Xia Xiaolan showed great resolve by moving directly to the provincial capital.

Before leaving, she got several introduction letters from Chen Wangda to facilitate her trips to Yang City. Xia Xiaolan’s swift move caught Chen’s wife off guard: “How could they just move away? I never heard of Liu’s relatives, and Liu Yong’s sister who married in the neighboring county hasn’t contacted the Liu family in ages. Where could Xia Xiaolan and Liu Fen be staying?”

Elder Chen wasn’t particularly concerned since Xia Xiaolan was methodical and had cleared the move with Chen Wangda.

If his father had no objections, Elder Chen certainly didn’t: “Why meddle so much? How far could they go? Their household registration is still in the village.”

While people like Liu Yong who left to work elsewhere were still uncommon, they weren’t unheard of. If Chen Wangda couldn’t restrict villagers’ movements, Elder Chen felt his wife was being too nosy.

Chen’s wife muttered, “Could they be unsatisfied because their land hasn’t been allocated yet?”

She suspected Xia Xiaolan had found a partner and moved in with him, taking Liu Fen along. But thinking carefully, this seemed unlikely – who would be generous enough to take in their mother-in-law too?

While Chen’s wife pondered Xia Xiaolan’s movements, at the Xia household, Zhang Cui and Xia Changzheng couldn’t accept the news they’d heard.

Xia Xiaolan had transferred to County First High School and planned to take next year’s college entrance exam – not through some man’s connections, but bypassing the school’s transfer examination… How was this possible?!

Only those blessed by the God of Literature could enter university. If such a blessing came to the Xia family, it should have been through Zhang Cui’s womb – she alone was worthy of bearing a university-educated daughter. What was Liu Fen? A woman who couldn’t even bear a son. Zhang Cui had always looked down on her, and now found it laughable that Xia Xiaolan wanted to attend university!

Beyond ridicule, she felt fear.

“Husband, what if that worthless girl gets into university?”

What kind of person was Xia Xiaolan? If she were capable of studying, she wouldn’t have quit after middle school. The old Xia Xiaolan had been an empty-headed fool. Zhang Cui suspected Wang Jianhua had tutored Xia Xiaolan during their relationship.

Wang Jianhua was her future son-in-law. Ziyu said he had great prospects, and Zhang Cui was proud her daughter had secured such a catch.

But Wang Jianhua had been involved with Xia Xiaolan, and Zhang Cui feared they might rekindle their relationship.

Why did Xia Xiaolan suddenly want to attend university?

Could Wang Jianhua in Beijing have contacted her?

Even with Ziyu, was he still thinking about that loose woman Xia Xiaolan…

Xia Changzheng was also troubled.

“Don’t tell Ziyu about this. That worthless girl mustn’t rise – she hates our family!”

Their methods against Xia Xiaolan had been unsavory, but so what? The Xia family was poor and could only support one university student. Their daughter Xia Ziyu showed promise, so the family should focus all resources on her. If Xia Xiaolan hadn’t misbehaved, they wouldn’t have found an opportunity to exploit!

If she had died hitting that wall, everything would have been settled.

But she survived, and after waking up, gradually disrupted their plans.

Under the same roof, they could manipulate the worthless girl at will, but Liu Fen boldly divorced and took Xia Xiaolan far away.

Now neither Xia Changzheng nor Zhang Cui could legitimately act against Xia Xiaolan anymore.

Xia Xiaolan’s wanting to attend university was unacceptable. Though she might not succeed, they couldn’t risk it. Zhang Cui abandoned her plans to send Xia Hongxia back to Great River Village, keeping her around to cause trouble for Xia Xiaolan if needed.

Meanwhile, she urged Xia Changzheng to find ways to revoke Xia Xiaolan’s transfer status at First High School.

What would it take for the school to expel a student?

Zhang Cui complained about Xia Changzheng’s incompetence, “After Ziyu went to study in Beijing, why haven’t you maintained connections with Principal Sun?”

Xia Ziyu knew Principal Sun of County First High School, who liked the hardworking student. Knowing she was from a rural family that favored boys over girls, supported by her mother Zhang Cui’s food stall, Principal Sun had helped secure Zhang Cui’s prime location near the school gates.

After Xia Ziyu entered university in Beijing, local connections fell to Xia Changzheng and Zhang Cui.

But barely educated Xia Changzheng, who could only lord over his younger brothers at home, had no standing outside. Asked to socialize with educated Principal Sun, he couldn’t find topics for conversation and felt inferior.

He preferred associating with street vendors who flattered him, and meat processing plant workers who provided cheap meat and offal over drinks, giving him a sense of importance.

But now he couldn’t ignore Principal Sun anymore – couldn’t a principal’s word easily expel a bad student?

Xia Changzheng decided to cultivate a relationship with Principal Sun.

While Xia Xiaolan happily moved to the commercial district, Xia Changzheng carried a pig’s hind leg to Principal Sun’s home after dark.

“Principal, Ziyu wrote saying she misses you and asked me to visit on her behalf.”

Only months after Xia Ziyu’s undergraduate admission, Principal Sun remembered her well. As an educator, having successful former students remember him proved his influence, pleasing him.

“You’re Ziyu’s father? Come in and tell me how she’s doing.”

Principal Sun refused the pig leg, but Xia Changzheng insisted, “We rural folk have little to offer. This is from our pig, not bought. I’d feel awful if you didn’t accept!”

Xia Changzheng’s appearance was deceptive – he looked like an honest farmer.

Principal Sun sighed and accepted the leg. They discussed Ziyu’s situation briefly. Xia Changzheng wasn’t foolish enough to mention Xia Xiaolan on his first visit and declined dinner citing business at the shop.

Principal Sun personally preferred elegant gifts like quality notebooks, pens, and rare books. Even the simplest person knew to give cigarettes or alcohol. Pig legs were truly rural student family gifts… He had no intention of accepting chickens, ducks, or eggs from struggling rural students.

“Could their business be in trouble? Check on them sometimes,” Principal Sun told his wife.

Compared to inedible books, the principal’s wife found the pig leg practical.

“What trouble could they have? Zhang’s food shop does incredibly well – they make your monthly salary in a day.”

What was a county key high school principal anyway?

Earning less than a street food vendor.

Of course, the principal’s wife wouldn’t want to be a food stall owner. During the Cultural Revolution, intellectuals like Principal Sun were despised, but years after the college entrance exam’s restoration, as head of the county’s key high school, though not wealthy, the Sun family commanded respect.

When things needed doing, the principal’s wife’s word got results.

Individual businesses?

Living day to day, often needing favors like today.

But why had the Xia family suddenly come asking for help? The principal’s wife decided to follow her husband’s suggestion and investigate when she had the chance.