The two of them stayed in the town for another two days, cooperating with the police to wrap up the remaining work.
Meanwhile, Zhao Chuji contacted a large number of marketing accounts owned by her family’s company.
Because too many people in the village were involved in the case, the police were having a massive headache, aside from arresting the main culprits. Thinking that they could use this opportunity to sound an alarm in the hearts of the public and reduce the probability of people taking risks alone, the police accepted the interviews from the marketing accounts.
As soon as the relevant video reports of this case were released, they immediately caused a massive uproar on the internet!
Under the condemnation of public opinion, for many years to come, this village became notorious. No one was willing to marry into it anymore. Even when the young people went out to work, they were deeply disdained because of their place of origin.
The cold shoulders from the people around them became unbearable. The villagers no longer wanted to stay in the village, so they gradually moved away one by one and changed their household registration.
A village of that size was eventually abandoned completely, with no one living there anymore.
All of this was for later.
After completing the rescue work for the trafficked women, Yu Yao did not forget her initial purpose for coming. She still sponsored several girls in the village.
Only after receiving the girls’ promises to call her regularly did Yu Yao and her group finally return home.
Next, Yu Yao planned to reduce the frequency of her business trips.
Although Zhao Chuji’s scores in the physics competition were enough for her to go to any school she wanted, Zhao Chuji seemed to have other plans and still wanted to take the College Entrance Examination (Gaokao).
Yu Yao wanted to quiet her mind and accompany Zhao Chuji as she prepared for the exam.
Yu Yao specially had a good chat with Zhao Chuji about this matter, intending to understand Zhao Chuji’s plans. However, the result she got was entirely unexpected…
Zhao Chuji actually wanted to be a director!
Yu Yao originally thought that according to Zhao Chuji’s talent, she would engage in physics research or scientific research directions…
But in the blink of an eye, Yu Yao came to terms with it; that was just her own assumption.
Zhao Chuji had the right to choose her industry freely.
She should feel happy for Zhao Chuji. After being hurt in the entertainment industry before, she hadn’t left any psychological shadow and dared to enter the entertainment industry again.
“Alright, whatever you want to do, work hard to do it.”
Yu Yao pondered for a moment and earnestly instructed Zhao Chuji, “But you should understand, I only have a little bit of money. I can’t manipulate the capital giants in the entertainment industry. A large part of the road ahead will have to be walked by yourself.”
“But you don’t have to be timid either. After all, I do have some money!”
Yu Yao smiled and raised her chin proudly. “In the future, if you’re unhappy, just come back and collect rent with me. My rental income is more than enough to support ten of you…”
“Then I’m going to cling to you for the rest of my life!”
Perhaps infected by her open-mindedness, Zhao Chuji also leaned closer. With her eyes shining brightly, she held Yu Yao’s arm and joked with her.
“Of course!”
It had been a long time since Zhao Chuji had shown such an obedient appearance. Yu Yao couldn’t help but tilt her chin even higher. “It doesn’t matter how long you cling to me!”
Recently, it had been strange. Ever since they returned from the village, Zhao Chuji had become exceptionally clingy. From time to time, she would come over to hold her arm and act spoiled.
Every time Zhao Chuji got close, Yu Yao felt very uncomfortable…
But she couldn’t show it directly. Zhao Chuji regarded her as an older sister. If she refused bluntly, Zhao Chuji would definitely be very sad.
“Then when the time comes, you can be my model and help me practice my lines. Anyway, the best film academy is right here in Haicheng. When I don’t have classes, I can come home…”
Zhao Chuji seemed very happy, holding her while envisioning the future.
“All the money I earn in the future will be given to you…”
For a split second, Yu Yao felt that Zhao Chuji wanted to study in the directing department just because the best film academy was in Haicheng and she wanted to come home more often.
But looking at the smile on Zhao Chuji’s face, she just dismissed the thought as her own wild imagination.
Naturally, Yu Yao agreed readily.
She believed that Zhao Chuji’s promise at this moment was genuine, but she also knew that youth’s promises were the most illusory. She only thought about accepting this piece of Zhao Chuji’s goodwill.
During the New Year, Zhao Chuji completely moved all her things into the guest bedroom of Yu Yao’s house, letting Yu Yao rent out her original room in Building 5.
She argued plausibly, “I’m living at your house now anyway. Renting that apartment out can bring in some extra money.”
Zhao Chuji wasn’t wrong.
Thinking that this would also make it convenient for her to take care of Zhao Chuji, Yu Yao did not refuse.
After all, after the arrival of the third year of high school, probably because she worked too hard, Zhao Chuji who rarely fell ill on ordinary days began to get sick frequently. It was either a headache or a stomachache. She also didn’t feel reassured letting Zhao Chuji live alone back home.
But she did not list the room in Building 5 for rent.
Chuji was still young now and depended on her. When she grew a bit older and went to university, developing an independent personal consciousness, she would probably want to move back…
Moreover, living together still brought about some inconveniences.
It was fine when the weather was cold, but as the temperature gradually rose over the next few months, Zhao Chuji’s clothing became increasingly thin. When she was at home, she would walk around wearing just a camisole.
