“Mom!”

Xia Dajun objected, now full of curiosity about what Xia Ziyu had said. That girl Xiaolan could study at County No. 1? Hadn’t she always gotten headaches just looking at books, which was why she stopped after middle school? Back then, the family was preparing to support Xia Ziyu through university. Xia Ziyu studied at No. 1, and Zhang Cui went to the county town to take care of her.

The living and food expenses for mother and daughter had to come from the family.

Add to that Xia Ziyu’s brother, Xia Hongxia’s two brothers – these boys were all still young, couldn’t do much work, and all needed schooling. Schooling requires money. If they’d thoughtlessly let Xia Xiaolan and Xia Hongxia continue their studies, the younger ones would probably have had to drop out.

Fortunately, Xia Xiaolan and Xia Hongxia weren’t cut out for studying, so the Xia family didn’t have to face that dilemma.

Seeing Second Uncle eagerly waiting for her explanation, Xia Ziyu thought that after all, she was his daughter – Xia Xiaolan couldn’t mean anything to Second Uncle. She didn’t play coy but didn’t give too many details either, only saying that Xia Xiaolan was now studying at County No. 1 and wanted to attend university.

Grandmother Xia snorted in derision.

This was the first time Wang Jianhua had heard this news.

Xia Dajun couldn’t hide his thoughts, and everyone could see his excitement. Xia Hongbing felt bitter – among the three brothers in the family, the eldest daughter had gotten into university, the second daughter wanted to attend university, only his daughter was lazy and gluttonous.

Hoping for Xia Hongxia to get into university?

You might as well hope for pigs to climb trees!

Xia Hongbing knew more details than what Xia Ziyu had said. Xia Hongxia wasn’t stupid; she knew who truly cared for her in the family. Xia Xiaolan wasn’t just attending County No. 1 – she would take the college entrance exam in July after the New Year, and in this final exam she had ranked second in her grade with over 500 points! Even Xia Hongxia knew these key details, yet Xia Ziyu deliberately spoke vaguely. Xia Hongbing realized his grand-niece had quite a few schemes of her own.

The scheming Xia Ziyu spoke very sincerely:

“Second Uncle, if you and Second Aunt could reconcile, Xiaolan could focus on her studies. When Xiaolan gets into university in the future, how could the family not support her? That side is just Uncle’s family – living under someone else’s roof, how can she have the peace of mind to study properly?”

Xia Dajun was already moved by his niece’s words.

The conflict between him and Liu Fen shouldn’t affect Xia Xiaolan’s future, right?

Though this daughter had thoroughly embarrassed him, if she could get into university, past grievances could be wiped clean. Even the most gossipy women would only envy and compliment him, Xia Dajun, and wouldn’t dare say much about Xia Xiaolan’s past behavior!

“But Xiaolan’s uncle’s side will surely cause trouble.”

Liu Yong’s attitude was clear – Xia Dajun blamed Liu Yong’s instigation for Liu Fen’s asking for a divorce.

Xia Ziyu thought for a moment, “Why don’t I arrange a meeting between you and Second Aunt in the name of County No. 1’s principal? With Principal Sun as a witness, couldn’t you two reconcile?”

Xia Dajun was both surprised and delighted, stuttering:

“The principal of County No. 1? Would such a high-ranking leader be willing to meet me?”

Xia Ziyu didn’t make any firm promises, just said she would try, planning to take Xia Dajun to pay New Year’s respects to Principal Sun on the second day of the New Year.

Zhang Cui and Xia Changzheng couldn’t understand their daughter’s maneuver, and Grandmother Xia was also unhappy.

Wang Jianhua said Xia Ziyu was too kind, while Xia Hongbing privately taught Xia Hongxia: “Don’t oppose Xiaolan anymore. If she gets into university, that’s one more person who could help you in the future. Why be so stubborn about fighting with her?”

Xia Hongxia wouldn’t accept this, saying Xia Xiaolan must have cheated on the exams – no way she could get into university!

Xia Hongbing initially wanted to scold her but then thought, that if Liu Fen remarried Xia Dajun and that girl Xiaolan came back to live at home, whether she could get into university would become questionable. He wasn’t a fool like his second brother, being played like an idiot by the eldest brother’s family.

He wanted to tell Xia Hongxia not to be so stupid, and to stop following Xia Ziyu around all day, but felt Xia Hongxia couldn’t hide her thoughts – it would be troublesome if Xia Ziyu saw through them.

