“Yunan Province college entrance exam champion, Xia Xiaolan, 19 years old, graduated from Fengxian City Anqing County First High School, from Qijing Village in Anqing County…”

That’s how the television introduced her. For Village Chief Chen, the key point was obvious: from Qijing Village!

Chen Wangda’s face bore a strange radiance as the black and white television was moved to the courtyard, where villagers of all ages gathered to watch.

After the evening news came the “College Entrance Exam Champion” interview. Despite the small screen, there was no mistaking Xia Xiaolan’s face. Many villagers felt quite conflicted, remembering how this incarnation of the God of Literature had once collected eggs in the village for mere pennies!

After the interview, while many were still processing what they’d seen, Chen Wangda waved his hand decisively:

“I know some of you have been making sour comments behind our backs, saying that Ah Fen married out of the village, saying Xiaolan doesn’t count as one of us, saying the village was wrong to allocate them land for a house… Now, if anyone still has objections, step forward and say it in front of everyone!”

Chen Wangda’s gaze carried authority as it swept across the villagers in the courtyard – who would dare oppose?

Having a college student from the village was already remarkable, but a provincial champion? Only someone with brain damage would want to drive such a person away!

Yes, yes, that Dahe Village must have brain damage, gifting a college entrance exam champion to Qijing Village.

And the Xia family – how could they reject such a wonderful daughter?

So what if Ah Fen didn’t give the Xia family a son? The daughter she bore was worth more than ten sons combined.

The second son missing, the eldest son unfilial and split from the family – Old Lady Xia’s life wasn’t going smoothly.

Not that her living standards had declined – she was still extremely stingy with money. Even though Zhang Cui provided living expenses after the family split, Old Lady Xia was too miserly to spend it. The Xia family table always had shredded pickled vegetables, sweet potato porridge, and steamed buns made from wheat flour mixed with corn flour. Vegetables were always home-grown turnips and cabbage that cost nothing. Zhang Cui had converted the monthly five jin of oil into money, but once that money entered Old Lady Xia’s pocket, it would never come out again.

Stir-frying used too much oil, so turnips and cabbage were always boiled in water.

Originally, such meals weren’t a problem – that’s how they’d always eaten. But after helping at “Zhang’s” for several months, Xia Hongxia had gained weight. After tasting good food, she didn’t want to eat poorly anymore. The weight she’d gained in the county was lost after a few months back in the village.

The Xia family never cared about college entrance exams. When they learned Xia Xiaolan would take it, who took it seriously?

Only Xia Hongxia, whose life goal was to compare herself to and compete with Xia Xiaolan, naturally paid attention to Xia Xiaolan’s situation.

How well could Xia Xiaolan do in the exam?

Bah, she must have cheated – how could she get into university like Sister Ziyu?

Wang Jingui said Xia Ziyu wasn’t good – if she were truly filial, she wouldn’t have agreed to Zhang Cui and Xia Changzheng splitting from the family. She was just another white-eyed wolf they couldn’t count on. Xia Hongxia refused to believe it – Sister Ziyu had always been good to her, how could it be fake? Besides, regarding the family split, Sister Ziyu was far away in Beijing and couldn’t make decisions for her elders!

Anyway, Xia Hongxia believed that whatever Xia Ziyu deserved, Xia Xiaolan didn’t.

Like a boyfriend like Wang Jianhua.

Like becoming a university student.

Xia Xiaolan didn’t deserve these things!

On July 16th, as usual, many people sat with their rice bowls in the courtyard of villagers who owned televisions. They weren’t interested in the Evening News, but after it ended, the provincial station would show TV dramas. Recently they were broadcasting “Hero Huo Yuanjia,” which everyone loved and watched daily without missing an episode. The Xia family didn’t have a television, so they’d eat early and bring their stools to others’ courtyards.

But today, the first program after the Evening News wasn’t “Hero Huo Yuanjia,” but rather coverage of this year’s college entrance exam.

