tell me?¡± Tang Yuxin tugged at Tang Zhinian¡¯s sleeve. Her big eyes were sparkling. She was indeed very pretty, despite a slight tan, not as cute as when she was younger.
All kids grow up, but couldn¡¯t she grow up pretty instead of growing uglier? Regardless of her looks, Tang Zhinian still adored his daughter. Despite her tan, he thought she was the most well-behaved and beautiful amongst all the vige kids. Were there any vige kids who weren¡¯t tanned? Tang Zhinian was also holding back a belly full of rage. ¡°Just look at your second uncle,¡± he pointed outside. Thankfully, Tang Zhijun wasn¡¯t there, or else he would have received a furious lecture from Tang Zhinian. ¡°Why does he insist on marrying a divorced woman with a child? Isn¡¯t that the same as marrying a widow? In our vige, families with more than one daughter are forced to have sterilizations. If they have another girl, they be such a family, and the Tang Family line would end.¡± As Tang Zhinian voiced his concerns, his chest heaved with anger. If Tang Zhijun really married Zhang Xiangcao, he would disown him. He would sever ties with Zhijun. Tang Yuxin gripped Tang Zhinian¡¯s tightly clenched fists in her small hands, and looked at him with dim, drained eyes. ¡°Dad, Uncle Zhijun can¡¯t have children.¡± Tang Zhinian was initially confused, but quickly shook with realization. ¡°What did you say? How can your Uncle Zhijun not have children?¡± Tang Yuxin bit her lip faintly. As a doctor in her previous life, she had dealt with many childless couples. Some divorced, some adopted, and they all made different choices. However, Uncle Zhijun¡¯s choice waspletely unknown. Because, Tang Zhijun himself was an unknown entity. Sometimes she would wonder, perhaps there was some truth in the saying about divine justice. Yes, divine justice. Even though Tang Zhijun¡¯s destiny had changed, his path in this world had not. He could not have children, he had no lineage, and would not have descendants. After his life, unlike others, there would be no traces of him left in this world. Chapter 125: 127: Destined Chapter 125: Chapter 127: Destined It felt like a lifetime ago. ¡°Dad, do you remember when Grandpa was teaching me to read pulses, my first patient was Uncle Two.¡± Tang Yuxin asked Tang Yuyuan. She started learning to read pulses a year ago, all taught personally by Chen Zhong. Tang Zhinian nodded nkly. He remembered. ¡°Grandpa said, Uncle Two is impotent.¡± Tang Yuxin lowered her head, kicking her small toes. Being impotent means Tang Zhijun is no different from other men, except, he can¡¯t have children. As a man himself, Tang Zhinian should understand what this means. ¡°So, Dad,¡± she squeezed Tang Zhinian¡¯s fist once more. ¡°You might as well let Uncle Two marry Aunt Xiangcao, rather than forcing him to marry someone else. At least Aunt Xiangcao married us out of gratitude. Besides, she has Sisi. Uncle Two also has a child by his side. Sisi is only three years old. As long as Uncle Two raises her, she would treat him as her own father.¡± Tang Yuxin could say this with full certainty. In her previous life, Zhang Xiangcao passed away early, leaving behind a little girl named Sisi. Sisi was a good girl. When her Dad was injured on the construction site, Sisi took care of him out of pity. She, being his daughter, skimped and saved for a man instead, hiding even her Dad¡¯s illness from her, afraid that it would put her in a difficult spot. Everything would have been much worse for Tang Zhinian without Xiangcao.
Showing such kindness to a stranger, she would do even more for the man who raised her since she was a child. A person¡¯s nature does not change. Zhang Xiangcao is a good woman, just like her daughter. One seed can give rise to a hundred varieties, but both mother and daughter are the rare good people in the vige. They never once changed, always maintaining their humble and kind hearts. Tang Zhinian was silent now. He forced a smile at his daughter, but it looked more like he was crying. ¡°Xinxin, stay at home and don¡¯t go anywhere. Dad needs to go out.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Tang Yuxin obediently agreed. Tang Zhinian stood up and walked out. On his way, he bumped his head on the door. He rubbed his head and continued his way out, but not towards their fields, instead, he headed towards Chen Zhong¡¯s ce. Tang Yuxin lowered her head, ying with her small fingers. She then reached into her bag and pulled out her homework. Cautiously and clumsily, she copied characters from her textbook, worried that writing too well would make her a freak. In fact, if it wasn¡¯t for Zhang Xiangcao¡¯s incident, she would never disclose to anyone about Uncle Two¡¯s infertility. Regardless whether she spoke or not, it always seemed like some divine hand was directing their future paths. This includes Tang Zhinian. Perhaps the only one not involved in this grand n was her. She would steer clear of her prescribed fate and change her destiny. Even if the price to pay for this was still her untimely death in her previous life. In any case, she would not let Sang Zhn harm her and her father again. When Tang Zhinian came back, his face was awful. His features seemed drawn out. Upon seeing his older brother¡¯s face, Tang Zhijun was too afraid to even speak. ¡°Xinxin, what¡¯s wrong with your dad? Did he eat some explosives or something?¡± Tang Zhijun pulled his little niece aside. Inside, he was extremely nervous, dreading that his involvement with Zhang Xiangcao offended Tang Zhinian so much that he wished to kill his own brother. ¡°Zhijun,e in here with me.¡± Chapter 126: 128: Agreed Chapter 126: Chapter 128: Agreed Just then, a suddenment from Tang Zhinian sent chills down Tang Zhijun¡¯s spine. Tang Zhinian nced at his little niece, only to be met with a look of helplessness. He felt like a dead meat, not knowing how his elder brother would deal with him. However no matter what, he gritted his teeth and followed boldly. He wanted to marry Xiangcao. All she had done was divorced and had a kid, none of that was Xiangcao¡¯s fault, however. The man was the one to me for abandoning them. What did any of this have to do with Zhang Xiangcao? Moreover, now that Zhang Xiangcao¡¯s reputation was what it was, Tang Zhijun knew he could not evade his responsibility, leaving a woman to bear it all. If he could marry Zhang Xiangcao, that would be the fulfillment of his lifelong wish. When Tang Zhijun came out, he was overjoyed. He ran over and hooked his arms under Tang Yuxin¡¯s tiny arms. ¡°Xinxin, my sweet niece, how did you manage it? Your dad agreed! I thought his wooden head, even if pounded, couldn¡¯t produce a walnut. But now, not only did a walnut appear, but also the walnut meat¡­¡± Tang Zhijun became more and more excited, but Tang Yuxin didn¡¯t even give him a smile in return. ¡°Xinxin, why aren¡¯t you speaking? Don¡¯t you want to congratte your Uncle? After so many years, your Uncle¡¯s wish is going toe true. Even if I were to die now, I would be happy.¡±
Tang Yuxin extended her little finger, pointing behind him. Tang Zhijun quickly turned around, and the smile on his face suddenly froze. ¡°Bro¡­¡± His face fell. He had overstepped his mark. Tang Zhinian immediately extended his hand, pulling his daughter into his arms. Then, he kicked Tang Zhijun¡¯s butt with force, ¡°Get lost, don¡¯t touch my daughter, go and carry your own daughter in the future.¡± ¡°Hehe¡­¡± Tang Zhijun blushed andughed foolishly, rubbing his butt. ¡°Dad, should we build a house for Uncle now?¡± Tang Yuxin asked Tang Zhinian, blinking her eyes. Now that Uncle was getting married, it would be inconvenient for them to live together. Moreover, the road would soon be built, it would be best to build the house as soon as possible. Yes, if half of it was built, they could get even morepensation. ¡°Indeed,¡± Tang Zhinian thought. Thend had been left empty for a long time, almost three or four years, and they had not built a house on it. He had originally nned to build a house as soon as his brother got married, using the money from the sale of the coriander, which had been saved without a penny spent. Plus, the money the two brothers had made over the years might not be a lot, but it would be enough to build a house. Other things aside, the house for sure had to be built. However, no one had expected that Tang Zhijun wanted to marry Zhang Xiangcao, the vige woman who had divorced and had a child. Even though Zhang Xiangcao was divorced and had a ¡°burden¡±, Tang Zhinian still loved his brother. He didn¡¯t want the Tang brothers to be looked down upon. They had been left alone since their parents died early, but that didn¡¯t make them any less than others. No matter how, the house had to be built. Chapter 127: 129: Discussing Marriage Mediation Chapter 127: Chapter 129: Discussing Marriage Mediation The next day, Tang Zhinian withdrew the ten thousand yuan he had saved up in the bank. Though it was meant for building a house, and he was reluctant to spend it, because such a substantial amount of money, once spent, would cause a real sting in his heart, he knew that money earned is meant to be spent. A trusted connection in the vige pointed him toward some construction tools. Fromying the foundation to raising the walls, everything was taken care of, saving the Tang family ¨C which wasn¡¯trge to begin with ¨C some trouble. Even though spending a little more to delegate the cooking duties may not be ideal, the oue is favorable in a way ¨C the Tang family had no women, only a little girl named Tang Yuxin, who was still in primary school, and the two big men couldn¡¯t possibly be expected to cook. All things taken care of, there was no need to worry anymore. As the construction of the house was underway, it was time to broach the subject of marriage. The matter concerning Zhang Xiangcao had already sparked some unfavorable rumors in the vige, most of which targeted Zhang Xiangcao: Why should a young man work for a divorced widow like you? What business do you have exploiting a bachelor like that? Zhang Xiangcao found herself speechless ¨C she didn¡¯t truly understand or expect this. When Tang Zhijun hade to help, she didn¡¯t know. When she did, work on thend was almostplete. She was grateful to Tang Zhijun; he was a good man who had helped her and her daughter a lot. However, she couldn¡¯t risk damaging his reputation. So she stayed at home, grappling with her worries as she held Sisi, ve to despair and devoid of even the courage to keep living. Existence perplexed her ¨C why should life be so hard? Each time she contemted suicide, a nce at her daughter Sisi would spur her to grit her teeth and fight to survive, determined to raise Sisi no matter what it took. ¡°Knock, knock¡­¡± came a knock on the door. She carefully tucked her daughter into bed, tidied her hair, and opened the door. The sight that greeted her left her at a loss.
Standing there was Aunt Yao from the vige. Aunt Yao was known for matchmaking. She had a close bond with Zhang Xiangcao¡¯s deceased mother, and had maintained a sisterly rtionship with her all her life. Over the years, she had never forgotten Zhang Xiangcao, providing her with suitable suitors whenever theye by, but none of them wanted Sisi. She couldn¡¯t possibly abandon her daughter and remarry, could she? ¡°Auntie,e on in,¡± she said, opening the door to let Aunt Yao in. Zhang Xiangcao¡¯s house was barren, without anything valuable. Being the sole matriarch with a young child made life difficult; her toil andbor served to barely fill their stomachs. Aunt Yao sighed. Each encounter with Zhang Xiangcao left her heart-heavy. Zhang was a good girl possessing both kindness and beauty. Had she married someone in the vige, she wouldn¡¯t be living such a life, often going hungry and threadbare. ¡°Xiangcao, I¡¯ve found a prospective partner for you.¡± ¡°As you know, before your mother passed away, her biggest worry was your future. Please listen to me this time; you just can¡¯t drag your feet.¡± ¡°Auntie, I won¡¯t marry anyone who doesn¡¯t want Sisi,¡± Zhang Xiangcao replied calmly. She had expected these words from Aunt Yao and was resigned to her fate. She walked over to the heat source, touching her daughter¡¯s face tenderly. Her poor daughter, who due to her useless mother, had never tasted good food. Skinny like a little monkey, Sisi was almost three, yet she couldn¡¯t speak a word. Chapter 128: 130: Not up to the Mark Chapter 128: Chapter 130: Not up to the Mark ¡°This time it¡¯s different,¡± Aunt Yao came over, also holding a nket specially prepared for Sisi. The little child, with her small face, was so petite that it filled people¡¯s heart with tenderness. ¡°Xiangcao¡­¡± Aunt Yao sat up and took Zhang Xiangcao¡¯s hand, ¡°This is a good opportunity. You must seize it and make a good life for yourself. Only if you¡¯re well-off, will your mother rest in peace.¡± Mentioning Sisi¡¯s grandmother made Zhang Xiangcao¡¯s eyes tear up. All of this was her fault. She was unfilial. Why did she insist on marrying an educated man back then? If she had simply married anyone in the vige, things wouldn¡¯t have ended up like this. Her mother wouldn¡¯t have had to work so hard all her life, and even when she passed away, she wasn¡¯t able to close her eyes in peace. Choking back tears, she nodded, ¡°Auntie, you don¡¯t need to say anymore. I¡¯ll marry, I¡¯ll marry. As long as he doesn¡¯t mind that I¡¯m divorced and have a daughter, Sisi, if he¡¯s willing to be good to my Sisi, I would ept him no matter if he¡¯s disabled or blind.¡± ¡°What nonsense are you talking about?¡± Aunt Yao put on a stern face. She had watched you grow up, and no matter what, she wouldn¡¯t push you into such a situation. That wouldn¡¯t be saving you, it would be harming you. ¡°This opportunity is indeed a good one.¡± ¡°It¡¯s Tang Zhijun from the Tang family. That young man is not bad. A few days ago, didn¡¯t the rumor spread that he was workingnds for you, letting others discuss the matter. Now, the elder brother asked me to propose this marriage for you, saying things havee to this point, regardless of whether it¡¯s true or false, you should just ept.¡± Zhang Xiangcao was startled, ¡°Is it him, Tang Zhijun?¡±
¡°Indeed it is,¡± Aunt Yao nodded with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s that Tang Zhijun. They¡¯re just two brothers. Previously, Zhinian¡¯s wife ran away with someone else, leaving behind a little girl, who¡¯s now eight years old. She¡¯s quite sensible. Although the two brothers are not wealthy, they¡¯re diligent, and they get by just fine. What do you think?¡± ¡°He¡­¡± Zhang Xiangcao¡¯s heart was filled withplex emotions. She wasn¡¯t sure why touching her face made it feel warm. Auntie, do they feel like it¡¯s them who have ruined my reputation?¡± Zhang Xiangcao¡¯s first reaction was not to anything else, but to the question of whether they were marrying her to salvage her reputation. If that was the case, then there wasn¡¯t any need. She gave a bitter smile, ¡°I¡¯m already like this, what reputation do I still have? There¡¯s no need for them to spend their entire lives making it up to me. Sisi and I can survive just fine.¡± She was not worthy of him. ¡°Are you stupid?¡± Aunt Yao felt that Zhang Xiangcao was simply too naive. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have ended up in such a state with Sisi. Initially, she should have sought out the educated youth, not let him decide whether to marry or divorce her at whim. In ancient times when a man wanted to divorce his wife, he had to have a reason. More so when Zhang Xiangcao was carrying Sisi at that time. Aunt Yao has already epted this proposal for you. She was a straightforward woman, ¡°This is such a good match, auntie naturally has your best interests in mind.¡± Zhang Xiangcao wanted to say something but Aunt Yao didn¡¯t let her speak or oppose. ¡°I still have some money, I¡¯ll buy you some dowries first. We need to prepare some clothes no matter what.¡± As soon as Aunt Yao said this, she left for less than half an hour before returning with a bunch of things for Zhang Xiangcao to disy at the wedding. Originally, Aunt Yao thought the matter would be settled like this. The Tang family could separate out a room for them. It was fairly makeshift, but it would work. Everyone was from the same vige. Who wouldn¡¯t know about their situation? Chapter 129: 131: Second Aunt Chapter 129: Chapter 131: Second Aunt Both Tang brothers are good men. Once Zhang Xiangcao marries into their family, she won¡¯t suffer, not even Sisi, whom Tang Zhijun won¡¯t disdain. What she didn¡¯t expect was that Tang Zhinian was nning to build a house for his younger brother in the vige. He imed that he had reserved thisnd for a long time, intending it for Tang Zhijun. But Zhijun had yet to find a suitable partner, so thend remained vacant. Now that he is about to marry, naturally, the house must be built. Upon hearing that the Tang Family intended to build a house for Tang Zhijun, Yao¡¯s aunt pped her thigh and rushed to tell Zhang Xiangcao. ¡°Caocao, look, the match I arranged for you isn¡¯t bad, right? The Tang Family is building a house, so you¡¯ll get to live in a new one.¡± Zhang Xiangcao cradled Sisi and lowered her head, gingerly stroking Sisi¡¯s small face. Whether she gets a new house or not didn¡¯t really matter to her. All she wanted was for someone to treat Sisi a bit better. Someone who would allow Sisi to call him ¡®daddy¡¯. Someone that could forestall the vige children from bullying Sisi, calling her an illegitimate child with no father. ¡°Knock knock¡­¡± There was a knock on the door. Zhang Xiangcao got up to open the door, only to find a small child of about eight or nine years old. Although his skin tone was as dark as the other vige children, there was something different about him. The child seemed calm, with beautiful eyebrows and eyes, and tender, suspended red lips. If only his skin wasn¡¯t so dark, his facial features might have been more attractive. ¡°Are you Tang Yuxin?¡±
Zhang Xiangcao could recognize Tang Yuxin. Even though they didn¡¯t see each other often, she could identify who was who among the vige children. ¡°Yes, Auntie.¡± Tang Yuxin stood in the doorway, not entering. Her address of ¡®Auntie¡¯ made Zhang Xiangcao¡¯s face flush. Thinking about the man with the upright posture, strong body, and handsome, smiling face made her heart race. ¡°Come inside, it¡¯s cold outside.¡± Zhang Xiangcao quickly came to her senses and invited Tang Yuxin in. When Tang Yuxin entered, she saw a little girl hiding under a nket. Seeing a stranger, she quickly buried her face. ¡°Sisi, this is your sister,¡± Zhang Xiangcao hastily pulled her daughter out from under the nket. The nearly three-year-old girl could barely walk. ¡°Sister¡­¡± Sisi called out in a silent whisper, soft as cotton, like a kitten¡¯s meow. ¡°Sisi, good girl,¡± Tang Yuxin rummaged in her pocket and pulled out a piece of candy, cing it in front of Sisi. ¡°This is a present from your sister.¡± Sisi looked at her mom. Seeing her encouraging smile, she cautiously extended her little hand to grab the piece of candy. ¡°Thank you, sister.¡± Even though the child was small and didn¡¯t understand much, she had been taught well. Tang Yuxin stroked Sisi¡¯s small head and held her tiny hand, her fingers pressed on her pulse. There was no illness, just severe malnutrition. Zhang Xiangcao, looking gaunt with thin, brittle hair falling out, made Tang Yuxin struggle to imagine how beautiful Zhang Xiangcao had been in her prime, or what she looked like with two big braids. The current Zhang Xiangcao no longer had the scent of fragrance. It was rather metaphorical topare her to a withered nt or a wilted flower. Tang Yuxin held Sisi¡¯s small hand tightly once again, meeting Sisi¡¯s innocent, transparent pair of eyes.
Chapter 130 - 132: This Is Fate Chapter 130: Chapter 132: This Is Fate Still innocent, yetughing cautiously. Don¡¯t worry, she said in her heart, in our previous life, our family owed you a favor. In this life, I¡¯ll return it to you. I¡¯ll let you grow up carefree, and I¡¯ll let your mother live a long life. Two people who originally didn¡¯t have a good destined life, no matter how they live, will have a better life than their previous one, right? Lately, Tang Zhijun wasughing like a fool. Whenever he met someone, he¡¯d say he was about to get married. Others were saying congrattions, but they might beughing in their hearts. ¡°Tang Zhijun is just marrying a divorcee, and even taking on a burden. This kind of thing, only the old bachelors in the vige would want. What¡¯s there to be proud of, even wanting to build a house?¡± It was unclear whether it was jealousy or sour grapes, everyone was talking strangely. Tang Yuxin walked in with a baby in her arms, even though she was small, her strength was not. When she was three years old, she was already able to run and jump, and even learn about medicinal herbs from Chen Zhong. But the child in her arms was also three years old now, and couldn¡¯t even walk properly. It¡¯s not that there were any issues, rather, the child was simply hungry. Tang Zhinian extended his hand and took the child from his daughter¡¯s arms. This child belonged to Zhang Xiangcao. He had met her a few times, she was only three years old, but why was she so small? ¡°Sisi, call him Uncle.¡± Tang Yuxin said to Sisi. Sisi had recently grown ustomed to Tang Yuxin, so she was no longer afraid of her. Seeing Tang Zhinian, she also didn¡¯t act reserved. It might have been because Tang Zhinian looked somewhat simr to Tang Zhijun. ¡°Uncle¡­¡± She called out sweetly, her voice like a little kitten¡¯s, that could soften anyone¡¯s heart. ¡°Call him Big Uncle,¡± Tang Zhinian couldn¡¯t keep a straight face when he saw the child, and couldn¡¯t be harsh either. ¡°Big Uncle¡­¡± Sisi carefully called out, her crescent-shaped eyes were somewhat simr to Tang Yuxin¡¯s when she was small, immediately softening Tang Zhinian¡¯s reluctant heart slightly. Forget it, it¡¯s all fate. This just happens to be the Tang family¡¯s fate of not having any descendants. In the future, it would be enough if this child could perform the filial duties for Zhijun. If a child could call him father, that would also be fine. Taking good care of this child wouldn¡¯t be wrong. ¡°She¡¯s so thin, isn¡¯t she already three years old?¡± Tang Zhinian knew that Zhang Xiangcao¡¯s child was already three years old. In such a small vige, how could anyone be ignorant if something happened to someone¡¯s family? ¡°She¡¯s already three,¡± Tang Yuxin came over and sat down, propping her little face on the table. When she was a child, she didn¡¯t remember, even if she did, it wouldn¡¯t have been this vivid. She thought, when she was a child, her father must have held her like this. Back then, she was small and grew up on her father¡¯s shoulders. If in her previous life, she hadn¡¯t gone to the Wei Family, if she hadn¡¯t chosen to follow her mother, the life she lived wouldn¡¯t be so suffocating. At the very least, she could lead a decent life without shouldering any debts. When she was young, she was repaying Zhang Yong¡¯an¡¯s tuition, and when she grew up, she was paying off an almost endless mortgage. She slightly tilted her head, her vision momentarily blurry, then immediately clear again. ¡°Xinxin, do you want to have her checked by your grandfather?¡± The more Tang Zhinian held her, the more he felt Sisi was too small. She could hardly feel any flesh, it was as if skin was just covering bone. How could there be such a thin child these days? How was this child raised, and how did she grow? What kind of mother is Zhang Xiangcao to raise a child like this? Chapter 131 - 133: The Ewe Chapter 131: Chapter 133: The Ewe ¡°Grandpa has seen it,¡± Tang Yuxin still propped up her little face, ah, Sisi¡¯s eyes are quite big, she will actually be quite beautiful in the future, but it¡¯s just that she¡¯s too thin, her face now, only a pair of eyes are left. ¡°Grandpa says, she¡¯s starving.¡± Yes, it is indeed hunger. After getting familiar with Sisi, she took her to see Chen Zhong. Chen Zhong¡¯s answer didn¡¯t surprise her. It was hunger. As a child, she didn¡¯t eat well, and when she grew up, she didn¡¯t have good things to eat, so that¡¯s why she became so thin. ¡°What should she eat to get better?¡± Tang Zhinian felt Sisi¡¯s little arm, from now on this child would be his little brother¡¯s child, and also the Tang family¡¯s child. If she stays this thin, how could that work? If she doesn¡¯t grow up well, his little brother would be left without a descendent. So people always say, the daughter-inw from another¡¯s family is the best, but children from one¡¯s own family are the best. Now, in Tang Zhinian¡¯s heart, isn¡¯t Sisi like a child from his own family? As a child from his own family, he, as an uncle, would naturally feel worried. ¡°She needs milk,¡± Tang Yuxin thought about her future child¡¯s days, being happier, drinking all sorts of form milk, domestic milk powder, imported milk powder, soy milk, fresh cow¡¯s milk, etc. until she grows up. But there¡¯s none of these now,mon folks are usually unwilling to spend money on milk powder, and rural people don¡¯t have such forward-thinking awareness to buy milk powder for their children. But the next day, Tang Zhinian didn¡¯t know where from, but he got a dairy sheep back. ¡°Take this to her,¡± Tang Zhinian said to his son Tang Zhijun, ¡°How could a mother let her child grow up like this, didn¡¯t our Xinxin grow up eating this? Eating so well, plump and fair-skinned, only she turned ck when growing up.¡± Tang Yuxin¡­ Dad, could you not be so blunt? ¡°Xinxin, you should also have some, see if you can get fairer.¡± Tang Zhinian gave his daughter another blow. As for Tang Yuxin, she simply wanted to cry but no tears came. Dad, don¡¯t you know, the word ¡°ck¡± is what your daughter would rather not mention now, she brought out her little paw and put it in front of her eyes, then gave it a little bite. It¡¯s not her who wants to be ck, you should see whose genes are responsible. Seeing the dairy sheep, Tang Zhijun loved it so much, he immediately held the sheep and strode out. But he came back after a while, his face blushing ck and red. ¡°Er¡­,¡± he panted heavily, giving the dairy sheep to his little niece. ¡°Xinxin, you take this to your aunt-inw,¡± He scratched his head, he didn¡¯t feel anything when he met her before, but now they are about to get married and be a family, why did he suddenly realize his own shyness. He hadn¡¯t seen her yet, and he was already blushing and had a thick neck. If he saw her again, he might burst a blood vessel on his face. So Tang Yuxin had to lead the dairy sheep to Zhang Xiangcao¡¯s house. ¡°This is¡­,¡± seeing the dairy sheep, Zhang Xiangcao¡¯s face was filled with confusion, surprise, and more of a touched look, but there was no sense of entitlement, which made Tang Yuxin like this future aunt-inw even more. ¡°It¡¯s for Sisi from my father, he wanted to send it through my second uncle, but my second uncle dared not,¡± Tang Yuxin tied the sheep to the side. Then she stood up, ¡°I wille over to herd the sheep every day, you don¡¯t need to worry about taking care of the sheep.¡± ¡°Just one thing,¡± she gestured with her fingers, blinking her big eyes in a very soft and cute manner. Chapter 132: 134: Exchange One Hospital for Two Chapter 132: Chapter 134: Exchange One Hospital for Two The words Zhang Xiangcao wanted to say got stuck in her throat as she waited for Tang Yuxin¡¯s decision. ¡°My father also suggested that I drink some, perhaps I might be able to be fair?¡± She touched her face, even though she no longer harbored much hope for bing fair. After all, she had been dark-skinned all her life, and she hade to terms with it. ¡°Alright, fine,¡± Zhang Xiangcao was at a loss for words. It¡¯s not like she could say that even if she drank it, she wouldn¡¯t be fair. Although that was the truth. She was well aware of how much Tang Zhinian cherished his daughter; she hugged her own child, Sisi, tighter. She thought, ¡®Tang Zhijun would be the same, right? He would also treat Sisi well, wouldn¡¯t he?¡¯ Sisi still had a look of confusion on her face, but she was extremely curious about the littlemb, clenching her small fists and swinging them around from time to time, and her little mouth was frequently breaking into giggles. And Tang Yuxin now had an additional task, which was to shepherd themb. Every day after school, she would lead themb to the back hills where there was plenty of wild grass for it to eat. Since there was only onemb, she would study while watching it graze. As for the taste of themb¡¯s milk, it was quite ordinary. Tang Yuxin didn¡¯t understand how Sisi was able to drink it, how the little girl drank it every day and even looked forward to it. As for herself, every day she felt like throwing up from it. She led the well-fedmb back home. As they passed by the entrance to the vige, she saw that the walls of their courtyard were already quite high. Counting the days, it was about time to hear the news about the road construction. Building the wall like this was just right.
She continued with her routine life, without thinking about any get-rich-quick schemes. She didn¡¯t remember the lottery numbers, didn¡¯t have much of a business mind, so it was impossible for her family to suddenly be millionaires. One step at a time, steadily moving forward. She wouldn¡¯tg behind others anyway. She was no different. Three dayster, when it was time for Tang Zhijun¡¯s house to be built, the county sent people saying they shouldn¡¯t build it because they were nning to construct a road there. Both the homesteads of Tang Zhinian and Tang Zhijun had been requisitioned. Of course, topensate them, the government would pay to build two small two-story buildings for them on both sides of the road. This certainly sounded great; in exchange for half of their courtyard, they got two in return. Although it was a bit bothersome, it was something everybody would ept. Both brothers agreed without hesitation. Such good luck would not strike every household. Essentially, without shedding much money, they had gotten houses on both their homesteads. Originally, Tang Zhijun only nned to build one house for his little brother. Later, when he would have money, he intended to build another for himself. He didn¡¯t mind living in the old house with his daughter in the meantime. But now, things had taken a favorable turn. He could build houses on both courtyards at once. Building a house was a major event in a rural person¡¯s life. The vigers said, ¡®The luck of the Tang brothers was amazing! How did this good fortune strike them? This was akin to a pie falling from the sky!¡¯ Many people started nurturing business prospects, wanting to build houses by the roadside, foreseeing its future importance. Instantly, those barrennds were in high demand, transforming from being ignored to extremely sought after. At first, Tang Zhinian was worried about the isted location of thend, unattractive from both vige and market perspectives. But now, it seemed like he had been overly worried. That area was going to be the best location in the vige soon; the most important thing was, once the road was constructed, it would be much more convenient for the children to go to school. By the time Yuxin was to go to junior high, the road would just be ready. It would be smooth and easy to traverse. Formerly, a bicycle ride used to take more than half an hour; once the road waspleted, they could simply walk. Chapter 133: 135: Building a House Chapter 133: Chapter 135: Building a House His heart was overflowing with satisfaction. As for the matter of the house, he wasn¡¯t as proud, he was more pleased about the road being built, which would make things easier for the child. The road was constructed along with the house by a team of workers, not only were they experts at road construction, they were also proficient in building houses. When digging the foundations, they used long-armed machines and were able toplete it in just a day. The new bases were on both sides of the road, facing it. They all looked the same. They used cement and bricks, which made the process much fasterpared to the few new houses built in their vige. This was the work of dozens of people, and within a few days, the main structure of the houses was up. They were two-story buildings, with the exterior and interior walls both smoothed with cement. If they were to build the house themselves, just two rooms would cost at least five or six thousand, but these people managed to finish it. They stered both the insides and outsides of the houses, even the entrances were smoothed with cement and they built steps too. Now, they wouldn¡¯t need to worry about rainwater flowing into the house. The road construction started from their vige and spread out in both directions. No matter how long the road was, the one outside their vige was wide and paved with asphalt, unlike the rough, dirt roads typical in rural areas. Tang Zhinian and his brother put their farm work aside for now as they had to sort out the new house. For the furniture, Tang Zhinian decided to do it himself as he was rather good at woodworking. During that time, the windows in the vige were still made out of wood, without any metal alloy. Although Tang Zhinian was not a professional carpenter, he was still able to make windows without any problems. As for the furniture, he didn¡¯t have the skills for that, so he needed to buy them. Fortunately, the money that was originally set aside for Tang Zhijun to build a house was still a lot, more than enough to buy two sets of furniture. The two brothers were either logging or making windows and were often too busy to eat. Zhang Xiangcao rolled up her sleeves and went straight to cook in the Tang¡¯s old house. Even though the ingredients were limited and the vige folks ate simple meals without any fancy dishes, she managed to prepare varying dishes for the two brothers every day. It made Tang Zhinian more and more satisfied with her. Tang Yuxin was carrying a basket and leading a little girl who was wobbling as she walked.
¡°Sisi, are you tired?¡± she asked the much shorter Sisi. After having sheep¡¯s milk for a while, it was evident that Sisi¡¯s health had significantly improved and she could now walk, albeit a bit unsteadily. But she loved walking, her little face even looked chubbier, making her appear more pretty. Sisi shook her little head, ¡°Sisi go with sister to see daddy.¡± She bit her little finger, she was unfamiliar with the word ¡°daddy¡±, but at her young age, she knew that she would soon have a daddy. Daddy would let her ride on his back, buy her lots of delicious food, sweet milk, and she would live in a big house. Tang Yuxin let go of Sisi¡¯s hand, gently touched her head, and then took her hand again, walking towards their new home. The new house was well-built, simr to houses she had seen in other viges. They were also built along the road, three rooms per house, with a big courtyard in the middle for nting flowers or trees. However, the vigers didn¡¯t like nting flowers as they were delicate, difficult to maintain, and not as practical as cultivating vegetables. Chapter 134 - 136: About to Get Rich Chapter 134: Chapter 136: About to Get Rich ¡°Sisi¡¯s here. Come to daddy.¡± Tang Zhijun wiped his hands on his clothes and reached out to hold Sisi ¨C the way he felt holding her was different from when he held Tang Yuxin. Tang Yuxin was his niece, but Sisi, he considered as his own daughter. Proudly, he shot a nce at his elder brother. See, Tang Zhijun would also be a father in future. Tang Zhinian grabbed a white flour bread roll and ate it alongside some vegetables. His younger brother really seemed like a simple-minded person now. ¡°Did you finish your homework?¡± He patted his daughter¡¯s head. He had been so busytely that he hadn¡¯t had time for his daughter, wonderinf if she had done her homework properly. Nowadays, students had a lot of homework. As for him, he never went to school, so he wasn¡¯t aware of his child¡¯s homework contents. However, his Xinxin was a good girl, she never bothered him about her homework. ¡°Yep, it¡¯s done,¡± Tang Yuxin poured a cup of water for her dad and ced it on the table. She had no problems with primary school homework. For her, primary school homework was something she could do with her eyes closed, a matter of minutes. She was only a second-grade primary student now. The school was old fashioned, with worn-out desks and chairs, teachers that speak in a northwest ent, and primary school students who recited AOE while their noses dripped. She stretched out her hand, her small, tender fingers showing no calluses. They were plump to touch with a few indentations on the back of her hand. She wasn¡¯t suffering from frozen hands. In her previous life, by this time, she would have had frostbitten hands already. As a doctor, she needed to protect her hands. She soaked them in herbal water every day to prevent frostbite. Her hands weren¡¯t made for getting frostbitten, but for saving people. It was Chen Zhong who insisted on it. He said that those who learned the Chen-style acupuncture must have flexible fingers and couldn¡¯t suffer any damage. She once wondered why it mattered if her fingers suffered frostbite, looked ugly, or how they affected administering acupuncture. She didn¡¯t understand the connection. After all, whether it¡¯s a white cat or a ck cat, as long as it can catch rats, isn¡¯t it a good cat? And no matter whether the fingers are ugly or beautiful, as long as they can hold a needle or a scalpel, they are still good doctors and good physicians, aren¡¯t they? Chen Zhong merely nced at her. ¡°Chen-style rejuvenation acupuncture technique is not only for saving people but also pleasing to the eye. If your hands look ugly, how can you administer acupuncture?¡± It was only then that Tang Yuxin realized that even if your hands were ugly, you couldn¡¯t be a good doctor. Sometimes when administering acupuncture, good-looking fingers were also necessary. They managed to renovate their home quickly. In just over a month, all the windows were installed. After installing a few basic pieces of furniture, it was ready to be upied. Tang Zhinian practically used up all their household savings, regardless of whom Tang Zhijun was marrying, he provided the best of everything, including expensive furniture. There was no opt for inexpensive items. But this only made Zhang Xiangcao feel more guilty. She felt that she didn¡¯t deserve Tang Zhijun. After all, he was a single young man who had never been married, while she was a divorcee with a child. He wasn¡¯t marrying a divorced woman, but a decent unmarried young woman. So, she felt profoundly unworthy. However, no one in the Tang family ever despised her. They even gave her all the face and respect she deserved. What she didn¡¯t know was that Tang Zhijun¡¯s health condition also made Tang Zhinian feel guilty. Thus, he thought he should treat her well since it was they who were somewhat guilty. Tang Yuxin carried a bamboo basket on her back. After the morning dew had dried, she went into the mountains to gather herbs. She had been doing this for four years. This familiar path, almost a second nature to her. From time to time, she dug out the herbs nearby. If they were useful, she would throw them into her bamboo basket. From morning till now, she had almost half a basket full of herbs. These herbs were enough to treatmon diseases. She was considering whether she could go deeper into the forest¨C maybe she could find something good. Most of the vigers lived off thend, but ording to the vige elders, in the beginning, vigers relied on this mountain. The mountain was rich in treasures, aside from the wild beasts, and various valuable herbs. However, now fewer people go up the mountain. Everyone was too busy farming, and the road to the mountain was rugged and hard to travel. So, in recent years, no vigers had found anything on the mountain. But she believed that there must be something good in the mountain because Chen Zhong had dug up several mountain ginsengs. Mountain Ginseng was expensive at the moment. After all, they were life-saving medicines, so regardless of the time, medicinal herbs were always in high demand. Of course, not everyone can gather medicinal herbs. At least, as far as she knew, among the nearby viges, only Chen Zhong used to sell herbs before, and now there was her. She put down the bamboo basket, squatted down, and picked a nt with red leaves, putting it in her mouth. There was a slight spicy sensation. ¡°This is it.¡± This herb was verymon, but there were many simr ones. If you only judged by their shape and colour, it was easy to make mistakes. What set this herb apart was its taste ¨C the leaves had a spicy vour. She carefully used her little hoe to pluck the medicinal nts by their roots and put them in the bamboo basket. Li Tang Vige was back towards the mountain, which was the vige¡¯s greatest asset. Not only did it supply mountain spring water, but it also flowed into the small river at the entrance of the vige, which was full of fish. No matter when, the people of Li Tang Vige never starved as long as they were near this mountain and this river. Even in the most famine-stricken eras, nobody starved to death. Tang Yuxin stood up and proceeded. There were few people here, and there was no road ahead. Thus, after taking a few steps, she hesitated to continue. On the one hand, she was afraid of getting lost; on the other hand, she was worried that there might be wildlife that she was not aware of. Although it was unlikely that there would be fierce beasts like lions and tigers, there might be snakes. She wasn¡¯t afraid, but she was a little repulsed by these cold and soft creatures. She adjusted the bamboo basket on her back and turned to leave when a particr nt caught her keen eye. Could this be¡­? Chapter 135 - 137: Digging Up a Ginseng Chapter 135: Chapter 137: Digging Up a Ginseng Her eyes sparkled, she quickly ran over, then squatted down and carefully used her hand to sweep away the soil. It was a ginseng nt, and it must be at least a hundred years old based on its apparent age. If it was sold, it could fetch quite a sum of money, considering that most of the family¡¯s savings were spent on her second uncle¡¯s wedding. The vigers cultivated a few acres ofnd, barely enough for subsistence. The Tang Family had hardly any spare money. If they hadn¡¯t sold coriander a few years ago to earn some ie, they would still be at the bottom of the vige hierarchy. It was impossible to improve their financial situation by following the same old routine. Hence, she needed to think of a way to make money. In her previous life, she barely paid any attention to the stock market or lotteries. She was a nd and dull woman who preferred a simple way of life. She didn¡¯t buy lottery tickets or daydream about getting rich, and neither did she invest in stocks. She focused on her studies, working to earn money, and paying off her mortgage ¨C she even barely knew how to use aputer. So, her rebirth in this life could be seen as being without any golden touch. Unlike other reborn women who manage to make their families wealthy with ease, her rebirth seemed to be underwhelming. She was in and ordinary andcked foresight. Be careful, she dug out the ginseng, a rather big one with distinct features, and it appearedplete. She plucked a few leaves and carefully wrapped the ginseng, reluctant even to break a tiny root hair. Each root hair of this century-old ginseng was worth a fair bit of money. Ginseng is used to save lives, and while money can¡¯t buy life, it can certainly buy security. Hence, this ginseng could be sold for a decent amount. She brought the ginseng home, and then approached Chen Zhong. ¡°Oh, good ginseng,¡± Chen Zhong¡¯s eyes shone with glee the moment he saw the ginseng. He stretched out his hand and touched Tang Yuxin¡¯s forehead, then plucked a few root hairs from the ginseng, much to Tang Yuxin¡¯s heartache. ¡°Look at your miserly face.¡± Chen Zhong pinched the troubled face of his young apprentice. How could she not feel heartbroken? Every root hair that Chen Zhong plucked out felt like a hand clutching at her heart, causing an ache that was hard to bear. Chen Zhong plucked out a few more root hairs, then wrapped them in paper and ced them in front of Tang Yuxin. ¡°This is good stuff; it can save lives.¡± ¡°As for this¡­¡± he asked Tang Yuxin seriously. ¡°Are you really selling it? Not everyone is lucky enough to find such good quality ginseng. As more people dare to venture into the mountains, it bes increasingly hard to find ginseng.¡± Tang Yuxin understood that no matter how hard she tried, money was easier to make than finding ginseng. But, at this stage, if her family wanted to improve their living conditions, they had no other choice but to sell this ginseng nt. ¡°Master, can you help me sell it?¡± she took the paper packet containing the root hair, her heart filled with sorrow. It felt like selling her own child. ¡°Alright,¡± Chen Zhong carefully kept the ginseng and prepared to go out to sell it. He certainly had his own channels. Apart from getting a reasonable price, the most important thing was not getting swindled. This was why Tang Yuxin entrusted Chen Zhong with the task of selling the ginseng. She was not foolish, but people still thought she was. Being an 8 or 9-year-old child, adults will inevitably harbor intentions of deceit, especially with such good quality ginseng on the offer. Tang Yuxin returned home and ced the ginseng root hairs in her little drawer. The Tang brothers outside were still deliberating on what crops to nt. The entire family, with so many mouths to feed, depended on their fields to make a living. Tang Yuxin went over and ced a small stool in front of the two of them. ¡°Dad, how about nting tomatoes and cucumbers? They fetch a good price during the New Year.¡± Indeed, they were quite expensive. These were premium vegetables which were not very expensive during the summer. But during the New Year, their prices skyrocketed. No matter the price, many people came over with money in hand to buy them. Furthermore, the vegetable wholesale market was about to open right across from their house, which made it very convenient for them to sell fresh produce wholesale and retail. ¡°nting these would be good.¡± Tang Zhijun was somewhat tempted. Both brothers were skilled at cultivating vegetables, and they knew that tomatoes and cucumbers could make money. Now that they wanted to cultivate these, as long as they have a warm greenhouse, if they could sell them before the New Year, these off-season vegetables could earn back their costs in just a few days. But their spare money was running low. The original ten thousand yuan was intended for Tang Zhijun¡¯s wedding. With the wedding just a few months away, the money for the banquet was indispensable. Although Zhang Xiangcao had no immediate family, they could notpromise on customary norms, such as the betrothal gifts, which needed to be bought for the household. Therefore, they absolutely could not touch this ten thousand yuan. ¡°Brother, should we break up that ten thousand yuan? I think nting tomatoes and cucumbers seems promising. I had this ideast year, but we sowed the seeds toote. Look at the pricesst year. These tomatoes and cucumbers are not one-time sales. We can sell them before and after the New Year, and the price is high.¡± Indeed, these were premium vegetables. However, the initial investment was quite substantial, such as the cost of the stic sheet, bamboo poles, and stove. Both brothers had experience in farming, especially Tang Zhijun, who was sharp and had gathered a lot of knowledge over the years. They definitely had no problem setting up the most advanced greenhouse. The issue was that they didn¡¯t have any spare money. Purchasing stic sheets, stoves, bamboo poles would cost quite a sum. Moreover, the greenhouse had to be built with real bricks and steel rebars to prevent it from copsing under heavy snow, to ensure proper load-bearing, and to protect the quality stic sheet. Everything had to be of good quality, and the bamboo poles had to be new. This would cost a considerable amount of money. The greenhouse is not an ordinary canopy; it requires a lot of funds. ¡°No way,¡± Tang Zhinian tly refused, leaving no room for negotiation. ¡°Our parents died early, and you are my only brother. No matter what, we cannotpromise on your wedding. That money cannot be touched.¡± No matter how he was wronged, he couldn¡¯t wrong his own brother. The Tang family still had to live in Li Tang Vige and maintain their standing amongst others. This was a matter of their honor. Even if he could discard his own dignity, he couldn¡¯t forfeit the honor of theirte parents. Chapter 136: 138: Not Letting Hope Wash Away Chapter 136: Chapter 138: Not Letting Hope Wash Away This was no trivial matter, it was about his brother¡¯s wedding. No matter what, they had begun building a house and spent money. Even if it meant grinding their teeth, they had to ensure the wedding was grand. His brother might only get married once in his life. She didn¡¯t want to face the snide remarks of others or have people gossip behind her back. Zhijun wanted to discuss further with Zhinian, ¡°Xiangcao won¡¯t mind¡­¡± ¡°Enough, stop talking,¡± Zhinian interrupted his brother, ¡°No matter what, I won¡¯t touch that money.¡± ¡°But, brother¡­¡± Zhijun really felt, if they didn¡¯t take action now, then there would be no time. They could still manage now, and soon after the greenhouse was built, they could start nting. Otherwise, even if they had money, it would be useless if they dyed any longer. They would have to wait until next year, and who knew what would happen then? Zhinian stood up and walked outside resolutely. He was adamant that he would not use the money set aside for his brother¡¯s wedding. Therefore, you could say that he was honest, as he seemed to be. However, when it came to being stubborn, there was hardly anyone in the entire vige who couldpete with him. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have remained single in his previous life, working like a beast of burden for Sang Zhn and her family all his life. Zhijun looked at his elder brother¡¯s retreating figure and then turned to meet Tang Yuxin¡¯s sparkling eyes. He reached out and patted Tang Yuxin¡¯s head. ¡°When your father gets like this, nobody can talk him around.¡±
Tang Yuxin nodded her head several times. She agreed with thispletely, but she wasn¡¯t worried. Soon, they would be able to get the money back. By evening, Chen Zhong returned, handing Tang Yuxin a small cloth bag. Tang Yuxin hefted it; it was pretty heavy. After all, genuine wild ginseng that had grown for hundreds of years was very valuable in this era. ¡°I sold it for 6,500. Count it.¡± Tang Yuxin¡¯s eyes brightened. She was thrilled as she clutched the bag to her chest. Over six thousand! That was a lot! However, after she finished celebrating, she started contemting. Over six thousand yuan wasn¡¯t much in the future, it wouldn¡¯t even buy an iPhone. But, this wild ginseng could potentially cost millions in the future. So, she was actually quite regretful. s, she had sold it at a loss. However, there was no choice. They really needed the money at home. As she walked through the vige holding over six thousand yuan, she was somewhat fearful. After all, this was a significant amount of money. Fortunately, she was still a child and no one had noticed what she was carrying. Thus, she returned home with as much caution as if she were holding a time bomb. Then she ced the bag in front of Zhinian. Zhinian took the bag and weighed it in his hands, unable to figure out what was inside, but it felt quite heavy. Zhijun, on the other hand, swallowed hard. The money seemed to emanate a familiar scent. He recognized the smell of banknotes. Upon opening the bag, Zhinian inadvertently spilled the money out. There were exactly six bundles and a little more. Each bundle was a thousand yuan. There were six and a half bundles altogether. ¡°My god!¡± Zhijun hastily picked up the money and stuffed it back into the cloth bag together with Zhinian. ¡°Xinxin, where did you get this money from?¡± Zhinian ced his hand on his daughter¡¯s shoulder. Where could such a little girl get so much money from? The money at home was all in cheques, so it couldn¡¯t possibly be from their house. His daughter had always been a good child, so naturally he didn¡¯t believe she would steal from anyone. Besides, who in the vige would keep over six thousand yuan at home? You could build a house with that much money. Tang Yuxin made a grimace. Father, could you please lighten your grip a little? Was he trying to crush her bones? Yet, she still had to put on an unwittingly honest expression. ¡°Dad, I found a ginseng yesterday,¡± she indicated the size, which was quiterge. Actually, it wasn¡¯t possible for it to be this big. She had exaggerated the size. If a ginseng actually grew that big, it wouldn¡¯t be a ginseng anymore, but a monster.
¡°I asked grandfather to help me sell it, and it made this much money. Dad, use it to grow tomatoes and cucumbers, okay? I want to eat them as well.¡± These vegetables were considered precious, even if they were grown at home, the family was reluctant to eat them. Only during celebrations in the vige could they afford to eat them. These ordinary vegetables would be verymon in the future, but in this era, they were deemed precious. Locally grown tomatoes and cucumbers were scarce because they were off-season vegetables. During the New Year, they were often transported from the south. However, southern vegetables would either spoil due to the long transportation time or be expensive when they reached the north.
But, because it was the New Year, people would buy them regardless of the cost. Zhinian broke out in a cold sweat, but when he looked into his daughter¡¯s innocent eyes, he knew she wasn¡¯t lying. His daughter had always been a good child and had never caused him any worry, and she certainly wouldn¡¯t speak irresponsibly. And such arge amount of money couldn¡¯t possibly havee from amon family. Still, he had to confirm it himself. He feared this was Chen Zhong¡¯s money. Over six thousand yuan wasn¡¯t a small sum, they couldn¡¯t afford to borrow or repay such a big amount. ¡°Oh, the ginseng you mentioned?¡± Chen Zhong put away his herbs, turned around and started arranging the herbs in the medicine cab. ¡°Your daughter dug it up. She was lucky, it¡¯s over eighty years old. It sold for 6,500. If it had grown for a few more years, it could be even more valuable. But by then it might not belong to your family. It¡¯s all about fate, which no one can change.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Chen Zhong nced at Zhinian from under his eyelids. ¡°You don¡¯t think it¡¯s my money, do you?¡± Zhinian¡¯s face turned an awkward shade of ck and red, he had indeed thought so. ¡°Rest assured,¡± Chen Zhong turned back around and continued to arrange his scarce herbs, ¡°The little girl is sensible and wouldn¡¯t ask me for money. Even if she wanted to, I wouldn¡¯t have any. Ever since that flood, I haven¡¯t fully recovered.¡± He was telling the truth. That flood had washed away all his belongings. The only thing that gave him sce was that his little apprentice, Tang Yuxin, was still alive. Otherwise, he didn¡¯t know whether he would have lost his life too in that flood. He could pick herbs again even if they had been washed away, and he could earn money again even that had been washed away. But hope couldn¡¯t be bought. Therefore, don¡¯t think that he really had a lot of money.
Chapter 137: 139: Making a Good Profit Chapter 137: Chapter 139: Making a Good Profit Scrapping together meals, often going without proper clothing, such was his life. The little girl was lucky to have dug up a centuries-old ginseng. Otherwise, where would this moneye from? Was it stolen or robbed? Or did it fall from the sky in a dream, or was it blown over by the wind? How can such a clever child have such a foolish father? It¡¯s fortunate she didn¡¯t take after her father, or else she might have been a fool her whole life. Tang Zhinian was stunned by Chen Zhong¡¯s bluntments and returned home in a daze. Tang Yuxin took over caring for Sisi, who immediately warmed to Tang Zhinian. At her young age, she knew that hermb puppet was bought for her by this uncle. Without him, she wouldn¡¯t have hermb puppet and thus wouldn¡¯t have milk to drink. With enough milk now, she wouldn¡¯t starve any more. Even her mother was always smiling. ¡°Sisi,¡± Tang Zhinian was ovee with paternal affection, ¡°you look just like my daughter Yuxin.¡± Tang Yuxin touched her own face. Father, where do you see the resemnce? I clearly don¡¯t look anything like her. How could I? I am so dark and she is so white, especially nourished by themb¡¯s milk, she is getting whiter and whiter while I look like a little ck coal.
Tang Zhinian pinched Sisi¡¯s cheek, thought for a while. Seeing Sisi¡¯s still thin face and his daughter sitting on the side, he braced himself and gritted his teeth. ¡°Zhijun, Let¡¯s go buy bricks tomorrow, get the greenhouse ready first. Let¡¯s work hard this year and make a good amount of money. ¡°Sisi should also start eating better.¡± He might not worry about himself, but when ites to children, he was always concerned. It turned out to be true that one should fuss over their own children. Before, whether Sisi lived or died was none of his business, but now she is his younger brother¡¯s daughter, who in the future would be expected to take care of him in his old age. Therefore, his main worry now is whether this little girl can be raised well. Initially, he didn¡¯t want to use the money his daughter obtained from selling the ginseng, but considering the scarcity of money in the family, if they want to improve the lives of the two children, they can¡¯t afford to be so cautious. ¡°Alright, brother. I understand.¡± Tang Zhijun rolled up his sleeves, prepared to work hard. He didn¡¯t fear hard work; he had plenty of strength. As long as it meant raising his daughter to be a little healthier, he was willing to do anything. The next day, the two brothers set out to buy the bricks and ss. They brought along a few biscuits and water bottles with them to avoid spending money outside. Sisi stood at the doorway, tiptoed to get a better look, then turned and clung to her mother¡¯s leg. ¡°Mommy, when will daddy and uncle be back?¡± Zhang Xiangcao stroked her daughter¡¯s little head, ¡°They will be back by nightfall.¡± Noting the brothers¡¯ affection and care for Sisi, Zhang Xiangcao kept their kindness in mind, vowing that she would always be good to Tang Zhinian¡¯s family in the future and would respect Tang Zhinian as much as her husband would respect him. ¡°Sister, sister¡­¡± Sisi ran over to Tang Yuxin with her little legs. Tang Yuxin bent down, holding Sisi¡¯s small hand. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Sisi grinned from ear to ear. ¡°Sister, would you teach Sisi how to write?¡±
¡°Sure,¡± Tang Yuxin was happy to y teacher for Sisi. Sisi was a good girl, very clever. Possibly because she had been relying on her mother since she was little, she was somewhat timid. This aspect was very simr to herself in her previous life. Regardless, Sisi is much luckier than she was. At least, Sisi does not have a mother who takes advantage of her own daughter. Sisi¡¯s image was interrupted by the return of the Tang brothers from the city, carrying stic paper and new bamboo poles. They also arranged for bricks and cement to be delivered. They arrived back home by nightfall. Despite running errands all day, the brothers still had the greenhouse on their minds.
No one in the vige had seen such a greenhouse before. The idea originated from visiting a neighboring vige. Built entirely of brick and reinforced with steel and cement, it was sturdy, warm, and understandably expensive. This greenhouse was perfectly suited for growing tomatoes and cucumbers. The brothers nned to cultivate thend throughout the winter in order to make a good profit by the New Year. The next day before dawn, the two brothers went to the field, which had been measured precisely to n for the greenhouse and the open spaces. The fastest items to arrive were the bricks and cement, and the brothers promptly began work. Whenever they encountered difficulties, Tang Zhijun would ride his tricycle to the neighboring vige for guidance. Being a good-looking man, and having a way with words, he quickly picked up what he needed to know. Before long, the greenhouse was taking shape. Although they were busy constructing the greenhouse, they didn¡¯t forget that Tang Zhijun¡¯s marriage was fast approaching. As time went by, the weather gradually became colder. A monthter, the greenhouse was erected. It was built with cement, reinforced with steel, and the finest bamboo poles. It was very sturdy. The stove was installed and while it hadn¡¯t been lit, the temperature inside the greenhouse was already high. The seeds were sown. Now that they had time, they could proceed with Tang Zhijun¡¯s wedding. Otherwise, it would look bad if Zhang Xiangcao continued to cook and care for the children ¨C some might start to gossip. Zhang Xiangcao delicately touched the red cotton jacket hanging on the head of the bed. It was the best piece of clothing she had worn for years. It was specifically bought for her by Tang Zhijun when he went to the city. The fabric felt so fine and soft against her fingertips and the callouses on her hands seemed to scrape against the fabric. She pressed the cotton jacket against her face and at that moment, a sour sensation filled her nose. ¡°Mom¡­¡± Sisi ran over and hugged Zhang Xiangcao¡¯s leg. Zhang Xiangcao put down the cotton jacket and picked up Sisi. ¡°Sisi, good girl, you must remember to show filial respect to your father and uncle, understand?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Sisi affirmed with a firm nod. It was unclear whether she understood fully, but from a young age, she had been instilled with this principle.
When she grew older, she needed to show filial respect to her father and uncle. The ninth was Tang Zhijun¡¯s wedding day. He was grinning like a fool,ughing at every person he came across. It was the happiest day of his life, because he was getting married. Chapter 138: 140: Good News Chapter 138: Chapter 140: Good News It was just that some vigers were feeling jealous, like sour grapes, merely because Tang Zhijun was marrying a divorced woman. They thought the wedding wouldn¡¯t be anything to write home about. But, when they saw the new motorcycle, festooned with a big red flower, used to pick up the bride, Zhang Xiangcao, they were dumbfounded. From the way she beamed in her fashionable red cotton-padded jacket, they could tell it was made of fine material. The jacket glittered under the sunlight, leaving everyone dazzled. Zhang Xiangcao was ushered directly into the newlywed¡¯s room. Vigers who went into the room kept expressing admiration for its quality and spected about the cost of the furniture. Moreover, Zhang Xiangcao¡ªa divorcee with a child¡ªnow owned such arge courtyard. Despite her past, she was wedded anew and was now living in such a grand house. The wedding that Tang Zhijun had thrown for his younger brother was even grander than his own. The money earned from selling herbs that year was almost entirely spent. But he didn¡¯t mind, as he always felt that he owed his younger brother. When Tang Zhijun got married, Sang Zhn didn¡¯t want to live with her brother-inw. So, seventeen-year-old Tang Zhijun ended up living in a small hut in the field, without uttering a singleint. Despite his sister-inw¡¯s unreasonable behavior, he never lost his temper, always maintaining a good-natured nature. However, whenever his older brother was bullied, he was the first one to step up. Now that he was married, as his older brother, no matter what, he must make sure his wedding was grand and splendid. And indeed, it was. There were more than forty banquet tables, all serving fine food such as chicken and fish. The vigers, who came for the wedding wine, gorged themselves till their faces turned red. As for how much money was spent, Tang Zhinian didn¡¯t bother to calcte. In his view, as long as he could save his younger brother¡¯s face, no amount of money was too much to spend.
After the marriage, Tang Zhijun finally had a home. However, both families ate together. This was Zhang Xiangcao¡¯s request, as she felt Tang Yuxin, a single man and also a farmer, couldn¡¯t take care of her daughter alone. So, everyone ate together, which also made the house livelier. Tang Zhijun initially disagreed¡ªas a married man, he needed his own space. But then he saw Tang Yuxin, who was barely taller than his waist. Finally, he swallowed his pride. Zhang Xiangcao was right. When the farm was busy, Tang Yuxin would really have nowhere to eat. Previously, when they were busy, even their meals were prepared by Tang Yuxin, a young child. So, for his daughter¡¯s well-being, Tang Zhinian, as a father, finally learned to swallow his pride. When they started nting in the field, it was troublesome, especially for the tomatoes. They needed to bebed and pollinated, and bamboo frames needed to be erected. There were only the two Tang brothers and Zhang Xiangcao, and they were so busy they wished they could sleep in the fields. At such times, Tang Yuxin, the half-grown child, would prepare simple meals, and then carry the pot and bowls in one hand, pulling Sisi with the other hand, to deliver food to the adults in the field. Therefore, it wasmon to see Tang Yuxin leading a smaller child towards the field. Tang Zhinian grew more and more satisfied with his sister-inw. She was hard-working, could bear hardships, was good at household chores, and was caring towards his brother. Seeing her wipe off his sweat and give him water to drink, Tang Zhijun¡¯s appearance had changed greatly since marrying. His clothes were always clean, and everything was organized neatly. Although he was always busy with fieldwork, with scarce time to rest, his spirit seemed better each day. No matter how much work he did in a day, he never seemed tired. As for Zhang Xiangcao, she felt hopeful about their days ahead. So, like Tang Zhijun, she didn¡¯t mind any hardship they were enduring. They were young and could fight for a few more years. For their children and themselves, no matter how hard it was, it¡¯s nothing big. After all, everyone had to endure hardships. People always say that going through hardships leads to greatness. The two brothers were naturally good at farm work. Now with Zhang Xiangcao joining them, things were done even faster. The tomatoes and cucumbers were bearing fruit and growing very well. Also, with the good fire in the stove, the vegetables in the field were thriving, and should be ready for sale before the New Year. Something that made them even more excited was¡­ The town¡¯s only vegetable wholesale market was going to move right across their vige. The outside of the vige now had good transportation ess, and a new road had been built. It was situated in the middle of several viges. In fact, the town had been nning to move the vegetable market over here for some time, but they had to wait for the road to bepleted. Now, with the roadpleted, the wholesale market could finally be moved. The new market was being built quickly. The ground was entirely concrete, and the roof was made of green stic tiles, so it could be built quickly. Based on the current pace, the new vegetable wholesale market should be operational before the New Year. ¡°Brother, this is really great,¡± Tang Zhijun rubbed his hands. ¡°Once the wholesale market is built, it will be easier for us to sell our vegetables. We can sell freshly picked vegetables, which are fresh and attractive.¡± In the future, they should buy a steelyard for their home. They could weigh the produce themselves. The tea at their home was so expensive, and if others weighed it, they might take more. It was more urate to weigh it at home.
Tang Zhinian shared the same thoughts. He felt relieved. Thank goodness he had decided to nt the vegetables. If not, he would have missed such a good opportunity. With the wholesale market across the road evolving day by day, and the Tang family¡¯s field also changing daily, the tomatoes were growing bigger and cucumbers were growing well. In about a month, the cucumbers would be ready for sale. The tomatoes may take a bit longer, perhaps another half a month. Now, there were still two and a half months until the New Year, so they had a month to sell these vegetables.
Even before the Tang family¡¯s vegetables were ready, the wholesale market across the road had already started operations. Many people came every day to buy wholesale vegetables, which gradually brought more people to the vige. Some people began considering starting businesses and restaurants. Chapter 139: 141: Busy Selling Vegetables Chapter 139: Chapter 141: Busy Selling Vegetables Starting at the entrance to the vige, plot after plot of homesteadnd was being parceled out. But none of them were as good, or asrge, as the one belonging to the Tang brothers. Eventually, all thend at the entrance of the vige was taken, but plenty of people were still enviously eyeing it. That just goes to show that foresight pays off. Otherwise, how could the Tang brothers have snatched up those homesteadnds along with everyone else? After the houses were built, things were bustling. Some rented out their homes, while others started businesses selling food, seeds, fertilizers and so forth. The vige was suddenly teeming with life, and other vigers were more than grateful for the convenience, even if they had missed out on grabbing some of the homesteadnd. At least now they didn¡¯t have to go all the way to the city to buy goods; they could simply get them at the entrance of their own vige. As the vige began to prosper, none were more pleased than the vige chief. Just look at how capable he was, turning a poverty-stricken backwater into a renowned agricultural zone. Who could rival his tenacity? Now, wherever the vige chief went, he held his head high, looking quite content. While the Tang brothers were still toiling in their fields, meticulously tending to their crops. Whether they would have an easy life, or have to scrape by next year, would all depend on the sess of their winter tea harvest. When the first batch of cucumbers were carefully taken by the brothers to the vegetable market, they were one of a kind. Yes, truly one of a kind. The mostmonly sold produce at the time were radishes and cabbages. But expensive, out-of-season vegetables like cucumbers were exceedingly rare. In fact, there were none at all. Vegetable vendors came over and practically snatched them up. Especially when they found out they were fresh from the field, making them more likable. Freshly picked, they couldst a few more days. The vegetables from the south, however expensively priced, had to be stored for a long time.
Know this, rarity brings value and there¡¯s a reason it¡¯s priced ordingly. They could pick about a big box of cucumbers a day and sell them for over a hundred yuan. In the vegetable market, they were in high demand. Not long after, the Tang family¡¯s tomatoes were also ready for harvest. They wererge, pink tomatoes. Each one was round and smooth, very pleasing to the eye. The Tang brothers cared about appearances, and naturally, so did their tomatoes. The unattractive ones were ced at the bottom and the good ones on top. Tomatoes yielded a great mass, every box must¡¯ve weighed hundreds of pounds. A pound cost half a yuan wholesale, which was worth quite a bit at that time. A box weighing hundreds of pounds could fetch nearly two hundred yuan. Add to that the ie from the cucumbers; the products of the Tang family¡¯snd brought in over three hundred yuan a day. Over ten days, that would amount to three thousand yuan. For a month, almost ten thousand yuan. During the New Year period, when vegetable prices skyrocket, the figures could easily double. Making hundreds a day, it felt like money was pouring into the Tang brothers¡¯ pockets in a steady stream. By the ten days before New Year, the prices of cucumbers and tomatoes had risen to one and a half yuan and one yuan respectively. ¡°Brother, we won¡¯t be getting much sleep these days,¡± Tang Zhijun said through gritted teeth. Each day they could make five or six hundred yuan, practically money every second. And yet, they still needed to eat and sleep. Meals were as simple as could be, bread and water, to free up as much time as possible. The main issue was that the tomatoes ripened extremely fast. It seemed as though it was a bumper crop year for tomatoes. Additionally, there were hardly any pests or health issues; they grew so incredibly well that they could easily gather seven to eight hundred pounds a day. But there were only five people in their family, including a nine-year-old child and another who was even younger, at three years old. Every pound of produce was now selling for over a yuan. In ten days it would be New Year¡¯s, and they knew very well that while their vegetables would still sell after the holiday, they wouldn¡¯t fetch as high a price. ¡°Alright, then let¡¯s stay awake,¡± decided Tang Zhinian. He hadn¡¯t slept much over the past few days, always thinking about the vegetables in the fields, worried that they¡¯d go bad or be stolen, or that the prices might change the next day. They might as well just live in the fields. The upshot of the Tang brothers¡¯ discussion was to work through the night picking tomatoes, aiming to sell as much as possible each day, ideally until New Year¡¯s. They hoped to sell off the majority of their harvest before then. Even if prices fell after the New Year, that was a concern forter. What mattered now was making as much money as they could before then. ¡°I¡¯ll go with you,¡± said Zhang Xiangcao, donning her coat and following Tang Zhijun out. ¡°What are you doinging out? It¡¯s cold outside,¡± said Tang Zhijun, pushing his wife back into the house. It was warm inside with the stove burning, but outside was bitterly cold. What if she fell ill? He loved his wife and couldn¡¯t bear to expose her to such hardship. A man shouldn¡¯t let his wife undergo suffering; it defeats the point of marrying a man. If a man makes his wife suffer, is he even a man at all? ¡°I¡¯ll help you harvest the vegetables.¡±
Zhang Xiangcao couldn¡¯t sleep either. The men of the house were all busy; how could she just stay at home by herself? She too had experienced hardship and knew what it was like to work thend. If not now, then when was the right time to help? Plus, with vegetable prices being so high, she just couldn¡¯t sit still. ¡°No way,¡± Tang Zhijun immediately refused without even considering. It was too cold outside and she might freeze. She should stay home and look after the children. Providing for the family was a man¡¯s job. At this, Zhang Xiangcao¡¯s eyes welled up with tears. How lucky she, Zhang Xiangcao, had been to marry such a wonderful man. He never shied away from the fact that she had previously been married, and never looked down on her for having a kid already. In fact, he treated her child as his own.
¡°Alright, Sisi, don¡¯t go,¡± Tang Zhinian also disagreed with Zhang Xiangcao going out. The weather was cold and their home had two small children. If she wasn¡¯t at home, he wouldn¡¯t have had the peace of mind to go out working in the middle of the night. Never mind Sisi, even eight-year-old Tang Yuxin, he didn¡¯t feelfortable leaving without her supervision. ¡°Alright,¡± Zhang Xiangcao wiped her cold face. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, brother. I¡¯ll look after the kids at home and make sure nothing happens to them.¡± After ensuring the womenfolk and kids at home were fine, the Tang brothers worked overnight in the fields. Electricity was avable in the fields, and Tang Zhinian had run a line to the greenhouse in advance. Although they had to pay extra for the electricity, it was worth it. Otherwise, their crops wouldn¡¯t have been as easy to harvest that year. Chapter 140: 142: Busy Making Money Chapter 140: Chapter 142: Busy Making Money Winter days are short, usually involving them rising before dawn anding home only after nightfall. Now they often worked into midnight inside their own greenhouse. Upon entering the greenhouse, the two brothers removed their cotton-padded jackets. To be honest, besides feeling a little chilly on the road, it was warm inside the greenhouse and not cold at all. Without a break, the two brothers began picking tomatoes. By the time dawn arrived, they had picked about two big boxes. They also had one big box of cucumbers. While it was still dark, the brothers took two boxes of tomatoes and a big box of cucumbers left over from yesterday to the wholesale market across the street to sell. As soon as the Tang brothers¡¯ tricycle arrived, it was surrounded by a crowd of vegetable vendors. Once weighed, there were thousands of jin of tomatoes and more than two hundred jin of cucumbers. Just from this sale, they made nearly two thousand yuan. If this was in the past, earning two thousand yuan would have rendered these two brothers stunned. However, after the initial sess of growing coriander and having sold greenhouse vegetables for half a month, although the amount wasrge, the brothers were not that surprised. After counting the money, they went back to the field without taking a break. As the money was within sight, they were not worried about thieves. Because they were making money, they didn¡¯t feel tired at all. After they returned home, they continued to work in the field. Around eight o¡¯clock, Zhang Xiangcao came by with the two children. The Tang brothers had eaten and regained their strength. They still busied themselves in the field.
Zhang Xiangcao rolled up her sleeves and went over to help. As for Tang Yuxin, she sat with Sisi on the side. If they were not messing around, it was the best help they could give. At noon, Zhang Xiangcao took the two children back home to cook. They had earned money recently, so of course they ate better. The work in the field was heavy and plentiful. They could not stand it if they did not eat well. ¡°Mommy, Sisi wants to eat meat,¡± Sisi demanded, lifting her small foot continuously. Zhang Xiangcao touched Sisi¡¯s little head. ¡°Okay, our Sisi will have meat in a while.¡± Sisiughed and split open her little mouth, ¡°Meat is for Daddy and Uncle.¡± Tang Yuxin listened and couldn¡¯t helpughing along. Sisi¡¯s sweet little mouth was better at calling ¡°Daddy¡± and ¡°Uncle¡± each passing day. At noon, after the brothers had eaten some food and rested for a while, they got up again in less than half an hour. Indeed, after making money, everything else was left behind. How could they sleep with so much money in hand every day? Even if they did fall asleep, they would wake upughing. After about ten days of such busyness, it was the 28th of the lunar calendar. The vegetables from the Tang family were still in high demand, and the brothers Tang Zhinian had more than 40,000 yuan in hand. After the New Year, although vegetable prices would fall somewhat, these rare vegetables would still be expensive. The crops from these few acres would earn them sixty to seventy thousand yuan. Now, not to mention sixty to seventy thousand, even ten thousand was a huge amount of money. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Sisi, Daddy is taking us to buy new clothes for the New Year.¡± Tang Zhijun held his daughter in one hand and draped his other arm over Zhang Xiangcao¡¯s shoulder, ¡°It¡¯s been hard on you these days. We won¡¯t deal with vegetables today. I will take you two to the city to buy clothes and prepare some New Year¡¯s goods.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Zhang Xiangcao¡¯s eyes reddened, she truly saw a ray of hope in their lives. She did not think about how much money they could have in hand. All she had in mind was to have a man at home, like today, who could hold their daughter and tell her, ¡®We are going to buy new clothes for the New Year.¡¯ With his family in tow, Tang Zhijun rode the tricycle to go clothes shopping. Originally, he wanted to take Tang Yuxin and Tang Zhinian as well, but Tang Yuxin held back Tang Zhinian from going. ¡°Why, Xinxin doesn¡¯t want new clothes?¡± Tang Zhinian was an honest person, of course not as cunning as Tang Yuxin. Of course she wanted. Tang Yuxin had new clothes every year. With so much money earned this year, how could she shop any less? Girls love to dress up, of course, and she was no different. Though she didn¡¯t grow up to be very good-looking, she still wanted to buy new clothes. The E-point is not enough, just use clothes to support it. ¡°Why don¡¯t you go then?¡± Tang Zhinian touched his daughter¡¯s little head and asked. Tang Yuxin really felt that her father was too honest, so honest it almost brought her to tears. No wonder he was deceived by the Wei family in his past life. ¡°Dad, it¡¯s the first New Year for Uncle and Auntie. Let them go out as a family. What are we going there for? To act as third wheels?¡±
¡°There are spare bulbs at home, we don¡¯t need to make them. Besides, we don¡¯t know how to.¡± Tang Zhinian thought for a moment. He had bought several spare bulbs for the house. If they ran out, they could disassemble and use the ones in the field. He didn¡¯t have the skills to make bulbs. Tang Yuxin covered her face. There really was a generation gap. Tang Zhinian sighed and no longer grappled with the matter of bulbs. ¡°Xinxin, it¡¯s already the 28th now. If you want to buy something next year, no one would sell it to you.¡±
¡°Let¡¯s walk there and buy a tricycle when we arrive.¡± The family didn¡¯t dare to spend money before, or to buy any household goods. Now that Tang Zhijun had married and had a child, they could afford to buy another tricycle. One tricycle was not really enough. Plus, they would grow crops like tomatoes next year, so it was better to buy another. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Daddy will take you to see tricycles.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Tang Yuxin, delighted, clung to Tang Zhinian¡¯s hand. Even if they had to walk, she was willing. Plus, it was almost the New Year, and the festive atmosphere was everywhere. Everyone was happy, and even the road seemed to have be windier. Tang Yuxin wore a very thick cotton-padded jacket today, looking like a little bear, so chubby that she could hardly walk. Tang Zhinian took his daughter directly to a ce selling tricycles. At this time, a tricycle was about three hundred yuan each. Which family in the vige didn¡¯t have one? It was essential household goods. Even without other things, a tricycle was a must. ¡°Daddy, let¡¯s buy this one.¡± Tang Yuxin ran straight to a green electric tricycle. This was a very sturdy tricycle, its manufacture quality was much higher than those madeter, the materials used were very solid, and it was also very durable. It was no problem to use one for ten or so years. Chapter 141: 143: The Car-Owning Class Chapter 141: Chapter 143: The Car-Owning ss Manualbor is hard, but an electric one is much easier, for everything in the future. Apart from other things, if someone in the house gets a headache or a fever and the vige health center can¡¯t handle it, we have to go to the hospital in the city. If we walk, it takes two hours. If we ride a tricycle, it still takes an hour. But with this electric tricycle, it will take less than half an hour. Tang Zhinian was in agreement. Who wouldn¡¯t want such a handy asset? If anyone in the vige owns an electric tricycle, it¡¯s enough to make others green with envy. He had always wanted an electric one, but he never had enough money. Wait, that¡¯s not right. In fact, he did have the money. All the money earned from selling coriander was saved without a penny being spent. But he didn¡¯t dare to touch that money because it was for marrying off Tang Zhijun. They¡¯d earned a lot this year so he felt he could afford to spend a bit too. ¡°How much does this cost?¡± Tang Zhinian was more taken with it the more he looked. He touched the vehicle from corner to corner. Indeed, for a man, a vehicle is an irresistible attraction. Even a tricycle is still a vehicle. ¡°One thousand six hundred,¡± the vendor came over and gave him a straightforward quotation. The price quoted was very real, without any padding. In reality, people these days are so honest that they wouldn¡¯t dare to quote too high a price. No one would dare buy something overpriced otherwise. ¡°One thousand six hundred?¡± Tang Zhinian was in a bit of a bind ¨C one thousand six hundred was no small sum. Though their household had earned a lot, spending such an amount all of a sudden was also heart-wrenching. But he turned back and nced at Tang Yuxin. She looked so small standing next to the tricycle, her little face appearing jovial, evidently also very fond of it.
¡°Alright, let¡¯s buy it,¡± he clenched his teeth. Purchasing it would indeed be convenient. In case there¡¯s any emergency at home, they wouldn¡¯t need to fret over finding a doctor. So, he paid the one thousand six hundred. Once the vehicle was selected and test-driven, Tang Zhinian withdrew money from the bank and promptly paid it. Then he practiced riding it in the open space. It¡¯s quite simr to the manual tricycle at home, but it¡¯s faster and heavier. However, it wasn¡¯t difficult. After a few rounds in the yard, Tang Zhinian could handle it. At that time of the day, there were only a few vehicles on the road, mostly tricycles and bicycles, so the road condition was good, with fewer people and vehicles around. Tang Zhinian was bold. As soon as he picked up the skill, he took his daughter shopping with it. Having a new vehicle put a grin on his face, despite the winter wind causing stinging pain. Upon reaching People¡¯s Supermarket, Tang Yuxin alighted of her own ord. Tang Zhinian parked the tricycle by the roadside, unperturbed about it being stolen. Those days, thieves were scarce and people were generally honest. By just adding a lock, the tricycle would be safe, given that everyone else also left their vehicles untidily along the street. Tang Yuxin picked a bright red cotton-padded jacket for herself, which Tang Zhinian also rather liked. Yes, it looks good on her, he thought. But, he found the peach-colored one more attractive ¨C the color was more vibrant. Tang Yuxin gave an annoyed face-palm upon seeing the peach-colored one. Wearing that would make her look like a walking turkey and she did not want to wear that. Tang Zhinian also bought a pair of ck leather shoes for her. Around Chinese New Year, not many children in rural areas wore leather shoes. Only those from rtively better-off families could afford to. In this life, Tang Yuxin had never suffered and she had not been taken advantage of, like in her previous life. In her past life, she never had new clothes. Her clothes were worn until they were threadbare. It was only when Wei Jiani grew taller that she had new clothes to wear, which were the ones Wei Jiani had outgrown. She pressed the sole of her new shoes against the ground, the shoes were veryfortable. Although there weren¡¯t many styles, by modern people¡¯s aesthetic standards, they were still pretty. Tang Zhinian put the clothes in the sidecar and then went to buy other Chinese New Year groceries such as rice, flour, and cooking oil. If it were a manual tricycle, it wouldn¡¯t be possible to fit all this. But now, even after buying so much, it still only upied a little corner. Tang Yuxin sat in the sidecar, observing the street. People wore all sorts of colors, but most of them were very simple. The sulfuric explosives asionally heard added to the strong festive atmosphere. Tang Zhinian also bought snacks like sunflower seeds, peanuts, and candy that kids loved eating. He wasn¡¯t afraid that Tang Zhijun might also bring simr items. Chinese New Year is for the kids, adults can make do with whatever is avable. When it was almost dark, Tang Zhinian took Tang Yuxin back to the vige. She enjoyed shopping very much, and of course, she helped her father keep a close eye on their new tricycle, so it wouldn¡¯t attract any thieves. By the time they returned, Tang Zhijun was already back.
¡°Uncle, Uncle¡­¡± Sisi ran out from the inside. Wearing her new clothes, she came out very happily to show off her new treasures. ¡°Our Sisi is growing up so nicely,¡± Tang Zhinian reached out and hugged Sisi, touching her chubby little face. After a winter of nurturing, she had gained back some weight, her face looking rounder. But no matter how thin or chubby she was, she was a beautiful child. Sisi bit her little finger, feeling extremely curious about the good things Tang Zhinian brought back.
¡°You little rascal, you have your part too,¡± Tang Zhinian held Sisi in one hand and rummaged through the tricycle with the other, pulling out a big doll to give to Sisi. Sisi, warmly thanking her uncle, took the doll and held it tightly in her arms, absolutely delighted. It felt as though she had another littlepanion to y with. She struggled out of Tang Zhinian¡¯s arms, holding the doll and went off in search of her mother. ¡°Come on over and try it.¡± Tange Zhinian called over his younger brother to try out their newly purchased electric tricycle. ¡°Alright.¡± Tang Zhijun rubbed his hands together. Without even unloading the items from the tricycle, he hopped onto the vehicle. He had ridden other people¡¯s electric tricycles in the vige before, so this was not new to him. In fact, he picked it up more easily than Tang Zhinian. In a matter of moments, he could already ride the tricycle around the vige. Tang Zhinian called both his brother and sister-inw together. He then took out their bank books. With such arge amount of money, they had kept it in the bank and not left much at home. The previous flood incident had given them quite a scare. If not for Tang Yuxin unintentionally finding the money, he wasn¡¯t sure how long it would have taken for them, the brothers, to save ten thousand yuan. Chapter 142: 144: New Year is Here Chapter 142: Chapter 144: New Year is Here So, keeping money at home is really not safe. After all is said and done, the bank is still a lot safer. ¡°This is the family¡¯s money. In total, we earned fifty-six thousand three hundred fifty-two yuan before the New Year. The tricycle was bought for one thousand six hundred yuan, which I paid for from my share. I¡¯ve already divided the money into separate cheques.¡± ¡°Here¡¯s your twenty-eight thousand. The rest of the money is for buying fertilisers and seeds next year,¡± and the other half is his, minus one thousand six hundred yuan for the car purchase. ¡°Big Brother, we can¡¯t ept this,¡± Tang Zhijun shook his head firmly. They couldn¡¯t take the money as they were not yet financially independent from the family. ¡°Take it,¡± Tang Zhinian stuffed the cheque into his brother¡¯s hands. There¡¯s something said about perfect rity between brothers. You have your own family now, and you have to consider them as well. Moreover, I¡¯m the only person taking care of the fields here, Tang Zhijun red at his brother, who opened his hand to release the cheque. You have two people there. So, I have already gotten the better end of the bargain. ¡°Alright,¡± Tang Zhijun was going to refuse but was cut short by Tang Zhinian. ¡°It¡¯s almost sixty thousand yuan. That much money, all of it staying with me, makes me ufortable. Everyone takes what¡¯s theirs, and after the New Year, we¡¯ll divide the profits from selling the vegetables.¡± Once he finished speaking, he stood up. He finally let out a sigh of relief after splitting the money. He knew that he and his brother were different from other brothers. They didn¡¯t have parents and had to cultivate theirnd together. Thus, it couldn¡¯t be divided. But the money earned in the future would be split equally to avoid any disputes between the two families. They were both honest men but now with their own families, they had to n for their respective households. So, the matter was settled.
Tang Zhijun knew his older brother¡¯s temperament. He was definitely stubborn. Zhijun handed the cheque to Zhang Xiangcao, ¡°This is our money. Keep it safe. I¡¯ll earn more in the future to give you and Sisi a better life.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Zhang Xiangcao tightly held the cheque in her hand, giving Tang Zhinian even greater respect. She was grateful for marrying such a good man. Almost thirty thousand yuan! She had never seen that much money in her life before. She thought, her mother could finally rest in peace since their life would only get better. Tang Yuxin knew her father had divided the money and wanted to give him a big thumbs up in approval. It turned out that her father was neither na?ve nor dumb. Perhaps he knew everything, but he still spent hisst life serving the Wei family. She wondered if it was precisely because of this that he hadn¡¯tid all his cards on the table. Just wishing that they might treat their own daughter a little better. ¡°We¡¯re leaving,¡± Tang Yuxin adjusted the cap on Sisi¡¯s head. Sisi had a small bag on her back made by Zhang Xiangcao which was one of her favourites. It was filled with seeds, nuts and other little snacks, all of which were now Sisi¡¯s treasures. Of course, Sisi was not stingy; she would give anyone who wanted some snacks from her bag. And she shared with a hearty smile. Indeed, she was a very well-behaved girl. Tang Yuxin held tiny Tang Sisi¡¯s hand, taking her from house to house to collect candies. Sisi was a bit timid, reluctant to go to other people¡¯s houses, but she wasn¡¯t scared when she was with her sister. By the time they came back from their rounds, her little bag was packed full of assorted peanuts, seeds, candies and other snacks. Before long, children from other families visited the Tangs. Zhang Xiangcao filled the children¡¯s pockets with seeds and nuts and gave them each a one-cent red envelope. In the vige, many people gave out seeds and nuts, but few gave red envelopes. And those who did usually gave one or two cents. There were few who would give a ten-cent red envelope. Zhang Xiangcao wrapped all one-cent notes in red paper, each looking exactly the same. The vige had a tradition where newlywed brides would distribute red envelopes to children during the New Year. There was no set amount, usually just one or two cents for good luck. Tang Zhijun handed Zhang Xiangcao arge stack of one-cent notes, all sealed in red envelopes. Even though she was a second-time bride and came with a child, Zhijun didn¡¯t discard her. Otherwise, how could he have saved up so many one-cent notes for her? Simply not to let others mock her, or let the vigers gossip about her. The first day of the lunar year passed like this, with the children wandering around the streets, returning with lots of seeds, nuts, all sorts of fruits, and candies. Of course, Tang Sisi also received threerge red envelopes, one from her dad, one from her uncle, and one from Chen Zhong. Each one contained ten yuan. This was the first time Sisi had received a red envelope. She shyly handed the red envelopes to her mother, then clung to her mother¡¯s legs the whole time, but noticeably more energetic. The sound of firecrackers could be heard outside the window one after another. The northwest didn¡¯t yet have smoggy weather, so there were no restrictions on lighting fireworks or firecrackers. The air filled with the scent of the New Year was everywhere, and you could smell the faint sulfur scent left by the firecrackers.
The Tangs didn¡¯t have much extended family, and the same was true for Zhang Xiangcao, so they didn¡¯t have to visit many rtives during the holiday. In the past, when Sang Zhn was around, Tang Zhinian would take Tang Yuxin to the Sang¡¯s to celebrate the New Year. But ever since Sang Zhn left the Tang family, the two families had lost all contact. Not having such rtives around was not bad after all. Why visit them, do they want to clear out their house? Tang Zhijun was sure that if the Sangs came over, their new tricycle would probably disappear. Everyone at home lit the stove, and Tang Yuxin picked up a silver needle and held it in front of her eyes. The needlepoint seemed to shimmer with a slight bluish light.
¡°Uncle,¡± Tang Yuxin tilted her head. ¡°Coming,¡± Tang Zhijun rushed over, turned around, and presented his back to Tang Yuxin, then took off his cotton jacket. Tang Yuxin stood up, a young child with a still youthful face, but held a stoic demeanor that could earn anyone¡¯s trust. She grabbed a silver needle, flicked her fingers, and then the needle swiftly prated Tang Zhijun¡¯s shoulder, going at least an inch deep into his skin. ¡°Uncle, did you expose your shoulder to the cold?¡± Tang Yuxin had recently started practicing on live subjects, and her uncle was incredibly kind to her, allowing her to practice acupuncture on him. Although she was small, she had this knack for acupuncture from quite a young age. And knowing that she was a doctor in her past life, she understood the human body quite well. Of course, she wouldn¡¯t hurt her uncle. He wasn¡¯t a piece of wood after all. He was her uncle. Chapter 143: 145: Practice Chapter 143: Chapter 145: Practice Tang Zhijun didn¡¯t feel ufortable either, just his shoulder was slightly numb but not painful. When asked whether he had ever suffered from the cold, he touched his forehead and said, ¡°How could I have not experienced it? Back then, during themunal dining period, we all endured it like this. At that time, your father and I were young, but we had to haul coal for the production team. In the big winter, we couldn¡¯t even wear cotton-padded clothes. We had to pull the handcart like that, crying and pulling all the way. I guess that¡¯s when I got the cold.¡± So, his shoulder always feels ufortable during wintertime. He didn¡¯t care much about it. Only when Tang Yuxin mentioned it today did he realize that this kind of difort is called coldness. Of course, he didn¡¯t know his shoulder had been pricked like a hedgehog, after all, he couldn¡¯t see it. It was unclear whether he genuinely didn¡¯t care, or if he was just too considerate towards Tang Yuxin. Anyway, for Tang Yuxin, he, as an uncle, would charge up a mountain of knives or descend into a pot of boiling oil. Tang Zhijun always remembered that, in truth, his life was saved by Tang Yuxin. And no one knew that his life was genuinely saved because Tang Yuxin altered his fate. At this time in his previous life, he had already be a solitary grave, a skeleton, a cup of yellow earth. Tang Yuxin put away her silver needles, then disinfected the needles in the alcohol box. Tang Zhijun stood up and twisted his arm, moving his shoulder slightly. ¡°Wow, it¡¯s much more rxed now.¡±
He knew his own body. It felt much lighter indeed. It seemed his niece, Xiaoyu, was bing a capable little doctor. ¡°Our Xinxin is really impressive,¡± Tang Zhijun ruffled Tang Yuxin¡¯s hair. After the Lunar New Year, they were going to sell vegetables. There was arge pile of tomatoes stored in the field, which could be kept fresh throughout the winter. However, the cucumbers couldn¡¯t be stored, so aside from what they ate themselves, the rest was given to the vigers. The vigers now knew that the Tang brothers had once again sessfully grown vegetables. They might be able to earn several tens of thousands of yuan. That would make them proper ten-thousand-yuan households. What luck did Zhang Xiangcao have? After divorcing and taking in a child, she ended up finding a ten-thousand-yuan household. Some were envious, some were sour in their hearts, and of course, there were those who regretted not acting in advance, allowing Zhang Xiangcao to take such a big advantage. The Tang brothers have been living better and better in recent years. Looking back, the two brothers, who were without a father and mother, ended up marrying such a wife for the eldest. This wife neither wanted children nor a man, she just left when she wanted to. Since that woman left, the Tang family¡¯s life has been getting better by the day. So, people in the vige always said that Sang Zhn was indeed a curse. Since she came to the Tang family, the family had been scraping by, continually living in a tight situation. However, ever since she left, the Tang family¡¯s life had been much better. The vigers were all very superstitious about the concept of ghosts and gods. Now in the vigers¡¯ minds, Sang Zhn had be a gue god. It¡¯s a good thing she left, or else, wouldn¡¯t their own families be doomed if they got involved with her? Upon hearing this, Tang Yuxin just smiled and kept her opinions to herself. ¡°Yuxin, aren¡¯t you mad when they talk about your mom like that?¡± Zhang Yindi wiped her nose and snuffled as she asked Tang Yuxin. ¡°Why should I be angry?¡± Tang Yuxin didn¡¯t feel any reason to be annoyed. ¡°But she¡¯s your mom,¡± Zhang Yindi quickened her pace and stood in front of Tang Yuxin, narrowing her small ck face, ¡°I know you must want to cry. I cry when my mom doesn¡¯t feed me, but your mom has never fed you.¡± Tang Yuxin stretched out her finger and poked Zhang Yindi¡¯s dark face. She still couldn¡¯t imagine how Zhang Yindi would grow up to be Zhang Xiaomei. Now, however, she was just a simple and innocent child. She was Zhang Yindi, not Zhang Xiaomei. ¡°I don¡¯t remember, so I don¡¯t feel anything and don¡¯t want to cry.¡± She bent her pink lips, smiling like a budding flower. The wind blew but saw no morning dew. She was long past the age of needing a mom or looking for one. All her expectations for her mother had vanished because of her previous life. All that was left was a name she couldn¡¯t forget and a blurry shadow. The name was Sang Zhn. The shadow looked like Sang Zhn.
Indeed, she started to forget. If possible, she didn¡¯t want to remember her in this lifetime. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± she retracted her hand back into her sleeve and clenched her fingers. Calluses had slightly formed on her fingers. Which child in the rural areas didn¡¯t live like this? They all weren¡¯t an only child. They cooked and took care of their younger siblings, and as they got older, they even worked the fields. Only Tang Yuxin was treated like a treasure at home. She had new clothes every year, eggs to eat every day, and no siblings to share love with. When the vigers saw Tang Yuxin, they would sourly say that she was unlucky. If she had stayed with her biological mother, she would have gone to the city. She would have been eating the emperor¡¯s grain, wearing good clothes, and studying in a good school. However, no one knew that in her previous life, because Tang Yuxin was with her biological mother, she did not live like many children in the vige, just like Zhang Yindi now.
Just as she arrived home, a little one had already run over and hugged her leg. ¡°Sister¡­¡± With a tender and childish voice, the rosy cheeked Sisi, recently nourished by sheep¡¯s milk, looked more healthy. Tang Yuxin knelt down and rubbed Sisi¡¯s little face. She couldn¡¯t tell before that this child was as skinny as a little monkey, with a thin face that only left her eyes visible. Now, her face had be chubby, and her little arms and legs had also gained more weight. She used to be unable to walk, but now she could run and jump around. ¡°Xinxin is back,e and eat.¡± Zhang Xiangcao came out from the kitchen, smiling. She, like Sisi, had put on weight from her initial state of being thin and bony. Her once-dry and yellow hair had gradually turned ck and shiny. It was as if she had gained blood and flesh, and her hair had grown. Her hair was beautiful and smooth. Although she didn¡¯t deliberately dye or perm her hair, she was still naturally beautiful. At this moment, she was smiling, very softly. Chapter 144: 146: Rule Yourself Chapter 144: Chapter 146: Rule Yourself Now, Tang Yuxin finally understands why people once said that Zhang Xiangcao was the vige belle. She didn¡¯t believe it back then. But when this woman blossomed into a woman of flesh and blood and gained a soul, the transformation in Zhang Xiangcao was earth-shattering. She is really a beautiful woman, and she has a gentle temperament because of her worry-free life. However, the pain she suffered in the past makes her eyes seem kind, making people like her and not wanting to hurt her. A woman¡¯s appearance is indeed important. So being beautiful indeed means having an advantage. Tang Yuxin picked up her bowl. What they were eating at home was white rice, and all the vegetables were from their own garden. There were dishes like tomato and eggs, stir-fried peppers, stir-fried small greens, and a soup made with vegetables and tofu. The food that Zhang Xiangcao prepared was delicious. Even though they were simple home-cooked meals, she poured her heart into each one. They didn¡¯tck money now, so there was always meat in every meal. Little wonder, even Sisi, the young girl, was gaining weight. The Tang family¡¯s life improved after Zhang Xiangcao married into the family. Every family member gained weight. ¡°Your father and I saved some for you, you eat first. We don¡¯t want you to go hungry.¡± Zhang Xiangcao touched Tang Yuxin¡¯s head, pushed some food towards her, then served Sisi some in a small bowl. Sisi might have experienced hunger at a young age, so even now when they had better times, Sisi knew how hard it was to get food. She carefully spooned rice into her mouth, not wasting a single grain. Sisi probably noticed her sister looking at her, she raised her face, grinned at Tang Yuxin. Sisi¡¯s chubby little face looked like her mom¡¯s ¨C she¡¯s going to be a beautiful girl when she grows up.
Tang Yuxin could not help but pinch Sisi¡¯s small face. ¡°Should we consider sending Sisi to the nursery?¡± She thought of the newly opened nursery in the vige. Most children of her age were there. It¡¯s ten dors a month. They don¡¯t expect her to learn much, but at least she would have some peers to y with. Tang Yuxin felt, ¡°Sisi should go. She has few ymates, always staying here, I¡¯m worried that she might be introverted.¡± ¡°When your unclees back, I¡¯ll discuss it with him.¡± Zhang Xiangcao lovingly touched her daughter¡¯s face. Sisi smiled at her mother, then continued eating her rice with her small spoon. Sisi¡¯s tiny figure was so lovable and pitiful that people couldn¡¯t help feeling for her. Suddenly, Tang Yuxin felt a slight bitterness in her heart. The sourness that welled up in her nose reached her eyes. She blinked hard, forcing back the wetness in her eyes. Sisi is much happier than she was in her previous life. Even though their lives were hard, Sisi has a mother who truly loves her. Even if Zhang Xiangcao does not eat, she makes sure that her daughter is full. But she, Tang Yuxin, was murdered by her own mother in the end, and even after her death, her mother continued to y with the lives of others for money. Having such a mother was the biggest failure of her life. She could not choose her parents, or her birth, but this time, she will choose her own path. This life, she will not hand her fate to others. She will take charge of her own life. She lowered her head again and started eating. The rice was fragrant, and each grain was clean and loose. This was far tastier than what her father made. Women are more skillful with their hands. She feels she could do better than her father. However, she was too young, and Zhinian didn¡¯t let her cook. She was too small to even handle the pot. So, she wanted to wait until she was older to take over cooking at home. She just didn¡¯t expect Zhang Xiangcao to appear and leave her no ce to show her abilities. When she got home from school, it was somewhatte because she was on duty. It was almost dark. Zhang Xiangcao was busy in the kitchen, and Tang Zhijun was holding Sisi. Sisi was enthusiastically telling her father a little story she¡¯d heard somewhere, possibly with some additions of her own. Though her words were sometimes stuttered and unclear, her father listened with rapture. ¡°Xinxin, you¡¯re back.¡± Seeing Tang Yuxin, Tang Zhijun hurriedly greeted her, ¡°Why are you back sote?¡± ¡°Yes, I was on duty,¡± Tang Yuxin stowed her schoolbag. There was no homework to do in the evening. She finished all her homework in school. After all, as an adult, even after years of not holding a pen, she should be able to handle elementary school homework.
At night, she studied the medical books that Chen Zhong had given her. She had experience ¨C after all, she had been a doctor for ten years. So coupling theory with practice, she understood the content easily. After dinner. Tang Yuxin was lying on her small bed, flipping through those ancient books. Thanks to Chen Zhong teaching her the Chen family¡¯s annotations from childhood, or else she wouldn¡¯t be able to read the twisted characters in these books. Then, she opened her eyes, rubbed them, and looked at the electronic clock on the side.
It was already eleven o¡¯clock, she had fallen asleep reading the books. She put the book under her pillow, pulled the nket over herself, and prepared to sleep. They didn¡¯t have aputer, but they did have a TV. However, at night, there were no interesting programs. Most people went to bed early around nine-thirty due tock of anything entertaining to do. Such a lifestyle, coupled with a pollution-free environment, eating vegetables grown by themselves, drinking water from the well. No wonder people from this generation often live long lives. It¡¯s hard to say about the future though. As she was sleepily napping, a noise echoed from outside. She opened her eyes and sat up. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± She yawned, ready to snuggle back under the nket and continue sleeping. But unexpectedly, the crying voice of her uncle came in. ¡°Brother, look at Xiangcao, she was fine in the morning, how could she be in such pain now?¡± Chapter 145: 147: Minor Surgery Chapter 145: Chapter 147: Minor Surgery Tang Yuxin suddenly jolted awake and sat up. She hurriedly put on her clothes and got off the heated brick bed. She didn¡¯t even have time to put on her shoes, and ran out of the house barefoot. Outside, the house¡¯s lights were already on. When she came out, Tang Zhinian was also running out, his clothes put on backward in his haste. ¡°What happened?¡± He asked Tang Zhijun, ¡°Everyone was fine during dinner.¡± Tang Zhijun wiped his face, ¡°Everything was fine during dinner. But, she started having stomach pains at night. I went to the vige doctor and got her pain relief pills. She fell asleep after the pain subsided, but now it¡¯s unbearable. She¡¯s nearly fainting from the pain.¡± On hearing this, Tang Yuxin rushed inside the room closely followed by Tang Zhinian. Inside the room, Sisi was still asleep. Even the noise didn¡¯t wake her up. Thankfully, if she woke up, no one knew how distressed she might be. Zhang Xiangcao¡¯s forehead was drenched in sweat. She looks deeply pained. She gripped the quilt tightly, moaning with difort. Her face was pale, with no hint of color. Large beads of sweat trickled down her forehead. Tang Yuxin rushed over and reached out to take Zhang Cha¡¯s wrist. She then furrowed her eyebrows and ced her hand on Zhang Cha¡¯s stomach. ¡°Does it hurt here, second aunt?¡±
She asked. Perhaps because Zhang Xiangcao was in so much pain that she was delirious, she didn¡¯t know where it hurt. Everywhere hurt. The ripping pain was unbearable for her. ¡°Dad, take Sisi away,¡± Tang Yuxin called Tang Zhinian over. With all themotion, it wasn¡¯t suitable for a small child, in case it frightened her. Okay, Tang Zhijun quickly walked over, scooped up Sisi along with the nkets, and lifted her. Sisi rubbed her eyes, probably still half-asleep. Tang Zhinian ced her head on his shoulders and patted her small shoulders. ¡°Good girl, keep sleeping, Sisi.¡± ¡°Okay¡­¡± Sisi responded weakly, and then fell back into sleep. Tang Yuxin¡¯s fingers moved down until she reached a certain spot. Zhang Xiangcao writhed in pain, her whole body spasming. Even her muscles stiffened and twitched. Tang Zhijun stood by the side, his eyes reddening from anxiety. He knew that Tang Yuxin had always been studying medicine. Regardless of her expertise, at the very least, she knew something. Otherwise, he really wouldn¡¯t know what to do. ¡°Second uncle, help second aunt get dressed.¡± Tang Yuxin stood up and immediately began packing things ¨C cups, towels etc., stuffing them all into a bag. ¡°What¡¯s happened?¡± Tang Zhijun quickly moved forward and hastily helped Zhang Xiangcao get dressed. ¡°Acute appendicitis; she needs surgery.¡± Tang Yuxin spoke without stopping her packing. ¡°What¡¯s acute appendicitis?¡± Tang Zhijun might not know what the disease is, but the words ¡°needs surgery¡± brought a drop of cold sweat on his forehead. He froze on the spot. ¡°Uncle¡­¡± Tang Yuxin turned and saw that Tang Zhijun was still frozen. She reached out with her foot and kicked him on the leg, ¡°What are you standing there for? Hurry up!¡± Having said that, she put the things she had packed to the side. They would take these for now and anything else needed could be figured outter. Tang Zhijun finally managed to pull on Zhang Xiangcao¡¯s clothes, but seeing how much she was suffering, he looked like he was about to cry. How much must a man love a woman to react this way? How much must he care for her to allow tears?
Zhang Xiangcao tried to open her eyes to reassure them that she was alright, but the pain was tormenting her nerves so severely that she wished for relief, yet couldn¡¯t find it. All she could do was curl up her body and endure wave after wave of pain. Tang Yuxin quickly gathered the nkets and other things from the heated brick bed, ran outside and spread them out on the electric tricycle. ¡°Uncle, hurry up.¡± Tang Yuxin urged Tang Zhijun. Thankfully, they had an electric tricycle at home. Otherwise, it would take over an hour to get from their house to the hospital. In an hour, who knows if a perforation might ur?
She was a doctor in her previous life. This kind of symptom indicates acute appendicitis. They didn¡¯t need to say anything else. Direct surgery is needed. No medicine could relieve it. Acupuncture and other treatments couldn¡¯t cure it either. The simplest and most direct approach was surgery. However, she was unsure. In her past life, her second uncle died early and Zhang Xiangcao, with a child, got no one to marry her. She wondered how Zhang Xiangcao then survived. Or, did she die from appendicitis? Tang Yuxin shook her head. She dared not think about it, truly dared not think about it. She did not grow up in Li Tang Vige, so she was not very clear about what happened there. She only knew what she heard from people in the vige; rarely anyone mentioned Zhang Xiangcao. All she knew was, during her dad¡¯s illness, kind Sisi took care of him for some time. Perhaps she could assume that Sisi, a three-year-old child left alone, was taken care of by Tang Zhinian then. Zhang Xiangcao had already been ced on the tricycle. Tang Zhinian followed. He put his hands on Tang Yuxin¡¯s shoulders, ¡°Xinxin, stay here and watch Sisi, your second uncle and I will go.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Tang Yuxin nodded in agreement. It didn¡¯t matter whether she was there or not. When they got to the hospital, the doctors would take care of everything. Somebody needed to be at home. Sisi was still small. Tang Zhinian hopped onto the electric tricycle, asked Tang Zhijun to look after Zhang Xiangcao and, in the middle of the night, started towards the city hospital. Tang Zhijun used his body to block the cold wind rushing towards them. He held on to Zhang Xiangcao¡¯s hand all the way. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid; we¡¯ll be at the hospital soon.¡± Zhang Xiangcao was in so much pain that she was almost unconscious. She wanted to nod but could not. She wanted to speak but could not say anything. Tang Zhijun didn¡¯t know if Zhang Xiangcao had the disease that Tang Yuxin mentioned, but whether she did or not, going to hospital was the right thing to do. She was in so much pain; where else could they go if not the hospital? Tang Zhinian drove the tricycle at high speed. The streets were almost empty, so he could go very fast. It usually took around half an hour, but this time they reached the hospital in less than twenty minutes.
Upon reaching the hospital, the doctor on duty rushed over to help as soon as he saw how much pain Zhang Xiangcao was in. ¡°It is acute appendicitis. Prepare for surgery immediately.¡± After a quick check, the doctor identified the cause and instructed the nurses to prepare for surgery. It hadn¡¯t been even five minutes since Zhang Xiangcao arrived at the hospital, and she was already wheeled into the operating room. ¡°Doctor, is acute appendicitis serious?¡± Chapter 146 - 148: It Really is a Minor Surgery Chapter 146: Chapter 148: It Really is a Minor Surgery Tang Zhijun, despite the cold winter, was drenched in cold sweat from anxiety, his clothes soaked through. ¡°Is it a serious illness, does it require surgery?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s not serious, just minor surgery.¡± The doctor reassured Tang Zhijun, ¡°We only need to make a small incision. The recovery will be quick. Fortunately, you brought her in early. If you had waited until tomorrow, there might have been a perforation, which would indeed be serious.¡± Tang Zhijun wiped his face again, sitting on the bench outside with Tang Zhinian, both silent, yet both worried. ¡°Brother, I¡¯m scared.¡± Tang Zhijun had never been so afraid before. He ced his hands on his knees, his body shuddering from the cold. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Tang Zhinian patted his brother¡¯s shoulder, ¡°The doctor said it¡¯s fine. It¡¯s just minor surgery. They do plenty of them here all year round. And it¡¯s just a small incision, there¡¯s nothing to worry about.¡± Tang Zhijun understood, but the person inside wasn¡¯t just anyone, but his wife, the woman he would spend the rest of his life with, his family. The operating room door remained closed, and Tang Zhijun, trembling with anxiety, waited on edge. An hourter, the operating room door finally opened. The doctor came out and told them that the surgery was sessful. After a few days of hospital observation, if there were no majorplications, she could be discharged. The doctor also said that the condition was more serious than initially thought, there was already slight congestion, but luckily, by bringing her in on time they had averted serious danger. Tang Zhijun finally exhaled. His entire body went limp, as if he had been released from a death sentence, and he fell back into his chair, unable to stand. Zhang Xiangcao was moved to a ward. The ward was arge, open room, housing more than a dozen patients suffering from various ailments. At present, there was only a child, an elderly person, and a woman in her middle years. Including Zhang Xiangcao, there were only four patients, leaving several beds vacant. Some family members slept in chairs outside the room. Tang Zhinian brought a bag full of items: a washbasin, an electric kettle, towels, soap, and a change of clothes. ¡°Is there anything else you need? I can go home and get it,¡± With the electric tricycle at home,muting was very convenient. Tang Zhijun¡¯s mind was still in turmoil. He really had no idea what else they might need. ¡°Never mind, we¡¯ll figure it outter,¡± Tang Zhinian put all the items in the bedside cab, then went back and forth, handling all the paperwork. However, he didn¡¯t bring much money, and even after spending all the cash he had on hand, the hospital fees were still not fully paid. Money wasn¡¯t really a concern for the family at this point. The vegetables they sold after the New Year brought in more than ten thousand yuan. Currently, the two brothers had over thirty thousand yuanbined. A single operation would at most cost a few hundred yuan, which they could afford. Tang Zhinian turned out all his pockets, put together some money, and handed it to Tang Zhijun, ¡°This is for you to use. It¡¯s inconvenient for our family to send food from so far away. If you can¡¯t wait, just buy some food here.¡± ¡°Thank you, big brother,¡± Tang Zhijun tightly grasped Tang Zhinian¡¯s hand. The money in his hand was somewhat damp from his sweat. Why say such formalities between brothers? Tang Zhinian patted his brother¡¯s shoulder, ¡°I¡¯ll go home and get some more money to cover the hospital fees. Don¡¯t worry about things at home. I¡¯ll have Xinxin stay home from school for a few days to look after Sisi. Just focus on taking care of your wife and getting her healthy.¡± Tang Zhinian gave a few more instructions, meaning that if good medicine was avable, use it. Never be stingy when ites to health and don¡¯t hesitate to spend money. Good food promotes faster recovery. You can always earn money back, but if something happens to a person, what use is all the money in the world? Tang Zhijun sat down and adjusted Zhang Xiangcao¡¯s nket. Her appearance wasn¡¯t good, but the pain was gone, and the tension in her face had eased. By the time Tang Zhinian got back, it was already broad daylight. He opened the door to see Sisi sipping sheep milk from a bowl. She immediately put the bowl down and ran over to him, hugging his leg. ¡°Uncle, did Mom go to buy pretty clothes for Sisi?¡± She blinked her eyes. Her small face was a bit plumper, white, and tender. She was truly beautiful. ¡°Yes,¡± Tang Zhinian picked up Sisi, ¡°Mom went to buy pretty clothes for our Sisi, so Sisi has to be good and listen to her sister, okay?¡± ¡°Yes, I know,¡± Sisi nodded vigorously, ¡°Sisi will be very, very good.¡± Tang Zhinian put Sisi down and patted the top of her little head. He then went into the house, fetched some money, and prepared for another trip to the hospital. ¡°Xinxin, take a few days off from school and take good care of your little sister.¡± If he had a choice, he wouldn¡¯t want his daughter to miss school, but with Tang Zhijun caring for Zhang Xiangcao and him busy with the farm, no one could look after Sisi. If the crops were left untended for a few days, they would rot. However, as troublesome as it was, their reputation was more important. They hadmitments to fulfill with the vendors, he understood the importance of keeping his word. ¡°Dad, I understand.¡± Tang Yuxin clenched Sisi¡¯s little hand. She didn¡¯t ask about Zhang Xiangcao¡¯s condition, but based on Tang Zhinian¡¯s demeanor, she gathered that everything was fine. Considering how quickly Zhang Xiangcao¡¯s symptoms appeared and how painful they were, surgery was the best option. Otherwise, any dy would lead toplications. After Tang Zhinian left, Tang Yuxin held Sisi¡¯s hand, teaching her to write. Now, Sisi already knowns some words, which were all taught by her big sister. Zhang Xiangcao had nned to send Sisi to the vige nursery, but she was too young to be epted there. They suggested waiting until she was a bit older and she could attend the next year. So during this time, Tang Yuxin has to nurture Sisi. Sisi is quick at recognizing characters and numbers. She¡¯s a smart little girl. By noon, Tang Zhinian returned. He made lunch for the children before rushing off to the farm again. The vegetables still needed to be harvested as soon as possible. Chapter 147 - 149: The Scolded Little Wife Chapter 147: Chapter 149: The Scolded Little Wife In the hospital, Zhang Xiangcao was recovering impressively fast and could eat solid food by the following day. When she woke up, she noticed an elderlydy had taken the bed across from hers. The old woman squinted her eyes, her lips were thin and her cheekbones sharply protruding, giving off a rather severe appearance. The olddy nced at Zhang Xiangcao, squinting, ¡°With a face like that, you must not be a virtuous woman, are you?¡± Zhang Xiangcao was stunned, unsure of why she had somehow offended the olddy. The woman¡¯s words were harsh and had dashed Xiangcao¡¯s tentative intention of striking up a conversation in the ward. But there was no reason to offer her face only for it to be pped. ¡°Caocao,e and eat. I brought something good for you.¡± Tang Zhijun walked in, carrying a thermos. The food was bought from the hospital cafeteria. Since Zhijun¡¯s elder brother had to work in the fields and there were two children at home, they had been eating out. The doctor said she would be able to return home in a few days. ¡°How are you today?¡± Tang Zhijun put the food box in front of Zhang Xiangcao and handed her some chopsticks. He then took a hair tie off his wrist and tied Zhang Xiangcao¡¯s hair back. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Zhang Xiangcao smiled, ¡°The doctor said my wound is healing well. If there are noplications in the next few days, I can go home.¡± Tang Zhijun gently brushed her face and said, ¡°Alright, eat up. I bought wonton soup and your favourite Xiao Long Baozi.¡± Zhang Xiangcao took a spoonful of the wonton soup and then pushed the bowl in front of Tang Zhijun, ¡°I can¡¯t eat all of it, help me finish.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Tang Zhijun smiled, took the bowl over, and drank half of it directly. He knew well that Zhang Xiangcao was tricking him into eating because she was afraid he wouldn¡¯t eat enough. Even if they split a bowl between the two of them, the serving was considerable. The olddy in the next bed curled her lips, seeming unimpressed. After Zhang Xiangcao finished her meal, she felt sleepy and fell asleep again. Tang Zhijun picked up the clothes lying there, took them out to wash. Even in the hospital, he neverpromised. He had heard from Tang Yuxin that clothes needed to be washed and aired frequently to avoid bacteria, especially since Zhang Xiangcao had just had surgery and certainly could not wear dirty clothes. So he washed Zhang Xiangcao¡¯s clothes every day and left them out to dry in the sun. He was meticulous, even the bedpan was thoroughly cleaned after each use. When it came to caring for the sick in the ward, no one couldpete with him. He was indeed the ideal husband every woman dreamed of. Zhang Xiangcao had been sound asleep but was woken up by the sound of voices nearby. She rubbed her eyes and slowly opened them. ¡°Why are you onlying now? Do you have no regard for me anymore? And what did you bring to eat? Is this even fit for human consumption? I want food from the cafeteria, go and buy it for me.¡± ¡°Mom, Nini was alone at home, I came after she fell asleep.¡± The woman seemed to speak in a gentle voice, but others could detect the undertones of gritted teeth and resentment. ¡°What? You left my granddaughter home alone? Are you even fit to be a mother? She¡¯s so young. What if she falls or gets burned by hot water? How are you going to take responsibility?¡± Upon hearing these words, Zhang Xiangcao felt a stab of sympathy. Being a daughter-inw is hard, as you get med regardless of what you do. However, not all mothers-inw were like this. She had met Tang Zhijun¡¯s parents, famous for being honest folk in their vige. Whenever anyone in the vige had problems, they¡¯d go and help without a second thought. The olddy from the city, on the other hand, was a delicate type. Having such a mother-inw must be quite challenging. To Zhang Xiangcao¡¯s surprise, the scolded daughter-inw turned out to be none other than¡­ Yes, it was Sang Zhn, Yuxin¡¯s mother. Zhang Xiangcao was taken aback. She did not believe her eyes and rubbed them for confirmation. That woman was indeed Sang Zhn. Zhang Xiangcao doubted Sang Zhn would recognize her, as she rarely ventured out in the vige and Sang Zhn worked in the city, often staying away for up to half a month at a time. To Zhang Xiangcao, a woman who would neglect her own daughter was not fit to be a mother. Now, it was clear that this sharp-tongued old woman was her mother-inw. If Zhang Xiangcao harbored any sympathy for her earlier, it had entirely retreated now. Sang Zhn deserved to lead this difficult life. She had had a good life before, but her shameless actions had brought this onto herself. Zhang Xiangcao had heard the story of the Tang family from Zhijun. ording to him, Sang Zhn had left him and Yuxin and eventually they had gotten a divorce. It was because Sang had been involved with another man. Zhang Xiangcao despised women like Sang Zhn, and any sympathy she had felt for her had turned into a simple ¡°serves you right.¡± Meanwhile, Sang Zhn was attending to the olddy while worrying about her daughter, Wei Jiani, who was alone at home. Jiani was only six years old and hadn¡¯t started school yet. Sang Zhn had asked her neighbor to watch Jiani, but understandably she couldn¡¯t help but worry. No matter how reliable a neighbor, they are not family. How could they be expected to take as good care of her child? Thus Sang Zhn was living through a never-ending nightmare. Moreover, her mother-inw was no lightweight either. Back when she was in the Tang family, without a mother or father-inw, she had felt no constraints. She reigned over the entire family, doing whatever she pleased without much responsibility. Even having her foot-bath water brought to her by Tang Zhijun, who also washed her clothes and cooked her meals, while she just took the money and left. But since she¡¯d arrived at the Wei family, she was reduced to a servant, attending to others, washing clothes, and cooking meals. When she picked up a pile of clothes to wash back home, the old woman didn¡¯t allow her to leave. The old woman said that the running water in the hospital was already paid for, unlike at home, so there was no point wasting the free water here. Suppressing her anger, Sang Zhn went to the nearby faucet to wash the clothes. When Tang Zhijun returned from hanging the clothes out to dry, he noticed Zhang Xiangcao in a daze. Chapter 148: 150: Who’s That Person from? Chapter 148: Chapter 150: Who¡¯s That Person from? ¡°What¡¯s wrong, are you feeling unwell?¡± Tang Zhijun ced his hand on Zhang Xiangcao¡¯s forehead, thinking that she was feeling ill due to her wound infection. ¡°Zhijun, I need to tell you¡­¡± Zhang Xiangcao was about to mention Sang Zhn¡¯s presence, but she was interrupted by a child¡¯s voice calling for its mother. She quickly turned around and saw Sisi, holding her sister¡¯s hand, walking toward her. Upon seeing her, Sisi¡¯s little face lit up with a smile. ¡°Sisi!¡± Zhang Xiangcao tried sitting up abruptly, but was halted by the pain in her wound. ¡°Be careful,¡± Tang Zhijun hurriedly pushed her shoulder down. Sisi ran over, kicked off her little shoes clumsily, and scampered onto the sickbed but sat still. Zhang Xiangcao shook her head at Tang Zhijun, indicating that she was fine. She then carefully sat up andid her hand on Sisi¡¯s chubby face. Sisi¡¯s round and tender face was flushed, indicating good health, a stark contrast to the pitiful little monkey she used to look like. She was bones and skin, without any flesh to soften her appearance.
Tang Yuxin came over and pulled gently at the little braids that were neatlybed on Sisi¡¯s head. ¡°Sisi, didn¡¯t we agree before? Mommy¡¯s sick and needs to rest. Sisi needs to be good, right?¡± Sisi turned her head to look at her sister, then stretched out her tiny hand for Tang Yuxin to hold. Tang Yuxin picked up her little sister and gently stroked her head. ¡°She insisted oning. Otherwise, she would have cried.¡± Only then did she realize how inseparable a child really is from their mother. At first, they were able to trick Sisi, and the little one seemed aloof, carefree and able to enjoy her meals and sleep peacefully. But by the third day, Sisi couldn¡¯t take it anymore. She cried and screamed for her mother until she lost her voice. Left with no other choice, Tang Yuxin decided to bring her here to see Zhang Xiangcao, thinking that it had already been three days and that Zhang Xiangcao should have recovered from her minor surgery. Yet things hadn¡¯t gone as she nned. Tang Zhijun lifted his daughter. A small child like her could easily be picked up single-handedly. While a mother¡¯s love was important to a child, a father¡¯s love was no less significant. Sisi has already begun to have little tantrums, most of which were spoiled by Tang Zhijun himself. ¡°Uncle Zhijun¡­¡± Tang Yuxin was a little confused and had questions to ask. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Tang Zhijun freed one hand and flicked his niece¡¯s forehead. He found it unbelievably how mature and serious she was. His cheerful and bright niece from the past had grown up so quickly that she no longer resembled a child. ¡°Uncle Zhijun, when I was a kid, did I also long for my mother?¡± Tang Yuxin couldn¡¯t remember much of her past life or her current one. Even her entire life seemed to have passed in the blink of an eye, ending before she had time to savor it. ¡°Of course, you did,¡± Tang Zhijun recalled. When Tang Yuxin was about Sisi¡¯s age, every time her mother came back, she would want her attention. And every time her mother left, she would wail for an entire night. Even her father, who was a grown man, would cry with her. Hence, back then, he used to call her ¡®little crybaby¡¯.¡± Which child could possibly not long for their mother¡¯s love? Tang Yuxin only smiled and didn¡¯t say anything else. When Sang Zhn returned and saw the people in the room, she was startled, flushed and wished she could hide. If everyone was present, did that mean Tang Zhinian was there too? Tang Zhijun noticed Sang Zhn. Instinctively, he shielded Tang Yuxin, not wanting her to see this woman. However, it was toote. What should have been seen has been seen, and what should be known has been known.
Tang Yuxin nced dispassionately at Sang Zhn. There was no trace of familial affection left in her for this woman who was her mother. She continued to brush Sisi¡¯s hair, her long eyshes casting shadows on her own cheeks. ¡°Yuxin!¡± Sang Zhn abruptly called out, about to approach her. However, Tang Zhijun blocked her way. Yuxin, I am your mother¡­ But as soon as these words came to her lips, she thought of something and shot a fearful nce at the sickbed. She saw an olddy covering her face, her eyes rolling back in her head. Her heart sank. She didn¡¯t know if it was the fear of facing her mother-inw or meeting Tang Yuxin.
¡°Sisi, let¡¯s go home,¡± Tang Yuxin extended her hand to Sisi, ready to take her back home since there was no ce for them to sleep at night. ¡°Good girl, Sisi, let¡¯s go home with your sister.¡± Zhang Xiangcao patted Sisi¡¯s head and spoke to her. Sisi was a good child and she understood right from wrong. She always listened to her mother and sister. Tang Yuxin gripped Sisi¡¯s tiny hand tightly. Tang Zhijun entered the room, picked up Sisi with one hand, and held his niece¡¯s hand tightly with the other, preparing to see them off. Tang Zhinian woulde to pick up the children shortly. Throughout this, Sang Zhn did not acknowledge her daughter, and Tang Yuxin, although aware that this woman was Sang Zhn, did not acknowledge her as her mother either. ¡°Who are you?¡± Sang Zhn couldn¡¯t help asking after Tang Zhijun had left with the two children. ¡°I am Zhang Xiangcao. We¡¯ve met before. I married Tang Zhijun early this year.¡± Zhang Xiangcao adjusted the nket around her. She wasn¡¯t interested in talking with Sang Zhn, but since she was Tang Yuxin¡¯s mother, she had to show her some respect. Sang Zhn chuckled awkwardly. She had actually been a bit jealous earlier, thinking that this woman was Tang Zhinian¡¯s new wife. ¡°Is that girl Yuxin?¡± She asked tentatively, though she was 100% sure that this girl was Tang Yuxin, her own daughter who she had never cared for since birth.
¡°Yes,¡± Zhang Xiangcao confirmed. ¡°Let¡¯s not beat around the bush. You don¡¯t need to test me. I know who you are. We used to live in the same vige. However, you probably don¡¯t recognize me.¡± Sang Zhn¡¯s expression became more awkward. She couldn¡¯t remember who Zhang Xiangcao was. She was unwillingly married into Li Tang Vige. Once she found a job in the city, she rarely returned to Li Tang Vige. Naturally, she didn¡¯t remember all the aunts and sisters in the vige, nor did she pay attention to them, including Zhang Xiangcao. So, she really couldn¡¯t remember what kind of person Zhang Xiangcao was. Chapter 149: 151: Thoughts Chapter 149: Chapter 151: Thoughts However, now she also knows, who she is, then, she no longer need to disguise other things. ¡°Yuxin, she¡¯s wonderful with children.¡± With a sigh, she thought about the child she had not seen for years, who has grown so big now. The child doesn¡¯t resemble her or Tang Zhinian, but might resemble her grandmother. Although a bit dark-skinned, which is expected for a child from the countryside, the child is indeed quite good-looking. And that child has grown up and be quite sensible. She has been taking care of that child all along, doing her hair, putting on her shoes, and ying with her, even better than how adults usually care for children. If¡­ she clenched her teeth¡­ if only she had brought Yuxin back, there wouldn¡¯t be so many problems. Zhang Xiangcao naturally had no idea what Sang Zhn was thinking, she assumed that Sang Zhn regretted giving up on her daughter. ¡°Yuxin is sensible. She can cook, wash dishes, and she has learned medical skills from the vige doctor in her own vige. She can handle mostmon illnesses. This time, had it not been for Yuxin, who knows what would have happened to me?¡± She slightly lifted the corners of her mouth, and spoke with a touch of pride. She simply wanted to make Sang Zhn regret her past decisions- of giving up on such a good man and such a good child, and such a good home. The Tangs were now leading a prosperous life in the vige, with their own house and farm making money. The life she lived was even better than that of a city dweller. Even Sang Zhn¡¯s clothes were not as good as hers. Sang Zhn could probably discern the meaning in Zhang Xiangcao¡¯s words. Despite Zhang Xiangcao not having said it explicitly, she still felt herself blush continuously out of embarrassment. She was tired all the time, rushing between home and the hospital. Still, she received no kind treatment from Wei¡¯s mother, nor could she find anyone to listen to herints. The only person she knew here was Zhang Xiangcao. But Zhang Xiangcao¡¯s gaze always made her ufortable, especially considering there was also Tang Zhijun, who treated her harshly whenever he saw her. Since Tang Yuxin¡¯sst visit, she wondered if Tang Zhijun had informed Tang Zhinian about the situation. Sang Zhn hadn¡¯t seen Tang Yuxin since, thus taking away any opportunity for her to acknowledge her daughter.
After a few more days, the doctor stated that Zhang Xiangcao could be discharged. With her almost fully recovered, all she needed was to rest properly at home, avoid heavy work, and return to the hospital in a few days to have her stitches removed. It was a minor surgery resulting in a small wound that could recover with home care. Tang Zhijun remembered every single word carefully, to the point where he wouldn¡¯t even let his wife wash her own clothes. Meanwhile, Tang Zhinian brought their three-wheeled bike, lined with thick quilts to protect Zhang Xiangcao from the cold. When they finally reached home, Tang Zhijun breathed a sigh of relief. He had been worried that Zhang Xiangcao might catch a cold on the way. Sisi was very obedient, keeping some distance from her mother, because her sister had told her that her mother was sick and she shouldn¡¯te in contact with her. ¡°Come here, Sisi,¡± Zhang Xiangcao reached out her hand towards Sisi. Sisi ran up to her with her small steps, and clumsily climbed on to the kang, a heated brick bed, rubbing her little head against her mother¡¯s hand. Zhang Xiangcao crouched down to pick up her daughter, kissing her little face. The little girl was so charming with her rosyplexion, her clothes were very clean, and her whole body smelled sweetly of baby powder. Her hair was neatlybed, and adorned with many hair ties. During her stay in the hospital, her Sisi had been well taken care of. At that moment, Tang Yuxin was standing outside, watching Zhang Xiangcao and her daughter being together and feeling the warmth of motherly love. As for her, it felt like her past self had vanished and her heart had cooled. She never mentioned anything about Sang Zhn, as if she hadpletely forgotten about her own mother. The next day, she began attending school as a second grader. Life as an elementary school student is like that. Nothing big happens from morning to night, yet she was growing up day by day. As time went by, her medical skills were improving significantly. One day, as soon as she returned from school, Sisi ran over and hugged her legs. ¡°Sister, let¡¯s eat biscuits.¡± She held Tang Yuxin¡¯s hand. Rtions between people are mutual. She was kind to them, and they knew it, just like how Tang Yuxin was to Sisi. Anything tasty or fun, Tang Yuxin would share with Sisi. This is why Sisi was kindest to her sister. Whenever there was delicious food at home, she would always save a portion for her sister, even if it meant she herself would go without. In the past, when they lived in the Wei¡¯s residence, everything good went to Wei Jiani. Raised in the city, Wei Jiani was spoiled and never treated her elder sister, Tang Yuxin, well. Life with the Wei family was no better than being a servant for Tang Yuxin. In her past life, she had to put up with so much, while in this life, she was resolved to be assertive, live uprightly, and stand tall. She owed nothing to anyone, especially not to Wei Jiani or Sang Zhn.
¡°Yuxin, you¡¯re back.¡± Zhang Xiangcao had her hair up, revealing her slender neck. Over the past year, she had gained some weight. Even after undergoing a surgery, she hadn¡¯t lost much weight. Her profile was beautiful, and her skin was getting better day by day. It was as if a sponge soaked in water was slowly recovering its original form. She truly was the vige¡¯s flower.
¡°Have some biscuit,¡± Zhang Xiangcao ced the biscuit she cooked in front of Tang Yuxin. Seeing Tang Yuxin, she couldn¡¯t help but ruffle her hair. She felt a wave of maternal love for Tang Yuxin. Such a good and sensible girl, albeit a bit too mature for her age. Largely self-reliant, she hardly needed any help from her family. She even ended up taking care of Sisi most of the time. ¡°Thank you, Auntie,¡± Tang Yuxin picked up a biscuit and began eating. Sisi sat in front of her sister, leaning on her little hands and watching her sister eat. ¡°Sister, is it tasty?¡± She asked with a childish pronunciation. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s delicious,¡± Tang Yuxin broke a piece of biscuit for Sisi. Sisi had obviously eaten her fill, but children¡¯s thoughts are hard for adults to understand. Receiving the biscuit felt like getting a new toy, causing her to start nibbling happily. Chapter 150 - 152 This is Your Mom Chapter 150: Chapter 152 This is Your Mom ¡°Sis¡¯s cakes are so delicious,¡± she lifted her small face, a coquettish expression on her countenance, making Tang Yuxin couldn¡¯t help but pinch her chubby cheeks a few times. Sisi yed happily with her sister, giggling. Tang Yuxin really loved kids and also her little sister, as long as this child was not surnamed Wei, was not named Wei Jiani. At this time, unbeknownst to her, in the Tang Family¡¯s privatend, Tang Zhinian sat on the ground in silence, his face not looking too well. ¡°Zhinian, don¡¯t me your sister-inw for speaking like this,¡± A woman had been standing there for quite a while. In fact, she really didn¡¯t want to meddle in this matter, but there was no choice, she had promised the poor-looking woman. Besides, she had given her gifts, so even if she didn¡¯t see face, she had to consider the gifts. Which mother doesn¡¯t love her own child? ¡°Look¡­¡± she spoke again. ¡°Regardless, you can¡¯t not let Yuxin acknowledge her mother. In our vige, which child of Yuxin¡¯s age doesn¡¯t have both a mother and a father?¡± Upon finishing, she saw Tang Zhinian¡¯splexion was bad. Yet, he didn¡¯t rebuff her, so she continued trying to convince him. ¡°Think about it, if Zhnes back and wants to take the child, you should not stop her. At the very least, the child should have a mother.¡± Tang Zhinian¡¯s lips twitched. After a long while, he ced his calloused hands in his pocket to warm them. ¡°Sister-inw, I understand.¡± ¡°As long as you understand,¡± the woman finally rxed. ¡°I knew you were reasonable. Regardless of your rtionship with Zhn, the child is innocent. You should let Yuxin know she is a child with a mother. What will she do otherwise in the future?¡± Those words were like thorns, jabbing mercilessly into Tang Zhinian¡¯s heart. Suddenly, he felt the corners of his eyes heat up, and he covered his face quickly. It was his failure. Yes, he was useless, a worthless father who couldn¡¯t provide his daughter with a mother. Tang Yuxin felt Tang Zhinian was a bit strangetely, always staring at her. She touched her face and opened a drawer, pulling out a small mirror. It seemed to have darkened again. Herplexion was even darker than it was in her previous life, but she couldn¡¯t help it. Her skin was prone to tanning. She felt the medicines Chen Zhong gave her were scams. She had been taking them for nearly two years, but her skin did not whiten. Instead, it was getting darker and darker. She pouted andforted Tang Zhinian by tugging at his sleeve. ¡°Dad, dark is my natural skin color. I look like dad.¡± Tang Zhinian smiled faintly, but his smile seemed bitter. He reached out and patted Tang Yuxin¡¯s head. ¡°Our Xinxin isn¡¯t dark. You will be fairer someday.¡± Tang Yuxin stretched her lips into a smile, oblivious to the deep sorrow in Tang Zhinian¡¯s eyes. Yes, I will be fairer someday, Tang Yuxin repeated it to herself. She would buy more whitening products and apply them on her face daily. She didn¡¯t believe she couldn¡¯t whiten her skin. As for what Chen Zhong said, she continued taking those things. If she couldn¡¯t be fair, she might at least smell better. At the very least, she wouldn¡¯t need perfume in the future and could act as an air freshener, scenting the room. The next day, she went to school again and brought back her report card¡ª ny-eight on both subjects. That was good enough. She didn¡¯t score exceedingly well, yet her scores were far from poor, maintaining an upper average. Also, the vige¡¯s primary school didn¡¯t have too many exams now. However, there were yearly Math Olympiads, which Tang Yuxin had no intention of participating in. She didn¡¯t enjoy these things. Given the choice, she preferred gathering herbs on the mountain while learning from Chen Zhong. If she managed to find any precious herbs, that would be even better. She could make some money selling them, which would help improve meals at home. When she returned home with her backpack, she was stunned upon stepping into the house. Then, she entered her room as if she knew nothing, put down her backpack. ¡°Xinxin,e out for a moment.¡± There was a hint of unease in Tang Zhinian¡¯s voice, as if he was suppressing something. Tang Yuxin closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Then, she opened her eyes again, which were void of emotion, appearing profoundly void and obsidian. She walked out to where Tang Zhinian was. ¡°Dad, who is she?¡± She pointed to the woman in front of her and asked as if she didn¡¯t know. Of course, she didn¡¯t need to act. It would be best if she never knew in this lifetime. The moment Sang Zhn heard those words, it felt as if something heavy had struck her head. Suddenly, she almost lost consciousness. ¡°Yuxin, I am your mother.¡± Sang Zhn stepped forward and enveloped Tang Yuxin in a hug, crying. Tang Yuxin allowed her to hold her but did not react at all. Ever seen a crocodile¡¯s tears? Yes, these were crocodile tears. If you believed them, your fate would end up like hers in her past life¡ª not only would you hurt yourself, but also harm her innocent father for a lifetime. The corners of her lips twitched slightly. Then, she shook off Sang Zhn¡¯s hand, ran behind Tang Zhinian, and rubbed her hand repeatedly on her clothes as if she had touched something disgusting. Tang Zhinian ced hisrge hand on his daughter¡¯s head. Therge hands, full of calluses, had witnesses the years he had struggled through. He had gone through those years of hardship, raising his daughter from kitten size to her current size. Only he knew how hard it was. Back in the day, the newborn girl had been crying for her mother which she grew up without. Now, that woman who had never been a mother for even a day, wanted toe back. She wanted her daughter back. On what ground? Yes, on what ground? But regardless of her reasons, he could never deny that she was Tang Yuxin¡¯s mother, her birth mother. ¡°Xinxin, this is your mother,¡± Tang Zhinianughed, his eyes wrinkly. He was still young and strong, but when he became old, who would take care of him? He remembered his past life¡ª a lifetime ofbor without rest, and she, who had been robbed of her husband and her house. At that moment, hatred shed in Tang Yuxin¡¯s eyes. Yes, hatred, intense hatred for Sang Zhn. This woman, who was her mother, used her mother status to harm her for a lifetime. Chapter 151 - 153: Returning to the Wei Family Again Chapter 151: Chapter 153: Returning to the Wei Family Again She did not deserve to be a mother, no, that was not the case. She did not deserve to be Tang Yuxin¡¯s mother. Tang Yuxin still turned her face away, ignoring everyone, not speaking. The awkwardness of the moment made Sang Zhn cover her face and burst into tears. Then, suddenly, she got up, her voice almost a scream. ¡°Tang Zhinian, what on earth did you say to my daughter? How did you educate her? She obviously has a mother, yet you made her disown me?¡± Tang Zhinian was never good with words. Being interrogated by Sang Zhn like this, he just moved his lips, unable to find words. What could he say? ¡°Yuxin,e here to mommy.¡± Sang Zhn reached out her hand towards Tang Yuxin again. I am your mother. Tang Yuxin suddenly lifted her head and looked at her. The chill in her eyes tightened Sang Zhn¡¯s heart, and she found herself starting to fear this daughter of hers. ¡°I do not have a mother,¡± Tang Yuxin enunciated each word clearly. She then reached out and clung to a corner of Tang Zhinian¡¯s clothes. ¡°Not every child has parents. My dad is enough, I don¡¯t need an extra mother.¡± Yes, an extra one, that was it. She and her father lived just fine without any need for a mother who would only use her as a stepping stone. This was Wei Jiani¡¯s mother, Wei Jiani¡¯s loving mother, but she was never Tang Yuxin¡¯s mother. Hadn¡¯t she learned her lesson from the past life? She had already lost her life once. If she was to be fooled by these few tears again, then she¡¯d be the biggest fool in the world. She still remembered every word that Sang Zhn had whispered in her ear. Every word, every sentence, all of it. From the disappointment, the despair, the grievances, up to the hatred. Yuxin, you are the older sister, you must yield to your younger sister, so don¡¯tpete with her, okay? Yuxin, you are not suited for piano, look at your hands, they¡¯re not pretty enough. Pianists must have pretty hands, and be attractive as well. Yuxin, will you let your sister go to college first? Your sister is a better student and our family can¡¯t afford to send both of you to college. Mommy found you a job, should you start working first? Yuxin, your sister is pregnant now, can¡¯t you just give in to them? Yuxin, why are you so stubborn? Yuxin, Uncle Wei raised you, don¡¯t you think you should be grateful? Sang Zhn¡¯s hands were still in the air, her face burning in embarrassment. Tang Yuxin turned her face away again, preferring to look out the window rather than seeing Sang Zhn¡¯s face that wore the guise of a loving mother while doing cruel stepmother deeds. She really didn¡¯t understand how Sang Zhn could so brazenly want her to call her ¡®mom¡¯. What right did she have? Tang Yuxin turned her head away again, the little girl showing a great deal of stubbornness. No one had taught her, she had learned the hard way through her past life, enough was enough. ¡°Xinxin, she really is your mother.¡± Tang Zhinian put his hand on his daughter¡¯s shoulder and crouched down in front of Tang Yuxin. ¡°Xinxin, no matter what, she is still your mother. She¡¯s our Xinxin¡¯s mother.¡± ¡°No matter how your dad and I are, your mother still loves you.¡± He didn¡¯t want his daughter to carry bad memories, to believe that she was a child without a mother. As the child grew up, she would develop a sense of self-esteem, and he was afraid that she would be bullied at school,beled as a child without a mother. Tang Yuxin pursed her lips, her fair face showing not just an innocent childishness, but also a coldness that was hard to detect. She didn¡¯t have much longing for her mother. But, from the encouragement and caution in Tang Zhinian¡¯s eyes, she understood what he was thinking. He wanted her to live a life with both a father and a mother, even if they were divorced, they still loved her the most. But, did her mother really love her? Her mother would only viciously bully her, wrong her, and ruin her. ¡°Will youe and stay with me for a few days?¡± Sang Zhn tried to soften her voice as much as possible as she held Tang Yuxin¡¯s hand tight, not letting it go. And on the side, Tang Zhinian could not suppress a sour feeling in his heart. He knew he was doing the right thing. His daughter could not be without a mother. Tang Yuxin was still small, she didn¡¯t have the right to choose, nor the right to refuse. Even if she had thousands of reasons not to go to the Wei family, she had to go, otherwise all the me would be borne by her father. Her father had raised her well and had never wronged her. She would not let her father shoulder the me. Alright then, just going to the Wei family wouldn¡¯t hurt, she would go. She wanted to see how Sang Zhn treated her own daughter. She only carried a small backpack, packed a few clothes, then got in the car with Sang Zhn and left. Along the way, Sang Zhn kept talking about home, saying that her uncle at home was nice and would surely like her. It was the same as her past life. When she was young, she had been fooled by this mother, who had told her that she should be obedient. That she should do whatever the adults told her. Yes, she was well-behaved, obedient. If they told her to live in a dog house, she would. If they asked her to wear Wei Jiani¡¯s old clothes, she would. She did whatever they told her. They didn¡¯t treat her as human, and she, too, didn¡¯t see herself as one. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that she woke up, rebelled, and insisted on going to college, she might have spent her whole life under the maniption of Sang Zhn and the Wei family. Back then, her tuition fees came from her father. She would always remember when her father¡¯s withered, bark-like hands trembled as he handed out the money. She had never felt so guilty and upset. At that moment, she didn¡¯t want to take the money, because she felt she didn¡¯t deserve it, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to spend it. Sang Zhn talked throughout the journey. However, Tang Yuxin, hugging her backpack, didn¡¯t respond. Sang Zhn felt a bit crushed, but she thought that this was just the start. It was natural for their rtionship to be strained after being separated for so long. With more time, things would naturally improve. Once they got off the car, Tang Yuxin carried her small backpack and followed Sang Zhn. This path was all too familiar to her. In her past life, she had walked it thousands, tens of thousands of times. This path was the nightmare of her past life and the road she least wanted to go down in this life. ¡°Here we are, Yuxin, this is indeed our home.¡± Sang Zhn smiled at Tang Yuxin. She was no longer young; fine lines appeared around her eyes. Even though she still looked like a city woman, that didn¡¯t change the fact that her life with the Wei family was worse off than the current Tang family. If it wasn¡¯t for the hard-earned monthly alimony of 200 yuan from her father in the past, the Wei family probably couldn¡¯t even afford meat. Chapter 152: 154: Nowhere to Live Chapter 152: Chapter 154: Nowhere to Live The Wei family lived in the oldestmunal housing, where each unit consisted of one room and one living room, partitioned by a small room and shared amon water pipe and toilet. As soon as the door opened, Tang Yuxin heard someone inside calling for mom. Then, a small figure came barreling over to hug Sang Zhn¡¯s legs. ¡°Mom, where did you go? Why are you back sote? Dad¡¯s food isn¡¯t good. I want mommy¡¯s food.¡± The little girl was soft, adorable, and tender like a sprout. How could any mother not love her? ¡°Nini, look your mom¡¯s back.¡± Sang Zhn hugged her daughter. Even though her daughter had grown, she still felt small in her mother¡¯s heart, just like she was when she was first born. No matter how big she got, her mother could still lift her, could still carry her. Wei Jiani was being held by her mother. She was dressed in the most fashionable clothes, wearing small pink leather shoes and her hair was styled into two braids with huge flower-shaped hair essories ¨C eachrger than her head. This is what was currently considered aesthetically pleasing. Upon noticing Tang Yuxin standing behind Sang Zhn, Wei Jiani¡¯s face immediately puffed up. Perhaps out of instinct, she felt a sense of crisis, as if someone was going to take her mom, her toys, and her delicious food away from her. ¡°Mom, who is she?¡±
Pointing at Tang Yuxin, she stopped smiling and her voice even became a bit piercing. Tang Yuxin purses her small lips. When she met Wei Jiani in her past life, she was just two years old, domineering and temperamental, but also unruly. Truth be told, it was Tang Yuxin who raised Wei Jiani, who was still only half grown up. The Wei family¡¯s sense of superiority was still evident in Wei Jiani¡¯s attitude. As for everything rted to the Wei family, Tang Yuxin was not interested at all ¨C that included Sang Zhn. Now Wei Jiani showed signs of resembling Sang Zhn, and they were all deceived by Sang Zhn for their whole lives. In the past, she didn¡¯t understand why Sang Zhn treated her adopted daughter better than her own flesh and blood. It was as if Sang Zhn would turn the world upside down for her adopted daughter, but would merely give her own daughter a skin-deep love. It wasn¡¯t untilter that she discovered the supposed adopted daughter was actually the illegitimate child of Sang Zhn and the man she loved. ¡°This is Nini¡¯s sister,¡± Sang Zhn smiled and patted her daughter¡¯s head. ¡°From now on, your sister will be living with us. How about you share your room with her?¡± She thought about Wei Jiani¡¯s small bed; even though it was small, it could fit two childrenfortably. ¡°I don¡¯t want a sister,¡± Wei Jiani gripped Sang Zhn¡¯s neck tightly, her eyebrows furrowed and her face full of resentment. ¡°Mom, I don¡¯t want her. Ask her to leave, send her away now, I hate her.¡± As she said this, she intermittently patted Sang Zhn¡¯s back and her tears dropped one after another. It was easy to tell that she was a spoiled child, one from China¡¯s first generation of single child policies. So in their homes, they were showered with love and affection, regardless of their gender. They were the apple of their family¡¯s eye, the world revolved around them. Themon problems of single children are evident: selfishness, temper tantrums, mood swings, and a dislike for sharing. As expected, even though she was hit, Sang Zhn didn¡¯t scold her daughter but instead spent a long time cating her. It was only after promising her many things that Wei Jiani finally calmed down. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, your sister won¡¯t take your clothes, your toys, nor will she snatch what you like to eat.¡± Whileforting her daughter, Sang Zhn kept giving hints to Tang Yuxin by sending her signals with her eyes. Sang Zhn had told Tang Yuxin when they first came that there¡¯s a 7-year-old pampered little girl at home and asked Tang Yuxin to amodate her due to her young age. She wanted Tang Yuxin to admit that she will not take Wei Jiani¡¯s things otherwise Wei Jiani won¡¯t stop. Sang Zhn knew her own daughter, Wei Jiani¡¯s behavior had be spoiled through pampering. On normal days, she acts like a little princess at home, no one dared to provoke her¡­ But when she looked into Tang Yuxin¡¯s eyes, which were cold as two ss balls, she couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of guilt in her heart. ¡°Yuxin, you won¡¯t take your sister¡¯s stuff, right?¡± Even though Sang Zhn felt guilty, she still plucked up the courage to ask, signaling to Tang Yuxin to say no. ¡°No,¡± said Tang Yuxin, her lips pursing slightly, ¡°My dad said not to take other people¡¯s stuff, he can buy anything for me. Other people¡¯s things contain germs¨Cit¡¯s dirty.¡± The disdain in her voice when she said the word ¡®dirty¡¯ was evident. Wei Jiani being young, didn¡¯t catch on and felt satisfied, thinking all of her belongings belonged to her and this sister could not touch them. However, Sang Zhn¡¯s face changed upon hearing this. From her surface, deep into her bones, her face was filled with embarrassment.
¡°Nini, how about leading your sister to your room? From now on, you¡¯ll sleep together.¡± Sang Zhn stroked her daughter¡¯s face and every time she saw this child who resembled her, she would shower her with love. After all, it¡¯s her own child. If she didn¡¯t love her, then who would? ¡°I don¡¯t want to,¡± Wei Jiani shook her head forcefully, ¡°Mom, I don¡¯t want to, I won¡¯t allow her to room with me.¡± ¡°Listen to me,¡± Sang Zhn said to her daughter with a bit more sternness in her voice. ¡°From now on, your sister will be living with us. If you don¡¯t want to room with her, who should she room with then?¡±
Their household did not have much space. Soon they would have four people living together; adding another bed was obviously impossible. Sang Zhn had thought it over many times before they arrived ¨C the only ce they could possibly amodate another person was Wei Jiani¡¯s room. Otherwise, where could Yuxin sleep? Upon hearing this, Wei Jiani sat on the ground, kicking her legs and wailing. After a while, she pped Sang Zhn¡¯s thighs off. She kicked her small shoes off, rolled around, and raised a ruckus. Sang Zhn was truly helpless at that point. Sang Zhn, appearing weary and frustrated, tried to calm her daughter down. However, Wei Jiani was simply unwilling. On the side, Tang Yuxin watched them coldly. They could fuss however they want. ¡°Alright, alright, you don¡¯t have to share your room,¡± Seeing her daughter still crying her eyes out, Sang Zhn finally relented, to put an end to the tantrum. She knew her daughter¡¯s capsized temper very well, Wei Jiani was extremely spoiled, spoiled to the point of throwing tantrums at a moment¡¯s notice. If this happened every day, it would be unbearable. Therefore, she could only amodate Wei Jiani. As for where to let Tang Yuxin sleep, Sang Zhn felt just as troubled. She could not room with Wei Jiani, so she obviously could not room with her and her husband. That would be even more foolish. And even putting her in the living room was not a practical solution. There was really no ce for her to sleep. Chapter 153: 155: Make Her Live in the Doghouse Chapter 153: Chapter 155: Make Her Live in the Doghouse When Wei Tian came back, he was ovee with affection at the sight of his own girl who ran towards him. ¡°Nini, my good girl, did you miss daddy?¡± Wei Tian picked up his daughter. Spinning around with her several times, it was quite clear how much he loved this girl. ¡°I did!¡± Wei Jiani had always been a sweet talker, a smart kid who knew to perform. Her chatter always made Wei Tian both fond of her and loath to scold. Butpared to her, Tang Yuxin was a in and clumsy speaker. She was not good-looking at all. That¡¯s why in front of Wei Jiani, she was just decoration, an unnoticed green leaf. ¡°Wei Tian, look, this is Yuxin.¡± Sang Zhn tucked her hair behind her ears and then pulled Tang Yuxin in front of herself, giving Tang Yuxin¡¯s shoulder a firm squeeze, somewhat threateningly. ¡°Yuxin, greet him.¡± She frowned at Tang Yuxin. She was so upset by the girl¡¯s inability to talk properly. Tang Zhinian, how in the world did he teach his kid? The girl barely spoke when she met new people. Nini, on the contrary, was adored by everyone she met. ¡°Hello, Uncle,¡± Tang Yuxin put her small hand into her sleeve and gripped tightly. Wei Tian, what a hypocrite. On the surface, he treated you well. But in fact, he was the most miserly. Sang Zhn was even more foolish, following him with no title at all. At the end, he left her, throwing away both husband and daughter. When someone in the Wei family got sick or hurt, it was always Sang Zhn who took care of them. But the eldest daughter-inw didn¡¯t even lift a finger.
So there¡¯s a saying. A wife is loved and treasured, but a daughter-inw whoes of her own ord will not be cherished. Sang Zhn deserved to be looked down on. She orbited the Wei family all her life. She not only wasted her life, but she also ruined her own daughter¡¯s life. ¡°Oh, hello Yuxin. Your mom has mentioned you, such a good girl.¡± Wei Tian was all smiles. But if you didn¡¯t pay close attention, you couldn¡¯t detect the cold sharpness and calcting look in his eyes. ¡°Come, Yuxin. Go help me with the cooking.¡± Sang Zhn quickly grabbed Tang Yuxin¡¯s hand and led her to the kitchen. The kitchen was just a small partitioned area, which was very familiar to Tang Yuxin. She had lived here for nearly seven or eight years, until the Wei family bought a new house and moved out. Wei Jiani then got her own room, but she didn¡¯t. She lived in a small room partitioned with wooden boards. During the day, it was used for storage, and at night it was Tang Yuxin¡¯s bedroom. Nowadays, Wei Jiani was so reluctant to give up any space to sleep, and probably she, an outsider, would sleep there. Perhaps Sang Zhn wanted to see what Tang Yuxin could do, she made herself scarce and left everything to Tang Yuxin. And Tang Yuxin would not let her down. She could do anything: cooking,undry, childcare. She was a free-of-charge nanny, earning outside, but spending for the Wei family. ¡°Hmm, the noodles Yuxin cooked are good.¡± Wei Tian was eating noodles. When he heard they were cooked by Tang Yuxin, more calcting thoughts flickered in his eyes, still all smiles. ¡°Where will she stay?¡± Wei Tian asked Sang Zhn. ¡°Our house is small, there¡¯s really no room for her.¡± But he didn¡¯t mention his daughter¡¯s room at all. He didn¡¯t want a peasant kid to sleep with his daughter. Who knew what diseases she brought, or even how dirty and stinky they were. ¡°Nini doesn¡¯t like to sleep with her sister.¡± Even thinking about this issue gave Sang Zhn a headache. Indeed, the house was too small. Wei Jiani was the only one who could share a room, but now she waspletely against it. ¡°What about cleaning up the mop storage, ¡± Wei Tian thought and suggested to Sang Zhn. ¡°Though it¡¯s small, it¡¯s okay to sleep a kid in there. We won¡¯t be so tight when we get bigger houses.¡± Honestly, Sang Zhn did not agree.
That small corner, known for mop storage, was actually used to keep dogs before. It was a small, confined space, damp and musty. Not even a dog could fitfortably there, let alone a human. She didn¡¯t want to put Yuxin in such a ce. But in the end, there was no other ce for Tang Yuxin. She had thought it through, everything except the housing. She originally thought Tang Yuxin could sleep with Wei Jiani, and that would be no problem. But now, Wei Jiani firmly refused. And she did not want to push her daughter. But it seemed she had forgotten something now. She didn¡¯t force Wei Jiani because Wei Jiani was her daughter. Did that mean Tang Yuxin was rock or stone and not her birth-daughter? ¡°Yuxin, could you stay here for now?¡± Sang Zhn opened a small door and tidied up inside. Sheid rotten cotton wadding on the mmy and cold floor. It was impossible for anyone to sleep here.
Tang Yuxin lowered her eyshes. When she opened her eyes again, everything was calm, as if she had be an imbecile. She did not object. No one noticed, just then, a trace of sarcasm rose on her lips. At night, Sang Zhn asked her to help again, acting like a boss. She wanted to see exactly what level Tang Yuxin could reach. If Yuxin could cook edible food, then she would have nothing to worry about. As a peasant child, Tang Yuxin had learned to do housework early on. She cooked rice porridge and steamed buns. The buns came out well. Despite her small size, she was strong and the buns she made had the right fermentation and soda. Not too much soda, not too little. They were both white and round. ¡°Yuxin, help me check if I have added too much baking soda. Can you smell if it¡¯s sour?¡± Sang Zhn ced a piece of dough in front of Tang Yuxin¡¯s nose. Tang Yuxin took it, smelled it with experience, and checked the color. ¡°It¡¯s not enough,¡± she reached for the small jar of soda, squeezed out a bit more, and kneaded it in. Then Sang Zhn asked Tang Yuxin to smell it again. This time Yuxin approved. Both of them had acute noses for this. Yuxin was a pro at making buns, so it was almost certain her buns would be good. In this respect, Sang Zhn was no match for her. Chapter 154: 156: She Doesn’t Know Anything Chapter 154: Chapter 156: She Doesn¡¯t Know Anything At night, Tang Yuxin slept in a small corner where she could hardly toss and turn. Despite the broken cotton padding beneath her, the chill from the ground below seeped into her body. In her previous life, she had slept in such a spot for almost eight years. It was here that her health was ruined, developing a severe cold constitution that not only stunted her growth but also rendered her unable to bear children. Her entire life was ruined by her biological mother. Wei Jiani and she cried on the day she first arrived here in her past life. From that point forward, whenever Tang Yuxin dared to cry, Sang Zhn would beat her. By the time she was five or six years old, Wei Jiani disliked her for being ugly and refused to sleep with her, so she was driven to the corner room. This tiny ce, which initially served as a dog kennel and then as a storage room, had now be her residence. Unable to sleep, cold air crept into her body, and she knew very well from her medical background that prolonged lying here would be detrimental to her health. But presently, all she could do was endure. She did not know how long she had slept before waking up with no desire to sleep further. Carefully, she pushed aside the room¡¯s cluttered door and nned to use the bathroom. The bathrooms in the Tube Building were outside, but she did not fear the dark. After all, she had already experienced death, so what was there to fear about darkness? However, as she prepared to open the door, she realized it had been bolted from the outside. She couldn¡¯t unfasten it. There seemed to be a chamber pot in the room. She found it, took care of her biological needs, and was about to return when she heard faint voicesing from the room. The voices, distant and close, alternately seemed to be those of Wei Tian and Sang Zhn. Initially, she had no interest in their conversation, but she caught the sound of her name. She made her way over and crouched by the door. The houses back then were not well insted, so any slightly elevated voices could be heard inside and outside alike. Reminded of a popr TV show called ¡®Nest¡¯, about a couple who lived in a building like the Tube Building, she noted how sounds could be clearly heard from outside.
Two voices inside continued talking, possibly unconscious of the possibility of being overheard. ¡°See, I was right, wasn¡¯t I?¡± Sang Zhn¡¯s voice held a sense of triumph, ¡°Kids from the countryside are mature early. Even though she¡¯s only nine, she¡¯s as useful as an adult. Leaving other things aside, at least now there is someone to look after our Nini all the time, and there¡¯s ready-made meals thrice a day.¡± ¡°She is capable indeed.¡± Wei Tian responded, though it was unclear whether his remark was sincere or feigned. ¡°But would Tang Zhinian give you his child?¡± He asked. This wasn¡¯t just any object, it was a child, his own daughter. He would never let Nini be taken away, not even by death. ¡°He will,¡± Sang Zhn was confident in her answer, ¡°as long as Yuxin is willing to follow me, Tang Zhinian will surely agree, and he will also give Yuxin a monthly living allowance. This way, we can save some expenses at home.¡± ¡°You manage as you see fit,¡± Wei Tian replied before rolling over in bed and falling silent apart from asional snoring. Even the dog outside had fallen asleep. What more could be said about humans? Tang Yuxin returned to her little kennel and pulled the nket over herself. It was bing even colder, and the irony stung. She clung to her nket. Any hope she might have once had was now thoroughly buried. So it wasn¡¯t motherly love. So it wasn¡¯t missing her daughter. What she wanted was a free nanny for the house, and shamelessly, her father¡¯s child support. It made her wonder just how hypocritical Wei Tian could be, how shameless, nning to use the support her father provided to sustain his own family. ¡°You¡¯re really ugly¡±, Wei Jiani scrunched her nose, ¡°You¡¯re very dark, don¡¯t ever call me your sister again in the future, I don¡¯t want a sister like you.¡± Even at such a young age, Wei Jiani was already disgusted with Tang Yuxin. She did not like this ugly, mute, dark-skinned sister. Tang Yuxin ignored her, just using a rag to wipe the table. After a little while, Wei Jiani couldn¡¯t sit still anymore. ¡°Hey¡­¡± She got up, hands on her hips, ¡°Do you know how to y the piano?¡± Tang Yuxin barely lifted her eyelids in response, ¡°No, I don¡¯t¡±, she was past the age of wanting to learn the piano. If she had the time, she would rather use a needle to harm people than y music. She had no aptitude for music anyway. ¡°You¡¯re really useless,¡± Wei Jiani huffed, sticking her chin up, ¡°My mom is sending me to learn the piano. Also, remember this, she is my mom, not yours.¡± Tang Yuxin put down the rag and stared at Wei Jiani. A child of around seven didn¡¯t know much. Surely, these words couldn¡¯t havee out of her mouth; she had never called Sang Zhn ¡®mother¡¯ after all.
So, could she guess who might have taught Wei Jiani these things? Was it Wei Tian? She always knew that Wei Tian was the most hypocritical one in the Wei family. ¡°What are you looking at?¡± Wei Jiani was still a child and hadn¡¯t fully developed her future cunning, ambitious nature. Despite being scared, she maintained her pretense.
¡°If you keep looking at me, I¡¯ll have my dad gouge your eyes out.¡± She huffed and stepped on Tang Yuxin¡¯s foot with her little one. A seven-year-old did not have much strength, but Tang Yuxin still felt the pain. She made herself remember this pain, relive this pain. And learn what she could do, what she could not do, who to trust and who she could never trust till her death. Picking up the rag again, she carried the bucket and knelt on the floor. As in her previous life, she dutifully cleaned the floor meticulously, leaving it spotless, reflecting her father¡¯s conscientious character. Life at the Wei family had improved. Sang Zhn needed not worry about Wei Jiani being alone at home. Every time she returned, meals were cooked, the house was cleaned, and even theundry was done. Tang Yuxin indeed proved verypetent, even shockingly so for a child. Chapter 155: 157: Saying She is Disobedient Chapter 155: Chapter 157: Saying She is Disobedient Perhaps it was because she was toopetent that, in the eyes of those with an agenda, it was only natural for her to do everything, and also to enjoy everything. At first, Sang Zhn didn¡¯t make Tang Yuxin wash that many clothes. It was only after she saw Tang Yuxin demonstrating an excellent work ethic, doing her tasks so well. While their family was inside watching TV and chatting, Tang Yuxin was outside by the water pipe washing clothes. Later on, even the underwear of their family of three was thrown out for the child to wash. Tang Yuxin didn¡¯t mind washing Sang Zhn¡¯s underwear. Her little hands were soaked in cold water as she scrubbed vigorously, she didn¡¯t speak to anyone. She was like a fool, silently taking the beatings, the scoldings, the orders, doing what was asked and not doing what wasn¡¯t. At the dinner table, Tang Yuxin brought out a dish. After cing it down, she went back in to get another. The family of three outside had already started eating, not giving a thought to the fact that she was still busying herself in the kitchen, cooking all these dishes single-handedly. The dish she brought out this time was meat. As soon as she set it down, Sang Zhn snatched the te and ced it directly in front of Wei Tian and his daughter. ¡°Yuxin, you¡¯re still young, this meat is too greasy, children should eat more vegetables.¡± Tang Yuxin lowered her head, picked up her chopsticks, and quietly started eating the grains in her bowl. ¡°Daddy, I want meat,¡± Wei Jiani¡¯s stubborn voice came from her seat, where she sat asionally kicking her legs. She assumed that the child Sang Zhn was referring to included her. She loved meat the most, how could she not have any? ¡°You can only have one piece.¡± Sang Zhn beamingly put a lean piece of meat into Wei Jiani¡¯s bowl. The meat was cooked by Tang Yuxin, so whether it was fatty or lean, it was not greasy and tasted really good. Even the vegetables stir-fried in the meat carried the vorful taste. Wei Jiani used a bun to dip into the meat juice, eating with such joy that crumbs were scattered all over the table. They were all enjoying their meal, helping each other with the dishes, only Tang Yuxin sat alone to the side, like a maid excluded from the family. It seemed that she no longer deserved to sit at this table in the future. ¡°Yuxin, I¡¯m taking Nini to her piano lesson, you stay home and make sure to wash the clothes and have dinner ready.¡±
While instructing Tang Yuxin, Sang Zhn began packing clothes for Wei Jiani. ¡°I want to go too,¡± Tang Yuxin suddenly spoke up, surprising Sang Zhn. ¡°What do you want to do there?¡± The smile on Sang Zhn¡¯s face faltered, ¡°Your sister is going there to learn the piano, not to y.¡± ¡°I also want to learn the piano.¡± Tang Yuxin repeated her wish, the words she had wanted to say in her past life but never did, like reciting a script. She also wanted to learn the piano, she also wanted to go to the Youth Pce, just like Wei Jiani. ¡°Yuxin, why are you being so disobedient?¡± Sang Zhn¡¯s face turned stern, ¡°There¡¯s so much to do at home, and you want to learn the piano?¡± But after she finished reprimanding, she found herself staring into a pair of eyes that seemed indifferent to the world, which sent a chill down her spine. As if realizing something, her face began to grow hot. She touched her face and let out a cough. ¡°Yuxin, mom didn¡¯t mean that, you have to start learning piano at age six. You¡¯re too old now, your fingers have fully developed, and it¡¯s toote to learn. Tonight, I will discuss with your uncle Wei to see if there¡¯s anything else you can learn that¡¯s simpler, alright?¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Tang Yuxin agreed, her downward-looking eyes concealing the deep sarcasm in her heart. Who said that you cannot learn the piano at the age of nine? People in their teens can learn, not to mention her. Art knows no borders, no gender, and certainly no age. Oh, she can¡¯t learn. What a tant lie. After Sang Zhn and her daughter left, Tang Yuxin picked up the broom again, sweeping the floor until they returned. Wei Jiani even brought home a candy-coated haw stick. Sang Zhn told Wei Jiani to hide the candy-coated haw stick behind her back, then take it to her room and eat it secretly. Tang Yuxin looked up, she saw everything but said nothing. Wei Jiani may not have learned much, but when it came to protecting her things, she was exactly like Wei Tian. She quickly ran into her room and started eating the candy-coated haw stick by herself in secrecy.
¡°Yuxin, is dinner ready?¡± Sang Zhn asked, hiding her hands behind her back. Although she was smiling, for some reason, she felt uneasy and couldn¡¯t meet Tang Yuxin¡¯s gaze. Surprisingly enough, she found herself afraid of her own daughter. But as for what she was afraid of, she couldn¡¯t put into words. ¡°It¡¯s ready,¡± Tang Yuxin replied before retreating to her little kennel of a room and sitting down against the wall. Sang Zhn went into the kitchen and, sure enough, dinner was ready. A pot of boiled noodles and some pancakes, all warm, she was now just waiting for Wei Tian to return home to eat.
When Wei Tian came back, she hurriedly brought the prepared food to the table, then called Wei Jiani to eat. Wei Jiani was already filled with snacks and was reluctant to eat, but eventually picked up her small bowl and casually nibbled a few mouthfuls before giving up. In the end, it was Sang Zhn who fed her bite by bite. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to ask Yuxin toe and eat?¡± Wei Tian asked Sang Zhn, who wiped the sweat from her forehead. Feeding Wei Jiani was always like going to battle, an exhaustive task. ¡°She might have eaten already, let¡¯s not bother her,¡± Sang Zhn replied, panting slightly. She leaned back and started eating. Tang Yuxin opened her eyes in her little kennel. Oh, she¡¯s eaten. What did she eat? Clearly, it was Sang Zhn who said that before the adults had eaten, you were not allowed to sneak any food. How could she, so timid and scared, sneak food? After a while, she heard the sound of a door closing. She knew the Wei family had gone out. Today was the weekend, after dinner, they would go visit Wei Jun, Wei Tian¡¯s elder brother, with whom Wei¡¯s mother lived. In this life, the Wei family had two brothers with each having a daughter. Wei¡¯s mother ced all her hopes on the younger brother, Wei Tian, hoping that he would have a son. Interestingly enough, Wei Tian just went ahead and had another girl without even getting married. Although both brothers had girls, it¡¯s different when the child is not yours. Wei¡¯s mother didn¡¯t like Sang Zhn but adored Wei Jiani. Of course, the treatment of the two daughters-inw by Wei¡¯s mother was vastly different. Chapter 156 - 158: Ungrateful Wolf Chapter 156: Chapter 158: Ungrateful Wolf The eldest daughter-inw is the heroine, while the second daughter-inw is the one to be scolded. Obviously, the three of them couldn¡¯t possibly include Tang Yuxin in their family. What did Tang Yuxin count as? If she weren¡¯t somewhat useful, if she couldn¡¯t nanny for Wei Jiani, cook and wash their clothes, she might have been kicked out of the Wei Family long ago. With a push of the small of her doghouse-like room door, Tang Yuxin stepped out, only to find the table cluttered with bowls and tes. So, this is the current Sang Zhn; she doesn¡¯t even need to clear the dishes anymore. This is because she knows Tang Yuxin will tidy up and clean the dishes. Tang Yuxin walked over, opened the pot lid, finding there was not even a grain of rice left, while the dishes on the table were also leftovers. She carried all the bowls to the kitchen, then secretly cooked instant noodles for herself. Last lifetime, it was like this too. Their family would sometimes eat all the rice. Even if they didn¡¯t finish it, they would dump the rest away, whether deliberately or unintentionally, always seeming to want to starve her. Despite her meekness, she never stole food. This time around, it¡¯s different. No matter how aggrieved she feels, she will not starve herself. The next morning, when she had just woken up, the sky was already beginning to brighten. Sang Zhn hadid down the rule that she had to wake up early because she had to cook breakfast. The adults might not eat, but Wei Jiani absolutely needed to. Wei Jiani still had to go to school, but she didn¡¯t. She didn¡¯t know if Sang Zhn had intentionally forgotten about her schooling or if it had simply never urred to her. Tang Yuxin rolled up her sleeves and silently went to the kitchen to cook porridge and steam the buns from a few days ago. Sometimeter, she heard the sounds of people talking outside and Wei Jiani crying. She didn¡¯t know how Sang Zhn had finally managed to pacify her this time, but Wei Jiani¡¯s crying time was shorter. Wei Jiani is a pampered girl, and everything she wants, she gets. Her temper is bad as well. Every morning when she wakes up, she cries. One can only wonder at what age she will stop. When Tang Yuxin emerged from the kitchen and saw Sang Zhn, her small lips immediately tightened. On seeing her, Sang Zhn awkwardly shielded Wei Jiani behind her, ¡°Yuxin, your little sister wants to wear this set of clothes you have. I think they are too small for you now. Let your sister wear them. In a few days when Mom gets her sry, she will buy you new clothes, okay?¡± ¡°Mom, I want new clothes too,¡± Wei Jiani pitched a fit as she demanded new clothes for herself too. ¡°Okay, Mom will buy them for you,¡± Sang Zhn kissed her daughter¡¯s face. Seeing Wei Jiani wearing the clothes made her look even more radiant. Sang Zhn felt that the clothes really suited Jiani. Tang Yuxin¡¯s darkplexion didn¡¯t look good in red, so it was better that she didn¡¯t wear it. Besides, the outfit was indeed too small for her and fit Nini just right. Tang Yuxin clenched the corner of her clothes. She had the urge to kick Wei Jiani to death, but in the end, she held herself back. This set of clothes were bought specially for her by Tang Zhinian during the New Year. Although she didn¡¯t bring a lot of things with her, all her clothes were new. Her father always feared that she would be bullied and discriminated against at someone else¡¯s home. So he always told her to keep herself clean and frequently change her clothes. Before she left, he also gave Sang Zhn two hundred yuan, hoping that Sang Zhn would take care of his child better. Now her clothes were being worn by Wei Jiani. First, it¡¯s her clothes, next it will be her shoes, then the money she earns,ter her husband, and finally the house for which she worked herself to death to repay the loan. Still, Tang Yuxin remained silent, appearing to be fearful. She was so obedient that she had no temper of her own. And everyone thought she was naive and easy to bully. Little do they know, that what they have trapped in their home isn¡¯t a sheep, but a wolf. That day, Sang Zhn and Wei Tian went to work, leaving the whole house to Tang Yuxin. Of course, Wei Jiani was home too. Tang Yuxin has shown the greatest forbearance towards Wei Jiani. She has held herself back from choking her, from poisoning her, and from killing her. She would even help her put on spare clothes, brush her teeth, and wash her face. The only thing she hasn¡¯t done yet is to eat for her. She pushed open the door and went inside. As soon as she stepped in, she heard the sound of heavy, gasping breaths. She walked over to Wei Jiani, turned on the light, and sure enough found Wei Jiani down with an illness. Her face was red from fever, and her lips were parched and cracked. Tang Yuxin simply watched coldly, then turned and left, showing no intention to interfere. It had nothing to do with her, and besides, Wei Jiani wouldn¡¯t die. Should she tell her to have the sympathy of a mother? She would save anyone except Wei Jiani. She was simply waiting, waiting for Wei Tian and his wife toe home. By noon, the Wei couple would naturallye home for lunch. With a prepared meal at home, they could work a little longer at the factory. They could simplye home and eat without having to fuss about it themselves. ¡°Nini, daddy is home!¡± As soon as Wei Tian stepped in, he called his daughter. But after waiting for a while, no one came out to greet him. ¡°Nini?¡± Wei Tian frowned. What happened to the child today? Every time he came home, she would always run over to greet him. What¡¯s gotten into her today? ¡°Nini, daddy is home.¡± Wei Tian called again, but Wei Jiani still didn¡¯te out. ¡°Yuxin, where¡¯s Nini?¡± Wei Tian asked in a dark tone, directing his question to Tang Yuxin, who was serving the food. Tang Yuxin pointed to the room inside, ¡°She didn¡¯t get up.¡± On hearing this, Wei Tian¡¯s heart gave a leap. He had a bad feeling. He rushed into the room, turned the handle, and a momentter he dashed out, carrying Wei Jiani in his arms. Wei Jiani was already delirious from the fever. Her face, fevered to a deep red, looked like it was on fire and she was crying intermittently. ¡°What happened?¡± Sang Zhn also came out from the kitchen with a bowl of noodles. She saw Wei Tian running out with Wei Jiani in his arms, his face fraught with worry. She quickly put the bowl aside and rushed over. But catching sight of Wei Jiani, she received a terrible shock. She put her hand onto Wei Jiani¡¯s forehead, her touch so hot that Sang Zhn quickly pulled her hand back. Wei Tian red fiercely at Tang Yuxin in the kitchen. ¡°What happened?! Just look at what your daughter has done! Can¡¯t she even provide basic care? Didn¡¯t you say she studied medicine from others? Even if she can¡¯t treat illnesses, she should at least have somemon sense. Nini had such a high fever and all she could think of doing was eating?! Sang Zhn, see what a white-eyed wolf you have raised. If anything happens to my Nini, I will kill your illegitimate child.¡± Having said that, he hurriedly carried Wei Jiani out of the house. Chapter 157 - 159: Doesn’t it Hurt When You Get Hit? Chapter 157: Chapter 159: Doesn¡¯t it Hurt When You Get Hit? At that moment, Tang Yuxin came out of the kitchen carrying another bowl. ¡°You¡¯re eating again?¡± Sang Zhn¡¯s eyes were red with fury, her heart pounding with anger. She knocked over the bowl in Tang Yuxin¡¯s hand, spilling the freshly cooked noodles and broth over Tang Yuxin. With a smack, she pped Tang Yuxin across the face. ¡°A thankless wretch, you are! If anything happens to Nini, I swear I will kill you!¡± Anger coursed through her veins, making her body tremble. Believing that Tang Yuxin had done it on purpose, she grabbed a broom and began to hit her relentlessly. Tang Yuxin remained standing, her fingers on the hand, now soaked with the broth, trembled slightly, blistered from the heat. Her eyes were teary, but she didn¡¯t cry or beg for mercy. Sang Zhn showed no mercy. She treated Tang Yuxin, not as her own daughter, but as her archenemy. After she had tired herself out, it was then that she hurried to find Wei Tian, to check on their daughter, Wei Jiani, not even bothering to close the door behind her. Tang Yuxin looked up, all she saw was emptiness. Yes, she had been waiting for this day. A day indelibly etched in her memory. The day, when she was nine years old, Wei Jiani fell ill, she was med, beaten up by Sang Zhn, and left starving. At that time, she was merely a disgusting lowly creature to the Wei Family, no better than a dog. The worth of her life was less than a single strand of Wei Jiani¡¯s hair. She touched her arm ¨C it was a burning pain. There were things she had forgotten, but one thing she could never forget was the pain inflicted by Sang Zhn. She looked up at the calendar on the wall ¨C an old-fashioned one with red numbers. She walked to the door, shut it with a m, then, head bowed, she left. She walked with her own feet from afternoon till dusk, under a bridge where she found a ce to sit. The early autumn wind was chilly and the temperature had begun to drop. The wind brushed against her face, seeming to take away the scorching pain, yet the pain still lingered on her body. She hugged her knees, not shedding a single tear. She was waiting for someone. Someone who would appear on this day, a stranger whose face and name she had forgotten. A young boy spent the night with her, giving her his clothes. He carried her on his back, searching for food and water, and took her home. To this day, she only remembered that he was a young boy, forgetting everything else. She hugged her arms, her small red lips tightly pursed. She knew that right now, Sang Zhn and Wei Tian were at the hospital taking care of their daughter. Whether she lived or died did not matter to them. Hadn¡¯t they intended to half kill her, a mere nine-year-old, and leave her to her fate? She had to endure the dual torment of physical and psychological pain. She had forgotten how she survived her previous life, yet she still remembered their cold faces and hatred, which made her remember the pain for the rest of her life. She embraced her legs, her head almost buried between her knees. Her face hurt, her whole body throbbed. The wind asionally blew against her body, drying any sweat on her skin. She felt lonely, scared, and frightened. Although she had grown up, although she was not really nine years old, although she had already lived a lifetime. But people instinctively fear the darkness. They might get used to loneliness, but they can never get used to the fear that loneliness brings. There seemed to be footstepsing from afar. She slowly lifted her head, and there stood a boy of about fifteen or sixteen. He was tall¡ªprobably about 1.7 meters¡ªand his face, though young, was filled with determination. He was wearing a simple coat and trousers. She didn¡¯t know why he was there, but he appeared right at that spot. Tang Yuxin sniffed. He had appeared again. This time, she could clearly see his face under the dim streetlight. His features were young, yet resilient. The boy took off his coat and draped it over Tang Yuxin. He then gently touched her face. ¡°Does it hurt?¡± Tang Yuxin sniffed again, and shook her head. Then she stared at him under the dim streetlight, memorizing his face for the first time. He had long, slender eyes. His features were not particrly outstanding when viewed separately, but whenbined, they were incredibly harmonious. She thought that he¡¯d look handsome in a suit when he grew up, like Mr. Gu. His face seemed somewhat familiar, but she couldn¡¯t quite ce it. The boy rolled up Tang Yuxin¡¯s sleeve, revealing her little arm, bruised and swelling. Some of them were blue, some were oozing blood. Then he rolled up her trouser leg and noticed simr injuries. ¡°Who hit you?¡± The boy helped Tang Yuxin up. Tang Yuxin was small, only nine years old, and smaller than the average child of her age. Last time, the boy had carried Tang Yuxin on his back, walking for a long time before they found food. By the time Tang Yuxin woke up, she was already at the door of the Wei¡¯s house. If possible, she never wanted to return to that hellish ce in her lifetime. Tang Yuxin blinked, clutching the clothes of the boy. This garment had been with her for a long time, serving as a nket and a pillow in her dark and cramped doghouse, losing its initial smell that belonged to the teen. The boy stopped, looked at the little girl with half of her face swollen. ¡°Tell me, who hit you?¡± Who had beaten a child to this state? Who would be so heartless? He had thought his father was ruthless, capable of beating him to death. But upon seeing the girl, he realized what it truly meant to be beaten brutally. Chapter 158: 160: Mom’s Beating Chapter 158: Chapter 160: Mom¡¯s Beating Tang Yuxin bit her lower lip in resentment. ¡°Mom hit me.¡± The young boy¡¯s arm began to ache slightly. It turns out, sometimes, the so-called hitting can be entirely different. Some hits express love, some convey hatred. Not every parent hits their child because of the saying: hitting is a sign of intimacy, scolding is a form of love. The boy still held Tang Yuxin, walking her through the streets and alleyways. Finally, they found a small shop where they bought bread, a small cup, borrowed some hot water from the shop, and also bought a bottle of orange water. ¡°Eat,¡± he ced the bread in front of Tang Yuxin. ¡°Thank you, brother,¡± Tang Yuxin took the bread, immediately started eating, she devoured it hungrily. She was very hungry, in fact, she hadn¡¯t eaten or drank anything since morning. ¡°Eat slowly, there¡¯s no rush,¡± the boy stroked her head and also used his body to block the cold wind blowing at her.
