During adolescence, most girls wonder if all boys engage in self-pleasure. They might assume the particularly well-behaved ones don’t.
Jiang Ren pinched her cheek and said, “Normal men have desires. Everyone’s done that sort of thing. No guy’s thoughts are that pure. What are you looking at me for? Want me to give you a biology lesson?”
She felt so embarrassed she wanted to find a hole to crawl into. Her graduation melancholy vanished.
“Jiang Ren, can’t you speak more properly?” she pleaded.
Knowing how shy she was, Jiang Ren couldn’t help but laugh. “Fine,” he conceded.
He resigned himself, “I’ve lost to you. Gao Yi is right, I’m not like your boyfriend. I’m more like your dad, aren’t I?”
He was afraid of corrupting her and wanted to keep his little darling innocent. It was suffocating, but wasn’t that what a father should do?
Even with Meng Ting’s good temper, she pinched his waist. “You wish,” she said, both amused and annoyed. “If I called you ‘Little Father’, I don’t know who’d be more upset.”
He held her small hand, grinning mischievously. “Try it and see if I want to be your man or your ‘Little Father’.”
Meng Ting couldn’t out-talk him, couldn’t out-fight him, and couldn’t out-argue him.
She looked at him with a wronged expression. Jiang Ren chuckled softly, “All right, my fault, my fault. I won’t talk nonsense anymore. What major do you want to study in university?”
Her eyes brightened. “I want to study law.”
Jiang Ren was surprised. “Law?”
Meng Ting nodded vigorously.
He laughed but fell silent. His little treasure couldn’t even win an argument against him, how could she argue with those people? He was afraid she’d get hurt doing this job.
Losing a case wasn’t a big deal, but he worried about her being bullied.
However, Jiang Ren didn’t say anything. If she liked it, that was enough. He’d always be there to protect her.
The day the college entrance exam results came out, Shu’s father cried tears of joy.
He truly cried. Shu Zhitong had been through hard times – divorced his ex-wife, raising twins alone, then his second wife passed away, spending all his savings on his stepdaughter’s eye treatment. Even his biological daughter had been in prison.
But now Meng Ting and Shu Yang had grown up and were doing exceptionally well.
When the exam results were released, Meng Ting nearly made it to the local newspaper.
She was the top science student in H City.
Shu Yang also did well, scoring just three points below Meng Ting.
Having two genius children in his family was like reaping the rewards of several lifetimes of good deeds. Their ancestors’ graves must be glowing with pride. How much kindness and good fortune must have accumulated for such a sweet turn of events after so much hardship?
Even Meng Ting herself hadn’t expected to do so well.
She had estimated her score and knew she’d easily get into a top university, but being the top student surprised even her. She had worked very hard for over a year, but being the top science student was beyond her wildest dreams. It was normal, though. She had always been good at studying, with high comprehension skills, and due to her rebirth, she had an extra year of study compared to others. Heaven favors those who work hard; the more effort you put in, the luckier you become.
Although not every effort is rewarded, time is gentle and fair. Even if there’s no immediate payoff, it will eventually deliver what you deserve.
Shu Yang also did much better than in his previous life. Back then, due to the fire and his stepsister’s injury, his mind had been unsettled, and he had only scored a bit above the key university cutoff line. This time was completely different. With their scores, they could choose from any top university in the country.
As they were filling out their college applications, Shu’s father brought some new summer clothes to visit Shu Lan.
Father and daughter faced each other through the glass, Shu Lan picking up the phone on her side.
She looked thin, her cheeks sunken and her skin dull. She didn’t look at all like a girl in her teens.
Shu Zhitong’s heart ached. “How have you been lately? It’s getting hot. Are you being bullied in there?”
Shu Lan burst into tears almost instantly. “Dad, I regret it. I shouldn’t have done those things. I know I was wrong.”
She cried bitterly.