The admission score thresholds, Yunan Province’s exam situation.

“Old Xia’s Ziyu has been in university for a year now, time flies. Isn’t the college student coming back this year?”

Students all had summer vacation, yet there was no sign of Xia Ziyu returning to the village. Had Xia Changzheng’s family completely abandoned their brother and mother? Facing the villagers’ questioning looks, Old Lady Xia refused to lose face, shouting vigorously: “Ziyu studies at a Beijing university, and universities have their differences – how can good universities be compared to inferior ones? If Ziyu doesn’t return for a break, it’s for her studies. After graduation, she’ll be a government official…”

Old Lady Xia wasn’t wrong – even Wang Jianhua wasn’t considered a villager anymore, but Xia Ziyu was.

Village chiefs had authority, let alone higher government officials. Despite all the Xia family’s scandals, having the successful Xia Ziyu meant Old Lady Xia could still walk proudly through the village. The courtyard filled with flattering words, and Old Lady Xia basked in the praise. Her favoritism toward her eldest granddaughter had a reason – family split or not, as long as Xia Ziyu was her granddaughter, she would always be superior to others.

Suddenly the TV scene changed, and the female host’s voice became emotional:

“Now, let us introduce this year’s provincial college entrance exam champion, with 616 points in science, Xia Xiaolan. She is 19 years old, graduated from Fengxian City Anqing County First High School, from Qijing Village in Anqing County…”

The flattery ceased as Dahe Village residents stared at the television in shock.

Having the same name was possible, but this was a video interview showing Xia Xiaolan herself – there could be no mistake.

Collective silence fell; some couldn’t even hold their rice bowls steady.

The Xia family’s “loose woman,” Xia Xiaolan who had been driven from the village, was this year’s Yunan Province college entrance exam champion.

Old Lady Xia was right – universities weren’t all the same. In the interview, when reporters asked which school the provincial champion would attend, Xia Xiaolan’s voice came clearly through the television screen:

“Huaqing University, I quite like it there.”

“With 616 points, universities across the nation are waiting for Student Xia to choose…”

The flattery of peasants and provincial TV reporters carried an entirely different weight. Just moments ago, villagers had praised Old Lady Xia, speaking of how excellent Xia Ziyu was. Now the provincial reporter was praising Xia Xiaolan, telling the entire province that she was the most excellent!

Everyone silently watched Old Lady Xia, whose eyes had turned bloodshot. After repeatedly confirming that the person on TV was indeed the Xia Xiaolan she had driven from home, Old Lady Xia’s eyelids fluttered, and she fell straight backward, knocking over several stools, causing chaos at the scene.

Xia Hongxia was completely speechless.

…It wasn’t that Xia Xiaolan didn’t deserve university – ordinary universities didn’t deserve Xia Xiaolan, the provincial champion!

The village chief stared at the television as if trying to bore a hole through it. “Qijing Village’s provincial champion, Qijing Village… nonsense, the provincial champion is from our Dahe Village… from Dahe Village!”

She should have been from Dahe Village.

The Xia family should have produced two phoenixes, but like madmen, they had elevated Xia Ziyu to the heavens while driving away the true golden phoenix, Xia Xiaolan.

The villagers were watching the spectacle, fanning the flames, pointing fingers, and adding fuel to the fire.

The village chief hadn’t helped in the wrongdoing, but at the crucial moment, he hadn’t taken a just stance either and hadn’t spoken up for the expelled Liu Fen and Xia Xiaolan. Having the ability but not acting was sometimes equivalent to “doing evil.” Compared to the provincial champion, Xia Ziyu – this supposed phoenix – now seemed like a mere chicken.

Wasn’t this how old operas always played out? The champion becomes a high official, returns home in glory, builds bridges and roads, blessing the hometown.

How high an official could a champion become? What Qijing Village – this champion should have belonged to Dahe Village!