He gave his only piece of bread to this child he had picked up. Yet, no matter what he asked, she would not answer, except for saying that her injuries were due to her mother¡¯s beatings. He touched his arm where the pain lingered, but it was no longer throbbing as before. ¡°Drink water,¡± the boy ced the cup in front of Tang Yuxin. There were not many drink options, mostly orange water, which he had warmed with his body temperature. ¡°Does it hurt?¡± The boy asked again. Such a little child could not possibly be painless. The girls in the neighborhood, one more delicate than the other, all were the only child. If they even scratched their skin, they would cry and cause a ruckus. However, this child had been beaten to this extent and didn¡¯t even whimper. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± The boy smiled. Even in the dark, one could feel the warmth in his smile, as if it could thaw ice and melt the whole world, causing an instant blossoming of flowers. ¡°Brother, you tell me your name first,¡± Tang Yuxin tightly held the orange water in her hand. In her previous life, she was little, she didn¡¯t know much, she only knew how to cry, how to feel pain, but she forgot to ask the name of her benefactor. Tang Yuxin would surely jot down the grievance in her heart, but she wouldn¡¯t forget a favor either. The boy wrapped the child tighter in his clothes. ¡°Brother¡¯s name is Gu Ning, from Beijing.¡± With a thud, the orange water in Tang Yuxin¡¯s hand fell to the ground. A hand picked up the orange water from the ground. Fortunately, not much had been spilled. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Gu Ning carefully touched the little girl¡¯s swollen face, which was as swollen as a bread bun. Tang Yuxin shook her head and started tough, despite knowing that the action would cause pain to her face. She lowered her head and clung tightly to the boy¡¯s clothes. That¡¯s right, it¡¯s him, it¡¯s him. No wonder she felt so familiar with him. He was Gu Ning, who would marry Zhang Xiaomei in the future, the Gu Ning who received her kidney in her past life. So, it¡¯s him, it¡¯s really him ¡­ She sniffled, fighting back the unbearable tears that threatened to fall. Little brother, in this life, I will repay you, no matter what, I will not let you marry someone as heartless and callous as Zhang Xiaomei. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you in a lot of pain?¡±
Under the streetlight, Gu Ning could faintly see the numerous injuries covering the child¡¯s body, which were almost countless. Tang Yuxin shook her head; she wasn¡¯t in pain. Gu Ning ced his hand on his neck. He then pulled out a ne that he had been wearing since he was a child. ¡°Here, I give this to you. It will protect you in the future.¡± He put the ne on Tang Yuxin. It was still warm from his body.
Tang Yuxin held the ne, unsure whether it was made of jade or silver. It felt kind of warm and cool to touch. She lifted her head, looking up at Gu Ning, her nose stinging with the effort of holding back her tears, but she still smiled. ¡°Let¡¯s go, brother will take you home,¡± Gu Ning held out his hand, tightly holding the little girl¡¯s hand, which was not even half as big as his. She was still a child, only seven or eight years old, even smaller than his own little cousin. ¡°Brother, I need to pee.¡± Tang Yuxin stopped walking and lifted her head to tell Gu Ning. Gu Ning squatted down, tidying her hair. Even though half her face was swollen, she was still a beautiful little girl. ¡°Go ahead, be careful,¡± Gu Ning rised and stood to one side, waiting for Tang Yuxin. ¡°Gu Ning,¡± a voice came. Gu Ning turned and saw an adult man standing not far away. The man recognized him and quickly approached him. ¡°Gu Ning, where have you run off to?¡± The man quickly advanced, gripping Gu Ning¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Why are you running around? Your mom is worried sick. Be careful or Dad will hit you again.¡± ¡°Brother¡±, Gu Ning pursed his lips, then looked towards the garden. ¡°I found a little girl who was beaten up. I¡¯m trying to help her find her parents.¡± ¡°Found a girl?¡± The man stared wide-eyed at Gu Ning, ¡°Gu Ning, are you going from one trouble to another? Where did you find her, and she was hit?¡± ¡°Yes, she¡¯s beaten severely. She said her mother did it.¡± Gu Ning nodded, thinking of the girl¡¯s injuries made his heart ache. ¡°Tsk, there are still parents who can be so cruel, those are some old-fashioned practices,¡± The man put his hand in his pocket. His military ensemble screamed of righteousness.
He had no choice but to wait here with his younger brother. But they had already been waiting a long time. ¡°I¡¯ve been here for ten minutes,¡± the man raised his wrist, showing his watch. Anyone who could afford a watch at this time was definitely rich, which indicated the brothers came from a well-to-do family. Even if one had diarrhea, by now it should be almost over. ¡°Go and see, did the child faint from the beating?¡± At this point, Gu Ning had already begun to walk towards the flower bed. ¡°Tsk¡­ ¡± the man sneered, ¡°You never worried about me, your real big brother, this much. What a waste to raise you, who had to be taken care of since you were a baby.¡± ¡°Brother, that would be Mom, not you.¡± Gu Ning replied indifferently. The man widened his eyes, ¡°Even so, who do you think carried you on his back until you grew up?¡± Gu Ning ignored his older brother, walked into the flowerbed, but no one was there. ¡°Little sister.¡± He called out, but no one answered him.
Chapter 159: 161: The Person is Gone Chapter 159: Chapter 161: The Person is Gone ¡°Little sister,¡± he called out again, but the child seemed to have vanished from the world, even her lingering presence had disappeared. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± The man strode over, his tall and long-legged figure reaching the spot in a few steps. But there was nothing, just an empty garden, not even a flower bloomed, let alone any humans. ¡°Where is she?¡± He asked his younger brother. Gu Ning shook his head. He did not know. The two brothers searched nearly every corner, but in the end, they still couldn¡¯t find the child. ¡°Perhaps, she hid herself,¡± the older man patted his younger brother¡¯s shoulder. This was the most logical exnation unless her family happened to find her just then. But both possibilities seemed unlikely. Is it possible that Gu Ning was experiencing some kind of hallucination, mistakenly thinking he had found a little girl? Gu Ning put his hand around his neck, his ne was gone. He turned to look at the flower bed, his dark eyes filled with indescribable emotions. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± The older brother put his arm around his younger brother. ¡°Look at you, so short while I¡¯m 183 cm tall, you¡¯re only 165 cm. Eat more, or else you won¡¯t even be able to get a wife.¡±
The dim streetlight cast elongated shadows of the two men. What represents the length of time, and what symbolizes its fleetingness? Life. A person¡¯s life seems lengthy, yet feels incredibly short. After the figures of the brothers disappear and the road¡¯s extension converges into a diminutive point, a small figure emerged from behind a wall. It was Tang Yuxin, who had been hiding away. She lowered her head, touching the ne hanging around her neck. The pendant was likely an authentic jade, shining with a milky hue. It had warmed to her body temperature, but she could still detect traces of Gu Ning¡¯s cool and peaceful aura. She bit her lower lip, turned around, and ran off. After wandering around for a whole night, she finally settled down in front of a dumpling shop. She then sat on the steps outside and hid her little hands inside her clothes. The morning was even colder than the night. The biting cold made her feel fragile and tempted her to cry. Tang Yuxin held back. She did not cry. After an unknown period, the door of the dumpling shop finally opened. A woman yawned as she walked out, and was taken aback when she saw Tang Yuxin outside. ¡°Hongjun,e out here,¡± she called inside, before taking off her own coat to wrap the child in. However, once she saw the child¡¯s red, swollen face and the injuries covering her body, she was shocked. At that moment, a man staggered out, wondering what themotion was. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, what happened?¡± The man was wearing only one slipper, and his shirt was on backward. ¡°Come quickly, there¡¯s a child here who looks like Tang Zhinian¡¯s little girl.¡± ¡°Let me see,¡± the man crouched down. What happened to her face? He did not dare to touch it. Despite the swelling, there was no mistaking her features. In a small vige like theirs, where everyone knew each other, it was impossible not to recognize the little girl they¡¯d watched growing up. It was for this reason that Lin Yang, the wife of Zhang Hongjun, had hurriedly called her husband out. ¡°Yuxin, Yuxin¡­¡±
Zhang Hongjun gently patted Tang Yuxin¡¯s little face. How badly must the girl have been hurt to look like this, and how long had she been on her own? Tang Yuxin opened her eyes, and upon seeing Zhang Hongjun, tears began to stream down her face uncontrobly. ¡°Don¡¯t cry, please don¡¯t cry.¡± Lin Yang gently wiped Tang Yuxin¡¯s face. Just during the New Year, this child hade over to her house, along with Little Sisi from Zhang Xiangcao¡¯s family. What a pretty face she had had, now it was swollen so heavily?
¡°Let¡¯s go inside,¡± Zhang Hongjun carefully picked Tang Yuxin up, only to find that underneath her clothes, there were injuries all over her arms and legs, seemingly inflicted by a stick. ¡°Yang, go get some hot water for the child. Bring whatever food we have.¡± ¡°Ok,¡± Lin Yang hurriedly fetched a cup for the hot water, as well as the steamed Bun she had prepared earlier in the morning. ¡°Here, drink some water,¡± she didn¡¯t have children of her own yet, but Lin Yang loved kids. Seeing Tang Yuxin¡¯s injuries, she couldn¡¯t help crying first. ¡°Thank you, Auntie,¡± Tang Yuxin grasped the bun and gobbled it down like a famished wolf. ¡°Take your time, no need to rush. There¡¯s plenty more.¡± Lin Yang touched Tang Yuxin¡¯s forehead anxiously, fearing that the morning chill might have taken its toll on the child. After eating two buns and drinking half a cup of hot water, Tang Yuxin was no longer hungry. Looking at the kind couple in front of her and thinking back to the missed opportunities in her past life, her heart felt extremely aching and sad. If she hade to this ce in her past life, could she have found her way back home? Would she have avoided a lifetime of suffering? Yet, in the end, what she told Gu Ning was only the Wei Family¡¯s address. She had forgotten that her father once told her if she ever encountered difficulty, she should turn to Zhang Hongjun for help. Zhang Hongjun, a childhood ymate of Tang Zhinian¡¯s, and his wife were originally farmers. However, due to circumstances, they started selling buns and achieved moderate sess, eventually bing the first wealthy family in the vige. The person who persuaded her father to allow Sang Zhn to take her away was Zhang Hongjun¡¯s sister-inw, Huang Aimei. Tang Yuxin admitted she was a revengeful person. If it weren¡¯t for Huang Aimei, she would not have been taken away by Sang Zhn, nor would she have had to relive her miserable past. As such, she held Huang Aimei partly responsible. She would make an example of Huang Aimei, as a warning to those who dared to speak for Sang Zhn in the future. With regards to finding Zhang Hongjun, it was her way of expressing gratitude to him and his wife. Zhang Hongjun and his wife had always been oppressed by the sister-inw in their family, which led to their low status at home. Otherwise, they would not have left the vige and strived for livelihood in unfamiliar environs.
This time, it was their turn to enjoy good luck. Of course, this was also because Zhang Hongjun was a genuinely good person. In her previous life, when she was about to attend college, her father had borrowed money from everyone in the vige but was still short. Zhang Hongjun had then made up the difference. Without him, her father would not have been able to afford her college fees, and she would not have be a doctor. Favours, she remembered. Debts, of course, she remembered too. ¡°Yuxin, tell me who did this to you?¡± Lin Yang dabbed her tears, ¡°How heartless must someone be to beat a child like this?¡± Chapter 160: 162: The Child Has Been Sent Back Chapter 160: Chapter 162: The Child Has Been Sent Back ¡°Mama hit me,¡± Tang Yuxin dropped her eyes and tried to hold back her voice. She didn¡¯t cry loudly, but just the sight of her tears rolling down her face made anyone who witnessed it easily feel her grievance. ¡°Your mom hit you?¡± Lin Yang couldn¡¯t believe what he was hearing. ¡°I told her, I told my sister-inw not to interfere with the Tang family¡¯s affairs. But she wouldn¡¯t listen. That Sang Zhn abandoned her breastfeeding child, which just proved how irresponsible she was. Now, she wanted to get the child back. Who knows what she¡¯s nning now?¡± ¡°Just see,¡± said Lin Yang with an I-told-you-so look, ¡°which mother could abandon her child who is less than a year old? And which mother would beat her child into such a condition?¡± ¡°Auntie¡­¡± Tang Yuxin clenched Lin Yang¡¯s hand tightly. Her small hands were covered with blisters. They were scalded. She had only shown her left hand previously, hiding her right hand. Seeing her right hand now was simply, it left Liu Juan speechless. This was truly a sinful act. ¡°Auntie, I want to go home. I want my dad¡­¡± She spoke while tears continued to roll down her red and swollen face. Even Lin Yang, who was unrted to the situation, was moved to tears. The child was too pitiful. ¡°Let¡¯s go, we¡¯ll return to the vige.¡± Zhang Hongjun was also upset. He decided to not open his shop for business that day. He and Tang Zhinian had grown up together as close friends. Now that the child was in such a state, his family was not without responsibility.
He also med his sister-inw, Huang Aimei. He wondered how she intended to handle the situation now. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go pack up some things first.¡± Zhang Hongjun wasted no time and immediately went back to his house to pack things to take back to the vige. There was not much to pack; he took the keys, some money, and together with Lin Yang, they brought Tang Yuxin back to the vige. ¡°Knock knock¡­¡± Lin Yang knocked on the door of the Tang family¡¯s home. The Tang family was living well now. In the past, they only had a dpidated house to their name. But now, both brothers had two-story houses each. Moreover, Tang Zhijun was a skilled automobile repairer. He had set up a stall in front of their house where he repaired vehicles for a living and made a decent amount of money every day. Tang Zhinian was more than capable of supporting his daughter. Why should his precious daughter, whom he had cherished ever since she was a little girl, have to suffer physical abuse from others? ¡°Who is it?¡± The door opened and Zhang Xiangcao stepped out. Seeing that it was Lin Yang, she quickly weed him with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s sister-inw. Come in and have a seat in the house.¡± Zhang Xiangcao and Zhang Hongjun were familiar with each other. They had always been friendly, even though they seldom visited each other. Now that she had married into the Tang family, their visits had be even more frequent, thus, the two families were naturally closer. Liu Yang wanted to say something but hesitated because she wasn¡¯t good at expressing herself. She figured it would be clear when they saw the child¡¯s faceter. Zhang Hongjun walked in from the rear, carrying a sleeping Tang Yuxin on his back. At first, Zhang Xiangcao didn¡¯t know who Zhang Hongjun was carrying. However, as soon as she saw the child¡¯s face, she was startled. Wasn¡¯t this her home¡¯s Yuxin? ¡°Yuxin?¡± Zhang Xiangcao rushed over immediately. However, when she saw Tang Yuxin¡¯s swollen face, and the various injuries and blisters on her body, she almost cked out from fear and immediately burst into tears. ¡°Yangyang, go to the field and call Zhinian and Zhijun back home,¡± Zhang Hongjun instructed his wife ¡°Xiangcao, boil some water. I¡¯ve already asked someone to call Uncle Chen Zhong. Let¡¯s not argue about who¡¯s responsible for now. We should take care of the child first.¡± ¡°Okay, okay.¡± Zhang Xiangcao covered her mouth and quickly ran into the kitchen to boil water. While Tang Zhinian and his brother were busy in the field, a man rushed over. ¡°Zhinian, hurry back home. Something has happened to your daughter.¡± ¡°What?¡± Tang Zhinian was confused at first. ¡°What happened?¡±
¡°Your daughter.¡± The man¡¯s impatience was apparent; he was almost out of breath. Tang Zhinian shed a quick grin, exposing his white teeth. ¡°My darling Yuxin? Her mother missed her and took her home to stay. Each time I mention this, I feel gratified. I reckon I did the right thing: Yuxin now has both a father and a mother. At least during Yuxin¡¯s growing years, her parents will always shower her with love.¡± ¡°Zhinian, hurry back home,¡± the man became more anxious. So much that the pressure ulcer in his mouth seemed ready to burst. ¡°Your daughter was brought back by Zhang Hongjun.¡±
Tang Zhinian was stunned, and immediately discarded his hoe before he sprinted back home. Tang Zhijun had just stepped out of their house when he saw his elder brother running home as if he had seen a ghost. He didn¡¯t understand what was going on and scratched his head in confusion. ¡°Zhijun, you should return home too,¡± said the messenger who had intended to leave but lingered upon seeing Tang Zhijun. ¡°Your Yuxin has returned home. Apparently, there¡¯s been an incident.¡± ¡°What? Something happened to my Xinxin? What could have happened?¡± Without giving another thought to fieldwork or the hoe, Tang Zhijun dashed back home with all his might. By then, their front porch was already crowded with people, all of them whispering among themselves. Seeing Tang Zhinian and his brother returning, everyone fell silent, but as soon as both men entered the house, whispers started buzzing again, almost as if everyone was privy to some insider information. Inside, Tang Yuxin was fast asleep, her cheeks an unnaturally bright red. She had spent the entire night outside in the cold and her body was covered in injuries. There were blisters all over her hands as well. Chen Zhong had already treated her wounds and bandaged her hands. She was currently applying medication to the other injuries on her body. Half of her face was grotesquely swollen, and the corner of her mouth was split open. Tang Zhinian never in his wildest dreams thought that his beautiful and healthy daughter would return in such a state. It was almost as if she had no skin left intact. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s not serious,¡± Chen Zhong said, cing his calloused hand on Tang Yuxin¡¯s forehead. ¡°She¡¯s not too badly burnt. She¡¯s much better than she was earlier. It¡¯s just superficial injuries. A period of recuperation should heal her.¡± His apprentice had never been wronged since she was young. As for good medicine and secret remedies, he hadn¡¯t hesitated to give her the best of what he had. Now, who would dare do this to her? How could they have the heart to be so ruthless to such a young child? Tang Zhinian walked over, brushing his daughter¡¯s face. As a grown man, he was on the verge of tearing up. How had his heart turned out like this? When she left, she had plump, rosy cheeks. But now, her face was still plump, but not from flesh, but from swelling. How had it be like this?
Tang Yuxin was still sleeping, her breathing inconsistent, and she seemed deeply uneasy. ¡°I found Yuxin outside my steamed bun shop. She was like this,¡± said Lin Yang, her heart burning with anger. ¡°If she hadn¡¯t been sitting right in front of my house, it could have been disastrous. She¡¯s such a small child, it¡¯s dangerous for her to be out on the streets alone. What if she had been kidnapped?¡± Chapter 161: 163: Such a Mother Chapter 161: Chapter 163: Such a Mother She remembered a couple living next door to the ce she was renting. The wife had gone mad after losing their child, and the husband, who was always at her side, seemed to have aged more than a decade overnight. She really couldn¡¯t imagine, what would happen to Tang Zhinian if Yuxin was lost? Tang Zhinian only has this one daughter. If he were to lose the child, wouldn¡¯t that be taking the life of an adult? ¡°Sister-inw, how did our Yuxin end up like this?¡± Tang Zhijun was ready to kill. Yuxin had been perfectly fine when she left. When she returned, she was covered in injuries. As soon as this was mentioned, there was a gnashing of teeth in Lin Yang¡¯s voice, ¡°How did this happen? What else could have happened? The child said her mother beat her.¡± ¡°Is this still a mother? She¡¯s so ruthless to her own daughter. Zhinian, what were you thinking?¡± Although Lin Yang hadn¡¯t had a child yet, she was a woman, and she couldn¡¯t bear to hit even someone else¡¯s child, let alone her own future child. She really couldn¡¯t understand, ¡°You said, Sang Zhn abandoned Yuxin while she was still breastfeeding. Yuxin has not been taken care of all these years. How can you entrust your child to such a mother?¡± Her voice was loud and irate. At that moment, a woman who had juste in was caught off guard by her words. Her mind went nk, and her scalp began to tingle. Lin Yang saw this and snorted, if you¡¯ve done something disgusting, then don¡¯t let others take the me for it. Tang Yuxin was awakened by the noise. She was very sleepy and wanted to sleep, but the moment the noise from outside grew louder, she woke up. With her eyes swollen and barely able to open, most of the vigers had arrived, making the Tang family house nearly imprable.
Also, she saw Huang Aimei standing at the door. Huang Aimei probably wanted to sneak away, but now the outside was packed with people. She couldn¡¯t escape, and she couldn¡¯t retreat either. All she could do was brace herself and stand there, whereas the barrage of people¡¯s insults felt like they were continuously pping her in the face. Not to mention anyone else, at this moment, she wanted to p her own face. She should never have agreed to help Sang Zhn. Furthermore, Sang Zhn gave her some good quality fabric that moved her at the time. It was true that Sang Zhn didn¡¯t know many people in the vige, so she was the only one Sang Zhn could turn to. But who knew that Sang Zhn would be so shameless as to beat the child like this, and had her younger brother and sister-inw bring her back? Even now, if she had the words, she couldn¡¯t exin herself adequately. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn¡¯t clear her name. It was as if she had pushed someone¡¯s child into a pit of fire. From now on, whenever people in the vige see her, they might scold her. In her heart, she was continuously cursing Sang Zhn, who deserved a horrible death. It¡¯s one thing if you¡¯re abusive to your child, but why drag her into it? She didn¡¯t even know how to clean up this mess. How was she supposed to face her father-inw and mother-inw, and her husband when she got home? If this matter was not handled well, then others might really wish harm on her entire family. ¡°Xinxin, Xinxin, how are you feeling?¡± At this point, Tang Zhinian¡¯s voice anxiously called out. Huang Aimei was all ears. Perhaps it was because of Yuxin¡¯s mischievous nature, that she got herself injured like this, and it had nothing to do with Sang Zhn. Or perhaps it was Sang Zhn¡¯s man who beat the child, which still had nothing to do with Sang Zhn. No matter what, as long as it wasn¡¯t Sang Zhn, the child¡¯s biological mother, who beat her. However, she seemed to have forgotten. Such a small child wouldn¡¯t lie. Yuxin had said her mother beat her, so it must be that Sang Zhn did. ¡°Daddy¡­¡± When Tang Yuxin saw Tang Zhinian, all the grievances and bitterness that she had been holding back for a lifetime burst out. Such humiliation, such suffocation, such suppressed anger, and hatred. ¡°Daddy, I don¡¯t want to go to mom¡¯s ce anymore.¡± She grabbed Tang Zhinian¡¯s clothes, ¡°Daddy, I beg you, don¡¯t let me go to mom¡¯s ce again.¡± Saying this, she began to sob like a child. Not just Tang Zhinian and Tang Zhijun, but the other vigers were also saddened by her crying.
¡°Daddy, why do I have to wash the clothes and my little sister at mom¡¯s house doesn¡¯t? Why does my little sister have a room to sleep in and I can only sleep in the corner where the dog is kept? Why can they all eat meat while I can only eat white rice? Why do I have to cook and my little sister doesn¡¯t have to do anything? Why can my little sister learn piano and my mother said I¡¯m too old to learn? Why when my little sister falls ill, does mom hit me? I¡¯ve been trying hard to take care of my little sister and doing housework. Why does she hit me, why?¡± She grabbed Tang Zhinian¡¯s hand and cried hoarsely. ¡°Daddy, what did I do wrong, why does mom hit me? Why did she chase me out? Daddy, I don¡¯t want to go to mom¡¯s ce. I¡¯m never going back to mom¡¯s ce.¡± Yes, these were the questions she most wanted to ask in her previous life. What did she do wrong? What had she done wrong? Why was her biological mother treating her this way, looking at her as if she were not human?
She was her own flesh and blood, right? Was it because her surname was Tang? Was it because her life was cheap? Sang Zhn was truly inhuman. Lin Yang wiped her own tears, and in her rage, wanted to roll up her sleeves and fight Sang Zhn. Even though Tang Yuxin didn¡¯t say much, everyone who heard could infer that Sang Zhn took the child home to beat her and make the youngster serve their family. She was just a child. In their vige, children her age were still ignorant, ying with mud outside the vige all day and teasing cats and dogs. How could they expect a child of her age to cook, clean, and take care of other children? Even if you adopt a dog, you still have to feed the dog. This wasn¡¯t about wanting a child at all; it was about hiring a servant. Tang Zhinian wiped his face, then ced hisrge hand on his daughter¡¯s head. ¡°Xinxin, don¡¯t be afraid. We aren¡¯t going back there anymore. Even if daddy bes poorer, we won¡¯t go back.¡± Yes, they weren¡¯t going back, even if it killed him. He thought that he had done the right thing and had given his daughter motherly love. In reality, this kind of motherly love was destructive. Even though his daughter was born in the countryside, he had never neglected her since she was a child. But once she was with Sang Zhn, his daughter had be trash. Did it mean that the man¡¯s daughter was a treasure? Chapter 162: 164: Knocking on the Door Chapter 162: Chapter 164: Knocking on the Door How utterly cruel does a woman have to be to inflict such heavy harm on her own daughter? That woman shattered her child into a wreck, leaving no part of her unscathed. Huang Aimei left with a face as gray as dust, her heart seething with hatred towards Sang Zhn. Sang Zhn had ruined her, and even she, an outsider, was caught up in the crossfire. Indeed, when evening came, the whole Zhang Hongjun family was there ¨C Zhang¡¯s parents, Zhang Hongjun and his wife, as well as Zhang Hongjun¡¯s older brother and Huang Aimei. ¡°Sister-inw, how could you do such a thing?¡± Lin Yang directly confronted Huang Aimei, ¡°I know, you have a good rtionship with Sang Zhn, but no matter how close you are, you can¡¯t push someone¡¯s child into danger. Not to mention that Zhang Hongjun and Zhinian grew up together, even if we are all from the same vige. You can¡¯t justify this. You tell me, don¡¯t you feel ufortable wearing the high-quality fabric you received, knowing what you¡¯ve done?¡± Huang Aimei would have normally retorted to such statements, but she was left speechless as everyone spewed their contempt at her. Everyone in the vige knew that she had received high-quality fabric from Sang Zhn. She even unted them on purpose by wearing new clothes made from them, now the whole vige knew about it. She had sent someone else¡¯s child to be abused by their own mother, all for a few yards of fabric. The harsh looks from her inws made her contemte hitting her head against a wall and ending it all. Even if she jumped into the Yellow River, she wouldn¡¯t be able to cleanse herself. Her good reputation, maintained over many years, waspletely shattered in an instant.
When Wei Tian returned home carrying Wei Jiani, he found that ayer of dust had settled in the house. His gaze turned cold when he noticed Sang Zhn. His coldness quickly shifted to worry, his attempt to smile turned awkward, so fake that anyone but Sang Zhn could see it. ¡°Zhn, don¡¯t be too angry.¡± ¡°Nini is fine, isn¡¯t she? Yuxin is just a child, it¡¯s normal for her to behave immaturely. She¡¯s still just a child. A few words of reprimand would suffice, don¡¯t scare the child.¡± ¡°Still immature?¡± Every time Sang Zhn talked about her useless daughter, she wished she could strangle her. ¡°She¡¯s already nine years old. Can a child of this age really fail to take care of her little sister? I think she did it on purpose.¡± As she looked at a small, closed door, her previously soften heart hardened again at the sight of the dust on the table. If she¡¯s already scheming at such a young age, what would she be like when she grows up? She had decided not to deal with Tang Yuxin. Yuxin had been spoiled by Tang Zhinian. She was not nearly as obedient as her own daughter Nini. If she didn¡¯t discipline her properly this time, how could she manage her in the future? A night passed and in the morning, Sang Zhn didn¡¯t call Tang Yuxin for breakfast, she left her alone in the doghouse. ¡°Are you not going to call her for breakfast?¡± Wei Tian asked Sang Zhn. ¡°Never mind,¡± he tried to cate her, ¡°Nini is fine. There¡¯s no need to hold a grudge. Let here out.¡± ¡°Come out?¡± Sang Zhnughed coldly. ¡°Thieves start with pins and end with gold. If we don¡¯t treat her faults now, how will we manageter? She¡¯s already sneakily getting up to so much mischief at such a young age.¡± And all along, she believed that Tang Yuxin did it on purpose, that she intentionally made Wei Jiani sick, which was something she could never forgive. Just as they sat down to eat, there was a loud knocking on the outer door. ¡°Who is that?¡± Sang Zhn was already in a bad mood, and the knocking on the door was like a reminder of some bad luck. She mmed her chopsticks down, got up to open the door, and before she could even get a word out, she heard a p and then Huang Aimei¡¯s shrill scream. ¡°You dare to trick me, Sang Zhn?¡± Huang Aimei shouted. ¡°I¡¯ve never been taken advantage of like this in my life.¡± As she spoke, one hand reached out to w Sang Zhn¡¯s face, leaving a scratch. Behind her, Tang Zhinian walked in. He ignored the two women fighting to the death; after all, it had nothing to do with him. His gaze coldlynded on Wei Jiani, who was obviously frightened and sitting in a chair.
Wei Jiani was still dressed in the clothes he had specifically bought for his own daughter, fearing that she would beughed at in the city. So he had sent all the new clothes with her. But in the end, who ended up wearing these new clothes? Wei Jiani was frightened by Tang Zhinian¡¯s cold face and immediately burst into tears Wei Tian quickly scooped up Wei Jiani, his face turning crimson. Some people, if they act hypocritically, feel as if they can¡¯t lift their heads with dignity. Just like Wei Tian now. He wanted to question Tang Zhinian¡¯s reason foring to his house, but his face felt hot¡­ so hot that he was speechless and dared not move.
¡°Where¡¯s Yuxin¡¯s school bag?¡± Tang Zhinian¡¯s hands were tightly clenched. He could almost hear the sound of his fingers creaking. Otherwise, he was not sure whether he would end up wrecking Wei Tian¡¯s house. All he wanted to know now was who on earth could be so ruthless as to beat his precious daughter to this extent. His throat tightened while his eyes well up with tears¡­ Wei Tian nced at the small door nervously. Tang Zhinian¡¯s heart ached again. It was almost unbearable, the rage inside him, the kind that made him want to kill. They dared, they actually dared, to make his daughter live in a ce like a dog kennel. When Tang Yuxin told him about it, he did not believe it. He had faith in Sang Zhn and didn¡¯t think she would let his daughter live in a dog kennel. But now, he was devoid of even the feeling of despair. He walked over and put his hand on the doorknob. His hand was trembling, and his palm was sweaty. He couldn¡¯t believe his eyes. His Yuxin had been living in this doghouse for the past few months, serving the Wei family as their servant. In the end, they beat her until she was all bruised and battered. How old is Yuxin? A nine-year-old child, who was supposed to be a treasure with a mother, ended up being treated like a piece of unwanted grass, subject to cruel trampling, if that mother is Sang Zhn. He opened the door. Seeing the bedding on the ground inside, tears welled up in his eyes. The room was tiny, just enough space for a child to sleep. Even then, there wasn¡¯t enough room to roll over. The floor was cold, with only a thinyer of torn up padding. A small school bag, which belonged to Tang Yuxin, was inside. Not many of the clothes he had brought for his daughter were there, suggesting that they had been worn by Wei Tian¡¯s daughter under the instruction of Sang Zhn.
Chapter 163: 165 The Green-haired Tortoise Chapter 163: Chapter 165 The Green-haired Tortoise Everything that Wei Tian¡¯s daughter was wearing, every single item was given by his Yuxin. He really couldn¡¯t understand how could there be such a ruthless mother in this world. That¡¯s not just a kitten or puppy, that¡¯s her own flesh and blood. He took out his daughter¡¯s schoolbag, and found the books inside just as they had been, untouched. His daughter had to do housework, cook for the family, and babysit a seven-year-old child. They really treated his daughter as if she were an adult. He took the schoolbag and walked out. Wei Jiani was still wailing uncontrobly. On the other side, Huang Aimei and Sang Zhn were still going at each other, their clothespletely torn. They were both beaten ck and blue, but they didn¡¯t stop. Tang Zhinian walked up to Wei Tian, but Wei Tian dodged to the side. ¡°A man who cannot even protect his own woman is a pathetic excuse for a man.¡± His words made Wei Tian¡¯s face turn pale. It wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t want to help; he didn¡¯t know how. Huang Aimei was a typical rural woman. He was an educated man, a schr, a gentleman. How could he hit a woman? But at this moment, that woman was scratching at his wife¡¯s face and tearing at her clothes.
Huang Aimei had her fill of the fight. Although she had taken some hits, Sang Zhn had suffered more. She never lost a fight before, or else how would she, an outsider, dare to throw her weight around in the Zhang Family? No one else had the guts to provoke her. ¡°Pah!¡± She spit on the ground and, her eyes darted between Wei Tian and Wei Jiani¡¯s faces, ¡°Zhinian, now there¡¯s a real man. If he wasn¡¯t, how else could he have bedded your woman?¡± Her words were harsh andcked all semnce of integrity, something a typical person wouldn¡¯t dare to say. But Huang Aimei wasn¡¯t typical. She dared to utter any thought that came to mind, without any self-restraint. She tutted, her gazended on Wei Jiani¡¯s face ¡°Well¡­ no wonder..¡± She smirked and her words grew increasingly challenging. ¡°Zhinian, does this brat resemble Sang Zhn or what? To me, she¡¯s no one else¡¯s child but clearly Sang¡¯s own daughter. Looks like all that money you spent over the years has been spent bringing up someone else¡¯s kid. You¡¯ve been made a cuckold.¡± ¡°What nonsense are you talking about?¡± Sang Zhn¡¯s eyes were red as she yelled at Huang Aimei. Her nervousness and rage were more than evident, she was trying to cover up an inconvenient truth. However, some things can¡¯t be inverted simply by uttering a few words. It¡¯s undeniable that Wei Jiani does resemble Sang Zhn. Tang Zhinian¡¯s hand at his side clenched. His heart was pounding in his chest, like he was suppressing something. Sang Zhn widened her eyes in rm, ran to Wei Tian, and held Wei Jiani, who was sobbing for breath, tightly in her arms. Her face had been scratched by Huang Aimei. No matter how good their rtionship had been, things had turned sour now. Tang Zhinian¡¯s lips tightened, and his heart ached. He had long lost his love for Sang Zhn, but what he could not tolerate most was Sang Zhn¡¯s abuse of his daughter. ¡°Ha¡­¡± he mocked himself and was full of resentment. ¡°Sang Zhn, from now on, you live your life and I¡¯ll live mine. You¡¯d better stay out of my sight, or I won¡¯t let you off,¡± He put his hand on the table where was a half-eaten breakfast. With a bang, he overturned the table. They dare to eat. Can they still stomach their food? Have they ever cared about my Yuxin? After beating the child like that, they can still eat? I hope they choke. He had always believed that all people were good at heart. Sang Zhn may not be perfect, but she certainly wouldn¡¯t neglect her own daughter. But today, he finally understood. Some people¡¯s hearts aren¡¯t made of flesh. They¡¯re made of stone or rather they have no heart at all. This sudden action scared Wei Tian and his family. Even Wei Jiani hid in her mother¡¯s arms and didn¡¯t dare cry. ¡°Sang Zhn, from now on, my daughter has nothing to do with you,¡± Tang Zhinian stood up. His voice came from his chest, like a stone, smashing directly into Sang Zhn¡¯s chest.
Such a woman is unworthy to be a mother. Huang Aimei spit towards the doorway. ¡°A disgrace, an embarrassment.¡± She snorted. This time, she had really taken the bait. Clearly, it was the cunning Sang Zhn who had dug a pit for her to jump into. Who knew she had such a trick up her sleeve?
As soon as Huang Aimei returned to the vige, she spread the word, saying that the daughter of the man Sang Zhn married looked exactly like Sang Zhn herself and imed that she was someone else¡¯s child. Clearly, she was her own daughter. Did she take everyone for fools, thinking they were blind? No wonder she could bear to be so cruel to her own daughter. Doesn¡¯t she have more daughters other than Tang Yuxin? Everyone was now sympathetic towards Tang Zhinian. How could such an honest man have encountered such a woman? At the same time, they decried the Sang family, especially Seven Auntie who had been the matchmaker. A woman can be tolerable even if she isn¡¯t good-looking or can¡¯t do housework, but infidelity is a major issue. Seven Auntie had been matchmaking people for a lifetime and had never encountered anything like this. In the old days, this would have warranted being thrown into a pig cage. Who would want her as a matchmaker after this incident involving Sang Zhn? Wasn¡¯t this tantamount to cutting off people¡¯s livelihood? In this era, daring to cut off people¡¯s livelihood was akin to killing their parents. Seven Auntie, with her once foot-bound feet, went straight to the vige where the Sang family lived. In front of the Sang family¡¯s door, she scolded them for not knowing how to teach their daughter, saying that their daughter was capricious and promiscuous. She abandoned her eldest daughter and had a child with another man. The entire vige gathered around; some were talking, some wereughing. Everyone loved a good spectacle, especially this sort of scandal. The Sang Family all looked terribly embarrassed, their faces like buttocks, just waiting to be trampled on. The reputation of the Sang family waspletely ruined. Who would dare to associate with them in the future? The wives of the Sang Family¡¯s sons, shamed, returned to their parents¡¯ homes, where their inw¡¯s deeds became known.
Chapter 164 - 166: Hurting Zhong Yong Forever Chapter 164: Chapter 166: Hurting Zhong Yong Forever For a time, neither the inws nor the parental home could stand her. For a long period, the Sang Family had no choice but to recoil into their own homes, hiding away from people. Of course, these matters were all rted to other people and had nothing to do with Tang Yuxin. Tang Yuxin was mostly recovered. Day in and day out, she followed Chen Zhong to collect medicinal herbs. Her hands were in contact with herbs every day, acquiring a scent of medicine. ¡°You know how important your hands are to a doctor?¡± Chen Zhong picked up a bamboo stick, sometimes tapping the table, ¡°Tang Yuxin, can you be a doctor without agile fingers orplete hands?¡± Tang Yuxin was admonished till she could only hang her head, daring not to retort. If she did, she knew she would be reduced to ruin. ¡°Look at your ws,¡± Upon seeing the hands of Tang Yuxin, Chen Zhong was so angry he almost vomited blood. How much effort has he put into her since she was a child? The thousand-year-old secret medicine and the unique forms of the Chen Family had all been used for her, but to no avail. It was a waste of energy and years. ¡°You¡¯re already dark and ugly, who wille to you for treatment without a pair of a good hands?¡± Tang Yuxin sighed softly. This was like a stab to the heart. It hurt. She put her hands behind her and dared not look at them. Her hands used to be soft and youthful, now they were rough and calloused, the back of her hand was even scarred from burns. ¡°Why are you still standing?¡± Chen Zhong hit the table again with the stick. Tang Yuxin looked up, baffled. What was she supposed to do if not stand here? Go home? ¡°Go boil the medicine and soak your hands.¡± Chen Zhong hit Tang Yuxin¡¯s head with the bamboo stick, ¡°You were quite clever as a child. How did you be like this? Not only are you growing uglier, but you¡¯ve also be more foolish.¡± ¡°Did you truly damage yourself beyond repair?¡± Chen Zhong mumbled to himself: He apologized to their ancestors and his grandfather for hisck of judgement in choosing a disciple. Tang Yuxin went into the medicine room. She put the herbs into the medicine pot, a handful at a time without having to weigh them individually. After the concoction was ready, she lifted the pot and poured it into a basin. As soon as her hand touched the water, she quickly pulled them back. It¡¯s so hot! This was not soaking her hands, but scalding pig trotters. However, she had no choice. As a doctor, it would hinder her work significantly, hence, learning the Chen Family¡¯s Acupuncture Method required her to take great care of her hands. Only thus could she insert the needle precisely when touching the needle with her fingertips. She sat in a pile of herbs, casually sorting them out. She put her hand on her neck absentmindedly and pulled out a ne. She couldn¡¯t tell what material it was made of, probably silver. Hanging from the ne was a uniquely-shaped pendant, nestled in her palm and warmed by her body heat. She put the ne back around her neck then got back to sorting the herbs. ¡°Yuxin, howe you¡¯re not ying?¡± Zhang Yindi was a regr visitor to Tang Yuxin¡¯s home. Every child in the vige loved to go to Tang Yuxin¡¯s house, where the food was delicious, and they could sometimes have a meal. Among them, Zhang Yindi was the most frequent visitor. ¡°I need to finish drying these,¡± Tang Yuxin picked up a basket and walked into the shade. While medicinal herbs did not seem delicate, they required specific conditions to dry, such as exposure to rainfall, light, and temperature. The minor difference could bring about a huge disparity in results. ¡°I¡¯ll help you,¡± announced Zhang Yindi as he took a basket and ced it under the sun. Meanwhile, Tang Yuxin merely pursed her lips and resumed her drying work after Zhang Yindi left. Her drying work wasplete, these were the herbs that couldn¡¯t be left in the sun; they required drying in the shade, away from direct sunlight. ¡°Zhang Yindi, Zhang Xiaomei¡­¡± she mumbled these names, still uncertain why Gu Ning was so fond of Zhang Xiaomei ¨C a girl of ordinary appearance who wasn¡¯t too bright and hailed from the countryside. He had been smitten by her to the point that he offered to donate his kidney when Zhang Xiaomei¡¯s failed. Husband and wife are like birds of the same forest, when disaster strikes, they each fly separately. However, it seemed Gu Ning had never held this belief. He never abandoned Zhang Xiaomei, but in the end, Zhang Xiaomei abandoned him.Perhaps this was Zhang Xiaomei¡¯s fate: to have a husband who loved her to the bone, a happy family and a man who would fulfil her every desire. As for Tang Yuxin herself, she might have had a miserable previous life, but in this one, she simply wanted to live freely ¨C which was good, in its own way. The outside world wasn¡¯t always thrilling. Along with the excitement came unforeseen dangers. Today, you might be living well, but tomorrow, you might encounter all sorts of idents. And idents were the most unpredictable dangers for human beings. For oneself, or others. She bowed her head and put her fingers into the basket again. The herbs in the basket were ready for use. All of Chen Zhong¡¯s herbs were self-collected, so he didn¡¯t charge a lot for treating people. Over the years, Chen Zhong¡¯s health was not as good as before, hence the task of collecting herbs fell to Tang Yuxin. ¡°Ahem¡­Yuxin¡­¡± Chapter 165 - 167: Separation Chapter 165: Chapter 167: Separation Chen Zhong coughed, his face unnaturally pale. It had been like this for the past few years, up and down. ¡°Grandpa, take your medicine,¡± Tang Yuxin ced the medicine in front of Chen Zhong. Yet, her expression was somewhat sad. She knew that Chen Zhong was ill, and it was serious. Neither Western medicine nor traditional Chinese medicine could cure his condition. It was simply the natural aging process, but Chen Zhong was aging faster than most. As for the reason, it could have been some trauma he experienced when he was young, or a hidden illness he had for all his life. It wasn¡¯t easy for him to havested until now. Tang Yuxin was a doctor, and a pretty good internist at that. However, she discovered the illness toote, and Chen Zhong was good at hiding it, so it was irreversible by the time Tang Yuxin found out about his condition. And there was no cure for his illness. Neither Western nor Chinese medicine could help a man already in the twilight of his life. Every organ in his body was already failing, and his survival to this point might only be due to the Chen-style Rejuvenation Acupuncture Technique, which kept him hanging on. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Chen Zhong reached out and patted Tang Yuxin¡¯s head. ¡°I should have been dead long ago. If it weren¡¯t for epting you as my little apprentice, I might have died in that flood. I just can¡¯t let go of you as you haven¡¯tpletely grown up.¡± He sighed. Unfortunately, those books were swept away by the flood. ¡°Therefore, there¡¯s not much I can leave for you. You¡¯ve grown up, and you¡¯ve learned all that I know. Now it will be up to you.¡± All of us will die eventually, sooner orter, it is determined the moment we are born. Tang Yuxin realized for the first time how sad it was to part from life. In her previous life, she had left Tang Zhinian dealing with her death, an old man burying his child. Her brother had died, her daughter was gone too, an old man who had lived for his daughter had to face all this. How heartbroken he must have been. What use was there in leaving him more money? No amount of money can buy back a life. At this moment, Tang Yuxin finally realized what she had brought to her father in her previous life. She had led an ineffectual life and never allowed her father a single happy day. In the end, he even had to watch her die and bury her. They say raising children is to safeguard the old age, but who took care of Tang Zhinian¡¯s affairs after his only daughter died prematurely? No one knew. As for Sang Zhn¡¯s family, they were living happily, living in her house, with her husband, spending the money she had earned with her life. ¡°Little girl, don¡¯t think too much, life and death are determined by fate.¡± Chen Zhong patted Tang Yuxin¡¯s head again, ¡°Don¡¯t be too mature, you¡¯re still a child. I don¡¯t know where you got this temperament. But even if I die now, I would have no regrets.¡± He had passed on the Chen family¡¯s medical skills, so he had fulfilled his duty to the Chen family. It¡¯s unfortunate about his books. Tang Yuxin took back the bowl, brought it to the kitchen, and silently began washing it. Suddenly, she looked up. Her face reflected in the mirror still had an innocent, immature look. But just like Chen Zhong said, they would all die one day. She was still young now, but had prematurely aged. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Chen Zhong seemed a little better. His eyes had more energy, and his spirit seemed lifted. But Tang Yuxin knew there was a term for this ¨C terminal lucidity. He pointed to the cardboard box that Tang Yuxin brought over and asked. His wrinkled eyes seemed to shine a little brighter. Tang Yuxin opened the box to reveal book after book. ¡°This is¡­¡± Chen Zhong suddenly felt a sourness in his nose. His trembling, aged hands, devoid of skin and flesh, resembled dry tree branches in winter, grayish white, cracked, and lifeless. He took a book from the box. It was an old book. The yellowing pages held memories unique to time. If not mistaken, the book should be over a hundred years old. He took out another one, also an old book with many annotations. ¡°These were what you gave me years ago. I kept them all,¡± Tang Yuxin crouched down and took out the books one by one from the box. ¡°When I was young, I didn¡¯t know where it would be safe to keep them. I just felt they needed to be in a ce where I couldn¡¯t reach them on a whim.¡± ¡°So I thought of the big Pagoda tree at the entrance of my house. I asked my second uncle to keep my stuff there, including these books. These are what you gave me, and those I borrowed and never returned. They¡¯re all here, none are missing or damaged.¡± ¡°Good girl, good girl¡­¡± Chen Zhong held the books and, his old face finally showed contentment. He handed the books back to Tang Yuxin. ¡°I have nothing valuable to leave you in my life. Even this house belongs to the vige. After I die, it will be returned to the vige. These herbs were collected by me over the years; you can take them. And these books, these books¡­¡± He caressed the books. Through the passage of time, it seemed as if he was transported back to a long time ago, when he was a child picking medicinal herbs on the mountain with his grandfather. Back then, he was a young boy. And now, he was about to die. However, having lived a full life, he was content. ¡°I leave these books to you. One day, when you have a child, pass them on. The medical skills of our Chen family are passed down from generation to generation. Although it stopped with me, without a direct Chen family sessor, at least the Chen family¡¯s medical skills survive.¡± And these books, they¡¯re still here. He now truly believed that Tang Yuxin was a child sent by the ancestors of the Chen family. She was the rightful one to learn their medical skills and inherit everything of the Chen family. Tang Yuxin put the books away. Her hand, holding the pages of the books, tightened, resisting the bitter and sad feelings of the imminent parting. Chen Zhong¡¯s health started to deteriorate half a year ago, and during this time, he taught Tang Yuxin everything he could. When she was young, he had already force-fed her a lot of knowledge. With Tang Yuxin growing up, she had now learnt 70% of his medical skills, and the remaining 30% would simplye with experience over time. Chapter 166 - 168: The Uncertainty of Life Chapter 166: Chapter 168: The Uncertainty of Life Tang Yuxin is still young, she¡¯s only twelve years old. Who can tell what her future holds? Chen Zhong¡¯s illness dragged on for another two months, and on a snowy day, he passed away. His departure was quiet and without regret. Once Tang Yuxin had mastered the unique Chen-style acupuncture method, Chen Zhong¡¯s eyes had lost much of their vitality. He had clung to life until now, waited until Tang Yuxin turned twelve. No one knew what he had been through and endured over the years. For Chen Zhong, dying quietly under a nket of white snow seemed more appealing than clinging to life in his decrepit state. It was an appropriate day for eternal rest. Chen Zhong, much like a sleeping man, was breathing just yesterday, but today, there was nothing left. Just like the previous lifetime, the arrangements following Chen Zhong¡¯s death were carried out by the vige. Vige members had always been cared for by Chen Zhong, who had treated theirmon illnesses and pains without ever charging a fee. His kindness was remembered by everyone. On the day of Chen Zhong¡¯s burial, nearly everyone in the vige wore mourning attire. Although he never had a child of his own, he was sent off by so many, including Tang Yuxin who hade to call him grandfather, making him her guardian in the future. His share of the sacrificial money would never be missing during the Qingming and Zhongyuan festivals each year. That year, Tang Yuxin turned thirteen, and Chen Zhong didn¡¯t make it through the year. Compared with her previous life, Chen Zhong lived five years longer, and she knew it was because of her. She took the herbs from Chen Zhong¡¯s ce to her home, knowing that no one woulde to her for treatment. Even though she had been apprenticing with Chen Zhong, she was still young, and no one would believe her medical skills even if she bragged about them. Of course, she never did. Shortly after, a western medicine practitioner from out of town arrived in the vige. He rented a room in the middle of the vige and started practicing medicine there. Unlike Chen Zhong who could sometimes cure people with an asional dose of herbal medicine, the western doctor only prescribed western medicine or gave injections. In a few years, everyone seemed to have forgotten how Chen Zhong had cured them. The vigers now preferred a shot in the arm over drinking bitter herbal infusions. The vige health clinic thrived, especially during winter and change of seasons, when even a simple injection required standing in line. It seemed that the health clinic, which offered mainly intravenous infusions and injections, was always thriving. However, all this was irrelevant to Tang Yuxin and her family. When a family member fell sick, Tang Yuxin was the one to treat them. Having been a western medicine practitioner in her previous life, she knew intravenous infusions were not always beneficial, especially for children. Moreover, some ailments could be cured with simple herbal remedies. Yet, the vigers always chose to go to the health clinic whenever they felt unwell. Were they just wealthier or were they just afraid of death? Tang Yuxin didn¡¯t know, but she carried on with her own life. Chen Zhong was gone, but her medical skills had never waned. She often went to the mountains to pick herbs and enjoyed preparing medicinal liquor and medicinal meals. This was another interesting thing she found in the books left behind by Chen Zhong. If properly prepared, medicinal meals could be as effective as taking medicine. That¡¯s why people say that dietary remedies are often better than medicinal ones. She spent her days concocting this and that at home, and Sisi, who liked to squat besides her, would rest her small face upon her small hands, disying the demeanor of a littledy, so different from same-aged vige kids. Sisi was a well-behaved and pretty child, loved by all. Her plump cheeks had also finally filled out. Everyone agreed she was a pretty child. Even Tang Yuxin herself thought so as she took Sisi¡¯s little hand and ced them side by side. ¡°Sisi, do you think your sister is dark?¡± ¡°Yes, dark,¡± Sisi, an honest child, took her small and pale hand and touched her sister¡¯s fingers, ¡°Sister won¡¯t be dark if she doesn¡¯t bask in the sun.¡± Tang Yuxin sighed and rubbed Sisi¡¯s small head. Silly child, her darkness was natural; avoiding the sun would not lighten it. Even sweltering underyers of clothing wouldn¡¯t change the color of her skin. So, her hopes of lightening her skin was likely to be dashed. ¡°Sisi¡­¡± Zhang Xiangcao walked over, calling her daughter¡¯s name. ¡°Mum,¡± Sisi stood up and hugged Zhang Xiangcao¡¯s leg. ¡°You¡¯re already seven. Time to act like a big girl.¡± Zhang Xiangcao squatted down and tugged on Sisi¡¯s two little braids. After a few years of nurturing, Sisi had finally grown into a normal child, thanks inrge part to the never-ending meat supply from the Tang family. Without it, Sisi wouldn¡¯t have recovered so quickly from the malnutrition she experienced in her early years. ¡°My Sisi, no matter how big you get, you¡¯ll always be my precious baby girl,¡± arge hand reached out and lifted Sisi¡¯s miniature form, ¡°Let¡¯s go, Sisi. Dad will take you to see the fish. Our uncle and dad caught a big fish. We¡¯ll make fish soup for Sisi. Does that sound good?¡± ¡°Good,¡± Sisi pped her hands with joy. She wanted to see the fish, the big fish. Yes, she also wanted to drink fish soup. ¡°The fish soup is for daddy. Daddy worked hard.¡± Listen to the sweet words from this little mouth. Who was she learning this from? It was as if the adults¡¯ hearts were coated with honey. ¡°Our Sisi is so filial.¡± Tang Zhijun cherished his daughter Sisi a lot. She was as small as a kitten when he found her. Tang Zhijun feared she would be cold at night and always held her close for warmth. Sisi was like a fragile kitten, just a squeeze away from breaking. It took one cold winter for her to finally recover. In Sisi¡¯s heart, Tang Zhijun was her father, her real father. Seeing Tang Zhijun carrying Sisi off to drink fish soup, Zhang Xiangcao stood off to the side, wanting to speak yet holding back, as if she had a lot to say or ask, but in the end, she remained silent. ¡°Does auntie have something to say?¡± Tang Yuxin asked while sorting through the herbs. What could it be that was making her so ufortable? Zhang Xiangcao hesitated before walking over and sitting down in front of Tang Yuxin. ¡°How much of your grandfather Chen¡¯s medical skills have you learned?¡± Chapter 167 - 169: A Class Chapter 167: Chapter 169: A ss ¡°This¡­¡± Tang Yuxin lifted her finger. The scent of herbs lingered over her youthful fingers. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say I¡¯ve learned much, but I can diagnosemon diseases.¡± In reality, given the right conditions, she could also cure more serious diseases. In herst life, she had been apetent internist. She had performed numerous surgeries, at least a hundred if not thousands. Besides being recognized for her high sess rate, she was also known for her alias ¨C ¡®Ming Sanniang¡¯. As for this life, she wasn¡¯t sure of her progress, but she was certain she was far better than in her previous life. ¡°Then¡­¡± Zhang Xiangcao suddenly seized Tang Yuxin¡¯s hand. ¡°Yuxin, can you examine my second aunt? Why can¡¯t she¡­¡± Unable to finish her sentence in front of Tang Yuxin, she mentioned her body issues. Despite being married and having given birth to Sisi, speaking about her own body remained a challenge. Tang Yuxin lowered her head, looking at Zhang Xiangcao who was tightly gripping her wrist. She was too tense, causing pain to her bones from the grip. ¡°Second Aunt, are you asking why you haven¡¯t gotten pregnant yet?¡± Tang Yuxin wasn¡¯t an ordinary child. Having lived aplete life once, and being a doctor, she could guess Zhang Xiangcao¡¯s predicament. Apart from this, what else might Zhang Xiangcao be unable to ask? Zhang Xiangcao opened her mouth, her face flushing. ¡°Yes, Second Aunt will not hide it from you,¡± she wanted to ask Tang Yuxin this question. She was aware of the Tang family¡¯s situation. Tang Zhinian had no intention of marrying anyone else thus far. Tang Yuxin was the only name missing from the Tang family¡¯s list. Their descendants could not be cut off from her. Otherwise, she would be a sinner of the ages. Tang Yuxin tightened her grip on Zhang Xiangcao¡¯s hand and freed her slender wrist from Zhang Xiangcao¡¯s palm. Zhang Xiangcao¡¯s excitement might shatter her wrist. She lowered her head, took a handful of herbs from the bamboo basket, and the scent of the herbs became stronger under her fingers. Just as Zhang Xiangcao thought that Tang Yuxin wasn¡¯t going to say anything, Tang Yuxin suddenly lifted her face and stared at Zhang Xiangcao earnestly. ¡°Second Aunt, what if I told you that there would be no more children in your future with Second Uncle?¡± Zhang Xiangcao¡¯s face immediately changed. ¡°Yuxin, are you saying that I¡­¡± she rubbed her stomach. Tang Yuxin gave a faint smile, after all, what did it matter who couldn¡¯t have children? Anyway, she knew that Zhang Xiangcao and Zhijun would never leave each other. So, what was the point of knowing all this? It would be better not to know it at all. Zhang Xiangcao moistened her lips for quite a while and finally sighed faintly. Afterwards, she never mentioned these matters again, epting the fact she could no longer have children. Therefore, she treated Tang Zhinian even better. She also told Sisi since she was young to always be kind and loving to her father. Sisi had always loved her father more than her mother. That year, Tang Yuxin turned 15 and was now a junior high school student. The children in the vige started school two yearster than those in the city. While the city children usually began junior high school at age 12, those in the vige mostly started at 14 or 15, and some even at 16 or 17. The junior high school in the county was the best local junior high school, despite being close to rural areas, many city children also studied there. Because there was a newly built road in the vige, Li Tang Vige was now closer to the junior high school. It took about twenty minutes to walk there every day, so buying a bicycle was not necessary. She packed her school bag, turned around, and crouched down, cupping Sisi¡¯s little face, ¡°Sisi, you¡¯re a primary school student now, remember to study hard. If you score a hundred points in your exams, will your big sister buy you lots of candies?¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Sisi nodded her small head vigorously, looking just like a soft and sweet baozi. As for Tang Yuxin herself, she put her hands behind her back. Indeed, there was no harm withoutparison. She was just as dark as before. ¡°Grandpa must have been lying to me,¡± she lifted her face and let out a soft breath. He had said that eating would make her fair, but she had been eating for almost eight years now, and yet she was still as dark as before. ¡°Yuxin, Yuxin ¡­¡± there was a voice behind her calling her name. She turned around, recognizing the voice. It was Zhang Yindi. She pulled at the corner of her mouth lightly, smiling. However, the smile had a hint of unspoken distance, and beyond this distance, there was an indifference that others could not understand. ¡°Yuxin, my sister helped me check the ss arrangements.¡± The rustic girl ran over, her hair tied in a sloppy braid, a ribbon apparently pulled from some piece of clothing tied into arge flower on her hair. ¡°We¡¯re in the same ss.¡± Zhang Yindi hugged Tang Yuxin¡¯s arm tightly, asking her whether they were very kindred spirits. Tang Yuxin was still smiling, but her eyes showed no trace of mirth. Everything was exactly as it was in her previous life. They were in the same ss once again. She wondered if she was in the same ss as Wei Jiani as well. In her past life, this was the arrangement, they were all in the same ss, but ended up with different destinies. The best ended up being the worst off, while the worst ended up being a military officer¡¯s wife. She looked back at Zhang Yindi once more, unable to read anything about the future in her face. Although she knew some things, she didn¡¯t know why they would happen. However, no matter what happened, in this life, she wouldn¡¯t let Zhang Yindi ruin that person again. Zhang Yindi naturally failed to see the coldness in Tang Yuxin¡¯s eyes. She was still grinning, excitedly contemting her high school life. ¡°My mom said she would give me five yuan a week.¡± Zhang Yindi kept talking about her five-yuan allowance. After a while, though, she startedining about her mother¡¯s preference for men over women. She had saved the money, but in the end, it was all stolen by her younger brother. And her mother did not manage her brother at all. From a young age, he knew only how to steal and ck off, contributing nothing. ¡°When I grow up and make money, I won¡¯t care for him.¡± This was something Tang Yuxin absolutely believed, because in herst life, when Zhang Yindi became Zhang Xiaomei and transformed from a country girl into a golden phoenix, she ignored her biological brother. And Tang Yuxin knew it well. Zhang Yindi actually resented her brother. Tang Yuxin thought, if she had a brother, she would be very good to him, give him all the best food, keep all the best toys for him. She had a sister in herst life, but what was the difference between having a sister and not having one? Chapter 168 - 170: Country Bumpkin Chapter 168: Chapter 170: Country Bumpkin She refused to acknowledge such a sister and did not want such a blood rtion. ¡°Oh, by the way,¡± Zhang Yindi suddenly reached out and gripped Tang Yuxin¡¯s arm, ¡°Yuxin, I¡¯ve given myself a new name. I will not be called Yindi anymore, I want to be called Xiaomei.¡± Tang Yuxin slightly pursed her red lips, her dark red face softly smiling, and yet, in her eyes, there were no signs of any ripples of emotion. Zhang Yindi kept excitedly repeating her new name. She couldn¡¯t stop talking all the way from home to school, perhaps because she had been silenced at home and felt the need to say all she had to say in one day. In Zhang Yindi¡¯s heart, Tang Yuxin was a great confidante. She doesn¡¯t respond much, you just have to talk, and she smiles. But what she doesn¡¯t realize is that Tang Yuxin¡¯s smile is purely perfunctory, suggesting that she does not really care. ¡°Hey, Yuxin, look, we are in the same ss, in ss five.¡± At the school gate, the names of all the students were written on red paper, allocated randomly rather than divided by the school. Everyone came from the same elementary school, but how many people end up in the same ss is a matter of luck. Tang Yuxin also found her name among the line of names. As expected, it was exactly the same trajectory as her past life ¨C she was a student of ss 5, in the same ss as Zhang Yindi and Wei Jiani. ¡°Jiani, we¡¯re in ss 5. Oh, look at that, here¡¯s your name, and mine is right below yours. How wonderful, Jiani, we¡¯re in the same ss again. I¡¯ll be relying on you for my studies.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, leave it to me. We are best friends.¡± Another young girl¡¯s voice, filled with pride. And she seemed to have a right to her pride ¨C Wei Jiani was indeed capable of such boasting. She was beautiful and dressed well. She was a city girl, whereas this school consisted of a mixture of city and rural students, and city dwellers often looked down on children from rural areas. Just as Wei Jiani had never esteemed Tang Yuxin. In her eyes, Tang Yuxin was no sister, but a mere servant in her house, eating and drinking their food and beverages. She took these privileges as her due. Not to mention, Sang Zhn, no matter how shameless, teaching her daughter such shameless ways. Like mother, like daughter. Tang Yuxin had never considered Sang Zhn her mother. ¡°Yuxin, look at the clothes that girl¡¯s wearing, they¡¯re beautiful,¡± Zhang Yindi said to Tang Yuxin, but the volume of her voice made it such that others around them could hear. ¡°Country bumpkin,¡± a girl following behind Wei Jiani couldn¡¯t help but cover her mouth, herughter full of sarcasm. Tang Yuxin turned around, and gave Wei Jiani a disinterested nce. In her eyes, no matter how beautiful the clothes, they would be outdated in the near future. After all, they were just bought from a store. Did Wei Jiani think that while her clothes were bought, Tang Yuxin¡¯s were picked up from the trash? If she were that capable, why did she snatch Tang Yuxin¡¯s clothes and shoes in the past? Wei Jiani couldn¡¯t help but narrow her eyebrows, a feeling of difort came over her. Because that thin and dark girl had dared to look at her with such eyes, eyes that made her want to p someone in agitation. And this person seemed somewhat familiar, as if she had seen her somewhere before? She couldn¡¯t recall it for the moment. Zhang Yindi kept praising this or that for being beautiful, looking nothing like the future wife of an official. Even now, Tang Yuxin still had no idea how she became one. Tang Yuxin had seen Zhang Yindi¡¯s face from childhood to adulthood, from rustic to sophisticated, but she truly had not expected that one day a man would love her to the point of discarding his own life. However, she had long since despaired of love andpromised with life. So, the so-called love was just a game in books to her. Love wasn¡¯t evenparable to benefits, and a small betrayal could obliterate everything. She, Tang Yuxin, did not believe in love. She paid the registration fee for herself, registered, and then came to get new books in the afternoon. As she was about to leave, Wei Jiani happened to encounter her. Wei Jiani couldn¡¯t help but look at Tang Yuxin one more time before continuing her way, her chin arrogantly raised, to register for school. Tang Yuxin slightly curled the corner of her mouth. So it hade to this again. Still, Wei Jiani, did you really think you could forever suppress Tang Yuxin, trample her under your feet, make her kowtow to your family like a dog, all for a mere mouthful of food? By the afternoon, it was time for roll call, and everyone started to recognize the ssmates¡¯ faces. When the teacher called Wei Jiani¡¯s name, Wei Jiani stood up and sinctly introduced herself, emphasizing that she enjoyed ying the electric keyboard ¨C an unusual hobby to have at the time. It would be considered extravagant for a child from a rural area to even own a harmonica. Naturally, the teacher took note of Wei Jiani. Expectedly, she would be a leading figure in their ss¡¯s cultural activities. When it came to Tang Yuxin, she stood up. ¡°My name is Tang Yuxin,¡± she smiled, her dark red face and unremarkable features offset by her profound eyes, ¡°I am from Tang vige,¡± and that was all she had to introduce. Tang Yuxin was a nice-sounding name, much more sophisticated than the popr names parents were giving their children nowadays, like Yanni, Meiyan, Xiaojuan, or Xiaohua. Upon hearing this name, Wei Jiani couldn¡¯t help but widen her eyes, as if somewhat startled. Yes, that¡¯s her, she suddenly remembered. The girl who used to live at their house when they were small, whom her mother imed was her sister. But she never epted such a sister. Her family only had one child, herself, the only daughter. What did she have to do with a girl with the surname Tang? She lifted her chin and snorted dismissively through her nose. There were forty-three students in the ss, from all walks of life, but it was clear that they had divided themselves into two factions: city dwellers and rural people. Chapter 169 - 171: Is it her? Chapter 169: Chapter 171: Is it her? In the afternoon, it was time for cleaning. In the first ss, some people fetched water, some swept the floor, some wiped the windows. The junior high school building was newly built, with four floors. The desks and chairs in the ssrooms were also new, one for each person. It was not like in primary school where they had to endure broken desks and damaged chairs. The junior high school was indeed much better than the vige elementary school. When Tang Yuxin got home, Zhang Xiangcao had already prepared the meals. ¡°Yuxin, you¡¯re back.¡± Zhang Xiangcao put the meal in front of Tang Yuxin, ¡°Eat quickly. Your father and your second uncle are still busy in the field. Let¡¯s eat first.¡± ¡°Thank you, Auntie,¡± Tang Yuxin took the bowl and couldn¡¯t help pinching Sisi¡¯s little face which was obediently eating her meal. Sisi lifted her face and gave her an innocent smile. This was what a little sister should be like. Tang Yuxin gave all the meat in her bowl to Sisi. ¡°Thank you, Sister,¡± Sisi squinted her big eyes. Her little dumpling-like behavior was extremely cute and adorable. It made one want to pinch her a little more, to see if her little face was really as soft as it looked. ¡°Eat more,¡± Tang Yuxin patted Sisi¡¯s head and lowered her head to eat her own meal. She absolutely didn¡¯t mention anything about being in the same ss as Wei Jiani. At this time, in the Wei¡¯s family, Wei Jiani was chattering to Sang Zhn about her school life. She even mentioned that her teacher had chosen her as the culturalmissioner. Hearing this, Sang Zhn felt a sense of satisfaction. Although they had put a portion of their family ie into their daughter¡¯s piano lessons, over the years, it had made their life somewhat tight. But watching their daughter grow up day by day, she had been the pride of their home since primary school. No matter how hard it was for the adults, it was worth it. ¡°Mom, I met someone today.¡± Wei Jiani picked up a piece of meat with her chopsticks and put it in her own bowl. There wasn¡¯t much meat left in the te, and she didn¡¯t consider saving some for others. Everybody in her family always made way for her. Naturally, she was the one who ate the meat. ¡°Who?¡± Sang Zhn brought the meal over. The other bowl was for Wei Tian. Wei Tian hadn¡¯t returned yet, but they were saving it for him. However, whether Wei Tian was back or not, it didn¡¯t affect Wei Jiani eating first. Sang Zhn had no issues with it. They had always been like this, and they couldn¡¯t let their daughter starve just because Wei Tian wasn¡¯t home yet, could they? The entire Wei¡¯s family was centered around Wei Jiani. They only had one child. If they didn¡¯t dote on her, who would they dote on? ¡°Mom,¡± Wei Jiani put down her chopsticks, ¡°Wasn¡¯t there a girl who lived in our house before, called Tang Yuxin?¡± Wei Jiani felt almost certain. Although she couldn¡¯t remember what she looked like, she did remember her name. And the girl who lived at their home back then was very dark-skinned, darker than the coal at home. With a tter, the chopsticks in Sang Zhn¡¯s hand fell onto the table. She quickly picked up her chopsticks and got herself some dishes. Her fingers were shaking a bit, ¡°Why do you ask about her?¡± On hearing the name Tang Yuxin, it was like touching a sore spot in her heart. She didn¡¯t know whether it was regret, shame, or resentment. If it hadn¡¯t been for what happened back then, she wouldn¡¯t have had to work so hard. She would¡¯ve had someone at home to help her, to look after Nini, and she would¡¯ve been able to earn more money. In her entire lifetime, she would never forget how capable Tang Yuxin was at home. It was as if she had found a piece of gold but ended up discarding it like a stone. Over the years, she had been filled with regret. Beyond that, as for any mother-daughter affection, she really didn¡¯t have any left. All her motherly love in this life had been given to Wei Jiani. As for Tang Yuxin, she probably had forgotten what she looked like. ¡°Mom, is that her?¡± Wei Jiani pulled Sang Zhn¡¯s sleeve. ¡°Why are you asking about this?¡± Sang Zhn smiled at her daughter, but her smile clearly revealed a hint of awkwardness. ¡°She¡¯s in my ss. Shees from Li Tang Vige. Aplete country bumpkin,¡± Wei Jiani scorned, ¡°She¡¯s so ugly, as ck as if she hasn¡¯t washed herself.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Sang Zhn reached out and pinched Wei Jiani¡¯s face, ¡°Our Nini is the most beautiful child. Who canpare with her?¡± Her words indeed made Wei Jiani beam with delight. She knew she was very fair, especially whenpared to those from the rural areas, she was simply as white as flour. In school, as in elementary school, Wei Jiani was still like a blessed person, getting everything she wanted. She was beautiful and was the backbone of the culturalmittee in her ss. During the school¡¯s first opening ceremony, she yed the electronic piano, which immediately made her famous throughout the school. Naturally, she was the new school beauty. However, even the school beauty had her downsides, such as during the midterm exams, her results were not satisfactory. Although in primary school, she was always among the best, either ranking first or second. But junior high was different, as it brought together students who were eitherst in their ss or the top performers in primary school. The once undefeatable Wei Jiani encountered a setback, ranking just within the top five. If it had been just that, there wouldn¡¯t have been an issue. After all, she was still within the top five, which was a decent achievement. But it just so happened that she ranked behind Tang Yuxin, who was often called ¡°Little ckie.¡± This midterm exam basically determined the academic standings of the entire ss. Nobody expected the unremarkable Tang Yuxin to rank fourth in the ss. And her scores in each subject were pretty even, even the usually difficult English, she scored a ny. Tang Yuxin put her report card in her bag, not feeling proud about her achievement. It was her second time attending junior high school. If she couldn¡¯t achieve good grades, she might as well reinvent herself. Moreover, her grades in her previous life were not bad, it was just because she couldn¡¯t perform better than Wei Jiani. She couldn¡¯t have higher scores than Wei Jiani. Otherwise, Wei Jiani would be upset, Sang Zhn wouldn¡¯t be happy either and would assign her more chores, leaving her no time to study. However, she had a solid foundation in learning, herprehension and logical thinking skills were good. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have been able to catch up with the course curriculum that she¡¯d missed within a year, and even got epted into a prestigious medical college. She eventually became a very good internal medicine doctor. She turned around and happened to face Wei Jiani¡¯s angry face. Tang Yuxin lifted the corners of her mouth slightly. Chapter 170 - 172: Buying a House in the City Chapter 170: Chapter 172: Buying a House in the City What is she going to do in the future if she hates me now? By the time Tang Yuxin got back home, Tang Zhinian was already there. ¡°How did the test go?¡± Tang Zhinian ruffled his daughter¡¯s hair. To him, his own daughter was always the best. Even though she wasn¡¯t at the top academically, she never gave him any worries. During her primary school years, she always ranked among the top three in her ss. He didn¡¯t demand that his daughter rank in a particr ce, as long as she wasn¡¯t too far behind. ¡°It was alright,¡± Tang Yuxin said, taking out her report card from her bag. ¡°I ranked fourth in the ss,¡± she didn¡¯t mention who came in fifth. ¡°My Xinxin is so smart,¡± Tang Zhinian remarked, rubbing his rough hands together. He took the report card from her. Although he was an uneducated farmer and didn¡¯t understand what was written on it, he could recognize the numbers? Every subject was over ny points, all very evenly distributed, without a single score in the eighties. The teacher actually favored such well-rounded students instead of those who were extremely biased in their strengths. Because when they reached ninth grade, geography, politics, and history would bebined into one subject. Students who had bnced skills and didn¡¯t favor any subject in particr were likely to score better. Those who were too biased and didn¡¯ty a good foundation at the beginning would find it hard to catch upter. There were no after-school tutoring sses avable now, so it wouldn¡¯t be easy to catch up with those subjects. After the first round of baseline testing, Wei Jiani started to see Tang Yuxin, this dark-skinned girl, as her enemy, trying to surpass her no matter what. She was a key figure in the school¡¯s literary and artistic activities. If there was any event at the school, she would be involved. In contrast, Tang Yuxin was much more low-key. She had darker skin and wasn¡¯t as pretty as Wei Jiani. Frankly, she was in, while Wei Jiani was more stylish. Still, Tang Yuxin focused all her efforts on her studies. By the time the end-semester exams approached, no matter whether you could dance or y the piano, it all came down to academic performance. Wei Jiani had finally managed to improve to fourth ce, but Tang Yuxin had directly ranked third, surpassing her again. The worst part was, there would be a parent-teacher meeting after the scores were released. Aside from the grades, Wei Jiani had surpassed Tang Yuxin in all aspects. Tang Yuxin packed up her test papers. Her goal was not to rank first or second, but to score higher than Wei Jiani, no matter what. A country bumpkin. Wei Jiani¡¯s sarcastic voice reached Tang Yuxin, who turned her head and stared at Wei Jiani¡¯s face, resisting the impulse to scratch it. This face bore a striking resemnce to that of Sang Zhn. It was impossible that a non-biological mother and daughter would look so much alike. However, it wasn¡¯t until muchter that Tang Yuxin realized the reason why Sang Zhn was unkind to her was not that she preferred other people¡¯s children, but that those other people¡¯s children were actually her own biological daughter, while she herself was the child of another man. Tang Yuxin pursed her lips and headed home with her bag after the exam. The Lunar New Year was approaching, and her family¡¯s financial situation was gradually improving. Tang Yuxin knew that their future might be even brighter; they no longer needed to rely solely on farming. They were no longer simply farming. The Tang brothers had set up a car repair stand at their front door and could earn a decent ie every day. Coupled with the sessful harvest from the fields in those years, the two brothers had some extra money at hand. ¡°I¡¯m thinking of buying a house in the city,¡± Tang Zhinian said to his younger brother, ¡°I¡¯ve saved up some money. There¡¯s no point in keeping it. Yuxin will be going to high school in the city in the future. Living in the dormitory isn¡¯t ideal. It¡¯s better to live in our own house.¡± This was something he had been contemting for a while. High-school students in the vige now had tomute from home, which was difficult due to the distance from the school. Most students opted to live on campus. However, he didn¡¯t feelfortable with that arrangement but was even lessfortable with letting his daughtermute so far. As Yuxin was a girl, this made him worry even more. After much consideration, he thought it would be best to buy a house in the city. Then, when living in the city, Yuxin would have a ce to stay. ¡°I¡¯ll buy one too, for my Sisi.¡± Tang Zhinian was a devoted father, and so was Tang Zhijun. He always kept his daughter Sisi in mind. When he heard that his brother was thinking of buying a house in the city for Yuxin, he quickly calcted that with the money he had saved over the years, he could afford a ce in the city for his daughter as well. While eating dinner, Tang Yuxin listened to the adults¡¯ conversation about buying a house. Her eyes lit up at the prospect. She had been pondering how to convince her father to buy a house in the city. Housing in the city was very cheap at that time. Twenty thousand could fetch you a big ce, and if you managed to secure a good location, the return on investment could be hundreds to thousands of times. Now that her father was already thinking about it without her having to bring it up, she felt relieved. She had to admit that her father had a good eye for investment; it was just that in her previous life, he had been held back by an underachieving daughter and had never had a good life. In the evening, Tang Zhinian discussed the matter with Tang Yuxin. ¡°What do you think, Xinxin? Do you want a house in the city? Your father only has you as a daughter, so what¡¯s the use of having so much money? I will buy whatever you want. How about that?¡± Chapter 171 - 173: She Seems to Have Become Whiter Chapter 171: Chapter 173: She Seems to Have Be Whiter ¡°Okay,¡± Tang Yuxin narrowed her eyes happily, ¡°Dad, I want to pick the location myself.¡± ¡°All right then, you pick. Wherever you choose, we¡¯ll buy,¡± Tang Zhinianughed genially, then affectionately ruffled his daughter¡¯s hair. She had always been mature for her age, particrly after being hit by Sang Zhn once. She wasn¡¯t one tough often, and it had been a long while since he¡¯d seen her this cheerful. In essence, she was still just a child; it was his failing as a father. As long as his daughter was happy, however much money it required, he was willing to spend. The next day, Tang Zhinian took Tang Yuxin to look for houses. ¡°I want this one,¡± Tang Yuxin didn¡¯t pay any attention to the other houses, and pointed directly at a time-aged house. The exterior ster was nearly worn off, revealing the extended time that this house had been standing. ¡°Here?¡± Tang Zhinian wasn¡¯t very impressed with the ce. ¡°It¡¯s a bit sloppy, mainly because the house is old and the location isn¡¯t great either. It¡¯s quite secluded.¡± ¡°It¡¯s cheap here. We can afford to buy two.¡± Tang Yuxin had already inquired about the price beforehand. Each house would cost them ten thousand. Since the residents nned to move abroad, they were disposing of the houses at a cheaper price. They had two houses in total, and if they were bought together, it might be even cheaper. ¡°Two houses?,¡± Tang Zhinian thought to himself. The houses were a bit old, but they could be tidied up. In the future, when he got older, he could move in here and live with his daughter. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll listen to you,¡± admitted Tang Zhinian. He was truly wrapped around his daughter¡¯s little finger. Whatever she said, went. Now, the paperwork for houses was very simple. As long as the money was paid and both parties had signed an agreement, the houses became the property of Tang Zhinian. As the houses were old and because they had bought two of them together, the seller had only asked for eighteen thousand for both houses. Calcted in terms of square feet, it was equivalent to just over two hundred square feet of space, but altogether, they only ended up spending less than the cost of a single house. Without a word, Tang Zhinian bought the houses, making Tang Zhijun somewhat jealous. Holding that much money didn¡¯t feel right. With prices constantly increasing over the years, it was safer to invest in houses. He had thought quite hard about it. For instance, when the child grew up, they would definitely buy a house in the city. Even if they didn¡¯t live there now, they would live there in the future. Since they had money now, they needed to buy one. A few dayster, he went with Tang Zhinian and bought a property in the same area where Tang Zhinian had just made his purchase. It was slightly newer than the ones Tang Zhinian bought, but of course, it cost a lot more: fifteen thousand. ¡°It costs fifteen thousand, so be it,¡± Tang Zhijun finally mustered up some courage and spent the fifteen thousand to buy the house. ¡°Sisi, do you like it?¡± Tang Zhinian took Sisi to see their new house. ¡°Let this be Sisi¡¯s dowry, alright? If anyone dares to say that Sisi is a country bumpkin, we¡¯ll show them that she is just as much a city dweller as anyone.¡± ¡°I like it,¡± said Sisi, running excitedly around the new house. To her, all houses seemed the same. There were a lot of cars here though, which was somewhat novel for her. But she didn¡¯t have a clear concept about a house. Tang Yuxin sat on one side, propping her face up with her hand, a faint smile ying on the corners of her lips. This was a good deal. Spending ten thousand now could fetch severalrge shops in the future, which was a very good investment, wasn¡¯t it? She didn¡¯t remember much about the past, except that she had a high school ssmate who lived here. The ssmate¡¯s parents had bought a house here. She initially didn¡¯t like the old house, but soon after some municipal constructions, it was turned into argemercial building. All residents apart from gettingpensation, also got business units equal to their original floor space. Her ssmate, who got a shop, became rich overnight. Even if one didn¡¯t consider the current value of a shop, just before she died at the age of 33, the localnd prices had skyrocketed. The shop that was bought for over ten thousand was worth tens of millions then. This was an investment for the future. With this, her father wouldn¡¯t have to work the fields so hard. She squinted her eyes, which shone with a lustre bright as crescent moons. Tang Zhinian took advantage of his free time from farming to stay in the new home every day, cleaning it thoroughly himself. He even handcrafted new tables and chairs from wood. The exterior might still be shabby, but the inside was a different story. Tang Yuxin handed in herposition. She walked back and ced her hand on the table, the sunlight outside just so happened tond on her hand, making it glitter. She lifted her hand. How had she suddenly be fairer? It seemed she had really gotten fairer. ¡°Yuxin, how did you be fairer?¡± Zhang Yindi ran over and extended her arm topare it with Tang Yuxin¡¯s. Look, we were both dark-skinned earlier, but now you¡¯re noticeably fairer than me. It did seem that she was fairer. Tang Yuxin held her arm up to her face. She was genuinely fairer thanst year. Last year she was still a dark-skinned girl, with an extremely dark skin tone. This year, however, surprisingly, she was trending from the shade of cornbread to that of white bread. Could it be that the medicine was finally effective? This was in reference to the Cold Fragrance Pills that she had been consuming for eight years, yet hadn¡¯t seen any effect. She had heard that they could make her skin fairer, and that her bones would smell fragrant. But howe they hadn¡¯t had any effect until this year when she felt a little fairer? No, she wasn¡¯t hoping for a huge effect. She attributed her current fairness tost summer when she hardly went outside. After this summer, she might get tanned again. Meanwhile, Tang Yuxin¡¯s Chinese teacher was correcting studentpositions. Today¡¯s topic was ¡®My Father¡¯. The content of these articles was very much formic. The children from rural areas wrote, ¡®My father is a farmer.¡¯ The children from the city wrote, ¡®My father is a worker.¡¯ The words were very simple and without any bright spots. At some ces, even the wording was not fluent. However, being merely first-year junior high students recently transitioning from elementary school, their academic level was equivalent to an average sixth-grader. The teacher had three Chinese sses and had recently been reading the samepositions. It felt like they were all written by the same person, the only difference was the names and upations. Chapter 172: 174: The heart of a parent is aching for their children all over the world Chapter 172: Chapter 174: The heart of a parent is aching for their children all over the world She sighed. s, kids today are so innocent and simple, she thought. She pulled out another book, Tang Yuxin¡¯s. She vaguely remembered Tang Yuxin, a quiet girl from the countryside with good grades. As a teacher, she had a clearer memory of her bright studentspared to the dull ones. For example, Tang Yuxin was a typical student ¨C a great learner, good-natured, obedient, making her a preferred student among teachers. Looking at theposition written by Yuxin, she was initially struck by how neat her handwriting was, as if she had practiced calligraphy, with a unique vor to it. It would definitely be interesting if written in calligraphy. But unfortunately, their school didn¡¯t offer a calligraphy course, so she didn¡¯t know if any of the students could really write using a brush pen. My father. Well, yet another same topic. The teacher, having no other expectations, assumed it would be a typicalposition like the others, with conventional word usage and amon subject matter. But as she read the first line, she found herself sitting up straight, intrigued. ¡°I think the only person who would grieve my departure from this world is father. People always say that a father¡¯s love is as steady as a mountain. He used everything he had to give me a calm and peaceful sky. Some things, I don¡¯t recall, but the only thing I remember is that the stoic, earnest man would always greet me with a warm, innocent smile. He could walk several hours just for my minor cold, or knee down and beg the doctor just because of a mild fever.¡±
I was brought up by my father, and my memory of mother is vague. I never knew what mother¡¯s love was. People from the vige kept telling Zhinian, my father, to abandon me because I¡¯m a girl who can¡¯t take care of him when he is old. But father never thought of abandoning me, as I¡¯m not an outsider, but his daughter. He can stay single just out of fear that I might be bullied or harmed. Despite our poor living conditions, my father never deprived me of the everyday necessities. While most children in other families were having gruel or even leftovers from their parents, I was fed baby form milk. My father would stay cold and hungry or sit in the chilling wind all day, trying to get a few more pennies from the vegetables he harvested, just enough for me to have milk for a meal. Because of such a father, I am proud of my life. Because of such a father, I am proud of my life. Because of him being my father, I am lucky. I have a father, a good father, who protected me from the storms and dangers when I was not yet ready to spread my wings and fly. As for me, I want to be a doctor. When my father gets old, loses mobility, and starts to forget everything, I hope my hands can treat him just like how he took care of me in my childhood. He raised me when I was little. And I will care of him when he grows old. I hope time slows down. So that my father could age slower. I wish time could stop. Even if it meant I would stop growing up. The teacher suddenly covered her mouth, tears involuntarily rolling down her cheek. Some things, like words and music, can easily pull on your heartstrings and touch your inner most vulnerable part. Like now. With these not so many words, the teacher was reduced to tears. Suddenly, she packed everything in her drawer, picked up her belongings and was ready to leave. ¡°Huh, where are you going, Teacher Sun?¡± Another teacher looked up just in time to see Teacher Sun rushing out. School wasn¡¯t over yet, why was she leaving?
¡°Taking leave to go home.¡± Wiping her face, Teacher Sun replied, ¡°Going back to see my father. It¡¯s been months since I visited himst time. He must miss me. I should go back before it¡¯s toote, before he ages.¡± The other teacher tilted her head in disbelief, and then she touched her forehead. There was definitely something off with Teacher Sun today. And although she couldn¡¯t quite point out what¡¯s wrong, something didn¡¯t feel right. But after hearing what Teacher Sun said, she realized that she also needed to visit her parents.
It had been a long time since she went home. Ever since she came to school, she treated school as her home. But much as a school could be home, it had no parents. Right, I should go home tonight and stop living on campus. It¡¯s just a few more steps, and it¡¯s good for a young person to exercise more to avoid bing overweight. When Teacher Sun came back to school, she seemed like apletely different person. She thought she will never forget those words she heard when she arrived home, ¡°Why are you taking out the chopsticks again?¡± Am I not waiting for our daughter Miao toe home?¡± ¡°Why would shee home? She¡¯s busy at school, and she¡¯s in contention for an award this year. Tell me, how does winning an awardpare with family? She has be a woman in her twenties already, and while others are getting married, she still doesn¡¯t have anyone. You tell me, how can I not worry?¡± ¡°Women, always nagging,¡± Father Sun said after tapping the table. ¡°Our Miao is an intellectual. Tell me which boy in our area is as aplished as her. Now she is a teacher, once she gets that award, she can choose any man she wants. So, stop mentioning this in front of her, it could ruin her mood and prevent her from winning the award.¡± ¡°Alright, alright, I understand,¡± Mother Sun quickly took a bowl to serve rice, only then noticing that she had already taken out an extra bowl of rice. ¡°And now you say I am forgetful?¡± Father Sun nced at her. ¡°I just took out some chopsticks, you, on the other hand, have already served the rice.¡± ¡°Our Miao is going back soon,¡± Mother Sun gave Father Sun a return look, refusing to back down. Alright, Father Sun gave up arguing. He didn¡¯t want to reason with a woman. Women have no logic, that¡¯s why people say a schr can never win an argument with a soldier. And aren¡¯t women even scarier than soldiers? The front door squeaked open.
Chapter 173: 175: Won the Award Chapter 173: Chapter 175: Won the Award There stood Teacher Sun, grinning outside, but with tears whirling in her eyes. ¡°Dad, mom, I¡¯m back¡­¡± At this moment, she saw that Sun¡¯s parents were just like her. Both of them had red rims around their eyes. Of course, they missed their daughter. Their son was married now, and they live far away. Only this girl was left at home ¡ª this was the point where they start feeling fed up seeing each other all their lives. Only then did Teacher Sun realize what she had done wrong in the past. The hearts of parents are always with their children, but where are the hearts of the children? They are on the rocks. They are so old, what else do they want, except their children toe back and keep thempany? Without a second word, Teacher Sun quit her dormitory at school, bought a bicycle, and went home every day to keep her parentspany, otherwise, she might not be able to enjoy so many happy family times. She used glue to seal the envelope, stuck a stamp on top of it, ran to the post office specially to send it, but the waiting time was quite long. So long, in fact, she had forgotten about it. Until one day, she received a reply. She weighed the letter in her hand. It¡¯s quite heavy. The address written was also from Beijing. However, had she ever sent a letter there? And who sent it back to her? Indeed, her name was written on the letter. She tore it open and a book fell out with a tter.
She flipped the book over. ¡°Outstanding Essays of National Middle School Students.¡± She turned to the first page, her eyes widened in surprise. ¡°My God!¡± With a gasp, she stood up and ran straight to the principal¡¯s office. Soon after, an announcement came through the loudspeaker calling all the teachers and staff for an emergency meeting. Even the teachers who were in the middle of sses left to attend. After the meeting, Teacher Sun¡¯s face was glowing, even her walk seemed to have picked up wind under her feet. Tang Yuxin,e to the teacher¡¯s office. Teacher Sun found Tang Yuxin, who was doing homework in the ssroom. She was smiling more amicably than usual, looking as kind as Santa us. Yet everyone knew that Teacher Sun had the most temperamental character in the school. Tang Yuxin stood up, closed her homework book, and was about to leave when she heard whispers from the ssroom. ¡°Always pretending. Look at her face, a sparrow is a sparrow, can never be a phoenix in this lifetime.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that the truth?¡± Another girl chimed in, ¡°Look at her, her face is ck as coal, she doesn¡¯t know anything. She can¡¯t evenpare one hair on your head. Why does the literature teacher like her so much?¡± ¡°That¡¯s because she knows how to pretend. Look at her, always with a bitter face, just like a bitter gourd. Wasn¡¯t she raised by farmers? Maybe they grew a field of bitter gourds, and that¡¯s why she turned into a bitter gourd.¡± ¡°Hehe, look at what you¡¯re saying, where can you find such a dark bitter gourd?¡± The two kept mocking Tang Yuxin¡¯s skin color. Tang Yuxin turned her head and nced at the two girls ¡ª who else could it be but Wei Jiani and her toxic friends? But some people are just lucky. Wei Jiani has parents making ns for her, maintaining a carefree life. Not only did she eventually get a big house, but also a man and a child. As for her toxic friends, they were also living good lives. Those who didn¡¯t have good lives were the stupid Tang Yuxin from her past life who ruined her whole life and even that of her father. Also, whether she is dark or not is none of their business. Who knows, maybe next year she will be fair.
The smirk on her face made Wei Jiani and her toxic friends felt their faces burning. That¡¯s why you should never speak ill of others behind their backs, because they might find out. Tang Yuxin turned around and headed straight for the teacher¡¯s office. As soon as she arrived, she saw Teacher Sun smiling at her. She had a good impression of Teacher Sun. Whether in this life or her past life, she was always a responsible teacher. Especially in her past life, there was a year when her aunt Sang Zhn didn¡¯t want her to go to school and made her drop out to go home because there was no one to look after Wei¡¯s mother. It was Teacher Sun who repeatedly visited Wei¡¯s home. Maybe Wei Tian was afraid of what others might say, scandalized that his own daughter was treated well while another person¡¯s daughter was treated like a servant. He was a respected figure in the factory at that time, so he couldn¡¯t afford to lose face. Yet, the foolish Tang Yuxin of her past life had never spoken up about her situation at Wei¡¯s house, so Wei Tian, the hypocrite, mistreated another¡¯s daughter while using the Tang family¡¯s money.
Did they expect her to be as stupid as she was before in this life? Impossible. ¡°Yuxin,e, over here.¡± Teacher Sun beckoned to Tang Yuxin, her face beaming with joy. Being the well-behaved girl as she was, Tang Yuxin made her way over. Um, smiling like this, she shouldn¡¯t have done anything wrong, right? ¡°Yuxin, look,¡± Teacher Sun took out a book with a smug face and ced it in front of Tang Yuxin. Tang Yuxin bowed her head and nced at the book: Outstanding Essays of National Middle School Students. ¡°Teacher, is this book good?¡± The first thing that crossed Tang Yuxin¡¯s mind was whether the teacher wanted them to buy a book. After all, teachers in their school often assign supplementary reading materials, and the prices are quite affordable. Teachers at that time were quite conscientious and responsible. Since their teacher, Ms. Sun, was about to appraise their performance, she was particrly attentive to their learning. Tang Yuxin was aware that essay writing was a weak point among her ssmates. Their essays resembled a string of ounts andcked depth. This was not surprising since theycked life experience and exposure to a variety of literature. After all, they didn¡¯t have the luxury of ess to inte novels, movies, whichter generations would have. Their writing only reflected their limited world. She thought to herself, if the teacher wants us to buy it, then this book is indeed worth buying. Wei Jiani owned a copy in her past life and cherished it dearly. Whenever she asked to borrow it, Wei Jiani refused, worried that she would dirty the book due to her grimy hands. After all, the book was an expensive one. This particr book was something she deeply desired in her past life. She nned to buy one for herself once she started working and received her first payroll. However, despite her attempts to locate this book in severalrge bookstores, she never found it. This regret from her past life was brought up abruptly now only because this book had reappeared in front of her. It reminded her of how much she used to yearn for something during her younger days.
¡°Take a look inside.¡± Ms. Sun, with a secret smile, urged her. Tang Yuxin flipped open the book, and on the first page, she saw some award-winningpositions. One of them, a first-ce essay written by a student from another province, was something she remembered. In her dreams, she had fantasized that essay to be hers and envisioned a glorious life apanied by such an achievement. A sudden thud echoed. The book dropped onto the table from her hands, which she quickly picked up again. ¡°Teacher, is this¡­¡± She rubbed her eyes in disbelief. Was she mistaken? Or was she still dreaming? The name of theposition¡¯s gold medal awardee was strikingly simr to hers. No, it was identical. ¡°Hehe¡­¡± Ms. Sun chuckled, a proud glint in her eyes. ¡°Surprised, aren¡¯t you? Honestly, I was shocked as well. But you can believe it. Thisposition is yours. You remember the essay you wrote, don¡¯t you? I was so moved when I first read it. So, I took a chance and submitted it to a nationalpetition in Beijing. Lo and behold, it won the gold prize. Tang Yuxin, this is a first in our school¡¯s history. No, this is a first in the history of middle schools across our city.¡± ¡°A gold prize! We¡¯ve made a name for our school! ¡± As she spoke, Ms. Sun grew increasingly excited, a fire lighting up in her eyes. She jumped up suddenly, seemingly wanting to shout to the world that her years of teaching had not gone in vain and being a teacher finally paid off. As for Tang Yuxin, she was still dumbfounded, unable toprehend this shocking news. Ms. Sun gave Tang Yuxin a light pat on the shoulder, ¡°Prepare yourself. Your rewards wille in no time. In addition to the school rewards, there will also be city awards, provincial awards, and educational bureau awards.¡±
All these great things happening to her would definitely be publicized extensively by the school, and it would help her with her further studies. Having such an award would give a significant boost to her chances when applying for college. Of course, Ms. Sun felt grateful she made the decision to send off Tang Yuxin¡¯s essay with an attitude of giving it a shot. Otherwise, how could they bag such a prestigious award? Winning such an honorable award for her school, the county, and the city, meant that she stood a good chance of being recognized as an excellent teacher this year. Tang Yuxin returned back to her ssroom with the book clutched in her hands. She decided to put it in her bag and get back to her homework as if nothing had happened. Her life experience from her past and current life had made her take fame and disgrace in her stride. ¡°Yuxin, what did the teacher want with you?¡± Zhang Yindi came running over and leaned over Tang Yuxin¡¯s desk. She was beginning to fill out her uniform quite nicely. Tang Yuxin frowned slightly. Could it be that Zhang Yindi would continue to grow and be voluptuous? Lowering her head, she nced at her own body, still t as a pancake. Howe other girls were developing, but she herself was just as t-chested, looking like a boy? She sighed softly. There was really nothing she could do. In her past life, she suffered from malnutrition, hence no growth. In this life, although she took great care of her health, there was no notable development. She had noticed that other girls were beginning to mature as sometimes, she could faintly smell the iron scent from them. That was the smell of puberty and the burgeoning vitality and growth in their bodies. However, these things seemed to have stopped in her own body. ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± Zhang Yindi pinched Tang Yuxin¡¯s cheek. Tang Yuxin was stunned and stared at Zhang Yindi. Did they have such a close rtionship in their previous life?
Apparently not. Especially after Zhang Yindi flew out of the vige like a phoenix and Tang Yuxin never saw her again until they met in theirter years. She had be a doctor, whereas Zhang Yindi had transformed into an official¡¯s wife, ady of prestige and wealth, having abandoned her sick husband. That Gu Ning must have had something wrong with his eyes. Tang Yuxin lowered her head, her pen scratching across the paper with such force, she tore a hole in it. ¡°Hey¡­¡± Zhang Yindi pulled Tang Yuxin¡¯s hair, jolting her from her thoughts, ¡°Yuxin, are you mute? I asked you what the teacher wanted with you!¡± ¡°Nothing much.¡± Tang Yuxin lifted her face, snapped her book shut and let her eyes rest on Zhang Yindi. There was a stark contrast. Zhang Yindi was like arge juicy baozi and she was just an inferior stuffed bun. No, even less than that ¨C she was still t. When she arrived home, she didn¡¯t inform her family about her award-winningposition. Their reaction woulde soon enough anyway. Their local middle school, although considered decent for the county, paled inparison to the reputable schools in the city. Its infrastructure was passable and the teaching quality was only mediocre. Hence, winning such a prestigious award was an unprecedented joyous event in the school¡¯s history. If the school didn¡¯t seize this golden opportunity for publicity, it would be a wasted chance to honor the first national gold award. A few dayster, as expected, the school held the biggest assembly since the start of the academic year. The principal, a middle-aged man in his forties, had a protruding belly. Possibly due to his intelligence, he was almost bald. Unwilling to shave his headpletely, he opted to let his hair grow on one side and use it to cover his bare scalp. Hence, his head resembled a skating rink surrounded by a wire fence. Chapter 174: 176: Scared Chapter 174: Chapter 176: Scared This was a book she had desperately wanted in her previous life. Later, after she started working, she used her first paycheck to buy such a book for herself. The purpose wasn¡¯t extravagant; she merely wanted to satisfy a yearning that hadsted for years. Unfortunately, she searched for it in severalrge bookstores, but she never found the book. So, that was one thing she regretted in her previous life. And now, if this book hadn¡¯t presented itself to her, she might have forgotten how badly she once desired something in her youth. ¡°Turn it over and take a look.¡± The teacher said hintingly with teasing, all the while maintaining a grin on her face. Tang Yuxin opened the book, and the award-winning work was featured on the first page. It was a national-level essaypetition, and she clearly remembered that the top prize went to a story written by a girl from another province. At that time, she had dreamt that the victor¡¯s story was her own, and that her life subsequently became extraordinary. With a thud. The book in her hand fell on the table, quickly she picked it up again, ¡°Teacher, this is¡­¡± She couldn¡¯t help but rub her eyes. Had she made a mistake, or was she dreaming? The name of the first-prize winner, the gold medalist, was incredibly simr to hers. No, it was exactly the same. ¡°Hehe¡­¡± The teacher chuckled, not hiding the satisfaction in her eyes.
¡°Shocked, right? Actually, I was shocked too. You don¡¯t need to doubt, this is indeed yours. Did you not write an essay? When I first read it, I was deeply moved, so I tried sending your essay to Beijing for thepetition. Unbelievably, it won the gold medal! Tang Yuxin, this is something that has never happened in our entire school, no, in the entire city¡¯s primary and secondary schools.¡± ¡°A gold medal¡­ Our school¡¯s reputation has really soared this time for sure.¡± As the teacher talked more and more excitedly, she eventually stood up with a whoop, eager to exim that her years of teaching were worth it, her work as a teacher hadn¡¯t been in vain. Tang Yuxin was still a bit stupefied. She had never expected this to happen and it had yet to sink in. The teacher patted Tang Yuxin¡¯s shoulder, ¡°You should prepare well. Your reward might arrive soon. Besides the school¡¯s, there will be rewards from the city, the province, and even the Education Bureau.¡± Such good news certainly warrants widespread publicity from the school, and it definitely benefits your future studies. With such an award, Tang Yuxin will get many extra points when applying for college. Of course, the teacher felt gratified that she made the decision to send Tang Yuxin¡¯s essay out on a whim. Otherwise, how could there be this gold medal? She had brought such a great honor to her school, county, and city. When ites to recognizing outstanding performance this year, she was sure to be considered. With the essay book in her hand, Tang Yuxin returned to the ssroom. She put the book in her bag. Years of living through highs and lows had made her keep a cool head. As if nothing had happened, she continued with her homework. ¡°Yuxin, what did the teacher want with you?¡± Zhang Yindi ran over, leaning onto Tang Yuxin¡¯s desk. She was lying halfway on it, her body beginning to show distinct curvy development. Tang Yuxin slightly frowned. Could it be that Zhang Yindi¡¯s figure would continue to develop and be more prominent in the future? She looked down at her own t chest. Howe others had started developing, but she still remained the same, like a boy? She sighed quietly in her heart. She couldn¡¯t help it. She hadn¡¯t seen any growth in her previous life either. Back then, she had severe malnutrition. In this life, she had always been careful about her health, never skipping any meals, but she just didn¡¯t grow in that area. Other girls were beginning to mature; sometimes she could even detect a faint scent of blood on them. That was the smell of budding womanhood, plus the surge of vitality and physical growth. However, these seemed to have halted abruptly for her. ¡°What are you thinking?¡± Zhang Yindi reached out and pinched Tang Yuxin¡¯s face a bit hard. Tang Yuxin was stunned and looked intently at Zhang Yindi. In their previous lives, did they have such a good rtionship? It seemed not. Especially after Zhang Yindi became the phoenix that flew out of the vige, she never saw her again. Until their final encounter, she had be a doctor, and Zhang Yindi had be Zhang Xiaomei, a wealthy official¡¯s wife who abandoned her sick husband, living a life filled with luxury and opulence. There must be something wrong with Gu Ning¡¯s eyes.
Tang Yuxin looked down and forcefully drew a line on her paper with her pen, poking a hole in her notebook. ¡°Hey¡­¡± Zhang Yindi reached out and tugged Tang Yuxin¡¯s hair vigorously, ¡°Yuxin, have you gone mute? What did the teacher ask you to do?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± Tang Yuxin raised her head, closed the notebook, and then involuntarily found herself ncing at Zhang Yindi again. This was indeed extraordinary, the size of a Baozi. And she, at the same time, was just a small dumpling. No, not even that, she was still t.
When she got home, she didn¡¯t tell her family about the gold medal for essays, knowing they would find out soon anyway. Although their junior high school was considered pretty good in the county, it stillgged significantly behind the excellent schools in the city. The infrastructure could be said to be just passable, the teaching quality was average, yet producing a gold medalist in essays was the school¡¯s biggest achievement since its establishment. If the school didn¡¯t use this opportunity to promote itself, how could it live up to the first gold medal it had ever won, which was also a national championship? A few dayster, as expected, the school held thergest school-wide assembly since the start of the school year. The principal was a middle-aged man in his forties with a slightly protruding belly. Possibly due to his intelligence, almost all his hair had fallen out. Yet he didn¡¯t want to gopletely bald, so he let the hair on one side of his head grow longer, circling his head like a wire mesh, while the top looked like an ice rink. Chapter 175: 177: Hitting a Tree with Face Chapter 175: Chapter 177: Hitting a Tree with Face The principal began with an animated and excited speech, rambling on and on, until he was shaking with adrenaline. He was so moved that he had himself on the brink of tears. ¡°Today, I have good news to share with you. One of our students has won the gold medal in the National Middle School Composition Contest. This is the first national award our school has received since its establishment. It carries significant importance to our school, the city¡¯s leaders, the provincial leaders, and the Ministry of Education. It is indeed the biggest aplishment in our school this year. ¡°Thus, the school has decided to grant this student a schrship of 500 yuan. The City Education Bureau and the Provincial Education Bureau have also contributed 1500 yuan, all of which will go towards the prize money.¡± ¡°Everyone, let¡¯s give a round of apuse.¡± With that, the principal began pping, while the wire mesh on his head tousled about, threatening to fall off. The rest of the teachers, not daring to show disrespect to the principal, pped vigorously as well. The students below wore an expression of bafflement, possibly not having fully grased the situation. Once the news sank in, it was as if their world had been rocked. National gold prize, two thousand yuan in schrship, currently, the monthly sry of an ordinary worker was only two or three hundred yuan, this was almost equivalent to a year¡¯s sry for a family. Of course, most importantly, this was a national gold prize. A highly recognized award. It was a big deal to receive an award in a school¡¯spositionpetition, let alone a nationally renowned one. This news came very suddenly, without any whispers or rumors. How did someone win an award so unexpectedly? ¡°Yuxin, who do you think it could be?¡± Zhang Yindi looked around, specting. In our ss, the only person who excelled in writing was the studymittee member.
Tang Yuxin extended her finger and pointed at her own nose. ¡°It¡¯s me.¡± She stated it with seriousness in her eyes and her tone of voice. ¡°Heh¡­¡± someone burst intoughter from nowhere. ¡°Jiani, look at her, she really knows how to tter herself. Dreaming in broad daylight, she¡¯s probably delusional from wanting to win too much. I would believe it if you said you won, but her, with that bitter melon face? If she actually won, I¡¯ll hit my face against a tree.¡± Wei Jiani covered her mouth and let out a delicateugh, ¡°Alright, Huahua, she¡¯s simply voicing her dreams. Are we not allowed to dream now if we can¡¯t aplish much?¡± ¡°Humph!¡± Wei Jiani¡¯s ssmate snorted and smirked. ¡°Rural bumpkin, truly disgusting.¡± Zhang Yindi shrank back, ncing here and there, but never standing up and saying a word for Tang Yuxin. That¡¯s why Tang Yuxin always knew that some people were not to be befriended deeply, like Zhang Yindi at present. A woman who can desert her husband, abandon a man who truly loves her, how much of a friend can she be? Tang Yuxin casually lifted the corner of her lips in indifference. Whether it was true or not, they would know soon enough. Why waste time arguing at a time like this? Arguing with some people was a waste of time, when time itself would provide ample proof. Sorry about the threat to the tree, but she had never seen anyone actually hit their face to a tree. Plus, don¡¯t take this kind of people too seriously, their words were like farts. Speaking of betraying oneself, some people had simply done it one too many times, taking them seriously would be foolish. Meanwhile, the principal was still tousling his sparse hair in the wind and sorting it out quite stylishly. He is oblivious, however, of all the teachers trying hard to contain theirughter. A gust of wind blew through, and he stylishly ran his hands through his hair again, seemingly quite satisfied with his hairstyle. He looked down at his students. Indeed, it was a good year for him. As the principal, he had finally aplished something notable. It seemed that the education bureau might even increase their funding this year. Perhaps they could even build the nned scienceb. ¡°Let¡¯s wee Tang Yuxin from ss 1, Year 5 toe up and receive her award. Everyone, give her a round of apuse.¡± After the principal finished saying that, he started pping, followed shortly by thunderous apuse from the students. Tang Yuxin walked up. Turning back, she saw Wei Jiani¡¯s face, which looked as if she had swallowed a fly, and Zhang Yindi¡¯s look of shock, as well as traces of envy and jealousy. Sometimes, Tang Yuxin wondered if the reason Zhang Yindi was so friendly to her was because she, Tang, was dark-skinned and unattractive. Because of Tang¡¯s appearance, did it make Zhang look white and beautiful byparison? She stared out across the school auditorium, then took step-by-step towards the stage. She was just a petty nobody. Apart from being known for her good academic performance, the biggest, mostmon judgement of her was of being an ordinary person. She had no fame, nor was she talented. She only usually appeared in choral singing.
Her name was never on the ss ckboard, she was never selected for any dance performances in ss, and she never yed in the interschool chess tournament. She existed like air, but now, this air-like person, this unremarkable individual, was standing on the school¡¯s main stage, alone. The national prize she held was an acknowledgment by the whole country. This was a prize that has turned her ordinary into extraordinary with a golden ze. At that moment, the morning sun from the east cast gentle light onto her. For an instant, it seemed as if the young girl on the stage had grown up. She smiled. Her dark skin looked much lighter, revealing her bright eyes and white teeth. In the next moment, she seemed to return to being just an ordinary junior high school girl.
Tang Yuxin took the thick envelope from the principal¡¯s hand. It was her prize money, quite a thick bundle, which would be a fortune in the eyes of ordinary students like them. Chapter 176: 178: Her Scholarship Chapter 176: Chapter 178: Her Schrship She turned around and looked at the sea of heads below. Suddenly, she felt as if she were surrounded by stars. Sheughed to herself, thinking, why should a student overthink everything? She had lived longer than others, and looking back on her previous life, where she had been so pitiful, still made her heart ache. She bowed to the audience below, then walked off the stage. At that moment, she could feel the gaze of thousands of students pinned on her, not exactly like daggers in her back, but it was ufortable. She wished she could retreat to the solitude of the ssroom. ¡°Yuxin, you¡¯re really amazing.¡± Zhang Yindi grabbed Tang Yuxin¡¯s arm, acting as if they were close friends, ¡°I knew it was yours! You see, right? But how did you participate in thepetition? Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± Zhang Yindi pouted, seeming adorably naive, but Tang Yuxin could feel her almost digging her fingers into her arm. Everyone knows how to be a prophet after the event. Throughout both of her lives, Zhang Yindi was indeed a peculiar person. She removed Zhang Yindi¡¯s hand, keeping a definite distance from her.
As for how she participated in thepetition, she would have to ask the teacher. ¡°Yuxin, tell me, how did you participate in thepetition?¡± Zhang Yindi was relentless, attempting to grab her again, but Tang Yuxin evaded her hand. She touched her own arm and smiled, despite her eyes showing otherwise. ¡°You can ask the teacher about that.¡± Zhang Yindi¡¯s hand hung awkwardly in the air, her face reddening with embarrassment. Tang Yuxin cast another nce at Huahua. Why wasn¡¯t she running head-first into a tree? She promised vehemently that if Tang Yuxin won first ce, she would bash her face against a tree. Why wasn¡¯t she going for it? Huahua scoffed and turned over, ignoring people. She¡¯d broken her word, but no matter. Some people aren¡¯t meant to be taken seriously, nor are some things. If you take them too seriously, you¡¯ve lost. As for what others thought, Tang Yuxin didn¡¯t care. She asked for leave from the teacher, preparing to take this enormous sum of money and go home. Rs. 2000; no one else could possibly carry that much cash around. Especially now, that amount of money was a huge sum. Naturally, the teacher understood Tang Yuxin¡¯s thoughts and granted her leave. Tang Yuxin picked up her school bag, which now contained the Rs. 2000. Instead of going home with the money, she walked for half an hour to the city department store. She saw two men¡¯s watches, each costing Rs. 600. That alone wiped out Rs. 1200, but she wasn¡¯t heartbroken over spending it. The quality of the watches was superb,sting ten-plus years. They had a clock at home but no watches. Tang Zhinian and Tang Zhijun often didn¡¯t know when toe home for dinner, either early orte. With the watches, they would get a sense of time and wouldn¡¯t eat at irregr times anymore. She then spent another Rs. 600 on a gold jewelry set for Zhang Xiangcao. Gold at that time was quite cheap, and she was able to assemble a set with a ne, ring, and earrings for her, despite only being a few grams. She used the remaining Rs. 100 to buy new clothes, shoes, and stationery for Sisi. However, she didn¡¯t buy anything for herself. By the time she got home, she found that both Zhang Xiangcao and Sisi were already there. Both seemed anxious, pacing back and forth, as if they couldn¡¯t sit still. Upon seeing Tang Yuxin, Zhang Xiangcao let out a sigh of relief. ¡°You child, why are you sote in getting back?¡± She looked at Tang Yuxin up and down, then rxed when she saw nothing was amiss. They were worried because of the rumors about Tang Yuxin winning a grand prize, bagging Rs. 2000 cash reward. Theyall rushed home, but she wasn¡¯t there, which added to their worries. They weren¡¯t worried about Tang Yuxin spending the money; rather, they were concerned about her safety since she was carrying such arge sum. ¡°Auntie, where are dad and uncle?¡± Tang Yuxin looked around the house but didn¡¯t see Tang Zhinian or Tang Zhijun. They hadn¡¯t returned yet? The farm was busy at this time and they hadn¡¯t returned home.
¡°They went looking for you,¡± Zhang Xiangcao opened the door and looked out, ¡°They should be back soon. Yuxin, are you hungry?¡± Zhang Xiangcao asked her, seemingly having forgotten about the Rs. 2000 issue. After all, how Tang Yuxin spent her money was her business. She still had tens of thousands of rupees from Tang Zhijun¡¯s earnings after buying a house. ¡°A little,¡± Tang Yuxin touched her stomach. She was so excited about shopping she even forgot to eat. Her determination to shop amazed even her. She walked from school to the city, then all the way home, using only her own legs for almost three hours but she didn¡¯t feel tired or footsore. However, as soon as she got home, she felt hungry.
Zhang Xiangcao immediately brought out some hot food from the kitchen. It was a bowl of noodles, still steaming hot and covered with some chili oil, looking very appetizing. She quickly sat down, picked up the chopsticks and started eating the noodles. Just as she finished the noodles and the soup in the bowl, she heard a chaotic sound of footsteps outside. This familiar sound could only belong to the Tang brothers. ¡°Is Yuxin back?¡± Tang Zhinian¡¯s voice arrived ahead of him. ¡°She¡¯s back and having dinner,¡± Zhang Xiangcao went outside, then gesturing inside the house, ¡°She is famished, let her finish eating first.¡± Chapter 177: 179: Everyone Has Chapter 177: Chapter 179: Everyone Has ¡°Sigh¡­¡± Tang Zhinian let out a heavy sigh, running his fingers through his hair. He hasn¡¯t been this worried in a long time. His child, usually so sharp, gave him quite a scare today. He worried about what might happen if she carried around so much money and someone were to rob her. If the money was taken, it could be reced. But if something happened to his child¡­ ¡°Dad, Uncle,¡± Tang Yuxin greeted his father and uncle, both of whom were brooding. She remembered how Tang Zhinian suffered silently when she ran away from the Wei Family after being beaten. He always worried about her being bullied or cheated. He was supposed to remain stern but when he saw his daughter¡¯s smiling face, all his anger instantly dispelled. He certainly couldn¡¯t let this happen again. He reached out and ruffled her hair. As she grew older, his concerns about her only grewrger. ¡°Dad, Uncle, let¡¯s eat.¡± Tang Yuxin ced two bowls of noodles that she brought from the kitchen on the table, feeling guilty about forgetting her family¡¯s worries. An unexpected sum of more than two thousand in her possession really wasn¡¯t muchpared to her previous life¡¯s monthly sry, but now it was a considerable amount of money. She knew nobody would rob her because she took precautions and didn¡¯t expect anyone would believe that a simple country girl like her would carry around two thousand yuan. But even if others didn¡¯t know, her family would. She couldn¡¯t hide such things. It surprised her when her family learned about it earlier than she expected and started worrying about her even more. Upon seeing his niece¡¯s remorseful face, Tang Zhijun couldn¡¯t bring himself to scold her. Instead, he reached out and pinched Tang Yuxin¡¯s face.¡± ¡°Next time you behave like this, forget about your father, even your uncle will pinch your face till it¡¯s bruised.¡± Tang Yuxin touched her cheeks and sighed,
¡°Uncle, I know I¡¯m pretty, but don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re jealous and want to disfigure me?¡± Tang Zhijun choked on his soup and it sprayed out. Caught off guard, it sprayed all over Tang Zhinian. Zhang Xiangcao quickly pulled away Sisi, while Tang Yuxin sneakily hid in her room. Soon after, the cries of Tang Zhijun could be heard from outside. ¡°Brother, can¡¯t you hold back? I¡¯m a married man, too. What would Sisi think if she saw me like this?¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Even though his brother was married and had a child, in Tang Zhinian¡¯s eyes, discipline was still necessary, and he would do so without any hesitation. Every evening, Sisi preferred to watch TV at her uncle¡¯s house. Tang Zhijun didn¡¯t understand why because they all had the same television set. Maybe it was because Tang Yuxin was there. Sisi¡¯s homework was always supervised by Tang Yuxin, who was a good teacher, and since Sisi was also quite intelligent, she picked things up quickly. In her past life, Zhang Xiangcao was unable to properly raise her daughter due to the untimely death of Tang Zhijun, but Sisi¡¯s heart, like Zhang Xiangcao¡¯s, was good even though they were poor. Otherwise, Tang Yuxin would not like her little sister this much. ¡°Dad, this is yours.¡± Tang Yuxin finally took out a box from her bag and ced it in front of Tang Zhinian, and then took out another one and handed it to Tang Zhijun. ¡°I have one too?¡± Tang Zhijun opened the box quickly, revealing the shiny watch inside. It was identical with the one from Tang Zhinian¡¯s box, only the color was different. His was gold, a bit more fashionable, while Tang Zhinian¡¯s was silver, more subdued. Tang Yuxin took out another box from her bag and put it in front of Zhang Xiangcao. ¡°Auntie, there¡¯s one for you as well.¡± ¡°Sister, what about mine?¡± Sisi, seeing that she was left out, pursed her little lips and her face looked as pitiful as it could be. ¡°You have something too,¡± Tang Yuxin pinched Sisi¡¯s little face and went out only to return shortly carrying a big box stuffed with things she bought for Sisi. ¡°Look, their gifts are small, but yours is big.¡± ¡°Thank you, Sister,¡± Sisi lifted the box, which thoughrge, was not too heavy. She smiled, her eyes squinting, and ran to her room with a box bigger than herself to unwrap her gifts.
Meanwhile, Zhang Xiangcao opened her box to find a set of gold jewelry inside, causing her to jump in surprise. She recognized gold. She had a set of her own, gifted to her by Tang Zhijun when they got married. But she hardly wore it, and the set in her hand was surely heavier than hers. This set was surely worth at least seven to eight hundred, right? ¡°No way, I can¡¯t ept this.¡± Zhang Xiangcao¡¯s first instinct was to refuse it and she promptly pushed the box back towards Tang Yuxin, as if the box on the table was thorny and pricking her heart constantly.
It wasn¡¯t that she was stingy, but frightened. How could this expensive item be affordable? She knew the family¡¯s circumstances. They had just bought a house in the city. While they were slightly better off, having only bought one, her brother-inw¡¯s family bought two. Money must be tight. It wasn¡¯t easy to earn money nowadays. To buy something so expensive, how could that be right? ¡°Auntie Zhang, just take it,¡± Tang Yuxin took back the jewelry and ced it in front of Zhang Xiangcao again. ¡°Your gift is much cheaper than my dad and uncle¡¯s. I bought it with my prize money, everyone has something.¡± What Tang Yuxin was saying was the absolute truth. Zhang Xiangcao¡¯s gift was indeed cheaper, simply inparison to the two watches. ¡°Doesn¡¯t it look nice?¡± Tang Zhijun had no qualms about wearing his new watch immediately. When he saw the jewelry set, his eyes lit up, ¡°Yes, our Yuxin has good taste, much better than mine. The design of the gold jewelry is very exquisite,e on, try it on.¡± Zhang Xiangcao was made to feel self-conscious by Tang Zhijun. Tang Zhinian tousled his daughter¡¯s hair and wore his new watch. Even though his appearance hadn¡¯t changed much, the watch added a touch of sophistication to him. They had been too busy being upset, they forgot to ask Tang Yuxin about her writingpetition. Chapter 178: 180: Second Place Chapter 178: Chapter 180: Second ce ¡°Xinxin, is it true what they¡¯re saying about you winning first ce in the essaypetition?¡± Indeed it was. Tang Yuxin took a sip of water from her cup, her small face obscured behind it, her eyebrows lightly twitching with a sense of warmth. ¡°The teacher submitted my essay. I didn¡¯t expect it to win a national gold award. The school gave me a schrship of five hundred yuan, and the education bureau, as well as the city and province, gave me another one thousand and five hundred. So I had two thousand yuan, my own money, which I used to buy watches for dad and Uncle Two, gold jewellery for Auntie Two, and some toys and learning materials for Sisi.¡± ¡°Then¡­¡± She spread her hands out. ¡°Spent it all.¡± ¡°You child,¡± Zhang Xiangcao didn¡¯t know what to say. Two thousand yuan gone in a day, that was enough to provide for a family for several years. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, it¡¯s good that it¡¯s spent,¡± Tang Zhijun felt the money had been well spent. ¡°It¡¯s Yuxin¡¯s own money that she earned, of course she has the right to spend it. When she¡¯s out, I¡¯ll tell people, this is what my Yuxin bought, my Yuxin who won a national award, is that right, big brother?¡± Tang Zhinian and Tang Zhijun really were like two peas in a pod, whatever Zhinian wanted to say, Zhijun had already said it for him. The money was earned by his daughter, he wouldn¡¯t object however she chose to spend it. What pleased him the most wasn¡¯t the two thousand yuan, which in the grand scheme of things was trivial, but the fact that Yuxin had won this award and her win had spread throughout the vige. It felt like nothing short of winning a prestigious schrship.
Even those from the vige who made it to university weren¡¯t as brilliant as their Yuxin. He touched the watch on his wrist, a wide grin spreading across his face that barely faded. ¡°Mommy, mommy¡­¡± Sisi ran over, cradling a big doll in her arms. ¡°Mommy, look, the doll sister bought for Sisi, it¡¯s so big and it even has clothes on.¡± Indeed, it was arge clothed doll, one that cost tens of yuan. Not only was it a raremodity for children in rural areas, but even in the city, not many people could afford one. Dolls were cute and attractive, but so was money. Sisi clung to her doll, chatting non-stop. Except for the noise from the television, the only sounds were the harmonious and happy conversation of this warm family. Tang Yuxin got up, walked into her room, fetched her books and notebooks from her bag, ced them on the desk, and began to do her homework. One stroke at a time, her mind somewhat nk. A faint glow appeared on her slightly dark face, eliciting an illusion of her skin bing noticeably fairer. Early in the morning, Tang Yuxin had already woken up. Her rm clock showed seven o¡¯clock. This was the usual time when she opened her eyes, not too early, not toote, just right. After washing her face, brushing her teeth, andbing her hair she picked up a pill from a jar on the table and put it in her mouth. The familiar taste had be a habit over the years. She looked at her hand in front of her, it did seem to be whiter. Could it be that these pills were finally having an effect? It took eight years for her skin to start bing fair. It¡¯s just a pity that she had taken the medicine for eight years without ever asking Chen Zhong when her skin would turn fair again. Now she had a lot of questions to ask, but Chen Zhong was no longer there. As for the books that Chen Zhong left behind, she had memorized them back to front. They mostly contained medical knowledge, but did not mention when the Cold Fragrance Pills would work. Could it be that they were to be consumed for several decades before the skin would regain its fairness? The news of Tang Yuxin winning the essay gold award spread very quickly. Not only was it known throughout Li Tang Vige, but even people from other viges knew about it. When Tang Zhinian went out, everyone looked at him with envy. At one point, people ridiculed Zhinian, saying that raising a daughter was futile as she would eventually join another family. But now, look at their family. Their conditions were getting better, with a watch around his wrist worth thousands of yuan. Even Tang Zhijun had one, and every chance he got, he would tell people that it was bought by his grand-niece using the prize money from her national award. The watch was top-quality, a Seagull brand to boot. So what if she¡¯s a girl? Look at those who have a bunch of sons, which one is more promising than their child? At such a young age, she could afford to buy watches for her family. Of course, there were also those who were sour grapes, saying that she was outstanding now, but who knows what would happen in the future. For instance, while she was considered a beautiful child in the vige back then, now she was dark and thin. They crowed that while she had talent now, she might turn out to be mediocre in the future. Regardless of the rumors, Tang Yuxin attended school as though she had never won an award. She was her usual reserved self and didn¡¯t have many friends, but the ss had a good opinion of her. Her grades were always average, and she would patiently exin any questions her ssmates had in any subject. As a result, she had received much love and appreciation from her peers. After middle school exams, it was finally time for the parent-teacher meeting. Tang Yuxin pulled out her test paper, which was impably neat without a trace of correction. And her calligraphy truly added points to her score.
This time, her grades were excellent, ranking second in the ss. The first ce was a boy in the ss who was third in the entire grade. Excellent in character and learning, he was by all ounts a bookworm. It seemed like apart from studying, he was good at nothing else, highly intelligent but a fool in life. Despite this, Tang Yuxin greatly admired him. Despite two lifetimes of effort, she still couldn¡¯t surpass him. At times, she wondered who was actually the one who had been reborn, her or the boy who ranked first. But, securing the second ce, she was already very satisfied.
She wouldn¡¯t let her father be embarrassed at this parent-teacher meeting. She wanted her father to be proud of her, and for other parents to admire her father for raising such a good daughter. The parent-teacher meeting of ss 5 was mandatory. If parents didn¡¯t attend, their child wouldn¡¯t be allowed to attend ss. Parents¡¯ meetings were not amon practice in primary school. It was something city dwellers were ustomed to but was quite a novelty in the countryside. Chapter 179: 181: Proud Father Chapter 179: Chapter 181: Proud Father In her previous life, no one had ever attended a parent-teacher meeting for Tang Yuxin. Wei Tian came for his daughter, Sang Zhn came for her daughter, and Yuxin merely existed transparently in their corner, no matter her academic performance or ranking, she was always outshone by Wei Jiani. Wei Jiani¡¯s brilliance had cast her into the shadows, reinforcing Wei Tian and Sang Zhn¡¯s contempt for her. She sat there coldly, a distance and coldness emanating from her downcast eyes. One after another, the parents arrived. The students sat at the back, while the parents took seats at the front. Zhang Yindi clutched her clothes, her eyes filled with panic. With work to do in the fields back home and siblings to care for, her parents were absent, despite her tears and tantrums they did not show up. She bit her lip hard, reminding herself to remember this. As soon as she left this vige and her family, she would nevere back. Tang Zhinian walked in with big strides. Seeing Tang Yuxin inside, he smiled at his daughter. He had put on a new set of clothes, and groomed his hair. Sharp as always, made even more handsome by his deliberate efforts. He looked nothing like a typical viger. He was also wearing a Seagull-brand watch. Those who knew their watches were aware that his watch was worth almost a thousand yuan. Could someone in dire straits afford such a luxury? Zhang Yindi nced at Tang Yuxin, her eyes filled with envy. At that moment, Tang Yuxin turned her face and saw the twisted dissatisfaction that had not yet faded from Zhang Yindi¡¯s face. Zhang Yindi¡¯s heart tightened in shock, and she quickly turned her face away in an indescribable embarrassment.
After a while, Wei Tian also walked in. Seeing Tang Zhinian in the room, he tensed up involuntarily, grinding to a halt in stiffness. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you moving?¡± Another man walked in behind him, Huahua¡¯s father. Being neighbors, their children had grown up together, and so naturally the parents progressed in tandem. This wasn¡¯t their first parent-teacher meeting. Wei Tian proceeded forward. He initially wanted to sit as far away from Tang Zhinian as possible, but they had arrived toote. The only vacant seat was next to Tang Zhinian, and he reluctantly sat down. Upon realizing that the Tang Family¡¯s kid wouldn¡¯t have performed exceptionally, he felt slight relief. He knew that Tang Yuxin and his own Nini were in the same ss, and had asked Wei Jiani about Yuxin¡¯s academic performance. Wei Jiani had always considered Tang Yuxin unsophisticated, naive and ordinary. Wei Tian epted this characterization without question. Having daughters themselves, Wei Tian could not ept that the daughter of a farmer could be superior to his own. The teacher made eye contact with the parents, greeted them, and then proceeded with reading the scores. School meetings were indeed annoying. Scores were always a point of contention. The high scorers beamed with pride, while those with poor performance would hang their heads in shame alongside their parents. The students who ranked at the bottom would undoubtedly feel their heartstrings tightening. The teacher started reading from thest and moved up. Wei Tian only smiled when the teacher announced that Wei Jiani ranked fifth. He was proud of his daughter ranking fifth. However,ter when the teacher announced that Tang Yuxin was in second ce, Tang Zhinian straightened with pride in response. ¡°What rank did your child get?¡± The person next to Wei Tian asked. ¡°Oh, second,¡± Tang Zhinian replied with a smile. ¡°My daughter¡¯s name is Tang Yuxin.¡± ¡°Tang Yuxin?¡± Hearing the name Tang Yuxin, the other parent was visibly surprised. He shook hands with Tang Zhinian in an overly-enthusiastic disy that left Tang Zhinian somewhat overawed. ¡°So you are Tang Yuxin¡¯s father! I was always wondering, what kind of parent could raise such an outstanding child. How do you educate her? How did she manage to write an essay so well she won the national gold award? I admire you so much, you have no idea!¡± The excited words from the parent attracted the attention of the other parents towards Tang Zhinian. Standing in the limelight, surrounded by the praise and good will of the others, Tang Zhinian felt incredibly overwhelmed. He was, after all, an unassuming farmer and not ustomed to such high energy situations. His forehead glistened with nervous sweat. The teacher continued with the scores, leaving no room for those students who performed poorly. ¡°Now, could Tang Yuxin¡¯s father please share with us how he managed to raise a daughter who won the Middle School Composition Gold Award?¡± Tang Zhinian was called upon specifically. With all eyes on him, even if he didn¡¯t wish to say anything, he had no choice. It seemed that some aspects of Yuxin¡¯s character were strikingly simr to Tang Zhinian¡¯s own. Both of them were down-to-earth, guileless, and somewhat naive. Otherwise, in her previous life, she would not have been bullied and exploited as she was. Tang Zhinian stood up; his mind was suddenly confused, his mouth seemed heavy, unsure of what to say.
¡°I¡­¡± He licked his dry lips, and then, silence followed. Nevertheless, none of the othersughed at him. His daughter had ranked second and won the nationalposition gold award. At this moment, who couldugh at him, who dared tough at him, who was qualified tough at him? ¡°I¡­¡± Tang Zhinian began again, but after taking a deep breath, he finally found the words to express his thoughts. ¡°I never really managed Yuxin¡¯s studies because I have no education. I only attended a few days of school, enough to learn to count and write my name. I never demanded my child to rank a certain position. In the beginning, the child didn¡¯t earn high marks in school, but gradually her academic performance began to improve. However¡­¡± He paused, his eyes filled with sorrow. ¡°Previously our living conditions were worse. Yuxin was, at a tender age, not only managing her studies but also helping her uncle and me withundry and cooking. It¡¯s said that the children of poor families take on household responsibilities at a young age. In my family, Yuxin has always been a well-behaved child. I¡¯ve never had to reprimand her. So, what I want to say¡­¡±
Chapter 180: 182: Two Students Arrive Chapter 180: Chapter 182: Two Students Arrive He scanned the room filled with parents once more before he continued, ¡°It¡¯s okay if our children do not do well in the exams this time. As long as they improve with each attempt, they are good kids. If possible, I would rather wish my child¡¯s life to be ordinary but with a good family background, rather than living in a household like ours, where children are expected to think more, do more, and understand more.¡± Upon hearing this, the other parents fell silent, as if awakening to theirck of attention towards their children and their inadequate efforts in helping them with their studies. Whenever their children underperform, their immediate reaction is to resort to corporal punishment or scolding. Even when these children manage to pull off a good performance, the parents will still criticize them. The problem lies in the fact that they are too concerned with their children¡¯s academic achievements but neglect their personal growth. Talented children like Tang Yuxin are scarce. There are indeed very few children who canpare to Tang Yuxin in this world. The majority are just ordinary kids, average in terms of intelligence and looks. Besides their inherent talents, there¡¯s amon saying, ¡®children from poor families learn to take charge early¡¯.¡± It¡¯s not that she¡¯s exceptionally intelligent. There are many children in the world smarter than her. Yet, not every child can consistently achieve the second rank in ss, or win a national gold award. We can only say that, being brought up in such a family, she has to be sensible and mature from a young age. Actually, no one wishes to grow up too early, because growing up would, inevitably, be apanied by countless stumbles and falls. Still, Tang Yuxin smiles. She never thought her family was terrible; they justcked a mother figure. In her previous life, she had a mother and yet she was still just amon ¡®white cabbage¡¯ in the field. As long as she has her father, whoever treats her well she will remember, and whoever treats her poorly, she simply wouldn¡¯t care. She also doesn¡¯t care if people know about her family situation as she doesn¡¯t feel that it¡¯s shameful. What is shameful is to steal from others, what is shameful is Wei Tian and Sang Zhn. What does that have to do with her? Wei Tian was gripping his palm the whole time, his hand filled with sweat. Perhaps, he was afraid that Tang Zhinian would reveal what happened that year. By then, not only would his own reputation be tarnished, but Wei Jiani¡¯s as well. He clearly knew about Wei Jiani¡¯s circumstances, but how could he possibly bear to deal with these truths? If everyone finds out about it, the humiliation would be minor inparison to losing his job. Moreover, since he¡¯s making steady progress in his career, he can¡¯t afford any mistakes.
When Tang Zhinian finally sat down, a round of apuse filled the room, and Wei Tian finally rxed. However, the difort and embarrassment soon reced his relief. He used to look down on these rural people who could only farm, but now, their daughter has surpassed his own. Not only did shee second in the ss, but she also won a national essaypetition gold medal. This felt like a p on his face, loud and clear. When Tang Zhinian returned home, he was walking on cloud nine. Later in the evening, they unexpectedly had two uninvited guests. They were the parents of Xu Miaomiao and Chen Lidong, who were ssmates with Tang Yuxin and sat next to Tang Zhinian earlier in the meeting. Both of their children¡¯s academic performances were at the bottom of the ss. ¡°Ah Zhinian, we¡¯re really sorry to bother you with this. We don¡¯t really have a choice,¡± One of the parent¡¯s face showed both shame and helplessness, ¡°We both work at the same factory and we usually don¡¯t have time to tutor our children. Their academic performances deteriorated and they¡¯ve be our biggest concerns.¡± ¡°I thought that since we live close, how about letting our children study together with Yuxin? We heard from our children that Yuxin does well in school and she isn¡¯t weak in any subjects, especially English. Please, Zhinian, we need your help.¡± The two fathers, for the sake of their children, put down their pride and turned to others for help. The concept of private tuition wasn¡¯tmon back then, children had to study on their own at home. After attending the meeting, both felt that Tang Zhinian was a dependable person who could teach his children well. If their only children don¡¯t turn out right, they will have nowhere to weep. Therefore, even if they have to lose face, they don¡¯t mind, as long as Tang Yuxin¡¯s family can take care of their poor-performing children. How should Tang Zhinian respond? He looked at his daughter, attempting to gauge her reaction. Even if he was usually bad at rejecting others, especially when they came bearing gifts, he wouldn¡¯t agree to anything that could hinder his daughter¡¯s progress. As long as Tang Yuxin was unwilling, he didn¡¯t mind offending others. Tang Yuxin subtly nodded her head, giving Tang Zhinian some assurance. When the two fathers saw their approval, they sighed in relief and gratefully dumped their children on them. They had left the two kids standing there, ufortably staring at each other, feeling totally awkward. ¡°Have you finished your homework?¡± Tang Yuxin asked the two students. She had not interacted much with them, but they didn¡¯t seem like troublemakers. At least, during their middle school years, there were a few shared nods between them. However, she didn¡¯t know how they were doing in their personal lives. ¡°We haven¡¯t,¡± Both Xu Miaomiao and Chen Lidong shook their heads, forcing out bitter smiles. They had no time to finish their homework. Upon returning home, they were scolded harshly by their parents. They were so close to being asked tomit suicide as an apology. ¡°Let¡¯s do it together,¡± Tang Yuxin led them into her room. There was a desk in the room that Tang Zhinian had custom-made for her. The table was very smooth and there were two small drawers where she kept her stationery and other small items. Tang Yuxin took out her homework from her bag. ¡°You can ask me if there¡¯s anything you don¡¯t understand,¡± she hadn¡¯t had much interaction with these two ssmates. Her personality was also on the cooler side. Expecting her tough and chat with others like an amiable fool was simply impossible for her.
Xu Miaomiao was a girl who blushed easily. She lowered her head and didn¡¯t dare to speak. On the other hand, Chen Lidong was outgoing and scratched his head sheepishly. ¡°Tang Yuxin, I don¡¯t know how to do this math problem.¡± Xu Miaomiao promptly lifted her head. Her pitiable expression made it seem as if she was aggrieved. Tang Yuxin rubbed her forehead, suddenly feeling a bit of a headache. What kind of problem children had she taken on?
Chapter 181: 183 Poor Foundation Chapter 181: Chapter 183 Poor Foundation ¡°To solve this, you should¡­¡± Tang Yuxin took out her own notebook, carefully illustrating every step of the equation. After speaking for a long time until her mouth was dry, she asked the two of them. They both looked utterly bewildered. ¡°Don¡¯t understand?¡± Tang Yuxin asked, feeling like she¡¯d exined the concept very clearly. Her approach was simpler than the teacher¡¯s, and yet the two of them still didn¡¯t understand. The two diligent students nodded, appearing somewhat embarrassed. Tang Yuxin flipped to the previous page of the textbook and asked, ¡°Do you understand this?¡± Math is cumtive, it builds step by step. If you don¡¯t understand the previous step, how can you possibly understand the next? If you fail to grasp the foundations, the more you learn, the more confused you be, until everything bes a muddled mess. And math is a major subject. When ites to entrance exams, it¡¯s a big scorer. That¡¯s why they say, if you are good at math and science, you will fear nothing in this world. The two diligent students shook their heads again. Tang Yuxin continued flipping back a few pages, pointing to the content, and asked, ¡°Do you understand this?¡±
The two children looked even more embarrassed. Clearly, they still didn¡¯tprehend. With a frustrated sigh, Tang Yuxin flipped back to page one, ¡°Do you understand this?¡± This time, the two students finally nodded. If they didn¡¯t understand this, it would be beyond hope. ¡°What part do you two understand?¡± Tang Yuxin stopped doing her homework. She could finish hers anytime as her foundational knowledge was sound, so the homework assigned by the teacher wasn¡¯t difficult for her. If she couldn¡¯t grasp where these two were struggling, no matter how she taught, she¡¯d be teaching blind. Math wasn¡¯t about rote memorization, you had toprehend the underlying patterns. And the task felt as though a heavy burden was ced on her shoulders. If her memory served right, these two weren¡¯t just weak at math, they were weak across all subjects. Unlike her consistent high scores across all subjects, their performance was consistently poor. Despite being attentive in ss, they weren¡¯t the ss clowns, but their grades were poor and were always the bottom of the ss. After a brief assessment of their knowledge, Tang Yuxin found that their foundational knowledge was severelycking. If they couldn¡¯tprehend what was taught in the past, they wouldn¡¯t be able to grasp future lessons. The further they got behind, the less motivated they¡¯d be. She took out her textbook and began to teach them from the very basics. Thankfully, they were only in the first year of junior high school, the math concepts were rtively simple. By gradually guiding them, they could easily catch up. However, if they were in the second year, reinforcing their basics would be a daunting task. It took her about an hour to help them catch up on the basics, and then she started today¡¯s homework. Math was like this, while other subjects were quite straightforward, relying on rote memorization. They settled into silence, working on their homework. To be honest, the learning atmosphere Tang Yuxin created was just as intense as being at school. The quiet setting allowed them to focus on their studies. At that moment, a small head peeked through the door. Chen Lidong put down his pen, stretched a little, and then looked back to find a pair of round eyes looking back at him. Sisi smiled at the unfamiliar big brother in her home, her sweet little face was like a delicate flower bud, making her quite lovable. ¡°Sisi,e do your homework.¡± Tang Yuxin also noticed her little sister outside and waved her over. Sisi ran over, carrying her books and notebooks in her hands. She sat down and neatly ced her textbooks, and then began writing with a pencil, line by line.
¡°Is this your little sister?¡± Chen Lidong patted little Sisi¡¯s head, finding such a tiny child incredibly adorable. Not having any younger siblings themselves, it was a novelty to be around such a small child. Especially one as well-behaved as Sisi, who didn¡¯t make any fuss. Her cute and adorable face made her even more endearing. Being good-looking certainly had its advantages. Tang Yuxin touched her own face. s, her in features always left her at a disadvantage. But at least, it saved her the trouble of make-up because no amount could brighten her up, unless she used in flour. Sisi lifted her little face and gave Chen Lidong a smile, causing him to be so taken by her that he wanted to take her home. ¡°She¡¯s my second uncle¡¯s daughter,¡± Tang Yuxin pinched Sisi¡¯s cheek, ¡°She¡¯s in first grade. Look at her handwriting, then look at yours. Isn¡¯t it embarrassing?¡±
Xu Miaomiao and Chen Lidong¡¯s eyes quickly shifted to the elementary school student¡¯s book. Despite her childish handwriting, the strokes were precise and well-proportioned, even exhibiting an elegant ir of calligraphy. Compared with Tang Yuxin¡¯s graceful handwriting, it was no surprise they found themselves feeling inadequate. ¡°Can we write well too?¡± Xu Miaomiao dreamed of having beautiful penmanship, but she felt as though shecked the natural talent. No matter how much she tried, her handwriting was always chicken scratch. ¡°There¡¯s nothing definitive in this world,¡± Tang Yuxin continued writing her homework, ¡°Persist and strive, then you will seed, as long as you can endure the loneliness in between.¡± ¡°I can,¡± Xu Miaomiao puffed out her chest confidently. Regardless of her academic performance, she was determined to have good handwriting. Tang Yuxin stood up and opened a drawer. From within, she took out a few pages of her handwriting to share. Aside from her handwriting, there wasn¡¯t much else she was proud of in her two lifetimes. Having practiced calligraphy with Chen Zhong for years, her calligraphy was impressive. She made copies of her writings for Sisi to learn from. One day, Sisi would have beautiful handwriting too, otherwise she would get a smack on her hand. Although technology progress meant fewer people were handwriting, being able to write well was a reflection of one¡¯s personal cultivation. Therefore, no matter what, Sisi must write well. She generously shared her handwriting sheets, hoping they would stay persistent and keep practicing. It wasn¡¯t toote to start from scratch now. It might take a year, two years, or even three years, but eventually they¡¯ll improve. Chapter 182: 184: Exam Chapter 182: Chapter 184: Exam ¡°This is for you,¡± Tang Yuxin handed a few sheets of character posters to them. These characters went from simple toplex. Once they could write these characters, they would then only need to mix and match them in the future. Other than thebination of the characters, there wouldn¡¯t be much drastic change. Thanking her, Xu Miaomiao and Chen Lidong dly collected the posters. As soon as they saw the characters on them, they immediately fell in love with them. By evening, the parents of Xu Miaomiao and Chen Lidong came to pick up their children. When asked about their day, both children enthusiastically reported that they were able toplete their homework quickly and efficiently at Tang Yuxin¡¯s house. Furthermore, she was a good teacher who taught them the basics and even gave them character posters to practise. Hearing this, the parents felt satisfied with their decision to send their children to her. However, they didn¡¯t want to take advantage of Yuxin¡¯s kindness nor impose on her time, so they decided to bring some gifts each time they came over. In this manner, they gradually became familiar with each other. Chen Lidong especially liked Sisi. From the very first visit, he had enjoyed ying with Sisi. A little sister as young as her was adorable to him. Sisi also liked ¡°brother¡± Lidong, who would always bring her lots of tasty treats and fun toys. The three older children and the little one would sit together to do their homework after school. They could sit for hours, and no one found it boring or tedious. On the contrary, they reveled in the spirit of friendlypetition. Tang Yuxin took their textbooks and circled the key points in each of them. These points had been emphasized over and over by their teachers. This content was very likely to show up in their exams. Perhaps her outstanding ability to predict the examination content was rted to her previous life¡¯s memory. Even though she couldn¡¯t remember all the exam topics from her past life, the sense of familiarity with some topics led her to believe those were the key points for the exam. If her prediction were urate this time, it would be pretty close to the real exam. The key points she highlighted were to be memorized by Xu Miaomiao and Chen Lidong. Whatever the circumstances, they had to ensure that these points stuck in their minds. At the end of the school day, they would get together to do homework, review the previous day¡¯s work, and pre-study the next day¡¯s material. This approach ensured that they wouldprehend the content well in ss. In the mornings, they would arrive at school half an hour earlier. During this half hour, the three of them would recite their books outside school. Yuxin would also teach them English dialogues. Though her English wasn¡¯t perfect, she had attended college where English was a required course, which was more than adequate to handle the simple English of middle school.
Every day was like this; she also made Xu Miaomiao and Chen Lidong follow her schedule. She woke up half an hour earlier and slept an hourter, using this extra time for revision and extracurricr reading. For instance, she suggested reading excellent essays, well-written prose, and poetry anthologies. There were no shortcuts to write essays well. She didn¡¯t see herself as a writer, a schr, a poet, or a person of culture. All she did was to express her thoughts and experiences. If asked to write on other topics, she might produce ordinary pieces. She knew she wasn¡¯t cut out for being a literary person. However, she knew that to improve in essay writing, one should read and write more often and ponder more on what was read. As an adult, her perspectives varied greatly from those of other people. Naturally, what she wrote was more mature. But students were different than her. They didn¡¯t have the life experiences she had; they didn¡¯t have the equanimity of a past life, the frustrations of living in that life, or the liberation and regrets of dying. That¡¯s why they still weren¡¯t able to express their feelings through words. Therefore, they needed to read more, do more thinking and observation, and also engage in deeper contemtion. What reassured Tang Yuxin was that although her two students were not particrly intelligent, they were very diligent and obedient. When she told them to rise earlier and sleepter, they did exactly that. Don¡¯t ask how she knew all this; the parents from the two families were in touch. Recently, Mr. Xu and Mr. Chen have been extremely proud of their children¡¯s improvements. ording to them, their children have grown up as they get up early every day to study. Unlike before, when they used to sleep until thest possible moment before hurriedly getting up for school. And now, they even help with household chores and assist their mothers in cooking. For families with only one child, witnessing these changes made them feel very relieved. As their children grew and became more sensible, the parents naturally felt moved too. It was the end of the semester at their junior high school and examinations followed soon after. With the examinations done, the Lunar New Year was nigh. Time was fleeting, passing in the blink of an eye. And just like a swift horse crossing a gap, before they even knew it, time had already flown by unnoticed. Tang Yuxin took out her pencil case and every item from inside, including her pens, erasers, and rulers. When their exam papers were distributed, she nced at hers. The first exam was for the Chinesenguage subject and to her delight, the questions were quite simr to the ones she had predicted. In order to help Xu Miaomiao and Chen Lidong remember the topics they had studied, she had made them review several times and memorize the content to heart. She sneakily nced at Xu Miaomiao sitting in front of her. Miaomiao caught her eye and shed her a smile. Her animated eyes seemed to have an extra sparkle at that moment, making her appear more lively. It seemed that she was confident about the examination since she knew all the answers. Chen Lidong had already picked up his pen to start writing. With an intensely focused expression on his face, his pen moved rapidly across the page without any pauses. He was eager to write down his answers. Little did anyone know that his palms were sweaty from the excitement of recognizing most of the questions. Unlike his previous experiences of staring nkly at the exam paper, uncertain of where to start. Questions he didn¡¯t know how to answer, areas he didn¡¯t understand¡­ After an examination, when he wanted to cross-check his answers, he usually had no clue where the questions came from. Now it was different; he still remembered which narrative the questions were derived from and on which page of his textbook.
It felt as if the book was right in front of him and he was simply copying down the correct answers from it. He was eager to write down the answers before he forgets them. Chapter 183: 185: Childish Words Chapter 183: Chapter 185: Childish Words As he bowed his head to delve into the answers, time quietly slipped away. After checking his paper several times, he looked at the clock, only a half hour had passed. He rubbed his hands. Since starting school, he had never finished answering questions this quickly. In past exams, he would scratch his head and cast anxious nces all around until the test was over. This time, he finished so smoothly. There were only a few nks left, and he regretted once he saw the questions he couldn¡¯t answer. He had definitely seen these before, but hepletely forgot about them. He would have to watch out for these little problems in the future. Otherwise, like today, he would skip several nks, which could cost him at least five points. Uneasy, he carefully checked his paper several times again. When he found no mistakes, he waited to hand in his paper. Until the bell rang, this exam was over. After a ten minute break, it would be time for the math test. He handed in his paper, and immediately took out his notebook. He went over the key points for revision again. It is truly regrettable that he was short on time. Had he known earlier, he would have stayed up an extra half hour to study, and then time wouldn¡¯t have been an issue. Unlike now, when he had to cram at thest second. Soon, it was time to prepare for the second exam. When the exam papers were handed down, Chen Lidong¡¯s hands itched to start. He let out a deep breath upon seeing the questions ¨C they were much simpler than he expected. Many of them were problems that Tang Yuxin had taught them before, many would be found on the practice problems the teachers provided them. He used to think math was the hardest subject, with each question more challenging and headache-inducing than thest. But now, he realized math was much simpler thannguage arts, at the very least, it didn¡¯t require writing essays. Following the method Tang Yuxin taught them, Chen Lidong wrote the answers on the draft paper first. Then when he was sure there were no mistakes, he transferred them onto the test paper. At the very least, the clean answer sheet would make a good impression on the teacher. What¡¯s more, he had been practicing his handwriting for the past six months. Now his handwriting was much better than before, which wasforting to see. When he finished the exam, he sneakily nced at Xu Miaomiao. Xu Miaomiao was also engrossed in her exam, but she had a rxed smile on her face. It seemed these questions couldn¡¯t be difficult for her either.
The math exam went unusually smoothly. After two exams, they had to prepare for English and history in the afternoon. The most difficult subjects had already been tested. The remaining ones like history, geography, and biology were just about cramming. Both of them had been relentlessly drilled by Tang Yuxin. Sometimes, Tang Yuxin would make fun of them, saying how they were junior high students but their English was not as good as Sisi. Tang Yuxin started teaching Sisi English when Sisi was very young. Even though Sisi is now only a first-grader, her English is quite fluent, which put them to shame. They were supposed to go home separately to eat. However, Xu Miaomiao and Chen Lidong insisted on going to her house. Along the way, they asked Tang Yuxin to quiz them to see if they could answer the questions that Tang Yuxin guessed would be on the exam. Out of the questions Tang Yuxin guessed, they got about half right, maybe even more. While Tang Yuxin felt reassuring, she didn¡¯tpletely trust her intuition. Sometimes human intuition can be misleading. Hence, she was afraid that she had given them too much hope. No, they must makeprehensive progress next year, and can no longer rely on guessing. While they could enjoy good food by following her and she had a knack for guessing, the majority of the exam content she remembered from her middle and high school days. However, she could not let it go too far and ruin the habits of these two children by them relying on guessing, scheming, and cheating. They can¡¯t get by in everything without a solid foundation. Once they arrived home, Xu Miaomiao voluntarily rolled up her sleeves and started helping Zhang Xiangcao cook. She had learnt a lot of dishes recently and even went home and unted her new skills to her parents. Xu Miaomiao¡¯s mother was so moved that she specifically went to thank Zhang Xiangcao several times. As for Chen Lidong, he yed with Sisi. Chen Lidong really liked Sisi, really, really liked her. These two, one big and one small, were inseparable all day and never seemed to tire of each other. Sometimes, even Tang Yuxin marveled at Chen Lidong¡¯s patience with Sisi, and felt inferior inparison. If they didn¡¯t have such arge age gap, Tang Yuxin would worry that they might start an age-defying romance. But then she realized that she was overthinking. Sisi was only six years old, while Chen Lidong was almost sixteen. That¡¯s a ten-year age gap. If this were the old times, they would have been married and had kids by now. Of course, such a thought might sh through her mind. It wasn¡¯t untilter when Sisi hadn¡¯t graduated from college when she was swept away by an older man, that Tang Yuxin, almost chopping people with a kitchen knife in anger, realized that she had indeed invited the wolf into her home. Although the older man was not Chen Lidong, she still felt bitter. But of course, this is something for the future, and there¡¯s no need to mention it for now. After dinner, they still had some time, so Tang Yuxin took out her books, and the three of them reviewed for a while. Such review was also beneficial for Tang Yuxin herself. At the very least, she could apply what she had learned and won¡¯t forget what she had learned. It also served as a reinforcement for her memory. Two more exams were taken in the afternoon, and more exams were to follow tomorrow. Tang Yuxin thought they would finally get some rest. However, when she reached home, two ¡°tails¡± were still following her. Xu Miaomiao was not an issue ¨C she could simply sleep with Tang Yuxin. As for Chen Lidong¡­ ¡°Brother will sleep with Sisi, not in the kitchen.¡± Sisi puffed out her chest, naturally offering a ce for Chen Lidong to sleep, otherwise, he might have to sleep in the kitchen. Zhang Xiangcao was so shocked she almost choked on her own saliva, while Tang Zhijun embarrassedly turned his face, saying nothing. It seemed that they, as a couple, must be careful about what they say in the future, in case the children overhear, like this¡­
Tang Yuxin blinked, automatically filtering out the things that transpired between the couple, yes, she was still a child, she wouldn¡¯t think too much, she didn¡¯t think too much. She would definitely not think too much, was it possible that her Uncle Tang and Aunt Tang, couldn¡¯t help themselves, and did this and that in the kitchen. Then Sisi saw, and thought they were going to sleep in the kitchen. Chapter 184: 186: A Match Made in Heaven Chapter 184: Chapter 186: A Match Made in Heaven And just like that, the sleeping arrangements for her two little followers were pleasantly settled. Of course, they couldn¡¯t do without revising at night. However, there was no longer any need for Tang Yuxin to guide, everyone studied on their own. When she woke up in the morning, she found that she was always thest to get up. Because in the yard, Xu Miaomiao and Chen Lidong had already started reciting from their books. She rested her hand on the windowsill and then propped her face up. Just look at how wonderful this is. Childhood sweethearts. The emotion built over years. Indeed, a match made in heaven. She squinted her eyes and took out a pill from a small ceramic pot on the table. She put it in her mouth, then stretched out her hands and looked at them, now much whiter. Indeed, now is when the medicine is really taking effect. ¡°Yuxin, why do I feel you¡¯ve gotten much whiter recently?¡± Xu Miaomiao put her own hand in front of Tang Yuxin¡¯s face topare. Yes, she had gotten whiter. The first time she saw Tang Yuxin, she was a little dark-skinned girl. But now she had suddenly be so fair.
¡°Winter is here.¡± Yes, she lifted her head and looked at the warm sun above, which was also gentle. She really wished that she could be treated gently in this lifetime, whether as a child or when she grows up. ¡°Did you apply something?¡± Xu Miaomiao reached out and sniffed Tang Yuxin¡¯s sleeve, ¡°Why does it smell so nice?¡± ¡°Violet scent.¡± Tang Yuxin looked at her as if she was a country bumpkin. Violet scent was five cents a packet, one packet couldst a whole winter. This kind of violet scent also had another name, Snow Frost. It was a fragrant smell. Of course, Tang Yuxin also used Snow Frost, a new young girl, just hitting puberty, didn¡¯t need a lot of skincare or cosmetics. During ordinary days, she just needed to keep clean. Of course, the certain fragrance on her was not from Snow Frost. No matter how much Snow Frost she applied, she couldn¡¯t possibly get such a fragrance. This faint body fragrance was from the Cold Fragrance Pills she had been consuming for almost ten years. It was only until now that she truly believed in what Chen Zhong had said years ago, about making the skin as white as snow and the bones emanating an exotic fragrance. Upon hearing this, Xu Miaomiao really believed it. She went home and bought several more packets of violet scented ointment. She didn¡¯t believe that she couldn¡¯t reproduce that fragrance on her own. The examination the next day didn¡¯t make anyone nervous because of this little incident. After all, they had prepared incredibly well, getting up earlier than others every day and going to bedter. There was no reason they would fail the exam. So this exam went smoothly for them. The questions Tang Yuxin didn¡¯t guess precisely, but they had studied most of them. So their grades shouldn¡¯t be bad either when the resultse. Only after thest subject was finished did they truly feel liberated. Then they were just waiting for the results before the New Year. Whether this year would be good or not depended on the results of the final exam. The significance of this score was not minor, as it had to do with how they would celebrate the year. It bore upon matters like whether they would be scolded or whether they would get more New Year¡¯s money. In their era, Tang Yu¡¯s generation was the first generation of single children in China. When rtives came to visit, the topic would inevitably turn to the children¡¯s education. Parents of children who were clever and doing well in school would, of course, have face. On the contrary, if a child was foolish andgging in studies, even the parents would feel shame to go out. ¡°Sisi, look at what brother brought for you?¡± Chen Lidong took out a doll from behind and waved it in front of Sisi. Sisi was so happy that her eyes were almost disappearing from her smile. ¡°Do you like it?¡± Chen Lidong squatted down and put the doll in Sisi¡¯s hand.
¡°Thank you, brother,¡± Sisi was a well-behaved and polite girl, which made many people fond of her. Chen Lidong pinched Sisi¡¯s little face, thinking how soft and cute she was, just like freshly steamed buns made by his mother. So soft, so pinchable. Sisi gleefully allowed Chen Lidong to pinch and rub her face while giggling. ¡°Chen Lidong, stop bullying Sisi,¡± Xu Miaomiao couldn¡¯t help but roll her eyes, ¡°Have wee here to study or to flirt with someone¡¯s little sister? Sisi is so young, and you¡¯re not focusing on your studies, only ying.¡±
Chen Lidong shrugged his shoulders and quickly walked over. They had all decided to study at Tang Yuxin¡¯s ce during this winter break. Tang Yuxin had not only helped them improve their basics, made their handwriting prettier, but also stimted their interest in learning. Before, they didn¡¯t like studying. Everyone had subjects they didn¡¯t like, theirs just happened to be more. Carelessly, they possibly disliked all nine subjects, or maybe all of them. But now they found studying all subjects much morefortable than before. This ease brought them interest. So apart from teaching, Tang Yuxin also helped them develop more significant interest towards studies. If someone had told them before that they could stop ying, going out, watching TV during vacation, and sit in one ce for hours to keep their heads buried in studies, just like at school, they probably wouldn¡¯t have believed it. But now, see the reality for themselves: they are studying. They need to review what they learned this semester and preview the materials for the next semester. No, with the freshman year almost over, if they don¡¯t pick up the pace, it would be difficult to keep up in sophomore year. The textbooks for the second semester of the first year were borrowed from Li¡¯s dad. He borrowed three sets, one set for three kids. To return this favor, while Tang Yuxin previewed, she also included the two. When the results of the final exams were announced, they especially made a trip to the school. Their homeroom teacher, Mr. Liu, walked in with a smile. Seeing her expression, it looked like their ss had done well. Otherwise, at this time, instead of smiling, she would have had a bitter melon face. ¡°This time, everyone did well,¡± Teacher Liu looked around the ss, ¡°everyone¡¯s grades have improved. The ones that did well should strive to do better, and the ones who didn¡¯t do well should reflect on themselves. Although you are freshmen now, you will soon be sophomores, and once you¡¯re sophomores, you will be very close to being juniors. Whether you can continue to study, or have to drop out halfway, will depend on how you spend the uing year.¡± Chapter 185: 187: Did Well in the Exam Chapter 185: Chapter 187: Did Well in the Exam Under the same reasoning as every year, they then started to distribute the test results. First, the general report cards were passed out. After the start of the new year and school reopened, the subject teachers would separately review and discuss the exams. ¡°This time, fifteen of our ss made it within the top hundred in the school. Among them, the second, fifth, and eighth ranks are ours.¡± The second ce, needless to say, was always dominated by their ss¡¯s consistently top-scoring bookworm. With a wooden expression, the bookworm seemed oblivious to the surroundings. It was unclear whether he was mentally solving maths problems or filling in nks. The world of academic champions was genuinely beyond theprehension of underachievers. As for the fifth rank in the whole school, that was second in their ss. When Tang Yuxin¡¯s name was called out, Tang Yuxin wasn¡¯t surprised because she knew good deeds never go unrewarded. Look, even her own grades became stable. She thought she could rank in fourth or fifth ce this time, but the actual result far exceeded her expectations. This time I want to specificallymend two students from our ss. Ms. Liu was still smiling, very satisfied, ¡°Before, these two had performed poorly in our ss and dragged down the overall ranking. This time, both of their performances improved significantly. They used to rank towards the end, but in this examination, they unexpectedly achieved the eighth and twelfth rank in our ss, making it into the top hundred in the whole school.¡±
Xu Miaomiao was gripping her desk tightly, her fingernails leaving scratches on it. Chen Lidong was the same, even though he didn¡¯t show anything on his face. Only he knew that his hands on hisp were clenched tightly, sweating profusely. Is this about them? Are they talking about them? Are these improved students them? Or are they talking about someone else? While Ms. Liu was still wearing her contented smile, her gaze finallynded on Xu Miaomiao. Xu Miaomiao trembled slightly, her heart filled with nervousness. She was almost screaming out in surprise. Was it her? Was it really her? Clearing her throat, Ms. Liu continued, ¡°This time, the students who have made the most progress in our ss are Xu Miaomiao and Chen Lidong. Xu Miaomiao ranked eighth in our ss, while Chen Lidong got the twelfth position. Both of them made it into the top hundred in their grade.¡± There are ten sses in total across the junior high school. If we rank it this way, even the fifteenth ce in our ss is within the top hundred. This shows that the overall strength of our ss is higher than others. Those within the top ten take up three spots, and within the top hundred, we have fifteen. If they perform better in their high school entrance exam next year, then their ranking will improve even more. Maybe she could get transferred to a better school, preferably one closer to home so she could spend more time with her parents every day. Xu Miaomiao, sitting below, had her eyes welling up with tears. Oh my God, she ranked seventh in the ss, and made it into the top hundred for the entire grade level. Thest time she had the lowest score, and this time she achieved such excellent results. Chen Lidong also took some time to register the news. He knew he should have done well¨Che solved the problems himself and he had a rough idea of how many he answered correctly or incorrectly. But he didn¡¯t expect to rank twelfth. And Xu Miaomiao ranked even higher, in eighth ce, which was better than his score. However, he was very satisfied. Now he can proudly go home. He can afford a pair of ice skates this year. And then he¡¯ll teach Sisi how to skate. He was feeling very pleased within as he was daydreaming when someone pushed him from behind. ¡°It¡¯s your turn now. Go get your report card,¡± The ssmate behind him nudged Li Lidong again, who was grinning like a fool. Li Lidong quickly snapped out of it and hurried to get his report card. And Ms. Liu smiled at him warmly. It was a given that a good student woulde first¨Cthere was no suspense there. However, for someone who usually camest to achieve such excellent results was more rewarding and challenging. So, naturally, it was much more satisfying. ¡°Keep working hard next semester,¡± Ms. Liu cheerfully encouraged Li Lidong, which deeply moved him. ¡°Thank you, teacher,¡± he said as he took his report card, clenching it tightly in his hand before heading back to his seat. He then took it out again and carefully went through every line. Heehee, his highest score was in maths, a full 112. No wonder Tang Yuxin once said that his logical thinking ability was very good, better than hers and Xu Miaomiao¡¯s. That¡¯s why he always solved problems faster than Xu Miaomiao, so getting such a high score wasn¡¯t a surprise. The other scores were quite average because Tang Yuxin¡¯s scores were not biased. So the tutoring she gave couldn¡¯t be too biased either. His worst score was in English, where he only scored in the seventies. He suspected that his total score might have been dragged down by his low English score; that was the only exnation for why Xu Miaomiao, who studied with him side by side, scored higher and had a four-rank lead. But it was a relief. Although he ranked twelfth, he made it into the top hundred among all the students. The school had an unwritten rule that the top hundred students were the cream of the crop, and they had a high chance of entering high school. Thinking of his excellent results, if he tried a bit harder next year, he should be able to reach the top ten in the ss. He almost wanted to rush home and hit the books right away, aiming for better results next year. Tang Yuxin¡¯s ranking was fantastic this time. Though she might not be an academic champion, she was a tireless worker. This hardworking bird had finally flown to the front. She ranked right behind the academic champions, at fifth in the whole school, earning a certificate of honor and a stationery case. Once school was dismissed, Xu Miaomiao and Chen Lidong joyfully went home. They wouldn¡¯t study at Tang Yuxin¡¯s house today. They had an important task¨Cto go home and share the good news.
