The next morning, Gu Yihan ate the Sweet Potato Dry Porridge Grandma Gu had made, slung her schoolbag over her shoulder, and picked up her package.
“Grandma, I’m off to school!” Gu Yihan said goodbye to Grandma Gu.
“Wait a moment.”
Grandma Gu trotted to the kitchen, fetched two boiled eggs, and placed them in her palm. “Take these to eat on the way.”
Gu Yihan didn’t refuse. She silently committed this to heart. In the future, she would have to be very filial to this lovely old lady.
When she arrived at the school, Gu Yihan saw the gatekeeper uncle sitting on a recliner, sunbathing. “Uncle, I’m a new student. Do you know which way the girls’ dormitory is?”
The uncle sat up. “A new student? Which first-year class are you in?”
Gu Yihan replied, “First year, Class One.”
The uncle pointed in a direction. “The third floor over there. Your class and name are posted on the dormitory doors.”
Gu Yihan said to the uncle, “Thank you, Uncle.”
The gatekeeper uncle waved his hand dismissively.
Gu Yihan found her dormitory by looking for her name. It was a six-person room.
She found a bottom bunk and started making her bed. She had just noticed that only two names were posted on the dorm room door.
It was probably because there were many beds, but few girls attended school. Students from the Commune all lived at home, so most of the boarders were those who lived far from the school.
She was quite happy about it. Fewer people meant less drama. After tidying up efficiently, she closed the door, took out a portion of braised pork and a glass of milk from her Dimension, and drank it. How comfortable. It had been a long time since she had eaten meat.
After eating and drinking her fill, she lay on her bed to rest, pondering how to earn some money in the future. She didn’t dare go to the black market, so her only option was to try submitting manuscripts.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
“Who’s in there? Is anyone there? Why is the door locked?”
Gu Yihan jumped in fright. She quickly packed up the remnants of her meal, tossed them into her Dimension, and glanced around to make sure there was nothing out of place before going to open the door.
When she opened it, she saw a slender girl at the door, as thin as a bamboo shoot, wearing clothes covered in layers of patches.
She clutched the hem of her clothes, appearing hesitant and nervous.
“Hello, classmate. My name is Gu Yihan.” After speaking, she stepped aside to let the other person in.
The girl said shyly, “My name is Liu Huanhuan.”
Gu Yihan smiled and returned to her bed to read. She didn’t plan on making friends at school; being ordinary roommates was good enough.
From then on, Gu Yihan’s life settled into a routine of attending classes and studying during the day, and reading large numbers of newspapers, magazines bought from the scrap collection station, and writing and revising manuscripts at night.
In the eyes of her teachers, Gu Yihan was a student who especially cherished this hard-won opportunity to learn.
Except when she was eating, a textbook was practically always in her hands. They had never seen a student more diligent than Gu Yihan.
Gu Yihan also wrote quite a few manuscripts that month. Since it was her first time writing, she didn’t know if they would be accepted, so she could only cast a wide net.
On Saturday morning, Gu Yihan went to the post office. Inside, a woman wearing a fashionable Bulaji was knitting a sweater. “Miss, could you please give me five envelopes and stamps? Thank you.”
The woman suddenly broke into a smile and said, “You sure know how to talk. I’m already a mother of two.”
Gu Yihan feigned surprise. “You look so young! I thought you were the same age as my older sister, maybe around seventeen.”
The corners of the woman’s mouth slowly curved up. She stood up, took the envelopes and stamps from the cabinet, and handed them to Gu Yihan.
As Gu Yihan wrote the addresses, she asked in a seemingly casual tone, “How do you maintain your looks?”
The post office lady’s lips curled into a proud smile. “This is all-natural. Others can’t learn it.”
Gu Yihan said with a look of envy, “That’s such a pity. I was hoping to ask for your advice.”
The woman burst out laughing. “You and your sweet tongue. Come hang out with your big sis when you have time.”
This was the exact phrase Gu Yihan had been waiting for. “Okay, sis. I’ll be mailing letters often in the future. I’ll be sure to look for you when I come.”
The ox-cart ride took an hour to jolt her all the way home, and her bottom was sore from the ordeal.
“Grandma, your adorable little granddaughter missed you!”
Hearing Gu Yihan’s voice, Grandma Gu hurried out of the house. Seeing that her little granddaughter hadn’t lost any weight, she felt relieved.
She pulled her into the house and asked about her situation at school. “Grandma, don’t worry. The teachers adore me because of my grades. They won’t let me get bullied.”
Only after entering the house did she notice a strange young man inside. He was about 1.7 meters tall, wearing patched but clean clothes.
He was talking with Gu Daya, and they seemed very close, laughing and chatting.
Grandma Gu said with a smile, “This is your older cousin’s boyfriend. The date has been set. They’re getting married in the winter.”
Gu Yihan’s mouth fell open in surprise. “Grandma, I’ve only been gone for a few days, and my cousin is getting married? Isn’t this a bit too fast?”
Grandma Gu shot her little granddaughter a glare. “What do you mean, fast? Your grandfather and I had never even met once, but didn’t we get along just fine? Nowadays, they’re allowed to get to know each other before marriage. They should be content.”
Gu Yihan was speechless.
Grandma Gu continued on her own, “This boy is the youngest in his family. He has two older brothers who are already married with children. The family is thriving with many descendants, so no one will bully her in the future, and she’ll have support.”
Gu Yihan could only echo, “Grandma, your choice can’t be wrong.” But in her heart, she thought, So poor that the only thing thriving is the number of descendants.
Grandma Gu said, “Your cousin’s boyfriend is eating here today. I’ll go cook. You go to your room and rest for a bit.”
Gu Yihan nodded and went back to her room to rest.
Knock, knock, knock.
Gu Yihan opened the door to see Gu Meng standing there with a book in her hand. She let her in and explained the concepts she didn’t understand.
“After she got pregnant, Father started paying a lot of attention to the child in her belly. Once the child is born, there will be even less of a place for us,” Gu Meng said in a low voice.
She knew Gu Meng was talking about their cheap stepmother.
Gu Yihan looked at her with a puzzled expression and said, “What does that have to do with me?”
Gu Meng’s heart stuttered. That’s right, what did this have to do with Gu Yihan? She had her grandma to protect her.
In this family, she was the only one no one cared about.
Looking at her, Gu Yihan offered a kind reminder, “Once you finish your fifth-grade studies, you should find the elementary school principal and take the exam for a graduation certificate.”
Gu Meng was actually very smart and learned things as soon as she was taught. The family could afford her school fees, but if she didn’t strive for it herself, how could anyone else consider things from her perspective?
The family’s resources were limited. If she went to school, no one would be left to do the chores of the second branch. No one wanted to do extra housework.
But ever since that cheap stepmother had arrived, she continued to do the stepmother’s chores every day, just as before. When someone was willing to do the work, who would be happy to do chores?
Good advice cannot persuade a devil destined for hell, and mercy cannot save a soul bent on self-destruction. If she didn’t stand up for herself, who could she possibly count on?