The current Zhao Chuji exposed arms and legs that were smooth and fair, without any of the past scars. Her neck was as slender as a swan’s, and her figure was curvaceous and extremely graceful…
Several times, Yu Yao almost couldn’t look away. Yet, Zhao Chuji would still lean in close, acting cute and spoiled to ask her to help blow-dry her hair…
Countless times, Yu Yao condemned her own obsession with looks in her heart. But facing Zhao Chuji’s eagerly watching eyes, she couldn’t harden her heart at all. She could only take the hairdryer, keeping a straight face, and trying her best to look straight ahead while blow-drying Zhao Chuji’s hair.
High-level dimensions only pursued spiritual compatibility, so female-female relationships were perfectly normal. Yu Yao had been fully focused on her studies before and had no interest in romance at all. Now, looking at the increasingly mature and charming Zhao Chuji, Yu Yao couldn’t control her own heartbeat…
She felt that she had been repressed for too long, resulting in psychological distortion.
When doing tasks, it was best not to have emotions that were out of control.
Many times she wanted to press the switch of the “Emotional Controller” on her arm, but in the end, she couldn’t harden her heart to do it.
Zhao Chuji’s perception of her emotional changes was incredibly sharp. Once she distanced herself from Zhao Chuji, it would definitely be noticed…
Forget it!
Zhao Chuji hadn’t done anything wrong; she couldn’t make her sad.
She was also embarrassed to tell Zhao Chuji directly.
In this world, close sisters not only went shopping together but even slept together… If she specially brought it up to Zhao Chuji, it would look like she was making a cover-up instead.
After much thought, Yu Yao specially bought a thin blanket for the living room. Every time Zhao Chuji asked her to blow-dry her hair, she would use the excuse that it was too cold and make Zhao Chuji wrap herself in the blanket first. Only then would her heartbeat return to normal…
As for minor incidents like Zhao Chuji dazedly putting on her clothes by mistake, using her cosmetics, or using her water cup… she didn’t take those small things to heart.
After all, with Zhao Chuji in her life, she also experienced many joys she had never experienced before.
Zhao Chuji knew everything about her like the back of her hand, remembering her menstrual cycle, her favorite flavors, and colors…
She knew she shouldn’t indulge, but she could never refuse Zhao Chuji’s kindness, feeling both happy and pained.
Zhao Chuji was pure and lovely, just wanting to be close to her older sister…
Everything was just her own petty mind overthinking things.
Time flew by, and soon it was the June College Entrance Examination season.
During those days of the exam, Yu Yao was more nervous than Zhao Chuji. She couldn’t sleep at all for the first few days, yet she was afraid of waking Zhao Chuji.
She even followed the example of other parents and went to a temple in this world to pray for a talisman, which she gave to Zhao Chuji.
“I heard this talisman can fulfill all wishes!” She nervously hung the talisman around Zhao Chuji’s neck. “Don’t take it off these next few days.”
Perhaps seeing her anxiety, Zhao Chuji comforted her in reverse. “My wish doesn’t need prayers to gods or Buddhas. Actually, you can help me achieve it.”
“If I place first in the entire city this time,” Zhao Chuji smiled extremely obediently, “you’ll owe me a wish, okay?”
Zhao Chuji looked confident, and Yu Yao felt the heavy stone in her heart finally drop…
“Of course, whatever wish you want to fulfill, I’ll promise you!”
Such an obedient Zhao Chuji would definitely not make a request that would make things difficult.
Time flew like an arrow, and soon the Gaokao was over.
Afraid of putting pressure on Zhao Chuji, Yu Yao didn’t ask about her scores either. She just gifted Zhao Chuji the most expensive camera, letting her try to shoot the images she wanted to capture.
Zhao Chuji accepted it gladly and spent all day tinkering with the equipment, making Yu Yao her very first shooting subject.
This camera accompanied Zhao Chuji for many years; it was her favorite piece of equipment.
Yu Yao didn’t know that from beginning to end, this equipment had only recorded videos and photos of Yu Yao, and had never shot anyone else…
Half a month later.
Amidst Yu Yao’s eager anticipation, the Gaokao results came out.
Zhao Chuji indeed placed first in the entire city.
Almost all the universities in the country were hers to choose from, but to everyone’s surprise, she chose the film academy and applied for the directing department.
After the media reported it, the world lamented with sighs, expressing that public morals were degenerating when talents were unwilling to become scientists and instead entered the entertainment industry.
At this time, some marketing accounts dug up her past records of being an extra, defending her by saying that she was staying true to her original aspiration…
Amidst the hustle and bustle, many people were attracted by Zhao Chuji’s looks.
With the bonus reputation of being a beautiful top student, as soon as Zhao Chuji opened her social media accounts, she attracted quite a few fans.
Logically speaking, when a student who brought her own traffic entered the school, even if she didn’t receive special treatment, the school wouldn’t deliberately target her.
But unexpectedly, right after Zhao Chuji entered the school, she met with a series of difficulties…