They had achieved such good results, so they had to show off a bit. ¡°What?¡± Mr. Xu jumped up in surprise. Chapter 186: 188 Thanks Chapter 186: Chapter 188 Thanks ¡°Miaomiao, you said, what rank did you get in the exam?¡± Had he heard correctly? His dear Miaomiao actually attained such ster grades? She used to be one of thest in ss; were these really positive scores and not negative ones? ¡°Dad, I ranked eighth,¡± Xu Miaomiao proudly lifted her chin, ¡°I¡¯m within the top one hundred in the entire school. The teacher praised me and told me to work hard next year to get into the top five of the ss.¡± ¡°Where¡¯s the report card?¡± Her father still couldn¡¯t believe it. His child was certainly well-behaved, but she was not good at studies. That wasn¡¯t the child¡¯s fault; it could only be said that she hadn¡¯t quiteprehended the importance of education yet. But how could she afford not to study? How could she get into high school? How could she attend college without a high school diploma? And without a college degree, where would her opportunities lie? The most nerve-wracking issue for him had always been his daughter¡¯s studies. With her being his only child, he had ced all his hopes on her. He would be devastated if she ended up being unintelligent. How could he face his ancestors for having such an unintelligent daughter? But now, holding Xu Miaomiao¡¯s report card filled him with exuberance. She ranked eighth, haha, eighth! That¡¯s a great achievement! If she keeps it up next year and makes it to the top five, his family could hold their heads high in front of their rtives and friends. Didn¡¯t his sister-inw always brag about how good her daughter, Xu Lili, was at studying? She only ranked tenthst year and that was enough for her to gloat for an entire year. She never missed an opportunity to demean them. But he intended to show her who the realughingstock was this year. ¡°Let¡¯s take your mom and go out to celebrate!¡± Mr. Xu nudged his daughter. They weren¡¯t eating at home today. Such good news deserved proper celebration! Oh, and he had to buy something to send to the Tang Family. They had done his family a big favor and deserved heartfelt gratitude. When Mrs. Xu in the kitchen heard the noise outside, she lost interest in cooking. Her daughter¡¯s academic improvement was more important than anything else. Now she could finally hold her head high in front of others.
After all, both their families had daughters. There was no need for one-upmanship; they should be on equal footing. They didn¡¯t care about their sister-inw constantly making a fuss about their children¡¯s studies. It was one thing to belittle them, but it was entirely another to needle their child openly, making their child feel ufortable. As a child, how many times had Miaomiao sobbed because of meanments? This year, just as Mr. Xu predicted, let¡¯s see who would dare to disparage their Miaomiao; she was ready to give them a piece of her mind. The three of them went out for avish meal, with Miaomiao¡¯s report card securely tucked in Mr. Xu¡¯s pocket. Every now and then, he would take it out to look at it, and that would stir up a mix of contentment and excitement. He had finally seen the day! He had always dreamed of his daughter getting a good score¡ªone that would earn his family some face in front of their rtives. This time, his dream hade true. Why not celebrate it properly? Having just returned from collecting herbs on the mountain, Tang Yuxin noticed that there seemed to be guests at home. There were two motorcycles outside, and only the rich could afford such vehicles. Most people had to make do with ordinary bicycles. She put away the freshly collected herbs, nning to brew them into a concoction for her family in the evening. These weren¡¯t medicinal herbs, but they sure were good for strengthening the body. Including Sisi, none of her family members had fallen ill with cold or feverst winter, so she¡¯s kept up the habit this year to boost their immunity. ¡°Aunt, do we have guests?¡± Tang Yuxin walked into the kitchen and asked Zhang Xiangcao. ¡°Yes,¡± replied Zhang Xiangcao, who was busy preparing dinner, ¡°Your uncle went out to buy meat. We have guests at home, the parents of your two ssmates havee.¡± Tang Yuxin blinked her eyes. ¡°They both came over?¡± ¡°Everyone?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Zhang Xiangcaoughed, ¡°They came to thank you.¡± Tang Yuxin sighed. What she dreaded the most was this. In truth, she didn¡¯t believe she had done much. By helping Xu Miaomiao and Chen Lidong, she was actually helping herself. If she hadn¡¯t agreed to tutor them, her chances of bagging the second rank this year would have been slim. It was tutoring them that solidified her foundation and etched certain problems deep into her memory. Just as she was about to step inside, she heard Chen¡¯s father roaring withughter. ¡°Lidong has grown so big, but he has never made it to the top five in ss. His grades can only be counted backward, haha¡­¡± The others didn¡¯tugh at first, but he himself already did. It was definitely a grimughter, a self-mockingughter. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t any parents be worried if they had such a dumb child?¡± Listening to this, Tang Yuxin couldn¡¯t help but shed a sympathetic tear for Chen Lidong.
Poor boy, being put on the spot again. Chen Lidong only responded with a foolish smile, clearly he had be ustomed to it. ¡°Zhinian, we really owe thanks to you.¡± Just like Miaomiao¡¯s father, Chen¡¯s father, too, was so excited that he hadn¡¯t evene to terms with it yet. His son was now in the top twelve of the ss and made it within the top hundred in the school. With this momentum, getting into high school bes a real possibility. As long as he keeps at it, getting into college would not be tough at all.
¡°Why thank me?¡± Tang Zhinian was a little embarrassed by the showering of gratitude. ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything. It¡¯s the children who worked hard.¡± ¡°Still, we should thank Yuxin.¡± Both Chen¡¯s father and Mr. Xu nced at each other. Perhaps the most correct decision they had ever made was to send their children to Tang Yuxin. Initially, they just wanted their children to do homework with a good student. They hoped that their daily interactions would motivate their children to pursue academic excellence, sparing them the headache of dealing with homework. However, they hadn¡¯t anticipated how responsible Yuxin would turn out to be. In just half a semester, the children¡¯s grades improved significantly, they helped with house chores, and were no longer glued to the TV every day. Apart from the grades, this was what really matter to them. Because their children¡¯s mentality had improved significantlypared to before. They had grown more mature and empathetic towards adults. ¡°Hehe¡­¡± Tang Zhinian gave a chuckle, ¡°My Yuxin didn¡¯t do much, it¡¯s all thanks to the children¡¯s efforts. If they themselves weren¡¯t hardworking and were just trying to while away the time, no matter what, they wouldn¡¯t have been able to improve their studies. Both kids are smart; as Yuxin once said, they were just not studying effectively before. As long as they adopt the right studying methods henceforth, naturally, their grades will improve quickly.¡± Chapter 187: 189: Strange Whiteness Chapter 187: Chapter 189: Strange Whiteness These words were heart-warming, no matter how they were said. At this time, Tang Zhinian also noticed Tang Yuxin. ¡°Yuxin,e here.¡± Tang Zhinian waved to his daughter. Tang Yuxin walked in, forcing a smile on her face, when she really didn¡¯t want to. Her smile made her look foolish, but these were guests at home, she couldn¡¯t be cold-faced, could she? ¡°Hello Uncle Chen, hello Uncle Xu.¡± She politely greeted the two adults. Both Chen¡¯s and Xu¡¯s fathers liked Tang Yuxin very much. She had a good temperament and was very polite and formal, much more mature than other children. Most importantly, this little tutor really found the right method, and improved their children¡¯s grades. How could they not be grateful in their hearts? ¡°Yuxin seems to have be a lot fairer, truly, a woman¡¯s beauty changes when she turns eighteen.¡± Upon seeing Tang Yuxin, Chen¡¯s father was taken aback.
Not too long ago, or god knows when, Tang Yuxin was just a little dark-skinned girl, frail and thin, with no distinctive features and of average looks; just an ordinary countryside child. Yet, after not seeing her for a period of time, she seemed to have changed, her features were more mature, and herplexion had be fairer, could this be the so-called ¡®one fairness covers three ugliness¡¯? ¡°I¡¯ve been indoors all winter and turned paler. I¡¯ll get tanned again in the summer.¡± Tang Yuxin lowered her head, staring at her toes, speaking in this manner. However, she was quite chuffed inside, believing that the Cold Fragrance Pills were taking effect. Whether she would get tanned again in the summer, she did not know yet, because it was not yet summer, was it? But she felt that it probably wouldn¡¯t happen. The three adults stayed in the room to chat, while Tang Yuxin gave Xu Miaomiao and Chen Lidong a look, in a way rescuing them from their predicament. When they came out, it was clear that both Xu Miaomiao and Chen Lidong sighed with relief. Apparently, being trapped inside and listening to the adults criticizing their own children was a desperate situation for them both. ¡°I¡¯m going to y with Sisi.¡± Chen Lidong was back to being himself as soon as he came out. In front of his parents, he acted like a good boy, but once he was at the Tang family¡¯s and saw Sisi, he was full of energy and passion. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Xu Miaomiao sighed, ¡°Can you believe how much he likes Sisi? As soon as he gets here, it¡¯s all about Sisi. He brings Sisi gifts every time hees over, I¡¯ve never had such treatment.¡± ¡°Maybe it¡¯s a cousin-like affection,¡± Tang Yuxin. She agreed that Chen Lidong was too good to Sisi, but it could also be that, because he missed his sister so much, he treated Sisi like his sister. Of course, she never considered other possibilities. In her heart, Chen Lidong and Xu Miaomiao were meant to be together, they were childhood sweethearts, and it was likely that these littlepanions would end up being together forever. However, in the end, she had to admit, her assumptions today were proven wrong: not every bamboo horse likes its childhood sweetheart, and not every childhood sweetheart is fated to be liked by a bamboo horse. xu Miaomiao¡¯s mother, Chen¡¯s mother and Zhang Xiangcao were all busy in the kitchen, while four men were chatting inside, so the youngsters, like them, were left to chat and eat, they didn¡¯t meddle with anything else. Xu Miaomiao lifted her head from her bowl, staring at her mother for a while before lowering her head again to eat her rice. ¡°Yuxin, is there something on my face?¡± Having been stared at for so long by Tang Yuxin, Xu¡¯s mother started to feel bemused. She felt her own face, wondering if she had dirtied it when cooking, so instinctively, she wiped her face with her sleeve. ¡°No,¡± As Tang Yuxin continued eating, she added, ¡°It¡¯s just that you¡¯re so fair, Auntie.¡± Xu¡¯s mother blushed after beingplimented for her fairness. Wasn¡¯t it the same thing as being told that she was beautiful? Naturally, she had great confidence in her looks. Xu Miaomiao looked a lot like her and had a fairplexion too. However, she wasn¡¯t aware that the concept of fairness that Tang Yuxin mentioned waspletely different from what she thought.
Xu Miaomiao¡¯s fairness was indeed that of a young girl, vigorous and lively from inside out. However, Xu¡¯s mother was different. She was severely anaemic and at her age, in her thirties but not yet forty, her vitality was declining so significantly that the cause could probably be heavy menstrual bleeding. When they were alone, Tang Yuxin casually asked Xu¡¯s mother, ¡°Auntie, do you have your periods for longer days every month? And do you bleed a bit more than usual?¡± At first, Xu¡¯s mother didn¡¯t understand what Tang Yuxin was asking. But after a moment, she got the implication, and her face instantly turned red.
Such things were difficult to discuss openly, especially with a young girl. ¡°This¡­¡± She nced left and right, finding it hard to start answering. ¡°Ah¡­¡± she sighed, ¡°You¡¯re a mature girl now, auntie won¡¯t keep it from you,¡± She had never discussed this with anyone, not even her good friend, Chen¡¯s mother. But since Tang Yuxin brought it up today, she couldn¡¯t hold it back anymore. ¡°Being a woman is truly hard.¡± ¡°I have it twice a month, and yes, I bleed quite a lot. My abdomen hurts every time as well, and by looking at the dates, it¡¯s going to arrive again soon. Being a woman is a challenge.¡± ¡°Auntie, can I feel your pulse?¡± Tang Yuxin knew she wasn¡¯t mistaken. Xu¡¯s mother¡¯s condition wasn¡¯t exactly a disease, but it could be considered as one. Women¡¯s diseases were the hardest to cure, and in her previous life, where she was a Western medicine practitioner, she had no way of treating this condition. Not until she learnt a lot about Traditional Chinese Medicine from Chen Zhong, did she find out this condition could be managed, albeit slowly, but without harm to the body. ¡°Sure,¡± Xu¡¯s mother readily offered her wrist to Tang Yuxin, who then ced her hand on Xu¡¯s mother¡¯s pulse. Based on Xu¡¯s mother¡¯s current pulse, her next menstrual period should arrive in approximately ten days. Tang Yuxin released Xu¡¯s mother¡¯s wrist without saying anything else. Although Xu¡¯s mother was somewhat bewildered, she affectionately stroked Tang Yuxin¡¯s hair, finding the girl quite endearing. But when she thought about how Tang Yuxin didn¡¯t even have a mother, she felt heartbroken. As a mother herself, she had heard stories and knew how Tang Yuxin was brought up, and she just couldn¡¯t understand how a mother could be so heartless, to the extent of abandoning her own daughter. Chapter 188: 190: Administration of Medicine Chapter 188: Chapter 190: Administration of Medicine That¡¯s why she felt a growing pity for Tang Yuxin now. Tang Yuxin also sensed Xu¡¯s mother¡¯s kindness, but she guessed that behind this kindness was perhaps just sympathy. She didn¡¯t need sympathy, and it wasn¡¯t her fault for not having a mother. The faultid on that woman. What good would such a mother do anyway? She knew she would just end up like a wilting cabbage in a field. Therefore, she might as well stay by her father¡¯s side and grow into a stout radish, strong enough to hit someone with each blow. After the Xu and Chen families had left, Sisi hid at the door, her eyes watery. Tang Yuxin reached out and tugged at Sisi¡¯s braided hair. ¡°Why are you so reluctant to leave? When your sister went to school, you were all smiles, practically telling her to get lost.¡± Sisi covered her little face, feeling embarrassed as if she was being made fun of, and ran off to find her mother. Tang Yuxin picked up her bamboo basket and prepared to climb the mountain next to Li Tang Vige. This mountain, which other people might not find special, was a treasure trove to her. In Tang Yuxin¡¯s eyes, indeed, this was a treasure mountain. She wondered how long this mountain had been here and how many years, thousands or even tens of thousands, it had stood. The fierce beasts in the mountain had grown rare over time, even the lions, tigers, and bears were almost nonexistent. However, the mountain was still home to countless herbs. For a long time, these herbs had been Chen Zhong¡¯s primary source of livelihood which greatly helped Tang Yuxin as well.
This was indeed a treasure mountain in Tang Yuxin¡¯s eyes. Just as she was setting out, Sisi peeped out of the door. ¡°Bye-bye, sister,¡± she waved her little hand at Tang Yuxin. Tang Yuxin turned around to see an incredibly sweet smile on the little girl¡¯s face; her eyes were filled with joy. Where was the reluctance, the tears, the pleas for her not to go? Ungrateful girl, she had wasted her affection. Tang Yuxin quickened her pace. Today she had to gather more herbs, so she needed to move faster. Otherwise, by the time she came down the mountain, it could be dark. What could be aplished in one day should not be stretched to two, because life was too short. Before one could truly live, life slipped away. She, who had lived to thirty-three in her previous life, cherished every day and every moment of this life, trying her best to make every second count. She walked while collecting the herbs she needed. Just before dusk, she had managed to collect half a basket of herbs and took them home. Then she went into her small pharmacy to treat the herbs, some needed to be steamed, some needed to be ced in a cool and dry ce, and others had to be sun-dried. In short, the ten types of herbs required ten different treatments. Five dayster, Xu Miaomiao and Chen Lidong visited. They couldn¡¯t stay at home and wanted to learn more, preparing to push themselves harder next year to improve their performance. The schedule Tang Yuxin arranged for them was to get up an hour earlier than usual to read. This was something she couldn¡¯t supervise, nor could anyone else. It all came down to their self-discipline. Progress required effort. If one was reluctant to make an effort, then what gains could they expect? Fortunately, these two were quite trustworthy and got up early as they had promised. When Tang Yuxin checked their progress, she found that they had memorized all the content she asked them to. Chen Lidong lifted his chin, evidently proud of himself. ¡°I get up a whole hour and a half earlier each morning to memorize because I know my memory isn¡¯t very good. So, I need to put in more effort.¡± Upon hearing this, Xu Miaomiao felt a sudden inspiration. Why hadn¡¯t she thought of this? Tang Yuxin advised getting up an hour earlier, and that¡¯s exactly what she had done, not willing to go an extra minute. But Chen Lidong was clever enough to add an extra half hour to his studying schedule. She couldn¡¯t allow him to surpass her. It would be embarrassing if someone who used to rank twelve ces below her were to suddenly outperform her. So she clenched her teeth firmly, deciding to get up an hour earlier starting from the next day, and even going to bed an hourter at night for reviewing. Yes, that¡¯s what she decided.
When they were about to leave, Chen Lidong and Sisi were once again reluctant to part. Were the two of them putting on a show? Watching them, Xu Miaomiao rolled her eyes. She had a feeling that Chen Lidong was quite keen on taking Sisi home and raising her. Didn¡¯t he notice that Uncle Tang was ring at himtely? Be careful, or Uncle Tang will chase you away with a broom. Who dares to so tantly attempt to steal away someone else¡¯s daughter? At that moment, Tang Yuxin took something out from her room and handed it to Xu Sisi.
¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Xu Sisi untied the small paper bag in her hand. When she opened to see what was inside, she found some brown pills, each the size of a wild grape and emitting a strong medicinal scent. The smell was too much for Xu Sisi, quickly closing the bag to get some fresh air. She had never liked the taste of medicine. She required arge ss of water to swallow each small pill. If she had to take ten pills, she would drink so much water her stomach would be bloated. So she was afraid of taking medication, and consequently, she was afraid of getting sick. When she was little and got sick, her parents would force her to take the medicine. Now, as she was older, she didn¡¯t need her parents to supervise her medicine intake, but it was still as painful as ever. People could see herpliance, but they could not understand the immense suffering she experienced deep down. Just like now, not only did she not want to take the medicine, but she even felt nauseous just smelling it. ¡°I won¡¯t eat it.¡± She turned her face away and shoved the bag back at Tang Yuxin. She wouldn¡¯t take the medication, not even if she died. ¡°It¡¯s not for you. It¡¯s for your mother,¡± Tang Yuxin shoved the bag into Xu Miaomiao¡¯s hand. ¡°Our vige has a doctor who is a master of Chinese medicine. He is an expert at revitalizing the body. Give this to your mother; they are pills to regte her menstruation. She should take one per day until her menstruation stops.¡± Chapter 189: 191: Dropping Out of School Chapter 189: Chapter 191: Dropping Out of School ¡°You¡­ ¡± Xu Miaomiao turned red immediately, ¡°Why would you say something like that?¡± ¡°What¡¯s so strange about it?¡± Tang Yuxin was puzzled, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me, you haven¡¯t had your period yet?¡± Xu Miaomiao¡¯s face turned red all the way to her ears. ¡°Tang Yuxin, I¡¯m not talking to you anymore.¡± After that, she blushed, stuffed the medicine into her backpack, and red at Tang Yuxin. Tang Yuxin touched her own face, feeling quite wronged. She climbed the mountain to collect herbs, prepared the herbal medicine, painstakingly turned the powder into pills, only to be red at, who had she provoked? She had forgotten that at this age in her previous life, she was a normal girl who also had her embarrassing moments, like the monthly cycle of women, which was kept a secret. Now, not only has she lived a lifetime longer than others, 30 years more, but she is also a doctor, and there is no gender difference in the eyes of a doctor. So when she mentioned that word, when she talked about that matter, it was impossible for her to be embarrassed or shy.
When a woman reaches a certain age, her skin thickens and she can make all kinds of bold jokes. Time is indeed a ruthless knife. It can turn a young girl into a middle-aged woman who doesn¡¯t mind being crude. Xu Miaomiao handed the medicine to her mother. ¡°What is this?¡± her mother opened the paper bag, it was filled with pills the size of wild grapes, she knew they were traditional Chinese medicine, she could tell by the smell, couldn¡¯t she? Xu Miaomiao¡¯s face turned crimson right away. ¡°Yuxin gave this to you, saying it canfort that issue.¡± Hearing this, her mother also couldn¡¯t help but blush. If Tang Yuxin were here, she would definitely exim that this mother and daughter pair were just like each other, even the timing and direction of their blushes were identical. Tang Yuxin sat on the stone bench outside, Sisi was sitting opposite her. Sisi loved to have her hair brushed by her sister, which always looked the best. Sisi took after Zhang Xiangcao and had beautiful hair that Tang Yuxin would always shampoo with soap nut extract,pletely free of chemicals. Sisi¡¯s hair had never been cut in these few years, and had already reached her waist. Tang Yuxin would always take care of Sisi¡¯s hair every day. Although Tang Yuxin¡¯s hair was long and beautiful too, she¡¯d always wear it in a simple braid. It was not necessarily beautiful or ugly in this era with limited hair styles, but this was the most conservative look. The ideas of their junior high school hadn¡¯t been as open as before. If boys and girls sat together and talked too much, they would be criticized. If any girl dared to wear a skirt, they¡¯d likely be so embarrassed that they¡¯d end up wearing pants underneath it. Tang Yuxin divided Sisi¡¯s hair into two parts, braided them into two buns, and tied each one with a delicate hairpin. These hairpins were a gift from their father, Tang Zhijun. Every time he went out, he¡¯d always bring something back for Sisi, whether it was this or that. He didn¡¯t have a child of his own, but who said he didn¡¯t live a good life? He was living a better life in their vige than most of the people. Compared to his past life, when he was lying cold in his grave while he was young, his life now was unmatched by most in the vige. ¡°Done,¡± Tang Yuxin pinched Sisi¡¯s small face, ¡°go find mom, your sister is busy now.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Sisi obediently went to find her mother. Although she was quite attached to Tang Yuxin, she never disturbed her when Tang Yuxin was busy. She had just picked up her bamboo basket, preparing to pick herbs, when Zhang Yindi came running towards her, crying. ¡°Yuxin, Yuxin¡­ woo¡­¡± She began to cry without uttering a word.
Tears and snot covered her face. Tang Yuxin couldn¡¯t muster much sympathy for her. Whenever she remembered what Zhang Yindi did in her past life, any sympathy evaporated. As the saying goes, there is always something hateful about someone pitiful. If Zhang Yindi was pitiful, then the man who had given up everything for her was even more so. Did she know that what Zhang Yindi was crying about?
¡°Yuxin, my mom won¡¯t let me go to school anymore. She won¡¯t let me go to school. Zhang Yindi cried so hard, covering her face. She said my grades weren¡¯t good, so she won¡¯t let me continue. The fields are so busy, and nobody at home can help.¡± ¡°But my older sister has even made it to high school, why don¡¯t they make her drop out? My younger brother is also in junior high school, why don¡¯t they make him drop out? Why is it always me? Why me?¡± Tang Yuxin was silent although Zhang Yindi was pulling at his sleeve. Favoring the older child and the younger one, leaving the one in the middle to suffer, who can be med for that? Yes, who can we me? The cycle of me is just because of poverty. But did Zhang Yindi eventually drop out of school? She didn¡¯t. She was taken to Beijing by Gu Ning, who pampered and doted on her all her life. But her family was always left in this small vige, and Zhang Yindi never once came back to visit them, or send them anything, or even gave them a thought. Even when she had a fortune worth hundreds of millions, even when she was wearing branded clothes, driving a luxury car, and had many servants at her disposal, she never once thought about her eldest sister who was stuck in a smallpany, her younger brother who had to do odd jobs on construction sites because he couldn¡¯t go to school, and her aged parents who relied on a small acre of farnd to support the family. Could she be said to be heartless? Tang Yuxin was not Zhang Yindi, so she didn¡¯t want toment on it. ¡°Yuxin, what should I do? I want to go to school¡­¡± Zhang Yindi looked up at her, still with her in features, nothing outstanding about her. But beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and Gu Ning loved her deeply. Tang Yuxin gently lifted up her eyelids, it was still that pleasing green in the distance, it should being soon, right? Zhang Yindi left crying. She came looking for Tang Yuxin, but Tang Yuxin, being a student herself, could not help her. Of course, it was even more impossible for her to tell Zhang Yindi at this moment that she needn¡¯t worry, she wouldn¡¯t have to drop out of school because her future husband would be here to pick her up soon. Tang Yuxin pulled at her own red lips, not knowing what was hurting. It was a dull pain, in her heart or in her soul, she wasn¡¯t sure.
She guessed she would never forget that day in her life, the day of her birthday. Her father asked her toe home to celebrate her birthday and bought her a big birthday cake. That was the only birthday cake she had in her past life. Chapter 190: 192: Saving People Chapter 190: Chapter 192: Saving People Every year, she has her birthday, and so does Wei Jiani. But their mother always remembers Wei Jiani¡¯s birthday, while hers seems irrelevant to the family. Only those who give birth to you and raise you would genuinely care about you, and Sang Zhn was not one of those people. ¡°I¡¯ll get you a big cake today, my daughter,¡± said Tang Zhinian, who clearly remembered his daughter¡¯s birthday. ¡°Today is our sweet girl¡¯s sixteenth birthday. We should celebrate it properly. In a couple of years, she¡¯ll truly be a youngdy.¡± ¡°Uncle, uncle¡­¡± Sisi ran over and hugged Tang Zhinian¡¯s leg,¡± Take Sisi with you, I want to buy a present for my sister,¡± she patted the little bag she was carrying on her back, which was filled with the pocket money she¡¯d saved and her New Year¡¯s money. Sisi always received presents from her sister on her birthday, all her dolls were bought by her sister. Mother said one should repay kindness with kindness, whoever fails to do so would be considered a bad child and be snatched away by evil uncles to be their daughter. Then, they would have no meat to eat, no candy, and no parents. ¡°Alright, uncle will take Sisi to the city for dumplings,¡± Tang Zhinian picked up Sisi. She may not be of Tang Family blood, but Tang Zhinian treated her as if she was, spoiling her as if she was another Tang Yuxin. He hadn¡¯t provided well for his daughter in the past, now hepensated for those failures on Sisi. Sisi was now a Tang, a child of his Tang Family. Sisi excitedly left with Tang Zhinian, and Zhang Xiangcao followed Tang Zhijun out to buy meat and vegetables. The house hadn¡¯t been this lively in a long time. It called for a good celebration. In a couple of years, Yuxin will be an adult, ready to get married. Thankfully, Tang Yuxin did not know what Zhang Xiangcao was thinking. If she did, she wouldn¡¯t know whether tough or to cry. Perhaps she will never get married in this life.
Even if she were to marry, it would be to an honest and upright man. She would never ept a man like Zhang Yong¡¯an, the so-called phoenix man, even if he were given to her freely. She put on her bamboo basket, took a deep breath, and exhaled the stale air in her lungs. Perhaps she would meet him today. She ced her hand on her neck and pulled out a ne. This should be returned to you now. What is not meant to be hers, will never be hers, no matter how long she had held onto it. She had this ne in her previous life too. Wei Jiani wanted it but she wouldn¡¯t give it up, refusing even when Sang Zhn beat her ck and blue. She never let go of it. But based on Wei Jiani¡¯s temperament back then, how could she ever give up on this ne easily? Wei Jiani always behaved like this¡ªif she couldn¡¯t have something, she would make sure no one else could have it either. Therefore, she stole the ne, and cut the chain, crushed the pendant with a brick, and tossed it in front of her. Tang Yuxin still remembers the heartache she had that year. It seemed that year the only thing Wei Jiani broke wasn¡¯t just a ne, but also a connection. And the so-called connection counted down a period of time. She put the ne back around her neck, and headed up the mountain. She had walked up this mountain countless times since her childhood, mostly with Chen Zhong, and sometimes alone. Sometimes she would return with edible mushrooms or herbs. These herbs, when sorted and sold to the city¡¯s pharmacy, could bring in a decent amount of money each year ¨C money she used to buy stationery for herself and Sisi. Hence, in this regard, she had not been hard on herself. A wind blew past, lifting a corner of her clothes, carrying a subtle, sweet fragrance. It was a special fragrance, simr to that of an orchid or a plum blossom. Lighter than that of an orchid but richer than that of a plum blossom. A natural floral aroma, seemingly a bit cold. Tang Yuyu stopped and carefully took in the scent, but as the wind passed, the fragrance disappeared. She then pulled up her sleeves and took a sniff, ah, so it was here. Right, this was the scent of her body. Her skin was gradually bing fairer and her body¡¯s unique aroma was slowly emerging. If she were to sweat or not bathe for a long time, the scent would act as a natural air freshener. While others smelled of sweat, she smelled fragrant. However, if she bathed or if she didn¡¯t sweat, the fragrance would fade significantly.
She continued her journey. Walking this path was second nature to her. Along the way, she picked herbs she needed. These herbs were good for curing minor ailments like colds and were also helpful when made into a foot soak to prevent athlete¡¯s foot and reduce swelling in the legs. Her footsteps rustled on the fallen leaves of the mountain trail. The crushing of the veins of leaves echoed around her as they disintegrated into the earth. A figure could be seen lying in the distance, a man, his body pressing down on the green grass underneath him. The smell of blood was pervasive around him. To the side stood Tang Yuxin, the scenery nearly identical to that of her past life.
She slowly approached, each step bringing her closer, until the strong, mature face of the man was right in front of her, much younger than the man she wouldter meet. Right now, he was just a young man in his twenties, but his body already radiated a steely resilience. This was Gu Ning. This was the young Gu Ning, the Gu Ning before he fell ill. The image that remained most vivid in her mind from herst life was of this man standing on a balcony, the wind whipping his gray and blue patient gown, his back always straight and rigid. There were many times when she thought he might jump. But he never did. Not once did he attempt to end his life. He carried on living, whether he wanted to, or simply because he had to. Tang Yuxin kneeled,ying her bamboo basket aside. She outstretched her hand and grasped Gu Ning¡¯s wrist. She didn¡¯t understand any medical skills in herst life. All she knew was that Gu Ning was bleeding, so she brought herbs to stop the bleeding, and moved him to a safe location. When she came back with her father, the man was already gone. Perhaps he was rescued. As for the extent of Gu Ning¡¯s injuries, all she knew was that he had lost a lot of blood and was unconscious. When she checked his pulse, it was still strong, but the loss of blood was evident. Chapter 191: 193: Catching the Snake Chapter 191: Chapter 193: Catching the Snake She ced her hand on his leg. At the moment, he was wearing a camouge suit covered with mud. Even though camouge suits tend to be dirt-resistant, you could still tell that there was blood on it and her fingers felt damp where they made contact. She turned around and dug a few herbal nts out of her bamboo basket. cing them in her mouth, she began to chew. This was a unique hemostatic grass native to the mountains. Everyone in the vige knew about it. When children cut themselves or got wounds, adults would apply this hemostatic grass to their injuries and the bleeding would stop immediately. This grass also had anti-inmmatory properties. There was a smell of blood about the hemostatic grass. Human saliva has certain disinfectant properties; she resolved to sacrifice herself a little. She carefully rolled up Gu Ning¡¯s trousers. His calf bore a long gash from which blood was still flowing. Quite unlike Tang Yuxin from her past life, who only knew to stanch blood, she in this life had be really professional. She could handle such a wound perfectly. There would be no further infection or inmmation. She took out her water bottle and poured the water on Gu Ning¡¯s wound. After gently cleaning the wound, she applied the hemostatic grass to it, making good use of its antiseptic and analgesic properties. However, Gu Ning¡¯s wound was too severe for the hemostatic grass. It needed to be stitched up. For now, this was not feasible due to limited conditions. She knew how to do suturing, but it was not realistic to request her to do this with a sewing needle. Moreover, improper sterilization could result in infection or tetanus ¨C responsibilities she could not bear. ¡°Perfect¡± in her context meant effectively stopping the blood flow before stitching the wound. She was doing her utmost within her means. She stered the hemostatic grass onto Gu Ning¡¯s wound. This hemostatic grass could help stop the bleeding, which, at this point, could save his life. If he bled even a little more, he wouldn¡¯t die from the pain or from tetanus, but from a multi-organ failure due to excessive blood loss.
What could save his life right now was not something magical, but few simple Hemostatic Grass nts. She ced her water bottle in front of Gu Ning. ¡°Come, drink some water.¡± Gu Ning didn¡¯t move. Water dribbled down from the corner of his mouth. ¡°What should I do now?¡± Tang Yuxin shook her water bottle. There wasn¡¯t much water left, most of it had been used to clean his wound. ¡°Oh well, I¡¯ll sacrifice myself again.¡± She ced the water bottle to her lips and drank some water. After some hesitation, she leaned over him and pressed her lips to the corner of his chapped mouth. She felt his mouth move as droplets of water flowed into it. He now seemed like a parched fish that had long been deprived of water, sucking at her lips with remarkable intensity. He even attempted to lick them. At over forty years old, Tang Yuxin, who had never been kissed in this life, blushed and her heart raced as though she was holding a cat which was now scratching her. She lifted her face and ced the water bottle to his mouth again. This time, he seemed to understand that he needed to drink. Most of the remaining water was swallowed down, poured into his stomach by her. Tang Yuxin tossed her water bottle into her bamboo basket and removed the ne from around her neck. She put it around Gu Ning¡¯s neck and tucked the pendant into his shirt. What could she do? She looked at the unconscious man before her. She wanted to say a lot of things. But, regardless of what she spoke, he couldn¡¯t hear anything. She wanted to say: Every woman deserves to be treated with care. She wished she could also say: You treat her like treasure, but she treats you like a de of grass. She sat there, wondering who was it that took Gu Ning away in the earlier life, until she heard a disorderly sound in the distance with faint voices. ¡°He should be nearby, there are signs he left behind, pointing in this direction. Let¡¯s keep looking, but stay cautious.¡±
The sound of voices ceased, footstep sounds seemed to get messier and closer. Tang Yuxin picked up her bamboo basket and hid behind arge tree. Shortly after, several people wearing camouge suits ran over. As soon as they saw Gu Ning, they hastened their steps. ¡°He¡¯s here and injured. Quickly, bring the stretcher over.¡±
Then, all hands on deck, they carried Gu Ning away like a gust of wind. All that remained was a faint smell of blood, gradually dissipating in the wind. She resumed her herbal gathering, carrying her bamboo basket again. She had repaid her debt to humanity and that was it. When she just dug up a bunch of herbs, she discovered a bright red snake in the underbrush. The more colorful the snake, the more venomous it generally is. She was considering whether she should capture it and take it back home to soak in liquor for her father. It¡¯s great nourishment. Yes, let¡¯s capture it. In her previous life, she was quite afraid of such things. But since she started learning medical skills from Chen Zhong, such fear was gone. Instead, she saw them as nothing but another type of herb. She swiftly tapped the snake¡¯s vital spot with her small hoe and pinched it up. The snake hung limply in midair, not even twitching its tail. She skillfully tied the red snake into a knot and dumped it into her bamboo basket. Although the snake was still alive, it was just knocked out. When she went down the mountain, she bumped into Zhang Yindi, who was at the entrance of the vige. ¡°Hey, Yuxin, are you hurt?¡± Zhang Yindi jumped upon seeing Tang Yuxin in this state. Tang Yuxin looked down to find blood on her clothes. ¡°Where am I injured?¡± She nced at the blood on her clothes ¨C it seemed to be Gu Ning¡¯s blood. She got smeared while treating his wound.
¡°Where did you get hurt?¡± Zhang Yindi asked concernedly, examining Tang Yuxin from head to toe. ¡°It¡¯s not my blood,¡± Tang Yuxin took a step-back. She had a strange feeling in her heart. In her past life, she experienced something simr, and she realized she had been overlooking something. Then, she encountered the same man, Zhang Yindi, standing at the entrance of their vige, just like before. Chapter 192: 194: It’s What You Wanted to See Yourself Chapter 192: Chapter 194: It¡¯s What You Wanted to See Yourself ¡°Yuxin, where have you been?¡± Zhang Yindi asked with a smile. Even though Yuxin spent most of her time outside of Li Tang Vige, Zhang Yindi was her ssmate and fellow viger, which gave them a more intimate rtionship than with others. ¡°I was just on the mountain.¡± Tang Yuxin grabbed Zhang Yindi¡¯s hand. ¡°Yindi, I found a wounded man on the mountain, he was bleeding profusely. I¡¯m going to get my father to help him down the mountain.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Zhang Yindi¡¯s eyes sparkled. ¡°What does he look like?¡± Tang Yuxin shook her head, ¡°I don¡¯t know, I didn¡¯t get a good look at him. But he is a soldier, and quite tall. As for his looks, he should be quite handsome.¡± ¡°Well, you should go,¡± Zhang Yindi appeared uninterested, and nudged Tang Yuxin to leave. ¡°Alright,¡± Tang Yuxin quickly rushed off to find Tang Zhinian for help. By the time she returned, the man was no longer there. Not long afterward, Zhang Yindi left the vige, saying she was going to Beijing. As for Tang Yuxin, who was also leaving Li Tang Vige, she tasted her first cake without the protection of her father. She then started to endure a tormented life.
She lived an unloved and unnoticed life until she met Zhang Yindi again, who by then had transformed into an unrecognizable woman, and a powerful Lady Zhang Xiaomei. The ce where they met was a hospital. Yuxin witnessed Gu Ning donating her kidney to Zhang Yindi, and how Zhang Yindi ruthlessly abandoned Gu Ning after an identpromised her remaining kidney. As she was lying on her deathbed, she gave both of her kidneys to Gu Ning. Yuxin couldn¡¯t understand the shock and regret Gu Ning showed in her eyes. Could it be? Tang Yuxin just stared at Zhang Yindi, who still had small eyes and nose. Zhang Yindi reached to touch her own face, ¡°What are you looking at?¡± ¡°Nothing much,¡± Tang Yuxin lifted the bamboo basket she was carrying on her back. ¡°Yindi, I found something fascinating today, do you want to know ?¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Zhang Yindi was young and na?ve, unlike the haughty and arrogant Lady Zhang Xiaomei she would be in the future. ¡°It¡¯s this,¡± Tang Yuxin pointed at the bamboo basket on her back. ¡°I dug up something very interesting.¡± ¡°Let me see,¡± Zhang Yindi hastened. She had heard that sometimes you could find valuable ginseng in the mountains, wondering if Yuxin had found one. Even a tiny share of its value would be enough for her school fees. ¡°I think it¡¯s better if you don¡¯t see it,¡± Tang Yuxin hesitated. ¡°Why?¡± Zhang Yindi was upset at these words. Thinking Yuxin was being miserly, she stormed off. ¡°You won¡¯t steal it, right? It¡¯s mine since I found it.¡± Angry and upset, Zhang Yindi snatched her own clothes and left, criticizing Tang Yuxin for being selfish and greedy. Tang Yuxin bit her lip. ¡°Alright, you¡¯re the one who wanted to see, not me forcing you.¡± She took off her bamboo basket, ced it on the ground, and took out something from it. ¡°Here, catch.¡±
Zhang Yindi thought Yuxin would pull out a giant ginseng. Instead, a red object was thrown into her arms. She instinctively caught it, then realized what she was holding. A shiver went through her, as she wondered, ¡°Since when did ginseng turn red?¡± Then she felt an icy cold sensation, apanied by a foul stench. She looked down and let out a scream. She threw the object away and fled, disappearing in an instant.
¡°I told you not to look. You¡¯re the one who insisted,¡± Tang Yuxin muttered, her mouth in a pout. But there was no sign of grievance on her face, only a chilling intent in her eyes that others couldn¡¯t understand. She picked up the snake from the ground and put it back into her basket. This was a valuable supplement for medicinal wine. Tang Yuxin returned home and found arge transparent jar to keep her snake. She had collected quite a few of these jars used for medicinal wine over the years. Some were already buried under therge tree in the courtyard at home. They would be valuable with time. She carefully cleaned the jar, then put in the snake, and some medicinal herbs. She nned to keep the snake till it was detoxified, then have her father buy some wine for soaking it. ¡°When did you get this creature?¡± Tang Zhijun was curious. He was courageous; in his childhood, he caught such creatures often as they could be sold for a good price. But as he grew up, his focus turned to farming and he rarely engaged in such activities anymore. ¡°I caught it on the mountain. Does it look good?¡± Tang Yuxin squatted on the ground, asking the also squatting Tang Zhijun. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s a beautiful, but venomous snake,¡± Tang Zhijun rubbed his hands together. ¡°Wait till Uncle Li brings some wine, and we can make medicinal wine with it.¡± ¡°Daddy¡­¡± Before Tang Zhijun could react, a small, soft voice called out, and a figure was already on his back. Sisi spotted the red snake in the jar. She opened her mouth wide, then began to cry loudly.
Tang Zhinian hurriedly covered her eyes, ¡°Sisi, don¡¯t be afraid, it¡¯s just a piece of red string.¡± But Sisi kept crying, her screams echoing in the room. Tang Yuxin quickly took the snake out from the jar, tossed it into a corner, then took out a red string from her room and threw it into the jar instead. Chapter 193: 195: She Saved the Person Chapter 193: Chapter 195: She Saved the Person Tang Zhijun finally let out a sigh of relief. He had forgotten that Sisi was afraid of creatures like these caterpirs and worms. ¡°Sisi, look,¡± Tang Zhijun removed his hand from Sisi¡¯s eyes, ¡°Dad wasn¡¯t lying to you. That really is just a rope, not a worm.¡± Sisi still shook her head, sobbing hard. ¡°I¡¯m not lying to you,¡± Tang Zhijun was almost desperate. When Tang Yuxin was little and cried, it had also driven Tang Zhinian to tears, a grown man secretly wiping away his tears while holding his daughter. Tang Zhijun had not understood then, but after having Sisi, he got it. This is the bond between father and daughter. Sisi¡¯s crying now was making him feel like weeping. ¡°Sisi, daddy really isn¡¯t lying to you. If I am, I¡¯ll let you ride on my back, okay?¡± Tang Zhinian tried his best to console Sisi. Finally, Sisi, rubbing her teary eyes, sneaked a peek at the jar, then turned her face away. After a while, she took another look. ¡°Look,¡± Tang Zhijun took a bamboo pole and lifted the red rope, ¡°See, it¡¯s just a red rope, not a worm.¡± And poor Sisi was deceived by her father. Instantly, Sisi¡¯s sobs turned intoughter. She chattered on about the huge cake that Uncle bought, and the big doll she bought for her sister with her pocket money. At this moment, Tang Yuxin tossed the snake back into the jar with a sigh.
The doll, in the end, also ended up with Sisi. Sisi, your sister doesn¡¯t need the big doll anymore. She is a woman in her forties, who can¡¯t carry such a big doll. She would cry out of her own clumsiness. However, the big cake is real. It¡¯s a ten-inch cake. Tang Yuxin didn¡¯t celebrate her birthday much in her previous life, but in this life, she celebrated it every year. Although people in the countryside might not care much about birthdays, Tang Zhinian did. His daughter only had one birthday a year, once missed, it was gone forever. Tang Yuxin took a bite of the creamy cake, the sweet taste gradually filled her taste buds. But after the sweetness reached its peak, a certain unspoken sourness followed. Reflecting on her past, it didn¡¯t feel like a life she had truly lived. This was her sixteenth birthday. Yes, she was sixteen now, one step closer to the life she yearned for. At the same time, unbeknownst to her, a group of people d in camouge had arrived in the vige. ¡°Excuse me, did any of you rescue someone on the mountain?¡± Zhang Yindi abruptly turned her head to observe the group while mulling over their words before finally stepping forward. She overheard someone asking if one of their men had been injured in the mountains? ¡°Yes,¡± the group promptly answered, ¡°One of our own. He said he was saved by someone. It should be someone from your vige. After all, there¡¯s only one vige around here. Who else would be in the mountains during the day?¡± The viger they were questioning shook his head, stating that he had not seen anyone heading for the mountains, which were usually deserted. They asked a few more vigers but got no leads. Finally, they decided to go back and discuss further steps with Gu Ning. Whether to continue the search or not? They were here for training, and making a big fuss could potentially causeplications. However, just a few steps into their departure, they stopped abruptly. ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± One of them suddenly felt someone lurked behind them. ¡°Show yourself, or we won¡¯t hold back.¡± His tone had grown quite threatening.
A figure cautiously emerged from behind arge tree: a woman, no, a teenage girl. Her appearance was ordinary, and easy to forget soon after. ¡°Um¡­¡± Zhang Yindi bit her lip, her hands clenched behind her back. She remembered the blood on Tang Yuxin, which wasn¡¯t from the snake. The snake had no injuries, and neither did Tang Yuxin. Had she saved the man in the mountain? ¡°Two days ago, I came across a man on the mountain. He was injured and bleeding a lot. I want to ask if you know him?¡± Gu Ningy on the hospital bed with serious leg injuries. Lucky for him, they were just flesh wounds. But the real problem was the massive blood loss. If someone hadn¡¯t stopped the bleeding with Hemostatic Grass, he would have bled out before reaching the hospital even if someone found him.
All that would have awaited him then was death. ¡°Mr. Gu, we¡¯ve found the person,¡± a young man approached and reported to Gu Ning. Gu Ning gave a faint nod, his youthful face was cold to the point of being devoid of warmth. Throughout the time of the person being led in, Gu Ning maintained his stoicposure. ¡°Was it you who saved me?¡± He asked the young rural girl standing before him. She was wearing in clothes, and her old shoes were covered in dirt, including bits of mud and a few leaves stuck to the soles. ¡°Yes, I saved you on the mountain two days ago.¡± Zhang Yindi stole a nce at the man, her cheeks flushed as she whispered so quietly, barely audible. This man was truly good-looking. Although he was injured, it did not diminish his charisma. Whenever she tried to take a closer look, he felt like an unsheathed sword, its cold glimmers prickling her eyes. Gu Ning¡¯s face remained neutral, but his hands unintentionally went to the ne hanging on his neck. It was something he had gifted someone many years ago, never thought he¡¯d see it again. He had thought it was her, but unfortunately, it wasn¡¯t. Although she was young then ¨C just a little girl withrge, double-lid eyes. Though her appearance could have greatly changed, the basic features remained. Single eyelids might be double eyelids, a round face can turn a sharp one. But how can such a beautiful child fall from the sky, face-first, in just a few years, turning beautifulrge eyes into small ones, a straight nose into a t one, and even the beautiful face shape into a square one? With that thought, he reached to touch the ne around his neck again. Chapter 194: 196: She Wants to Leave Chapter 194: Chapter 196: She Wants to Leave The thing had not been hers in the first ce. But now, it had changed hands, bing someone else¡¯s, this person¡¯s. As for if they were who had rescued him? It was a risky bet. It was two days ago, yes, two days ago, if no one else showed up, then it should be her. As Gu Ning raises his face again, his excessively deep pupils never carry too much emotion, appear imprable, and induce fear. ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°I want¡­¡± Zhang Yindi lowered her head, looking at her toes, and the worn-out shoes on her feet. In every aspect, she is left in a state of abject embarrassment. Her clothes, trousers including the shoes were all hand-me-downs from her older sister. Why was it that, when she was a child, she was sent to live with her uncle and suffered endless scorn? When she returned home, she was teased by her elder sister and younger brother. Why was it that her elder sister and younger brother could go to school, but she couldn¡¯t? Could it be, that she wasn¡¯t her parents¡¯ child? No, she wanted to go to school. She didn¡¯t want to live a hard life. She didn¡¯t want to be sold off to some faraway, old and repulsive man just because her elder sister had to go to school or her younger brother had to marry. She wanted to control her own destiny; no one else should have any control over her life. ¡°I want to¡­¡± she licks her dry, cracked lips.
¡°I want to leave this vige, I want to continue going to school.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Gu Ning looks out of the window, his thin lips slightly open, and the word he utters is ¡°alright¡±. Alright, yes, alright. He takes her away, he takes her away from the vige, whatever she wants, he will get for her; she saved his life. But part of him still feels that something is not quite right. Yet, when he nces at Zhang Yindi, he only sees her bowed head. He vaguely remembers the voice of a young girl, and a unique scent that simultaneously seems to linger around the girl before him. Yes, it¡¯s there. But his determination hasn¡¯t faltered, and he is still waiting here. A few dayster and still, no one hase. The fragrance he had once smelled has faded and will soon disappear altogether. Tang Yuxin returns just a few dayster. She, along with her father and second uncle, had gone to their new apartment in the city. They left to clean the apartment; although no one¡¯s living there at the moment, they need to keep it tidy and not just let grime pile up. They didn¡¯t like the idea of moving inter with dust everywhere. They found themselves with some free time as there was lighter workload in the fields. They cleaned the whole house before the new year. They ate and slept at the apartment, even Sisi and Zhang Xiangcao went with them. However, they were not ustomed to city life, especially grocery shopping. Though the vegetable market was nearby, they had to spend money. Back home, they would eat the vegetables they nted themselves. But here in the city, the money simply exchanged hands. Zhang Xiangcao didn¡¯t like the city life at all, but Sisi did. Tang Zhijun, having nothing else to do, would take her to shop, buying stuff like dresses and shoes. They bought an item each day, and thus piled up a mountain of things in the few days they were in the city. ¡°Don¡¯t buy anything else for her,¡± Zhang Xiangcao felt Tang Zhijun spoiled the child too much. Sisi was old enough to help with house chores just like the children in their vige did, but instead, she didn¡¯t know how to do anything. ¡°I have only one daughter. If I don¡¯t buy things for her, who should I save money for? Money is for spending. It¡¯s for my Sisi,¡± Tang Zhijun squeezed Sisi¡¯s little face. ¡°Sisi, don¡¯t you agree? Dad earns money to spend on my Sisi, to buy new clothes and shoes for my Sisi and to allow you to attend college one day.¡± Sisi gleefully hugged Zhijun¡¯s neck, her face pressed against her father¡¯s cheek. She loved her father the most. ¡°Zhijun, I¡¯m sorry,¡± Zhang Xiangcao felt even worse, seeing how much Tang Zhinian loved their child. ¡°I¡¯m at fault for not being able to give you a son.¡± She choked on her words. She¡¯d made up her mind never to reveal to him the fact that he was sterile. If there was anyone to me or anything wrong, she would shoulder everything. Including keeping his infertility a secret. Their mother and daughter owed Tang Zhinian too much. Without him, she and Sisi might have starved to death or died in one of those harsh winters. ¡°Whether or not we have children is fate,¡± Tang Zhinian was a broad-minded man. He reached out an arm and draped it over Zhang Xiangcao¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Haven¡¯t I told you? I almost died in that pile of dung.¡± ¡°Sometimes I think, perhaps I should have died then and there. But, ironically, I survived. I escaped that misfortune. Otherwise, there would be no ¡®me¡¯ today.¡±
¡°I have you now, and we have Sisi. I¡¯m already very content. And as I said, who says Sisi is not my daughter? She is indeed my dear daughter. In the future, she will be the one to take care of me in my old age.¡± ¡°More so, what¡¯s so good about a son? Look at Aunt Zhang on the east side of the vige. She has four sons, but now she lives off her daughter. None of her sons care about her. If she didn¡¯t have that daughter, she might have died and dposed without anyone knowing.¡± ¡°So, it¡¯s good to have a filial son. But if one gets a son like Aunt Zhang¡¯s, it¡¯s better not to have any.¡± He still thought daughters were better.
Zhang Xiangcao squeezed Tang Zhinian¡¯s hand. Ever since they got married, their rtionship had been really good. Meanwhile, outside, Tang Yuxin was about to invite her aunt to eat but overheard their conversation. As expected, her aunt hadn¡¯t spilled the truth. She wanted her uncle to live an honest life without burdens. His infertility was kept a secret. Her uncle¡¯s kind treatment towards the second aunt was not in vain. Second Aunt didn¡¯t marry the wrong person. Tang Yuxin didn¡¯t know if she would ever find such pure love in her life, with no ulterior motives, no exploitation, just affection, just love. However, she knew that in the future, in an era where material desires were rampant, even though people were getting closer with all kinds ofmunication and transportation options, emotions were growing distant. Would she ever find it? Maybe not. Chapter 195: 197: She is Not Happy Chapter 195: Chapter 197: She is Not Happy If things were still like in her previous life, then there were some things, she¡¯d rather not have. And there were some feelings, she¡¯d rather not seek, of course, she wouldn¡¯t pay either, paying her sincere heart, only to be returned with all sorts of perfunctory and deceit. By the time they returned to the vige, three days had already passed. As soon as she arrived at the vige, Tang Yuxin felt something strange inside the vige. From a distance, it seemed like someone was crying. ¡°Uncle Tie Tou, did something happen in the vige?¡± Tang Yuxin asked the vigers, in just three days since they left, did a major incident take ce in the vige? ¡°Yes,¡± Uncle Tie Tou sighed involuntarily. ¡°It¡¯s the Zhang Family¡¯s second child, vanished without a trace. Apparently, he went to Beijing with someone else, but I don¡¯t know if he was tricked away.¡± Tang Yuxin¡¯s heart tightened involuntarily. She bit her lip so hard, almost hurting herself. But this kind of pain made her thoughts excessively clear. Is that so, he went to Beijing?
Could it be that, no matter how much she did, some things were ultimately unable to change? What was meant to happen, in the end happened. The ones who were meant to leave, in the end left. Those meant to meet, in the end met. Zhang Yindi¡¯s mom sat on the ground, sobbing and weeping, shouting about her heartless son, that ingrate, she¡¯d raised him up for nothing. But at other times, she would cry, worrying that he was tricked away by someone. Zhang Yindi nevercked food or clothes at home, what good would heading out do? He was underage and didn¡¯t even have an ID card, nobody would hire him even if he wanted to work. Now, Tang Yuxin finally understood, Zhang Yindi¡¯s mother was not as heartless as Zhang Yindi had imed. The human heart is biased, inherently skewed. You naturally care more for the one who grows up with you and the son who is the hope of the family. The one in the middle may receive less care and less affection, but it doesn¡¯t mean they don¡¯t want this child, no matter what, it¡¯s their child. Where is Sang Zhn? She took Tang Yuxin¡¯s usefulness for granted, as if Tang Yuxin¡¯s existence was meant to be a servant for her family to create everything for Wei Jiani, her house, her husband, even when she was dying, they made a fortune from her death. The others saw Zhang Yindi¡¯s mother crying like this and couldn¡¯t bear it. Everyone here was a parent, all understanding a lost child can destroy a family. Even if there were ten children at home, losing one would still hurt. ¡°Yindi¡¯s mother, I think you don¡¯t have to worry.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± another person also advised. ¡°Didn¡¯t we have some soldiers visit a few days ago? They were looking for a life-saver, and I saw Yindi leave with them. Maybe they took Yindi with them. Perhaps they are trying to repay their debt of gratitude. What good could our poor mountain vige offer? Maybe when he gets to the big city, Yindi will have a better life.¡± Everyone else alsoforted her this way. Whether it was true or not, it would at least provide some sce to the mother who had lost her daughter. Zhang Yindi¡¯s mom started to feel better, but Tang Yuxin really didn¡¯t feel good at all. At this moment, her body felt like a stormy sea, with heavy winds and torrential rain. She had always suspected this matter, but it turned out to be true. It was no wonder that Zhang Yindi just up and left in her previous life, and when they met again, she had be a high-ranking officer¡¯s wife. But in her previous life, she was so stupid that she told Zhang Yindi about saving Gu Ning and Zhang Yindi took her credit, not only did she take over her gracious deed, but she also took another life that was different from hers. This life, she didn¡¯t say anything, but it was still stolen by Zhang Yindi. She turned around to prevent her fury reaching the extreme, and risking her health. Alright, take everything. Let¡¯s see how long you can do that. What¡¯s stolen won¡¯tst long. When she gets to Beijing, they can get back at them. If she disregarded and ignored everything this life around, she would be a colossal fool. No matter what, she would never let Gu Ning be half dead at the hands of that woman again.
Some people deserve it while some decidedly don¡¯t. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, you unhappy somewhere?¡± Tang Zhinian ced his hand on his daughter¡¯s head. ¡°Why are you always making that long face recently?¡± ¡°Dad, I¡¯m fine,¡± Tang Yuxin smiled at Tang Zhinian. How could she tell him that she was annoyed and angry now, and even had insomnia at night. Could it be theing of menopause?
¡°If you¡¯re fine, you can go to Aunt Chen¡¯s house. They invited usst time¡­¡± Tang Zhinian hadn¡¯t finished speaking when a small figure ran over and hugged Tang Zhinian¡¯s leg. ¡°Uncle, take Sisi to see her brother, Sisi misses her brother¡± Didn¡¯t they just meet the day before yesterday? Tang Yuxin stretched out her hand and squeezed her sister¡¯s small face hard. She really felt that she had fallen out of favor. This little girl used to like her a lot, calling her sister all the time. Her small milky voice was really cute, but now she has be a fan of her brother and it¡¯s been a long time since she heard the word ¡°sister¡± from her. Sisi hid behind Tang Zhinian, hiding from Tang Yuxin¡¯s ¡°demon ws¡±. Alright, Tang Yuxin thought for a moment, she had nothing to do at home anyway, so she might as well take Sisi out to y. In the meantime, she could check if Chen Lidong had been cking offtely. She didn¡¯t want him to be self-indulgent and neglect his duties when she wasn¡¯t around. If that¡¯s the case, all her effortsst year would have been in vain. She¡¯s the kind of person who follows through on things and wouldn¡¯t leave things half done. She decided to take the pair of childhood friends and try to get into high school together, and then to college. Of course, the other reason is she wants her dad to meet more people. Their family can¡¯t farm forever. In the future, maybe they will need the help of Chen¡¯s dad and Xu¡¯s dad. Her dad is an honest man, so, as his daughter, she will take the initiative to establish other rtionships for her father who is not good at socializing. She changed her clothes, packed her schoolbag, took Sisi, and left the house. This allowed the adults at home to start tidying up the house. The entire house had to be cleaned, and when they were cleaning, dust would fill the air. They had nowhere to go other than to sit outside. From across the road, there¡¯s a bus that goes into town, just started operating a few years ago. It¡¯s so convenient to the vigers. Just get on the bus and you can reach the town in a short time. Tang Yuxin took Sisi on the bus. Fortunately, when they reached their stop, there weren¡¯t many people on the bus. She found a seat and sat down, letting Sisi sit in herp. They only take one seat, even though there are still other seats. But when they reach the next few stops, obviously, more people will get on. Chapter 196: 198: Saving People Chapter 196: Chapter 198: Saving People About twenty minutester, Tang Yuxin and Sisi arrived at a residential building. Most of the houses around were allocated by units, and Chen Lidong¡¯s home was in this building. The building was rtively new, mainly consisting of small two-bedroom apartments. It had five floors, with Chen Lidong¡¯s house on the third floor ¨C considered the golden level in the future. Tang Yuxin held Sisi¡¯s little hand, leading her upstairs. They had been here before, so they know exactly where Chen Lidong¡¯s home was ¨C they could find it even with their eyes closed. Sisi had already hopped to Chen Lidong¡¯s door where the New Year¡¯s couplets peeled off, hinting they would likely stick new ones up soon. The air seemed to have a fresh smell of sulphur, perhaps because someone had just set off firecrackers. The air quality was good at that time, smog-free, making it possible to set off fireworks, hence, the strong festive atmosphere. Sisi stretched out her little hand and knocked on the door. ¡°Brother, it¡¯s me, Sisi. I came to see you.¡± She moved her small hand behind her and leaned her tiny body forward like a little dolphin, her round face showing its innate cuteness. ¡°Brother, I¡¯m Sisi.¡± Sisi waited for a while, but seeing no one, she knocked on the door again.
But still, no one came to open the door. Sisi hung her head, turned around, seeming quite aggrieved. ¡°Sister, he¡¯s not home.¡± Yes, he¡¯s not home. Of course, he was not home. Otherwise, he would surely have opened the door for her. ¡°If he¡¯s not here, let¡¯s go to sister Miaomiao¡¯s ce ande backter.¡± Tang Yuxin took hold of Sisi¡¯s small hand, preparing to lead her to Xu Miaomiao¡¯s ce, not too far away. She hoped that Miaomiao was at home; otherwise, they might have to wander the streets as Sisi would definitely not want to go back home at this time. ¡°Okay,¡± Sisi ran over, took hold of Tang Yuxin¡¯s hand. They were returningter anyhow, so she was still pretty happy. Tang Yuxin had just taken a step forward when she abruptly stopped. She closed her eyes, smelling the air. Sulphur? No, that wasn¡¯t it. What was that smell? Why did it seem so familiar and simr to sulphur? However, it wasn¡¯t sulphur. She had initially assumed what she smelled was sulphur, but when she took a step forward, she realized that the scent was only around Chen Lidong¡¯s doorway and not outside; this seemed illogical. There was no reason why the smell would only be in that spot. Furthermore, if it were truly there, she should smell it all over the ce; the scent should have been even stronger towards the stairway. But there was no scent at the stairway, only the usual city air. So, the question was, Where did this smell resembling sulphure from? Did it possibly waft out from the room? From inside the room? Tang Yuxin let go of Sisi¡¯s hand and instructed her to stand still. She went up to Chen Lidong¡¯s door, pressed her face against it, sniffing through the door gap.
After a moment, she walked to the window and touched the ss ¨C it was tightly closed. This smell was like that of carbon monoxide. She turned around, knocked on the door of a neighboring house, but after a long while, no one answered. Only then did she remember that most people were not home at this time; the workers were still at work, not yet off duty. Even if there were people home, they were likely out buying New Year goods. She continued to scour the ground until she found a brick. She walked over and picked it up.
Sisi stood aside, tilting her head to observe Tang Yuxin with bewilderment. Tang Yuxin turned around, put her hand on Sisi¡¯s shoulder and pushed her towards the corridor, ¡°Sisi, stand here and don¡¯t move, no matter what happens, don¡¯t run around, okay?¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Sisi vigorously nodded her little head. ¡°Sister, Sisi understands.¡± Only then did Tang Yuxin walked back to the door, bit her lip, and directly smashed the window with the brick. In an instant, the ss shattered, and the odor from the room quickly dispersed. It was indeed the smell of a stove burning. The sound of the shattering ss startled Sisi, causing her to bite her sleeve and shiver in a corner, but she didn¡¯t move. She knew that breaking a window was wrong, not a good thing. However, Sisi sincerely admired Tang Yuxin. She felt that everything her sister did was right, even if it meant smashing someone¡¯s whole house, not just a window. After demolishing the window, Tang Yuxin went back to the door and vehemently smashed the lock with the brick. In the process, her fingers were grazed by the brick, drawing blood, but she continued smashing. Soon, she was breaking into a cold sweat. Then she remembered something that happened in her previous life. From the second day of the Chinese New Year, she hadn¡¯t seen Chen Lidong. She didn¡¯t know the reason, as she wasn¡¯t familiar with any other ssmates. Apparently, he had transferred schools. Could it be that he didn¡¯t transfer schools, but¡­ Just then, with a ¡°click¡± sound, the lock was damaged, and so was the wooden door. No matter how sturdy, with such force, it was bound to break.
Tang Yuxin immediately threw away the brick and opened the door. She turned around and shouted at Sisi, ¡°Stay outside and don¡¯t move.¡± Sisi, who had just moved a step forward retracted her foot and obeyed, standing at her spot. She was so frightened that she began breathing carefully. Tang Yuxin covered her nose and ran into the house. She saw Chen Lidong sprawled on the table in the living room, one hand hanging from it. She quickly dragged Chen Lidong out. At this moment, she was grateful for her trips to the mountain to collect medicinal herbs over the past few years as they had built up her leg and arm strength, which came in handy at the moment. If she had still been her frail self from her previous life, how could she have moved a big boy. She left Chen Lidong at the door, rushed back inside and with a ¡°bang¡±, opened another door. Chen Lidong¡¯s mother was inside, seemingly in a deep sleep. She furiously pulled her from the bed and dragged her out. By the time she got Chen¡¯s mother outside, she was panting heavily. She dashed back into the house to see if there was anyone else ¨C thankfully, it was just the two of them in the Chen family. The living room still had a heater on for warmth. Likely, due to issues with the chimney, they suffered from carbon monoxide poisoning. Chapter 197: 199 No Trouble for People Chapter 197: Chapter 199 No Trouble for People When she came out again, Sisi was outside, squatting, asionally wiping her tears. She had taken off her own cotton jacket and covered Chen Lidong with it. Then she raised her little face, and asked pitifully, ¡°Sister, is my brother going to die soon?¡± Tang Yuxin didn¡¯t say anything. She squatted down and put her hand under Chen Liteng¡¯s nose. There was a faint breath, so he was not going to die yet. When she turned to Chen¡¯s mother, she just held her wrist, and arge drop of sweat had already seeped out on her forehead. There was no pulse. She then put her ear on Chen¡¯s mother¡¯s chest. There was no heartbeat either, but her body was still warm, so her heartbeat and pulse must have just disappeared recently. Tang Yuxin quickly knelt in front of Chen¡¯s mother. She was so lucky to have chosen to be a doctor in her previous life. She knew how to perform first aid. She adjusted her body, put her hands together, straightened her elbow joint, and using her body weight, she pressed downwards on Chen¡¯s mother¡¯s chest, repeatedly performingpressions. Before long, her forehead was already covered with a lot of sweat.
¡°Sisi, give me the safety pin on your clothes.¡± She shouted at Sisi in her free time, but her voice was almost hoarse. Okay, Sisi quickly took off the safety pin from her body. Tang Yuxin took Sisi¡¯s safety pin, then rolled up Chen¡¯s mother¡¯s sleeves, first forcibly poked her in the elbow crease, and then pressed her hand on the Laogong point of Chen¡¯s mother¡¯s palm. Her hands were so fast that even her clothes weren¡¯t taken off. Then she plunged the needle in again, finally moving to the inner pass. The safety pin was thrust in forcibly without hesitation. ¡°Ouch¡­¡± Suddenly, Chen¡¯s mother let out a cry, and she continued to cough. Only then did Tang Yuxin take a sigh of relief. As for Chen Lidong, he was better than Chen¡¯s mother. His face was pale, his lips were blue, but he was breathing. She really missed the old days with cell phones, one for each person, no, sometimes several for one person. She could call for an ambnce immediately with just one call. Then, there seemed to be footstepsing from the stairs. Tang Yuxin also sat on the ground. She wiped the sweat from her forehead and looked towards the staircase. When people came up and saw the two people lying on the ground, they were all frightened. Isn¡¯t this Chen Guoping¡¯s family? What happened? ¡°Uncle, can you help me call an ambnce?¡± Tang Yuxin really had no strength left. She was still too weak and too young. Her strength as a doctor had been mostly depleted over these past few years. ¡°They were poisoned by gas.¡± ¡°Oh, okay, I¡¯ll go right away,¡± that person quickly went downstairs to make a phone call. Tang Yuxin took off her own jacket and then draped it on Sisi. Immediately, that chill blew directly onto her. It was so cold that it made her shiver. At the same time, it quickly dried the sweat on her body. She touched Sisi¡¯s little face, ¡°Let¡¯s go home. Your sister needs to boil some ginger soup for you to drink. Do you want to drink it with your sister?¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Sisi obediently agreed, but she was about to cry. ¡°Sister, will my brother and aunt not die?¡± ¡°Yes, they won¡¯t,¡± Tang Yuxin rubbed her sister¡¯s head again, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, they won¡¯t die.¡± Sisi curled up in her sister¡¯s big coat, and her own jacket was covering Chen Lidong. Chen Lidong¡¯s face was much better than before, and Chen¡¯s mother¡¯splexion was gradually improving on the side. Soon after, they finally heard the sound of an ambnce outside.
When the medical staff carried Chen Lidong and his mother onto the ambnce, Tang Yuxin finally breathed a sigh of relief. She took Sisi¡¯s little cotton-padded jacket, helped her put it on, and then followed them to the hospital. ¡°Lidong, Lidong¡­¡± Someone pushed open the office door. Lidong¡¯s father was working overtime today. When he saw the person, heughed, ¡°Oh, it¡¯s you. What¡¯s going on? Didn¡¯t you say you were going home to buy New Year¡¯s goods? Why are you here again? Can¡¯t get enough of work after a year? Want to get used to it again?¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t know what to say about you¡­¡± ¡°You should go home, something happened to your family.¡±
¡°What happened? What happened?¡± The smile on Chen¡¯s father¡¯s face froze. The person was sweating anxiously, ¡°Your wife and children were poisoned by gas, they are in the hospital now.¡± Chen¡¯s father suddenly felt dizziness, and he stumbled onto the ground, unable to stand. Until he stumbled into the hospital, he saw two sisters sitting on the rest chair, a serious-looking sister, and a sister who had been crying. ¡°Sister, it¡¯s uncle,¡± Sisi stretched out her hand to tug at Tang Yuxin¡¯s sleeve. When Tang Yuxin saw Chen¡¯s father, she finally relieved the stuffiness in her chest. She took Sisi down from the resting chair and then took her hand to walk over. ¡°Uncle Chen, don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s okay.¡± Chen¡¯s father opened his mouth wide, possibly trying to say something, but he couldn¡¯t utter a word from his throat. He looked up at the three words ¡°Emergency Room¡±, held his head and squatted on the ground. After a while, he covered his face, seemingly crying. Tang Yuxin couldpletely imagine that whether it was Chen¡¯s mother or Chen Lidong, no matter who it was, Chen¡¯s father couldn¡¯t bear it if something happened to either one of them. It¡¯s unbearable pain, let alone if something happened to his wife and children at the same time. Sisi looked at her sister, her tears reddening. Tang Yuxin shook her head at her, then put her hand on her head. After that, she turned around and just stood outside waiting. It should be okay. She herself is a doctor, she knows, without any special circumstances, there won¡¯t be any problems.
The emergency room door suddenly opened. Chen¡¯s father quickly stood up from the ground. Probably because he had squatted for too long, his legs and feet were numb. He stumbled forward and almost fell to the ground. ¡°May I ask, how is my wife and child now?¡± He quickly asked, his red eyes terrifying. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s okay,¡± the doctor also breathed a sigh of relief, ¡°Although the situation was very urgent when they were sent here, nothing major happened. They can be hospitalized for a few days. If nothing major happens, they can be discharged.¡± ¡°By the way,¡± he pointed to Tang Yuxin and Sisi. ¡°You should thank these two little girls. If it weren¡¯t for her breaking the ss and door of your house and pulling them out, the two might have been in real danger.¡± The doctor didn¡¯t know that Tang Yuxin did more than that. She performed professional cardiopulmonary resuscitation for Chen¡¯s mother, and even used acupoints. Otherwise, Chen¡¯s mother might be in grave danger now. Chapter 198: 200: The Grand Destiny Chapter 198: Chapter 200: The Grand Destiny ¡°Thank you, thank you¡­¡± Mr. Chen clenched the doctor¡¯s hand, repeatedly expressing his gratitude while his other hand covered his face. He was unmistakably crying. And at this moment, no one could say that his tears were a sign of weakness. Both Mrs. Chen and Chen Lidong were alright, both recovering well. They were only unconscious because they had inhaled too much coal gas. However, the doctor said there was no reason to worry, and they would naturally wake up when the time was right. Tang Yuxin, not wanting to leave Mr. Chen all by himself, went to the public telephone outside the doctor¡¯s office and called the store in their vige. The vige only had two stores with telephones. One of them was not far from her home. It was right next to their house, so it wasn¡¯t difficult to run over to call someone. With Sisi¡¯s little hand in hers, Tang Yuxin dialed Tang Zhinian to summarize the situation of the Chen Family. Upon hearing the news, Tang Zhinian was taken aback. He thought to himself how lucky they were that Tang Yuxin and Sisi had been invited to clean their house. Had they not been there, the mother and son of the Chen family might not have made it. The thought of that possibility terrified him, let alone the father who was directly involved, Mr. Chen. He immediately put down the phone and summoned both Tang Zhijun and Zhang Xiangcao to go and see what was the situation. They arrived at the county hospital within half an hour on their electric tricycle. Both Mrs. Chen and her son were still there. ¡°Are they alright?¡± Tang Zhinian rushed to ask the moment he arrived.
¡°The doctor said they¡¯re fine. We managed to get them here in time. They¡¯ll be okay once they wake up.¡± Mr. Chen was trying his best to put on a smile. Even though it was uglier than a cry, it was the only thing he could give. ¡°Alright, don¡¯t be like this,¡± Tang Zhinian patted Mr. Chen¡¯s shoulder. ¡°As long as they¡¯re fine, that¡¯s what matters. You are the head of the family; you can¡¯t copse. I¡¯ve brought some food from home; you should eat something first. Everything else can wait. If the doctor said they¡¯re going to be fine, then they will be just fine; they just need some time to recover properly.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t eat,¡± Mr. Chen sighed. With his wife and child in this condition and still unconscious, how could he muster the strength to eat? Tang Zhinian ced the food in front of Mr. Chen. Even if you can¡¯t eat, you must, or else how will you take care of the two of them? Mr. Chen, staring at the big bowl in front of him with eyes as red as a rabbit¡¯s. After some thought, he picked up the chopsticks and slowly began to feed himself, bite after bite. Yes, Tang Zhinian was right, if he didn¡¯t eat, who¡¯d take care of the two of them? As for their family¡¯s current situation, well, the less said, the better. It¡¯s a good thing they¡¯re going to be okay. Otherwise, he thought, as he¡¯d rather die. If the whole family were to perish together, there would be no leftover for him in this wretched world anymore. Sisi was quietly eating her rice. Still, she kept ncing at Chen Lidong lying unconscious on the hospital bed. As she sucked on her nose, Sisi stopped eating and put down her chopsticks. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you eating?¡± Zhang Xiangcao asked her daughter. Was there something wrong with food? Sisi wasn¡¯t picky. Possibly because of the hard times she had been through as a child, Sisi ate anything and everything. It was strange that she didn¡¯t want to eat today, especially after not having eaten for almost a day. Didn¡¯t she feel hungry? ¡°Mom, Sisi wants to save the food for brother,¡± Sisi tearfully expressed her thoughts, looking thoroughly heartbroken. Children were free to break down in tears when they were upset, but adults just couldn¡¯t. Sisi tried to stifle her sobs, realising for the first time how close death could be. Death was still a distant concept to her. Yet it had already imed the life of someone she knew and held dear. Tang Yuxin had grown more or less ustomed to life and death in the hospital. Every day someone was born, and every day someone died. She had saved many people, but even more had passed away in her care. That was the inevitability of life, sooner orter, life would end in death. Death itself was not the hardest part; the permanent scar it leaves on the hearts of those still living was. As she saw Mr. Chen in his current state, she was reminded of the time she had died in her past life. Tang Zhinian had been the one crying for her, a grown man sobbing loudly as he hugged himself in the corner. Yes, in this world, Tang Zhinian was the only one who would shed tears for her. If there was ever another man who would cry for her, she would marry him.
The one thing she wanted to do in this life was to ensure that her father wouldn¡¯t have to cry over her, his unfilial daughter. She would grow up fast, be the pir of their home, their pride, and their greatestfort. After a while, the Xu family also arrived. Xu Miaomiao heard about the incident and was pale with fright. She looked like a ghost herself. ¡°Yuxin, Yuxin, they¡¯re okay, right?¡± Xu Miaomiao was older, and she understood what a difference life and death could make. She always thought that as long as they were alive, death would nevere. But death hade so close to them.
¡°They¡¯re ok, they¡¯re still alive,¡± Tang Yuxin forced a smile into her voice. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. They¡¯re tough people, they¡¯re not going anywhere.¡± Upon hearing these words, Xu Miaomiao burst into uncontroble sobs, clutching onto Tang Yuxin. ¡°You can¡¯t imagine how terrified I was. I was really afraid something would happen to Xu Lidong. We had promised topete this semester. If something happened to him, what would I do?¡± Childhood sweethearts. It was a precious and rare kind of rtionship. Tang Yuxin thought. It¡¯s a shame that she hadn¡¯t had such a childhood ymate. For better or for worse, she was meant to lead a lonely student life ¨C be it in this life or her previous one. Tang Yuxin gently stroked Xu Sisi¡¯s hair. For a moment, she felt as if her soul were wandering, pondering one of the most burdensome questions of her young life. Who was the only person who would cry for her death? Only her white-haired father. That¡¯s why she had to live. And so did Chen Lidong. All for the sake of his father, who loved him more than his own life and was willing to give up everything for him, Mr. Chen. The Chen family had suffered such a tragedy amid the festive season. It was poignant and regrettable. Surprisingly, not a single rtive had visited Mrs. Chen in the hospital. The Chen family had its fair share of vexing problems. After all, every family indeed had its difficulties. Mr. Chen was the eldest. There was a saying among ordinary people, ¡°The emperor loved his heir, but themon people pampered the youngest.¡± It seemed to imply that as the eldest, one was obligated to take care of his grown-up brother. When his brother got married, the eldest bore the cost. When his brother had a child, the eldest took care of them. However, the eldest was a person too, he had his own family to feed and support. Chapter 199: 201: Wanting to Grow Up Chapter 199: Chapter 201: Wanting to Grow Up Later, Chen¡¯s father hardened his heart and stopped taking care of his second brother and his family. As a result, when the second brother¡¯s children fell ill and were hospitalized, the me was ced on Chen¡¯s father. The whole family med Chen¡¯s father and even knocked down poor Chen Lidong, causing his head to bleed on the spot. Of course, young Chen Lidong didn¡¯t remember all this, but it was during this time the rtionship between the two families began to sour. Even though Chen¡¯s father would still visit them during holidays, he stopped talking to his brother and sister-inw. The second brother¡¯s family constantly criticized Chen Lidong for his poor studies, iming he was unintelligent with no potential. Every time these usations were made, it felt like a knife was twisting in Chen¡¯s father¡¯s heart. He always med himself for his son¡¯s injury, thinking that fall might have caused Lidong to be slow. He did not show a pleasant face to the second brother¡¯s family. This time around, when it was proven that Lidong¡¯s poor performance in school was due to wrong studying strategies and not any damage to his brain, Chen¡¯s father felt relieved. Otherwise, one day, he would have driven himself crazy with guilt. Whether the Chen family came or not, he didn¡¯t care. Besides, he had nothing to say to that younger brother of his. But the fact that his own parents didn¡¯t even visit really broke his heart. No matter what, they were still their grandchildren, weren¡¯t they? Indeed, those so-called rtives couldn¡¯tpare to these neighbors, let alone the Tang Family whom they haven¡¯t known for too long. Zhang Xiangcao and Xu¡¯s mother almost came every day and cooked meals for their family. Otherwise, Lidong, who stayed in the hospital alone to take care of two patients, might not have even had time to eat. Fortunately, as the doctor stated, both patients woke up without any major issues. However, upon realizing that she and her son indeed had almost died, Chen¡¯s mother was overwhelmed with guilt that they might have left Chen¡¯s father alone to face the grief of losing his wife and son. She held onto him, sobbing uncontrobly. Chen Lidong stood aside, clenching his hands. For the first time in his life, he felt guilty towards his parents. He was so grown up, but still worried his parents. ¡°So, do you want to grow up?¡± Tang Yuxin came by, pulled over a chair and sat down, looking straight at the teenager in front of her. The youth still had an innocent face. He used to live carelessly, but now he showed subtle signs of maturity that came from some strong external pressure. Even though it was forced upon him, he had certainly grown up. Even though some growthes at the expense of happiness.
¡°Yes,¡± Chen Lidong let go of his tightly clenched hands, ¡°When I grow up, I will work hard. I will make my parents proud. I will make those who looked down upon us ru their eyes. I, Chen Lidong, swear to make more money in the future, buy a big house for my parents, and get them a car.¡± Tang Yuxin reached out her hand and gently patted Chen Lidong¡¯s head. ¡°Well, once you¡¯re out of the hospital and be a rich person who can buy mansions and drive cars, then we can discuss more.¡± ¡°This¡­¡± she took out a few books from her bag and threw them into Chen Lidong¡¯s hands, ¡°Dreaming of bing a rich person, earning money, buying big houses, all these are dreams for the future. But every step you take now brings you closer to that goal. First aim to be among the top five in your ss. Your current ranking of twelfth is far from enough.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I will,¡± promised Chen Lidong, grabbing the books. The fingers of the young boy were still slender, and his mind alert. But after a near-death experience and a profound realization, for the first time in his life, he had clear goals. ¡°By the way, where¡¯s Sisi?¡± Chen Lidong had been continuously looking at the door, wondering why the little girl hadn¡¯te to see him. He had been sick and nearly died. Didn¡¯t the little girl care about her brother? Or had shepletely forgotten him? Suddenly, his heart filled with a sour feeling. Tang Yuxin leaned back in the chair, ¡°Don¡¯t you remember what happened at that time?¡± She was asking an obviously confused Chen Lidong. As expected, Chen Lidong really was perplexed. He shook his head nkly. He didn¡¯t know. How could he know? All he knew was that he fell asleep and when he woke up, he was already in the hospital. Tang Yuxin propped up her face on the armrest of the chair. Her fair skin was so clear in the light, but her eyes remained slightly cold. ¡°I broke your house¡¯s windows, damaged your door, and dragged you out. We then went to find your mother. My silly little sister was worried you¡¯d feel cold, so she took off her own jacket and covered you with it. Now she has a severe cold and has been coughing for several days.¡± Chen Lidong¡¯s sour feelings in his chest suddenly shattered into pieces, and the acidity welled up in his eyes. He didn¡¯t know what to do and he felt the strong urge to cry. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Chen Lidong said, his voice resolute like he was making a solemn vow. ¡°I will treat Sisi well in the future, I will be good to her for the rest of my life.¡± Tang Yuxin smiled and stood up. She never took Chen Lidong¡¯s words as a promise. Men¡¯s promises, especially those made in their youth, could never be trusted. Life is just too long. As long as he remembered Sisi¡¯s lifesaving grace and could help her at critical moments, that was enough. Chen¡¯s mother and Chen Lidong¡¯s conditions were not serious. They were just victims of carbon monoxide poisoning. Though it was severe, their recovery was quick. With Xu¡¯s mother and Zhang Xiangcao delivering food every day, they regained their strength in just a few days, and Chen Lidong even gained a few pounds.
Every time Tang Yuxin saw Lidong¡¯s now round belly, she couldn¡¯t help thinking, ¡®Would this handsome boy be a greasy middle-aged man in the future?¡¯ Time is a butcher¡¯s cleaver. It could turn so many people into hideous forms. Sisi had recovered as well and was always moring to visit her brother. However, Tang Yuxin felt it best for her not toe. After all, it was a hospital with all kinds of diseases and her resistance was still so weak.
As for herself, she didn¡¯t want toe, either. But she didn¡¯t want Chen Lidong to fall behind in his studies. Anyway, they were now living in a city apartment and nned to spend the New Year there. She could study at home, and likewise here. So, she called Xu Miaomiao to join them and the three of them studied together ultimately. This arrangement made the parents feel more at ease. Chapter 200: 202: Where Did the Money Come From Chapter 200: Chapter 202: Where Did the Money Come From No matter what they might be going through, no matter what has happened, as long as the child is safe, as long as the child understands, nothing else really matters. The determination of the three children dissipated the gloom brought about by the ident; after all, they had a whole year ahead of them. By the time Chen Family¡¯s mother and son were discharged from the hospital, it was already New Year¡¯s Eve. Tang Zhinian had repaired the ss and door of the Chen Family¡¯s home, after all, he was a carpenter. It wasn¡¯t hard for him, and besides, it was his own daughter who had smashed it. Of course, no one med her for the destruction, even if she had taken everything out, it wouldn¡¯t matter, as long as it saved a life. When she returned home, Mrs. Chen was deeply upset and decided that no matter how cold it gets, they would never use the stove again. They had learned their lesson this time, they could probably survive for the first time, but definitely not the second. If it happened again, there would be no second chance. Therefore, the first thing Mr. Chen did when he got home was to dismantle the stove, never to use it again. They were, in essence, once bitten twice shy. Actually, Tang Yuxin wanted to say that there¡¯s no need to throw the stove away, as long as you ventte properly and are mindful of the piping, there would be no issues. However, she figured it was best to keep quiet, to prevent causing further distress in the Chen Family who loathed the stove now. While the adults were busy preparing for the New Year, the three students focused on their studies. Chen Lidong was studying like a man possessed, almost as if he had be a sponge, wishing he could soak up the contents of the books directly into his stomach.
His hardworking behavior had stimted Xu Miaomiao. Despite being a girl, she was equally stubborn andpetitive. Hence, the two ended up engaging in a contest on who could wake up earlier and sleepter. The mostid back among them was probably Tang Yuxin. However,pared to the past, she was now significantly more active. Regardless, she had caught the studying bug, although, she did wish that she could still be a bitzy. ¡°Yuxin, you seem to have gotten whiter?¡± Xu Miaomiao extended her hand and ced it next to Tang Yuxin¡¯s. Even though they spent every day together, she had never noticed anything until one day, she saw a difference. Chen Lidong was still engrossed in solving problems, totally oblivious of the matters of the outside world, besides spending time ying with Sisi. Anything else was none of his concern. Of course, whatever the two girls were saying about being white or ck was irrelevant to him. After all, it was not his skin that was turning white. Furthermore, he didn¡¯t need it to be white. Why would he want to be a pretty boy? ¡°In the summer, I¡¯ll tan again,¡± That¡¯s all Tang Yuxin had to say. Yes, in the summer she¡¯ll tan again, whether it actually would happen or not. Who would she ask? If Chen Zhong were still around, he¡¯d have answers. But he¡¯s not here anymore and she¡¯d have to wait a very long time to ask. Because Tang Yuxin decided she must live a long life. So, the truth would reveal itself over time; whether she¡¯d stay white forever, or whether she¡¯d be white in winter and tan in summer. That would only be known next summer. Xu Miaomiao also nodded in agreement, ¡°Actually, I think you were easier on the eyes before.¡± Tang Yuxin shed a faint smile. Kid, can you be any more honest? During the New Year, it was only natural for all three families toe together. The bond between their three families had grown even stronger through battling adversities together. Given the expectation that a friend in need is a friend indeed, was it enough to test their bond? If the rtionship still fell short of being close after everything, what else could bring them closer together? Of course, New Year¡¯s was a time for the children to take the center stage. Although Tang Yuxin and the other two were growing up, they hadn¡¯t married, meaning they were still children and entitled to receive New Year money. Sisi handed a package to Zhang Xiangcao. Zhang Xiangcao was quite confused. What was Sisi giving her? When she unfolded it, she saw it was all money. Variousrge denominations, hundred, fifty, and ten yuan notes. A fat wad like this would surely amount to several hundred yuan, wouldn¡¯t it? ¡°Sisi, where did you get this money?¡± Zhang Xiangcao immediately grabbed her daughter¡¯s pigtails. Could it be that her daughter had just taken this money? She absolutely didn¡¯t dare to think that her Sisi could have stolen it.
Sisi tilted her head in confusion, ¡°Mom, didn¡¯t you say that New Year money must be given to mom?¡± Yes, she did say that. Zhang Xiangcao almost wept with no tears. But she meant the New Year money, not all this money from who knows where. ¡°Is there something wrong?¡± Sisi was befuddled. She had followed her mother¡¯s instruction. Now, all of a sudden, she had done something wrong?
Before long, Tang Zhinian and Tang Zhijun returned and were startled by the amount of cash. Tang Zhinian took the money and did a rough count. It was more than two hundred yuan. ¡°Did you give this?¡± he asked Tang Zhijun. This seemed like something Tang Zhijun would do, given his doting nature towards his daughter. ¡°No,¡± Tang Zhijun shook his head, ¡°could it be from Big Brother?¡± The brothers exchanged puzzled nces as they looked at the money, then diverted their gaze towards Zhang Xiangcao. Zhang Xiangcao swiftly shook her head. ¡°Big Brother, Zhijun, it wasn¡¯t me. How could I possibly give Sisi so much money?¡± It wasn¡¯t that she didn¡¯t have the money, Tang Zhijun¡¯s money was under her management after all. But even with plenty of money at home, she would never just give it to their daughter. Sisi was still young and didn¡¯t know how to properly handle money. There was no way she would just give her two hundred yuan all at once. It was much more usible that it came from her uncle or father. ¡°Could it be from Yuxin?¡± The Tang brothers both harbored this suspicion. Tang Yuxin always had some money. Unlike other kids, she worked for her spending money. She would dig for medicinal grass to earn money. She had a small amount, not a lot, but sufficient for her school expenses, stationery, and books. This didn¡¯t give anyone any cause for concern. Could it be that she actually gave this? When Tang Yuxin arrived, she noticed the intense stares from her brother and father, almost as if she had grown a scarlet flower on her head.
Chapter 201: 203: English Competition Chapter 201: Chapter 203: English Competition ¡°What happened?¡± Tang Yuxin sat down, picking a handful of newly fried fruits from the te that Zhang Xiangcao had just made. She thought that Zhang Xiangcao truly had a knack for cooking; everything she made was both delicate and tasty. She was truly a good woman, marrying her was definitely worth it for her second uncle. ¡°Yuxin, is this money yours?¡± Tang Zhinian, pointing at the money on the table, asked his daughter. Tang Yuxin looked at the money on the table, her eyes calm, as serene as the still water in a deep pool, almost rippleless. ¡°No,¡± she replied, pulling Sisi closer. ¡°Did Chen Lidong give it to you?¡± Sisi blinked her eyes and then nodded forcefully, ¡°Brother gave it to Sisi, he said he will give it to Sisi in the future.¡± Tang Zhijun¡¯s face darkened instantly. His daughter was still so young, and someone was already setting his sights on her. That brat! He genuinely felt like he was looking at his future son-inw; the more he saw him, the more he disliked and resented him. He grabbed the money and directly gave it back to Chen Lidong, then took Sisi back to Li Tang vige. Chen Lidong stared at the money, on the brink of tears. Dad said a man should give the money he makes to a woman for safekeeping, so didn¡¯t he do the right thing?
His father, the miser Chen, blushed with embarrassment. He waved his hand, feeling too ashamed to face anyone. His son was such a fool. Chen¡¯s mother just shook her head. Nevermind, she thought, she didn¡¯t want to interfere anymore. They would find their own way when they grew up. By that time, she would be old. This year had been somewhat dangerous, but it had passed. They were all still here and so was their time. They were still middle school students, and their lives had just begun, at a bright, vibrant age. When they returned to school, there were some changes in the ss, at least the absence of Zhang Yindi. When others asked about it, Tang Yuxin just shook her head. She knew nothing. Zhang Yindi might be dead, and the world had one more Zhang Xiaomei, the woman who could break a man¡¯s heart with one hand. Several other unfamiliar faces didn¡¯te back either, dropping out for various reasons. But most ssmates were still there, actually they hadn¡¯t changed, even though they were changing every day. What changed were their ages, and their intellects. ¡°Yuxin, you seem to have be fairer,¡± said another girl who came over, touching Tang Yuxin¡¯s face. ¡°Really, how did you be so fair?¡± When Tang Yuxin was in the first year of junior high school, she was an ordinary girl like many girls in the vige, because she had been exposed to wind and sun since she was a child, unlike the city kids. Moreover, most children from the countryside always had cold hands and feet. Tang Yuxin was a bit better in this respect, her fingers never got frozen, but still, they were dark and her skin was not good, sted by the wind and sun. But only half a yearter, things had changed. Herplexion had lightened, and her features seemed to have grown more defined. Her baby fat had gone, and even her chin had be more pointed this year. Most importantly, Tang Yuxin had a set of nice teeth, very white and neatly arranged. When she smiled, a charming, gentle glow touched her face. They say a fairplexion hides many ws. So, because she had be fair, she had be more good looking. ¡°I will get tanned again in summer.¡± This was all Tang Yuxin said. Whether or not she would get tanned, she was waiting for time to tell. ¡°Humph!¡± Suddenly, a cold, contemptuous voice came from somewhere. Tang Yuxin turned her body to meet Wei Jiani¡¯s provocative gaze. She sneered, ¡°True, you will tan eventually. How could someone like you possibly turn fair, what a joke.¡±
Wei Jiani stretched out her hand. Since she was a child, she knew she was pretty, her fingers were long and graceful. Her teacher said she had perfect hands for ying an instrument, even ying an electronic keyboard was beneath her. She should be ying the piano, but her family couldn¡¯t afford the high cost of piano lessons. Sang Zhn always said that it would have been great if Tang Yuxin had stayed with her. That way, all the money from Tang Yuxin¡¯s father would be theirs. With that money, she could afford piano lessons. Thus, her resentment for Tang Yuxin grew, she couldn¡¯t stand people praising her. Tang Yuxin pursed her red lips; she did not want to argue with a fool. Whether she would turn fair or not, they would wait to see.
Furthermore, Tang Yuxin flipped through her book. This semester, Wei Jiani was destined to be outperformed by her again. She was waiting to see how her pale little cabbage, Wei Jiani, would farepared to herself. The workload for the second semester was much heavier than the first one. However, due to their intense extra sses during the holidays, not just Tang Yuxin, even Chen Lidong and Xu Miaomiao felt quite rxed. They no longer needed to copy homework from others, they could finish it independently. Chen Lidong, who had been copying others¡¯ homework all his life, was shocked. One day, someone actually came to him for answers. The feeling was too good, and his spirits lifted. But when he saw the ss¡¯s top student, the second-best in the whole grade, a quiet bookworm, sitting in front of him, all his superiority and bloated ego shattered into pieces. What did he have to be proud of? That student was the ss¡¯s top schr, while he was the twelfth. The gap wasn¡¯t merely twelve ces; it was as wide as the Pacific Ocean, no, the entire sr system. For him to jump from twelfth ce to first ce, it was a Herculean task. He couldn¡¯t even beat Tang Yuxin, let alone the top student. One day, the ss teacher walked up to the podium. She was very satisfied with the recent academic attitude of her students. The subject teachers mentioned that these children were all working very hardtely. Especially Xu Miaomiao and Chen Lidong, who used to be underperforming students, had improved significantly. They were quick to grasp concepts, did their homework well, and were proactive in ss. So, the ss teacher was quite relieved. She cleared her throat, ¡°Our school is preparing an English contest. After selections at school, the winners will participate in citywidepetition, then the provincial one. It¡¯s a wonderful opportunity to glorify our school. I hope everyone aggressively signs up.¡± When it came to signing up enthusiastically, if it had been any other subject, there would have been many eager participants. Trying wouldn¡¯t hurt, they would know whether or not they are capable. But this time was different, it was English. Chapter 202: 204: Please Call Your Mother Over Chapter 202: Chapter 204: Please Call Your Mother Over Oh god, English. For those of them just starting seventh grade and picking up this foreignnguage, learning English was like deciphering a mystery. Remembering words was difficult, let alone the grammar and phics. In the entire ss, only a handful could pass English tests, which left little enthusiasm for others topete or sign up. Nheless, this was an opportunity to seize the moment. The ss tutor was encouraging the students to sign up, to bring glory to the ss. Yet, no student budged. They knew their abilities, and signing up was impossible. ¡°Jiani, your English is good, go sign up, you¡¯re certain to get in from our ss,¡± Li Hua nudged Wei Jiani, whose English skills were impressive, considering she was the ss¡¯s English course representative. If she wasn¡¯t qualified, who else was? ¡°Even so, is she better than Tang Yuxin?¡± At this point, a student murmured discontentedly, ¡°it¡¯s an English recitationpetition, not a written one, and where Tang Yuxin really shines in English, aside from her impressive writing, is her exceptional speaking.¡± Even the English teacher had mentioned this. ¡°Indeed, Tang Yuxin¡¯s English is evidently much better.¡± Another student chimed in, reminding everyone that the schoolndscape was quite like a battlefield. There were rivalries and conflicts amidst the harmony. Most students got along cordially, but there were instances of arrogance, like Wei Jiani looking down on others who disdained her in return. Most of the time, everyone kept quiet, minding their own business. But once a spark ignited, all buried issues red up. Now, all conflicts began to escte. Tang Yuxin nced around, her gaze briefly rested on the hatred evident on Wei Jiani¡¯s face. It seemed there was no love lost between them; they were destined to be rivals.
As for sisterhood¡­ She didn¡¯t dare to ept a sister like her. She wouldn¡¯t be the scapegoat for Wei Jiani again, having done it in her previous life. If she continued, she¡¯d be considered exceedingly dull. Does she seem that na?ve? As for the Englishpetition, she initially didn¡¯t intend to participate. However, if there was only one spot on the line with Wei Jiani as herpetitor, she would not back down. In her previous life, she gave in to everything. However, in this life, she wouldn¡¯t even yield a hair to Wei Jiani. Five people in the ss signed up for the Englishpetition, three were directly eliminated, leaving only Wei Jiani and Tang Yuxin. ¡°I think Tang Yuxin is good,¡± the English teacher who has always liked Tang Yuxin remarked, ¡°her spoken English is better.¡± ¡°Wei Jiani¡¯s appearance is somewhat superior,¡± another teacher intervened, everyone liked beautiful children, and this teacher was no exception. The pretty ones usually had the upper hand. The less attractive ones, naturally ended up at a disadvantage. ¡°I felt Tang Yuxin¡¯s appearance isn¡¯t too bad,¡± the English teacher defended Tang Yuxin, ¡°young girls change daily, she¡¯s bing more attractive than when she first came.¡± The homeroom teacher was slightly hesitant, unable to decide between the two. If they were on par, he would undoubtedly choose the prettier one, but that one was also slightly inadequate. However, he couldn¡¯t exactly say that Tang Yuxin was much less attractive than Wei Jiani at the moment. Perhaps due to their initial impressions, in their hearts, Wei Jiani was more beautiful. A student who excels academically and is attractive will indeed win everyone¡¯s affection. Thus, the selection fell into a deadlock. The teachers were arguing heatedly, but Tang Yuxin wasn¡¯t overly concerned about it. What she wanted was to upset Wei Jiani. Every time Wei Jiani looked at her, her eyes burning with envy, Tang Yuxin felt more bnced. Yes, that¡¯s right. How could she let some people have their way while she lived in torment? ¡°Tang Yuxin, someone¡¯s looking for you.¡± As Wei Jiani approached Tang Yuxin, she dropped this sentence. They¡¯re on the yground. You should go and see, otherwise if the issuees to light, it won¡¯t look good for anyone. Tang Yuxin looked up, her cold eyes meeting Wei Jiani¡¯s satisfied ones. Oh, satisfaction, yes, satisfaction. But Tang Yuxin truly did not know what Wei Jiani had to be happy about. Besides, someone was looking for her, she wanted to know who this person was that Wei Jiani mentioned. She got up and walked outside, unaware of the hint of irony on Wei Jiani¡¯s smirking lips.
There was a small grove near the yground, which should not be misinterpreted. This grove was quite unlike the one at the university ¨C middle school students were innocent, especially at this age, as pure as could be. If someone asked him what a grove was? His answer would definitely be: A grove is a forest made of smaller trees.
Obviously, no one daring enough to express love here. 15 or 16-year-old children, their mindsets hadn¡¯t developed to that stage yet. They were as pure as the clear blue sky, unlike the future grey sky filled with dust and frost. Wei Jiani said that the person was there, and Tang Yuxin didn¡¯t have to worry about Wei Jiani tarnishing her reputation. Wei Jiani was far from reaching that stage. Maybe she would eventually, but not now. She walked over and saw a person¡¯s silhouette from afar. Her steps faltered, now she knew who hade. Wei Jiani really had guts, to bring her own mother here. Of course, Tang Yuxin had long disimed this person as her mother. Her real mother died when she was born, she was brought up single-handedly by her father, and had no rtion with this so-called mother. At this moment, the woman who was standing with her back to Tang Yuxin suddenly turned around. If it wasn¡¯t Sang Zhn, then who? Tang Zhinian, Sang Zhn, such good names, such good fate. Sang Zhn looked at Tang Yuxin before her withplex emotions. Tang Yuxin didn¡¯t look like her or Tang Zhinian. Tang Zhinian had said that Tang Yuxin looked a lot like his deceased mother, Tang Yuxin¡¯s grandmother. That was why she was a child of the Tang family, which was why Tang Zhinian¡¯s brothers loved Tang Yuxin so much. Even if they had to give everything they had, they were determined to raise this child properly. Chapter 203: 205: Make Her Quit the Competition Chapter 203: Chapter 205: Make Her Quit the Competition In Sang Zhn¡¯s impression, Tang Yuxin was still the skinny, dark-skinned girl from the past without any distinguishing features. There was no way for Yuxin topare to her Jiani. Her Jiani took after her, with a pure white skin and a naturally beautiful face. Yuxin¡¯s ordinary looks were disappointing inparison. However, she was still her own child and, regardless of appearance, her motherly instinct was to care for her. Regrettably, Sang Zhn had long forgotten that she had a daughter named Tang Yuxin. Over the years she could count how often she remembered her. She wouldn¡¯t have remembered Yuxin now if it hadn¡¯t been for Wei Jiani mentioning her. She would still forget that she had another daughter named Tang Yuxin. She didn¡¯t know when it happened, but she realized she had aged, while Tang Yuxin had grown up and changed so much that she barely recognized her. If not for her recognizable childhood features, she might not have recognized this ugly child she had given birth to. Now, Tang Yuxin¡¯s skin was very white, her features delicate and petite. She had a very pointed chin andrge eyes. Her ordinary features now seemed to shine, and she was much prettier than before. There was also a unique aroma in the air. It smelled of orchids and peonies, but it was apanied by a hint of coldness, somehow lifting her mood. Sang Zhn didn¡¯t know where this fragrance came from. It seemed to emanate from the young girl standing before her. She was growing, blooming not like a wildflower, but like a night-blooming cereus, with an exquisite beauty that one dares not gaze directly at. ¡°You wanted to see me?¡± Tang Yuxin stood in ce, not moving at all. A corner of her mouth curled, revealing a cynical smile. She would never believe that Sang Zhn would seek her out because she missed her or wanted to see her. She had already witnessed this woman¡¯s selfishness in her previous life and had given up all hope in her. So she did not believe in the wavering, intangible concept of maternal love, as it was unrealistic. Excessive fantasies only lead to disappointment, not only hurting oneself, but also those around you.
In this life, she would not be fooled by Sang Zhn, nor would she allow Sang Zhn to hurt her and her father again. ¡°Yuxin¡­¡± Sang Zhn called Yuxin¡¯s name with aplex expression, acknowledging that she was Tang Yuxin, a daughter she had not paid attention to. ¡°Is there something you want?¡± Tang Yuxin repeated coldly without any warmth. In her eyes, there wasn¡¯t a trace of emotion. ¡°I¡­¡± Sang Zhn tried to say something, but the cold indifference from Tang Yuxin made her words stuck in her throat. ¡°Yuxin,¡± she licked her dry, cracked lips. ¡°I want you to withdraw from the Englishpetition.¡± Tang Yuxin smirked. Just as expected, no good woulde from Sang Zhn or Wei Jiani. ¡°Why should I?¡± Indeed, why should she? Why should she give up? She had already won a national essaypetition; winning another would give her a significant advantage when applying to university. Why should she give away such a good opportunity to someone else for no good reason? ¡°Yuxin, she¡¯s your sister. You¡¯ve never done anything for her. Are you going topete with her for such a trivial thing like apetition?¡± Sang Zhn felt a bit ashamed but hardened her heart when she thought of her little daughter. ¡°Sister?¡± Tang Yuxin sneered coldly. ¡°Was Wei Jiani birthed by you?¡± Sang Zhn was taken aback and failed to react. ¡°She is only a year and a half younger than me. Weren¡¯t you and my father still married then?¡± Tang Yuxin said calmly. Sang Zhn¡¯s face turned pale, she was unable to argue against this. ¡°If she weren¡¯t your daughter¡­¡± Tang Yuxin¡¯s voice fell, and just when Sang Zhn thought she could finally breathe, she had to hold her breath again. ¡°What does it have to do with me if she isn¡¯t your daughter? Her father is not my father, what has she ever done for me? Why should I give up an opportunity for his daughter?¡± Tang Yuxin returned harsh words to Sang Zhn. It was true. They had not done anything for each other, so why should one sacrifice for the other?
Did they deserve it? Sang Zhn clenched her fists beside her body. Her face was red and ck; it was unclear whether she was angered or something else. It seemed that she harbored a growing resentment, but it was not clear whether it was towards Tang Yuxin or Tang Zhinian. Or perhaps this father and daughter pair were not considered family in her heart, but enemies. ¡°Tang Yuxin, you must withdraw from the English contest.¡± She issued a stiffmand, ¡°If you do not withdraw, you will face the consequences.¡±
Consequences? Tang Yuxin really wanted to know what those consequences were. To live in the dog hole of the Wei family or to serve the Wei family and be treated like a horse by Wei Jiani? She turned away, not wanting to say anything more to Sang Zhn. She feared that she would hate her even more and might end up hurting her. Regardless of Sang Zhn¡¯s wrongdoings, she was still the one who had given her life. She didn¡¯t care about herself, but she didn¡¯t want her dad to take the me for anything. ¡°Tang Yuxin!¡± Sang Zhn took a step forward. ¡°Withdraw from thepetition, or else I¡¯ll give your father a piece of my mind. Does he teach his daughter to deny her own mother?¡± Tang Yuxin suddenly stopped, she turned around, staring at the woman behind her as if she were an idiot. The woman looked like a shrew, her face red and neck thick with anger. ¡°Do you believe that if you dare show up in front of my father again, he won¡¯t care that you are a woman and will throw you out of our house?¡± Her tone was full of mockery. Sang Zhn really thought that Tang Zhinian had no temper, was made of y? Yes, he was honest and good-natured. He could live his whole life for his daughter, even humbling himself to death. But if anyone dared to hurt his daughter, he would also dare to fight to the death with them, even if that person was Sang Zhn. Sang Zhn felt a shock in her heart, an inexplicable coldness that made her shiver involuntarily. She still asionally had nightmares about the time when Tang Zhinian came to the Wei family to fetch Tang Yuxin¡¯s belongings, his eyes filled with a ferocity as if he were going to devour someone. Sweat trickled down her forehead. Tang Yuxin turned around again, but her voice, filled with contempt, clearly reached Sang Zhn¡¯s ears, making her feel rather embarrassed. Chapter 204: 206: Lost My Voice Chapter 204: Chapter 206: Lost My Voice ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Tang Yuxin was still smiling, but the gleam in her eyes had be somewhat blurred, ¡°If this is what you want, I agree. However, to acquire opportunities in such a way¡­ it¡¯s something only you could think of. Those who are willing to win should also be willing to lose. It¡¯s those who can¡¯t afford to lose, who can¡¯t win, who resort to such petty tricks. You may be willing to stoop to such desperate measures, but I refuse to stoop so low, to be opponents with people like you, it makes me feel that my grade is too low.¡± Sang Zhn¡¯s face began to burn involuntarily, she nced around. Even if there was no one else around, she couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that someone wasughing at her. She quickly left, although her goal had been achieved, she had the result she wanted, but why did she feel like she had lost,pletely defeated, to the point of abject humiliation? Tang Yuxin returned home, took out a few medicinal herbs, brewed them in boiling water, once the medicinal aroma wafted out, she slowly drank it down, cup by cup. At this moment, the outdoor light reflected on her pupils, giving them a transparent, dazzling light. Her eyes were extraordinarily ck, like stars in the night, like twinkling in the cosmos, appearing as if they held a gxy or a ck hole within them. No one knew what she was thinking, or what she would do next. She was an unknown variable in this world. She knew everyone else, but no one could fathom her. She put down the cup, the residual warmth gradually fading from her hands. ¡°Mom, have I paid off all the debts I owe you?¡± At that moment, sheughed, theugh that held traces of tears, not many, just a few drops. In her past life, she had repaid all her tears. In this life, that should be enough, right?
Don¡¯t tell me, they want her to pay back blood and flesh too? ¡°Yuxin,¡± Zhang Xiangcao¡¯s voice came from outside, ¡°Come and eat.¡± Alright, Tang Yuxin wiped her tears, put down the cup, and stepped outside. She saw little Sisi sitting politely in the chair. Sisi knew her manners well, she wouldn¡¯t touch the chopsticks when the adults were not present. Tang Yuxin couldn¡¯t help but reach out and pinch her sister¡¯s small face. She truly loved her. Sisi merely smiled at her older sister, her little face adorable. That¡¯s how a younger sister should be. Yes, this was her sister, she knew, even if something happened to her, Sisi would still take care of her father, take care of her uncle. In the past, she cared for Tang Zhinian in the same way. Now, in this life, Sisi carried the Tang family name. Yes, her surname was Tang, called Tang Sisi. Her mother is Zhang Xiangcao and her father is Tang Zhijun. Zhang Xiangcao came out of the kitchen, her whole person emitting a motherly warmth. She had taken very good care of herself over the years, regaining the weight she¡¯d lost, making up for the lost years as well. Although she didn¡¯t have the big braids she used to, she was still a beauty, now between the lines of innocence and maturity. So, Tang Yuxin felt that her uncle had struck gold. It was her uncle who had the vision to bring home such a beautiful woman as his wife. ¡°Sister, eat meat,¡± Sisi offered Tang Yuxin the biggest piece of meat on the table. ¡°No sister, you eat it,¡± Tang Yuxin ced the meat back in Sisi¡¯s bowl. Seeing Sisi picking up her chopsticks to eat the piece of meat with relish, she felt satisfied. Watching her eat was even more appetizing. When Tang Yuxin arrived at school the next day, she didn¡¯t speak much. If someone spoke to her, she would just nod and smile. During English ss, the teacher already decided on who was to participate in the Englishpetition. No matter what, Tang Yuxin was better than Wei Jiani. Now, her appearance wasn¡¯t bad either, the most important thing was her bettermand of English, her calm demeanor making her the most suitable candidate for suchpetitions. The teacher had Tang Yuxin stand up and answer questions. As long as Tang Yuxin¡¯s answers weren¡¯t bad, then she was in. The teacher had the final say. Other teachers¡¯ opinions were just rmendations, the final decision stillid with the English teacher. However, when Tang Yuxin began to speak, everyone was shocked, her voice was raspy, like a broken gong, extremely harsh to the ears. Even the English teacher had an ominous feeling. It was over. Indeed, it¡¯s over. With the Englishpetition not far away, Tang Yuxin¡¯s voice had be like this. Could it improve in the next few days?
The English teacher was not losing hope just yet, perhaps her voice would be better tomorrow. Yes, let¡¯s wait. It was not easy to decide on a candidate, she didn¡¯t want to change halfway, and among all the potential candidates, only Tang Yuxin seemed the most likely to win thepetition. She didn¡¯t want to give up on her, or this opportunity. However, Tang Yuxin¡¯s voice did rm Tang Zhinian. ¡°Yuxin, why has your voice be like this?¡± Tang Zhinian asked his daughter in worry. How could her voice have became like this in just a day?
¡°Dad, it¡¯s okay,¡± Tang Yuxin could barely speak, her voice barely audible. ¡°Should I take you to the hospital?¡± Tang Zhinian suggested, preparing to ride the electric bicycle to take his daughter to the hospital. She was clearly ill, how could we not go to the hospital? But Tang Yuxin held on to Tang Zhinian¡¯s sleeve. After a few coughs, her voice came out a bit. ¡°Dad, have you forgotten? I¡¯m also a doctor. I can deal with this little illness, it¡¯ll be better in a few days.¡± Was that so? Although Tang Yuxin said so, Tang Zhinian was still worried. However, he didn¡¯t intend to take Tang Yuxin to the hospital. That¡¯s right, Tang Yuxin was a doctor. No one else might know her medical skills, but her family did. In recent years, anyone who had a cold or flu was always treated by Yuxin¡¯s needles, followed by some herbal drinks. So, her throat issue shouldn¡¯t be a big problem, right? In the evening, Tang Yuxin brewed her own herbal medicine again. The herbal medicine had a unique taste, cool and spicy. However, she seemed ustomed to the taste, not blinking an eye as she drank it. This herbal medicine hadpromised her voice. If the teacher chose her, she couldn¡¯t object, nor could she refuse. So she had to make the teacher give up choosing her. No smears on her face, not even one. The next day, she still didn¡¯t speak. When the English teacher approached her, she merely listened to her voice, which was even worse than the day before. She couldn¡¯t even speak, how can she participate in thepetition? This could scare the judges to tears. Chapter 205: 207: Burping Contest Chapter 205: Chapter 207: Burping Contest The English teacher had no choice but to give up on the promising student, Tang Yuxin, and settle for Wei Jiani. Wei Jiani¡¯s face was filled with smugness. When she looked at people, it was as if her eyes were on her nose, as though her nostrils were thergest part of her entire face. But Tang Yuxin couldn¡¯t understand why Wei Jiani was so pleased with herself. Was she really content with eating others¡¯ leftovers, taking what was given to her out of pity? The functioning of the Wei family¡¯s brains must have been iprehensible to ordinary people like them. At least, Tang Yuxin certainly couldn¡¯t understand it. In the end, the qualification for their ss¡¯s Englishpetition was taken by Wei Jiani. Unfortunately, her performance wasckluster, and she was even eliminated in the first round of preliminary selections. Initially, Wei Jiani was quite confident. She¡¯d received extra tutoring in English, so her proficiency was rtively high. At least within their ss, she was considered one of the top students. However, she was no matchpared to Tang Yuxin, who was consistently excellent in all subjects. Even the ss¡¯s number one bookworm could barely match her. The bookworm could write but barely speak. The bookworm excelled at exams but was not fluent. The bookworm was intelligent, but his emotional intelligence had room to grow. On the day of the school¡¯s preliminarypetition, Wei Jiani was exceedingly self-confident. Having listened to thepetitors before her, she knew that their sentences were not as fluent as hers, their pronunciation was less urate, their voices were not as sweet, and certainly none of them were as attractive as she was.
As long as she performed as usual, she was certain to pass the preliminary round and win the national prize. Then she could show Tang Yuxin what real sess looked like. How could Tang Yuxin, who was as unintellectual as a dumpling, everpare to her? After another student clumsily finished reciting a passage, it struck her that this was a mediocre level of English, but given that this English had not yet been widely poprized, it was already impressive enough. At the very least, they had only started learning English the previous year, so to able to recite at all was admirable. Finally, it was Wei Jiani¡¯s turn. She had been sitting for so long that her buttocks were starting to ache, but she was eager to take the stage and steal the limelight. She strode confidently onto the stage. Regardless of anything else, she was pretty and her stage presence was excellent. At least she had been practicing from a young age, having performed in primary school assemblies for Children¡¯s Day, Mid-Autumn Festival, and New Year¡¯s Day. In middle school, she was always involved in various programs, so her stage presence was naturally impressive. When she stood in the center of the stage, she felt a bit of anxiety. But it quickly dissipated. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and when she opened them again, she was much calmer. ¡°Hello, everyone. I am Wei Jiani,¡± she began, beaming sweetly, supremely confident of her appearance. ¡°Today I will be reading ¡®Spring in the Forest.¡¯¡±. It was a lengthy prose piece. If read well, it would be very pleasing to the ear. The English teacher had searched for this piece for a long time, originally intending it for Tang Yuxin. The teacher had thought Tang Yuxin¡¯s ethereal voice would have been a better match for the piece. Whereas Wei Jiani¡¯s voice was overly sweet and sometimes strained, making it seem contrived. Regardless, the English teacher could only pray now that everything would go smoothly and there would be no hitches. Wei Jiani had started to recite on the stage, and the English teacher was somewhat satisfied. Aside from their interpretations and memorization, at least she heeded the points that had been emphasized. Up till now, there had been almost no mistakes. As long as she could maintain this performance without serious errors, she would definitely progress to the next round. The school¡¯s management was also very satisfied, and the English teachers appeared rxed and pleased. Just as Wei Jiani was about to reach a high point in her recitation, she suddenly let out a loud burp. Her face turned deathly pale, then flushed red, then pale again. In less than five seconds, she had put on a spectacr disy of rapid facial expression changes. Not everyone could pull off changing facial expressions three times in five seconds. Wei Jiani quicklyposed herself and continued her recitation. But she did not get far before she burped again. She quickly covered her face with her hand, but the burping wouldn¡¯t stop. The sound of it echoed across the schoolyard. At that moment, you could have heard a pin drop. ¡°Burp, burp, burp¡­¡± After a few more burps, not only the teachers but also the students who were participating were stunned. The less than ster students breathed a sigh of relief. Thank goodness they had merely underperformed. They could always improve. But what Wei Jiani had done was downright embarrassing.
The English teacher of ss 5 covered her face with one hand, mortified. This was an unbearable failure. Wei Jiani¡¯s face turned ashen, and she started to sob. Besides losing her own dignity, she had even tarnished the reputation of the entire ss and the teacher. ¡°Wei Jiani, what happened to you? You were fine before. I also taught you well. So what happened? How did you make such a mess of this?¡±
Wei Jiani burped again, tears streaming down her face. She didn¡¯t dare to speak. ¡°Teacher, burp¡­ I, burp¡­ I didn¡¯t, burp, burp¡­¡± She managed to get few words in between burps, the noise like a ring beep, making the veins on the English teacher¡¯s forehead bulge in irritation. Couldn¡¯t you stop talking? The English teacher frowned, her hand moved behind her back. She was afraid she wouldn¡¯t be able to help pping Wei Jiani across the face. ¡°I, burp¡­¡± Wei Jiani burped again and quickly covered her mouth with her hand whilst tear drops continued to fall from her eyes. ¡°Enough, enough. Stop crying,¡± the English teacher sighed. What else could she do? She had lost face not only for herself but for the whole ss. And here she was, still having to console Wei Jiani. ¡°The teacher understands that it wasn¡¯t intentional. It was just an ident and I¡¯m sure nobody will me you. There will be more chances, right?¡± Chapter 206: 208: Making a Big Fool of Oneself Chapter 206: Chapter 208: Making a Big Fool of Oneself Wei Jiani continued to cover her mouth, nodding continuously, yet now she wished she could just disappear. Ever since elementary school, Wei Jiani had been a top student. She excelled academically, was attractive, and was known for her fantastic electronic keyboard skills. Everyone liked her and desired her approval. But now, she had made a fool of herself. How on earth was she to face her ssmates at school? She covered her face, not wanting to return to the ssroom, until the school bell rang again. She wiped her tears, and reluctantly returned to ss. Interestingly, the moment she stepped into the ssroom, her hup stopped. It was uncanny,pletely normal. Keeping her head down, she walked in and sat down at her desk. She did not even take out her books. She dared not raise her head fearing the mockery and ridicule of others. She wanted to cry even more sitting there. ¡°I heard she embarrassed herself during the Englishpetition.¡± Xu Miaomiao seemingly knew this from somewhere ¨C she was always surprisingly well-informed. ¡°What do you mean by ¡¯embarrass¡¯?¡± Tang Yuxin propped her face on the table with her hands, her clear eyes shimmering like water as she smiled faintly. She was from the North yet she carried an elevating grace that felt like a woman of the South. Her elegance and sheer translucence were simply extraordinary. In particr, the mild, cold fragrance that lingered on Tang Yuxin enchanted Xu Miaomiao to the point that she craved to take Tang Yuxin home and fill her house with that aroma. Plus, spending time with Tang Yuxin would also allow her to bask in some of that fragrance ¨C natural perfume at its finest. It was a pity that the scent did notst long. Otherwise, she would have imed Tang Yuxin as hers entirely and never let her go home. Xu Miaomiao sneakily peeked at the head-lowered Wei Jiani, spun her eyeballs, and then leaned towards Tang Yuxin¡¯s ear.
¡°So I heard that she kept hupping during her recital. Do you think she did it on purpose? Or maybe she ate something odd, or was too excited and overate?¡± ¡°Probably overate.¡± As Tang Yuxin gently stroked the pages of the book in her hands, there was a lingering scent of ink on her fingers. Indeed, she probably did overeat. Reverting time back by several hours. As a participant in the school¡¯s English Competition, Wei Jiani was brimming with pride and superiority, as proud as a peacock spreading its feathers. As she walked past Tang Yuxin, she sneaked a look at her from the corner of her eye. ¡°It¡¯s amusing to see her pretending to be ill,¡± Li Hua joked, covering her mouth as she chuckled, ¡°If she weren¡¯t pretending to be unwell and ended up losing to you, it would have been so much worse. Now since she is ill, she at least has an excuse for the loss. Less embarrassing, I would say.¡± ¡°I, too, had hoped for a fair and squarepetition with her. Sadly, someone got cold feet.¡± Wei Jiani rolled up her sleeves and sneered in disdain. Tang Yuxin really didn¡¯t get where Wei Jiani¡¯s overflowing confidence came from, and whether this inted confidence could support her imminent pride. As they crossed paths, Tang Yuxin flicked her fingernails. Some barely visible minute particles stuck to Wei Jiani¡¯s fingers. Overwhelmed with pride, Wei Jiani even bought herself arge chicken leg to feast on. This girl indeed came from a wealthy family, having ess to meat while in her past life, she didn¡¯t even have chicken skin to eat. The meat was all for Wei Jiani. Gathering herself, Tang Yuxin touched her closely trimmed nails, the smile line on the semicircr tops of her nails apanying the curvature of her rounded, healthy pink nail beds. These represented the vibrant life of youth. She figured she had done well, behaving exceptionally well, towards Wei Jiani. Otherwise, instead of something for hups, she would haveced her with a tulence-inducing substance. Hups, at least, could be considered courteous whereas if Wei Jiani had uncontroble tulence during her recital, she would have be the biggest joke since the inception of their junior high school institution. See, she truly was a good person. An extremely good one at that. However, there was plenty of time for them to y these games. They weren¡¯t in a hurry. After Wei Jiani¡¯s significant humiliation, her enthusiasm instantly faded. She was no longer that proud peacock, but rather a rooster with its tail burnt. Constantly downcast, this girl who was once considered the apple of everyone¡¯s eye, Wei Jiani, tasted humbleness for the first time. How did it feel to hit the dirt?
She couldn¡¯t ept this sudden twist in her life. Even her studies weren¡¯t her priority anymore, and her grades began to plummet. ¡°Lidong, you have to give it your all,¡± Tang Yuxin suddenly said to Li Lidong. ¡°Hmm, give what my all?¡± Chen Lidong, who had somewhat turned into a study maniac recently, lifted his face. The aura about him had be much more maturepared to before. He had grown up, albeit with a steep price to pay. Yet, no matter what, he was alive, and he had matured. ¡°Wei Jiani boasts about clinching the fifth rank. So, do you fancy surpassing her?¡±
Instantly, Li Lidong broke into a grin, ¡°Pfft, is that all? I¡¯ve set my sights on that fifth rank for a while now. Following Wei Jiani with her chicken-like screeching on the scoreboard is really disgusting.¡± Tang Yuxin rested her cheek on her palm. ¡°So, your ambition is higher than that?¡± Naturally, Chen Lidong did not enjoy studying earlier, but he was incredibly stubborn. Once he set his mind on something, ten bulls couldn¡¯t pull him back. Now he wanted to study, study hard. He wanted to enter the best high school, the best university. He wanted his parents to regain their pride in front of his grandparents and his uncles. He wanted them to be able to hold their heads high and say with pride, ¡°This is my son.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think I can get the first rank,¡± Chen Lidong never thought about getting the first rank, mainly because surpassing the reigning number one seemed almost impossible. Even Tang Yuxin, a genius, hadn¡¯t thought about it, let alone a mere mortal like him. Moreover, could he bear to surpass that poor wretch who only knew how to study, and nothing else? Tang Yuxin had said that only studying and not knowing how to adapt would make it very difficult to adjust to society. But what was so hard about adjusting? Once they got to college and started working, their jobs would be arranged by the state. If they were capable, they might even secure a cushy job. Of course, he had asked Tang Yuxin about this, and she only responded with a smile and said nothing. However, he still believed in Tang Yuxin¡¯s words: ¡°Reading a thousand books is not as useful as traveling a thousand miles.¡± It was urate. Apart from studying, they had to adapt to some ups and downs and protect their eyes. Chapter 207: 209: Laid Off Chapter 207: Chapter 209: Laid Off Keeping his head lowered, he started solving the problems. He seemed to have developed a fascination for solving problems recently. Every time hepleted a set, a sense of achievement overwhelmed him in an indescribable way. He wondered why he had never found studying so interesting before, or maybe he had been just wasting his time before. Tang Yuxin too, was diligently doing her homework, when suddenly, she looked up at Chen Lidong, who was engrossed in his work. For some reason, her gaze evoked distant memories. Sometimes, memories could indeed be painful. Shaking her head, she picked up her pen, focusing all her energy on the homework before her. The most predominant sound at the moment was the rustling of pens on paper. The mid-term exam came up not long after the Englishpetition. It was a school-wide exam conducted four times a year. It was always a tense, unpleasant, and trying period for students. ¡°I think I did pretty well,¡± Chen Lidong said, grinning broadly, revealing his uniform, stunningly white teeth that were somewhat dazzling. ¡°I think I did okay too.¡± Xu Miaomiao was quite confident about her performance as well. ¡°Chen Lidong, are you sure you did well?¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Chen Lidong raised his voice. ¡°Aren¡¯t you aware of my capability? Do you want to test me again?¡±
¡°I can¡¯t believe you performed well.¡± Miaomiao genuinely didn¡¯t believe him. ¡°Alright then, I¡¯ll show you tonight whether I did well or not,¡± Chen Lidong said, a mysterious smile ying on his lips. Tang Yuxin, sitting to the side, was utterly dumbfounded by their conversation. Was it some sort of secret plot? After school, at Tang Yuxin¡¯s house, she sat by the window, the wind rustling through her hair. ¡°Told you I aced it,¡± Chen Lidong ced a stack of papers on the table, ¡°See, I finished everything in half an hour.¡± Miaomiao wiped the sweat off her forehead. ¡°I told you I did great, didn¡¯t I?¡± Chen Lidong¡¯s grin was so wide you could practically see all his teeth. His demeanor was just asking for a punch. Tang Yuxin looked up at the sky, feeling a hint of mncholy. Boy, why don¡¯t you just go to heaven? Don¡¯t you know such statements could easily be misconstrued? Especially by mature women like her who have experienced many walks of life. It¡¯s easy for them to misinterpret things. Or maybe her thoughts were not pure. But the other two were still naive children. She touched her face. She was really getting old. She couldn¡¯t keep up with the thinking of young people. Or maybe she was just out of touch with their generation. No matter how hard she tried to act young, in the end, she was stuck being old. While she was wallowing in self-pity, the two childhood friends were still discussing their performances in the exam. The mid-term exam results were released about three dayster. The nerd unsurprisingly secured the first position. It seemed winning the first position didn¡¯t excite him a lot anymore, probably because he had gotten used to it. If anything, Chen Lidong felt more empathetic for him. What fun was life if securing the first position didn¡¯t bring a spark of joy to his eyes? Unlike him, he did quite well in the exams, achieving the fifth position in ss. His rank went up from twelfth to the top five. This remarkable aplishment was enough to keep him delighted for half a term. Atst, he managed to surpass Miaomiao. It would have been fine if he were behind Tang Yuxin, it¡¯s hard topete with such a prodigy. However, being outperformed by a girl would have been humiliating. Wait, no, he was still a boy since he wasn¡¯t of age yet.
Yeah, he was quite satisfied with his performance, upying the fifth ce. Miaomiao couldn¡¯t help but re at Chen Lidong. ¡°Yuxin, do you think Chen Lidong cheated? How could he excel all of a sudden?¡± ¡°He is very intelligent,¡± Tang Yuxin spoke the truth. If not for her previous life¡¯s expertise, she wouldn¡¯t necessarily outperform Chen Lidong.
¡°I¡¯m not stupid either,¡± Miaomiao retorted. ¡°Even if we both aren¡¯t high achievers, I¡¯ve always ranked a few positions higher than him since elementary school. He was four ranks behind mest year, but this year he¡¯s ranked ahead of me. It doesn¡¯t make sense.¡± ¡°It does make sense.¡± Tang Yuxin drew on a piece of paper with a ballpoint pen while exining, ¡°Boys generally have better cognitive abilities than girls. Chen Lidong isn¡¯t stupid. In fact, he¡¯s quite intelligent. Sess isn¡¯t only achieved through rote memorization. He has his own unique studying techniques. At first, I taught him, butter on, he began applying his own strategies and managed his time efficiently. You have to admit, he¡¯s better than you at that.¡± Tang Yuxin wasn¡¯t trying to discredit Miaomiao. In fact, Miaomiao had already done pretty well by keeping herself within the top ten ranks of the ss. That was a significant aplishment for her. As for Chen Lidong, after the gas poisoning incident, he seemed to understand the importance of education more clearly. The best way to make himself stand out was to excel in his studies. That¡¯s why he was dead set on reaching his daily targets. His efforts seemed to have paid off handsomely. He had improved his grades from being one of the worst performers in the ss to being within the top ten. The thing that made Tang Yuxin the happiest wasn¡¯t Chen Lidong¡¯s fifth rank, but the fact that he¡¯d pushed Wei Jiani, who had always been ranked fifth, down the ranks. Wei Jiani hadn¡¯t fallen to the sixth rank; she had fallen all the way down to the eleventh rank. With such a score, Jiani would probably pop her eyes out, right? Going from heaven to hell felt something like this. This time, Wei Jiani must have felt like she was on a roller coaster of emotions. The more she was affected, the better. It¡¯d be even better if this drama made her eave school. But, she knew this was just her ideal world. The world they lived in was anything but ideal. Wei Jiani wouldn¡¯t quit school. If she quit school, then Tang Yuxin couldn¡¯t have been reincarnated. Tang Yuxin had been reincarnated, and though new obstacles presented themselves, Wei Jiani wouldn¡¯t quit school. Even if she scoredst in the ss, she¡¯d still continue schooling.
Meanwhile, with the transformation of the state-owned economy, a new concept emerged called ¡°downsizing¡±. Chen Lidong¡¯s father was amongst the first to be affected. The whole family, who had been revelling in Chen Lidong¡¯s improving grades and awaiting his entry into high school and university, was suddenly struck by the news of the father beingid off. The responsibility of the family¡¯s livelihood now rested solely on the shoulders of Chen Lidong¡¯s mother. Chapter 208: 201: Doing Business Chapter 208: Chapter 201: Doing Business Chen¡¯s father doesn¡¯t know what he did wrong. How did he getid off so suddenly? There were others who didn¡¯t perform as well as he did, yet, for some reason, he was the only one let go. If Tang Yuxin knew his thoughts, she could perhaps tell him exactly why. He was great at his job, but his social skills fell short inparison to others. So, it was no surprise he wasid off. Chen¡¯s father wasn¡¯t the sort of person who could sit idle. Not long after, he visited Tang Zhinian¡¯s home. ¡°You¡¯re going to start a business in the south?¡± When Tang Zhinian heard Chen¡¯s father¡¯s n, he was shocked, ¡°Are you really going?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Chen¡¯s father gave a bitter smile, ¡°I¡¯ve beenid off. It¡¯s not like I can just sit here and be supported by Qin Xue, and Lidong is going to high school soon. College costs money, and so does marriage. Once I have grandkids, don¡¯t they need pocket money?¡± Tang Yuxin sat on the side, feeling herself disorderly tossed about by the wind once more. Chen Lidong was still a child. He hadn¡¯t even grown up himself and Chen¡¯s father was already thinking about grandchildren. Oh well, a thought shed across Tang Yuxin¡¯s eyes. At this point, going into business required courage and timing. These pioneers would eventually be the first batch of tycoons in the country. Hence, Tang Yuxin supported Chen¡¯s father in starting a business. In thete ¡¯80s, it seemed like there was gold everywhere. There¡¯s truth to the saying that the courageous prosper, while the timid starve.
Once one dares to take the first step, the expected return may far exceed one¡¯s imagination. One evening, while Tang Yuxin was revising her lessons for the next day, Tang Zhinian was still mulling over what Chen¡¯s father said earlier. ¡°Yuxin, your Uncle Chen¡¯s beingid off.¡± He sighed. Their conditions at home were alright, they were farmers and although it meant hard work all year round, their living conditions had significantly improved in recent years due to a few sessful crop cultivations. Money was not abundant but they had enough for spending. In the worst scenario, they still had their farnd to support the family, but it was different for Chen¡¯s father. He relied on his job and without it, he would be without provisions. ¡°Isn¡¯t Uncle Chen heading into business?¡± At this time, going into business (Ϻ£) and beingid off (ϸÚ) were both newly coined phrases. ¡°Well, you¡¯re aware of all this,¡± Tang Zhinian reached out and tousled Tang Yuxin¡¯s hair, ¡°But it¡¯s not that easy to start a business, you know. Uncle Chen is not like others who are already experienced in roaming north and south. He has never left this small town of Qing¡¯an. I¡¯m worried he might not even know his way around out there.¡± ¡°Why not go with Uncle Chen then? My dad¡¯s the best. He¡¯s traveled north and south before. If dad goes with Uncle Chen, then we won¡¯t have to worry about Uncle Chen being cheated and not being able to return home.¡± That made sense. Tang Zhinian pondered. In his younger days, he had indeed journeyed far and wide. He had worked odd jobs for others. At that time, conditions at home were poor. His uncle had taken him to work in the city. While he didn¡¯t earn much, he managed to gain a lot of life experience. However, when he returned, his parents passed away. He had to take care of his younger brother, andter also Yuxin. That was why he had settled down in Li Tang Vige and became a farmer. But the thought of going out again did stir some yearning within him. ¡°Dad, please help Uncle Chen,¡± fearing that Tang Zhinian might hesitate, Tang Yuxin immediately pulled at her father¡¯s sleeve. She put on her cutest expression, not wanting her father to be stuck as a farmer tilling the fields for the rest of his life, forever burdened by the toils of farming. If there was an opportunity that could potentially alter their destiny, why not seize it? Tang Zhinian pondered momentarily, then patted Tang Yuxin¡¯s head, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll listen to you, Yuxin. I¡¯ll apany your Uncle Chen. The fields are not very busy right now. Your second uncle and aunt can take care of you. I¡¯ll go once with him so that he won¡¯t be cheated of his money.¡± True to his word, Tang Zhinian sought Chen¡¯s father the next day to discuss their ns. The two of them decided on the timings and nned for the journey ahead. ¡°This is for treating colds, this is for diarrhea, and this is for fever,¡± Tang Yuxin made the medicines into little pills,beled and packed them separately into small tins. The weight was negligible. She then wrapped them in paper and put them in a small bottle in case of emergencies. ¡°If you¡¯re not sure, dad, ask Uncle Chen. He¡¯s literate,¡± Tang Yuxin ced the bottles into Tang Zhinian¡¯s bag while advising him to keep his cash separately. She seemed just like a little housekeeper, having anticipated every possible scenario. She was afraid her simple-minded, first-time traveling father might be taken advantage of. Tang Zhinian couldn¡¯t help but smile bitterly. This wasn¡¯t his first time leaving home. He already knew all these. Besides, despite hisck of education, he was familiar with the words ¡°cold,¡± ¡°fever,¡± and ¡°stomachache.¡± They were taught to him by his daughter Yuxin and Sisi when they were younger. Although he had only attended school briefly, he had still learned a number of words from his daughter and Sisi over these years. If his heart had been in it, he might have learned even more with his advancing age. On the day of departure, Tang Zhinian got up early. His train was scheduled at six in the morning. Just as he was about to leave, Tang Yuxin ran out from the kitchen carrying a bag in her hand. ¡°Dad, I packed you some food for the journey.¡± Tang Yuxin ced the food in front of Tang Zhinian. He opened the bag and found freshly baked pancakes, still warm. These pancakes were topped with condiments and oil so they would remain soft even after a period of time. A small tin contained stir-fried ground meat with chili that could be eaten with the pancakes, as well as dozens of hard-boiled eggs.
All these would certainly suffice for his two-day train journey. Tang Zhinian¡¯s nose tingled oddly, ¡°My daughter has grown up.¡± He blinked back his tears. His little girl was grown-up now. She used to be the small child that needed his constant attention. In the blink of an eye, she had grown this big, and she was so thoughtful and obedient. ¡°No matter how big I get, I¡¯ll always be dad¡¯s little girl,¡± Tang Yuxin hugged Tang Zhinian¡¯s arm, ¡°As long as dad¡¯s here, I¡¯ll always be your child.¡± Yes, as long as her father was around, she would always have someone to depend on when she was bullied, she would have someone who would cry for her. She decided she would never let her father shed tears for her again in the future.
Chapter 209: 202 The Frog in the Well Chapter 209: Chapter 202 The Frog in the Well ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Tang Zhinian patted his daughter¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Dad will live a long time. When our Yuxin has white hair, I¡¯ll still be giving her new year¡¯s money.¡± The person Tang Zhinian worried about the most was his daughter. He was afraid she would be bullied. Up to now, he did not trust anyonepletely, not even Sang Zhn, the child¡¯s biological mother. But, what did she do? So, his daughter is still young, she still needs her father. He obviously can¡¯t die now. He has to work harder on thend, earn more money and send his daughter to the best college. Even though he can¡¯t give his daughter a mother, he still strives to make her life no worse than other children. On the train, Tang Zhinian and Chen¡¯s dad had already found their seats. The trains were still painted green. This was Chen¡¯s dad first train ride, so it was quite novel for him. However, when the train started, he felt like crying. The seats were very ufortable, and he still had to sit for over thirty hours to reach that ce in the south. Tang Zhinian took out the biscuits and broke off a piece for Chen¡¯s dad. ¡°You¡¯re thoughtful. I didn¡¯t think to bring anything for the journey, I thought of everything but forgot the most important thing,¡± mainly because this was his first time traveling, so he was a bit too nervous. He brought everything except food. ¡°This biscuit is really delicious,¡± Chen¡¯s dad took a bite, indeed it was tasty, and quite filling as well. ¡°It was made by my Yuxin,¡± Tang Zhinian ate the biscuits his daughter made, feeling very happy.
Look, she¡¯s as warm as a small cotton jacket. The biscuits were delicious, but Chen¡¯s dad felt sour as he ate them. ¡°Indeed, your Yuxin is very good, academically excellent, well behaved, and even brought you food. That naughty boy of mine, he was still sleeping when I left the house, really¡­¡± ¡°If I had the chance, I would really want a daughter.¡± Tang Zhinian just smiled, ¡°Children of one¡¯s own are loved by one¡¯s own. Besides, your Lidong is a good child. Compared to those mischievous kids, he¡¯s much more obedient and his studies are steadily improving. Surely, he will be a college student in the future. My Yuxin has said that amongst all of them, your Lidong has the best brain. Even she can¡¯t beat him. If it wasn¡¯t for his incorrect study methods, he might have been at the top of the ss by now.¡± Even though these words may seem exaggerated, vouching for one¡¯s own children is always appreciated. Upon hearing this, Chen¡¯s dad was delighted, though he tried to keep a straight face. ¡°It¡¯d be weird if he¡¯s that good. Just causing me less trouble would be enough.¡± Although he wasining with these words, one could see he was all smiles. Everyone loves their own child. Even the worst of them are good in their parents¡¯ eyes. And for these children, parents will do anything withoutints. The train took them far away from Qing¡¯an. The journey didn¡¯t offer much in terms of scenery, but the two of them found it quite interesting. This was Chen¡¯s dad¡¯s first long-distance trip but Tang Zhinian had lived out of home for a while. However, it had been over twenty years since hest went out, so he hadn¡¯t seen the outside world for quite a while. His impression from this trip was vastly different to what it had been. This continuous backward-moving scenery made him feel very much like a frog at the bottom of a well. The world outside is so big, so beautiful. He really should go out more often. The grand scenery of the country is all here, yet all he ever looked at was his own small plot ofnd. He never realized how big the world outside was and had been deceiving himself with the notion that his world was the size of Li Tang Vige. The train kept going forward. Both of them had brought cups and they would drink the train¡¯s water when they were thirsty, and eat the food Tang Zhinian brought when they were hungry. Yuxin had prepared double the portion for him, fearing that he might get hungry. And she had prepared just right; without these foods, they might have starved. The train was overloaded with people and there was not enough food to go around, and even the boxed meals in the train were cold. When they were hungry, they would eat boiled eggs. The eggs were boiled in tea water with various spices added, hence the name, Five Spice Tea Eggs. After eating one, they wanted a second. There was none of the usual greasiness after eating boiled eggs. They could eat many more. The two of them continued their journey on the train, eating, drinking, and sleeping while asionally admiring the scenery which wasn¡¯t very pleasing. However, all these were precious experiences to them. By this time, it should still be the rainy season in the south. Chen Lidong was bored at the table, keeping his book at a distance. ¡°Tang Yuxin, when do you think my dad and your dad wille back?¡±
¡°When it¡¯s time, they¡¯ll naturallye back.¡± Yuxin was also worried, but she thought there should be no problems. ¡°Then when will it be?¡± Chen Lidong was now having trouble sleeping and eating. His dad had never left home before and now he¡¯s been gone for five days; he was not used to it. ¡°Soon, I guess,¡± Tang Yuxin calcted the time, ¡°at least ten days to half a month, at most a month. They will be back. After all, it¡¯s their first time going to the south and it takes time.¡±
Chen Lidong sighed and then sat up, looking through his book. A momentter he noticed Sisi peeking through the door. ¡°Sisi,e on, big brother will take you to y.¡± Chen Lidong could certainly act crazy sometimes. He seemed normal on normal days, but as soon as he saw Sisi he would be silly. He held Sisi¡¯s little hand. His mom had to work overtime, his dad went to the south with Uncle Tang, and he was left alone with nothing to eat or sleep. So he came over to freeload and brought Sisi along. Tang Yuxin rubbed her temples, really feeling like the troubles of adolescence were a bit too taxing. A calendar hung on the wall beside her, already flipped to five dayster. She wondered how her dad was doing now? The next day, just as Tang Yuxin got home, she heard from her uncle that her dad had called. He said that they had already arrived in the south, their luck was good, and they had met a townsman who could help them with their business. They would be back in at most seven days. Chapter 210: 203: Selling Tapes Chapter 210: Chapter 203: Selling Tapes Finally, Tang Yuxin could rx a bit. In seven days, no, a maximum of seven days, her father would be back. She didn¡¯t know what kind of goods they would bring, but she was really looking forward to it. Business was really good at this time. There were fewer sellers, but more buyers. Gold was everywhere, you just needed to know how to pick it up. After around seven days, on the eighth day, Tang Zhinian finally returned. He looked suntanned and slightly thinner, but his spirits were high as his eyes sparkled more than before. Most importantly, he seemed to be more energetic. ¡°Yuxin,e, see what your father has bought for you?¡± This time, when Tang Zhinian returned home, he obviously went to find his daughter first. He had brought back many things for Tang Yuxin, all from the south, where there were things that were not yet avable in their northern part. They were everywhere in the south, but they were quite rare here. Tang Yuxin quickly put down her school bag to go over and found a big bag on the ground. Opening it, she found hair clips, hairbands, and mostly cassette tapes. ¡°Is dad going to sell cassette tapes?¡± Tang Yuxin asked Tang Zhinian. At this time, cassette tapes were really sought-after. They sometimes could not be found in their area. For example, the bands like Little Tiger Team, Mei Yanfang, and Deng Lijun, were all very popr in schools. Which young boy or girl didn¡¯t have an idol dream? Of course, she did too. While she was a bit older, some still liked some because of their personalities, some for their appearances, and others simply liked the songs.
¡°Yes,¡± Tang Zhinian nodded, ¡°At first I went with your Uncle Chen, but I found out that these tapes were not expensive. The wholesale price was two and a half yuan, at their ce they sell them for five yuan, but in Qing¡¯an, the price is six and a half yuan.¡± If they sold them a little bit cheaper, for six yuan, they would make a profit of three and a half yuan for each. They had over three hundred tapes, so if all were sold, it would be a profit of more than a thousand yuan. This was much more than a year of farming, and they didn¡¯t need to put in much effort, they just had to profit from the price difference. Tang Yuxin really felt that her father had a great business mind. Indeed, cassette tapes were now extremely profitable. Qing¡¯an was rtively slow to catch onto new trends, so what was popr in the south would usually only be popr in Qing¡¯an a year or twoter. And cassette tapes were indeed quite valuable now. ¡°Is dad nning to set up a stand outside the city university?¡± Tang Yuxin took a cassette tape and asked casually. Her question reminded Tang Zhinian. That¡¯s right, the university entrance, young people were the main consumers. He was initially worried about where best to sell these tapes. Even though he knew they would sell well, the location was a big problem, and the university entrance was the perfect ce. There were university students there, thousands from one school, and it was also a main road, with a great deal of foot traffic every day. Selling them there would certainly be quick. The next day, Tang Zhinian got up early. As he was leaving, Tang Yuxin came out and ced a piece of paper in front of him. It was full of words, all in cartoon-like fonts. ¡°Latest cassettes, seven yuan each, buy five get one free, buy ten get two free.¡± Tang Zhinian didn¡¯t understand why they should sell like this. He had nned to sell each for six yuan. Surely they would sell well at that price. This way, he would profit four yuan for each tape, and selling three to four hundred would mean a profit of a thousand yuan. ¡°Dad, try it first ¨C if they don¡¯t sell, lower the price to six yuan.¡± Tang Yuxin pushed Tang Zhinian out the door to go sell the tapes. She actually wanted to go too, but felt that her father, who was always kind to her, would certainly scold her if she did. Her father was very indulgent towards her. He would buy her anything she wanted. She thought of Wei Tian and Wei Jiani, and how the father would satisfy any of her desires, even if it meant spending a lot of money, such as on piano lessons. Although Wei Tian was a hypocritical man, and the Wei Family was often scheming and shameless, it cannot be denied that he was a qualified father. At least, to his own daughter, he truly deserved the title of ¡°father¡±. Perhaps it was the same for all fathers worldwide. As for mothers, she wouldn¡¯t know. She had never experienced a mother¡¯s love. Tang Zhinian, carrying a bag of goods, rode his tricycle and left. There were only a few hundred cassette tapes, but he had brought them all the way from the south. When Tang Yuxin returned from school at noon, Tang Zhinian was already back.
But his expression was a bit strange. Tang Yuxin was puzzled. What happened to her father? Could it be that he didn¡¯t sell a single tape? ¡°Dad, did you not sell any?¡± she asked tentatively. Tang Zhinian looked at her oddly and sighed after a long while.
¡°Yuxin, they¡¯re all sold.¡± ¡°Sold out, all gone?¡± Tang Yuxin blinked. Was that what he meant? But then Tang Zhinian suddenly startedughing. He stretched out his hand to stroke his daughter¡¯s hair, ¡°Yuxin, all of our tapes have been sold out. I sold them exactly as you suggested. Those students took them by the handfuls, five or ten at a time. In less than two hours, all of them were sold. We made nearly a thousand yuan in profit after deducting the cost. That¡¯s half a year¡¯s ie from farming.¡± ¡°Next time, I¡¯m nning on taking your Uncle with me. He is smart and can help negotiate the wholesale price.¡± Tang Yuxin was stunned, everything was sold out in less than two hours? Could it be that business was really that easy? Actually, she was only half right, business was easy, but not to the point where everything could be sold out in a short period of time. The key point was that she tapped into the mentality that people liked to have a bargain, such as buy five and get one free, buy ten and get two free. Frankly, the cost is still borne by the buyers, but people love this idea. Now that Tang Zhinian had tasted the sweetness of business, he obviously wouldn¡¯t just go back to farming. Growing vegetables for a whole year, you might not make a thousand yuan, while a thousand yuan now is equivalent to an ie of fifty to sixty thousand appearing in subsequent years. Actually, ording to some perspectives, it could even be several hundred thousand, because the two houses they bought were only over ten thousand yuan. Chapter 211: 204: New Ideas for Trade Chapter 211: Chapter 204: New Ideas for Trade The apartment she paid through monthly payments years ago, spanning over a hundred square meters, would take her 30 years to fully pay off. By the time shepleted the payments, she would have grown from a young woman into an elderlydy. She bit the bullet and paid off the remaining sum all at once, only to find out that the apartment had eventually be someone else¡¯s home and had nothing to do with her anymore. That apartment is now worth over a million, and they now own two apartments. In the future when their financial situation improves, she intends to buy another one in Beijing. Thinking about the future property prices for homes in Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou, her heart aches and feels as though it¡¯s shattering into pieces. Therefore, the current thousand or two is already equivalent to a back payment of hundreds of thousands in the future. She is very supportive of her father starting a business. Besides being freed from a life of toiling and drudgery, he could make more money, and his horizons and perspectives would broaden over time. Li Tang Vige had always been like a well; only a strip of the sky could be seen from there. However, the outside world offered the entire sky. Tang Zhinian discussed the idea with Tang Zhijun. Tang Zhijun was naturally open to it. In fact, he had been keen on trying it outst time, but his older brother was only apanying Mr. Chen to test the waters. The sess of this venture remained to be seen. However, now it¡¯s proven to be profitable, and the earlier they started, the more money they could make. The two deliberated over the idea for a few days. When Mr. Chen visited them with a face full of happiness, Tang Yuxin knew that he had sessfully sold his cassette tapes. Although each tape might only have been sold for five or six dors, and it took three days to sell them all, at least they were all sold. This venture had likely made a sizeable profit of at least over a thousand dors, which was equivalent to half a year¡¯s worth of his sry. If he consistently did this, he could potentially earn a year¡¯s worth of ie in just a few months. If he worked more diligently, he could soon be a ten-thousand-yuan household, and they wouldn¡¯t have to worry about money anymore. He could then afford to buy whatever his son wanted, get his wife a gold jewelry set. He felt ashamed for having neglected his wife and son over the years. Despite earning a decent monthly wage, he had never bought any earrings for his wife. Even though Tang Zhijun was a farmer, his wife, Zhang Xiangcao, had gold earrings, nes, and rings. And at home, Tang Zhijun never let her lift a finger, so she almost looked as young as she did in her twenties despite being over thirty. She didn¡¯t have to work, she wore good clothes every day, and she had a good husband. This thought made Mr. Chen feel even sadder. Compared to Tang Zhijun, he felt like he wasn¡¯t a good husband. How could a good husband not strive to provide a good life for his wife and children? But at least he now knew where to head in the future. So the three of them deliberated again and bought train tickets for the day after tomorrow. This time they earned some money, so they could buy more items to sell back home. Zhang Xiangcao started preparing their food, clothes, and other necessities for the journey several days before they were due to leave. Sometimes she would get up in the middle of the night because she had thought of something that needed to be done; otherwise, she would not be able to sleep. Sisi knew that her father and uncle were going away to make money, so she was unusually well-behaved, quiet, and not making a fuss, not even asking her father to take her to school. Seeing Sisi behaving this way eased Tang Zhijun¡¯s worries. Otherwise, if Sisi cried, he wouldn¡¯t be able to refrain from crying with her.
They boarded the southbound train early the morning after tomorrow. Leveraging their first-hand experience, they headed straight for the cassette wholesaler after getting off the train. Tang Zhijun¡¯s mind was certainly sharp. Compared to their own honest lives as farmers and factory workers who performed the same tasks every day, his quick wit was indeed unique. He even bought a box of Peony cigarettes to give away and greet people as if they were family. Coupled with his lean physique and warm smile, he could easily put people at ease. Whenever negotiations got tough, he would respond with a smile, leaving the other party no choice but to give in. Amazingly, this strategy worked remarkably well on people. The price of cassette tapes fell from two dors and fifty centsst time to two dors this time. In a regr department store, a cassette tape would sell for ten dors. Selling each for six to seven dors would yield an impressive profit. This time, they managed to reduce the price by fifty cents. If they bought a thousand tapes, they could earn an extra five hundred dors. Firm in his decision, Tang Zhijun bought two thousand tapes this time. The primary reason was thatmuting was not convenient, and he also had to choose the popr cassette tapes himself. Tang Yu Xinxin and the others wrote notes for him, so he just needed to follow their advice when buying tapes. While the factory offered to mail the tapes home, they insisted on carrying them back themselves. They were extra careful and timid when doing business. However, being cautious was a good thing. At least their business was running steadily. Tang Zhijun quickly formted a n. He took five hundred tapes and set up a stand near a university in the wholesale market. He also followed what Tang Yu Xinxin had suggested: seven dors a box, buy five get one free, buy ten get two free, and buy a hundred get a tape recorder. Of course, the idea of giving away tape recorders was his own. A tape recorder now costs just over a hundred dors. If they sold a hundred tapes at seven dors each, they could make five hundred dors. Even after deducting the cost of the tape recorder, they could still make over four hundred dors. However, he was overthinking. There was a limit to how many tapes they could sell. After all, tapes were not daily necessities, like food, clothing, and sleep. As soon as everyone had a few tapes, business would naturally slow down. However, this was a minor issue. At the very least, they could still sell tapes for a year, and when they couldn¡¯t sell anymore after a year, they would think again. They put the tape recorder aside and paid a nearby shop ten dors to use their electricity. They yed the most popr songs of the time, and within a short while, they had attracted many young people. There were university students, high school students, and even junior high school students. At the sight of these cassette tapes, the young people¡¯s feet seemed to be glued to the ground ¡ª they were just too appealing. On top of that, there were free tape recorders, as long as you bought a certain amount, and they were a few dors cheaper than in other malls. People were immediately tempted. If the conditions were not favorable, they could pool resources to buy together. Afterward, they could use the tape recorder in the dormitory. Chapter 212: 205: Companions are Enemies Chapter 212: Chapter 205: Companions are Enemies Just like that, Tang Zhijun managed to sell five tape recorders early in the morning. These sales ounted for five hundred tapes, and the other loose sales amounted to an additional four to five hundred tapes. He delivered the five machines directly to the buyers, stating that once the machines have been tested and confirmed to be working, the payment can be made. A hand with money for a hand with a machine. Later, when other people also wanted to buy tapes and have a tape recorder included, Tang Zhijun noted down their names, promising to bring both the tapes and the recorders the next day. After all, if the tape recorders weren¡¯t sold, they could still be used. By the time Tang Zhijun returned home, Chen¡¯s father had already left, having rushed back to his own stall. Tang Zhijun ced the money he had on him on the ground. The total amounted to over three thousand, which was pure profit for them. ¡°How did you make so much?¡± Tang Zhinian was astonished. At this point, Tang Zhijun¡¯s teeth were practically gleaming as he excitedly shared his business strategy of selling tapes to his older brother. ¡°You are really¡­¡± Tang Zhinian was at a loss for words regarding his younger brother. It was bold to give away tape recorders ¨C those things cost a hundred bucks each. But Tang Zhijun had thought of it and decided to take the risk ¨C and it paid off.
The profit from just those five tape recorders amounted to over a thousand yuan, that¡¯s not even considering other sales. ¡°Big brother, I think we should sell in the wholesale market here,¡± Tang Zhijun proposed. ¡°Why?¡± Tang Zhinian didn¡¯t understand, why not sell at home? It would also give him a chance to see his children. His own daughter, Yuxin was all grown up, but Sisi was still so small. How could Tang Zhijun be so rxed about this? ¡°Big brother, think about it,¡± Tang Zhijun pulled Tang Zhinian down to sit. Though Tang Zhinian had experience from his younger days,pared to Tang Zhijun¡¯s agile mind, he was far from clever. ¡°This business we¡¯re doing, wasn¡¯t it brought to us by brother Chen?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Tang Zhinian nodded, ¡°Exactly.¡± ¡°Brother, you know they say ¡®business is like a battlefield, and yourpetitor is your enemy.¡¯ We¡¯re doing exactly the same business as Brother Chen. It might not seem like much for once or twice, but as time goes by, if our business takes away his customers, it won¡¯t be pleasant. Wouldn¡¯t it be disappointing if our good rtionship was ruined over this?¡± Of course, Tang Zhinian didn¡¯t want that. He wasn¡¯t the type to forsake old friendships for business. If it came to that, he would rather not have started the business at all. ¡°Therefore, brother,¡± Tang Zhijun continued, ¡°We shouldn¡¯t take Chen¡¯s business. The tape business won¡¯tst forever, we can switch to something elseter. As long as it doesn¡¯t conflict with Brother Chen¡¯s interests, we can sell whatever we want.¡± ¡°And brother, look,¡± Tang Zhijun pointed at the money he had earned, ¡°we make more money here in the south than our small hometown. We just need to change locations. This big southern market, I¡¯m not afraid we can¡¯t make money.¡± ¡°See, I made nearly three thousand in a day. If we both sell separately, and each of us sells more, isn¡¯t it possible to make ten thousand a day? It¡¯s a short journey to restock here, and if we can¡¯t sell everything, we can negotiate with the supplier, thus saving us from unnecessary expenses. Doesn¡¯t it sound great?¡± After some thoughts, Tang Zhinian agreed that it did make sense. As long as it makes money, it wouldn¡¯t matter where they did the business. Moreover, it wouldn¡¯t harm his rtionship with old Chen, so they shouldn¡¯tpete for the Qing¡¯an market. Having discussed this, the decision was set. They called home to tell their families that they were going to do business here and might not be back for a few days. First thing on his mind, as soon as Tang Zhijun started making money, was to have a telephone installed at home. It wasn¡¯t convenient to always have to go a store to use a phone. If he and his brother had to spend most of their time outside, not seeing their little daughter Sisi for days, she might even forget their voices if they couldn¡¯t call her. This was uneptable. Just imagining his precious daughter forgetting about him made Tang Zhijun¡¯s heart feel as though it was being scratched by a cat¡¯s paw. It was unbearable. Even though Sisi wasn¡¯t his biological daughter, she was dearer to him than his own blood. When Sisi was young, she was afraid of the cold and was as thin as a monkey. But he held her in his arms every day to keep her warm, using his own body heat. He milked sheep every day, painstakingly raising the tiny child until she grew up. How hard it was to be a father, did anyone else realize? Hence, he had decided he would find a dowry for his daughter in the future, ensuring not to let anyone bully his Sisi. The next day, the two brothers each carried a thousand tapes and went to set their stalls. The location was where Tang Zhijun had scouted the day before and their stalls were not far from each other¡¯s.
They yed the most popr songs of the time on the tape recorder. Dozens of neatly arranged tapes along with posters of celebrities were used for advertising. They also had offers like buy five get one free, buy ten get two free, and buy one hundred get a tape recorder free, attracting many young people. The younger generation nowadays were not poor, and people in the south were more open to new things than those in the north, so business was more lucrative here. Furthermore, the approach of the Tang brothers, with offers like buy one get one, gave people a substantial incentive. Within a short while, Tang Zhijun sold two tape recorders while Tang Zhinian sold one, and listings continued to sell sporadically. By the end of the day, the brothers had sold all their tape recorders and earned a tidy sum. Over the past two days, they had made close to ten thousand yuan.
Tang Zhinian was aware of the risks of keeping such a hefty sum in their lodgings, so he and Tang Zhijun decided to deposit it, leaving only enough for restocking tapes. The next day, the two brothers went to restock and sell tapes again, repeating the same offers ¨C buy five get one free, buy ten get two free, buy one hundred get a tape recorder free. Within their telephone conversations, Tang Yuxin told them about a raffle they were having at school. This sparked an idea in Tang Zhijun¡¯s opportunistic mind. He wrote numerous tickets and ced them in a box, marking the box with a big ¡°prize¡± sign. Customers could have one drawing chance for every five yuan spent, two drawing chances for every ten yuan, and prizes included tapes and small rubber bands. The grand prize was arge color TV, though of course, Tang Zhijun was not so foolish as to include many grand prize entries in the box. Most of the prizes were rubber bands and tapes. The rubber bands were cheap, they could give away as many as they liked. Chapter 213: 206: Making Money and Going Home Chapter 213: Chapter 206: Making Money and Going Home That day, the two brothers were incredibly busy and in a chaotic state. After some consideration, they decided it would be better tobine their efforts. Even though their booth would berger, it would make both collecting money and drawing lottery prizes more convenient. It would also save them from constantly miscing things. If they were to lose the tape recorder, they¡¯d be at a huge loss. The next morning, theybined their two stalls, and surprisingly, theirbined ie for that day was no less than when they were working separately. After all, the same number of people would visit their stalls whether they had one or two. Everyone preferred a bustling atmosphere, and although the lottery prizes were minor items, some people still had the hope of winning a big prize. Even if they didn¡¯t win, they¡¯d be happy if they got a small knick-knack. They continued with their tape business like this, making around four thousand a day. Even the bank staff started to treat them with extra courtesy, offering to open VIP ounts for them, as it was rare to see someone deposit four to five thousand every day. After about ten days, their business started to decline. Tang Zhijun decided to pull out from here and go elsewhere. He asked Tang Zhinian to stay and continue the business without the lottery and the grand prize of a color TV. One person would be enough for this. Tang Zhijun went to test the waters in other areas by himself. Once he had a good sense of the ce, the two brothers would make their move. Gradually, they figured out the rhythm of this industry, a good ce could keep the business profitable for about ten days, then business would start to wane. The third day was usually the peak. Most people loved their ¡°buy five, get one free¡± promotion. So, they ordered a bunch of fancy paper bags, adding a touch of elegance whether the tapes were for personal use or gifting. Of course, they were earning more money than ever. Even on a bad day, they would make one to two thousand. And they were two brothers in this together. During this time, Chen¡¯s father came over several times to restock his inventory. Seeing his confident and content expression, they knew he was doing well in his business. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you guys going home?¡± Chen¡¯s father seemed curious. ¡°Isn¡¯t Qing¡¯an good? Why do you choose to stay here?¡±
Tang Zhinian smiled, ¡°My younger brother says the business is good here. And if we go back, then there are three vendors, which can¡¯tpete with you selling alone.¡± ¡°This¡­¡± Chen¡¯s father seemed speechless, his eyes welling up. He knew the Tang family was honest and decent; he never thought that the Tang brothers would n their business to avoidpeting with him. After all, it was the Tang family who had saved his own family¡¯s life. No matter what, Chen¡¯s father knew he couldn¡¯t forget their kindness. ¡°Ah, Brother Chen, you¡¯re thinking too much. My brother is simple, he doesn¡¯t know how to finesse words.¡± Seeing Chen¡¯s father getting emotional, Tang Zhijun couldn¡¯t bear it any longer. He quickly stepped forward to console Chen¡¯s father, ¡°Brother Chen, let me tell you, regardless of how many vendors there are, the market for tapes is saturated. It¡¯s better to take away other¡¯s businesses instead ofpeting in the same ce. When the sales in Qing¡¯an slow down, you might need to change locations too. There is plenty of space for us to sell these tapes.¡± ¡°I think we¡¯ll be able to sell tapes for a few more years. Let¡¯s keep moving and exploring other business opportunities in the meantime.¡± ¡°Brother, I¡¯ll follow your lead,¡± Chen¡¯s father said, holding back tears. In his heart, he already considered the Tang family his saviors. ¡°Ha ha¡­¡± Tang Zhijun sporting a toothy grin, said: ¡°Brother Chen, don¡¯t say like that. If it wasn¡¯t for you, we wouldn¡¯t havee this far.¡± Indeed, each party had contributed to their shared sess. They were now expanding their business in the south, and were doing quite well, thanks to Chen¡¯s initial generosity. Without Tang Zhinian¡¯s charity to apany the solitary Chen in his venture initially, they wouldn¡¯t be making thousands a day now. The Tang family was naturally grateful. Now, not to contest with Chen¡¯s business was the least they could do to repay him. Moreover, in the south, the brothers were thriving. Chen¡¯s father picked up a few tapes to take back. Tang Zhinian rmended a few popr ones, and shared some business tactics with him. Chen¡¯s father applied them back at home and indeed, it worked better than his original hard-sell approach. Even though it seemed like he was giving away tapes, he was able to raise the price, sell more quickly, and ultimately earned more than before. He set up just outside the colleges, where there were plenty of young people. He also adopted the Tang brother¡¯s tactic of having a tape recorder y thetest popr music now and then. Sure enough, his business grewrger each day. While he was making money selling tapes in Qing¡¯an, the Tang brothers had already traveled to many ces. Tang Zhijun was a natural businessman. He could sense which ce had potential for sales, suitable for setting up a stall, and how long was optimal. Just like this, within a month, they had astonishingly made over a hundred thousand. Although the individual profits were small, the volume made up for it. As their business in this area came to an end, they nned to move to another city to sell tapes, so they decided to visit home first. ¡°Sisi, Daddy¡¯s back?¡± Tang Zhijun started looking for his daughter Sisi as soon as he arrived home. Upon spotting Tang Zhinian, Sisi quickly ran towards him. She lifted her face and sweetly called out to her father. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Tang Zhinian bent down and picked up his daughter. Though Sisi had grown up and be a schoolgirl, in his heart, she was still the two-year-old girl, barely surviving, whom everyone had given up on.
With his warmth and guidance, he taught her to speak and walk. When she first called him ¡°Daddy¡±, he, a grown man, couldn¡¯t help but shed tears. ¡°Did Sisi miss her daddy?¡± Tang Zhinian rubbed his face against Sisi¡¯s small cheeks. His time outside had made him rugged and cunning.
Chapter 214: 207: Making Big Money Chapter 214: Chapter 207: Making Big Money ¡°Yes,¡± Sisi nodded strenuously, ¡°Mama said, Daddy went out to earn money for Sisi¡¯s school fees. It¡¯s hard for Daddy to earn money, Daddy works hard, Sisi thanks Daddy.¡± What a smooth talker this little girl is, she knows just how to win everyone over with her words. Zhijun was particrly fond of his daughter. He brought back clothes and toys from the south for her, a whole heap of them. Seeing this, Xiangcao couldn¡¯t help but sigh. ¡°Don¡¯t buy more clothes. Children grow quickly, these wonderful clothes will not fit in a year and new ones will have to be bought.¡± ¡°If they don¡¯t fit, we¡¯ll throw them away,¡± Zhijun, the doting father, said. ¡°I work so hard to make money away from home just to ensure you and our daughter never have to worry about food or clothing. Otherwise, how could I bear to leave you and Sisi?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± he said, holding Sisi in one arm and slinging the other around Xiangcao¡¯s shoulders, ¡°I¡¯m doing really well outside, I¡¯m not suffering. On a typical day, I can make this much,¡± he stretched out three fingers. ¡°Thirty?¡± Upon hearing the amount, Xiangcao was shocked. But she was also thrilled. Thirty yuan a day meant a thousand a month. That was still much better than farming the fields, and without the back-breakingbor of farming. Each time she saw Zhijun¡¯s hands freeze in the winter, or how he would sweat so much he would soak his clothes in the summer, her heart ached for him. However, Zhijun would never allow her to work in the fields. Tang Family women were genuinely blessed. Yuxin, Sisi, and her, none of them had to work out in the fields. The men of the Tang Family took care of everything. ¡°No,¡± Zhijun smiled, ¡°Guess again.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not thirty?¡± Xiangcao was a bit disappointed, but she was still pleased. ¡°Three is fine, as long as it¡¯s not too harsh. That¡¯s still one hundred a month.¡±
¡°Pfft¡­¡± Zhijun couldn¡¯t help butugh. ¡°It¡¯s not three, nor thirty, and certainly not three hundred. It¡¯s three thousand.¡± ¡°What?¡± Xiangcao¡¯s mouth hung open and stayed like that for a while. ¡°Did you say three thousand?¡± She held up three fingers, ¡°Three thousand, how can it be three thousand?¡± ¡°Yes, precisely three thousand,¡± Zhijun put down Sisi to y with her elder sister Yuxin. He then brought Xiangcao into the house, her face was ming red. Waiting wasn¡¯t what he had in mind, right? In the end it wasn¡¯t, Zhijun pulled out a bank book from his coat and put it on the table in front of Xiangcao. ¡°Here, you keep this. Each month when Ie back, I will deposit money into this ount. From now on, it will be your personal savings that you can spend as you wish.¡± Xiangcao opened it to take a look, she was so terrified that she stayed frozen for a while. How many zeroes are there? My God, it¡¯s sixty thousand, a full sixty thousand. ¡°It¡¯s what I and my elder brother earned, a total of one hundred and twenty thousand. Sixty thousand each.¡± Xiangcao was still shocked. ¡°How can there be so much?¡± ¡°As much as it is,¡± Zhijun reminiscing about the speed at which they made money, his heart filled with apprehension. They held a lucky draw which caused a frenzy, everyone desperately trying to win the grand prize ¨C arge color TV. But no one won the TV in the end, because there was no such prize. In the end, they arranged for therge color TV to be transported back for their own use. And so, they had two televisions at home. Each of the two children had one and Xiangcao had one. No more fighting with the children over the television. Meanwhile, in another room, Zhinian handed Yuxin a bank book, ¡°Yuxin, this is our family¡¯s money. You take care of it.¡± There was no wife in Zhinian¡¯s family, but he had a daughter. Yuxin took the bank book, sixty thousand yuan. Although she was much calmer than Xiangcao, she was still taken aback. ¡°Dad, that¡¯s a lot, isn¡¯t it?¡±
She knew business was good and money was flowing. But she couldn¡¯t believe they picked up gold so easily. Could it be because of gold dumped on the streets of the south, as long as you walked over, you could pick it up? ¡°Yes, and there will be more in the future,¡± Zhinian was confident about this. He had mastered the art of selling. At least one day, it was impossible to sell less than five hundred yuan. Given the current market trends, even if it was not selling here, they could relocate to other ces. They would never fail to make money. ¡°Then, Dad,¡± Yuxin thought for a moment, clutching the bank book tighter, ¡°Could I have a house in Beijing?¡± ¡°A house in Beijing?¡± Zhinian stroked his daughter¡¯s hair, ¡°What made you think about wanting a house in Beijing?¡±
¡°Because I¡¯m going to study at a university in Beijing,¡± Yuxin gave a logical reason. She wanted to choose the best medical school, and Beijing Medical College was her only choice. Considering her current academic performance, it wouldn¡¯t be difficult for her to get admitted, so she wasn¡¯t worried about getting in at all. ¡°Okay,¡± Zhinian agreed without a second thought, ¡°When you¡¯re on vacation, Dad will take you to Beijing to buy a house.¡± Yuxin actually wanted to go now, but she was still in school. She had more than a month to go until the holiday, and it seemed a bit hard to endure. The house prices over there should be very low now. Even if it was an old one, it didn¡¯t matter. After high-rises were builtter, they would get paid inpensation. Of course, if they could buy the traditional courtyard houses, it would be the best. Those courtyard houses could be considered as cultural heritage in the future, and if they decided to sell, they could make a lot of money. Regarding the subsequent housing prices of nearly a hundred thousand per square meter, owning a courtyard is a dream that many people could only imagine. Through their father¡¯s connections, Zhinian and his brother installed a phone for their home, making it much more convenient to call their family in the future. They spent a few days at home and then took the train to leave again. Every extra day they stayed at home was a day of lost earnings. That one day¡¯s earnings were no small sum, it might even amount to several thousand yuan. On this trip, they changed to a different location. They were now familiar with the tape wholesaler who they visited regrly. The wholesaler would even deliver their orders. At present, they were active within a city in the south. It would probably take them about half a year to sell out their stock. After that, they would move on to other provinces. Chapter 215: 208: A Trip to Beijing Chapter 215: Chapter 208: A Trip to Beijing Tang Yuxin received her report card and remained in second ce. The first rank was obviously upied by the well-known nerdy student in the ss. The nerd nced at Tang Yuxin through his thick sses that looked like beer bottle bottoms, then returned to his book with a somewhat sluggish expression in his eyes. The person who surprisingly imed the third position was Chen Lidong. His progress over the past six months was incredibly fast, as Tang Yuxin had pointed out. Chen Lidong possessed excellent logical thinking abilities, but his grades were initially poor due to ack of effective study methods. However, now his academic performance was skyrocketing,rgely because he had learned to discipline himself, hence the rapid enhancement of his grades. Now, Chen Lidong was held up as a model student by the ss advisor. Speaking highly of Chen Lidong was very frequent, mentioning how he had initially rankedst in ss. But now, in just over a year, Chen Lidong had progressed to rank third in the ss. They were told that if they worked hard, they too had the chance to excel, especially given that they were only in the eighth grade. In reality, the ninth grade was just around the corner. At this point, Tang Yuxin was looking forward to the summer vacation because her father had promised to buy her a house in Beijing. She dreamed of owning a home in Beijing, where she could live off-campus once she entered college. She could have her own little nest, where she could make herself a cup of tea when she had some free time, enjoy the distant views, witness the world¡¯s era evolving, and realizing her growth. In her previous life, these were the things she longed to do. However, her life in college didn¡¯t offer such luxuries. She had spent all four years of college busy studying, and working part-time. She had to earn her own living expenses, as the Wei Family had stopped supporting her financially. She was reluctant to spend the money earned by her aging father, who had lived a hard life. She met Zhang Yong¡¯anter and supported him through his postgraduate study and his going abroad for further study. She had neglected the only person in the world who would cry for her and instead gave her heart to a man who was both ungrateful and disloyal. In this life, what she aspired to was a different college life. She pulled her report card back and went home with her school bag on her back. Sisi also performed well this time, ranking in the top five in the ss. It was a good ranking, so Zhang Xiangcao prepared chicken legs for Sisi. However, Sisi saved all the chicken legs for her sister and didn¡¯t eat a bite herself. ¡°Sisi, go ahead and eat. Your sister doesn¡¯t like this,¡± Tang Yuxin said.
