Around this time every month, the family of the bespectacled male knowledge youth would send him some supplies. Consequently, he always took a day off on this specific date to travel into town and collect his mail.
Before he set off back to the village, the postman stopped him and asked him to deliver a letter to Deng Yuyuan at the Knowledge Youth Institute.
The envelope was so thin that anyone who touched it instinctively realized a harsh truth: Deng Yuyuan’s family could offer her no real support. Compared to the small, packed bundle strapped to the bespectacled male knowledge youth’s back, the flimsy letter felt especially ironic.
Having waited for nearly a month, Deng Yuyuan had already given up hope for a reply.
In her first few days after arriving at the Knowledge Youth Institute, Zhao Erdong had helped her send a letter. Deng Yuyuan knew that the original owner’s relationship with her family used to be average, but it had reached a freezing point because she had stubbornly insisted on marrying Zhang Jiahua despite her family’s objections. Therefore, the letter she sent home merely stated that she was getting a divorce and would take custody of the child.
Having been an orphan in her past life, Deng Yuyuan didn’t harbor high expectations for relatives. Being able to experience normal familial love would be nice, but just getting a second chance at life wasn’t a bad deal either.
Deng Yuyuan’s memory of this body had always been in a hazy state. She could recall the original owner’s memories, but only when she came into contact with familiar people or things. As for her impression of the family, she only remembered it being highly complicated and unpleasant.
In the original novel, Deng Yuyuan’s family was described as having a fairly solid background. The only reason the female supporting character had been able to constantly stir up trouble was because of the backing from her maternal grandfather’s family. They had indulged the female supporting character in every conceivable way, ultimately dragging themselves into bankruptcy. The root cause of their endless tolerance was their profound guilt over the premature death of their second daughter.
It seemed she had been handed a script where her family would eventually grovel for redemption.
Deng Yuyuan gently closed her eyes. She had no need for belated love or regret. If it weren’t for her taking over, this body truly would have ended up in a literal crematorium. She would never choose to wallow in a bottomless quagmire just to facilitate someone else’s groveling redemption arc—be it for romance or family.
Since she hadn’t received a reply to the letter she had sent home, she had put the matter to the back of her mind. Either way, she had already notified them.
Under the curious yet carefully suppressed gazes of the crowd, Deng Yuyuan openly and nonchalantly tore the envelope open right then and there.
Sure enough, it contained only a single sheet of paper. There wasn’t even a single grain coupon inside.
The letter began by praising her for finally realizing the error of her ways. It stated that although a "secondhand" woman would have a hard time finding a new match, it was still better than being married to a poor peasant. They promised to help her scout for a new husband worthy of her status. At the same time, the letter criticized Deng Yuyuan for still acting foolishly—what was the point of taking a baby girl in a divorce? They hoped she would wake up completely and dump the daughter with the peasant.
Deng Yuyuan feigned a pleasantly surprised expression and revealed a bright smile. "My family has learned about my situation here and says they’ll quickly send me some coupons. Since they’ve run into some troubling matters recently, the coupons will arrive a little late. They sent a letter first to put my mind at ease and give me plenty of confidence to go through with the divorce."
Regardless of her family’s true nature, she had to pretend they valued her deeply. In this village, if people knew she and her daughter were completely alone, they might offer superficial sympathy—which she had no use for—but their underlying contempt and covert bullying would cause her massive trouble. Even the divorce itself would likely encounter many unnecessary obstacles. Moreover, feigning family support would provide a convenient cover for her to exchange supplies later on.
"Oh, that’s wonderful!" the village chief’s wife exclaimed, overjoyed. She was genuinely happy for Deng Yuyuan.
"I’ll have to spread the word about this so that certain people can weigh the consequences," Zhang Ci Hao chimed in.
Only Zhao Erdong, who lived with Deng Yuyuan and understood her family situation, looked at her with concern.
Deng Yuyuan looked at the bespectacled male knowledge youth. "Thank you. Within a month at the latest, I’ll pay back the milk powder coupons I borrowed from you."
"No rush," the bespectacled male knowledge youth said, waving his hand dismissively. "You can return them whenever you have some spare cash."
Her actions convinced everyone that her family really was going to help her. Deng Yuyuan safely tucked the letter away in her pocket and continued to cheerfully watch the children play.
The children of the Jin family were exactly as the original novel had described: sensible and fiercely protective of their own. When the two little girls playfully fought, the boys let them be. However, if Shi Tou tried to meddle, they would immediately step in to break it up while blatantly favoring the girls.
The Jin family children were all good kids. Deng Yuyuan wouldn’t project the blame for the female supporting character’s tragic ending in the novel onto them. After all, their initial retaliation against the character had simply stemmed from a need for self-defense. If Tuantuan could become friends with them, her future would be much smoother under the protection of the protagonists’ halos. If they still couldn’t get along, she would always stand by Tuantuan’s side.
The adults harbored their own thoughts. Amused by the Jin family boys’ blatant favoritism, the village chief’s wife simply smiled as she watched her own grandson take a passive beating. "A boy has to endure this to grow strong."
Besides, the little girls’ hands didn’t even leave a mark on Shi Tou’s face when they swatted at him. If anything, their own tiny fists just turned pink and tender from all the frantic flailing.
Deng Yuyuan stood up and headed back to her room. Her body had only recently recovered, so she still needed to take precautions and couldn’t stay out in the wind for too long. Since there was someone watching the kids, she didn’t bring her baby inside with her.
After recuperating for a month, she had become much fairer and a bit plumper. Her slender little face was filled with beautiful, striking features. The gentleness between her brows diluted the aggressive sharpness of her beauty, and her whole person exuded a charm that hovered somewhere between a young maiden and a young married woman. Every move she made drew everyone’s gaze; a beautiful woman was always eye-catching.
Zhao Erdong followed her inside and closed the bedroom door.
She asked Deng Yuyuan in a low voice, "How come your family is suddenly so generous? Did something happen back home?" She actually wanted to ask if her family had some ulterior motive, but considering Deng Yuyuan’s pure and kind nature, she picked her words carefully.
Deng Yuyuan pulled her to sit on the edge of the bed. "No, it’s a relative of mine who lives far away. When my aunt came to visit my family, the letter I sent home happened to arrive. She read it along with them and saw that I was in a difficult situation. After going back home, she immediately wrote me a letter asking if I needed any help."
The worry in Zhao Erdong’s eyes dissipated slightly, but she was still a little uneasy.
Deng Yuyuan continued to lie through her teeth without batting an eye. "My aunt has an average relationship with the family and is away most of the year. When I was little, she even gave me an imported wiggle car. My family used to say I was her favorite."
Zhao Erdong warned her, "It’s fine to borrow money from her, but if she asks you to come out to meet her, you must choose a crowded place."
"Rest easy, I know what to do." Deng Yuyuan smiled, her eyes curving into crescents. Her gorgeous eyes were as bright as the stars. "My aunt said she’s going abroad again soon, so she probably won’t even be able to see me."
Zhao Erdong was thoroughly relieved. A wealthy relative who knew to send money and didn’t even need to meet in person—how wonderful!
"Also," Deng Yuyuan lowered her voice, "my aunt said there are rumors from above that the college entrance examination might be restored. However, it won’t happen that fast—it’ll probably take a year or two."