If she hadn’t listened to others and done those things, she would be going to university this year like her brother and sister. Even if she couldn’t get into a four-year program, Shu Zhitong was a good father who would have let her attend a vocational college.
The prison guard looked on impassively. Everyone who came in said they knew they were wrong. But if they were old enough to be criminally responsible, they had to face the consequences of their actions.
After filling out his application, Shu Yang asked Meng Ting, “Which school are you going to?”
“B University. You?”
“I haven’t decided yet, either B University or G University.”
“Shu Yang, can you not apply for majors like geological exploration?”
Shu Yang looked at her curiously. “Why? How did you know I was considering geological exploration?”
Meng Ting said seriously, “I just feel like it requires a lot of fieldwork and might be dangerous.”
Shu Yang said, “I don’t like that anyway.”
Meng Ting was a bit stunned.
He thought for a moment. “I want to study medicine.”
Although studying medicine was tough and took longer, it was the profession that could best help his family. He always worried about potential complications with Meng Ting’s eyes. Shu’s father had rheumatism and was in terrible pain whenever it rained, but he never complained to anyone. And Shu Lan… her health might not be good when she got out.
Shu Yang was one of the only two men in the family. Though he didn’t talk much, he was very kind-hearted.
“What about you? What major are you applying for?”
“Law.”
“Why?”
Meng Ting smiled. “I want to protect and help those in need.”
That year, China’s legal system was not yet well-developed, and studying law was an even more challenging path than medicine. But lately, she kept dreaming of the scene where Jiang Ren turned himself in.
He didn’t say a word, the tall man was calm and indifferent.
As a murderer, he showed no emotion, cursed by countless people as a beast.
Would his lawyer protect him?
After waking from these dreams, she often thought about how in her previous life, she hadn’t even considered looking at him one more time. She didn’t know what his ultimate fate had been.
In those two years, she had traveled to many places and seen many helpless people in need of assistance. Everyone knew about the law, but few relied on it, most accepting their fate resignedly.
Living this life again, she realized that people shouldn’t just accept their fate. Because humans are powerful and can change their destiny.
This should be her initial motivation for choosing to study law.
The day Meng Ting’s acceptance letter from B University arrived, Jiang Ren was in a good mood. This workaholic boss gave all his employees a day off.
However, he couldn’t afford to treat them to a meal. He couldn’t use company funds, which were all budgeted, and his accounts were empty. He was now penniless.
Gao Yi couldn’t help but tease him, “What are you thinking now? She’s going to B City, but you have to stay in H City to finish the remaining projects.”
It was just going to be a long-distance relationship.
Jiang Ren was irritated, “Stop nagging, I’m annoyed enough.”
He was indeed troubled.
His girlfriend was beautiful, well-behaved, perfect in every way. She had always been pursued by others, and at that university, surrounded by academic elites and outstanding scholars, with Meng Ting’s attractive appearance, if she wanted, she could become a femme fatale in no time.
Moreover, he knew how easily long-distance relationships could end.
Now his heart felt like it was being roasted over a fire.
Gao Yi didn’t dare to ask further. Seeing Jiang Ren’s state, he feared this boss might abandon the multi-million yuan project just to keep an eye on his girlfriend.
Gao Yi felt a strange sense of balance – it was safer if women weren’t so beautiful.
“Boss, I think a man needs his career to keep a woman. Even if they don’t say it, everyone likes someone impressive and admirable.”
Jiang Ren glanced at him. “I know what I’m doing.”
He then asked, “Gao Yi, how much money do you have? Lend me some.”
Gao Yi was puzzled. Jiang Ren had been eating plain noodles without complaining and hadn’t thought about borrowing money before. Why was he asking to borrow money now?
“I don’t have any money. I invested over two million in the project earlier, that was all my savings.”
“Just lend me some,” Jiang Ren said calmly. “I’ll pay you back tenfold by the year after next at the latest.”
Gao Yi felt like he was giving out a high-interest loan.