Indeed, Tang Yuxin was not too particr about food. As long as she could eat and feel full, it was good enough for her. ¡°Thank you, sister,¡± Sisi said, happily epting the chicken leg and starting to eat. Tang Yuxin returned to her room, and stared nkly at the telephone in the living room. She extended her hand, which was now as white as porcin without any blemishes. It had gradually be fairer over the days without bing any darker. She wasn¡¯t sure if it would darken after being exposed to the sun in summer, but she hoped it wouldn¡¯t. A few dayster, Tang Zhinian returned home, but Tang Zhijun didn¡¯t. He was still selling cassettes, and now he was even a supplier. Some peddlers bought tapes from him, doing wholesale business like others. It was unclear how he found this opportunity but now he was a major supplier, reducing the cost from two yuan per box to one and a half yuan. He wholesaled it to others for three yuan and fifty cents, making two yuan per cassette. Of course, there was considerable volume in the wholesale business. Even if they didn¡¯t sell at retail, they could make more than two thousand yuan a day. The more business they did, the sharper their minds became. A monthter, the two brothers each made forty thousand yuan. It wasn¡¯t as high as the first time, mainly because they had moreplex routes and couldn¡¯t always get the tapes, so they got fewer than the first month. While that seemed like a lot less for them, for others, this amount was an overwhelmingly considerable fortune. The two brothers made money hand over fist, but Zhang Xiangcao at home still lived frugally. Her lifestyle hasn¡¯t changed; the money was saved and she didn¡¯t dare to spend frivolously. Although they were making money now, Tang Zhijun didn¡¯t make it easily. She couldn¡¯t spend it impulsively. Therefore, her lifestyle was basically the same as before. However, having money definitely brought some peace of mind. At the very least, she didn¡¯t need to worry about the future. ¡°Let¡¯s go, I¡¯ll take you to Beijing to buy a house,¡± Tang Zhinian, her father, said. He had always remembered his promise to his daughter. He had seen the prosperity of big cities during his travels in the past six months. Tang Zhinian imed that house prices would definitely rise in the future, so buying a house now would absolutely not be a mistake. Tang Zhinian of course had not thought this far. He was only thinking of buying a house for the convenience of his daughter, Yuxin. It was an additional assurance in case there was nowhere to go, or in case the dormitory in the school was poor or her roommates were not good. At least she would have a refuge outside. What he hadn¡¯t expected was that the ce he bought would eventually surge in price to such a terrifying extent. They directly boarded a train to Beijing. At that time, train tickets were not issued in the individual¡¯s name and the trains were still slow green car trains. Tang Zhinian was ustomed to traveling by train in the past half year, but for Tang Yuxin, it was her first time taking a train. Tang Zhinian, who was not short of money now, bought sleeper tickets for himself and his daughter. Approximately 30 hours on a train would indeed be ufortable if sitting in hard seats. He himself didn¡¯t mind, but his daughter Yuxin was still growing. No matter what, he wouldn¡¯t let his daughter feel ufortable. There were many people on the train, which portrayed a vivid picture of thete 80s. People from all over the ce dressed simrly, with not much variation in color or style. Tang Yuxin held a cup in her hands, soaking the herbal tea she made in it. The tea had a faintly fragrant smell of herbs, which could refresh her mind, and tasted pretty good. The water avable on the train had a peculiar taste, which she didn¡¯t mind. But if this could be removed, wouldn¡¯t it be even better? Tang Zhinian had been drinking this herbal tea for many years. It was made from a special herb in the mountains. Tang Yuxin toasted tea leaves and this medicinal herb together, resulting in a unique tea with a remarkable fragrance. Chapter 216: 209: Buying This One Chapter 216: Chapter 209: Buying This One Whenever I¡¯m physically drained, a single sip instantly refreshes me. Of course, it mainly because it¡¯s quite tasty. Tang Zhinian was exhausted, so hey down and fell asleep. But Tang Yuxin, cradling her cup, was perpetually intrigued by the various sounds and dialects floating to her ears. The closer they got to Beijing, the more at home she felt. After all, Beijing was her second home, a ce she knew well. Having traveled on the train for more than thirty hours, the sleeper car wasn¡¯t too ufortable. Still, as time passed, the enclosed space began to feel stifling. She wondered how she had endured the ufortable seats on her school-bound trips in her past life. Sitting or standing, she bore the journey for over thirty hours. Meanwhile, Wei Jiani sleptfortably on the sleepingpartment above, thirty hours passing swiftly for her. ¡°We¡¯re here,¡± Tang Zhinian, carrying their luggage, patted Tang Yuxin¡¯s head. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Daddy will take you out for a meal. We¡¯ll find somewhere to stay first, then look for a permanent home.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Tang Yuxin agreed, following her father off the train. Tang Zhinian shouldered all the luggage, which fortunately wasn¡¯t heavy, mostly clothes for changing. They found a small, random restaurant and started eating. Tang Yuxin asionally gazed curiously outside. So this was what Beijing looked like in the early 90s: no skyscrapers, no subways, fewer diverse groups of people, and fewer inhabitants. The clothes people wore and the atmosphere perfectly matched the aesthetics of the times. Outside, vendors were selling noodles and candied hawthorns, all speaking fluent Beijing dialect. She¡¯d forgotten what Old Beijing looked like back in the nies. What she remembered most was the city lined with dozens of skyscrapers, exhibiting various colorful lights¡ªa bustling metropolis regrly enveloped in sandstorms stirred by the dancing figures at the public square.
She looked up at the sky, which was very blue at the time. A blue that was refreshing, andforting. ¡°Xinxin, let¡¯s go,¡± Tang Zhinian paid the bill, picked up their bags, and started walking. He wasn¡¯t familiar with Beijing and often had to ask for directions. Sometimes, the way was guided by Tang Yuxin. ¡°Dad, can we stay there?¡± Tang Yuxin pointed at a guesthouse¡ªthe mostmon type in those days, cheap and costing only five yuan per night, with hot water provided but no modern conveniences like air conditioning or heating. Tang Zhinian asked for two rooms, one for him and one for Tang Yuxin. Ah, his daughter was growing up and bing a big girl. He felt a pang in his heart. The child he raised from diapers was growing up; she would get married someday. Of course, Tang Yuxin at that time didn¡¯t know what her father was thinking. She was only sixteen, yet her father felt like she was ready to be married off. Tang Yuxin took out a piece of paper and drew a map of Beijing¡¯s pricy areas from memory. She remembered these areas because she¡¯d run around for months before buying her apartment. She was grateful she bought early; if not, she might never have been able to afford the down payment. The final market value of that apartment was in the millions, which is why Wei Jiani, who failed to buy her own house, had set her sights on Tang Yuxin¡¯s ce and then seized it. She carefully drew on the paper, folded it, and ced it in her pocket before lying down to sleep. The guesthouse was rtively nice. At the very least, the linens were clean. The staff had changed them before their arrival, so she sleptfortably, breathing in the fresh air of Beijing. The wind blew outside without stirring up any sandstorms, and she had a good night¡¯s sleep. Early the next morning, Tang Zhinian brought Tang Yuxin to search for a house. ¡°Dad, let¡¯s go this way,¡± Tang Yuxin guided Tang Zhinian to an old street filled with traditional quadrangle courtyards. Once inside, they could hear the rustling of the tree leaves in the wind. It felt as if the ticking of time could be heard in this ce, where decades had been quietly recorded and frozen. Everything else changed in the course of a hundred years, everything except this ce. This was Tang Yuxin¡¯s dream¡ªarge courtyard of her own where she could nt flowers, put up a rocking chair, and raise a little kitten. Yet, her dreams were crushed by life¡¯s harsh realities. Walking here, they asionally heard the crisp chirping of birds, and the quietness seemed to whisper tales from the past, calming their hearts. ¡°Dad, over here.¡±
Tang Yuxin pointed to a courtyard house with a ¡°For Sale¡± sign up front. Tang Zhinian wasn¡¯t sure he could afford this ce. If not, he¡¯d have to borrow money from his younger brother. If she truly liked it, no matter what, he would buy it for her even if it meant selling all his possessions. It was rare for Yuxin to express desire for something. Ever since she was little, she¡¯d been precocious and had always suffered under her birth mother¡¯s care. As a result, she¡¯d grown quiet and introverted. Now, he saw some excitement and happiness in her eyes. She must really love it here.
He knocked on the door. After a while, a middle-aged man wearing a grey Zhongshan suit appeared. The man had a schrly air about him. Wearing handmade cloth shoes and one hand behind his back, he exuded a proud air. ¡°Are you¡­?¡± The man scanned Tang Zhinian and his daughter for a long time, trying to ce them. Since he didn¡¯t recognize them, they must be strangers. ¡°Sir, are you selling this house?¡± Tang Yuxin pointed at the note posted on the door and asked. ¡°Are you nning to buy it?¡± The middle-aged man took another look at them, ¡°This isn¡¯t cheap; it¡¯s 120,000.¡± Chapter 217: 210 Rising Prices from the Ground Chapter 217: Chapter 210 Rising Prices from the Ground One hundred and twenty thousand? Tang Yuxin estimated this price in her mind and thought about it in the context of the future. Even the most ordinary location would far exceed its actual worth, let alone such arge quadrangle with a touch of antiquity. Tang Zhinian hesitated. Over the past six months, he had been very careful with his spending and had saved just over one hundred thousand yuan. Would he really have to spend all of this? Tang Yuxin wanted it very much, but she didn¡¯t want to force Tang Zhinian. If he didn¡¯t want to buy it, then that¡¯s fine, she would find another wayter. Her little eyes filled with longing, as if to say, let¡¯s buy it, let¡¯s buy it. Tang Zhinian clenched his teeth and then lifted his face and finally spoke. ¡°Excuse me, sir, we¡¯d like to look at the house.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± the middle-aged man moved aside, ¡°In that case, you folkse on in.¡± Tang Zhinian and Tang Yuxin then entered. It was a small quadrangle courtyard; the owner had left all the antiques, and now the middle-aged keeper of the house was moving away to live with his son and had to sell the ce. The owner when leaving had meant for the house to be sold if he never returned, hoping it would fall into good hands. This middle-aged man had only one request: after the buyer sold the house, they must not destroy anything in it. The remaining antiques and artifacts were witnesses of history from a particr era.
Tang Yuxin agreed. After all, such a quadrangle was really expensive, and the cost of maintaining the ce was by no means small. The check was ready to be handed over, but they ended up dealing instead with the man¡¯s son, and he insisted on raising the price to one hundred and fifty thousand. There was outrage at the sudden price hike, and Tang Zhinian, irritated, turned on his heel and walked away. The house they thought was theirs vanished in a dispute. Tang Yuxin¡¯s heart ached a little, but seeing her fuming father walking ahead, she held her tongue. She thought, her dream of owning a quadrangle had indeed been shattered. No matter, she didn¡¯t manage to buy it so she¡¯ll just have to consider other options. But after looking at several houses, either because the small quadrangle had already captured their hearts, or because they were upset about the unexpected price hike, they couldn¡¯t find a better option. Now Tang Yuxin no longer wished to look any further. Dad, let¡¯s not buy. We cane back againter. Tang Yuxin ryed her decision to Tang Zhinian during dinner. Tang Zhinian, too, agreed that they should wait, and he stopped looking for a house. The father and daughter enjoyed a heaping meal of authentic Beijing cuisine and their spirits lifted. They stayed in Beijing for a few more days, sightseeing. After wandering around Beijing for several days, Tang Yuxin didn¡¯t want to leave, but Tang Zhinian took a day on his own, returning in an extremely good mood and apparently no longer upset about the price negotiation. When it was time to leave, Tang Zhinian suddenly wanted to visit the local universities to get a better understanding of what they were like. That way, when his daughter eventually attended one, he would know his way around. ¡°Dad, I want to go to this school,¡± Tang Yuxin pointed at the main gate of Beijing University, ¡°I will definitely study here in the future. It¡¯s one of the best schools in the country, and its medical department is very famous. More importantly, it was a school she had failed to get into in her previous life. In her previous life, she had regrets that she would reim in this life. Life would only beplete without any regrets. Even though everyone has regrets, not everyone manages toplete them. Imperfections are also considered beautiful, but her imperfect beauties were painful. ¡°Okay, good,¡± Tang Zhinian also liked this school, ¡°Perhaps in the future, I will start a business here, cook for Yuxin, and keep those bratty boys away from my daughter.¡± ¡°Thank you, Dad,¡± Tang Yuxin hugged Tang Zhinian¡¯s arm, thinking to herself that children with fathers like him were indeed treasures, while those with mothers like hers turned out like little cabbages.
Tang Zhinian looked around, his eyebrows slightly furrowed, perhaps deep in thought. After a long day of activities, Tang Yuxin went back to the inn and fell asleep. When she woke up, her dad was gone and didn¡¯t return until it was almost dark. His cheerful demeanor made her wonder what good news he had encountered. It¡¯s nothing, I just took a walk around the old Imperial City. In the past, wemoners would not have been able toe here. Tang Zhinian was still cheerful, as if in a great mood. Even though they hadn¡¯t managed to buy a house, they had still seen a lot of Beijing and the trip felt worthwhile.
It was time to return home. His brother Tang Zhijun was all alone in the south, and he couldn¡¯t manage the business there without Tang Zhinian¡¯s help. So Tang Zhinian decided to take Zhang Xiangcao and Sisi along with him, to give them a glimpse of the southern region and broaden their horizons. As for Tang Yuxin, she didn¡¯t apany them. She finally convinced Tang Zhinian to let her stay home alone. She still needed to go up to the mountains to pick herbs, and Chen Lidong and Xu Miaomiao had to review their third-year courses together. Tang Zhinian was, of course, worried about leaving her all alone. But in the end, education is something that shouldn¡¯t be dyed. Fortunately, Xu Miaomiao and Chen Lidong seemed dependable enough, and their house was well stocked. The worst it could get would be asionally skipping meals, but she would certainly not starve. Chapter 218: 211: She Must Attend Remedial Classes Chapter 218: Chapter 211: She Must Attend Remedial sses So when Tang Zhinian was about to leave, even after countless reminders and instructions, he still couldn¡¯t help but feel anxious. However, phone calls were made daily, in which he, like a nagging mother, would inquire about the exact time her daughter woke up today, what she had for breakfast and lunch. Several dayster, perhaps realizing that his daughter was very capable and took good care of herself, he began to focus on his work and no longer worrying about Tang Yuxin. The day before the summer vacation ended, Zhang Xiangcao finally returned. She wore a very stylish long-sleeved dress, and her hair was styled into slight curls, looking fashionable and attractive. Even Sisi¡¯s hair was cut into a cute bobbed style, but Tang Yuxin was saddened by it. Such beautiful long hair was all cut off. Sisi shook her short hair, ¡°Sister, it looks good.¡± ¡°Yes, it looks good,¡± Tang Yuxin stroked her sister¡¯s head, ¡°You are going to be graded up once you start school, you are growing up.¡± Sisi hugged her mother¡¯s leg shyly, as if she was quite afraid of growing up. Upon Zhang Xiangcao¡¯s return, she naturally took care of the children, allowing Tang Zhinian to genuinely reassure. After all, leaving Tang Yuxin alone at home, he could never be at ease. When Tang Yuxin entered the ninth grade, her studies suddenly be strenuous, with more ss hours and heavier coursework. Fortunately, they had previewed the ninth-grade course during the summer vacation. Therefore, while getting used to the new courses, they did well since they had a certain foundation. Thus, they could still keep up even though the workload was heavier. Of course, it was rtively easier. During the assessment exams, their grades were consistently good, while Wei Jiani had unfortunately fallen far behind. She had slipped from initial fifth ce to eleventh and now was ranked in the twenties among all the students.
The teachers had consulted with her several times, but by this point, the girl was starting to struggle. If it wasn¡¯t for Tang Yuxin, Xu Miaomiao, and Chen Lidong who had previewed the courses during the summer, they too would have been in a simr situation. In the ninth grade, it seemed that everyone began to have difficulty keeping up. Especially in the second half of the semester, they started having daily assignments copying exercises. It was almost onerge ckboard full of exercises, jumping from math to chemistry, and then to physics. The ckboard in the back originally was used for bulletin boards, but now it was filled with various questions, which were so numerous that people even got headaches copying them. And by the time they were in thest semester of ninth grade, the middle school entrance examination meant a great deal to these middle schoolers. Therefore, they could not afford to be negligent or make mistakes. Tang Yuxin walked into a small grove. Of course, she wasn¡¯t meeting some boys, nor pouring out her feelings to someone. Just like before, she stared indifferently at the woman whose face she was about to forget. She truly wished she could avoid bumping into her and remembering her for the rest of her life. However, a few things are unforgettable, and a few things are necessary to remember. ¡°Do you need anything?¡± she asked indifferently. Starting in eighth grade, she began to appear more pale, and her natural fragrance started to diminish. However, there was still a faint, familiar mild fragrance, cold as ever. Yes, she didn¡¯t get darker; she grew up, taller, and became fairer. Her features matured: her eyes grew bigger, her nose was well-proportioned, and her lips were beautiful. Xu Miaomiao even said that Tang Yuxin truly developed well. Her lips were light in color with few lines on them, probably rted to her fair skin. Because of her light skin, her bright eyes and white teeth were emphasized, and she seemingly transformed from an ugly duckling into an elegant swan. However, there hadn¡¯t been much change in her physique. Even though she grew taller, she was very thin, without any curves. Of course, she had no breasts. Yet Tang Yuxin knew she still hadn¡¯t started puberty. At that moment, Sang Zhn, who saw Tang Yuxin, almost didn¡¯t recognize her. How could this child grow like this? She used to look so simple, like Zhinian. But now she¡¯s starting to look good. A sense of unspoken jealousy appeared in her heart. Her pampered Wei Jiani was surprisingly not as good as the daughter of the bumpkin Zhinian. Does she still think of Zhinian as a bumpkin now? If she knew how much money Zhinian was making each month now, would she p herself? Everyone always said that youth poverty shouldn¡¯t be despised. There¡¯s a saying, ¡°30 years in the East River, 30 years in the West River.¡± Nobody knows what anyone¡¯s future will look like. Maybe today you are a top student, but tomorrow, the ss underdog you look down upon the most might end up bing your boss. ¡°You need anything?¡± Tang Yuxin asked again. She had to review her homework in the ssroom in a while and had no time to engage in a staring contest with Sang Zhn.
¡°Tang Yuxin, how did your father teach you? Is this how you talk to your mother?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have a mother,¡± The two words Tang Yuxin disliked the most were ¡°mother¡±. And because of these two words, in herst life, she lived an incredibly hard life, a hardship that ultimately implicated her father. If such a self-serving mother, who cared little for her situation, was telling her to do something, what did this woman want? ¡°Tang Yuxin, I am your mother,¡± Sang Zhn nearly burst into tears of rage. She also wanted to rush forward and scratch Tang Yuxin¡¯s face. She wished she had strangled the girl when she was first born since she was indifferent to everything, and always seemed to know how to exasperate her.
Tang Yuxin pursed her lips tightly, unwilling to argue about this matter with her, because it was useless and unnecessary. Yes, Sang Zhn was her biological mother, she admitted that. However, she was not obliged to acknowledge this mother. Whoever Sang Zhn imed to be the mother of didn¡¯t matter, as long as she was clear in her heart. Some people who couldn¡¯t be reckoned with, no one could do anything about it. Nobody could manipte her life in this life, ruin her life, or take advantage of her life. Sang Zhn seemed to be so angry she couldn¡¯t speak. At this time, the cold and hard attitude of Tang Yuxin made her feel that she was such a failure in life that she couldn¡¯t even educate her own daughter properly. She took a deep breath and suppressed her anger. Hadn¡¯t she forgotten what she hade here for? She didn¡¯te to argue with Tang Yuxin, nor to let Tang Yuxin infuriate her. ¡°Nini¡¯s studies have not been going well recently. Aren¡¯t you tutoring others? I want you to tutor Nini. She is your sister.¡± At this moment, Tang Yuxin felt it was somewhat ridiculous. When she needed her, she asked her to tutor her own illegitimate daughter. When she didn¡¯t need her, they stayed away from each other and had nothing to do with each other forever. Chapter 219: 212: Coming to the Door Chapter 219: Chapter 212: Coming to the Door Speaking of tutoring Wei Jiani, it frustrates her to no end to remember how she has to resist killing Wei Jiani almost every day. If you make her give Wei Jiani lessons, she really fears that she might lose control and poison Wei Jiani with rat poison. Sang Zhn¡¯s presence is just as revolting to her as Wei Jiani¡¯s. It would be better if she could avoid their faces for the rest of her life, how could she stand seeing them every time she looks up and down? ¡°Did you hear me?¡± Sang Zhn¡¯s pent-up anger spoke out when Tang Yuxin did not speak for a long time. ¡°I heard you,¡± Tang Yuxin replied lightly. She then turned around and left straightaway, toozy to waste time arguing with Sang Zhn. Sang Zhn really thinks she can make her give up her own studies and her lifelong dream, to tutor the one who stole her husband, ruined her life, her true enemy? Does she think too highly of her? Or does she really see her as malleable as bread, easy to mold and shape? After school, Tang Yuxin was still copying questions on the ckboard. It¡¯s rough being a grade 9 student, not able to go home until all the problems are copied down. And even after arriving home, she still had to solve these problems. Fortunately, she now has three friends. Their presence at this time serves as mutual encouragement and creates a good learning environment.
As soon as Chen Lidong¡¯s mother gets off work, shees directly to take care of these three children. Nothing is more important than her son¡¯s high school entrance exam. If they get into a good high school, then they could get into a good university. ¡°Yuxin, let¡¯s go,¡± Xu Miaomiao had already helped to tidy up and was waiting for Tang Yuxin to finish copying the problems so that they could go home and study these problems together. ¡®Uh huh, I know.¡± Tang Yuxin packed her pens and briefly checked her work for any mistakes. Once satisfied, she put her notebook into her backpack. Just as the three of them were leaving the school gate, they halted. ¡°Why is she following us?¡± Xu Miaomiao frowned, pointing at Wei Jiani who had been tailing them since they left school. ¡°Yuxin, did you get a new student?¡± Xu Miaomiao didn¡¯t like Wei Jiani at all. She found her annoying just like a peacock. She used to make sharp remarks when Miaomiao wasn¡¯t doing well at school. Now that she¡¯s doing better, she had more sour words to offer. What good does saying all these do? Instead of chattering, wouldn¡¯t it be better to improve her academic performance? Always busy arguing, if they really had to take someone else in, they would rather it be another nerd from ss. Tang Yuyu pretended not to see. ¡°I don¡¯t have time to teach students. I¡¯m a student myself.¡± Was she stupid? As a grade 9 student herself, why should she sacrifice her own time to tutor someone else? Remember, it¡¯s someone else. As for Sisi, she would even forgo her own exams to get Sisi on the better track, otherwise, she would fight until she seeds. ¡°Let¡¯s go and ignore her.¡± Xu Miaomiao took Tang Yuxin¡¯s arm and walked away. As for Chen Lidong, he was carrying three big book bags on his shoulders and couldn¡¯t help but sigh. Being a man is indeed hard. At first, Wei Jiani was standing arrogant and proud in the ssroom, waiting for Tang Yuxin to invite her for tutoring. However, after a long wait, Tang Yuxinpletely ignored her and went home. By then, Jiani¡¯s face had visually lengthened even more. But thinking about her own grades, she clenched her teeth and followed them. All the same, the trio didn¡¯t give her a second nce, or even a word. When they reached Tang Family¡¯s house, Xu Miaomiao even mmed the door shut. On the spot, Wei Jiani was wronged and started crying. ¡°Mom, Mom¡­¡±
When Wei Jiani got back home, she began to cry her heart out in Sang Zhn¡¯s arms. ¡°What happened, Nini? Who bullied you?¡± Sang Zhn was frightened upon seeing her daughter in tears like this. Who could have bullied her daughter so badly? ¡°Mom, what kind of deal did you make with Tang Yuxin?¡± Wei Jiani wiped her face with her hand, and the more she thought about it, the more wronged she felt and the more she cried. ¡°What happened to her?¡± The moment she heard Tang Yuxin¡¯s name, Sang Zhn¡¯s heart instinctively started to choke.
¡°What else could it be? Mom, she locked me out! Mother, you lied to me, you said she would tutor me, didn¡¯t you say she agreed?¡± With these words, Sang Zhn was seething with rage. That¡¯s the way you want it? Sure, good, let¡¯s y then! She dares, she actually dares? Without a second thought, Sang Zhn hopped onto her bike and pedaled off to Tang Family¡¯s house, unable to stay a minute longer. What a well-brought-up daughter Tang Zhinian has! She pedaled directly to Li Tang Vige, but when she found the residence of Tang Zhinian, it was already in ruins. Did they move out? She quickly approached a child, asking anxiously if he knew where Tang Zhinian moved to. ¡°Are you asking about Uncle Zhinian?¡± The child stretches his finger towards the entrance of the vige, ¡°It¡¯s right at the start of the vige, the house with therge red door, right next to the store.¡± Sang Zhn was taken aback. She passed by that house just now. At that time, she wondered which family built such a nice house. It must have cost at least 10,000 to 20,000. Considering that the house is at least four or five years old, how much would that amount be worth today? When she realized that it was Tang Zhinian who built it, she felt even more sour, as though the money used to build the house was taken from her. She quickly turned her bike around, riding straight to the house and banging on the door.
Soon, the door opened, and Zhang Xiangcao saw Sang Zhn, her hair disheveled. Who are you? Seeing Zhang Xiangcao irked Sang Zhn even more, making her think she was Tang Yuxin¡¯s new daughter-inw. Especially now that she had aged and her everyday factory work had worn her down. She hadn¡¯t bought new clothes in a long time, her hair hadn¡¯t been tidied for ages, and she had been running back and forth between home and work all day ¨C where would she find the time to do anything else? Yet this woman here was both young and fashionable, even her hair was in a trendy perm, she looked even more sophisticated than city folk. Zhang Xiangcao looked Sang Zhn up and down, she felt she looked familiar, but couldn¡¯t recall where she had seen her before. Seeing Zhang Xiangcao didn¡¯t respond, Sang Zhn barged into the house, shouting, ¡°Tang Zhinian, Tang Zhinian,e out right now! Exin to me how you raised my daughter, why did she turn out the way she did?¡± As soon as Sang Zhn mentioned Tang Zhinian, a light bulb went off in Zhang Xiangcao¡¯s head. Chapter 220: 213: Whose Mother Chapter 220: Chapter 213: Whose Mother ¡°Sang Zhn, are you Sang Zhn?¡± She almost couldn¡¯t recognize her, how could she change so¡­ old? Sang Zhn suddenly turned around, her eyes almost looked like they were filled with poison. At that moment, Tang Yuxin came out of the house, and Xu Miaomiao hurriedly blocked Sisi behind her. A crazy woman hade into their house. Would she hit someer? Chen Lidong, on the contrary, maintained a stern face, following Tang Yuxin with a broom in his hand. ¡°What are you doing at my house?¡± Tang Yuxin asked calmly. The words from her mouth were somewhat cold, and even the look in her eyes was devoid of any warmth. ¡°Tang Yuxin, I am your mother. Call your father out. I want to know how your father educated you.¡± Tang Yuxin hummed lightly, and then she turned to Zhang Xiangcao, ¡°Aunt, Sisi is looking for you at home.¡± ¡°Oh, okay, I understand.¡±
Zhang Xiangcao knew what Tang Yuxin meant she immediately went into the house and shut the door. ¡°Aunt, who is that crazy woman?¡± Xu Miaomiao cautiously asked Zhang Xiangcao, would this fierce person hit someone? ¡°She is¡­ well ¡­¡± Zhang Xiangcao didn¡¯t know how to exin the situation, ¡°You guys stop asking, it¡¯s none of your business, remember not to gossip about it.¡± Xu Miaomiao and Chen Lidong quickly nodded. Although they were still in the house, their ears were tuned into the voices outside. As soon as there was any disturbance outside, they would rush out to help, so as not to let Tang Yuxin suffer any loss. Meanwhile, outdoors, when Sang Zhn heard Tang Yuxin call Zhang Xiangcao her aunt, she felt a sense of relief. It turned out to be that Zhang Xiangcao. But soon, she felt ufortable again. She had met Zhang Xiangcao a few years ago, and Zhang Xiangcao was not like this at all. How had she be fashionable and beautiful now, while she, on the other hand, had aged a lot more. She touched her face, but then quickly lowered her hand. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you were going to tutor my Nini? Tang Yuxin, what do you mean? You even locked my Nini outside. Is this what your father taught you?¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t strangers be locked outside?¡± Tang Yuxin¡¯s voice was still cold and indifferent, ¡°Or should I let her in to steal my stuff?¡± ¡°My Nini¡­¡± ¡°What does your Nini have to do with me?¡± Tang Yuxin cut off Sang Zhn¡¯s speech. The incessant usage of ¡®my Nini¡¯ had begun to prick her ears. ¡°She is your sister,¡± Did you give birth to her? Tang Yuxin retorted with this question right away. Sang Zhn¡¯s face fell, ¡°Is this what your father taught you? Promising one thing and doing another?¡± ¡°When did I ever promise you?¡± Tang Yuxin was toozy to exin anything to her, ¡°Did I ever say I would tutor her? I¡¯m a student in the third grade, I have my own studies to take care of. Just because your Nini has to take high school exams, does that mean I don¡¯t have to?¡± Sang Zhn was taken aback by Tang Yuxin¡¯s words. It seemed that Tang Yuxin had not agreed at that time. She had only said she heard it and knew it. But, Sang Zhn had assumed that Tang Yuxin had agreed. She had either underestimated Tang Yuxin or she had overestimated her own status in Tang Yuxin¡¯s eyes. ¡°You have to tutor my Nini.¡± Sang Zhn took a deep breath, ¡°If my Nini fails her high school exam, I will never forgive you.¡±
¡°Oh¡­¡± Tang Yuxin seemed to be seriously considering it, her eyebrows knitted together. She gave off a distinctly chilly vibe, especially when she exuded a cold aroma. And when Sang Zhn finally thought that Tang Yuxin had agreed, she was taken aback when Tang Yuxin spoke again. ¡°Well, you can not forgive me then.¡± ¡°You have never supported me anyway.¡±
Right then, Sang Zhn felt as if her head had hollowed out and her vision was about to darken. At this moment, a glow fell on her face, revealing signs of skin decay, almost like the setting sun that was about to fade away. She had aged. Although there wasn¡¯t any white hair on her head, many fine lines had begun to appear around her eyes. Under the warm golden glow, they became instantly visible. Meanwhile, Tang Yuxin was standing at the door. Her fairplexion shone under the natural warmth of the light, making her seem even more translucent. She was a young girl in the verge of growing up with a thin frame thatcked feminine curves. However, she was beginning to mature. As the years would pass by, she would grow up, and Sang Zhn would grow old as well. All of a sudden, Sang Zhn raised her hands. Her facial expression became more and more ferocious as she realized she was getting old. The fact that she could not ept her old age became more apparent. ¡°You can leave,¡± Tang Yuxin turned around and said to Sang Zhn, ¡°Aunt Aimei is home.¡± Upon hearing the name Huang Aimei, Sang Zhn¡¯s face turned pale. She remembered the fierce look of Huang Aimei years ago. It seemed that the pain on her face then still lingered. That time, Huang Aimei¡¯s scratch had left a scar on her face which she had carried with her for a long time, and possibly would for the rest of her life. She hurriedly rushed out, afraid of running into the gue that was Huang Aimei. However, when she looked back, she saw Tang Yuxin standing at her doorstep. The glow on Tang Yuxin¡¯s face made her look even stranger and more formidable, and her eyes were almost devoid of any warmth. All of a sudden, Sang Zhn felt her heart being weighed down. Seemingly, her daughter had never called her ¡®mother¡¯ before. Seemingly, her daughter had never thought about acknowledging her as her mother. She got on her bicycle. She had arrived with such high spirits, but now she left like a thief. How could she forget that there were still so many people in Li Tang Vige who knew her. She was bound toe across someone familiar; what if it was Huang Aimei? She really couldn¡¯t afford to lose face. Tang Yuxin closed the door, blocking all the outside light behind her. Then she walked into the house. Sisi looked at her sister, then at her mother. Her little face showed a touch of seriousness. Then she ran to Tang Yuxin and reached out to hold her sister¡¯s hand. What are you looking at me for? Tang Yuxin grabbed Sisi¡¯s little hand, made her sit properly, and then brought her half-done exercises over to herself. There wasn¡¯t much time left, her final exams were half a semester away. Did she still have time to daydream?
After her speech, the other two quickly sat down. Even though they had so many questions in their hearts, they didn¡¯t ask. However, they had begun to understand a few things. That woman must be Wei Jiani¡¯s mother, and seemed to be Tang Yuxin¡¯s mother as well. They all knew that Tang Yuxin only had her father at home and she had never mentioned anything about her mother, so they never asked about it. They had assumed that Tang Yuxin¡¯s mother had passed away. But now, they had met Tang Yuxin¡¯s mother who was alive. However, she was also Wei Jiani¡¯s mother. Chapter 221: 214: The Examination Chapter 221: Chapter 214: The Examination Xu Miaomiao sneakily nced at Tang Yuxin, seeming to want to say something, but Chen Lidong held her sleeve, silencing her. Xu Miaomiao bowed her head, understanding his hint. She decided to stay silent and confirm things with her mother when she returned home. Her mother had a close rtionship with her Aunt Xiangcao, and should have the answers she needed. Despite the drama Sang Zhn caused, Tang Yuxin had no intention of involving her father. She had already resolved everything, and there was no necessity to pull him into these unpleasant matters. Zhang Xiangcao agreed with her, and so, the issue was not brought up again. Their day-to-day life remained the same as before. The lessons for the third-year students became more and more intensive. The pressure the children felt was akin to that of the college entrance exam. However, without having experience of the exam, they didn¡¯t understand that what they were facing was far from the actual intensity of that day. Tang Yuxin had been through the entrance examination. The pressure was overwhelming, especially with her weak foundation. She pushed forward, determined to live as a normal person and escape from her dreadful home life. These sleepless days terrified her in retrospect. So, in her second life, as soon as shemenced school, she knew the path she had to pursue. She was consistently preparing and working hard for it. She wasn¡¯t afraid of the middle school exams, just as she wasn¡¯t afraid of the college entrance exam. Wei Jiani, whenever she saw Tang Yuxin, looked at her as if she was a mortal enemy, her eyes mimicking Sang Zhn¡¯s. Indeed, she was her mother¡¯s daughter.
That exined why Sang Zhn only pampered Wei Jiani. Resemnce is the reason, right? During Yuxin¡¯s middle school exam, Tang Zhinian returned home. Over the past year, he¡¯d been dealing with his tape business, which had made him quite wealthy. With the bank ount filled with several hundred thousand, therge family¡¯s livelihood was ensured. The family¡¯snd was leased out to others as Zhinian had no free time to till it himself. Zhinian worked hard in the business during this time out of his desire to improve his family¡¯s standard of living. If that did not happen, what would be the point of earning so much money? Zhinian deposited all his earnings in Tang Yuxin¡¯s bank ount, earmarking it for her education. No matter what institute she wished to attend, he, as a father, would fulfill her wish. On the day of the middle school exam, light rain was falling. Tang Zhinian checked Tang Yuxin¡¯s pencil box, ¡°Have you got everything? Pen, eraser, ruler, wait, and your watch, have you brought all of them?¡± ¡°I have,¡± Tang Yuxin lifted her slender wrist, on which a new watch was strapped. The watch was a gift from her father during his trip to the South. Sisi also received one, a digital version, which she wore every day, brimming with happiness. Satisfied, Tang Zhinian took out a thermos from his pocket. The thermos was warm from his body heat. ¡°Thank you, father,¡± Tang Yuxin epted the thermos. The light rain dampened her clothes, making her shiver a little. But, reminiscing about the past, during her old life¡¯s exam day in simr weather, she felt warmth in her heart. She had to face the exam alone then, while Wei Jiani, like a princess, was lovingly pampered by her father. The stark contrast in their destinies felt unfair, but she had no choice but to ept it. Now, she had someone to apany her. Having a father was indeed nice. Tang Zhinian ruffled Yuxin¡¯s hair, ¡°Do your best in the exam. Even if it doesn¡¯t go well, we can use my connections to secure your admission in the best high school. With the money I have, nothing¡¯s impossible.¡± Not that he was being arrogant, but there was hardly anything he would notpromise or promise for his daughter¡¯s sake. As Tang Yuxin entered the exam hall, Tang Zhinian, with her backpack on one shoulder and an umbre in his hand, watched her go. Even when someone approached him, he didn¡¯t flinch. He turned to look, only to find Wei Tian and Sang Zhn. He barely reacted, gazing at the school gate unmoved. Wei Tian noticed him and quickly pulled Sang Zhn away to avoid any awkward encounters. After they walked away, Wei Tian realized his irrational behavior. Why did he feel threatened? He hadn¡¯tmitted any crimes. No, he was guilty of theft and robbery, for he stole another man¡¯s wife. Tang Zhinian remained unfazed, indifferent to Sang Zhn¡¯s sight. There was a time when mentioning her name used to make his heart ache. But now, he felt no emotion, as if any affection for her had sunk to the deepest part of the sea, causing no ripples in his heart.
The rain continued to fall outside, while the parents waited patiently. By the end of two exams in the morning, Tang Yuxin was exhausted. Despite her thorough preparation, predicting even some questions, she was certain about seeding in this exam. But, the tense atmosphere and the pressure almost suffocated her. After finishing two exams, she felt as though she¡¯d emerged from the water, gasping for breath. It was stifling and hot. She fanned herself with her hand, the water in her thermos barely consumed, for fear that she might need to use the restroom during the exam.
Right then, an umbre appeared over her head. She looked up and smiled at her father. Her joy radiated in her bright eyes, creating an image of pure beauty. Tang Zhinian felt a surge of pride seeing his daughter growing up. The child he used to cradle in his arms had grown into a young woman. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Uncle Chen has arranged lunch. Let¡¯s join him¡± he suggested. ¡°Sure,¡± Tang Yuxin rubbed her stomach. Merely discussing food made her realize how hungry she was. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Tang Zhinian adjusted the umbre to cover Yuxin more while he carried her backpack on his shoulder. He was prepared to get wet to ensure Yuxin remained dry during this crucial period¡ªexam time. Uncle Chen had reserved a table at a state-run restaurant which was full of parents who had apanied their children for the exam. Despite it being just a middle school exam, urban parents were extremely involved. They had almost all arrived for the asion, while rural parents who might be busy with their farm work or less engaged with their children¡¯s academics, were less in number. When Tang Zhinian and Yuxin arrived, the food was already served. Xu Miaomiao and Chen Lidong had arrived earlier. They were cross-referencing their answers¡ªjoyful when they got them right, regretful when wrong. They med themselves for not being careful enough. Despite having attempted those questions before, they wondered how they managed to get them incorrect. Chapter 222 - 215 Water City Chapter 222: Chapter 215 Water City ¡°Yuxin, Yuxin,e quickly¡­¡± As soon as Xu Miaomiao saw Tang Yuxin, she started chattering away excitedly. Apparently, they had disagreed on an answer to a question. Each of them insisted they were right, but who was actually correct? They needed Tang Yuxin to settle the dispute. ¡°You¡¯re both wrong,¡± Tang Yuxin said, sipping her water, ¡°I¡¯ve already exined the answer to you.¡± Xu Miaomiao and Chen Lidong looked at each other, seeing regret in the other¡¯s eyes. If only they¡¯d paid more attention before. Yes, these questions were actually from the middle school exams that Tang Yuxin remembered. Although she didn¡¯t remember many, it was enough to boost their scores. She hadn¡¯t produced all the questions at once, but she had subtly mentioned some during their regr review sessions. As long as she knew the answer, they should have known it as well. If they still got it wrong, truth be told, she was at a loss for words. Really. Both of them lowered their heads, saying nothing, possibly out of shame. Now that they thought about it, Tang Yuxin had indeed exined these questions to them. But they had disregarded them, thinking they were too niche to be in the actual exam. But as it turned out, these were the exact questions that appeared in the examination, all of which they failed to answer, losing points as a result. Regaining these points was now an impossible task, at least until the next life. Luckily, there were several more subjects to tackle. Both of them became more driven, cramming before the battle. Each picked up their book, reading while eating, their dedication lifting their fathers¡¯ spirits. It¡¯s good when a child bes sensible, at the very least, as long as they don¡¯t need to worry about them, everything else is manageable. By the afternoon, two more subjects were over. Thankfully, it rained that day, so it wasn¡¯t too hot and was instead quite cool. Otherwise, with so many people crammed into such arge ssroom, they might have felt suffocated due to the heat before they¡¯d even written a few words. The subjects tested in the afternoon weren¡¯t too difficult, perhaps because Tang Yuxin had predicted most of the questions urately, with an uracy rate of roughly 60%. Along with aprehensive review, they finished the afternoon exam without any problems. When they returned home, Xu Miaomiao¡¯s father had borrowed a car from his office. He had recently been promoted, and it seemed that his official career was going well. When they first met, he was just a small leader in a factory, but now he was a prominent leader. However, Miaomiao¡¯s father was just as kind as before, and his status hadn¡¯t changed the way he treated others. Frankly, if we were to talk about changes, he knew very well that the biggest changes had taken ce in Chen Lidong and Tang Zhinian¡¯s households. These people ran their businesses so well that they each had hundreds of thousands of yuan on hand. Being a sried worker, he was far from being on par. Chen Lidong and Xu Miaomiao insisted on studying at Tang Yuxin¡¯s house, iming that the environment was conducive to studying. But what kind of ¡°studying atmosphere¡± were these kids seeking? Nevertheless, he had to admit that Tang Yuxin, the little teacher, was very good at teaching. Putting the three children together in the future, they would study together and supervise each other, guaranteeing their admission to universities. Since both families had be frequent visitors, they starteding over together unabashedly. Little Sisi was quietly doing her homework on the side. Her exams wereter, but influenced by her older siblings, she was already a top student. The child looked genuinely beautiful, just like her older sister. As Chen Lidong touched Sisi¡¯s hair, he remembered seeing Tang Yuxin grow up. Tang Yuxin was once a thin and dark young girl, but now, she was exceptionally beautiful, proof of the saying ¡°maiden changes when she turns eighteen.¡± Little Sisi must be the same. Little Sisi raised her small face, knowing that her uncle was praising her; she smiled, looking delighted. Now that their family had money, Tang Zhijun bought good clothes for his daughter and nutritious milk for her to drink. She looked fair, clean, and pretty, making her absolutely lovable. Tang Yuxin also put down her pen, staring at Sisi¡¯s small face. It appeared that they did look quite simr. Could it be because they spent so much time together that they started looking alike? Even an outsider felt they looked simr; they must look even more alike in reality. However, Chen Lidong seemed to be very fond of Sisi. If Tang Zhijun hadn¡¯t loved his daughter so dearly, Chen Lidong would have carried Sisi away a few times already,ining about how they only had a boy and not a girl. Chen Lidong looked quite pitiful when he was so disregarded by his own parents, and Tang Yuxin could hardly bear to watch. He was quite pitiable. When Tang Yuxin woke up the next day, Chen Lidong was already awake and studying in the yard. He was making full use of his time, fervently preparing for the exam. After two days of exams, Tang Yuxin felt somewhat drained. She tossed her books aside, took a few days of rest at home, and then Xu Miaomiao came over. She said that they were going on a vacation to Water City. They had also finished their exams and wanted to unwind a bit. Tang Yuxin thought about it and agreed; she should go out too, as there was nothing to do at home, anyway. And once their admission letters arrived, they would have to start preparing for high school. High school was quite different from junior school; it was a critical point in defining their future. All of them, including Tang Yuxin, had their respective shorings. Although Tang Yuxin had lived an extra life, she hadn¡¯t continue her studies all along. Time had blurred her memory and years had worn away her past. She didn¡¯t remember much, and there was still a lot she had to learn. Thus, the high school curriculum was, for her, a challenge just like any other student. She didn¡¯t have any advantages; she needed to start from scratch, go through sophomore year, survive junior year, before finally entering college. Yes, the ce where her dream started. Now, while the score report was yet to be announced, it was good to go and have some fun, rx a bit, then tighten up and prepare for future studies. The three of them nned their travel route. Over the next few days, they huddled together, with a clueless Sisi. When they nodded, Sisi also nodded. Until the day they were about to leave, Sisi still had tear-soaked eyes, feeling wronged. She felt as if she was being abandoned by the group. Yes, abandoned. They were supposed to be together, so why was she being left out? She didn¡¯t want to be abandoned, she just wasn¡¯t okay with it. Chapter 223 - 216: Coming for the Reputation Chapter 223: Chapter 216: Coming for the Reputation Chen Lidong couldn¡¯t bear it. She still had exams to take. As the older sister, Tang Yuxin couldn¡¯t be cruel either. If she took her along, her uncle would surely be furious. So they sneaked out one day without knowing if Sisi cried. At this point, they were already on the train to Water City. Though it was said to be a solo trip, it didn¡¯t really count as solo. The tickets were actually bought by Xu¡¯s father who also arranged for someone to meet them at the railway station. Despite the veneer of freedom, their trip was still being orchestrated by adults. After all, they were not grown up yet. Tang Yuxin was seventeen, Xu Miaomiao and Chen Lidong were both sixteen. Tang Yuxin was the eldest among them. Yes, the oldest sister. Add the word ¡°old¡± and she was indeed an old sister. She felt she should be called Auntie instead. True enough, there was someone waiting for them when they arrived at the station. There was no need for them to make any extra effort. The person who came to meet them was a rtive of the Xu family, Miaomiao¡¯s aunt who had been married here for over a decade. Both families had always been on good terms. Although it was Miaomiao¡¯s first time in Water City, her aunt had been here many times already. The reason they called it the Water City was because the entire city was surrounded by water, much like Venice. It was a beautiful little town in Jiangnan. The water was good here, the air was fresh, and even the women raised here were uniquely beautiful. ¡°This girl looks like one of our Water City locals,¡± Miaomiao¡¯s aunt liked Yuxin instantly. Yuxin was well-raised, herplexion as fair as a steamed baozi, and her brows were as fine as a painting, making her pleasant to look at. ¡°Auntie,¡± Miaomiao quickly hugged Yuxin¡¯s arm, ¡°She¡¯s beautiful and smells good too. Take a sniff. There¡¯s a pleasant scent on her.¡± Miaomiao¡¯s aunt had wanted to ask what these kids had applied on themselves. They had a faint fragrance, reminiscent of orchids or peonies. It¡¯s a chilly yetforting scent, like a snowkending inside the nostrils while the scent lingered. This faint fragrance was noticeable on Miaomiao too. But it was more pronounced on Yuxin. As for Lidong, auntie didn¡¯t want to ask. If he dared to apply any fragrance, she would scold him. A boy applying fragrance, was he trying to be a woman? Therefore, the fragrance was definitely from Yuxin. ¡°What did she apply?¡± Miaomiao¡¯s aunt really liked the scent. Was it a perfume? What brand was it? ¡°Violet,¡± Miaomiao pointed to her own face and red at Yuxin. ¡°I also apply Violet every day, but it doesn¡¯t have the same scent.¡± ¡°Of course it doesn¡¯t.¡± Miaomiao¡¯s aunt covered her mouth andughed. ¡°Some people have a natural body fragrance. This girl has it, and it¡¯s a cool fragrance.¡± ¡°Yes, she smells so nice.¡± Miaomiao clung to Yuxin¡¯s arm, put it under her nose, and took a whiff. ¡°Whenever I¡¯m free, I get her to help perfume my house. Whenever she visits, the fragrance lingers in my house for three days. If only she could visit every day then, I would also be fragrant.¡± The fragrance on Yuxin had this effect. Interestingly, her fragrance was only permeable to women and not men. Women who stayed around her for a while would have a faint scent on them. But Chen Lidong, none of the men in the Tang family had this scent on them. So this fragrance was rather strange. But strange as it was, she still liked it. ¡°Auntie, haven¡¯t I been nice? I¡¯ve brought her to perfume your house,¡± Miaomiao muttered, reducing her aunt to a mix ofughter and tears. Miaomiao¡¯s aunt could not help but take an extra look at Yuxin again. She was around fifteen or sixteen, just blooming into adolescence. Yuxin was just smiling, a gentle curve hanging at the corner of her mouth. Her eyes were filled with elegance. Natural light fell on her skin, leaving a sheen that was almost translucent. Miaomiao¡¯s aunt thought of a phrase: ice skin and jade bones. This skin, it should feel slightly cold to the touch. Miaomiao¡¯s aunt took them to a guest house. That was what Miaomiao had requested. She said she was here to rx and unwind, and staying at her aunt¡¯s house would deprive them of their freedom. They should be staying outside to feel like real tourists, right? And Miaomiao¡¯s aunt actually agreed. But she insisted on picking a guest house for them. Fortunately, she had a friend who ran a guest house. Leaving these kids there would put her at ease. Yuxin and Miaomiao shared a room, while Lidong was alone. Being the only boy, he had to lodge alone. Having just alighted from the train, they had a quick bite outside before heading back to the guest house for a good night¡¯s sleep. And they slept very soundly. By the time they woke up in the evening, they started strolling along the streets of the Water City. At night, there was not much crowd on the streets, unlike other cities that turned into sleepless cities. The streets were dimly lit with few pedestrians around. Only the office workers were still making their way home, and small shops along the streets were still open. These shops were a distinctive feature here. This ce and its products were always famous nationwide, then and now. They sold local specialities of Water City like artistic stone carvings and minority ethnic embroideries, all of which were special attractions. This was not Yuxin¡¯s first time here, she had heard a lot about the Water City and even had colleagues bring back souvenirs from here. She had seen it in pictures too, but never had a chance to visit. Now, she finally came here herself. It was rare for her to feel so rxed. She forgot about her past life and also that she was someone who was reborn. She felt like an ordinary middle-school student here for tourism. She bought many handicrafts. Each was novel and intriguing, and not pricey. Most of them were just one or two yuan. When she left, her father had given her five hundred yuan. If she ran out, she could withdraw cash from the bank, but she felt the five hundred yuan was more than enough. At most, she would only spend a hundred yuan. Chapter 224: 217 I Don’t Know You Chapter 224: Chapter 217 I Don¡¯t Know You Xu Miaomiao also bought a lot, and all those things were carried by Chen Lidong who was trailing behind. Chen Lidong was so upset, he actually had things he wanted to buy, too. By the time they had almost finished shopping on this street, it was around nine o¡¯clock in the evening, and the vendors were about to close their stalls. As they walked back along Water Street, they found that Aunt Xu hade and prepared some food, which she had brought in insted containers. The inn was quite close to Aunt Xu¡¯s house, just a short walk away. ¡°Auntie, you¡¯re the best!¡± Miaomiao hugged Aunt Xu¡¯s arm and acted like a little girl, all spoiled and sweet. Aunt Xu poked Miaomiao¡¯s cheek with her finger and said, ¡°You¡¯re so sweet. No wonder your father sent you here, you must have sweet-talked him a lot, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Miaomiao thought about her frugal father and felt like crying. ¡°Auntie, you have no idea how stingy my dad is. He doesn¡¯t allow this, and he doesn¡¯t allow that. If I hadn¡¯t promised him that I could pass the high school entrance exam, he wouldn¡¯t have let mee here.¡± ¡°What if you don¡¯t pass? The results haven¡¯te out yet, have they?¡± Aunt Xu asked her niece seriously.
Miaomiao gritted her teeth and put on a brave face, ¡°Then I¡¯d be in deep trouble.¡± Sobbed Miaomiao, she really didn¡¯t want that to happen. Aunt Xu couldn¡¯t help butugh and cry at the same time, thinking that her niece had grown into a youngdy, but her personality had not changed since she was a child, she was still like a child. When would this child grow up? Aunt Xu put down the lunch box and went home. The three of them ate some food. They were quite tired from walking around, so they each went back to their own rooms to rest. Tang Yuxin sat on the small bed in the inn, looking over the purchases she had made, and each item delighted her immensely. ¡°Let¡¯s sleep,¡± Xu Miaomiao was too tired to keep her eyes open, ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s so great about these things? You¡¯ve been looking at them for so long, aren¡¯t you tired?¡± ¡°I¡¯m good,¡± Tang Yuxin was still somewhat spirited, but soon enough, she yawned. Yup, she¡¯s out of energy. Time for bed. Tang Yuxiny down, probably due to exhaustion, considering they¡¯d just got off the train and had been walking around outside for a long time. Mentally exhausted and physically rxed. Either way, it was more than enough to allow her to sleep soundly. When they woke up the next day, it was already more than ten in the morning, then following the pre-arranged route, they went to Water City for fun. The weather was pretty good, at least good enough to swim. But except for Tang Yuxin, the other two were not good swimmers, so they hadn¡¯t thought about swimming. ¡°Let¡¯s y over there,¡± Xu Miaomiao pointed to a water park and then screamed and ran towards it. Chen Lidong felt that apanying Xu Miaomiao for shopping was indeed exhausting. Moreover, he sneaked a look around and saw many people covering their mouths andughing, making him feel like a monkey on disy. He didn¡¯t want to go there, but he nced at Tang Yuxin behind him helplessly. ¡°Could you talk some sense into her, so she doesn¡¯t embarrass us by shouting all the time?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know you,¡± Tang Yuxin continued to walk forward. Chen Lidong twitched his mouth. He was really tempted to strangle her in his heart. This is simply a woman with all kinds of darkness in her heart, and a horrible face. Anyone who marries her in the future will definitely suffer. ¡°Are you thinking about who will be unlucky enough to marry me in the future?¡± Tang Yuxin could tell what Chen Lidong was thinking just from his expression. ¡°No, no¡­That¡¯s not it, honestly,¡± Chen Lidongughed awkwardly. There was no way he would admit it. Besides, how did she figure it out just by looking at his eyes? ¡°Let¡¯s move on before we lose Miaomiao.¡±
Tang Yuxin never thought they would lose Miaomiao. Even if they lost both of them, Miaomiao would not get lost. Miaomiao had lived here for a while when she was young and she was, in a way, a half native of Water City. She remembered the telephone number of the inn, and she was not a child anymore. There was no way she would lose herself. ¡°Okay,¡± Chen Lidong shrugged and followed. Tang Yuxin also quickened her pace. Although she imed ¡°I don¡¯t know you,¡± when necessary, she would keep an eye on these two. After all, she¡¯s much older than both of them, so there were many times when she couldn¡¯t change her mindset and still thought she was the Tang Yuxin from her previous life. So now she has a headache, wondering what kind of man she should find so she doesn¡¯t feel like she¡¯s married a younger brother or her own son.
And she knows that no matter what, in the future, she will definitely get married and have children. This is a path that every woman must walk, and the Tang family won¡¯t allow her to remain unmarried or choose to be child free. No matter how much her second uncle indulges Sisi, she knows in her heart that Sisi is not his biological daughter, hence not a legitimate heir of the Tang family, nor will father ever remarry. Therefore, the only person who can carry on the bloodline of the Tang family is her. If she really dared to say that did not want to get married or have children, Terrible consequences would ensue, even she herself would be disgusted with her own decision. In her previous life, she let down her father and the Tang family. Regardless of anything, in this life, she has to take the right path, the path that every woman has been taking for thousands of years. At this moment, the sunlight above her head suddenly became a bit dazzling. She put her hand under her eyes and saw the clear river water in the distance. asionally reflected ripples, appeared as stars in the sky. Actually, it¡¯s not that hard to ept. Just like she epted her current time. With such breathtaking natural beauty, how could one not feel joyful and lose oneself in these mountains and rivers? Enjoy a cup of tea and contemte about the wind, flowers, and the moon. A pot of clear tea and a streak of yearning in the heart. She squinted her eyes, and suddenly, as if the light in front of her had stabbed her, she turned her head and it seemed like someone was staring at her like a beast, with a certain message, a certain calction, that made her ufortable. She took a step forward, getting a bit closer to Miaomiao and Chen Lidong. By nature, she had a good sense of intuition, and she now had an indescribable feeling of unease.
Even when they went back to the inn to rest, she still felt a bit uneasy. When they passed by a centuries-old herbal medicine shop, she thought for a bit and decided to go in. Chapter 225: 218: A Kind of Unease Chapter 225: Chapter 218: A Kind of Unease When she went in, she had nothing with her, and when she came out, she still had nothing. However, little did anyone know, at this moment, she had a packet of medicine powder in her pocket. She hoped that she would never need to use it. They returned to the inn to rest for a while, nning to go out again in the afternoon. Luckily, the inn was nearby; otherwise, they would only be able to return in the evening. After a day of walking, they were unsure of the distance they had covered, but it was enough to make their legs and feet ache. Tang Yuxin was twiddling the packet of medicine in her hand. ¡°What is that?¡± Xu Miaomiao turned her head, knowing that Tang Yuxin always had some interesting things, like some medicinal powders shepounded. These powders could be used for foot baths, baths, and the like, with great effects. Moreover, whenever she had a fever or a cold, a cup of herbal tea would make her sweat and feel better. She heard from Uncle Tang that Yuxin had apprenticed under a traditional Chinese medical practitioner in their vige for a few years, so she understood these medicinal effects well. At times, she truly felt that Tang Yuxin was too diligent and envied her a little. Of course, this envy eventually turned into admiration. Well, Tang Yuxin intended to be a doctor anyway. In the future, if she had headaches or any other illnesses, she would look for Yuxin, entrusting her with her health. ¡°Is it candy?¡± Xu Miaomiao extended her delicate finger, poking the little paper bag Tang Yuxin was holding.
¡°Do you want to try it?¡± Tang Yuxin asked her, with a serious face, but the clear and cold look in her eyes mirrored the greedy expression on Xu Miaomiao¡¯s face. Xu Miaomiao suddenly felt a little scared. Of course, being afraid of the unknown was typical. ¡°That¡­¡± she hesitated nervously with a grin, ¡°I think¡­I¡¯ll pass. Really, I¡¯m not that curious.¡± Indeed, curiosity could kill the cat. She couldn¡¯t carelessly touch or consume Tang Yuxin¡¯s things because some were medicinal. How could it be taken indiscriminately? Doing so would only bring sufferings. This was a lesson she needed to remember for the rest of her life. She pulled back her finger, swiftly ran off to her little bed, pulled the nket over and fell asleep. They were supposed to continue exploring once she woke up, but her legs were aching. What to do? ¡°Yuxin, my legs hurt,¡± she grumbled, as she rolled over. ¡°You¡¯ll get used to it,¡± Tang Yuxin dismissed, cing the medicine bag back into her pocket. What could she do about it? This was just normal fatigue from excessive walking. Even if she sought relief today, the pain would return tomorrow. She might as well get used to it slowly. Xu Miaomiao wriggled the nket in between her legs, twisting it like a twist doughnut. She rolled over a few more times before Tang Yuxin finallyid t on the bed, positioning her hands on her belly, breathing tranquilly as if she was fused with nature. Xu Miaomiao had never seen Yuxin change her sleeping position. However, her breath was always so calm and steady during her sleep that it was also soothing to listen to. Unlike some people, who would snore loudly while sleeping, it made her feel like kicking the wall. She could still faintly hear Xu Lidong snoring in the distance. He was almost as bad as her father. She too,id down, mimicking Tang Yuxin by cing her hands on her belly, rxing her body, closing her eyes. However, after a while, she couldn¡¯t help but squirm again. She brought the nket back in between her legs. She was never good at keeping still in her sleep. Yet, unbeknownst to her, after she had fallen asleep, Yuxin sat up, stepped off the bed, picked up the fallen nket from the floor, and draped it over Miaomiao. She theny back down in the same position. It was a good thing Tang Yuxin was around. Otherwise, Xu Miaomiao would have kicked off the nket multiple times, risking catching a cold. When they woke up, it was already past two in the afternoon. They went out to have a good meal before continuing their stroll along thekeside, heading towards Water City¡¯s most famous attraction, the waterfront architecture. The houses were all built over water, and it was hard to imagine how they were built. They were lined up, appearing quite spectacr. However, Xu Miaomiao thought living there would be quite unnerving. What if there was a flood? What if the water washed away the house or if the road got washed away? Wouldn¡¯t people end up drowning or starving?
Harboring such wild thoughts, she brought herself back to reality, noticing that her friends were already quite ahead of her. She was about to catch up, but then she spotted a small stall selling toys. Being a girl, she found such things irresistible. She immediately ran over and bought several items. Unbeknownst to her, however, a few individuals nearby, with malevolent looks, had been observing her for quite a while. After finishing her shopping, Xu Miaomiao was about to join her friends when she felt a stomach upset. ¡°Wait for me.¡±
She waved at Tang Yuxin and Chen Lidong, who were waiting for her in the distance. ¡°I need to use the restroom. My stomach hurts, and it might be a while.¡± Chen Lidong covered half of his face with his hand, finding it hard to bear. Could she not be so direct? Meanwhile, Tang Yuxin leaned on the side, pretending not to know them. Right then, she was ying with a medicine bag in her hand. After taking a bath at the inn, the scent on her had faded a bit. She had finally figured out how to reduce the scent on her body. She used to think that the more fragrant the better, and with a natural scent, she wouldn¡¯t need perfume. But she didn¡¯t realize that sometimes, having a natural scent could be a hassle. For instance, Miaomiao was always telling her to ¡°go scent a room.¡± She was a person, not a moving incense burner. After bathing, her scent would noticeably decrease and be almost imperceptible. She put the medicine bag back into her pocket. However, ten minutes passed, and Xu Miaomiao still hadn¡¯t returned. Then twenty minutes passed, and she still hadn¡¯t shown up. Tang Yuxin stood up straight while Chen Lidong beganining, ¡°Where did she go? Why is she taking so long? What if there¡¯s no toilet paper?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go check.¡± Tang Yuxin dashed towards the restroom. Meanwhile, a sudden sense of unease surged in her heart, evoking a mysterious danger simr to the one she had felt the day before. Chapter 226 - 219: Captured Chapter 226: Chapter 219: Captured She just hoped that Xu Miaomiao was doing as Chen Lidong suggested: ran short of toilet paper, got numbing legs from squatting, or couldn¡¯t get up because of diarrhea. She went into thedies¡¯ restroom. When she came out, her face was pale ¨C it was even rather unsightly. Because Xu Miaomiao wasn¡¯t in there. ¡°She might have run into the men¡¯s restroom,¡± Chen Lidong pondered, then pped his left hand with his right, ¡°I believe she must be too embarrassed toe out. Let me check.¡± Chen Lidong said this and also ran into the men¡¯s restroom to look for her. But Tang Yuxin firmly clenched her hands at her sides, without any hope in Chen Lidong. After all, Xu Miaomiao originally entered the women¡¯s restroom, not the men¡¯s. She had seen with her own eyes Xu Miaomiao entering the women¡¯s restroom, and half an hour had already passed, and she had note out yet. And now she was not in the restroom. How could a perfectly fine person just disappear? She reentered thedies¡¯ restroom. There was a window inside, but Xu Miaomiao was not going to climb out. The window was small, so a child might have been able to fit through it, but Xu Miaomiao was not petite, and there was nothing wrong with her mentally. So, she would never climb through a window. When she came out again, Chen Lidong¡¯s face was all white. ¡°What should we do, she¡¯s not inside.¡± Tang Yuxin slightly pursed her red lips. She knew Xu Miaomiao was not inside. ¡°What should we do now? Should we inform her aunt?¡± Chen Lidong was a bit flustered. He bitterly thought that once he found Xu Miaomiao, he would definitely beat her to death, regardless of whether she was a woman. She was ying a game of disappearing, was she having fun somewhere? Yes, she must have gone somewhere. Chen Lidong consoled himself with this thought. ¡°She must have gone somewhere for fun.¡± He tried to bronze a smile, but it was uglier than a cry. Even though he was saying these words, he understood very well in his heart that even though Xu Miaomiao was sometimes silly, she was still a sixteen-year-old girl. She wasn¡¯t like Sisi, who was only eight or nine years old and didn¡¯t really understand things. Even Sisi knew to hold an adult¡¯s hand in crowded ces. At Miaomiao¡¯s age, could it be she did not know it was better to stay with them rather than wandering off alone? She was not this kind of person, and she wouldn¡¯t do these kinds of things, so his thought became very clear. Xu Miaomiao was in trouble. Tang Yuxin suddenly turned around and walked away. ¡°Yuxin, where are you going?¡± Chen Lidong quickly caught up with Tang Yuxin. Tang Yuxin stopped, then turned around, her ck eyes sinking frighteningly. ¡°Don¡¯t follow me.¡± Her words, each one clear and cold, pierced Chen Lidong¡¯s heart. He blinked, as though suddenly understanding Tang Yuxin¡¯s thoughts. ¡°Yuxin, you¡¯re not going to¡­¡± Tang Yuxin did not answer. She turned around again, and then strode away. Chen Lidong stepped to follow, but after a few steps, he saw Tang Yuxin turn around again, and the warning in her eyes frightened him. His feet really froze at that spot, and he couldn¡¯t move forward at all. Tang Yuxin continued to walk forward, heading towards a less crowded area. Only then did she remember that back in Water City, they had said a lot of young girls had gone missing. Those girls had all been taken by criminals. At that time, that news was quite shocking. That was why Sang Zhn had confined Wei Jiani in the house, not allowing her to go out. Because of this, Wei Jiani had thrown a fit. At that time, Tang Yuxin realized that all of Sang Zhn¡¯s motherly love was for Wei Jiani. She didn¡¯t allow Wei Jiani to go out, but Tang Yuxin still had to go shopping for groceries and give private tuitions. There shouldn¡¯t be any difference between a biological daughter and an adopted daughter. But even as a biological daughter, Tang Yuxin was treated worse than an adopted one. Tang Yuxin¡¯s heart was a bit heavy at this point. Her tightly pursed red lips were being bitten by her own teeth until they hurt. How could she have forgotten this? She had sensed something was wrong yesterday, as though something was about to happen. But she hadn¡¯t paid close attention to Xu Miaomiao. All of this was her fault. In her previous life, Xu Miaomiao would have been fine because she never got into high school, so it could have never brought her to Water City. All of this happened because of her. Her rebirth changed a lot of things, but she could not change the course of history itself. Xu Miaomiao was doing well academically. She would have had a bright future, but now if she was really taken away by criminals, Tang Yuxin would prefer her to be the previous Xu Miaomiao, who did not know Tang Yuxin, who did not get into high school or college. Despite living a more challenging life, at least these kinds of things would not have happened to her. Xu Miaomiao¡¯s parents only had one daughter. If they lost her, what kind of harm and pain would it cause them? Would anyone understand? And she understood, she understood. When she died that year, she had personally seen her white-haired father crying and sobbing like a child, holding onto her ashes. In that instant, she regretted dying before her father and making him experience the pain of a white-haired person sending off a ck-haired person. And how could she let the Xu parents, who were so kind to her, experience the pain of losing a flesh and blood child, the pain of being parted by life and death? Xu Miaomiao was only sixteen. Only sixteen. And all she could do now was to follow this path. She put her hand in her pocket and touched the small packet of medicine. If her uneasy sixth sense was correct, then these people would not let her go. Those nces held a terrifying sense of invasion, and there was also a determined quality to them ¨C it was not desire for women, but greed for money. She stood for a long time at a booth and then walked towards a sparsely popted area. From the corner of her eye, she saw a creepy man who had been following her. Her heartbeat quickened, and she tried to suppress her nervousness. No, she wasn¡¯t afraid. Yeah, not afraid. Her medicine could take down even arge elephant with only a bit of it, so she wasn¡¯t worried about a person, or even ten to twenty people. No matter what, she would have to rescue Xu Miaomiao. She lowered her eyes, and as she walked further, there were fewer people. Just as she was about to turn a corner, a cloth was suddenly thrown over her face, and she smelled an unusual smell. It was somewhat stinking and somewhat sour. It was ethanol. Her consciousness lingered for a few seconds, and then all she saw was darkness. Chapter 227 - 220: The Snowball with a Fragrance Chapter 227: Chapter 220: The Snowball with a Fragrance ¡°Yuxin, Yuxin¡­¡± She didn¡¯t know how much time had passed, someone seemed to be calling her name. The dark fog before her eyes waspletely torn and disappeared. Slowly, she opened her eyes, but the light before her was still somewhat dim. ¡°Yuxin, Yuxin, wake up¡­¡± Someone seemed to bump into her and that jolt fully woke her up. She opened her eyes and the dense fog broke away revealing the face of Xu Miaomiao, grey and covered in dust. ¡°Oh¡­ Yuxin, you finally woke up¡­¡± She couldn¡¯t hold back the tears any more and buried her head on Tang Yuxin¡¯s shoulder. Her sobbing was asionally interrupted by the cries of other girls around them. Tang Yuxin looked around to see girls scattered here and there, sitting or lying, or huddling in corners. All of them were whimpering weakly. Some were stupefied, staring nkly ahead, their eyes devoid of any focus. Tang Yuxin sat up. Her hands had been tied behind her. She tried to loosen the rope, but it was tied too tightly. She couldn¡¯t break free. Xu Miaomiao was simrly bound. Xu Miaomiao, struggling to hold back her sobs, told Tang Yuxin how she ended up here. She was in the restroom when someone covered her face. She remembered smelling something unpleasant before she passed out. When she woke up, she found herself here, surrounded by girls of the same age. Even as naive as she was, Xu Miaomiao understood that she had been abducted. She had heard terrible stories about this. Girls would be sold off to destitute areas to birth children. They would be locked up in dark rooms, beaten, yelled at, starved and forced to keep having babies. Just the thought of this caused the hairs on her body to stand on end. She didn¡¯t want this. She didn¡¯t want to be a baby-making machine. She didn¡¯t want to be beaten or kept in a dark, small room. She yearned for her mother, her father. ¡°Don¡¯t cry,¡± Tang Yuxin¡¯s hand, tied behind her back, lightly touched Xu Miaomiao¡¯s fingers. ¡°Conserve your strength, we¡¯ll escape.¡± Her voice was low but determined. She had to believe they would escape. They had to. Xu Miaomiao sniffled, holding back her sorrow and fear, but not her tears. She sat there crying pitifully. That night, they were cramped in a small space, surrounded by various odors, almost all nauseating. That night, they ate nothing. When dawn broke, the door creaked open. Tang Yuxin¡¯s heart pounded. She opened her eyes but immediately shut them. She moved herself and Xu Miaomiao to the most secluded corner. ¡°The goods this time are not bad,¡± A sleazy manughed, ¡°I see a few gems. One in particr caught my attention, white as snow and smelling sweet. She¡¯ll fetch a high price.¡± ¡°Which one? Let me see.¡± Another man rubbed his hands in anticipation. He was eager to see this beautiful, fragrant girl. He had seen those as white as snow, but a fragrant one was new. Tang Yuxin clenched her fists. She was relieved her fragrance was faint due to the filthy air in the room. ¡°Let me find her,¡± The man began searching, but after several rounds, he sounded disappointed, ¡°It¡¯s too dark to see clearly.¡± The other man sniffed the air, ¡°I don¡¯t smell anything either. I think you must have made a mistake. Snow with fragrance, what could that be? Violet?¡± ¡°Enough,¡± A third man walked in, ¡°Why all the nonsense? Keep an eye on the goods. We¡¯re moving out soon. The money is ours only when we get it. These girls are only trouble until then. If the police find us, we¡¯re all done for.¡± ¡°Got it, Boss.¡± The two henchmen obediently replied. ¡°Boss, what about them? Are we feeding them?¡± One of the men pointed at the huddled, frightened girls. All of them were pretty and young, around fifteen or sixteen. These were the ones that would fetch a good price. These naive girls with no worldly experience were easier to handle. ¡°Starve them for a couple of days,¡± The boss said, giving the girls a cold nce. ¡°When they are weak with hunger and cannot speak, how will they escape?¡± They had been in this business for a long time and never had a mishap. The knot in Tang Yuxin¡¯s heart rxed slightly. It was her they had been looking for ¨C the snow smelling sweet. She dreaded them finding her. Her lips, pale now, were pursed in anxiety. From what she knew now, there were three men, all ruthless. There might be others. It seemed they would starve the girls for a few days, implying they would stay here for a while. It was a relief. Her biggest fear was them tying the girls onto separate vehicles to be sold off. Even if she found a chance to act, how could they find their way back from the middle of nowhere? ¡°Miaomiao¡­¡± Tang Yuxin said Xu Miaomiao¡¯s name. ¡°Mmm?¡± Xu Miaomiao¡¯s eyes were swollen from crying, her voice was hoarse. Tang Yuxin worried she would die of dehydration if she kept crying. ¡°Turn around,¡± Tang Yuxin told Xu Miaomiao. Xu Miaomiaoplied. Tang Yuxin looked at her bound hands then bent down to bite the knot. She hoped it was not tied too tight. After some time, her mouth was sore, her teeth ached, but thankfully the knot had slightly loosened. When Xu Miaomiao felt her hands free, the rope had already fallen to the ground. ¡°Yuxin, you¡¯re bleeding from your mouth.¡± Xu Miaomiao was ready to break into tears again at the sight of the blood on the corner of Tang Yuxin¡¯s mouth. ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± Tang Yuxin handed Xu Miaomiao her back, ¡°Help me untie this.¡± Xu Miaomiao hurriedly began untying the rope. The rope was too tight and her fingers struggled to loosen it. Chapter 228: 221: Violently Breaking Down the Door Chapter 228: Chapter 221: Violently Breaking Down the Door She was choking and sniffing, her heart full of sorrow. After great effort, she finally untied the ropes on Tang Yuxin¡¯s hands. Just as she was about to say something, Tang Yuxin just shook her head at her, cing her finger on her lips. Xu Miaomiao quickly covered her mouth, nodding in agreement, which was strange because she had been almost desperate when she was first brought here. She feared being sold, feared being locked in a tiny dark room to give birth, without food or drink, only beatings and scoldings. But now, she didn¡¯t fear anything at all. She leaned her body closer to Zhi Yuxin, staying in this tiny room that was pitch-dark. She could smell all sorts of odours from the people around her. asionally, footsteps could be heard from outside, and the door would also open. Each time, Xu Miaomiao would be startled awake, time and again those people woulde in, seemingly just to look at the captives inside, but they neverid a hand on them. Until one day, once the door opened, the light from outside was so blinding they could barely keep their eyes open. Tang Yuxin pinched Xu Miaomiao¡¯s arm. Then she lowered her head, signalling Xu Miaomiao to do the same.
Someone walked by their cell, stopping right by them. At that moment, both Xu Miaomiao and Tang Yuxin became so anxious that they almost stopped breathing until the footsteps finally moved away. They both breathed a sigh of relief. Then suddenly, a girl¡¯s scream split the air. Tang Yuxin raised her head to see a girl slung over a man¡¯s shoulder. The girl was screaming, her voice already shrill, her legs iling about. Xu Miaomiao was terrified, she clung tightly to Tang Yuxin¡¯s arm, her whole body trembling. It seemed that they could still hear the girl¡¯s screams, pleas, and sobs. And the sound of fabric being torn apart. Tang Yuxin tightly gripped the small packet in her hand, her fingers clenched, never loosening. Gradually, the sounds from outside lessened, reced by the sound of snoring. Some were loud, others soft, like some strange ensemble making a symphony. They had fallen asleep. Yes, how could they not fall asleep? Their physical desires fulfilled, their bellies full, while Tang Yuxin and the others had been starved for three days, barely given water to drink, made top from the tes like dogs. Their hands and feet were bound, even if nature called, they could only helplessly relieve themselves on their own clothes. At this moment, the snoring became louder and more regr. Tang Yuxin suddenly stood up. Xu Miaomiao tried to hold onto her hand, tears streaming down her face. She was afraid. Tang Yuxin shook her hand free, and walked forward. She ced her hand on the door handle. The door was locked, and there was also arge iron lock on the outside. The lock was big, but the door seemed unsteady. She peeked through the door gap, seeing three men lying on a wooden nk outside. Yes, exactly three men, always the same three. At this moment, they were sleeping soundly. One of them was half-naked, semi-sprawled on the ground. On the ground was a girl, her clothes torn to shreds, her body covered in wounds, especially her legs, where the sight of bloody marks was gut-wrenching. Tang Yuxin gripped the door tighter, her heart aching. But she couldn¡¯t save them, really couldn¡¯t. Opportunities onlye once, and she had waited for the most appropriate one. Otherwise, the plight of the girl would be their own as well. She took out the powdered drug from her pocket, then poured it out from under the door, before closing the door sharply.
Gradually, the snoring on the other side of the door lessened until it was nearly gone. She opened the door again to find that the drug had been dispersed everywhere by the wind. There was a faint fragrance outside, but it was already very faint. Tang Yuxin probably should be grateful for the door. The window outside was open, and the wind had blown away most of the powdered drug which was potent enough to knock out an elephant. Therefore, the effect was very weak when she smelled it now. Maybe it was because she often dealt with herbs, so her resistance to drugs was stronger than that of others.
First, she gently pushed the door. The people outside were still sleeping like logs. Then she forcefully shook the door, the ttering sounds frightening the girls inside, making them sit anxiously, not daring to move. ¡°Untie them,¡± Yuxin turned around and told Xu Miaomiao, who was in aplete daze. Meanwhile, she picked up a brick by the door and began to vigorously smash the door. Miaomiao finally came to her senses and hastily untied the other girls. Yuxin, on the other hand, kept striking the door with the brick, making a loud ttering noise. The door suddenly gave way with a loud bang, and the lock fell to the ground, intact. By then, Xu Miaomiao had nearly finished untying the girls. They had started helping each other, and all the ropes had been untied. Yuxin picked up a few ropes from the floor and walked out. She had great faith in her own concoctions. The drug she prepared could knock these people out for at least four to five hours, so they still had time to escape. She walked over and tied those men up. She also tied them all together, hoping to buy them some more time. When she got to the man with the naked butt, Yuxin had a strong urge to kill him. He looked atrocious, no need to guess what he had done. She tied him up tightly, bundling him up like a tumbling roll.
¡°Carry her,¡± Tang Yuxin pointed at the half-dead girl on the ground. Two girls had already stepped forward to help the girl up. At that moment, they were all waiting for Tang Yuxin¡¯s next order. In this situation, a single word from Tang Yuxin seemed to carry the power to rescue them from this horrible den of wolves. ¡°We¡¯re leaving,¡± Yuxin took Miaomiao¡¯s hand and started to walk away, but Miaomiao stopped after a few steps. ¡°Yuxin, my foot hurts,¡± Miaomiao started crying. She lowered her head to look at her foot. She only had one shoe on, the other one was nowhere to be found. Chapter 229: 222: Escaped Chapter 229: Chapter 222: Escaped Tang Yuxin immediately took off her shoes and ced them in front of Xu Miaomiao. ¡°Put these on.¡± Xu Miaomiao continued to shed tears, asking, ¡°What will you wear?¡± ¡°I frequently gather herbs in the mountains, sometimes barefoot. My feet are tough. You went to primary school so you know some hands can dig out things like a hoe, right?¡± Xu Miaomiao nodded. Of course, she had learned that, innocently tried it herself and ended up with pricked hands. Even Chen Lidong hadughed at her for a long time. ¡°Put them on,¡± she untied theces and helped Xu Miaomiao put on the shoes. Then, she herself remained barefoot. When they stepped outside, the sky was still dark. The chill wind sent shivers down their spines. ¡°Where are we going?¡± Xu Miaomiao asked, shaking from the cold. There seemed to be no viges or shops around. Where could they go? Where could they run? What should they do? She was terrified of being caught and brought back. She didn¡¯t want to be sold off or be locked up in a tiny dark room bearing children. ¡°We¡¯ll follow the road,¡± Tang Yuxin pointed forward. Regardless, they had to stick to the main road. Despite being a group of women, no, girls, who were starving and could only cry, they had numbers on their side. Even if faced with threats, they were not afraid. Moreover, she had some drugs. Worst case scenario, they could incapacitate anyone with drugs and she could carry Xu Miaomiao away herself.
Don¡¯t ask why she¡¯s so heartless and unfeeling. She wasn¡¯t that noble, nor was she willing to sacrifice for others. She loved her life and didn¡¯t want to cause her father to bury his child again. She didn¡¯t want her family¡¯s hard-earned peaceful life to be devastated again by her tragic fate. If necessary, she could abandon the strangers they¡¯ve met and take Xu Miaomiao. For her, it wouldn¡¯t be difficult. Some were sick, some were weak, some were unconscious, and they were proceeding very slowly. The girl they were carrying was still unconscious. The men that Tang Yuxin had thoroughly tied up were unlikely to wake up easily. Looking at the dim sky ahead, the dawn was still hours away. The cold air brushing against her face made her shudder, but it cleared her mind. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± she said, leading Xu Miaomiao to jog slowly ahead. They couldn¡¯t slow down, stop, or rest if they wanted to survive. At that moment, no one dared to speak. They were conserving energy to keep moving, no one suggested leaving the unconscious girl. When one person tired, the other would take over. Thus, they silently and unknowing of the distance, continued in a ce without viges or shops. ¡°Wait!¡± Tang Yuxin suddenly halted, startling the other girls. Xu Miaomiao gripped Tang Yuxin¡¯s arm tightly in fear. Could those people have caught up? Were those people here? Would she be caught and sold again? As her body trembled uncontrobly, a sense of despair started to flood her heart. If she were caught¡­ She¡¯d rather die now. At least, she would die cleanly. ¡°Yuxin, if something happens, let¡¯s die together. I¡¯m scared¡­¡± She was gripping Tang Yuxin¡¯s arm so tightly she seemed likely to rip her clothes. Tang Yuxin was staring into the distance, lost in her thoughts. This ce was barren with not even trees for cover. They couldn¡¯t hide. Even she didn¡¯t know what to do. Maybe at this point, they have to leave to fate after exhausting all means. At that moment, the girls behind probably realized what was happening and began to cry. Perhaps they left the Tiger¡¯s Den only to enter a wolf¡¯sir. Then, footsteps from a distance grew louder and louder, but they were different, very orderly and uniform, seemingly following some pattern. Not far away, as the mist gradually dispersed, a group of people appeared right before their eyes.
They were dressed neatly, and everyone¡¯s steps were consistent. ¡°It¡¯s the police, it¡¯s the police,¡± someone shouted and the rest shouted, crying, ¡°police.¡± ¡°Mr. Gu, it seems like there are people over there,¡± a policeman said to the man at the front, ¡°sounds like there are women crying.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go check it out,¡± the tall man at the front instructed,pletely unaffected by any storms or gales.
¡°Yes, Mr. Gu.¡± Saying that, someone hurried forward, and when he returned, he looked noticeably shaken. ¡°Mr. Gu, there are several girls ahead. They were kidnapped by criminals, but escaped. One of them has been¡­¡± The policeman¡¯s voice trailed off, clearly upset. All of them were around sixteen or seventeen years old; the youngest seemed to be only thirteen. He thought of his own fourteen-year-old sister at home and imagined how insane he would be if she underwent the same ordeal. Most families today only have one child. If the child is gone, how can the parents cope? Isn¡¯t the family entirely ruined, then? ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± the tall man led the way towards the girls. Seeing the police, the girls broke down even more. Even Tang Yuxin felt a sting in her eyes. It was relief. Finally, they could go home. ¡°What happened?¡± the tall man asked. His familiar voice made Tang Yuxin look up. In the dim light, his features were indistinct, but she could see his upright nose, narrow eyes, thin lips, and unusually tall height. It was Gu Ning. Yes, it was Gu Ning. Tang Yuxin wouldn¡¯t mistake him. Gu Ning was this tall, his manner of speaking was like that, and his habitual actions. When thinking, he would fiddle with his cufflinks. It was just like that. As for why Gu Ning was here, Tang Yuxin didn¡¯t know. Maybe it had something to do with his family. After all, the Gu family owned one of the top securitypanies in the country. The girls tearfully recounted their ordeal about how they were kidnapped, locked up and finally managed to escape when the kidnappers were fast asleep.
Chapter 230: 223: Rescued Chapter 230: Chapter 223: Rescued None of them had thought that even in their deepest sleep, they would possess a semnce of a police instinct, especially when their door was being pummeled with such violence. Even if inebriated like a dead pig, they should not justy idle and let a dozen of these faint, feeble and timid girls walk away unfettered right under their noses, some of them even half-dead. Tang Yuxin was indeed correct, Mr. Gu was indeed Gu Ning. He had some matters to attend to and had chosen to take a shortcut, which led to his walking this path. The people following him were all young men, naturally exuding a masculine vigor that left no ce for fear of ghosts or goblins. What they hadn¡¯t anticipated was running into these girls who had just escaped from the wolf¡¯s den. ¡°Some of you, go find the human traffickers and tie them up. The rest of you, help escort these girls home.¡± As Gu Ning lowered his head, his excellent vision spotted a girl with bare feet. Even though she was wearing socks, she was without shoes. Quickly, several police officers approached. They took over carrying the girl in their arms, stripped off their own clothes, and dressed her. ¡°Let me carry you,¡± an officer offered, bending down in front of Xu Miaomiao. Sucking in a noisy breath, Xu Miaomiao thanked him in a low voice. She was just too tired, too hungry, and too scared. All she wanted to do right now was cry, she had no desire to walk any further. ¡°Brother, I want to go home,¡± she sobbed, bursting into tears, which set the other girls off crying as well.
The police officers¡¯ eyes also reddened. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll take you home. Once you¡¯re there, everything will be okay. You¡¯ll be able to see your parents.¡± At this moment, Gu Ning was standing in front of Tang Yuxin. Tang Yuxin had been keeping her head down all the time, her long eyshes casting shadows over her downcast eyes. Then she saw a pair of feet stop in front of her. She heard the man sigh lightly. ¡°Little girl, don¡¯t be afraid.¡± You¡¯ll be home soon. ¡°Let¡¯s go. Big brother will take you home,¡± he said, extending his hand to rest atop Tang Yuxin¡¯s head. The term ¡®little girl¡¯ almost moved Tang Yuxin to tears. She still remembered the year when she was driven out of the house by Sang Zhn in desperation. There was a ¡®big brother¡¯ who took care of her, bought her food, gave her water, and took her home. But that ¡®home¡¯ turned out to be her personal hell. In this life, she never wanted to step into that hell again, but she had not expected to hear his ¡®big brother¡¯ voice again, and in such circumstances. She thought that by the time they met again, he would not recognize her and would call her Dr. Tang instead. Then she felt a warm, big hand on her shoulder. ¡°Let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll carry you. Your foot is injured.¡± With that, the man lifted her into his arms. He was quite tall while she was still a little girl who had not yet matured. Curling up in his arms, she really felt like a small girl. She was still very little, still fragile, and still needed protection. She shouldn¡¯t have to force herself to grow up and bear burdens that were too heavy for her, but were nheless hers to shoulder. Tang Yuxin clung to his sleeve with her fingers, and with each step he took,bined with his slightly warm body heat, she began to mend bits of her shattered heart. It felt like she was back in her childhood. ¡°Xiaoyu, see what daddy brought for you?¡± This is milk powder. Dad bought this for our Xiaoyu.¡± The man clumsily cooed at the daughter who was bawling her heart out.
His little daughter was only this tiny, but her mother had gone to work outside, leaving just him, a big man, to tend to an infant who had just been born. He had no experience, only his goofy attempts at ying with the baby girl, but the uglier he made himself, the louder the child cried, until she was almost hoarse. In the end, he had to put the baby girl down and awkwardly make baby form. Once he made it too thick and the child was too full, next it was too thin and the child was hungry again, crying within moments. Sometimes, the man would embrace his crying girl. As a grown man, he fed his daughter milk while crying himself. Thankfully as she grew a little older, she became easier to handle. But the girl he had painstakingly raised till she was three was taken away by the child¡¯s mother.
He missed his daughter terribly, but he couldn¡¯t let her grow up without a mother. Thus, he steeled his heart. His absence would mean his daughter could have a mother. He didn¡¯t marry anyone else, so his daughter would still have a father. He worked hard every day tending to the crops, no matter the weather, hoping to earn more from the yield. He sent everything he earned to his daughter¡¯s mother, hoping his daughter could eat and dress better. However, through all these years, he was not allowed a single meeting with his daughter. He touched his own face, then shook off the dust from his clothes. A father like him wasn¡¯t exactly an image his daughter would want, was it? He wasn¡¯t fit to see his daughter. Throughout these years, he had met his daughter only once. He bought her a cake, but that was the only time, the child¡¯s mother never let him see his daughter again. Later, when he heard that his daughter was not going to attend university, he was aghast. If she didn¡¯t go to university, what would her future be? So he rushed to his daughter. At the residence, he waited for a long time, an entire night. That day, it was pouring outside. He took shelter under the building¡¯s entrance without daring to knock, till dawn the next day. When someone finally came out, he recognized, despite the changes, that it was his daughter, his little Xiaoyu. His little Xiaoyu with beautiful and expressive eyes. The girl before him had the same pair of big eyes that looked like they could talk. But she was thin, dark, with a in andmon face. ¡°Xinxin?¡± The man tentatively asked, confirming if she was his Xiaoyu. The girl¡¯s eyes instantly turned into crimson as she burst into tears, hugging the old man tightly. ¡°Dad, dad, why did youe to see me only now?¡± Only at this moment, did he finally learn what sort of life his daughter had been living over the years.
No matter what, he was determined to send his daughter to university. But when the tuition fees were due, not a cent came from the Wei family because they have another daughter, Wei Jiani, a daughter that made them proud. He had seen that girl. Tall, intelligent, beautiful. At that moment, he wondered if his Yuxin would grow up the same? As a small child, Yuxin was as adorable as a dumpling. Chapter 231: 224: Hurting in a Dream Chapter 231: Chapter 224: Hurting in a Dream Unexpectedly, the daughter he met was not like a plump dumpling, but a disfigured bun. Don¡¯t be scared, daughter, your father will make sure you go to college. He returned to the vige, borrowed everything he could, worked the hardest and most tiresome jobs on the construction site, and even secretively sold his blood on several asions just to scrape together his daughter¡¯s tuition fees. Eventually, Tang Yuxin went to university, where she majored in medicine and would be a doctor in the future. What her weather-beaten father didn¡¯t know was that the money he worked hard to earn for his daughter eventually ended up in the hands of a man. Even the money she earned from her part-time job was used to finance this man¡¯s university education, his postgraduate studies, and his study abroad. Later on, when she wanted to buy a house, her aged father gave her all the money he had. Yet, his foolish daughter still didn¡¯t realize that arge part of this money was actually earned by her father selling his own blood. She used it, she spent it. It wasn¡¯t until she found out that her father had be old and white-haired, and she finally woke up and wanted to leave that man and take care of her father. However, she was involved in a car ident. What she left for her elderly father were a cold corpse, a cold ashes pot, a lifeless tombstone, and all the money she had saved for her father¡¯s retirement life over the years, as well as thepensation for her life from the driver who hit her. Only, how much is a person¡¯s life worth? Does anyone know?
A trifling few hundred thousand yuan for a life. Yet, how could these hundreds of thousands of yuanpensate for a father¡¯s sorrowful experience of sending off his young daughter, or for the fleeting of a young life? Even if she did a good deed at the brink of death. Even if she saved a person. Even if this person would take care of her elderly father for the rest of his life. But the pain of losing a daughter, no one can bear for the pitiable father. Tang Yuxin suddenly felt a pain in her heart, an indescribable pain that made her curl up. She was in pain, every part of her was in pain. It was as though she had been crushed by a car, shattering her bones, her flesh, and her organs. ¡°Daddy¡­ Daddy¡­¡± She kept calling for her father, perhaps in her subconscious, the one she loved and longed for the most was him. Although Tang Yuxin only called out for her father and never uttered ¡®mother¡¯, in her heart, even at the time of her death in her previous life, she thought only of her white-haired father. As for her mother, she already belonged to someone else, so what did that have to do with her? ¡°Daddy, it hurts¡­¡± She clutched her chest, crying incessantly with pain. Then a hand was ced on her head, gently stroking it. It was just like when she was a baby and her father¡¯s hand would be ced on her head. Back then, she would open her big eyes, smile at her father, smile at a baby bottle, cry when she was hungry, and cry when she was wronged. ¡°Yuxin, don¡¯t be scared, don¡¯t be scared,¡± ¡°Daddy is here, daddy is here,¡± Tang Zhinian sat next to his daughter at this time. The moment he heard his daughter cry out in pain, he hurriedly called for a doctor. ¡°Doctor, my daughter is in pain. Where is it hurting?¡±
The doctor hurried over, but after a thorough examination, he couldn¡¯t find anything wrong. Where is it hurting? Everything seems to be alright. Could it be her foot that¡¯s hurting? ¡°Maybe she¡¯s dreaming,¡± the doctor finally spected. Even if her foot was hurting, a young girl should be able to bear it. If she was in this much pain, chances are she was dreaming.
These children are pitiable, each of them badly frightened. This one is alright, her foot just got injured. But there is another child, only fourteen years old, who was vited by a group of beasts¡­ The child¡¯s underneath was badly damaged. Although she has regained consciousness, she is like a dummy, neither eating nor drinking, crying nor making a fuss. She doesn¡¯t answer any questions and doesn¡¯t know where her family is. Such a pitiful child. Tang Yuxin gently twitched her longshes, slowly opening her eyes to see a world of total white. It was clean, cold, and even reminiscent of death. ¡°Xinxin¡­¡± At this moment, arge hand was ced on her forehead. The palm of the hand was covered with ayer of rough callosities. This was a pair of hardworking hands, a pair of hands that had done heavybor. Like the bark of a tree, these hands had endured wind and frost, age, and time. ¡°Daddy¡­¡± Tang Yuxin called out, and as she smiled, all her memories came flooding back. She knew they were her father¡¯s hands. In this world, only her father had such hands. He had once held her small hand, guiding her to walk step by step, and repeatedly used his hard-earned money to support his unambitious and dispirited daughter. ¡°It¡¯s daddy, it¡¯s daddy¡¯s¡­¡± Tang Zhinian felt a sting in his throat. ¡°Wait a moment,¡± Tang Zhinian quickly patted his daughter¡¯s head, ¡°Daddy¡¯s going to find the doctor for you.¡± In no time, the doctor came over again. After another examination of Tang Yuxin, the doctor reassured them. Everything was fine except for her foot injury, which would need time to heal. But overall, there was no big problem. Fortunately, these children were lucky, except for the one who was vited¡­
These human traffickers were truly detestable,mitting such atrocities even against children. As soon as Tang Zhinian heard from the doctor that Tang Yuxin was alright, his heart finally eased. When he received the call from Chen¡¯s father that Yuxin was missing, he was almost frantic. She had gone missing. By the time he rushed to Water City by ne in great anxiety, Xu¡¯s father, who had arrived at the same time, found that Xu Miaomiao was missing as well. Chen Liteng couldn¡¯t exin clearly, only that the two girls were missing. Just as they had nearly finished searching Water City and were about to report to the police, the police notified them that their children had been found. They had been abducted by criminals and wereter rescued by a group of soldiers. When they heard the word ¡®human traffickers¡¯, the three fathers were terrified. While it wasn¡¯t that big of a deal for a boy, who at most would suffer some physical injuries, it was different for girls. If those beasts had done anything to their children, their entire lives would have been ruined. When they arrived at the hospital and heard that one of the children had been vited by three human traffickers¡­ At that moment, Tang Zhinian¡¯s heart sank to an all-time low, his legs so weak he almost couldn¡¯t walk. It wasn¡¯t until he saw his daughter and the doctor told him that his Little Yuxin had only hurt her foot and had not been harmed elsewhere, that his hanging heart was finally put at rest. Xu Miaomiao was also unharmed, only that she was so frightened that she still wasn¡¯t in a good mental state. Chapter 232: 225: Investigation Chapter 232: Chapter 225: Investigation These children have not only been hurt physically, but their hearts have also been injured. They were frightened, terrified by the ugliness of human nature at a very young age. The incident was a cruel but important life lesson for them. ¡°Uncle Tang, has Yuxin woken up?¡± Xu Miaomiao stood outside the ward, cautiously asked. She hesitated, not daring to step in. She feared Tang Zhinian would berate her. After all, it was her ipetence that resulted in this predicament. She was the one who involved Yuxin. Thinking of Tang Yuxin¡¯s cut by ss, she was filled with guilt. If she hadn¡¯t taken Tang Yuxin¡¯s shoes, Yuxin wouldn¡¯t be injured. The person injured now was Yuxin. If it weren¡¯t for searching for her, how could Tang Yuxin be kidnapped? It was all her fault. ¡°If you made mistakes, admit them. It¡¯s not shameful to acknowledge your mistakes.¡± Xu Miaomiao¡¯s father appeared beside her, ¡°You owe Yuxin an apology and a thank you. You have to say these yourself, your father can¡¯t do it for you. You¡¯re growing up and need to take responsibility for your actions.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± Xu Miaomiao took a deep breath, then knocked on the door. Tang Yuxin was sitting up now, though her feet still couldn¡¯t move, she seemed in good spirits. There was nothing really wrong with her, but Tang Zhinian insisted she stay in the hospital for a few more days to recuperate. He did not realize his daughter was apetent doctor. She knew very well whether she needed hospitalization, which she saw as unnecessary. At that moment, there was a knock on the door.
¡°I¡¯ll get it,¡± Tang Zhinian, peeling an apple for his daughter, put the half-peeled apple on the table and got up to open the door. It was Xu Miaomiao, head down, and her father. ¡°My Miaomiao wants to speak with Yuxin.¡± Xu Miaomiao¡¯s father was truly grateful to Tang Zhinian. This time, they were fortunate to have Tang Yuxin. Otherwise, who knew what would have happened to his daughter? He only had one daughter. If they lost her, how could their family carry on? Xu Miaomiao fidgeted with her clothes, then walked in, head still lowered as if she was too ashamed to see anyone. ¡°What, a cat got your tongue?¡± Tang Yuxin put down her book and crossed her arms. Where had her previous courage gone? She used to be so tough. When did she turn into a timid doormat? ¡°Uh, Yuxin¡­¡± Xu Miaomiao lifted her face and abruptly threw herself at Tang Yuxin, sobbing uncontrobly. ¡°Yuxin, it was all my fault. It¡¯s all my fault. I got you involved. You even had toe to save me¡­ and you gave me your shoes. Tell me, why I am so bad, why?¡± Speaking, she wiped her tear-streaked face, smearing both tears and snot on Tang Yuxin¡¯s clothes. Resisting the urge to push Miaomiao away, Tang Yuxin let her vent her grief and guilt, refraining from intervening. But she wished Miaomiao wouldn¡¯t smear her snot on her. That was quite disgusting. Tang Yuxin moved her hand and ced it on Xu Miaomiao¡¯s forehead. ¡°It¡¯s all in the past, let¡¯s not mention it. I ept your thanks and your apology. Neither of us wanted this to happen, but it did, and we have to face it. Luckily, we both made it back.¡± Yes, thankfully, they made it back. ¡°Thank you,¡± Xu Miaomiao sniffed, unable to stop her tears of gratitude. ¡°Yuxin, rest assured. You saved me,¡± she wiped her eyes and continued between sobs, ¡°From now on, consider me your real sister. I¡¯ll treat your father as my own.¡± ¡°When Uncle Tang is no longer around, I¡¯ll find the best crematorium for him, just like for my father. I¡¯ll get him the most beautiful urn, and the best graveyard site. Every year, I¡¯ll burn paper money for him¡­¡± Tang Zhinian almost cut his finger with the knife while peeling the apple, and Xu Miaomiao¡¯s father gaped. He didn¡¯t know what to say to his daughter. She was actually nning his funeral and cremation? What kind of daughter did he have?
Tang Yuxin couldn¡¯t help but touch her forehead, suppressing a sigh. Kid, could you be any more naive? Tang Yuxin looked out the window. Outside was a bright spring day. It seemed all gloominess had faded. Tomorrow, and the day after, promised to be beautiful days, right? In the afternoon, police officers came over. They were here to investigate the kidnapping incident. The three kidnappers had been captured. One was nabbed red-handed. The three of them were asleep, one even stripped naked. When they brought him back to the station, the sight was indeed indecent.
¡°They said you broke the door?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Tang Yuxin nodded, ¡°I broke it.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid when you did?¡± The policeman asked Tang Yuxin again. ¡°More afraid not to,¡± Tang Yuxin shrunk her neck and made a frightened gesture, ¡°Had we not, how would we escape? They wanted to sell us into remote mountains, confine us in a dark room without food or drink, and force us to continuously bear children.¡± ¡°Officer¡­¡± Tang Yuxin feigned innocence, ¡°Can women bear children without eating or drinking?¡± She yed an naive teenage girl. Indeed, she looked like one, only 14 or 15 years old, but in fact, she was already 17. She made the policeman blush. He really didn¡¯t know how to exin the birds and the bees to an ignorant teenage girl, especially a smart one like Tang Yuxin. ¡°Ahem¡­¡± The policeman coughed. He felt as if Tang Yuxin was leading them into a trap. ¡°Weren¡¯t you afraid they would wake up when you broke the door?¡± ¡°Not afraid,¡± Tang Yuxin shook her head, ¡°I heard them snoring loudly.¡± ¡°So, you broke the door?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Tang Yuxin nodded again. Keeping up her act, she wouldn¡¯t tell them that she drugged the kidnappers. Less trouble that way, she could just chalk it up to her own good fortune. The policemen couldn¡¯t get more out of Tang Yuxin, who appeared perfectly ordinary. As a young teenager, she might have just thought of breaking the lock to escape. Those unfortunate thugs might have just been in deep sleep, allowing the children to escape. In the end, they even had the luck to run into Gu Ning and his police officers handling another case. They swiftly brought down the human trafficking ring, a criminal gang they had been tracking for years without sess. The gang lived off of human trafficking, causing unknown harm to numerous children and bringing untold disaster on many families.
Chapter 233: 226: What’s their relationship with them? Chapter 233: Chapter 226: What¡¯s their rtionship with them? Their capture was indeed a veritable relief to society, an action met with the apuse of the general public. However, what baffled them was how these girls managed to escape on their own and in such a manner. They initially wanted to inquire more about the reasons behind their escape. But the specifics remained unclear, except for the undeniable fact that those bastards had been caught off guard in their sleep. The case thus wrapped up and was brought to a resolution. As for this significant human trafficking case, due to most of the girls¡¯ parents not wanting their children to be affected by it, the case wasn¡¯t intentionally publicized. Therefore, while everyone else knew that a local human-trafficking ring had been busted by the police, no one knew exactly how many people were sold and who managed to return home. And so, with the matter concluded, Tang Yuxin¡¯s foot injury hadrgely healed, enabling her to walk. Her youth and physical robustness may have contributed to her quick recovery. ¡°Do you have all your stuff?¡± Tang Zhinian asked his daughter if she left anything behind. ¡°I do,¡± Tang Yuxin couldn¡¯t identify anything she¡¯d forgotten. ¡°What about books?¡± Tang Zhinian probed further. ¡°Ah, those I have forgotten¡±
Tang Yuxin opened a drawer and pulled out her books. These were her high school textbooks that Tang Zhinian had collected for her while he was away¡ªthey included texts for all three grades of high school. Now that she had these textbooks, she could effectively review her studies without worry. Packing her books into a bag, Tang Zhinian swiftly picked it up, ensuring that she needn¡¯t bear any load¡ªonly her presence was required. ¡°Yuxin, Yuxin¡­¡± Xu Miaomiao, who was already discharged, hade to take Tang Yuxin home. Tang Yuxin waved at Xu Miaomiao before following Tang Zhinian. While Tang Zhinian was processing the paperwork for discharge, Xu Miaomiao insisted on apanying Tang Yuxin to the restroom. The moment Tang Yuxin entered, she found something amiss. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Xu Miaomiao asked Tang Yuxin, noticing her hesitation. Tang Yuxin lifted her hand and touched her nose. ¡°There¡¯s a smell of blood here.¡± ¡°A smell of blood?¡± Xu Miaomiao blinked. She couldn¡¯t detect anything, and anyway, a hospital having a faint smell of blood was usual. Tang Yuxin unlocked the restroom door, quickly shutting it again. ¡°You, go get the doctor. Don¡¯te back in.¡± Tang Yuxin instructed Xu Miaomiao. ¡°I¡­¡± Xu Miaomiao blinked, pointing at her nose, ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Go and get someone,¡± Tang Yuxin gently pushed Xu Miaomiao out. Standing stock-still, nobody knew that at that moment, her fingertips were icy cold. ¡°What happened?¡± A doctor promptly arrived on the scene. Tang Yuxin gestured inside. ¡°Someonemitted suicide.¡± She then walked out, taking a deep breath of the air that still tainted with the odious smell of blood.
When the body was lifted out, Tang Yuxin covered Xu Miaomiao¡¯s eyes. She herself watched the suicidal woman with a cold eye. No, a girl¡ªa girl with a gaunt face, deathly paleplexion, and a pair of eyes that red at her like a demon. Those eyes were hazy, lifeless, and seemingly filled with hatred. Tang Yuxin unclenched her hand, as Xu Miaomiao averted her gaze towards the distant end of the hall, watching the group of doctors disappear out of sight. Though she hadn¡¯t seen anything, the mere word, suicide, frightened her. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Tang Yuxin chuckled, acting as though nothing had happened.
She¡¯d seen too many such incidents and seen too much blood. Regardless of the reasons behind the suicide, it had absolutely nothing to do with her. She held no responsibility for the girl¡¯s death, nor did she need to shoulder any burden as a result of it. Though somewhat nervous, Xu Miaomiao knew Tang Yuxin was not in the mood for consoling words. She kept her mouth shut. She no longer dared to use the restroom, fearing a recurrence of the unfortunate incident. While waiting for Tang Zhinian on the rest bench, they overheard a health worker talking about a girl who¡¯d been kidnapped and abused, only to take her own life in the restroom. The worker further murmured how among all the girls, she was the least fortunate. Even though the others were alright, she was the one to endure such a horrifying ordeal. Her life from then onwards was doomed. Tang Yuxin lowered her head, lightly running her fingers over her fingernails. ¡°Yuxin¡­¡± Xu Miaomiao anxiously tugged at Tang Yuxin¡¯s sleeve. ¡°Are you feeling guilty or upset?¡± Tang Yuxin looked up at Xu Miaomiao as she asked. Xu Miaomiao opened her mouth to speak but stammered. ¡°You may feel upset, but why would you feel guilty?¡± Tang Yuxin asked Xu Miaomiao once more. ¡°Did we cause her to be treated like that?¡± Xu Miaomiao shook her head¡ªit had nothing to do with them. ¡°Did we abandon her when we left?¡± Xu Miaomiao shook her head again¡ªabsolutely not, they had moved her along the whole way while escaping.
¡°Life is predetermined; there¡¯s nothing we can change,¡± Tang Yuxin looked out the window at the clear blue sky. ¡°Even without us involved, she would have faced the same fate. At least she is still alive now, not sold yet and not dead. We didn¡¯t do wrong by anyone. And had it not been her that night, it would have been someone else¡ªmaybe you or maybe me.¡± Xu Miaomiao shuddered and dared not think about it further. ¡°Forget about this incident, as if it never happened,¡± Tang Yuxin urged, running a curl around her little finger. She wasn¡¯t being callous, it was just the way it was. It was not necessary for her to take the me for a mistake that was not hers. Why should she carry a lifelong burden for something that wasn¡¯t her fault? If she had to choose again, she¡¯d make the same choices. Given that, why should she put her life on the line to save another¡¯s life? Sorry, but she, Tang Yuxin, was not that grand. She would still sing the same tune. I don¡¯t know you; why should I risk my life and others¡¯ lives for you? When they departed the hospital, it was Aunt Xu who picked them up in a small car. Xu Miaomiao was constantly nervous, while Tang Yuxin didn¡¯t say anything to her. Some things just needed time to be realized. Not today, then tomorrow, or the day after. For those who overthink, words from others are futile. The car arrived at a motel. The room they¡¯d previously booked hadn¡¯t been cancelled, so they could still stay there. They unpacked, nning to have a proper meal before returning to Qing¡¯an. Chapter 234: 227: Results Announcement Chapter 234: Chapter 227: Results Announcement Of course, Tang Zhinian would never allow his daughter to go out alone again. It was simply too dangerous. This time he was almost sick with worry. And Xu Miaomiao¡¯s father also felt the same way. As soon as they arrived, they heard Chen Lidong¡¯s father inside, scolding his son with a booming voice. And under the shouting of his father, Chen Lidong was mostly seen hanging his head. ¡°Tell me, how old are you?¡± Chen¡¯s father turned around and forcefully pped his son¡¯s forehead. ¡°Are you a man or not? What¡¯s the use of being tall if you can¡¯t even act as one? When Miaomiao went missing, and Yuxin went to look for her, why didn¡¯t you go? Why didn¡¯t you? Why let a girl do it alone? Are you even a man?¡± ¡°Dad, I¡¯m still a boy.¡± Chen Lidong felt really wronged, wronged to death. ¡°Get lost!¡± Chen¡¯s father kicked out impolitely and hit his son¡¯s butt. ¡°You¡¯re not even as useful as a girl. Look how brave Yuxin is. Why didn¡¯t you go with her at the time?¡± ¡°Dad, they wanted a girl.¡±
Chen Lidong was utterly dejected. He was a boy, of course they didn¡¯t want him. What good was he if he couldn¡¯t be someone¡¯s wife? ¡°Can¡¯t you pretend to be a girl?¡± Chen¡¯s father was astounded by his son¡¯s stupidity. ¡°Dad, with my looks, no one would think I am a girl.¡± Chen Lidong really wanted to cry. How could a girl look like this? ¡°Exactly,¡± Chen¡¯s fathermented on his son¡¯s looks with disdain. ¡°If I had such an ugly daughter like you, I¡¯d rather die. Who would ever set their sights on you? They would have to be pretty blind,¡± Chen Lidong ¡°¡­¡± The people outside ¡°¡­¡± Tang Yuxin, listening to this father and son¡¯s conversation, felt that Chen Lidong¡¯s life was a bit pitiful. What kind of father would talk to his son like this? By then, Chen¡¯s father had also noticed that the rest of the people had returned. He paid no more attention to his own son and came over. ¡°Is Yuxin okay now?¡± He patted Tang Yuxin¡¯s hair. He was really fond of this child. If he had a child like Yuxin, smart, beautiful, and brave, he would have no regrets in this lifetime. Even if he had no son, having such a daughter would be soforting. She would bring a son-inw home in the future¡ªas good as half a son, one who would listen to his father-inw. What¡¯s the use of having a son? Would he bring a daughter-inw to upset their parents? ¡°Uncle Chen, I¡¯m all right now,¡± Tang Yuxin said to Chen¡¯s father. Sun Lidong was like a young daughter-inw, crouching in the corner. He must have heard a good earful from Chen¡¯s father these past few days. At night, they had a meal together. The subject of the children being kidnapped was not brought up, but business was. Chen¡¯s father had been doing business for a long time, and he had some of his own opinions. He and Tang Zhinian talkedte into the night. The more they talked, the more they agreed on things. They thought it was not feasible to do business by traveling here and there, as it was too far from home. While business is important, family is also important. Although Tang Zhinian didn¡¯t have a wife, he had a daughter, a polite and beautiful young girl. Actually, Tang Zhinian had been considering moving his business back to Qing¡¯an. But what to do was a problem. He had to think further about it, before making any other decisions. They only stayed in Water City for one day, and didn¡¯t have any interest in sightseeing. Mainly because they didn¡¯t have a good impression of Water City. A lovely city like this, how could it have human trafficking? If it happened to anyone, it would be upsetting. They just wanted to go home quickly, and didn¡¯t want to linger here any longer. After returning to Qing¡¯an, Tang Yuxin and the others had to take their report cards, and the results had juste out. ¡°Do you think I made it?¡± Chen Lidong was slumping, thinking about his time in Water City when his father scolded him mercilessly. When he came back, his mother might also scold him, saying he did not act like a man and didn¡¯t care about his sisters. But how could he care about his sisters? He was a male, they didn¡¯t want him.
If his grades were not good this time, if his performance was not up to par, if he didn¡¯t get into high school, all the big and small grudges would pile up. He would definitely be beaten to death by his parents. Although, he was confident in his grades and was sure he could get into a key high school, but what if something unexpected happened? What if he really didn¡¯t get in? What if he was off by a few points? Nowadays, everyone said he was useless. He had begun to lose self-confidence. With a mournful face, he said, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you let me go with you at the time?¡±
Tang Yuxin looked up from her book. They wanted a girl, a beautiful girl, ¡°First, you¡¯re not pretty; second, you¡¯re not a girl. But you¡¯re doing very well so far,¡± Tang Yuxin reached out and patted Chen Lidong¡¯s headfortingly. ¡°It¡¯s just that the adults are being strict with you. You did the right thing by reporting to the police and notifying our parents.¡± Chen Lidong finally regained some confidence. He puffed up his chest, ¡°I knew it, I didn¡¯t do anything wrong. They just don¡¯t understand me, Tang Yuxin, you are truly my good sister.¡± Tang Yuxin rubbed her own arm, feeling a bit overwhelmed. ¡°By the way,¡± Chen Lidong was still concerned about his grades, ¡°Do you think I didn¡¯t make it to high school?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll know once you check the results,¡± Tang Yuxin didn¡¯t want to answer such a dumb question. They would find out soon, so why bother guessing here and make themselves nervous? ¡°Okay,¡± Chen Lidong stopped asking Tang Yuxin. He went to Xu Miaomiao. They were in the same boat, and Tang Yuxin, the study monster, was someone they couldn¡¯t understand, a person they could only look up to. Tang Yuxin went to school to check her middle school exam results. This year the cut-off for high school was 547 points. The school had a honor roll for those students who were admitted to vocational schools and many students were admitted. Tang Yuxin, Chen Lidong and Xu Miaomiao were all determined to go to high school, so they didn¡¯t apply to those schools. Their teacher, Liu, greeted them with a smiling face. Judging by her expression, their results must have been pretty good. After receiving the report card, Tang Yuxin checked her own results. She scored 650 which was more than a hundred points higher than the general admission line and seventy points over the threshold for the key high schools. This should be a good result. ¡°I scored 580 points,¡± Xu Miaomiao jumped with joy. ¡°Great, I didn¡¯t think I did so well!¡± ¡°Chen Lidong, how about you?¡±
Chapter 235: 228: Entering No.5 Middle School Chapter 235: Chapter 228: Entering No.5 Middle School ¡°Chen Lidong, what about you?¡± Ji Miaomiao stretched her head to see Chen Lidong¡¯s results, ¡°Is it because you didn¡¯t do well that you¡¯re not showing me?¡± ¡°Not at all,¡± Chen Lidong hadn¡¯t dared to look yet, he was genuinely scared to, he was afraid he didn¡¯t perform well. Xu Miaomiao hummed, leaned on Tang Yuxin¡¯s shoulder and took her score sheet, ¡°Wow, Yuxin, you scored so high, 650 points, such a high score.¡± Tang Yuxin did not expect that she would perform this well, she thought 600 points would be enough, but she ended up scoring 650 points, which was more than 70 points above the cut-off for elite high schools. Chen Lidong sneaked out his score sheet, squinted his eyes and took a nce. The first number was 6. 6¡­ his eyes widened abruptly. 6! Haha, it¡¯s 6. It¡¯s really 6! He wasn¡¯t afraid this time, as long as it started with 6, this meant his total score was over 600 and even if it was 601, it was still 600, he would definitely make it to high school this time.
He unfolded his score sheet. ¡°I scored 612 points,¡± he said proudly, looking at Xu Miaomiao with a smile splitting his face, making Xu Miaomiao feel like scratching his face. ¡°It¡¯s the same,¡± Xu Miaomiao turned her face, ¡°You¡¯re only 32 points higher than me. Even if you scored 650 like Yuxin, you are still going to the same high school as me.¡± Well, I scored higher than you, Chen Lidong kissed his score sheet, he truly felt jubnt this time. When Father Xu heard of the three students¡¯ scores, he was overjoyed. He originally thought if these three kids didn¡¯t score well, he might have to pull some strings, or go through the back door. But with such high scores, there was no need for any back door. The principal would dly wee these three students. The best high schools in the city are five and two. And Tang Yuxin wants to go to school five, because it is closer to their homes, they wouldn¡¯t have to live on campus and can attend school as a day student. Plus, the house Tang Zhinian bought is there too. They could live in it until it gets demolished. Plus, there might not be a need for that house because Xu¡¯s mom let her live with Xu Miaomiao. She even cleared out a room for her. On one hand, it is a token of gratitude from the Xu family for Yuxin saving Miaomiao. On the other hand, the three children could study together. Whether Miaomiao can eventually go to university does depend on Tang Yuxin. Tang Zhinian originally wanted to end his business there and return to apany his daughter. Zhou Sisi is still attending elementary school. Zhang Xiangcao would have to shift to the city and Sisi would have to change schools. So, Tang Zhinian thought ofing back, but now there¡¯s no need, he feels relieved with Tang Yuxin staying at Xu¡¯s home, so he decided to continue with his business there. Tang Yuxin actually didn¡¯t want her father toe back now. They haven¡¯t demolished the two houses they bought yet. Once they do, her father and uncle shoulde up with a good business model by then. The current business is thriving and making money, it should be easy to pick it upter. If left idle for some time, they might not know what to doter. Father Xu first took the three children to the principal¡¯s office of school five. He knew the principal who wasmitted to send Xu Miaomiao to school five. It¡¯s the same old story, if the score meets the requirement, they can get in by score. If they don¡¯t, they¡¯ll have to go through the back door. He initially thought that he would have to humble himself and plead with them. But as a delightful surprise, he could now walk in proudly. ¡°These are the three kids,¡± Father Xu pointed at Tang Yuxin and the others, ¡°One is my daughter, and the other two are my friend¡¯s children. The three of them have been studying together since middle school, their scores are quite good. Uncle Li, could you possibly put them in the same ss, so they can care for each other?¡± ¡°Sure, sure, of course, sure. Principal Li willingly agreed. The entrance scores of these three students were well above the school¡¯s admission score, they were a prospective talent. If they could nurture them well, there could be pleasant surprises in the future. Nowadays, schools are desperate for students. When evaluating quad-level key high schools, even students with lower scores are in high demand. Plus, one of the kids scored 650 t, with a total score of 700, which means he scored 650, the average score of each subject is equal, there¡¯s no partiality, this shows an exceptional foundation.
The other two children might not have scored as high as 650, but they did pretty well. With a beaming smile, Principal Li assured Father Xu that they would give these children the best education. Letting them stay at their school was a wise decision. Their school has abundant teaching resources, up-to-date facilities, and renowned national-level teachers. They have nurtured countless talents for Qing University, Beijing University, and many other reputable universities nationwide. Father Xu smiled, he never thought he would ever stand upright, instead of begging for his ipetent daughter to be epted. And Xu Miaomiao proudly lifted her little face. She felt triumphant this time, seeing her father no longer having to be humble in front of others, she felt truly exhrated.
She often thought if she did well in her studies, then her parents would also start to look down on others. Just like when she returned to her grandmother¡¯s house for the Lunar New Year, now that her grades are the best in the family, not only does she get the most new year money, even her cousins didn¡¯t dare to call her stupid or foolish in her face anymore. And this year, she is a student in a municipal key high school. Wonderful. The principal hastily called a young female teacher. ¡°Teacher Song, can these three students be arranged in your ss?¡± The principalughed as he spoke to Teacher Song. The ss Teacher Song was leading this year was made up of the school¡¯s top students. Even though she was young, she was amongst the backbone teachers of the school, and her ss has the highest college eptance rate every year. Teacher Song pushed up her sses on her nose, briefly scanned over Tang Yuxin and the other two, then looked back at the principal, her tone somewhat odd. Chapter 236: 229: Taking the Backdoor Chapter 236: Chapter 229: Taking the Backdoor ¡°Principal, our ss already has enough students, we can¡¯t fit any more into the ssroom.¡± Isn¡¯t her point clear? Their ss has the top students, it is not possible for them to just randomly ept anyone. Doing so would lower the overall performance of the ss and affect the other students to boot. Who would bear this responsibility? Sorry, she does not entertain any special rtionship cases, especially those who are ipetent and prone to causing issues. Miaomiao¡¯s father is a seasoned man. In his workce, isn¡¯t he always involved in such power games with his leaders and subordinates? If he couldn¡¯t understand her point, he would just be dumb. His expression at the moment is particrly dark. If it weren¡¯t for considering this school, just based on this damn woman¡¯s insults to his three children, he would have pped her across the face. The principal is also in an awkward position. Good intentions are being trampled upon. Why would anyone reject these three promising students and distress the faculty? Just then, another teacher walked in. This is a young female teacher in her twenties. Upon seeing so many people inside, she froze then finally stepped in, constantly ying with her hair. ¡°Pri, principal, I came to deliver some materials.¡± As she puts her materials on the table and just about to leave, the principal stops her suddenly. ¡°Miss Jin, great timing, can you take in these few students in your ss?¡±
What options does the principal have left? No matter which teacher he calls upon now, it wouldn¡¯t work out. Other teachers would uproar if they heard that he¡¯s trying to hard-sell some students that Teacher Song didn¡¯t want to anyone else¡¯s ss. Only this Teacher Jin agrees hastily, fine, let it be her then. ¡°I¡­¡± Teacher Jin may be a bit easily intimidated, she can¡¯t really give a rebuttal. ¡°All, all right then.¡± She chuckled bitterly in her mind, reckoning that the principal¡¯s intention was to push three special cases into her ss. Her ss is already filled with such students. How many good students could she possibly have? Forget it, three more or less doesn¡¯t matter anyway. So that¡¯s it, she epted the three students. ¡°You cane to ss one anytime, kiddos,¡± she said to the three students politely with a smile on her face, yet there was an unspoken feeling in her smile, perhaps it is contagious. ¡°Hello, teacher,¡± Tang Yuxin¡¯s initial impression of Teacher Jin is favorable, at the very least, she is much more pleasing to the eye than the one whose eyes seem to be on the top of her head. Being a student of a teacher without eyes is simply untenable for her, she¡¯d rather pick a teacher that she likes, and who, in turn, likes them. Tang Yuxin has made her stand, and so have Chen Lidong and Xu Miaomiao. They greeted Teacher Jin respectively, who then reciprocated, before they all left together ¨C Teacher Song included. ¡°Teacher Jin, with these neers only further dampening your ss¡¯s prospects, how do you n to ensure that the college eptance rate doesn¡¯t plummet? Our school doesn¡¯t care about your credentials, awards, or outstanding performances. What we value is the college eptance rate, how many of your students can get into college?¡± Teacher Song is the first, and Teacher Jin is also the first, though of course, thetter only in reverse. Teacher Jin heaved a sigh, but she chose not to contest with Teacher Song since it¡¯s the truth. ¡°Thank you for the reminder, Teacher Song. Regardless of whether it¡¯s special rtions or merit-based admissions, they will all be students in my ss. I shall treat them fairly.¡± Teacher Song gave her a cryptic smile, then strutted out of the room in her high heels. Teacher Jin couldn¡¯t help but touch her own face. It really feels like her smile is forced. She hadn¡¯t expected that three more students would join her ss after she delivered some materials to the principal. In fact, this might as well be the case, even if it¡¯s not these three students, it would be some other three. There will always be some admitted through connections, bad reports or whatnot, she doesn¡¯t have many good students, but she sure has plenty of connected ones. She gently brushed her hair behind her ears, the wind at this moment seemed to carry some inexplicable heaviness. Miaomiao¡¯s father returned home with the three kids, their mood dejected during themute. ¡°Do you guys want to go to the fifth ss?¡± he asked his children, because the fifth ss of the school is the top ss, that everyone knows about. The school, the fifth ss, both marked by the number five, easy to remember. Even a fool would know that if you want to get into this school, the ss to enter is the fifth ss, the top ss, the rocket ss, and the school with the best college eptance rate, which means the highest chance of getting into college.
¡°Dad, I don¡¯t want to go to the fifth ss.¡± Xu Miaomiao plops down on the couch, ¡°Every time I see Teacher Song, I feel like throwing up. If I were in her ss, I¡¯d rather throw up every day. Then how am I supposed to attend school or go to college?¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Miaomiao¡¯s father feels like he¡¯s about to cough up blood. ¡°Do you guys have to worry about the teacher so much? Just don¡¯t look at her face,¡± but honestly, just thinking about Teacher Song¡¯s melon face makes him crave to wring her neck, let alone Tang Yuxin their lot who needs to see that teacher every day.
¡°I¡¯m not going to ss five either,¡± Chen Lidong frowns, ¡°Although the fifth ss is the top ss, it¡¯s just too much pressure, I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t be able to handle it.¡± Miaomiao¡¯s dad also contemtes this issue, being in the top ss isn¡¯t necessarily a good thing, especially for his two kids who only started to take their studies seriously in junior high. Their foundation is already somewhat weak. They have just improved their grades recently, but if they go to the top ss and get discouraged, then what? Wouldn¡¯t that just be a lot of gain and loss? ¡°Yuxin, what do you think?¡± Miaomiao¡¯s dad wanted to hear what Tang Yuxin thought. If she wants to go to the top ss, then no matter what, he will get all three of them into the top ss. He believes that as long as Tang Yuxin is there and her grades are good, there should be no problems for the other two who study with her. Finally, she was asked. Tang Yuxin knew that the final decision would be hers. Just, giving a soft sigh, she is merely an average high school student. She doesn¡¯t have magical powers. It¡¯s not that everyone who follows her will have meat to eat ¨C what if they get food poisoning? ¡°Uncle Xu, I want to go to a regr ss.¡± She dislikes the idea of facing people she doesn¡¯t like, and that Teacher Song happens to be one of those people. She didn¡¯t get in through any connections, there¡¯s no need to bear other people¡¯s temper. Not to mention, they have to get along for three years. Is she going to face that resentful face for three whole years? Chapter 237: 230: She Matures a Bit Late Chapter 237: Chapter 230: She Matures a Bit Late Moreover, being in a regr ss, it doesn¡¯t mean she can¡¯t get into university. Her goal is the Medical Department of Qing University; she isn¡¯t considering anything else. ¡°Okay, that¡¯s fine, then I¡¯ll go for a regr ss.¡± When Mr. Xu heard these words, he no longer had the idea of the top-tier ss. ¡°You two should study hard and make me proud,¡± Mr. Xu reached out and ruffled his daughter¡¯s hair. ¡°Dad, don¡¯t worry,¡± Xu Miaomiao thumped her chest firmly, not afraid to tten her well-developed breasts. ¡°Dad, I¡¯ll definitely study hard, attend university, and make you proud¡­¡± Mr. Xu clenched his teeth, wishing he could strangle his daughter. Tang Yuxin dared not speak. She rubbed her forehead, really not knowing how Xu Miaomiao, being so silly, managed to live to this age without having been beaten to death by her dad. Tang Yuxin returned home. With the school matter settled, she didn¡¯t have to worry about it anymore. She picked up her clothes and walked into the bathroom. People in the vige were still bathing in public baths, but their family had installed their own. Except when it was too cold in winter, they could bathe at home, which was much more convenient. She walked in, turned on the shower, and the water droplets broke against her body, like dew on flowers, gently sliding off her skin.
Suddenly, she hugged her chest, feeling a warm sensation. She sighed, seeming to have hit puberty a bitte. Fortunately, she seemed to be developing now. As for her body, she didn¡¯t have big expectations. She had already grown to a good height, though it was only 161 cm, it was an average person¡¯s height. Even if she was t-chested, it didn¡¯t matter. She didn¡¯t need to rely on her breasts, she relied on her brain. However, given the current situation, she should be developing now. When she came out, the fragrance on her body was fainter, leaving the natural smell of shower gel. She sniffed herself, but couldn¡¯t smell anything. Walking into her room, she took out a book and ced it on her knees, then began to flip through the pages. The wind blew in from the outside of the window, lifting a corner of the light purple curtain and letting in some specks of sunlight, falling on her hair. As long as she lifted her head slightly or turned around gently, everything seemed peaceful. The summer vacation this year was much longer than for ordinary students. However, for them, this lengthy summer vacation was not a time for rxation, let alone ytime. After so much had happened in Water City this time, it seemed that no one wanted to y anymore. For these few years, they had not really enjoyed their holidays, but had spent them in extra sses and studying. But strangely, all three of them never felt tired. The most terrifying thing about Tang Yuxin was not that she could help you catch up on your lessons and get good grades, but that she made you fall in love with studying, made studying a part of your life, an instinct as natural as eating. This kind of instinct was something many people desired. Maybe it was because of her brewed herbal tea, the faint cold fragrance that she naturally exuded, or her voice, as well as the contentment and calmness she felt when studying. That must be why people felt sofortable around her. Studying with her was indeed a joy. During this summer vacation, they had already reviewed all the Grade 10 courses. And Mr. Xu had even invited a university student to tutor them. The university student was on vacation with nothing to do, so she came to teach them. Although Tang Yuxin had attended high school, she had been away from school for a long time. The Grade 12 curriculum was harder than the lower grades¡¯ curriculum. She was not sure if she could teach these two well. As long as she doesn¡¯t lead them astray. Now that there was a university student, it was very good news for them. They could ask whenever they didn¡¯t understand. Of course, the most important thing was that high school English was significantly more difficult than junior high school English.
Except for Tang Yuxin, the English of Xu Miaomiao and Chen Lidong was rtively poor. Now that there was a university student, there was someone to converse in English with them. The more they spoke and practiced, the better their English became. Other people¡¯s summer vacations were for ying, but their summer vacations were for studying. For these young teenagers, it was indeed tough; sometimes, people really can¡¯t control themselves. After all, people aren¡¯t machines. They have their ownziness and their owncency. Everyone has this, including Tang Yuxin. However, she was now trying to ovee it. Every oveing was a sess. Obviously, she had more sesses than failures. But that didn¡¯t mean she could seed every time. Like today, she didn¡¯t feel like getting up. She had forgotten the time when making medicinest night, so she went to bedte. So that¡¯s why she was sozy in the daytime.
By the time she got up, it was alreadyte in the day. She sat up, yawning, and tears were still hanging from the corners of her eyes. Then the door was abruptly opened from the outside. Xu Miaomiao ran in hastily. Seeing Tang Yuxin¡¯s current appearance, she waspletely amazed. Who could fault her? Tang Yuxin had always been icy cold, like a piece of frozen jade, never showing much emotion. They were experiencing the throbbing of love for the first time in their youth, and even she had someone she was secretly in love with. But it seemed like Tang Yuxin didn¡¯t have such feelings. She treated boys the same way she treated girls; even her gaze never changed. But now, while yawning, her long eyshes were slightly shimmering. Because she had just woken up, her face was flushed, making her white skin and delicate features more attractive. Her clothes slipped down a bit, revealing her beautiful corbone. As a sixteen or seventeen-year-old girl, her figure was just beginning to develop. Maybe her figure hadn¡¯t fully matured yet, but this youthful vitality was something mature women didn¡¯t have. She looked like a fresh lotus, delicate to the point it could snap with one touch. Also, that fragrant¡­ scent. ¡°Yuxin, I really love you,¡± Xu Miaomiao threw herself at Tang Yuxin, nting a kiss on her face. Tang Yuxin extended her hand and pressed it against Xu Miaomiao¡¯s forehead, ¡°Keep your distance, you pervert.¡± Xu Miaomiao sulked and silently stood aside. Only then did Tang Yuxin start to get dressed. When she came out, she had brushed her hair into a big braid, her face expressionless as usual. Chapter 238 - 231: People are Gone Chapter 238: Chapter 231: People are Gone She ced her book on the table, propping her face with one hand while flipping the pages with the other. Soon the college student arrived to give them a ss and assign them some homework before leaving. Naturally, the rest of the time was their own. That day, Tang Yuxin took a bus into the city to clean the house, school semester was starting soon. Even though she nned to stay with the Xu Family, she thought she should clean the ce here as it was close to the school and could be used as a resting ce if needed. By the time she finished cleaning, it was nearly the afternoon; she was so tired that she could barely stand upright. She was feeling a bit weak still, touching her arm, she realized that despite the time she had spent here, she hadn¡¯t developed any muscle yet. After packing up, she shut the door to head home for dinner, they still had to review other courses in the evening. On the outskirts of Qing¡¯an City flows a small river, the Blue River, which was still unpolluted at this time. In the earliest days, this river served as the mother river of Qing¡¯an City. Therge river that flows through Li Tang Vige, where they lived, was actually a tributary of the Blue River. The river water was still crystal clear and contained many fish now. However, once the city¡¯s industrial parks and various factories were constructed, unregted discharge polluted the river, which no longer housed fish, sand, or stones; all that was left were dark substances and a foul smell. This river was still clean now. If only she had a camera, she could capture its beauty, which only remained in the photos in the future. The damage human beings have caused to nature is truly devastating. Tang Yuxin was standing by the Blue River, where the moist wind asionally blew her skirt and tousled her hair. In this chaos, she still felt a clearness, a cleanliness unpolluted by anything. She walked ahead and crouched down, reaching her hand into the Blue River. Upon touching the water, she felt a slight chill. The water was so clear that it created her reflection. All of the sudden, there was a ssh. It seemed as if something had fallen into the river. She turned around, but all she saw were the riverbanks. They were quite high because the Blue River sometimes rose dramatically. In recent years, however, such urrences had be rare, mainly because a power station had been built upstream, which resulted in less and dirtier water in the Blue River. Tang Yuxin stood up and noticed small ripples continuously appearing in the water not far away. She then detected a faint scent of blood. She didn¡¯t know if it was due to the Cold Fragrance Pills, but she had be incredibly sensitive to various smells. There was definitely a smell of blood here; she couldn¡¯t have mistaken it. But where did the bloode from? She narrowed her eyes, presumably thinking about something, took off her shoes, and jumped in. Luckily, the Blue River water was still very clear. Luckily, she knew how to swim. Luckily, these two factors worked in her favor at the moment. Otherwise, if she were faced with the contaminated, ink-like water of the Blue River in the future, she wouldn¡¯t dare jump, not wanting to swallow such dirty water. She swam to the spot where the sshes urred and, as expected, she had not been wrong. There was a person in the water, bubbles surging from his nose. He was alive. She swam over without thinking, immediately pulling the person up. Chen Zhong once told her that the Chen Family helped those they encountered by chance. If they came across someone, they had a duty to help the person; this was considered fate. Learning the Chen Family¡¯s medical skills, she carried this responsibility. So, she felt like she really had to save that man today, although, she regretted itter. Why did she rescue him? But maybe it was because of that. It was fate, and it was karma. She dragged the man to the bank, crouched down, and lightly pped the man¡¯s face. He was young, in his twenties. His face was quite pale, and his breathing was very weak. Blood was seeping from his arm. While his features were soft, he was indeed very handsome. ¡°Hey¡­¡± Tang Yuxin lightly pped the man¡¯s face. The man¡¯s breathing was slow. Because his face was so pale, Tang Yuxin spotted a red mole under his right eye. This mole was in an odd ce at the corner of the eye. A tear mole. This man now was unconscious. She held his wrist again. He had a pulse, so it wasn¡¯t serious. As he had not stayed underwater for long, she ced her hand on his belly and forcefully expelled the water he had swallowed. Then, she heard coughing. The man was already coughing out the water he had drunk. He opened his eyes, only seeing a blurry figure, and then stretched out his hand¡­ Next, a lukewarm hand held his tightly. In the faint distance, he seemed to hear a girl¡¯s voice. ¡°Rest assured, you¡¯ll be okay.¡± Finally, unable to resist the physical exhaustion, he fell into a deep sleep. Tang Yuxin held his wrist again. His pulse was steady. The wound was not lethal, and he had not swallowed much water. She felt her wet clothes. She had no strength to carry this man to the hospital. She stood up, ready to go out and find someone to help. But she was puzzled about the unusual quietness around the Blue River today. She originally thought about about walking a bit further to find some people to help. In the end, she returned to where she had left the man. However, when she arrived at the riverbank, the man was nowhere to be seen¡­ Did he leave, or was he taken away? Tang Yuxin frowned. She searched for the man for a long time, but failed to find him. Eventually, she returned to the Xu Family house, her clothes soaking wet. ¡°Yuxin, what happened to you?¡± The moment Xu¡¯s mother saw Tang Yuxin, she was startled. How did she end up so wet? ¡°There was a puppy in the river. I went to save it, and this is what happened,¡± Tang Yuxinughed. Yes, it was a puppy. From the moment she scooped the man out of the water to his strange disappearance, she considered him a puppy. She didn¡¯t know why she considered him so¡­ Chapter 239 - 232: Saved a Dog Chapter 239: Chapter 232: Saved a Dog ¡°First, go take a shower and change your clothes,¡± Xu¡¯s mom pushed Tang Yuxin towards the bathroom. Next, she found one of Xu Miaomiao¡¯s outfits for Tang Yuxin to wear. Thankfully, Tang Yuxin and Xu Miaomiao were simr in weight and height, so the clothes fit. Tang Yuxin had changed into new clothes, and her old clothes were already washed by Aunt Sun. ¡°Auntie, I could have washed them myself,¡± Tang Yuxin felt sheepish about letting someone else wash her clothes. ¡°It¡¯s okay, let me do it for you,¡± Xu¡¯s mom ruffled Tang Yuxin¡¯s hair, ¡°You¡¯re about the same age as my Miaomiao. I only have one child at home. Feel free toe here anytime. If it weren¡¯t for you, I don¡¯t know what I would have done. So, can I do these things for you? Otherwise, I feel like I owe you something every time I see you.¡± Debts of mary nature are manageable, but debts of gratitude are not. Their family owed Tang Yuxin a life, and even their home. If Tang Yuxin hadn¡¯t rescued Xu Miaomiao, their family would have been torn apart by now. Helping Tang Yuxin wash her clothes, even go as far as to wash her feet, was something she was willing to do. Alright, Tang Yuxin didn¡¯t refuse. She let Xu¡¯s mom do as she pleased. Perhaps this was why Xu¡¯s mom let her stay in their home, as a way to repay her kindness, and to ease the guilt of owing someone else. Tang Yuxin, having changed into Xu Miaomiao¡¯s clothes, returned home. Zhang Xiangcao was puzzled when she saw Tang Yuxin like this. ¡°Yuxin, why are you wearing Miaomiao¡¯s clothes?¡± ¡°My clothes got dirty, so I wore hers toe back home,¡± Tang Yuxin adjusted the clothes she wore. It felt strange to be wearing clothes that weren¡¯t her own. Nobody knew, not even Tang Yuxin, how she had saved a life and made herself as scruffy as a drowned rat. After drinking a bowl of ginger soup, she had a good night¡¯s sleep, and luckily, she did not catch a cold. After one night, she hadpletely forgotten that she had saved a life. But she remembered a pair of tightly closed eyes, and a red mole under the corner of one eye. By the time high school started, Tang Yuxin had moved to Xu Miaomiao¡¯s house. In order for Tang Yuxin to livefortably, the Xu family had specially cleared out a room for her, and all the bedding and furniture were new. Tang Yuxin didn¡¯t mind living alone in the house they bought. But just as Xu¡¯s mother said, they needed an opportunity to express their gratitude. Otherwise, Tang Yuxin would have preferred to stay in her own house, or even at school. At school, the three of them registered together. As they were registering, Xu Miaomiao nudged Tang Yuxin with her elbow. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Tang Yuxin turned around, asking her with a puzzled look. ¡°Look,¡± Xu Miaomiao pointed her chin in one direction. Tang Yuxin followed her direction and saw Wei Jiani. Wasn¡¯t it said that she didn¡¯t get epted to high school? How did she end up at the Fifth High School, and in ss five, no less? Xu Miaomiao sneered, ¡°That teacher is such a hypocrite. He said there weren¡¯t any seats for us. It¡¯s clear that he¡¯s doing someone a favor.¡± ¡°What¡¯s so surprising?¡± Tang Yuxin knew all along that Wei Jiani was going to Fifth High School, in ss five. ¡°If you didn¡¯t pass the entrance exam, your father would still have you go to high school. It¡¯s the same for others.¡± ¡°Of course I¡¯m different,¡± Xu Miaomiao was very confident in her academic performance, ¡°I got into the school with a score of 580, not through connections.¡± ¡°And that ss five, I wouldn¡¯t want to join even if they begged.¡± ¡°Once we¡¯re in ss one and top the ss, let¡¯s see how that teacher can continue to brag about ss five.¡± At this moment, Teacher Jin was registering students. While taking a look at the scores, she sighed helplessly. She felt as if she was growing dim-witted from sighing so much. Some students had only just managed to pass, and some had scores in the two hundreds. Of course, those must have gotten in through connections. Yes, the students allocated to their ss this time were really¡­ Forget it, she didn¡¯t want to talk about it. The more she thought about it, the more depressed and less confident she became. Huh, this one? Teacher Jin couldn¡¯t believe the score. 650 points, such a high score. Tang Yuxin. ¡°Hello, teacher,¡± Tang Yuxin handed over her tuition fees, ¡°My name is Tang Yuxin.¡± Teacher Jin recognized Tang Yuxin immediately, the student that the headmaster had forcefully assigned to her ss. The reason why she remembered this student so well, aside from the fact that the headmaster had assigned her, was that she was a pretty girl with a unique personality. She had initially assumed that she got into this school through connections, but it turned out to be otherwise. With such a score, unless she had cheated, how could it be possible to score so high? With such a score, which school wouldn¡¯t ept her, which top ss wouldn¡¯t amodate her? But she insisted on staying in their ss. ¡°Maybe¡­¡± She really felt this student would be ruined in their ss. ¡°Do you want to change sses? I think ss five might be better.¡± ¡°Teacher, there¡¯s no need to change,¡± Tang Yuxin understood what Teacher Jin meant, and her impression of Teacher Jin improved. Well then, Teacher Jin didn¡¯t say anything more. She had her own selfish motives. She regretted saying that as soon as she said it, but now that the student didn¡¯t leave, it was even better. She couldn¡¯t bring herself to push such a good student to someone else¡¯s ss. With such good scores, she would be a promising student when ites to university entrance exams. Xu Miaomiao, 580 points, this is also a high score. Teacher Jin was surprised again. How did their ss get such good students? Is the headmaster generous enough to allocate good students to a ss like theirs? Even in ss five, the cream of the crop, aren¡¯t there few who score 580? ¡°Teacher, is it my turn? Wee from the same school.¡± Xu Miaomiao popped up from behind Tang Yuxin. She rushed forward impatiently. Since Tang Yuxin had already registered, she needed to do so quickly in case they ended up being assigned different seats. So sooner was always better. ¡°And you are?¡± Of course, Teacher Jin knew Xu Miaomiao, one of the three students who came with Tang Yuxin. ¡°Teacher, my name is Xu Miaomiao,¡± Xu Miaomiao pointed at herself and found her name on the roster, ¡°Yes, this one¡¯s mine.¡± The teacher¡¯s eyes rested on the list, and right after Xu Miaomiao¡¯s name was Chen Lidong. Judging by the name, it must be a boy, and he had quite a high score of 612. Chapter 240: 233: Trio Chapter 240: Chapter 233: Trio Could it be the three of them? ¡°That Chen Lidong, is it the same one we met before?¡± Teacher Jin asked with difficulty, it felt like a gigantic pie had fallen from the sky straight onto her head, and was about to knock her senseless. ¡°Yes,¡± Xu Miaomiao nodded, ¡°it¡¯s our three.¡± Teacher Jin looked at Xu Miaomiao¡¯s face for a while, then, with shaking hands, wrote their names down. Their ss had gained three good students this time, she wondered if Teacher Song would go green with envy when she saw their grades. However, sometimes grades can¡¯t represent everything. Only when the preliminary examination is over can we truly know where their limits lie, whether they are talents that can be molded, whether they can get into college, whether they can bring honor to their ss, and whether they can be intensively cultivated. Teacher Song was quite satisfied with her students this time, many of them had scored over 600 points. Coincidentally, Teacher Jin, clutching the ss roster, walked over in what seemed like a good mood, even managing a smile. What, a heap of failing students could induceughter? It must be because of their recent grades, even if they were at the bottom of the barrel. ¡°Good morning, Teacher Jin.¡± Teacher Song was still smiling, but everyone could tell her smile held a hint of sarcasm.
¡°Good morning, Teacher Song,¡± Teacher Jin was in a good mood right now, so she didn¡¯t mind Teacher Song¡¯s passive-aggressivements. ¡°Our students¡¯ overall performance this time is quite good, all scoring over 600 points, which should lead to a decent college admission rate for our ss,¡± she spoke at a brisk pace, as if trying to belittle the achievement of scoring 600 points. Everyone knew that anyone scoring 600 points would be among the top students in the school, and they would have a better chance of getting into a good college. If this were the past, Teacher Jin would have definitely been angry. No matter how good her temper was, she couldn¡¯t tolerate these sly digs. ¡°Congrattions then,¡± Teacher Jin smiled at her, then walked past Teacher Song with her belongings. Teacher Song¡¯s smile froze on her face. Was there something wrong with Teacher Jin¡¯s brain? Had she given uppletely on the ss she was in charge of? ¡°Humph!¡± she sneered, ¡°we¡¯ll see who gets thestugh after the exams,¡±. Teacher Song had never lost before, and never considered the possibility of losing. They were always in first ce. They merely differed in terms of being counted down from the top or up from the bottom. It¡¯s unsurprising that the two of them are at odds like this, each looking down on the other, and not liking each other. The high school term started without much difference from junior high, the only distinction was the students, who came from all over Qing¡¯an. In truth, ss One wasn¡¯t as unbearable as others thought. Though there were more underperformers, it didn¡¯t mean they were all of poor character. On the contrary, most of these students were shy and innocent. In reality, which student nowadays isn¡¯t innocent? In this age of innocence, even people¡¯s nature has be more innocent. High school coursework is indeed much harder than that of junior high. Tang Yuxin thought if they hadn¡¯t done some pre-learning, honestly, the difficulty of study would have been a bit too much, no matter how good their learning abilities, strain was inevitable. ¡°I feel so tired,¡± Xu Miaomiao slumped on the table, her head spun from the past few days. Why did her absorption abilities suddenly be so poor? If every day was like that, she was afraid she might lose her mind. ¡°You¡¯ll get used to it.¡± Yes, getting used to it was the answer. Tang Yuxin herself had walked down the same path. Instead of suffering unbearably in the third year of high school, it was better to keep herself under tight control from the first year of high school. Well, what else could Xu Miaomiao say? Tang Yuxin and Chen Lidong had endured, if she didn¡¯t keep up with them, their trio would turn into a duo, and she would get kicked out. It would be such an embarrassing thing. Anyway, no matter how hard they tried, they would never get her to agree to leave the group. Their high school life, starting from day one, gave them a feeling of tension, of never being able to rx. Now their nerves had started to crack too. They dared not give up on studying at any time throughout the day. The first thing they did when they got home wasn¡¯t eating but studying at Xu Miaomiao¡¯s house. This was a habit that had been cultivated since junior high. Seeing the three kids working hard, Miaomiao¡¯s mom had once secretly told Miaomiao¡¯s dad that she believed that the kids would certainly get into high school.
So, letting three students stay together was indeed the right choice. One individual mightck self-discipline, but three could encourage andpare with each other. If it weren¡¯t for that, how could Xu Miaomiao, with her impatient nature, study so persistently? Back when she was in the first grade of junior high school, she would watch TV and y all day. Now, she rarely turned on the TV. Xu Miaomiao handed her pen to Chen Lidong. ¡°Help me change the refill.¡±
¡°Alright,¡± Chen Lidong immediately opened the pen, reced the refill without saying no, and threw it back to Xu Miaomiao. ¡°Thank you,¡± Xu Miaomiao took her pen from Chen Lidong, waggled it in the air, and resumed solving her problems. At night, Tang Yuxin brought over a basin, pouring some herbal medicine into it which made Xu Miaomiao¡¯s eyes sparkle. She quickly grabbed a stool and dipped her feet in it. ¡°Yuxin, where do you get these amazing remedies? No matter how tired I am during the day or how much I think at night, I never suffer from insomnia. And look at my eyes,¡± she pointed to her eyes, ¡°I have such good vision, I¡¯m not nearsighted at all. Look at our ssmates; many of them are wearing sses.¡± Xu Miaomiao was naturally aware of the benefits of these herbs. Tang Yuxin had said that soaking with this herbal mixture not only cleared the mind and improved one¡¯s spirit, but also helped the eyes. And she had witnessed its effects herself. Tang Yuxin also brought over a basin for herself. The water in the pot carried a mild color of Chinese medicine and emitted a faint aroma of herbs. Tang Yuxin had been soaking her feet in this herbal water since she was a young child, so the soles of her feet had always been very soft. Traditional Chinese medicine says that the soles of the feet correspond to the five internal organs of the human body. Feet are the body¡¯s second heart, so one should take good care of them. Chapter 241: 234: Lovers Eventually Become Siblings Chapter 241: Chapter 234: Lovers Eventually Be Siblings She has contributed all these herbs, which are now being used by both adults and children in several families. They are indeed very useful. No matter how tired they are during the day, as long as they soak their feet in this, they will definitely sleep well at night. When they wake up the next day, they are always full of energy, whether it¡¯s work or study, they can maintain a good state. Tang Yuxin wasfortably soaking her feet when Xu Miaomiao, in her princess slippers, ran over and draped herself over Tang Yuxin¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Yuxin, I¡¯ve noticed that Wang Weimin seems to be stealing nces at you quite oftentely.¡± ¡°He wants my notes,¡± Tang Yuxin lowered her head, moving her feet soaking in the basin. The steam was warming the pressure points on the soles of her feet, it felt extremelyfortable. ¡°But don¡¯t you feel anything for him?¡± Xu Miaomiao was starting to think that Tang Yuxin¡¯s perspective was different from others. They were high school students and should have started to have romantic feelings by now. Why wasn¡¯t Tang Yuxin experiencing this? Even people as slow as her could see what was happening. Wang Weimin used asking for notes as an excuse to express his feelings for Tang Yuxin, and every time he saw Tang Yuxin, his eyes would light up. ¡°Huh?¡± Tang Yuxin lifted her head, ¡°Should I have any feelings?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Xu Miaomiao was stumped by this question. Should there be feelings? Had to have feelings? Should she have to ept someone¡¯s expression of feelings? Turns out she wasn¡¯t slow, she was just resistant. Xu Miaomiao chuckled and quickly left Tang Yuxin. She was starting to feel a cold aura emanating from Tang Yuxin, sending a chill down her spine. Tang Yuxin could be quite frightening at times so she quickly retracted her feet onto a stool pretending to review her homework.
Tang Yuxin stood up and moved onto her bed. They each had their own rooms and did not bother each other. Miaomiao was relieved that Yuxin didn¡¯t me her. She quietly left the room, then came back after a while with a ss of water. She knew that Tang Yuxin wouldn¡¯t go to bed so early. She usually doesn¡¯t go to sleep until after ten in the evening, either studying or reading extracurricr books. Xu Miaomiao dragged her stool closer to Tang Yuxin, then sat down in front of her. Over the past year, Tang Yuxin seemed to have grown up, developing a slight curve on her chest, but she was still growing. Her skin was paler than Xu Miaomiao¡¯s, which was enviable. Xu Miaomiao recalled that Tang Yuxin was darker than her when they first entered junior high, but now she was whiter. Tang Yuxin suddenly put down her book, looking intently at Xu Miaomiao¡¯s face. Young girls are great, and youth is the best makeup. No skincare or cosmetics can bring the prepossessing youthful glow and transparency. Even without a deliberate skincare routine, they still have reddish lips, white teeth, and skin full of cogen. ¡°What ns do you have for the future?¡± Tang Yuxin propped her face up on her pillow and asked Xu Miaomiao. ¡°What else can I do? I n to be a teacher in the future,¡± Xu Miaomiao squinted and smiled, ¡°I¡¯ve wanted to be a teacher since I was a child. I¡¯ll torment my students just as my teachers torment me now.¡± Many students now view their future careers as teachers, scientists, or doctors. Tang Yuxin felt that Xu Miaomiao would make a good teacher. It was indeed a nice profession. ¡°Do you n to marry Chen Lidong after graduating from college?¡± She suddenly asked this question. Upon hearing this, Xu Miaomiao spat out the water she was drinking. Tang Yuxin didn¡¯t understand why Xu Miaomiao was so excited. Could it be that young boys and girls nowadays are not as innocent as she imagines, and they¡¯ve already started dating secretly? ¡°What kind of look is that?¡± Xu Miaomiao put the ss on the table and reached out to grab Tang Yuxin¡¯s neck, ¡°Tang Yuxin, how could you frame me like this?¡± ¡°I¡¯m framing you? How am I framing you?¡± Tang Yuxin felt unjustly used. Xu Miaomiao frowned, ¡°Isn¡¯t implying something between me and Chen Lidong framing me?¡± Tang Yuxin touched her neck, it seemed to hurt a bit. She wondered if Xu Miaomiao¡¯s nails had scratched her skin. But aren¡¯t Xu Miaomiao and Chen Lidong a great match?
Could it be that they had quarreled? Or has there been a third party interference¡­ Xu Miaomiao was about to freak out, begging her not to look at her with that kind of gaze. She and Chen Lidong happening was impossible! Gosh, how did all this happen? She covered her face, wondering how Tang Yuxin¡¯s brain worked, how she linked her and Chen Lidong together. Was this even possible? It was absolutely impossible. However, Tang Yuxin perceived it that way.
¡°You two are great together.¡± ¡°You and Sisi are great together too.¡± Xu Miaomiao rolled her eyes. Was it really okay to randomly match people up just because they got along well, even when it made no sense? She had no feelings for Chen Lidong, and of course, Chen Lidong wouldn¡¯t have any interest in her either. It was impossible, and she needed Tang Yuxin to remember that it was absolutely impossible. That¡¯s not the same, Tang Yuxin felt Xu Miaomiao was thinking weirdly. She and Sisi are sisters, they are both girls! Does Chen Lidong like boys? Xu Miaomiao rolled her eyes again. ¡°Do you like girls?¡± Tang Yuxin¡¯s imagination was going wild at this point. Miaomiao covered her chest, feeling goosebumps. ¡°What nonsense are you talking about?¡± Xu Miaomiao picked up a pillow from the bed and threw it at Tang Yuxin. ¡°I¡¯m female, interested in men, and I¡¯m normal.¡± ¡°There is no possibility between Chen Lidong and me.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Tang Yuxin did not believe it, ¡°A guilty man gives himself away.¡±
¡°My mother¡¯s surname is Yang, her name is Yang Meiyue. Xu Lidong¡¯s mother¡¯s surname is also Yang, and her name is Yang Meisu.¡± Upon hearing these names, Tang Yuxin felt like she had caught onto something. ¡°You and Xu Lidong are cousins.¡± ¡°Yes, doesn¡¯t it seem like it?¡± Xu Miaomiao pointed at her face, ¡°We¡¯re close cousins. Everyone said we looked alike when we were little. But not anymore, he¡¯s gotten ugly as I¡¯ve grown prettier.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± Tang Yuxin felt duped and couldn¡¯t tolerate her own foolishness. She had always regarded them as childhood sweethearts, but now they were cousins. While cousins marrying was okay in the past, it was not permissible anymore since they were close rtives. ¡°You never asked!¡± Xu Miaomiao pouted, ¡°I thought you knew. Otherwise, why do you think my dad lets me spend everyday with Xu Lidong and isn¡¯t afraid that his daughter will develop feelings for someone else? Besides, we¡¯re seventeen now, considered adults.¡± Chapter 242: 235: Puppy Love Problem Chapter 242: Chapter 235: Puppy Love Problem ¡°Act like an adult, my foot,¡± Tang Yuxin instantly pulled up her nket and covered her face. ¡°Hey¡­¡± Xu Miaomiao tugged Tang Yuxin¡¯s nket, ¡°Don¡¯t go to sleep, talk with me.¡± ¡°I¡¯d be damned if I want to chat with you.¡± ¡°Hey¡­¡± Xu Miaomiao gave Tang Yuxin another nudge, ¡°I can¡¯t sleep, I need someone to talk to.¡± ¡°If you can¡¯t sleep, scratch the wall.¡± Tang Yuxin blurted this out, she was going to sleep now, she didn¡¯t care if someone else couldn¡¯t. It¡¯s not like she was the one with insomnia. Xu Miaomiao had no choice but to pout and return to her room. She then raised her w-like hand and started scratching the wall. The feeling wasn¡¯t bad though, so she just kept scratching¡­ The next day, while Xu¡¯s mom was tidying up the room, she noticed several marks on the wall and puzzled over their origin. They weren¡¯t there yesterday. Tang Yuxin scoped out Chen Lidong¡¯s face. She hadn¡¯t really noticed before, but now she saw some simrities between Lidong and Miaomiao, especially in their eyes. Perhaps their close rtionship was not just because they hung out often. They were, after all, family. ¡°Hey, why are you staring at me like that?¡± Chen Lidong touched his face and took a step back, as if Tang Yuxin was some pervert.
¡°Although you¡¯re good-looking and studious, we¡¯re not a good match.¡± He wouldn¡¯t dare to be with a woman like Tang Yuxin ¨C she was abrasive, cold, and too smart. Borderline crazy. Marrying a woman like her would mean no hope for his own advancement in life. Tang Yuxin turned around, got to her seat, and didn¡¯t even bother to respond to Chen Liteng¡¯s questions. She would rather be a spinster her entire life than to like someone like Lidong. They are just not each other¡¯s type. Perhaps they could be described as childhood sweethearts, but as far as Yuxin was concerned, Lidong was just a child. A child who had grown up, but next to him, she felt old. As she touched her face, Tang Yuxin sighed gently. In her lifetime, did she really have to marry an old man in order to feel age-bnced? But she knew that if she married an old man, her dad would definitely break her legs. ¡°Hey, what¡¯s wrong with her?¡± Chen Lidong tugged at Xu Miaomiao¡¯s sleeve and pointed at the seated Tang Yuxin. ¡°This early in the morning and she¡¯s acting all weird. She didn¡¯t eat something badst night, did she?¡± ¡°Nope,¡± Xu Miaomiao raised her eyes. She wouldn¡¯t reveal this embarrassing situation. If Tang Yuxin lost face, she would too. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Li Lidong sighed, ¡°This is the trouble with women, every month has those few days¡­¡± ¡°Buzz off!¡± Xu Miaomiao kicked Chen Lidong furiously. Chen Lidong bit his lip, not daring to say a word. He feared this young cousin would go home and tattle on him. His father always had the philosophy of being hard on boys but lenient on girls. Meanwhile, they had no idea that a teacher walking by had seen this scene. Tang Yuxin was more than a little disturbed by the episode of lovers bing siblings and felt distressed for a few days. But the two of them were back to their old yful ways. The fact that they had known from birth that they were actually siblings meant that they could never be lovers. They had grown up together, their rtionship was closer than most siblings. Meanwhile, in the principal¡¯s office of the school¡­ Teacher Song was going on and on about high school student dating issue, her spittle flying onto the face of Teacher Jin who was standing not far across from her. ¡°In our school, we must firmly resist the problem of student dating. Firstly, we¡¯ll ignore the ones with poor academic performance. I don¡¯t want this kind of atmosphere to spread in the school and then affect other good students.¡± And her veiled criticisms were bing increasingly obvious.
The principal coughed awkwardly, clearly feeling the difort. After all, the poor students were either ones he had allowed with a wave of his hand or epted due to some personal rtions. As for the students dating issue, he did agree with it. The school must eradicate such behavior. They are all still children, children who need to go to university. Their future is still uncertain and should not be ruined by a premature, innocent romance. ¡°Teacher Jin!¡± Teacher Song suddenly turned to Teacher Jin, ¡°As the teacher of ss 1, why don¡¯t you manage your students well, letting these boys and girls flirt around all day. Does your ss give up on further study, so you want to ruin other sses¡¯ students?¡±
Teacher Jin was taken aback, this was how Teacher Song nned to bring her into the picture? And Teacher Song¡¯s target was so obvious, she used everyone except Teacher Jin, If Teacher Jin still couldn¡¯t see it then she must be really naive. This whole thing was just Teacher Song¡¯s ploy to target Teacher Jin. Song wanted to take advantage of this situation to undermine Jin. They were jealous of Jin, whose parents were university professors, and who had followed an easy path since childhood. Jin had even entered this school as a public teacher and also had a good husband. But what about Teacher Song? Her family background was average, and her current position was achieved through hard work. Even at 28, she was still unmarried. Clearly, she was superior to Teacher Jin in every way, but why did Jin get to stay in school? There¡¯s also a fact that nobody knew. She was in love with Teacher Jin¡¯s husband. Therefore, she wanted Jin¡¯s husband to realize how worthless Jin was as a wife. Even though she didn¡¯t have a good family background, she would through her efforts and determined climbing get to the position she wanted. So over the years, she¡¯d been more and more aggressive towards Jin and had constantly tried to out-do Jin in every aspect of her life. To prove her worth to others, and to prove her value to that man. But how could others understand these unmentionable desires and sordid thoughts? Teacher Jin was stunned by Song¡¯s usations. ¡°Teacher Song, I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about. Although the students in my ss may not be academically strong, they have a good character. What you said cannot happen in our ss.¡± Chapter 243: 236 How can there be such a teacher Chapter 243: Chapter 236 How can there be such a teacher Teacher Jin could affirm this point, and it wasn¡¯t just her opinion, but one shared by many substitute teachers. Even though the overall academic performance of ss One was not high, the students were very diligent and there were no bad students. Perhaps there were a few who had got in through connections, but they were all good students who wanted to apply themselves and work towards university in the future. ¡°Heh heh¡­¡± Teacher Song sneered, ¡°Take your students from your ss, for instance. They openly flirt and court in public. This doesn¡¯t just set a bad example for your ss, but if other sses see it, what if they emte it? Would our school still have a high college entrance rate? Would our students still be able to get into Qing University and Normal University?¡± This usation was so overbearing that no one could shoulder it. There was no one who dared to take such a me. Shattering the century-old reputation and entrance rate of our school was absolutely unimaginable. The other teachers also felt ufortable upon hearing these words. ¡°Indeed, Teacher Jin, as teachers, we need to pay attention not only to our students¡¯ academic performance but also to their moral character. How can they engage in romantic rtionships at this age? This is a critical time for them to focus on their futures. You need to supervise them.¡± ¡°Teacher Jin, no offense, but how could such a thing happen at our school? I think Teacher Song is right, your ss doesn¡¯t seem to care about university entrance, but ours does.¡± These blunt usations visibly upset Teacher Jin. ¡°Teacher Song, you should not nder others.¡± Teacher Jin held back the tears welling up in her eyes. They could not make such allegations against her or her students, for her students were all good. Who said it was only students from other sses that aimed for university? Her students also aimed for the same goal.
¡°Am I ndering?¡± Teacher Song sneered again, ¡°If I¡¯m not telling the truth, let¡¯s ask your students. It wasn¡¯t just I who saw it.¡± ¡°Teacher Song, then bring those students here so we can get a clear understanding,¡± the old principal said, intending to maintain neutrality and protect Teacher Jin a bit. After all, everyone knew that the old principal had been ssmates with Teacher Jin¡¯s father. Teacher Song twitched her mouth and sneered internally, ¡°I want to see how you¡¯re going to protect her this time. If I don¡¯t get this woman kicked out of our school, then my name is not Song.¡± At that moment, Tang Yuxin, Xu Miaomiao, and Chen Lidong were sitting together, working on the assignments for the day. The lessons for the day were difficult, so they had been discussing for quite a while, attracting many other students to listen in. Their lively discussion and integration of their own ideas resulted in other people also understanding, and they started to benefit greatly from it. Chen Lidongughed, showing off his dazzling white teeth. ¡°I told you my solution was right, and it¡¯s the simplest one.¡± ¡°You¡¯re just guessing,¡± Xu Miaomiao made a face at Chen Lidong. She was unwilling to admit defeat. Ever since high school started, she had begun to struggle. If Tang Yuxin was not counted, who didn¡¯t even seem human but some sort of unknown and iprehensible creature to them. What frustrated her most was that her cousin, Chen Lidong, who used to perform worse than her academically, was now thriving in high school. No matter how difficult the question was, it seemed easy for him. He could evenpete and argue with Tang Yuxin, and sometimes his answers were even correct. Therefore, as Tang Yuxin said, Chen Lidong was actually very smart. The reasons he did not do well in his studies were his method, environment, and mentality. As long as he adjusted these three points, it would be easy for him to enter university. Looking at Chen Lidong¡¯s current performance, even without an exam, judging by his understanding of the subjects and his proficiency, he was bound to make it to university, especially with the benefit of having Tang Yuxin, who was extremely good at guessing questions, by his side. They did not have to worry about Tang Yuxin at all. Her study and exam skills were beyond the understanding ofmon people. Her exam score almost always reflected whichever rank she wanted, she could even control the score line down to a decimal point. Xu Miaomiao knew this well. Yuxin once deliberately got a simple question wrong just to make her score a lucky number. Yuxin thought Miaomiao wouldn¡¯t notice, but her eyes were wide open. Just as they were still discussing the answer to this question, which had be a topic of discussion for the entire ss, the ssroom door was suddenly pushed open. Teacher Song walked in with a stern face, pointed at Tang Yuxin, Xu Miaomiao, and Chen Lidong, and said, ¡°You three,e with me.¡± The ssroom instantly fell into silence, so quiet that one could have heard a pin drop. Tang Yuxin stood up, and Xu Miaomiao nced at her. She asked with her eyes,¡±What¡¯s going on?¡± They were just studying quietly in the ssroom and had not offended anyone. Especially Teacher Song, who couldn¡¯t havee to trouble them just because their voices were too loud and disturbed ss Five, the top ss, could she? But, ss Five and their ss One were on different floors, with ss One on the third floor and ss Five on the ground floor. The first floor was a great location, cool in summer and warm in winter. But how exactly did they disturb ss Five from three floors away? What did they do to upset the teacher of ss Five?
Tang Yuxin shook her head. She didn¡¯t know either. Xu Miaomiao pulled Chen Lidong¡¯s clothes, and Chen Lidong shrugged, indicating that he didn¡¯t know either. They were still secretly exchanging nces. Young as they were, they should have been studying not chattering. As soon as the words came out of Teacher Song¡¯s mouth, they all seemed to take on a different meaning. ¡°Just because you¡¯re in a lower performing ss doesn¡¯t mean you can ck off in other aspects. With your marks, do you really think you can make it to university?¡±
This disparagingment was offensive and the students¡¯ faces instantly darkened. One female student burst into tears on hearing this, slumping onto her desk, while the male students clenched their fists in anger. ¡°You three,e with me,¡± Teacher Song sneered at Tang Yuxin and her friends before strutting out like a peacock. ¡°How can a teacher behave like this?¡± A female student clenched her fists, ¡°We haven¡¯t offended anyone. We are just a little behind in our grades, who have we provoked?¡± She wiped the tears from her eyes as she spoke. Chapter 244: 237: Excessive Chapter 244: Chapter 237: Excessive ¡°We have also been working hard to study, why do you still speak of us like this?¡± These are all children, children with their own sense of self-esteem. They just aren¡¯t that good at studying, but they are no less than anyone else. They have been striving to learn, they have made progress, they¡¯re making an effort to pay attention during ss. Many teachers have said that although their grades aren¡¯t great, they are diligent and able to get into university. How can a teacher be so cruel to them? Tang Yuxin and her friends were also in a bad mood. Chen Lidong kicked the leg of the table. ¡°What does she want from us?¡± He asked Tang Yuxin and Ji Miaomiao. Xu Miaomiao pouted, ¡°I don¡¯t know, we haven¡¯t done anything wrong.¡± Tang Yuxin had already packed up her things. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? We¡¯ll find out when we get there.¡± She was always upright and honest and a good student. She didn¡¯t believe that this teacher, Sang, could tarnish their reputation with false usations and make them carry undeserved me. When they arrived at the administrative office, they walked into a room full of teachers, including the headmaster and their ss teacher, Jin. As soon as Jin saw them, he seemed to be struggling to speak, both worried and saddened. His face was not looking too good either, as if he had been bullied.
Tang Yuxin knew Jin was an easygoing person, but this often made him an easy target for bullying. Now with so many people present, what was happening? A public hearing? Was it about Jin or the three of them, or their entire ss? As students, they should naturally have a sense of collective ss honor, and they all had it. You can tarnish them, but you cannot tarnish teacher Jin, and you cannot tarnish their entire ss. ¡°Headmaster, it¡¯s them.¡± Teacher Sang pointed at Xu Miaomiao and Chen Lidong, ¡°It was these two, being intimate in school, unconcerned about other students, and being openly flirtatious. The students in our ss have all seen it. They im they¡¯re childhood friends. This is an outright insult to our school spirit. If we ignore this now, what if there is troubleter? The ones losing face are our school and all our teachers and students.¡± Tang Yuyu widened her eyes. For the first time, she saw someone so presumptuous. Even as someone who had lived twice, she was humbled. She had thought the same before but never expected Xu Miaomiao and Chen Lidong would cross that line. They were still young, still kids, not yet adults, innocent with no extra thoughts or intentions. Teacher Sang was implying something. Did thest sentence mean that if Xu Miaomiao and Chen Lidong got pregnant, things would get out of control? Was that the meaning? Tang Yuxin put her hand on her forehead in exasperation. Dad, I want to go home. I don¡¯t want to stay on Mars, this is not my earth. Weren¡¯t they saying people were innocent in this era, didn¡¯t they say this is a pure age, singing songs like ¡°ssmate, you are, an innocent era¡±? Xu Miaomiao and Chen Lidong were also dumbfounded, their faces shocked. ¡°See, they¡¯re feeling guilty,¡± Teacher Sang sneered, ¡°They¡¯ve been openly dating in school and even involving others. Perhaps these three¡­¡± ¡°Teacher, you can¡¯t talk about us like this,¡± Tang Yuxin suddenly raised her head and shouted loudly. She respected teachers, but she would not respect teachers who pped her in the face. ¡°We are still students and are very innocent. Please don¡¯t use your dirty mind to measure ours.¡± ¡°Our minds are simple. We are like budding flowers, yet to bloom. I won¡¯t carry this me.¡± Tang Yuxin spoke phrase by phrase, her voice dull but her words made several teachers freeze, then burst into suppressedughter. The way she put it was indeed blunt. Right, there were things the child didn¡¯t even know yet. Teacher Sang really went too far. If students date, let them date. They aren¡¯t the first ones to date in high school. Speaking it out was enough. And now that the matter has escted to this point, it¡¯s obviously afortable position for herself. Why would she say such harsh words to the kids? Teacher Sang was left speechless, she turned and saw several of her colleagues sneakilyughing even the headmaster was the same. While still managing to maintain a normal expression, anyone could tell he was alsoughing. Teacher Sang suddenly felt her face burning, as if someone had pped her on the face. Tang Yuxin, is this how you speak to a teacher? If you, with your grades, can get into college in the future, I will p my own face.
