Ran Shuyu couldn’t understand why Xia Xiulan was so unfavorable towards Xia Ziyu.
Generally, relatives help and support each other. Both sisters had been admitted to university, proving that the Xia family wasn’t unintelligent—at least they were good at studying.
But even in studies, there were differences. Xia Xiulan was stronger than Xia Ziyu.
Ran Shuyu wondered if Xia Ziyu was jealous of her cousin, which caused their relationship to become so tense. After all, Ran Shuyu didn’t believe a single word of Xia Ziyu’s explanation from that night after the social gathering!
How could it make sense that Xia Xiulan resented everyone in the Xia family just because her parents divorced and she left with her mother?
Xia Ziyu claimed it was because the Xia family elders favored her, causing Xia Xiulan to misunderstand and harbor resentment… Ran Shuyu couldn’t comprehend it. The Xia family must have straw for brains—between the two girls, Xia Xiulan had a brighter future.
When she asked Wang Jianhua about it, he hemmed and hawed, which confirmed to Ran Shuyu that Xia Ziyu wasn’t telling the truth.
The reason for their feud wasn’t important. What mattered was that the cousins didn’t get along. At this point, Ran Shuyu was in a foul mood and wanted to use Xia Xiulan’s achievements to needle Xia Ziyu.
Wang Guangping originally wouldn’t have paid attention to a university student.
The National College English Competition was certainly under the Higher Education Department’s purview, though Wang Guangping wasn’t directly in charge.
After hearing Ran Shuyu’s words, Wang Guangping felt quite unsettled.
Somehow, he was destined to be connected to the Zhou family. In a country as vast as China, both Zhou Cheng and Wang Jianhua had found partners from Yunan Province, both girls surnamed Xia, and they were even cousins.
Comparing the two Xia cousins, Xia Xiulan was more outstanding.
When Wang Guangping heard she studied at Huaqing University and had achieved the third-highest score in the national college entrance examination, he knew this girl was brilliant. Beautiful and intelligent—no wonder the Zhou family had readily accepted Xia Xiulan.
The worst thing is comparing people to each other. Wang Guangping was already dissatisfied with Xia Ziyu, and now he even questioned his son’s judgment.
They had both chosen girls from the same family while working as a sent-down youth in Dahe Village. Why did Jianhua choose Xia Ziyu when there was someone superior and prettier? Perhaps his son Jianhua was too honest and had been actively pursued by Xia Ziyu!
This time, Wang Guangping happened to see the finalist list, which included a “Xia Xiulan” from Huaqing University, noted as a freshman student. That had to be Xia Ziyu’s cousin. When Wang Guangping told Ran Shuyu about it, she remembered how at the social gathering, Guan Huie had brought Xia Xiulan, and everywhere they went, there was nothing but praise. Ran Shuyu became increasingly dissatisfied with Xia Ziyu.
Yet Xia Ziyu remained oblivious, even actively rushing toward the volcano’s mouth. Ran Shuyu had to provoke her—it wouldn’t do justice to her pent-up frustration otherwise.
Ran Shuyu didn’t realize that her words would hurt not only Xia Ziyu but also her son Wang Jianhua.
“Xia Xiulan, English competition?”
How could Xia Xiulan know any English?
With Xia Xiulan’s personality, if she could speak English, wouldn’t she have shown off in front of Wang Jianhua?
He had indeed never heard Xia Xiulan speak English.
Wang Jianhua wondered what had gone wrong with the world. In less than two years, Xia Xiulan had changed so much. Was Huaqing University that much better than ordinary universities, capable of transforming Xia Xiulan completely? No, Xia Xiulan’s transformation had already happened when she got admitted to Huaqing.
Ran Shuyu snorted coldly, “Your father saw the list with his own eyes, there’s no mistake. It’s definitely Xia Xiulan. Your Aunt Guan is truly blessed, Zhou Cheng found her a daughter-in-law who brings honor to the family. Your father said those who place in the English competition will be sent abroad as exchange students by the Ministry of Education!”
Studying abroad was very prestigious.
Without corruption or graft, even a Deputy Director like Wang Guangping couldn’t afford to send Wang Jianhua abroad at his own expense.
Beijing Normal University certainly had government-funded overseas spots, but these were allocated by the school, and Beijing Normal wouldn’t have as many as Huaqing! If Wang Jianhua could place in the English competition, Wang Guangping could ensure he could study abroad easily.
Studying abroad was another shortcut. After two years of foreign study, one would return as foreign-trained talent, with different job prospects and status levels!
There was envy in Ran Shuyu’s tone.
Wang Jianhua’s English wasn’t very good. He had studied Russian as a child, not knowing that Russian would later become less important, replaced by English. English only began to be valued after China and America established formal diplomatic relations. Within two years, Wang Guangping and Ran Shuyu were sent to labor camps for reform, leaving no time to care about Wang Jianhua’s studies.
Having missed the best opportunity, Wang Jianhua was now in his twenties, too old, with too many distractions. Learning a foreign language now would require twice the effort compared to learning as a teenager. Obviously, after entering Beijing Normal University, maintaining top grades was already commendable, especially while running errands for Wang Guangping—where would he find time to master English!
Xia Ziyu felt numb.
Last time at the social gathering, Xia Xiulan’s appearance as the Zhou family’s future daughter-in-law had left Xia Ziyu defenseless against the blow.
Xia Ziyu had always thought herself superior to Xia Xiulan, winning through her foresight.
She had pursued Wang Jianhua, a cadre’s son when the Wang family was in difficulties.
After Wang Guangping was reinstated, Wang Jianhua indeed transformed from a sent-down youth back into a cadre’s son.
If not for their shared hardships, the Xia and Wang families were worlds apart—how could she and Wang Jianhua have ended up together!
Securing Wang Jianhua was more important to Xia Ziyu than getting into university. University admission meant she and Wang Jianhua could have a future. However, their truly beautiful future depended on Wang Jianhua’s future success—how could she not be triumphant about snatching Wang Jianhua from Xia Xiulan!
Yet Xia Xiulan had done better—she got into a better university.
Then she found a partner from an even better family than Wang Jianhua.
The Zhou family protected Xia Xiulan so well, unlike Xia Ziyu, who struggled at every step in the Wang family.
Ran Shuyu brought this up with malicious intent. Looking at the old bed sheets, Xia Ziyu knew it was Ran Shuyu’s subtle way of putting her in her place.
“Auntie, you don’t need to envy Aunt Guan. Though I may not study as well as my cousin, at least I’m pure and innocent in my relationship with Jianhua.”
Ran Shuyu was puzzled—what did Xia Ziyu mean? Was she implying that Xia Xiulan had an improper relationship with Zhou Cheng before they got together?
Ran Shuyu’s heart itched like it was being scratched by cat claws, desperately curious. But Xia Ziyu deliberately left her hanging, saying nothing more. Ran Shuyu turned to look at her son, and Wang Jianhua’s eyes also showed a hint of evasiveness.
He and Xia Xiulan truly hadn’t had any improper relationship—they hadn’t reached that stage.
But whether Xia Xiulan had been involved with others, Wang Jianhua wasn’t certain. From what he knew, there had been Zhang Erlai, that rich student from Huaqing, and then Zhou Cheng.
Wang Jianhua sometimes couldn’t help but wonder if Zhang Erlai had taken advantage of Xia Xiulan. Otherwise, why would she have become so emotionally distraught last summer during the rumors, to the point of attempting suicide?
Wang Jianhua hadn’t witnessed it personally, but after hearing about it from Xia Ziyu, he had felt quite sympathetic toward Xia Xiulan for a while.