“Hello? Second Aunt!”

Liang Huan called out several times but only heard the dial tone.

She angrily threw down the phone and pointed at Liu Fang’s nose, shouting:

“It’s all because of you! Second Aunt must still be angry at you! Why did you and Dad have to offend Second Aunt? Now she won’t help me… It’s all your fault, I hate you both! I could have gone to university in Beijing!”

Liang Huan ran crying to her room, slamming the door shut.

Liu Fang clutched her chest, speechless at her own daughter’s resentment.

Why had they offended Liu Fen?

Yes, they had tried to curry favor with Fan Zhenchuan, but the initial purpose was to prevent Fan Zhenchuan’s mother from setting her sights on Liang Huan!

Such an ungrateful girl!

Despite the pain in her chest, Liu Fang worried about Liang Huan and kept knocking on the door:

“Huanhuan, come out, don’t frighten Mom! Let’s talk this through properly, we can figure something out… How about repeating a year? This time, we won’t stay at that terrible Anqing No. 1 High School. We can go to Fengxian City or the provincial capital – there are plenty of good schools!”

Liu Fang’s lips were worn raw from talking, but Liang Huan remained silent.

Soon after, the rest of the Liang family returned from their after-dinner walk.

When Liang Bingnan heard about Liu Fen’s call and how Liang Huan had grabbed the phone only to have Liu Fen hang up, he pounded his chest in frustration: “Long hair, short wisdom! How could you just make demands without building rapport first? After waiting so long, couldn’t you wait a bit longer?”

After such a long time without contact, how much familial affection could remain?

Moreover, between the Liang family and Liu Fen’s family, it wasn’t just about affection…

While Liu Fang knocked on the door, Liang Bingnan pounded it:

“Liang Huan, get out here! Stop playing dead in there – do you want me to beat you?”

Liang Bingnan didn’t indulge Liang Huan as Liu Fang did.

Liang Huan didn’t hold out long before opening the door, though she maintained a cold expression, barely acknowledging even Liang Bingnan.

Liang Bingnan grabbed her, “You’re getting out of hand! You’ve been throwing tantrums, and breaking bowls and pots these past days, and I’ve let it slide. If you were really capable, would your mother need to beg others? Now speak properly – what did your Second Aunt say?”

“Huanhuan, talk nicely with your father, don’t make him angry.”

“At least tell Grandmother…”

The elderly Liangs chimed in, trying to persuade Liang Huan.

They too indulged Liang Huan; the only one they didn’t indulge was Liu Fang – she was an outsider, while everyone else was family.

Liang Huan knew how to play to different audiences. She didn’t stubbornly resist but took the opportunity her grandparents offered, repeating Liu Fen’s words, still very angry: “Second Aunt just won’t help me. She has the ability, she’s just angry at you all!”

Of course, Liu Fen was angry.

But how could such a foolish child be his offspring?

Liang Bingnan was even angrier: “How can you be so stupid? When she tells you to repeat a year, you should do it obediently. Keep in contact with your Second Aunt, call regularly to show your concern, and update her about your studies – wouldn’t you then be guaranteed a spot at a Beijing university next year? Once your Second Aunt starts helping you, she’ll want to see it through. Look how stupid you are, wasting such an opportunity!”

Liang Bingnan paced the room in agitation.

Over two years!

He had been idle at home for over two years, dreaming of returning to the system.

Even if not in government, he could work at a state-owned enterprise.

Finally making contact with Liu Fen only to waste the opportunity – Liang Bingnan was about to explode:

“Contact your Second Aunt again, tell her you’ve thought it through and want to repeat the year, understand? Whatever she says, you do! Can’t you even manage to make people like you? I know you envy Xia Xiaolan – if you want to live like her, do as I say!”

Repeat another year?

Three years of high school had nearly driven Liang Huan crazy.

She didn’t want to repeat it, especially not at Anqing No. 1 High School, where Xia Xiaolan’s presence lingered everywhere. Liang Huan felt she lived in Xia Xiaolan’s shadow.

Her father was right – she dreamed of living like Xia Xiaolan, even surpassing her… Since her parents couldn’t help, she had to struggle alone. Both aggrieved and excited, Liang Huan declared:

“Fine, I’ll repeat, but I want to do it in Beijing!”

“Huanhuan, why go to Beijing? How can Mom look after you…”

“I don’t need your care! I just want to repeat in Beijing!”

Liang Huan wouldn’t stop arguing.

Liang Bingnan initially wanted to scold her but then thought that repeating in Beijing might not be a bad idea.

Once she was actually in Beijing, she could rely on Liu Fen – how could an aunt ignore her niece?

Adult grudges shouldn’t affect the younger generation. Liang Bingnan nodded: “Fine, you can repeat in Beijing.”

Liang Huan’s anger turned to joy, though still somewhat disbelieving, “Dad, do you mean it?”

“Of course it’s true. Put your mind at ease. From today on, no more tantrums – do exactly as I say, and I’ll send you to Beijing to repeat the year.”

Liang Bingnan made this promise to his daughter.

Liu Fang listened with a headache – had Liang Bingnan gone mad? Did he think their situation was the same as before? How would they send Liang Huan to Beijing?

Even if Liang Huan’s grandfather still knew some people, would those connections work outside Yunan?

Then there were the financial considerations – everything in Beijing cost money, and someone would need to go along to take care of her. If Liu Fang went, she’d lose her job.

Liu Fang had doubts, but Liang Bingnan couldn’t be bothered to explain to her, going straight to discuss it with his parents instead.

“Mom, about Huanhuan’s situation…”

“No, you can’t be thinking of-“

“Don’t you care about Huanhuan? If she succeeds, our whole family benefits. Besides, if she repairs these relationships, I might have a chance at a comeback.”

Liang Bingnan spoke earnestly.

He knew his parents had valuable items stashed away.

For their son and beloved granddaughter, the elderly Liangs finally agreed to use their savings to establish connections and send Liang Huan to Beijing.

If that wasn’t enough, they had collected some antiques during the Cultural Revolution – they could sell a few.

Truthfully, if Liang Huan hadn’t been obsessed with Beijing, and if Liang Bingnan didn’t have ulterior motives, the money the elderly Liangs offered, combined with some alternative connections, could have gotten Liang Huan into a provincial university.

But Liang Huan was set on Beijing, and even with money, the Liang family had no such connections there.

Such arrangements only worked in remote areas – Beijing was much more transparent.

Nearly fourteen-year-old Liang Yu watched his family’s drama unfold with great helplessness.

Since his father had lost his official position, the family had become very strange.

Liang Yu felt his sister’s insistence on going to Beijing surely held ill intentions. Once, he had secretly read her diary, which was full of “Xia Xiaolan” written and then violently crossed out in ink, the pen strokes so forceful they had torn through the paper.

But he could do nothing.

Whatever he said, the family wouldn’t listen – everyone treated him like a child, and no one valued his opinion.

Liang Yu muttered to himself:

“What can I do? Should I warn Second Aunt and Sister Xiaolan to be careful of my sister?”

That would be betraying Liang Huan.

But not betraying her felt like silently supporting her wrongdoing.

Liang Yu didn’t want his sister to become bad, nor did he want innocent Liu Fen and Xia Xiaolan to get hurt. This poor child didn’t know how to solve the dilemma before him!