Alright, Tang Yuxin replied coolly, looking just like an obedient doll with an innocent face. Teacher Sang pointed at Tang Yuxin, if there weren¡¯t so many teachers here, she might have grabbed her. What use are students like her, who only tarnish the school atmosphere? Xu Miaomiao gave a thumbs up to Tang Yuxin, typical Tang Yuxin, deliberately speaking this way, but no one could tell it was intentional. Tang Yuxin took Xu Miaomiao¡¯s hand and quietly wrote in it.
Cry. Xu Miaomiao understood the word. Then Tang Yuxin wrote another word: Dad. Xu Miaomiao also understood this word. Xu Miaomiao¡¯s eyes shifted, instantly understanding Tang Yuxin¡¯s n. Such a huge nderous allegation being thrown at her and Chen Lidong¡¯s heads, even if they jumped into the Yellow River now, they wouldn¡¯t be able to clear their names. This wouldn¡¯t only affect the two of them, but their parents would also suffer the repercussions. Even if they got into college in the future, they would have this lifelong stain. She didn¡¯t ept such nder and would not bear it. At that moment, Xu Miaomiao seemed to wake up from her confusion. She opened her eyes wide, her eyes started to turn red, and her lips trembled. She looked as pitiful and wronged as a flower enduring a storm. ¡°Teacher, how can you wrong me like this? How will I live on after this? How can I go to college, how can my parents face others?¡± By now, Teacher Sang had already been angered by Tang Yuxin and directly started shouting at the students, ¡°You are the ones whomitted such an ugly act, yet you still want to live? You shamed yourself and caused trouble for your parents. You should bear the consequences yourself. You don¡¯t even have the guts to admit it.¡± Chapter 245: 238: The Parents Have Arrived Chapter 245: Chapter 238: The Parents Have Arrived Upon witnessing Xu Miaomiao in tears, Chen Lidong immediately interjected, ¡°Teacher, don¡¯t malign us like this. We¡¯ve done nothing wrong.¡± He forcefully suppressed his urge tosh out. Tang Yuxin had always warned him against reacting on impulse. Otherwise, given his temper, he may have turned violent. Despite the strong urge, he held himself back. He refrained from using obscenities and kept his fists to himself. Ji Miaomiao suddenly copsed onto the ground, clutching her head as she burst into tears. This upset Teacher Jin. ¡°Teacher Song, they¡¯re still children. Even if they made mistakes, they¡¯re unintentional. Must you be so harsh?¡± But Teacher Song continued to scoff indifferently, ¡°I¡¯m trying to help them. If we don¡¯t correct them now and they end up pregnant, it¡¯d be even more embarrassing¡­¡± Her words shocked everyone, including Teacher Jin and the other teachers. That waspletely over the top. How could she speak about children like that? Xu Miaomiao, who was feigning tears, could not hold back her grief. She had never experienced such an insult. Breaking down, she copsed onto the floor, sobbing and gasping for air. The principal had remained silent until now. But at this point, he finally lost his patience. ¡°Teacher Song, remember who you are,¡± he warned. She was one of their best teachers. Though she could bepetitive sometimes, she was skilled. But this time, she had indeed crossed the line. Also, these students were brought here by Xu Yingxin. He initially hadn¡¯t recognized Tang Yuxin, but once he did, he recalled her distinct fairplexion that glowed softly.
¡°Teacher Jin, could I ask a favor?¡± At this point, Tang Yuxin was holding Xu Sisi. She didn¡¯t want to escte the situation, but it seemed like someone was forcing them to turn it into a bigger issue. Teacher Jin quickly agreed, nodding her head. No matter what, she was duty-bound to protect her students. If she couldn¡¯t do that, what right did she have to call herself a teacher? ¡°Please call their parents for me,¡± Tang Yuxin calmly said. The school had their parents¡¯ contacts on file. ¡°Alright,¡± Teacher Jin said, wiping her tears before going to make the call. Given the circumstances, parent involvement was unavoidable. Yet Teacher Song appeared unperturbed. Of course, the parents should have been called earlier. The child mirrors their parents. Thus, it was clearly a case of a rotten family producing rotten offspring. The issue needs to be resolved before it esctes to someone getting pregnant, that entire family falls apart, the school¡¯s teachers get implicated, and other students are affected. Soon, the parents arrived. Xu¡¯s father asked Zhang Xiangcao not toe over. He felt confident in handling the issue concerning his three kids, considering he knew a few people on the school staff. Teacher Jin didn¡¯t borate on the phone, merely alerting them of an incident involving their kids and asked them toe urgently. Thus, he raced over with Xu¡¯s mother and Chen¡¯s mother. Chen¡¯s father had just returned home. Barely having a moment to catch his breath, he learned about an incident at school involving his child. The news startled him so much that he nearly dropped the cup he was holding. They borrowed Xu¡¯s father¡¯s corporate car and rushed over. Upon entering the principal¡¯s office, the principal felt awkward seeing Xu¡¯s father. He knew about their kids¡¯ scores. When they admitted their kids, he had promised to provide a good education. Now, he was the one failing to educate the kids properly and allowing them to date. ¡°Daddy¡­¡± Seeing her father, Xu Miaomiao ran over, crying onto his shoulder. Having been pampered since childhood, she felt wronged, as she had never experienced such treatment before. ¡°Miaomiao, don¡¯t cry. Daddy¡¯s here,¡± Xu¡¯s fatherforted, patting her shoulder. Any father would feel heartbroken seeing his daughter in such a state. If he was indifferent, then was he even deserving of the title ¡®father¡¯? ¡°May I know why my daughter is crying?¡± He asked the teachers present, finally fixing his gaze onto the Principal. The principal could only respond with an awkward smile, finding his face stiff and his forced smile resembling a grimace. ¡°You parents are the ones to me,¡± Teacher Song adjusted her clothing. She was morally right; she assumed the parents were oblivious to the situation, weren¡¯t they? ¡°Do you know your child is in a romantic rtionship at such a tender age? A child who should be focusing on their studies, thinking about attending university and their future is distracted by love!¡± Xu¡¯s father lowered his head and asked Xu Miaomiao, ¡°Miaomiao, are you in a rtionship?¡± ¡°No!¡± She felt wronged. What had she done to deserve this? She hadn¡¯t even been in a rtionship! ¡°There¡¯s a witness right here! Still want to lie?¡± Teacher Song indicated towards Chen Lidong, ¡°He¡¯s openly dating in school, setting a bad example for other students.¡±
Xu¡¯s father¡¯s forehead vein twitched. Hearing this, Xu Miaomiao felt as though her heart had been pricked. She burst into loud sobs, clinging to her father. She felt indescribably wronged. Seeing the drastic change in Xu¡¯s father¡¯s expression, the traces of a smile deepened at the corner of Teacher Song¡¯s lips. ¡°You should control your child. If she¡¯s dating at such a young age, how will she focus on her studies for university in the future¡­¡± ¡°Shut your goddamn mouth,¡± At that moment, Xu¡¯s mother burst into the room. As soon as she entered, she heard the teacher, sounding like a clucking hen, berating her daughter.
¡°It¡¯s your goddamn brother you¡¯re sleeping with! Miaomiao and Lidong are cousins,¡± Xu¡¯s mother moved to Xu Miaomiao¡¯s side and shielded her behind herself. ¡°What kind of teacher are you? Do you even deserve to be one? You twist the truth without understanding the situation. Have you no decency, no shame? How can you even call yourself a teacher? I¡¯d rather spit on your face. Thank god my child isn¡¯t in your ss. If she had to see your old face every day, she¡¯d lose her appetite, not be able to eat, and be unable to study for university!¡± Tang Yuxin was stunned. She¡¯d never seen Xu¡¯s mother so¡­ fierce. Truly, it was somewhat terrifying. In her memory, Xu¡¯s mother was always a gentle and virtuous woman. But she never expected her to be¡­ so eloquent in her insults. Chapter 246: 239: The Tang Monster Rises Chapter 246: Chapter 239: The Tang Monster Rises Teacher Xu stood therepletely stunned, her face and even neck burning. She abruptly found herself unable to carry on. Just then, two more people came in ¨C Mr. and Mrs. Chen. Yuxin had never noticed before, but if one looked closely, one might see a resemnce between Mrs. Chen and Mrs. Xu. They were sisters. Yuxin feltpletely astounded. How had she never noticed this before? She had always thought they had been childhood sweethearts,pletely innocent. But in reality, they were actually close cousins. ¡°Principal, may I ask, why did you hire such an idiotic teacher?¡± Mr. Chen, a sharp businessman, asked, ¡°Our child chose this school because we believed it was a good school, a cradle for future talents. But tell me, how can there be such a foolish teacher here?¡± ¡°She poured filth on our three children. Our children have been in school together since middle school and never had such thoughts.¡± ¡°But you thought otherwise. Tell me, how dark-hearted one must be to paint the purest of rtionships between children so grossly?¡± The principal hung his head in shame, unable to find the right words. Teacher Song¡¯s face turned pale. Damn it, she had never imagined this. Cousins, they were actually cousins. Teacher Song felt incredibly embarrassed. She felt like she had pped herself harshly in the face, almost to the point of swelling.
The principal rushed to apologize, coaxing Teacher Song to do the same. But who was Teacher Song? How could she admit fault so easily? She had been the one to bring everyone here confidently, and now she was theughing stock of the school. How could she apologize in front of everyone, particrly that despicable Teacher Jin? How could this happen? ¡°You started this, and you must apologize,¡± the Principal sternly said, ¡°If this matter reaches the Education Bureau, how will you still teach? The bureau will say you¡¯re unfit to teach. How will you face that?¡± Teacher Song gritted her teeth, humiliation spreading across her face, as she reluctantly apologized. The Principal stepped in with soothing words, and finally, mostly for the principal¡¯s sake, Mr. Xu let the matter drop. However, he warned that if Teacher Song bothered his children again, they would settle old scores along with the new. Parents were not pushovers. If pushed, for a teacher whose career was on the rise, a scandal could end their future as a teacher. Even a minor one could cost them their excellent evaluations. Having lost so much face, Teacher Song found it hard to even show her face on campus. She had never stumbled so badly before. She had always been proud, her sses were taught to the tops of their year groups, her students¡¯ parents respected and feared her. But now, she had not only stumbled, but stumbled badly. For the first time, the students in Yuxin¡¯s ss experienced what it meant to feel ashamed and humiliated, but also learned what persistence meant. Without realizing it, the learning environment in the ss seemed to improve. Yuxin, Miaomiao, and the other students would often discuss problems together. More and more ssmates also joined them. Everyone had something to learn. In actuality, Yuxin deliberately included some questions from their high-school exam. She gradually and subtly introduced the knowledge. However, only those who were determined could understand and benefit. If they didn¡¯t want to learn, it wouldn¡¯t make a difference. Furthermore, Teacher Song had really annoyed her this time. Thanks to her, Yuxin, a woman in her fifties, had to go to the principal¡¯s office for the first time and be scolded openly. Although their words weren¡¯t necessarily harsh, they were essentially using her of moral corruption andwlessness. If this happened in the future, would they say she was a troublemaker? Or use them of improper behavior? Well, alright then, wasn¡¯t Teacher Song saying that the students of their 5th ss were all standout students, all capable of being epted into great universities? Yuxin decided that more students from her ss would make it to top universities. As for how many that would be, she felt it should be quite a lot. Yes, quite a lot. By the time of the mid-term exams, there was a special kind of atmosphere in the first ss. Everyone strived to learn and do better. Not for others, but for themselves. They wanted to walk proudly in the school. They weren¡¯t any less capable than others, and a single exam couldn¡¯t define their entire worth. Now they were in high school, it felt like a real beginning. Yes, what did middle school exams matter? They were just a single test. This was their first high school exam. Not just students, even teachers themselves held their breath, because after this exam, it would be clear which ss would be tagged as the school¡¯s top ss. Regarding the title of the top ss, of course Teacher Song was not worried at all. Although she had failed to find any fault with the first ss and had shown herself up, she knew their ss always came first in terms of results. There was no doubt about that. ¡°Yuxin, you seem so scarytely,¡± Miaomiao said, rubbing her own arm. ¡°You never used to be this intense. You always had time for other things.¡±
¡°Look at you now,¡± she pointed at the stack of test papers on Tang Yuxin¡¯s desk. ¡°Oh my goodness, how many are there? And you¡¯re happily working on them. It¡¯s like you have superhuman learning abilities that we normal folks can¡¯tprehend.¡± ¡°I want toe first,¡± Yuxin put down her pen and propped her chin up on her hand. ¡°Whoever dares to wrong me, whatever they want, I will take from them.¡± Chapter 247: 240 Do You Know Chapter 247: Chapter 240 Do You Know Xu Miaomiao suddenly thought of the teacher Song who pointed at her nose and scolded her, feeling upset. If it weren¡¯t for her rtionship with Chen Lidong, she might have been ruined by that old woman. ¡°No way, I have to get better grades too, so that woman stops looking down on me every time she sees me. It¡¯s so annoying.¡± She picked up a book too. Originally, she didn¡¯t want to study and wanted to rest a little, but as soon as she thought about Teacher Song¡¯s face and the expression when she scolded her, she was filled with anger and lost all interest in ying. Now she only has one interest and that is to study, yes, study, just study. Other than studying, she is not interested in anything else.¡± After a while, Chen Lidong also came over. Usually, he was somewhat jovial, but this time he barely showed any expressions. He was crystal clear that the reason why teacher Song ndered them this time was because of their poor academic performance. But who said that students from ss 1 must have poor academic performance? This time in the midterm exam, if he does not hit a certain teacher¡¯s face, he is not a Chen. The three people all tried their hardest. Also, Chen Lidong often brought up teacher Song¡¯s name, saying that she looked down on their ss because of their poor academic performance, bullied their students, their teachers, and their parents. Insulting them is like insulting their parents. In this world, everything can be tolerated, everything can be let go, except for one thing: one cannot allow others to insult his or her parents. If someone insults their parents and they do not dare to fart, then how can they be human, how can they be children?
With the leadership of Tang Yuxin, everybody started to listen to the ss seriously, reviewing seriously, even when they got home, they started to study, stopped ying, and stopped watching TV. Even the parents were moved to see their children so serious about studying. High school is like a butcher¡¯s knife, cleanly severing all the bad habits. The day of the midterm exam arrived, with several teachers separately proctoring the exams. It so happened that teacher Song was proctoring ss one. ¡°Pay special attention to this ss,¡± said teacher Song as she walked into the exam room. She never had a good expression for the students of ss 1, and of course, she was not polite, ss one students, you know.¡± The other proctoring teacher certainly knew what she meant by that, which was basically ¡®watch out for cheating.¡¯ But what¡¯s the point of copying now? You can¡¯t copy during the college entrance exam, right? The students in ss one heard their conversation. They were already holding back some anger and now hated teacher Song even more. Fortunately, this new teacher Song never taught them any sses. It could also be that such a high and mighty teacher like her looked down upon students like them who entered through the back door, or those who had the worst academic performance that they couldn¡¯t even touch the gate of the university. During the entire exam, teacher Song was constantly bustling about. Her eyes watched every move, wishing she had grown a few more pair of eyes, wishing her eyes could turn into fire eyes. Whenever someone turned their head, her eyes would sweep over there, no different from a radar. She walked over to Tang Yuxin, lowering her head and staring at the pen in Tang Yuxin¡¯s hand with disdain. Among all the students, she hated this one the most. Since she became a teacher, this was the first student who dared to disrespect her in front of everyone. She wanted to see what answers Tang Yuxin coulde up with. Ha¡­ A poor student from ss one, what good grades can she get? She did not have the patience to study what Tang Yuxin wrote. There were so many students, she had to keep an eye on all of them and not give them any chance to cheat. When the bell rang at the end of the ss, the exam papers were collected one by one. Even if some students suddenly thought about something to write, teacher Song always had a mocking look at them, which undoubtedly stabbed the hearts of many students in ss 1. It seemed that at that time, her expression was saying, what is the point of changing? You will fail anyway. What¡¯s the difference between failing and changing? In the following few exams, either because teacher Song alerted the other teachers, or because the proctoring of the exams was very strict, the teachers didn¡¯t even blink during the exam, making it impossible for the students of ss 1 to even nce around, let alone copy. Furthermore, these students had no intention of copying at all. Some students may have thought about it, but as soon as they thought of the contempt on teacher Song¡¯s face, they believed that no one would dare to do it. Copying, this word is very simple, but as soon as you do it, it amounts to insulting yourself, as well as your parents. After the midterm exams were over, the study atmosphere in ss 1 remained the same. They didn¡¯t discuss any matters, and they all started studying, reciting, and discussing topics in the ssroom as if they had made an unspoken agreement. How is this done? Chen Lidong stood in front of the ckboard and wrote down his thoughts.
¡°Tang Yuxin, do you think it¡¯s correct?¡± Tang Yuxin put down her pen, walked over, picked up a piece of chalk from the side of the ckboard, and stated a long string of forms. Without blinking an eye, she wrote down the answer, put down the chalk and went back to her seat. ¡°I¡¯m impressed.¡± Chen Lidong initially thought that his method was quite simple, but it seemed that Tang Yuxin¡¯s method was even better.
And all the other people were scared by the two¡¯s study methods. They all were top students, but why did they all end up in their ss? Only then did they realize, in fact, these three students who often hung out together in their ss were not here because of connections. They had high scores in the middle school exam. Some people failed to recognize the real talent, given away the good students to others, and even offended all three of them. Even if she knelt down and begged them to go to their ss now, they would not be willing to go. This day happened to be the day when the results of the midterm exam came out. Teacher Jin lowered her head, as if there was something good on the ground. If you didn¡¯t speak, you would think she was looking for money on the ground, anyway, she did not raise her eyes and did not look at people. ¡°Oh hi, Teacher Jin,¡± a colleague greeted her when they saw her. Chapter 248: 241: Where Did the Dark Horse Come From? Chapter 248: Chapter 241: Where Did the Dark Horse Come From? ¡°Hello, Teacher Wang,¡± Teacher Jin hurriedly looked up, giving a rather awkward smile. Every time report card distribution came around, she was gued with embarrassment. There was no choice. Her students consistently performed poorly, making her feel as if she can¡¯t hold her head high within the school grounds. ¡°Hehe¡­¡± Teacher Wang beamed, ¡°This time, I really have to congratte you.¡± ¡°Congratte me?¡± Teacher Jin pointed at herself,ughing as if she were on the verge of tears. What was there to congratte her for? For once again earning thebel of teaching the worst-performing ss? A status she had carried for several years. ¡°Your ss ranked first,¡± Teacher Wang continued to smile. But Teacher Jin felt like crying. It must be the bottom rank. Always the same scenario. When Teacher Wang finally left, Teacher Jin breathed a sigh of relief. She was really afraid that if Teacher Wang continued with his congrattions, she might lose her dignitypletely. ¡°Teacher Jin¡­¡± Another familiar person approached. Teacher Jin hurriedly squeezed out another smile on her face. ¡°Hello, Teacher Bai. You look very happy. How did this exam go?¡± ¡°Good, good,¡± The ss that Teacher Bai coached had always been above average. Although it could notpete with Teacher Song¡¯s gifted and talented ss, it still maintained a high college-eptance rate. And this time around, students in Bai¡¯s ss generally performed above average on the exam.
¡°Teacher Jin, your ss did really well this time.¡± Teacher Wang actuallyughed quite genuinely. In Teacher Jin¡¯s eyes, this just seemed like a genuine mockery. Her heart ached. Teacher Bai clearly knew her ss¡¯s situation, consistently rankingst every year. Could it be that they actually did well this time and got the penultimate ce with someone else bottoming out for them? If so, she would indeed be quite happy. ¡°Did our ss rank second fromst this time?¡± Teacher Jin asked happily¨C not ending up inst ce would already be a huge satisfaction for her. ¡°Ahem¡­.¡± Teacher Bai coughed, ¡°Teacher Jin, your expectations are really low, aren¡¯t they?¡± ¡°How can they not be low?¡± Teacher Jin replied, somewhat despondently. ¡°It¡¯s not like you don¡¯t know, the students I teach¡­ as long as they rank second-tost for me, I wouldn¡¯t consider myself a total failure. At least someone is underneath us.¡± ¡°You¡¯re overthinking it,¡± Teacher Bai felt that Teacher Jin had stumbled upon some good luck this time, ¡°There will always be a few surprises in this world. Go look at the score board and you¡¯ll know.¡± Teacher Bai didn¡¯t say more. Because saying more just made him feel even more regretful. Why didn¡¯t those students end up in their ss? Being ced in such a mediocre ss¡ª it really felt like a blooming flower stuck in cow dung. Teacher Jin was utterly confused. Everyone seemed to be speaking in riddles. They insisted on her checking the board. Why should she? No matter how many times she looked, not a single student from her ss would be listed there. She was about to leave, yet, almost as if by fate, she found herself in front of the honors board. Starting from the end of the list, she started to check one by one. Maybe a few of her students ranked within the top 100. Still, given the overall academic performance of her ss, having any students ranking above 100 was a rarity. Based on her experiences, there were none, so she didn¡¯t need to look for them. Just as she was about to leave, she overheard some students chatting about a name from her ss. ¡°Where did this Tang Yuxine from? How could she score that high? She came out of nowhere and ranked first. Isn¡¯t it said that their ss is the worst-performing one? But look, first, fifth, eighth, and then twentieth, twenty-second, thirty-fifth¡­ they are all names from that particr ss.¡± ¡°I think those three are from a junior high school in Jiangcheng?¡± Another student added. ¡°Exactly, they are from Jiangcheng County Junior High, we were ssmates. But we weren¡¯t in the same ss,¡± intervened a student, continuing the conversation. ¡°The trio already had excellent grades in junior high. Tang Yuxin almost scored 700 in the high school entrance exam, and the Second High School wooed her with schrships. Ultimately, however, she chose the Fifth High School. It¡¯s said that the principal of the Second High School turned white from anger when he didn¡¯t get to enrol these three students.¡± With her ears perked, Teacher Jin listened closely while disbelievingly scanning the honors list.
Indeed, the name at the very top was Tang Yuxin. Within the entire school, only one person held that name, That would be Tang Yuxin from their ss. Moving her gaze downwards, the fifth and eighth ces also carried names from their ss, confirmed by the ss names written next to them. Especially that first ce, it was exceptionally conspicuous. ¡°Hehe¡­ Haha¡­ Wah Wah¡­¡±
Teacher Jin suddenly burst outughing. A student from her ss came first. They had a student who topped the ss. The weight of being top in the grade was much more significant than topping an individual ss. Besides, it was impossible for all students in a ss to rank within the top 100. High school had eight sses in total. Even if a ss had gifted students with excellent grades, not all would rank within the top 100. There will always be some dark horses. At this moment, from their ss, deemed to be the worst one, emerged a dark horse. Not only did they snatch the throne of first ce in the whole grade, they produced students ranking in the fifth and eighth ces. Moreover, five students from their ss made it into the top 100. What used to be considered the worst ss was now clearly teeming with hidden talents. Teacher Jin smiled happily, you could barely see her eyes, she wasughing so hard. She hummed a pop song she picked up from somewhere, practically floating back to her ssroom. As soon as she entered, the ssroom chatter died down. Teacher Jin nced at Tang Yuxin, who then winked at her. For some reason, Teacher Jin burst into tears. She wiped her tears and smiled at her students, though her eyes remained blurred. ¡°This time, everyone has done a great job. We can now prove to others that we are the best. A single exam cannot define us. We are all growing and improving. And we can seed; we have already seeded this time, haven¡¯t we? Students, have you seen the score board? Do you know? We did a great job this time, even better than the advanced ss of the Fifth ss. Tang Yuxin from our ss topped the grade, Chen Lidong ranked fifth, and Xu Sisi was eighth. We have five students within the top hundred in our grade. We are not worse than others, I¡¯m not worse than the advanced ss. Our parents sent us here for a reason: to learn, to acquire knowledge, for our future, not to be bullied or belittled.¡± Chapter 249: 242: Biased Principal Chapter 249: Chapter 242: Biased Principal As she spoke, Teacher Jin choked up again. ¡°I¡¯ve always been in charge of ss 1, a ss notorious for underperforming. But I¡¯ve never felt that my students weren¡¯t capable. My students are the best. You are hardworking, unyielding, and always ready to help each other. You¡¯re not much inferior to those top students. This time, we¡¯ve done well in the exam. And I believe that we will do even better in the future. We will get into university and bring honor to our ss, and to my parents. Isn¡¯t that right?¡± ¡°Indeed!¡± The students beneath the stage were filled with seething passion, many of them moved to tears. Tang Yuxin genuinely felt that their Teacher Jin was truly an extraordinary figure, who had managed to rally the entire ss behind her with just a few sentences, fostering an unprecedented level of determination in their hearts. Coupled with the recent improvement in ss 1¡¯s study culture and atmosphere, this momentum had now risen to an all-time high. At this moment, the hearts of everyone were aze, ready to throw themselves into the fire, regardless of whether it would lead to them being reduced to ashes. They wanted to emerge from the ashes like phoenixes, dreaming of the day when their names would be on that coveted red list, clutching their report cards with pride and making their parents proud. Pride for their children, and pride for themselves. Whether it was the students or the teachers of ss 1, their passion was burning so brightly that it was approaching its zenith, with some students having already picked up their books and begun studying eagerly. No one was willing to give up even the slightest opportunity to learn. The teacher was right, they were young and had countless opportunities. This was just the first exam, and it was far from being the be-all and end-all. The students who performed poorly in the middle school exam went on to do wellter on, and their ss even had the student who ranked number one in the grade. Furthermore, three of the top ten students in the school were in their ss. They frequently discussed various issues. If they followed the same thinking processes, how could they possibly perform poorly? At that moment, in the principal¡¯s office, Miss Song¡¯s face was as ck as pitch. Her previously attractive face had now elongated into the likeness of a horse¡¯s, significantly reducing her attractiveness. She used to be treated as an empress concubine or a queen mother but now had been demoted to a resentful wife. ¡°Principal, what do you mean?¡±
Miss Song thought of the honor roll and felt a pain in her heart. ¡°What do I mean?¡± The principal was confused. ¡°Miss Song, isn¡¯t that incident over now? The parents are not pursuing the matter any further, what more do you want?¡± The principal was a man who cherished talents, and Miss Song was definitely one of them. Otherwise, why would he grovel and damage his reputation, finally ensuring that no one would pursue the matter? But now what was happening? Who had he offended? Mentioning the incident only added to Miss Song¡¯s anger, turning her face an ominous green. Fine, she would not dwell on this matter, she kept mentally preparing herself to not let her angry emotions ovee her, otherwise, she might end up yelling at the principal like a madwoman. ¡°Principal, why did you allocate those three students to ss 1? Is this pping ss 5 in the face?¡± Yes, this was more than a p in her face, it virtually shattered her dignity in front of all the teachers and students in the school. ss 5 was the elite ss, yet they couldn¡¯t outperform ss 1, which was filled with supposedly subpar students. What¡¯s worse, they even had their top spot in the grade stolen; the second spot in the grade belonged to ss 5, but they were forty marks behind the first. How was she supposed to save face? How could she face the other teachers in the future? ¡°What?¡± The principal was still confused. After all this talk, he still didn¡¯t understand. What was she talking about? Which students were given to ss 1? He had forcibly assigned many students to ss 1. Just when the principal was still puzzled as if he¡¯d been hit on the head. There was the sound of a knock on the door outside. ¡°Come in,¡± the principal hastily called out. The door opened, and Teacher Jin walked in. Before, if she entered at this time, she would definitely have been embarrassed, but today she looked extremely pleased with herself, almost as if she was floating on air. ¡°Huh, Teacher Jin, you seem to be in a good mood. Did something pleasant happen?¡± The principal joked with Teacher Jin. One was all smiles, and the other sported a face as long as a horse¡¯s. Naturally, the principal preferred speaking to the one who was smiling. ¡°Yes, something good,¡± Teacher Jin walked over. Upon seeing Miss Song, she finally felt a surge of pride. In this school, the most important thing is the students¡¯ academic performance. If the students performed well in an exam, the teacher would naturally benefit from the reflected glory and be able to walk tall. ¡°What good news? Do tell,¡± the principal also began to smile. The previously oppressive atmosphere in the room seemed to have lightened up, as if a gentle breeze had entered. ¡°I¡¯m here to thank the principal.¡±
Teacher Jin¡¯s joy was infectious, easily felt by the people around her. ¡°Thank me?¡± The principal pointed at himself. What was there for her to thank him for? He hadn¡¯t done anythingtely. In fact, he had been groveling and losing face a lot recently. Now, when he went out, he felt as if he was carrying his face in his pocket. ¡°Thank you for assigning Yuxin and the other two to my ss. Do you know, principal?¡± Teacher Jin ced her hands on the principal¡¯s desk, visibly excited. She figured that she would definitely be sleepless this night.
¡°In this midterm exam, Tang Yuxin from our ss ranked first in the grade, Chen Lidong was fifth, and Xu Miaomiao was eighth. Almost ten of the top hundred studentse from our ss.¡± After hearing this, the principal was stunned momentarily. He then turned to look at Miss Song. It seemed that he really was to me. He had initially intended to assign those students to her ss, but she had refused, and in the end, it benefitted ss 1. Looking at those three children, it was clear that they had not been admitted through backdoor channels. The results had been quite surprising, and humorous, especially for the teachers of whichever ss these students were put in. After Teacher Jin left, Ms. Song¡¯s face became even more stretched. ¡°Miss Song, it was you who did not want the students,¡± the principal stood up, poking at Miss Song¡¯s sore spot. ¡°Initially, I had assigned those students to you, but you didn¡¯t want them.¡± Miss Song suppressed her anger, barely preventing herself from coughing up blood. Chapter 250: 243 Stealing Students Chapter 250: Chapter 243 Stealing Students Tang Yuxin and Xu Lidong, along with Xu Miaomiao, once again stood in the principal¡¯s office. They had been summoned by the principal. ¡°Did that old witch say something about me again? Should I call my dad?¡± Xu Miaomiao blinked her pitiful eyes, almost developing paranoia. ¡°You¡¯re already so grown-up, do you still need your daddy?¡± Chen Lidong extended his hand, giving Xu Miaomiao¡¯s face a firm pinch, ¡°It¡¯s fine, your brother is here. He¡¯s grown up now, he can protect you,¡± and after saying that, he patted his own chest. Xu Miaomiao looked at him scornfully for quite a while, ¡°You¡¯ve grown up, but you haven¡¯t even grown a full beard.¡± ¡°How can it not be full? It¡¯s totally full, want to take a look?¡± Saying that, he leaned his face closer, and from under his chin a few newly grown bristles were indeed peeking out. ¡°Get lost!¡± Xu Miaomiao clenched her teeth, wishing she could kick Chen Lidong. Tang Yuxin massaged her forehead. She wondered how could there be such a foolish person in the world, or was it true that everyone has to go through their foolish years? The era of men in white fluttering coats, could it be because it truly looked good? ¡°Ahem¡­¡± A coughing sound came. Xu Miaomiao quickly straightened her body, as did Chen Lidong, daring not to talk anymore.
The principal walked in, and upon seeing these three children, he immediately appeared friendly and amiable. They were the top students destined for Nanqing University, Qing University, Beijing University. The hopes of their generation rested on them. However, the three of them were frightened by the principal¡¯s cunning smile, it sent chills down their spines as if they were being plotted against. ¡°I heard your test scores were quite impressive?¡± The principal¡¯s tone was even softer, his face beaming brighter. Tang Yuxin acted modestly, her bright eyes glowing warm. ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to our teachers and the good resources provided by the school.¡± Everyone loves to hear such words, especially the principal. Indeed, upon hearing that, the principal lifted his chin and straightened up his back. ¡°Not to boast, the quality of education at our No.5 Middle School is second to none in Qing¡¯an. We are the top high school here, and we have a guaranteed college entry rate every year.¡± Tang Yuxin and the others listened seriously. The principal, gaining momentum, almost began to recite the history of No.5 Middle school, its students¡¯ achievements, and showed them the certificates won by the school over the years. Oops? While opening the cab, the principal realized that he had gotten off track. Those students had made him lose his focus on the real issue at hand. ¡°Let me mention something to you first.¡± Tang Yuxin knew it, if there¡¯s no wind, there will be no waves. If they were summoned here, there must be a reason. If there wasn¡¯t, they wouldn¡¯t be here right now. But she didn¡¯t know what the matter was? ¡°Actually, it¡¯s nothing,¡± the principal folded his hands together and ced them on the table. ¡°I¡¯ve seen your scores, they¡¯re quite good. I mean, with such good scores, you can¡¯t stay in ss 1. I¡¯m thinking of moving you to ss 5. That¡¯s the best elite ss in our No.5 Middle School.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Tang Yuxin happily agreed. But no one could see the indifference that suddenly appeared in her eyes. Xu Miaomiao tugged at her hand. She wouldn¡¯t go to ss 5, she¡¯d rather die. Chen Lidong frowned simrly, and it was clear that he was also unwilling. The principal heaved a sigh of relief, as long as they agreed. Good seeds should be nted in good soil. ¡°Is our Teacher Jin going too?¡± Tang Yuxin¡¯s unexpected question startled the principal. Before he could react, Tang Yuxin¡¯s next sentence surprised him even more. ¡°Are the students in our ss going too? We¡¯ve always said we¡¯ll stick together wherever we go, including our teacher. Mr. Principal, you want us to move to the ss 5 ssroom, right? I thought so¡­¡± Tang Yuxin continued to smile, but her eyes didn¡¯t show the slightest hint ofughter.
¡°We hate Teacher Song so much. We¡¯ve offended her before. If she bes our teacher, our grades might get worse because of her torture.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Xu Miaomiao pouted, ¡°Anyway, I don¡¯t want Teacher Song. If she bes my teacher, I will transfer schools.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll transfer too,¡± Chen Lidong has always been very clear about his likes and dislikes. If he doesn¡¯t like someone, he just doesn¡¯t, and that¡¯s it. ¡°If they¡¯re leaving, I¡¯m leaving too,¡± the smile on Tang Yuxin¡¯s face finally faded, ¡°The three of us have been together since junior high school. We have our own study methods, and we can¡¯t be without anyone.¡±
The principal was struck speechless for a long while. He initially assumed that these three students would willingly go without a word. Who wouldn¡¯t want to go to an elite ss, a better ss? Being in a good ss means faster progress, doesn¡¯t it? But this time, there were students who didn¡¯t want to go. Now the principal was really in a dilemma. He couldn¡¯t let these three students transfer out. With such good grades, they would be valued in any school. If he lost the top performers, he wouldn¡¯t be able to serve as the principal anymore. Forget it, he massaged his tense forehead. Let them be, it didn¡¯t matter which ss they were in. If their end-term results drop significantly, they would deal with it then. Outside, teachers Song and Jin were standing face to face. Teacher Song had always been smiling in a self-confident manner. She put her hand in her pocket, took out a pen, and started to y with it. ¡°Teacher Jin, I¡¯m truly sorry about this.¡± She said sorry, but it wasn¡¯t reflected in her eyes. Teacher Jin tightly pressed her lips together. Her fingers behind her had clenched into a fist. Shameless, utterly shameless. Those were her students, she had taught them. Why should they be taken away just because they were performing well? ¡°You can¡¯t me me for this. You should know, your ss can¡¯t keep the good students. They are being led astray by you, the ss atmosphere is not good,¡± Teacher Song sighed, stealing someone else¡¯s student without feeling guilty. Yes, this was school life. Who said there were no wars in school? The wars in school were more intense than real wars. There may be no smoke of gunpowder, but it could decide one¡¯s life and death in a blink. Teacher Jin¡¯s nose was slightly sour with anger, but she didn¡¯t want to cry here.
Suddenly, with a creak, the principal¡¯s office door opened. ¡°You can follow me now,¡± Teacher Song turned around, her tone was like bestowing alms. Tang Yuxin and the others came over but only greeted Teacher Jin. Chapter 251: 244: Im not going Chapter 251: Chapter 244: I¡¯m not going ¡°Study well,¡± said Teacher Jin to the three children, her heart aching. From now on, they would not be her students, but even so, she wanted them to perform well in their exams and attend good schools. ¡°Teacher, we have to go back. ss is about to start,¡± Tang Yuxin nced at her watch. They¡¯d already missed one lesson while here and didn¡¯t want to miss the next. For them, each high school ss was incredibly important, especially for her. ¡°Go then,¡± Teacher Jin managed a bitter smile, holding back her tears. But after the students had left, she could not help crying. Her students, her excellent students, had they been stolen away from her? How could she not be sad? How could she not feel terrible? Her whole day was gloomy. Other teachers were congratting her on her ss¡¯s performance because the students at the top, Tang Yuxin and her group, had significantly boosted the overall ss¡¯s score, their total score unexpectedly cing them second in the grade. This was the great achievement that a lower-ranking ss could attain ¡ª something everyone should take note of. They could no longer casuallypare with their performance from the past; they now had a formidablepetitor on their hands. Upon hearing the news, Teacher Jin managed a pained smile, lowered her head, and remained silent. Teacher Song put down her pen, stood up and prepared to go to her ss to see the new students. However, when she arrived, the students weren¡¯t there, and the seats left for them remained vacant. ¡°Where are they?¡± Teacher Song asked the ss monitor.
The monitor knew what she meant. Teacher Song had mentioned that new students would be joining them today. But they had been waiting for a long time, and still, no one had shown up. ¡°Teacher, no one came.¡± The moment Teacher Song heard that no one hade, she felt a rush of difort in her heart, as if she had swallowed a dead fly: revolting and impossible to spit out or swallow down. Turning around, she stomped forcefully on the floor, the sound of her heels grating against the tile irritatingly loud. She then went to ss 1, standing outside the ss window, only to see Tang Yuxin and her group still seated together, actively engaged in self-study. asionally, they would discuss things amongst themselves, and the other students paid attention to what they were saying. The study atmosphere in ss 1 waspletely different from their own. In ss 5, everyone was studying on their own, fearing others would steal their time and disrupt their learning. Embodied in ssrooms like ss 1 were the best students who would eventually be ruined by the worst ones. She tightly pursed her lips, her teeth throbbing. She then marched to the Principal¡¯s office, wanting to know what he had said to these students. Didn¡¯t she make it clear that they were to report to ss 5 as soon as possible? Were they still treating her words like air? ¡°Principal, did you tell them toe to my ss immediately?¡± What difference does it make if it¡¯s today or tomorrow? ¡°I did,¡± the Principal said, casually preparing tea for himself, not even raising his eyes. ¡°Then why¡­?¡± Teacher Song was getting irritated. ¡°Why are they still in ss 1?¡± ¡°They refused to go to your ss,¡± the Principal lifted his face helplessly. ¡°If I make them, they threatened to transfer to another school. You should know that such good students would be weed by any school. Although our school, Qing¡¯an Fifth High, has a long history and advanced teaching facilities, it¡¯s not the only school in Qing¡¯an. There¡¯s also the Second and Fourth High¡­ I¡¯m not ready to give these students away for free.¡± Right, that¡¯s exactly what he thought. As long as they don¡¯t transfer to another school, they can go to any ss they want. ¡°Principal, with the atmosphere in ss 1, can they perform well?¡± Teacher Song¡¯s voice pierced like a needle. ¡°But didn¡¯t they achieve the top result in their grade while being part of ss 1?¡± The Principal said nonchntly. ¡°That¡¯s just a fluke,¡± Refusing to admit it, Teacher Song remained firm on her stance. She did not believe that such good students could emerge from such a ss, even with the first rank; it must be luck, which wouldn¡¯t favor them forever. ¡°Let¡¯s see if it¡¯s a fluke at the end of the term then?¡± The Principal chuckled, a glint of confidence in his eyes. Students who consistently perform well couldn¡¯t just start failing, he believed that Tang Yuxin and her group wouldn¡¯t disappoint him, either mid-term or at the end. The cream of the crop, they keep getting more impressive.
Teacher Jin sighed, she slowly climbed the stairs, her hand on the doorknob to her ssroom. She felt afraid to enter, scared of seeing the disappointment in her students¡¯ eyes. She was afraid of disappointing them, of causing them pain. She, indeed, felt like a worthless teacher. The ssroom door gently opened. It wasn¡¯t her doing, but it opened regardless. At that moment, she thought to leave, her feet almost took her away, but then she stopped. She will eventually have toe back and face it all, provide the exnations.
She sighed again and mustered up the courage to step inside. As she lifted her gaze, she saw that there were still people in Tang Yuxin¡¯s seats. Tang Yuxin lifted her face, tilted her head curiously. Then, she reached up, touched her hair, straightened her clothes. Had her clothes be dirty? Was there dirt on her face? ¡°It¡¯s fine, it¡¯s fine,¡± Teacher Jin hurriedly said. The sourness in her nose was already reaching the corner of her eyes. She quickly turned away, wiping her tears discreetly. They¡­ they hadn¡¯t left? Would that mean they¡¯re not leaving in the future either? She dared not entertain such thoughts, out of fear that what¡¯s good in her mind would turn out bad in reality. The next day, she arrived early. Tang Yuxin and the others were still there; they were the earliest to arrive and thest to leave. Their study methods were special and diligent, and now it wasn¡¯t just them; other students also starteding in early. They sat quietly nearby, from time to time listening and carefully noting down what Tang Yuxin and her group discussed. Chapter 252: 245: A Girl Named Lin Falls from the Sky Chapter 252: Chapter 245: A Girl Named Lin Falls from the Sky On the third day, Miss Jin came quite early, though to her surprise, her students were even earlier than her. Moreover, Tang Yuxin and her friends were there every day. She couldn¡¯t help butugh as she watched them from the window. No wonder Teacher Song didn¡¯t seem herself after seeing her. It¡¯s because her ss didn¡¯t want to join hers. She didn¡¯t feel that ss Five was superior. The children in that ssroom were all turning into robots, only caring about their own studies and their own academic results. But that wasn¡¯t good for their future. Don¡¯t underestimate these poor students in their ss. Yes, the students from ss Five willter get into Nanqing University, Qing University, Beijing University, and thenter maybe graduate school. They might even end up working in thepanies owned by her former students. Of course, all of this is a joke. However, Miss Jin was unaware that these jokes woulde true in the future. But that¡¯s a talk for another time. By the time they meet again, it would be more than a decadeter. By then, everything would have changed too rapidly, and some things may ur beyond their wildest dreams. Tang Yuxin had just returned to the Xu Family when she received a call from Tang Zhinian. ¡°Dad¡­¡± She shouted joyfully, having not seen him for some time. She knew her father was busy trying to move the business from out of town back home so that he could spend more time in Qing¡¯an. However, having been in business for so long, his connections and opportunities were all over the ce, making it hard to leave. Otherwise, Tang Zhinian, who treated his daughter like a princess, couldn¡¯t possibly leave her here, barely seeing her.
¡°Yuxin, I¡¯m back.¡± The sound of his daughter¡¯s voice instantly lit up Tang Zhinian¡¯s face with a smile. ¡°Ah, you¡¯re back?¡± Tang Yuxin clutched the phone, ¡°Where are you, Dad? I¡¯lle home in a bit.¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± Tang Zhinian¡¯s voice faltered on the phone. ¡°Yuxin, your father¡­¡± Tang Yuxin had never seen Tang Zhinian like this, unable to spit out his words. It seemed like he was too embarrassed to say something, or it was too hard to tell. Had he found her a stepmother? If he really found her a stepmother, she wouldn¡¯t mind. Anyway, Tang Zhinian couldn¡¯t exin well over the phone. You shoulde home, then you¡¯ll understand. ¡°Okay,¡± Tang Yuxin hung up the phone, packed her bag, and got ready to go home. After telling Aunt Xu, she hurried home. The two houses were not far apart. It would take about twenty minutes to walk from their city house. If they took the bus, it would be even faster, but there were no buses at that time. Probably by the time buses were avable, it would be the second half of the year, and by then, the house they bought there would probably be demolished. Tang Yuxin arrived at the door, took out the key from her bag, turned the lock, and the door creaked open. ¡°Yuxin, you¡¯re back?¡± There stood Tang Zhinian in the living room, as if he had been waiting for his daughter. He was still the same person as before, but he was dressed more smartly now, which made him seem very energetic. Tang Zhinian was a handsome man with a symmetrical face. Now he was in his middle age and had aged slow these past few years because he did not farm. Having travelled north and south, he had wide experience and vision, which brought him a savvy air. He was an attractive middle-aged man, well, not too old. He wasn¡¯t even forty yet. ¡°Yuxin,e here,¡± Tang Zhinian took his daughter¡¯s hand and pulled open a door. Tang Yuxin stepped in and was immediately hit by a strong medicinal odor. Her nose was very sensitive to all sorts of smells nowadays. She could sometimes tell apart different medicines by intuition. Someone? A woman, judging from her breathing. As she walked in, she found a womanid out on her bed, unconscious. She looked about thirty years old and was so skinny that she looked like a bag of bones. She was pitifully thin. Her head was wrapped in bandages, and her face was an ugly shade of pale, tinged with a sickly greenish-gray.
She walked over, reached out, and grabbed the woman¡¯s wrist. The moment she sped it, she felt a cold chill. This wasn¡¯t like holding a human wrist, it felt like holding a pig¡¯s bone wrapped in a thinyer of skin. The woman¡¯s pulse was weak. This woman wasn¡¯t in a good state. If she was treated with Western medical methods, she would have been put on a drip to hang on to life. How is she? Tang Zhinian wiped sweat off his forehead. Can she be saved?
Yes, she still can. If it had been Tang Yuxin from her previous life, she might not have been recoverable. But in this life, after learning the Chen family¡¯s medical skills with a goal of maintaining good health, her chances of recovery would be better. To sum it up, this woman wasn¡¯t ill. She just didn¡¯t want to live. It was that simple. ¡°Dad, where did you find this person?¡± Tang Yuxin tucked the woman¡¯s skeletal arm back under the nkets. She needed to go back to the Li Tang Vige and bring back some stuff. Tang Zhinian looked upwards. Then he pointed his finger up. ¡°She fell from the building above.¡± ¡°Oh, a fairy who fell from the sky.¡± Tang Yuxin tried to visualize it. ¡°This flying fairy, the building wasn¡¯t high, was it?¡± ¡°Not too bad, highest is the sixth floor.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Tang Yuxin imagined the situation at the time, she was really lucky. It was the sixth floor, maybe something broke her fall. If it had been a building with over thirty floors, she would have shattered her bones. ¡°Then, does this have anything to do with Dad?¡± She hoped it wouldn¡¯t be her honest father who had driven the woman to jump off the building. ¡°Well¡­¡± Tang Zhinian wasn¡¯t sure how to phrase his answer. ¡°She aimed to fall on me, but I dodged and she ended up hitting the ground. Do you think if I had caught her, she wouldn¡¯t be in this state?¡± ¡°Yes, she wouldn¡¯t be in this state,¡± Tang Yuxin picked up her father¡¯s words, ¡°Instead, she¡¯d have crushed you to death, leaving me an orphan with no one to care for me, no one to love me. I¡¯d be left like a helpless lone cabbage in a field.¡±
Tang Zhinian wasn¡¯t sure whether tough or cry at this. He looked somewhat awkward. Tang Yuxin stood up and nced at the half-dead woman on her bed, who was as skinny as a ghost. Her eyes squinted into slits. It¡¯s a good thing you didn¡¯t fall on my dad. If you had crippled him, even if you didn¡¯t die, I would have killed you. Chapter 253: 246: Who Will Take Care Chapter 253: Chapter 246: Who Will Take Care The woman on the bed convulsed suddenly as if she had a nightmare. Before long, Tang Zhinian had gathered everything that Tang Yuxin requested. Who else would know better than him? His Yuxin was a Little Divine Doctor, after all. Over the years, the reason why he had been so fit and free of even themon cold was all because of her. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have let his daughter examine this woman. Previously, another doctor had bandaged her wounds, saying she is in a terrible state and suggesting she should just rest. The doctor also suggested to keep food and drink at her disposal. Then wait for her to die? With no alternative, he had to rely on his daughter. If he were held responsible for the fate of this woman who had fallen at his feet, and had to go to jail, wouldn¡¯t his Little Yuxin be left alone? Tang Yuxin fetched her medicine box, which Chen Zhong had left behind. It had been used for generations, and upon opening it, the faint fragrance of the wood and various herbs wafted out. She took out a bottle from inside and pulled a pill from it. Yes, a divine medicine that would cure the disease. In reality, it¡¯s not as dramatic. It¡¯s just a health pill made following an ancient form, much like the Chen family¡¯s Cold Fragrance Pills. It stimtes a fragrance even in bones. However, while Cold Fragrance Pills are consumed for their scent, health pills are consumed for their health benefits. Especially for individuals like her, whether she wants to live or die, or is despaired, consuming the health pill may not significantly improve her health, but it can certainly maintain her existence and dispel the emotional stagnation. If consumed consistently, it can calm her emotions. Naturally, the body will also gradually recuperate.
She held a cup, dropped the pill in it, and asked Tang Zhinian to hold the woman up. ¡°Here, ugly woman, we have medicine for you. Be obedient and open your mouth. Drink it. If you refuse, I¡¯ll have to insert a gastric tube directly through your nose into your stomach. It will be very ufortable. Do you understand? If you do, cooperate. Or else I¡¯ll really have to insert the gastric tube.¡± Tang Zhinian was dripping with sweat from this threat and couldn¡¯t help but shiver. Does this threat sound like a fate worse than death? Tang Yuxin held the cup to the woman¡¯s mouth, pouring some in. To her surprise, the woman swallowed, and she even heard a swallowing sound. Well, that¡¯s a relief. She can swallow. Otherwise, she would really have to find a gastric tube. Any medicine she thought of could be added to it. Thus, a cup of water was smoothly fed to her. Tang Yuxin was in a good mood. Yes, she appreciated cooperative patients. Right now, regardless of the unconscious woman¡¯s will, was she just cooperating due to an instinctual fear, or was it the pressure of Tang Yuxin¡¯s ruthless and severe medical manner? After setting the woman down and standing up, she took a step back. ¡°Dad, what are you going to do with her?¡± She pointed at the ugly woman and asked. Surely, they weren¡¯t nning to keep her? If anything, they could discuss when she recovers. Tang Yuxin didn¡¯t mind at all. After all, she considered this a practice patient. Earlier, when she encountered such a disease, she was helpless. But now, she wanted to see to what extent the Chen family¡¯s medical skills could reach. So, consider her as an experimental subject. However, there was another matter at hand¡­ ¡°Dad, who will take care of her?¡± Tang Yuxin nned her schedule and asked, ¡°I have sses to attend, and I need to revise. I also have to supervise the revision of two people, or even a whole group of people.¡± ¡°You cannot,¡± Tang Zhinian sternly replied, ¡°You should focus hard on your studies. Our Tang family is depending on you. Tang Zhinian pinched his daughter¡¯s face, ¡°If you don¡¯t get good grades this semester, how will you face your grandparents? Beware, your grandparents might rise from their graves to punish their disobedient granddaughter.¡± Upon hearing this, Tang Yuxin wasn¡¯t scared at all. She revered ghosts and spirits, but did not fear them. She revered ghosts and spirits because she was reborn. She believed that something unknown was protecting her in the dark. If possible, could it be the deceased grandparents who had died many years ago were protecting her? Now, the question was, who will take care of this woman?
Tang Zhinian pondered, looking as if in mental conflict. Finally, he gritted his teeth. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll do it. I¡¯m not going anywhere these days anyway, and I need to apany your revision for the end-of-semester exams.¡± Plus, he might as well care for this woman, who almost killed him. He couldn¡¯t just abandon her outside. That would be inhumane, and he couldn¡¯t bring himself to do it. ¡°Oh¡­¡± Tang Yuxin replied, ¡°You will be giving her medicine.¡±
She recounted it on her fingers. Tang Zhinian nodded, ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Help her change her wound dressings, especially the ones on her head,¡± Tang Yuxin further listed. Tang Zhinian agreed, ¡°No problem.¡± ¡°Help her wash her face, hands, feet, and move her limbs.¡± ¡°This¡­¡± Tang Zhinian hesitated slightly. After all, he was a man, and she was a woman. But given the situation, they could have Xiangcaoe over. Xiangcao had Sisi to look after. Furthermore, Zhijun would return in a few days. They couldn¡¯t possibly separate such a couple. Moreover, it was uncertain when this woman would recover. He could surely ask to borrow Xiangcao for a few days and then return, but he didn¡¯t know how to say it. ¡°Alright,¡± he reluctantly agreed. After all, his intentions were pure. He reached out, picking up a cup from the table. He felt hot and sweaty, soaking his clothes. At that moment, he truly wished that Tang Yuxin wouldn¡¯t add anything further. The more she said, the more afraid he was. The more she said, the more nervous he felt. But Tang Yuxin continued to count on her fingers, seemingly recalling something else. ¡°Dad, you also have to take care of her physiological needs.¡± ¡°What, physiological needs?¡± Tang Zhinian was a little confused for a moment. She needs to eat, right? Tang Yuxin asked.
¡°Of course, how can one not eat?¡± ¡°And she needs to drink water, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°She will need to urinate, and also defecate. Oh, right, she also has her monthly cycles.¡± Chapter 254: 247 New Classmate Arrives Chapter 254: Chapter 247 New ssmate Arrives Suddenly, with a ¡°puff¡± sound, Tang Zhinian spit out the water he had just taken a sip of, spraying it all over a woman¡¯s face. Fortunately, the woman didn¡¯t wake up; she was sleeping as soundly as a dead pig. If not, who knows if she would wake up and start a fight with Tang Zhinian. ¡°Cough¡­¡± Tang Zhinian couldn¡¯t stop coughing. ¡°Yuxin, could you¡­¡± ¡°No,¡± Tang Yuxin seriously refused, ¡°Dad, you have to take care of her. That¡¯s your responsibility. It¡¯s impossible for someone to consume without excreting, you can¡¯t take care of only one aspect and ignore the other.¡± ¡°Yuxin, could you help¡­¡± How could Tang Zhinian agree to this? He was a grown man, and she was a woman. A woman! How could a man like himself cater to a woman¡¯s every need? That was totally uneptable. And considering her womanly needs¡­ This was simply unworkable. He stared at his daughter, pleading. ¡°Dad, I¡¯m going to school.¡±
Tang Yuxin packed her medical kit and let be whoever wanted to shoulder the responsibility. Anyway, she wouldn¡¯t. Tang Zhinian was on the verge of tears. ¡°So what should I do?¡± Tang Yuxin bit her fingernail, ¡°Why don¡¯t you just abandon her? Leave her where you found her. Why did you have to bring home a human of all things? Cats and dogs would have been better.¡± ¡°With needs for food, drink, and bathroom.¡± Why cause trouble for yourself? What was that about? ¡°No can do,¡± Tang Zhinian hadn¡¯t thought about putting her out. If he could do that now, he wouldn¡¯t have brought her home in the first ce. ¡°Then solve it yourself, dad. I¡¯ll be over at Aunt Xu¡¯s house.¡± Tang Yuxin put on her backpack. She was off to Xu Miaomiao¡¯s house; they had ns to review the next day¡¯s lessons in the evening. She wasn¡¯t about to jeopardize their rank this semester and lose face. She knew everyone in their group felt the same. Helplessly, Tang Zhinian could only watch as his daughter left. Meanwhile, he, a fully grown man, had to care for this woman like she was his own mother, including feeding her, making sure her medicine was in the water she drank, and checking on her bathroom needs. No, it felt more like raising a daughter. However, even his own daughter, Xiaoyu, was quite sensible at three years old and could handle her own affairs. Yet this grown woman, of unknown age, seemed to require his care for everything. You¡¯d think, of all things, why did he have to find her at his feet? And why was he even bent on picking up a human? He would have preferred a small cat or dog ¨C he knew little Xiaoyu would be delighted to have a pet. Girls were typically weak to such cute pets. When Tang Yuxin arrived at the Xu family¡¯s home, their dinner was ready. ¡°Yuxin¡¯s home,e eat.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Tang Yuxin went to the bathroom to wash her hands, then entered the kitchen to help Xu¡¯s mom carry the bowls and dishes. The more Xu¡¯s mom saw of Tang Yuxin, the more she liked her. It sure must be a relief to have such a thoughtful daughter. Zhinian wasn¡¯t having it easy, raising such a splendid child all by himself. Xu Miaomiao groggily came out a whileter.
¡°Were you sleeping?¡± Tang Yuxin asked Miaomiao. Wasn¡¯t she supposed to be studying for the review? ¡°When you¡¯re not around, I get sleepy as soon as I start reading,¡± Miaomiao yawned again, ¡°I don¡¯t know why. Perhaps it¡¯s because you¡¯re not here to inspire me.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Xu¡¯s mom sighed, ¡°Yuxin, you should know now why Miaomiao¡¯s grades never improve.¡± ¡°She gets sleepy as soon as she opens a book,¡± Xu¡¯s mom patted her daughter¡¯s head, ¡°We¡¯ve tried everything, even the ancient pendant-stud method. But nothing works. Thank God you¡¯re here, otherwise our Miaomiao might end up scavenging in the streets.¡±
Miaomiao¡¯s eyes welled with tears. Mom, aren¡¯t I your own daughter? How could you expose me like this? Xu¡¯s mom brought out the dishes. Alright, let¡¯s eat first. She would keep a watchful eye on the two children. As long as Miaomiao persevered through these three years and got into a university, she could do whatever she wantedter. Firstly, Miaomiao had to get into a university. Once they finished their meal, Chen Lidong showed up not long after. This was his everyday ritual¡ªstudying and reviewing homework with them. It was a system of mutual supervision, as they weren¡¯t very disciplined individually. Just as they sat down, there was a knock on the door from outside. Who could it be at this hour? Xu¡¯s mom took off her apron and went to answer the door. But to her surprise, she found a strange couple and a girl who looked about the same age as her own children. ¡°Who are you¡­?¡± Xu¡¯s mom didn¡¯t recognize them. Why were strangers knocking at their door? ¡°Excuse me, is this Xu Miaomiao¡¯s home?¡± The man asked with a smile. ¡°Yes,¡± Xu¡¯s mom nodded her head, ¡°May I know who are you¡­?¡±
The man introduced the girl next to him. ¡°This is my daughter, she¡¯s Miaomiao¡¯s ssmate.¡± The girl was thin and small, her eyes wide and timid, like a wounded puppy¡ªso pitiful, it stirred maternal instincts. ¡°Oh, she¡¯s Miaomiao¡¯s ssmate. Come in, it¡¯s cold outside.¡± With winter setting in, it was bound to be chilly outside, right? ¡°Thank you,¡± the man walked in with his family, maintaining a polite smile all the while. He didn¡¯t seem nosy or judgmental¡ªmaking it obvious they were a family of good upbringing. Xu¡¯s mom then called out to the other room, ¡°Miaomiao, can youe out for a bit? Your ssmate is here.¡± ¡°My ssmate?¡± From inside, Miaomiao lifted her head in confusion. Which ssmate? Wasn¡¯t her only ssmate Yuxin and Chen Lidong? ¡°They¡¯re here for you,¡± Lidong promptly diverted the attention to Miaomiao. After all, they were not here to see him. ¡°Hmm,¡± Yuxin responded too. It wasn¡¯t her they were looking for after all. Well then, Miaomiao had to stand up and check which ssmate had honorably visited her humble abode. After a while, she came back in. ¡°Look, our ssmate¡¯s here.¡±
Chen Lidong set down his pen, ¡°Lin Yile, why is it you?¡± The frail-looking girl, who trailed behind Miaomiao, shrank back a little, looked at Yuxin, and then uttered in a soft and cautious voice, ¡°I¡­ Can I study with you all, is that okay?¡± Miaomiao and Chen Lidong looked at each other¡ªthey didn¡¯t have a say in this, only Yuxin did. It was Yuxin¡¯s decision whether to let Lin Yile stay or send her away. Sensing the silence from the three of them, Lin Yile¡¯s eyes reddened, as if bullied. It was funny, because none of them had wronged her. They had never been mean to her. They hadn¡¯t even spoken a harsh word. Chapter 255: 248: She Lives With Me Chapter 255: Chapter 248: She Lives With Me ¡°Do you have your backpack?¡± Tang Yuxin was usually engrossed in her books and although she wasn¡¯t paying much attention to her surroundings, she was aware of what was going on. ¡°I brought it.¡± Lin Yile hastily took her backpack off her back. ¡°Tang Yuxin, I brought my backpack.¡± ¡°Find a ce to sit for yourself.¡± Tang Yuxin pointed to a spot next to her. ¡°Thank you,¡± Lin Yile quickly sat down, but she couldn¡¯t hide her nervousness, like a startled little rabbit. No, she was already startled, and if someone were to raise their voice at her right now, she might just burst into tears. Tang Yuxin grabbed a notebook from the table and ced it in front of Lin Yile. ¡°This is today¡¯s problem-solving method. You can look through it first and note down anything you don¡¯t understand. We¡¯ll discuss those parts after we finish our work.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Lin Yile quickly grabbed the notebook, a slight smile betraying her happiness. However, she carefully turned each page, as if afraid of damaging the book.
Tang Yuxin remembered this student. Whenever they were studying together, this quiet girl would be copying something into her own notebook. Even though she wasn¡¯t excelling academically, she was diligent, alwayspleting her assignments and paying attention in ss, despite her poor grades. Tang Yuxin had a good impression of this girl. She was quiet and eager to learn. As long as she didn¡¯t disturb the others, Tang Yuxin didn¡¯t mind her listening in. Besides, her parents had already brought her here. She couldn¡¯t possibly turn her away. She had to save face for the child¡¯s parents no matter what. They were all ssmates and as the saying goes, ¡°Keep a line, meet in the future¡±. They were bound to see each other often, so it was best to keep up good rtions. Outside, Lin Yile¡¯s parents expressed their gratitude profusely. Xu Miaomiao¡¯s mother understood the difficulties of parenting, and was especially sympathetic. ¡°Rest assured, your child is in good hands here. As long as she follows their method, her grades are bound to improve. My Miaomiao was in the bottom few students in her ss in the first year, but after learning this way and finding the right strategy, she never had to worry about studying again. Before, I just wished that she could pass her exams. Now, she doesn¡¯t need me to worry about her and can even rank within the top ten in her grade.¡± At this point, Xu Miaomiao¡¯s mother couldn¡¯t help but beam with pride and confidence. Lin Yile¡¯s mother squeezed the hand of Lin Yile¡¯s father. Mr. Lin gave his wife a reassuring smile. As parents, they were determined to fulfill their daughter¡¯s wish. Their daughter was typically shy and timid and rarely asked for anything. This was the first time she¡¯d asked toe here to study. At first, they didn¡¯t understand why, but now they realized that she wanted to be part of the study group. They were impressed by the unique teaching method, which was proving to be effective in improving the children¡¯s academic performance. They didn¡¯t expect their daughter to be top of her ss, they just wanted her to have good friends. Inside, everyone finished their homework. They were so focused that they almost forgot about the new person in their midst, a quiet student who was air-like in her presence. ¡°Done reading?¡± Tang Yuxin asked Lin Yile. Lin Yile nodded, putting the notebook back in front of Tang Yuxin. ¡°Is there anything you didn¡¯t understand?¡± Tang Yuxin asked her. ¡°Now it¡¯s free discussion time. You can share your thoughts freely.¡± Lin Yile¡¯s eyes lit up, and she pointed to one of the problems on the page. ¡°I¡¯ll answer this one,¡± Xu Miaomiao was enthusiastic about problem-solving, and rapidly wrote down her equation. ¡°Mine¡¯s simpler,¡± Chen Lidong also swiftly listed a long string of forms, then looked triumphant as he nced at Xu Miaomiao. Regardless of how she solved the problem, she was confident her answer was correct. ¡°In an exam, teachers don¡¯t give you more points for having a simpler method. All they want is the correct answer,¡± she said, disying her rtive indifference to achieving a particrly elegant solution.
Lin Yile was still taking notes, but the corners of her mouth were upturned. She seemed happy, probably because she had gained a lot from the notes. Tang Yuxin taught her how to review and preview effectively. Lin Yile gratefully smiled at Tang Yuxin before leaving, her reluctance clear to see. That night, Xu Miaomiao couldn¡¯t sleep so she brought her doll and sneaked into Tang Yuxin¡¯s room. ¡°Do you think our group has gotten bigger? We went from three people to four. It¡¯s better to have more people. I feel like I can be a teacher now,¡± Xu Miaomiao boasted, her newfound confidence blossoming.
¡°What do you think¡­¡± shey on Tang Yuxin¡¯s desk, where Tang Yuxin was reading some non-academic books that Xu Miaomiao didn¡¯t touch ¨C they were some obscure medical books that were beyond her understanding. ¡°Hmm,¡± Tang Yuxin looked up. ¡°What do you want to do?¡± ¡°Nothing,¡± Xu Miaomiao giggled. ¡°Do you think we should ask Lin Yile to live with us? We could just add another bed, and she could share my room.¡± ¡°Whatever you want,¡± Tang Yuxin lowered her head again, going back to her medical book. Chen Zhong had left these books to her, along with some other important books that she had secretively stored away. It was not until his deathbed that Chen Zhong gave her a box full of books that he had kept separately from the others. Otherwise, they may have drowned in the flood. Over the years, she had gained a lot from reading these books. One of the medical books she particrly liked discusses how to diagnose diseases by observing the face, physique, skin color, etc. By now she had gained some skill in this area. Xu Miaomiao¡¯splexion was rosy and her lip color was healthy, indicating that she was in excellent health. Chen Lidong was also healthy, although his face was a bit red, indicating that he was in puberty. Chapter 256: 249: Started a Small Stove Chapter 256: Chapter 249: Started a Small Stove As for Lin Yile, she was somewhat interested, and it would be even better if Xu Miaomiao could bring her over. Xu Miaomiao mentioned this at night, and as a result, the next day, Lin¡¯s father packed up all of Lin Yile¡¯s belongings and brought them over, including her clothes, her bed. If not for Xu Miaomiao¡¯s room being too small, he might¡¯ve brought over all of Lin Yile¡¯s possessions. ¡°I only have one child, so it¡¯s fine,¡± Xu¡¯s mother didn¡¯t mind, it was good for her daughter to have so many littlepanions. Moreover, it¡¯s just one more mouth to feed at home, just cook an extra bowl of rice in the future. Considering Lin Yile¡¯s tiny figure, it seemed that she wouldn¡¯t consume much. Lin¡¯s mother naturally wouldn¡¯t let Xu¡¯s mother bear all the burden. Letting her own child eat and live here, and also learn from others, how could she not contribute? So, she directly gave Xu¡¯s mother five hundred yuan. ¡°How could we ept this money,¡± Xu¡¯s mother of course wouldn¡¯t take the money. Talking about money could hurt feelings, right? ¡°If you don¡¯t ept this, how can we feel at ease?¡± Lin¡¯s mother¡¯s eyes turned red in an instant, ¡°You have been so good to my sweet Lele, letting her eat and live here.¡± Xu¡¯s mother was really seeing such a teary woman for the first time. She was so articte yet could break down at any moment. In the end, she had no choice but to ept the 500 yuan. At that time, 500 yuan was more than Xu¡¯s mother¡¯s monthly sry. The Lin family didn¡¯t seem tock this bit of money, Xu¡¯s mother used this money for the children¡¯s expenses.
From then on, she prepared three meals a day for the children with a variety of recipes each day. And she was right, Lin Yile ate very little indeed, barely the base of a bowl of rice, took a few bites of the dishes, and drank half a cup of water. Xu¡¯s mother worried about her thin arms and thin legs every day, always afraid that she might fall or bump into something and fracture her bones. Any family who had a daughter like this would have no choice but to worry about her. Otherwise, why would Lin¡¯s mothere over every day? She was either concerned about her child not being used to the food, or worried that her daughter might get injured. Xu¡¯s mother now really felt that raising her own daughter Miaomiao was so easy, she could digest even a stone. ¡°Wake up,¡± Tang Yuxin gently shook Lin Yile¡¯s shoulder. Lin Yile rubbed her eyes and then sat up. Initially, she was somewhat confused, but she quickly woke uppletely. However, she didn¡¯t understand why Tang Yuxin was waking her up so early? Nevertheless, she obediently dressed and washed her face. Although she was not fond of talking and wasn¡¯t particrly bright, she was very obedient, probably because she was used to following her parents¡¯ words at home. Tang Yuxin opened the door and walked out. The wind outside was somewhat chilly, but the early morning fresh air made up for it. The sun hadn¡¯t risen yet, but some light was already visible in the east where the sun would rise. ¡°Come, practice with me.¡± Tang Yuxin made a move, and although Lin Yile didn¡¯t know what it was for, she obeyed. Tang Yuxin performed each move one by one, exining as she went along. At first, Lin Yile struggled with the moves. In no time, she broke into a sweat. Tang Yuxin didn¡¯t stop, and so, neither did Lin Yile. She continued until Tang Yuxin stopped. By this time, a dazzling sun had risen in the east. This unobstructed sunrise appeared right before their eyes, casting soft spots of light upon them. There were no tall buildings around, everything was in its natural state and quiet in the wintry morning. No bustling crowd, no cars starting up in the morning, no car horns, and no noise fromrge shopping malls. There were only the crisp bird calls from the trees, which would sometimes make a feather or two flutter down from the sky andnd on the ground before being swept away cleanly by a gust of wind. Tang Yuxin opened her eyes, havingpleted several rounds of breathing exercises. During the merging of Yin and Yang, your breath should be bnced, mirroring the existence of the Heavenly Dao. One should naturally follow Heavenly Dao. ¡°How does it feel?¡± Tang Yuxin turned around to ask Lin Yile.
Lin Yile nodded, and from her eyes, you could see a trace of inexplicable joy. She¡¯d seen many mornings throughout her life, but never such a magnificent scene. It was her first time feeling this. The sunrise was truly beautiful. They had gotten up about two hours earlier than usual, but they didn¡¯t feel sleepy at all. They went to bed at nine in the evening and woke up at six in the morning. This schedule was perfect.
When Tang Yuxin and Lin Yile returned, Xu Miaomiao was still brushing her teeth. Seeing them, she asked curiously with the toothbrush still in her mouth. ¡°Where did you go?¡± ¡°To exercise,¡± Tang Yuxin replied and went back inside. When she came out again, she had a book in her hand. It was such a good morning, so naturally, she couldn¡¯t waste it. She had to study hard. ¡°Wait for me,¡± Xu Miaomiao quickly finished brushing her teeth, grabbed her book, and joined them. They spent the early morning in this way. When it was time for breakfast, Lin Yile somehow managed to eat half a bowl of rice. Xu Miaomiao widened her eyes in surprise. Was the food exceptionally good today? But why did she end up eating just the usual amount? ¡°Mom, did you give Lele special treatment and cook her something delicious?¡± Xu Miaomiao pouted, ¡°Did you make her something tasty?¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Xu¡¯s mother red at her daughter, ¡°Am I that kind of person? You all eat the same. Whether it¡¯s raising one, two or three kids, it¡¯s all the same. Early in the morning and you¡¯re already so tense, I wouldn¡¯t have the time to cook two different types of meals.¡± ¡°But, look¡­¡± Xu Miaomiao pointed at Lin Yile, ¡°She ate three times as much as she usually does today.¡± Lin Yile blinked her eyes, seemingly realizing that she had eaten a lot. She wasn¡¯t sure, she looked rather dazed. She just felt a bit hungry, so she kept eating, but didn¡¯t notice how much she had consumed. Could it be that she really had eaten a lot? ¡°She eats much less than you,¡± Xu¡¯s mother poked her daughter¡¯s forehead, ¡°You eat the most here. You eat enough for an entire week¡¯s meal in one sitting. How did I give birth to such a gluttonous daughter?¡± ¡°Good thing your father is more thrifty. Otherwise, our family¡¯s food supplies would only be enough to feed your belly.¡±
Chapter 257: 250: She is a Demon Chapter 257: Chapter 250: She is a Demon Xu Miaomiao was so embarrassed by her mother¡¯s words that she didn¡¯t even dare to lift her head. As a beautiful young girl, being told that she ate too much by her mother was so humiliating, she didn¡¯t know where to hide her face. Tang Yuxin handed a cup to Lin Yile. Lin epted the cup. It wasn¡¯t filled with water, but seemed to contain a slightly medicinal aroma. However, the smell wasn¡¯t too strong. She didn¡¯t ask what was in it, but put it right to her lips, took a sip, then wrinkled her lovely brows as if it didn¡¯t taste good. In the end, she drank everything in a few sips. She really was too cooperative. Even if it was poison in the cup, she would probably drink it. She raised her eyes, and her innocent, rabbit-like eyes were filled with curiosity, but she still didn¡¯t ask any questions. ¡°Drinking one cup every day will be good for you.¡± Tang Yuxin patted Lin Yile¡¯s shoulder lightly. Yile smiled and resumed biting her cup, asionally kicking the legs of her chair with her feet. After lunch, Tang Yuxin arrived at her home¡¯s front door. She took the key from her bag. She wanted to see how the semi-conscious woman was doing; it had already been a week. After consuming so many Health Pills, she should have awakened by now. Otherwise, if she continued to eat like this, Yuxin felt she wouldn¡¯t be able to afford these pills anymore. ¡°Dad¡­¡± she called out, but no one answered.
So, she had to put her bag down and go find the sleeping woman. Yes, a sleeping woman, not a sleeping beauty. When she opened the door to the room, something came flying towards her before she could react, and she stood there in shock. Just then, a figure shielded her, followed by a loud bang. She hastily covered her face, feeling pain even though nothing had hit her directly. When she finally opened her eyes to look, she saw Tang Zhinian¡¯s forehand had turned red. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Tang Zhinian touched his daughter¡¯s face. Tang Yuxin shook her head, ¡°I¡¯m fine, what about you, dad?¡± She pointed at therge bump on Zhinian¡¯s forehead. This felt like a sudden disaster. She had barely crossed the threshold before nearly being disfigured. ¡°Dad¡¯s okay too.¡± Tang Zhinian touched his head, but as his finger came in contact with the bump, he winced in pain. ¡°You crazy woman!¡± He yelled into the room. ¡°I took you in, gave you food and drink, served you day and night, but you repay my kindness with harm. You even tried to disfigure my daughter.¡± Peering over Tang Zhinian¡¯s shoulder, Tang Yuxin saw a woman sitting inside the room with a face full of shame and anger. The way she was ring at Zhinian, she looked like she wanted to tear him apart, devour his flesh, and drink his blood. Ah, she¡¯s awake. Her temper really isn¡¯t pleasant, huh? ¡°Dad, since she¡¯s awake, why are you still keeping her around? She nearly killed you with that attack. You¡¯ve already done your part by saving her. She should have jumped from a higher floor instead of a low one. That was obviously an attempt to hurt others.¡± Zhinian hastily covered his daughter¡¯s mouth. He then nced at the woman, who had gotten up, looking unwilling to ept any help. Just as Zhinian was about to say something, the woman copsed onto the floor, unable to get up for a long time. ¡°Hey, are you okay?¡± Zhinian rushed over and helped her up. The woman continued to re at Zhinian with bitterness, while starting to pinch the flesh on his arm. However, she wascking in strength, so the pinching just tickled him.
Before she could pinch him more, the woman noticed the young girl standing at the door squatting down, staring unblinkingly at her. The woman turned her face away. For some reason, she didn¡¯t want to meet anyone¡¯s eyes. Huh, why did I save her? Why did I save her? What reason did she have to live? Zhinian hastily helped her onto the bed and covered her with a nket.
¡°Yuxin, can you help take care of her for a moment? Dad left some food cooking in the pot.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± replied Tang Yuxin. She pulled a chair and sat down, engaging in a stare-off with the woman. After Zhinian left, Tang Yuxin, who was squatting at the door, sat herself down and propped her face on her arms on the chair. ¡°So you really want to die, huh?¡± The woman didn¡¯t respond. ¡°Oh¡­¡± After uttering this, Tang Yuxin suddenlyughed. ¡°If you want to die, I can help you. Don¡¯t worry, I can make a lot of poison, and can even provide you with hundreds of ways to die,¡± she counted on her fingers. ¡°You can die beautifully, like you¡¯re just sleeping, or die horribly, making anyone who sees you feel sick. You could even die a gruesome death that frightens everyone, or you could die in such a horrifying way that anyone who sees you will have nightmares, and even ghosts will be paralyzed by fear.¡± ¡°Tell me, which one do you choose? I¡¯ll surely fulfill your wish and guarantee that you¡¯ll die without feeling an ounce of pain.¡± The woman shivered involuntarily. Then she looked at Tang Yuxin as if she had seen a ghost. She pointed at Yuxin. ¡°Are you the one who threatened me in my dream?¡± ¡°Me?¡± Yuxin pointed to her own face, ¡°If you¡¯re talking about in your dream, it shouldn¡¯t be me. But if you mean a threat¡­¡± The woman instantly retreated to a corner of the bed, seeing Yuxin as some kind of devil. Actually, isn¡¯t she a devil? She¡¯ll never forget that voice that appeared in her dreams, each word chilling her to the bone.
So, she¡¯s finally scared? Tang Yuxin straightened her back, then going over to stand by the bed. She lowered her head and stared at the woman unwaveringly. ¡°Tell me, why do you hate my dad? He hasn¡¯t done anything. On the contrary, he saved you. If he hadn¡¯t brought you back, you would probably be lying in a morgue at a hospital by now. You might have even been used as a specimen disyed in various medical schools¡¯boratories for students to visit and dissect. You¡¯d be stark naked, floating in preservative, and you¡¯d have been famous throughout history. I wonder how many people would have seen you in the nude.¡± ¡°Stop talking!¡± The woman screamed, hugging herself. Zhinian quickly came running from the kitchen. ¡°Yuxin, what did you say to her?¡± As he sat down, he put his hand on the woman¡¯s shoulder and gently patted her. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. No matter what happens, my daughter doesn¡¯t mean any harm. She¡¯s a good child.¡± ¡°She¡¯s a devil!¡± The woman gritted her teeth and forced out her words. Chapter 258: 251 This Kid Really Has a Sharp Tongue Chapter 258: Chapter 251 This Kid Really Has a Sharp Tongue ¡°You¡¯re talking nonsense,¡± Tang Zhinian immediately stepped in front of his daughter, ¡°My Yuxin is a good child, not some kind of demon. She will be a doctor in the future, dedicated to healing people.¡± As Tang Zhinian protectively guarded Tang Yuxin like a calf, she peered out from behind him and made a grimace at the woman. The woman immediately rolled her eyes and fainted. This was surely from the anger caused by Tang Yuxin. ¡°What happened? She was fine just a moment ago.¡± Tang Zhinian quickly supported her, pressing on her pressure points and patting her face. ¡°Yuxin,¡± Tang Zhinian looked at his daughter pleadingly. ¡°Come over and see.¡± Tang Yuxinzily walked out, but when she returned, she was carrying a needle pack. She ced the pack on herp, took the woman¡¯s finger, and with a slight tremble of the needle tip, inserted it into the woman¡¯s finger. After removing the needle, a drop of ck blood fell from the tip of the woman¡¯s finger. Not long after, the woman gradually regained consciousness. Her eyes seemed clearer, and it was as if she had suddenly seen the light. The things she previously couldn¡¯t understand suddenly made sense. She breathed calmly, gazing at the father-daughter duo, then chuckled weakly.
¡°Thank you,¡± Tang Yuxin retrieved her silver needle and stood aside, ¡°Don¡¯t thank me. If my dad didn¡¯t want to save you, why would I care whether you lived or died?¡± The way she spoke wasn¡¯t very pleasant, her words were so toxic. The woman averted her eyes embarrassedly. In reality, she hadn¡¯t done anything wrong. She had just woken up to find a man touching her and had mistakenly assumed he intended to do something harmful. It wasn¡¯t untilter that she realized he was merely trying to help her. It simply stung her pride too much. Then, without knowing why, she started feeling groggy and foggy as if she had been covered in a haze. The intense pain that emanated from her fingertip woke her up, her mind cleared up, and even her heartprehended many things. ¡°My daughter is like this, don¡¯t take it to heart,¡± Tang Zhinian hurriedly exined, ¡°She¡¯s a bit wary around strangers. But it¡¯s not like I really know how to put it¡­ you¡¯ve consumed many of her precious medicines. She might be regretting it.¡± Hearing this, the woman felt even more guilty. Though they were strangers, they still went to great lengths to save her. How would she repay them in this lifetime? Only now, when her thoughts had cleared and her mind stabilized, did she realize the foolishness of her actions. If she had died, thrown herself into a bloody mess, it would¡¯ve only pleased that despicable person, and nobody would¡¯ve grieved for her. ¡°Alright, you must be hungry, right?¡± Tang Zhinian¡¯s smile remained honest as he brought the meals from the kitchen and set them on the table, then handed the chopsticks to the woman. ¡°You can eat now.¡± The woman picked up the chopsticks, and her stomach grumbled. She swallowed, indeed, she was very hungry. But as soon as she lifted the chopsticks, her hands shook and the sticks fell onto the table. ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Tang Zhinian picked up the chopsticks from the ground and ced them aside. He brought a bowl and ced it in front of the woman. ¡°Come on, eat.¡± The woman moved her almost colourless lips, her stomach still rumbling. Suddenly, she began eating in obedience. Meanwhile, Tang Yuxin stood at the bottom of the building, staring at it for a long time. She honestly didn¡¯t know whether bringing this woman home by her father was a good or bad thing. After all, many things have slipped out of her control. She is a human, not a god.
Who can foresee future developments? All she needed to know was that the woman wasn¡¯t currently dangerous. Everything else could wait. She would wait for time to give her the answer and for fate to set its course. Early in the morning, as the outside world was still mildly dark, Lin Yile woke up. She carefully sat up and started to get dressed.
So early again. But as she moved, Xu Miaomiao also woke up. ¡°Miaomiao, do you want to join us?¡± Lin Yile asked Xu Miaomiao in a low voice. ¡°No, I don¡¯t,¡± Xu Miaomiao stretched her hand out from under the quilt and shook her head, ¡°I¡¯d rather not go.¡± She covered her head with the quilt. Sleeping was much better than learning from you and that monster Tang. The ¡®monster Tang¡¯ she referred to was Tang Yuxin. Calling her a monster was quite urate. They, ordinary people, couldn¡¯t evenprehend Tang Yuxin¡¯s various skills and her endless energy. She didn¡¯t care about ordinary exams and didn¡¯t need to worry about her grades. Tang Yuxin also possessed a strong, impressive stamina that allowed her to rise early in the morning and stay upte at night. But she was an ordinary person who needed sleep. She couldn¡¯t handle such a heavy load of life and academic pressure. Meanwhile, as she daydreamed, Lin Yile had already dressed and tidied herself. She carefully opened the door, and saw that the sky was still dim, and Tang Yuxin was already standing outside. At this moment, she stood facing the east, seemingly merging with nature. She was a tree, a stone, an observer. She had stood there for countless years, quietly experiencing the shifts of day and night, the transformation of seas into mulberry fields. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Tang Yuxin turned around and saw Lin Yile had already arrived. She gave a smile, then, leading her along the outskirt road, began to jog. At this time, there were few cars or people outside. Those people were probably either going to or returning from work or street cleaners. Twenty minutester, they arrived at a quiet grove, where the sun¡¯s early light was slowly returning to the earth, waiting to break through the clouds and usher in a clear day.
Tang Yuxin stood in the front with Lin Yile standing beside her. At this moment, they moved harmoniously. Half a month had passed, and Lin Yile had befortable with these movements. Her actions were now delivered with spirit and form. After the morning exercise, their breakfast was already prepared by Mrs. Xu. Lin Yile felt really hungry, her stomach was rumbling with hunger. When she received her bowl, she picked up the chopsticks and began stuffing food into her mouth right away. Chapter 259: 252: She is the Little Angel 259 Chapter 252: She is the Little Angel Xu Miaomiao was eating just fine until she saw Lin Yile serve herself a second bowl of rice, which frightened her. "Mom, Mom..." She reached out to tug on her mother''s sleeve, then said through her tears, "Did you really make something delicious for Lele? Why is she eating so much?" People might say she ate a lot, but she wasn''t eating that much at all. It was Lin Yile who was eating a lot, right? But she genuinely didn''t understand. The girl, who used to eat only a bowlful, is now such a big eater? "Perhaps she has grown up?" When Xu Miaomiao asked her mother, her mother had no idea. When Lin Yile came, she was like a little rabbit, eating only a small bowl. Now, Lin''s parents were away on business, so they left Lin Yile with her. They paid 500 yuan a month. What if there was something wrong with this child? No, this wouldn''t do. When she came back, she discussed it with her husband, and then took a day out to take Lin Yile for a check-up. But the results showed that there was no problem at all. Lin Yile was as normal as she could be. The doctor''s exnation for her sudden increase in appetite was that she might have started developing. And the word ''development'', led the mom to a bted realization. Lin Yile had recently gained some weight, her face had rounded off, and she wasparable to Xu Miaomiao, the healthy baby. As the doctor said there was nothing wrong, they didn''t worry. The mom was fretting about what to cook for the children the next day. After all, these children were about to take exams again. High school students had a hard life; there was never-ending homework. If the nutrition was not good enough, if they didn''t eat well, wouldn''t their bodies be affected? When Tang Yuxin opened the door to her house, she noticed that something was different. There was a tablecloth on the table with small flower patterns, and even the unknown bottle standing on the cab was covered. The whole house already felt warmer, no longer as cold as before. The so-called coldness didn''t mean the temperature was too low, but it referred to the emptiness as the house had been uninhabited for a long time. At this moment, a woman emerged from the kitchen. She was still as thin as before, her face sunken in, and her arms and legs were skinny, resembling sticks. Upon seeing Tang Yuxin, the woman hesitated. "You''re back," she said with a smile. Despite her unattractive appearance, her smile was very infectious. Tang Yuxin didn''t know how to respond. Then, the sound of the door opening came again. "Lily, is dinner ready? I''ve bought some beef, let''s cut itter." The voice of Tang Zhinian echoed outside, followed by a series of footsteps. Tang Zhinian was delighted to see Tang Yuxin standing by the door. "You came over today, what a coincidence," he said, lifting up the beef in his hand, "Dad bought beef. I was just thinking about bringing some over to your Uncle Xu''s for you. You love beef the most." He continued speaking while bringing the beef into the kitchen and washing his hands to start chopping. Neither he nor the two women outside noticed the awkward atmosphere. This was just like an encounter between an ex and a current girlfriend. Well, it was indeed an encounter between an ''ex'' and the ''current'' girlfriend. Isn''t it often said that a daughter is her father''s lover from a past life? Not long after, the three of them sat down together. Tang Yuxin was eating her meal in small bites. She felt that her father wasn''t entirely hers anymore, and someone was trying to snatch him away from her. "Oh, I forgot to introduce her," Tang Zhinian said as he pointed to the woman beside him, "This is your Auntie Ren. We owe her a lot. She''s much better now, only needs some recuperation. She has nowhere to go, so she''s staying here for now." Ren Li also felt quite awkward. She just bowed her head, eating her rice, and didn''t dare to pick up any dishes. After the meal, Ren Li wanted to wash the dishes, but Tang Zhinian took them to the kitchen before she could. Outside, Ren Li and Tang Yuxin were staring at each other. Tang Yuxin tapped the table lightly with her fingers, her cold eyes fixed on Ren Li. "Enough, you don''t have to look at me like that." Ren Li stood up. "Come in with me." Saying so, she already walked into her room. Tang Yuxin also stood up, followed her in, and with a m, closed the door behind her, leaving two separate worlds outside. Tang Zhinian was still busy in the kitchen. If he didn''t spend about half an hour in there, he typically wouldn''te out, andter he had to clean the house and take out the garbage. So, the women had at least half an hour. In this time, Ren Li could exin her circumstances, and of course, Tang Yuxin could find out whatever she wanted. Ren Li leaned against the wall and pulled open the curtain. This ce was better. She sighed. There were less heart-wrenching intrigues here. Ordinary people always imagined how great it would be to be rich, but it was not good at all. All the fighting and plotting were unimaginable. Tang Yuxin found a ce to sit and prepared to listen to the story. "My name is Ren Li, my real name." Ren Li turned around and leaned forward slightly, casually, naturally, yet with a certain unique charm, which didn''t resemble that of amoner''s daughter. "Thank you for saving me." "No problem," Tang Yuxin supported her face with her hand on the table, "Okay, keep going, I''m listening." Ren Liughed, "You and your father are nothing alike. Your father is honest and kind, but you''re not. You''re a little devil." "I''m actually a little angel," Tang Yuxin always denied being a little devil. Of course, Xu Miaomiao and others referred to her as Tang Monster, but she would never admit having any association with the word ''monster''. Ren Li''s eyes twitched slightly. "How could such an honest man have a daughter like you? How did you grow up?" With that, Ren Li reached out and kneaded Tang Yuxin''s face like kneading dough. Oh, the advantages of youth, her face was so tender. "And¡­" She kneaded again, "Your dad''s skin is so dark, how could he have a child as fair as you? Could it be, your mom is fair?" "Believe me," Tang Yuxin suddenly smiled, "My mom is darker than my dad, she definitely can''t bear a child as fair as me." And when she said ''my mom'', one could clearly detect the sarcasm in her voice. Chapter 260: 253 She Wants a Younger Brother Chapter 260: Chapter 253 She Wants a Younger Brother Ren Li finally let go of her hand, ¡°I¡¯ve noticed you¡¯ve taken a liking to me.¡± ¡°So¡­¡± Tang Yuxin raised an eyebrow, ¡°Are you going to take me in as your goddaughter, or as a sister?¡± ¡°No,¡± Ren Li shook her head, speaking earnestly, ¡°I want to be your stepmother.¡± Tang Yuxin was taken aback. She hadn¡¯t expected the straightforwardness from Ren Li, and was left speechless. ¡°My name is Ren Li,¡± she repeated her name, ¡°My real name.¡± She emphasized, ¡°I have a reputable background, divorced and childless. My husband left for another woman he had been seeing. I couldn¡¯t cope, so I ran off to this small ce.¡± She stood up, leaned against the window, and felt the cool wind blowing from outside, making her feel more awake. ¡°Sometimes people get stubborn about the wrong things. I, Ren Li, have always been a proud woman. I¡¯ve never failed so miserably before. Could it be that a decade spent with my husband, filled with loyalty,panionship, and mutual support, can¡¯tpete with the lingering mark another woman left in his heart? That woman abandoned him when he was at his lowest. I was the one who stayed by his side each day, apanying him through his most helpless years. I stood by him through thick and thin, returned home with him, married him, and cared for his parents. I also did the housework that I once despised.¡± ¡°But in the end, guess what I got in return? His abandonment.¡± ¡°I guess¡­¡± Ren Li sneered, ¡°My whole life must be a joke. I¡¯ve wasted half of my life, only to lose to men in the end.¡± ¡°So you thought of ending your life?¡± Tang Yuxin didn¡¯t know how to feel after hearing her story. Such incidents were far toomon. She herself had once been such a naive woman, and in the end, they all ended up abandoned.
¡°Right, it¡¯s wretched, isn¡¯t it?¡± Ren Li said self-deprecatingly, ¡°I tortured myself ¡¯til I was half-dead. I learned to drink, smoke, and even thought of drinking myself to death.¡± ¡°Better dead than living such a miserable, disgraceful life.¡± ¡°Good thing I didn¡¯t seed.¡± She pressed her mouth to hide herughter, then burst into tears, ¡°If I had died, they would¡¯ve been overjoyed. With me out of the picture¡ªno longer an obstacle in their lives¡ªthey would have jeered at me. Even in death, I cannot rest; I must live on, and live well at that.¡± ¡°So¡­¡± She turned her face and pinched Tang Yuxin¡¯s cheek, ¡°I quite like you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not into women,¡± Tang Yuxin brushed off her hand, ¡°And my dad is not your tool for revenge.¡± She wouldn¡¯t allow it. ¡°Rest assured, that¡¯s not my intention.¡± Ren Li wiped away her tears, ¡°Truthfully, when I woke up, I really wanted to kill your dad for stripping me naked.¡± She gritted her teeth at the memory, ¡°He saw me naked; who else could I marry? Besides, I quite like my current life. Your dad treats me well. Good men like him are hard to find; I ought to seize this chance.¡± ¡°Then why are you telling me all this?¡± Tang Yuxin sat up straight, staring intently into Ren Li¡¯s eyes. Right now, there was no falsehood in either of their eyes. Yuxin would be able to tell if Ren Li was lying or giving her a runaround. Ren Li sighed, ¡°Your dad values you greatly. Every other sentence is ¡®my Yuxin this,¡¯ ¡®my Yuxin that.¡¯ If you don¡¯t agree to him remarrying, no matter how hard I try, he would never agree.¡± Ren Li anxiously looked at Tang Yuxin. Her hands tightly clutched each other, palms moist with sweat. Would she agree? Could she share her father¡¯s love with this pitiful woman? She longed for a home. She had been living alone for over three years, and had experienced all kinds of people and situations. The chilling indifference of the world was a bitter lesson she had learned. Tang Zhinian was a good man; that she knew. And Ren Li had always been this way. She would seize any opportunity before her, hesitating for no man. Tang Yuxin was thinking, battling with herself. She had thought about her father having someone else in his life. After all, he had spent his past life alone, and now, although things would be different in this one, having a spouse was different from having children. An old partner,panionship in old age¡­ Children could not possibly apany their parents forever; only their lifelong partners could truly stay by their side.
Even though she didn¡¯t want to share her dad with anyone else. Because her dad belonged to her alone. And now there was this strange woman trying to steal her father, and she didn¡¯t have a reason to stop her. Her expression softened.
¡°After you marry my dad, will I be a insignificant figure?¡± She stuck out her lower lip, ¡°Everyone says that if you get a stepmother, you¡¯ll get a stepfather.¡± Ren Li was briefly startled, thenughed out loud, ¡°You little devil! Just don¡¯t let anyone else get ahead of you, and no one will cast you aside, okay?¡± ¡°Will you give me a brother then?¡± Tang Yuxin asked next. Ren Li blinked, ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t want to be rendered insignificant?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Tang Yuxin bowed her head, her long eyshes creating veil of mystery. ¡°If you are going to be with my dad, I won¡¯t object. But you have to give me a brother.¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to,¡± Ren Liughed bitterly, ¡°But I¡¯m already 35 years old, and in ten years of marriage, we didn¡¯t have any children. What if I can¡¯t have any?¡± ¡°You can,¡± Tang Yuxin confidently said, ¡°Even if you can¡¯t, I¡¯ll make sure you do. And don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t ask you to sacrifice too much.¡± Tang Yuxin was confident in her medical skills. Ren Li had no health issues. As for not being able to conceive a child in ten years, it wasn¡¯t solely the woman¡¯s fault; men can have issues too. Back in ancient times, or even currently, society tends to me the woman, not realizing that infertility is a shared problem. But most of the time, it is the woman who has problems, and that¡¯s normal, but it¡¯s not absolute. She had taken Ren Li¡¯s pulse before; her fertility wasn¡¯t an issue.
Chapter 261: 254: Legend of the Hungry Wolf Chapter 261: Chapter 254: Legend of the Hungry Wolf ¡°Alright, then,¡± Ren Li rested her hands on her lower abdomen. Every woman wanted to have a child of her own, and her eyes started to moisten. ¡°If I can bear a child, I will do it, even if it means giving up my own life.¡± ¡°That won¡¯t happen,¡± Tang Yuxin cut her off, ¡°It won¡¯t be your life. I can¡¯t afford to have my little brother without a mother. I¡¯ll ensure your safety.¡± ¡°Hehe¡­¡± Ren Li didn¡¯t take it seriously, but if she ever had a child, she would willingly die for her child. When Tang Yuxin came out, Tang Zhinian had just finished packing the sliced beef. ¡°What were you doing in there?¡± Tang Zhinian asked his daughter as he put the beef into Tang Yuxin¡¯s backpack, advising her, ¡°Get home and eat it soon. Don¡¯t let it spoil.¡± Yuxin picked up her bag and said, ¡°Dad, I need to go back to school now.¡± ¡°Alright then, off you go,¡± Tang Zhinian patted his daughter¡¯s hair, feeling a sense of loss as his daughter was growing up. His little Yuxin had grown up, and he was getting old himself. Tang Yuxin descended the stairs, her backpack somewhat heavy. She was bing a leaf-withered bok choy, her father was about to marry stepmother, yet if Yuxin could get a little brother, she was willing to y the role of such bok choy. The most important thing for a man was to carry on his family line. Although her father had her, she understood that one thing, he could not let go was the issue of Tang family¡¯s bloodline.
Given her second uncle¡¯s health condition, it was inevitable that he wouldn¡¯t leave an heir for Tang family. With her father¡¯s character, it was unlikely he would marry again in his lifetime. Many unpredictable things happened in their lives, and these surprises were all due to her being a variable, causing trouble for many people around her. Such as Tang Zhijun, Zhang Huahua, Chen Family, Xu family, and so forth. She genuinely hoped that Ren Li could be the variable that would carry on the Tang family¡¯s bloodline. She also wanted a brother, her real brother. A few dayster, Ren Li came looking for Tang Yuxin. However, she was neither arrogant nor happy, let alone excited. ¡°What happened?¡± Tang Yuxin noticed the dark circles under Ren Li¡¯s eyes. She wasn¡¯t supposed to be in this state. When Yuxinst visited her, she was recovering day by day, gaining weight, and improving in spirits. She had no reason to torment herself like this. ¡°Yuxin, your father doesn¡¯t agree.¡± Ren Li showed a bitter expression, ¡°I put my pride aside and approached him, but he still refuses. He says he¡¯s too old and doesn¡¯t want to hold me back, but I can feel that he likes me too. After spending so much time together, he should have developed feelings for me. I thought the hardest part would be convincing you, but it turns out, it¡¯s your father.¡± ¡°So, what do you want to do?¡± Tang Yuxin asked Ren Li. Ren Li was a sensible and intelligent woman, she wouldn¡¯t simplyin. ¡°I was wondering¡­¡± Ren Li licked her lips nervously, ¡°Do you have ¡®that¡¯ kind of medicine?¡± ¡°What kind of medicine?¡± Tang Yuxin wasn¡¯t sure what she meant at first. ¡°Well¡­¡± Ren Li found it difficult to exin this to an innocent girl. She blushed and became anxious, but she simply couldn¡¯t say the words. ¡°You want a contraceptive?¡± Tang Yuxin asked tentatively, and as soon as those words were spoken, Ren Li¡¯s face turnedpletely red. She was a mature 35-year-old woman, yet she blushed at the mention of contraceptives. ¡°Come with me,¡± Tang Yuxin led Ren Li back to her house, took out a pill bottle from her medicine box. She¡¯d made the medicine for fun, it wasn¡¯t anything significant. She¡¯d been nning to throw it away, never expecting that one day it mighte in handy. She knew her father¡¯s stubbornness well. He¡¯d vowed never to marry again, and the only way to make him remarry was to let Ren Li take advantage of him, forcing him to marry even against his will. She gave the medicine to Ren Li. For the sake of her future brother, she had to plot against her father. If she didn¡¯t, how could she have a little brother? So, she¡¯d sold out her father in exchange for a brother, it seemed like a fair deal. By the time she got home, Xu Miaomiao and Lin Yile were both diligently doing their homework. She still hadn¡¯t had dinner, and she was hungry. ¡°Yuxin, your food is in the kitchen, the housekeeper has warmed it up for you,¡± Lin Yile ran into the kitchen, brought out a bowl and handed it to Tang Yuxin. ¡°Thank you,¡± Tang Yuxin picked up the bowl and began eating. She looked up again to find Lin Yile staring incessantly at her bowl, asionally swallowing saliva.
¡°Alright, get a bowl for yourself.¡± No one could eat with such eager eyes on them. Lin Yile happily brought ¡­ a ¡­ big ¡­ basin from the kitchen. Tang Yuxin weakly looked at her small bowl and then the big basin in Lin Yile¡¯s hands, as well as the girl whose eyes were practically glowing. She wondered if she had overdosed the medicine.
Perhaps she should change theposition of the herbal tea. No matter how much one could eat, it couldn¡¯t possibly be that much, right? She resigned to her fate and handed over a big portion of her own food to Lin Yile. ¡°Thank you, Yuxin,¡± Lin Yile thankfully held the basin, she happily started to eat. Tang Yuxin returned her focus to her small bowl, which now only had a little rice left at the bottom, the majority was in that big basin. Xu Miaomiao leaned over and put a hand on Tang Yuxin¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Her appetite¡¯s scarytely. I should tell my mom to prepare extra meals for us. She¡¯s eaten half of my food already.¡± With teary eyes, she exined her predicament. Yile eyed her food, making Xu Miaomiao feel guilty for not sharing. Therefore, she, like Tang Yuxin now, had often ended up with half-empty stomachs. That¡¯s the only solution, Tang Yuxin thought. Even if they were to stop Yile¡¯s medication now, she wouldn¡¯t eat any less. On the contrary, she might eat even more. As soon as Miaomiao¡¯s mother learned about this, she naturally agreed. It wasn¡¯t a problem to add an extra meal. The children were under a lot of pressure studying, often staying upte and getting hungry. Chapter 262: 255: I Will be Your Stepmother Chapter 262: Chapter 255: I Will be Your Stepmother That¡¯s exactly why she turned three meals a day into four. Now Lin Yile wouldn¡¯t have to starve anymore, she could always eat until she was full, which made her even more motivated to study. The final exams were soon, after which, the New Year would follow in a few days. The quality of their New Year would depend on the oue of this final exam. In the past, Xu¡¯s mother dreaded the New Year because rtives would always ask about the children¡¯s grades during family visits. As Miaomiao¡¯s grades weren¡¯t that good, they ended up beingughed at every year. But ever since Miaomiao¡¯s grades improved, she felt more confident and no longer felt inferior in front of anyone. And she expected this year to be no different. Her Miaomiao has never once let her down as a mother. On the day of the final exam, Xu¡¯s mother prepared fried dough sticks and eggs for her three children at home. Over the years, they always ate the dough sticks she fried. Right up to this final exam, they never missed a meal. This was Lin Yile¡¯s first time eating them. She couldn¡¯t stop at just one, ending up eating three dough sticks in a row. However, only by eating three eggs afterwards would they be able to get a full score for each, just enough to gather three hundred points. If her stomach could bear it, she¡¯d like to eat a few more hundred points, but the capacity of her stomach was limited. If she continued to stuff herself, she really would burst her stomach.
Final exams were always taken very seriously by the school. The strict exams in Qing¡¯an¡¯s Fifth Middle School were also famed citywide. Each ss is monitored by at least three teachers. Other than stationary and watches, students were not allowed to bring anything else. There was enough space between each desk to ensure no cheating during the exam. If you drank too much water and needed to use the toilet during the exam, you would not be allowed to re-enter. Having taken so many exams throughout high school, the students were aware of this and hence didn¡¯t drink much water before the exam. Inside the examination room, the only noise was the sound of pen tips brushing against paper; swish, swish¡­ A teacher then walked in, and who would it be if not Teacher Song? First, she nced around, her gaze finally resting on Tang Yuxin. ¡°Keep a close eye on the students in this ss. They scored so wellst time, who knows what methods they used?¡± The other teachers felt a slight disdain after hearing Teacher Song¡¯s words. She implied that the high grades scored by their students were not earned, while the students in her Fifth ss, who all ranked within the top hundred in the grade, were considered normal? Not every ss had dumb students, some were good at studies, some weren¡¯t. The principal wouldn¡¯t move all top students to Fifth ss. If that were the case, wouldn¡¯t the school be better off with only one ss? What were the other sses there for, just to support the Fifth ss? Seeing the other teachers ignoring her, Teacher Song felt something was amiss and promptly left, her face red. ¡°If you¡¯re so capable, why don¡¯t you stay? Weren¡¯t you saying that the grades in their ss were achieved through dishonest means? Then keep an eye on them yourself.¡± ¡°Enough, she¡¯s not the principal. Who does she think she is, deciding who should invigte which ss?¡± ¡°She¡¯s so arrogant, acting like all her students will make it to Nanqing University or Qing University.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s wait and see.¡± The two teachers murmured amongst themselves, but didn¡¯t forget their duty to supervise the exam. Even though they didn¡¯t particrly like Teacher Song or her Fifth ss, they, as invigtors, naturally knew their responsibility not to allow cheating. After the final exams, it was almost New Year. The results would only be released a weekter, but Tang Yuxin and the others couldn¡¯t enjoy any holiday like the others. They still needed to revise and preview next year¡¯s curriculum. Although third year was tough, they hoped their hardships in high school would pay off in university. Tang Yuxin knocked on the door. She hadn¡¯t been home for a whileepletely enveloped in her studies and also to give Ren Li a chance. If Ren Li didn¡¯t take advantage of such a good opportunity, there would be nothing left to say.
As soon as the door opened, a hand reached out and pinched her face. She frowned, she didn¡¯t like being touched on the face, especially with a force like this. Was it trying to break her face? ¡°Zhinian, your daughter is here.¡± Oh, they¡¯re using names now. That should mean things are going well, right?
Ren Li winked at Tang Yuxin. From her expression, Tang Yuxin guessed that things had worked out. After a while, Tang Zhinian appeared. He looked a little embarrassed, especially when he saw Ren Li. It was so awkward between them that it seemed as if something was going on, but the problem was that it didn¡¯t look like anything was going on at all. ¡°Yuxin, how was your exam?¡± Tang Zhinian asked his daughter, feeling guilty deep inside. He¡¯d been busy running his business all these years, never involving himself in his daughter¡¯s studies. No, that¡¯s wrong. Since she was little, he, as an illiterate father, had never tutored his daughter. She had taught herself everything. ¡°It was okay,¡± Tang Yuxin wasn¡¯t worried about her grades. Her gaze moved between Tang Zhinian and Ren Li, finally resting on Tang Zhinian. Don¡¯t think that she hadn¡¯t noticed them making eyes at each other behind her back. ¡°Dad, don¡¯t you have anything to tell me?¡± Tang Yuxin wasn¡¯t smiling, her voice sounded quite serious. ¡°Well¡­¡± Tang Zhinian didn¡¯t know what to say. Ren Li subtly pulled at his sleeve. Tang Zhinian honestly didn¡¯t know how to bring it up. He had promised his daughter he wouldn¡¯t remarry. But who would¡¯ve thought this situation would arise? Had it not been for that night, they wouldn¡¯t be in this dilemma. But now he couldn¡¯t escape it anymore because of that one night. ¡°Yuxin, when will they distribute report cards?¡± After some awkward silence, this was the only sentence he could muster. Ren Li shook her head. If they were to rely on Tang Zhinian¡¯s fumbling speech, she might remain an undercover worker until next year. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll do the talking,¡± Ren Li gently pushed Tang Zhinian behind her and took the lead. ¡°Yuxin, I¡¯m marrying your dad. I¡¯ll be your stepmother, but you can trust me. From now on, you¡¯re my real daughter. If anyone dares to bully you, I¡¯ll have your back.¡±
Well, she even called herself ¡®mom¡¯. Tang Yuxin coolly watched as Ren Li made her spiel. There was sincerity mixed within her words. Looking past Ren Li, she asked Tang Zhinian, ¡°Dad, you¡¯re a man. How can you let a woman speak for you?¡± Chapter 263: 256: I Will Treat You Well Chapter 263: Chapter 256: I Will Treat You Well Tang Zhinian umonly flushed, taking a step forward. True, no matter what, he could not let a woman take the lead. The mistake he made was on him, had to be carried by him. He clenched his teeth, feeling like he was already in a do-or-die situation. ¡°Dad wants to marry Aunt Ren, would you¡­be opposed to it?¡± ¡°No,¡± Tang Yuxin had never thought to object. ¡°Dad, I¡¯m almost eighteen, I¡¯m of age, and already have criminal responsibility, so I can take care of myself. You don¡¯t need to ask me who you want to marry, as long as it makes you happy.¡± Hearing his daughter¡¯sck of objection, Tang Zhinian felt the tension in his heart ease. He had already made up his mind. If Yuxin was against it, he would have to apologize to Ren Li. In his life, the most important person was his daughter. No one could rece her. ¡°Yuxin, you truly¡­do not object?¡± he asked his daughter cautiously. ¡°If you don¡¯t, then your dad¡­¡± Tang Yuxin suppressed the urge to sigh. ¡°Dad, I truly don¡¯t object,¡± she patiently reassured him. Tang Yuxin knew her dad so well. If he were burdened by guilt and only wanted her and not Ren Li, it would be a problem.
¡°I also like Aunt Ren. When I go to college, she can even cook for you.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Tang Zhinian asked incredulously. ¡°Really,¡± Tang Yuxin nodded vigorously. Only then did Tang Zhinian truly believe her, a broad grin spreading across his face. He did also like Ren Li, whose fiery temperament and bold demeanor made her unafraid to speak or act. Being such an honest man himself, he was very introverted. If this woman hadn¡¯t pursued him, he might still be a single dad even now. Tang Yuxin picked up her school bag and was ready to head back to the Xu Family¡¯s home. Tang Zhinian did not stop her, knowing Tang Yuxin was visiting the Xu Family for study purposes. Throughout these years, these children had always studied together, and their performance has always been the result of this study group. Turning around, he saw Ren Jiali grinning yfully at him. He scratched his head, an almost forty-year-old man acting bashfully like a young man. ¡°Silly,¡± Ren Li reached out her hand/touched his arm, the corner of her mouth tilting upwards with a hint of joy. She couldn¡¯t help but touch her own lips. When was thest time she truly smiled like this? In these ten years of marriage, she had long forgotten what it felt like to smile. The man before her was not good-looking, and was a down to earth person. He worked the fields his whole life and had had his fill of hardships. His mind was simple, it was reflected in his straightforward facial expressions. Despite being involved in business now, he was still the same unpretentious and sincere man. Initially, she hadn¡¯t thought much. She felt that she needed a home. Instead of barely surviving, she might as well get married to someone else. And Tang Zhinian happened to be right there. He had a home, a daughter, and a kind heart. But as she watched the simple smile on his face, her cold heart inexplicably warmed, and twitched ever so slightly. She reached out to grab Tang Zhinian¡¯s hand tightly. ¡°As long as you are good to me, I will be good to you and your daughter. I will always stay with you and never betray you.¡± Tang Zhinian¡¯s hand trembled slightly, but he still held hers back. Ren Li could feel his sweaty palm. He must be nervous, right? ¡°I¡­¡± Tang Zhinian licked his dry lips. He wasn¡¯t good with words, especially around women. The woman he had the most contact with in his life was his own daughter, Little Yuxin. And even now he didn¡¯t know what she was thinking. So indeed, he was clueless when it came to dealing with women, yet he yearned to be good to a woman for a lifetime. ¡°I will be good to you always.¡± Ren Li¡¯s eyes suddenly turned red, a thirty-five-year-old woman moved to tears.
Who¡¯s she fooling by saying she doesn¡¯t like him? Clearly, she does like him. She wants to marry this man. It¡¯s not forced. Truly. Tang Yuxin arrived at the Xu Family¡¯s home with her school bag, Xu Miaomiao and Lin Yile were waiting for her to discuss the problems together.
As soon as Tang Yuxin ced her school bag down before even taking out her books. The doorbell rang. Xu¡¯s mother popped out of the kitchen where she had been preparing delicious food for the kids. Since the exams were over, there was a need for good nourishment. She bought meat and was preparing to make dumplings for dinner that night. She wiped her hands on her apron and walked over to open the door. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re back already?¡± Xu¡¯s mother was surprised. The Lind family had been away on business for over two months and they were back unexpectedly. Wasn¡¯t it said that it would take a few more days? ¡°Yes, we finished everything early and decided toe back.¡± Lin¡¯s parents brought in bags of various sizes almost filling up the Xu Family¡¯s living room. They had been away for so long, and it was thanks to Xu¡¯s mother who took care of their daughter. She didn¡¯t know what to do with her child, who had a weak constitution since birth. She was worried wherever she left her, only at Xu¡¯s house did they truly feel relieved. Three girls living together, Xu¡¯s mother did not show any favouritism. Whatever her own child ate, she gave the same to the other two. ¡°Sister, these are all local specialties we brought for you, please don¡¯t reject them.¡± Lin¡¯s mother squeezed Xu¡¯s mother¡¯s hand, her hands trembling slightly. ¡°What are you doing, bringing so many things?¡± Xu¡¯s mother felt embarrassed; a month¡¯s food expenses of 500 yuan was more than sufficient even if the entire Lin family were to eat at her ce. Now, they were gifting so much more. Wasn¡¯t this making things difficult for her? ¡°Sister, please ept these. If you do not, I will feel uneasy,¡± Lin¡¯s mother said with a smile, ¡°After all, these things have been brought over. You cannot expect us to carry them back. They are not valuable items, they are just things that are not avable here.¡±
Xu¡¯s mother knew she could not refuse, so she epted, ¡°Alright, I will ept them. Oh, that reminds me, we can eat dumplingster.¡± ¡°Let me help,¡± Lin¡¯s mother was about to roll up her sleeves to help. ¡°No need,¡± Xu¡¯s mother stopped her instantly. ¡°I¡¯ve prepared everything. All we need to do is put them in the pot. There¡¯s no way I¡¯d let Lin¡¯s mother get into the kitchen,¡± she added. It was obvious that the two had just returned. They probably hadn¡¯t even been home and hade straight here. Chapter 264: 257: Really Can Eat! Chapter 264: Chapter 257: Really Can Eat! s, as parents, how could they not understand this longing for their daughter? If her own Miaomiao were apart from her for two months, she would be missing her to death. Mrs. Lin had no choice but to sit down, and Mr. Lin felt pained by her anxiety. But there was nothing they could do; they both missed their daughter. Xu Miaomiao opened the door, intending to go to the bathroom, only to spot the Lin couple sitting in the living room. They had been studying with the door shut,pletely focused on their books, so they had no idea someone hade. She turned her head and called inside. ¡°Lele, your mom and dad are back. Come out quickly!¡± Lin Yile dropped the pen in her hand on the table and dashed out. ¡°Mom, Dad¡­¡± The moment she saw the two people sitting on the sofa, she leaped into their arms. Before Mr. and Mrs. Lin could react, they were hugged by a young girl. ¡°Well¡­¡± Mr. Lin awkwardly pushed the girl away. ¡°You must have mistaken us. I¡¯m not your dad?¡±
Xu Miaomiao nibbled at her finger in confusion. What was going on? Had Lele¡¯s parents lost their memory? Upon hearing this, Lin Yile started to cry. Her sobs moved Mrs. Lin to tears; this little girl certainly seemed like her daughter. ¡°Lele, Lele¡­¡± Mrs. Lin quickly rushed over and put her hand on her daughter¡¯s face. Yes, this was her daughter. The hair, the eyes; this child was unmistakably her Lele. ¡°Mom, Dad, why don¡¯t you recognize me?¡± Lin Yile was on the verge of tears. When her parents had been away for over half a year once, they still recognized her upon return. Why had they forgotten her after just two months this time? It wasn¡¯t that Mrs. Lin didn¡¯t recognize her, it was that she dared not admit it. The change in Lin Yile was dramatic. She had grown taller and her face had filled out. Most importantly, herplexion was radiant. She bore little resemnce to the Lin Yile of the past. Lin Yile used to be thin and small, her face devoid of any flesh, her skin dry. She showed no signs of being a girl in the bloom of youth. But now, she had grown taller and seemed full of life, like a blossoming child. No wonder the Lin couple struggled to recognize their daughter; her transformation was drastic. Perhaps Xu¡¯s family did not realize this because they saw her every day and might not have noticed these changes. But for Mr. and Mrs. Lin, who had been separated from their daughter for two months, the changes were startling. ¡°Hey, what are you all doing?¡± Mrs. Xu emerged from the kitchen, holding a tray of dumplings. Mrs. Lin quickly wiped away her tears and helped serve the dumplings. In no time, tworge tes of dumplings were ced on the table. ¡°Miaomiao, go call Yuxin over for dinner.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Xu Miaomiao promptly went to the room and dragged Tang Yuxin, who was doing math problems, out. When Tang Yuxin came out, the Lin couple was taken aback. The girl standing at the door was so radiant it was almost overwhelming. Her presence seemed to perfume the room with a delicate, unforgettable fragrance. They were aware that this was the natural aroma emitted by Tang Yuxin¡¯s body, an aroma that was unforgettable. They couldn¡¯t fathom how such an extraordinary child was born. ¡°Hello, Uncle. Hello, Aunt,¡± Tang Yuxin greeted Mr. and Mrs. Lin politely. Mrs. Lin couldn¡¯t help but stroke Tang Yuxin¡¯s hair, ¡°Yuxin, you¡¯ve grown too.¡± ¡°Just a little,¡± Tang Yuxin thought about the one centimeter she had grown and felt like crying. If anything, the one who had changed the most here was Lin Yile. Lin Yile had grown about five centimeters in these two months.
She once said her clothes had shrunk. How silly! Even if they did shrink, not all of them could have shrunk, right? Clearly, she was just growing taller. Arge table full of people sat down to eat. Mr. Xu had to work overtime that day, so he wasn¡¯t home. Chen Lidong¡¯s family had returned to their hometown for a visit, so they weren¡¯t around either. Otherwise, it would have been even livelier. ¡°Yuxin, would you like to invite your father over for dumplings?¡± Mrs. Xu suggested to Tang Yuxin. She knew that Tang Zhinian was back. It would be nice if they could all have dumplings together, given the unusual crowd that day. ¡°No need, my father is busy,¡± Tang Yuxin pouted. Her father was dating someone. She thought about herself, dressed in shabby clothes, with two tousled braids on her head and rows of yellowish Chinese cabbages in the fields behind her, while an old song she used to listen to echoed in her ears:
Little cabbage, your leaves are yellowing. At the age of two or three, you are motherless¡­ She shook her head quickly to shake off these strange thoughts, picked up a dumpling to quench her panic¡ªyes, to calm her nerves. Lin Yile grabbed a dumpling and ced it in her bowl, and began eating. Seeing how pretty her daughter now looked, Mrs. Lin felt a surge of joy. Her little Lele had finally grown into a big girl. Just that, she hadn¡¯t yet¡­ It gave her a headache. Luckily, someone had rmended a good traditional Chinese doctor to her. She nned to take her daughter there during the holiday. While she was lost in thought, Lin Yile had already eaten about ten dumplings. She was the one who ate the most, the fastest, and was least picky. Whether the dumplings were filled with meat or vegetables, she stuffed her mouth with them. Mrs. Lin dropped the chopsticks in her hand onto the table, startling Mr. Lin who sat in silence for a while. ¡°Dad, Mom, why aren¡¯t you eating?¡± Lin Yile picked up another dumpling and stuffed it into her mouth, ¡°Auntie¡¯s dumplings taste really good. Auntie, can I have them again tomorrow?¡± ¡°Sure, we can have them again tomorrow.¡± Mrs. Xu loved it when othersplimented her cooking and enjoyed every bit of food. This was a great morale booster for her. Meanwhile, Lin Yile contentedly picked up another dumpling. She didn¡¯t even know how many she had eaten ¡ª she just knew they were delicious. ¡°When did she start eating so much?¡± Mr. Lin pointed at his daughter after a while. Was this really his girl who used to eat less than a cat? When had she started eating so much? My god! This wasn¡¯t eating, this was more like feeding a pig. No wonder she had fattened in just two months. Of course, she wasn¡¯t fat right now, just of normal weight. Who could me her? The old Lin Yile had been so thin that she was almost skeletal. ¡°She¡¯s always eaten this much,¡± Xu Miaomiao quickly snatched a dumpling for her bowl. If she moved any slower, they would all be gone, ¡°She even snatches my cookies at night. Evenbined, Yuxin and I don¡¯t eat as much as her.¡±
Chapter 265: 258: Oh Xiaobai Cai Chapter 265: Chapter 258: Oh Xiaobai Cai ¡°The food here is so good because of Auntie¡¯s cooking,¡± Lin Yile¡¯s remarks were buttering both sides, ttering Xu Miaomiao¡¯s mom and giving her apliment. Xu Miaomiao didn¡¯t dare to speak much. If she said her mom¡¯s food wasn¡¯t good, her mom might thrash her. Lin Yile put down his chopsticks, patting his belly. ¡°Mom and Dad, aren¡¯t you eating?¡± Lin Yile was curiously counting the dumplings in their tes, his eyes gleaming eagerly. Lin¡¯s father wiped the sweat from his forehead, ¡°Well, Dad¡¯s not very hungry so I¡¯ll¡­¡± Before he could finish, a small hand reached out and took away the te in front of him. ¡°Dad, you¡¯re not eating? Okay, then I¡¯ll save this for when I get hungryter tonight.¡± Cold sweat trickled down Lin¡¯s father¡¯s forehead. Does the child have worms in his belly?
¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Xu mom knew what Lin¡¯s mom and dad were thinking, ¡°When Yile started eating more from the quite small portions he used to eat, my husband and I were scared. We thought our child had worms in his stomach, so we took him to the hospital. The doctor told us that he was growing and he actually needed more nutrients.¡± After hearing this, Lin¡¯s parents breathed a sigh of relief. They only had this one daughter, and they had been worrying about her ever since she was little, especially about her food intake. She always ate so little. Now, finally, it seemed like she had started to eat enough. It¡¯s no wonder the change was so dramatic. It turned out she had finally started eating enough. Lin¡¯s mom and dad now wished they could live here at Xu mom¡¯s ce just to see how well their daughter enjoyed the food. The more the daughter ate, the happier they were. However, Xu¡¯s house was too small. It was already a bit of a squeeze with three kids. If the Lin parents moved in too, there wouldn¡¯t even be a ce to stand. The fear of bringing their daughter home, only to have her not eat properly again, was too strong. They thought that maybe living with two other kids was what made their daughter realize she needed to eat. They didn¡¯t want to risk removing their daughter from the Xu household now, as she seemed to be doing just fine. So, the two of them agreed to buy a house across the street, so they could be neighbors. This way, both mothers took care of the meals for the three children. Neither of the mothers was overly demanding. Lin¡¯s father had a decent position and their family was not short of money, so buying the house caused no financial stress. He even used his connections to transfer Xu¡¯s father to a lighter job so he coulde home more often. ¡°So, when should we meet with Zhinian?¡± Lin¡¯s father hadn¡¯t met Tang Yuxin¡¯s father yet. He felt incredibly grateful to Tang Niannian, and wanted to express his thanks properly. ¡°You mean Zhinian?¡± Xu¡¯s fatherughed, ¡°We¡¯ll meet him soon. He¡¯s currently busy preparing for his wedding. He¡¯s getting married.¡± Lin¡¯s father looked stunned, ¡°What about Yuxin?¡± ¡°Yuxin? Don¡¯t worry,¡± Xu¡¯s father picked up his cup, ¡°Yuxin is very understanding. Do you think Zhinian would get married without her consent? He¡¯s almost forty. Even if he were beaten to death, he wouldn¡¯t marry without Yuxin¡¯s approval.¡± At that moment, Tang Yuxin came out to get some water. As Xu¡¯s father finished speaking, she sang nearly off-key. ¡°Little bok choy, leaves turning yellow, two or three years old, the mother ran away¡­¡± Xu¡¯s father¡¯s eyes twitched reflexively.
Darling, if your dad hears you singing this song, won¡¯t he cry? A few dayster, Lin¡¯s father finally met Tang Zhinian. He had expected a schr or a man of great learning, considering he was the father of a daughter like Tang Yuxin. Instead, he found a bashful rural man whose wide smile showed off a mouth full of white teeth. His reddish-ck skin seemed incredibly honest. ¡°Brother Zhinian,¡± Lin¡¯s father shook Tang Zhinian¡¯s hand tightly, ¡°I really owe you a big thanks this time. If it wasn¡¯t for you, our daughter might still be at the bottom of her ss.¡± Xu¡¯s father nodded repeatedly at Lin¡¯s father¡¯s words. He deeply understood that worry, as he had experienced it himself. Back then, he had been so worried about his daughter¡¯s grades that he couldn¡¯t eat or sleep. Now, his daughter¡¯s improving grades had brought him peace. His superiors also viewed him favorably because of his daughter¡¯s sess, which led to his promotion. He now held a decent position¡ªhow could he manage others¡¯ children effectively if he couldn¡¯t even manage his own?
Tang¡¯s father was somewhat perplexed. What had his little Yuxin done now? ¡°Hehe¡­¡± Xu¡¯s father let out a chuckle, ¡°Your little Yuxin has taken on another apprentice. The child used to be as skinny as a monkey, but now she¡¯s living with a few other children and has gotten a lot rounder. I¡¯m sure her grades are improving day by day as well.¡± As for this, Xu¡¯s father held no doubts. With daily studying, how could the grades not improve? Plus, just looking at how easygoing the children were during exams, it was evident that their results were definitely going to be good. Yuxin, that child, was top of her grade. How did she manage to suddenly improve so much in high school after being so mediocre in junior high? Tang Zhinian blushed at the shower of praises. His little Yuxin was indeed something to be proud of. She wasn¡¯t just good at studies but also very kind-hearted. That was the thing he was most proud of about his daughter. Their conversation was centered around their children¡¯s studies as they sat together. The fathers found lots to talk about. Even though it was Lin¡¯s father¡¯s first time meeting Tang Zhinian, having shared experiences as fathers allowed them to understand each other better. Before long, they were chatting like old friends. Chapter 266 - 259: Checking the Rankings Chapter 266: Chapter 259: Checking the Rankings The topic eventually shifted to Tang Zhinian¡¯s uing wedding. He mentioned that both of them were not getting any younger, so they nned to first obtain the marriage certificate, then return to the vige for a few banquet tables, and invite all the neighbors. This would be sufficient, and there was no need for anything overly extravagant. However, there was an issue with Ren Li¡¯s household registration due to her being from out of town. She only brought her ID card and a reference letter was required for marriage. Therefore, Zhinian was contemting asking the vige to issue a reference letter. ¡°Leave this matter to me,¡± Mr. Lin patted his thigh, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll get it done tomorrow.¡± He was in charge of the household registration, so it was a simple task for him. Indeed, it turned out to be easier than he stated. With a single phone call, everything was handled. As for Tang Zhinian¡¯s second marriage, Tang Yuxin had no objections, and thus, neither did anyone else. This concerned other people¡¯s families and had nothing to do with them. They simply needed to offer their congrattions. Within a few days, the end-of-term exam results were released. Mr. Lin was the first to be impatient. He went to school early in the morning. However, he had arrived too early. The honor rolls had not been posted yet. In the past, his family had never had any reason to check the honor rolls since his daughter, Lele¡¯s name, had never appeared on it. However, this time, Lin Yile had imed that she would definitely rank within the top hundred. If it weren¡¯t for that, Mr. Lin would not be here now, despite his wavering emotions. After waiting for about an hour, the teachers had already posted the honor roll in a conspicuous spot in the school. Mr. Lin did not intend to start from the top. He started from the bottom, thinking that if his child could rank around the nieth, it would still be quite good, which would give her a chance to enter university. He scanned upward from thest ce, by the time he reached the eighties, he couldn¡¯t help feeling despondent. There was nothing, nothing at all. It seemed that there was no hope this time. However, it was still fine. It was only the end of the first term of the upper school. They still had more than two years left. There was no rush. They were used to falling behind, and couldn¡¯t possibly beef up overnight. As long as they were not at the very bottom, they would have seeded. He continued to scan upwards, one name at a time, seeing if there were any familiar names. To his surprise, he discovered that quite a few students in his daughter¡¯s ss had made it into the top hundred. It wasn¡¯t that the names themselves were familiar, but rather each name had a homeroom number tagged behind it. By this time, many students had gathered beside him. ¡°Look, it¡¯s Tang Yuxin from ss one again. How did she do it? Howe she¡¯s the first again? The fifth and sixth ce also belong to ss one students, and so is the eighth ce.¡± ¡°It¡¯s clear ss one did better this time, even better than ss five, which is the top ss. I¡¯m not sure where they¡¯ve been left behind.¡± ¡°There are quite a few from ss one in the top twenty too. Another student exims, the twenty-first ce falls to Ma Jiamin, the twenty-third ce to Lin Yile, the thirty-sixth ce¡­¡± Mr. Lin was stunned. Twenty-third ce, Lin Yile? Were there another ¡®Lin Yile¡¯ in the school? He quickly walked to another list. This list only had the names of the top thirty students. Mr. Lin went straight to the twenty-third ce. Indeed, it was Lin Yile, Lin Yile from ss one. Yes, it was her, unquestionably. Only his Lele bore this name in ss one, and it was their daughter. My goodness, he held back his excitement as his heart pounded. Their little Lele ranked twenty-third in her grade. Yet he didn¡¯t dare to linger, fearing that he might lose control. However, no matter how much he tried, he was unable to suppress the grin on his face. That¡¯s right, a proper celebration is needed. He would reserve a banquet table, inviting everyone over for a meal. Upon returning home, he couldn¡¯t help but share the joyful news with Mrs. Lin. ¡°Our Lele has ranked the twenty-third ce!¡± ¡°Really?¡± Mrs. Lin was ecstatic. ¡°Is she the twenty-third in her ss, or does she rank the twenty-third from the bottom?¡± Mr. Lin¡¯s eye twitched slightly. ¡°You have that little faith in your daughter?¡± However, he was soon smiling from ear to ear. ¡°Our daughter really made us proud this time. She ranked the twenty-third, the twenty-third in the entire grade.¡± ¡°What?¡± Mrs. Lin was in disbelief initially. ¡°The twenty-third in the entire grade? Are you sure you didn¡¯t read wrong? Maybe there¡¯s another student with the same name as our Lele?¡± At this moment, though she was excited, her heart was also very tense. ¡°I checked again and again,¡± Mr. Lin was very certain. ¡°It was indeed Lin Yile from ss one. If not our daughter, then whose?¡± ¡°I want to go and see the honor roll for myself.¡± As if a gust of wind, Mrs. Lin was already getting ready to change her clothes and head to the school. ¡°No need to rush,¡± Mr. Lin hurriedly blocked her. ¡°Those results won¡¯t change. We should have a meal out first, invite Zhinian and the others for a feast.¡± ¡°Oh, right, right. That¡¯s the right thing to do.¡± Mrs. Lin nodded in agreement after some thought. As this was the best score Lele had achieved since she was a child ¨C ranking twenty-third among the entire grade ¨C regardless of whether it was in the top ten, it was still an impressive score. ¡°What about the other children? Did you note their scores?¡± Mrs. Lin then asked Mr. Lin, thinking that if her academically weak Lele could achieve such an impressive score, what could she say about those others? ¡°Of course, they¡¯re all excellent,¡± Mr. Lin boosted with pride as if himself was the one who scored high. ¡°Yuxin has topped the grade, Lidong is fifth, and Miaomiao improved by two ranks from thest time, ranking sixth.¡± ¡°They did so well?¡± Mrs. Lin was also happy for these children. Hard work does pay off, and it was thanks to these kids who always pushing themselves every day to study. With the right study methods and effort, it would be weird if the results were not good. ¡°And I noticed,¡± Mr. Lin added, ¡°This time, the entire ss one¡¯s scores were all good. Almost half of the students ranked within the top hundred of the entire grade.¡± This was something only a top ss could achieve. ¡°So¡­¡± Mrs. Lin thought for a moment and then asked, ¡°Did the school mistakenlybel the top ss?¡± Chapter 267 - 260: Dark Horse Chapter 267: Chapter 260: Dark Horse ¡°Such errors are impossible for the school to make,¡± Lin¡¯s father shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s simply inconceivable. ss Five is the cream of the crop of our school, everyone knows that.¡± ss One was just as infamous as ss Five, known mainly for being the ss filled with problem students. Most had got in through connections and were therefore grouped together. The rest of the sses at this school were rather run-of-the-mill; they had a mixture of good and bad students, but no ss could boast the overall quality of ss Five, nor the uniformly poor performance of ss One. However, who would have expected that this year, ss One would turn out to be a dark horse? Their results wholly resembled those of the top tier ss at our school. Their ss not only secured the first, fifth and sixth position but also imed over fifty percent of the seats in the top hundred. If we consider the seventy percent matriction rate after the college entrance exam, it¡¯s safe to say that at least half of ss One will be heading off to university. In fact, most of this top hundred are likely candidates for key universities. The top ten students were even headed for high-ranking universities like Beijing University, Qing University, and Nanqing University. Hence, if their own Lele worked a bit harder and managed to get into the top ten ranks, she could also be a student at Nanqing University, Qing University, or Beijing University. Lin¡¯s father wasn¡¯t pushing her for this, though. He would be happy if she simply got into any university. Lin¡¯s father had booked a big table at a grand restaurant and invited three other families over. They had been meeting so frequently recently that they felt quite familiar with each other. The three children spent time together daily, so close they resembled siblings. Lin¡¯s father was very happy, he kept toasting everyone, drank quite a bit, and started reminiscing about their struggles from the past few years. Due to work, Lin¡¯s parents usually had to travel leading to an often sick and frail Lin Yile being raised by her grandmother. Yile didn¡¯t grow much and her academic performance was always poor. She was the weakest among her siblings which resulted in her being bullied frequently. Seeing their daughter in this situation would often make them feel sad. Just like them, Chen¡¯s father too used to worry about his child¡¯s performance. He would punish his child whenever the grades were particrly low, resulting in his buttocks swollen from the beating, only to secretly cry afterwards. But what can he do? They all had just one child. If their child¡¯s academics were not up to par, how would they live in the future? Upon discussing this, these fathers felt like bursting into tears. Meanwhile, Lin Yile quietly wiped her tears thinking about all the ridicule she had faced from her cousins over the years. This time, she was able to hold her head high having obtained such great results ¨C finally making her parents proud. ¡°Come, let¡¯s eat,¡± Lin¡¯s mother hurriedly called everyone to the table. They were all there to share a joyous asion, yet ended up shedding tears. Luckily they had booked a private room, otherwise the crying would have attracted unwanted attention. Inside, they all ate and drank, all of them extremely delighted. The examinations had gone well for everyone¡¯s children. The year had been a fruitful one simply because of the good scores. Meanwhile, back at school, Teacher Jin fixed her hair, feeling fresh and full of pep due to people¡¯s felicitations. ¡°Teacher Jin, your new hairstyle is lovely. Really suits you,¡± said one of the teachers. ¡°Thank you,¡± Teacher Jin replied modestly yet couldn¡¯t help but stand a bit taller. ¡°Teacher Jin, your ss did remarkably well in the exams again. Another teacher came over to speak to Teacher Jin. They asked, ¡°What¡¯s your secret? How do your students keep outdoing themselves?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Teacher Jin replied with a modest smile, ¡°The students just worked really hard.¡± ¡°Without you, they wouldn¡¯t have been able to achieve such good scores, would they?¡± The teacher¡¯s voice was ripe with envy and a tinge of bitterness. Why didn¡¯t they have such luck? Why couldn¡¯t they have taught such students? And why were these students all concentrated in ss One? They had even managed to foster a strong study culture in their ss, often studying together during free periods. The students arrived at school earlier and leftter than those in any other sses, with Teacher Jin also sticking to the same schedule, arriving half an hour early and leaving half an hourte. If both students and teacher showed such dedication, how could their academic performance not improve and grades not rise? Just look at their grades. They¡¯ve embarrassed countless people ¨C the so-called best students of ss Five. Did ss Five have such good grades? Did ss Five have the student who ranked first? Did ss Five achieve such high overall scores? Yet, ss Five still had the audacity to call themselves the top ss. Yes, top ss indeed ¨C a ss that didn¡¯t even perform as well as one that consisted mainly of problem students. And Teacher Song, always disying a superior attitude, had undoubtedly angered many people. There weren¡¯t many people willing to lend a helping hand when one was down. But rest assured, there were plenty of people ready to kick you while you were down. While Teacher Jin was conversing amicably with her colleagues, Teacher Song was receiving sympathetic nces everywhere she went. After all, was the performance of their so-called top ss not indicative of the teacher¡¯s ipetence? Previously, the ¡®Outstanding Teacher¡¯ de had always been reserved for Teacher Song. However, ss One¡¯s outperforming everyone¡¯s expectations in both the mock and final exams resulted in an unexpected turn of events. Moreover, every subject teacher was extremely fond of ss One¡¯s students due to their excellent discipline and study habits. So, the ¡®Outstanding Teacher¡¯ award was given to Teacher Jin this year. The school didn¡¯t care if you were teaching the top or the problematic ss; they judged solely based on results. Clearly, the problematic ss One had shown remarkable improvement, while the top ss Five didn¡¯t show much difference. The alleged top students of this school, or ss Five,cked any particrly outstanding student. However, ss One had a few students who excelled in every aspect. Finally, Teacher Jin was able to hold her head high in the entire school. Winning the ¡®Outstanding Teacher¡¯ award made her feel fulfilled, like a winner in life. As for Teacher Song, she missed out on an award that was practically hers by default. No matter how angry she was, she couldn¡¯t change the exceptional cognitive and test-taking capabilities of the students in ss One. Remembering that those students were initially part of her ss before she handed them over to Teacher Jin wasn¡¯t just maddening, it was also suffocating. Chapter 268: 261: Oh Xiaobai Cai Chapter 268: Chapter 261: Oh Xiaobai Cai However, just before the New Year, she fell ill. It was undoubtedly stress-induced. Stress can kill, just like Teacher Song right now. If she continues being stressed out like this, she might just cause her own death. Soon after the exam results were released, it was time for the New Year¡¯s Eve again. For many people, this year was going to be a good one, especially for Tang Zhinian. He and Ren Li had already gotten their marriage certificates. Ren Li, being impulsive, didn¡¯t say anything and immediately imed the certificate with Tang Zhinian once they received their hukou. Despite it being his second marriage, Zhinian felt like a young boy again. The thought of getting married again kept him awake for several nights. They got their wedding sorted out right before the New Year. The ceremony was held in the vige. Although they originally nned to keep it small, the wedding ended up being rather grand because now, Zhinian was not short on cash. The whole Xu, Lin, and Chen Families came. When they saw Tang Zhijun¡¯s little daughter, a beautiful and obedient girl in her early teens, everyone wished they could take her home as their own. Sisi was a sweet talker, she sweetened everyone up by calling them auntie, uncle, big brother, big sister. Zhijun felt immense happiness for his brother marrying again. They had been single for so long, it wouldn¡¯t make sense to give themselves a hard time just for the sake of Zhn. They didn¡¯t even have someone to depend on when they were away from home. Zhijun also had his own ideas. He and Zhang Xiangcao had been married for many years but didn¡¯t have a child. If he didn¡¯t have children in this lifetime, it would be okay as they had Sisi, and Zhinian had Yuxin. However, having a boy would be even better. Hence, he hoped that his elder brother could marry a woman and continue the Tang Family¡¯s lineage. Thankfully, this time, Zhinian saw the light and decided to get married. His sister-inw was much better than Zhn, she was refreshing and a bit fierce. She loved children a lot. The fact that she always looked after SIisi and spent money on her showed that she was a good woman. She would never leave her own daughter behind like Zhn did.
Most importantly, she got along well with Yuxin. Despite Yuxin being a bit cold, she and Ren Li were like mother and daughter, sisters, and friends. This made Zhijun very relieved. At the very least, he didn¡¯t have to worry about Yuxin turning into a frail little girl. He thought so and believed so. But he didn¡¯t know that at this moment, Yuxin wanted to stab this woman to death with a needle. At this moment, Ren Li was hiding in fear behind Zhinian, staring fearfully at the shattered ss bottle on the floor. The bottle had broken into pieces, and there was a strong smell of wine mixed with an intense medicinal scent. While the scent wasn¡¯t cold, Yuxin¡¯s expression was freezing. Amongst the shards of ss on the floor, there was a bright red snake, limp and with closed eyes. Obviously, it had been dead for a while. ¡°Forget it, Yuxin,¡± Zhinian shielded Ren Li behind him in case Yuxin¡¯s piercing gaze killed her. ¡°Your mom didn¡¯t mean to do it, she was just startled.¡± Ren Li was nodding repeatedly. She was cleaning when she stumbled across the snake and out of fright, she identally dropped the bottle and it shattered. It was only then that she found out the wine inside the bottle was Snake Wine that Yuxin has been infusing for years with lots of medicinal herbs. Once it was ready, it was meant for Zhinian to drink. The Snake Wine could eliminate dampness, strengthen the body, and it was good for his health. Now, it was all wasted. To say that Yuxin was not upset would be a lie. She had put a lot of effort into this bottle of medicinal wine. She had collected the medicinal herbs from the mountains for a month and processed the snake in a special way. It had always been a treasure to her, but now, it was all ruined. Yuxin walked over, squatted down, and picked up the dead snake. Even though Ren Li was a brave person, she was still afraid of such soft-bodied creatures. It seemed that no woman wasn¡¯t afraid. Seeing Yuxin picking up the dead snake fearlessly, her brain went nk, and she fainted out of fear. ¡°Yuxin¡­¡± Zhinian was utterly helpless. With one hand holding his wife and the other calling his daughter¡¯s name helplessly. Yuxin nced at Zhinian indifferently, then started singing. ¡°Little cabbage, leaves are yellowing, only two or three years old, mom¡¯s walking away¡­¡± Zhinian¡¯s eyes twitched. He had no choice but to take the faint Ren Li away first. Later, he had to return and deal with the wine. He was running around taking care of the women at home, then getting a new bottle and wine for his daughter so she could infuse a new batch of Snake Wine. Although the snake was used once, it was notpletely useless, its effect was just slightly less. Having two women in the house was truly giving him a huge headache. Zhijun was secretlyughing at his older brother for marrying such a lively woman and having a quirky daughter. It seemed like his life was getting more and more interesting.
If Zhinian knew Zhijun¡¯s thoughts, he would definitely scream back at him. Interesting? What¡¯s so interesting about this? You try living this awful life! Especially with his daughter, Yuxin, who would sing the ¡®Little Cabbage¡¯ song whenever something didn¡¯t go her way. It was almost as if he had forgotten about her after getting married. But heavens knew, in his heart, his daughter always came first. No one could rece her. Even after marrying Ren Li, or even if he were to have a sonter, his daughter would always be his priority. Yuxin gave Lin Yile several packets of medicine.
¡°Drink it every day, remember.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Lin Yile obediently agreed. She had gotten used to drinking whatever Yuxin gave her over these two months. ¡°Yuxin,¡± Lin Yile put the medicine into her schoolbag and then asked Yuxin, ¡°When do we start studying? I don¡¯t even want to celebrate the New Year anymore, studying is more important.¡± Chapter 269: 262: Obedient Child Chapter 269: Chapter 262: Obedient Child Can¡¯t she have a bit of personal space? Tang Yuxin feels crushed under the weight of academic stress, barely managing to cope. Yet they all seemed okay, and their days were filled with nothing but study, study, and more study. As if they didn¡¯t need to care about other aspects of life, but studying could never fall behind. No wonder, she had achieved such great results this year, her zeal still burning. She wanted to strike while the iron was hot and further solidify her current achievements. When the holidays are over, studying at home will be the same thing. Tang Yuxin still has to go back to Tang Vige. Sisi¡¯s grades have dropped a bit recently, and she needs to tutor her. Of course, she also intends to take advantage of the holiday to dig some herbs in the mountain. As she squinted her eyes and looked at the girl in front of her, who was evidently growing taller and chubbier, her eyes revealed an odd hostility. This girl had consumed all of her precious stored medicine. Furthermore, there was that woman, Ren Li, who broke her wine and ruined her medicine. Every time Tang thought about those incidents, she felt terribly annoyed. Lin Yile touched her face. Wait, was there something on her face? Lin Yidong waspletely ignorant and innocent. Even if Tang Yuxin was furious, she couldn¡¯t vent it on him. In fact, Lin Yile didn¡¯t really want to go back home.
¡°Um¡­¡± She was about to say something. But Tang Yuxin had turned around and red at her. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Was she in a bad mood now? Lin Yile, biting her fingernails, was almost in tears. Why was Tang Yuxin so fierce? Actually, she just¡­ she just¡­ Wanted to follow her back to Tang Vige. This way, she could study with Tang Yuxin every day. She could technically study alone, but she felt uneasy. With Tang Yuxin around, she felt secure andfortable. But with Tang Yuxin¡¯s current demeanor, she didn¡¯t dare utter a single word. It seemed like Tang Yuxin would twist her head off if she said another word, and that scared her. So, she could only return home. They were going back to their hometown for the New Year¡¯s holiday. The hometown was not located nearby, and she had to ride a long journey to get there. She packed her notebooks and books regardless. No matter what, she couldn¡¯t neglect her studies. She had painstakingly achieved such a high ranking, and she couldn¡¯t afford tog behind. So, securing her current position was her priority before considering making any improvements. At night, Lin Yile took out a packet of medicine, poured it into a cup, and mixed it with hot water to drink. ¡°Lele, what are you drinking?¡± Mother Lin came over and saw Lin Yile¡¯s concoction. The water she poured took on a light brown colour. Was Lele making some sort of medical tea, or was it just regr tea? ¡°It¡¯s a medicinal tea that Yuxin gave me. She said I can¡¯t miss it for a day, so I drink it daily,¡± she sat down with the cup and opened a book, refusing to give up even a second of potential studying time. Upon seeing her daughter¡¯s dedication, Mother Lin felt relieved. She didn¡¯t give much thought to the brownish liquid in the cup her daughter was drinking. It couldn¡¯t be bad for her health, she thought. Mother Lin was just about to leave when she heard Lin Yile moan in pain. ¡°Mum¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Mother Lin, quite startled, turned around immediately. She saw that Lin Yile¡äs face was deathly pale, andrge beads of cold sweat fell from her forehead. She was holding her stomach, crying from excruciating pain. ¡°Mum, my stomach hurts, it hurts a lot.¡± Lin Yile was holding her stomach, almost rolling on the ground in pain.
Mother Lin hurried over in fright and helped her daughter. She looked at the cup on the table, the brown liquid inside, and her eyes filled with uncertain horror. Lin Yile was still in pain. She felt as if her intestines were being twisted together. The pain was something she had never experienced before. ¡°Lele, Lele¡­¡± Mother Lin waspletely flustered. What happened to her child? Why was she in so much pain? Lin Yile was in so much pain she could only cry, unable to speak.
Suddenly, she felt a warm flow seeping down there. She reached down and touched it, only to find her hand stained with blood. ¡°Mum,¡± Lin Yile held up her blood-stained hand for her mother to see. ¡°I¡¯m bleeding¡­¡± Mother Lin was stunned for a moment, then she held her daughter and burst into tears. She was bleeding, bleeding? Her daughter¡¯s menstruation had finally arrived. Mother Lin had waited so many years for this moment, feeding her all kinds of medication, consulting countless doctors. But the doctors had always said that Lin Yile just hadn¡¯t reached puberty yet. Mother Lin had always been worried, always waiting; what if her daughter never got her period and couldn?t bear children in the future? Had the moment finally arrived at seventeen? Most girls would have their first period at eleven or twelve, but Lele had just gotten hers at seventeen. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, it¡¯s okay,¡± Mother Lin wiped her tears, and found some sanitary towels for her daughter. It seemed that Lin Yile also understood what was happening. She blushed as she cleaned herself up. When she came out and saw her mother¡¯s smiling face, she felt very awkward. She knew that all girls go through this, but she never had. She didn¡¯t find it strange, however, as she might not have given it much thought, or she may not have fullyprehended it. For women, not having a period means potentially not being able to bear a child. Thankfully, it started for her. Thankfully, she was normal. Lin Yile took the cup again and drank the rest of the medicinal tea she had not finished earlier. ¡°Hold on,¡± Mother Lin took the cup of herbal tea from her daughter, stopping her from drinking the rest.
¡°Mum, why can¡¯t I drink it? Yuxin said that I must drink it every day without missing a day.¡± Lin Yile was not pleased. Now she followed Tang Yuxin¡¯s words religiously. If Tang Yuxin said the sky was round, then it was round; if the earth was square, then it was square. If Tang Yuxin said to drink, then she must drink it. Daily, without intermission. Lin Yile grabbed the cup of medicinal tea from Mother Lin and drank it all before her mum could stop her. After drinking, Lin Yile had a satisfied smile on her face, like she had justpleted an examination. She felt contented. Of course, her stomach had only hurt for a while, and then the pain subsided. Mother Lin had no choice but to exin to Lin Yile what she needed to pay attention to during her menstruation, such as maintaining hygiene, not bathing, not getting cold or bathing, and avoiding spicy food. She feared that if she didn¡¯t pay attention, the period would note next month. When Lin Yile was asleep, Mother Lin took out another packet of medicine from Lin Yile¡¯s schoolbag and secretly kept it in her pocket. Chapter 270: 263: Poison Chapter 270: Chapter 263: Poison When Mr. Lin came back, she told him about it. Even though he felt a bit embarrassed, he was still very happy inside. His little Lele was finally growing up. It made him feel genuinely relieved. ¡°Look at this,¡± Mrs. Lin took a package of medicine out from her pocket. ¡°This is what Yuxin gave Lele. She suggested Lele drink it every day. I feel like it has a hint of a taste like traditional medicine.¡± Mr. Lin took it, opened the package, and found it was filled with some powder. He then put the powder under his nose, indeed, it had the scent of traditional medicine. Not too strong, but it was definitely identifiable as such. ¡°I will have someone look at it tomorrow. In the meantime, you keep an eye on her, don¡¯t let her drink anymore.¡± Mr. Lin instructed Mrs. Lin. It was not that he doubted Yuxin, but he was worried that Lele could be drinking some unknown concoction. Therefore, he decided to get the medicine examined. ¡°How could I convince her?¡± Mrs. Lin felt somewhat distressed. ¡°She takes Yuxin¡¯s words asw now. She doesn¡¯t listen to anyone else, only Yuxin.¡± Mrs. Lin felt quite helpless about this. Even Chen Lidong and Xu Miaomiao, they regarded Yuxin as the center of their trust. What Yuxin said was thew. Otherwise, how could they feel at ease to concentrate on their studies?
They trusted because they had indeed received help. This trust was not mere obedience, but a sort of reverence and admiration for a strong person. First thing the next morning, Mr. Lin took the medicine to a veteran traditional Chinese medicine practitioner. The old doctor unfolded the package and smelled the content. ¡°There¡¯s angelica sinensis, ligusticum striatum, safflower, and a dozen more,¡± He could not identify too many. ¡°But the scent of the medicine is quite light, considering that it has been blended from so many ingredients.¡± This would require a high level of skill. ¡°Doctor, what are the uses of this medicine?¡± Mr. Lin asked the doctor, ¡°My daughter has been drinking it for a while. Will it have any impact on her health?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it won¡¯t have any adverse effects,¡± The old doctor said with a smile. ¡°This should be a menstrual regting medicine. It¡¯s good for young girls to use to regte their period.¡± ¡°Besides, the way the person who made this medicinebined the ingredients is quite skillful. Adding something to it to make the medicine taste like tea. It doesn¡¯t taste like medicine at all when you drink it.¡± ¡°So, can she drink it during that time?¡± Asking this, Mr. Lin felt a bit embarrassed. People of this era were still quite shy. They could hardly bear to expose their underwear. ¡°She can drink it a little less. If there¡¯s an impact, she should stop. If not, she can continue to drink. ording to you, if the doctor says that she can always drink it, it means he knew these things in advance. Furthermore, you¡¯d better ask the person who made the medicine.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Mr. Lin took the medicine and hurried back home. He spoke to Mrs. Lin about it. Mrs. Lin felt conflicted. She didn¡¯t know whether to let her daughter drink the medicine or not. ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask Yuxin?¡± Mr. Lin recalled what the old doctor said about asking the person who prescribed the medicine. After all, the medicine was crushed into powder. The old doctor could only barely recognize a few kinds of medicine by smelling it. He was uncertain about the rest. It would be better to ask directly rather than guessing. ¡°Okay,¡± Mrs. Lin walked to the phone. Hesitant at first, she ended up dialing the Tang Family¡¯s number. Fortunately, the Tang Family had a phone, and Yuxin should be at the Tang¡¯s house now. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t know where to find Yuxin, especially during the holiday season when she may be visiting rtives. ¡°Hello¡­¡± A somewhat icy voice came from the other end of the line. It seemed like one could even smell a faint cold scent from the receiver. Mrs. Lin knew who was speaking from the other end. ¡°Yuxin?¡± Mrs. Lin asked tentatively. ¡°It¡¯s me, may I ask who¡¯s speaking?¡± Yuxin could not quite recognize the voice, but it did sound somewhat like Mrs. Lin¡¯s.
¡°Yuxin, it¡¯s me, I¡¯m your Auntie Lin,¡± Mrs. Lin sighed in relief, luckily she managed to get through. ¡°Yuxin, can I ask you something?¡± ¡°Yes, Auntie Lin, go ahead,¡± Yuxin was holding the receiver, standing in a corner, looking at the red snake she had just put into a bottle. Her heart ached a bit because all her medicinal alcohol got spilled by a stupid woman. Not even a drop was left. ¡°Uhmm, Yuxin¡­¡± Mrs. Lin tightened her grip on the phone. ¡°Webb I ask, did you give Lele herbal tea to drink regrly?¡±
¡°Yes,¡± Yuxin looked away from the snake. ¡°The first time I met Yile, I could tell that she was suffering from insufficient blood and Qi. That¡¯s why she didn¡¯t have her period. So, I have been letting her drink warming womb tea. This tea can slowly regte her Qi and blood. If my guess is correct, has she gotten her period?¡± ¡°Yes, yes,¡± Mrs. Lin wiped her tears. ¡°My Lele finally got her period. I was worried that she might never get her period for the rest of her life. I never thought, it woulde now.¡± ¡°Yuxin, can she still drink that medicine¡­.¡± Mrs. Lin carefully asked: ¡°can she still drink it?¡± ¡°Auntie Lin, that¡¯s not medicine,¡± Yuxin was patiently exining to Mrs. Lin. ¡°Consider it a sort of tea, it¡¯s just that this tea is made by stir-frying medicinal herbs with tea leaves.¡± ¡°My family has been drinking it consistently. The blend varies depending on the individual. Miaomiao and I drank the same blend as Yile. It¡¯s safe for young girls to drink constantly. Even during her period, there isn¡¯t any major issue.¡± ¡°Alright, Auntie Lin understands, thank you, Yuxin,¡± With this, Mrs. Lin couldn¡¯t say anything more. What¡¯s the point of saying anything else? When they meet, she would definitely thank Yuxin properly. This child really saved their entire family. She decided not to stop her daughter from drinking the herbal tea. Even more so, she asked Lele every day whether she had drunk the herbal tea. If there wasn¡¯t much left, or if it was finished, she would make ns to get more from the Tang family. Otherwise, what if the effects cease to exist once it runs out? However, she stopped worrying once she saw the supplies that Yile had. With one pack a day, there was enough for more than a month. At most, they would return to Qing¡¯an within ten days, as Yile still had to revise for her exams. She could not spend too much time here as it would disrupt her studies. Chapter 271: 264: Its Nice to Have a Mother Chapter 271: Chapter 264: It¡¯s Nice to Have a Mother And now, she was also wondering what gifts to bring to the Tang family. It seemed like nothing was appropriate. They had helped them out so much, she really couldn¡¯t be too casual about it. ¡°How about giving the kids extra lucky money?¡± Lin¡¯s father suggested. ¡°Then they can buy whatever they want.¡± ¡°No,¡± Lin¡¯s mother shook her head. ¡°Of course, we¡¯ll give them lucky money. But if we give too much, Zhinian will just give it back. It¡¯d be as if we hadn¡¯t given anything at all. I think we should buy some New Year¡¯s gifts. We¡¯ll remember their kindness for now, and if they ever need help in the future, then we can repay them.¡± Lin¡¯s father thought about it and agreed. Right now, the Tang family was doing business and their life was not bad at all. Giving them money or something else would not be appropriate. Whatever they gave, the Tang family would return, so what was the difference? So, the Lin family decided to always remember this favour carefully and repay them someday, they would never forget about it. After staying in their hometown for about ten days, the Lin family was about to return to Qing¡¯an. Besides worrying about Lin Yile¡¯s studies, Lin¡¯s mother was also worried about her daughter¡¯s health. She was afraid that once the herbal medicine ran out, and every day when they had one less packet, she felt as if her heart skipped a beat. It was time to return home. Otherwise, she might die of anxiety in this ce while others were fine. Not until they returned to Qing¡¯an, they finally sighed with relief. They started visiting all the families to wish them Happy New Year. The first one was the Xu Family, who lived just opposite to them, then the Chen Family. Finally, all of them went together to wish Tang Family a Happy New Year. Their rtions were quite good now. After returning, they could even gather for a game of mahjong, chat andugh. It was pleasant. This was Ren Li¡¯s first New Year at the Tang¡¯s. She was non-intrusive and intelligent. Although she was from the city, she didn¡¯t look down upon vigers. In the vige, she would greet everyone with a smile, regardless of whether she knew them or not. Hence, in such a short period, she became familiar with most vigers. Of course, she didn¡¯t bring up the past, such as matters about Sang Zhn. She didn¡¯t want to invite trouble. Now, she was busy in the kitchen with Zhang Xiangcao. The two sisters-inw chatted andughed. Zhang Xiangcao was an ordinary rural woman, simple and without guile. She had lived in the vige all her life, endured hardship in the earlier years, but now life was good. Tang Zhijun treated her and Sisi very well, always putting them first. As a result, Zhang Xiangcao¡¯s heart was at peace because she was grateful. She was thankful to Tang Zhijun and also to heaven. Even though Ren Li was only part of the family for a few days, but just like Tang Zhinian, she held great respect for this elder sister-inw.
Ren Li could feel the goodwill from others. As such, as long as people treated her well, she would treat them even better. Hence, she considered Zhang Xiangcao as her own sister. She was someone who was very protective of her own. Now, the people of the Tang family were her family. If anyone dared to bully her family, they had another thinking. The two of them were chatting andughing in the kitchen while Tang Yuxin was organizing her herbs in the house. She also had Little Sisi help her out. Sisi had been akin to her assistant since a young age, so she was like a handy little medicine apprentice. She used to be scared of snakes when she was younger, but as she grew older and saw them more often, she got used to them and wasn¡¯t as frightened. By the time the three families arrived, the Tang family had already prepared everything. There were dishes of chicken, duck, fish, and meatid out on the table. Two tables in total, one for the men and the other for the women and children. There was also a mahjong table set up for entertainment after the meal. When Tang Yuxin saw the guests, she finally changed her clothes and came out with little Sisi. Seeing the adorable Sisi who was younger than their kids, all the dads doted on her by pinching her cheeks and patting her head. The number of red packets she received was countless. Tang Yuxin also received some. She received six red packets in total. She had truly reaped a big harvest this time. Lin¡¯s mother specifically asked about the herb tea. She answered all her questions without any hesitation. ¡°This is an ancient prescription. It helps to regte a woman¡¯s energy and blood. However, it is most suitable for teenage girls. Once they grow up, they¡¯ll need to switch to a different prescription. By then, they won¡¯t need to drink as frequently. The herbal medicine itself has certain medicinal properties, but it also has some toxicity.¡± On hearing this, Lin¡¯s mother understood. So, it was an ancient prescription. No wonder even the experienced Chinese medicine doctor who had practiced for decades couldn¡¯t figure out what herbs were actually in it. ¡°So can this herbal tea make Lele normal?¡± Lin¡¯s mother asked Tang Yuxin again. Now, Tang Yuxin¡¯s words were not only a confirmation to Lin Yile, but also aforting assurance to her. ¡°Please don¡¯t worry Lin Auntie, she is actually already normal,¡± Tang Yuxin knew what Lin¡¯s mother wanted to know. So she told her everything without any hesitation. As long as they were careful in the future, there wouldn¡¯t be any major problems. Only then did Lin¡¯s mother feel relieved. And then she went to help in the kitchen. Men could sit together, drink and y cards, but women had to be busy in the kitchen. Moreover, she had a lot of women¡¯s talk to share with others. Otherwise, she would feel suffocated. Tang Yuxin watched Lin¡¯s mother¡¯s receding figure, her heart feeling a bit sour. Having a mother is really wonderful. It¡¯s really wonderful to have a mother. When she experienced her first menstruation in her previous life, she was almost scared to death. Wasn¡¯t there anyone to inform her about what to pay attention to when a woman menstruates? She still bathed in cold water and drank cold drinks without paying attention to anything. Therefore, she suffered from severe menstrual crampster in her life. It was not until she became a doctor that she realized there were actually things that needed attention. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Ren Li came over and pinched Tang Yuxin¡¯s face. ¡°Are you envious that others have good mothers?¡±
¡°Yes,¡± Tang Yuxin replied, and then went to draw the curtain. She was cautious not to scare this timid woman with the jar of wine that had the snake inside, keeping in mind that she might break it in fright. ¡°Having a good mother is really great.¡± Tang Yuxin lowered her head and repeated, ¡°It¡¯s really great to have a mother.¡± ¡°Naughty girl,¡± Ren Li poked Tang Yuxin¡¯s forehead. ¡°Isn¡¯t your mother right here? Whatever you want, mother will provide for you. Come, let mother hug you,¡± Ren Li said in a loving manner and went to give Tang Yuxin a bear hug.
But Tang Yuxin quickly pushed away her ¡°ws¡±. ¡°Don¡¯t mess up my hair,¡± Tang Yuxin tidied her hair. ¡°Last time you made my hair look like a lion¡¯s mane. People thought I was struck by lightning.¡± Chapter 272: 265: Mom Comes Again Chapter 272: Chapter 265: Mom Comes Again Hearing such a metaphor, Ren Liughed so hard she had to hold her stomach. ¡°And,¡± Tang Yuxin turned around, stared at Ren Li for a while, ¡°I will never call you mom.¡± ¡°I¡¯m really hurt,¡± Despite the jest in Ren Li¡¯s voice, a twinge of sadness lingered. She had tried her best to be a good stepmother. Yet as children grow older, they form their own thoughts and opinions. Tang Yuxin ran her hands through her hair, almost exasperated, ¡°You¡¯re way too young. How could I call you mom? I¡¯ll just refer to you as my sister then.¡± Ren Li was initially caught off-guard, then burst outughing so hard that tears almost filled her eyes. She found out that this little rascal had a cute side too. She thought Yuxin was all serious with no trace of childlike innocence. But it was understandable. She heard from Tang Zhinian about how Sang Zhn mistreated the girl. No mother should treat her offspring that way. Ren Li knew for certain that if she had her own child, she would love them with all her life. Just as she was about to leave, she remembered something. She reached out to draw open a curtain. Upon seeing the limp red snake inside, she felt a shiver run down her spine¡­ She quickly closed the curtains, rubbing her arm. The goosebumps had covered her skin. She still couldn¡¯t get used to the peculiar hobby of this Tang little monster. Actually enjoying snakes, no, using snakes to soak in liquor, could the resulting drink even be consumed? Outside, the dinner was ready. Even though they weren¡¯t rted by blood and the Tang Family was usually quite deste, this New Year was a lively one.
Sisi was young, and she loved crowded New Year celebrations the most. She had received so many red envelopes that her hands were sore. Acting like a little money hoarder, she squirreled away her red envelopes, not sharing with anyone. Just like Yuxin, Ren Li pinched Sisi¡¯s cheek. Like Yuxin, Sisi also stashed away her red envelopes. Right, Zhang Xiangcaoughed, covering her mouth. Sisi definitely learned this from Yuxin. Not another Tang little monster,¡± Ren Li was worried. The Tang children were frightening. How could an honest man like Tang Zhinian have produced such a creature? There was just no exnation. Before the New Year celebrations concluded, Tang Yuxin was to move back to the Xu Family. Sometimes, Ren Li wondered if she was corrupting these children. Or maybe they were always overachievers, and they were merely using her to morph from average students into top schrs. Tang Yuxin had hardly been home for a few days when people started visiting every day. They all brought books and notebooks. Wasn¡¯t this just like being at the Xu Family? And they continued to torment her medicinal herbs, critiquing her bottle of snake wine. She was worried that if they weren¡¯t careful and knocked over the bottle, her wine would be ruined. The snake would be wasted too. She had already soaked two pots. If she soaked more, there would be no medicinal properties left. So, she had decided to return to the Xu Family. It was beneficial for everyone that way. She wouldn¡¯t have to worry about her snake getting embarrassed from all the staring. Even though, it was just a dead snake. ¡°Sister, someone¡¯s looking for you.¡± Little Sisi, who had just got back home, pulled on Tang Yuxin¡¯s sleeve and pointed outside. ¡°Where?¡± Tang Yuxin asked Sisi. Sisi pointed towards the entrance. She said there was a woman looking for Tang Yuxin, standing under the big tree outside. ¡°Go and see, sis,¡± Tang Yuxin smoothed down Sisi¡¯s hair, ¡°Help sister keep an eye on the house, all right?¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Sisi nodded. She watched the house very well, especially the sister¡¯s medicinal herbs and the snake. It was true she had learned a lot from her sister. Most kids her age were terrified of snakes. But not her. Like her sister, she had never been afraid of these creatures. Tang Yuxin stepped outside, heading towards the tree Sisi had mentioned. Not far from the tree, there indeed was someone there. A woman, her back facing Yuxin. As Tang Yuxin approached, the woman turned around. Seeing her face, Tang Yuxin¡¯s previously rxed expression froze over. What was she doing here? Had shee to visit her daughter? But that seemed impossible. Even if time was reversed, Sang Zhn would never harbor a soft spot for her daughter. To Sang Zhn, Tang Yuxin was a symbol of her failure, a blemish, a disgrace, and a constant reminder of the times when she was forced into marriage.
¡°Yuxin?¡± Sang Zhn was stunned upon seeing Tang Yuxin. It had been a long time since theirst meeting. Back then, when she was still at the Tang Residence, Tang Yuxin was a skinny, dark-skinned girl. But in just a year or two, it seemed as if she had grown up. She had grown up into a stunningly beautiful girl. Her bright eyes and white teeth were appealing, yet she also radiated a cold indifference. Especially her body, which gave off a faint chill. Now she was standing not far from Sang Zhn, unmoving. Despite being mother and daughter, they looked nothing alike. Despite being mother and daughter, they felt no closeness to each other.
Despite being mother and daughter, the mother could hardly recognize her daughter. And the daughter¡¯s eyes were full of indifference. ¡°What do you want?¡± The question remained the same, as always. Is there anything you want? Yes, not even an extra word added. ¡°Yuxin,¡± Sang Zhn called her daughter by her name. This child stood before her wasn¡¯t the Tang Yuxin she could manipte andmand around like when she was younger. In the past, whenever she ordered the girl to do something, she did it. She was like a servant, no, a dog that did her bidding. If Sang Zhn told her to go east, she would never dare to go west. If Sang Zhn told her to wash the dishes, she would never dare to do sweeping. But now, everything had slipped out of Sang Zhn¡¯s control. This daughter no longer obeyed her, and worse, didn¡¯t acknowledge her. ¡°Yuxin, did you get first ce in the exams?¡± She asked hesitantly. The voiceing from her throat was strangled; for some reason, it hurt. And she felt a twinge of jealousy. Why was her Jiani not the one who got first ce? Why was it this daughter of hers that she had discarded? ¡°Yes,¡± Tang Yuxin replied indifferently. Of course, earning first ce was easier for her than for others. Without realizing it, she had the answers to the test stuck in her head, possibly because of some cheating, she felt unfair and didn¡¯t care much for it. In middle school, she never sought to be the first. She always figured it wasn¡¯t fair to the bookworms if she, an average student, scored higher than them. As a result, she always ced third, fourth, or even fifth. In high school, she hadn¡¯t nned on getting brilliant grades either. She simply wanted to avenge a grievance against her teacher, Mr. Song. Chapter 273: 266: My Stepmother Chapter 273: Chapter 266: My Stepmother That¡¯s why she sought revenge by achieving the highest score in the high school exam twice consecutively. She had intended to let up, but it seems she can¡¯t now. It appears she found herself riding a tiger ¨C unable to get off. She can¡¯t simply lower her grades, she feels that if she slips even one ce, both her teacher Mr. Jin and the principal might grill her endlessly, not to mention the ridicule she might face. Why should she be ridiculed? Why should she be seen as less than others? Why should she only be ¡®Jiani that can¡¯t stick to the wall¡¯? Why can¡¯t she outscore Wei Jiani? At this moment, she vividly recalls the disdain in Sang Zhn¡¯s eyes when she didn¡¯t perform well in her exams, as Sang praised Wei Jiani in front of her: ¡°My Nini is really smart, not everyone canpare.¡± Could she understand then, that this ¡®everyone¡¯ also includes Tang Yuxin? So, another reason she insists on keeping her top rank is her innatepetitiveness. She wants Sang Zhn to regret abandoning her, her own daughter. She wants Sang Zhn to feel sorrow for once belittling and insulting both her and her father. She is seeking revenge, torturing Sang Zhn¡¯s soul with an invisible force, every day reminding her of the glorious achievements of the daughter she abandoned, and the man ¨C now thriving in the business world and making enough money to crush Wei Tian ¨C she left. She won¡¯t be a good-for-nothing, she won¡¯t let her father suffer alongside an ipetent daughter all his life. ¡°Yuxin, are you tutoring others now?¡± Sang Zhn asked again, oblivious to the storm of thoughts raging beneath Tang Yuxin¡¯s calm exterior ¨C a lifetime¡¯s worth of resentment. ¡°Yes,¡± Tang Yuxin¡¯s lips curved slightly. They all work hard, their grades improving year by year.
