After seeing his son off on the train, Jiang’s father rode his bicycle back home. When he arrived, Jiang’s mother and Jiang Zhuyue were still in the living room, seemingly waiting for him.
“Zhengting, you’re back,” Jiang’s mother called out. “Since we don’t have anything going on right now, let’s go take a look at houses near No. 2 High School.”
Jiang Zhuyue had said her grades weren’t good enough for No. 1 High School, so she planned to attend No. 2 High. She wanted to buy a house nearby so she wouldn’t have to live in the dorms.
But only she knew the real reason—No. 2 High was in the city center, not far from the department store. She had heard from classmates that property prices there were the most expensive.
Her biological parents from the countryside came to her from time to time asking for money. She had taken quite a lot from her adoptive parents and older brothers, but all of it ended up in her biological parents’ pockets. She herself had very little left.
She feared that one day, if her true identity were exposed, she would lose everything. What then? Would her adoptive parents abandon her? Would she be sent back to the countryside? That was absolutely unacceptable.
She would never go back. She hated her biological parents. Normally, people who swapped children did so to let their own child enjoy a better life. But her biological parents only came to demand money from her. When she refused, they even told her that they had switched the children precisely so the child could repay them financially.
If she didn’t give them money, they would reveal the truth to her adoptive parents and take her back to the countryside.
With no other choice, she had given them money again and again. She had even urged them to sell or kill that other girl—she didn’t know if they had done it or not—but she would never allow anyone to destroy her current life.
Still, she couldn’t stop them from coming to her repeatedly, and she feared the Jiang family might discover everything one day.
That was why she coaxed Jiang’s mother into buying her a house and putting it under her name. Even if her background were exposed in the future, as long as she owned a house in the provincial capital, no one could force her back to the countryside.
She noticed that Jiang’s father didn’t seem very willing, but he usually deferred to Mother Jiang. As long as she could win Jiang’s mother over, Jiang’s father would eventually agree.
“I don’t agree to buying a house for Yueyue,” Jiang’s father said firmly. “She’s still so young—what does she need a house for? Her elder brothers don’t even have their own homes yet.”
“The eldest is already twenty-two. He might get married any day now, and that’ll require buying a house too—not to mention wedding expenses. Yueyue is still young; we should prioritize your older brothers first.”
Whether or not Jiangnan had said anything, this was truly what Jiang’s father thought.
Their family wasn’t short on money, but that money couldn’t be spent freely right now.
Besides, what family would buy a house for a fifteen-year-old girl? Even if they doted on her, they shouldn’t do so without limits.
“But Yueyue…” Jiang’s mother hesitated.
“Dad—!” Jiang Zhuyue called out anxiously.
“That’s enough. It’s settled,” Jiang’s father said decisively. “What’s the situation right now? Everything must stay low-key. Aren’t you afraid of drawing attention? If someone targets us, it won’t just affect us—it’ll affect your eldest brother too.”
With that, Jiang’s father made the final decision. In the Jiang household, major matters were still decided by him.
Jiang’s mother hadn’t been strongly determined to buy the house anyway. It wasn’t that she was unwilling to spend money—she simply felt it wasn’t necessary. There was no shortage of space at home.
High school only lasted two years; there was no need to buy a house just for that.
She was also worried about Jiang’s father and her sons being affected, so she gave up the idea.
Jiang Zhuyue, however, was filled with resentment. She had secretly gone to look around the area near No. 2 High several times and had finally found a house for sale.
It was a standalone property with its own courtyard—she was extremely satisfied. Houses were rarely sold these days; if she didn’t buy it, someone else would snatch it up immediately.
She had even considered secretly taking money from home to buy it. She knew where Jiang’s mother kept the money, but she didn’t know how much there was.
Another reason stopped her: she had learned that minors under eighteen couldn’t purchase property on their own—they needed parental accompaniment.
What made her even angrier came afterward. Father and Jiang’s mother suddenly stopped giving her money as freely as before. Previously, as long as she said she liked something, Jiang’s mother would willingly give her money.
Now, even when she asked directly, Jiang’s mother would persuade her not to buy unnecessary things. It infuriated her, but there was nothing she could do.
The truth was, after Jiangnan returned to the army, he had specially called his mother before heading out on a mission.
Jiang’s mother worked in the union of a textile factory, and Jiang’s father was the deputy director of the same factory.
Jiangnan told his mother that he might soon face a promotion, but the competition was fierce. He warned that nothing must go wrong at home.
They must not give his rivals any leverage, and he specifically mentioned that Jiang Zhuyue should not spend money recklessly.
Even though both parents worked and held leadership positions, earning more than others, their income was still limited. They also had to support two children’s education—Jiang Bei, the second son, was in his second year of high school.
If their spending appeared excessive and they were reported and investigated, even without concrete findings, the mere act of investigation would ruin his chances of promotion.
Jiang’s mother reflected on this and realized they had indeed given Jiang Zhuyue too much money before. A teenage girl shouldn’t have that much money to spend.
If it affected her son’s promotion, that would be unacceptable.
So she reduced Jiang Zhuyue’s allowance and stopped buying unnecessary things for her.
In the past, Jiang Zhuyue would usually buy things herself or lie about going shopping with classmates. She would inflate the prices and pocket the difference—that was how she managed to give money to her biological parents.
Now, her source of extra money was completely cut off. Although her allowance was still higher than most, it was nowhere near enough for her needs.
She didn’t dare imagine what would happen the next time her biological parents came and couldn’t get money from her.
Meanwhile, Lin Yuxi had a relatively peaceful summer, maintaining a surface-level harmony with the Lin family.
School started again, and she was now in her third year of middle school. In just one more year, she could leave the Lin family behind. High school would be in the county, and she would have to live on campus—that would mark the beginning of her independence.
She just didn’t know whether, now that she was no longer as obedient as in her previous life, no longer as submissive and hardworking as an ox, they would still allow her to attend high school.
But whether they agreed or not, she was determined to go.
In a little over a year, Lu Yi would arrive in Jiang City. This time, she would find him as soon as he arrived and accompany him through those difficult days.
Thinking about high school inevitably reminded her of what had happened before she entered high school in her previous life.
If they dared to do the same things again this time, she would never let them off.
Although she had escaped their scheme in her previous life, she had done so in a sorry state, becoming the subject of village gossip for a long time.
And that Song Dabao… perhaps she should teach him a lesson in advance—consider it revenge for her past self.
Back then, his ill intentions toward her had started around this time, during the autumn harvest.
Every year, there was a farming break around early October. It was now September 20th—within a week, the farm holiday would begin.