Hangcheng.
“Is this the school you applied to? Jianghai University? What kind of no-name school is that? I’ve never even heard of it. What were you thinking? Are you deliberately trying to drive me to my grave? Who do you think I’ve worked so hard to earn money for? Isn’t it all for you?”
Ke Jie glared at his precious daughter, Ke Ruobing.
He couldn’t understand why she wouldn’t apply to the university right on their doorstep and insisted on choosing one so far away.
Jianghai University? He’d never even heard of it.
Ke Ruobing gazed calmly at her father, a faint sneer on her face, as if she had expected this reaction.
“What are you laughing at?”
Ke Jie frowned at his usually obedient daughter.
“I’m not laughing at anything. I’m just telling you that I’m an adult now. I can go to whichever university I want, and you can’t control me anymore.”
As she spoke, Ke Ruobing bent down and picked up the admission letter her father had thrown to the floor.
“We’ll see about that. Go pack your things and retake the entrance exam next year.”
Ke Jie’s brow furrowed, his voice full of fury.
Ke Ruobing shook her head. “I’m not taking it again. I’m going to this university. Even if I took the exam again, I’d still only go here.”
“You… You did this on purpose!”
At her words, Ke Jie’s eyes widened. He stared at Ke Ruobing in disbelief, as if he were seeing her for the first time.
“Ruobing, tell your mother why you had to choose this particular school.”
The woman who had been standing silently to one side spoke up.
Ke Ruobing shot her a glare. “Why should I explain myself to you? Who do you think you are?”
Kong Wanqing froze, her eyes instantly filling with hurt.
“Is that any way to talk to your mother?”
“I don’t have a mother. Mine died ten years ago.” Ke Ruobing’s expression was icy.
Ke Jie slammed his hand on the table and demanded angrily, his voice raised, “Is this how your mother taught you to treat people? Is this how you show respect to your elders?”
Ke Ruobing gave a cold snort, turned with her admission letter in hand, and walked away.
“The moment you step out of this room, don’t expect me to give you a penny for school!” Ke Jie roared, slamming the table so hard the whole room seemed to tremble.
“Save your threats.” Ke Ruobing left without even looking back.
“You little brat!” Enraged, Ke Jie hurled his teacup. It arced through the air and shattered behind Ke Ruobing.
Ke Ruobing glanced back at him, then walked out without hesitation.
“Darling, calm down. Ruobing was just upset in the heat of the moment. I’ll talk her into retaking the exam. Give her another year and she’ll definitely get a better score.”
Kong Wanqing went over to comfort Ke Jie, gently stroking his back to soothe him.
“Thank goodness I have you.”
Ke Jie let out a long sigh and patted Kong Wanqing’s hand, his eyes full of gratitude and dependence.
“It’s all my fault.” Kong Wanqing wrapped her arms around Ke Jie from behind, her voice tinged with self-reproach.
“You’ve done nothing wrong. Ruobing’s still young. She doesn’t understand how much you care about her.”
Ke Jie’s voice was weary and worn. He couldn’t understand how his once-obedient daughter had become like this.
“Let’s wait a couple of days before talking to Ruobing again. Once she realizes she can’t do anything without money, she’ll change her mind.” Kong Wanqing lowered her head and lightly bit her lower lip. A flash of mockery quickly crossed her eyes.
“Let’s hope so…”
Meanwhile.
Ke Ruobing quietly packed her things in her room. She didn’t want to stay in that house another moment.
She didn’t own much, so she was done packing in no time. Everything she planned to take wouldn’t even fill a backpack.
Ke Ruobing looked around the room, which had held not a trace of happiness for as long as she could remember.
There was nothing on the walls but her class schedule. Other people’s rooms might be plastered with posters of all kinds of celebrities, but she hadn’t even been allowed that small a pleasure.
Her life had been nothing but studying.
If not for her mother’s dying wish—that she must get into university—she might have dropped out and left home long ago, before that woman ever entered their household.
Through all those painful memories, she had kept urging herself on in silence: Hold on. Just hold on a little longer.
Once she got into university, she could work and earn money, and she wouldn’t have to rely on that family anymore.
She firmly believed that, with two hands and two feet, she would never starve.
Then, a week ago, someone who claimed to be a lawyer found her and told her that before her mother passed away, she had left some money for her.
In that moment, Ke Ruobing felt freer and more relieved than ever before.
If she hadn’t been waiting for her admission letter, she would have left with that money long ago.
As soon as Ke Ruobing stepped out of her room, Ke Qiyuan, who was ridiculously fat, shouted at her, “Get out of my house!”
Ke Ruobing narrowed her eyes. Her stepmother’s child was just as ill-mannered as ever.
Her gaze fell on the colored markers nearby, and an idea suddenly came to her.
Before long, a chubby child covered in bright colors burst into tears.
Listening to that delightful sound, Ke Ruobing stepped out of the house, beaming.
She took a deep breath of fresh air, feeling happier than she had in ages.
Then Ke Ruobing called her deskmate, Xiong Wen.
“Beep… beep… The number you have dialed is temporarily unavailable.”
Just as she’d expected, she could never reach her deskmate during the winter or summer holidays.
Staring at her empty contact list, Ke Ruobing felt a little lost. For a moment, she had no idea who to turn to.
Apart from her deskmate, it seemed she didn’t have any friends…
With her backpack on, Ke Ruobing wandered aimlessly down the street. Before she knew it, she had reached the area around the train station.
Ke Ruobing looked up at the three prominent characters on the station sign, and a sudden urge welled up inside her.
Why not take a spontaneous trip?
With that thought, Ke Ruobing went into the ticket hall, intending to buy a ticket for the soonest train out.
“The next train leaves for Yecheng Station. Oh, are you going to school? Which one?”
The sharp-eyed ticket seller noticed the admission letter Ke Ruobing had pulled out while searching for her ID.
“Jianghai University.”
“Then that works out perfectly. Jianghai University is in Yecheng.”
“Then I’ll take that one.”
“Hard seat, 307 yuan. The student fare is half price, 153.5 yuan. I’ll take 160 and give you 6.5 back.”
The ticket seller operated the machine with practiced ease, then tossed the change and ticket into the recess in the window.
Ke Ruobing took the change and ticket, still a little dazed. It was her first time taking a train, and she hadn’t even known student tickets existed.
Following the signs, Ke Ruobing soon found her seat: a two-person bench by the aisle.
Two passengers were already seated nearby. A man in a black short-sleeved shirt sat by the window, wearing a baseball cap and a mask. His eyes were closed as he rested, though his brows were faintly knitted.
Across from him sat a kind-looking older woman.
When she noticed Ke Ruobing looking over, the older woman warmly offered her a tangerine. “Young lady, would you like a tangerine?”
A little embarrassed, Ke Ruobing shook her head and said softly, “Thank you, but no.”
Then she carefully hugged her bag to her chest and settled into her seat.
As the train slowly pulled away, Ke Ruobing watched the scenery stream past the window, a rush of excitement rising in her.