¡°So you can also tutor your sister.¡± As these words left Sang Zhn¡¯s mouth, her face heated up with embarrassment. Tang Yuxin had refused to do sost time, but no matter what, this time Sang Zhn wanted her to agree. Wei Jiani said she wants to get into ss 1. The performance of ss 1 students keeps getting better, but the teachers aren¡¯t epting anyone, not even in exchange for their weaker students, let alone Wei Jiani. Other than her attractive face and piano skills, she has no othermendable qualities. In high school, there are many talented students. Some can dance, others y an instrument, and she is just one small grain in the sand. She no longer stands out. The only way to improve her grades now would be to have Tang Yuxin tutor her. Tang Yuxin is currently tutoring others, and their grades have soared to the top of their year group. One former weakling even managed to rank twenty-third in the year. Wei Jiani is Tang Yuxin¡¯s own sister, why would she tutor outsiders and not her sister? No matter what, Tang Yuxin has to agree today, whether she wants to or not. ¡°Did you hear me?¡± Sang Zhn raised her voice when Tang Yuxin didn¡¯t respond for a long time, assuming the bearing of a mother. ¡°I¡¯m going to bring Jiani over tomorrow. She¡¯s your sister, if you won¡¯t help her, then who will you help?¡± ¡°Where would I get a sister from?¡± Tang Yuyu asked lightly, was she forcing Sang Zhn to admit something, or had she already realized something? ¡°Yuxin, Jiani is your sister, she is you¡­¡± Before she could finish, her words were interrupted by a burst of gentleughter. ¡°Oh, a sister, where would I get a sister from?¡± Ren Li walked over and stood in front of Tang Yuxin. She sized up Sang Zhn, thought she was some beauty, but she was just an old hag. She was nearly forty. She herself was only thirty-five, oh, so young. She touched her neck, deliberately showing the gold ne she wore. ¡°Who are you?¡± Sang Zhn pulled a long face at Ren Li¡¯s sudden appearance. And what was with her gaze, looking at her as if she was discount pork? ¡°Daughter, tell her who am I?¡± Ren Li, teasingly, wrapped an arm around Tang Yuxin¡¯s shoulder and pointed at Sang Zhn. ¡°My stepmom.¡± Tang Yuxin didn¡¯t twitch a muscle. Her heart was also still. The woman my dad married for my sake. Sang Zhn scrutinized Ren Li, especially her youth, her fashionable attire, and the gold jewelry on her neck and ears. The sparkle from her gold ne was almost blinding her.
¡°Didn¡¯t Tang Zhinian say he would never remarry? Yuxin, is this how he treats you?¡± ¡°I asked my dad to marry her.¡± Tang Yuxin didn¡¯t want her dad to remain a bachelor. He¡¯s still young. Why should he be alone his whole life? ¡°Why?¡± Sang Zhn fiercely questioned Tang Yuxin, as if she hadmitted an unforgivable sin. Perhaps in Sang Zhn¡¯s mind, Tang Zhinian should remain a bachelor for life, poor and destitute, even after their divorce, no matter whether she remarries and has kids. Tang Yuxin stood straight, subtly letting go of Ren Li¡¯s arm. The weight was almost crushing her.
As for why? She let out a light, coldugh. ¡°She can give me a brother. I want a brother, not a sister.¡± ¡°Sister? What sister?¡± Ren Li squinted her eyes, her sleeve baggily hanging. ¡°Yuxin, does your dad have another daughter? Who gave birth to her?¡± She was ready to fight. Tang Zhinian, well, Tang Zhinian had two daughters? ¡°My dad doesn¡¯t. He only has me,¡± Tang Yuxin flicked a nce at Sang Zhn. ¡°She said, her daughter is my sister.¡± And who is this ¡®she¡¯, if not Sang Zhn? ¡°She?¡± Ren Li felt likeughing, but she was toozy to. ¡°Yuxin, are you joking?¡± Or, she flicked a nce at Sang Zhn, ¡°Ms. Sang, you¡¯re saying your daughter is Yuxin¡¯s sister?¡± ¡°They are¡­¡± Sang Zhn had just opened her mouth to speak when Ren Li interrupted her. ¡°Ms. Sang, you must be joking. Everyone knows, your daughter is only two years younger than Yuxin. Are you trying to tell me that Yuxin and your daughter are biological sisters?¡± Ren Li broke into a sarcastic smile.
¡°Actually¡­¡± ¡°Oh, actually?¡± Ren Li interrupted Sang Zhn¡¯s words once more, ¡°I remember when you divorced Zhinian, Yuxin was only three right?¡± Tang Yuxin kept silent. Everyone knew about this, it was an open secret. Tang Zhinian, being as naive as he was, might not have understood before. But how could cunning Ren Li not know? Chapter 274 - 267: No One is Added to Her Class Chapter 274: Chapter 267: No One is Added to Her ss Mingming¡­ Ren Li was still pondering the meaning of these words if it indeed meant ¡°mingming¡±. ¡°So, you tell me, have you cuckolded your current boyfriend, or did you cuckold my Zhinian?¡± Sang Zhn was trembling, speechless. ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± ¡°Then let me exin.¡± Ren Li, appearing very kind-hearted and helpful, made sure to exin everything very clearly. ¡°When you divorced, my Yuxin was three years old, right?¡± ¡°Your daughter is less than two years younger than my Yuxin, right? So, that means when my Yuxin was less than one year old, your husband¡¯s child was already in your belly, but you hadn¡¯t divorced yet.¡± ¡°Now, you tell me, the child that you imed to be Yuxin¡¯s sister, is she Zhinian¡¯s, or your current husband¡¯s?¡± Sang Zhn felt her head buzzing, she took a step back, feeling like her secret had been exposed. Under Ren Li¡¯s pointed questions and Tang Yuxin¡¯s coldness, she felt deeply embarrassed. Even though plenty of people knew about this affair, nobody had ever boldly confronted her about it. She turned around and practically ran out of the vige, with the sensation of Ren Li¡¯s half-mocking gaze on her back the whole time, stalking her like a specter that never left. As Ren Li turned her head, her gleaming eyes winked at Tang Yuxin. ¡°See, isn¡¯t your mom fierce?¡± ¡°Sis,¡± Tang Yuxin called her earnestly. Ren Li was thrilled to be called ¡®sis¡¯ by a teenager. It affirmed that she still looked young. ¡°Let¡¯s go, it¡¯s time for dinner,¡± Ren Li shook her head, leaving a faint, alluring fragrance in the air. She remained cheerful and victorious, quite enjoying her own triumph over her rival, Sang Zhn. How dare Sang Zhn even think about taking her man and her daughter from her. She didn¡¯t want some persistent shadow of a woman hovering under her eyelids all day. She was going after her daughter, for all she knew, she might have further sinister intentions. Was she thinking about going back to an old me? Tang Zhinian was now her man, and she would never, as she did before, willingly let go of him. Whoever dared to take her man, she promised to give them a good fight. Neither Tang Yuxin nor Ren Li mentioned any of Sang Zhn¡¯s actions to Tang Zhinian. In their heart, Sang Zhn was an outsider, and they, were family. Therefore, other people¡¯s matters didn¡¯t concern them. Tang Yuxin packed her school bag to go to Xu Miaomiao¡¯s ce. The performance in the second term of the first year in high school depended on their study habits. Not only were all the children waiting, but their parents were also waiting on standby. Tang Yuxin didn¡¯t linger at home. She understood that life is full of inevitabilities. Some are annoying, some are helpless. She packed her bag and got ready to reside at the Xu family¡¯s home. She wanted to leave some space and time for Tang Zhinian and Ren Li to, hopefully, make her a little brother soon. When she reached the Xu family¡¯s home, Tang Yuxin learned of their new study area. Mr. Xu had rented the house next to theirs as a study and rest area for the four kids. They could now stay there uninterrupted and make it their little world. Except for Chen Lidong, the three girls could all stay there, and for Lidong, he could stay at his aunt¡¯s ce. It was just a few steps away. This winter vacation, their ytime was limited. Even the number of family visits was fewer than usual. Most of their time was devoted to studying. After the new term began, ss one had be quite popr at the school. The ss wasn¡¯t famous for its top-performing students but for the fact that many of its pupils were either barely admitted or were underperformers. However, their current performance was the best in the entire school, and they were improving at the fastest rate. This significant improvement was undoubtedly very attractive to the other students and their parents. This is why, by the start of the second term, many students wanted to transfer to ss one. Good students bing better isn¡¯t anything extraordinary. But having underperforming students steadily improving without rpse, that¡¯s what most students and parents wish for. The headteacher now had quite the dilemma. The once unpopr ss one had now be a hot spot. So many students wanted to transfer to ss one. If they all transferred, could ss one amodate that many students? ss one students weren¡¯t fools. Every ss had a fixed number of slots. To admit a new student, one existing one would have to leave. Surely no one in ss one would willingly leave to make room for an outsider. ¡°Miss Jin, could you perhaps figure out a way to put a few more desks and chairs in your ss?¡± ¡°Dean, our ss is already saturated,¡± Ms Jin was pretty torn as well. As the saying goes, ¡®a man fears fame and a pig fears fatness¡¯, she couldn¡¯t even rx at home during vacation. Every day someone would knock at her door, bringing gifts, pulling strings, everyone wanted to get into ss one. But there was only so much space in one ssroom, how could she squeeze in more chairs? Furthermore, once you open the door for favouritism, the favor seekers would never stoping. She knew very well that the back door could not be opened, the concession could not be made, and no student from ss one could leave, and none from other sses could enter. ¡°Could you try to find a way?¡± The dean persisted. Ms. Jin shook her head. ¡°Sorry, Dean, I can¡¯t promise. Not even one student. If I agree to one, how do I refuse the otherster on?¡± The dean understood and finally agreed with Ms Jin¡¯s reasoning. Maybe they could move ss one to a bigger ssroom and put more desks and chairs inside, but that wouldn¡¯t maintain the essence of ss one. It wouldn¡¯t be a normal ss anymore. With so many students, how could lessons be conducted efficiently? Would the additional students disturb the others? Would it affect their future Nanqing University or Qing University prospects? Therefore, the dean decided to stand with Ms. Jin on this matter. Chapter 275 - 268: Auditor Chapter 275: Chapter 268: Auditor The first ss remained the same, no additional students were added and none were allowed to enter. Just as Tang Yuxin was about to leave, a few students stood in their way. ¡°Tang Yuxin, um¡­¡± One student spoke rather sheepishly, ¡°Could we join you guys to study? I know that you guys revise at home. We¡¯ll not disturb you, we just want to listen from the side.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± another hurriedly added, ¡°We will not interrupt you. Even if you want us to keep a distance, it¡¯s fine.¡± Tang Yuxin turned to Xu Miaomiao and the others, ¡°What do you think?¡± Xu Miaomiao bit her lip. ¡°Okay, we¡¯re normally studying together, just like in school. As long as you don¡¯t make too much noise and maintain peace, you¡¯re wee to join us. It¡¯s more lively with everyone together.¡± The eager gazes of her ssmates were hard to refuse. Thankfully, they had their own space now, so it wouldn¡¯t disturb the adults. Otherwise, she really wouldn¡¯t dare to extend such an invitation. ¡°Rest assured, we will keep our promise.¡± A few students made prompt promises. Of course, they all valued this chance to improve. Lin Yile was their role model; after all, her grades also improved significantly after studying with Tang Yuxin and the rest. Just to improve their grades and get into college, even if they have to sit on the floor, they¡¯re willing to do so. However, when Xu Miaomiao agreed, they didn¡¯t expect that fifteen students would show up. Counting the four of them, half the ss had arrived except for those who lived far away or those who couldn¡¯t leave the school premises. Almost everyone who coulde did arrive. When these students arrived at the Xu Family¡¯s residence in droves, it gave Mrs. Xu quite a shock. However, seeing the faces of the children eagerly greeting her as ¡°Auntie¡±, it tugged at her heartstrings. Being a parent isn¡¯t easy, but neither is being a child. Five or six students could sitfortably at a table. Any more would not have been convenient. So, the arriving students had to sit on their backpacks, and they really did as promised, sitting quietly, careful even with their breathing. Mrs. Xu bought fruit and offered it to the students. Of course, the students didn¡¯t dare to eat, but Mrs. Xu insisted. The next day, Mrs. Xu discussed it with Mrs. Lin and bought arger table. Now, twenty-odd children could sit at once. It was hard to buy suchrge tables, so they bought several identical square ones. They put these tables together, making the arearger, with enough space to seat nearly twenty students. The students didn¡¯te empty-handed on their afternoon return visit. They brought fruit, eggs, and rice; one student even brought a live hen, its wings pping wildly, squawking loudly and dropping droppings everywhere. Mrs. Xu was caught betweenughter and tears, thinking about these children. Mrs. Xu initially refused to ept these offerings, but the students insisted. Understanding their intention, she recalled how she would have dly offered her own pillow when her daughter, Miaomiao, studied with Tang Yuxin. Reluctantly, she epted the gifts, which all eventually ended up in the students¡¯ stomachs. Mrs. Xu decided to ughter the hen and prepare a soup for the children. The soup was enough for everyone to have a bowlful. Seeing the enormous rectangr table set up in the living room, the students felt a sense of warmth. Now, they finally had somewhere to sit. They could study here with Tang Yuxin and discuss questions together. Having attended the study sessions, they felt more at ease during the day¡¯s sses. Everything seemed to click into ce with newfound understanding, making even their most dreaded sses enjoyable and their least favorite teachers more tolerable. Indeed, once youe to love learning, everything else falls into ce. But without that love, everything feels miserable. This was how Xu Miaomiao felt in the past; she was energetic while watching TV, but the moment she opened her books, she felt like napping. Most students in the ss attended Tang Yuxin¡¯s study sessions, and didn¡¯t mention it to anyone else. It wasn¡¯t exactly secret but treated as their little secret. When the midterm exams of the second semester rolled around, Tang Yuxin remained at the top of the year, but surprisingly, the whole ss significantly improved their grades. More students made it to the top hundred in the school, and the majority moved forward in the ranking. The teacher, Mrs. Jin, was deliriously happy. If this trend continues, with improvements every semester and after every exam, then maybe a miracle could happen during the college entrance examination. Her dream was that the entire ss would make it to college, making her teaching career worthwhile. What a great honor that would be, more precious than anything money could buy. A miracle that can only happen at a specific time, ce and under certain circumstances. And indeed, this miracle was not far from their reach. Almost twenty students studied together each day at the Xu residence. After a few days, the children would bring something with them, and their parents started handing over food expenses to Mrs. Xu. The students ate their meals here, digesting by the time they reached home. If they waited until they got home to eat, it would be toote, and not good for their health, as Tang Yuxin had pointed out. Thus, Xu Miaomiao and the others followed this routine. As a result, they all enjoyed good health, their faces free from pimples, avoiding the usual problems adolescents face during puberty. They also enjoyed drinking the herbal tea prepared by Tang Yuxin; female students found it particrly helpful in easing their monthly difort. Painful menstruation gradually decreased as well. Everyone enjoyed this herbal tea, but it was only for girls. Even if we don¡¯t bring up the other benefits, just the medicinal properties of the herbs alone are worth it. Chapter 276: 269: What do you want Chapter 276: Chapter 269: What do you want At first, only one parent came to the proposal. But as time passed, the idea caught on with all the parents of the students involved. They decided to each give Teacher Xu ¡°Mama Xu¡± two hundred dors a month. Although this was a substantial amount, inparison to their children¡¯s future prospects, it was a small price. These parents had previously exhausted their resources and money, and even swallowed their pride, to send their children to Grade 5 school. In this context, two hundred dors per month was minimal. This was just for the children¡¯s meals, and didn¡¯t even include any tuition fees. If they offered more, Mama Xu would refuse, as she wasn¡¯t doing this work to make money. Following their agreement, Mama Xu started earning three thousand dors each month. That amount was a lot more than Papa Xu¡¯s monthly sry of a thousand dors. After some thought, Mama Xu consulted with Papa Xu and decided that she would stop working and only take care of the children. It might seem easy during the day when she only had to prepare lunch for four children, but at dinner, this number jumped to around twenty kids. She took her job seriously and made sure to cook healthy meals for the children as if they were her own. Her own children also ate the same meals with the others, which helped the picky eaters in the family develop better eating habits and learn to share. It was a sign they were growing up. Papa Xu agreed with his wife¡¯s decision. He knew that continuing this way would exhaust his wifepletely without help. Thankfully, Mama Lin joined in to assist Mama Xu in the evenings, otherwise the workload would have been too much for Mama Xu. ¡°Auntie, I can help with this,¡± a timid student offered upon hearing that Mama Xu was considering quitting her job to take care of them. ¡°My parents are doctors. They can draw up a sick leave request for you to rest at home.¡± Upon hearing this, Mama Xu¡¯s face brightened up. This was a brilliant idea. It was a perfect solution which didn¡¯t involve her losing her job. After all the children got to college, she could go back to working, right? The student turned his words into action promptly. The very next day, his parents personally delivered the required sick leave form.
Only then did Mama Xu realize how much these parents were sacrificing for the sake of their children. Mama Xu submitted her sick leave application, which was approved quickly. Their rules allowed her to take as long a sick leave as she wanted, and discuss her sry when she returned to work. In any case, Mama Xu didn¡¯t need the meager sry she got from her job now that she earned over three thousand dors a month. Mama Lin initially contributed five hundred dors, but Mama Xu refused to take it. Mama Lin insisted on giving her the money, but Mama Xu wouldn¡¯t have it. Mama Lin came over every day to help her care for the children and even help in the kitchen. Mama Xu wouldn¡¯t feelfortable epting her money. Now that everyone had paid their living expenses, even Tang Yuxin wanted to contribute. But Mama Xu teased her by poking her forehead, calling her the leader of all the children. She said that without Yuxin, the small study group wouldn¡¯t have been possible. By the year end exams, everyone saw a clear improvement in their marks. This was especially true for the students who attended the study sessions with Tang Yuxin. Their marks were much better than before, and their performances were stable. Most importantly, they showed significant improvement in the subjects they used to neglect. What they wanted was a quiet atmosphere conducive to learning. Most of the progress couldn¡¯t be attributed to Tang Yuxin or anyone else, but to the students¡¯ dedication in this quiet environment. If you turned your ytime into study time, adopted scientific study methods, and followed a good routine, of course your efforts would yield exponential results. When it was time for the summer break, none of them took time off. Their parents offered to pay an extra hundred dors that month, so Mama Xu ended up with over four thousand dors. Staying with the children made her feel younger as well. After the summer break, the two big houses that Tang Zhinian had bought and the one that Tang Zhijun had purchased were finally going to be demolished. When they first approached Tang Zhinian, he was baffled. How could they decide to demolish the buildings without prior notice? But not much thought was needed as thepensation was extremely generous. For the building they were demolishing, they were offeringplete reimbursement through property of the same floor area, which could be a residence or a shop. You could choose either or even both. In fact, you had the privilege of making the first choice. Tang Zhinian¡¯s two properties covered a considerable area. Each was over a hundred square meters, sobined they covered nearly 300 square meters. Including Tang Zhijun¡¯s property, they had almost 500 square meters. If they put in some more money, they could easily acquire a property of 500 square meters. ¡°What do you want to do?¡± Tang Zhinian gathered everyone to put the question to them. Even Sisi was present. Sisi naturally didn¡¯t offer an opinion. She just sat by her father and read her storybook. A lot of her books were gifts from Tang Zhijun. The current one was brand new and she was engrossed in an exciting part, so what everyone else was discussing didn¡¯t affect her at all. ¡°Big brother, whatever you say is fine by me,¡± said Tang Zhijun. He had bought the house for his daughter Sisi, but since she was still too young to live there by herself, and by the time she was in high school, the house would be old. Now that he had made money, he could always buy a new house for her. Thus, this house was rarely on his mind. He had never thought that it would be demolished in the end and they would bepensated for it.
All in all, he was happy to go along with whatever Tang Zhinian suggested. Tang Zhinian had no objections. ¡°Sister-inw, what about you?¡± Tang Zhinian asked Zhang Xiangcao next. ¡°I will go along with whatever big brother says,¡± Zhang Xiangcao answered with a subdued smile. She didn¡¯t have any big aspirations. She was satisfied being a simple woman who took good care of her husband and children and didn¡¯t want to deal with anything else. Of course, she had no expertise in business matters. If it was about cooking, she would have been more than happy to share her ideas.
¡°What about you, Yuxin?¡± Tang Zhinian asked Tang Yuxinst. The house was bought in her name, and now that she was officially an adult, she would have to get her ID card. ¡°Me?¡± Tang Yuxin had thought about choosing a shop, since renting out a shop would mean fixed ie. And everyone from their era knew what was the most expensive thing in the future ¨C everyone would have replied, real estate, because indeed, property was the most expensive. Chapter 277: 270: She Wants the Earth Chapter 277: Chapter 270: She Wants the Earth Many people spend their entire lives saving for a house, and even more will probably never own one. Storefront properties are even more valuable and generally can only be dreamed of, especially those that span a few hundred square feet. ¡°Sister, what do you think?¡± Tang Yuxin asked Ren Li, who was munching on an apple. As soon as Ren Li arrived, she started eating ¨C apples, peanuts, pears, oranges, basically anything on the table went into her mouth. She never paused her munching. How big on earth was her stomach? How could she fit in so much food without bursting? ¡°What sister?¡± Ren Li stretched out her hand and pinched Tang Yuyu¡¯s face firmly. Despite her tone of disdain, theughter in her eyes was undeniable. She enjoyed being referred to as ¡®sister¡¯. No woman likes being called old. Even though this familial address was not based on actual seniority, everyone had gotten used to it. Ren Li bit another chunk of her apple. ¡°Li, what do you think we should get, a house or a storefront, or maybe a bit of both?¡± Tang Zhinian seriously asked for Ren Li¡¯s opinion, as he valued her suggestions and they often ended up as their final decision. Ren Li put down the half-eaten apple on the table and looked at Tang Zhinian, then at others, before directing her gaze back to the half-eaten apple and continuing to eat. ¡°Neither.¡± She took a bite of the apple and said.
¡°Neither?¡± Tang Zhinian eximed in surprise, ¡°Then what do we want?¡± ¡°We wantnd,¡± Ren Li took another bite of the apple. It seemed like everything she ate was delicious, making others wish to take a bite as well. ¡°Are we going back to farming?¡± Tang Zhinian had not farmed for many years, he felt like he might have forgotten how to do it by now. Tang Zhijun also gave a wry smile. He had forgotten about farming too. ¡°Who asked you to farm?¡± Ren Li nced at him, ¡°If you farm, does it mean that I have to follow you and farm as well? They say when you marry a chicken you follow the chicken, when you marry a dog you follow the dog.¡± She tossed the apple peel in her hand. ¡°We¡¯ll buynd, build buildings, then y it by ear,¡± she propped her face with a hand, and reached out for another apple, ready to eat again. ¡°Look, our kids are almost in high school, and they¡¯ll be going to college soon. Isn¡¯t it time for them to settle down and start families?¡± ¡°Houses will always be in demand, the children will want to develop in the city in the future. Look at these old buildings, aren¡¯t they aged and worn? And buying a house is always the first thing to take care of.¡± Listening to Ren Li¡¯s analysis, Tang Yuxin felt a bit ashamed. Who was the one that was reincarnated? Was it her or was it Ren Li? Ren Li¡¯s insight really hit the nail on the head. This was the trend of future development, the housing issue was hard to resolve. ¡°We don¡¯t have that much money,¡± Tang Zhinian calcted the money he had made over the past few years, it was only about 150,000. Any more than that was out of the question. ¡°Brother, I have 230,000,¡± Tang Zhijun even nned to take out all his savings. ¡°Dad, I have no money,¡± Tang Yuxin shrugged, it was true. She was still a student and was financially dependent on her father. ¡°What kind ofnd can we buy with 500,000?¡± Tang Zhinian asked everyone, but no one could tell him the answer to that. Moreover, buyingnd definitely required connections. Whether 500,000 would be enough was also a question. ¡°We can¡¯t buy goodnd, and we can¡¯t buy arge piece either. You guys wait.¡± Ren Li stood up and walked into her own room. When she came out, she was holding something, it was a map of Sea City. ¡°You guys look, I want this ce.¡± Sheid the map t and pointed to a spot on it. It wasn¡¯t far from their current location and it was an undeveloped plot ofnd.
Tang Yuxin looked at it. This ce was where the main city of Qing¡¯an would be in the future, right? The housing prices here would be scary in the future. Qing¡¯an was not a small city, it was in a category between first-tier and second-tier cities in the future. How did Ren Li think of this ce? The spots she picked were almost all prime locations in the future. If they were to cut this one out, it would surely cause heartache for many people in the future. However, they couldn¡¯t afford thisnd with the money they had at the moment. ¡°Trust me, there¡¯s no mistaking it,¡± Ren Li was very confident. Very few people knew this insider information, but she happened to be one of them.
As for how she got the information, well, that¡¯s a secret. She had her own ways. ¡°So how much does this cost?¡± Tang Zhinian had no concept of the cost ofnd, but since Ren Li had mentioned it, there must be a reason and the only thing he wanted to know now was whether the money they had right now was enough to buy thatnd. ¡°It¡¯s not enough,¡± Ren Li shook her head, ¡°The starting price for this plot is 1.5 million.¡± ¡°We¡¯re short by that much?¡± Tang Zhinian was a bit taken aback by the figure, it was a huge sum. 1.5 million, and that was just a lower estimate. Where could he get a million from? Even if they didn¡¯t eat or drink and saved all their earnings over these years, plus thepensation for the house, it wasn¡¯t nearly enough. ¡°Look at this,¡± Ren Li took a bankbook out of her pocket. Tang Zhinian took it over and nced at the numbers on the back, the zeros were enough to make his head spin. Tang Yuxin also peeked over, counting the zeros. Three million, it was actually three million. ¡°Li, you¡­¡± Tang Zhinian never knew that she had so much money. ¡°You want to ask me why I have so much money, don¡¯t you?¡± Ren Li bit an apple, lifted her eyes, and her eyes were full ofughter, naturally knowing what Tang Zhinian wanted to ask. ¡°Yes,¡± Tang Zhinian still looked very honest. ¡°I¡¯ve always had this much,¡± Ren Li lightly patted her own belly, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s decide on this, buying thatnd won¡¯t be a loss. I also want to leave some property for my son, and of course, I have to save some dowry for Yuxin.¡±
¡°Son?¡± Tang Zhinian suddenly widened his eyes and stared at Ren Li¡¯s belly. ¡°Li, are you¡­?¡± ¡°Almost, I guess,¡± Ren Li lightly caressed her own belly. She had missed her period for two months, but she hadn¡¯t confirmed anything yet. She had been married to that man for ten years without a child. Now, after marrying Tang Zhinian for a short time, she quickly got pregnant. She had been feeling some nausea and sleepiness recently, which were symptoms simr to pregnancy. If there were no major issues, she should be pregnant. Chapter 278: 271: The Stepmother is Really Rich Chapter 278: Chapter 271: The Stepmother is Really Rich At that moment, she felt a slight squeeze on her wrist. Tang Yuxin had already grabbed her hand. At first, she was quite serious. Her thickshes slightly quivered and her small mouth was tightly pursed. As she frowned slightly and let go of Tang Yuxin¡¯s hand, the corners of her lips lifted into a slight smile. A surprise welled up in Ren Li¡¯s heart. Could it be true? Was she pregnant? ¡°Dad, I¡¯m going to have a brother.¡± Tang Yuxin enthusiastically hugged Tang Zhinian¡¯s arm. ¡°Pregnant?¡± Tang Zhinian was still in shock. A son, was he really going to have a son? He was almost forty years old and never thought about having another child in his life. But now he was being told that he was actually going to have a child, wasn¡¯t he? He carefully ced his hand on Ren Li¡¯s stomach. He still couldn¡¯t feel his existence yet, but in a few months, yes, just a few more months, he would be able to see his little, tender son. His son. He, Tang Zhinian, was going to have a legacy, and the Tang family was also going to continue their lineage. Tang Zhinian¡¯s eyes reddened, he was on the verge of tears.
Tang Zhijun was also unexpectedly emotional. He exchanged a look with Zhang Xiangcao, their hands tightly grasping each other¡¯s. This was good. Yes, it was good. The Tang Family finally had a future. They no longer had to bear the burden of the Tang Family not having a sessor, because finally, they had an heir. ¡°So¡­¡± Ren Li announced, ¡°This is the ce.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Tang Zhinian agreed. Whatever she said was fine, he even wouldn¡¯t care if she burnt all this money. He was overjoyed now, and the only thing in his mind was his son. What status does money holdpared to his son? ¡°I agree,¡± said Tang Yuxin, shepletely approved. This was much better than what she had thought. Obtaining that plot ofnd was dependent on timing, otherwise others wouldn¡¯t even consider giving it to them. They took advantage of the opportunity to demolish the old house, and this chance was rare, even if they didn¡¯t want the money, they were determined to get thend. Thend, on the other hand, was quite easy to acquire once the paperwork wasplete. As long as they have enough funds, they were supporting the city¡¯s development. Regardless of the circumstances, anyone would be willing to agree! Tang Yuxin ignored theseplications. The adults in the house were handling it, and as long as the paperwork wasplete and as long as Ren Li¡¯s 3 million was readily avable, there wouldn¡¯t be a problem. However, she always felt that Ren Li was acting strange. She knew too much, including about the urban development of Qing¡¯an. Who knew these things in advance, except for those like her, who had been reborn? She still couldn¡¯t figure it out. But, undoubtedly, Ren Li had opened a window in her perception, and showed her a different world. It was something she never dared to even think about, like building a house. They could actually build houses on their plot ofnd. Before, she had suffered so much and experienced countless sleepless nights, all for a little overtime pay, all to repay the housing loan as soon as possible. She had never even dreamt that in the future they could build a multi-storybuilding, or even a skyscraper! But now, gently stroking her hair, she twisted it around her fingers, she realized but there were still things she needed to figure out. ¡°Knock, knock¡­¡± She knocked on the door. ¡°Come in,¡± came Ren Li¡¯szy voice from inside. It seemed she had just woken up. When Tang Yuxin entered, she saw Ren Li yawning, clearly she had just woken up.
¡°You¡¯re here. What took you so long toe see your mom?¡± She patted her belly. ¡°And your little brother. He¡¯s been a very good boy recently, doesn¡¯t cause a ruckus at all.¡± ¡°He¡¯s still an embryo,¡± Tang Yuxin held back the urge to roll her eyes. She really felt that Ren Li¡¯s IQ was leaning towards the negative side now. Ren Li¡¯s face glowed with motherly love, ¡°I know, but he already has his own feelings. If mom¡¯s not happy, he can definitely feel it.¡± Tang Yuxin walked over, pulled up a chair, and sat down. She then took off her backpack, from which she pulled out a ss bottle. It was filled with small, candy-like objects.
¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Ren Li immediately took the bottle and shook it in her hand. ¡°They¡¯re for you, suitable for a high-age pregnant woman like you to eat, one a day.¡± As soon as Tang Yuxin finished speaking, Ren Li opened the bottle and took out a pill to put in her mouth. Tang Yuxin pursed her lips, ¡°You just ate it without even asking about the medicinal effects. Aren¡¯t you afraid that I might have put poison in it?¡± ¡°Would you?¡± Ren Li shook the bottle in her hand, she didn¡¯t seem worried at all. Was her heart too big, or did she trust others too much? ¡°No,¡± Tang Yuxin nced at Ren Li¡¯s stomach, ¡°I want to see my brother, there is enough medicine here tost until you give birth to him. Rest assured, I told you before, as long as you give birth to my brother, I will ensure your safety, as well as my brother¡¯s safety.¡± For the sake of her brother, she wouldn¡¯t let anything happen to Ren Li. This medicine was from the Chen family¡¯s old recipes. Chen Zhong had once given it to an older pregnant woman and ensured she gave birth to a healthy baby. However, the medicine was difficult to prepare. From the moment Ren Li married her father, Tang Yuxin had been preparing this medicine. Fortunately, her brother was on the way and the medicine was ready. Ren Li opened the drawer and put the medicine inside. Be at ease, I will definitely give birth to your brother safely. The one thing Ren Li had always wanted in this life was a child. Regardless of whether Tang Yuxin assured her safety or not, even if she were in danger, she would give everything to give birth to that child. Tang Yuxin remained seated, quietly staring at Ren Li. Ren Li adjusted the nket on the side slightly, getting a bit ufortable after a while. ¡°Alright, stop staring at me, it¡¯s creepy. What do you want to ask?¡± She scratched her arm. She disliked this kind of silence the most, where nothing was said, and one was just red at with dark, intimidating eyes, making your scalp tingle as goosebumps erupted all over. ¡°Okay,¡± Tang Yuxin replied. She had been waiting for her to say this. ¡°I want to know, do you know about the future development of Qing¡¯an?¡±
She went straight to the point. She wanted to know if Ren Li was like her, a rebirth. But it didn¡¯t seem like it, because the person she gave off didn¡¯t seem to have the vicissitudes of a lifetime of grievances. However, it seemed that she knew too much. Ren Li pulled the nket over her stomach, afraid that her precious son would catch a cold. And Tang Yuxin really wanted to remind her, he¡¯s just an embryo right now and he doesn¡¯t understand anything. But Tang Yuxin didn¡¯t speak. She was waiting, waiting for Ren Li¡¯s answer. Chapter 279: 272: The Step-mothers Past Chapter 279: Chapter 272: The Step-mother¡¯s Past Not knowing how much time had passed, Ren Li gently sighed. ¡°Okay, I knew I could keep this secret from others, but not from you. No wonder your ssmates call you Tang the Monster. You really are a little monster.¡± ¡°Let me tell you,¡± she curved her lips upward in a defiant manner, a side of her Tang Yuxin had never seen. ¡°Yes,¡± she admitted, ¡°I know about the future construction in Qing¡¯an, and I also know which part of Qing¡¯an will be the main city area.¡± Tang Yuxin¡¯s eyebrows furrowed even deeper. Would she go as far as to tell her it was because she had been reborn? ¡°What you probably didn¡¯t expect,¡± Ren Li ced her hand on her abdomen, ¡°is that no one could guess¡­¡± she sighed, the corners of her lips curling up with a hint of reminiscence. It wasn¡¯t happiness though, nor was it joyful. ¡°In fact, I¡¯m like you in a way, except you¡¯re luckier¡­ you have a father who loves you.¡± Yuxin knew this well. Her father loved her dearly because she was his only daughter. Ren Li smiled casually. As painful as the past was, she still forced herself to speak. Forced herself to recall. ¡°I¡¯m from Beijing, and I had a twin sister,¡± she said, staring into Yuxin¡¯s eyes with an unwavering smile, yet her memories seemed to overflow with hurt.
¡°We didn¡¯t look alike at all. Maybe it¡¯s because I was born earlier, or maybe I was naturally more domineering. I was always the type to have thest word.¡± ¡°But my sister was different. We were twins, but drastically different ones,¡± she paused for a moment, as if recalling something before resuming her story. ¡°Where did I stop just now?¡± ¡°Domineering,¡± Tang Yuxin reminded her. ¡°That¡¯s right, domineering,¡± Ren Li adjusted herself into a morefortable position and started telling her own story. The story was long, about a woman¡¯s entire 35 years of life. Many people don¡¯t even live to be 35, like Tang Yuxin in her previous life. So you might as well say it¡¯s the story of a lifetime. Yet the story was also short. It was a mere few sentences long, and it epassed the past 35 years of a woman¡¯s life. Ren Li and Ren Na were twin sisters. As Ren Li herself had said, her domineering nature was evident from the time they were in their mother¡¯s womb. She weighed at least two pounds more than Ren Na at birth. Ren Li seemed to absorb all the nutrients in the womb. Because of this, she was plump and healthy when she was born, while Ren Na was extremely frail, possibly due to ack of nutrients. As a result, she was often ill. Because they had a sickly daughter, their parents showered all their love on Ren Na. To them, it felt like Ren Li was the one responsible for their daughter¡¯s ill health. Throughout her life, she experienced neglect, indifference, and even resentment. Yet, being a naturally domineering girl, she grew up healthy and strong, despite theck of care. She never got sick while Ren Na, a pampered girl, was always in danger due to the slightest illnesses. She was like a princess locked in the Ivory Tower, immune to problems, except for ack of health, freedom, and sunlight. Ren Li, however, lived under the sunlight, an unapologetic tomboy. From childhood, only their eldest brother took care of her. Without him, young Ren Li wouldn¡¯t even have had enough to eat. One could say Ren Na was raised by their parents, but Ren Li was brought up by her big brother. As the sisters grew up, they differed greatly in personality and looks. If no one disclosed it, nobody would¡¯ve known they were sisters, let alone twins. The elder sister was lively and cute, while the younger one seemed like a fairy from Jiangnan. The elder sister was casual, while the younger one was always meticulous. Still, people seemed to favor the younger sister a bit more. Why? Because she knew how to behave, how to be clever, and how to sweet-talk people. But the elder sister wasn¡¯t like that. She was straightforward and didn¡¯t say nice things for the sake of being likable. She liked telling the truth, which was always the case growing up. So what about the truth? People don¡¯t usually want to hear it. They prefer lies, who would want to listen to the truth or even like it? However, the elder sister didn¡¯t care. She would live life the way she wanted. She wasn¡¯t a flower in a greenhouse. She was just a weed growing on thewn, braving the elements with her vitality and life force, challenging the world. Eventually, they both grew up, and both had their first brushes with love. Unfortunately, the sisters fell for the same man, the son of their father¡¯s friend.
But the man was not in love with the elder sister; he was in love with the younger one. They even got engaged. However, before the wedding, something happened, and the younger sister left. She left and never came back. The man was depressed and anguished. In the end, the elder sister couldn¡¯t bear it anymore. She couldn¡¯t resist her longing heart, the torment of love, and so she decided to stay by the man¡¯s side. She stayed with this man for ten years, apanying him through his most difficult times. No matter the situation, she stuck with him. When he started his own business, she woke up early and sleptte. She never considered herself a woman, or even a person. She saw herself as a machine, solely there to lighten the man¡¯s burden. Such a life aged her prematurely.
She overstretched her body and vigor, so that by the age of 35, she was already old. The couple had always had disputes due to theck of children. After all, everyone says having no descendants is a grave concern, but she couldn¡¯t bear children. Then, her sister came back, now a renowned musician. At birth, the elder sister took away all the nutrients from the younger one. And at the age of 35, the younger one seemed to have stolen back all her youth. One grew old due to hardships of life while the other, with the refinement of music and a few years of careful living, became beautiful, elegant, and captivating to all men. Of course, this included her sister¡¯s husband. He began spending nights out, caring more about his appearance, dressing better, bing more refined. Then things happened as they were destined to. Chapter 280: 273: Good Doctor Chapter 280: Chapter 273: Good Doctor My sister¡¯s husband has revived his rtionship with my younger sister, and what¡¯s more, my younger sister is now pregnant. What, then, is the point of me, an unproductive hen, staying here? But what makes me, the older sister, crumble isn¡¯t just that my younger sister has stolen my husband, birthed a child in secret, but our parents¡¯ attitudes. Even at this point, they still think my younger sister is in the right, that she is just reiming what was rightfully hers in the first ce. Later, I divorced my husband. I moved to Qing¡¯an. One day, drunk, I fell off a building and nearly crushed a man. Not long afterwards, this man became my husband. Now I¡¯m pregnant and about to have my own baby. ¡°Do you understand?¡± Ren Li asked Tang Yuxin, whose childhood precociousness left no room for misunderstandings. ¡°Yes, I understand,¡± nodded Tang Yuxin. ¡°You chose my father, and rightly so. My father may not be handsome on the exterior, but he is full of inner beauty.¡± Ren Li twitched at the corner of her eye. How could her own daughter speak of her father like this? Tang Zhinian would be heartbroken if he found out. He is handsome, physically fit, and gically endowed. Otherwise, how could he have a little marvel like Tang Yuxin? The little mischief-maker was not just beautiful but also terribly clever. ¡°But there¡¯s one thing you didn¡¯t rify,¡± Tang Yuxin piped up with a lingering question. ¡°How did you know about Qing¡¯an¡¯s provincial nning map?¡±
¡°Well, that¡­¡± Ren Li stretched out her hand, seizing the opportunity to pinch Tang Yuxin¡¯s face once more. Her skin was as tender as tofu, a real treat to touch. She hoped her own son would look like his older sister, growing into a handsome man, captivating from childhood. ¡°I¡¯ve seen Qing¡¯an¡¯s urban nning map. Don¡¯t ask me how I know, I just do, and I am absolutely certain.¡± And with that, she stopped smiling, and her voice turned grave. ¡°I am making ns for him now,¡± she whispered, caressing her belly. ¡°He is my son. I can¡¯t let him be bullied. I can¡¯t imagine how he would be treated by that man and that woman¡¯s son. So, I am preparing an inheritance for him now, so nobody will dare to belittle him, let alone bully him.¡± ¡°Who dares to bully my little brother?¡± Tang Yuxin promised to protect her unborn brother. If anyone dared to pick on him, she would fight them, poison them, poison their entire family. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Ren Liughed, ¡°With you by his side, no one would dare to.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re sure I will make a name for myself?¡± Tang Yuxin was now sure that Ren Li was not whimsically reincarnated, nor was she reborn. She was merely an ordinary person. Could it be that she had a talent for fortune-telling? Ren Li sat up straight, realising that her legs had gone numb. That was when a helping hand was extended to her, massaging her leg. After a few presses, her legs felt much better, so much so that she almost sighed in relief. ¡°Trust me,¡± Ren Li closed her eyes, growing sleepy. ¡°Okay,¡± Tang Yuxin responded softly, her voice a prelude to a luby that could quickly lull anyone to sleep, then into sweet dreams. ¡°Nobody in this world would dare to offend a good doctor. Life is precious, and everyone fears death. Once you be a prominent doctor with your own unique merits, no one would dare to bully you. Nobody messes with their own lives.¡± ¡°Nobody can afford to offend¡­¡± She murmured on, half talking to herself, half to someone else. Was she talking to herself at the end, or was it someone else? She soon fell asleep, her eyes no longer reflecting the past outrage. Instead, they radiated a newfound gentleness. Time had washed away her restlessness, gifted her a calm temperament, and also shattered her initial resolution. It was not toote, as she had them by her side. Tang Yuxin pulled the nket up to Ren Li¡¯s chin and, true enough, thetter was sound asleep. All that was left, was the echo of her peaceful breathing, mirroring the calming of her heart. Not long after, the door was pushed open gently. Tang Zhinian tip-toed into the room. ¡°She¡¯s asleep, isn¡¯t she?¡± ¡°Yes, she¡¯s tired, and soon fell asleep,¡± Tang Yuxin got up, lowering her voice, ¡°Dad, I am going home now. You need to take good care of my sister and brother.¡±
My sister and brother ¡ª Tang Zhinian was somewhat confused by his daughter¡¯s wording. But if Shen Li agreed, and Tang Yuxin liked it, then he would let them be. He sat down, gentlyying his hand on his wife¡¯s forehead. Only then did he start to feel like a husband, a feeling Sang Zhn had never given him. Only now did he realize, Sang Zhn had never loved him. When a woman loves a man, it¡¯s visible in her eyes. But at the ripe age of forty, Tang Zhinian finally learned what true love felt like. Presently, his eyes held only affection, all for Ren Li.
When Ren Li awoke again, she found Tang Zhinian napping by the bed. Afraid that she wouldn¡¯t sleep well, this grown man humbled himself into a ball, cornered and sleeping on the floor. Ren Li reached out her hand, initially wanting to wake him. If he slept like this, it would be ufortable, and he might catch a cold. But for some reason, she ended up cing her hand above Tang Zhinian¡¯s eyes. In that moment, her heart felt full, and her eyes stung inexplicably; her nose tingled. In an instant, she had the urge to cry. Perhaps that¡¯s how it was for a pregnant woman, with a heightened sensitivity and an acute sense of anxiety. Soft sunlight filtered through the window, casting a gentle glow on them. It created an atmosphere of tranquil beauty as if time had stopped. Maybe life isn¡¯t about chasing a man endlessly like she used to think. No matter how brave, how resilient she was, she would invariably exhaust her effort, time, and emotion on the journey. And in the end, she wouldn¡¯t gain anything. It wasn¡¯t until she stopped, that she discovered the many wonders of life. If she ran too fast, she would miss them. It was only when she slowed down that she could discern what was good, what was right, and what she truly needed. Chapter 281: 274: The Prodigal Daughter Returns Chapter 281: Chapter 274: The Prodigal Daughter Returns She gently stroked her belly. ¡°Baby, you must grow up safely. Don¡¯t worry, mommy will make sure you have a prosperous life, no one will bully you in this lifetime, and you have a very amazing sister.¡± ¡°She will also love you, and protect you. You will be the happiest child in this world because we all love you.¡± Upon reaching the ssroom, Tang Yuxin took out a pack of candy from her bag and then tapped on the desk. ¡°Everyone,e and have some candy.¡± Upon hearing there was candy, the other students came over. The atmosphere in the third ss was great, everyone was united, nobody wanted to break this strong ss spirit, and they didn¡¯t allow outsiders to join. They weren¡¯t missing anyone, and they had no extras. Tang Yuxin distributed the candy to her ssmates. She had bought good quality and plenty of it, so everyone could have several pieces. ¡°Yuxin, why are you giving us candy?¡± A girl stuffed the candy into her mouth, and with her mouth full, mumbled her question. ¡°To celebrate the fact that I¡¯m having a younger brother.¡± Tang Yuxin said, gleefully putting a piece of candy into her mouth as well. She usually had a cold face, and despite not being high and mighty, her excellent grades often made people feel she was unapproachable. Now, her enjoying candy with everyone was a rare sight.
Moreover, it was quite unusual to see a girl of her maturity doing something as childish. ¡°Doesn¡¯t your dad only have you?¡± another student asked. Indeed, Tang Yuxin was an only child. From where did this younger brothere? ¡°My dad got remarried, and my stepmother is expecting.¡± Thinking about her baby brother made Tang Yuxin extremely happy. The best decision she had ever made in her life was this one, letting her dad have a son and herself a brother. ¡°Isn¡¯t having two kids not allowed?¡± Xu Miaomiao asked quietly. If possible, she would also love to have a baby brother or sister, like Sisi. Then she couldb their hair every day. But she couldn¡¯t, she was an only child. ¡°My dad remarried, and I¡¯m an only daughter,¡± Tang Yuxin didn¡¯t hide her background. She was always a child raised without a mother. She was used to it, and she had her dad. She didn¡¯tck love, and her psychological health was good. So that¡¯s why. Xu Miaomiao understood, she knew that she would never have a sister or brother in this lifetime. Then, Lin Yile discreetly tugged at Xu Miaomiao¡¯s sleeve. ¡°Later on, Yuxin¡¯s younger brother will be our brother too. Look at Sisi, we all consider her as our sister.¡± ¡°Right, how didn¡¯t I think of that?¡± Xu Miaomiao¡¯s eyes sparkled. She would also have a younger brother in the future. She treated Tang Yuxin as her real sister. Yuxin was so fair-skinned and good-looking, her brother was bound to be very handsome. Now, Xu Miaomiao seemed even more excited about the birth of the baby brother than Tang Yuxin. The ssroom was filled with a sweet smell. That was the smell of candy that everyone was eating. Sweet in the mouth, it also felt sweet in their hearts. The world of teenage boys and girls was simple and beautiful in its own way. Only at this time could they appreciate that moment, as time marches on, even tomorrow, they might not have the same feelings. They were tasting the sweetness of the candy in their mouths, but they were also enjoying the sweetness of life. Afar, the corner of the sky, windless and rainless, had the same azure blue, beauty, and rity as their hearts. Tang Zhinian walked quickly into the house. They had already rushed back to Li Tang Vige. It was actually the best ce to nourish a pregnancy. Otherwise, living in the city with only Tang Zhinian to take care of Ren Li would be difficult. The vige was a good ce. It was spacious, clean, and had good air. When they walked out, they saw a mountain. A few steps further, and it was a river. Between the mountains and the river was such beautiful scenery, where else could they find this? In addition, Zhang Xiangcao was here to help, the Tang brothers did not go out to work anymore. They had gotten hold of the piece ofnd faster than they had imagined. Thanks to the help of the three rooms, they found the person responsible for this piece ofnd and, as Ren Li said, under the banner of foreign investment, they rejected the house and shop. The main issue was the current shortage of funds. They were short of a few hundred thousand, otherwise, they would not have given up that ce, which Tang Yuxin was reluctant to part with because it was guaranteed to appreciate. They sold the house they had bought initially for thirty thousand, for nearly three hundred thousand. This was an unimaginable return of ten times. This was something the Tang brothers had never dreamed of.
If they knew that the items they had sold for 300,000,ter appreciated to 3 million or even 30 million, they would be beyond surprised. Of course,pared with the benefits of that piece ofnd, this was a small profit. We are not building the house, are we? Tang Zhinian asked Ren Li. Now that thend was in their hands, why didn¡¯t they start building? It is not yet time, and we have no funds. How can we build without money?
Ren Li believed money was truly good, so why didn¡¯t she have any now? Just thatnd cost over 3 million. With Tang Zhinian and Tang Nianjun¡¯s money added in, the two families now had less than a few tens of thousands left. Thend could be left as is for now. The timing was indeed not right because that piece ofnd had not yet started urban construction. Now they had to wait for the right time. When they bought thend, it covered arge area. A part of it is included in the urban nning. In front of theirnd was to be a road directly connected to the entire Qing¡¯an. Once this road was built, their current destend would be valuable, attracting buyers. When the extra space was flipped and sold, they could start building their tower with the money that came in. Now, there is nond that isn¡¯t valuable. Just a small corner of their plot ofnd already made Tang Yuxin supper. After all, she could feel that even a small corner there was worth tens of thousands of dors in the future. Her feeling wasn¡¯t wrong, even the price of thest small corner would not be just tens of thousands. That corner could build a thirty stories tower. How much could that tower sell for? But these were future things. Under the current circumstances, they had no other choice but to use this method of site flipping to find a way to get the building up. Now, the reality was. They had no money again. Tang Zhinian and Tang Zhijun went out to earn money again. No matter the odd jobs the Tang brothers run, they were diligent people. After all, it¡¯s not a dream to make aeback. Chapter 282: 275: Younger Brother is about to be born Chapter 282: Chapter 275: Younger Brother is about to be born Whatever money they spent, they would inevitably earn it back. Ren Li regretted her decision a bit, thinking it was made prematurely. If only it had beenter, her brothers wouldn¡¯t have had to run around so much. But there was only one chance. Perhaps if they missed it, it would be gone forever. Fortunately, she had Zhang Xiangcao and Sisi at home. Tang Yuxin came to visit her every day ¨C no, it was to see her little brother. And the medicine that Tang Yuxin gave to Ren Li, Ren Li took every day without skipping once. She didn¡¯t know if it was because of the medicine, but her body had been in good condition. She was still waiting for morning sickness, something that Zhang Xiangcao had talked about from her own pregnancy experiences. The two, although rted by marriage, were like real sisters. Ren Li sometimes felt that some people in the world treated her far better than her own parents did. However, she never experienced morning sickness even after four months, and there were no other symptoms. Living in Li Tang Vige, a ce with simple living and beautiful scenery, where she could see mountains and rivers, was truly a blessing. Until Ren Li was nine months pregnant, Tang Yuxin had already taken her second year final exam in high school. Next year, she would be a third-year student, and it would be time for ss assignments. As for Xu Family¡¯s study site, of course, it wouldn¡¯t be shut down. No matter if it was humanities and sciences, they all had people. She would choose the humanities ss, while Chen Lidong would take the sciences. Right now, Chen Lidong was decisively third in his grade. Although he was third, his problem-solving skills had already surpassed Tang Yuxin. After the ss assignments, the two streams would not affect each other, but the first ss would have to be rearranged. However, the first ss was still the first ss; this fact wouldn¡¯t change.
Ren Li caressed her belly, round like a ball. It surprised her that in just nine months, her blood was connected with the little one¡¯s. She had already dared not dream of having a child one day. But as the little one grew day by day in her belly and started to move, it was a wondrous process. She loved this child, so much that she could even give up her life for him. And the child was about to be born. Tang Yuxin touched Ren Li¡¯s belly, ¡°It¡¯s close to time, let¡¯s go to the hospital.¡± The hospital was quite far from their vige, and Ren Li might give birth in few days, so they decided to go to the hospital. Although she could deliver at home, the sanitary conditions would not be good enough, and there were various unexpected circumstances that could ur. She was not a god; she was just a doctor. Tang Zhinian was already so anxious that he had massive dark circles under his eyes. Although he was doing business outside, he had never missed any stage of the child¡¯s growth, and had returned home when Ren Li was five months pregnant. He had earned some money, enough to sustain their lives for a long time. Zhang Xiangcao made the bed on the tricycle veryfortable, covering it with a thickyer of nkets. When Ren Liy on it, it felt soft like the bed at home. She didn¡¯t feel ufortable at all and felt good overall. But, surely, it wasn¡¯t possible for her to give birth early, right? When they arrived at the hospital, the doctors said the same. It was not yet time to give birth, and they even wanted to send them home. But Tang Yuxin insisted on letting Ren Li stay in the hospital, given how far home was. Finally, the hospital epted them, considering that Ren Li was an older mother-to-be, it was better to be prepared for any idents. Among these pregnant women, Ren Li might have the best health. She was still nimble despite herrge belly. At night, while Ren Li was sleeping, she suddenly felt a pain in her stomach, like something leaking from below. ¡°Zhinian, Zhinian¡­¡± She called out Tang Zhinian¡¯s name, fear rising in her heart. ¡°What happened?¡± Tang Zhinian hurriedly woke up. Ren Li held her belly, ¡°I think I¡¯m about to give birth.¡± Sweat beaded on her forehead, indicating that it was indeed nearly time for the baby¡¯s arrival. Weren¡¯t they saying that it was still early, that there was about half a month left, yet, the baby woulde the next day? At this moment, Ren Li was grateful for Tang Yuxin. If she wasn¡¯t in the hospital, if she was still in Li Tang vige, the child might have to be born at home. Because she did feel iting on fast, as if something in her belly was pulling downwards fiercely. In no time at all, the doctor came. Even he was taken aback when he saw Ren Li as there were no signs earlier in the day. Now suddenly she was about to give birth. Her water had broken, and her cervix was dting.
¡°Doctor, doctor¡­¡± Tang Zhinian approached the doctor as they were about to take Ren Li away. ¡°What is it? Family member, do you need something?¡± The doctor was in a hurry because Ren Li was about to give birth. ¡°Doctor,¡± Tang Zhinian was very nervous, but remarkably calm. ¡°If there is any ident, please save my wife first, I beg you.¡± The doctor couldn¡¯t help but looked at Tang Zhinian. Tang Zhinian was just amon country bumpkin, and it was so hard for his wife to be pregnant. This was her first child ever.
If faced with the decision to save the mother or the child, most men would choose to save the child. When he looked again at Tang Zhinian, he could see the seriousness in his eyes. Those words were sincere and true. ¡°Don¡¯t worry; it won¡¯t be a problem,¡± The doctor assured Tang Zhinian with aforting smile. ¡°Modern medicine is advanced, the situation you spoke of will not happen. If pushes to shove, there¡¯s always a C-section.¡± At this time, Ren Li, although in pain, was still within her tolerance. The moment she was pushed into the delivery room, she heard Tang Zhinian¡¯s words and immediately burst into tears. She thought that if she were still in the Bai Family, they surely would have chosen to save the baby. But Tang Zhinian was different; he wanted to save her. He clearly loved this baby so much, yet, in the end, he still wanted to save her over the child. So, she had to be strong. She would show them. She cooperated well with the doctor, enduring the pain. Tang Zhinian couldn¡¯t stop pacing outside, he was too agitated to sit. It reminded him of when Tang Yuxin was born, he was equally disturbed. He was not only worried about the adult but also the child. He was both excited and unprepared. Under such circumstances, he weed his little Yuxin to the world. At the time of her birth, she was just four pounds, such a tiny baby that he would warm against his chest. Even though Sang Zhn, initially upon seeing her daughter, wasn¡¯t fond of her and didn¡¯t even want to look at her again, Tang Zhinian and Tang Zhijun, however, treasured their daughter like a pearl. Chapter 283: 276: Truly a Younger Brother Chapter 283: Chapter 276: Truly a Younger Brother Now he has another child. Yet, the same excitement and gratitude remain. He hopes for the safety of the mother and the baby, he prays for their well-being. Suddenly, he paused, it seemed like the cry of a baby came from within. The door of the operating room opened and a doctor walked out holding a bundle in his arms. ¡°He¡¯s born,¡± the doctor said with a smile, ¡°The process went smoothly, the mother and baby are safe. It¡¯s a boy, and he is remarkably sturdy.¡± The doctor had not seen such a chubby baby in a long time. As soon as the baby was born, his eyes were wide open, he looked adorable. ¡°Thank you,¡± Tang Zhinian quickly grabbed the small bundle. He knew how to hold a baby because he had raised Tang Yuxin. However, because of his excitement, he was clumsy and somewhat hesitant. ¡°It¡¯s alright, you¡¯ll get used to it. All first-time dads are like this.¡± Before the doctor could finish, someone started calling out ¡°Dad.¡± Turning around, Tang Zhinian saw Tang Yuxin approaching. She seemed to have perfectly timed her arrival with Ren Li¡¯s delivery. In reality, she wasn¡¯t great at calcting these things. She had noticed Ren Li¡¯s pulse fluctuate, indicating she was about to go intobor, earlier than she had anticipated, when she had arrived, the baby was already born. ¡°Dad¡­¡± Tang Yuxin called out again, and the doctor couldn¡¯t help but size her up. The girl was young, but she had sparkling eyes and teeth, fair skin, and a faint, fragrant smell that approached as she moved.
From hearing the word ¡°Dad¡±, the doctor realized his initial assumption that Tang Zhinian was a first-time father was incorrect. He already had a daughter this old. Tang Zhinian cracked a smile and held his son tightly, as if cradling a ticking time bomb. Tang Yuxin came over and carefully held the baby from Tang Zhinian¡¯s arms. ¡°Dad, you go see my sister, I will take care of the little one.¡± Only then did Tang Zhinian fold his rigid hand back, and quickly went to check on his wife, leaving his child in his daughter¡¯s care, he trusted her. Tang Yuxin carefully held her baby brother and quickly took him to the ward to keep him from getting cold. So, her baby brother was finally born. From now on, she would have a younger brother, a little, dearly loved, brother. Ren Li was exhausted and asleep. But overall, she was fine. She had eaten well during her pregnancy and the delivery went smoothly. It took only about half an hour for the baby toe out. The baby who was born was fair and delicate, very likeable. The little one weighed about seven or eight catties, his eyes were open right from the start, moving around lively. As the baby was still small, it was difficult to tell whom he resembled more. However, it appeared that he resembled his mother slightly more. Indeed, resembling his mother was better. He would certainly grow into a handsome one in the future. When Ren Li woke up, she saw Tang Zhinian sitting next to her, holding her hand as if afraid she would disappear. At her side therey a small bundle with a sleeping baby inside. This was her baby, and at that moment, unable to control her emotions, her tears started to flow freely. ¡°Li, you¡¯re awake,¡± the moment Tang Zhinian opened his eyes, he noticed Ren Li was awake and looking at their newborn son. ¡°This is our son, he weighs seven pounds. The doctor said he will grow up strong and he looks like you.¡± Tang Zhinian said with a smile, reaching out to gently touch his son¡¯s face, ¡°But, I think he looks like Yuxin when she was little. Yuxin resembles my mother, and this baby seems the same.¡± ¡°As long as he looks like Yuxin, that¡¯s good. If he resembles me, that¡¯s also fine,¡± Ren Li¡¯s voice was hoarse with emotion, but one could hear her excitement. ¡°It¡¯s good as long as he doesn¡¯t resemble you,¡± she secretly wiped away her tears and looked at Tang Zhinian¡¯s honest face. If hees to resemble you, my son would be ruined. Won¡¯t he be terribly ugly in the future?
Tang Zhinian could onlyugh in response. Having a child at middle age was something many people envied him for, especially in an era when family nning is taken seriously. Tang Yuxin had to revise her homework, so she didn¡¯t stay at the hospital for long. With Tang Zhinian, Zhang Xiangcao, Aunt Lin and Aunt Chen in the hospital, Tang Yuxin wouldn¡¯t be of much help. Though she had lived for 33 years in her past life, she never had a child of her own and didn¡¯t know how to care for babies. In this respect, she was inferior. So, she let the others take the lead. Anyway, her brother was still her brother, that wouldn¡¯t change. Throughout that year¡¯s summer vacation, they all stayed home. They were about to enter their senior year of high school, which was the toughest of all. So, there wasn¡¯t really a summer vacation that year. Even when Tang Yuxin wanted to visit her baby brother and observe his growth, Tang Zhinian didn¡¯t allow her to go back. She was about to go to college and couldn¡¯t afford distractions. Tang Yuxin was quite frustrated. Couldn¡¯t she just want to see her little brother more often?
No matter whether she went home to see her brother or not, The Tang family¡¯s young boy was growing strong. He had been healthy since birth, a sturdy child. Plus, Ren Li¡¯s breast milk was exceptional, filling the little one¡¯s stomach every day. There was always more than he could finish, which was why he had grown so strong. Tang Zhinian named his son Tang Xincheng, nicknaming him Chengcheng. Ren Li loved the name and held her baby every day, calling out ¡°Little Chengcheng.¡± He was well-behaved and easy to take care of. He was healthy, didn¡¯t fall sick often, and there was always enough milk for him. He would eat, sleep, and quietly grow bigger. Ren Li always thought that Chengcheng was growing so splendidly because of the small bottle of medicine Tang Yuxin gave her. Despite the small bottle, each pill inside was even smaller, so there were several hundred of them in total. And by the time she was about to give birth, there were still some left. Regardless, she was very grateful to Tang Yuxin. If not for her, she wouldn¡¯t be alive, she wouldn¡¯t have such a good life today. Each time she held Chengcheng, she thought that her life had been worth the struggle. She had fulfilled her purpose in life. Time passed and summer vacation ended, two monthster the terrifying senior year of high school began. ss One had been split into the arts and science streams, originally intended to merge with ss Five, as the overall level of ss One was close to that of ss Five. It was somewhat amusing, one was the top ss in the whole school, while the other was known for its poor performance, but they were going to merge. The progress in ss Five wasn¡¯t significant, because their scores werergely fixed. ss One was different. Their study patterns were very flexible. Apart from the top few students, the rest were continuallypeting for better rankings, no one wanted to let anyone else get ahead. Chapter 284: 277: Cant Bear It Chapter 284: Chapter 277: Can¡¯t Bear It Therefore,pared to ss five, the teachers found themselves favoring ss one students more, finding them unpredictable yet flexible, with a promising potential for academic improvement. However, rather than being merged with ss five, ss one wasbined with ss three after the school assessed the overall strength of the sses. ss three was another elite ss in the school, with students scoring average grades. The important thing was that the head teachers of these two sses had a very good rtionship and whenever either ss held a minor event, they would band together. The students were familiar with each other, the teachers knew each other. As such, the merging of the sses felt as if they were already one. A humanities ss and a science ss. Mr. Jin was leading the humanities ss, while the teacher from ss three was in charge of the science ss. There was no shortcut for the humanities ss, only memorization, and rote learning. However, for these three years, Tang Yuxin and her ssmates hadn¡¯t taken a break. Hence, their mastery of some knowledge was excellent. Once they reached their senior year, things got even busier. Regardless, Tang Yuxin returned to Li Tang Vige every week to visit her younger brother. After all, how could a child who grew up in a ce with such clear mountain air and water not have a good health? True to siblings, whenever he saw his sister Chengcheng, he would break into a big smile. He would smear her face with his drool, a testament of his affection for her because she loved him too.
And Tang Yuxin, she practically raised Chengcheng like her own son. Chengcheng¡¯s health was excellent; he barely fell ill. But when he did, it was Tang Yuxin, his older sister, who nursed him back to health. Hence, another reason he liked his sister was the care she provided. As long as his sister was near, he feltforted. And in his little heart, as soon as his sister returned, everything was made better; he could sleep soundly. However, the curriculum for senior year was increasingly intense. They practically had no time for rest. They had to study at school, and study at home. They couldn¡¯t go to sleep early at night, and couldn¡¯t sleepte in the morning. Their parents were worried and anxious looking at their children¡¯s situations, but they were helpless. In the house rented by Lin¡¯s father, the students were divided into two groups, humanities and science, requiring them to study till around ten o¡¯clock. Tang Yuxin prepared a kind of herbal tea for them. After drinking it, it was helpful for sleep. It was thanks to this tea that many students could sleep soundly, otherwise, many of them would probably stay awake due to extreme pressure, affecting their learning. Tang Yuxin¡¯s herbal tea was almost seen as a miracle worker. In reality, it wasn¡¯t a miracle cure. Besides helping them sleep, it also provided psychologicalfort. And that was exactly what they needed in those moments. Entering the ssroom, the seat Tang Yuxin upied was one every student admired. She was intelligent and beautiful, and it seemed as though the luck of those who approached her improved, boosting their academic performance as well. But, in reality, Tang Yuxin didn¡¯t possess any supernatural abilities; she couldn¡¯t simply blow on someone and improve their grades. The sess of others was not because of her, but their own efforts. After the merge with ss three, the union of both sses was a culmination of two groups¡¯ academic efforts. Unsurprisingly, Wei Jiani found a way to switch to ss three. From the first day, Tang Yuxin knew, she just didn¡¯t care about Wei Jiani and treated her as if she never existed. She would help her ssmates with their questions, and if someone asked for her herbal tea, she would give some to them. Of course, she never sold it, not because she didn¡¯t want to, but because there was too little. If she started selling, they themselves would be left with nothing. To asionally give away a few packets, she considered it an act of friendship among ssmates. At first, when Wei Jiani was in the same ss as Tang Yuxin, she was determined to have her mom persuade Tang Yuxin to tutor her. Otherwise, how would she pass her college entrance exams? With average academic performance and no outstanding qualities, Wei Jiani could not understand why her sister would not help her and instead help outsiders? As soon as she got home, sheined to Sang Zhn that Tang Yuxin wouldn¡¯t even talk to her, let alone tutor her. Apparently, Wei Jiani had forgotten how she used to look down on and ridicule Tang Yuxin in junior high school. As the saying goes, ¡®thirty years on the east bank of the river, thirty years on the west¡¯. Who would have predicted that merely a few yearster, her status in high school would be insignificant. Students prettier than her, better at piano, better at academics, there were plenty. Meanwhile, Tang Yuxin was consistently in the spotlight, ranked number one throughout her three years. She had transformed from an ugly duckling into a swan, from a in Jane into Snow White. Yet Wei Jiani remained the same as before, she wasn¡¯t ugly, but she certainly was no match for Tang Yuxin. Listening to Wei Jiani¡¯sints, Sang Zhn felt both angry and aching. She had visited the Tang Family twice, but Tang Yuxin was not willing to tutor Wei Jiani. She could even feel Tang Yuxin bearing a grudge against her and Wei Jiani. She was utterly helpless to make Tang Yuxin tutor Wei Jiani, and she knew very clearly in her heart that Tang Yuxin could tutor anyone but Wei Jiani.
She realized that Tang Yuxin had learned of some secrets, such as her own extramarital affairs. Whenever she thought of it, her face alternated between pale and flushed. It wasn¡¯t just a matter of getting Tang Yuxin to tutor her daughter, she evencked the courage to face her own daughter. In their senior year, everyone¡¯s time is precious and not enough. Who would disturb their future for someone who is not rted to them? To ask Tang Yuxin to tutor Wei Jiani, first ask if Tang Zhinian would agree. Although Sang Zhn was selfish, she was not stupid. She knew very clearly that if she dared ask Tang Yuxin to tutor Wei Jiani at this time, Tang Zhinian would never let her off. If some secret were to be exposed then, if some face was to be shredded then, she wouldn¡¯t be able to handle it.
Now she deeply regretted not realizing how much of a diligent student Tang Yuxin was. If she had known earlier, no matter what, she would have kept her at home, and then none of this would have happened. If Tang Yuxin could hear Sang Zhn¡¯s thoughts, she would probably scoff at them. Indeed, Sang Zhn was unchanging. She never considered Tang Yuxin as her daughter. Regardless of how many lifetimes passed, in her heart, Tang Yuxin was nothing more than a tool and someone she could exploit. Chapter 285: 278: Unbearable Dignity Chapter 285: Chapter 278: Unbearable Dignity As the high school examination got nearer, Sang Zhn¡¯s anxiety grew, with Wei Jiani¡¯s academic performance still stagnating. The prospect of her going to a good university simply seemed impossible. So no matter what, she had to get Wei Jiani into Tang Yuxin¡¯s small tutoring group. ording to the students in the tutoring group, everyone who enters shows a significant improvement in their scores. Without consulting anyone, she directly took Wei Jiani there, believing that no matter what, Tang Yuxin would not turn them away. However, just as they arrived and were about to go inside, a woman carrying a child emerged from a door. ¡°What are you here for?¡± The woman squinted her eyes, unsure of Sang Zhn¡¯s intentions, especially given there was a student with her. Could it be that she was seeking the tutoring group too? ¡°I¡¯m here to see Tang Yuxin?¡± Sang Zhn replied arrogantly, jutting her chest out. As Tang Yuxin¡¯s mother, surely she had every right to visit her daughter? ¡°Looking for Yuxin¡­ and you are?¡± The woman asked with more suspicion. ¡°I am¡­¡± Before Sang Zhn could finish speaking, she was interrupted. ¡°Oh her, she¡¯s just Yuxin¡¯s biological mom,¡± a mockingugh emerged from the house. Ren Li dusted off her clothes as she came toward them, extending a hand to her son. ¡°Come here, Chengcheng, let mommy hold you.¡±
Little Chengcheng certainly knew his mother. He stretched out his chubby arms for her to pick him up. His round little body, soft and adorable, and chubby cheeks, were irresistibly loveable to everyone. ¡°Sister Xu, don¡¯t you think our Chengcheng is looking more and more like Yuxin?¡± She asked this intentionally. ¡°Yes,¡± Mother Xu nodded, ¡°the more I look, the more alike they seem.¡± ¡°Of course, Chengcheng and Yuxin are real siblings, Yuxin is the one who adores Chengcheng most. Chengcheng loves his sister too, he insisted oning here because he hasn¡¯t seen her for a few days.¡± Little Chengcheng squinted his eyes, and Mother Xu pinched his chubby cheek. He turned his face away to bury it in his mother¡¯s shoulder, was he being shy or just avoiding her touch? And also, Mother Xu nced at Sang Zhn, that¡¯s when it hit her, this was Tang Yuxin¡¯s mother. ¡°How could there be such thick-skinned people in this world? Not only did they abandon their daughter, but they also made a six-year-old child do housework and serve as a nanny, even beating her ck and blue. They never took any responsibility as a parent, yet have the nerve to ask for tutoring now. If I were her, I would have killed myself from the shame, how can she face the world?¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing we can do, you can¡¯tpete with their thick skin.¡± Ren Li heaved her son, ¡°This little devil is getting heavier, I can barely carry him.¡± Mother Xu walked over, blocking Sang Zhn and her daughter¡¯s way. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, ma¡¯am, please take your child home. We¡¯re not epting any more students in our home. Please don¡¯t disrupt our children.¡± Sang Zhn¡¯s face was burning with humiliation after the verbal battering. She didn¡¯t know whether to stay or go. Right at this moment, the door opened, and Tang Yuxin came out. Just as Sang Zhn saw Tang Yuxin and was about to speak, Tang Yuxin walked past her as if she was invisible, heading straight to Ren Li. ¡°Chengcheng,e to your sister.¡± Hearing his sister¡¯s voice, Chengcheng immediately turned around, smiling with his few tiny teeth exposed¡ªmaking him even more adorable. Tang Yuxin picked up her brother, realizing he was a bit heavier, probably due to growing up. However, he was indeed too heavy for her to lift. ¡°Let me carry him, he¡¯s gaining weight rapidly. I sometimes can¡¯t carry him either since you¡¯re not used to it,¡± Ren Li took her son back into her arms, again pinching his chubby cheeks, which felt delightfully soft like tofu.
When she pinched him once more, she just couldn¡¯t stop. Poor little Chengcheng, his chubby face was his mother¡¯s favorite victim. Tang Yuxin gently rubbed her brother¡¯s little arm. ¡°He¡¯s recently been overfed. Try feeding him a bit less.¡± ¡°I see. That¡¯s probably why he hasn¡¯t been feeding well these past few days.¡±
¡°I¡¯ll prepare some sugar water for him. A few days of drinking that should resolve the issue.¡± Yes, Ren Li trusted Tang Yuxin¡¯s words more than anyone else¡¯s. Would her Chengcheng have grown so lively and cute without Tang Yuxin¡¯s care? He is almost never sick, always healthy. Ren Li signaled towards Sang Zhn, ¡°Look, your biological mother¡¯s here. She wants you to tutor your sister.¡± ¡°It has nothing to do with me,¡± at this moment, Tang Yuxin couldn¡¯t afford to give any ounce of affection to Sang Zhn. In herst life, she had already given them her life, in this one, they could forget it. For Sang Zhn to be treated with disdain, repulsion, and cruelty by her own daughter, it was impossible for her to not be hurt. With humiliation likely outweighing her sorrow, if she truly harbored any mother-daughter feelings for Tang Yuxin, Truth be told, even she herself might not believe it. So, everyone knew very well what was going on in their hearts. As for tutoring the child of the person who had snatched her husband and home in her previous life, potentially contributing to her soaring sess, Tang Yuxin wasn¡¯t a pushover. Wei Jiani clenched her teeth and wanted to leave right away. ¡°Jiani¡­¡± Seeing her daughter walking away, Sang Zhn hurriedly followed suit. ¡°Mom, I don¡¯t want her to tutor me,¡± Wei Jiani scoffed, ¡°I don¡¯t believe that I won¡¯t be able to get into university without her.¡± Yes, she had her pride too, it¡¯s just a shame that her current academic capabilities couldn¡¯t support this pride. The pressure of her final year of high school was overwhelming, and Wei Jiani was studying hard. Despitete-night studying and early rising, her performance hadn¡¯t improved. Instead, due to her irregr schedule andck of sleep, she had started losing her hair and frequently experienced headaches.
So as for whether her grades had improved, her results from several mock examinations proved otherwise. In fact, not only hadn¡¯t she improved, she had instead regressed. Academic progress tended to be gradual, not something that could be achieved through a few days and nights of rushed cramming. Everything she had studied so far was in preparation for the looming examination¡ªthe culmination of twelve years of studying. And for this day, Wei Jiani had put in only a few days, nights, and rest days¡¯ worth of effort, while Tang Yuxin and her peers had been preparing since early middle school. They hadn¡¯t had a single summer or winter break off, nor weekends or Sundays. All of their efforts and preparations were for this one day, the day of the high school examination. Chapter 286: 279: College Entrance Exam Chapter 286: Chapter 279: College Entrance Exam It was the day of the national college entrance examination. Ren Li had entrusted Chengcheng to Zhang Xiangcao¡¯s care and hade over to keep Tang Yuxinpany during the exam. This test was a big event and held implications for the child¡¯s entire life. ¡°Sister, why are you here?¡± Tang Yuxin still called Ren Li ¡®sister¡¯. She had gotten used to it and couldn¡¯t change the habit now. ¡°Everyone else¡¯s parents are here. Of course I have to be here too, I am your mother.¡± Ren Li pronounced the word ¡®mother¡¯ with a great deal of satisfaction. Tang Yuxin felt somewhat helpless. She didn¡¯t want to call Ren Li ¡®mother¡¯. After all, Ren Li was about the same age as she had been in her previous life, and it just didn¡¯t feel right. ¡°Did you bring everything?¡± Ren Li asked as she looked through Tang Yuxin¡¯s bag, ¡°Are there enough pens and everything? Do I need to buy some more? There¡¯s still more than an hour before the exam. We have time.¡± ¡°It¡¯s enough,¡± Tang Yuxin had brought three pens. It wasn¡¯t as scary as it seemed. This was her second time taking the college entrance exam, and she felt confident. She still remembered the exam questions. She could get a perfect score if she wanted to, but she had not considered doing so. After all, that would mean cheating. However, when she saw Tang Zhinian¡¯s hopeful look and Ren Li¡¯s smiling face, and when she remembered her little brother and everything Ren Li had talked about, she knew they all wanted to protect their little brother. To do so, she had to do well in the exam. She wanted her father to be able to hold his head high and her little brother to be proud of her.
With that thought, some things seemed to lighten and clear up. It was as if she had reached a state of enlightenment. When it was close to the time for the examination, she checked whether she had taken everything. Then, with a cup of herbal tea to refresh her mind, she went in and sat down in the examination hall for the second time. In her previous life, she was nervous, scared about doing poorly and even scared about doing well for fear she couldn¡¯t pay the tuition. But things were different this time. She was rxed. She took a sip of her herbal tea, and the faint fragrance lingered on her lips. The morning sun seemed to fill her eyes with light. When the test papers were distributed, the familiar sensation returned. She picked up her pen and started answering the questions. Her pen moved swiftly across the paper, forming words, sentences, and eventually entire essays without much thought. When she had finished the paper, only about half an hour had passed. She checked her answers carefully and handed in the paper without hesitation, then left the examination room. She was one of the first to leave the room. She immediately noticed Tang Zhinian and Ren Li sitting on the steps. Each student had been assigned to different examination rooms in the school. Maybe it was her bad luck or the other¡¯s good luck, but not many people had been assigned to this location. There were a lot of parents sitting on the steps waiting for their children to finish their exams. Some were alone, while others had brought the whole family. In her previous life, Tang Yuxin had taken the exam on her own, hidden in a deserted corner with a bread roll to eat. If she choked, she would find a water faucet to drink from. Thinking about her past life made her feel pitiful. ¡°She¡¯s out,¡± Ren Li pointed to Tang Yuxin who was walking towards them. ¡°Howe she¡¯s out this early?¡± Tang Zhinian quickly checked the time. It had been slightly over an hour; no other students hade out yet. After this test, there would be a short rest followed by the next one. Tang Yuxin hadn¡¯t stayed in the examination room. Once she had finished one test, she wanted leave early. Otherwise, she might not even have time to eat. ¡°How was it, difficult?¡± Tang Zhinian anxiously asked his daughter. ¡°Did youe out early because it was too hard and you didn¡¯t finish?¡± Other students¡¯ parents also couldn¡¯t help pricking their ears up to listen. Some of them were worried about whether this year¡¯s exam was particrly difficult. Others were considering whether the fact that their children had not left the room yet meant that they weren¡¯t doing well. ¡°It was okay,¡± Tang Yuxin didn¡¯t express any particr thoughts. She seemed to be in a great state of mind. To her, the college entrance examination was just like any other test. Once she had finished answering the questions, she left without doing much checking. When Tang Zhinian was about to say something, Ren Li quickly grabbed his sleeve. She suggested they go eat first; otherwise, there would be no ces to eatter. Then, they could find a ce to rest so that Yuxin could revise her other subjects. Tang Zhinian knew Ren Li was right, so he didn¡¯t ask any more questions. He quickly looked for a ce to eat since they were ahead of most other people. By the time they had finished eating, the ce had started to fill up. Originally, they wanted to find a hotel or something to rest in, but all the rooms were booked. After asking around, they realized there were no vacancies.
Some students lived far from this school, so traveling back and forth was inconvenient. They had thus booked rooms early on. This was the first time that Tang Zhinian was experiencing the college examination period, so he hadn¡¯t thought of many things ahead of time and felt guilty about it now. ¡°That¡¯s okay, Dad. We can just sit over there near the examination room.¡± Tang Yuxin didn¡¯t really need to revise anymore. She had already done enough revision and just wanted to rest her eyes.
¡°Alright then,¡± Since Tang Zhinian had no other options, they went and sat on the steps near the examination room. He took off his coat andid it on the steps for his daughter to sit on. ¡°Thank you, Dad.¡± Tang Yuxin didn¡¯t decline. She sat on Tang Zhinian¡¯s coat, and soon after, she started to feel drowsy. Shortly after, she leaned onto Ren Li¡¯sp and fell asleep. She was really tired. Tang Zhinian was considering whether to wake his daughter and insist she do some more revision. There were so many students here, and every one of them was feverishly studying. Meanwhile, Tang Yuxin was sleeping. ¡°Don¡¯t wake her,¡± Ren Li whispered. ¡°Don¡¯t you understand your own daughter¡¯s character? She has had a n for every day these past few years. If she can sleep now, it means her revision is solid and she doesn¡¯t need to keep studying.¡± Perhaps Tang Zhinian was just over worrying, while Ren Li had a better understanding of Tang Yuxin after their short time together. Tang Yuxin woke up about half an hour before the examination was scheduled to begin. She rubbed her eyes. She felt rested now. As for studying, she hadn¡¯t even taken out her books and was just waiting for the next exam. Chapter 287: 280: Love My Elder Sister the Most Chapter 287: Chapter 280: Love My Elder Sister the Most She really did not put too much pressure on herself, so she did not feel too nervous either. When it was time for the exam, she directly went in and took it. Just as the papers were distributed, she had not yet begun to write when she heard a loud bang that startled her. She looked up to see a boy fallen to the ground with his eyes tightly shut. His face was pale, and beads of sweat were dripping down his forehead. ¡°Too nervous,¡± Tang Yuxin sighed, then took up her pen again and continued writing. Soon after, a doctor came in. Seeing the situation, the boy had to be taken out. That would be one of the pivotal three years of high school that could never be retaken. Tang Yuxin went on answering her paper, busy with her own world, asionally sipping from her herbal tea. Should she ask if she could help? Yes, that¡¯s a possibility, but what¡¯s the point? Such anxiety was not conducive to handling stressful examinations. Even if he passed this hurdle, what about the next one? The tension would eventually weigh on a person¡¯s mind. And if he does not perform well, then there¡¯s no need to mention the increasinglypetitive and difficult world outside. After the student was carried out, it scared all the parents outside.
Tang Zhinian gripped Ren Li¡¯s arm so tightly that he almost broke it. Ren Li couldn¡¯t help but smile bitterly. In Tang Zhinian¡¯s heart, Tang Yuxin was iparable, no matter whether it was her or Chengcheng. But who could me them? They all loved the child. Chengcheng, at his tender age, was already calling her sister instead of dad or mom, which made her heart sour for a long time. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s okay,¡± Ren Li patted Tang Zhinian¡¯s hand reassuringly, ¡°Look how at ease she is with the exam, and the one who was taken out isn¡¯t your daughter, so what are you worried about?¡± ¡°But I¡¯m still scared,¡± Tang Zhinian stammered, how could he not be? His daughter was taking college entrance exams. Even if she ranked top in her studies, even if she was fully prepared, being a father, he was still worried, still in fear. Each passing second seemed to increase Tang Zhinian¡¯s agitation, and Ren Li genuinely worried that he would rush into the examination hall to check on their daughter, wondering if she was alright, if she was still answering questions, or if she was still¡ªalive? The same worries likely gued many parents present. Students had their own battleground inside the examination hall. Parents had their matches outside the examination hall. Nobody wasparing who was more nervous or distressed, but everybody endured the extremely long hours. During the afternoon examination, only the rustle of pens against papers filled the examination hall. Some students were already breaking out in cold sweat; they seemed to be on the verge of exhaustion. This examination was difficult. Compared to previous years, this year, both in difficulty and quantity, was indeed tougher. Rarely seen topics were also included. If Tang Yuxin had not remembered the questions and had some impression of them, she would have also struggled to answer the questions. She stood up, handed in her paper, then picked up her things and prepared to leave. She didn¡¯t hand in her paper first, nor did she wait till the end. When others had submitted their papers, then she would submit hers. Otherwise, she would wait. When she finally came out, Tang Zhinian stood up, visibly relieved. The color of Tang Yuxin¡¯s face was calm, ruddy, and look healthy. She had not spent too much energy and effort. Her thoughts were also clear, and she didn¡¯t look like an idiot after the test. This day of the college entrance examination was over. In two days, they had toe again. Ren Li as a mother almost forgot about their son. Luckily, Chengcheng was easy to take care of. He didn¡¯t pick his food, and with Sisi growing up, she could take good care of her brother. Sisi and Tang Yuxin both liked their little brother very much, and the little brother was very cheerful. Her greatest satisfaction was not her exam scores or the gifts her father bought for her, but having a younger brother, a beautiful one at that. Tang Yuxin, sitting in the exam hall, suddenly thought of something, a smirk curling her lips. Her slightly squinted eyes revealed a sense of peace resembling moonlight reflected on a water¡¯s surface. She put down her pen just as thest exam was over. She could finally draw a closing mark to these twelve years of study.
She was the first one to stand up and hand in her paper, and the first one to walk out of the examination hall. Outside, Tang Zhinian and Ren Li were waiting. They both kept their eyes peeled at the door, right until she came out. Tang Yuxin raised her face, looking at the grayish-blue sky in the distance. The smile on her lips never faded away. She found joy in the fact that she didn¡¯t need to study extra hours. She could spend every day with her little brother.
After Tang Yuxin had finished her exams, Ren Li could not wait to return home. She had not seen her son for three days and didn¡¯t know if her baby would still recognize her. As soon as she got back, she saw little Chengcheng crawling around in his open-crotched trousers. He looked up, brightened up with a smile, then started crawling forward quickly. Ren Li felt a tug at her heartstrings, so she squatted down, stretched out her hands to pick up her son. However, little Chengcheng crawled past his mother, ignoring the hands she extended towards him and stopped when he reached Tang Yuxin¡¯s side. He sat down and held his sister¡¯s leg tightly. ¡°Sis¡­ Sister¡­¡± He called very clearly, mumbling ¡°sister¡± as he dribbled saliva all over her leg. Tang Yuxin crouched down, picked up her little brother, and pinched his chubby face. Knowing that his sister was there to y with him, little Chengcheng beamed, puckered up his little mouth, and slobbered all over his sister¡¯s face. Ren Li was heartbroken to see this, having raised her son through all the diapers, he turned out to be an ungrateful brat. Once he had his sister, he no longer needed his mother. But she still couldn¡¯t help but love him, such a well-behaved and cute little thing. If she left him for a while, she would miss him. ¡°Mommy¡­¡± Chengcheng pped his little hands and called out to Ren Li, reaching out his little hands for her to pick him up. Finally, he remembered her. Chapter 288: 281: What Kind of Music are you Studying? Chapter 288: Chapter 281: What Kind of Music are you Studying? ¡°My good boy,¡± Ren Li hugged the rascal and nted a big kiss on his cheek, then returned home to breastfeed him. If not for her nutritious breast milk, how could the little boy grow up so robustly? With her little brother gone, Tang Yuxin yed with her medicinal herbs. Every day, she carried her bamboo basket, climbed into the mountains to gather herbs, and then returned home to y with Little Fatty. After a few days, Ji Miaomiao and his friends arrived, bringing all their luggage with them, clearly indicating their n to stay for a while. And one by one, they watched Little Fatty with such longing eyes, as if they wanted to eat him up. Little Fatty, long graceful and cute, with a gentle nature and, most importantly, his sweet words. He greeted everyone with a smile, liked to nuzzle his face against theirs, and wasn¡¯t too picky either. Moreover, being the youngest, he received the most affection. However, Little Fatty¡¯s favorite was still his sister. One night, after ying madly, Little Fatty became feverish. Tang Yuxin held his small palm; Little Fatty looked pitiful, pouting his little mouth, obviously not feeling so good. ¡°You¡¯ll feel better after some sugar water.¡±
Tang Yuxinforted her brother, gently pinching his chubby hand. The whole family would worry if he lost even a bit of weight. It wasn¡¯t easy to achieve such a plump figure. The sugar water Tang Yuxin mentioned was actually medicinal water. However, she had perfected the process into making the medicine taste like sugar water. As a result, the taste wasn¡¯t too bad, and Chengcheng could ept it as long as it wasn¡¯t bitter. Ren Li fed him mouthfuls of this ¡®sugar water¡¯ using a small spoon. After finishing, the little fellow became quite drowsy, and within a short while, fell asleep in his mother¡¯s arms. About half an hourter, Ren Li could feel Chengcheng sweating profusely. His normally rosy face returned to its normal color, and his breathing eased. He was now soundly asleep. Ren Li felt relieved atst. Sometimes she genuinely felt that Tang Yuxin was a little miracle worker. Just a simple cup of sugar water could break a fever. If this continued in the future, what would they need doctors for? However, Ren Li didn¡¯t know that Tang Yuxin¡¯s ¡®sugar water¡¯ was hardly ordinary. It took countless trials for her to perfect it. They were concoctions from old Chen Family recipes, exclusively for treating children¡¯s fever and cold. She had spent a considerable amount of time foraging Qing¡¯an¡¯s herbal shops for ingredients, with a lot of effort in mixing and matching various medicinal vors, until she finally brewed something that tasted somewhat like sugar water. Thankfully, Chengcheng was willing to drink it and even seemed to like the taste. Otherwise, they might have ended up spending most of their time in hospitals, possibly having to endure the ufortable process of an IV drip. A few soon-to-be college students, fresh from their graduation exams, were ying madly in Li Tang Vige. It was summer, and they spent their days fishing in the river or apanying Tang Yuxin to collect herbs in the mountains. However, one of them ended up collecting a pile of wildflowers, unaware of their exact purpose, and another filled Tang Yuxin¡¯s bamboo basket with various weeds, driving her crazy with theirck of knowledge. Chengcheng, on the other hand, yed well with his elder brothers and sisters. They showered him with love, letting him climb them like a horse, making funny faces to entertain him. Chengcheng spent his days in extreme bliss, forgetting his own parents and only recognizing his elder brothers and sisters. Soon, the results of their college entrance exams were released, while they were still estimating their scores and writing down their preferred university choices. ¡°Yuxin, what university do you want to attend?¡± Xu Miaomiao asked Tang Yuxin, evidently very excited, ¡°I calcted my scores, and I am fairly confident I can get into Qing University. That¡¯s why I want to major in education and be a teacher,¡± she revealed her lifelong dream, unchanged even now. ¡°Qing University Medical Department,¡± Tang Yuxin replied without hesitation. The Qing University Medical Department is the best medical school in the country. In her previous life, she desperately wanted to get into this university, but her scores fell short, and she ended up attending a second-tier medical college instead. In this life, ever since she returned, she had aimed for the Qing University¡¯s Medical Department. If she couldn¡¯t enter this university, she would rather not go to college at all. ¡°That¡¯s wonderful; we¡¯ll be at the same university,¡± Xu Miaomiao hugged Tang Yuxin¡¯s arm, ecstatically rubbing her face against it. ¡°My health will be in your capable hands in the future. It will be great not to fall ill,¡± the greatest advantage they gained while following Tang Yuxin over the years was a robust physique. They practiced the Five Animal Frolics with her regrly and drank herbal medicines, which resulted in their amazing health. ¡°I might also get into Qing University.¡± Lin Yile also quietly added.
¡°Really?¡± Xu Miaomiao pounced on Lin Yile, hugging her tightly with excitement, ¡°We three will still be together. That¡¯s wonderful.¡± ¡°Yes, possibly,¡± Lin Yile¡¯s voice barely audible. ¡°Possibly means you¡¯ve just barely met the required scores.¡± ¡°Then what do you want to major in?¡±
Xu Miaomiao asked Lin Yile, ¡°Do you also want to be a teacher like me? Let¡¯s do that together.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to be a teacher,¡± Lin Yile looked at Xu Miaomiao, then lowered her gaze. ¡°I want to study music.¡± ¡°What?¡± Xu Miaomiao loudly eximed as she jumped to her feet. ¡°Lin Yile, you want to study music?¡± ¡°Yes, yes. Is that wrong?¡± Lin Yile was nonplussed. Was studying music that strange? Tang Yuxin asked Lin Yile, her voice filled with bemusement, much like her expression at the moment. ¡°You do know how to sing, right?¡± Tang Yuxin asked. Lin Yile shook her head; she did not know how to sing. ¡°Can you y any musical instrument?¡± Lin Yile shook her head again; she didn¡¯t know how to y any musical instrument. ¡°Then why the heck would you study music?¡± Xu Miaomiao poked Lin Yile¡¯s forehead, ¡°You have no idea how to do this or that, so why study music?¡±
¡°But¡­ it¡¯s my dream,¡± Lin Yile fiddled with her shirt corner awkwardly. ¡°Dreams often conflict with reality, but we live in reality.¡± Tang Yuxin promptly and unreservedly shattered her dream. Lin Yile was not suited for that path. Her nature determined her destiny. She was not fit for music. Lin Yile was on the verge of crying. Why didn¡¯t anyone support her? Even just one person¡¯s support could have made a difference. But everyone was against her. What was she to do? She went home and told her parents about her decision. In response, her mother fell silent, and her father did the same. Chapter 289: 282: Give Him the Chair Chapter 289: Chapter 282: Give Him the Chair ¡°So, is it not possible?¡± Lin Yile really cried this time. Was her dream really in conflict with reality? ¡°Lele¡­¡± Lin¡¯s mother tried to console her daughter, ¡°You¡¯ve had a weak health since childhood, so I didn¡¯t let you learn the piano. If you want to study music, what do you need to learn? Piano or singing, you¡¯ve already lost at the starting line. Your father and I know it¡¯s doomed. How could we let you go down that path? Moreover, regardless of the major you study, you may not be able to get into Qing University. Your score is only just touching the edge of what¡¯s required, and if you miss or overshoot this edge, it¡¯s all uncertain.¡± Lin Yile returned to her room and cried for a long time. When she emerged, it seemed like she hade to some understanding. ¡°Mom, Dad, I will not study music anymore.¡± Only then did Lin¡¯s parents breathe a sigh of relief. Their daughter¡¯s notion had finally changed. They really didn¡¯t know what to do if she held on to her original idea. Fortunately, she changed her mind. As Lin Yile lifted her head, her musical dream had been cried away. Tang Yuxin was right, between dreams and reality, there always lies the issue of ability. Her ability was not enough to support her musical dream, so she would no longer think about it. She was going to pursue a more realistic path now. ¡°Dad, Mom, I want to study nursing. I want to be a nurse.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Lin¡¯s dad was the first to agree. He originally wanted his daughter to be a teacher or a doctor. However, he knew his daughter was timid and not suited for surgery. So, it was best for her to be a nurse, or a teacher.
But now that his daughter wants to be a nurse, then a nurse she shall be. And if she really gets into Qing University, then, after graduation, she won¡¯t be an ordinary nurse, but a top-tier nurse. This brings promise, limitless potential. Of course, Lin¡¯s mother agreed too. This child had weak health. Being a nurse in the future would at least guarantee her personal health. For Lin Yile, they filled her first preference for university as the Nursing Department of Qing University Medical College, while the second preference was a second-tier college further from Qing¡¯an. Despite being farther away, this college was also highly respected in nursing. So the second preference, as chosen by Lin¡¯s father, was this one. As for Tang Yuxin, she directly wrote Clinical Medicine of Qing University Medical College for her first choice, leaving the second option nk. Lin Miaomiao decided on the Normal (Education) department of Qing University. To be on the safe side, the Education department of Qing¡¯an University was also listed. Anyway, admission into either was fine. Qing University was nationally-renowned. If she couldn¡¯t get in, she just wasn¡¯t capable enough, so she would choose a school near home ¨C the Education School of Qing¡¯an University. It was so close that she could ride her bike there in a matter of minutes and coulde home every day to see her parents. So, admission into either was perfectly fine. As for Chen Lidong, he had his own thoughts. He chose the Computer Science Department at arge university. It was a new and flourishing field that would definitely be in high demand in the future. Even though this universitygged a little behind Qing University and Nanqing University, its Computer Science Department was very well-known. Now all they were waiting for was the release of the examination results. Tang Yuxin wasn¡¯t worried. She continued her daily routine of mountain herb picking or ying with her brother. She was content operating independently. As for the college entrance examination scores, they were about to be released. Lin¡¯s father, a mid-level government official, was certainly not someone to dismiss lightly. Otherwise, he would not have been able to send his daughter to Number Five High School. With Lin Yile¡¯s grades, she might not even have been admitted to Number Two High School, let alone Number Five High School. She would have been relegated to the awful Number Three High School. Thanks to the backdoor channels his father had opened, Lele¡¯s prospects had been saved from ruin. ¡°Hey, Mr. Lin, I have something to talk to you about. Could youe to my office?¡± The leader was looking for Lin¡¯s father. Lin¡¯s father had no idea what was happening, but when his superiors summoned him, he went without hesitation. ¡°Mr. Lin, sit here.¡± The leader gestured to a seat next to his own. Lin¡¯s father took his seat, his heart in turmoil. What was this about? What was the reason for calling him here out of the blue? ¡°Hehe¡­¡± The leader chuckled slightly, ¡°Rx, it¡¯s not a big deal. It¡¯s not bad news, but good news.¡± Saying this, the leader poured a cup of tea and ced it in front of Lin¡¯s father. Lin¡¯s father was quite surprised. Howe the leader was personally serving him tea? Was this a polite gesture? Or was this a setup? The leader picked up his own cup, then sighed lightly, ¡°I have been sitting on this position for almost five or six years. I thought I would stay here for the rest of my life.¡±
¡°But who would have thought, I am finally moving on.¡± Lin¡¯s father was startled. Moving on, where to? The leader patted Lin¡¯s father¡¯s shoulder lightly, ¡°Thanks to this opportunity, otherwise, I would not have been able to move so smoothly to a position at the provincialmittee.¡± Lin¡¯s father was even more baffled now. He hadn¡¯t done anything, had he?
¡°Ah, sorry. I forgot to inform you earlier.¡± The leader pped himself on the forehead, revealing a hint of a bald patch. Indeed, he had grown old, and had started to lose hair. But the prospect of a promotion made all this hair loss worthwhile. ¡°I guess you¡¯re in the dark about these details, aren¡¯t you?¡± Lin¡¯s father nodded. Indeed, he had no clue about all of this. He was pretty confused. What was all this about? Why should he be thanked? What did the leader¡¯s promotion have to do with him? ¡°Hehe¡­¡± The leaderughed again, a genuine one this time. There was nothing added, just pure happiness. ¡°We have a provincial topper in Qing¡¯an for the college entrance examination this year, and from the school you manage, six students have been admitted into Nanqing University and Qing University. Moreover, many of them have been admitted into nationally renowned first-tier universities. This year, our Qing¡¯an has nearly matched the results of the province¡¯s Number One High School, and even surpassed it.¡± Upon hearing this, Lin¡¯s father¡¯s heart skipped a beat. The school he managed, wasn¡¯t it Number Five High School? If it was indeed Number Five High School, then out of the six students epted into Qing University and Nanqing University, Tang Yuxin must be one of them. After all, she had been the top student in her grade for those three years. Whether it was her or not was still uncertain, but Lin¡¯s father felt there was a high chance it was. ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to those kids.¡± The leader sighed once more, then patted Lin¡¯s father¡¯s shoulder again, ¡°After I move out, this position will be yours.¡± Lin¡¯s father¡¯s heart took another leap. Was the leader really going to give him this position? Chapter 290: 283: Passed the Exam Chapter 290: Chapter 283: Passed the Exam ¡°How is this possible?¡± Even though he wanted it in his heart, he couldn¡¯t say it out loud. He needed to stay humble. ¡°How is it not possible?¡± The leader¡¯s face tightened, ¡°You have the ability and the talent. If anyone feels wronged, let their own children try to get into Qing University. If they can¡¯t even take care of their own children, how could they take my position?¡± Lin Dad contemted these words carefully, a rumble of thoughts stirring within him. His offspring should also try to get into Qing University. If he understood correctly, the leader was saying that his own child, Lele, had gotten into Qing University. Among the six children who got in, one of them was from his family? Such a big deal, of course, he didn¡¯t dare to ask directly, nor did he dare to say anything rash. But he understood what the leader meant, it was a hint for him, peaking some wind for him, indicating that after his promotion and transfer, Lin Dad would be the top person here. The matter of further advancement would depend on Lin Dad¡¯s ability. Lin Dad was smart, had a sense of propriety in doing things, and spoke well, making him very suitable for officialdom. Of course, his career fortunes were quite good. This year, his luck was even better. Without any mistakes, he was about to be promoted several levels up. And on this matter, Lin Dad didn¡¯t share with anyone else. When returning home, he mentioned it to Lin Mom and told her to keep it a secret until the results were out. Then, he would know if it was true or not. Lin Mom felt excitement on one hand that her husband was about to be promoted, and on the other hand, her daughter really got into university, and not just any university, but a top-ranked institution. People at Lin Dad¡¯s leader¡¯s ce certainly hadrger connections than Lin Dad¡¯s, so they would know the college entrance exam scores first. But they did not disclose it. Lin Dad officially learned about it one week before the scores were announced. At that time, he had already checked the entire school¡¯s scores. The results were simr to what he had expected. Tang Yuxin scored 756 points, ranking first in the entire province. She was the provincial liberal arts champion. Chen Lidong scored 712 points, also a very high score, Xu Miaomiao scored 708 points. As for his own Lele, she scored exactly 700 points. The admission score for Qing University was 700 points, so Lin Yile got in just by the skin of her teeth. Any less and she wouldn¡¯t make it. The score for Nanqing University was slightly higher, 710 points.
So all of these children had been admitted, and they all got into top colleges in the nation. This time, their Qing¡¯an city was famed, their school was famed, and he himself was famed too. He picked up the phone impatiently and gave Lin Mom a call. The results were out. As he spoke, he tried to make his voice sound as calm as possible, but the excitement in his tone was evident. He was different from his usual self, too excited and ted. ¡°How¡¯s it? Has she been admitted?¡± Lin Mom asked anxiously. Lin Dad deeply inhaled, the corners of his mouth splitting into an uncontroble smile. ¡°Our Lele scored 700 points, she made it to Qing University.¡± ¡°Really?¡± At Lin Dad¡¯s words, Lin Mom hurriedly covered her mouth with one hand, almost bursting into tears, ¡°Are you telling the truth? Did our girl score that high? Did she get into Qing University, her top choice?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Lin Dad finally let out a sigh of relief. The suspense of these few days could finallye to an end. Of course, they would not be worrying for the next steps. Not to mention Lin Mom, even he himself felt like shouting with joy aloud in the streets. But he restrained himself and remained seated motionless. ¡°Also, tell Mr. Xu and Mr. Chen,¡± Lin Dad took a breath and continued, ¡°Just tell them, ask them not to make any fuss. Tell them their kids made it too. Even our Lele who scored the lowest, scored over 700 points. And about Yuxin¡­¡± Lin Dad was really surprised until now how such a child like Tang Yuxin coulde from a decent farmer like Tang Zhinian. ¡°What happened to Yuxin?¡± Hearing the shift in Lin Dad¡¯s words, Lin Mom¡¯s heart tightened, ¡°Did she not do well? Did she not get into university?¡± ¡°No,¡± Lin Dad felt Lin Mom was slightly too sensitive. Where did he say the child didn¡¯t do well? It was the opposite. She did very well. ¡°Yuxin scored really well. She is the provincial liberal arts champion. Let Zhinian know so they will have a clue. TV stations and others might want to interview her. Ask them if they want to expose Yuxin. If they do not want to, I can arrange it.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Lin Mom quickly agreed. Her hand holding the phone was trembling. She looked up and saw Lin Yile peeking from the door, half leaning out as she eavesdropped on the phone conversation. ¡°Alright,¡± Lin Mom hung up the phone, with a bittersweet smile on her face. ¡°Come here, if you want to know something, ask mom directly.¡± She waved her hand at her daughter. Sure enough, Lin Yile quickly came over and put her arms around Lin Mom¡¯s arm, ¡°Mom, did Dad just say that all of us got admitted to universities?¡± ¡°Yes, yes,¡± Lin Mom stroked her daughter¡¯s hair. She noticed her girl had really grown up. Previously she was skinny and pitiful, even her hair was dry and yellow. But these years, she had sprouted quickly. Her hair was now ck, her features had grown open, and she looked just like Lin Mom when she was young. She was bing a little beauty.
¡°Mom, how did I do?¡± Lin Yile shook Lin Mom¡¯s arm, eager to know how exactly she did, whether she did well, whether she got admitted into a top university. ¡°You did well, you got in, of course, you got in,¡± Lin Mom pinched her daughter¡¯s face,ughing, ¡°You scored exactly 700 points, which is the score for Qing University, so you made it to the university you wanted.¡± ¡°Thank you, Mom,¡± Lin Yile gave Lin Mom a big kiss, ready to share her joy with others. ¡°Where are you going?¡± Lin Mom quickly pulled on Lin Yile¡¯s hair.
¡°I¡¯m going to tell Yuxin and the others that I made it,¡± Lin Yile stopped abruptly, not daring to move. It hurt when her hair was pulled so fiercely. ¡°Okay, just don¡¯t say anything yet,¡± Lin Mom¡¯s voice suddenly became stern, ¡°This is insider information from your Dad. The real results won¡¯t be avable for another week. Be careful not to make a mistake out of impatience and give others a handle on us. Your dad might be getting a promotion soon. Nothing can go wrong. After he assumes that position, you can do whatever you want.¡± Chapter 291: 284: She Acts Low-Key Chapter 291: Chapter 284: She Acts Low-Key Upon hearing this, Lin Yile¡¯ expression grew serious as well. Her head bobbed just like a little chick pecking at grain, with one hand covering her mouth, and her round eyes, which resembled a rabbit¡¯s, rolled around restlessly. No matter how you looked at her, she seemed just like a rabbit. Seeing this, Lin¡¯s mother couldn¡¯t help but pinch her cheek and remark that despite her growing up, she still seemed as tiny as when she was small. Nothing has changed. ¡°Mom¡­¡± Lin Yile then tugged at her mother¡¯s arm again, ¡°How did Yuxin and the others fare in their exams? They all passed, didn¡¯t they?¡± ¡°Rest assured,¡± Lin¡¯s mother, fixing her daughter¡¯s hair, replied, ¡°They all scored better than you. You barely passed whereas they scored significantly higher. Also¡­¡± Lin¡¯s mother paused mysteriously with a smile before continuing, ¡°Your sister Tang Yuxin was this year¡¯s provincial humanities topper.¡± She sighed thoughtfully after saying this, ¡°The best decision I¡¯ve made this lifetime was sending you to study with them, letting you grow and learn about life together. Seeing you now, all grown up and with such good grades, I¡¯m d. It¡¯s essential to choose friends wisely. Some people you should avoid, some you shouldn¡¯t trust. Do remember that, don¡¯t be as naive as you once were.¡± Lin¡¯s mother advised her daughter again. She really felt that her daughter was too trusting, having been deceived multiple times throughout her childhood. After starting junior high, she was deceived again. Those maniptive people simply saw her as a tool to exploit. They nearly led her down the wrong path. Luckily, she caught it early. That incident was a great life lesson for her daughter. As Lin Yile remembered the past, she turned her face away. She registered her mother¡¯s words, realizing that indeed, not all people were worthy of trust, but some could be friends for life. Like Tang Yuxin and Xu Miaomiao. They genuinely treated her as a friend, not looking to gain anything from her. People areplicated, and theirplexity can only be understood when people grow up, fall down, get hurt, and experience pain.
The human mind isplex beyond their expectations. Lately, Lin¡¯s mother didn¡¯t let Lin Yile leave the house, in case she identally let the news slip out. This could potentially lead to unintended consequences if overheard by any with ill intentions. Lin Yile understood her mother¡¯s concerns and cooperated with her. She spent a few days at home, passing the time with TV and books, catching up on all the TV dramas she¡¯d missed over the years. The days didn¡¯t seem to pass slowly. During this time, Lin¡¯s mother ryed the news to Xu family and Chen family, only mentioning that the children performed well and were admitted on merit into college. She didn¡¯t reveal the details of the scores, but the families, being insightful people, might have guessed. Only the Chen and Xu families were aware of these details and said nothing about it. Their hearts, however, were surely filled with joy. As for Tang Zhinian, Lin¡¯s mother disclosed the fact that Tang Yuxin had topped the provincial humanities exam. Tang Zhinian was dumbstruck, gawking at this revtion. A provincial topper, the first rank ¨C had it been the ancient times, she would have been a gifted schr. The Tang family now had a top schr ¨C this indeed was a matter of great pride. The number of university students from their vige could be counted on one hand, and to have a top schr was unimaginable, let alone in their own family. ¡°Do you want this news about Yuxin to be public?¡± asked Lin¡¯s mother to Tang Zhinian. ¡°If it¡¯s revealed, not to mention Yuxin, even your home¡¯s doorway might be trampled by the crowd. We¡¯ve taken a lot of pains on this girl.¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Tang Zhinian was at a loss for words ¨C whether to make it public and ept an interview from a TV station was indeed a notable decision. Creating such a buzz was impossible for him in his lifetime, but if his daughter appeared on TV, it would be a moment of great honor. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Upon seeing Tang Zhinian¡¯s conflicting emotions, Ren Li joined the conversation. Tang Zhinian quickly ryed the news about Tang Yuxin¡¯s high scores to Ren Li, seeking her advice on whether or not they should ept interview requests. Ren Li was taken aback ¨C she had always known that Yuxin was a good student, but she hadn¡¯t expected her to perform this well, actually getting the top provincial scores in humanities. ¡°Hand me the phone,¡± Ren Li told Tang Zhinian. Taking the phone from him, she pressed it onto her ear to continue the conversation with Lin¡¯s mother. ¡°You disagree?¡± Lin¡¯s mother asked once more, ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sure,¡± Ren Li immediately rebutted the idea. She understood Yuxin¡¯s character well. Yuxin liked to give people unexpected surprises, but she didn¡¯t like being the center of attention, and the thing she hated the most was when her family was disturbed. So there was no need to consider epting the TV station interview. Even if Yuxin wanted to, she wouldn¡¯t agree. A girl didn¡¯t require such purposeful disy. Also, before they had the necessary capabilities, it was best not to be too ostentatious. There were so many more capable people in this world, and also so many people who couldn¡¯t stand them. When Tang Yuxin returned from the mountains, Ren Li told her about it. Picking up her herbs, Tang Yuxin didn¡¯t even look up. It was as if she knew she had topped the province. ¡°Do you want to be on TV?¡± Ren Li asked Tang Yuxin, ¡°I have already refused them, but if you still want to, you can contact them.¡± ¡°No,¡± Tang Yuxin grabbed a handful of medicinal herbs and ced them in a small jar. She then used a small stone mortar to grind the herbs into powder. Her actions never stopped, her thoughts crystal clear.
Well, that settles it, Ren Li chuckled. As expected, her thoughts were not too far from the truth. ¡°By the way,¡± Ren Li turned back as she was about to leave, ¡°Yuxin, can you prepare more syrup for Chengcheng before you go to college? Whenever the child has a cold or fever, he needs to have syrup. He has gotten used to the taste now. Whenever he feels ufortable, he only wants the syrup prepared by his sister. After drinking it, he feels better and stops crying.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± Tang Yuxin replied, her head bowed as she continued to prepare the herbs. She knew she was preparing syrup for her beloved younger brother. Once she started college, she would have to go to Beijing and wouldn¡¯t be able toe back frequently to see her brother grow up. The technology at that time hadn¡¯t advanced to video calls; otherwise, she could still see her brother every day. Initially, her father was supposed to go to Beijing to study with her, but the current situation made that impossible.
Chapter 292: 285: Those Were The Results Chapter 292: Chapter 285: Those Were The Results Due to a prospective major development in thend they bought, they decided to sell a portion of it and use the rest to build a building. Although Tang Yuxin felt that selling thend was the worst decision, there was no choice, as they couldn¡¯t have their cake and eat it too. Theycked sufficient funds to build a structure, so using this method was the only way to recoup some of their investment before they could start building their first tower. Once they had secured a location, they could proceed with the rest of their n. You have to eat a biscuit bite by bite, and of course, you build a building one level at a time. So, it turned out that she would be the only one going to university. Fortunately, Xu Miaomiao, Lin Yile, and Chen Lidong were all nning to go too, so she wouldn¡¯t be alone. But she really didn¡¯t want to leave her squishy, baozi-like younger brother behind. Lowering her head, she continued to prepare sugar water for him, so he wouldn¡¯t be taken away to get shots in his butt when she was not around. That would be painful, and she couldn¡¯t bear to see her brother suffer even a little bit. She spent her days running up and down the mountain and had no time to think about anything else. On the day the college entrance exam results were released, the whole family stayed upte, waiting by the phone, hoping to get the first news about the scores. The only ones who slept well were Chengcheng, who was too young to understand, Sisi, who didn¡¯t concern herself with adult affairs, and of course, Tang Yuxin, to whom nothing else mattered. When the call finally came, Tang Zhinian¡¯s reaction was strange as he trembled and seemed to be smiling but also crying at the same time. ¡°How did it go?¡± Tang Zhijun hurriedly asked, ¡°Those are the scores, right?¡± Though they already knew how many points Tang Yuxin scored, there was always a fear that someone might have made a mistake, or that they misheard, so they had to confirm it for themselves: 756 points.
Tang Zhinian suddenly uttered a broad smile, ¡°The full score is 780 points, and our Yuxin scored 756 points.¡± Indeed, Tang Zhijun rubbed his hands in joy¡ªprovincial college entrance exam champion! Zhang Xiangcao couldn¡¯t hold back her tears of joy. The Tang family had finally made a name for themselves. It was great to think that their Sisi would have a champion sister in the future, and the family¡¯s situation was improving. Life couldn¡¯t be any better. And she didn¡¯t feel the least bit jealous or envious, for what was there to envy or be jealous about when it was her own child who had seeded? At that moment, many families just like theirs were up at the crack of dawn, waiting by the phone to check their children¡¯s college entrance exam results. Upon finding out the results, someughed, while others cried. Those who passed were naturally ted, while those who failed could only regroup and prepare for next year¡¯s examination. There were those who passed, and many who did not. The college entrance examination has always been a major dividing line for students in China and something parents are powerless to influence. And with the release of the scores, the provincial champions in the humanities and sciences were announced. The science champion came from a high school in Lian¡¯an City, while the humanities champion was Tang Yuxin from the Qing¡¯an City Secondary School No. 5. The principal was so excited that he didn¡¯t sleep for an entire day and night. This was the first champion from the school since its founding, and furthermore, it was in the provincial college entrance examination. This year, the school¡¯s rate of sess in applying to universities was almost the highest in the province. They also had more than a dozen students admitted to the country¡¯s best universities, including several who got into Qing University and Nanqing University. The most delighted person at the school, aside from the principal, was Teacher Jin. Teacher Jin was overjoyed. Just look at the ss she was teaching ¨C not only did they produce a provincial champion, but four students were also epted into Qing University and Nanqing University. Additionally, the ss had numerous students who achieved scores high enough for a first-tier university. In contrast, the elite ss 5, which was supposed to be full of top students, somehow performed poorly in the exam. Although some students were admitted to a first-tier university, and more to a second-tier one, the overall performance was not up to par with that of Jin¡¯s ss. If the elite ss is performing at this level, what more could one ask for? Teacher Song was so upset that she couldn¡¯t eat properly for days. Every time she saw Teacher Jin¡¯s smug face, especially when she was being praised by the school¡¯s faculty, a fire seemed to rage in her heart. Surely, those three sessful students were hers. The provincial champion in the humanities was from her ss. Why was it then that Jin was reaping the benefits? And why were the students from her ss 5 disappointing her so much? What had gone wrong with this examination? How could the top ss at Secondary School No. 5 produce such poor results? How could those students who were supposed to be great prospects have failed in the college entrance exam? Her reputation as the elite ss teacher was ruined, and rumors spread that her bad Feng Shui was affecting the students¡¯ luck. Otherwise, how could it be possible that so few from ss 5, which was usually reliable, have passed the first-tier university admission standard?
If this were any other year, most of ss 5¡¯s students would have gotten into university. This was the worst performance for ss 5 in years and the most humiliating for Teacher Song. And she couldn¡¯t foresee the consequences. In the future, parents might avoid her ss for fear of her supposed bad Feng Shui. Soon, she might only qualify as a regr teacher. The once influential and respected Teacher Song probably had never imagined that she would fall this far. Contrarily, Teacher Jin, thanks to the sess of her ss, was praised by the City¡¯s Board of Education and recognized as a promising teacher. But unlike Teacher Song, she remained the same, which made her more likable among her peers. The province¡¯s science champion, a slim young man with thick sses, featured on TV a few times. Despite his peculiar appearance, he was now a legitimate student at Qing University and would certainly be an important figure for the country¡¯s future.
The humanities champion, on the other hand, had remained a mystery. Besides knowing her name and school, people knew nothing else about her, including what she looked like. Tang Yuxin should probably be grateful that technology hadn¡¯t developed to the point where, within minutes or even seconds, she could be recognized by anyone, anywhere. At present, unless the television or newspapers widely advertised her identity, nobody would know that she was Tang Yuxin, much less that she was the provincial champion, even if they were sitting right in front of her. When the first day of school came, all the fathers drove their children to school. The good thing was everyone was going to school in Beijing. Tang Yuxin and Lin Yile, who were in the same department, had the shortest distance to travel. The first challenge after their arrival, however, was military training. Chapter 293: 286 New Roommate Chapter 293: Chapter 286 New Roommate Tang Zhinian, carrying his daughter¡¯s luggage, had quite a load. The luggage included quilts and such, which he disliked buying from outside. He preferred the quilts sewn at home, which he found to be very thick, warm enough for winter. But how she¡¯s going to get through summer is something he hadn¡¯t thought about. For their freshman year, they were required to live on campus, but by sophomore year they couldmute. The dorms were allocated by groups, and it was either coincidence or because of Lin¡¯s father¡¯s connections, Tang Yuxin ended up in the same dormitory as Lin Yile. Each dormitory had six beds. They arrived early so few people hade yet, leaving both the upper and lower bunks empty. Lin Yile looked at the upper bunk distressfully. Wow, so high. Scary. Luckily, they came early. Otherwise, she would have to sleep on the upper bunk for three years. ¡°I want this one,¡± Lin Yile pointed to a bed near the window. The location was ideal because it got good natural light, plus it was far away from the door, which was a blessing during the winter. Anyone who¡¯s lived in a dorm knows that being near the door isn¡¯t ideal because not only does one get disturbed by the turning on and off of the lights every morning, but also the winds from outside during winter would freeze the bed closest to the door. Even as a ce like Qing University, there were no great student apartments. Mostly, rooms were like this, with six people. Six people per room was already the best option. There were rooms with eight people, but they were lucky to get a six-person room. And since no one else had arrived, they were free to choose amongst the upper and lower bunks.
Tang Yuxin actually preferred the upper bunk, which was cleaner and quieter. She had been ustomed to sleeping in one during her previous life¡¯s college years. But that wouldn¡¯t work for Lin Yile, a girl who had been spoiled by her parents because of her frail physique. If she slept on an upper bunk, who knows if she would fall off the bed? ¡°Yuxin, would you sleep here?¡± Lin Yile tugged at Tang Yuxin¡¯s sleeve, pointing to the lower bunk across from the one she had chosen. This way, we¡¯ll be close to each other. Tang Yu nced over, ¡°Lower bunk, shouldn¡¯t I sleep on your upper bunk?¡± She meant that she didn¡¯t mind Yile¡¯s upper bunk. ¡°No way,¡± Lin Yile quickly shook her head, ¡°What if you fall down? What if I attend your funeral, I would die of crying.¡± Tang Yuxin quietly sighed, then resignedly put her luggage under the lower bunk bed. She would still sleep on the lower bunk, to avoid being hexed to death by a certain girl before she actually died. Soon after, Lin¡¯s father and Tang Zhinian both came over. Both fathers were satisfied with their daughters¡¯ chosen bunks. Hmm, they had chosen wisely ining early. This allowed these bunks to be picked by the girls. Plus, it¡¯s a spacious six-person room where they will live for three years. However, those were Lin¡¯s father¡¯s thoughts. Tang Yuxin hadn¡¯t considered living there for three years. As soon as the university would allowmuting in the second year, she nned to rent a ce outside to live. She didn¡¯t like living on campus. If it hadn¡¯t been mandatory, she might not havee to the school at all. After they had settled everything, both fathers left, but they were still quite worried. After all, this was their children¡¯s first time away from home for this long. How could they not be worried? Fortunately, they were together. Otherwise, I would have been really worried about my Lele being alone outside. I¡¯m always worried about her because of her nature. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it will be fine,¡± Tang Zhinian chuckled. ¡°These kids have to grow up eventually. We can¡¯t keep them by our side forever. This is their first step towards growing up. You¡¯re already like this now. What about when it¡¯s time for your daughter to get married?¡± Mentioning marriage, the countenance of Lin¡¯s father immediately dropped. ¡°My Lele is not getting married. Anyone who dares to go after my Lele will have their legs broken by me.¡± Tang Zhinian gave a wry smile. Ahh, Lin¡¯s Father has said what every father feels deep inside. Although that¡¯s what he says, how could he be willing to really hand his daughter, whom he had raised for so many years, to someone else? It¡¯s like growing a big cabbage with a year¡¯s hard work, and then watching someone else take it away. The cabbage was so tender and lovely. It would surely be heartbreaking and painful, right? But of course, children have to grow up and will eventually have to get married. They will have to give their beloved daughters to another man no matter how unwilling they are. This thought is so sad. The two fathers looked at each other, each seeing something particr in the other¡¯s eyes. That thing was that whoever wanted to marry their daughters would definitely need to have tough skin. Of course, Tang Yuxin and Lin Yile had no idea what their fathers were thinking. They were just starting their college lives.
This was only the first day, just after leaving home, they still hadn¡¯t grasped their new reality. The most they were feeling might be curiosity and excitement. They were in college now and lived in the dormitory. After Tang Yuxin tidied up her bed and smoothed out the folds on her quilt, she turned around to see Lin Yiguang looking around the room. She had no idea what he was pondering. A short whileter, the other students in the dormitory arrived. The first one to arrive was apanied by her parents who were both honest rural people. The girl was a cute, short and plump girl with dimples when she smiled. ¡°You came very early,¡± the girl was naturally outgoing. One look at her two ssmates already in the dormitory, she warmly greeted them.
¡°Hello,¡± Lin Yile stood up. Already being a cute girl, she was very likeable. ¡°My name is Lin Yile,¡± she introduced herself, then tugged at Tang Yuxin¡¯s sleeve, ¡°This is Tang Yuxin, we are from the same school, and best friends.¡± ¡°My name is Ting Yuan, you can call me Yuan Yuan.¡± The plump girl beamed a happy smile. Lin Yile was a typical city girl with a delicate skinplexion and good diction in Mandarin. As for Tang Yuxin, she was even paler. It was a type of translucent pale that was almost stunning. Yuan Yuan felt like she could see her veins through her skin. The most important thing was, Tang Yuxin was so beautiful, almost making it hard to look at her. ¡°And¡­¡± She sniffed the air around her. ¡°Did you spray perfume? Why does it smell so good?¡± ¡°Not perfume,¡± Lin Yile giggled, covering her mouth. ¡°It¡¯s Yuxin¡¯s natural body scent. It¡¯s not as strong after she showers, or else as time goes by, it gets stronger.¡± Chapter 294: 287: Not Fragrant Anymore Chapter 294: Chapter 287: Not Fragrant Anymore ¡°Really?¡± Ting Yuan ran over to her, lifting Tang Yuxin¡¯s sleeve to take a sniff, ¡°It does smell good, a cool kind of fragrance.¡± It was the first time Ting Yuan had met a girl who had a fragrant scent about her. Tang Yuxin gently rubbed her forehead, feeling as if she had gained yet another goofy roommate. She gazed at the small window behind her, the youthful vigor outside all somehow catalyzed within the confines of this school. The three girls were all simr in height, only Ting Yuan was slightly chubby. There was no pressure standing together, so they quickly formed a bond. Ting Yuan and Tang Yuxin both hailed from the countryside, and Lin Yile harbored no prejudice against those from rural areas. They soon became good friends. Ting Yuan was studying internal medicine, Tang Yuxin was studying clinical medicine, and Lin Yile, nursing. Ting Yuan¡¯s parents set up her bed and left, as they needed to catch the train back home. The pair foundfort in the fact that their daughter¡¯s roommates seemed amiable and left at ease. The three girls cleaned up the dorm before deciding to go out for a meal. By the time they returned, another roommate had arrived. With all lower bunks upied, she took the upper one. She was a tall girl with long hair, pretty and spirited, but she seemed a bit aloof. The girl with long hair tied up her hair with a hairband and nced at the other three, ¡°What did you guys eat? Why didn¡¯t you wait for me?¡± Ting Yuan blinked, and Lin Yile had a simr reaction, while Tang Yuxin lowered her head to stare at her own fingertips. This way of greeting was certainly unusual but maybe it was down to her cold demeanor. Turns out, she was a high-spirited woman. The long-haired girl was called Song Qingtong, with a heroic look and a heroic name, akin to Huo Qingtong from the novel ¡°The Book and The Sword.¡± Perhaps her father named her after reading that book? Song Qingtong was also studying nursing, just like Lin Yile, and they were both in the same department. Laughter rang out between them as they revealed their backgrounds to one another.
Song Qingtong walked over and stood before Tang Yuxin. ¡°Let me smell you.¡± Tang Yuxin turned around, telling herself to endure it. Tomorrow she would take a pill to mask her scent. She wasn¡¯t a perfume, why did everyone want to take a whiff? Song Qingtong leaned in next to Tang Yuxin for a more detailed sniff. She had initially thought that someone had sprayed perfume in the dorm, but had recentlye to realize the fragrance came from Tang Yuxin. Only in books had she read about women having such a peculiar scent. ¡°How do you smell so good?¡± Song Qingtong suddenly sat, somewhat crudely, on Tang Yuxin¡¯s pillow, causing Tang Yuxin¡¯s eyes to twitch. It was okay, she would endure this, too. ¡°I¡¯ve had this scent since I was young,¡± she gave an ambiguous answer. ¡°Is it natural?¡± Song Qingtong became even more curious, she¡¯d almost dissect Tang Yuxin on the spot if she could, just to figure out the source of the scent. Vaguely, Tang Yuxin replied, avoiding Song Qingtong¡¯s piercing gaze. She feigned adjusting her nket. She now truly regretted not taking a whitening pill instead of a fragrant one sooner, the constant fragrance was starting to annoy her. What was the use of it anyway, just to freshen up her surroundings? Song Qingtong soon lost interest in Tang Yuxin, and began to chat with Lin Yile. They discussed their past and future, vowing to be excellent nurses and serve the people wholeheartedly. The nursing program at Qing University was no ordinary program. Nurses who graduated from here were top-notch, so not just any hospital could afford them. Most typically worked in important hospitals such as military hospitals. Therefore, apart from academic excellence, appearance was also a requirement for studying nursing here. For the sake of others and for the pleasing aesthetics. Now there were already four people in the dorm. They wondered if and when the remaining two would arrive. On this first night at university, they were all excited and no one else showed up. Still, they chatted tillte into the night. Being able to gain admission to Qing University, each of them was undoubtedly exceptional. They were outstanding students in their local schools, except Tang Yuyu, whose grades were exceedingly high. ¡°So, you were the top performer in the college entrance exam in your province?¡± Ting Yuan¡¯s eyes sparkled. She looked as if she wanted to take a bite of Tang Yuxin, to see if she was real. Does her meat smell as good as she does? Tang Yuxin filled her mouth with sunflower seeds, cracking one after another, ¡°You¡¯re pretty impressive too.¡± She raised her eyelids, ¡°You got the top score in your school and had your tuition waived.¡±
¡°Hehe¡­.¡± Ting Yuan scratched her head shyly, ¡°My school paid my tuition fees, and the town also offered me a generous schrship because I had the best score. Once I graduate, I¡¯ll definitely go back to serve my hometown.¡± Tang Yuxin simply smiled, neither agreeing nor disagreeing. All promises in this world can not stand against change. All promises are no match for reality.
All promises sumb to the wear and tear of time. In the end, how many people can resist worldly desires and maintain their original intent? That first night, they chattedte into the night. After only one day, they were already bing good friends. Tang Yuxiny down, pulling her quilt over her face, unable to sleep despite her attempts. Maybe it was just the unfamiliar surroundings making her restless? The dorm was tranquil apart from the asional soft snoring. Everyone must be exhausted from traveling all the way from home. She sat up, fetched a small porcin bottle from under her pillow, opened it, and took a pill from it. She swallowed the pill andy back down attempting to fall asleep. When morning came, everyone had gotten a good night¡¯s sleep. Although the beds were a bit small, making it hard to turn around, Lin Yile was the first to rise. Ting Yuan and Song Qingtong didn¡¯t seem to share her thoughts. They had both been boarding students in high school, so they were used to it. ¡°Huh, why don¡¯t you smell good anymore?¡± Chapter 295: 288: No Change of Bed Chapter 295: Chapter 288: No Change of Bed Ting Yuan rushed over, pulled Tang Yuxin¡¯s sleeves and sniffed them. They didn¡¯t smell as fragrant now. There was a lingering faint scent, but it was much less noticeable than the day before. ¡°She must have taken some kind of scent-masking medicine.¡± Lin Yile sipped water from her cup without expressing any surprise. She didn¡¯t like the scent on her own body, so sometimes she would take a pill to make it disappear for a few days. ¡°What kind of medicine is that? Will it upset her stomach? Listen¡­¡± Ting Yuan sat down casually, right on top of Tang Yuxin¡¯s pillow. The corner of Yuxin¡¯s eye twitched slightly. She felt some inexplicable urge to die, and all she wished for was that Ting Yuan wouldn¡¯t fart right now. Unaffected, Ting Yuan continued to voice her opinions. ¡°We¡¯re all future doctors, so we need to take care of our bodies. Medicine is inherently toxic, so we cannot haphazardly consume unidentified, unclear substances. What if they¡¯re lethal? Oops¡­¡± After that remark, Ting Yuan¡¯s voice disappeared¡ªfroze, vanished. Ting Yuan¡¯s face turned a bright shade of red, ¡°Sorry, I couldn¡¯t hold it in.¡± ¡°No worries, everyone farts,¡± Lin Yile reassured Ting Yuan. Despite being an ungraceful act, she understood that holding in a fart wasn¡¯t something they could control. A fart woulde out when it wanted to, and they have no say in the matter.
Song Qingtong was in the process of making her own bed. Being taller had its advantages because unlike others, she didn¡¯t need adder to reach the upper bunk. Meanwhile, Tang Yuxin was ring at her pillow that was now squished under Ting Yuan¡¯s bottom. She didn¡¯t know what to do¡­ It was only the second day of orientation, and they still had to collect their military training uniforms in the afternoon. Tang Yuxin had no intention of skipping military training. It was a mandatory experience for every new student, and as a student herself, she would participate in it. Otherwise, she could easily use Silver Needle to make herself appear sick, get a sick leave note, and then be excused from military training. But this time was different¡ªshe wanted to do military training. By noon, when they returned from lunch, they noticed their dormitory door was open¡ªthe signal that their remaining roommates had arrived. Indeed, when they entered, they found another girl and her parents. Tang Yuxinter found out that their dormitory only housed five girls, not six. The girl seemed toe from a wealthy background. The clothes she wore were all fashionable and she wore a pair of nice leather boots. She was currently staring nkly at the upper bunk. When she turned around and saw the other girls, her red lips twitched slightly. Tang Yuxin wasn¡¯t sure what that meant. However, the girl¡¯s gaze lingered on Tang Yuxin for an extra second. It has to be admitted, this girl was beautiful and knew how to dress. She seemed to think that none of her new roommates were prettier than her until she saw Tang Yuxin. It wasn¡¯t that Tang Yuxin was inhumanly beautiful or contractually engaging. She was just charming. Her skin was fair, her face was small, her eyes wererge, she was thin and frail. Although she wasn¡¯t very tall, her body was proportionate. Even though she seemed unassuming, her presence was intense. ¡°Do you sleep here?¡± the new girl walked over and stood in front of Tang Yuxin. ¡°Yes,¡± Tang Yuxin sat down, tucking her pillow inside her quilt to avoid anyone sitting on it and causing it to smell bad. She wondered whether she should use it to sleep tonight. ¡°I don¡¯t want the top bunk. Swap with me.¡± She stated it as if it was an obvious matter, like she was entitled to the bottom bunk and they should be grateful for her request. Tang Yuxin didn¡¯t even nce at her. Her lips pursed lightly, she responded coolly. ¡°No.¡± Yuxin had a stubborn personality. She was the type to break, but never bend. If the girl had asked nicely, she would¡¯ve agreed to switch. After all, she was only staying for a year, and it didn¡¯t matter whether she slept in the top or bottom bunk. But, she could not tolerate the girl¡¯s rudeness or entitlement. She did not owe anyone anything. She didn¡¯t owe her in thest life; she didn¡¯t owe her in this life. The only person she owed was her father, for all his kindness from her past life, which she was repaying in this one. She certainly didn¡¯t owe anything to this unknown, entitleddy. ¡°How much do you want for it?¡± The girl lifted her chin, a hint of contempt shing in her eyes.
Tang Yuxin gently smoothed out her pillow before standing up and walking over to pour herself a cup of water. ¡°Youngdy, how much do you want to swap?¡± The girl¡¯s parents chimed in. It then dawned on Tang Yuxin: the fruit doesn¡¯t fall far from the tree. It¡¯s no wonder their daughter has turned out this way¡ªit¡¯s because of her parents. She turned around with her cup, standing tall and straight, unbowed by the wind, untouched by the rain. There was nothing in her life that could force her to bow down, nothing at all.
She stood her ground, looking firmly at the girl¡¯s parents, repeating her line. ¡°I¡¯m not swapping.¡± The girl¡¯s parents then turned their attention to the other girls. ¡°Don¡¯t look at me,¡± Song Qingtong strolled to her bed and patted it, ¡°I¡¯m sleeping here. But if you want my spot, you can have it. I don¡¯t mind, and you don¡¯t need to pay me anything, I have money.¡± Song Qingtong was quite willing to give up her bunk, but she found no difference between the two top bunks. They both required climbing to reach, both were elevated, and both required the same climbing effort, so what was the point? Ting Yuan too rushed to her bunk, shaking her head fervently, ¡°I am not swapping either. My mum says the feng shui of this spot is lucky for me. If I swap, it won¡¯t be good anymore, so no matter what happens, I won¡¯t swap,¡± she clung onto her quilt, her eyes wide, as if ready to fight about it. Lastly, all eyesnded on Lin Yile. She raced to sit next to Tang Yuxin, hugging her arm, her lips pursed, ¡°I don¡¯t want the top bunk either. It¡¯s too high up and I¡¯m scared. I don¡¯t need money either; my family is rich.¡± As she spoke, tears welled up in her eyes. She looked as if this couple was a pair of bandits who had invaded their space. If they dared to force a swap, she would cry to death then and there. The couple clearly met an impasse. Of course, they were now helpless against the dormitory girls. It was their own fault for arrivingte and not getting the best bunks. It would have been ideal if the others agreed to swap, even if it entailed payment. But their refusal meant the couple couldn¡¯t force a swap. Chapter 296 - 289: The Nest is Still There Chapter 296: Chapter 289: The Nest is Still There The semester has just started. If anything should happen, it would embarrass everyone. ¡°How much money do you want?¡± That girl was still asking and she was looking straight at Tang Yuxin, ¡°Tell me, how much money you want. Just name a price. I can afford it.¡± Meanwhile, Tang Yuxin acted as if she hadn¡¯t heard a thing while her hand was holding and ying with a bottle. She wouldn¡¯t mind making someone speechless for a few days if that person¡¯s voice started to annoy her. The Chen Family¡¯s ancient recipes had many fun potions, and she just concocted some. ¡°Mengmeng, let it be,¡± the girl¡¯s mother quickly rushed over and held her daughter¡¯s hand. ¡°I¡¯ll have a word with the school to see if they can arrange a different dormitory for you. We can¡¯t stay here, it¡¯s not good.¡± She covertly studied the few girl students again, her eyebrows knitted together tightly. Indeed, each one was stranger than the other. One was superstitious, another was too tall, yet another obstinate and androgynous, and one a crybaby. How could her daughter Mengmeng possibly excel with such peculiar roommates? The girl, infuriated, gritted her teeth so hard they were nearly broken. Right when she reached the entrance door, she kicked the bedpost forcefully. A loud ¡®thump¡¯ echoed in the room. Ting Yuan quickly covered her face. How painful must that be? She had used her flesh to strike metal. Was she a fool or simply a dunce? The girl¡¯s face first paled, then turned white, and then flushed red. Her face ran through three colours in quick session, not losing out to a Sichuan Opera actor in the slightest. Finally, the girl and her nouveau-riche family left. All that remained was the hobble of the girl. Ting Yuan patted her chest. No matter how reckless she could be, at least she knew somemon sense. There was no way flesh could conquer metal. For someone of that intelligence to be studying medicine, where did such a monstere from? She walked to Tang Yuxin¡¯s bed, then pointed her finger upwards. ¡°How much money do you want? Just like her, how much do you want? I will give it to you.¡± she snorted, tilting her nose upwards, with a sarcastic smile on her face. Lin Yile burst intoughter all of a sudden and ran over. The two of them wrestled with each other for a while, which seemed to be quite enjoyable. Tang Yuxin was still fiddling with the medicine bottle, who knows what she was thinking? Song Qingtong walked over, bent down, and curiously poked the medicine bottle in Tang Yuxin¡¯s hand. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°Medicine,¡± Tang Yuxin looked up and raised an eyebrow, ¡°Do you want some? It tastes pretty good.¡± ¡°What¡¯s it for?¡± Song Qingtong asked, feeling somewhat amused. She then sat down, feeling something hard under her buttocks, and realised she was sitting on a pillow ced on the nket. Tang Yuxin gazed at her. ¡°No more incense on my pillow, I don¡¯t need it.¡± Song Qingtong suddenly remembered something and almost fell offughing on Tang Yuxin¡¯s bed. The other two looked puzzled at Song Qingtong who was practically rolling withughter. Song Qingtong wiped the tears from the corner of her eyes. Then she pointed at Ting Yuan who was holding her nket and seemed lost in her own thoughts, remembering the fart Ting Yuan had let out on Tang Yuxin¡¯s pillow that morning. She started to experience a stomachache fromughing too much. Oh my God, what kind of entric dormitory had she entered? Aren¡¯t her roommates just too adorable? She couldn¡¯t help but take the medicine bottle in Tang Yuxin¡¯s hand and opened it. Inside were small green pills. What were they supposed to cure? ¡°Guess,¡± Tang Yuxin replied with a mysterious look, which gave Song Qingtong the chills. She quickly handed the bottle back to Tang Yuxin. It was wiser not to provoke her, as she was a bit eerie. In the afternoon, they went to the Academic Affairs Office to collect their military training uniforms, new camouge one. Lin Yile immediately prepared to change into her uniform when she got back to the dormitory. She had never worn a uniform before, never even undergone military training. When she was in elementary and middle school, she always had poor health. Even in the first year of high school, the situation wasn¡¯t any different. For a girl who needed to gasp for breath after walking a few steps, nobody dared to risk letting her suffer under the fierce sun. Atst, she had the opportunity to be truly baked in the sun, and even experience the thrill of military training. Tang Yuxin was right, everything should be tried in life. At least we do not regret missing out. What happens when we don¡¯t have the chance when we are young, andterck the energy when we are old? Life is fleeting, it must be savoured. However, when they opened the door, they found that there was already someone inside the dormitory. Could it be a new roommate? But when Lin Yile was about to greet the person, she realised it was not a new roommate, but the old one who had imed she would change dormitories. What an anticlimax! She grimaced, ¡°Wasn¡¯t she supposed to change her dormitory. In the end, she just came back?¡± Who was she trying to fool? Qing University is a century-old institution, famous nationwide since the Republican era, and has cultivated countless talents for the country. Many of the current national leaders were educated here. How could such a prestigious institution let peoplee and go as they please? Although she really hoped she would leave, it seemed like she was all talk and no action. She. Came. Back. ¡°Why don¡¯t you go in?¡± Ting Yuan rushed forward and hugged Lin Yile¡¯s arm. However, when she saw the person inside, she immediately checked her bed. As soon as she saw that her bedding was still there, she heaved a sigh of relief. Good, her nest was still intact and hadn¡¯t been reced. Actually, Tang Yuxin noticed someone inside when they reached the entrance, because there was a particr smell of some skincare product that she had previously sensed from Mengmeng. They each entered the dormitory and each put their clothes on their beds. This meant their n to change clothes had to be postponed. The girl named Mengmeng nced flippantly at them and seemed to snort. The expression on her parents¡¯ faces wasn¡¯t looking good, probably because they were somewhat embarrassed. After all, they were the ones who had made a strong deration to change the dormitory, but in the end, they failed to do so and had to return. There is a saying that a good horse never eats old grass. This old grass truly isn¡¯t ptable at all. If you eat too much of it, you might actually choke to death. ¡°Well ¡­ ¡°Mengmeng¡¯s mother pulled her reluctant daughter over and said to the girls, ¡°No matter what, you all will be ssmates living together for the next three years. If you don¡¯t establish a good rtionship now, how can you in the future? Our Mengmeng has been spoiled by us since she was young. Please don¡¯t take what happened earlier to heart. It was all a misunderstanding. You all will be living together for three years, shouldn¡¯t you care for each other?¡± Chapter 297 - 290 Natural Skin Toner Chapter 297: Chapter 290 Natural Skin Toner Extend your hand but don¡¯t hit the smiling one, we¡¯re all civilized people, and students of the new era, so of course, we should nod and make agreeable sounds. Oh yes, the dreaming one¡¯s full name is Sun Yumeng. No one knows how well she scored to finally make it into Qing University, whether it was due to her family¡¯s influence or her actual grades doesn¡¯t matter. In the end, she¡¯s here at Qing University, which is her sess. After Sun Yumeng¡¯s parents left, the dormitory was filled with an awkward atmosphere. Only then did Lin Yile take out her clothes and start changing. ¡°How do I look?¡± she posed to the others, asking if she looked dashing. Ting Yuan extended a thumbs-up to Lin Yile, while Song Qingtong adjusted the cap of the short girl. She stood at 1.72 meters tall and the others were just scraping by, her height was intimidating to others. ¡°Thank you, sister Qingtong,¡± Lin Yile said sweetly as she was the youngest. Song Qingtong was the oldest, she was a yearte in her studies, and thus the eldest in the dorm. Ting Yuan was from the countryside, started schoolte, and was eight when she started first grade. After nine years of mandatory education, she was now twenty-two years old. Tang Yuxin was twenty, while Lin Yile was yet to turn neen. Lin Yile easily won everyone¡¯s affection, like a little sister; pure-hearted without any schemes and capable of keeping things in bnce while getting along with everyone easily. Indeed, as soon as Lin Yile called her ¡®sister¡¯, Song Qingtong was instantly delighted. The atmosphere was quite harmonious until there was a sudden, audible snorting from someone. That one snort hinted at something, well, we will not speak of it now, but it was very unpleasant, very much so. The only person here that could be harboring such feelings would be Sun Yumeng. Sun Yumeng sat in a corner, applying skincare products on her face; her table was cluttered with an array of international brands. Was it a show of wealth or a disy of superiority? Lin Yile pouted, clearly upset. She ran over to Tang Yuxin, hugging her arm while seekingfort and reassurance, like a puppy that had been neglected and was pitiful no matter how you looked at it. Tang Yuxin patted her shoulder. ¡°Alright,¡± sheforted. ¡°I¡¯ll give you that bottle of toner.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Lin Yile hugged Tang Yuxin in one swoop, ¡°Yuxin, I love you the most.¡± Her eyes sparkled, she had been longing for that toner for so long. ¡°What toner?¡± Ting Yuan and Song Qingtong approached, wanting to know what toner it was that Lin Yile longed for. From Lin Yile¡¯s clothes, her posessions, and attitude towards money, it was evident that her family situation was not at all low. Even if they weren¡¯t filthy rich, they could definitely afford anything Lin Yile wanted, even high-end makeup and skincare products. However, what Lin Yile used were all unknown brands in small bottles and jars. Tang Yuxin stood up, pulled out a box from under the bed, and took out three bottles. Lin Yile impatiently snatched one without waiting. The leftover two bottles were left in front of the other two. ¡°A wee gift.¡± ¡°Quick, take it, take it! She might change her mindter,¡± Lin Yile quickly pushed the remaining two bottles into Ting Yuan and Song Qingtong¡¯s hands as though Tang Yuxin might actually recall her offer, while Sun Yumeng on the side rolled her eyes. Who knows what¡¯s in there, and to dare to put it on her face. When ites to skincare, only trust famous brands. Lin Yile turned around and made a huge, funny face at the back of Sun Yumeng¡¯s head, not that she could see it. The other two were trying to suppress theirughter. Lin Yile quickly pulled Ting Yuan and Song Qingtong to a corner and started whispering to them. ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate these products. They¡¯re made from ancient forms and hand-extracted. Look at my skin,¡± she pointed at her face. The young girl was full of vitality and youth, her skin glowing and wless. Among them, Tang Yuxin had the best skin; it was so white it was almost transparent, making people want to touch it to see if it felt the same as it looked. Ting Yuan, who had lived in the northwest, had a characteristic typical of the region: her face bore a hignd rouge glow. In summer, it was not apparent but in winter, it would show up without fail. As for Song Qingtong, she had a few pimples on her face, and her skin was somewhat dry. Therefore, the two girls couldn¡¯t help but notice their skin. They were wondering if it was because the water quality was better in Qing¡¯an, was that why the girls were so radiant there? Lin Yile opened the bottle, dripped some on her hand, and rubbed it over her skin. It was almost odorless and fragrance-free. When she rubbed the liquid on her skin, it seemed to be absorbed immediately. ¡°Apply it properly, especially during military training, it can protect you from the sun.¡± The two of them were stunned, awkwardly holding the three nondescript products. Although they didn¡¯t know if it had such a great use as sun protection, they dared to apply it on their faces because Lin Yile was applying it liberally across her face. If she dared, they dared too. The next morning, as soon as daylight broke, the military bugle echoed through the campus, signaling them to get up¡ªit was indeed the military training period. Everyone quickly got in training uniform, and Lin Yile swiftly applied the liquid on her face, neck, and back of her hands. Ting Yuan thought for a moment then applied some herself. Song Qingtong, unable to resist the flow, reluctantly did the same. Feeling surprisingly fresh andfortable after application, as if a gentle wind was blowing on her face, her pores fully opened and breathing easy. Tang Yuxin did the same. She wasn¡¯t worried about getting tanned, and her skin wouldn¡¯t turn dark with sun exposure. At most, she would experience a bit of peeling, but she¡¯d quickly return to her regrplexion. As for Sun Yumeng, her face was already coated with threeyers of high-end skincare products. Tang Yuxin nced at her but didn¡¯t say a word. Chapter 298: 291: Slapping in the Face Chapter 298: Chapter 291: pping in the Face This is the age of 18 or 19 girls who don¡¯t need that many skincare products. As the saying goes, the struggling moon is likely to pass full, too much skincare could clog the pores. Her observation about this is particrly urate. This Sun Yumeng obviously has excessive internal heat. What she needs to do now is to reduce, not to supplement. Applying so many products on her face, blocking the pores, is also a form of supplementation. Too much supplementation could lead to burden. However, that is other people¡¯s business and has nothing to do with her. They reached their own lineup. The number of people in this medical department is not too many, but there seem to be more people in the teacher¡¯s department and the foreignnguage department. A team of instructors in uniforms then arrived, and there seemed to be one that Tang Yuxin felt familiar with. The man was very tall. Even in a crowd, he was still the tallest, a good half a head taller than everyone else. However, he had his back to Tang Yuxin now, so she could not see his face clearly. Until he suddenly turned around, his ck eyes like a hawk and sharp as a sword pierced straight into the heart. Tang Yuxin¡¯s heart clenched and her intertwined fingers pinched her palm producing a pain. Another moment of rity, another moment of confusion. That¡¯s Gu Ning, how could it be Gu Ning? She couldn¡¯t help but recollect her previous life. She remembered her colleagues saying that Gu Ning was originally from Beijing, a member of a hundred-year-old prosperous family. His parents were famous in Beijing, his grandfather was a veteran with high status.
The Gu family owned a top-notch securitypany in the country, and many domestic security systems werepleted by their family. So, Gu Ning was a security guard. He did not work as his security guard job, no, he is a top-notch security guard in the country, but he came to be an instructor here. Didn¡¯t his people need his training? Or does he need to train these children? She didn¡¯t know whether to cry orugh, or whether to be surprised or afraid? She thought they would no longer have any intersection. Whether it was her debt from the previous life or what she owed him in this life, she had repaid him. He had held her, still a small child, through that cold night, helped her find her home, but also sent her to hell. She saved him in her previous life and also in this life. All should be settled clear, right? She really didn¡¯t want to have this kind of karmic affair anymore. The old rules of the Chen Family say that some bonds are indeed troubles. If you owe someone, you have to pay them back, and if someone owes you, they have to pay you back too. Gu Ning suddenly turned around and walked towards them. He is a soldier, tall and well-proportioned, firm andposed. Maybe because he used to be a soldier, he is like a pine tree when he stands and like a bell when he sits. Tang Yuxin quickly lowered her head, and at this time, a set of footsteps went past her ear. The footsteps went from far to near and then disappeared. In the end, there was no trace of that man in front of their team. And now, she heard a lot of students whispering. They said that if this long-legged instructor taught them, it would be nice. They said this instructor is handsome and manly. Tang Yuxin just stood silently in the team, behaving like she was invisible. This let a lot of people down. The long-legged instructor obviously was the head of these instructors, he didn¡¯t really lead any ss, but asionally came for inspections. When the military training started, he was also standing in the military posture with the rest of them. Tang Yuxin stared at the blistering sun overhead, she really wanted to ask, just who in the world invented military training? Though it wasn¡¯t her first time in military training, she was still struggling with the rigid military-style management. She had spent her years running in the mountains and considered herself to be much stronger than the average person. Yet, now she felt like she was being tortured by the scorching sun, feeling more dead than alive. Nevertheless, this was the path she had chosen. Even if she had to crawl, she would see it through to the end.
She had chosen military training, and she was going to stick with it to the end, even if it meant crying her way through. In the morning, they stood in military posture for the entire morning. Their instructor was a young man who didn¡¯t look much older than them. Although he had a youthful face, he was ruthless in his training. He didn¡¯t care whether his students were boys or girls; in his eyes, they were all just recruits. They stood until sweat dripped from their foreheads and tears ran down their faces, yet they weren¡¯t permitted to rest. They were forced to practice marching, it was as if he wanted to exhaust them until they wept within a day. By evening, after dinner, they were all too exhausted to move.
This was the first time Lin Yile had ever felt so tired. It was a total reversal of her life up to this point. Shey down on her bed, groaning asionally, clearly feeling very ufortable. Tang Yuxin approached her, also feeling sore all over, but still in better shape than Lin Yile. She ced her hand on Lin Yile¡¯s shoulder, her fingers light yet firm enough to cause a slight ache in the sore muscles underneath. ¡°Here, here, it¡¯s here,¡± Lin Yile eximed, feeling the aching and swelling on her shoulder, but it felt good. Tang Yuxin¡¯s fingers moved down to another spot. If she didn¡¯t help her loosen her muscles, Lin Yile might not be able to walk in the morning, and the difort would likelyst for days. Once her fingers pressed onto a particrly sensitive spot, Lin Yile suddenly screamed out. ¡°Yuxin, can you lighten up a bit? Are you trying to kill me or something?¡± Seeing this, the other two fled as far away as they could. Clearly, they saw that this was not a simple massage, but something akin to butchery. As for Sun Yumeng, where had she run off to? Soon, Lin Yile went quiet. It was unclear if she had passed out from pain, or had fallen asleep, or perhaps was dead? Tang Yuxin flexed her wrist and turned to Ting Yuan and Song Qingtong. ¡°Who¡¯s next?¡± Ting Yuan shook her head vehemently, preferring to suffer in pain than to scream hysterically under Yuxin¡¯s handling.
¡°Thanks, but I¡¯m good,¡± Song Qingtong had already climbed onto her bunk, ¡°I¡¯d rather just sleep.¡± Tang Yuxin shook out her hand and then got into her own bed. She rubbed her legs and her arms, stretched out t, and was soon fast asleep. They were all exhausted from standing in military posture all day, especially on the first day. As soon as theyy down, they had no desire to get back up, no desire to open their eyes. Suddenly, they were all awakened by a loud bang. Lin Yile rubbed her eyes to see Sun Yumeng standing at the door. She wanted toin, but she was too tired to open her mouth. Lin Yile just rolled back over and went to sleep again. Just when she had fallen asleep, her rest was disturbed by the sound of someone climbing up and down the bunk, humming, and moving around. It was so irritating that her ears started to hurt. Finally, she managed to fall asleep amidst all the noise, only to be woken up again by what sounded like ps to the face. She sat up drowsily to discover Sun Yumeng patting her face with makeup remover, fanning herself so hard it seemed merciless. Chapter 299: 292: The Last One Chapter 299: Chapter 292: The Last One ¡°Why didn¡¯t you p yourself a bit harder, huh?¡± She yawned and fell into bed, ready to sleep, but the bed above her kept shaking. She was trying to tolerate it, but just as she started to fall asleep again, she¡¯d be jolted awake by the sounds of a shaky bunk bed. At times, it felt as if there was an earthquake, but she was too tired to get up. She thought, if there really was an earthquake, she probably wouldn¡¯t want to run. Until the sudden sound of a trumpet. She sat up hurriedly, still somewhat drowsy. What was that sound, it was so noisy. Shey down again, but only after a moment, she sat up once more. Only then did she recall that she was at school, in military training. She quickly grabbed her clothes and got dressed. Her movements were swift despite her muscles feeling sore from the previous day¡¯s training, but it was bearable. Others started to wake up one after another, except for Sun Yumeng, who was still in a deep sleep. ¡°Hey¡­¡± Lin Yile patted the bed board. ¡°Sun Yumeng, wake up, it¡¯s time for military training.¡± Sun Yumeng cursed without even opening her eyes. ¡°So annoying, stop disturbing me.¡± Lin Yile opened her mouth wide, ready to retort, but realized she didn¡¯t know how to curse anyone. She turned around and tidied up her bed, folding her quilt neatly.
At this moment, Tang Yuxin entered, carrying two kettles. In other words, she brought fourrge sks of boiling water. Tang Yuxin set down the kettles and helped Ting Yuan, who had just woken up, fold her nket. She advised Ting Yuan to hurry up and wash up and warned her not to make fun of her physical condition. ¡°Drink some hot water.¡± Ting Yuan¡¯s face turned red and she rubbed her stomach. Unfortunately, she was on her period and hadn¡¯t paid enough attention to that. She thanked Tang Yuxin, picked up her kettle and happily went to wash her face. Their dorm building wasn¡¯t crowded which meant there were several empty faucets. When she returned, Tang Yuxin had already brought breakfast. Dinner was often a rushed affair and many students missed the meal. Tang Yuxin, being an early riser, had fetched water and breakfast for them. By the time they finished eating, it was time for training. But when it came to dorm inspection, one of them was still asleep, turning their admittedly clean dorm into a mess in minutes. They received criticism in front of the whole school and their dorm ended up rankedst in cleanliness. Tang Yuxin¡¯s face turned ck. She hadn¡¯t been so humiliated before and the rest of the dorm didn¡¯t look happy either. But Sun Yumeng, who just woken up and hadn¡¯t even washed her face or brushed her teeth, acted as if it was none of her concern and looked around casually. They were all punished by being asked to clean the yground. By evening, when they had to stand in military position, they returned to their dorms almost unable to feel their legs. They even skipped dinner that night, too tired to wash their faces or brush their teeth before falling asleep. For the second night in a row. First there was the sound of a door mming then someone pping herself, then the creaking sound of the bunk bed being twisted. Only when those sounds nearly stopped, they didn¡¯t know what time in the middle of the night it was. Tang Yuxin sat up, she grabbed a watch ced at the side and checked the time. It was just past six in the morning. She dressed up and went out with four kettles. The kettles were almost empty, and she didn¡¯t mind doing an extra chore. After all, fetching water once was the same as fetching water four times. She held the kettles underneath the hot water faucet, filling them one by one. Unbeknownst to her, several men in military uniforms were standing behind her. These men, their instructors, didn¡¯t look like students. Tang Yuxin carried two kettles in each hand and walked ahead. This disy of strength was enough to amaze anyone. ¡°The youngdy¡¯s got quite the strength, she¡¯d make a good soldier.¡± One instructor joked and then turned to Gu Ning, ¡°Don¡¯t you think so, Gu Ning?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Gu Ning responded shortly, his voice as cold as a knife cutting through a March breeze, with a hint of December snow. It was a rather chilly sound. He furrowed his brows at that moment, as if detecting a faint scent. ¡°Hu Fan, did you smell that?¡± he asked his colleague.
¡°No,¡± replied the instructor named Hu Fan, shaking his head. ¡°I didn¡¯t smell anything other than the youthful energy here. We were young once, too¡­ Now we¡¯re old. The kids in my neighborhood who used to call me ¡®Brother¡¯ now call me ¡®Uncle¡¯.¡± He rubbed his chin, feeling the inevitability of aging was tough to swallow, especially whenpared to these youthful students. ¡°Right,¡± he turned to Gu Ning, ¡°What did you smell? What kind of scent?¡± ¡°Cold fragrance,¡± Gu Ning said with a furrowed brow. Yes, it was a cold fragrance, a familiar scent. He touched the silver chain around his neck ¨C a chain he¡¯d worn for his entire life. He¡¯d given it to someone when he was twelve, but for some inexplicable reason, it returned to him and the scent was tied to it. ¡°Remember when,¡± Hu Fan asked Gu Ning, ¡°You had a nice job in security at home, whye here to be an instructor? I thought you detested this kind of stuff.¡±
¡°Well, I had some free time recently, and the principal approached me with a unique opportunity to provide military training to these students,¡± Gu Ning replied tersely, adjusting his uniform sleeve. ¡°Let¡¯s start. Do you want to keep standing here showing off or what? I don¡¯t.¡± ¡°Well, you already have a Zhang Xiaomei,¡± Hu Fan leaned on Gu Ning¡¯s shoulder, ¡°So why not let me try to impress some youngdies?¡± ¡°You¡¯re already twenty-six,¡± Gu Ning retorted with a nce at hisrade, ¡°These girls are only seventeen or eighteen, some aren¡¯t even adults yet. What do you expect, for them to wait for you?¡± ¡°And you still criticize me?¡± Hu Fan crossed his long legs and hugged his chest with his arms. ¡°At least I am only six years younger. I am not seventy or eighty.¡± ¡°At least I¡¯m not the one preying on the young.¡± Chapter 300: 293: Sudden Inspection Chapter 300: Chapter 293: Sudden Inspection Gu Ning stood up and strode forward. ¡°Really?¡± The person behind him didn¡¯t believe it, ¡°Gu Ning, I¡¯m waiting for you to be beaten to death. But, I don¡¯t understand something.¡± He hurriedly ran over, ¡°Haven¡¯t you always been taking care of Zhang Xiaomei, who is only twenty years old? I thought you were going to marry her. But your actions don¡¯t seem to suggest so.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t marry her,¡± Gu Ning gazed ahead, a determined look in his eyes, as if they were clouded by two bottomless abysses. Yes, he wouldn¡¯t marry. If he would, he would have done so after bing an adult. He just came to terms with certain things, nothing more. He didn¡¯t share the same motivations as hisrade-in-arms, Hu Fan, foring here. Although he epted the invitation, he had no interest in the female students and certainly no ulterior motives. Regarding Hu Fan, he came here primarily because he wanted to see more female students. Where theye from, even pigs are male. As for men, who doesn¡¯t want a taste of youth? However, he hadn¡¯t degraded to the point of preying on female students yet. He was twenty-six years old, he really didn¡¯t want to be an old cow eating tender grass,
Munching on such young girls, the blossoming flowers of the nation¡¯s future, he would feel guilty. Tang Yuxin returned with the thermos sk, then went out again to buy breakfast. By this time, the dormitory had been tidied up. Her dorm mates were all nice and easygoing people who were eager to do chores. Except one person, Sun Yumeng, who was still sound asleep. She was like a mouse¡¯s dropping spoiling a pot of soup. ¡°Hey, wake up,¡± Ting Yuan tapped hard on the bunk bed. Sun had made them ridiculed by everyone in the school the previous day, and their dormitory had one of the worst cleaning scores across campus. Doesn¡¯t she have some sense of collective honor? Even if she wants to disgrace herself, she can¡¯t involve them. But the person on the top bunk slept like a dead pig. No matter how loud the wake-up call was outside or how loudly they spoke, or how they shook her bed, she just wouldn¡¯t wake. Song Qingtong kept patting her own arm and twisted her neck. She walked over, stretched out her hand, and pulled the quilt off Sun Yumeng. Sun Yumeng was only wearing underwear. Huh, and it¡¯s ck silk. This is something mature women wear, especially the revealing kind. Sun Yumeng¡¯s clothes made Lin Yimeng¡¯s face turn red. She was still a little girl. Even her underwear was cartoon-themed. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Sun Yumeng quickly pulled the quilt over her body. ¡°Are you guys crazy?¡± She almost screamed, then tightly wrapped herself in the quilt, sternly warning the others, ¡°Stop touching my quilt, you trash, you paupers!¡± Song Qingtong¡¯s hands clenched tightly at those words. Tang Yuxin frowned, how could such a good school produce such a student? How could such a person be a doctor in the future? Even the most basic sense of collective honor and decency wascking. Nevertheless, she could only say, this is how the world is. Among good people, there will always be bad ones. Among ordinary people, there will always be the extraordinary. Lin Yimeng quickly tugged at Song Qingtong¡¯s sleeve, not daring to let Song Qingtong hit anyone. They couldn¡¯t resort to violence, even if it was embarrassing. They had worked hard to get into university, especially such a good one. They shouldn¡¯t gamble their future and the rest of their lives by arguing with such a person. Tang Yuxin walked to her own bed, straightened the quilt once more. It was neatly folded, with not a single wrinkle evident. The thermos sks were arranged in a line, all their spouts facing the same direction. Even under the bed it was spotless. There were no problems within the dormitory. Even if they couldn¡¯t be rated as outstanding, they certainly wouldn¡¯t best. Then there was a knock on the door from outside. Tang Yuxin nced at Sun Yumeng who was on the top bunk, tightly wrapped up like a cocoon. Her lips involuntarily turned up slightly. Ting Yuan nervously tugged at Lin Yile¡¯s sleeve. ¡°What should we do, Lele? Why are they inspecting so early today?¡± Lin Yile wore a gloomy face. What else could they do? With such a poor team member, how unlucky could they be? It seemed they could only be rankedst again today, further tarnishing their reputation in front of the entire school. Ting Yuan opened the door, but was stunned upon seeing the person outside. Lin Yile was so scared that she covered her mouth.
At this moment, the people standing outside were not the dormitory inspectors. Normally students conducted the inspections, and they were separate for men and women. After all, this era hadn¡¯t yet slipped into the carefree ways of the past. A line of people gradually entered the dormitory. In addition to the dormitory inspection personnel, there were also dormitory heads from other dormitories, both male and female, their instructors, and the head instructor. And the head instructor was Gu Ning. Tang Yuxin hurriedly lowered her head, gripping her arm unconsciously.
As soon as Gu Ning entered, he smelled a familiar scent. Although faint, it was definitely there. It reminded him of when he first came to this school, amidst so many people, this elusive scent was distinct. But recently this scent had vanished, as if it had disappeared suddenly. His gaze settled on the few girls, one by one. He then observed the heaps of skincare products on the shelf. Perhaps the scent came from there. However, he was more inclined to believe that it could have been the natural body fragrance of someone. Furthermore, he looked straight ahead, his calm eyes falling on someone who was still bundled up like a cocoon. Why was she still sleeping at this time? At this moment, everyone finally understood why this dormitory was rated the worst. It was not because it was dirty, but because they had a rule-breaker. A female student stepped forward and gently tapped the bunk. ¡°Wake up, it¡¯s inspection time.¡± But Sun Yumeng was still sleeping like a dead pig. She often went to bedte at night and stood in front of the mirror to apply skincare products, only sleeping around two or three o¡¯clock. How could she possibly wake up at six or seven in the morning? She had to sleep until nine to feel refreshed. ¡°Wake up¡­¡± The female student patted the bunk again, ¡°We are here for the inspection.¡± But after what seemed like half a day, the person still hadn¡¯t woken up? ¡°Was it this way yesterday too?¡± The instructor asked Lin Yile, to which Lin Yile quickly nodded. They couldn¡¯t wake her up. She went to bed tootest night.
¡°Oh¡­¡± The instructor gave a coldugh. In the army, such disciplined vitors would have been kicked out long ago. This world abides by the principle that without rules, there cannot be a circle. Since they were currently undergoing military training, they had to abide by their rules. How could someone who fails to respect the rules be a good student? ¡°Fetch a basin of cold water,¡± the instructor ordered the student next to him. Chapter 301: 294 She is not wearing clothes Chapter 301: Chapter 294 She is not wearing clothes A student in haste picked up a basin, regardless of whom it belonged to, and headed to the restroom to fetch water. By that time, a crowd of students had already gathered outside, eager to watch the spectacle but held back by the barriers, no one dared to enter. Meanwhile, Gu Ning turned around and walked out, paying no attention to the girl who was bowing her head, who then lifted her face to reveal an expressionyered withplexity, tinged with an inexplicable sense of mncholy. Soon after, a female student came in holding a half basin of cold water. Without needing further instruction, she carried the basin inside. ¡°Drill Instructor¡­¡± Lin Yile gently reminded, ¡°Maybe you should step outside for a bit?¡± ¡°Step outside?¡± The instructor lowered his head, looking at the girl with her obedient demeanour, ¡°Why should I step outside?¡± ¡°Because¡­.¡± Lin Yile counted with her fingers, her cuteness rendering her akin to a little bunny. She discreetly pointed to Sun Xiaomeng, who was lying in bed and murmured, ¡°She isn¡¯t dressed.¡± ¡°Ahem ¡­¡± The drill instructor swiftly stepped out, making sure all the boys in the room did the same, lest they cause embarrassment by seeing her undressed. How would she get married afterward? With a ¡°Ssh!¡±, a basin of water was dumped directly onto theforter, abruptly shock Sun Yumeng awake. ¡°Who dares to ssh water on me? You all are trash, penniless, disgusting losers¡­¡± She yelled. While she continued to spew insults, she ripped off her covers without a care. Beneath her covers, she still had on her revealing erotic lingerie. The sight, however, rmed everyone in its vicinity soon after, a pig-like scream resounded from outside the room.
Thankfully, the drill instructor outside heaved a sigh of relief; if it weren¡¯t for the young girl¡¯s remark, he might have ended up peeking at her, thus gaining undue advantage with his eyes, and probably facing punishmentter. Sun Yumeng sat clutching her wetforter, Shivering asionally. Whether it was a result of her coldness, fear, or anger, nobody could tell. It would undoubtedly be unbearable for anyone to experience the humiliation of being seenpletely naked, even if it was by females. The dorm leader decided that a bad review was due for the dorm. As for Sun Yumeng, having faced such a huge humiliation whilst also being punished with a day-long military posture drill and her dorm mates being held responsible too, proved to them that a mistakemitted by one person was essentially a mistakemitted by all. It had been enough to sway their tolerance. The four others were all innocent victims, but what could they do? Their dorm housed such a bizarre roommate, which was a rarity. They had seen foolish people before, but never someone as foolish as her. They had seen foolish people before, but never someone as her. She was both foolish and insane. Since the establishment of Qing University, she might be the biggest joke ever. Under the midday sun, a blistering sphere hung just above their heads, pushing the temperature so high in September until sweat began to drip. Yet, they remained out there, standing under the scorching sun, on the verge of passing out. A set of shuffling footsteps echoed by their ears, which attracted Tang Yuxin¡¯s attention. She stole a nce and saw a few instructors walking by. Tang Yuxin immediately lowered her head because Gu Ning was among them. It seemed like they were having a conversation, but she was standing too far away to make out what they were saying. ¡°Why are you in such a hurry?¡± Hu Fan asked, walking alongside Gu Ning. ¡°Didn¡¯t we agree to wait till the end of this military training?¡± ¡°Yes, something hase up at thepany, I need to go back and take care of it.¡± Gu Ning replied nonchntly, while indicating his business affairs had suddenly be pressing again. ¡°How long will you be busy this time? You imed you were not only busy with thepany¡¯s affairs but sometimes also involved in case investigations. Do you consider yourself a superman?¡± Hu Fan felt pained by the timing of themand, having hoped he could rest for a while, but ended up having to set off again. And so it went, the greater the ability, the greater the responsibility. Gu Ning, having managed apany, was often involved in case investigations due to his superior reasoning ability, thus leaving him with no breaks. He wondered how long it would be before they could meet again? ¡°Perhaps two years,¡± Gu Ning responded in a brisk stride, his gaze stern and pointed, oblivious to the students who were undergoing punishment at the road¡¯s edge. It was only when they had walked far away that Tang Yuxin raised her head; she didn¡¯t hear everything, but she managed to catch words like ¡®something came up¡¯, ¡®a business trip¡¯, ¡®two years¡¯. She bowed her head again, focusing on her toes. By then, she was already sweating profusely. The intense sunshine was scorching their skin. They had been standing all morning, their bodies almost sun-dried, and their legs ached as if they had been beaten. Nevertheless, they were supposed to continue military training in the afternoon, continuing until the evening.
The following day, Sun Yumeng learned her lesson. Although she still had ate night, she reluctantly woke up in the morning. She weighed her teapot finding it devoid of water, so she picked up another student¡¯s teapot and started pouring water into it. ¡°Why are you pouring my water?¡± Ting Yuan walked in to find Sun Yumeng pouring her hot water and immediately felt ufortable. Sun Yumeng made her lose face as soon as she arrived at school, and she was punished for two days, including teaching posture. She was already quite ufortable, and now this bad apple wanted to pour her own water, she hadn¡¯t used it yet. ¡°What¡¯s the big deal about using a little bit of it, stingy.¡± Sun Yumeng strolled off with the water basin. Ting Yuan checked her thermal sk to find it empty, not a single drop of water left. This was only using a bit, only pouring a little?