The few hundred yuan Second Brother earned had been taken by Grandmother again, surely to be given to Xia Ziyu.

They were all Xia family members – was the eldest branch the only one who could spend money? Were the others all idiots?

Xia Hongbing was now very dissatisfied with his eldest brother’s family. When Xia Hongxia came back to talk about the snack shop, he guessed the shop must belong to his eldest brother and sister-in-law, with Ziyu’s uncle and aunt just being a front. Making dozens of yuan daily, and several hundred yuan monthly income from the snack shop, yet they came home crying poverty, making everyone contribute money to support Xia Ziyu through university!

Wang Jingui grumbled in their room. She also felt the eldest branch was crafty but didn’t dare confront them, hoping to gain some benefits – Xia Hongxia helped at the snack shop, and besides room and board, Zhang Cui made her new clothes before the New Year and gave her 50-yuan red envelope as wages.

Wang Jingui thought it too little. From the end of the busy farming season until returning home on the twenty-ninth day of the last lunar month, how long had she worked? Yet she only got 50 yuan in wages. How much could Xia Hongxia’s new clothes be worth? The cotton jacket used at most seven chi of fabric, stuffed with no more than two jin of cotton and counting the pants and shoes, it couldn’t exceed 50 yuan total.

Xia Hongxia was easily pleased by money, and delighted to receive both money and clothes.

But Wang Jingui said Zhang Cui and her husband were stingy – earning so much money monthly, would it kill them to give their niece a bit more?

“They’re just miserly. Our Hongxia worked so hard, serving people in their shop for months, she’s gotten thin from exhaustion…”

Wang Jingui was lying through her teeth – Xia Hongxia hadn’t gotten thin, she’d gained weight.

Xia Hongbing jumped up from the kang bed, “You talk too much. I’m going to check if Mother’s room is warm enough with the charcoal brazier.”

Before Wang Jingui could react, Xia Hongbing had run out.

“Just showing off how filial you are!”

Was the charcoal brazier warm enough?

In this big family, the eldest didn’t care, the second was silent, and you, the youngest, were quite enthusiastic about it.

This showed how the couple lacked understanding – Xia Hongbing’s concern about his mother’s warmth was secondary; his main purpose was to get money from the old lady. But he had gone too late – the 400 yuan Xia Dajun had handed over had already been given by Grandmother Xia to her eldest granddaughter.

“Ziyu needs to meet her future in-laws – doesn’t she need money for the trip? She needs to bring gifts too. Jianhua brought so many things to our family, we can’t let the Wang family look down on Ziyu!”

Grandmother Xia was righteously biased. Xia Hongbing could only persist, saying the family couldn’t even afford New Year’s visiting gifts, and complained to Grandmother Xia:

“You made me stay when Second Brother wanted to go out for work. Stuck in the village for months, how could I have any money?”

Not only had he not earned money in those months, but being too idle, Xia Hongbing had become addicted to playing cards with village loafers. Being unskilled, he had accumulated several hundred yuan in gambling debts. If he didn’t get some money to appease his creditors, he wouldn’t have a peaceful New Year.

Grandmother Xia couldn’t resist him and finally took out her private savings to give Xia Hongbing 100 yuan.

After getting the money, Xia Hongbing became sweet-tongued:

“Mom, go to bed early, don’t catch a cold at night!”

Grandmother Xia clutched her chest – having just given away 100 yuan, she was too heartbroken to sleep.

Moreover, Xia Ziyu insisted on bringing back that loose woman Xia Xiaolan. Grandmother Xia couldn’t show too much opposition in front of Wang Jianhua, but she was so worried she couldn’t sleep. She and that little tramp Xia Xiaolan must have conflicting zodiac signs – just seeing her was irritating.

Liu Fen was also a useless daughter-in-law who only knew how to please her mother-in-law after things went wrong – Grandmother Xia disliked this daughter-in-law the most.

Finally having driven out two annoying people, now they wanted to bring them back. Even if Xia Xiaolan got into university, would she show any respect to her grandmother?

That little tramp held grudges!

Only her sweet granddaughter Ziyu was reliable. How she treated Ziyu, Ziyu would surely repay with filial piety in the future.

That child Ziyu had countless virtues, with only one flaw – she was too kind!