“We’re here!” the coachman, Wang Tiezhu, shouted.
Meng Yao pushed aside her thoughts about whether Meng Yu was truly her biological younger sister. She brushed the dust off her pants and quickly jumped down from the carriage.
“Those who need to get things done, go do them. We’ll take the carriage back this afternoon. Gather here at three o’clock sharp. Don’t expect us to wait if you’re late!” Wang Tiezhu called out to the passengers getting off.
“Got it—”
“Thank you, Uncle Wang.” Meng Yao thanked him before walking off without looking back.
More than ten minutes later, she stopped in front of the Bureau of Education. After glancing at the sign above to confirm she was at the right place, she walked in firmly.
“Comrade, may I ask if registration for this year’s college entrance exam has already started?” Meng Yao asked the worker behind the small window.
The moment she finished speaking, a form was placed in front of her.
“Fill it out according to the instructions. Write neatly, and don’t make mistakes. There won’t be a second copy for you,” the woman behind the counter said impatiently.
“Comrade, I need two forms. I’m helping my younger sister—”
“No. One person, one form. Whoever wants to register has to come in person. If you can substitute for registration, are you going to substitute for the exam too?” the woman snapped.
Meng Yao felt the woman had a point. She took the form and quietly filled it out at a nearby table.
When she reached the final line, she carefully wrote her name stroke by stroke. Then she dipped her finger into the red ink pad beside her and solemnly pressed down her fingerprint.
At that moment, the heavy burden in her heart finally lifted.
In her previous life, she never had time to study and never realized the importance of education, much less taking the college entrance exam. Later, because of her lack of education, after following the army with Song Wei, she was constantly looked down upon by him and could never hold her head high in the military family compound.
How many times had she endured contempt because she lacked schooling?
Meng Yao didn’t want to attend university solely because others looked down on her. More importantly, in her previous life, she truly realized how important studying was. As long as a person knew how to learn, most of the problems encountered in life could be solved through knowledge. If someone couldn’t even manage the simple act of studying, how could they possibly handle all the difficulties the future would bring?
Studying was not just about knowledge—it trained the mind.
After handing the completed form to the worker at the counter, Meng Yao walked out with light, cheerful steps.
The woman behind the counter looked at the neat and elegant handwriting on the form and couldn’t help glancing a few more times toward the direction the girl had left.
Not only was the young girl pretty, but her handwriting was beautiful as well.
One major task was finally completed. The only thing left was to buy some practice exam papers. Meng Yao mentally calculated how much money she would have left afterward and whether it would still be enough to buy some seeds.
After all, there was such a large empty space inside her special dimension. She couldn’t let it stay unused forever.
Thinking this, she lowered her head and searched through her bag for her three yuan.
At that exact moment, she brushed past a man and woman entering through the front gate.
Neither side noticed the other.
Gu Jingcheng wore a gloomy expression as he jerked his chin toward the building opposite them.
“This is where you register for the college entrance exam. I’ll wait here. You can go in by yourself.”
The Bureau of Education was easy enough to find. Gu Jingcheng truly couldn’t understand why Xu Li insisted on dragging him along.
Xu Li glanced at the entrance unhappily and pouted.
“Brother Jingcheng, since you’re already here, come in with me.”
Gu Jingcheng frowned. He was already a university graduate. Why should he go in there?
But when he saw Xu Li’s pleading expression, he glanced at Old Third standing nearby.
He kicked him immediately.
“Old Third, you go in with her.”
Old Third looked embarrassed. Miss Xu clearly didn’t want him accompanying her…
Xu Li didn’t dare vent her anger at Gu Jingcheng, so she glared at Old Third before storming toward the entrance of the Bureau of Education.
Old Third scratched his head, unsure whether he should follow.
Gu Jingcheng kicked him again, and he hurried after her.
Meanwhile, Meng Yao finally found her money in her bag. She went to a bookstore, carefully selected several sets of practice papers, and then used the remaining money to buy some vegetable seeds.
Since the gathering time wasn’t until three in the afternoon, she continued strolling around. After walking a bit farther, she was attracted by a flower vendor nearby.
The stall displayed colorful flowers, most of them common varieties—roses, jasmine, gardenias, and even pomegranate blossoms.
Meng Yao loved all beautiful and delicate things. She knew every kind of flower there, but as a village girl, every patch of empty land at home was used to grow vegetables. The only time she could enjoy flowers was when she occasionally picked wildflowers by the roadside while helping in the fields.
“Miss, would you like to buy a bouquet to take home?” the vendor asked warmly.
Meng Yao hesitated after seeing the price.
“How about this? You’re such a pretty girl, and I’m about to close up anyway. Pick a bouquet, and I’ll sell it to you for thirty cents. They’re usually fifty cents each. Deal?” the cheerful vendor suggested.
Meng Yao knew the woman wasn’t lying and smiled as she nodded.
“Deal!”
She didn’t take advantage of the kindness. Instead, she carefully selected a few flowers and arranged them herself into a small bouquet. Only after she was satisfied did she hand over the thirty cents.
The vendor stared at the bouquet in her hands, unable to look away. They were all ordinary flowers, yet in Meng Yao’s hands, they looked as if transformed by magic.
“Oh my, little sister, your arrangement is so beautiful!”
“It’s because your flowers are beautiful,” Meng Yao replied politely.
Holding the bouquet, she walked away happily, constantly admiring the flowers and occasionally leaning in to smell them.
Just as she was about to leave, a sudden commotion erupted behind her.
“Oh dear, this is terrible—it’s a pregnant woman!”
“I wouldn’t dare help. What if something happens?”
“This is too frightening!”
Meng Yao turned around.
In the middle of the crowd, a heavily pregnant woman had collapsed onto the ground. Her face was deathly pale as she weakly stretched out her hand for help. Yet not a single person nearby dared step forward.
Meng Yao didn’t want to meddle in such matters, but in her previous life, a stranger who was also pregnant had once helped her. Right now, she simply couldn’t ignore it.
Thinking of the spiritual spring water in her dimension, she decided to try it as a desperate measure. It should be fine if it was only a little water.
She took out the cup from her bag, filled it using her mind, and rushed into the crowd.
On the other side, Gu Jingcheng had already sent Old Third to borrow a vehicle. Just as he rolled up his sleeves, preparing to carry the woman to the hospital himself, he suddenly saw a young girl rushing over with a cup of water and helping the pregnant woman drink.
“Big sister, it’s okay. Don’t be afraid. Drink some water first. I’ll get someone to take you to the hospital,” she said gently while patting the woman’s back soothingly. “It’s alright.”
Gu Jingcheng stared blankly at the girl’s figure for several seconds.
The woman clutched Meng Yao’s cup and gulped down the water. After finishing the entire cup, the dizziness disappeared completely, and strength returned to her body. Breathing heavily, she thanked her gratefully.
“Thank you, little girl. I just have low blood sugar during pregnancy. I happened not to bring any food today. I’m sorry for troubling you…”
Seeing the woman recover, Meng Yao finally relaxed. She struggled slightly while helping the woman stand, when suddenly a well-defined hand reached out beside her to assist.
Meng Yao turned her head and met a pair of long, narrow eyes.
She froze.
Why was Gu Jingcheng here?
At that moment, Old Third’s voice rang out from outside the crowd.
“Move aside, move aside, the vehicle’s here—”
Meng Yao instantly understood.