Apparently, she hadpletely emptied it. ¡°What happened?¡± When Tang Yuxin and Lin Yile returned with their meals, they found Ting Yuan holding a teapot and wiping her tears. ¡°Why are you crying?¡± Lin Yile was scared; did she get scalded by the hot water? It¡¯s okay, Yuxin has medicine, apply it, and it would not hurt. She put down her steamed buns quickly and came tofort Ting Yuan. Ting Yuan looked up with teary eyes, feeling more aggrieved the more she thought about it. ¡°Sun Yumeng poured out all my hot water and scolded me.¡± As soon as she finished speaking, she burst into tears, clutching Lin Yile. ¡°She¡¯s really too much,¡± said Lin Yile, who was also upset and looked like she was about to cry as well, ¡°How could she bully people like that? Isn¡¯t it enough to make us suffer twice?¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± she pursed her lips andforted Ting Yuan, ¡°You can use my water. I have a lot, and I can¡¯t finish it. We have to get more water at noon. We have to pour out these anyway.¡± Tang Yuxin brought over the steamed buns and put them on the table, ¡°Let¡¯s eat first, we still have military trainingter.¡± ¡°Thank you¡­¡± Ting Yuan wiped her tears and began taking small bites of the steamed bun. By the time Sun Yumeng returned, humming a tune, she found herself alone in the room. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 302: 295: Why Not Slap to Death? Chapter 302: Chapter 295: Why Not p to Death? She put down her basin and smeared something on her face in front of mirror. ¡°Who cares? I do not need you guys as friends. What benefits can you bring me?¡± The subsequent military training was still harsh and tiring. Every day, the broadcast was all about the training. They sang military songs, practiced military posture, and managed to gain some perseverance. Before long, seven dayster, the training ended. Lin Yile was somewhat sentimental about their instructors even shedding a few secret tears, but Tang Yuxin felt nothing. She felt her heart was probably very cold. She wasn¡¯t sure if there was anything in the world that could still cause ripples in her heart. Her emotional response wascking. ¡°Hey, I haven¡¯t turned all that dark, have I?¡± Lin Yile pointed at her face, which was still quite fair, and she didn¡¯t have any sunburn at all. ¡°I¡¯m the same,¡± said Ting Yuan, who was naturally dark-skinned and prone to getting darker. Every summer she would often turn into a ck coal, by then her face was dark and only her teeth white. Song Qingtong rubs her face for a while, then suddenly moved in front of Tang Yuxin. Tang Yuxin quickly put her pillow inside her quilt. Why did these people always like to sit on her pillow? Song Qingtong reaches out to turn Tang Yuxin¡¯s face, and saw her face which was slightly reddened by the sunlight yesterday, was now translucently pale with a healthyplexion. That was not the face of someone who had been in the sun for a week during military training. Usually, the boys wouldn¡¯t say much, but girls would certainly get darker. And it wasn¡¯t just a mere sunburn, some even had peeling skin due to sunburn.
At least, the face and neck should be the same color, while the neck and shoulder should be of a different color. But there was no change in Tang Yuxin, she looked just as she was when she first came. ¡°Yuxin, I want to discuss something with you, ¡± she sat up straight and spoke seriously to Tang Yuxin. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear it,¡± Tang Yuxin felt that it was unlikely anything good. Could she choose not to listen? ¡°No, you can¡¯t,¡± Song Qingtong reached out, tugging at Tang Yuxin¡¯s face, ¡°You must listen, you must agree. If you don¡¯t, I¡¯ll pester you every day.¡± Then her gaze moved to the box under Tang Yuxin¡¯s bed, ¡°Can you give me a few more bottles of that water?¡± ¡°I want some too,¡± Lin Yile quickly ran over and sat to the right of Tang Yuxin. She had run out and was worried about not having any to use. ¡°And me, and me,¡± Ting Yuan put down whatever she was holding, came straight over, and pulled out Tang Yuxin¡¯s box from under the bed. That water was too useful. Just a dab or pat on the face, soothing like a cool balm. And they didn¡¯t get sunburned this time. That was simply unbelievable and illogical. So there was only one possibility, the water that Tang Yuxin had given them was super effective. Just a wipe on the face, and it immediately became much smoother and softer. No wonder Tang Yuxin¡¯s little face was so delicate, so tender, so fair, so beautiful. Who wouldn¡¯t want that? What woman could give up the pursuit of beauty? Whether she was an eight-year-old child, or a young girl at the age of eighteen, or a grown woman at the age of twenty-eight, or a maturedy at the age of thirty-eight, or a middle-aged woman at the age of forty-eight. In their hearts, they all loved beauty and they all needed beauty. As long as it can make them prettier, even if it meant going under the knife, pulling out all of their teeth, chipping off a piece of bone, or even just spreading some water on their faces, what did that matter? And now they had all felt the benefits of this skincare water. Of course, they all wanted to secure some benefits for themselves. Ting Yuan directly opened Tang Yuxin¡¯s box, and several of them rudely started digging through it. Tang Yuxin found herself blocked, unable to take a step forward. A protest was growing in her heart. This wasn¡¯t what roommates were supposed to be like. They were acting like a bunch of robbers. But, they rummaged through the entire box and couldn¡¯t find a single bottle.
Were there none left? Did Tang Yuxin eat them all? ¡°They¡¯re all gone,¡± Tang Yuxin shrugs, ¡°I only brought five bottles. I had nned to give them to everyone in the dormitory, but only five people ended up staying in the dorm.¡± She gave one bottle to Ting Yuan and Qingtong, andter Lin Yile took another one too. So she only had one bottle left, which she used herself. So, there were really none left.
Did they think it was asmon as cabbage? The bottles were processed from dozens of traditional Chinese medicines, and she only made those few bottles a month. They weren¡¯t produced on an assembly line that they could bathe with it. They really overestimated her ability. ¡°When will you get more for us?¡± Ting Yuan was disappointed, but she was not worried. As long as Tang Yuxin was here, there would be more, it wasn¡¯t like they were all gone just because they were used up. ¡°Next semester,¡± Tang Yuxin didn¡¯t have any left either. She was nning to make more bottles during the summer vacation. Upon hearing this, Ting Yuan and Song Qingtong breathed a sigh of relief. Although they didn¡¯t find any extras, the bottles in their hands were still half full. If used sparingly, they should be able tost until next semester. The door creaked open. Sun Yumeng entered the room, holding her basin in her hand. She had just washed her face, and it was a frightening sight. Her face had sunburn marks, maybe due to improper use of skincare products, and spots began to appear on her face. Especially her neck and shoulders, the skin looked terribly divided into parts. Her neck was dark and her shoulders were white, a stark contrast in color. If she couldn¡¯t heal her condition, it would affect how her clothes looked on her in the future. As soon as she entered the room, she red at Tang Yuxin and the others, then walked to the only table in the room. She began applying the lotions and creams onto her face. After a while, pping sounds could be heard, it was her fanning her face. Ting Yuan: ¡°Why won¡¯t she just p herself to death?¡± Lin Yile: ¡°Keep pping, p more, few more ps.¡±
Song Qingtong: ¡°I don¡¯t know if anyone outside heard. They might think we¡¯re pping someone.¡± Tang Yuxin raised her hand, hooked a strand of hair, and tucked it behind her ear. It was typical sunburn, potentially leading to skin allergies. The best thing to do was not to apply anything, let the inmmation subside, take painkillers if necessary, and let it gradually heal. In about half a year, it should be mostly healed. But if she continued like this, she might end up with steroid-induced rosacea, which would be even harder to treat. She was a bit confused. Young girls of eighteen or neen years, in the prime of life and their youthful years, really don¡¯t need to apply so many things to their faces. In fact, she felt a simple cream like Da Bao was quite good. Chapter 303: 296: The benefits of being an honest person Chapter 303: Chapter 296: The benefits of being an honest person In Tang Yuxin¡¯s ears, the sound of Sun Yumeng constantly pping her own face still echoed. For the past days, they had be ustomed to Sun Yumeng¡¯s strange habit while carrying on with their own tasks as usual. As for Sun Yumeng, she always felt as though she was superior to others; thus, she rarely spoke to her roommates, monopolizing the only table in their dorm. The others didn¡¯t really care and certainly wouldn¡¯t argue with Sun over the table. After all, what would be the point of such a dispute? Could they eat the table? After their military training, regr learning resumed. Lin Yile and Song Qingtong, already of the same department, followed the same study schedule. At the beginning, Lin Yile enjoyed her courses, contemting what was taught that day and what would be taught the next. Ting Yuan, Tang Yuxin, and Sun Yumeng shared the same ss, all studying clinical medicine. As for which speciality they¡¯d choose in the future, they had no idea yet. That decision would have to wait until after their graduation. Tang Yuxin, being a doctor in her past life, was naturally adept at medical studies. Since childhood, she had been exposed to traditional medicine, blessing her with a unique advantage. She learned effortlessly, gaining a lot from her studies. Parts that had previously confounded her now were all clear. Of course, the main thing was that, while relearning some things, she might approach them with different perspectives. University life was simple yet rich. Unlike high school, where they had to constantly revise and have extra sses, the pace of university courses was fairly rxed. Their days were carefree, with no worries about future jobs or familial pressure. At that time, they were just individuals, simple, innocent, and pure. About halfway through the semester, construction started on the Tang family¡¯s building in Qing¡¯an, as Ren Li had predicted. A major road was being built there, which would be Qing¡¯an¡¯s main central avenue. Land prices in the surrounding areas started to skyrocket, allowing the Tangs to sell off somend to fund the construction. They started by building one building and would build the next after selling the first one. They could build as many as twenty buildings on thend they bought for several million yuan.
The n ording to Tang Yuxin was to construct a building every few years. When the real estate market took off, they could construct at least ten more buildings on the remainingnd. Then, they could use the profits to invest in other locations. She could tell that Ren Li was an intelligent and ambitious woman. Ren Li¡¯s ideas resonated with Tang Yuxin, as they both knew that real estate prices would surge in the future. Thus, Ren Li nned to use all the money she earned to purchasend. For undeveloped areas, she cleverly turned them into green spaces which not only utilised thend but also beautified the city. When the first semester ended, Tang Yuxin and the others could buy their tickets home. Even though this was the 1990s, the Spring Festival travel rush was as intense then as it would be in the 2000s. Fortunately, the school had reserved train tickets for them. Just liketer years, tickets were hard toe by and very much in demand. Xu Miaomiao¡¯s teacher¡¯s college was not far from Tang Yuxin¡¯s, and she often came to visit. Everyone in the dormitory had gotten used to her frequent visits. She came every week, although even she found Sun Yumeng off-putting, just like the others. Sun lived a lonely life, standing out from the crowd yet acting aloof. Her academic performance left a lot to be desired. Perhaps she was good at theory, but her practical skills in medicine werecking. However, that wasn¡¯t the main problem. The real issue was her extreme delicateness and ostentatiousness, both of which ill-suited her for a medical career. Rather, she should have studied arts, like singing and dancing. Interestingly, Tang Yuxin guessed right: Sun Yumeng had initially wanted to major in arts, but her family didn¡¯t allow it, forcing her to choose medical studies instead. She thought doctors looked beautiful in white coats, but had a simplistic view of the profession, focusing only on the mour and disregarding the hardships and challenges. Nothing could be achieved overnight. Everything required step-by-step progress along the right path. If one strayed, they could get back; but, if they strayed too far, they might never find their way back. As Tang Yuxin got off the train, her uncle was there to pick her up. Dressed in a suit and driving a new car, her second uncle finally seemed like a legitimate business owner. ¡°Second Uncle¡­¡± Tang Yuxin walked over, carrying her small suitcase. She hadn¡¯t brought much since everything she needed was at home. Tang Zhijun quickly took the suitcase from her hands. ¡°Let¡¯s go home. Your second aunt¡¯s cooked a whole table¡¯s worth of your favourite dishes.¡± ¡°Where¡¯s my dad?¡± Tang Yuxin had expected Tang Zhinian to pick her up, so she was surprised when her second uncle showed up instead. ¡°Your dad¡¯s at the construction site. Though we tried to stop him, he insisted on going, iming that constructing a building was serious business and everything needed to be thorough. He is particrly strict about materials¡¯ quality, insisting that they use the best of everything. Sometimes, I wonder if this ¡®quality over quantity¡¯ approach won¡¯t make him go bankrupt?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a building we¡¯re talking about, of course they need to prioritize quality,¡± Tang Yuxin didn¡¯t find anything wrong with her father¡¯s approach. Shoddy construction was absolutely not tolerable as it would harm their own interests in the long run. Honest business practices often had their own advantages. Tang Zhijun patted Tang Yuxin¡¯s head, ¡°Let¡¯s go, no more talking about this. It¡¯s adult business, you kids don¡¯t need to worry about it. By the way, you haven¡¯t seen Chengcheng for half a year. That boy¡¯s always running around and he¡¯s so attached to your second aunt. You¡¯d think he was as sweet as honey. How could a boy grow up like that?¡± Talking about the youngest in their family, Tang Zhijun seemed never to run out of things to say. It was clear how much he loved his little nephew. The sole heir of the Tang family, Chengcheng was a well-mannered, adorable, and sweet-talking toddler. It seemed they could hardly survive a day without seeing him.
The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 304: 297 Still Remembering Sister Chapter 304: Chapter 297 Still Remembering Sister And Tang Yuxin missed her little brother, a brother who she helped bring into this world. This was herpensation for the Tang family. In her previous life, the Tang family, having lost her and her uncle, was practically on the verge of dying out. Her father was in a bad situation too, with seemingly no chance of having a good life. Now, in this life, the Tang family finally has descendants, and she finally has a little brother. She loved her little brother. He was hers, just like her father. She did not have a younger sister like Wei Jiani; that sister belonged to others, and the mother too belonged to that sister. The car sped along, and Tang Yuxin leaned her hand against the car window. In just about one year, Sea City had seen significant changes. The grand avenue that spanned the entire Qing¡¯an was finally being built. From now on, Sea City would undergo a whole new transformation, and so would the people of Qing¡¯an. But such change was unknown to the people of the present day. Without experiencing that era, they would never know that such a day woulde. ¡°Uncle, when did you learn to drive?¡± Tang Yuxin turned her head back and asked Tang Zhinian. When she went to school, her uncle was still riding an electric tricycle. That tricycle had apanied her as she grew, from when she didn¡¯t even start school until her high school days, consistently serving their family. Now, it seems to have finally retired. ¡°Not long after you went to Beijing, I started learning. Nobody in the family wanted to learn how to drive, so your uncle, being the bravest, decided to do it,¡± Tang Zhijun turned the steering wheel, still grinning, ¡°Our old electric tricycle broke down at that time, so we bought a car. It wille in handy for business deals and such in future. We can¡¯t always be travelling in the old tricycle.¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Speaking of this, Tang Zhijun couldn¡¯t help butugh and cry. ¡°When that old tricycle got hauled away, Sisi was so upset, she wept bitterly. When little Chengcheng saw her crying, he started bawling as well. It took your aunt a long time to soothe them and stop their tears. Children these days¡­¡± he shook his head, ¡°Why do they get so emotionally attached?¡± Tang Yuxin leaned her head against the car window. It wasn¡¯t about being sentimental, but rather, over time, attachments form. Even though it was just an inanimate object, she would always remember how she grew up riding in that tricycle, from a little girl to a grown-up. Now that she had grown up, the tricycle had aged and was discarded. In fact, humans are the most ruthless of all.
She closed her eyes. She had just gotten off the train and felt a bit sleepy. There was still about an hour¡¯s drive to Li Tang Vige from their current location. She decided to take a quick nap. It wasn¡¯t until the car pulled up before she jolted awake. ncing around, they were already at the entrance of Li Tang Vige. The road had been blocked, and when the person who caused the obstruction heard the car horn, they hurriedly moved aside, allowing Tang Zhijun to drive into the vige. Tang Yuxin thought, surely, the car that Tang Zhijun was driving must be the first car in the vige. After all, Li Tang Vige was still not affluent, with most people living off the few acres ofnd they owned. Owning an electric tricycle was considered good for them, let alone a car. Upon their arrival, Tang Zhijun parked the car in front of their house. Across the street, the produce market was still bustling with business, with people from neighboring vigesing to wholesale their vegetables. Business had picked up since a few years ago, with all kinds of products being sold; the vige was now livelier than ever. Tang Yuxin got out of the car, while Tang Zhijun picked up her luggage and knocked on the door. Soon after, footsteps could be heard from inside, and with a creaking sound, the door was opened. A figure poked their head out from the door ¨C it was Sisi. Sisi had grown taller this year, already in junior high school and evolving into a youngdy. ¡°Sister, you¡¯re back!¡± Sisi readily embraced Tang Yuxin with pure joy, ¡°Did you bring me any snacks? You said you would bring me some local specialties when youe back.¡± ¡°Yes, I brought some.¡± Tang Yuxin ruffled Sisi¡¯s hair, noting that Sisi had grown to look more like Zhang Xiangcao. Sisi¡¯s features were neat and elegant, making her look like a little beauty. Now she understood why Zhang Xiangcao was once considered the flower of Li Tang Vige. Sisi¡¯s cute, petite face was a testament to how pretty Zhang Xiangcao must have been in her youth. ¡°Thank you, sis,¡± Sisi happily rubbed against Tang Yuxin¡¯s arm, acting just like when she was little. Even though they were not sisters by blood, their affection was stronger than any of those. Tang Yuxin then looked down and saw a chubby little boy crouching on the floor, busily engaged in something. He looked to be taking the task quite seriously. ¡°He¡¯s counting ants.¡± Sisi exined with a minorint, ¡°Chengcheng is weird, he loves counting ants. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s so interesting about these ants. If it were me, I would have more fun pouring hot water on the ants or burning them with a magnifying ss.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Tang Zhijun quickly covered his face with his hand. As the father, he had failed in teaching the child properly. Tang Yuxin walked over and squatted in front of her little brother, only to find that the chubby boy was indeed counting ants. His chubby cheek was rather serious. Inparison to when she was at school, he looked even chubbier and rounder, though of course, taller too. However, he was still chubby. ¡°What are you looking at?¡± Tang Yuxin casually squatted down beside him. The chubby boy suddenly looked up, his gaze fixated on her for the longest time. He was sucking his thumb, his chubby little face innocently delightful. He was so adorable, one couldn¡¯t help but wish to pinch his cheeks.
The chubby boy tilted his head, perhaps still puzzled, but quickly, his little mouth broke into a smile, and he pounced on Tang Yuxin. ¡°Sis, sis¡­¡± His little voice was so cute and milky, that chubby boy came running straight into his sister¡¯s arms into a warm embrace. Tang Yuxin patted her little brother¡¯s chubby cheek. He had truly grown up and had be quite pleasing to the eyes.
The little boy seemed to be aware that his sister was praising him, smiling just like a ginseng baby doll. The only thing missing were two little ox horns on his head and a red bellyband on his body. Tang Yuxin squeezed her little brother¡¯s chubby cheeks for quite some time, resembling someone kneading dough. The good-natured little boy casually offered his chubby cheeks to his sister, allowing her to ply them as she wished. Indeed, a younger brother like this was the easiest to bully. However, she could only bully him for a few years. Once he grew up and came of age, she wouldn¡¯t be able to do this anymore. ¡°Let¡¯s go, wash your hands,¡± Tang Yuxin stood up and pulled her little brother up by his meaty hands. Her little brother had indeed grown fatter. She had just tried to lift him and found out that she was no longer capable of doing so. Chapter 305: 298: What Generation is This? Chapter 305: Chapter 298: What Generation is This? Little Fatty obediently gripped his sister¡¯s hand. Despite his plumpness, he could already walk, and he walked quite well. The house was spacious, and his small figure popted it. Because of him, the whole family had lost a significant amount of weight. Regardless, everyone still adored him the most, showering him with love and putting him first in everything. Therefore, choosing where to be reborn is really quite a skillful task. The Tang Family¡¯s Little Fatty was truly a child who knew how to choose the right family for rebirth. Tang Yuxin fetched a basin of hot water and ced it on the ground. Then, pulling her younger brother¡¯s chubby hand, she helped him wash. His little hand was dirty, and whatever he had grabbed muddied the water. Tang Yuxin flicked his forehead, ¡°How did you manage to get your hands so dirty?¡± Little Fattyughed, his eyes crinkling into crescents. With his cute face, it was virtually impossible to get angry with him, no matter what he did. After washing her brother¡¯s hands and face, she fetched the gifts she had bought for the family from her suitcase. They were all specialties from Beijing. She bought a set of stationery for Sisi, who didn¡¯t let go of them, immediately wanting to stuff them with her own belongings. For Zhang Xiangcao and Ren Li, Yuxin bought silk scarves. Scarf-wearing was in vogue among women, and the trend seemed to have originated in Beijing. Although Yuxin wasn¡¯t a fan, others loved them. And before long, the trend would probably spread to their locale. For her two uncles and her dad, she bought electric razors, a very practical gift from Beijing. The razors weren¡¯t cheap, but she had enough in savings from not spending much of her allowance. Almost all her money was spent on these gifts.
Now she was still reliant on her parents, but when she started earning her own money, buying gifts for the family would be a different affair altogether. As for what she bought Chengcheng, it was a Transformers toy. Little Chengcheng refused to let go of it as soon as he saw it, obediently thanking his sister. In no time, Chengcheng was tired. He yawned and rubbed his eyes from time to time, one hand holding the transformer toy, and one hand gripping his sister¡¯s hand tightly. ¡°He¡¯s getting sleepy,¡± Zhang Xiangcao, familiar with Chengcheng¡¯s routine, said. It just so happened that Tang Yuxin was also feeling tired. She had not slept much in the car, and talking about sleep only reminded her of how much she longed to close her eyes. She had been on a train for almost two days, where food and sleep were all wrong, she just wanted to get some sleep. ¡°I¡¯ll take him to bed,¡± Yuxin said, picking up Little Fatty. The boy continued rubbing his eyes, resting his headfortably on his sister¡¯s shoulders. He smelled sweetly of milk. This blood kinship was indescribable. She had never had such emotional bond with Wei Jiani, but she loved Little Chengcheng because he was her brother, her real younger brother, a blessing she had mored for. She carefully tucked Chengcheng in, theny down herself, holding her brother¡¯s hand. Her head had barely hit the pillow when she fell asleep. When Zhengnian and the others returned, they asked promptly, ¡°Has Yuxin returned yet? Is she here?¡± ¡°She¡¯s inside,¡± Zhang Xiangcao whispered, ¡°She was tired, and Chengcheng also needed sleep. They¡¯re both indoors, still sleeping. Let them sleep a little longer. Yuxin just got off the train, she must be exhausted.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go take a look,¡± Ren Li quietly said as she walked over and softly pushed the door open just enough to see the sister and brother inside, their heads adjoined in sleep. In fact, the two siblings looked alike. When Chengcheng was little, he resembled Ren Li, but as he grew older, he became more like Yuxin. Zhinian once said that Yuxin and Chengcheng resembled their deceased grandmother, hence they looked like real siblings. The bond of blood between them was unchangeable by anyone. This affection would never change either. They were biological siblings who would help each other throughout their lives. Ren Li gently closed the door and returned. She pointed to the inside, and giggled, ¡°They are sleeping soundly. Chengcheng really looks like his sister, even their sleeping positions are the same.¡± ¡°Well, they are my daughter and son,¡± Zhinian proudly said at this. How could he not know how Yuxin was when she was little, after personally raising her? Chengcheng was so much like Yuxin as a child; they both liked to grab the corner of their nkets while sleeping, and both behaved well. It¡¯s amazing, and a little bit scary, how gics work. Twopletely different individuals could be so simr to the point of being almost identical. When Yuxin woke up, Chengcheng was still asleep. She carefully ced her hand on her brother¡¯s forehead, and saw that Little Fatty was sleeping soundly. She wondered whether he still followed the same routine as before, sleeping until around eight in the morning. Next, she put on her shoes and walked out. All the others were also present, including Zhinian and Ren Li. ¡°Dad¡­¡± Yuxin called out to Zhinian, then turned and smiled at Ren Li. ¡°Sis.¡± This instantly darkened Zhinian¡¯s face, but Ren Li broke out into a bloomingughter.
¡°She¡¯s your mom, not your sister,¡± Zhinian indulgently said, but Yuxin¡¯s words made him feel like a man marrying a woman much younger than him. Ren Li was naturally a younger woman, but she had now be more fashionable, more beautiful day by day. Standing next to him, a middle-aged man, it all felt quite unfair. Yuxin calling her sister created an ufortable feeling in his heart. Ren Li patted Zhinian¡¯s hand, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, no matter how old or ugly you be, I won¡¯t despise you.¡± Her words made Zhinian even happier than any sweet talk. In a while, the couple was so engrossed in each other that they nearly forgot about their daughter. Yuxin had to retreat to her room, there she sat, holding her brother¡¯s chubby hand. Little Fatty was still asleep, delightfully gnawing on his little thumb. Everyone said that Little Fatty resembled her, but why couldn¡¯t she see the simrity?n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om
Chapter 306: 299: Godson Chapter 306: Chapter 299: Godson She had always been a small chick when she was young, yet her little brother resembled a tiny pig. When dinner time came, surprisingly, the entire Lin family showed up. Lin Yile waved to Tang Yuxin as if he liked visiting a lot. At that moment, Ren Li from the room, lifted up Little Fatty, who had just woken up. Little Fatty was rubbing his eyes, his chubby little hands full of fleshly dimples. His small arms and legs were all rather pudgy. Tang Yuxin jokingly referred to her little brother as a small pig, and with one look, he seemed even chubbier than ever. ¡°Chengcheng, see who¡¯s here?¡± Ren Li pinched her son¡¯s cheek and pointed at Mr. Lin to help him identify. Little Fatty was still quite groggy from sleep, but he still followed his mother¡¯s pointer finger¡¯s direction and looked over. Upon seeing Mr. Lin, his eyes immediately lit up. He reached out with his chubby little hand, wanting Mr. Lin to hold him. ¡°Aiyo, see? He still recognizes you, his fondness for you isn¡¯t misced, is it?¡± ¡°Of course, he¡¯s my godson,¡± Mr. Lin hastily reached out to take Little Fatty in his arms. ¡°Chengcheng, good son, do you miss godfather?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡±, Chengcheng¡¯s sweet little voice and his resemnce to a money-attracting doll made everyone want to pinch his chubby cheeks.
Tang Yuxin felt rather puzzled. ¡°When did he be a godfather?¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn Lin Yile whispered into Tang Yuxin¡¯s ear, ¡°When we were in school, my father visited often, so Chengcheng quickly took a liking to him. My father insisted on making Chengcheng his godson. Now, I also have a little brother.¡± She pointed proudly at her own face, ¡°From now on, your brother will be my brother. I¡¯m so happy! I finally have a brother.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± Tang Yuxin raised her head, her gaze ratherplex. Seeing how Mr. Lin holds Chengcheng tightly and cherishes him so much, he really seems fond of Chengcheng, which is rather understandable. Such a charming and attractive child, who wouldn¡¯t like him? Tang Yuxin lowered hershes, pondering how things had progressed to this point. She admitted that she had an ulterior motive for helping Lin Yile in the first ce. Knowing her father, a man whomands great respect and influence in Qing¡¯an, she often saw him on TV, a testimony to his achievements and power. So, the initial intention to establish a good rtionship was there. She was hoping, knowing that she had helped Lin Yile in the past, that Mr. Lin would remember their kindness and lend their family a helping hand. With Mr. Lin¡¯s support behind them, at the very least, their family would not be bullied in Qing¡¯an in future. Otherwise, why would she have put in so much effort helping Lin Yile, helping her heal her body, helping her get into Qing University? Indeed, helping her get into Qing University was something Lin Yile feels she mysteriously achieved. Given her high school grades, no matter how well she studied in high school, she definitely wouldn¡¯t have made it to Qing University. This was Tang Yuxin¡¯s secret. In moments when no one was paying attention, she inserted the university entrance examination questions of that year into Lin Yile¡¯s study materials. This slight bit of cheating helped Lin Yile smoothly get into Qing University, which is one of the top universities in the country. It appears that Mr. Lin is currently rising swiftly in his official career and doing very well. In thest life, Mr. Lin¡¯s fortune in the officialdom only started to rise after Lin Yile went to university, and it seemed to be smooth sailing. In this life, it should be a bit better. Now that their family has a student from Qing University, Tang Yuxin, their daughter¡¯s top-ranked ssmate. Plus, this area of Qing¡¯an is under his management. Therefore, his promotion should be a piece of cake. And now, he even likes Chengcheng greatly. This is tantamount to Chengcheng having another powerful and influential godfather, ensuring no one will dare to bully her younger brother in the future. Moreover, along with the wealth their parents have secured for Chengcheng, he will at least not have to worry about poverty in the future. She lowered her head, looking at her own hands, then clenched them. In any case, she will fight for her own ce in the world. In the future, she will be a renowned doctor nationwide, just like Ren Li said. In the future, no one will dare to mess with her as long as she is a lifesaving doctor, then no one will jokingly take their own lives. Chengcheng is currently being cradled by Mr. Lin. Nobody knows what he said in his soft baby voice, but it immediately got the whole familyughing. At dinner time, Zhang Xiangcao cooked a whole table of delicious dishes. She is just an ordinary woman. She does not have Ren Li¡¯s brilliant mind or Mrs. Lin¡¯s superior social skills, but she is very virtuous, and has learned to cook many dishes from television, making her cooking very delicious, as good as any dish made by professional chefs. Therefore, whenever they talk about food, the first ce thates to their mind is definitely not anywhere else, but the Tang family. The Tang family has such an amazing cook, and it¡¯s so clean and sanitary, who would want to eat outside? Chengcheng was held by someone else again, this time by Mrs. Lin. Mrs. Lin had always dreamed of having a son. Unfortunately, she only had a daughter, a skinny one that looked like a tiny chick.
¡°Mom, do you like Chengcheng that much?¡± As Lin Yile ate, she sometimes sneaked a pinch of Chengcheng¡¯s small flesh paw. Chengcheng, however, seemed to be very epting of whoever took advantage of him, alwaysughing happily, looking cute and adorable. ¡°Of course, I do,¡± Mrs. Lin let Chengcheng stand on herp, cherishing his adorable appearance. ¡°I had always wanted to have a plump baby boy.¡± ¡°But you got a plump daughter instead,¡± Lin Yile chimed in with a touch of sourness in her voice. ¡°Nonsense?¡± Mrs. Lin red at her daughter, ¡°What plump daughter? I gave birth to a four-pound weakling, and it was such an effort keeping her alive. Every day, she was like a cat, only five or six pounds after several months. My hair turned white from worry.¡±
¡°Mom¡­¡± Hearing this, Lin Yile was so embarrassed that she wanted to crawl under the table. What did she do to deserve this? Why was it her fault? Who was the one that made her so thin and hard to raise? Was being thin her fault? Was being difficult to raise her fault? The others couldn¡¯t help but burst intoughter. Chengcheng, this little chubby brother oblivious to the world, pped his small hands andughed innocently. No one knew what he wasughing at, but he seemed extremely joyful and happy. This is their first year in university, very rxed and happy. Tang Yuxin spends all day with her brother, without any other things to worry about, no need to study or anything else. Chapter 307: 300 Where Did I Meet You Chapter 307: Chapter 300 Where Did I Meet You Just peacefully living through one day after another. Seeing her younger brother¡¯s eyes curled up in a smile every day, she truly feels like this can go on, and calls it the peace and serenity of time. In their first year of college, it waspletely different from high school. Because they did not need to gather over vacations to have extra lessons, holidays felt more exhausting than school days, and they have to stay upte and get up early. Now they could sleep until naturally awake, watch their preferred TV shows, and wander to their favorite ces. Tang Yuxin had to go to the hill located behind their vige to collect medicinal herbs every day. This mountain, still a tranquil ce, has mostly remained untouched, bearing the state of pristine nature, and free from human pollution. A lot of wild herbal nts grow there. Tang Yuxin recalled that even on the brink of her past life¡¯s end, this hill remained undeveloped. Hence, Li Tang Vige, nestled between the mountains and the rivers, was indeed a scenic beauty. She hoped that the mountain she grew up in would stay like this forever ¡ª peaceful and pure. In this summer break, she barely went anywhere. As she had promised her roommates to give them a few bottles of skincare water each. The skincare water she made, extracted from natural aloe vera, wild chrysanthemums, and various unique nts from the mountains. It doesn¡¯t contain any additives, and mixed with a certain ratio of traditional Chinese medicine, it can nourish and protect the skin, regte the skin from its roots. This was one of the ancient recipes of the Chen family. Many of their ancient forms were excellent but she didn¡¯t have the time to research them now. Because shecked the opportunity. But when the opportunity arises in the future, she would research into these treasures which would help the Chen Family¡¯s medical skills prosper. It would make her rebirth worthwhile and contribute to a good deed.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om The bottles were empty ones she purchased. They had all been boiled and sterilized. She spent the summer vacation filling bottles one by one, producing around a dozen. She gave a bottle each to Zhang Xiangcao and Mother Lin, and the five of them. The remaining ones, including her own and her three dorm mates¡¯, made up five bottles. As for a certain individual living in the dorm, she did not count him in.
She slung her backpack and brushed aside the fringe by her forehead. The sun shone faintly on her, dancing lightly over her skin. Her fairness was almost envy-inducing. Fortunately, Tang Yuxin once again checked her hair. For the past six months, she had been consuming these sweet-smelling medicine pills. Otherwise, she would essentially be a walking fragrance now. She sniffed her sleeve and found no particr scent. There was just a refreshing fragrance that onlyes after a morning bath. It was a very clean, very clear scent. Carrying her backpack, she walked forward, not knowing where to go. She was just wandering around Qing¡¯an City. She went to see the building they were constructing, but there was not much to see. The site was being fenced, and construction workers wearing safety helmets were constantly going in and out. They had only built a few stories by now. Not far from there, a main road was being built, crossing the whole of Qing¡¯an and soon to be its main artery. Due to this road, Qing¡¯an City had shifted to this ce. Hence, thend here was deemed as golden and valuable. She left there to go sightseeing in other ces. But after walking around the malls, she realized there was nothing worth buying. So, she left empty-handed, walked along the Blue River. The Blue River was still clear, but the water quality was not as good as before. Pollution is indeed ubiquitous, even the Flower City of Qing¡¯an had inevitably taken the path to environmental degradation. When pollution became a problem, it was too difficult to restore it. That is how people work, doing things they would regret. By the time they actually feel regret, they realize it is impossible to go back. Suddenly, she stopped. Not far from her, she saw a man standing by the Blue River. He was youthful, with a tall figure, his short hair disheveled by the wind. His hair hung low over his eyes but from her angle, his attractive nose and slightly upturned lips could still be seen. He was dressed simply in a white shirt, as mundane as it gets, but timeless in its appeal. He stood facing the river waters. At that moment, the breeze stirred the ripple in the river, and the reflection of the light on the water was somewhat dazzling. The man suddenly turned around and nced at Tang Yuxin before returning to his previous standing position. From that nce, Tang Yuxin felt a sensation that could be described as ¡®a nce etches eternally in her heart¡¯. She believes that was not a feel of love. It was just that she thought she had seen those eyes, that person somewhere before, a vague familiarity, but still, ultimately strange. She put her hand on her forehead, squinting under the harsh sunlight, feeling slightly ufortable. The summer sun in Qing¡¯an was intense, making the temperature quite high. Surprisingly, the wind blowing against the man seemed to carry a refreshing, invigorating feeling. He seemed like a character stepping right out of an ink painting. A lean figure, faint and clear, on his youthful face there was a vague hint of memories that seem to have passed through time. These memories, he was thinking about, he was recalling, and it seemed, he was also harboring resentment. It was a strange sensation, Tang Yuxin passed by this man. Just like that, in that instant, they brushed past each other. He did not recognize her, and she did not recognize him. She wrapped herself tightly in her clothes¡ª it was still a bit cold. There was a shop selling ice cream nearby. Not knowing if it had the vor she tasted in Beijing, she handed over some coins and started enjoying it while walking. She wasn¡¯t particrly fond of this dessert, but it seemed that girls could hardly resist this sweet and sour taste. Having an ice cream on a scorching summer day, or a candy-coated haw on a stick on a frigid winter day, both experiences were wonderful. She sat on a bench outside a shopping mall, enjoying her ice cream and watching the passers-by. Her gaze flickered, as if tracking something, until a white figure came into her sight.
It was that man. Yes, it was him. Chapter 308: 301: Surprise Chapter 308: Chapter 301: Surprise He had never seen anyone wear a white shirt with such sophistication, nor had he ever seen someone turn amon white shirt into a scenery. At that moment, the man was squatting on the ground, talking to a little girl. The little girl was just crying, but he was gently stroking her hair. Even in that momentaryugh, there was exhaustion that was like the morning sun. Tang Yuxin suddenly felt a stab of pain in her heart. She didn¡¯t know why, but she suddenly felt the urge to cry. As the man bent down to pick up the child and was about to leave, he happened to meet Tang Yuxin¡¯s eyes. Those clear eyes and that clean shirt, along with that smile with a tinge of coldness showed through. In that moment, Tang Yuxin felt her heart flutter. She didn¡¯t know why, but it seemed as if she had experienced something simr when he was picking up the child. She remember she had once wished for someone to take her home, to any ce, as long as it wasn¡¯t her original home. She ced her hand on her knee, the ice cream in her hand was slowly melting away. It seemed like someone had once whispered in her ear. The faint voice, the helpless sigh, the sour feeling of powerlessness.
Hoping that you can be treated gently in your next life. Just that too much time had passed, and she had forgotten. The man carried the child and left in the crowd. A refreshing breeze blew by, carrying a bit of moisture. It was the smell of the water from Blue River, but it wasn¡¯t as clean as before. Actually, the human touch is still quite strong today. In reality, things are still okay. In fact, currently, the distance between people isn¡¯t that far. The ice cream in her hand had melted, drop by drop, it dripped onto the ground. After a while, it left some faint water marks. ¡°Sister, sister¡­.¡± Little Chengcheng is pulling Tang Yuxin¡¯s sleeve, his babyish voice as always, able to melt people¡¯s hearts. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Tang Yuxin turned around, then touched her little brother¡¯s head. Chengcheng raised his chubby arm for his sister to look. His tender, white skin had been bitten by a mosquito, leaving a red and itchy bump. Children have delicate skin, so the bite seemed quite miserable. ¡°It¡¯s okay, sister will put some medicine on it for you.¡± Tang Yuxin picked up her brother and had him sit on a small stool. Then she took out a medicine box, squatted down, scooped out a bit of medicine from the box and applied it to the little guy¡¯s tender arm. As soon as it was applied, there was a cooling sensation, which made the little guy feelfortable. He knew that whenever he felt ufortable or pain, he should seek his sister. His sister was the most powerful one. ¡°Is it better?¡± Tang Yuxin rubbed her brother¡¯s little face, ¡°Is there any other ce that¡¯s itchy? Tell sister.¡± Chengcheng shook his head, ¡°No more, no more itchy.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Tang Yuxin grabbed her brother¡¯s little hand, ¡°You go y with Sister Sisi, sister has things to do. Later, sister will take you to eat something delicious, okay?¡± ¡°Ok,¡± As soon as food was mentioned, Little Fatty¡¯s eyes lit up, revealing him to be a little foodie. Tang Yuxin went into her pharmacy, continued studying the Chen Family¡¯s ancient prescriptions,mitted these old prescriptions to heart. She was trying to make usable products. Although they were only little medicinal products, they were incredibly practical. For example, treating pimples, relieving itchiness caused by mosquito bites. The one she used on Chengcheng just now was one of her research achievements.
In fact, the domestic medicine industry is already very advanced. Many medicines are made based on ancient prescriptions. Some of the medicines from the Chen Family¡¯s ancient prescriptions are actually a bit outdated because they have long been reced by better drugs. She hopes to utilize these methods to manufacture her own medicines that are easier on the body and have better effects. While outside, Chengcheng was ying with Sisi. Sisi was ying hopscotch with ChengCheng, the siblings seemed to be having a great time. Chengcheng was a child who didn¡¯t need anyone to take care of him; give him a stool and he could entertain himself. No stool? He would sit on the ground and happily watch television with his little radish-like chubby legs. Tang Yuxin went into the kitchen, picked up a piece of watermelon and chopped it into small pieces. She removed the seeds from the inside and then carried over a te of neatly chopped watermelon. ¡°Sister, want to eat melon,¡± Little Fatty reached out his chubby hand for the watermelon.
¡°Sisi, get it yourself,¡± Tang Yuxin pointed to the kitchen and told her sister. ¡°Okay,¡± Sisi also wanted to eat watermelon, so she took some for herself. Tang Yuxin crouched down, using a spoon to feed her brother watermelon.N?v(el)B\\jnn Little Fatty took a bite of watermelon. The burp he let out smelled of watermelon. His big, round eyes sparkled. It seemed he was extremely delighted with his food, his small fists clenching with joy. After all, not too long ago, he could only drink milk. Now that he was growing up, he could finally eat delicious watermelon and meat! Otherwise, how could he have grown to be so plump? He was nurtured by Zhang Xiangcao. Meanwhile, Tang Yuxin calcted her time. She had one more week before the start of school. Once school started, she wouldn¡¯t be able to apany her little brother. By the time she came back, it would be New Year¡¯s and Little ChengCheng would already be two years old. How quickly time flies, the next time she packed up to leave, school would have once again started. ¡°Yuxin, dad has something to show you.¡± Tang Zhinian had his hand hidden behind his back as if he had a surprise. But Tang Yuxin looked at Tang Zhinian¡¯s back curiously. She wanted to know what he was hiding behind. However, she really wasn¡¯t that curious about tearing away the mystery. Rather, she didn¡¯t enjoy guessing games. She knew she would know what it was soon, so why guess? ¡°Look!¡± Tang Zhinian brought out his hand, in it was a bunch of keys. ¡°This is for you.¡±
He ced the keys in the palm of his daughter¡¯s hand. ¡°Dad, what are these?¡± Tang Yuxin picked up the keys. ¡°Such a big set, what are these keys for?¡± ¡°Guess?¡± Tang Zhinian said to his daughter with a mysterious smile. Tang Yuxin put the keys on the table, clearly not curious at all. Of course, this caused Tang Zhinian, who was trying to create suspense, to feel a touch of defeat. How hard it is to trick his daughter. Chapter 309: 302: A Fathers Love That Spares Nothing Chapter 309: Chapter 302: A Father¡¯s Love That Spares Nothing Well, it¡¯s good that she¡¯s not easily deceived, it also means no one could ill-intentionally trick her that easily. Tang Yuxin continued to pack her belongings, Tang Zhinian once again took out a set of keys, cing them inside Tang Yuxin¡¯s suitcase. ¡°Do you remember when your father took you to Beijing, you said you wanted to buy a house?¡± ¡°Yes, I remember,¡± Tang Yuxin took out her clothes and put them directly into the suitcase, not paying any attention to the keys. She had intended to buy a traditional courtyard house on the old street, but it was too expensive at the time. The owner was asking for 150,000, apletely inted price, and they couldn¡¯t afford it. She lost interest when she couldn¡¯t afford it, especially after checking out a few other ces that didn¡¯t have any courtyards that interested her. Plus, there weren¡¯t any decent houses either, so that trip ended up being a waste. She had no intention of going back a second time. Sheter thought about it, deciding to buy a small two-bedroom apartment after college, once she started working. By the time she graduated, the housing prices in Beijing wouldn¡¯t have risen too much, but getting a courtyard house like she wanted would be a challenge. It¡¯s not something she could afford with her means, even if she had the funds, it would not be avable for sale. ¡°Your father bought the courtyard house you wanted.¡± Tang Zhinian spoke with a proud smile. The clothes Tang Yuxin was arranging fell to the floor.
She quickly took out the set of keys from her suitcase. ¡°Dad, is this true?¡± Tang Yuxin was about to bite the key to see if it was real, then realized it was not made of gold, it was just a key. But wasn¡¯t it gold after all? Having a courtyard house in a ce like Beijing gave a sense of tranquility no high-rise could match. There would be wind, grass, trees, flowers, and birds. She could smell the flowers in the courtyard, listen to the birds chirping in the morning, collect rainwater dripping down from the eaves on a rainy day, even build a snowman when it snowed. She could run around freely in the courtyard without worrying about disturbing the neighbors above and below. Tang Zhinian gently stroked his daughter¡¯s head, feeling that buying the house had been the right decision. Even though it was expensive and he was frustrated by the inted price, it was the first time his little Yuxin had actively asked him for something. Although it meant nearly draining all his savings, he finally made up his mind and bought it for his daughter. Only now did he realize how right his decision had been. He had heard that those old houses had been ssified as cultural relics, protected by the state. Even if one wanted to buy them, they were not for sale, and if they were, the price would be over a million. Tang Zhinian had no idea that in a few years, it would not be a ce where anyone could afford to live, even with millions. Beijing was truly a ce where every inch of soil was worth its weight in gold. Even Ren Li said that he was crazy to have spent every penny he had back then, even borrowing from his own brothers, just to buy a beautiful, yet seemingly useless house. This was not typical of Tang Zhinian, he wasn¡¯t known for making such high-risk investments, especially when it involved his younger brother¡¯s portion too. As for why Tang Zhinian did it ¨C it was due to fatherly love, unconditional love. As long as his daughter wanted it, even if it meant selling everything he had, he would make it happen. Ren Li knew that, in Tang Zhinian¡¯s heart, Tang Yuxin held the first ce, while she and Little Chengcheng were second and third. But having such a ce in his heart was satisfying enough for her. Of course, the house in Beijing was her daughter¡¯s dowry from Tang Zhinian. She wasn¡¯t expecting anything else, besides, she didn¡¯t like Beijing. She would make sure her son, Little Chengcheng, had a great dowry in the future. Even on the train, Tang Yuxin couldn¡¯t quite believe she held the keys to her own courtyard house in Beijing. She was still stunned that her father had actually bought it for her, a cultural heritage property that would be worth millions in the future and not avable for sale no matter how much money one had. Was she dreaming? A house that was worth 150,000 back then, now had gone up in value by more than tenfold. With almost the same amount of money, they had managed to acquire the best plot ofnd in Qing¡¯an, where they were building a high rise. Her father had truly given her a big surprise, a very big surprise indeed.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om
¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Lin Yile waved her hand in front of Tang Yuxin, ¡°Why are you so thoughtful once on the train? Are you thinking about Chengcheng? I miss him too.¡± Lin Yileid her head down on the table, ¡°I want to touch his chubby little hands and feet, hear him call me ¡®sister¡¯. My little brother, why is he so cute?¡± ¡°Because he¡¯s my little brother,¡± Tang Yuxin put her keys away, nning to take a look when she had time. She hadn¡¯t been there for several years, I wonder if it¡¯s already covered in dust? Lin Yile didn¡¯t argue any further with Tang Yuxin. After all, he was Tang Yuxin¡¯s biological brother, and of course, her foster brother.
But it doesn¡¯t matter, a brother is a brother just the same. The train continued to move forward, the sound of the train driving could be heard far off in the distance. The journey from Qing¡¯an to Beijing took at least two days and two nights. After the special trains are introduced, the journey could be shortened to about thirty hours. And even faster in the future, down to just a few hours by air. However, currently, there were no direct flights from Qing¡¯an to Beijing, nor high-speed rails. So for now, they were limited to taking a two-day and two-night train ride. As they travel this path over the next three years, they would have time to contemte. After they arrived at the station, Lin Yile tiredly pulled her suitcase off the train. The long train journey had almost broken her back. Chapter 310: 303 Her New Home Chapter 310: Chapter 303 Her New Homen/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Thank goodness they had arrived, otherwise, if it took one more day, she would have thrown up on the train¡­ She had seen people get carsick, and others get motion sickness from bus rides, but had anyone ever heard of someone getting trainsick? ¡°Do you have a remedy for my trainsickness?¡± Lin Yile asked, tugging Tang Yuxin¡¯s sleeve. With her finger pointing to her own eyes, sheined about how nauseous she was feeling. ¡°It¡¯s psychological, there¡¯s no cure.¡± Tang Yuxin said bluntly. This bluntness pissed Lin Yile off. ¡°Sis, can you not say things like that? I just really want to get off this train. The bathroom here is horrific, it smells so bad,¡± she whined. Tang Yuxin, pulling her luggage, moved forward and found the bus going to their university. As they had arrived early to avoid the rush of students returning to school, it was a breeze getting bus and train tickets. So, they had arrived two days earlier than the semester start. A direct bus went from the train station to the university. It was the same bus nearly all studentsing from Beijing would take. By the time they arrived at their university, Lin Yile was so exhausted that she didn¡¯t even want to move. She was hungry, tired, and just wanted to sleep. Tang Yuxin took out her key from her backpack, opened their dormitory door, and was greeted by an overpowering scent of dust. It was to be expected after the dorm being unupied for two months. She fetched herself a basin to wash with, then set out to clean up the room.
There weren¡¯t many students on campus, therefore the water supply and everything else were abundantly avable. They had more things to do like cleaning, taking out nkets, airing the nkets, and buying some necessary stuff. By the time they finished all the work, it was almost afternoon. Tang Yuxin packed her backpack, took a bunch of keys, and prepared to go out. ¡°What are you going to do?¡± Lin Yile asked, sprawling on her bed so tired that she felt like she could die. ¡°I¡¯m going out for a bit.¡± As Tang Yuxin slung the backpack over her shoulder, Lin Yile wondered how she still seemed so energetic after getting off the train. ¡°Go, just go.¡± Lin Yile waved her off, knowing full well she wasn¡¯t going anywhere. She wanted to sleep, and sleep until tomorrow. She stood firm, adamant that she wouldn¡¯t be moving or getting up. ¡°I¡¯ll head out, don¡¯t worry.¡± Tang Yuxin opened the door. ¡°I¡¯ll bring back some Baozi.¡± They both loved to eat the local Dog Lard Baozi, which was sold in a small alley in Beijing. The authentic taste was worth the lengthy walk from school just for a taste. In the eyes of food lovers, even an hour¡¯s walk was nothing if it meant eating their favorite baozi. What some would perceive as a hassle was a small price to pay for these food lovers. Lin Yile waved her hand once more, already drowsy and on the verge of sleep. By the time Tang Yuxin closed the door, Lin Yile was mumbling to herself, ¡°Baozi, hehe¡­¡± She chuckled stupidly, her dreams perhaps already filled with baozi. At this point, Tang Yuxin had already left the school and was heading towards a small traditional-style quadrangle residence. The first time she found out her father had bought that residence, she was extremely excited. Her feelings were almost akin to leaving the Wei Family for the first time in her previous life, where she no longer had to serve as their maid, cook three meals for them, do theirundry, babysit their child, and sleep in a kennel. Now she had her own home, her own life. It felt as though her life had truly changed: she was now able to live how she wishes, happy and content. She got off the bus, reached the ancient alleyway and heard someone ying the erhu. That sound carried genuine Beijing vor. Continuing down the alley, the leafy trees shielded her from the sun, the cicadas chirping. On either side were sturdy trees that had been there for a long time.
The quadrangle residence housed elderly locals, living a simple and satisfying life. Number 25. She stopped in front of the number and looked at the house. This should be it.
She pushes the door a little. It was locked securely and retained its ancient charm. Simply being there felt like a time travel back to the Ming and Qing Dynasty. There were no skyscrapers, massive buildings, or any signs of modern technology. All that surrounded her was the aura of a bygone era. Despite weathering centuries of wind and rain, the color of the door was still as strong. She took out a bunch of keys from her backpack, found the biggest one, and it indeed fit the lock. With a click, the door unlocked. Lightly, she pushed the door open: the courtyard inside was broad andid with gray bricks. There was arge ancient tree in the courtyard, another at the back cloaked with thick leaves shadowing the courtyard. Even though it was summer, the courtyard was slightly cool. She stepped onto the bricks, taking in the scent of moss and the sound of sparrows. It seemed that some of them had made homes under the roof tiles. No one had lived here for a long time. There was arge stone table in the courtyard, the surface covered with ayer of dust and the ground littered with withered leaves. She headed inside and opened another door. To her disappointment, the room was empty. She had hoped to find antique furniture. Maybe even those made from rosewood or Huanghuali wood. The reality was, that was way too optimistic of her. Even if all the furniture and furnishings, including the roof tiles and gray bricks, were taken away, the ce was still worth it. Just this plot ofnd was worth millions. Since the house was still intact, she was satisfied. She would clean it in her spare time and buy some old furniture. It wouldn¡¯t cost much. By next year, she would be ready to move in. She locked the door and again slid the backpack over her shoulder, walking out of the quadrangle to the distant Erhu sound and the unique Beijing ent. Listening to the chirping of the birds, her mood was great. Chapter 311: 304: Sold Out Chapter 311: Chapter 304: Sold Out Of course, she didn¡¯t forget that she also needed to buy some ¡°goubuli¡± baozi for Lin Yile. The ce that sold the baozi was not far from here, barely a ten-minute walk. Beijing at this time was already an international metropolis, butpared to what it would be in ten years, it was still hard to imagine that this was what Beijing had once looked like. The streetlights cast amber shadows, with buses and private cars weaving around them. Yet the streets were noticeably quiet, the pedestrians¡¯ attirecked diversity, the buildings on either side of the road were not as tall, and there were fewer people. At night, Beijing was still a quiet city. The development of a city in a year was astonishing, let alone over ten years. And indeed, a lot could change in ten years. She arrived at the baozi shop, which had a long line already. The authentic Tianjin ¡°goubuli¡± baozi, while she didn¡¯t find it particrly appealing, was something Lin Yile was extremely fond of, and he could eat any amount she got him. She stepped forward, took out some loose change from her pocket, and bought two baskets of baozi to take home. But then she wondered if she should buy more in case Ting Yuan and the others showed up. One basket surely wouldn¡¯t be enough: each of them could easily finish a basket by themselves. In the end, she decided to buy four baskets to take home. As she turned to leave, she bumped into someone.
¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she quickly apologized. ¡°No problem,¡± the man¡¯s voice held the coolness of a summer breeze. She looked up and was startled but also met a pair of eyes that twinkled like stars. They were the most beautiful eyes she had ever seen, bright like the starry sky now. Yetter on, she would no longer find the starry sky beautiful. At this moment, the most beautiful starry sky she had ever seen was in this man¡¯s eyes. The man gave her a smile, ¡°Could you let me through, please?¡± he pointed at the path ahead, ¡°I¡¯d like to buy baozi.¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn Tang Yuxin quickly made way and started walking ahead against the wind. She quickened her pace, letting the cool summer night breeze gradually dissipate the heat on her face. But was it really only heat? Could it be that her face simply couldn¡¯t turn red? When she returned to the school, it wasn¡¯t even eight o¡¯clock yet. The moment she opened the door to her dorm, the baozi she was holding disappeared out of her hands. ¡°See, I told you she would bring us baozi. This is more than enough for us. I¡¯ve been starving for several hours just waiting for these. Look at how pitiful I am¡­ ¡± she pointed at her face, then sucked in her cheeks, ¡°I¡¯ve starved myself thin.¡± ¡°I think you¡¯ve gotten fatter,¡± Ting Yuan had already snatched a basket from Lin Yile and started eating. Tang Yuxin had bought four baskets, enough for one each, which was both filling and satisfying. ¡°No, you¡¯re the one who¡¯s gotten fatter,¡± Lin Yile said cheerily, taking a bite of baozi, ¡°My mom said I¡¯ve lost weight.¡± ¡°My mom also said I¡¯ve lost weight,¡± Ting Yuan pinched the flesh on her stomach, ¡°she said the school food is really good and it¡¯s made me some sturdy, so I must have lost weight. Of course¡­¡± she stroked her face, ¡°I¡¯ve also gotten paler.¡± ¡°Tang Yuxin, Yuxin¡­¡± Ting Yuan put down her baozi and quickly ran over to Tang Yuxin, ¡°Where is my skincare water? Did you bring it for me?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Tang Yuxin didn¡¯t eat her baozi. She dragged over her suitcase from the side, opened it, took out two bottles of skincare water, and handed one each to Ting Yuan and Song Qingtong. Ting Yuan, treating the bottle like a treasure, hid it under her pillow. Then she picked up her half-eaten baozi and resumed eating. Tang Yuxin also picked up a baozi and began to eat it bite by bite. But she couldn¡¯t help but think of the vast, star-studded sky, which seemed to be reflected in that man¡¯s eyes. That night, all but one of them, Sun Yumeng, were in the dorm. Without Sun Yumeng, the air in the dorm felt fresher. The school no longer enforced a lights-out time, so they chatted untilte. Most of the conversation revolved around Tang Yuxin¡¯s less than two-year-old brother, her biological sibling. Tang Yuxin also missed Little Fatty. She wondered if he would cry when he woke up and couldn¡¯t find his sister. She was scared to see Little Fatty cry, so she didn¡¯t tell him she would be leaving and left stealthily while he was still asleep. Drowsy, Tang Yuxin fell asleep. When she opened her eyes again, it was daylight. So she was thinking about going over to the courtyard house to clean up, aiming to finish as soon as possible so she could move in on the weekend. Therefore, that day, when the others suggested going shopping, Tang Yuxin didn¡¯t go. She went straight to the courtyard house and cleared all the weeds in the yard by herself. Thankfully, she grew up in the countryside and had done some farm work when she was little. So weed pulling was not difficult for her.
It took her the whole day topletely weed the yard. From then on, she nned toe over once a week. She regarded this as herbor. After all, she had nothing else to do on weekends. After locking up the house, she decided to go back. But before she left, she thought about going to the alley and buying a few baskets of baozi as well. As she thought about this, she headed in that direction. She walked briskly for fear that the baozi would sell out. After all, the baozi from that shop sold out really fast.
Fortunately, when she arrived, there were still a few baskets left. She counted ¨C there were exactly four baskets, enough for them to eat. And, there was no one else in line behind her. So she decided to buy them all at once, which would also allow the shop to close early. ¡°Give me all four baskets, ¡± she took the money out of her bag, just about to pay, when a hand reached out from the side, holding some loose change, ¡°Boss, give me two baskets of baozi.¡± ¡°Sorry, we¡¯re all sold out.¡± The baozi shop owner pointed at Tang Yuxin, ¡°The youngdy bought all of them. We¡¯ve already packed up. Come back tomorrow.¡± Tang Yuxin took the baozi, about to leave, when that person quickly stepped in front of her. ¡°Could you please spare me two baskets? I¡¯ll pay double.¡± Tang Yuxin lifted her head, only to see a familiar face. ¡°It¡¯s you. What a coincidence,¡±, the man smiled. Tang Yuxin lowered hershes, looked down at the baozi in her hand, and admitted, ¡°Yes, indeed, it is quite a coincidence.¡± ¡°Do you want some?¡± She divided two baskets from hers and ced them in front of the man. ¡°Thank you,¡± the man received the baozi and took out a hundred yuan bill from his pocket. Chapter 312: 305: Having a Foundation Chapter 312: Chapter 305: Having a Foundation ¡°I don¡¯t have money to pay you back,¡± Tang Yuxin didn¡¯t take the money, two baskets of Baozi only cost five yuan, yet he gave her a hundred, where would she find the other 95 yuan change for him? ¡°No need for change.¡± the man smiled and tried to put the money in Tang Yuxin¡¯s pocket. ¡°No, it¡¯s for you,¡± Tang Yuxin still refused to take the money. The man eventually took back his money, ¡± Which college are you in? I¡¯ll deliver it tomorrow.¡± Tang Yuxin turned to leave without noticing the gleam of mischief appearing in the man¡¯s eyes. The man pulled out a Baozi from his bag, took a generous bite, and appeared to be in a good mood. Tang Yuxin returned to campus with two baskets of Baozi. A few of her ssmates had returned from a shopping spree, loaded with clothes and snacks. The sight of the Baozi sent them into a frenzy, all flocking over to have a taste. Tang Yuxin only managed to grab one Baozi before the rest were devoured. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you buy more, since you were already there?¡± Lin Yile, happily munching on a Baozi, was dismayed at the few remaining. When it came to Baozi, Tang Yuxin didn¡¯t count. She didn¡¯t mind whether Tang ate it or not, but this little number was not enough for three mouths.
Don¡¯t they know how hard it is for them to get their hands on these Baozi? They had to trek for hours to get to the city where they could buy authentic Goubuli Baozi. ¡°There were only two baskets left,¡± Tang Yuxin replied, half-chewing her Baozi. What she couldn¡¯t say was that there were initially four baskets, but she chose to give two away. If her roommates knew she had given away their precious Baozi, they would probably kill her. For a foodie, there¡¯s no greater priority in this world than their next meal. However, she couldn¡¯t help but to remark, ¡°You all eat so much every day, aren¡¯t you afraid of gaining weight?¡± And on top of that, she was worried about the uing SARS outbreak. She thought about buying some disinfectant for the dorm, otherwise, the price of medical supplies would skyrocket during the outbreak. Even though the price would stabilize eventually, it would be hard to acquire, especially when it was a daily necessity. Maybe she could stash some in her courtyard house. She also wanted to prepare some medications, which might help prevent the disease. This was a serious pandemic, that spread super-fast, far beyond any predictions. The rapid spread of information on the inte and television about the virus added to the pressure. The next day, sses started. However, Sun Yumeng didn¡¯t show up. They were spared from hearing the sound of Sun Yumeng pping her own face. Really, how could a girl be so brutal to her own face? Even for beauty¡¯s sake, there¡¯s no need for such excessive pping, right? Their lessons were mostly theoretical, with some practical exercises. Today was special though, they were about to get some hands-on experience. The teacher provided instructions while the students watched from the sidelines. They had undergone intravenous injection theory lessons many times, even practiced on artificial skin. However, this was their first time on a live subject. Many students, holding the needles, were unsure how to proceed. Tang Yuxin and Ting Yuan were a team. ¡°Be gentle,¡± Ting Yuan hid her hand behind her back, reluctant to offer it up. By now, Tang Yuxin was prepared. She had already emptied the air from the syringe, waiting for Ting Yuan to offer her arm, with a smile on her face. At that moment, Ting Yuan perceived Tang Yuxin as an executioner. It wasn¡¯t a needle she held, but a knife. The knife was about to cut her. She could only imagine how unbearable the pain would be. She was terrified of pain. Just as Ting Yuan was about to stretch out her arm, a scream of agony echoed from behind, and her forehead broke out into a cold sweat.
The pain must be unbearable. Their theoretical lessons were excellent, and this was their first practical session. She was determined to be a good doctor in the future, but every doctor needed to pass this test. She gazed at the ceiling in silence. She finally decided to brave it, reasoning that it was going to hurt whether sooner orter, so why dy?
After hesitating for a long time, she finally gritted her teeth, handed her hand to Tang Yuxin, and closed her eyes tight, appearing as if tortured, making Tang Yuxin smile. When they chose this path, they knew there would be painful days. If you don¡¯t understand your own pain, how can you understand the patient¡¯s? Tang Yuxin tied a tourniquet around Ting Yuan¡¯s arm, then gently patted the back of her hand. Ting Yuan, frightened, sweat trickling down her palm. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, it¡¯s fine,¡± Tang Yuxin reassured her. Before Ting Yuan could reply, she felt a sting and realized that the needle was in her hand. Tang Yuxin swiftly secured the needle with adhesive tape. Her efficient and skillful maneuver was over in less than ten seconds. As soon as her hand was done, a scream, reminiscent of a pig being ughtered, echoed from a nearby male student. The ssroom sounded as though it had be a ughterhouse. Their instructor came over to them, patted Tang Yuxin¡¯s shoulder, andmented, ¡°Nice job, quick and clean.¡± Ting Yuan grimaced, using Tang Yuxin of performing a quick execution instead of simply injecting her with a needle. ¡°Not your first time giving an injection?¡± the instructor asked Tang Yuxin. Everything from the uracy, speed, identifying veins, emotional maturity, and technical preciseness; none of these qualities belonged to a beginner.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om ¡°No, not the first time,¡± Tang Yuxin smiled, ¡°When I was a child, an old gentleman in the vige, who was a doctor, taught me.¡± Indeed, she was taught, though the old man did not teach her to administer intravenous injections. He taught her how to practice acupuncture on a person, turning them into a human hedgehog. While traditional Chinese and Western medicine are different, the goal is the same in her eyes. The goal is to treat patients and save lives.
¡°I see,¡± the instructormented, his impression of Tang Yuxin improving. Chapter 313: Killed her at the 306th stab Chapter 313: Killed her at the 306th stab All the students in this batch are novices. Only Tang Yuxin seems to have some foundation, so she should be a promising seed, who appears set to be a qualified medical personnel. Tang Yuxin removed the needle for Ting Yuan, then washed her hands, preparing to let others needle her. In fact, she wasn¡¯t too afraid. They all started from this moment. She had needled herself and had done it many times. She had even hurt herself while practicing the Chen-style Acupuncture Method, even making a mess of herself. She had also needled her second uncle, who really loved her and was willing to let her practice acupuncture on him. Thinking about it now, only your rtives could love you and ache for you without asking for anything in return. She washed her hands and reached out. Ting Yuan took a deep breath, then grasped Tang Yuxin¡¯s arm. But Tang Yuxin¡¯s arm was so white, she didn¡¯t dare to needle it, she just couldn¡¯t make herself do it. She held onto Tang Yuxin¡¯s hand and felt the coolness on her skin. However, she no longer smelled sweet due to the medicine she had taken to mask the scent. She had already tied a tourniquet around Tang Yuxin¡¯s arm. Tang Yuxin was very thin, so it was easy for her to find her vein. With a vein so apparent, it must be easy to insert the needle. She closed her eyes to calm herself. As it was her first time, her hands were trembling, with sweat in her palms. The sweat on her forehead trickled down her face. It was only until she opened her eyes, after taking several deep breaths, that she gritted her teeth and impaled the needle into Tang Yuxin¡¯s vein. The sudden pain made Tang Yuxin frown, but unlike others, she did not scream.
She missed. The mentor on the side saw this and said, ¡°Haven¡¯t I told you many times to aim for the vein? Why do you keep aiming for the skin? This isn¡¯t tattooing, it¡¯s injecting, intravenous infusion, get it?¡± ¡°I¡­I¡­I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± Ting Yuan was shaking like a leaf now. ¡°It¡¯s alright, try again.¡± Tang Yuxin pulled out the needle herself and offered her other hand to Ting Yuan. With tears welling in her eyes, Ting Yuan felt truly sorry for Tang Yuxin. ¡°It¡¯s okay, it doesn¡¯t hurt,¡± Tang Yuxinforted Ting Yuan. However, she chuckled bitterly in her heart, how could it not hurt? It was extremely painful, and if it wasn¡¯t for her tolerance, she would have screamed like the others.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Seeing Tang Yuxin in this state, Ting Yuan could only try again. ¡°Here,¡± Tang Yuxin guided her, pointing at her hand, ¡°Insert here, exert lighter force, and maintain the correct angle.¡± Sweat dropped from Ting Yuan¡¯s forehead once again. She shook as she tried for a second time and seeded, although, she caused Tang Yuxin pain again. Regardless of being a doctor or a nurse, mastering the skill of needling was essential. Some people had readily visible veins, while others had veins that were really hard to find. Therefore, it required the doctor or the nurse to have good vision and experience. When ss ended, Tang Yuxin looked at the back of her hands. Both were bruised. If her skin was dark, it would not have been noticeable. Unfortunately, herplexion was exceptionally fair. This was the shoring of having fair skin ¨C even the slightest injury was clearly visible. Ting Yuan didn¡¯t dare to look at Tang Yuxin¡¯s hands. It was because of her ipetence that Tang Yuxin had to endure the pain of two needles. No, it was two for the price of one. ¡°It¡¯s alright, just keep practicing,¡± Tang Yuxin didn¡¯t take the injuries on the back of her hands seriously, ¡°It looks serious, but actually, it¡¯s not that painful. It just appears more obvious because I¡¯m too fair.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Ting Yuan chimed in, ¡°If you were as dark as me, even if you got hit in the face, it wouldn¡¯t show.¡± While saying this, Ting Yuan seemed quite proud. She finally found an advantage of having a darkerplexion ¨C if she had to practice injections with others in the future, at least she couldn¡¯t see the bruises. In actual fact, she was mistaken. The reason she couldn¡¯t see any injuries on the back of her hand was not because she was dark, but because Tang Yuxin was really skilled. If it was another ssmate, given that they were all novices, should she let them try? Lets¡¯s see if her hand could end up looking like a pig¡¯s trotter.
In the afternoon, Tang Yuxin had to clean her house and buy some disinfectants. Not long after, there would be a severe shortage of it. This was especially true in Beijing because it was one of the worst affected areas during the epidemic. She went into the supermarket and immediately took ten bottles of disinfectant off the shelves. She couldn¡¯t carry any more. It was okay, there were still over half a year before the outbreak of SARS. She had plenty of time to prepare. She put all the disinfectants she bought into her house. There was nothing else in the room, just the four empty walls. She put the disinfectants in the corner, and the bruises on the back of her hand seemed rather startling.
But she didn¡¯t mind, just as she said, while it looked serious, it actually didn¡¯t hurt much, did it? She didn¡¯t have sses in the afternoon, rendering her time to stay and recharge. Therefore, Tang Yuxin continued to buy more disinfectants. However, she wouldn¡¯t buy them all from one ce. She purchased from different ces, and after several trips, she had already bought more than fifty bottles. Afterwards, she grabbed a duster and started cleaning up. After a few rounds, the whole room was cleaned, including the stone table outside, which had not a speck of dust on it. Whenever she came here, she could feel events from another time happening in the flowing air around her. In the silence, there were always some peculiar sounds. Like that of birds chirping, wind, and rain. If it rained here, it must be quite a sight. She sat at the stone table, resting her cheek on her hand, thinking that when her finances were better, she would purchase some furniture for the house. Although her father provided her with a generous allowance, it might not be enough if she were to buy furniture. She considered taking on a part-time job, but then she realized that other than being a doctor, she wasn¡¯t good at anything else. In her former life, she was a nondescript woman. Besides going to school, the only thing she did was make money. She worked part-time jobs to make money, tutored as a home teacher to make money, earning her living expenses and tuition fees. She had once handed out flyers, delivered milk in the early morning, sold newspapers, and even shined shoes. Whatever job that could earn her money, she took it. She never really got to choose her job. It was not her choosing the job, it was the job choosing her. Chapter 314: 307: His name is Qin Ziye Chapter 314: Chapter 307: His name is Qin Ziye So, entangled in such busyness, there was no way she had time for other forms of entertainment; she didn¡¯t read books, watch TV, or movies, and certainly didn¡¯t have the money to buy aputer for herself. She¡¯d never bought a lottery ticket, didn¡¯t know which numbers could win. If she did, she would probably be a millionaire by now, but she wasn¡¯t. As for things like stocks, she¡¯d never yed with them either, so she didn¡¯t know which ones could soar. But what would happen if they tanked? Would she be reduced to living off thin air? So,pared to those golden-fingered heroines in the books, she was merely an extra, an insignificant one at that. She then went out to buy a few bottles of disinfectant and closed the door, preparing to return to school. But when she came out, she did not forget to get Baozi for her three roommates. She shouldered her bag and because of the rain the previous day, the Beijing air carried a hint of moisture. The wind that blew across her face felt very moist and refreshing. Beijing did not have any sandstorms at this time. The air in Beijing was still fresh at this time. She made her way to the baozi shop and was about to pay for the four baskets of baozi she ordered when a hand reached out to pay instead. She turned around and was surprised to see the same familiar face.
¡°What¡¯s the matter, shocked?¡¯ The man paid the bill, his smiling eyes reflecting the blue sky. With his tidy white shirt and that familiar scent ofundry detergent, she recognized the man she had encountered twice before in Qing¡¯an.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om ¡°What happened to your hand?¡± The man asked, looking at Tang Yuxin¡¯s bruised hand. ¡°Did someone hit you so it looks like this?¡± ¡°It was an injection by an inexperienced doctor,¡± Tang Yuxin replied as she epted the packaged baskets of baozi from the shop owner, but another hand was faster than hers. ¡°Let me do it; you¡¯re injured.¡± And so, the man casually took the baozi from Tang Yuxin. She blew on her hand, sure it was bruised, but it was not disabled. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± the man called out to her from a distance. His smile was infectious, just like the clear dustless weather. Tang Yuxin walked up to him, and they started walking side by side. ¡°My name is Qin Ziye. What¡¯s yours?¡± He asked Tang Yuxin. His face, always wearing a smile, radiated inexplicable warmth. But when his eyes met Tang Yuxin¡¯s, she felt a piercing gaze. A gaze that seemed to see through her, yet she was unsure who it saw. ¡°I¡¯m Tang Yuxin,¡± she answered, her gaze lingering on the baozi in Qin Ziye¡¯s hand, contemting how she could retrieve it. ¡°Do you want to eat one?¡± Qin Ziye suddenly stopped, plucked a baozi from the bag, and offered it to Tang Yuxin, who was taken aback by his actions. ¡°Thank you,¡± she received the baozi from Qin Ziye¡¯s hand, ced it in her mouth, and began eating. They continued to walk forward, just like long-time friends or lovers experiencing their first love. ¡°Which school are you from?¡± Qin Ziye asked while walking. Their pace was leisurely, and the direction seemed spontaneous. They probably didn¡¯t even know where they were heading. ¡°Qing University Medical Department.¡± Tang Yuxin replied, nibbling on the baozi. At this moment, her feet took a turn into a small path that led to Qing University. ¡°Well that exins it,¡± Qin Ziyemented, pointing at Tang Yuxin¡¯s bruised hand. ¡°For someone to leave a bruise like this, must be quite the talent.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll walk you back,¡± Qin Ziye didn¡¯t say he was going to leave. He didn¡¯t give the baozi to Tang Yuxin either. He kept up with her pace, always making light-heartedments without appearing frivolous. You could tell by his conversation and manners that he was well brought up. Walking together, having someone to talk to was less boring than being alone. However, Tang Yuxin was a natural daydreamer. Even when she was by herself, her thoughts could wander aimlessly. And it was happening again.
Qin Ziye would asionally notice, Tang Yuxin was prone to daydreaming. But her captivating looks were undeniable. She was a young woman in her prime. Even with a bare face, she was still remarkably charming. ¡°I¡¯m here,¡± Tang Yuxin stopped. They had reached the entrance of Qing University. It had a strict management policy; not everyone had ess to the campus during school days. Qin Ziye handed over the baozi to Tang Yuxin. Then he reached out and picked a leaf out of her hair. As he leaned closer, he caught a whiff of her familiar scent. He sighed softly and ced his hand on her backpack, asking for her notebook and pen. She had no idea what he was up to, yet she fumbled through her backpack to fetch her notebook and pen.
Qin Ziye quickly scribbled something in the notebook. ¡°This is my number. Call me if you need anything.¡± He handed back the notebook and pen to Tang Yuxin. She nced at the number before stowing away the stationery in her bag. She then stepped into the campus, feeling Qin Ziye¡¯s gaze on her, lingering until she vanished from sight and finally left. The truth was, Tang Yuxin didn¡¯t overthink it. She had never yearned for love or sought marriage in her life. Her only ambition was to be a good doctor, that¡¯s all. ¡°I brought back baozi,¡± she announced as she opened the door to her dorm, only to find the atmosphere wasn¡¯t as genial as usual. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± She stepped in, everyone was there, but their faces seemed longer than usual. Lin Yile took a baozi from the basket, biting into it as if she were venting her anger. The force was so great, it was almost frightening. It didn¡¯t look like she was gnawing on baozi; it was as if she was biting into someone¡¯s flesh. One could mistake her for devouring flesh and blood instead of a mere baozi. Lin Yile bit into the baozi forcefully, her face puffing up red with anger. Just then, Ting Yuan abruptly grabbed Tang Yuxin¡¯s sleeve, brushing against her bruised hand in the process. Normally, she couldn¡¯t feel the pain, but any physical contact brought a wave of agony. Yet, she endured it.
Chapter 315: 308: Ill Stab You First Chapter 315: Chapter 308: I¡¯ll Stab You First ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± She asked Ting Yuan in a soft voice, wondering who had upset Lele. Lele was generally kind-hearted, not to mention a little carefree. Unless something was egregiously wrong, she would usually just turn a blind eye to it. What¡¯s happened today? Why does she look as long-faced as a horse? ¡°Well¡­¡± Ting Yuan extended her arm and pointed in a direction. ¡°She¡¯s here, she immediately had a big argument with Lele, using Lele of keeping her up with her loud voice.¡± Tang Yuxin raised her eyes to take a look, and indeed spotted a person wrapped up like a silkworm cocoon above the bunk. It was Sun Yumeng, whom they thought wouldn¡¯t being this semester. But why was she here now? School had started a month ago and the school was quite strict about student attendance. Sun Yumeng had skipped an entire month of sses; did she intend to graduate at all? It wasn¡¯t as if Sun Yumeng was on leave. The teacher had contacted her several times and asked their dorm mates many times why she hadn¡¯t shown up for ss. If the teachers had no idea, it meant she was skipping ss, not officially on leave. No one knew where Sun Yumeng had gone during that month. She probably stayed at home, or perhaps she was somewhere else, but no matter what the reason, she had skipped an entire month of ss. And on her return, she got into an argument with Lin Yile. The students in the dormitory haven¡¯t stepped into society yet, so most of them were still innocent and simple, not meticulous. But Sun Yumeng was different, she had already been influenced by some adult perspectives and distanced herself from this circle. She seemed out of ce in school, and likewise with them. So it wouldn¡¯t be easy for her to fit in with the rest, and of course, they didn¡¯t take the initiative to befriend Sun Yumeng either. Therefore, the dormitory rtionship had always been like this. The four of them formed a cohesive group, while Sun Yumeng didn¡¯t associate with anyone. Tang Yuxin was somewhat puzzled.
She didn¡¯t quite understand how Sun Yumeng could survive in such an environment. Maybe she didn¡¯t mind interacting with them, these so-called mortals. She came and went as she pleased, no matter how good they were to her, she stayed indifferent. After eating three baozi, Lin Yile¡¯s mood gradually improved, and her long face began to brighten up.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om By noon, Tang Yuxin had picked up her books and was about to go study on her own. She was thest one to leave, only to find Sun Yumeng was still in the dormitory, maintaining her previous posture, wrapped up like a cocoon and hadn¡¯t moved an inch. If she hadn¡¯t heard her voice, she would¡¯ve thought there was a corpse up there. When they returned from self-study in the evening, as soon as they opened the door, they found unfinished food on the table and garbage all over the floor: melon seed shell, peanut shells, and all sorts of snack bags scattered everywhere. Seeing that the dormitory had turned into a pigsty, Lin Yile wanted to teach someone a lesson but was held back by Ting Yuan. ¡°Why are you even talking to her? What could you possibly say to her?¡± ¡°I want to reason with her.¡± ¡°Huh¡­¡± Ting Yuan was about tough, but ultimately held it back. ¡°You want to reason with her? What reason could be possibly be given to her?¡± Her words left Lin Yile speechless. Yes, some people are incapable of reasoning ormunication, like Sun Yumeng. They seemed to be living on differents, it was simply impossible tomunicate and reason with her. They didn¡¯t even share amonnguage. Tang Yuxin had cleaned up the food scraps from the table, and Song Qingtong helped her clean the floor. The two of them worked for a while and had only just finished cleaning the dormitory when they saw Ting Yuan and Lin Yile ring at the woman, who was pretending to be dead and sleeping like a log. She had stayedpletely still the entire time. They had seenzy people before, but never anyone quite thiszy. The next day, when Tang Yuxin was in ss, she saw Sun Yumeng, and it gave her quite a shock. Sun Yumeng would always wear makeup before, which made her look stylish and radiant. There were times when Tang Yuxin even forgot whether she had seen Sun Yumeng without makeup before. Sun Yumeng seemed to wear a mask every day, and overtime, Tang Yuxin could only remember her made-up face: the ck eyeliner, red lips, and powdered skin. She always smelled faintly of makeup and skincare products, all mixed together. It was a confusing mix of scents, smelling like an adult woman trying to hide the traces of age on her body and covering up her loss of youthful glow. Tang Yuxin truly didn¡¯t understand what persuaded a twenty-year-old girl to love makeup so much. It wasn¡¯t until muchter, when she saw Sun Yumeng without makeup, that she understood the phrase ¡°height doesn¡¯t suffice, wear high heels; beauty doesn¡¯t suffice, apply makeup¡±. Sun Yumeng¡¯s facial features seemed quite ordinary without makeup, her eyes lifeless, and herplexion not so good, her skin seemed dull, and there were faint freckles on her cheeks. Tang Yuxin furrowed her brows. Those freckles shouldn¡¯t have appeared on Sun Yumeng¡¯s face. ¡°Tang Yuxin, Sun Yumeng, you two are a group. Practice on each other,¡± said the teacher. Sun Yumeng pulled the corner of her mouth. The medical coat she was wearing seemed to look better than herplexion.
On the other hand, Tang Yuxin was also wearing a medical coat, but her skin was so fair that it seemed to blend seamlessly with the coat. Few Easterners had this kind ofplexion, it was moremon among Westerners, but her paleplexion wasn¡¯t sickly, instead it resembled the luster of jade,pletely different from Sun Yumeng¡¯s. Sun Yumeng¡¯splexion was unnatural, a bit unwell, and seemed artificial. ¡°Do you draw my blood first, or do I draw yours?¡± Tang Yuxin asked Sun Yumeng. She was fine either way. ¡°Of course, I draw your blood first,¡± Sun Yumeng answered casually.
¡°Alright,¡± said Tang Yuxin, not minding at all. After all, this was going to happen eventually, so she generously extended her arm towards Sun Yumeng. There was still a bruise from thest time Ting Yuan drew her blood. Now, every time Ting Yuan saw her hand, she felt guilty. Chapter 316 - 309: This is Professional Chapter 316: Chapter 309: This is Professional Although Tang Yuxin¡¯s hand was still a bit bruised, her veins were clearly visible. Her skin almost seemed transparent, making it easy for anyone with a firm grasp of their professional knowledge to locate the veins. Bearing in mind, everyone had been practicing injections for quite a while, to the point where the chances of missing the mark were slim to none. Sun Yumeng took the needle and was about to jab it into Tang Yuxin¡¯s hand, not bothering to sterilise it first. ¡°You didn¡¯t sterilize it,¡± Tang Yuxin reminded her. She had no desire to get infected. ¡°You¡¯re so annoying,¡± Sun Yumeng rolled her eyes at Tang Yuxin. There was an urge to tear Tang Yuxin¡¯s face apart. She sterilized hastily and jabbed in the needle. Tang Yuxin suddenly felt a sharp pain at the back of her hand. Her forehead broke into a cold sweat instantly. This was not a jab into a vein, it was a stab into the skin. ¡°Sorry,¡± Sun Yumeng quickly withdrew the needle, causing blood to seep out from the puncture. ¡°I wasn¡¯t careful. Let¡¯s do it again.¡± Tang Yuxin resisted the urge to kick her away. In no time, she was painfully bracing herself again. Was this practice or revenge? Five needles were already attempted, yet the vein was still not found. By now, Sun Yumeng wasn¡¯t intentionally seeking revenge. For the past month, she had not been diligent in her sses, mainly because she didn¡¯t enjoy them. She had been inattentive, not concentrating on the ss, and hence, her knowledge and timing of the practice was immenselycking. She genuinely wanted to get the jab right, but continuously failed. Needles were going in one after another, as if Tang Yuxin couldn¡¯t feel any pain. Tang Yuxin bore the pain and resisted the urge to kick the woman in front of her away. A fellow ssmate couldn¡¯t bear to watch any longer. If this continued, Tang Yuxin¡¯s hand would be utterly ruined. ¡°Sun Yumeng, you¡¯re way over the line. If you can¡¯t do it, ask the teacher for guidance. You can¡¯t just use someone¡¯s hand as your practice tool, do you think others don¡¯t feel pain?¡± When everyone heard this, all eyes turned, and what they saw on Tang Yuxin¡¯s hand was a sight too gruesome to bear. Her bruises had yet to fade, and multiple needle holes with dripping blood were added. The sight was enough to make anyone¡¯s heart wrench. Upon seeing Tang Yuxin¡¯s hand, the teacher was furious and immediately instructed other students to take Tang Yuxin for medical aid. ¡°Sun Yumeng, if you can¡¯t do it, why didn¡¯t you say so? Practice on a simtor, not on your peers. Can you treat your peers¡¯ lives with such disregard, do you have any morals at all?¡± The teacher was already exasperated with this student who was remiss about ss attendance for a month. Now, she¡¯s caused such a serious issue in her first ss back. They¡¯ve gone through the basics of injection practicest semester, she should have practiced on herself, learned the fear and pain, only then could she master it. Almost all other students had practiced this procedure, regardless of their respective skill level, at the very least, they were able to locate the target vein. But Sun Yumeng, was shepletely ignoring the teacher¡¯s words? Was she taking his teachings for granted? Of all the students he had taught, she was the most unintelligent and unreasonable. Sun Yumeng was verbally reprimanded by the teacher to the point of not being able to raise her head, her face was burning hot. ¡°Tang Yuxin, you demonstrate it,¡± the teacher stood by. Even if Tang Yuxin were reluctant, it felt like she was being given an opportunity to take revenge. How could she not retaliate after being jabbed so many times for no reason? Sun Yumeng instinctively retracted a bit, appearing fearful. She wanted to warn Tang Yuxin, but the teacher was standing nearby, his eyes full of steel-like sharpness. This teacher was renowned at Qing University for his ruthless demeanor. How could one be a physician in Qing University without shedding some blood? ¡°All of youe over here,¡± the teacher then called the other students over for observation. Tang Yuxin¡¯s basic skills were very solid, not like a student but more like a veteran doctor with decades of experience. She once mentioned that she learned from an old doctor in her hometown, therefore, she might have performed various injection-rted procedures. This made the teacher believe that it was the right decision for Tang Yuxin to enroll in the medical program. Tang Yuxin reached out her hand, having already sterilised the tools. Sun Yumeng unwillingly extended her hand, Tang Yuxin grabbed it, asionaly touching her pulse. She was startled, and incredulously, she touched it again. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Sun Yumeng quickly withdrew her hand. However, once the words escaped her lips, she immediately got a stern look from the teacher, and she could only hold still. Tang Yuxin gave her another nce, followed by a careful sterilization, injection, and securing the needle in ce. All of these were done within seconds, swiftly and without the least hesitation. The teacher was very satisfied. It would not be long before Professor Chen was to select his students, and he felt that he would be very pleased with Tang Yuxin as a student. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om She was hardworking, humble, and most importantly, she had a strong mentality. Of course, she had the basics down. At least, there was no need to re-teach her the basics. After all, students with medical background are far and few between. Life is short, a doctor¡¯s career spans a lifetime, osciting between continuous learning and exploration. Tang Yuxin quickly pulled the needle out. Sun Yumeng, standing on the side, was being stared at with mixed reactions. Her face was flushed, void of any warmth. At that moment, she wished she could hide away in a hole. She would have preferred to crawl into a shell on her back. ¡°Yuxin, aren¡¯t you going to eat?¡± Lin Yile turned her head and asked Tang Yuxin, ¡°Aren¡¯t you hungry?¡± ¡°Not really, I¡¯ll eat in a bit, I¡¯m not that hungry right now.¡± Tang Yuxin put her hand on the door, pinching Lin Yile¡¯s face, ¡°Miss, you need to eat less, you¡¯ve been gaining weighttely. When we go home for New Year, will your mom still recognize you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not afraid,¡± Lin Yileughed cheerfully. ¡°Even if I turn into a monkey, or a pig, my mom will still recognize me.¡± Right, such is a mother¡¯s love. Chirpy Lin Yile and Ting Yuan left, debating on the way about what to eat that day. Whether to have noodles, rice, or something else? They wanted a change, they were determined to transform the school¡¯s cafeteria food into a feast. Tang Yuxin closed the door, and then leaned back against it, gazing indifferently at Sun Yumeng, who was curled up in the bunk above, like a hen brooding over her egg. Chapter 317 - 310: She Didn’t Talk Nonsense Chapter 317: Chapter 310: She Didn¡¯t Talk Nonsense ¡°Sun Yumeng, wake up. I need to ask you something.¡± Sun Yumeng remained motionless. Tang Yuxin walked over, reached out her hand, and whisked the nket off her. ¡°Sun Yumeng, get up. I know you¡¯re not sleeping.¡± ¡°What are you doing?¡± N?v(el)B\\jnn Sun Yumeng, bereft of her nket, suddenly sat up. The area under her eyes was a grim shade of gray. Without makeup, she was unsightly to the extreme. Where was the twenty-year-old young girl? She looked more like a middle-aged woman in her thirties. No, even women in their thirties didn¡¯t look as old as she did. She thered all kinds of skincare products on her face, had learned to wear makeup at a young age, never removed her makeup evente at night, and ate junk food at random. As a result, her skin issues were now all too visible on her face. Sun Yumeng red at Tang Yuxin resentfully. ¡°Tang Yuxin, don¡¯t go too far.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going too far?¡± Tang Yuxin lifted the back of her hand where a needle mark was still clearly visible. ¡°You tell me, who¡¯s going too far between the two of us?¡± Sun Yumeng turned her face away, clearly flustered. But at this time, Tang Yuxin wasn¡¯t there to hold her ountable for the past. She had a question that needed to be rified. ¡°Sun Yumeng, let me ask you,¡± Tang Yuxin put on a serious face, ¡°How long has it been since youst had your period?¡± ¡°Which period?¡± Sun Yumeng had just been getting ready to lie back down, but suddenly sat up again. Her heart gave a jolt and she felt a sense of unease that she didn¡¯t want to acknowledge. ¡°You know what I¡¯m referring to?¡± Tang Yuxin¡¯s gaze shifted to Sun Yumeng¡¯s belly. ¡°When did youst have your menstrual period?¡± ¡°Why are you asking these things?¡± Sun Yumeng suddenly shouted, but it looked more like she was trying to cover up. ¡°You don¡¯t understand?¡± Tang Yuxin honestly felt that the girl in front of her was incredibly stupid. ¡°Sun Yumeng, you¡¯re a medical student, a student at a prestigious institution. Do you remember what was taught in the very first lesson when school started? We learned about the male and female anatomies, about the origins of life. Don¡¯t tell me you still don¡¯t know¡­ are you pregnant?¡± ¡°What nonsense are you spouting?¡± Sun Yumeng hastily retrieved something from her bed and threw it at Tang Yuxin. ¡°Tang Yuxin, if you continue to spread such baseless rumors, I will ruin you and make sure you can¡¯t stay in this school.¡± Tang Yuxin dodged the iing object, which crashed onto the floor and splintered into several pieces. It wasn¡¯t anything else but Sun Yumeng¡¯s mirror. For a woman as vain as Sun Yumeng, a mirror was as vital as her face was, something she had to look at daily before she could eat or sleep. Tang Yuxin crouched down and picked up the pieces of the mirror and threw them in the trash bin. She opened the door and then turned around to warn Sun Yumeng onest time. ¡°You¡¯re already two months pregnant, Sun Yumeng. It¡¯s not toote now, but if you continue like this, no one can help you.¡± After that, she closed the door. It was a university student we were talking about, who was pregnant before marriage, and so ignorant. She really admired how Sun Yumeng¡¯s parents raised their daughter. When she was growing up, her father would remind her every day not to be alone with boys, not to allow boys to hold her hand, and to prevent them from touching her. Therefore, her father¡¯s words were etched into her memory for the rest of her life. No parents would harm their own children. A girl, a university student, in such a time period, if she didn¡¯t cherish herself and preserved her purity, in the end, the one who would be destroyed would be herself. She tossed the garbage bag into the outside trash can and then went to the dining hall. But she couldn¡¯t find her peace, and her food didn¡¯t taste as pleasant anymore. That¡¯s because she didn¡¯t know how to handle this situation. Either Sun Yumeng could abort the child secretly, and no one would know, or she could find the man responsible. But was that possible? If a man was willing to take responsibility, he wouldn¡¯t let a girl like this face everything alone. He¡¯d have been over to find her by now. What¡¯s more, they were all first-year students. What kind of a good man wouldy a hand on a college student? When she returned back, everyone had finished their meal. They didn¡¯t have ss in the afternoon and wanted to go out, but they didn¡¯t know where to go. ¡°I want to buy clothes and eat delicious food.¡± Lin Yile raised her hands enthusiastically with her proposal. ¡°What about you, Yuxin?¡± Lin Yile asked Tang Yuxin. ¡°I want to go check out my apartment.¡± Tang Yuxin was thinking about going there and sitting for a while. Even though it didn¡¯t have any furniture yet, she could still enjoy the peace and quiet there. Lin Yile knew that Tang Yuxin had bought a small house with a courtyard. In the future, she was certainly going to work there because that¡¯s where Yuxin was. So she decided to follow in Tang Yuxin¡¯s footsteps and she was also considering asking her dad to buy her a ce too. Unfortunately, Tang Yuxin bought her house when it was still on the market and now it costs a lot of money that her family couldn¡¯t afford. So her dad was nning to buy her a small apartment during the summer vacation, preferably closer to Tang Yuxin¡¯s ce. The others didn¡¯t n on going with Tang Yuxin. Tang Yuxin also had no choice. Unlike a young person, she might have a milder mentality. She didn¡¯t really like shopping or buying things. She preferred sitting in her small courtyard, holding a book, and just sitting there all day if possible. She would put all the things she didn¡¯t use often here so that it won¡¯t take up space in the dormitory; like winter clothes, shoes and such. And there was finally a ce to store them now. And when next yeares, she could move here. The future was promising. Every day in the future, she could live amidst the chirping birds and fragrant flowers. It would be cozy andfortable. She sat there for about half a day and figured it was time to return. She closed her book, put on her backpack, and walked out. While waiting for the bus, out of boredom, she lifted her speckled and wounded hands. Such pitiable hands. ¡°What happened? Injured again?¡± A hand suddenly reached out and tightly held hers. At this point, the weather was quite cold, but this hand was warm, dry. Tang Yuxin lifted her face and saw a pair of eyes as lustrous as the stars in the night sky. ¡°Don¡¯t recognize me?¡± Qin Ziye raised his hand to poke her face, marveling at her soft skin. Perhaps this was what the ancients referred to as aplexion of ice and jade. ¡°Have you applied any medicine?¡± He tightened his grip on Tang Yuxin¡¯s hand, feeling that her hands were bing cold. Tang Yuxin wanted to pull her hand back, but his grip was too tight. ¡°Let¡¯s go, I¡¯ll walk you back,¡± Qin Ziye put her hand into his pocket, and then began walking step by step forward. ¡°Have you applied any medicine?¡± He asked her once more. Chapter 318: 311: Meeting the Parents Chapter 318: Chapter 311: Meeting the Parents ¡°I¡¯ve been careful,¡± Tang Yuxin lowered her head, still trying to pull her hand out, but it seemed that for a man overly narcissistic, he wouldn¡¯t allow such actions. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you call me?¡± Qin Ziye had been waiting for her call all the time, but he never got one. He thought to himself, this little girl¡¯s defenses are so strong. However, it was fortunate that he ran into her today. It seemed she often came here. ¡°I don¡¯t have anything to say,¡± Tang Yuxin finally pulled her hand out, cing it behind her. She was still not used to being so close to a man. Qin Ziye didn¡¯t force her further. He put his own hand in his pocket, but his fingertips still had a faint lingering scent from her. ¡°You can call even if there¡¯s nothing to say,¡± Qin Ziye smiled. ¡°My name is Qin Ziye, male, 24 years old, own a smallpany, fully functional limbs, in good health, non-smoker, non-drinker, no bad habits.¡± Tang Yuxin¡¯s fingers held tightly behind her. Why was he telling her all this? ¡°ying dumb.¡± Qin Ziye lightly flicked Tang Yuxin¡¯s forehead, ¡°You¡¯re a smart girl, you should know what I¡¯m saying?¡± ¡°Do you have a boyfriend?¡±
He asked straightforwardly, pacing himself to match Tang Yuxin¡¯s steps, not too fast, not too slow, everything was just right. ¡°I¡¯m a freshman in college.¡± Tang Yuxin emphasized her status. She was just a student, a freshman intern, she had juste of age. ¡°Well, you¡¯re old enough to date,¡± Qin Ziye deliberately misinterpreted Tang Yuxin¡¯s words. Tang Yuxin¡¯s lips moved slightly. She didn¡¯t want to argue with him on this. This man was like a timed bomb strategically ced in her peaceful life. Her instinctive response was to reject him, but this man started appearing frequently in her life. Tang Yuxin got a call, the dormitory supervisor was calling her again. And Tang Yuxin was really afraid of hearing the supervisor¡¯s voice on the phone. Ever since Qin Ziye had escorted her to school and forced her to give him her phone number, he called her every day. She was worried that if this continued, the dormitory supervisor would be annoyed with her. ¡°Could you please stop calling me?¡± She lowered her voice. She felt that she could control everything, her past and her future, but she seemed to have no control over these unexpected events in her life, and Qin Ziye was just such an unanticipated urrence. It was impossible to prevent these unforeseen incidents. ¡°Okay,¡± Qin Ziye was still smiling, ¡°I¡¯ll pick you up tomorrow.¡± ¡°Pick me up?¡± Tang Yuxin didn¡¯t understand what he was implying. ¡°I need to meet your parents,¡± Qin Ziye continued smiling, it was a pity that Tang Yuxin couldn¡¯t see his smile, so it wasn¡¯t possible for her to wipe it off his face. ¡°Parents?¡± Tang Yuxin was stunned, ¡°What parents?¡± ¡°Your roommates,¡± Qin Ziye spoke in the same tone. Whatever he wanted to do never followed the norm, and he always had to get what he wanted. He was like fire, capable of melting a whole iceberg, let alone a mere Tang Yuxin. When he took interest in someone, when his heart started to flutter, then the prey he had in sight could never escape his palm, and would eventually submit to him wholeheartedly till death. After much haggling, Tang Yuxin eventually agreed. She wanted to rify her stance with him. She was not looking to fall in love or find a boyfriend at this time. Even if she had experienced a tiny flutter in her heart, the time wasn¡¯t right. But, even refusing him felt like someone was burning a fire under her seat, it seemed to melt her resolve.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om ¡°Let¡¯s go out together tomorrow,¡± Tang Yuxin spoke only when all her roommates were present. It was necessary to say it, like it or not. ¡°What¡¯s the asion?¡± Lin Yile was applying toner to her face, she turned around, surprised and asked, ¡°Yuxin, don¡¯t you always stay in at night?¡±
¡°Someone¡¯s asking us out for dinner,¡± Tang Yuxin responded resignedly. Once the words were out, they couldn¡¯t be taken back. ¡°Huh?¡± Lin Yile dropped the mirror, ran over, and stared at Tang Yuxin¡¯s face, probably trying to see through her. Unfortunately, there was nothing to see on Tang Yuxin¡¯s face, it was still as fair and calm. Her face had always had a calm expression, she seemed easily in control. She could n her moves, choose her desired school, her preferred major, and probably also have a smooth life ahead. What exactly happened today that made her so indecisive?
¡°Why are you going out?¡± Lin Yile sat down, ¡°Are you inviting?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll know once you go,¡± Tang Yuxin didn¡¯t want to exin too much about the matter. The more she exined, the more confusing it got. Once they went and met the person, there wouldn¡¯t be any need to exin. ¡°Are you not telling me something?¡± Lin Yile examined Tang Yuxin for a long time with suspicion. Tang Yuxin opened her lips slightly. ¡°You¡¯ll know after going,¡± she repeated. In fact, even she didn¡¯t know how all of this happened? It appeared to be destiny, from their first meeting in Qing¡¯an till now. That flutter of the heart she felt at that moment could not be hidden. As for the future, nobody knew, they could only live in the present and specte about the elusive future. The next day, all the girls in the dormitory dressed up in new clothes. For some reason, they all wanted to look their best. ¡°Qingtong, here apply some of my lipstick, your lips are too pale.¡± ¡°I want some too,¡± Ting Yuan also joined, ¡°let me use it.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Lin Yile was very generous, she let anyone who wanted to, use it. Before Tang Yuxin could ask, Lin Yile looked at her, ¡°You don¡¯t need it, you¡¯re fair, your lips are red, like you¡¯ve drunk human blood, you don¡¯t need any lipstick.¡± The others nodded in agreement. Indeed, Tang Yuxin was naturally blessed and didn¡¯t need any makeup. And Tang Yuxin didn¡¯t want any. After all, this was not a blind date, why dress up so nicely? She was dressed inly as usual. But even her in look was adorned with a face that was naturally attractive, a feature that no amount of make-up could achieve.
¡°Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s go,¡± Lin Yile pulling Tang Yuxin to her feet said, ¡°Why, you want to take her with us as well? I warn you, if you dare to take her along, I will break off friendship with you. You know very well how much I hate her!¡± And as to who ¡°she¡± was, everyone knew. If not, the woman who always holed up in her bunk, picking a fight with them every single day. Chapter 319: 312: Brother-in-law No. 2 Chapter 319: Chapter 312: Brother-inw No. 2 Who does she think she is? Nobody is obliged to tolerate her foul temper. They¡¯re not her parents to put up with everything. And she didn¡¯t want to tolerate it anymore. Turning around, Tang Yuxin saw that Sun Yumeng was still curled up in her upper bunk, not having moved at all. It seemed like all the words she had said fell on deaf ears. She had said what she needed to say, whether Sun Yumeng listened was entirely up to her. Some things couldn¡¯t be dyed, and this was one of them. How to handle the unborn child? She had to decide for herself. No one can make such a decision on her behalf, to keep the baby or not. In the era they were living in, people didn¡¯t have the same kind of tolerance as they did in the past. Unwed pregnancies and single motherhood may have bemon in the future, but if it happened now, she would be expelled from school. Could Sun Yumeng withstand the consequences and the increasing physical burden? Tang Yuxin thought it impossible, it was definitely impossible for Sun Yumeng. She locked the door before leaving. Unbeknownst to her, Sun Yumeng, who was sound asleep inside, suddenly opened her eyes, staring resentfully at the door and the people outside. The sudden chill wind caused Tang Yuxin to shiver, stopping in her tracks with an ufortable feeling in her heart. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Lin Yile turned around and asked Tang Yuxin, ¡°Did you forget to bring something?¡± ¡°No,¡± Tang Yuxin shook her head. Without thinking, she turned around and stared at the locked door of the dormitory. For some reason, she didn¡¯t like this unsettling feeling.
¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± she said as she started walking ahead. A cold wind blew on her face, making her shiver and raised goosebumps on her arms. When they arrived at the school gate, the cold wind blew on Tang Yuxin¡¯s face. For a moment, she thought he better note or show up in another way. All women have a bit of vanity, and she was no exception. Just as her vanity red up, it was gone with the cold wind. What vanity does she have? What is there to be vain about? If not for a second chance given by fate, she would have turned into dust in the world. What is there to be vain about? She was nothing but aplete loser. Even if she got a chance to start over in this life, she couldn¡¯t change the fact that she was a failure in her past life. A car stopped in front of them. It was thetest and most expensive model, a low-key but exquisite ck car. The sleek, piano-ck colored car revealed its high value. The car door opened, revealing a pair of long legs first, followed by a smiling man. He was tall and well-dressed. His hair was slightly tousled by the cold wind. It had to be said, Qin Ziye was very good-looking. His parents had given him a handsome face and a model-like physique. Lin Yile suddenly pinched Tang Yuxin¡¯s waist. ¡°Yuxin, why didn¡¯t you tell me you have a boyfriend?¡± ¡°Did I?¡± Tang Yuxin felt wronged because she had never agreed to be anyone¡¯s girlfriend. Should she broadcast to the world that she got a boyfriend, especially one who hadn¡¯t agreed to be her boyfriend? Was she out of her mind, or had she be stupid? Who could tell her? ¡°Stop teasing her,¡± Qin Ziye walked over and gentlyid his hand on Tang Yuxin¡¯s hair. ¡°She¡¯s a quiet girl, and we only just established our rtionship. I came today to meet her parents.¡± His words improved the girls¡¯ impression of their future brother-inw. He¡¯s handsome, has a pleasant voice, and carries an impressive demeanor. He didn¡¯t seem like an ordinary man. No matter how you looked at it, he was indeed an exceptional man. Judging from his car, it was apparent that he came from a wealthy family. Those who could afford a car at this time came from well-off families. How did Tang Yuxin stumble upon such luck, attracting all the good things to herself? Amidst her sisters¡¯ envious gazes, Tang Yuxin didn¡¯t feel the slightest bit triumphant. On the contrary, she didn¡¯t like it at all. She was not someone¡¯s appendage, she was an individual. She didn¡¯t need to be a foil for others, nor did she need others to be a foil for her. She didn¡¯t want to be seen as someone¡¯s essory. She could live her life honorably by herself.
Yet, there were always some things in reality that happened unexpectedly. Qin Ziye was one of them, bringing about changes that she couldn¡¯t predict based on her past life¡¯s experiences. Qin Ziye took them to a restaurant that served French cuisine. The ambiance, the food, and the service were all top-notch. But Tang Yuxin was so preupied with her thoughts that she hardly tasted the food. How was she supposed to reciprocate this favor? She found herself worrying about her finances. How many days would she have to eat porridge and steamed buns with pickles to afford a meal like this? Her distressed expression couldn¡¯t help but amuse others. Was the food not to her liking, or was it difficult to digest?
When they arrived at the school gate, Lin Yile and the others tactfully waited inside the school, giving Tang Yuxin and Qin Ziye some time to talk. How could they date with them hovering around like big lightbulbs? ¡°What was up with your expression just now?¡± Qin Ziye¡¯s hand rested on Tang Yuxin¡¯s shoulder. She wasn¡¯t used to other people¡¯s physical contact, so she instinctively took a step back. However, his hand remained firmly on her shoulder, preventing her from escaping. ¡°Tell me,¡± Qin Ziye was deliberately ying with her, like a cat toying with a mouse.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om ¡°Nothing?¡± Tang Yuxin lowered her head and fiddled with the strap of her backpack. ¡°I was just thinking about how long I¡¯d have to eat pickles and steamed buns before I could afford to treat you to a meal in return.¡± Qin Ziye was taken aback before he rubbed her face with mixedughter and tears. ¡°Treating your girlfriend to a meal is normal. If you have to scrimp and save to reciprocate, tell me, how ipetent is this man, or do you think I¡¯m ipetent?¡± Chapter 320: 313: Whats That Smell? Chapter 320: Chapter 313: What¡¯s That Smell? Yet, Tang Yuxin seemed to have nothing to say. She¡¯s not very good at sweet talk, nor does she know what to say. She¡¯s always relied on herself. So the thought of depending on a man is somewhat foreign to her. But when she began to learn how to rely on a man, perhaps this man could be the one she¡¯s been searching for.N?v(el)B\\jnn She looked at Qin Ziye in front of her, a particr phrase kept surfacing in her mind. Who whispered it in her ear? May you be treated gently in your next life. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? What are you thinking about?¡± Qin Ziye brushed her hair away from her ear, revealing her small but lovely ear. The girl¡¯s skin was so pale, perhaps even she didn¡¯t realize it. The many years of taking Cold Fragrance Pills had impacted her body in ways she might not fully understand. She was like a flower waiting to bloom in his eyes¡ªa flower that had yet to fully form. ¡°Tell me, what are you thinking about?¡± Qin Ziye¡¯s fingers lingered on her hair as he marveled at the strange familiarity. ¡°I was thinking¡­¡± Tang Yuxin lowered her eyes. ¡°I wish to be treated gently in my next life.¡±
¡°What did you say?¡± Qin Ziye failed to catch herst words because she was speaking so softly, even mumbling a bit. ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± Tang Yuxin swiftlyposed herself and gave him a smile. ¡°Thank you for today.¡± Qin Ziye pinched her face, ¡°No need for thanks. Treating my girlfriend is only natural.¡± He then looked at his wristwatch, ¡°It¡¯ste, let¡¯s go inside.¡± He nudged Tang Yuxin towards the entrance, letting her enter first while he stood still. When Tang Yuxin looked back, Qin Ziye waved her off. In the cold wind, he stood still, watching her leave, protecting her in his own way As Tang Yuxin looked back again, she was already far from the entrance. The chilly wind blew into her cor and she hurriedly fastened it. At the entrance, the same man still stood waiting. Suddenly, tears welled up in her eyes for no apparent reason. She figured she could ept it. This man wasn¡¯t Zhang Yong¡¯an. In her past life, she was good enough to be with an exceptional man without having to rely on someone else. If he was the man who would treat her gently her entire life, if he was him. She then turned around and started running toward him. ¡°Look, she¡¯s back,¡± Lin Yile whispered to Ting Yuan and they chattered secretly, looking rather sly. Song Qingtong scrutinized Tang Yuxin for a moment. ¡°Yuxin, I never expected you¡¯d move this fast. Tell us, how long have you known each other?¡± Tang Yuxin tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. ¡°We haven¡¯t known each other for long, but there seems to be some fate between us,¡± she could feel his fondness for her. As for her, it seemed to be mutual¡­ ¡°Let¡¯s go. It¡¯s freezing,¡± Lin Yile hugged her arms, ¡°While some people are falling in love and feeling all warm inside, we¡¯re standing here in this chilly wind. It¡¯s freezing.¡± Achoo! As she was speaking, she suddenly sneezed due to the cold. If they kept standing here, she¡¯d either turn into an icicle or catch a cold. Let¡¯s go back quickly. The weather is getting worse. Ting Yuan was also huddling, unable to tolerate the cold weather. They hadn¡¯t experienced a Beijing winter yet. Fortunately, their dormitory had a heating system. So regardless of how cold it was outside, they could remain warm indoors. Choosing a good school indeed had its perks.
Hooray for Qing University. Ting Yuan was the first to dash back. Despite her plump figure, she was actually the least resistant to the cold. She rummaged through her bag for the key while Lin Yile kept rushing her. Seeing Ting Yuan kick the wall, Lin Yile even started to snivel due to the cold. Click. Atst, the door opened. The dormitory was still warm, but the corridor outside was freezing. Not to mention their dorm room was directly facing the stairs, so every time the door opened, cold air would blow in. ¡°Oh, we¡¯re finally back,¡± Lin Yile eximed excitedly before Ting Yuan quickly covered her mouth.
She pointed at the bunk bed in front of them and made a hushing sound, ¡°Keep it down. Do you want someone to hear us? She might scold you. Are you not scolded enough yet?¡± Lin Yile quickly nodded in agreement. She knew what Ting Yuan meant. She stopped shouting and lowered her voice. Then she pointed at Ting Yuan¡¯s hand over her mouth, gesturing for her to loosen her grip on her mouth. She was struggling to breathe. Honestly, she felt like she was going to suffocate. ¡°Ah, sorry,¡± Ting Yuan quickly let go of her hand and moved it away. Lin Yile panted heavily and clutched her chest. ¡°I nearly got choked to death.¡± Ting Yuan couldn¡¯t help but twitch at the corner of her eye. Couldn¡¯t Lin Yile learn something good from her instead of her negative traits? Tang Yuxin was thest one to enter, but something felt off as soon as she stepped inside. She kept sniffing the air inside the dormitory. ¡°Do any of you smell something?¡± She asked her roommates. The others also started sniffing the air. ¡°The smell of burned wires?¡± Lin Yile scrunched up her nose. ¡°No,¡± Ting Yuan shook her head, ¡°Could it be that one of the dorms is cooking instant noodles, and the smell has wafted over?¡±
¡°Not at all,¡± Song Qingtong had also noticed the odor when she first entered, but didn¡¯t think much of it and dismissed it without a second thought. ¡°It¡¯s like¡­ what is it?¡± She was trying to find the right word to describe the scent. ¡°Is anyone here on their period?¡± ¡°No,¡± Lin Yile shook her head, ¡°I just finished mine.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t started mine yet,¡± Ting Yuan counted on her fingers, ¡°Also, even though we¡¯re all girls, can we please not mention ¡®period?¡¯ It¡¯s really embarrassing.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not either,¡± Song Qingtong turned to Tang Yuxin, ¡°Isn¡¯t it you?¡± ¡°No,¡± Tang Yuxin lowered her head in deep thought, if none of them were on their period, then the smell was remarkably simr to¡­ Blood. The scent of blood. She suddenly lifted her head to look at Sun Yumeng, who was still asleep on the bunk bed. ¡°There¡¯s a problem.¡± She hurriedly ran up to the bed, startling the rest. ¡°Sun Yumeng,¡± Tang Yuxin began patting the nket where Sun Yumengy.
¡°Sun Yumeng, wake up¡­¡± However, no matter how many times she called, there was no response. The closer she got, the stronger the smell of blood became. She quickly pulled back the nket. For her, it was hard to see because the bunk bed was high, but Lin Yile and Ting Yuan clearly saw, Chapter 321 - 314: So Much Blood Chapter 321: Chapter 314: So Much Blood Lin Yile pointed to the bunk bed with her finger. ¡°Blood, there¡¯s blood!¡± Tang Yuxin took a step back, and at that moment, a heavy smell of blood assaulted her nostrils. ¡°Quick, get her down,¡± said Yuxin, wondering how she was supposed to manage that all by herself. ¡°Lele, go and get help. Ting Yuan, you go too.¡± Tang Yuxin swiftly issued orders. As soon as Yile heard this, she ran off. They were all covered in cold sweat from fright. Yuxin thought she had never seen so much blood in her life. It had almost dyed the entire bed sheet red. Song Qingtong stepped forward and managed to take the person down, nket and all. The bed had indeed been dyedpletely red with blood, which was not an exaggeration at all. The blood had seeped through the entire bed sheet and nket, and all they could smell was the potent odor. Tang Yuxin pulled Sun Yumeng¡¯s arm. Song Qingtong crouched on the side, not saying a word. They all knew that Tang Yuxin had studied traditional Chinese medicine since childhood. Although they did not know to what extent, otherwise she would not have applied for medical school. Compared to them, her foundation was much sturdier. It was not something a student could achieve, but more of a teacher¡¯s level ability. Under such circumstances, they instinctively trusted Tang Yuxin. What else could they do other than trust her? ¡°What¡¯s wrong with her, why is there so much blood?¡± Song Qingtong stuttered, her eyes on the seeping blood stains. The blood seemed to keep flowing unstoppably. Could it be that she will bleed outpletely? Tang Yuxin took out a needle package from her own bag. For the first time, Song Qingtong saw Tang Yuxin¡¯s long medical needles. She didn¡¯t know what material they were made of, but they appeared slightly translucent with a ckish-gold hue. Tang Yuxin held a needle in one hand, without looking, she began inserting needle after needle into the flesh. Song Qingtong touched her own arm, imagining the pain from the needles. After inserting the needles with her right hand, Tang Yuxin used her left hand to pull them out using the reverse direction and ced them back in the needle package. After the needles were inserted, Sun Yumeng¡¯s face seemed to have regained some colour, but it was still pale and horrifying. ¡°What exactly is wrong with her?¡± Song Qingtong asked again, ¡°Is it because she has too much menstruation?¡± Even now, Song Qingtong still thought that Sun Yumeng was menstruating heavily, as the blood seemed to being from that area. ¡°No,¡± Tang Yuxin sat on the floor. She had done everything she could at this point and was just waiting for the doctor toe over, along with the school¡¯s subsequent actions. ¡°Then what is¡­?¡± Song Qingtong also stood up, took a nket from her bed, and covered Sun Yumeng with it. They might despise Sun Yumeng, but they didn¡¯t detest her to the point of wishing her death. ¡°What else could it be?¡± Tang Yuxin remarked flippantly. ¡°She had a miscarriage. She took abortion pills she bought herself and subsequently bled a lot. Her life was saved, but¡­¡± Tang Yuxin did not finish her sentence. She had managed to stop the bleeding, but that was all she could do. The dead fetus was still in Sun Yumeng¡¯s womb. It was possible that she would need a hysterectomy once she arrived at the hospital because the damage was too severe. This was not something that Tang Yuxin could handle in their current situation. If Sun Yumeng had acted sooner, or if she had listened to Tang Yuxin¡¯s advice not to buy the abortion pills, maybe this wouldn¡¯t have happened. How could a medical studentck such basic knowledge? She was already three months pregnant. This was consideredte-term, and it was not something that could be solved with a few pills. ¡°What did you say?¡± Song Qingtong¡¯s reaction was dyed. She pointed her finger and seemed to be in shock. ¡°She was pregnant?¡± ¡°Yes, three months along. The fetus was already formed and is still inside her belly. A surgery is required to remove the fetus.¡± Tang Yuxin looked at the unconscious Sun Yumeng. She didn¡¯t feel a bit of sympathy. If someone didn¡¯t cherish their own life, why would they need someone else¡¯s sympathy? Tang Yuxin did not mention the other part ¨C the removal of the uterus was a brutal act for a woman. This didn¡¯t just take away a woman¡¯s ability to bear children for life, it also elerated the aging process. Without the uterus, a woman was no longer aplete woman. Wasn¡¯t this the same as the eunuchs in ancient times? ¡°What should we do now?¡± Song Qingtong¡¯s hands and feet were cold from fright. This was the first time she had encountered such a situation. She was looking for instructions ¨C what were they supposed to do now? ¡°Will she die?¡± She copsed onto the floor, fearful of the consequences if Sun Yumeng did die. Tang Yuxin tugged at her own red lips, of course she wouldn¡¯t let Sun Yumeng die. She had to cling onto a thread of life and not let her die. Otherwise, no matter what they did, they would never be able to clear their names. They didn¡¯t do anything, so there was no way they were going to carry this burden. Not long after, the caretaker of the dorm, along with the doctors and ambnce arrived. Their tutor also arrived and she walked right over with a stern face. As soon as she arrived, she pulled back the nket and her gaze stopped at the blood on Sun Yumeng¡¯s legs. One look at the scene and she knew what had happened. Song Qingtong was about to say something, but she saw Tang Yuxin shaking her head at her. They decided the best course of action was not to say or do anything. The tutor ced her hand on Sun Yumeng¡¯s neck, probably checking Sun Yumeng¡¯s vital signs. Sun Yumeng¡¯s body was still warm and her pulse was beating. It seemed like the bleeding had stopped. The nurse rushed forward and helped to lift Sun Yumeng onto a stretcher. Soon, an ambnce took Sun Yumeng and the rest of them away from the campus. Almost no one noticed their departure. Anyone with even a little knowledge of medical conditions would know what was wrong with Sun Yumeng. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Upon arrival at a nearby hospital, Sun Yumeng was quickly moved into the operation room. Their tutor asked for a rough ount of the situation. The girls told their tutor that when they left the dormitory, Sun Yumeng was still awake. She had even gone to the toilet and put on her makeup. Their tutor seemed to believe this, as Sun Yumeng¡¯s face was indeed made up. ¡°And when we came back, she was already like this.¡± Lin Yile, holding Ting Yuan¡¯s hand, seemed frightened. ¡°So you are saying, you were not present when this happened?¡± their tutor asked for rification. ¡°Yes,¡± Tang Yuxin nodded, they were not present. If they had been, such an incident would not have happened. But, if they had been present, it would onlyplicate matters. Chapter 322: 315: Why is That? Chapter 322: Chapter 315: Why is That? Thankfully, they were not there, as they were also not aware of anything. ¡°Do you have any evidence to prove that you were not there?¡± the tutor asked again. ¡°Yes,¡± Tang Yuxin raised her face without showing any guilt. ¡°My boyfriend invited our roommates to dinner at the Lizhi French Restaurant in the east of the city. We were there for nearly two hours, and everyone in there can testify to that.¡± The fact that Tang Yuxin had a boyfriend was not surprising to the tutor. It ismon for college students to go out for meals together. The tutor breathed a sigh of relief, and now the fact proved that this matter had nothing to do with Tang Yuxin and others. As long as it had nothing to do with her students, that was enough. Among all her students, she valued Tang Yuxin the most and didn¡¯t want anyone to ruin her future. Soon after, the door of the operation room opened, and the doctor came out. ¡°How¡¯s it going?¡± the tutor asked anxiously. ¡°Not good,¡± the surgeon shook his head, ¡°It¡¯s really bad. The fetus is stuck in the uterus. The abortion drug she took is potent. Since the fetus didn¡¯t descend, she bled a lot. Although we¡¯ve stopped the bleeding now, as soon as we remove the embryo, the heavy bleeding will immediately recur.¡± ¡°So, do we have to remove the uterus?¡± the tutor asked, understanding the implications based on what the surgeon was saying.
¡°Very likely,¡± the surgeon was here to inform them, ¡°You¡¯d better get her family here now. If ites to that, we will need their signatures for the operation.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± the tutor nodded, and then asked the students to take a seat while she contacted Sun Yumeng¡¯s family. Once the tutor left, Lin Yile couldn¡¯t help but burst into tears. ¡°What bad luck did we run into? This happened to us. I¡¯m not the one who got her pregnant. Why do I have to be frightened here? Who did we offend? Why do we have such a roommate?¡± Tang Yuxin put her arm around Lin Yile¡¯s shoulder. ¡°This has nothing to do with me, but we need to stick to our story. Otherwise, Sun Yumeng¡¯s parents will surely turn this around on us.¡± ¡°Why should we?¡± Ting Yuan retorted, unable to ept this. ¡°It has nothing to do with us.¡± ¡°Because we live together, they will hold us responsible for their daughter,¡± exined Tang Yuxin. Being older than them and having spent nearly ten years in the hospital, she had experienced simr situations. For example, a student died in the dorm and the roommates were sued by the parents. She didn¡¯t know how the case ended, but regardless of whether the parents won or not, the reputations of those students were damaged, and their families could not escape unharmed. This situation had nothing to do with them. Thankfully, the others in the dorm did know that they and Sun Yumeng had never gotten along. Though they lived in the same dorm, they each did their own thing, and they weren¡¯t around when the incident happened. Tang Yuxin now felt genuinely grateful that Qin Ziye had invited them to dinner. Otherwise, if they had stayed in the dorm, Sun Yumeng¡¯s parents could have drowned them in usations. Seeing the students huddled together, the tutor felt a heavy sense of dread. She had already informed Sun Yumeng¡¯s family. Sun Yumeng was originally from Beijing which was a relief. Still, what would they have done if the family hadn¡¯t been on-hand to give the necessary consent for the surgery? After an unknown amount of time had passed, Tang Yuxin sat on a bench, with Lin Yile sleeping against her shoulder. Ting Yuan nodding off from exhaustion and Song Qingtong tried to stay awake but kept nodding off. Only Tang Yuxin was still awake, unable and unwilling to sleep. The operation inside was still ongoing. From her own experience, she knew this was not an easy procedure. They should probably be grateful to her for stopping Sun Yumeng¡¯s bleeding beforehand to reduce the difficulty of the operation, since without it, not only would a hysterectomy be required, the organs could also have failed, making it difficult to save her. The hospital was not cold, but she still took off the jacket she was wearing and covered Lin Yile with it, protecting Lin Yile like a big sister. Suddenly, a rush of footsteps came from outside, followed by a middle-aged couple rushing in. Although she had only seen them once before, Tang Yuxin was still familiar with their strong nouveau riche aura. She had a good memory for distinctive faces, especially the couple who had yelled at them. It was Sun Yumeng¡¯s parents. ¡°How is my daughter doing?¡± Sun Yumeng¡¯s mother quickly asked the tutor. The moment she spoke, her tone was very aggressive, ¡°I sent my child to your school and you ended up sending her to the hospital. If anything happens to her, I won¡¯t let you get away with it.¡± The mother¡¯s spit flew angrily, sttering the tutor¡¯s face. But the tutor kept her temper in check because, indeed, their daughter was in a critical condition.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om
¡°Sun Yumeng hasn¡¯t been to school for over a month. Are you saying you don¡¯t know about this?¡± the tutor asked Sun Yumeng¡¯s parents coldly. ¡°The school has also contacted you, and you said Sun Yumeng couldn¡¯t attend because she had something going on. Is that what you said?¡± Upon hearing this, Sun Yumeng¡¯s mother¡¯s expression stiffened. She could not deny it because it was the truth, ¡°But what does that have to do with anything? Even if she didn¡¯t attend school for a month, she was sent to the hospital not long after she got to school. She¡¯s here to study, not to be sent from your school to the hospital.¡± The tutor felt extremely frustrated and agitated. She should be sleeping at this time, not dealing with such a troubling matter in the middle of the night. This situation was setting a terrible example, did they realize that?
¡°Do you not know why Sun Yumeng ended up in the hospital?¡± The tutor asked Sun Yumeng¡¯s parents. It was a big deal, and she did not believe the parents didn¡¯t know about it. They were the parents. They were the ones who said Sun Yumeng could not attend school because she had something to deal with. Now that something like this had happened, could it be understood that they knew their daughter might be pregnant? Chapter 323: 316: Who Did We Offend? Chapter 323: Chapter 316: Who Did We Offend? ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Mrs. Sun¡¯s voice raised, they had hailed a cab and rushed straight to the hospital after hearing something happened, but no one had exined the details. All they knew was that their daughter, Sun Yumeng, was in the hospital. She demanded to know, what on earth had happened to her daughter? Just as the professor began to speak, the doors to the surgery room swung open. ¡°Are the family members here?¡± The surgeon asked hastily. ¡°Yes, they¡¯re here,¡± the professor pointed to Sun Yumeng¡¯s father, ¡°right here.¡± ¡°Good, that¡¯s fine,¡± said the surgeon who was clearly in a hurry. ¡°Please get them to sign the consent forms immediately. We need to start the surgery.¡± ¡°Surgery, what surgery?¡± Hearing ¡®surgery¡¯, Mrs. Sun¡¯s anger momentarily subsided. What was going on? Why did her daughter, her little Yumeng, need surgery? What had these people in the school done to her? A nurse quickly produced the surgical consent forms andid them before Mrs. Sun, ¡°Please sign quickly.¡± She responded by pushing the forms to one side, dering, ¡°I won¡¯t sign, I won¡¯t give my consent.¡± ¡°What surgery can we proceed with if you won¡¯t sign?¡±
The nurse picked up the pen from the table, ¡°Her life hinges on your signature.¡± ¡°What kind of surgery does my daughter need?¡± Mr. Sun stared at the consent forms as the struggle visibly pained him. ¡°Hysterectomy.¡± The nurse spoke without emotion, perhaps seeing such things too often had rendered her numb. ¡°What?! A hysterectomy?¡± Mrs. Sun grabbed her by the arm, ¡°Why does my daughter need a hysterectomy? You tell me, why, how could my perfectly healthy daughter need her uterus removed?¡± ¡°If she were ¡®perfectly healthy¡¯, she wouldn¡¯t need her uterus removed. But she was heavily pregnant, and took abortion pills, which resulted in an intrauterine fetal death. The dy caused an infection in the uterus. Please sign.¡± With that, the nurse extended the consent forms back before Sun Yumeng¡¯s parents. Seeing their faces turn pale, she remarked caustically, ¡°How could such a young girl be so irresponsible? She¡¯s a medical student for heaven¡¯s sake, doesn¡¯t she have the slightest bit of sense?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t she just not have the surgery?¡± Mr. Sun¡¯s voice seemed to age by several years. Mrs. Sun was in shock, unable toprehend that her daughter was in the hospital because of this, and facing surgical removal of her uterus. Can a uterus grow back after it¡¯s removed? Of course, it can¡¯t right? ¡°If she did not need the surgery, we wouldn¡¯t be asking you toe here,¡± the nurse said, her patience clearly wearing thin. ¡°Sign quickly, make your decision ¨C life or womb. How could you have let your daughter get into this? ¡± Mr. Sun picked up the pen, clenched his teeth and signed his name shakily. ¡°You can¡¯t sign! You can¡¯t!¡± Mrs. Sun urgently grabbed his hand, ¡°If you sign this, our daughter will never be able to have children. What will happen to her marriage, her future children?¡± ¡°She can¡¯t have children anymore.¡± The nurse grabbed the signed consent form and walked into the surgery room. The situation had bypassed their control. Mrs. Sun slumped down powerlessly into the chair with her head in her hands, unable to utter a word. They had never imagined that their daughter, Sun Yumeng, was actually in the hospital because of this. She was pregnant, but they didn¡¯t even know who the father was.N?v(el)B\\jnn Mrs. Sun¡¯s voice had gone hoarse from crying as she spotted Lin Yile and her friends seated across from her. She was up on her feet immediately, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you take my daughter to the hospital sooner? You loathe my daughter, you wanted to see her suffer, did you want her dead?¡± Mrs. Sun¡¯s hand shot out, reaching for Lin Yile, startling her. It was clear she was trying to w at Lin Yile¡¯s eyes. Tang Yuxin reflexively pulled Lin Yile aside, causing Mrs. Sun¡¯s fingernails to graze her face. Tang Yuxin suddenly felt sharp pain in the corner of her eye and then saw a smear of red ¨C her blood.
¡°Yuxin, wu wu¡­¡± Seeing Tang Yuxin get hurt, Lin Yile started crying. The professor only then reacted and rushed to restrain Mrs. Sun, attracting nurses and doctors to the scene. Tang Yuxin felt a sharp pain in her eye, as if she had gone blind. A doctor came over to check Tang Yuxin¡¯s injured eye, while Lin Yidong cried uncontrobly. Song Qingtong held onto a stunned Ting Yuan with one hand and Lin Yile with the other.
Seeing red, Qingtong didn¡¯t understand what was happening. With a thud, she copsed to the ground. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, she¡¯s fine,¡± the doctor reassured after examining Tang Yuxin. ¡°Thankfully the eyeball wasn¡¯t injured; it was a close call though.¡± ¡°Doctor, how about her¡­¡± Tang Yuxin managed to ask, pointing to the copsed Song Qingtong. Why had she suddenly copsed? ¡°She fainted, probably due to stress.¡± The doctor had already treated Tang Yuxin¡¯s injuries, expressing a hint of regret. Such a beautiful young girl, now marred by a scar on her face, all because of an innocent misunderstanding? Lin Yile stood aside, her eyes red from crying. Tang Yuxin reassured her, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± As Lin Yile cried more, she only felt worse, ¡°Why did this happen to us? We didn¡¯t do anything wrong. Sun Yumeng got pregnant and indiscriminately took abortion medicine, resulting in the need for a hysterectomy. We didn¡¯t even know about it! Her mom almost blinded me, and frightened Qingtong into a faint with her attack. ¡± The police arrived shortly after and began an investigation. Tang Yuxin knew that it was just a matter of time before they arrived. However, she touched the corner of her eye lightly where the wound was. At least her scar could garner some sympathy. With no other choice, she had to sacrifice herself to protect her friends¡¯ reputations. Of course, Song Qingtong got extra sympathy points for fainting. They were all brought to the police station not long after, leaving only Mr. Sun to take care of Sun Yumeng. The surgery was a sess and Sun Yumeng¡¯s life was saved but she had lost her uterus, meaning she would never be able to have children in the future. The unborn baby had turned into a lump of flesh and was lost.
Chapter 324: 317 Boyfriend Arrival Chapter 324: Chapter 317 Boyfriend Arrival Inside the police station, Sun¡¯s mother was alone, crying and making a scene, using the school of harming her daughter. She also med her daughter¡¯s dorm-mates, arguing that they could¡¯ve sent her daughter to the hospital earlier. ording to her, everyone was heartless. Her daughter had been so good to them, but in the end, they had treated her daughter this way. Upon hearing this, Tang Yuxin rolled her eyes dismissively. Being nice to them? There wasn¡¯t a day when they hadn¡¯t been bullied by her. Before Tang Yuxin could even finish her sentence, their instructor had already exined the situation. ording to him, Sun Yumeng had taken the drugs only after they had left the dorm. By the time they returned, she was already in a critical condition. If they hadn¡¯t found her in time, not only would her womb be lost, but her life would be too. After hearing the exnation, the police officer couldn¡¯t help throwing Sun¡¯s mother an extra nce. Like mother like daughter, he thought, this incident had clearly nothing to do with the four female students. The cause of all this was her daughter¡¯s irresponsible behaviour. Yet, Sun¡¯s mother had shamelessly dragged these innocent girls into it, in her attempt to shift me. Sun¡¯s mother snorted coldly, convincing herself that those who saw no trouble now would eventually suffer. Now that her daughter had lost her womb and was unable to have children in the future, she would not let anyone else off the hook. She was resolved to drag as many people as she could down with her. ¡°You say you have a friend, is it a male friend? Where did you find him? And mind you, which one of you is also pregnant?¡± Her usatory gaze swept over their stomachs. The instructor¡¯s face changed at her words, wishing he could p her right across her face. Both Lin Yile and Ting Yuan were furious, but Tang Yuxin shook her head at them. The more they endured now, the farther they would be from the troubles they shouldn¡¯t have been bearing in the first ce. ¡°Tang Yuxin,¡± the instructor called Yuxin¡¯s name. ¡°Sir, I¡¯m here,¡± Tang Yuxin¡¯s eye was hurting terribly, so she could only look at him with one eye. Her vision was a little blurry. She had been up all night and was already very weary and tired.
¡°Call your friend over.¡± Tang Yuxin agreed and ced her backpack down. She then took out a piece of paper from it, having kept it neatly folded in perfect squares. Picking up the station¡¯s phone, she took a deep breath before dialling the number. Her fear was that Qin Ziye wouldn¡¯t pick up or wasn¡¯t avable. Fortunately, the call was answered after only a few rings. ¡°Hello¡­?¡± It was Qin Ziye¡¯s voice. ¡°Qin Ziye, it¡¯s me.¡± ¡°Yuxin?¡± Qin Ziye, still wearing his pyjamas, was a little sleepy. He was pleasantly surprised that his new girlfriend had actually called him. Was she missing him? The smile that had just formed on his lips just a few seconds ago quickly disappeared. ¡°I understand, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll be there immediately,¡± and with that, he hung up the phone. He then hastily put on his clothes, grabbed his car keys from the table, and rushed out the door. As he drove along the dimly lit,te-night streets, he noticed the moths continuously hurling themselves towards the litmp, relentlessly banging against it over and over again. He stepped on the elerator, speeding towards the police station. Upon entering the station, he quickly took in the state of affairs before making his way inside. Not long ago, he had seen these young girls lively at dinner. Now, they all looked drained, keeping their eyes downcast and remaining silent. And there was Tang Yuxin, sitting against a wall with her backpack as her pillow, looking somewhat lonely. Qin Ziye walked over and ced a hand on Tang Yuxin¡¯s shoulder. As Tang Yuxin lifted her face, she attempted to rub her eyes but stopped due to a sudden pain. Her hand then dropped back down. ¡°What happened to your eye?¡± Qin Ziye lifted Tang Yuxin¡¯s face. For a moment, he had been shocked, thinking that her eye had been injured. On closer inspection, he found that the actual problem was below her eye, and although her eye was slightly red, it didn¡¯t seem to be serious. ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± Tang Yuxin got up, setting her bag aside. Qin Ziye¡¯s eyes narrowed as he turned to face the still ranting and raging Sun¡¯s mother.
¡°Did you cause her injury?¡± Sun¡¯s mother snorted, ¡°So what if I did? What, you¡¯re the man she found, aren¡¯t you? You like ying with these young girls, don¡¯t you? Did you get them pregnant?¡± The words spilled from her mouth without a trace of thought, as if the person standing before her was the man who had impregnated her daughter and then abandoned her, resulting in her daughter losing her womb. If her daughter couldn¡¯t get away with it, she certainly wasn¡¯t going to let anyone else off the hook.
Just as Qin Ziye was about tosh out, Tang Yuxin grabbed his sleeve. He turned and saw her shake her head slightly. ¡°I got it,¡± Qin Ziye said as he sat down, cing his hands on the table. ¡°I¡¯d like to know what happened,¡± he asked the police officer. The police officer nced at Sun¡¯s mother, who was still hurling usations. ¡°Thatdy¡¯s daughter got pregnant before marriage and took abortion pills on her own. She had a miscarriage in her dorm room. Now, her womb has been removed in the hospital.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om ¡°These four¡­¡± he pointed at Tang Yuxin and the others, ¡°are her dorm mates. Now, thatdy is using these four students of deliberate negligence.¡± ¡°When did this all happen?¡± Qin Ziye started tapping his fingers lightly on the table. This was something he often did but now it made him seem more in control andposed. ¡°Around eight o¡¯clock at night.¡± The police officer continued, ¡°These students said that they were out having dinner with you at that time.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Qin Ziye nodded. He pulled out his wallet, took out a receipt from it and ced it on the table. ¡°This is the bill from the restaurant. We left at around seven-ten. I drove them back around eight o¡¯clock, and they entered the college at around eight-fifteen.¡± Chapter 325: 318: If shes ugly, you can marry her Chapter 325: Chapter 318: If she¡¯s ugly, you can marry her ¡°You can check the restaurant¡¯s record, my consumption history is there as I am a regr. You can verify with their manager, or you can ask the regr customers from that day without asking them at all. The restaurant will provide you with the list of names.¡± ¡°Is there anything else you need?¡± Qin Ziye had stated all he knows, both asked and unasked questions, with clear organization and logic. He wasn¡¯t afraid of being investigated, because it would only reveal the truth. As for the matter of Sun Yumeng, it was even simpler. The medication she took would surely have records, and surely there would be clear data on how long it took for the medicine effect to ur. Her covert abortion when others were absent seemed to have nothing to do with others, let alone usations of watching someone die without helping. Madam Sun sat on the floor, wiggling around and finding herself at a loss for words. She got up. ¡°I have to go check on my daughter. Regardless, I will not let you off,¡± she said, leaving a threatening remark behind. ¡°Madam,¡± Qin Ziye sat there, his voice cold and indifferent. ¡°You cannot leave yet.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Mrs. Sun turned around, her double chin quivering. ¡°I¡¯m going to sue you for intentional assault.¡±
The words that came from Qin Ziye were now freezing cold. How could someone assault another and then just leave? The world isn¡¯t that unfair. Who owed her anything that they should endure her violence withoutint? ¡°What do you mean?¡± Madam Sun raised her voice, but it only revealed her own fear. ¡°Exactly as I said it,¡± Qin Ziye turned to the other policeman at the scene. ¡°Is that right,rade?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the policeman nodded. ¡°This constitutes the crime of intentional assault.¡± Upon hearing this, Madam Sun was panicking. Her daughter was one thing, and now she was also facing charges. She was ready to fight them to the bitter end. She gritted her teeth and red at Tang Yuxin. She wished she could poke her eyes out. Without giving it a thought, she darted forward and stretched out her hand, only to be met with a loud bang. Everyone, even the police, were startled. The personying on the ground was Lin Yile. Madam Sun¡¯s hand was still held up high in the air, and everyone was confused. They had thought she was going after Tang Yuxin, and Qin Ziye had also moved to protect Tang Yuxin, but it turns out the person Madam Sun wanted to hit wasn¡¯t Tang Yuxin, but Qin Ziye. It was all because of this damned man. He had the audacity to curse her; she wanted to blind him. She tried to scratch him, reaching out and aiming for his eyes as her fingers met his skin. Unexpectedly someone blocked her way, it was Tang Yuxin. Tang Yuxin bowed her head and looked at Lin Yile, who was lying on the ground and scared. A pain arose in her face, and it seemed like she had suffered a great loss, not only losing an eye, but also scarring her face. Luckily, her skin was good and basically didn¡¯t leave any scars. These small injuries weren¡¯t serious and she had the Chen family¡¯s scar removal medicine. It worked slowly but consistently and would eventually healpletely. She lifted her head, several traces of blood were visible flowing down her face, especially against her fair skin, which made this injury all the more shocking. Why did Tang Yuxin do so, you ask? Instinct, perhaps. Or habit. Qin Ziye hurriedly turned Tang Yuxin¡¯s face to see the several deep scratches on it. Particrly on her face, they were more prominent than on others.
Madam Sun calmly withdrew her hand, as if assaulting someone wasn¡¯t against thew and it was only natural. ¡°So?¡± She raised her face, ncing at Tang Yuxin. ¡°Name your price, our family has plenty of money.¡± This attitude of Madam Sun left everyone present aghast. The officers had never seen such audacity before. Tang Yuxin¡¯s face had been marked up, and all she could do was offer money. Was Tang Yuxin¡¯s face something that could be bought with money? This young girl was so beautiful. If she became a celebrity in the future, she would earn even more. Who needed their rotten money?
¡°I¡¯ll take you to the hospital first,¡± Qin Ziye said, hurriedly grabbing Tang Yuxin¡¯s hand. His veins popped on the back of his hand, and his palm was filled with cold sweat. The police did not stop him but detained Mrs. Sun instead. This was a case of intentional injury, urring right in front of them. If the victim didn¡¯t press charges, it would be fine, but if they did, it would be less trouble to have her already under custody. ¡°Poor girl,¡± the doctor carefully disinfected Tang Yuxin¡¯s wound. ¡°Is it bad? It won¡¯t leave a scar, will it?¡± Qin Ziye asked the doctor, his voice carrying clear anxiety. ¡°Whether it leaves a scar depends on her recovery. The youngdy is still young and has a strong physique. If the wound is well-treated, there shouldn¡¯t be a scar. However, do be more careful in the future. The face is particrly important.¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn ¡°Thank you,¡± Tang Yuxin reached out to touch her own face, but her hand was caught. ¡°Don¡¯t touch it,¡± Qin Ziye crouched down and stared at her face. ¡°If you really be ugly, I might be the only one willing to marry you. You wouldn¡¯t even be able to start over with someone new.¡± Tang Yuxin did notugh, nor did she cry. She only felt a throbbing pain on her face, and a gentle look in the eyes of the man in front of her. You can be treated gently in your next life. She opened her mouth, as if wanting to say something, but in the end, she remained silent. ¡°Silly,¡± Qin Ziye gently caressed Tang Yuxin¡¯s long ck hair that reached her shoulders. Natural ck, naturally straight hair, and a natural character. She should have hit me instead, I am a man. Even if my face is hurt, it¡¯s not a big deal, but what if your face is scarred? ¡°So, if I am deformed, you¡¯ll marry me, right?¡± Without much thought, Tang Yuxin responded to his previous joke. As soon as she said it, she froze, then broke intoughter echoing from his chest.
¡°Alright, remember that you said it,¡± Qin Ziye stood up, his warm, dry hand gently smoothed her hair. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, don¡¯t be afraid, even if you are at your wits end, remember, I am there for you.¡± The most touching words in the world are not, ¡°I love you.¡± Chapter 326: 319: The One Who Tries to Steal The Daughter Arrived Chapter 326: Chapter 319: The One Who Tries to Steal The Daughter Arrived But there¡¯s also me. Tang Yuxin had heard plenty of derations of love before, in her past life, Zhang Yong¡¯an had proimed his love too many times. But she could trante his ¡®I love yous¡¯ to mean ¡®you¡¯re a fool for loving me.¡¯ Now hearing the words, ¡°I¡¯m still here for you,¡± struck her more profoundly than a thousand derations of love. It stirred something within her, even in her hardened heart, it felt as though something was subtly breaking. He really is a good person. If she could, why not give it a try? This world is not only filled with good women, there are also good men out there. In her past life, she was just unfortunate not to have crossed paths with one. But in this lifetime, she believed her luck wouldn¡¯t be that terrible. With these thoughts still in her mind, she didn¡¯t know if it was because she was finally rxed or genuinely tired, she fell asleep with her head pillowed on Qin Ziye¡¯sp. Qin Ziye maintained the posture the entire night without a slight change. He gently touched Tang Yuxin¡¯s hair, the brilliance of his eyes dimming. They lost the sparkle they originally had, bing a bit subdued and dull. They seemed like they were trying to prate something, but couldn¡¯t find the remnants of time. When Tang Yuxin woke up early the next morning, she heard a loud bang that startled her awake.
Was there an earthquake? Instantly sitting up, her memory came flooding back, reminding her that Beijing had never experienced an earthquake, not during her lifetime and certainly not after her death. Then what was it? She looked around and was startled by what she saw. ¡°Dad, let go¡­.¡± At this moment, Tang Zhinian, who had arrived at an unknown time, was gripping Qin Ziye¡¯s cor tightly. It looked like he was about to beat him up. Tang Yuxin, startled, lunged forward to stop him. But whether it was the abrupt shift in posture or theck of food causing her blood sugar to drop, she didn¡¯t manage tond properly and ended up stumbling forward. ¡°Yuxin!¡± Tang Zhinian called out, rushing to help his daughter. Qin Ziye reacted simrly, simultaneously reaching out for Tang Yuxin¡¯s hair, jerking a handful before letting go. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Qin Ziye quickly tucked the strand of hair back. Tang Zhinian quickly picked up his daughter, looking like Qin Ziye was a big bad wolf trying to kidnap his still young and precious daughter. How could he put into words how hard it was to raise his daughter? And now, just as she was growing up, someone wanted to steal her away. That was more than annoying, it was unbearable. Especially for a father like him. Qin Ziye remembered that Tang Yuxin had called the middle-aged man ¡®dad.¡¯ It made sense now. The man had burst into the room, seeing Qin Ziye and his daughter in an intimate moment. Any father would be upset, even though they hadn¡¯t done anything wrong. All he did was lend his leg as a pillow to Tang Yuxin. But of course, a father wouldn¡¯t believe that. Now he seemed to be on guard, like he was facing a thief. ¡°Uncle,¡± He smiled, trying to maintain an air of proper etiquette. ¡°Who¡¯s your uncle?¡± Tang Zhinian snapped back. He disliked this young man to the point of disgust, just too good-looking and frivolous. ¡°Dad¡­¡± Tang Yuxin rubbed her head, which now felt numb, ¡°When did you get here?¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn ¡°How could I note?¡± Tang Zhinian was immediately angered by her words, ¡°My daughter was here studying soundly, and now she¡¯s encountered so much trouble. Are you asking me not toe?¡± Seeing Tang Yuxin¡¯s injuries, the scraped skin under her eyes, and her hair disheveled due to his actions, his heart ached immensely. Pointing at Qin Ziye, teeth gritted, he demanded, ¡°You tell me, who is this kid? What were the two of you doing just now?¡± This was the first time Tang Yuxin saw her father so explosive, it seemed he wanted to blow Qin Ziye away.
Unsurprisingly, he was protective. Hisboriously raised radish was about to be plucked. That was absolutely heart-wrenching. Were they doing anything back then? She wrinkled her brows, looked back at Qin Ziye for rification. They didn¡¯t do anything, right? ¡°Uncle, you¡¯ve misunderstood.¡± Qin Ziye hurriedly exined, ¡°All I did was lend my leg to Yuxin as a pillow.¡± ¡°Yuxin? Since when did you get the right to address her so informally?¡± Tang Zhinian quickly pulled his daughter behind him. Every father, in that situation, would have lost their rationale.
Tang Yuxin thought her father was overreacting. It wasn¡¯t until many yearster when another man brought his girlfriend home to meet his parents. His father, always a tough man, suddenly burst into tears. Only then did she understand the sorrow behind her father¡¯s actions that day. At this moment, she realized just how much those actions had hurt Tang Zhinian¡¯s heart. ¡°Yuxin, who is he?¡± Tang Zhinian questioned his daughter once more, his gaze unwavering from Qin Ziye. ¡°He is¡­¡± Tang Yuxin hesitated. How should she exin this? ¡°I guess¡­¡± She let out a soft sigh, lightly tugging at Tang Zhinian¡¯s sleeve, ¡°Your daughter¡¯s current boyfriend¡­I¡¯m not sure about him being your future son-inw yet.¡± Indeed, it was about the present; the future is too unpredictable. No one can guarantee that their promises will be fulfilled, no matter how earnest their intentions may be. Only by being diligent in the present can they potentially fulfill these promises. But as for whether they could take it that far¡­ Tang Yuxin wasn¡¯t sure, and Qin Ziye? No one could answer that question. Tang Zhinian¡¯s dislike for Qin Ziye was apparent. ¡°I don¡¯t like him,¡± Tang Zhinian said bluntly. ¡°Why?¡± Tang Yuxin didn¡¯t understand, ¡°Just because he¡¯s trying to court your daughter?¡±
¡°No.¡± Tang Zhinian wasn¡¯t sure why either, ¡°It¡¯s just an instinctual dislike. You should trust me. I¡¯ve been out there, seen all sorts of people, experienced all sorts of things. I¡¯m not trying to prevent you from dating. I just don¡¯t want you to be deceived.¡± ¡°Dad, I understand.¡± Tang Yuxin hugged Tang Zhinian¡¯s arm, thinking to herself, this must be what a real father feels like. Someone else¡¯s dad wouldn¡¯t care as much. Tang Zhinian was more pragmatic about the ordeal. During one¡¯s lifetime, you¡¯re bound to encounter many difficulties and meet many people. Sometimes, stumbling and falling is also a form of growth. As for what kind of man Qin Ziye really is? Time will tell. He gently patted his daughter¡¯s head, ¡°I won¡¯t stop you from having a boyfriend. After all, all the kids nowadays do. But you must promise me that you would protect yourself. As a girl, you must respect yourself.¡± Tang Zhinian chose not to continue. After all, no matter how repulsive the situation was, he couldn¡¯t physically harm others. Chapter 327: 320 Loosening Up Chapter 327: Chapter 320 Loosening Up It¡¯s not like his daughter Yuxin has no father to protect her. ¡°Dad, don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t.¡± Tang Yuxin had lived two lifetimes, naturally, she knew what she could and couldn¡¯t do, she had her limits in conducting herself. Above these limits, she would not refrain from, but beneath them, she would not transcend. ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Tang Zhinian was still worried about his daughter, these youngsters nowadays indeed give people much to worry about. A perfectly fine kid, doing all sorts of undesirable things, not knowing how to protect oneself. It¡¯s these types of situations that girls suffer the most from¨Cnow that she¡¯s suffered, her life is ruined. Say goodbye to university. Her body has suffered too, she can forget about getting married and having children. This incident is indeed a cause for sighing. But, regardless, hitting his child is wrong, it¡¯s uneptable, and as a father he definitely won¡¯t stand for it. ¡°I¡¯m going to speak with Uncle Lin and take care of this situation. What matters now isn¡¯t anything else but the fact that that Sun put her hands on my daughter. She needs to face the consequences. You kids should go home, don¡¯t dy your studies anymore.¡± ¡°Thank you, Dad. I understand,¡± Tang Yuxin smiled faintly, but it was a bitter smile. She didn¡¯t really know how much hair the two men had pulled out¡ªheaven knows why it hurt so much?
She used her fingers as ab to smooth her hair. The door opened gently. The footsteps that came in were familiar¡ªhadn¡¯t she recognized them? A hand reached out and touched her hair.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Tang Yuxin looked up, and then shook her head, ¡°It¡¯s not your fault. This matter had nothing to do with you, it was I who dragged you into it.¡± Qin Ziye used his fingers to smooth her hair, there was a faint fragrance, somewhat familiar, yet she couldn¡¯t ce its origin. ¡°Did I get past this hurdle, for now?¡± His tone was self-mocking, indeed, taking someone¡¯s daughter away was not an easy task. ¡°Yes, you¡¯re good,¡± Tang Yuxin lowered her head again. She always felt this rtionship came somewhat surprisingly, but even so, she had epted it. She was willing to open her heart, all because of a certain infatuation. But, why did she always feel like she couldn¡¯t see what¡¯s in his eyes? It seemed like he had a lot of things hidden from her. However, she didn¡¯t feel the urge to uncover these secrets. After all, she had way too many secrets herself, unknown to others. So, what right did she have to demand openness from him? They spent their time peacefully together, yet outside, under the dazzling sky, a strong gust of wind was blowing. As for how the Sun family¡¯s situation was resolved, Tang Yuxin didn¡¯t ask. She only knew that because Sun¡¯s mother was deliberately causing harm, she was sentenced to three months in prison. Tang Yuxin had no sympathy for Sun¡¯s mother. Like mother, like daughter¡ªthe daughter became this way because of her mother¡¯s influence. As for Sun Yumeng, after causing such an incident, she was expelled from the school. Her actions severely tarnished the school¡¯s reputation and harmed other students. This kind of thing had never happened at Qing University before. Sun Yumeng¡¯s stuff was thrown out. Now there were only four of them left in the dorm. ¡°My dad said the Sun family is a somewhat famed family,¡± Song Qingtong said as she took a bite of a Baozi. ¡°Originally, this incident couldn¡¯t have been resolved so easily. The Sun family could have swept it under the rug, even Sun Yumeng¡¯s mother was about to be released.¡± ¡°Then someone intervened and suppressed the Sun family. Otherwise, your grievances for the injuries you suffered might not have been pacified so easily?¡± Tang Yuxin briefly touched her face, which was still smooth and scar-free. Apparently, she was born with skin that doesn¡¯t leave scars easily. The injuries she suffered were worth it, at the very least, the school didn¡¯t expel them. They even became the victims. The school administration also visited to express their condolences, provided them with the best learning resources, and even assigned them good mentors. So, one could say that disaster brought them a blessing. This incident had taken ce a long time ago, but Tang Yuxin didn¡¯t know how long exactly. They had grown ustomed to living in a dorm without Sun Yumeng. Even their ssmates no longer remembered they once had a ssmate named Sun Yumeng.
Was it because she was simply forgettable, or was Sun Yumeng just insignificant to begin with? The name Sun Yumeng nearly faded from their lives, the most left of her perhaps being, the rumors about an unmarried student getting pregnant, then disappearing into obscurity. Even the girl¡¯s name was forgotten. ¡°Tang Yuxin, telephone,¡± the dorm supervisor was shouting for Tang Yuxin. Tang Yuxin put down her book and stood up.
Since she received a call at this time, she thought it must be Qin Ziye. He was the only one who would call her at this time, a brief greeting, not too many words, but always warming her now somewhat numb heart. Her heart was gradually softening. Because of time, because ofpanionship, and because of that erstwhile moment of love at first sight. She picked up the phone and put it to her ear. She thought she would hear Qin Ziye¡¯s voice, but it wasn¡¯t. ¡°Tang Yuxin¡­¡± an eerie voice, like a vengeful ghost crawling out of Hell. ¡°What do you want?¡± Tang Yuxin suddenly smirked, she knew who it was. Perhaps others have forgotten, but she never did. ¡°Hehe¡­¡± A sneeringughter carried a trace of dark tone. ¡°Tang Yuxin, it¡¯s been a while since west met, aren¡¯t you going toe see me? After all, we used to be ssmates, right? Well then, I¡¯ll be waiting for you at the milk tea shop in Tianguan Square. I¡¯ve already ordered your favorite milk tea. I¡¯m waiting.¡± Tang Yuxin bit her lower lip lightly, she didn¡¯t like milk tea, but rather she only liked the herbal tea she made herself. ¡°Yuxin, are you going out?¡± Lin Yile, who had just returned, saw Tang Yuxin wearing her backpack, indicating that she was about to go out. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m stepping out for a bit.¡± Tang Yuxin went to meet her, but did not tell her roommates about it.
When she arrived, she already saw the person sitting inside, Sun Yumeng. Sun Yumeng¡¯s face was full of heavy makeup, yet even the thickest makeup couldn¡¯t hide her awfulplexion, and her body naturally revealed signs of aging. At the age of twenty, but now she looked like a woman in her 3 Chapter 328: 321: Agreement Chapter 328: Chapter 321: Agreement Moreover, Tang Yuxin knew that a woman who had her uterus removed, not only loses her ability to conceive, but also ages faster. Of course, besides the physical devastation, there would be mental torment and agony as well. She walked over and sat down, as expected, there was a cup of milk tea in front of her, but she didn¡¯t touch it. Sun Yumeng lifted her face, staring intently at the barely visible red marks on Tang Yuxin¡¯s face. ¡°Heaven has been so kind to you,.¡± She picked up a goblet, obviously filled with red wine. Tang Yuxin wanted to warn her not to drink, but in the end, she didn¡¯t speak out. It¡¯s her own body, and they had both studied medicine. If she didn¡¯t know this basic knowledge, it would be aplete waste of time getting a medical degree. Even if she was stupid and ignorant, she should know not to touch cold things or drink alcohol after a miscarriage. As for whether heaven treats her well or not, yes, she feels blessed by the heavens too. The heavens provided her an opportunity to rewrite her life, to change many things, and this also includes her own life. But, if given the choice, she wished she hadn¡¯t had this chance. She wanted to be loved by both parents, to live a peaceful life, find a husband who loved her, bear their child, and spend an ordinary peaceful life. However, what¡¯s most easily attainable in life for others, is unimaginably difficult for her.
Sun Yumeng poured herself more red wine into the goblet. The red wine in the ss looked just like fresh blood. She licked her very red lips. ¡°Tell me, why didn¡¯t you save me?¡± Sun Yumeng asked with a feigned smile, but her smirk hid sharp barbs. ¡°Do you think, if you had saved me, I wouldn¡¯t have ended up like this?¡± ¡°I warned you,¡± Tang Yuxin replied, never having felt that she did anything wrong. She had voiced everything she needed to say, but Sun Yumeng didn¡¯t listen. ¡°Then you could¡¯ve dragged me to the hospital,¡± Sun Yumeng ced her hand on the table and dragged it across the surface like a cat. Her nails scratching forcefully against the table. ¡°You could have warned me, taken me to the hospital, forced me, but you didn¡¯t. You didn¡¯t do anything!¡± ¡°Why would I do that?¡± Tang Yuxin responded, lifting her eyelids indifferently. Every bit of resentment in Sun Yumeng¡¯s eyes was now directed at her. Exactly, why would Tang Yuxin have done that? Who does Sun Yumeng think she is? Someone close or amiable to Tang Yuxin? She unnecessarily harmed others and still expects good deeds in return? Who does she think she is? Lin Yile, Ting Yuan, or Song Qingtong?N?v(el)B\\jnn If the same situation was to happen to any of those three, Tang Yuxin would¡¯ve done what she said; even if she had to knock them out, she would have taken them to the hospital. Unfortunately, she¡¯s not one of those three. The one who became pregnant before marriage was Sun Yumeng, the one who refused any advice was still Sun Yumeng. How dare she me others now? While she is doing so, did she bother to reflect on whose fault it really is? Sun Yumeng took another big gulp of the wine and it felt like falling from heaven to hell. ¡°Tang Yuxin¡­¡± she finally spoke, herughter was filled with an inexplicable hatred. She didn¡¯t resent others, didn¡¯t resent the man who abandoned her, but resented Tang Yuxin who once kindly warned her and, essentially, saved her life. ¡°I heard¡­¡± she suddenly moved close to Tang Yuxin¡¯s face. She was smiling, but there was a bone-chilling cold in her eyes. ¡°You have a boyfriend, if you hadn¡¯t gone to dinner with him, I wouldn¡¯t be in this mess, so¡­¡± she parted her lips which were as red as if she had drunk human blood. A curse-like phrase slipped out of her mouth, word by word. ¡°You will be like me, discarded, lose everything. There will be no happy ending for you and him. You two are doomed, haha¡­.¡± At this point, she stood up, swaying in her high heels as if she had lost her mind and left the ce.
Some chill wind blew towards Tang Yuxin and she couldn¡¯t help but clutch her arms. Knowing full well that she shouldn¡¯t take it seriously, for some reason, the coldness seemed to linger around her. How long would it stay? And she couldn¡¯t help but shudder, because of that phrase, ¡°You two are doomed.¡± She didn¡¯t like those words.
And she didn¡¯t like that oue either. She sighed quietly, picked up the milk tea from the table, and drank it. The tea had grown cold, and this strange taste was something Tang Yuxin knew she would never get ustomed to. She stood up, grabbed her book bag, and left the ce. It was as if she had never been there to begin with. Or like nothing ever happened? Her life continued as usual, with not much change. Qin Ziyi¡¯s existence had be part of her life,mon meetups, shared meals, frequent visits to her courtyard. He announced his intent to buy her furniture, even though she declined the offer as she wanted to buy her own. And, she often went to his ce. Qin Ziyi lived in a private apartmentplex. The ce was lush with greenery, quiet and serene. He never mentioned anything about his family, and Tang Yuxin didn¡¯t pry either. All she knew was that his background was not simple; one can change the way they dress, their outside appearance, even their character can be cultivated, but some things engrained deep within our being cannot be altered. Qin Ziyi was definitely endowed with such traits. Beyond this, she had begun to understand him better. He liked to eat green pepper with shredded meat, enjoyed mildly sour and spicy food, but didn¡¯t have a sweet tooth. Their rtionship was stable, and if things stayed this way, maybe they could settle down after graduation, start their own little family, and possibly have a child. That was precisely what Tang Yuxin desired. She wanted to marry early and to have a child of her own early. A child who would call her mother and father ¡®grandpa¡¯ and ¡®grandma¡¯.
She could tell that Qin Ziyi liked her, and he treated her well. She didn¡¯t want much, just to be remembered once in a while, cared for once in a while. That was enough. After the end of the semester, she went home for summer vacation. It was during this separation that she realized how much she missed him, because he was in her heart, because he had be her ideal. And because of this longing to start a family together, and amitment to grow old together. Chapter 329: 322: She is a Caregiver Chapter 329: Chapter 322: She is a Caregiver Every day, the phone would ring, and as soon as Tang Zhinian saw his daughter on the call, his face would turn green with rage. Raising a daughter was no fun at all, and the saying about daughters being a fort in old age¡± was nonsense. Rather, they were more like barbs piercing your hearts. After heading off to college, no more daily phone calls to tell dad how much she missed him. Now that she¡¯s got a boyfriend, all her thoughts were consumed by him. After hearing Tang Zhinian¡¯sints, Ren Li couldn¡¯t help butugh and cry at the same time. What child isn¡¯t like this? Parents put in endless hard work to raise them, but in the end, they be someone else¡¯s. Thinking of her own Chengcheng, her heart filled with the same sorrow as Tang Zhinian¡¯s. Her Little Chengcheng, whom she hadbored so hard to bring into this world and raise, would eventually grow up to belong to someone else. What about her, his mother? Will he forget about her? On contemting this, she felt a strong urge to spank the little rascal. However, each time she looked at her son¡¯s sweet, adorable face, she¡¯d feel as if she were being driven mad by Tang Zhinian. She felt it would be best for Tang Yuxin to return to school sooner. That way, Tang Zhinian might be able to return to normal. Tang Yuxin felt the same, having nothing to do at home, so she went back to school and found herself a part-time job at a small clinic. She first furnished her small courtyard house with inexpensive furniture. It wasn¡¯t much or fancy, but it was livable. She¡¯d go to work at the clinic every day, earning her living expenses and gaining internship experience. Upon arriving at the clinic, Tang Yuxin heard a child crying. The clinic was busy with four staff members in total, including her as a nursing assistant. The child wailed incessantly, causing distress to the parents, while a nurse held the child¡¯s small hand.
Landing the needle was difficult due to the child¡¯s thin veins. After several unsessful attempts, both the child and the parents were agitated. The nurse who was trying to insert the IV was at her wit¡¯s end, and her colleagues didn¡¯t fare any better as the child¡¯s veins were unusually hard to find. Thinking of her little brother, Tang Yuxin couldn¡¯t help but imagine how it would feel if he was pricked over and over. ¡°I can try,¡± she offered, washing her hands before stepping forward. The nurses stepped aside, their doubtful eyes asking, ¡°Can you do it?¡± Tang Yuxin squatted down and took the girl¡¯s small hand. She always had a cheerful demeanor, not grim-faced like most of the other nurses. ¡°How old are you?¡± she asked as she gently stroked the girl¡¯s cheek with her finger. Seeing Tang Yuxin¡¯s smile, the little girl couldn¡¯t help but sh a grin. ¡°Sister, I¡¯m three years old.¡± ¡°My brother is a little over two years old, just a bit younger than you,¡± Tang Yuxin responded. Whenever she returned home, the little fatty, her little brother, seemed to have grown again. She knew her little fatty would grow up tall and handsome. ¡°Does your little brother cry when he gets shots?¡± the little girl asked curiously, momentarily forgetting about her own situation. ¡°No, he¡¯s a good boy,¡± Tang Yuxin said, smiling. Her fingertips found the child¡¯s tiny veins. She had always excelled in this area. After all, she had ten years of medical experience and was trained by Chen Zhong in the Chen-style Acupuncture Method. Some acupoints were even harder to locate than veins, but she had still managed to insert needles urately. The little girl felt a slight pain on the back of her hand, but it quickly subsided, and she continued her conversation with Tang Yuxin, who was still smiling. ¡°Does your little brother also have to get lots of shots?¡± ¡°No, he doesn¡¯t get shots,¡± Tang Yuxin replied as she fixed the girl¡¯s hand with a small medical box and adjusted the flow rate of the IV drip. She gently touched the little one¡¯s head and held her other small hand. It wasn¡¯t a serious illness; trying to avoid IV treatment would be sufficient. The parents were just overly rmed because the child had a fever. Just like her own little fatty. At first, whenever he got sick or had a fever, Ren Li would want to rush him to the hospital immediately. But with time, she learned to calm down and would even feed him sugar water for a light fever. Even though she still worried, she knew a child¡¯smon cold or fever was normal, and constant IV drips weren¡¯t a good solution. ¡°There, that¡¯s done,¡± she said, straightening the little girl¡¯s clothes and touching her face gently. ¡°Just sit nicely without moving, and you¡¯ll be fine shortly.¡± ¡°Thank you, sister,¡± the little girl replied politely as the IV drip hung from her hand, delivering the medication drop by drop. The girl¡¯s mother held her child tightly, feeling upset. Sheined to the doctor that the clinic has apetent nurse like Tang Yuxin, yet her daughter had to suffer at the hands of lesspetent staff. It was onlyter that they realized the person they were praising was not a nurse, but Tang Yuxin, a part-time nursing assistant working in the clinic. It was surprising that an assistant could have such excellent skills.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om The next day when the little girl returned for treatment, her mother insisted that no one else but Tang Yuxin be allowed to treat her daughter. The other nurses and staff took too many attempts to insert the needle, while Tang Yuxin could do it smoothly in one go. Tang Yuxin, who was cleaning at the time, was called over by the doctor. The little girl¡¯s mother was extremely polite to her.
