Jiang Li was only briefly shocked by the news before she came back to her senses.
After all, if she herself could be reborn, it wasn’t strange that Wu Huani could be reborn too.
It was just that her own previous life had been utterly miserable, and being given another chance was clearly to change that ending. But what about Wu Huani?
Why would the heavens give her such an opportunity?
After all, in her previous life Wu Huani had enjoyed everything—whatever she wanted, she got. Her husband doted on her, her mother-in-law cherished her, and even her father-in-law had never once criticized her.
Could it be that… the heavens let Wu Huani be reborn to give her a chance for revenge?
Jiang Li was amused by her own thought.
If that were really the case, then she wouldn’t hold back.
After all, in her previous life, Wu Huani had tormented her plenty.
“Hey, hey, are you even listening to what I’m saying?” Jiang Jianguo impatiently waved his hand in front of Jiang Li’s eyes.
“I’ve already told you everything. Shouldn’t you be pleading for me now?”
“Pleading?” Jiang Li laughed. “My dear little brother, who said I was going to plead for you?”
“When you beat me, cursed at me, and even wanted to sell me off, did you ever think there’d come a day when you’d need me?”
“Stop dreaming. Me pleading for you? Maybe in your next life!”
She turned to leave, but Jiang Jianguo grabbed her.
“Jiang Li, you money-losing thing! You dare to toy with me? I’m a college student—destined to rise high. Aren’t you afraid I’ll get revenge on you in the future?”
“Yes, you are a college student,” Jiang Li replied coldly. “So why be so obsessed with taking a master?”
“Since you know you’re destined to succeed, why listen to Jiang Tiezhu so obediently? He tells you to come apprentice yourself, and you just come?”
“If I were you, I’d pack up early and head to the city. Far away, where the sky is high and the emperor is far—Jiang Tiezhu’s iron whip can’t reach you there. Don’t you think so?”
Seeing Jiang Jianguo waver slightly, the grip on her arm loosened. Jiang Li seized the chance to pull free and pressed on.
“Honestly, I don’t hate you at all. I know that in the Jiang family, you don’t get to make decisions. Everything I suffered was controlled by Dad behind the scenes.”
“Whether it’s you, Mom, or the other younger brothers, you’re all just his puppets. Jiang Jianguo, you’re a college student—are you really willing to be his puppet for the rest of your life?”
Of course he wasn’t willing.
He was a dignified college student—how could he be constrained everywhere by a mere blacksmith?
He wanted to leave, to live freely in the city.
Just imagining that kind of life made the corners of Jiang Jianguo’s mouth lift unconsciously, though he quickly suppressed it.
“You money-losing thing, stop trying to sow discord between me and Dad. I won’t listen to you. Dad said that we Jiang family share one surname—we must unite.”
“Only by sticking together will outsiders not dare to bully us. Who’s like you, always siding with outsiders and doing things that betray the Jiang family? No wonder you’re a money-losing thing. Hmph!”
Jiang Jianguo cursed as he walked away.
Although he looked as if he hadn’t taken Jiang Li’s words to heart, she knew he had already been tempted. Going to the city early was only a matter of time.
Wu Huani only saw Jiang Jianguo as a future top-tier researcher, but she had no idea how that “research genius” actually came to be.
Once they reached the city, they would find out exactly what awaited them.
After finishing her calculations against Jiang Jianguo, Jiang Li turned back toward the courtyard in a very good mood.
Just as she stepped down the stone stairs, she saw Ding Shichen sitting in his wheelchair, staring at her with a strange expression.
Jiang Li silently cursed—had he heard what she said?
“Brother Ding… you heard everything?” Jiang Li asked, feeling a little guilty. It was her first time scheming against someone, and she was still somewhat uneasy.
Ding Shichen nodded. “Did Jiang Tiezhu often beat you?”
“Not that often,” Jiang Li answered honestly. “Maybe once or twice a month. It depended on the situation. If my younger brothers were at home, I’d get beaten more.”
The younger brothers were mischievous and good at shifting blame. Whenever they did something wrong, they always found a way to pin it on Jiang Li.
Even if it had nothing to do with her, one sentence—‘You’re the older sister, why didn’t you keep an eye on your brothers?’—was enough for her to earn a beating.
Ding Shichen’s expression darkened slightly. “The Ding family doesn’t have a habit of beating children. Don’t be afraid.”
Was he comforting her?
Jiang Li froze for a moment, then burst out laughing.
“I know. The Ding family is the gentlest family in the whole village. You never beat children, and you send all of them to school.”
“Brother Ding, if I were born into the Ding family—and if I were still a girl—would I also have the chance to study?”
“Of course,” Ding Shichen replied gently. His manner was refined, more like a scholar than a soldier.
“My father always said that boys and girls are the same. In this world, girls have it even harder. Not only should we protect them, we should respect them and give them more opportunities to move forward.”
Jiang Li felt both surprised and envious of the Ding family.
“Yes… this world really is unfair to us.”
“Just because I’m a girl, I’m called a money-losing thing. I’m not allowed to study, I have to take care of my brothers, and there’s endless housework.”
“Even when it comes to marriage, they get to decide everything—and I have to be traded for a high bride price so my brothers can marry.”
Ding Shichen raised his hand and patted her arm.
“Who says you’re a money-losing thing? You’re someone I exchanged three large tiled houses for. You’re very valuable.”
He said this in a joking tone.
Then his voice turned extremely serious.
“If you want to study, I can teach you. If you want to go to the city and broaden your horizons someday, that’s fine too. As long as it’s something you want to do, we won’t stop you.”
“In the Ding family, you have absolute freedom.”
Jiang Li naturally knew this to be true.
“I know. Thank you, Brother Ding.”
She was like a little bird longing for freedom. With the storms gone, she would keep flying and flying—higher and higher…
And he…
Ding Shichen lowered his head and glanced at his legs. Perhaps he could only accompany her for part of the journey.
“Oh right, Brother Ding. Shijun has thoughts of dropping out of school. You should talk to him later. He really likes medicine—if he could get into a medical university, that would be great.”
“Doctor Liu is proficient in both Chinese and Western medicine. If Shijun is willing, let him learn more from her. But she doesn’t want to take apprentices, so tell Shijun not to bring it up.”
“If you trust me, leave the household matters to me. I promise I won’t let Mom get tired, and I won’t let the younger brothers suffer.”
Jiang Li was not someone who would push herself forward shamelessly. With the lessons of her previous life, she no longer rushed to meddle in the Ding family’s affairs.
“You’re the eldest daughter-in-law, so naturally you’ll manage things,” Ding Shichen said with a gentle smile. “Later, I’ll also give you my monthly compensation.”
Thinking about how many places the Ding family would need money in the future, Jiang Li didn’t refuse.
“Don’t worry. I’ll definitely arrange everyone’s daily life properly—no brother will go without schooling, and Mom won’t go hungry.”
“…”
A few days later, the wound on Ding Shichen’s leg had mostly healed. The bone would need to be nursed slowly after returning home, and Jiang Li had no choice but to take him away from the Jiang family.
Before leaving, Jiang Li still settled the surgery and medicine fees.
Liu Xu didn’t stand on ceremony with her. Seeing that Jiang Li could afford it, she accepted the money—after all, she and her husband still had to make a living.
As they passed by the Jiang house, they overheard a bit of gossip…