Someone tried to persuade her.
“A Yao, getting into university isn’t something just anyone can do. Even here at the educated youth center, some people have taken the exam for two years and still haven’t passed. You don’t even have a foundation, so it’ll be even harder for you.”
Meng Yao replied calmly, “It’s okay. I’m not afraid. I can learn slowly.”
Immediately, several female educated youths spoke sarcastically.
“What’s the point of studying? Didn’t we hear you’re about to get married? And to a rich capitalist family at that. With that kind of money, why bother taking the university exam?”
Ever since news spread that the two daughters of the Meng family had found marriage prospects, there wasn’t a single person in the village who wasn’t jealous.
But who could blame them? After all, none of them had a martyr grandfather.
Even among the educated youths, the women secretly competed with each other. They had education and knowledge, yet none of them had married as well as a village girl. How could they possibly accept that?
For a moment, after hearing that Meng Yao wanted to take the university entrance exam, not a single person was willing to teach her.
Seeing their true colors clearly, Meng Yao let out a cold snort and prepared to leave.
At that moment, a young man walked out from inside the house with a smile on his face.
“Learning has no restrictions. If someone wants to study, then they should study. If they want to take the exam, then they should take it. What, does learning have to depend on someone’s status? City people can study, but country people can’t?”
“Comrade, if there’s anything you don’t understand, I can teach you.”
The speaker was Ji Ming. He looked refined and scholarly, wearing a pair of glasses. He was the group leader of their educated youth center.
The entire courtyard fell silent.
Since Meng Yao had come specifically to ask questions, and now someone was willing to help her, she no longer cared about anyone else’s opinions. She handed the exam papers in her hands to Ji Ming.
The people in the courtyard watched as Ji Ming genuinely led Meng Yao to a stone bench nearby and began carefully teaching her.
Their jealousy nearly drove them mad.
Ji Ming, the group leader, had a good character, a good family background, and a gentle personality. Countless educated young women secretly admired him. Yet this woman was already engaged and still clinging to a man to teach her.
What a shameless vixen.
Ji Ming studied the final few difficult questions on the paper for a while before suddenly laughing.
“What are you laughing at?” Meng Yao asked.
“These last major questions—even if I explained them to you now, you still wouldn’t understand them. You need to strengthen your foundation first before you can solve these.”
Ji Ming then flipped through the completed questions at the front and casually marked corrections for her.
Meng Yao glanced down and saw the page covered in red markings.
Unable to hold back, she asked, “Is it that bad?”
Ji Ming paused his pen and looked at her through his glasses.
The girl’s skin was fair and delicate, her features exquisite. Especially her eyes—they resembled a lively deer deep in the mountains.
He awkwardly looked away.
Clearing his throat, he said, “It’s not terrible, but there’s still a lot you need to catch up on.”
Meng Yao spoke directly.
“Then just tell me—what exactly do I need to do to reach the level required for university?”
Seeing the determination in her eyes, Ji Ming answered honestly.
“I looked through your papers. You’re actually quite smart. Some formulas you were even able to derive on your own. The fastest way for you right now is tutoring.”
“A tutor can focus on your weak areas specifically. Once you catch up, the rest will depend on doing practice questions yourself.”
Meng Yao frowned.
Tutoring fees were no small expense. How was she supposed to gather that kind of money?
Seeing her troubled expression, Ji Ming more or less understood.
“Actually—”
“I understand. Thank you, Educated Youth Ji.”
Meng Yao interrupted him before he could finish speaking.
Ji Ming smiled awkwardly.
“Alright. Then let me explain the earlier mistakes first.”
What Ji Ming had really wanted to say was: How about I tutor you myself?
But then he remembered she was already engaged. If she spent every day studying alone with another man, it would probably damage her reputation.
Fortunately, he hadn’t said it aloud.
After finally understanding the earlier mistakes, Meng Yao thanked Ji Ming and headed home carrying her two little chicks.
Halfway there, after confirming no one was around, she used her mind to place the two chicks into her special dimension.
She imagined them growing up quickly so she could eventually sell them for money.
If this method worked, then she could save enough to attend tutoring classes.
The two chicks huddled together fearfully after entering the space. Meng Yao observed them carefully. After a while, they seemed to adapt and began looking around curiously, happily running about in the vast open field.
After staring for several minutes, Meng Yao finally sighed in disappointment.
The chicks clearly couldn’t grow rapidly the way vegetables planted in the soil did.
So how exactly was she supposed to earn money for tutoring?
Asking her parents was definitely impossible. The family was already struggling financially. And if she attended tutoring classes, Meng Yu would certainly demand to go too. There was no way the family could afford two sets of fees.
After thinking it over repeatedly, she finally decided that tomorrow she would make a trip to the county town and sell the fresh vegetables growing inside her space.
Vegetables wouldn’t sell for as much as meat, but at least it would still be income. She could use it to buy study materials and continue learning on her own.
The moment Meng Yao returned home, rumors about the two daughters of the Meng family wanting to attend university spread throughout the village.
Some encouraged them.
Some envied them.
Some looked down on them.
But most people were simply waiting to watch a joke unfold.
After all, even the educated youths who had studied since childhood struggled to get into university. How could two village girls who barely attended school possibly compete with city people?
As soon as Meng Yao entered the house and set down her bag, Meng Yu stormed in angrily from outside.
Pointing at her, she shouted, “You didn’t register me for the exam, did you?!”
Meng Yao admitted it expressionlessly.
“That’s right.”
Meng Yu nearly exploded with rage.
“You vicious woman! Did you deliberately refuse to register me so you could laugh when I fail to get into university? If I hadn’t asked the educated youths returning from town today, I never would’ve known that registration can’t be done by someone else!”
“I’m telling our parents. I’ll let them see just how petty and narrow-minded you really are!”
With a loud bang, Meng Yao threw her bag onto the table, her eyes icy cold.
Since no adults were home, she couldn’t be bothered tolerating Meng Yu anymore.
“Go ahead. Tell them. Better yet, tell them right now. You don’t even care enough about your own university exam to handle registration yourself, yet now you want to blame me? What am I to you? Your servant? Your mother? Why should I obey your every command?”
Meng Yu froze.
She had never seen Meng Yao like this before and instinctively took a frightened step backward.
“Not only will I never help register you again, but from now on, stop expecting me to accommodate you. If you dare eat the food I cook, I’ll tear your mouth apart. If you throw your dirty clothes at me again, I’ll burn them all. And if you keep pushing your luck, then get out of this house!”
Meng Yu was stunned by Meng Yao’s fierce expression. Once she recovered, anger flared up inside her as well.
“Why should I leave? This is my home!”
Meng Yao sneered.
Remembering her growing suspicions, she deliberately asked:
“Your home? Is this really your home? Are you even part of the Meng family? Are Mom and Dad truly your parents?”
The anger instantly drained from Meng Yu’s face.
Her eyes filled with panic as she stammered incoherently.
“Meng Yao, are you crazy?! You’re completely unreasonable! I’m not talking to you anymore. I’m going back to study!”
After saying that, she fled back to her room without even turning around.
Watching her retreating figure, Meng Yao raised a mocking smile.
Looks like her words had struck directly at the source of Meng Yu’s guilty conscience.
In this lifetime, she would have plenty of chances to uncover the truth.