“I’ll ask my wife if she has any secret savings.”
Two days later, Jiang Ren received a sum of money, a total of 120,000 yuan on a thin card, which he carefully put in his pocket.
There was no other way; he was too poor, and this was all he had.
Meng Ting and Shu Yang both got into B University, and the school awarded each of them a 10,000 yuan scholarship. Both children were relieved, as their family’s current situation was still not very good. They still owed Du Dongliang seven or eight thousand yuan, and he was pressing for repayment. B City was expensive, and it was too difficult for Shu’s father to bear the university expenses for both children.
The brother and sister set off for B City to study, insisting that Shu’s father not see them off.
To save money, they bought train tickets.
The train journey would take eleven hours, in sleeper cars.
They were looking forward to the future, not worried at all. With hands and feet, and now being adults, any hardworking person wouldn’t starve.
Meng Ting had told Jiang Ren that she was going to university, so Jiang Ren waited for her at the train station.
On the bustling platform, he looked much tanner than last year.
If Shu Yang still looked like a teenager, Jiang Ren was now clearly a man with distinct features.
Shu Yang looked at Jiang Ren with displeasure. Jiang Ren didn’t seem to mind.
Jiang Ren put his hands in his pockets. “Little brother-in-law, do you want to hear me sweet talk too?”
Shu Yang’s face darkened.
If he could, he wanted to beat Jiang Ren up, but remembering how he had been beaten effortlessly by Jiang Ren before, he gritted his teeth and walked away. Out of sight, out of mind.
Meng Ting, protective of her brother, looked up at Jiang Ren. “Why do you provoke Shu Yang?”
He grinned, “You’re so protective of him, why don’t I see you caring about me?”
Her eyes curved in a smile. “You’re so fierce, who could bully you?”
“Have you no conscience, Meng Ting?”
Under the blazing September sun in the warm, almost hot H City, she stood on tiptoe and gently wiped the sweat from his forehead with her delicate fingers.
His dark eyes focused for a moment, and he grasped her hand. “Don’t, I’m all sweaty, dirty, and smelly.”
The large hand enveloping her small one was long-fingered and strong, but much rougher now.
She pulled her hand free and carefully wiped away his sweat.
“Don’t be awkward, didn’t you want me to care for you?”
Suddenly, he felt his cheeks burning.
“All right, let’s talk business,” he said, holding the hand that was making his heart race. “I can’t get away from the project, so I can’t see you off. Take good care of yourself in B City. If anything happens, go to the military compound in Linnan Alley for help. Just mention my name and they’ll understand.”
Her eyes were soft as she gently agreed.
Her sweet tone was like the warm dialect of Jiangnan, almost a murmur. Her eyes were filled with a smile.
His heart melted completely, and he pushed the card from his pocket into her hand.
“Take this to use. The password is your birthday, the last two digits of the year, plus the month and day. There’s not much money, but I’ll give you better in the future.”
Meng Ting didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Who gives people money like this, even if they’re dating? Giving her a card, what did that mean?
She remembered that joke and tried to give the card back to him. “I don’t want this. You’re not my ‘Little Father’.”
He smiled, took it back, and put it in her pocket. “Be good, take it so I can be at ease. Otherwise, don’t leave today.”
He was being unreasonably domineering.
She finally nodded, as it was almost time for her to check in with Shu Yang.
Meng Ting waved at him. In the September crowd, her smile was radiant. “Goodbye, Jiang Ren.”
He smirked.
Then Meng Ting saw him take a long stride towards her, pulling her into his arms with a roughness she hadn’t seen in a long time, and planting a fierce kiss on her fair cheek.
The sound was incredibly loud, causing many passersby to look over.
Meng Ting was stunned for a long while, her face slowly turning bright red. She covered the kissed cheek with her small hand. That scoundrel!
Then she heard the scoundrel’s voice, brooking no argument: “Meng Ting, you’re mine.”