¡°I appreciate your help,¡± the mother kept saying ¡°I appreciate it.¡± It¡¯s never easy for a mother. She doesn¡¯t mind being humble to avoid causing her child any difort. It¡¯s only normal for mothers to be cautious. ¡°You¡¯re being too kind,¡± said Tang Yuxin as she washed her hands and took the little girl¡¯s hand, which was pitifully swollen from the injections. She then immediately started checking her veins. Turning to the little girl with a smile, she said, ¡°I¡¯m going to give you a shot now. Can we be brave together?¡±
¡°Yes,¡± replied the little girl earnestly, nodding vigorously, ¡°My little brother doesn¡¯t cry when he gets shots. I¡¯m older than him, so I won¡¯t cry either.¡± Chapter 330 - 323: The Scumbag Arrives Chapter 330: Chapter 323: The Scumbag Arrives And Tang Yuxin knew, the little brother she referred to was Chengcheng, who had never been injected or suffered so much, certainly hadn¡¯t had his chubby hands poked with a dozen holes. Her needles went in almost without interruption. The little girl just gently furrowed her brows, but she didn¡¯t cry. Perhaps this was due to Tang Yuxin¡¯s skill, or maybe the little girl didn¡¯t feel much pain. ¡°Done,¡± Tang Yuxin adjusted the speed with her hand and then moved on to cleaning and other tasks. The doctors couldn¡¯t believe the skill of this sophomore. How did she get so good? From then on, Tang Yuxin was often asked to administer IVs. Her hands were gentle and adept at finding veins, so regardless of the difficulty, she was always able to insert the needle with ease. Naturally, her wages gradually increased. After work, Qin Ziye came to pick her up. ¡°How was it? Tired today?¡± Qin Ziye buckled her seatbelt. ¡°It isn¡¯t bad cooking for me every day. It¡¯smendable for a girl to be so ambitious, but remember, I¡¯m not just anyone.¡± ¡°I just want to intern properly and earn some extra pocket money. What else would I be doing here?¡± Tang Yuxin leaned against the car seat. She enjoyed her profession and the environment here. Perhaps it was just a habit that had developed over time. After all, she was a doctor, wasn¡¯t she? ¡°You can also intern at my ce.¡± With Qin Ziye behind the wheel, he dropped her off at the small courtyard house. ¡°What would I intern as at your ce?¡± Tang Yuxin blinked. ¡°What, are you opening a small clinic or something?¡± ¡°Silly,¡± Qin Ziyeughed purposefully. ¡°You¡¯ll be interning as a good wife and mother.¡± Tang Yuxin suddenly felt her heart skip a beat. She quickly turned her gaze outside, trying to conceal her slightly reddened ears. She liked the idea of that life ¨C building a home with a man, having a child. Qin Ziye wasughing, but theughter in his eyes seemed blurred. It was as if his eyes were looking through her at someone else, a person Tang Yuxin had never noticed. N?v(el)B\\jnn She was too trusting, and he was too clever. ¡°Yuxin, aren¡¯t you starting school soon?¡± The doctor was quite reluctant to let Tang Yuxin go. ¡°You cane back next semester.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Tang Yuxin agreed, though she really wanted to cry. Doctor, couldn¡¯t you not squeeze my hand so hard? If it didn¡¯t have a deeper meaning, she would have thought the doctor was overstepping his boundaries. Tang Yuxin could only agree for now. However, once school started, she wouldn¡¯te back. When the next holiday came, she would have difficulty returning as she would have to take care of Chengcheng at home. She could only see her brother a couple of months a year and feared that if she didn¡¯t go home during the winter break, he would forget about her. After all, she only had one younger brother in her life. By the time she returned to school, it was right around the time for new students to matricte. As she walked through the school gate, there were various weing banners for new students. There were tables set up at the school entrance manned by student volunteers to wee the new arrivals. Just as she was about to return to her dorm, she heard someone calling her name. ¡°Excuse me, could you please wait?¡± She stopped and turned around to see someone running towards her. Perhaps the dazzling sunlight was making it hard for her to see. It was not until the sunlight was blocked that she opened her eyes. The voice rang familiarly in her ears. ¡°Excuse me, do you know where theputer science department is? Yuxin, thank you. Don¡¯t worry; I will never let you down in this life. Yuxin, I¡¯m sorry for making you spend money again. I feel so useless. Yuxin, it won¡¯t be long now. I¡¯m going to return soon. Please bear with it a little longer, just one more year. Yuxin, my advisor said my grades aren¡¯t good enough, I need to study for another year. Yuxin, can you bear it for one more year? Once I return, our hard days will be over. Yuxin, let¡¯s get married. Don¡¯t worry; I will treat you well for the rest of my life. You can¡¯t even give birth to a child. What use are you to me? All you have done is pay for my education. Fine, calcte how long you have supported me and how much money you have given me, I will return it all to you. Tang Yuxin, let¡¯s divorce. I can¡¯t live with a woman like you. Look at yourself, you don¡¯t even look like a woman now. You¡¯re over thirty and can¡¯t have children; are you trying to let the Zhang family line end with us? Sister, I¡¯m pregnant with your husband¡¯s child. Of course, this house should belong to my brother-inw. His name is written on the document. The light stung her eyes. She lifted her head and left those swirling past memories, returning to her reality. She was still a sophomore, a studentpletely unrted to that man. ¡°Excuse me, excuse me¡­¡± Seeing that Tang Yuxin wasn¡¯t answering, the person asked again worriedly, ¡°Excuse me, where is theputer science department?¡± ¡°Go straight and turn left.¡± Tang Yuxin turned around, blocking the overly bright light behind her. ¡°Excuse me, I¡¯m not very familiar with the ce. Can you show me the way?¡± The boy moved closer. He wasn¡¯t too tall and had an average face with sses that made him look schrly. He was carrying arge bag on his back and pulling a suitcase, following Tang Yuxinboriously. Even if his face turned to ash, Tang Yuxin would recognize it. They met in college and then got married until her death ¨C nearly ten years together. She started working for him and his family like a maid the moment she graduated, earning their living, taking care of his parents, paying his tuition, covering the mortgage. But what did she get in return? Her husband became her brother-inw. The house she had painstakingly repaid for over ten years became someone else¡¯s. Even the pension she left to her father after her death, they wanted to seize. She surprised herself by marrying such a man and serving his family like a maid for ten full years. She even subsidized him like a mother, funding his master¡¯s degree and then his studies abroad. She never allowed herself to buy clothes. In the end, she was driven out of the household like a dog by him and his family. Simply because she was old, simply because she couldn¡¯t have a child. But they should ask: who was it that forced her to abort their child when she was five months pregnant because he wanted to go abroad to study? Because he needed money, because he needed living expenses. Having a child would mean they would have another mouth to feed. He had to take care of his father and a child, so how could he possibly work and earn money to support him studying abroad? So she swallowed her tears and aborted the five-month-old fetus. Chapter 331 - 324: New Roommate Chapter 331: Chapter 324: New Roommate But she herself had severe uterine cold, having a child was already a miracle, yet she squandered the opportunity. Who¡¯s at fault when sheter finds herself infertile? She drained all her youth for their family, her most beautiful years, even disregarded her own father, forcing him to carry cement and bricks for others, and he even fell from a height in high school, ending up with ame leg. He was too thrifty to seek treatment, unwilling to spend a single penny, but he was still concerned about his useless daughter. In her past life, she deserved to die, deserved to die because of such people. And now, she saw him again when she was ready to forget her past. She had to tightly hold her hand to resist the impulse to strangle the shameless creature. Zhang Yong¡¯an. A name she will never forget in this lifetime. A name that sickens her every time she thinks of it. ¡°ssmate?¡± Zhang Yong¡¯an took another step forward unexpectedly. He was struck by how incredibly beautiful this girl was, her skin seemed to be glowing under the sun. His heart stirred. It was a wonderful feeling. People always say that university is a paradise for romantic rtionships. Therefore, he decided to be bold. And besides, this girl was well dressed. Anyone who can get into Qing University and dress like this muste from a decent family. So, he didn¡¯t need to buy her any gifts whatsoever. ¡°Do you need something?¡± Tang Yuxin turned her head, her icy eyes were a reflection of Zhang Yong¡¯an¡¯s familiar yet ordinary face. ¡°Well, actually it¡¯s nothing,¡± Zhang Yong¡¯an slightly lowered his eyes behind his sses in embarrassment, ¡°I just don¡¯t know my way around, can you take me there? I¡¯m a freshman.¡± ¡°Excuse me, ssmate,¡± he continued to smile. It¡¯s said that it¡¯s hard to p a smiling face. His request wasn¡¯t an unreasonable one. Unless it¡¯s a freshman, anyone should be willing to help him. He can tell from the way she knows her way around the school that she¡¯s definitely not a freshman. ¡°Follow me,¡± Tang Yuxin turned and her red lips raised into a strange curve of a smile that didn¡¯t quite reach the eyes. Her smile, under this weather, had an inexplicable chill to it. ¡°Thank you, ssmate.¡± Zhang Yong¡¯an immediately followed, not forgetting to introduce himself, ¡°My name is Zhang Yong¡¯an. I was from Xiyou University, butter I was admitted to Qing University. Are you also a student at Qing University?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Tang Yuxin responded, pulling something out of her bag. It was a small porcin bottle. She opened the bottle and ced it in the wind. ¡°Achoo¡­¡± Zhang Yong¡¯an sneezed unexpectedly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, the wind might be too strong.¡± He quickly apologized, feeling a bit embarrassed. Tang Yuxin did not reply, nor did she stop. They arrived at the Computer Science Department. She stopped, looked at Zhang Yong¡¯an as he sneezed again, red-faced and embarrassed. ¡°Do you need something else?¡± Tang Yuxin asked him. ¡°Achoo¡­ No, Achoo¡­¡± Zhang Yong¡¯an couldn¡¯t stop sneezing, his eyes watering and nose running. He couldn¡¯t even form a full sentence. Tang Yuxin turned around and left him there. ¡°ssmate, Achoo¡­ what is¡­ Achoo¡­ your name¡­ Achoo¡­ Achoo¡­¡± n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om By now, Tang Yuxin had already left him behind. So Zhang Yong¡¯an, with arge bag and pulling his suitcase, found his way to his dormitory. As soon as he walked in, an early arrival ssmate warmly took his luggage. ¡°Thank¡­¡± The word had barely left Zhang Yong¡¯an when he sneezed again. The sneeze was so loud it was earth-shattering. It sprayed the other ssmate¡¯s face with a ton of saliva, along with arge chunk of¡­ yellow, sticky¡­ snot. He was stunned, and the other student was stunned too. When Tang Yuxin returned to her dorm room, the university stiptes that you must apply formuting one semester in advance. She forgot to do this, so she could only live in the dormitory for another semester. But that was okay. There were only four of them in the dormitory now, and they didn¡¯t have any other students living with them, which was quiet for them. However, just as she was about to open the door, she stepped back because there were strangers inside. Two of them. But that didn¡¯t make sense. She looked again. This was her dorm room. She had lived here for a year. If she couldn¡¯t even recognize this ce, then she really should get sses. She pushed the door open. Her possessions were still located under the bunk bed. And a girl was still putting her stuff on the top bunk. The moment the girls heard the door open, they immediately turned around. They all stared at each other. ¡°Hello, do you live in this dormitory?¡± one of the girls asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Tang Yuxin pointed to her bed, ¡°I live here.¡± ¡°Hello,¡± the two girls stopped packing and came over to get acquainted. ¡°I am Ma Tiantian.¡± ¡°My name is Cheng Xue, we are both freshmen this year and live in this dormitory.¡± ¡°Hi,¡± said Tang Yuxin, who is not harsh or exclusive to others, ¡°I¡¯m Tang Yuxin, I am a sophomore this year studying Clinical Medicine.¡± ¡°Hello, senior. I also a Clinical Medicine major,¡± Ma Tiantian was pleased to hear that Tang Yuxin was in the same department and immediately struck up a conversation, asking Tang Yuxin about whether the course was difficult and whether she should be scared. Cheng Xue is a nursing major, just like Lin Yile. The two girls were not difficult to get along with. Both of them were from rural areas, so they were simple and kind-hearted. Tang Yuxin quite liked her two young schoolmates. As long as they weren¡¯t like Sun Yumeng. The thought of Sun Yumeng always led to an ufortable feeling in her heart. This was due to the curse-like phrase she had said. You and him will have no good ending. You will end up just like me in the end, abandoned. Both of you will not die happily. ¡°Senior, are you okay?¡± Ma Tiantian asked Tang Yuxin concernedly. What¡¯s going on? Did the two neers do something wrong? Why did Tang Yuxin suddenly stop talking? ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Tang Yuxin put her backpack down and began to tidy up her bed. ¡°Have you eaten yet? I can take you.¡± She asked the two girls. ¡°Sure,¡± the two girls were a bit worried at the moment, they had just arrived and didn¡¯t even know where the toilets of the school were. Tang Yuxin took out her meal card and led them away. There are about five different sizes of cafeterias in Qing University. Now they were going to thergest one, with the most people and the most variety of meals. There were dishes from all over the ce, and you could find whatever you wanted to eat. Chapter 332: 325: Found Ten Dollars Chapter 332: Chapter 325: Found Ten Dors Tang Yuxin ordered a few dishes, along with three bowls of rice. ¡°Eat up,¡± Tang Yuxin passed the chopsticks to them. It¡¯s my treat. ¡°We can¡¯t possibly impose like this?¡± The two girls sat there looking rather awkward. ¡°It¡¯s fine, go ahead,¡± Tang Yuxin had already picked up her chopsticks and started eating. Seeing this, they too took their chopsticks and started eating slowly, but with great manners. In actual fact, Tang Yuxin felt they were probably lively individuals, certainly not the demure types. Perhaps it was just because they weren¡¯t familiar with one another, so their reserved behavior was understandable. Tang Yuxin put down her bowl, which was almost empty, she turned around, and there he was, the man standing at the food counter who kept sneaking nces. He was in his twenties, definitely a man now. And that man was none other than Zhang Yong¡¯an. Despite his parents being working professionals, theirpany¡¯s benefits were not impressive. Zhang Yong¡¯an had quite a privileged upbringing, to the extent of looking down on people from the countryside. However, as thepany¡¯s profits gradually declined, their living standards followed suit. Even so, there were aspects of his life that others envied. Although Zhang Yong¡¯an was in-looking with a below-average height, he excelled academically and managed to get into a decent university ¡ªbing the pride and joy of his parents. At first, he was studying at Xiyou University, but in his second year, Zhang Yong¡¯an got epted at Qing University. This esteemed institution was not one that you¡¯d give up easily. Tang Yuxin had also hoped to get into Qing University¡¯s School of Medicine, but her grades weren¡¯t up to the mark. It had always been her lifelong regret, not making the cut.
Therefore, seeing Zhang Yong¡¯an at the university campus was not surprising in the least. At this point, he had just started studying Computer Engineering and Information Systems at Qing University. Later, he would go on toplete his post-graduation there as well and study abroad, eventuallynding a job with an annual sry in the hundreds of thousands. Zhang Yong¡¯an¡¯s family was always tight on finances. His parents had to do everything they could to put him through university. Yet, no matter how hard they tried, they could only provide him with the love but not the luxury. During his time in school, Zhang Yong¡¯an had a very limited living allowance. He had to save on clothes, as well as on food, always choosing the cheapest options. No matter what, he would never let anyone know the cheapest that he was eating, hence he either went early orte and always chose to eat in the least crowded area. Later on, when Tang Yuxin met him, most of their meals were financed by the money she earned through her part-time job. Zhang Yong¡¯an had no qualms about living off a woman, and this continued for over ten years. Tang Yuxin, on the other hand, truly had no clue how he had the audacity or how she was bold enough to get involved with him. At this moment, Zhang Yong¡¯an felt that the cost of food at Qing University was far too expensive ¡ªso much so, it felt unaffordable. Finally, he gritted his teeth and ordered one vegetarian and one meat dish. Considering the crowd at the ce, he was afraid of being ridiculed if he chose not to eat. His reputation meant more than his appetite. Gathering his food tray, Zhang Yong¡¯an spotted Tang Yuxin. She was sitting there with two female students, relishing a spread of various dishes. Among the dishes, he could spot what seemed to be a fish and perhaps chicken too. How wasteful! Zhang Yong¡¯an frowned. Two dishes would have sufficed for three; why did they have to order so many? Moreover, they had ordered luxury dishes like fish and chicken. How much would this spread cost? Wouldn¡¯t stir-fry potatoes and bok choy have been enough? He walked over, intending to say something, but in the end, he held his tongue. He began eating his food feeling quite pleased, as the meal seemed rather gourmet to him. There was meat, vegetables, and even soup ¨C aplimentary feature of the cafeteria. The meat was double-cooked pork, the smallest portion, and the vegetable dish was stir-fried bok choy. Such a meal was satisfying. Consuming too much meat isn¡¯t healthy, so he had ordered just one meat dish. Not too much, not too little ¡ªjust right. As he was eating his bok choy, he asionally nced at the fish and chicken on Tang Yuxin¡¯s table. His mouth involuntarily turned sour. It had been a long time since he had fish or chicken. When was thest time he had eaten those? Tang Yuxin put down her chopsticks, seemingly unaware of the envy in Zhang Yong¡¯an¡¯s gaze. It was truly a pity for him, as he could only watch the food but not taste it. She put her hand into her pocket and left a ten-dor note under the table. Zhang Yong¡¯an was slowly savouring his meal as if he was relishing his double-cooked pork. If he could, he would have liked to make this one dishst for two meals. He wondered if it could be packed up to save for dinner. Suddenly, he looked down and spotted a ten-dor note lying not far from his feet. After ncing around, he discretely ced his foot on top of it. ¡°My money¡¯s missing,¡± Tang Yuxin casually pat her pocket, seeming not too worried. ¡°Oh sister, how much did you lose?¡± Ma Tiantian immediately asked. ¡°Not much, ten dors. I¡¯ll look for it. If I can¡¯t find it, let it be,¡± Tang Yuxin stood up, prepared to look for her money. All this while, Zhang Yong¡¯an¡¯s emotions were in turmoil. He wanted to say the money was right there, but in the end, he didn¡¯t open his mouth. He left his seat and bent down, pretending to tie his shoces.
Tang Yuxin walked over. How could she not have noticed Zhang Yong¡¯an¡¯s actions? She gave a faint smile, her eyes full of sarcasm. This was so typical of him, and it wasn¡¯t the first time either. Every time he saw money on the ground, regardless of whether someone was looking for it, he would step on it, andter im it as his own.
Tang Yuxin extended her hand and ced it on top of Zhang Yong¡¯an¡¯s te of food. Unseen to the naked eye, she sprinkled some powder from her fingertips onto the dish. ¡°Did you find it?¡± When Tang Yuxin returned, Ma Tiantian and Cheng Xue asked her. They had also looked around at their spots, but there was no sign of money.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°If I can¡¯t find it, let it be. Let¡¯s go,¡± Tang Yuxin picked up her bag, seemingly not bothered about packing the leftover food. In this life, her family¡¯s financial condition was pretty good. At the very least, she didn¡¯t have to worry about what to eat for three days. And her part-time job was merely to fill her time, not her bank ount. After watching them leave, Zhang Yong¡¯an finally stood up, firmly clutching the ten-dor bill in his sweaty palm. Chapter 333: 326 Talent Chapter 333: Chapter 326 Talent He hurriedly put the ten yuan in his pocket, which was at least three days¡¯ worth of meal money for him. Looking again at the table, he saw a lot of food left ¨C hardly any had been eaten. Even the fish was barely touched, making him swallow his saliva involuntarily. He quickly picked up his chopsticks and began eating his stir-fried cabbage. After finishing his meal, he had to collect his military training uniform. It was time for military training, a mandatory program for all freshmen, while sophomores would arrive on campus after about a week. Some of the early arrivals didn¡¯t go back and were here working part-time or they came to volunteer. The majority of them hadn¡¯t arrived yet. By the evening, the freshmen had donned their military uniforms. Zhang Yong¡¯an put on his uniform and, despite his ordinary looks and average figure, he suddenly felt superior to the rest. When the instructor asked for volunteers to perform, Zhang Yong¡¯an bravely stepped forward. While he wasn¡¯t good at many things, his singing was pleasant, especially when he sang Liu Tianwang¡¯s songs. Everyone who heard him sing said his voice had Liu Tianwang¡¯s essence. Of course, Zhang Yong¡¯an thought so himself. He walked on stage, and as he was about to start singing, there was a ¡°poot¡± sound followed by a foul smell. Everyone froze at the moment. Everyone was looking at each other, clueless about where this unexpected fart came from, and who had released it. There was another ¡°poot¡±, louder and smellier than before. The audience was still frozen, only to be followed by a string of farts, each one more rhythmically-timed than thest. ¡°Poot, poot, poot¡­..poot, poot¡­.¡±
The sound echoed and the stench was suffocating, even the instructor was stunned. ¡°So, student, this is your performance?¡± The instructor managed to start speaking but was cut off by another series of farts. Zhang Yong¡¯an¡¯s face turned red, but the constant farting sound didn¡¯t stop. He covered his face, ran towards the bathroom, his butt emitting a series of ¡°poots¡± along the way. Despite being in the bathroom, the ¡°poot, poot, poot¡± sound could still be heard outside. The air seemed to carry a strong nauseating smell originating from the endless farting sounds. When Tang Yuxin came the next day, she heard her younger dorm mates vividly describing the event at the military training. ¡°Sister Yuxin, it was hrious¡­¡± Ma Tiantian recalled the moment andughed till her stomach ached. ¡°Our formation was right next to theputer science department. The instructor encouraged us to perform. There was a square-faced boy, no no, not a boy, he looked really old.¡± ¡°Yes, quite old,¡± Cheng Xue nodded in agreement. ¡°Not in his twenties, he looked over thirty.¡± Ma Tiantian rubbed her belly which was aching from all theughter, ¡°When the instructor asked for a performance, the boy immediately volunteered. We all thought he was going to sing ¨C his posture was all ready. Guess what happened?¡± ¡°What?¡± Tang Yuxin already had an idea. She knew what her concoction would do.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om ¡°Haha¡­¡± Ma Tiantian copsed withughter onto her bed, ¡°when the boy was ready to start singing, we heard a ¡°poot¡±! He farted on stage. And that was not the end, he released an unending series of farts and eventually ran to the bathroom. Even from there, we could hear his farts.¡± It was hard to imagine what they looked like whileughing at him. They had seen all sorts of performances, but this was the first time they saw someone perform with their butt. It was hriously funny. Tang Yuxin gently raised her lips into a smile. She didn¡¯tugh out loud, but others seemed to enjoy it. She just wanted to know how shameless Zhang Yong¡¯an, this Phoenix Man, could be in this lifetime, and whether there would be another fool like her who would support him, only to raise an ungrateful man. Whenever Tang Yuxin had time, she stayed in her quadrangle house, reading and looking after the nts she had grown. She also stocked up disinfectants, with the expectation of not having much time left ¨C less than half a year. Naturally, she travelled all over Beijing¡¯s medicinal herb markets looking for what she needed. Even though she had no power to cure the uing epidemic, she wanted to protect everyone around her at least. In one small room of her quadrangle, she was hoarding disinfectants and other supplies. Under normal circumstances, these things wouldst her for a few years, but now, they might not evenst a month, as it was being used frequently. The dorms needed to be disinfected daily, and everyone had to use it to wash their hands. After a few days, a bottle was finished. And now with the spread of SARS for nearly a year, especially in heavily affected Beijing, the usage had only increased. A weekter, freshman military training was over. It was mostly the same as before, except that a farting student became aughing stock at campus, earning a shameful reputation even for his roommates as well. ¡°Do you think he¡¯s ill?¡± One roommate asked after Zhang Yong¡¯an left the room, ¡°He¡¯s always acting mysterious, either eating early or toote. What¡¯s he up to?¡±
¡°Who knows what he¡¯s up to?¡± The roommate wiped his face, ¡°Don¡¯t bring him up, it disgusts me.¡± ¡°But what did he do?¡± Another roommate knew Zhang Yong¡¯an wasn¡¯t very popr. He was stingy and overly cautious. He would use a piece of eraser for an extended period, and if he lost his pen, he would turn the entire dorm upside down. He would even demand each one of them to take out their belongings one by one. This wasn¡¯t just peculiar behaviour, it was madness. All the fuss for a lousy pen? The entire dorm was turned upside down because of it. ¡°What else?¡± The roommate recalled the event and felt disgusted, ¡°When he first arrived, I helped him with his luggage, and he sneezed with his snotnding on my face.¡± ¡°Haha¡­¡±
The other roommate copsed intoughter onto his bed, pounding his fists against it. What a peculiar man. An absolute oddball. Tang Yuxin changed into her white robe ¨C this semester they were starting to learn human anatomy. Chapter 334: 327: Dont Come Over Chapter 334: Chapter 327: Don¡¯t Come Overn/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°Yuxin, I¡¯m scared,¡± Ting Yuan clung to Tang Yuxin¡¯s arm, she was about to see a dead body, and she was terrified. What should she do? ¡°It¡¯s okay, just think of it as stic,¡± Tang Yuxinforted Ting Yuan, ¡°Anyway, you¡¯ve touched stic many times, and you have even eaten and slept with it around. There¡¯s no difference, right?¡± ¡°How can that be possible?¡± Ting Yuan almost screamed in a lowered voice, ¡°It¡¯s a real person, a real person.¡± ¡°They are all humans just the same,¡± Tang Yuxin may have seen too many, so she didn¡¯t feel anything about it? ¡°They are dead,¡± Ting Yuan clung onto Tang Yuxin¡¯s arm tightly, wanting to run away at any moment. ¡°Even a dead person is a person,¡± Tang Yuxin¡¯s reply was a bit cold. Yes, men are people, women are people, the living are people,¡­ They walked into theboratory, where a strange smell instantly greeted them, making them want to vomit. Ting Yuan pulled Tang Yuxin¡¯s sleeve, ¡°Yuxin, you no longer smell nice.¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a while, hasn¡¯t it?¡± Tang Yuxin had stopped being fragrant for over a year. She had gotten used to taking those deodorizing medicines, so she was also ustomed to not smelling nice anymore.
¡°Then what is this smell?¡± Ting Yuan asked Tang Yuxin quietly. ¡°Formalin.¡± Tang Yuxin had already spotted arge refrigerator not far, where the corpse they were about to see was lying. When Ting Yuan heard the word ¡®formalin¡¯, she immediately felt like something was surging up from her stomach. The teacher asked them to go forward, some hesitated and t-out refused to, some yed dead, with their eyes darting around, unwilling to confront the dead person. The cloth covering the corpse was pulled back, it was a man in his forties,pletely undressed. Due to being immersed in formalin for a long time, his skin had turned somewhat white, and it was a bit nauseating. ¡°Blegh¡­¡± Some students couldn¡¯t take it anymore and turned around to vomit. ¡°Who¡¯s going to take out the liver of the corpse?¡± The teacher, like a devil, spoke in a bizarre tone in the dimly lit and dampboratory, his words chilling to the bone. The teacher¡¯s gaze fell on a male student, indicating for him to go. ¡°Teacher, I can¡¯t go,¡± the male student was so scared that he almost hid behind the girls. ¡°What kind of man hides behind women, aren¡¯t you a man?¡± ¡°Teacher, I¡¯m not, I¡¯m not a man,¡± the male student was truly frightened, not daring to go towards the corpse at all, ¡°I¡¯m a woman, I¡¯m a woman¡­¡± But the teacher just grabbed him and mmed his head towards the corpse. Then there was a thud, the male student¡¯s face smacking right into the dead man¡¯s. It was a most intimate contact. ¡°Ahh¡­¡± The male student let out a sharp cry, his eyes rolled back and he fainted. ¡°Useless creature.¡± The teacher casually tossed the male student aside to let him be, and whoever his gaze fell on, they all got scared.
Ting Yuan had been hiding behind Tang Yuxin the whole time, shaking violently as if having a seizure. The teacher¡¯s gaze circled the room and finallynded on Tang Yuxin. Among the many students, some pretended to be stoic, their faces a flurry of panic and sweat betrayed their fear. Some cried, some shivered, and some didn¡¯t dare to lift their heads. And then there was Tang Yuxin, so calm, so serene, her eyes devoid of any emotion. ¡°You,e here.¡± The teacher pointed at Tang Yuxin. Tang Yuxin stepped forward, and Ting Yuan probably had hidden somewhere.
¡°You take out the liver.¡± The teacher instructed once again. ¡°Alright,¡± Tang Yuxin took a pair of gloves and put them on, skillfully removing the corpse¡¯s liver, and then kidneys, gall dder, stomach, and lungs. Every step she took made the other students turn pale. Not long after, many couldn¡¯t hold back and ran out to vomit. Some were steeling themselves not to faint. The sessful tip from their senior colleagues was to not eat before such sses, although they hadn¡¯t understood the point before. now they fully got it. Because even if they did eat, it¡¯d alle back up anyway.¡¯ Tang Yuxin took everything out one by one, then put them back. She was quick and efficient. After all, she had been a doctor for a long time. Even though she hadn¡¯t held a scalpel in over a decade, her instincts were still there. She knew how to perform an autopsy and how to close it up. She also knew the sequence of suturing. Her speed and professionalism even shocked the teacher. He felt that the quality of this year¡¯s students was quite good, and they were extremely professional. When Tang Yuxin had finished, she was the only one left. Everyone else had left. ¡°Well, you can rest now,¡± the teacher smiled kindly at Tang Yuxin. ¡°Good job, our nation¡¯s future medical treatments depend on you young people.¡± ¡°Thank you, teacher, I won¡¯t let you down,¡± Tang Yu Xin bowed to the teacher. When she came out, almost everyone avoided her, because everyone remembered that she had just touched the corpse, even the corpse¡¯s liver, kidneys, and heart, as well as the lungs. Recalling the scene, everyone felt like throwing up, even if they had vomited everything out. They couldn¡¯t stop. Even Ting Yuan wanted to stay as far away from her as possible. Tang Yuxin washed her hands at the sink, but the smell of formalin seemed to linger on her hands. It wasn¡¯t pleasant. If it had been earlier, she would have lost her appetite and been unable to sleep, just like the other students. But she was used to it now. She got used to dealing with different patients every day, performing surgeries every day, opening up bodies every day, so she really saw all these as part of her daily life.
¡°Stay away!¡± Ting Yuan hid behind others in agitation, ¡°You smell like death, keep away from us.¡± Chapter 335 - 328: Ulterior Motives Chapter 335: Chapter 328: Ulterior Motives ¡°You¡¯ll have it too,¡± Tang Yuxin grabbed her clothes, changed into them and when she came out, she wore her own clothes, took them to be washed at an outside tap. Even though she changed her clothes and washed her hands, everyone still felt a weird smell from her, and thus stayed far away. Even during meal times, nobody ate with her anymore. Tang Yuxin got a meal for herself and ate alone in the cafeteria, initially hoping for a peaceful meal. However, it didn¡¯t go as nned as someone who didn¡¯t mind her presence sat directly across from her. Tang Yuxin raised her eyes and saw Zhang Yong¡¯an sitting across from her, which somehow made her food taste bad. ¡°I¡¯m Zhang Yong¡¯an, do you remember me? You showed me the way on the first day of school.¡± ¡°Yeah, I remember,¡± Tang Yuxin took another bite of her rice, ¡°the famous fart performer during the military training, I heard of you but seeing is believing, well met.¡± Upon hearing the word fart, Zhang Yong¡¯an¡¯s face flushed in embarrassment and he wished he could dig a hole and bury himself in it. ¡°Well¡­¡± he tried to exin awkwardly, ¡°I had a stomach upset that day, it was not as exaggerated as the rumors suggested. You know how people can overdramatize things when they are many.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Tang Yuxin didn¡¯t argue with him about it. Whether it was worse than he imed, he knew better himself because she was the one who slipped him the medicine. It was an old Chen family recipe named King of Hundred Farts. Its name made its function clear, it wouldn¡¯t stop until you farted a hundred times, and if your stomach was sensitive, it might cause more than just that. ¡°Is this all you eat?¡± Zhang Yong¡¯an pointed at her food, a bowl of rice, three dishes, and a soup: sweet and sour pork ribs, braised belt fish, four joy meatballs, and egg soup, all of which were indeed the most expensive dishes at the school¡¯s cafeteria, each costing five to six dors. How can one person eat so much? No wonder she didn¡¯t bother looking for the ten dors she lostst time, because she simply didn¡¯t care much for the money. Losing ten dors was like losing one or two dors to her, it didn¡¯t make her blink an eye. His meal costs about two dors, but Tang Yuxin¡¯s meal can feed two people. ¡°Can you finish all this?¡± Zhang Yong¡¯an asked tentatively, ¡°This is a lot of food. You probably won¡¯t be able to finish it all, as a girl.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Tang Yuxin picked up a meatball, she didn¡¯t care so much about what she eats, but she wouldn¡¯t be as miserable as in her previous life, where she couldn¡¯t afford anything. She sacrificed everything she had for others. See? She was always generous-minded. She was a model of serving the people, Her slogan was, serve the people without regrets even in death. But in the end, she didn¡¯t regret. She was filled with hatred. ¡°The fish costs five dors, right?¡± Zhang Yong¡¯an seemed to feel a pain in his heart. ¡°Yeah,¡± like she was doing it on purpose, Tang Yuxin picked up a rib and started eating in a refined manner. Zhang Yong¡¯an was hoping that Tang Yuxin would say no, so he could politely say: Since you can¡¯t finish it, it would be wasteful, and wouldn¡¯t you want me to help you finish it so it doesn¡¯t waste? He would reluctantly agree because it¡¯s good to not waste food. But everything turned out the opposite of what he imagined. Tang Yuxin wouldn¡¯t cooperate andpletely deviated from his script. ¡°Are you sure you can finish it?¡± He asked persistently as he refused to give up, ¡°Don¡¯t force yourself, be careful not to overeat.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Tang Yuxin¡¯s voice was as cold as ice, making it clear that she didn¡¯t want to converse with others. ¡°Really, don¡¯t force yourself, I won¡¯tugh at you.¡± Zhang Yong¡¯an smiled, watching how almost all the ribs were gone and there were only a few meatballs left. The taste of these ribs was so fragrant, as were the meatballs, and the fish tasted even better. Five dors for one dish was expensive, it was enough for a whole day¡¯s meal for him. ¡°I¡¯m not forcing myself,¡± Tang Yuxin picked up thest piece of rib. The pain of seeing without being able to eat, Zhang Yong¡¯an had aplete understanding of it this time. ¡°Do your parents give you a lot of allowance every month?¡± Zhang Yong¡¯an almost wanted to grab that piece of rib into his bowl. Tang Yuxin didn¡¯t feel like answering. In her previous life, she only received a hundred dors of allowance a month, which she had to share with him. Even though she barely had enough for herself, she devoted everything to him while looking out for him. Yet, in the end, she reared an ungrateful wretch who consumed her physically and emotionally before kicking her to the curb. In this life, her monthly allowance has always been a thousand dors. Her family¡¯s economic conditions improved, and this time she returned home, her dad gave her ten thousand, Ren Li also gave her five thousand, and her second uncle gave her five thousand more, in addition to an extra thousand dors of pocket money each month. In this era, she could live a luxurious lifestyle with her monthly budget, as long as she felt like it. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om She picked up a piece of fish and after a few bites, she threw it into the trash can. ¡°Why did you throw it away?¡± Zhang Yong¡¯an pouted, feeling heartbroken over the wasted food. After he spoke, he took a bite of his own white rice, his chopsticks trembling in his hand. ¡°It doesn¡¯t taste good,¡± Tang Yuxin picked up another piece of fish and threw it away without tasting it. ¡°You¡­¡± Zhang Yong¡¯an got upset, it was such a good fish, even if it didn¡¯t taste good, she couldn¡¯t just throw it away, there¡¯s still him. He could eat it, he was willing, no matter how bad it tasted, he wanted to eat. ¡°My dad said,¡± Tang Yuxin discarded another piece, ¡°even if it¡¯s not good, it¡¯s better to throw it away than to give it to someone who is not well-intentioned.¡± As she said the word ¡°not well-intentioned,¡± her eyes were fixed on Zhang Yong¡¯an, making him feel a hot flush on his face, as if the word was rted to him. Tang Yuxin lowered her head, took another meatball into her mouth, and ate it in a single bite. Moreover, she looked indifferently at the man sitting across from her. He was so ordinary, but she had considered him everything and as the shining moonlight in her previous life. Thinking back, she felt so stupid to an extent that even thinking about it disgusts her. Chapter 336: 329: Where Have I Wronged You? Chapter 336: Chapter 329: Where Have I Wronged You? ¡°Anything else?¡± Zhang Yong¡¯an questioned, chewing on his simple stir-fried cabbage, with hardly any oiliness, it tasted as if it were boiled. Tang Yuxin pointed around them with her chopsticks, ¡°Don¡¯t you wonder why everyone¡¯s so far from me?¡± Zhang Yong¡¯an was taken aback. He had assumed that Tang Yu was alone, and so he came over to join her, but he found it strange that today it was different, usually the ce was full of people. Even if less people were around Tang Yuxin, she was still amongst her group of roommates. How could he seamlessly join her and engage in such a long conversation? Why were there fewer people today? He looked around once more, finding people giving him sympathetic looks. Sympathetic towards him? What a joke. He doesn¡¯t need any pity, he¡¯s a student at Qing University, a top schr. Once he graduates, he will be society¡¯s new talent. Sympathize with him? They should look at their own appearances first, still trying to get close to this top schr. Tang Yuxin stood up, her arms propped on the table. ¡°Because ¡­¡± sheughed, mocking Zhang Yong¡¯an¡¯s ignorance and stupidity. ¡°Last night, I just happened to dissect a corpse, I took out the heart, lungs, liver, galldder, and kidneys, studied them in my palms, then put them all back. The corpse has been soaked in formalin for a long time now, you know the feeling? Like touching cold, slippery ¡­¡± ¡°rgh¡­¡± Zhang Yong¡¯an suddenly covered his mouth and almost tumbled in his haste to run to the restroom. All the food he¡¯d just eaten was entirely vomited out.
All the food he¡¯d eaten was gone. He wasn¡¯t content, he had only eaten half of his meal, he couldn¡¯t just not eat the remainder. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have the next meal today; how was he supposed to survive this afternoon? Would he have to go hungry? By the time he returned to the dining hall to collect the leftover meals, he found that they were all gone, not a single grain of rice was left. He was so angry he could feel it in his guts. Over two dors gone, he had only a four-dor meal allowance per day, but now two were missing. He only had one dor for this evening, how was he going to get by? Despite his despicable past, Zhang Yong¡¯an deserves credit for one thing: he didn¡¯t want to add any burden to his parents. However, he got involved with the stupid woman, Tang Yuxin, who brought suffering upon herself and her poor father, who even sold his blood to ensure that his daughter was fed and warm at school. This was something Yuxin could never forgive herself for. It took until the age of thirty before she realized the magnitude of her past mistakes. Unfortunately, no form of redemption could ever mend the wounds that resulted from her father¡¯s hard life. It was impossible for him to be younger, just as it was impossible for her toe back to life after death. Tang Yuxin, with her backpack, decided to find Qin Ziye, as they hadn¡¯t seen each other in quite a while. He was always busy, but, once he returned, he made sure to find her immediately. A lot of things took shape subtly. Many feelings developed from habits. ¡°Tang Yuxin, where are you going?¡± Suddenly, that same voice rang out, as if it were eternally present. Tang Yuxin stopped and turned around, gazing impassively at Zhang Yong¡¯an running towards her. It seemed as if he had specifically stayed behind to see her, to contrive an encounter, to feign amazement at crossing paths coincidentally. Did he think Yuxin was a fool? This practice was overused in her past life, so stop using it. She found it disgusting. ¡°Tang Yuxin, where are you going? Shall I apany you?¡± Tang Yuxin didn¡¯t even bother to respond, she just continued walking ahead.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om After receiving cold treatment from Yuxin, Zhang Yong¡¯an still stupidly followed her. ¡°By the way, where are you going? Let me escort you. It¡¯s gettingte, it¡¯s not safe for a girl to be alone. It¡¯ll be fine as long as I¡¯m with you.¡± ¡°You, sure?¡± Tang Yuxin was too weary tough. She examined the man in front of her; who looked like a plucked chicken. If it weren¡¯t for another woman willing to sacrifice her meals to feed him during her past life, he would likely look like a starving African refugee. He was reluctant to spend his parents¡¯ money but perfectly okay with spending others¡¯ parents¡¯ money.
To be selfish to such an extent was incredibly noteworthy. Zhang Yong¡¯an thought Tang Yuxin agreed and proudly puffed up his less-than-robust chest. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll certainly protect you.¡± ¡°Oh¡­.¡± Tang Yuxin merely curled her lips into a small smile. Sadly, Zhang Yong¡¯an, who was in the throes of joy, failed to notice the mockery and derision in her eyes. ¡°Can you even beat a cat, or a dog?¡±
Zhang Yong¡¯an¡¯s face went through several noticeable color changes ¨C first white, then yellow and finally, an ugly greenish yellow. Just as he was about to open his mouth to retort, a car pulled up in front of him. The car door opened and out stepped a tall, handsome man dressed in a ssic suit and tie, his shoes untouched by dust. This ispletely the image of a sessful man. Zhang Yong¡¯an started daydreaming, imagining himself wearing such an outfit, driving such a car, and exuding an air of dominance. But a sudden gust of cold wind brought him back to reality, causing him to shiver. He looked down at his own clothes, the only ones he had that he could be proud of. He touched his trainers, he had no suit, no tie, and certainly no car. He was currently an impoverished student, barely managing to afford three meals a day. Even if he sold blood, or his organs, he couldn¡¯t afford such a car, and even if he could afford one, he definitely couldn¡¯t maintain it. Right now, he stared daggers at Tang Yuxin, wishing that he could pop his eyes out. Who was this man, what did he do, and what was his rtionship with her? ¡°Who is he?¡± Qin Ziye walked over and stood in front of Tang Yuxin. He was here to pick up his girlfriend. Could it be that she was being unfaithful to him? ¡°Just some amusing fellow,¡± Tang Yuxin yed with her fingers while speaking. The two men were face to face, were they rivals? Zhang Yong¡¯an certainly looked like it, his outraged expression resembling that of a man who had just realized his wife¡¯s infidelity. But did she have any rtionship with him? ¡°Amusing?¡± Qin Ziye arched an eyebrow. ¡°Exin yourself, what¡¯s so amusing?¡± As he spoke, he put his arm around Tang Yuxin¡¯s shoulder. It was clear that he was doing this deliberately, trying to provoke a certain stupid man. Chapter 337: 330: Its Her Chapter 337: Chapter 330: It¡¯s Her While he had never been overly intimate with Tang Yuxin in public, suddenly he is. Had their rtionship grown? Or did he start feeling threatened? ¡°He pulled quite a stunt at the military training.¡± As soon as this was mentioned, Zhang Yong¡¯an¡¯s face flushed beet red. ¡°Tang Yuxin, what do you mean by this?¡± He felt indescribably embarrassed, wanting to shut Tang Yuxin up. It was something he was most ashamed of, so disgusting and disgraceful. He hated when someone brought up the military training, the word ¡°Fart¡±. ¡°Tang Yuxin, who is this person? What is your rtionship with him?¡± he pointed his finger at Qin Ziye. The distance between them wasn¡¯t just in their height, their economic gap, but akin to the length between the Pacific and the Antic. ¡°Doesn¡¯t it feel ridiculous, student, to ask such questions?¡± Qin Ziye tightened his arm around Tang Yuxin¡¯s shoulder. ¡°We are boyfriend and girlfriend. Where did you crawl out from, following my girlfriend around, what are your intentions?¡± Zhang Yong¡¯an felt like he had swallowed something disgusting. ¡°Tang Yuxin, how could you have a boyfriend? How could you possibly have a boyfriend? Where does that put me, how I could I have wronged you?¡±
Tang Yuxin gently pressed her temple and turned around. She really didn¡¯t want to y the fool. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Qin Ziye took Tang Yuxin¡¯s hand, and they got into the car together. He naturally saw how this male student was taking him lightly and underestimated her taste in men. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to ask?¡± Tang Yuxin leaned her head against the car window. Sometimes, she wished she knew what was on his mind. ¡°Ask what?¡± Qin Ziye counter-questioned Tang Yuxin. ¡°Ask about your rtionship with that person?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Tang Yuxin lightly hit her forehead against the window. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be asking?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no way your taste is that bad,¡± Qin Ziye smiled confidently. ¡°With a guy as outstanding as me right in front of you, if you could still have eyes for him, tell me, how blind would your eyes have to be?¡± A sense of haziness filled Tang Yuxin¡¯s vision and a twinge of pain surfaced in her heart on hearing the word ¡®blind¡¯. How blind indeed must she be to take a fancy to a guy like him. The sky was gloomy outside, and it was uncertain whether the brightness would break through after the dusk. She lifted her gaze to the hazy sky. It seemed as if her heart was also feeling oppressed. She suddenly had the urge to take this man¡¯s hand, and say to him, ¡°I miss you.¡± However, she held back in the end. At that moment, a hand rested on her shoulder. She turned her head and gave him a smile. The man stretched his long arm around her, pulling her into his embrace. ¡°I miss you.¡±
Tang Yuxin¡¯s heart suddenly tensed. She clenched her hand, then slowly wrapped her arm around the man¡¯s waist, burying her face in his chest. ¡°I¡­ miss you too.¡± She realized she liked this man.
She figured that she¡¯d be willing to marry him. She believed that she¡¯d bear his children willingly, despite the pain. She thought of a lot of things. But, nheless, she felt content in the end. Unbeknownst to her, the man¡¯s gaze in the distance had a dimness that she couldn¡¯t quiteprehend. When Tang Yuxin returned to the school, Zhang Yong¡¯an didn¡¯t bother her anymore. However, each time he saw her, he shot her a look, as if she had cheated on him. As if she had greatly wronged him. It was better if he stopped bothering her. She ate her meat and fish; he went to eat his stir-fried vegetables. What business was it of hers? Right, she was always eating meat and fish. Zhang Yongnian would not be able to find a simple-minded woman like Tang Yuxin again¡ªone who was blindly devoted to him. Hence, he continued his rather poor existence at Qing University, surviving on four yuan a day for food. A few teachers were seated around them as they participated in a first aid training session that day. They began with CPR and then moved on to emergency treatments. Each of them had a mannequin that closely resembles a real person. Though some didn¡¯t perform too well, they managed to apply the knowledge they had learned¡ªa rudimentary step into medical studies. How far they would getrgely depended on their personal efforts and circumstances. When it was Tang Yuxin¡¯s turn, she moved swiftly and with certainty, putting on gloves and carrying out disinfection. Her performance was so excellent that it elicited nods of approval from the principal, who seemed to be discussing something with the vice-principal.
But Tang Yuxin merely carried out the standard procedure of first aid. Just like everyone else, she also had some experience. She had been a doctor for ten years, and first aid was the first step of being a doctor. Therefore, she did very well, even scoring full marks. Although she bowed to the teachers in front of her, all of them apuded, a recognition of her performance. ¡°Is she the one?¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn The vice-principal pointed to Tang Yuxin, asking the instructor. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s her, her name is Tang Yuxin,¡± the instructor nodded. The previous instructor, Professor Cui, had personally taught her. ¡°She is the best student among us, with a solid foundation in the basics. Her early studies with a rural doctor gave her aprehensive understanding of medical principles. Most importantly, she is very calm and her mental quality is excellent.¡± ¡°Yes, I also feel she¡¯s doing well,¡± the vice-principal flipped through Tang Yuxin¡¯s file. ¡°Let¡¯s choose her.¡± ¡°Director Tao, are you trying to steal Professor Cui¡¯s student? She¡¯s his favorite student and he said he would personally guide her in the future.¡± The instructor jokingly interjected. ¡°She can¡¯t go with old Cui, he¡¯s a surgical expert. But this kid¡¯s an excellent prospect for internal medicine.¡± Director Tao already had his eye on Tang Yuxin. She was indeed a promising prospect in the field of internal medicine, someone who could make significant contributions to the medical field in the future. And, as long as she was properly nurtured, she could save many people. ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about this. I will talk to old Cui.¡±
With those words, Director Tao decided. And so, Tang Yuxin became a student personally guided by Director Tao, a well-known authority on internal surgery in the country. Therefore, his students were rather famous in the medical field. Chapter 338: 331: Eating Others Flesh Chapter 338: Chapter 331: Eating Other¡¯s Flesh Tang Yuxin never thought she would catch the eye of Dean Tao one day. In her previous life, she had taken a few courses from Dean Tao. Unfortunately, she couldn¡¯t attend them in person and only watched video lectures. At that time she used to think, attending even one course taught by Dean Tao would benefit her greatly for the rest of her life, and that was the main reason why she insisted on applying to the medical department of Qing University. Apart from it being the best medical university in the country, the main thing is that they have Dean Tao, a major authority. Although Dean Tao doesn¡¯t usually teach students, she could frequently hear his lectures. This alone exposed her to loads of valuable knowledge. But to her surprise, in this life, she found herself as a student of Dean Tao. The majority of students epted by Dean Tao are undergraduates and postgraduates, and there are very few high school students. This must be an exception. And so, amidst a group of postgrad students, she became Dean Tao¡¯s student, the one with the lowest academic qualifications and least experience. She started bing busy. Apart from studying, she also served as an assistant to Dean Tao and participated in severalrge surgeries. She was no stranger to such surgeries. In her past ten years as a doctor, she considered herself one of the best in the hospital. All the surgeries she performed were clean and precise, and there wasn¡¯t a single ident during the ten-year span.N?v(el)B\\jnn So, she was hugely confident in her skills and was not ready to ept being inferior to anyone. Even now, regardless of anything else, she still believes that her achievement in medicine distinguishes her from others and puts her above them. But it wasn¡¯t until she had participated in several of Dean Tao¡¯s surgeries that she realized that there was still much she needed to learn in medicine and that she was far behind. She thought she was already good enough, but in front of Dean Tao, she felt insufficient. She had to follow Dean Tao while also stockpiling disinfectants whenever she could. She had already stored quite a lot, which should be enough for now. One day, while grabbing a meal from the school¡¯srge cafeteria, she ordered sweet and sour pork ribs and braised fish. She usually only eats these two kinds of meat. With her days being so full and exhausting, she felt hungrier than ever.
As soon as she took a bite of the pork rib, a sudden smack startled her, causing her to drop the pork rib back into her meal box. Luckily, it fell into the box. Otherwise, what a waste it would¡¯ve been. The entire dining hall went silent, and everyone¡¯s gaze turned towards a table not too far away. A girl¡¯s hand was still in the air; the boy sitting across her lookedpletely stunned, arge swelling on his face clearly showing where the p hadnded. Tang Yuxin picked up the pork rib again and took another bite. The girl grabbed a lunch box from the table and threw it directly at the boy¡¯s face, dumping all its contents on him. A gasp echoed through the dining hall almost instantly. ¡°Heh, Zhang Yong¡¯an, you are broke, yet you still want a girlfriend. I don¡¯t need your money. You said you didn¡¯t know it was my birthday, you imed Christmas is a foreign festival, and for the Mid-Autumn Festival, you only got me a piece of mooncake, and we even had to split it. I brought some fruit, and you said it was cold and not good for me, but you ate it yourself. Every time we had meals, you took my meat saying girls shouldn¡¯t eat too much meat because it makes them fat. I am still growing; I am not a rabbit. All you want is free meals, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°If anyone agrees to be your girlfriend, she must be blind. Anyone who marries you is blind at heart.¡± ¡°Alright, you want meat? ¡± She acted mockingly, ¡°I¡¯ll find it for you right now, you enjoy. But I¡¯d like to see how you¡¯re going to trick other girls into giving you their food and meat after this.¡± She turned around, and upon noticing Tang Yuxin not far away, she walked up to her and stood before her. ¡°Can I borrow your meal? I¡¯ll make it up to youter.¡± ¡°No need, I lost my appetite anyway. It¡¯s all yours.¡± Tang Yuxin stood up, genuinely having no intention to eat anymore. ¡°Thank you,¡± the girl replied politely, the rage of dealing with the stingy boy having transformed her from ady into a shrew. The girl picked up the lunch box and promptly smacked it on Zhang Yong¡¯an¡¯s face. Zhang Yong¡¯an just sat there, stunned, as a piece of meat fell off and stopped on his chin, refusing to fall off. ¡°Look, here¡¯s the meat. All meat. Enjoy,¡± the girl sneered. After straightening her clothes, she walked out proudly, leaving others in the dining hall bursting intoughter once they realized what had happened. Zhang Yong¡¯an eventually became a famous figure at Qing University. Stealing fruit from his girlfriend, making excuses not to give presents, and even taking the meat out of his girlfriend¡¯s meal. Only a significant level of stinginess could lead to such behavior. As the girl said, anyone who agrees to be his girlfriend must be blind at heart. Thinking about how stingy he is now, what will he be like in the future? Would he now eat his girlfriend¡¯s food, thenter ask her to pay his tuition? Not every woman is foolish, not every girl is gullible,
Besides, Zhang Yong¡¯an is not even handsome. At most, he¡¯s just an ordinary passerby in the university, easily forgotten after one nce. Tang Yuxin bought a few more bottles of disinfectant and stored them in her four-courtyard house. She shut the door and nced at the calendar¡ªit was almost the new year, and SARS wasing right after. She wondered if her preparations would be sufficient. But regardless of how prepared she was, what wasing would eventually arrive, and she would have to face it head-on.
¡°Here, have a bite,¡± Qin Ziyi held the Baozi to Tang Yuxin¡¯s mouth. Their rtionship was pretty stable¡ªperhaps there weren¡¯t many dramatic moments or obstacles, but it was serene and longsting, like a gentle stream. Tang Yuxin actually liked this kind of life. She took the Baozi and took a bite. It was from that famous Baozi ce. It turns out he liked it too. ¡°Ziyi¡­¡± Tang Yuxin put down the Baozi. There was something she wanted to ask him. Chapter 339: 332: Is this a confirmation? Chapter 339: Chapter 332: Is this a confirmation? ¡°Mhm, what?¡± Qin Ziye immediately snuggled his arm more tightly around Tang Yuxin¡¯s shoulder. The more he liked her scent, so calm andforting, like a gentle stream that passed by you and left a naturally soothing atmosphere in its wake. ¡°Does the Sun family matter have anything to do with you?¡± Tang Yuxin bit into her baozi again, riskily testing him with her question. ¡°Why do you ask?¡± Qin Ziye smiled, but Tang Yuxin noticed that his eyes always seemed to hide a great deal, things she couldn¡¯t fathom. Maybe she never tried to fully understand. It was as if she was leaving him some space, some trust. But she warned him not to destroy her trust. To love often requires a long time and much effort, but to stop loving could ur in the blink of an eye, perhaps even in a minute or a second. By the way, how could she think it was him? Well, it¡¯s quite simple. She didn¡¯t know many people in Beijing. After all, she¡¯s just a student, an ordinary student. Song Qingtong had mentioned that the Sun family wasn¡¯t ordinary. Even if they weren¡¯t filthy rich, they still held significant influence. People like them, who weren¡¯t locals, didn¡¯t have any foothold in this ce. It¡¯s often said that even a powerful dragon can¡¯t stand up to a local snake. Maybe their parents could step in and take their side, but in the end, those who were meant to be expelled would be expelled. And the only person Tang Yuxin could think of to help out was Qin Ziye. She turned to look at the man beside her, her eyes possibly wanting to discern something, but in the end, she didn¡¯t say anything or have any specific thoughts. Qin Ziye loved Tang Yuxin¡¯s intelligence the most, her emotional intelligence that is, though her IQ was impressive too. A partner like her is great, as long as you truly love her.
Yes, Tang Yuxin was waiting for his answer. Was it yes or no? ¡°You want me to answer yes or no?¡± Qin Ziye asked her in a somewhat profound way. Tang Yuxin bit into another baozi. ¡°I want your answer to be yes, because you did it for me. But I also want your answer to be no, because then you might be more ordinary.¡± The question of family background was actually quite tricky. The ancient saying ¡®marry your equals¡¯ is not invalid, not only because of family reasons but also the different levels of status between the two individuals, which can¡¯t be bnced overnight.N?v(el)B\\jnn ¡°Don¡¯t think too much,¡± Qin Ziye wrapped some of her hair around his finger. He probably liked her hair the most. Tang Yuxin hasn¡¯t heard the answer she wanted yet, but she thought that she already knew the answer. Indeed, Qin Ziye had done it. ¡°Can we go to my ce today?¡± Qin Ziye¡¯s eyes were clearly hiding something special. Tang Yuxin quietly chewed on her baozi. ¡°I haven¡¯t graduated yet.¡± She still had over a year until graduation, and she hadn¡¯t considered the possibility of anything happening between them at this point. ¡°What are you thinking?¡± Qin Ziye took the half-eaten baozi from her hand and shoved it into his mouth. ¡°I¡¯m craving for your cooking tonight, particrly your ster stir-fried pork with green peppers.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not my best dish,¡± Tang Yuxin¡¯s best dish was actually sour and spicy fish soup. But he didn¡¯t like it. He liked stir-fried pork with green peppers. Maybe she had gotten good at it from making it so often, but it wasn¡¯t really her specialty. ¡°If I say you¡¯re good at it, then you¡¯re good at it.¡± Qin Ziye stood up and took her hand, leading her to his current apartment. Like many other couples, they lived a simple life ¨C they would date, dine together, exchange gifts on Valentine¡¯s Day. But if you were to say they were perfect, it wouldn¡¯t be entirely urate because there were certain lines both of them wouldn¡¯t cross in their rtionship. Both of them diligently guarded these lines, fully aware of their existence. Maybe their love didn¡¯t incite great waves of passion, but it was still a love that endured like a slow-running stream. Keeping each otherpany out of habit was their lovenguage. Who can say that love must be grand and dramatic, while a quietly flowing love is not? Who can say that, upholding a routine isn¡¯t a form of love? Tang Yuxin was in the kitchen, having finished preparing a dish of stir-fried pork with green peppers.
She ced the dish on the table. Qin Ziye immediately picked up his chopsticks. She didn¡¯t know why he was so fond of this dish, but if he¡¯s fond of it, he might as well eat it frequently. Tang Yuxin looked up and noticed the calendar. It¡¯s almost winter break. ¡°I¡¯lle with you this year,¡± Qin Ziye said out of the blue, startling Tang Yuxin.
¡°Are you going back to Qing¡¯an?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Qin Ziye responded, picking up some food with his chopsticks and putting it in his bowl. ¡°I love the Blue River there. It¡¯s the most beautiful river I¡¯ve ever seen.¡± ¡°I love it too,¡± Tang Yuxin replied. She loved the Blue River as it was now but knew she wouldn¡¯t appreciate how it would turn out in the future ¨C an oue that hardly anyone would cherish. ¡°Then let¡¯s go to the Blue River together,¡± Qin Ziye proposed, his eyes covered by something indistinguishable, hiding the light behind his eyes, something that Tang Yuxin was never privy to. That¡¯s right, you will be a junior next year. And after your junior year, you will need to work. As your future husband, I need to meet your parents. The chopsticks in Tang Yuxin¡¯s hand tightened a little at his words. He meant to formally meet her parents, and then their rtionship would be set in stone. And then, when the time was right, they could truly be together. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, aren¡¯t you pleased?¡± Qin Ziye leaned closer to her face, marveling at the radiant skin of this girl, the best, most wondrous, and prettiest he had ever seen. ¡°No,¡± Tang Yuxin responded, raising her chin to meet his eyes, and her heart skipped a beat. ¡°Then wait for me,¡± Qin Ziye gently pinched Tang Yuxin¡¯s face. ¡°You¡¯re such a slow grower.¡± Tang Yuxin thought about her age, twenty. It did seem somewhat slow.
Having been married before, she naturally understood the implications of Qin Ziye¡¯s words, but no matter what, they hadn¡¯t reached the point of marrying yet. She took out her phone card and rang up her home. ¡°Yeah, dad, I¡¯m going to be home a littlete this year. The dean still has a few surgeries, and I¡¯m going to follow along to learn. Also¡­¡± She had wanted to say she would be bringing someone home this year, but swallowed her words. She decided not to say anything further. Her father had always disapproved of Qin Ziye, and every mention of his name would spark her father¡¯s temper. So she decided not to mention it. Once Qin Ziye arrives at their home, her father surely wouldn¡¯t kick him out. But she was certain that her father, upon learning Qin Ziye wasing, would look as though his face had lengthened and dropped to the floor. His eyes would probably shoot daggers, though she wasn¡¯t sure whether they would be aimed at her or Qin Ziye. Chapter 340: 333: Snatching a Store Chapter 340: Chapter 333: Snatching a Store Everyone else had already left for home, even Lin Yile was gone, and Tang Yuxin stayed with Dean Tao, assisting in several major surgeries. By now, she was fully capable of being Dean Tao¡¯s assistant. By the time she returned, thest few days before the lunar new year had already begun and the train station was exceptionally crowded. Qin Ziye had initially nned to fly, but flights were booked out at this time. If he wanted to wait, he¡¯d only get a ticket on the first day of the lunar year. However, Tang Yuxin couldn¡¯t wait that long. Their only choice was to take the train home, even though they might not have been able to get train tickets.N?v(el)B\\jnn It was Qin Ziye who managed to secure the train tickets. Two sleeper berth tickets, it was unclear what connections he had to pull to get these tickets, and they were even two lower berths side by side. Tang Yuxin knew that he must have used some connections. Because even scalpers might not have these kinds of tickets, such a coincidence of two lower berths side by side. But no matter what, at the very least, they wouldn¡¯t have to squeeze with others on this journey. Qin Ziye was carrying their luggage, seemingly unaffected by the weight. Tang Yuxin clung to his sleeve, but was nevertheless jostled. In just a short while, her hair and clothes were all disheveled. ¡°Are you finding this amusing?¡± Tang Yuxin asked Qin Ziye. She had previously suggested that he take the ne and just arrive on the first day of the lunar year, but in the end, Qin Ziye had chosen to follow her onto the train. ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Qin Ziye smiled, gave her cheek a pinch, and remarked, ¡°I¡¯m here to keep youpany.¡±
Yes, taking the ne would have been easier, but she was the reason he stayed behind. Who says I don¡¯t enjoy that? It wasn¡¯t really about whether I liked it or not, but rather about the absence of it¡­ He looked at the dark mass of people ahead like a standalone green lotus, cold yet distant. It wasn¡¯t until muchter that Tang Yuxin came to know that there were some people that one could merely observe from a distance and some people that were simply unfit for day-to-day life. But right now, she knew none of this. With much difficulty, they managed to board the train. The sleeper carriages had fewer people than the seat carriages. At the very least, they wouldn¡¯t be so squeezed that they¡¯d have a hard time even turning around. asionally, one might want to fetch some hot water for instant noodles. It could have taken quite some struggle to get there, only to realize that the hot water had run out. Or perhaps, one might want to use the washroom. But just when it was your turn, the train could be stopping at a station. When they arrived, there were already people sitting on their berths. There was a small child who was crawling all over the ce. Even the nkets, which had originally been clean, now had footprints all over them. On the other berth,y a man sleeping soundly. Tang Yuxin looked nkly at the scene. It wasn¡¯t rare, but it wasn¡¯tmon either. Qin Ziye ced their luggage under the berth, knocked on the table inside and courteously asked, ¡°Could you please move?¡± The woman held the child, but didn¡¯t move an inch as she red at Qin Ziye. ¡°What a stingy man. What¡¯s the big deal about letting the kid sit for a while? You don¡¯t have children, do you?¡± She scolded, clearly upset that he wasn¡¯t giving in to the child. Wrinkles appeared at the corners of Qin Ziye¡¯s eyes, a sign that he was getting angry. Tang Yuxin was leaning against the side. She was exhausted as she had stayed with Dean Tao for an overnight surgery the previous day and hadn¡¯t gotten a wink of sleep. Early in the morning, she had rushed to catch the train. She had thought that once on the train, she would be able to sleep. After all, there were two days and nights of rest time ahead. Even at this hectic pace, it should be enough. However, things didn¡¯t turn out as she had expected. Qin Ziye knocked on the berth of the man who was sleeping soundly again, saying, ¡°Wake up¡­¡± The man¡¯s snores grew louder, but Tang Yuxin could tell that he was actually awake and deliberately refusing to give up his space. Both the child and the man pretended to sleep and refused to give up their spaces. Were they expected to sit on the floor then?
After a while, Qin Ziye found a ce for Tang Yuxin to sit first, then he turned around. Tang Yuxin didn¡¯t know what he was going to do next. Just as Tang Yuxin sat down, she felt a sharp pain in her back. The child who had been mbering all over the berth had kicked her hard in the back. She might have been just a kid, but it still hurt. She ced her hand on her arm and looked back at the woman. The woman certainly knew that her child had kicked someone, but she just snorted. ¡°She¡¯s just a kid. Shouldn¡¯t you give her some leeway?¡±
As soon as the woman finished speaking, the child kicked Tang Yuxin again. Tang Yuxin dusted off the dirt on her clothes. She decided not to argue with these people. Yes, as they said, she was just a child. But did that mean adults could act like they knew no better too? When the child kicked Tang Yuxin for the third time, Tang Yuxin stood up straightaway. Fine, she couldn¡¯t pick a fight with them, but she could surely avoid them, right? She found a less crowded spot and stood there. The train had already started moving, and the carriage was filled with all sorts of smells, most prominent of which was probably the ubiquitous scent of instant noodles. She stood by the window, gazing absent-mindedly at the scenery receding into the distance. Every time she looked back, she would asionally catch sight of that woman smirking triumphantly, as if she had finally won something. However, she didn¡¯t notice that the child who had been kicking around had continued to kick forward. Suddenly, there was a thud, and the child fell off the berth. It was immediately followed by the child¡¯s frantic crying. The woman was startled and hastily picked up the child. The child¡¯s forehead was bruised, and a lump was swelling up. Of course, Tang Yuxin saw this too, but she didn¡¯t step forward to help. Tang Yuxin had always had this temperament. If she didn¡¯t like someone, it didn¡¯t matter whether they lived or died. What did that have to do with her? Yes, she was a doctor, but unfortunately, there were some people she just didn¡¯t want to help or save. The woman held the child and tried tofort him, all the while shooting venomous looks at Tang Yuxin. As if Tang Yuxin hadmitted some unforgivable sin, as if she had stolen her money or taken her husband.
The woman cried loudly, asking if there was a doctor or a medical professional on board. However, it was very unfortunate. No one came over. Perhaps it was because the woman had monopolized the berth just like earlier and ended up offending everyone. No oneforted her, not even the man who was still pretending to be asleep next to her. Tang Yuxin also admired the man¡¯s talent for being able to mimic the sounds of snoring in such a realistic way. In the words of a popr saying in the future, if you are so capable, why don¡¯t you ascend to heaven? Chapter 341: 334: The Fish that Slipped through the Net Chapter 341: Chapter 334: The Fish that Slipped through the Net The woman sat down again, holding the child and pulling the nket around her as if she had purchased a ticket and owned the sleeping berth. Her arrogance was revolting. Another person came over intending to sit down but the woman fired off words like a machine gun. ¡°You didn¡¯t see the child, you didn¡¯t see my child fall just now, my child needs rest, what¡¯s wrong with my child, my child this, my child that.¡± It seemed as if only she had a child and nobody else did. Soon after, Qin Ziye arrived. Tang Yuxin nced at the man following him, dressed in the uniform of a conductor, which had a badgebelled ¡°Train Captain¡±. This man was the train captain. ¡°Check tickets,¡±manded the train captain to his apanying staff. The attendant pistraight walked over to the woman. He extended his hand, ¡°Please show me your ticket.¡± The woman turned pale.
She was fussing around but not showing her ticket. ¡°My child just fell¡­¡± ¡°Lots of people fall, it¡¯s not like only your child falls. Hurry up,¡± the attendant was getting impatient. It was so crowded, and he still needed to check other people¡¯s tickets. It was the busy spring holiday travel season, and everyone was travelling with their families. Normally, people without tickets were not allowed in the sleeper cars, but it was so crowded now that sometimes they had to turn a blind eye. Everyone knew this, but it wasn¡¯t eptable to just shamelessly upy someone else¡¯s sleeping berth. After all, they had paid for it. But the woman, still holding her child, refused to give him her ticket. ¡°Hand over your ticket,¡± the train attendant¡¯s voice grew severe, ¡°or we have the right to kick you off the train.¡± As soon as the woman heard she might get kicked off the train, her face changed. She rummaged in her pocket for a while before finally producing a crumpled train ticket. The train attendant took the ticket. Then, he asked the woman through gritted teeth, ¡°When does your ticket say you were supposed to board?¡± Ignoring him, the woman turned her face away, choosing to y dead. ¡°Everyone has had a hard time buying tickets, and every single person on the train is on their way home. Just because you snuck onboard and took someone else¡¯s bunk doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s alright.¡± ¡°Pleasee with me now to buy a supplemental ticket, or at the next stop, you¡¯re getting off.¡± The woman¡¯s face paled, she muttered under breath as she got up, grudgingly vacating the lower berth she had upied for several stops. The train attendant knocked on the table again. ¡°Comrade, your ticket please.¡± The man¡¯s snoring continued. ¡°Comrade,¡± the train attendant tried again with patience, surprised that the man was still asleep. Was he deaf? He couldn¡¯t hear him? The train captain strolled over and ced his hand on the snoring man, shaking him and asking for his ticket for the ticket inspection. The man¡¯s snoring continued. However, the conductor kept on shaking him. In this case, it was clear who wouldst longer on this train and obviously, one can¡¯t win against a thicker arm. There was a certain order to everything, and it was the same on the train.
Buy a ticket, take a seat, that was the order. Otherwise, why would everyone say that train tickets are hard toe by? Nowadays they¡¯re even harder toe by. You can¡¯t board the train without a ticket, even if the train is empty. Especially now, during the busy spring holiday travel period. The man had no choice but to sit up, no longer snoring, but his face was uneasy, showing traces of guilt and embarrassment.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om He took out his ticket. He gave his ticket to the train attendant.
No seat. At least it was better than the woman before, who¡¯d just produced a ticket out of nowhere, trying to swindle people. This man had at least bought a ticket, although it was for the standing area. ¡°Please leave the sleeper car,¡± the train attendant instructed, handing the ticket back to the man. The man could only stand up and leave, heading for the crowded area where there was no room to even stand. ¡°We¡¯re sorry, Mr. Qin, we¡¯ve not been managing things properly,¡± apologized the train captain to Qin Ziye. ¡°I understand it¡¯s not your fault. I understand what it¡¯s like during the spring travel rush, people like these are the minority,¡± replied Qin Ziye. ¡°Yes, yes,¡± the train captain eagerly agreed. A female attendant quickly tidied up the berth, patting and folding the nket, even the area dirtied by the child¡¯s shoes. The train captain and his attendant went off to check other people¡¯s tickets. They decided to thoroughly inspect the sleeper car tickets, to avoid any further upancy mix-ups. ¡°Come over,¡± Qin Ziye extended his hand to Tang Yuxin. Despite being quite alert, her eyes were heavy with sleep. ¡°Have a rest,¡± aware of her exhaustion, Qin Ziye refrained from further conversation and suggested she sleep. ¡°Okay,¡± Tang Yuxin agreed, andid down. No sooner had she done so, she fell asleep, deeply sumbing to her fatigue, heedless of her surroundings. Qin Ziye covered her with the nket ¨C not that even he wasn¡¯t exhausted himself. Reluctantly, heid down across from Yuxin, but as he was trying to fall asleep, he felt like he would fall off the bed with each train jolt. Even though he knew this wouldn¡¯t happen, he couldn¡¯t help worrying ¨C this kind of ce could hardly offer a feeling of security.
When Tang Yuxin opened her eyes, what she saw was Qin Ziye¡¯s struggle to sleep, although he was clearly tired. She sat up, took a book and approached him. ¡°Why are you not sleeping?¡± Qin Ziye smiled at her and affectionately brushed her hair aside. ¡°Can¡¯t sleep, it¡¯s too noisy. I¡¯ll try againter tonight,¡± Tang Yuxin replied. She sat next to Qin Ziye and started reading. Qin Ziye dozed off amidst the jolts of the train on its tracks ¨Cfortably this time without the uneasiness of possibly falling. Tang Yuxin closed the book and turned to look at the sleeping Qin Ziye. He looked like a peaceful, harmless masterpiece. However, Tang Yuxin knew there¡¯s no such thing as harmless people in this world. Beneath every harmless appearance, one can never tell what thoughts and ns an individual harbours. The seemingly harmless often turn out to be the scariest and she realized she didn¡¯t know much about Qin Ziye after all. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 342: 335: Didnt Sleep Well Chapter 342: Chapter 335: Didn¡¯t Sleep Well She extended her hand and lightly ced it on Qin Ziye¡¯s forehead, her fingers brushing over several acupressure points. The furrow in Qin Ziye¡¯s brow softened bit by bit under her touch. Perhaps due to sheer exhaustion, Qin Ziye finally managed to rx both his body and mind. Once the umted stress ebbed away, he was able to sleep more soundly. He even began to lightly snore in his sleep. On Tang Yuxin¡¯s bunk, someone was already sitting up in a corner, being considerate of others. Tang Yuxin didn¡¯t pay much attention as long as it wasn¡¯t the snoring man pretending to sleep. What worried her now was whether Qin Ziye¡¯s father would throw a fit when he arrived this time. Tang Zhinian didn¡¯t like Qin Ziye. This immutable fact was as certain as the cmity that would ensue if he knew of Qin Ziye¡¯s arrival. It would be like Mars colliding with Earth! This probably held true for every father. When Xu Miaomiao also got a boyfriend, her father¡¯s reaction was rather strange. He feigned illness to bring Miaomiao home, resulting in her wailing and weeping, only to find out that there was nothing wrong with her father. He was just jealous because he had heard that Miaomiao¡¯s boyfriend was ill and she had been taking care of him. So it was clear that no father liked the ¡®wolf cubs¡¯ who tried to seize their daughters. There were still many people on the train, as was the case every year during the Spring Festival travel rush. The trains were always packed to the brim. The train remained the same every year. She was ustomed to taking such trips back home, familiar with the sights, the journey, and even the food sold on the train.
When she opened her eyes, she saw that Qin Ziye had already fallen asleep. It seemed that he was unustomed to traveling by train, resulting in restless sleep. He remained quite stiff, hesitant to shift his body. Tang Yuxin sat up and moved to sit next to him, reaching out to take his hand and ced it on her knee. She used her body to shield him from any difort caused by the jolting of the train. From her perspective, it seemed necessary because he disliked the margins with extreme aversion. It didn¡¯t take long for her to notice that his furrowed brow had rxed significantly. There were several acupressure points on the hands and feet corresponding to the vital organs of the body which could help promote sleep and rxation when stimted. She stayed seated there, resting her head on the table whenever she felt sleepy. She drifted off to sleep unnoticed. When Qin Ziye woke up, he was quite unustomed to the swaying of the train. Whenever he went to Qing¡¯an, he preferred to take a flight to Fu City and then a car ride from Fu City straight to Qing¡¯an rather than endure a forty-hour train journey. Moreover, he didn¡¯t like to sleep in the cramped cabin. However, he had slept quite well this time. The feeling of restful sleep was certainly a significant improvement from before. As soon as he opened his eyes, he noticed someone sitting beside him. The bunk opposite him was empty, the sheets neatly stacked¡­ the person was missing. He carefully sat up, only to find Tang Yuxin resting her head on the table. Her arm resting on the table served as a makeshift pillow. Her skin was wless and translucent, with the scar at the corner of her eye barely noticeable. Her features were extraordinarily refined, akin to an ancient maiden of a reputable family. Although she wasn¡¯t exceptionally beautiful, her appearance exuded afortable and dignified aura that was incredibly appealing. He gently touched her face, feeling the unique cool, velvety texture of her skin. ¡°I think I like you,¡± he murmured. ¡°If possible, I want things to continue like this. Is that okay with you?¡± He smiled, helping her back onto his bunk before covering her up with the nket. He wanted her to sleep well as he sat beside her, silently observing the passingndscape and reflecting on the people that hade and gone in his life. Once gone, they should not return. Tang Yuxin ordered two box meals. She hadn¡¯t initially nned to eat on the train. When she traveled with Lin Yile and Miaomiao in the past, they would bring snacks, which was just enough to sustain them for two days. The food on the train wasn¡¯t great, but since Qin Ziye was here, she allowed herself the luxury of ordering two box meals. Qin Ziye tasted a mouthful and appeared displeased with the meal. He only consumed half of it before leaving the rest untouched. Although Tang Yuxin didn¡¯t eat much, she finished her portion. Wasting food wasn¡¯t justifiable, especially that prepared on the train, considering the effort it took for the chefs onboard. Besides, the box meal included rice, vegetables, and meat. Regarding Qin Ziye¡¯s fastidiousness, Tang Yuxin was somewhat helpless. The stir-fried green pepper and meat was admittedly decent. Why did he refuse to eat it? At night, the train continued to sway back and forth. It would stop for a while at each station with a shorter halt at smaller stations and longer at major ones. She sat on Qin Ziye¡¯s bunk, reading a book. However, once night fell and the lights were turned off, she slept resting her head on the table. As long as he slept well, she figured she could catch up on her sleep during the day. That night, she slept with her head on the table. Early the next morning, she bought porridge from the dining car along with two side dishes and a few boiled eggs from a vendor at the station. When Qin Ziye woke up, he looked refreshingly awake, which was a pleasant change. His appetite had apparently improved as well.
¡°What¡¯s the matter? Didn¡¯t you sleep well? There are dark circles under your eyes.¡± Qin Ziye reached out and gently touched Tang Yuxin¡¯s eyes. Her skin was so fair that even the slightest dark circles were quite noticeable. ¡°No, I¡¯m okay,¡± Tang Yuxin yawned. She had taken a nap, but her sleep hadn¡¯t been as restful as his.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om ¡°We¡¯ll eat a little more, then sleep a while,¡± Qin Ziye suggested, sipping his porridge. Tang Yuxin proceeded to peel a boiled egg for him.
Qin Ziye took it and devoured the egg in one bite before finishing the bowl of porridge. He felt much better with something in his stomach. He rarely traveled by train, and even then, not for such long periods. An entire two days and two nights was undoubtedly too long. Tang Yuxin typically kept herself upied by reading a book. Qin Ziye, on the other hand, just sat there, seemingly lost in thought. At times, he was so deep in thought that Tang Yuxin found it impossible to discern what was going on in his mind. Chapter 343: 336: Someone is Sick Chapter 343: Chapter 336: Someone is Sick It seemed as if she was separated by an unseenyer of gauze; his heart was guarded so tightly that it was nearly imprable. However, Tang Yuxin knew, she had already touched the edges of his heart. ¡°Are you staring at me?¡± Qin Ziye suddenly turned around. He seemed to be fading out, lost in his thoughts, but he was fully aware of Tang Yuxin¡¯s every move. Tang Yuxin lightly touched the pages of the book she was holding in her hand. Then she chose to act naive and keep silent. Qin Ziye got up and sat next to her, shielding her with his body and creating a peaceful space for both of them. His voice was right next to her ear, the heat from his breath made her feel parched. ¡°I know you like me.¡± With a sigh in her heart, Tang Yuxin did not deny it. ¡°And I ¡­¡± the man continued to speak, his words infused with an indescribable charm. ¡°Yuxin¡­¡± He reached out his hand, gently enclosing Tang Yuxin¡¯s on the table, ¡°Believe me, I also have feelings for you.¡±
¡°I also like you.¡± I like you.N?v(el)B\\jnn I like¡­ You? It felt like a bouquet of fireworks had suddenly blossomed in Tang Yuxin¡¯s heart, filled with joy, representing her excitement. At that moment, everything came alive, like a profusion of blooming flowers. The gloom in front of her eyes also lifted. She would always remember this moment when she opened her heart to him. And it was also at this very moment that she had given him the power to hurt her again. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s study. Diligence is a virtue,¡± Qin Ziye stood up again, leaving her alone in their world. All Tang Yuxin saw was the textbook. This is how one bes a top student. However, at this moment, Tang Yuxin was not interested in studying. Her mind was in a whirl, but she didn¡¯t know what she was thinking about. When she finally managed to calm down and turn a page to start reading seriously, she heard the train¡¯s conductor loudly calling for a doctor. Is there a doctor onboard? Tang Yuxin remained seated; to be precise, she wasn¡¯t a doctor, just a medical student. There were many people on the train, so there must be a doctor. Yet the announcement was still being made, and the conductor was searching carriage by carriage. When a train attendant passed by her, she closed her textbook. It seems that once you be a doctor, whether you are walking on the street, sitting on a train, or flying in the sky, you lose the right to turn a deaf ear to others¡¯ sufferings. ¡°Excuse me, has something happened?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the conductor quickly responded. ¡°Someone just fainted and is now unconscious. We are still nearly an hour away from the next stop. We need a doctor.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go, take a look,¡± Qin Ziye seemed to understand Tang Yuxin¡¯s thoughts. It¡¯s probably the same for all medical professionals. It¡¯s their duty and their morality. They couldn¡¯t ignore a dying person. ¡°Are you a doctor?¡± The conductor quickly grabbed Tang Yuxin¡¯s arm. ¡°No,¡± Tang Yuxin smiled bitterly, ¡°I am not a doctor.¡±
The conductor looked disappointed. Qin Ziye¡¯s previous suggestion to take a look made her feel uneasy. Human life was at stake, and they were just thinking about checking out themotion. They would still have to squeeze their way there. Considering the number of people, each time they entered a carriage it felt like a battlefield, making them sweat profusely. Tang Yuxin knew the conductor had misunderstood. She packed up her textbook and stood up. ¡°I¡¯m a medical student. If you trust me, I should be able to help.¡±
She was a sophomore, but in reality, she waspletely capable of treating patients. With ten years of medical experience, countless sessful surgeries, and a lifelong study under Chen Zhong, coupled with being under authoritative chief surgeon Tao, naturally she had improved considerably from her past life. Of course, her medical skills were far superior now. ¡°Youe with me to take a look,¡± the conductor didn¡¯t care anymore. They hadn¡¯t been able to find a doctor, and now all these people didn¡¯t have one, but a medical student was better than nothing, and it was considered an emergency. Tang Yuxin picked up her bag and took out her needle pack from it. She didn¡¯t have any emergency drugs with her, and she didn¡¯t even know what kind of illness the patient had until she could examine him. The conductor pulled Tang Yuxin and led the way, while Qin Ziye followed, holding her hand all the time, to prevent her from being squeezed out by the people. Tang Yuxin had taken a sleeper during the Spring Festival travel rush. Of course, she had also traveled in seats and when there were no seats. In her past life, she had always been squeezing into seats. In this life, she always took sleeper trains and didn¡¯t need topete with others for room, water to drink, or to sit in a ufortable chair for dozens of hours. When she got home, she was sore all over. In her past life, she was a turnip grown in the fields. But in this life, she was like a princess raised in a honey jar. Even if her father had a younger brother, she knew that she was still the first in her father¡¯s heart. They kept pushing forward. She was alright. The conductor was in the front, and Qin Ziye was protecting her. But after squeezing through just one carriage, Tang Yuxin felt her hair was a mess. And then they had to squeeze through another carriage. Now, the conductor only hoped that when they got there, other conductors had found a doctor. Unfortunately, when they got there, several of the other conductors had returned but they still hadn¡¯t found a doctor. In the dining car of the train, a man was lying down. Even the dining car was full of standing people. This carriage was overcrowded. ¡°Mr. Qin, is that you?¡± The train conductor recognized Qin Ziye, ¡°What¡¯s going on? Is there a problem with the seats?¡±
¡°No,¡± Qin Ziye fixed Tang Yuxin¡¯s tangled hair. ¡°My girlfriend is a medical student. We have here over to take a look.¡± A student from the medical college? Upon hearing this, the conductor felt a little disappointed. But there weren¡¯t any doctors now, so a medical student was better than nothing. At least better than those who knew nothing. A man in his forties was lying on the ground. Tang Yuxin squat down. The man¡¯s lips were blue, his breathing faint. She figured that he probably had a heart condition that had red up. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 344: 337 She is a Student Chapter 344: Chapter 337 She is a Student She squatted down, taking the man¡¯s wrist, her fingers pressing onto his pulse point. ¡°How is he?¡± the train conductor anxiously inquired. Tang Yuxin loosened the man¡¯s clothes to ease his breathing. ¡°It¡¯s a recurrence of acute heart disease.¡± Hearing these words, the train conductor couldn¡¯t help but gasp in shock. A heart attack was a life-threatening condition, and they were still about an hour away from the nearest station. If they had to wait for an hour, it could be toote. ¡°He should have medicine in his bag,¡± Tang Yuxin said, taking out some silver needles from her bag. ¡°Find his medicine, and we need to speed up to the nearest station. I can only dy the progress of his condition for a while, he needs to be brought to the hospital.¡± She couldn¡¯t cure his condition, she could only stabilize the patient to prevent immediate danger. The patient still needed immediate medical intervention at a hospital. This man¡¯s heart disease had already caused structural changes. The fastest solution was direct surgery, which was also the riskiest. Another approach was treatment. There are many treatment methods, including the Chen Family¡¯s medical skills. These involved healing through adjusting the body¡¯s condition, which she knew well. However, it required the right medicine and the Chen-style Rejuvenation Acupuncture Technique, which she knew as an inheritor.
But that would take time. Given the circumstances, whether surgery or treatment, neither option was feasible. Now, all she could do was stabilise his condition, keep him alive, and then have the hospital save him. Any further ns depended on the doctors and family members. ¡°We¡¯ll try to speed up,¡± the train conductor immediately ordered to contact the next station, eager to speed up the train and buy some precious time for the patient. Tang Yuxin had dialed her silver needles on the needle bag, the longest was five inches and the shortest was one inch. Qin Ziye squatted down, it was his first time seeing Tang Yuxin using silver needles. He heard from Tang Yuxin that she studied under a vige doctor as a child, hence her decision to major in medicine in college. However, he didn¡¯t know that her mentor was an acupuncturist. Their National Doctor techniques were profound and deep, but it had been a long time since he had seen anyone using acupuncture, especially with so many needles of varying lengths. Tang Yuxin opened the man¡¯s shirt, revealing his chest, taking out the longest needle. At the moment when everyone¡¯s eyes were locked on her movements, she plunged the needle directly into the man¡¯s chest. After the needle went in, the man¡¯s head jerked back as a breath was seemingly forced back through his nostrils. His face gradually returned to normal colour from pale grey, as did his bluish-purple lips. Tang Yuxin took out another needle, her movements were so fast that it was hard for anyone to catch how and where she positioned each needle. Although the man¡¯s face improved, he was still unconscious. However, he was now breathing. ¡°The¡­ the medicine is here¡­¡± The train staff quickly held out a bottle of medicine and a bag. They had found it in his bag, with credentials that allowed them to contact his family. The man was lying in a sleeper berth, which made it easier for them to identify his luggage and find his medicine. The train sped up, the increasing frequency of the train¡¯s buzzing and the elerated scenes passing by the windows confirmed it. Tang Yuxin picked up the medicine from the train staff. ¡°Water,¡± she said. The train staff immediately poured a ss of water. Tang Yuxin took out two pills from the bottle, dropping them directly into the water, swaying the ss until the medicine dissolved. She then lifted the man¡¯s chin and helped him swallow the liquid.
At this point, the man¡¯s chest was still pierced by several silver needles. The longest one was inserted right in the centre of his heart. Having consumed the medicine, the man¡¯s face gradually regained its normal colour, his breath also slower and steadier. Tang Yuxin then proceeded to withdraw the silver needles, carefully cing each one back. She stood up and instructed the train staff to let him lie still until medical personnel could attend to him at the next station.
The train staff agreed immediately, fearing any movement would worsen his condition and lead to serious consequences. The train conductor pointed at Tang Yuxin, ¡°Is she a med school student?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Qin Ziye replied, tidying up the clothes that had suffered a blow. ¡°She¡¯s just a sophomore.¡± The train conductor found it hard to believe. With her swift and decisive use of needles, she was unlike any student or even seasoned doctors who required serious consideration before using needles. She had remained calm throughout, plunging needles without a hint of hesitation. Moreover, right after she plunged the first needle, the man began to breathe. Something he had only seen in medical dramas. Could this sophomore, one day, top the medical field? The train conductor felt it was a high possibility. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Qin Ziye pulled Tang Yuxin¡¯s hand. An aura of pride overwhelmed him as they left, earning the admiration and awe from the spectators.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om They returned to theirpartment through the crowd. This time, the other passengers merely looked on, unlike the woman with the child and the man pretending to sleep, who shamelessly upied their berths. ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡± Tang Yuxin asked as she stashed her needle bag into her bag. She usually kept the bag around. ¡°I just found out you¡¯re much more amazing than I thought.¡± Wasn¡¯t she just a sophomore? Not only was she scouted by the dean due to her achievement as the province¡¯s top schr, but she also had some impressive, well-hidden skills.
Tang Yuxin wasn¡¯t surprised. It wasn¡¯t a secret that she topped the high school entrance exams, nor did she consider herself particrly talented. All her skills came from her hard work. Chapter 345: 338: This is not a fairy tale Chapter 345: Chapter 338: This is not a fairy tale ¡°I learned medicine from the vige doctor as a child. He tutored me for ten years until his passing.¡± However, this vige doctor seems to be no ordinary man. Qin Ziye was indeed stunned because Tang Yuxin was much more exceptional than he had imagined. It seems like he doesn¡¯t need to worry about his own wellbeing in the future. Being able to marry a top-notch doctor would undoubtedly be a blessing over three lifetimes. Tang Yuxin¡¯s fingers gently trembled over the page as a soft smile yed naturally at the corners of her lips. The train was racing to reach the next station on time, and right before arrival, an emergency pathway was forcibly cleared inside the carriage. When the doctor arrived, the patient was stable. After setting up the IV, they quickly transported him to the hospital. The train halted briefly before resuming its journey. Having endured annual Chinese New Year mass migrations, this was not the most ufortable train ride for Tang Yuxin. After all, the New Year¡¯s trip is rarelyfortable. Everyone squeezes into a single carriage; all life¡¯s necessities are packed into that space. By the time they got off the train two days and nightster, dark circles were visible under Tang Yuxin¡¯s eyes. But it¡¯s just temporary; rest would cure her fatigue.
Qin Ziye had reserved a room in a hotel in Qing¡¯an and had already thrown his luggage in there. ¡°Do you think your dad would beat me up if I went to your house?¡± A joking question he asked while tugging on Tang Yuxin¡¯s hair, internally pondering the vtile Tang Zhinian who had warned him off his daughter with a look of utter distaste, as if he were repulsed enough by him. Such warnings were unnecessary. He won¡¯t make a move on Tang Yuxin. She¡¯s still young and hasn¡¯t even graduated yet. He adheres to that moral standard, and considering her reticent nature, the extent of their intimacy was limited to holding hands, anything past that she didn¡¯t seem to enjoy. A true daddy¡¯s girl indeed. However, he was mistaken. Tang Yuxin was a good girl, but she wasn¡¯t that good. She understood that a rtionship between a man and a woman cannot remain tonic forever. There was no rush; people in this generation were generally reserved, making it essential for her to be too. As for whether Tang Zhinian would hit him, Tang Yuxin didn¡¯t say, but most probably¡­ yes. Qin Ziye brought Tang Yuxin to Qing¡¯an¡¯s Blue River. The water of the Blue River was no longer as crystal clear. The water carried an unnatural darkness, indicating the beginning of pollution. Nevertheless, the Blue River was still their beloved river, but Tang Yuyu felt that she could no longer love it as before. ¡°Why do you like the water here?¡± Tang Yuxin asked Qin Ziye, puzzled. She remembered her first meeting with him, standing here, against the wind, as if reminiscing. Was he recalling the water of the Blue River? Your curiosity, Qin Ziye turned his head to find curiosity in Tang Yuxin¡¯s eyes. Not a must-have curiosity, but a curiosity nheless. She could know, or she could stay ignorant. The glint in Qin Ziye¡¯s eyes shed as he looked at the quietly flowing Blue River. The river seemed not to have changed much. ¡°A few years ago, I came to the Blue River, although not willingly.¡± Tang Yuxin was listening but remained silent. ¡°Back then, I got into some trouble. Someone beat me up and then threw me into the Blue River.¡± Tang Yuxin suddenly turned, staring at Qin Ziye¡¯s face. The pale-faced boy she had pulled from the water, even his lips were colorless. The boy¡¯s face and Qin Ziye¡¯s were the same, down to the small mole at the corner of the eye. It matched perfectly. Was that boy him? Should she remark on how many coincidences there are in this world, and that it seems these coincidences might have been predestined?
A small smile yed on her lips, and suddenly, even the changed waters of the Blue River seemed charming. ¡°Actually¡­ ¡± Tang Yuxin suddenly released a breath, yet she didn¡¯t finish her sentence. She heard Qin Ziye¡¯s voice again, his raspy voiceden with memories. They started here, but where did they lead? She did not know.
¡°I thought I was done for, you wouldn¡¯t know. When I was thrown into the river, I thought I was going to die. The fear of being suffocated by the surrounding water, an experience I¡¯ll never forget. Even after learning to swim, even after oveing my fear of water, I still have nightmares about it.¡± ¡°Later¡­¡± He chuckled, the warmth in his eyes was something Tang Yuxin had never seen before. ¡°She saved me.¡± Tang Yuxin frowned, ¡°Do you remember who saved you?¡± As he was unconscious then, he couldn¡¯t have seen her. And now, his mannerisms showed that he didn¡¯t know her at all. ¡°Of course, I remember,¡± Qin Ziye said as he looked at the no longer pristine water of the Blue River, ¡°I love the Blue River, and I fear it too.¡± ¡°It was her who pulled me out of the river and sent me to the hospital. I will forever remember what she looked like at that time. She was a young girl, but when she smiled, she was beautiful. Maybe because she had been studying music since she was young, she always carried this elegant charm. Yuxin, have you ever smelled a fragrance on someone¡¯s body?¡± Tang Yuxin gently pressed her lips together, ¡°Hmm, I have,¡± She felt a chill run along her arm, and the Blue River in her eyes began to feel deste. ¡°I vaguely smelled it on her. She said it was the scent of her perfume, but I knew it was her scent. Unique to her, no one else could have it.¡± ¡°And where is she now?¡± Tang Yuxin¡¯s fingers tightly held her own in anticipation.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°She went abroad.¡± Qin Ziye¡¯s hand tucked into his pocket, ¡°Let¡¯s forget about this,¡± He stroked Tang Yuxin¡¯s hair, ¡°You should go home. If your father finds out that I¡¯ve taken his daughter away, it will be another reason for him to despise me.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Tang Yuxin smiled. There was something about Qin Ziye¡¯s expression. It was as though he was watching her, yet not. When Tang Yuxin tried to figure it out, she found nothing there. ¡°What about you?¡± she asked him again.
¡°Don¡¯t worry, ¡± Qin Ziye said, pinching her cheek and tucking her hair behind her ear. ¡°This isn¡¯t my first time in Qing¡¯an. I know this ce well. I just want to spend a bit more time here.¡± The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 346: 339: Sister Is Back Chapter 346: Chapter 339: Sister Is Back Tang Yuxin¡¯s red lips moved slightly. Some difort surfaced from within, but she didn¡¯t know where it came from. Was he recollecting the past, or was he trying to retrieve it? Maybe, his visit was just for this. She touched her arm again, and it felt cool under her fingers. Qin Ziye kept standing by the Blue River, staring nkly at the water. His silhouette looked blurry against the scenic backdrop of mountains and waters. Tang Yuxin reached out, and for a moment, she grasped at nothing. She shouldered her bag, nced back at him, then step by step walked away from this ce. At this time, Qin Ziye¡¯s world was something she didn¡¯tprehend, understand, or dare to step into. At this moment, she felt like the Little Mermaid in Hans Christian Andersen¡¯s fairy tales. The mermaid princess saved the prince, yet she was mistaken for the princess of another country by the prince. The prince married the princess and they lived happily ever after, while the mermaid princess turned into foam. She lost her voice, her beloved sea, and suffered daily. All these were for what she had got. Was it worth it?N?v(el)B\\jnn
Perhaps this was a question many wanted to ask but couldn¡¯t answer. Just like her now. She set these thoughts aside, knowing that the future is unknown. Her future was also unknown, who she would meet, who she would like, who she would marry- she had no clue. However, she knew that she liked Qin Ziye, although she was lost as to what kind of oue this affection would bring. On the public bus back to Li Tang Vige, she hugged her bag tightly, with some thoughts in mind, and she began to daydream. What Qin Ziye had given her today was not a surprise, but a blow. She opened her bag and removed a medicine bottle. This medicine could hide the scent in her body. She only needs to take one pill every half a month to make the scent disappear. This fragrance concealing pill was a traditional recipe of the Chen Family. When Chen Zhong gave her the Cold Fragrance Pills, he also gave her this. Perhaps Chen Zhong saw this inconvenienceing. If you still remember the scent on that person, would you remember this scent? She held the bottle tightly in her hand. For a moment, she really wanted to tell him everything. She felt a bit upset and unwilling. But, in the end, all these resentments and unwillingness turned into a sigh too light to be heard. She took some medicine from the bottle and put it in her mouth. It had been a year since her body¡¯s fragrancest appeared. Sometimes even she forgot about it, hence others might have forgotten it too. She would never mention it to Qin Ziye. If he wants to know, he will. If he does not, then he would believe in what he used to. His belief was the most critical thing. Why bother shattering a man¡¯s dream of his past love? She shook her head, feeling a little cruel. Perhaps it was out of a bit of defiance, she wanted to know when he would finally recognize her. Or maybe he would never know. When the bus stopped, she had arrived at the entrance of Tang Vige. The vige had undergone significant changes in recent years. It was surrounded by a grand gate, while the words ¡°Li Tang Vige¡± hung brightly and proudly. A road had been built and trees were nted in front of each household. But no matter how good the vige was, it was still sustained by thend it was built on. The vigers of Li Tang had been farming for generations. The young could go out and pursue their dreams, but for those who had farmed all their lives, they were destined to continue farming. This reminded her of Tang Zhinian, her father in the previous life, who hadbored tirelessly to send her to university. She cherished the memories of her past life¡¯s father, and she was grateful for the father in this life.
So, she always reminded herself that she wasn¡¯t the person from her previous life, and her father wasn¡¯t the father from her previous life either. She walked up and knocked on the door. Someone woulde to open the door soon, but she didn¡¯t know who it would be. The door moved a few times but did not open until footsteps were heard. The door finally opened to reveal Zhang Xiangcao standing at the entrance, holding a chubby little boy.
¡°Sister¡­¡± The little boy broke free from Zhang Xiangcao¡¯s grip and threw himself at Tang Yuxin. Zhang Xiangcaoughed, ¡°They truly look like siblings. I told him you¡¯d return today. He was so eager to open the door himself, but he¡¯s too young andcks the strength. However, he knows to wait at the door for his sister¡¯s return.¡± Tang Yuxin dropped her bag and touched her little brother¡¯s soft chubby face, ¡°You¡¯ve grown so much, and you¡¯re taller too.¡± Indeed, Zhang Xiangcao also touched the little boy¡¯s head, ¡°He¡¯s grown quite a bit in thest six months. He used to stumble when he walked and ran. Now he can run properly. He¡¯s sweet and easy to handle. Your parents are busy, and he¡¯s be the most attached to me, but as soon as you return, he forgets about me. Such an ungrateful little boy.¡± Zhang Xiangcao reached out and pinched the plump cheeks of his little face. ¡°Auntie.¡± The little boy hugged Zhang Xiangcao¡¯s leg with his chubby arms. His sweet little mouth was quite charming. ¡°Chengcheng loves Auntie the most.¡± See, he managed to make Zhang Xiangcao blush with joy in no time. ¡°And Auntie loves our Chengcheng the most.¡± As she spoke, Zhang Xiangcao squatted down to give his chubby face a few yful bites. Gorgeous and cute, with his chubby face and mischievous smile, he was just like a dumpling, very adorable. Of course, his asional naughtiness had to be ignored. But for the most part, he was quite well behaved. Otherwise, Zhang Xiangcao wouldn¡¯t have the energy to look after him every day and still maintain her good mood. As the only child in the family, he was spoiled by everyone. Even Zhang Xiangcao, his aunt, treated him like her own child. After all, he was the only heir to the Tang Family, and the future of the family hinged on him. If Chengcheng knew the significant pressure he was already bearing, maybe he would burst into tears.
But right now, Chengcheng was too young and innocent to think about such things. He was small and pitiful. So, for now, he only knew how to have fun and seek attention. Chapter 347: 340: Came and Went Chapter 347: Chapter 340: Came and Went Tang Yuxin squeezed her little brother¡¯s chubby hand, indeed, he was a strong child, always in good health since he was small, and even better now. You can tell just by touching the solid flesh on his body, he eats well and is growing strong. Tang Yuxin yed with her little brother for a while, taking out the toys she had bought for him. Chengcheng clung to the toys and wouldn¡¯t let go. The toys Yuxin bought for him were all basic educational ones, but Little Fatty¡¯s favorite was a little drawing board Yuxin bought for him. He could redraw on it with a single wipe. He fully exercised his imagination and began to draw on it energetically, his little face tightened in a serious expression. It was really cute. Tang Yuxin let out a yawn, she was very sleepy. She hadn¡¯t had a good sleep on the train, but she still had to entertain her little brother. She could only see Chengcheng twice a year. Every time she came back, he was taller, changing really fast. By the time she graduates from college, Chengcheng would be three years old, no longer a little baby, but a big child. When Zhang Xiangcao came in, she saw Tang Yuxin ying with Chengcheng and yawning. She quickly picked up Chengcheng, ¡°Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s go have some yummy food with auntie.¡± Upon hearing about yummy food, Chengcheng started drooling. He recently grew several teeth and could now chew his own meat, which he loved most. ¡°Will sister eat too?¡± Chengcheng put his little chubby finger into his mouth, not forgetting to ask for benefits for his sister. ¡°Of course sister will eat too. We¡¯ll go first,¡± Zhang Xiangcao carried Little Fatty and went out. As soon as Tang Yuxin¡¯s head touched the pillow, she fell asleep. However, she was still slightly awake, waiting for a phone call, his phone call, but it never came. Not until she had been home for nearly two days did she receive his call. She really missed him now. Worse yet, she didn¡¯t have Qin Ziye¡¯s current hotel phone number because he had said he woulde to her house, even if it meant being berated by his father-inw for eloping with his daughter. She stood up, somewhat restless, worried that something had happened to Qin Ziye. However, just as she was about to leave, the home phone rang.
She walked over and picked it up. ¡°Hello¡­¡± She wasn¡¯t sure who was calling, but she had a hunch that it might be him. ¡°Yuxin, it¡¯s me.¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om The voice on the phone made Tang Yuxin finally breathe a sigh of relief. Not a word ofint. Perhaps her worry overshadowed everything else. ¡°Yuxin, I have an urgent matter and need to go back to Beijing. Can I visit your parents next time?¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Tang Yuxin clutched the phone tightly, ¡°Take care on the road.¡± She wanted to say more, but there weren¡¯t many words left. She didn¡¯t ask him what had happened, or if there was anything she could do to help. She couldn¡¯t do much. However, she still felt a bit disappointed, because what he promised her wasn¡¯t fulfilled. After hanging up the phone, she turned around to see Chengcheng biting his little finger, looking at her sister, bewildered. However, when he caught sight of his sister¡¯s gaze, he quickly took his finger out of his mouth, hid it behind his back, and gave his sister a silly smile. Do you think I will let you off if you act cute? Tang Yuxin stretched her hand towards her brother. Come here. Little Fatty reluctantly walked over to his sister with his chubby legs. ¡°Stick out your hand,¡± Tang Yuxin showed no sympathy for this little guy. ¡°I¡¯ve told you so many times not to eat your hand, howe you remember to eat but not the beating? How many times have I hit you for it? Do you want your bottom spanked?¡± After hesitating for a long while, Little Fatty finally stuck out his hand in front of his sister, with a pout on his face. Tang Yuxin gave his little palm a smack. ¡°Do not put random things in your mouth.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Chengcheng nodded his little head vigorously, appearing to agree pleasantly. Anyone who didn¡¯t know him would think he was a well-behaved boy. But those who knew him understood he was just perfunctory, overly perfunctory. ¡°Sis¡­¡± Little Fatty jumped into his sister¡¯s arms, oblivious to whether he¡¯d just been reprimanded or not. He rubbed his little face against his sister¡¯s neck, acting cute and appearing docile, his little mouth sweet as sugar. ¡°My sister is the prettiest.¡±
Tang Yuxin couldn¡¯t help butugh and cry at the same time. Who taught him this stuff? ¡°Auntie is the best,¡± ¡°I love mom the most,¡± ¡°I love dad the most¡±. No matter who he saw he would always say he loved them. However,ing from his mouth, they all sounded as sweet as honey, and his mouth was never unsweet. When Tang Zhinian and Ren Li came back at night, they simply left their son here. It was clear how busy they were. The building was not yet finished, but many apartments had already been sold. Now they had money in hand and were nning for the second building. No wonder they were so busy that they even left their son behind to grow up with his aunt. At the moment, his aunt definitely seemed more like a mother to him than his actual mother. ¡°Come here, precious son, give mommy a kiss,¡± the moment Ren Li came back, she wanted to cuddle her son. However, Little Fatty clung to his aunt¡¯s leg instead, wrinkling his little nose, ¡°Mommy smells,¡± he said with a disgusted expression on his face.
This little expression, this little gesture, stabbed Ren Li¡¯s motherly heart Ren Li was instantly infuriated, but when she saw her son¡¯s chubby little face, her anger subsided as quickly as it hade. ¡°Go wash,¡± Tang Zhinian coaxed Ren Li. Ren Li had been growing increasingly irritable these days. Others hadn¡¯t seen her get angry, but he had. It was like a small bomb, one that would cause quite a stir when it exploded. Only then did Ren Li stand up and go wash her hands and face. Otherwise, her son would keep avoiding her, saying she was stinky. It wasn¡¯t easy being a mother. If not for the sake of providing a good future for that stinking boy, she wouldn¡¯t have to run around so much. All this hardship was for whom, that stinking boy? She was going to spank his bottom tonight. But every time she said she would, she never did. Despite her threats, she could never bring herself to actually do it. Each time she saw his tender, fair skin, how could she do anything other than coo and coddle? She was just too soft-hearted. ¡°Yuxin, has hee?¡± Tang Zhinian asked Tang Yuxin, and by he, who else could he be referring to other than Qin Ziye? ¡°No, he hasn¡¯t,¡± Tang Yuxin replied casually though she fel anything but. But what good would it do to make a fuss? He came and then left. And her father would certainly have an even worse opinion of Qin Ziye if he heard about this, so it was better to keep him in the dark. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 348 - 341: Fear of Being Deceived Chapter 348: Chapter 341: Fear of Being Deceived She bowed her head and continued eating, and Tang Zhinian didn¡¯t ask anymore, nor did Tang Yuxin take the initiative to say anything. By evening, Tang Zhinian discussed the matter with Ren Li, which was like opening a can of worms each time it was mentioned. ¡°I always disliked that young man, with his pretty-boy look, yet sly like a fox. Look at our honest Yuxin, do you think she¡¯ll be tricked by him?¡± Ren Li nearly choked on her own saliva. She really wanted to say, Yuxin¡¯s father, do you really know your daughter? That girl is a tricky one, not many in this world can deceive her. And once deceived, the consequences will be severe. She felt Tang Zhinian should be hoping that Tang Yuxin was deceived by that man because he would quickly disappear from Yuxin¡¯s life then. Of course, she preferred not to say this out loud. After all, young people have to make their own decisions. They are already old. No, she can¡¯t consider herself old, her little Chengcheng was only two. She still needs to work hard to save up money for his future wife. Chengcheng was asleep now, clutching his small fists, his chubby cheeks still full and round. Ren Li admired her son to no end, kissing his small face and even threatened to spank his little bottom. But in the end, she found herself loving him even more, thus leading Tang Zhinian not to worry about her actually spanking their son because she was all bark and no bite. N?v(el)B\\jnn The construction team kept them busy until the Chinese New Year. Several tasks around the house were taken care of by Tang Yuxin and Zhang Xiangcao, including shopping for New Year goods, which were all done by those two women. Little Fatty was left at home under Sisi¡¯s care. Sisi, a great nanny, was even more careful than Tang Yuxin. Furthermore, it was cozy at home while outside it was too cold. Little Fatty never left the house and stayed home ying happily. Meanwhile, Tang Yuxin and Zhang Xiangcao went out every day shopping for New Year supplies. In fact, if one thinks about it, shopping is an enjoyment in itself. They bought new clothes for Chengcheng and Sisi at the mall, and Tang Yuxin also bought one for herself. Since she didn¡¯t really care about clothes, she didn¡¯t go all-out and bought anything that she liked. During this time, Xu Miaomiao visited several times,ining about theck of entertainment here and how she wanted to travel. However, her parents strictly forbade it and dered anyone suggesting it again as their enemy. Tang Yuxin knew this was because the parents were still traumatized from the time Xu Miaomiao got kidnapped, and under no circumstances would they let it happen again. While listening to Xu Miaomiao¡¯sints, she started sorting out the medicinal herbs in her hands. Even if she were to leave, it would be impossible to have her included. This year, she acquired much burden. Could the numerous medicines she had prepared possibly be effective? After all, there will be battlse to fight after New Year¡¯s. By New Year¡¯s, Zhang Xiangcao had already prepared the New Year essentials, fried the fruits, and steamed the bowls, her steamed goods were divine, so every New Year, she would make a lot of them as gifts for people. The Xu Family, Lin Family, and Chen Family, who all had a good rtionship with them through the years, never held back on their gifts either. Of course, the rtionship between these families had be stronger over time. They always gathered during the New Year¡¯s. The Tang family had no rtives to visit. Zhang Xiangcao was the only child, Ren Li was from out of town, and Tang Zhinian only had two brothers. So, they treated those families as their rtives. Especially with the Lin Family, their rtionship was even closer. Who could me them, considering Chengcheng¡¯s godfather was Mr. Lin. It felt like the year had rushed by, perhaps because Tang Yuxin had been extremely busy, traveling between the mountain and the foothills, preparing countless medicines. Yet, she had no idea of the effect they would have. During her winter vacation, most of her time was spent in the mountains looking for herbs. With the SARS outbreak only a few months away, she didn¡¯t know whether she coulde up with any solutions. The 84 disinfectants she stored in the courtyard also couldn¡¯t count for much, but at least they didn¡¯t expire, and SARS was only six months away. She had been researching over the past few years. However, such a disease wasn¡¯t something that could be cured overnight. Her final result: prevention. If it was about finding a cure, she didn¡¯t have the capacity. She sealed the herbs she had prepared inside a big container and buried it under the old locust tree in the yard. ¡°Sis¡­¡± Chengcheng ran over, pulling on Tang Yuxin¡¯s sleeve, ¡°What is Sis doing?¡± ¡°Burying treasures here. We will dig it up next year for Chengcheng,¡± Tang Yuxin patted her brother¡¯s small cheek. Time flew by so quickly. She hardly felt its passage, only to realize in a blink-of-an-eye that it was almost time to return to school. She would be leaving soon, and by the next time shees back, Chengcheng would be half a year older. Chengcheng ran over, stomping a few times on the spot she had buried the container, turned around, and gave his sister a smile. ¡°Sis, it¡¯s Chengcheng¡¯s.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Tang Yuxin nodded, ¡°It¡¯s Chengcheng¡¯s. Sis made it for Chengcheng.¡± She walked over and took her brother¡¯s small chubby hand. ¡°Let¡¯s go wash our hands and then have some apple puree, okay?¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Chengcheng happily agreed, ready to follow his sister for some apple puree. The little guy loved meat and sweet food, resulting in his robust body. A kid who wasn¡¯t picky with his food grew up fast. When Tang Yuxin left, she chose to leave quietly, as always. In her hand was a bank card, given by her father, which contained fifty thousand yuan for her next semester¡¯s living expenses. Holding the card, she remained stunned. Fifty thousand. Now, her monthly living expenses were fifty thousand yuan. She remembered in herst life, her monthly subsistence allowance was about two hundred yuan, just enough to cover meals. If she spent a bit more, she might not even have enough to eat, resorting to steamed buns and porridge everyday. Yet now, she had fifty thousand yuan for a semester¡¯s worth of living expenses. She shook her head and tucked the card into her bag. Whether she had fifty thousand or not, her lifestyle stayed the same. Just because she had money didn¡¯t mean she would splurge. She chose clothes suitable for her, used skincare products she made herself, ate until she was full. This fifty thousand yuan, she wouldn¡¯t be able to finish it. But, it could be used to buy some more furniture for her quadrangle house. Chapter 349 - 342 He Didn’t Come Chapter 349: Chapter 342 He Didn¡¯t Come She has forgotten that she could have moved out of the school. She returned to school early, while Lin Yile came back several dayster because he had visited rtives. As for Xu Miaomiao, they ended up further away because they had moved to a new campus. Thus, everyone could only meet during holidays. Everyone was busy with their own things, and the rtionships naturally grew distant. After all, everyone had their own studies and their own lives. However, Tang Yuxin and Lin Yile, who lived in the same dormitory and belonged to the same department, had be closer. But there was no other way around it ¨C after all, this is growth. Tang Yuxin arrived at school several days earlier than the start of the semester. When she arrived, she called Qin Ziye, but he did not pick up. Throughout her journey, she was full of disappointment and despair. She took out a phone card from her bag and walked to the nearby payphone. She picked up the phone and dialed Qin Ziye¡¯s number. She knew his private cellphone number, but she rarely called it. She mostly called hisndline, which he had once said was the number he used tomunicate with his family. And she was not yet ssified as his family. So, isn¡¯t she obedient? Isn¡¯t she well-behaved? She expected to hear the unavable tone again. However, the call was connected this time. ¡°Yuxin, what¡¯s the matter?¡± Qin Ziye voice was still warm and gentle, speaking at a steady pace, as if he was smiling. Tang Yuxin was holding the public phone but didn¡¯t know what to say. I¡¯m here. I¡¯ve arrived. I¡¯ve arrived now. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Yuxin?¡± Qin Ziye sounded tired, and his voice was noticeably wearier than before. ¡°I¡­¡± Tang Yuxin paused to moisten her lips. ¡°I¡¯m at the station.¡± ¡°Mm, you¡¯ve reached the station. Howe you¡¯re so early?¡± Qin Ziye calcted. The new term at school for Tang Yuxin would start five dayster. ¡°Something came up, so I came early,¡± Tang Yuxin leaned on the payphone. She originally wanted to go back alone, but Qin Ziye had said that once she arrived, she must call him. Otherwise, what kind of boyfriend would he be? ¡°Wait there, I¡¯lle to pick you up.¡± Qin Ziye grabbed his jacket, one hand holding the phone while the other looking for the car keys. Then heplimented Tang Yuxin. ¡°Good girl, that¡¯s right. You can always rely on me.¡± He was in a good mood. He hadn¡¯t seen her for almost two months and they only stayed in touch by phone. He couldn¡¯t deny that he missed her a lot. He was eagerly anticipating seeing his girl. Tang Yuxin sat on the steps of the station, hugging her arms. When she came, the weather was quite bad. It was still the cold season in Beijing. The cold wind asionally hit her face, quickly stripping away her warmth, practically turning her into an icicle. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Was there a traffic jam? She thought. Was there a problem with the car? Did something happen at home? Regardless of the reason, it couldn¡¯t have taken this long for him to arrive. Half an hour passed, and he didn¡¯t show up. One hour passed, and he was still not there. Two hours passed, and he was nowhere to be seen. And yet she sat there, just like in the past, all alone in the freezing cold dark night, seeming as helpless as a kitten or a puppy that had been abandoned. She stood up and warmed her nearly frozen hands before taking the payphone and dialing again. At first, it connected, and then it was abruptly hung up. Did she realize what that meant? He wasn¡¯t answering. When she tried dialing him again, it turned out that he had switched off his phone. She went back to sit on the steps. She kept waiting. As time passed, pedestrians came and went on the street, yet no one stayed. This ce was meant for fleeting encounters and inevitable partings. She exhaled softly but didn¡¯t leave the ce. She stubbornly waited. She was afraid that if she left and he arrived, what would happen? She was afraid that if she left just as he was on his way, he wouldn¡¯t find her. From around ten in the morning, she waited till noon, then till sunset, then till dusk, and now it was night. The wind blew against her face, its icy pricks of pain almost unbearable. Ice almost formed on the road, and there was only a lonely suitcase next to her. The station became less crowded as time passed, with no one as foolish as her waiting for someone for half a day. The streetmps lit up the sides of the road. Although it was not yet as renowned as the Beijing of the future, it already had the foundations of its future splendor. She stood up, picked up the payphone again, trembling hands pressing the series of numbers. In the end, however, she hung up. The phone was still turned off. It was around nine at night; the streets were icy and few cars or pedestrians were around. Even the buses had long since stopped operating. She picked up her suitcase and began to walk forward, step by step. The distance from here to Qing University was not close. If she were to walk, she didn¡¯t know how long it would take ¡ª two hours, three hours or even more. But all she could do was use her own legs, walking alone in such freezing weather with an equally cold heart. The road ahead seemed to have no end. Suddenly, a car stopped by the roadside. It was a dark private car, sleek and simple, but had a sense of luxury. It certainly wasn¡¯t cheap. The car window rolled down. The people inside were wearing uniform outfits, likely security personnel. ¡°Little girl, why are you alone here? It¡¯s dangerous at night.¡± Tang Yuxin clenched her frozen lips, which had turned pale due to the extreme cold. ¡°Nevermind, get in the car. The man opened the car door, lifted Tang Yuxin¡¯s suitcase from her hands without asking, and tossed it into the trunk. ¡°It¡¯s so cold, and it¡¯ste. You¡¯re a young girl, you shouldn¡¯t be out here by yourself. What if you run into danger? Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯re not bad people.¡± As he spoke, he pointed to the surveince camera not far away. ¡°This ce is under surveince. You can trust us. We work for Jin Cheng Security Company.¡± He then opened the car door for Tang Yuxin to get in. Tang Yuxin¡¯s feet had gone numb, and she stared at the nearby surveince camera in a trance. ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll take you home. Where do you live?¡± Chapter 350: 343: Coming Alone Chapter 350: Chapter 343: Coming Alone ¡°Get in the car,¡± the man opened the car door, rubbing his hands together, ¡°It¡¯s not safe for a youngdy to be out sote at night.¡± After hesitating for a moment, Tang Yuxin relented and got in the car, thinking that she really would freeze to death out there. ¡°Where are you going?¡± The man turned up the heat in the car,menting aloud, ¡°It¡¯s so cold andte, and you¡¯re out here all by yourself.¡± Tang Yuxin lowered her head, her frozen lips finally unfreezing enough to whisper two words. ¡°Qing University.¡± ¡°That far?¡± He turned the car around and headed in the direction of Qing University. The man turned to the person in the passenger seat and asked, ¡°Any objections, Gu Ning? We¡¯re going to drop this girl off first. If she had to walk back alone, it would be midnight before she arrived.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve already done it,¡± the voice from the passenger seat was indifferent, carrying a hint of aloof coldness. ¡°Okay, spare me the drama.¡± The man was still driving the car on the icy road without much difficulty.
¡°We¡¯re the same, even if I disagreed, you would still insist on it. We¡¯re all too good, especially you, always putting on a cold front.¡± The man in the passenger seat didn¡¯t say a word, just stared ahead. From the rear-view mirror, he could see the girl¡¯s bowed head. He couldn¡¯t help but shake his head at the recklessness of students these days. ¡°Don¡¯t go out sote in the future,¡± his voice was cold, but if one listened carefully, they could detect some concern in his tone. ¡°See,¡± the driverughed, ¡°you¡¯re outwardly harsh but inwardly kind.¡± As the two men casually conversed, they didn¡¯t notice the girl in the back seat tightly gripping her hands, fingers already red and numb from the cold. She wrapped her clothes tighter around herself and felt a droplet of water spreading on the back of her hand. It was as cold as ice. She pulled at the corners of her mouth. She hadn¡¯t met him, but she had ended up in his car. When they arrived at the entrance to Qing University, the car door opened. Gu Ning exited the car and opened the trunk. He then removed luggage and ced it in front of Tang Yuxin. He didn¡¯t say a word, but he seemed to be waiting for something. Tang Yuxin pulled up her suitcase without lifting her head. ¡°Thank you,¡± she bowed, and then walked into the campus. It was 10:35 p.m., and the gates of the university were still open. She could have gone home, which was her real home, her den, but instead, she returned to the university. She just wanted to know if he assumed she had already arrived home, so he had note to pick her up.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om But when she walked in, she heard the engine noise of an army vehicle. By the time she turned around, the car had disappeared at the end of the lit road. Just as if it had nevere, or never appeared. She walked into the dormitory, and walked to the housekeeper. ¡°Auntie, have any callse for me? My name is Tang Yuxin.¡± ¡°No,¡± the housekeeper shook her head, ¡°I have been here all day and no one has called.¡±
Tang Yuxin was somewhat disappointed as she walked to her dormitory door and opened it. She was the first one to arrive, as she had originally not nned on staying there. She was nning to move to her house and no longer live on campus. She brought out her washing basin and went to fetch water, then tidied up the dorm room. When she touched the cold water, it was piercingly cold, almost painful. That night, she slept in moldy, damp bedding. It was like her past life when she was deprived of everything. She was alone, cold, and afraid.
She got through everything by herself. She did everything by herself. She suffered everything by herself. She tossed and turned all night. She made a phone call, and there was a brief ring on the other end, before her call was disconnected again. He had hung up again. Packing her suitcase, Tang Yuxin put all her belongings back. She had already applied for a change of residencest semester and it was approved, so she could leave the dormitory. All she had to do was tell the housekeeper. The outside was still piercingly cold, the wind blowing on her face but not bringing any color to her cheeks. One hand holding her suitcase, the other holding a bag of belongings, she walked into her old-fashioned courtyard house. Then she opened the door. The petite courtyard was just like before. Although it had not been cleaned for a month, it still looked clean and familiar to her because this was her home. She put her luggage down, turned around, and left the house. Shortly afterward, she was standing at the door of Qin Ziye¡¯s apartment. It was a quaint two-story home she had visited many times before. Strangely enough, she never felt like it was her home, perhaps because she could sense her own out-of-ce feelings, or that he gave her no hope. The door creaked slightly and she quickly hid behind a nearby tree, peeking at the entrance. The door opened and a man appeared. He looked a bit ill, probably tired, but he seemed fine overall.
That was all Tang Yuxin wanted to know. She needed to be sure that he had not had an ident, that he had deliberately not answered her calls and avoided seeing her. It was hard to believe that the man who had confessed his love for her not so long ago was now rejecting her calls. It seemed ridiculous, but she was so confident that he wasn¡¯t that kind of person. There was a payphone nearby. She walked over, picked up the handset, and inserted her card. She heard the familiar ringtone of his mobile phone in her ear. He pulled his phone from his pocket. She couldn¡¯t see what the expression on his face was, but she could feel his irritation and displeasure. And he was also a bit restless. He straightaway hung up the call and continued walking briskly. Tang Yuxin hung up the phone but did not make another call. After a while, Qin Ziye returned. He had some items in his hand, probably food, as he entered and closed the door behind him. With that loud bang, not only the door was closed, perhaps Tang Yuxin¡¯s heart was closed as well. Tang Yuxin walked out from behind the tree. She looked once more at the small white building in front of her, then turned around and left. She went to the furniture market and bought a whole set of furniture. By the time the delivery people brought it to her, she had a proper little nest. That night, she moved from a small bed to arge one and finally had a proper home.
Chapter 351: 344: Another Woman Chapter 351: Chapter 344: Another Woman But, she feels no joy. On the contrary, she is in a low state, deeply mncholic. She is not a clingy woman, but there are things she just wants answers to. She wants to know what she did wrong, or maybe it was just a heart-wrenching deception the whole time. Once again, she stands in front of this small building, hesitant to take that final step. Even with her hand on the door, she still can¡¯t knock. What is she afraid of? What is she worried about? Or perhaps, how much longer must she deceive herself? Tang Yuxin, oh Tang Yuxin, you¡¯ve lived for a lifetime, even died once, why do you still fear rejection? Isn¡¯t being rejected now better than getting trapped deeper, and then being kicked away? Yes, she thinks like this, but her heart still aches as if pricked by numerous fine needles. Although the pain isn¡¯t unbearable, it is nheless hard to endure. She takes a deep breath before finally cing her hand on the door. ¡°Knock, knock ¡­¡±
She knocks on the door. Not long after, the door opens. Qin Ziye is standing there, and when he sees Tang Yuxin, he doesn¡¯t show any surprise. Perhaps he¡¯s known all along that this day woulde. ¡°Come in,¡± he says dully. No exnations, no surprises, no shock. Just nothing. Tang Yuxin follows him in, then up the stairs. As she steps inside, she immediately senses medicine¡¯s sharp smell. ¡°Are you sick?¡± she tentatively asks. But it doesn¡¯t add up. She is good at reading people. Qin Ziye looks weary, exhausted, not sick. On the contrary, as Qin Ziye seats himself, he watches Tang Yuxinnguidly, remaining silent for a disproportionately long time. All of a sudden, there¡¯s noise from inside. He stands up abruptly, dashing to open the door, and at the moment the door swings open, Tang Yuxin¡¯s heart also plummets to the cold, deste abyss. She slowly turns around. The door is still open, and on therge bed insideys a young woman. The strong smell of medicine permeating the room ising from within. ¡°Jingjing, are you alright?¡± Qin Ziye quickly helps the woman on the bed to sit up. The woman continues to cough, her face devoid of color. ¡°Do you want some water?¡± Qin Ziye gingerly helps the woman sit up. However, she shakes her head. She doesn¡¯t want to talk, asionally pounding her head with her hand, then breaking into a violent fit of coughing again. Qin Ziye hurries out, but just as he¡¯s about to fetch some water, Tang Yuxin grabs his wrist. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Qin Ziye spins around angrily, his voice tense and stern, looking at Tang Yuxin as if she¡¯s his nemesis. However, Tang Yuxin¡¯s hand still remains on his wrist. ¡°Let go,¡± Qin Ziye suddenly pushes Tang Yuxin away, making her stagger backwards. But Yuxin steps forward and reaches out once again.
With a smack, her hand is pushed away, yet she stubbornly approaches him again. ¡°Get out!¡± Qin Ziye grasps Tang Yuxin¡¯s wrist hard with one hand, while holding a cup in the other, and throws her out towards the door. The moment he opens the door, the wind gusts in, carrying with it waves of unbearable cold. ¡°You¡¯ve seen it all, haven¡¯t you?¡± He sneers coldly. The man in front of her is no longer the gentle Qin Ziye she knew, the one who had confessed his love to her. ¡°She is the one I love, the one I like, and you ¡­¡± He gazes contemptuously at Tang Yuxin. Inexplicably, his heart churns, leaving him in unbearable pain.
However, despite this, he still utters these cruel words. He bursts outughing, a cruel, emotionlessughter, ¡°You know, when I first saw you, I felt a sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu because you resembled her. You reminded me so much of her, your presence, your scent. Had it not been for this resemnce, this familiar scent, why do you think I would have chosen you?¡± Tang Yuxin silently watches him, showing no anger, no grief, no pain, no tears. It¡¯s as if she had always known she would be abandoned. After all, how can someone like her deserve a love so great? The person who once told her, ¡°May you be treated gently in your next life,¡± was not him. That voice was not his. Yet, she still feels a chill at the corner of her eyes, and the tears begin to well up. She doesn¡¯t ask him if he has ever loved or liked her. She does not inquire if he has ever loved or liked her even a little bit. All of that is useless now. To be discarded is to be discarded, to be betrayed is to be betrayed, to be deceived is to be deceived. Does the reason matter? Does the past matter? ¡°Get out!¡± Qin Ziye turns and picks up the cup from the floor. His trembling fingers reveal his uneasiness. He disappears into the kitchen, washing the cup clean. His hand throbs with a numb pain. Coming out, he pours another ss of water. But all of a sudden, Tang Yuxines to him, reaching out to hug him from behind.
¡°Don¡¯t go ¡­¡± She croaks, her voice showing some form of restraint. She¡¯s hurting, in pain, ufortable. What to do now? Yes, what to do? What should she do? Qin Ziye looks at the pair of hands around his waist, forcibly prying them open, disregarding Tang Yuxin¡¯s ensuing pain. Her skin, originally pale, is now visibly swollen and bruised.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om ¡°Tang Yuxin ¡­¡± Qin Ziyeughs coldly and says brutally, ¡°Could you stop being so despicable?¡± He lightly pats her face in an alienating, humiliating gesture. ¡°Could you stop disgusting me? I¡¯ve told you already, I don¡¯t like you. Let¡¯s end things amicably, or else ¡­¡± He pulls out his wallet, producing a stack of money without even counting it, and flings it directly at Tang Yuxin¡¯s face. The cash turns into sharp des in that instant, slicing Tang Yuxin¡¯s cheek. She feels a sharp pain in the corner of her eye, lowering her gaze to see money scattered on the floor and a droplet, either blood or tear, falling from her eye. The woman inside suddenly descends into another violent fit of coughing, striking Qin Ziye¡¯s heart. ¡°Get out!¡± He spits out the destructive word again, taking the cup and moving forward. But Tang Yuxin steps forward again, extending her hand to block him. ¡°Don¡¯t make me hit you.¡± Chapter 352 - 345 He Hit Her Chapter 352: Chapter 345 He Hit Her Tang Yuxin still stood in front of him, perhaps what she wanted was exactly this. She wanted to know how much she could endure, and she also wanted to know how far Qin Ziye could go for another? ¡°Don¡¯t force me to hit a woman.¡± Qin Ziye squinted, but his heart wished nothing more than to fly into her, to care for her, to sympathize with her. But Tang Yuxin was blocking him from the outside. She blocked everything: his exit, his way to Jingjing. All of a sudden, with a smack, he had already swung his hand, showing no mercy at all, and pped it across Tang Yuxin¡¯s face. Tang Yuxin¡¯s face was numb at first, but now she felt nothing at all. Even her ears were buzzing, unable to hear any sound. ¡°Get out of the way!¡± Qin Ziye lifted his foot and directly kicked Tang Yuxin in the stomach. The woman inside was still coughingboriously, as if she was coughing herself to death. Tang Yuxin held her stomach, breathing gently with her eyes closed. Then she slowly got up. She had known and understood, but when she reached the door, she turned back again. ¡°Here, Jingjing, have some water first.¡± Qin Ziye carefully ced the water in front of the woman, but she shook her head in response. Outside, she wanted to ask something, but then another wave of painful coughing echoed¡­ No matter what, an unrted person, Qin Ziye ced his hand on the woman¡¯s back, gently patting helplessly, as if he was running out of all his tenderness. But this kind of tenderness, for such an irrelevant woman, Tang Yuxin didn¡¯t know how much heartbreak and how much more strength she needed to endure this. ¡°She¡­¡± The woman weakly pointed towards the door. Qin Ziye suddenly turned his face, his eyes showing a kind of hatred. Hatred for her arrival, her presence, her thick-skinned audacity. ¡°What are you still doing here?¡± In Qin Ziye¡¯s mind, there was an urge to break Tang Yuxin into pieces. And Tang Yuxin, with her swollen face, arge shoe print on her clothes, her hair was a mess, her eyelids were bruised, and her face was swollen. She swept her eyes over Qin Ziye from top to bottom, then focused on the woman inside: Guan Jing. ¡°The incubation period is 1 to 16 days, typically 3 to 5 days. The onset is swift,¡± her voice came out weakly, carrying a chill like the wind outside, ¡°fever is the primary symptom, with chills, temperature often exceeding 38 degrees Celsius, characterized by irregr fever or remittent fever, arrhythmia and others. The fever usuallysts 1 to 2 weeks; apanied by symptoms such as headaches, muscle aches, general weakness, and diarrhea.¡± She started to move, step by step, getting closer. At this moment, both Guan Jing and Qin Ziye wore expressions of dread. Because she was absolutely right. ¡°After 3 to 7 days from the onset, dry cough, little phlegm, asionally blood-streaked sputum, pulmonary signs are not obvious.¡± Tang Yuxin continued, each word punctuated by Guan Jing¡¯s ragged coughing. ¡°The condition peaks at 10 to 14 days, with fever, weakness and other symptoms of infection intensifying and frequent coughing, shortness of breath, and difficulty breathing setting in. Even slight movement can cause panting and palpitations, forcing one to rest in bed, and there¡¯s a possibility of secondary respiratory infection.¡± ¡°There¡¯s one more thing¡­¡± she lifted her pale lips slightly. ¡°In severe cases, symptoms of elerated breathing and breathlessness may appear after 5 days, and very few patients may experience respiratory failure. If diagnosis and treatment are dyed, it can lead to death.¡± ¡°Have you heard of it?¡± Her words felt like a punch to their chests, ¡°In fact, this disease is already present, but it has not yet spread widely and thus hasn¡¯t caused a nationwide panic.¡± ¡°It started in the southern provinces in Novemberst year, a kind of severe acute respiratory syndrome with infectiousness.¡± The cup in Qin Ziye¡¯s hand fell to the ground. ¡°Are you afraid?¡± Tang Yuxin asked Qin Ziye, ¡°None of us can escape.¡± Indeed, no one can escape, because it¡¯s easily contagious. Whether it will truly be contagious or not, no one knows. Guan Jing¡¯s face was turning red, her hand over her mouth, her throat burned from the coughing. Tang Yuxin gripped her own wrist tightly, her voice clearly carried over. ¡°We must be quarantined.¡± ¡°I, I don¡¯t want to be quarantined,¡± Jing entered another coughing fit, ¡°I don¡¯t want to,¡± her body tilted, and she copsed. Qin Ziye rushed over to her, tightly hugging her into his arms, reassuring her, we won¡¯t be quarantined, we definitely won¡¯t be. At this moment, they looked like two mandarin ducks in distress. But from Tang Yuxin¡¯s perspective, it was extremely ironic. Were they sincere? Then what was she? What was she considered? She touched her face, then walked out. Qin Ziye knew Tang Yuxin had left. His heart felt somewhat empty, and he didn¡¯t know how to fill this void. Only Jing¡¯s coughs tortured his heart from time to time. It was only after some difficulty that Jing finally fell asleep. He then walked out, but was surprised to see that Tang Yuxin was still there. She was holding a disinfectant, spraying the room. A faint smell of chlorine hung in the air. ¡°She can¡¯t be quarantined,¡± Qin Ziye sat down, his hands clenched tightly. Tang Yuxin didn¡¯t ask why. Quarantine or not, it didn¡¯t matter to her. But she had to be responsible for others. ¡°This disease is contagious,¡± she said lightly, not intending to cause panic or curse at others. ¡°I know,¡± Qin Ziye said, ¡°But what if it is contagious? She saved my life. If it weren¡¯t for her saving me in Blue River, I would have been dead in Blue River, a ghost in Blue River.¡± Tang Yuxin¡¯s finger paused slightly, and then she said nothing. ¡°Yuxin,¡± Qin Ziye¡¯s voice was rugged, ¡°Can you¡­ ¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I know what you want to say,¡± Tang Yuxin tugged at her pale lips. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om ¡°I¡¯ll save her. No need for quarantine, no need for the hospital.¡± ¡°But I have one requirement,¡± She turned her head back and stared at Qin Ziye, her swollen face intensely shocking. ¡°As long as you can save her, I¡¯ll give you anything you want,¡± Qin Ziye¡¯s hands tightened on his knees. ¡°Even if you want me to marry you, I will agree.¡± Tang Yuxin picked up the small spray bottle again, and continued to spray it, disinfecting¡­. and her heart started to do the same. Chapter 353 - 346: Love Rival Chapter 353: Chapter 346: Love Rival ¡°You can¡¯te in here anymore,¡± she paused, speaking seriously. Her expression was unclear and her tone inexplicable. You can leave anything you want for me at the door. ¡°From now on, you need to check your temperature daily. If you have a fever, you must go to the hospital for quarantine,¡± she advised. ¡°Okay,¡± Qin Ziye nodded. He agreed. ¡°That¡¯s my only request,¡± Tang Yuxin¡¯s lips curled at the corners, but there was no trace of a smile on her face. Yes, this was her only request. She wanted him to stay far from her. Qin Ziye was taken aback momentarily, feeling somewhat embarrassed. ¡°I need some medicine, are you able to get it?¡± Tang Yuxin asked him. If not, she¡¯d have to consider other options. ¡°I can,¡± Qin Ziye agreed again. ¡°This won¡¯t be an issue.¡± ¡°I need to fetch some things from my courtyard house.¡± Tang Yuxin put down the spray bottle and reached for her bag, preparing to leave. ¡°I¡¯ll drive you there,¡± Qin Ziye quickly picked up his car keys from the table. ¡°No need, I¡¯ll go by myself.¡± After saying this, she slung her bag over her shoulder. On the table, there were some items she had just bought back ¨C 84 disinfectant and face masks. She took one mask for herself and left the other one here. ¡°Yuxin¡­¡± When Tang Yuxin reached the door, Qin Ziye suddenly called out her name. Tang Yuxin paused. Hearing her name from him now felt horribly ironic. ¡°Do you need something?¡± Tang Yuxin didn¡¯t turn around; she just stood there in the wind, feeling the stinging, numbing chill on her cheeks. ¡°Thank you,¡± Qin Ziye barely managed to say his thanks. ¡°You don¡¯t need to thank me,¡± Tang Yuxin didn¡¯t think she was doing anything heroic by helping him out, ¡°This disease is highly contagious. I just don¡¯t want it to spread from you to others. I¡¯m a doctor.¡± She could have walked away, she could have ignored everything. Whether they lived or died was irrelevant. Both were star-crossed lovers. She just feared the virus would infect more people and spiral out of control. Qin Ziye paused, his face seemed to pale and he was at a loss for words. Tang Yuxin took a small bag from her home. It was originally prepared for SARS. She was unsure if it was helpful, but following standard treatment procedures should not cause any issues. She had experienced SARS, someone close to her had contracted SARS. She was terrified, but no matter how scared, some things would still happen, and sick people were still getting sick. Actually, SARS was not terrifying. As long as proper medicine was taken and oneself protected. She closed the door, put on her mask and gloves, and ced the medicine in a jar on the stove. Soon, the whole room was filled with a strong smell of traditional Chinese medicine. Among the Chen Family¡¯s ancient prescriptions, there was one like 84, but its medicinal properties were incredibly potent This medicine can kill many bacteria. Of course, it is fundamentally different from 84, which can only be applied externally and not orally. However, this medicine can be absorbed by the human body. Guan Jing has already fallen asleep inside. She was much betterpared to when she first arrived, at least she could sleep peacefully and without disturbance now. Not long after, there were knocks at the door. When Tang Yuxin went to see, Qin Ziye was standing there, obediently wearing a mask, whom ced his items on the ground and stepped back a few steps. However, he didn¡¯t leave. Tang Yuxin opened the door, picked up the items from the ground and brought them inside. These were the medicines she had asked Qin Ziye to get. With these, even if Guan Jing wanted to die, she couldn¡¯t. But at this moment, Qin Ziye, standing outside the door, had aplicated look on his face as he stared at the closed door. He actually left Guan Jing here. The person he was most worried about and feared for, and he had left her with a second-year university student. But strangely, he believed in Tang Yuxin, believed that she could save Guan Jing. She had to be able to save Guan Jing. And beyond this, he had no other solutions. Guan Jing couldn¡¯t go to the hospital; she couldn¡¯t be quarantined. She couldn¡¯t let anyone know. Otherwise, she would be ruined and lose everything in life. He thought it was just amon cold and fever, but it turned out to be a highly contagious disease. Inside the room, Tang Yuxin has already categorized and packed the medicines. She went in and saw that Guan Jing was sleeping well. At least she wasn¡¯t coughing anymore, and herplexion was much better than before. N?v(el)B\\jnn She took the prepared medicine in her hand and then held Guan Jing¡¯s hand, hanging the IV on her. When she stepped out, she picked up the spray bottle again and started spraying around the room. Every one hour, she would spray the 84 disinfectant solution and keep the traditional Chinese medicine simmering on the stove. The air in the room was very humid, filled with the smell of disinfectant and traditional Chinese medicine. Tang Yuxin held Guan Jing¡¯s wrist but found something abnormal. She pressed her finger on Guan Jing¡¯s pulse, then lifted her sleeve to find a small hole on her arm. What is this¡­ Did she suddenly understand something? So it was like this, she now understood why Guan Jing didn¡¯t want to go to the hospital or be quarantined. She grabbed Guan Jing¡¯s hand, disinfected it for her, then inserted the needle into her vein. As the medicine slowly flowed into Guan Jing¡¯s body, it signified the start of their real battle. Tang Yuxin took her own temperature. 36.5 degrees, her temperature was normal. The air inside was filled with a faint smell of 84 disinfectant and traditional Chinese medicine. Even the windows were tightly shut. It¡¯s not that she didn¡¯t want to ventte the room, but she was afraid that if the virus spread with the air, it would harm many others. Tang Yuxin went inside and reced the medicine. At this time, Guan Jing¡¯s condition was getting increasingly better. ¡°Give me the thermometer,¡± Tang Yuxin extended her hand. Guan Jing took out the thermometer pinned under her armpit. 37 degrees, it was already normal. She adjusted the drip speed again. Then she stood up, preparing to go out. They didn¡¯t have much interaction, mainly because Tang Yuxin didn¡¯t talk much. ¡°Miss Tang, I want to talk to you.¡± Guan Jing couldn¡¯t help it anymore. She sat up, wanting to talk about Qin Ziye. ¡°Speak less, you¡¯re still carrying the virus.¡± Yuxin closed the door, shutting out Guan Jing¡¯s voice along with it. She didn¡¯t want to talk to her. About anything at all. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 354: 347: Cant Be Friends After Breakup Chapter 354: Chapter 347: Can¡¯t Be Friends After Breakup ¡°Knock knock¡­¡± There was already a knocking sound from outside, she knew it was Qin Ziye arriving. Tang Yuxin walked over, opened the door, and then brought everything from outside in. ¡°I brought the things you asked me to,¡± Qin Ziye pointed to the pink bag inside the other bag, feeling somewhat awkward. By now, Tang Yuxin¡¯s face had already healed. It had to be said, her recovery ability was extraordinary. The injuries from a few days ago had almost disappeared. She put down the things she was holding, and didn¡¯t feel anything strange. ¡°Thank you,¡± she closed the door, then took out the things she wanted from inside. Always brand, Sofy, and a big pack of diapers for children. It looked like it was Mr. Qin¡¯s first time buying such things for a woman. She stashed all these things in a cupboard. If all goes well, Guan Jing should be nearly recovered within a week. Yuxin also needed to return to school as she had already taken a week off. If she took any more leave, Dean Tao would burst into fury. She took the medicine over, hung it up, and then took Guan Jing¡¯s thermometer. She measured her temperature three times a day and 36.8 degrees was already normal. If there are no unexpected incidents in the next few days, that would mean Guan Jing had fully recovered. They were also fortunate that none of them had caught a fever or been infected. If they had been infected, would all three of them truly have to share a room? Tang Yuxin sometimes found it strange, or perhaps more urately,ughable.
She was saving her boyfriend¡¯s ex-girlfriend, no, his current girlfriend, and she hadn¡¯t forgotten that she had been dumped. Tang Yuxin packed up her things into her backpack. She only took her books, notes, and Chinese herbal medicines. She didn¡¯t bring anything else. ¡°Can we talk?¡± Guan Jing came out. She was better now, her face still slightly pale, but already regaining some color. Although not extremely pretty, she had a good demeanor. No wonder even the young master Qin had sumbed to her. Even when he couldn¡¯t find her, he wanted to find a substitute to reminisce about the past. It was a kind of love that was so humble it prated to the bone, like Qin Ziye¡¯s love for Guan Jing. But Tang Yuxin wouldn¡¯t. She had already bowed her head for a lifetime andpromised herself for a lifetime. This time, she wouldn¡¯tpromise, and she didn¡¯t want topromise either. She put down her backpack. She was waiting for Guan Jing¡¯s next words. ¡°I think¡­¡± Guan Jing moistened her lips. ¡°I should be the one saying sorry to you.¡± ¡°What are you trying to express?¡± Tang Yuxin wanted tough, but she couldn¡¯t quite force it out. Guan Jing was taken aback. She just wanted to apologize. Just that, only that¡­ Tang Yuxin stared at Guan Jing¡¯s stunned expression. Her red lips curved up in a surprisingly cold angle. ¡°Are you trying to say that you two are truly in love? Or are you trying to say that you didn¡¯t do anything wrong, and other people are the ones at fault? Or perhaps you just want to say I¡¯m sorry, to justify your conscience and feel at ease for the rest of your life?¡± ¡°If so, then¡­¡± She stood up and put on her backpack again. ¡°I ept your apology.¡± ¡°In fact¡­¡± She suddenlyughed. ¡°You are all overthinking. I didn¡¯t like him that much.¡± Yes, she didn¡¯t like him that much. But why did it hurt her heart so much? Why did she still cry? But what could she do? Eventually, she¡¯d forget him and fall into the arms of another man. Perhaps that man wouldn¡¯t be as tall or as handsome or as exceptional as him, but that man would belong to her. Tang Yuxin opened the door. Outside, Qin Ziye was still standing there. ¡°You¡­¡± He only managed to get that single word out before it felt like he had no more words to say.
¡°She¡¯s alright, isn¡¯t she?¡± After he asked the question, for some reason, he wished he could take it back. His original intention wasn¡¯t like that. He didn¡¯t think that way. ¡°Aren¡¯t you two in touch every day, why ask me?¡± Tang Yuxin walked past him. She had lost some weight over the week, yet her eyes remained clear and bright, and they both felt the increasing distance between them.
Qin Ziye was left speechless by her question. ¡°I¡¯ll drive you back.¡± Qin Ziye took out his car keys and started towards his car. ¡°No need,¡± Tang Yuxin held up her hand to stop him. ¡°I want to go back alone.¡± She would rather he didn¡¯t interfere with her life anymore. If he was going to leave, it should be clean and clear, and if they were parting, it should be thorough. There was no need to entangle any longer. ¡°We can still¡­¡± Qin Ziye¡¯s sudden words stopped Tang Yuxin in her tracks. She turned around and stared at the man with the handsome features in front of her. It seemed nothing about him had ever changed. But in the end, she realized that she really didn¡¯t understand him at all. The real him was probably just like this. So what can we still do? Be friends? Sorry, she didn¡¯t want a friend who would nearly kill her. He helped her. Now, she had repaid his kindness. They had no debts to each other.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om She smiled and forcibly erased his figure from her sight. After that, there was nothing more.
But in that instant, Qin Ziye began to panic for some reason. He felt something stuck in his throat, extremely ufortable. It felt as though something had been violently ripped away from his heart. All that belonged to him was suddenly lost and could never be recovered. He put his hand on his forehead. The wind was blowing in his face, causing a slight ache. After returning home, Tang Yuxin took out her keys and opened the door. It had been nearly two weeks since shest returned. The dust inside was thick. After putting down her bag, she was about to clean up the house when there was a knock at the door. She put down the rag in her hand and went to open the door. She wasn¡¯t sure who would visit her bare home. When she opened the door, there was a soldier standing on the side, grinning at her. Tang Yuxin was even more puzzled. She didn¡¯t recognize this man, did she? ¡°You are Tang Yuxin?¡± A sudden voice startled her. As she turned around, she saw a man in his seventies, dressed in a Zhongshan suit, walking towards her. The old man had sharp eyes and was holding a walking stick. He proceeded in without extending an invitation. He sized up Tang Yuxin, his gaze not at all friendly. With his long face, it was impossible to appear weing. ¡°You are Tang Yuxin?¡± The old man asked again, a trace of scorn revealed in his peripheral vision. Chapter 355: 348: Yelling at Her Doorstep Chapter 355: Chapter 348: Yelling at Her Doorstep ¡°I am,¡± Tang Yuxin affirmed, believing that she had lead a virtuous life, she had never harmed anyone or done anything morally egregious in her lifetime. Why should she be ashamed of the name her father gave her? The old man walked in, minding his own business. He seemed partially satisfied with the quad-yard residence; well, the residence itself, not a certain upant. ¡°What a pity,¡± the old man surveyed the surroundings, squinted his eyes and cast a sidelong nce at Tang Yuxin, ¡°The property is indeed pretty, but unfortunately a woman with questionable morals stays here.¡± ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Tang Yuxin knew the adage ¡®If good men don¡¯te, the bad ones will¡¯, but never did she expect an unacquainted person to shower her with a barrage of unprovoked insults the moment they encountered each other. She respects the old and cherishes the young, but that doesn¡¯t mean she will tolerate random, unwarranted verbal abuse. ¡°What do I mean?¡± The old man scoffed. To him, Yuxin seemed to be a loose teenager, ¡°A student shamelessly stays at a man¡¯s ce for two weeks. What did your parents teach you? Did they teach you any morals, do you have any sense of decency?¡± ¡°What are you?¡± He sized Tang Yuxin up and down with disgust. He indeed had no tolerance for such a shameless young woman. ¡°You are dreaming to step a foot in our Qin Family house? With the way you are, you are not even worthy to polish my grandson¡¯s shoes. Smarten up and go back to your college. Stop pestering my grandson to avoid ruining your reputation and implicating your parents,¡± he reprimanded.
At the mention of the ¡®Qin¡¯ character, Tang Yuxin finally realized. The only person she knew with the Qin surname was Qin Ziye. So, this was somebody from Qin Ziye¡¯s family. But, did she still have anything to do with Qin Ziye?N?v(el)B\\jnn ¡°Our Qin family holds a respectable position in Beijing. We won¡¯t allow an immoral woman like you to cross our threshold. Look at yourself in the mirror before daydreaming about entering the Qin family,¡± he sneered. The old man seemed to be insatiable in his act of belittling her. Was he taking advantage of the fact that Tang Yuxin wasn¡¯t retaliating? Tang Yuxin started to feel mistreated. What did she do wrong to deserve this? Qin Ziye deceived her. Qin Ziye¡¯s grandfather used her of being shameless, being cheeky. On what grounds? On what basis? Just when the old man seemed ready to resume his ranting, a man rushed in from outside and directly shielded Tang Yuxin. ¡°Who gave you the right to scold my daughter? If she messes up, I, as her father, should be the one to discipline her. What gives you the right to berate her like this?¡± ¡°Dad¡­¡± Tang Yuxin was taken aback at first. Then, she covered her mouth and began to sob. She was usually strong, alwaysposed, even when she was on her deathbed in her previous life, she did not shed tears. However, she was human. She had feelings and emotions. She could feel pain. Tang Zhinian¡¯s eyes reddened. He had never imagined that his daughter would be humiliated like this. They were poor, they were helpless, but they had never stole or robbed others. What did they do to provoke anyone? ¡°Don¡¯t cry, Yuxin,¡± Tang Zhinianforted his daughter. Like a mountain, he shielded his daughter from harm, just like he always had. Even though Tang Yuxin didn¡¯t have a mother, she had him. His daughter had always been sensible; she understood limit and seldom cried. ¡°Get out of here,¡± Tang Zhinian took a towel from the table and harshly threw it at the feet of the old man. ¡°Vulgar,¡± the old man looked at the child being protected by Tang Zhinian. Despite being reprimanded, he did not feel any remorse. This was the kind of vulgar person he couldn¡¯t ept in his Qin family. ¡°Sir, let¡¯s go,¡± said the bodyguard, cringing at what was happening. The old man, despite his age, was criticizing a young girl without concern. After all, flies do not bite seamless eggs. Male-female rtionships are consensual affairs. Moreover, ording to what he knew, it was the young master who pursued the youngdy first. The bodyguard quickly escorted the old man away to prevent any further argument. While the father and daughter may be emotionally upset from the verbal assault, they were mostly worried about the old man. If he were to have a sudden heart issue due to this confrontation, it could escte impacting everyone involved. Tang Zhinian didn¡¯t express his relief until after the old man left. He gently patted his daughter¡¯s shoulder. Raising his daughter single-handedly was not easy for him; he was constantly worried, constantly concerned. Although they were poorer than most, no one had ever bullied his daughter before. He was puzzled. Why were the people in Beijing so audacious, freely pointing fingers and hurling insults? ¡°Dad, I¡¯m okay,¡± Tang Yuxin wiped her tears away. She noticed tears glistening in her father¡¯s eyes. In this world, the only person who would cry for her was probably him.
It was the case in her previous life and it still held true in this one. Tang Zhinian seemed to want to say something. However, in the end, he just sighed, rolled up his sleeves, and gently wiped his daughter¡¯s face. His movements were a bit clumsy, yet they were full of a father¡¯s helplessness and heartache. He refrained from probing because he feared upsetting his daughter. ¡°Dad, when did youe here?¡± Tang Yuxin sniffled. She realized that she had been staying at Qin Ziye¡¯s ce and hadn¡¯t returned home or attended school at all this week.
When exactly did Tang Zhinian arrive, did he know about her absence all this time? Nheless, he had never asked her what happened, whether she¡¯d done something wrong, whether she¡¯d embarrassed him or made him lose face. ¡°I happened to be in Beijing, so I decided to check on you. However, the school said you were on leave and your house was locked. Even Lele didn¡¯t know where you went. You can¡¯t me me for worrying, can you?¡± After saying this, Tang Zhinian closed his eyes, ¡°It¡¯s alright, as long as you¡¯re back.¡± Tang Yuxin hugged Tang Zhinian¡¯s arm, just like she used to when she was a little girl. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I was wrong,¡± she apologized because she caused someone to insult her father. She was such a disappointing daughter. ¡°My Yuxin is a good girl. I believe in her,¡± Tang Zhinian still trusted his daughter. He believed, the one who was wrong was not his daughter, but others. Tang Yuxin felt her eyes stinging, but she managed to hold back her tears. ¡°I was staying at Qin Ziye¡¯s ce.¡± Tang Zhinian gently stroked his daughter¡¯s hair, ¡°Child, that kind of family status is beyond our reach. The ancient saying about marrying one of equal social status holds truth. I never thought of marrying you off to a rich family, I just want you to find an ordinary man. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 356: 349: Theres Nothing with Him Chapter 356: Chapter 349: There¡¯s Nothing with Him ¡°A man who treats you well, looks after the family, and acts like your father, that¡¯s what is important. That Qin Ziye, I see something in his eyes, something that¡¯s not quite pure,¡± said my father. Tang Yuxin wanted tough but instead, she wanted to cry even more. It turned out that only she was blinded by the harsh realities of life. Tang Zhinian saw it, everyone noticed it. She was the only one deceived by her feelings, hoodwinked and led astray. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, dad,¡± she smiled at Tang Zhinian, but her smile was pitiful. ¡°I haven¡¯t done anything bad. There¡¯s a sick person at Qin Ziye¡¯s ce over there. I haven¡¯t left that door for days, and neither has Qin Ziye entered. As for the type of illness, you will know soon enough,¡± she exined. ¡°What about you and him?¡± The question Tang Zhinian probably wanted to ask most was about their rtionship. ¡°There¡¯s nothing between us, and there will be no encounters in the future. I will do as you said, dad,¡± she rested her head on Tang Zhinian¡¯s shoulder, feeling the warm strength of her father. ¡°I will marry an ordinary man, with average looks, a normal job, a man who will truly love me.¡± Tang Zhinian simply patted his daughter¡¯s hair. After a sigh, he refrained from asking any more questions. As a young person, who doesn¡¯t have some discontent with love? He had experienced it; he understood. From now on, seeing human nature clearly, there won¡¯t be any more deception and trickery.
¡°Dad, you should go back soon,¡± Tang Yuxin stood up, not wanting Tang Zhinian to stay in Beijing much longer. She knew in a few days, it probably wouldn¡¯t be feasible to return. ¡°Why?¡± Tang Zhinian frowned, ¡°Are you trying to send me away?¡± ¡°No,¡± Tang Yuxin could onlyugh and cry at the same time. It used to be her fatherforting her, but now it was her turn tofort him. ¡°This ce might soon be under quarantine.¡± At this, Tang Zhinian felt a clutch of dread, ¡°You mean, that contagious disease?¡± Tang Yuxin put her finger to her lips, ¡°Shush, dad, don¡¯t speak of it just yet. My teacher told us in secret to be cautious. Recently, there have been many such patients. When you go home, be careful. I¡¯ve buried some medicine under therge tree at home. Drink some of it with boiling water every day. The construction crew, they ought to stop for now. I bought some disinfectant and stored it in my room. We should have enough, and if there¡¯s spare, we can distribute it to the neighbors.¡± Tang Zhinian noted down everything Tang Yuxin said. She was very serious and of course, he wouldn¡¯t take it as a joke. And who would jest about something like this? If indeed there¡¯s such a contagious disease, it¡¯d be as devastating as the gues of old. Tang Zhinian bought a ticket to return home immediately that night. Despite his worries for his daughter, if things were as Tang Yuxin had said, there¡¯d be a lot for him to handle back home. He had no option but to leave his daughter alone in Beijing. As Tang Yuxin had said, she was a student and she needed to return to school. That night, Tang Yuxin fell into despair. She had suffered from a failed first love. What she had believed to be a lifelongmitment turned out to be an unattainable mirage, an illusion. Her dream had given her what little happiness it could but it was also a dream she never wished to remember again. That night, in a room devoid of people, she hugged her knees and wept for the entire night. She thought that upon her rebirth, there would be no more tears. She had promised herself to live a fulfilling life, to live well, yet here she was, in ruin. The wind in Beijing still carried a hint of cold. As if provoked by a ghost, she stood outside of the white house again. What did she want to see? What did she want to hear? Did she want her heart to ache even more so that she could finally lose hope? If her heart was already dead, why would it still hurt?
Maybe, her heart wasn¡¯tpletely dead yet, and she was still holding onto the hope that he had his reasons, his difficulties, such as his grandfather, his family, and those were the reasons he yed this act with her.N?v(el)B\\jnn If that¡¯s truly the case, she might say, she lost fear. No matter what, it would finally get better, they would be together again. She ced her hand on her chest, felt underneath the skin where her heart was beating, where there was a seed in slumber. Perhaps if she nurtured it, gave it time- That seed would grow and sprout, and one day be arge tree.
Just then, the sealed door, opened with a loud creak. A man carefully helped a woman out of the house. Tang Yuxin¡¯s hand gripped the side of arge tree, her fingernails digging into the bark. ¡°Are you feeling better today?¡± Qin Ziye carefully asked Guan Jing. ¡°Mhm, much better,¡± Guan Jing leaned on his shoulder, her eyes full of emotions, mostly apologies. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I shouldn¡¯t havee back. I didn¡¯t know you had a new girlfriend. If I knew, no matter what, I wouldn¡¯t have disturbed you.¡± ¡°Silly,¡± Qin Ziye held her hand tighter, then ced it on his chest, ¡°Can you feel, my heart, my heartbeat?¡± ¡°Can you hear the sound of my heart? Every beat of my heart is for you, and only you.¡± ¡°Even without you here, there¡¯s no future for me and her,¡± When he said this, for some reason, his heart that had been beating normally clenched painfully. But in the end, he chose to ignore it. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry to her.¡± Guan Jing still felt guilty, ¡°She saved me, but I stole her happiness.¡± ¡°Happiness?¡± Qin Ziye gently lifted her face, his dark eyes filled with warmth only for the woman in front of him, the same as it had always been. ¡°In my heart, there¡¯s only you. Tell me, without you, how can there be any happiness? This isn¡¯t your fault, I made a mistake. If there¡¯s any apologies to be made, any reparations, it¡¯s me who should apologize. I shouldn¡¯t have tried to find a recement for you. You are you, she is she, there won¡¯t be another you in this world. Jingjing, will you marry me?¡± He held her hand against his face, ¡°No matter what you be, you are my Jingjing, the woman I¡¯ve loved my whole life, the woman I love with my life.¡± Guan Jing suddenly covered her mouth, and she wanted to reject him, shake her head. But in the end, she found she couldn¡¯t say anything or do anything at all. Perhaps after all these twists and turns, they hade back to their original ces. They had been on parallel paths, but atst, they had converged again.
Chapter 357: 350: She Didnt Commit Suicide Chapter 357: Chapter 350: She Didn¡¯t Commit Suicide If that¡¯s really the case, then she epted it.N?v(el)B\\jnn She no longer wished to run or hide. ¡°Alright,¡± she agreed. Qin Ziye was taken aback, it was the sentence he had wished to hear for so many years. He thought he would rejoice, that tears would fall, instead, he felt nothing. Even the words he had just spoken seemed like rehearsed lines. Things he had wanted to say to her for many years, but never had the opportunity. The wind outside suddenly intensified, tossing his hair into a disarray. His sight blurred for a moment, as did his thoughts. Gazing in the distance, his lips moved, but he didn¡¯t know what he had said. ¡°The wind is strong, we should go back. Don¡¯t go out today, you¡¯ve just recovered.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Guan Jing, supported by Qin Ziye, leaned her whole weight onto him. The wind tousled their hair and tightly intertwined them, unable to distinguish where one ended and the other began. Only after the door closed, did Tang Yuxine out.
She touched her face, surprisingly, she did not cry, nor a single tear shed. Perhaps, what she needed to know was this, what she wanted was this, and maybe, what she was waiting for was also this. What she was waiting for. Was to give up. She turned away, leaving step by step. No one knew that her vision was obscured by a fog-like haze. I heard, A beginning is always real, Then it slowly turns into a false one A loving gaze, Is used for happiness, not for sorrow I heard light kisses are always true, But whispers in the ear are often false Promises are just decorations for love They¡¯re just idle songs to pass the loneliness. All the way, she didn¡¯t turn back once. Step by step, she ascended the stairs, looking back, it seemed like she could see most of Beijing¡¯s scenery. Back then, Beijing didn¡¯t have so many high-rise buildings, so many people, and couldn¡¯t bepared with the luxury that followed. The city was still maturing, waiting for the moment it reveals its stunning beauty. By then, it would be hard to find a vacant spot. She extended her hand, also gripping the railing tightly, then looking down. It seemed so high that everything under her shrunk. If she jumped from here, what would happen? Broken bones all over,
Internal organs burst, Blood oozing from her. Then an unrecognizable face. Releasing her grip, she stood silently gazing into the distance, hypnotized. Peacefully, calmly.
Slowly, she closed her eyes, letting the wind caress her face, carrying the unique air of this ce. It seemed tasteless, yet had a faint scent. Simr to hers, yet also simr to someone else¡¯s. Standing there like that, she didn¡¯t realize someone had silently ascended the stairs, stepping closer to her. Suddenly, she opened her eyes. The person behind her held her tightly. She struggled violently, only able to sense a clear scent from the man behind her. ¡°Don¡¯t move, it¡¯s okay now.¡± The man¡¯s deep, calm voice echoed from behind, taking her several steps back. It¡¯s okay now. The man¡¯s voice echoed overhead, life is already hard enough, don¡¯t be so desperate, and even if you fall, it wouldn¡¯t matter, death is the most foolish thing. Only then did Tang Yuxin stop struggling. She could feel the man¡¯s muscles from behind, and also his strength, almost enough to rip her apart. Slowly, she was breathing, and so was the man. ¡°May I ask¡­¡± She looked forward, her pupils reflected the blue sky and white clouds. The wind blew, making everything feel cold. ¡°Why did you think I wanted tomit suicide?¡± Weren¡¯t you?¡± The man¡¯s arm had still not let go, seemingly afraid that she would make a sudden decision to jump and shatter into pieces. ¡°Sir, I didn¡¯t think about suicide. It¡¯sughable, Tang Yuxin merely wanted to stand here and enjoy the breeze. Didn¡¯t you see me standing far from front?¡±
The man¡¯s grip suddenly loosened but had not let go fully. ¡°Sir, how long are you nning to take advantage?¡± Tang Yuxin lowered her head, wishing she could shake off the arm pressing on her chest. Couldn¡¯t she be held anywhere else? Wasn¡¯t he aware that women¡¯s chests shouldn¡¯t be pressed randomly? She was still developing, what if they don¡¯t grow because of him? Only then did the man realize his hands were pressing against something soft. He quickly let go. Finally, Tang Yuxin could breathe. She let out a bitterugh, if he hadn¡¯t let go, she would have been strangled to death by him, even if she hadn¡¯t jumped from the building. She turned around, but froze upon seeing him. It was him. Gu Ning. In a suit, his hair neatlybed, tan skin exuding health and ruggedness. He stood unmovable, his dark eyes always focused on her, as if trying to read something from her face. Tang Yuxin didn¡¯t know whether tough or cry, so she gave a slight nod. Simply said, ¡°Thank you,¡± then she turned and moved towards the stairs. At first, she descended step by step, then she began to run forward. The faster she ran, the colder the wind on her face. It was like dancing to the melody of life, at the beginning of fate. She looked back at the tall building again, actually, she had never thought about suicide. This world might be full of injustices, but one can¡¯t deny its beauty. It¡¯s good to live in such a world, why die? She just wondered how it feels to stand up there. Why did Gu Ning like standing there in his past life? Did he want to die, to remember something, or to forget something? Now she seemed to understand a bit.
It wasn¡¯t about wanting to die, but wanting to live, to find the beauty of this world. Even though he didn¡¯t know what was in his grasp, and didn¡¯t know what it was, but whatever he wanted to find, it definitely was not the word ¡°death.¡± Tang Yuxin¡¯s eyes squinted like they were being troubled by the wind, while that man was standing on the rooftop, like he used to in hisst life. Chapter 358: 351: She Wants Innocence Chapter 358: Chapter 351: She Wants Innocence At this moment, he was healthy, he had a perfect life, and a future others could not imagine. As long as he did not meet that woman, but he already did, yet he could not marry that woman. ¡°Take care,¡± she softly uttered. But this sentence, she believed, was something he would never hear, never know. She turned and continued walking forward, her beating heart still ached from the loss, but no longer bore the initial heart-wrenching pain. She felt that perhaps, she didn¡¯t love him deeply enough. The weather in Beijing seemed unstabletely. There was a spring rain just now, making the sky seemingly clear, but it started to rain again in a blink. Tang Yuxin left her umbre at the door and went in. Inside, a man was already seated, seemingly arriving early and waiting for someone. Not until he saw Tang Yuxin, who was still dressed as a student without much change. What changed the most was her calm demeanor when she saw him. Her eyes used to shine, her lips would smile, she would run over to him, her heart wide open. But now, all of that was gone. In her eyes, there wasn¡¯t much to be found, just his reflection. He was in her eyes. But not in her heart.
Tang Yuxin walked over and sat down. ¡°What do you need from me?¡± She asked gently, devoid of excessive hope, of himing back to reconcile with her. She was a rational woman, not a really naive college student. She could lose as much as she could win. She could let go as much as she could love. Qin Ziye suddenly found himself at loss for words. At first, he just wanted to say sorry to her, but now, he found he couldn¡¯t utter these three words. Her face was still as fair as a fine jade, almost irresistible. Suddenly, he wanted to touch her, but his hand that was about to reach out clenched up with force. ¡°Whatever you need, as long as I can do it, I promise, I will.¡± Does this count aspensation? Tang Yuxin clearly understood his intentions. Unfortunately, some things can¡¯t bepensated, like feelings, like deceit. Of course, she didn¡¯t n to take it back, considering it her first life lesson, a tough pill to swallow. Qin Ziye took out his wallet, only to find that Tang Yuxin didn¡¯t seem to be short of money. The Tang Family certainly wasn¡¯t short on money either, and naturally, neither was Tang Yuxin. But now, he desperately needed to do something, otherwise, he felt like he might suffocate under the pressure. ¡°Is there anything you want in this world?¡± Qin Ziye asked Tang Yuxin anxiously. He even got the illusion in his heart, what if Tang Yuxin said, ¡°The person I want is you.¡± What would he do? Could he agree or promise her? Tang Yuxin picked up the cup on the table and ordered a in boiled water for herself. The water had no taste, just like this man at present, who seemed to have lost his color, and became tasteless. She lowered her eyshes, her fingers rested on herp, their temperature matching that of the cup. ¡°If you want to help me, I have a request.¡± ¡°Speak,¡± Qin Ziye also picked up his cup, ced it against his lips, yet did not drink. His eyebrows tightened, presumably contemting his next move. Hispensation or¡­? ¡°As long as I¡¯m able to, I promise.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you can do it,¡± Tang Yuxin put down her cup and reached for her backpack.
¡°Can you please tell your grandfather to stoping to my house, and also, I did not seduce his grandson. Whatever happened during my stay at your house, please tell your grandfather the truth. This is what I¡¯m owed. I don¡¯t want anything else. I just want my innocence.¡± Correct, she didn¡¯t want anything from him. She just wanted her innocence and her self-respect. Apart from these, she wanted nothing. She didn¡¯t even want him, let alone everything else. Qin Ziye¡¯splexion changed dramatically. He tightly gripped his cup but found himself at a loss for words, his expression suddenly changed.N?v(el)B\\jnn He abruptly stood up and left, only to see Tang Yuxin started walking into the rainy curtain.
He didn¡¯t run after her, nor did she look back. The rtionship between them was simr to the rain that day. Their hearts were chilled to the core. It had been a long time since Qin Ziyest returned home. Upon his arrival, the security guards at the gate stood to salute him, a reminder that he had never been serious about Tang Yuxin. He never even mentioned his own identity or family background to her. His insincerity led to her giving up on him. Even if he wanted to make amends now, it was impossible. There are women in this world whose hearts are stronger and more ruthless than he could ever imagine. ¡°You¡¯re back,¡± Old Master Qin looked up at his grandson faintly. He was preparing tea at the moment, performing the steps of washing tea leaves casually. This was the pot of tea he had steeped for the morning, and tasting it was a matter of luck. Come try the tea your grandfather made, it¡¯s Snowy Mountain Mist. Qin Ziye sat down and picked up the teacup on the table, cing it against his lips. As he took a sip, he found it tasteless. Another sip, still tasteless. ¡°How is it?¡± Old Master Qin asked his grandson. ¡°Tasteless,¡± Qin Ziye answered honestly. He really didn¡¯t catch any vor. ¡°Your heart isn¡¯t calm,¡± his agitation resulted in him not being able to taste the tea. ¡°You¡¯re drinking the tea for nothing today, you can¡¯t possibly taste its vor?¡± Probably so, Qin Ziye put down the cup in his hand and faced Old Master Qin seriously.
¡°Grandpa, I want to get married.¡± With a ¡°thump,¡± Old Master Qin mmed the cup in his hand on the table. ¡°I disagree. How could a girl who doesn¡¯t know restraint be allowed into our Qin family?¡± Qin Ziye felt a bitterness surge up in his throat, just as she had predicted. All this had nothing to do with her, he just dragged her into it, but in the end, she had to bear all the consequences. ¡°Grandpa, don¡¯t you want to ask who I want to marry?¡± He poured himself another cup of tea, cing it to his lips. This time, it did carry a bit of vor ¨C bitter and astringent. This tea really does taste bad. ¡°Who else could it be?¡± Old Master Qin sneered coldly. ¡°Just that student from Qing University, a university student whocks proper upbringing. Using her face and body for shameless deeds, what a waste of a college education.¡± Chapter 359: 352: She is Willing to Go Chapter 359: Chapter 352: She is Willing to Go ¡°Ziye, I warn you, our Qin Family has a pure and respectable reputation, we absolutely cannot let a woman like that enter our household. If you marry her, don¡¯t bothering to see me again.¡± ¡°Grandpa, the woman I want to marry is Guan Jing.¡± Qin Ziye interrupted Old Master Qin. ¡°I don¡¯t care who she is, in any case, you cannot marry that kind of woman,¡± Old Master Qin¡¯s voice grew louder, but he quickly realized his mistake.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°Ziye, who did you say you want to marry?¡± ¡°Grandpa, I want to marry Guan Jing,¡± Qin Ziye repeated, taking a third sip of tea, with its bitter taste still prevailing, even in the aftertaste. It was no longer a tasting experience, but pure endurance. The teacup in Old Master Qin¡¯s hand fell onto the table, creating a nging sound. The little craftsmanship teacup rolled on the table for a few seconds before spilling its leaves. A trace of the tea aroma filled the room ¨C such a waste of good tea and good time. ¡°Grandpa, I want to marry Guan Jing,¡± Qin Ziye stressed every word. He wanted to marry Guan Jing, the daughter of the Guan Family, a well-knowndy of Beijing. In the eyes of many eligible bachelors in Beijing, Guan Jing was their first choice as a prospective bride.
The saying ¡°If you want to marry, marry Guan Jing¡± had been circting in Beijing for a long time. It¡¯s just that no one knew which family she would marry into. ¡°You said you want to marry whom?¡± Old Master Qin was still a little confused, ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to marry that female student? Why do you want to marry Guan Jing now?¡± If it was Guan Jing, he would, of course, one hundred percent agree. But to marry this female student, he would wait till he dropped dead, provided they could wait until then. ¡°Grandpa, when did I ever say that I wanted to marry a female student?¡± The mention of ¡®female student¡¯ caused Qin Ziye¡¯s heart to stir, but he maintained his smile and ignored the remark. ¡°Didn¡¯t you let her stay at your house for more than ten days?¡± Old Master Qin squinted, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you two didn¡¯t do anything during those days?¡± An adult man and woman, confined in the same house for more than ten days, for sure they were not just sitting around doing nothing. Even if that was what they confessed, he wouldn¡¯t believe it. ¡°She stayed at my ce for more than ten days.¡± Old Master Qin seemed to have an ¡°I knew it¡± expression. ¡°But I wasn¡¯t there.¡± Qin Ziye¡¯s next words made Old Master Qin¡¯s face darken again, ¡°You weren¡¯t there? Then where were you? Are you out of your mind, letting her stay there for what?¡± ¡°Guan Jing was sick,¡± Qin Ziye forced a smile. He didn¡¯t want to exin, but he owed Tang Yuxin an exnation as well as an affirmation of her integrity. So, if not now, he had to restore her reputation in front of his grandpa at least. ¡°Guan Jing didn¡¯t want to go to the hospital, so I had here over and take care of Guan Jing. Guan Jing can vouch for this. Grandpa, even if you don¡¯t trust me, you should trust Guan Jing. And now, the one who is with me is not her, but Guan Jing.¡± Upon hearing this, Old Master Qin¡¯s expression changed. But due to his age, he didn¡¯t reveal much of his feelings. He put his hand on his lips and coughed lightly, ¡°When are you and Guan Jing getting married? You need to bring up the proposal to the Guan family soon.¡± As expected, people¡¯s hearts are biased and selfish. What Tang Yuxin did was seen as shameful and indiscreet, but when Guan Jing did the same thing, it was seen as justifiable and a way to cultivate affection. Qin Ziye opened his mouth and the words ¡°as soon as possible¡± got stuck in his throat. It was like he hadn¡¯t figured out certain details or issues. But no one was giving him the time to think. He wasn¡¯t giving himself time either. His marriage with Guan Jing was thus settled with his grandpa,
not long after this decision by his grandpa, Guan Jing agreed, and the Guan family wouldn¡¯t possibly disagree. The Guan and Qin families were both reputable in Beijing. They wouldn¡¯t go back on their words or behave in a degrading manner. Once the news was out, it was as good as being cast in stone. Qin Ziye parked his car in front of Qing University. He took out a cigarette and started to smoke. He was at a loss, unsure what he was supposed to do here, what he could possibly do, or who he was waiting for, or who he wanted to see. What could he do bying here? He pressed his lips together and started up his car to leave. As for Tang Yuxin, her days went on as usual. The only difference was that someone who should never have been in her life was gone.
She was also nning to return to school, otherwise, Dean Tao might note a poor evaluation for her. That night, she was restless. She had many dreams and thought a lot, but she just couldn¡¯t fall asleep. The next day, she gathered her belongings and returned to school. And in not many days, around March, as expected, arge-scale outbreak of SARS, a highly contagious disease, began. The disease spread rapidly, catching people off guard, and panic spread throughout the country. In Beijing alone, nearly a hundred cases were identified in one day, and the number of quarantined people started to increase rapidly. ¡°We need to go to the hospital, it¡¯s our duty as doctors. Who¡¯s willing to go?¡± Dean Tao asked his students. This was not an ordinary situation. This highly contagious disease could pose a threat to one¡¯s life. The students needed to think it over carefully. Upon hearing this, the students hesitated. After all, who doesn¡¯t care about their own life? They¡¯re medical students and future doctors, but that doesn¡¯t mean they should risk their lives. So, they hesitated, and this hesitation was normal. ¡°Professor, I¡¯ll go,¡± Tang Yuxin stepped forward. She knew it wouldn¡¯t be an issue. Normally, a doctor well-protected wouldn¡¯t get infected. Furthermore, perhaps due to her consumption of Cold Fragrance Pills, her resistance to the disease was considerably strong. She had taken care of numerous SARS patients. In the past, she had contact with SARS patients for more than two weeks and nothing happened. It might have been luck, but she was not afraid of the risks, willing to do what she didn¡¯t have the courage to do in her past life, even knowing the danger involved. Dean Tao patted Tang Yuxin on the shoulder without saying anything. Among the students Dean Tao brought this time, a total of six, the ones who eventually went were only Tang Yuxin and her senior, Shi Yuan.
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