Chapter 33: School Begins

After a period of intense studying, Yu Zihan had reviewed all the subjects she had learned in junior high school.

She not only mastered all the basic knowledge but also memorized some advanced topics that were required for her exams.

With these advanced topics under her belt, she felt confident about getting into her current high school. After all, Qingcheng No. 1 High School was the best in the city and a renowned institution in the entire province.

While studying here didn’t guarantee her admission to the prestigious University of the Capital, it did ensure she would be able to get into a top-tier university.

Yu Zihan believed that with her hard work and the help of the learning system in her space, she would definitely be able to get into the University of the Capital.

It wasn’t just her dream but also her mother’s hope, and she was determined to work hard for it.

One day, as she was studying, she overheard voices in the yard. Ever since the incident with Old Sun, she had become more alert and paid close attention to any visitors to the house.

“Thanks to your reminder, not only have we reduced our losses, but we’ve also gotten to know the real client.

So our order not only didn’t get lost, but it even increased. I think the reason they increased the quantity is partly because they saw our sincerity, and more importantly, they recognized our professionalism from this incident.

They’ve said that if we satisfy this order, there’s potential for long-term cooperation in the future. I know this is all thanks to Comrade Yu. But since this matter isn’t something to discuss openly at the factory, I had to thank you privately.”

Yu Zihan recognized the voice immediately—it was Uncle Zhou’s.

She quickly rushed to the center of the yard.

“Uncle Zhou is here! Please come in, it’s so cold out here.” Yu Zihan knew her mother’s intentions. A woman receiving a man at home could be misinterpreted by others, so rather than have Uncle Zhou enter their room, she preferred to have him stand outside in the cold. Of course, Uncle Zhou likely understood, as a single woman often faces unnecessary gossip.

Both of them sighed with relief upon hearing Yu Zihan’s words. It was chilly, and the cold wind in the yard had nearly frozen them after talking for so long.

Once they entered the living room, Yu Meijuan quickly poured hot tea for the three of them.

Uncle Zhou eagerly drank a cup of hot tea before speaking. “This contract was introduced by our Deputy Director Cui Mingtao. After investigating, we found that he was also deceived.”

“Cui Mingtao?” Upon hearing this name, Yu Zihan’s heart skipped a beat. Wasn’t this the man who later replaced Uncle Zhou as the factory director?

She knew of him from her previous life, when she had escaped from the mountains and worked as a nanny at Cui Mingtao’s house. Though she had never intended to eavesdrop, living under the same roof meant that she overheard some of the family’s conversations. The most memorable part was hearing about the grudge between Cui Mingtao and Uncle Zhou. She had learned this through their private talks. Now, hearing Uncle Zhou mention this person, she was reminded of many things. Cui Mingtao was a true opportunist, and Yu Zihan even suspected that the warehouse fire that led to Uncle Zhou’s downfall was possibly orchestrated by him.

But as far as she knew, that fire wouldn’t happen until two years later. Yu Zihan was thinking about how to subtly remind Uncle Zhou of this.

“Zihan knows Cui Mingtao?” Uncle Zhou, hearing Yu Zihan’s sudden exclamation, asked in confusion.

Yu Zihan, not having thought of a response in time, couldn’t exactly say she not only knew that person but also knew a lot about him.

“Oh, I don’t know the Cui Mingtao that Uncle Zhou is talking about, but there is a boy in my school named Cui Mingtao, and when I heard the name, I thought you were talking about him.”

She smoothly fabricated an explanation. She was confident that Uncle Zhou wouldn’t go as far as asking her daughter to verify the identity of someone with the same name. Even if he asked Zhou Mengrui, she wouldn’t have heard of many people in their school, so it would be hard to confirm.

“Ah, I thought you knew Old Cui,” Uncle Zhou said, realizing he had misunderstood, and dropped the topic. He then continued to talk with Yu Meijuan about their orders.

“I’ll go to work tomorrow then, it’s just in time since Zihan and the others are starting school tomorrow,” Yu Meijuan and Uncle Zhou finalized her starting time, and he left contentedly.

“Mom, be careful when you see that Director Cui at the factory. He’s not a good person,” Yu Zihan warned her mother.

“What’s going on now? I knew something was off when I heard you shout his name,” Yu Meijuan shot a look at her daughter.

“I used to work as a nanny at his house in my previous life and overheard a lot of his despicable actions. He’s a total scoundrel.”

Though Yu Zihan spoke casually about it, hearing this from her daughter struck Yu Meijuan like a thunderclap. Her daughter had ended up working as a nanny, especially in a household like that? Seeing the man’s character, she could only imagine how much hardship her daughter must’ve endured.

“I understand. I’ve met him once and could already tell he’s not a good person, so I won’t bother with him.”

Yu Meijuan quietly reminded herself to focus on her embroidery and earnings at the factory, not getting involved with any of those people.

The next day, they left the house together but headed in different directions. They were both working hard, striving for a better future.

When Yu Zihan entered the classroom, she saw Zhou Mengrui grinning at her. She winked and sat down at her seat.

The classmates were all chattering excitedly, catching up after the holiday break, each with plenty to talk about.

Just then, the bell rang for class, and the teacher entered, looking serious. “Class, we don’t have much review time left. You need to focus all your energy on studying. It’s tough now, but if you work hard, you’ll get into a good high school and eventually a good university. Don’t waste time, everyone.”

The students, who had been laughing and chatting, all grew serious upon hearing the teacher’s words.

A seasoned teacher knew when to pull back, so after giving the students a reality check, he started the lesson. The students listened attentively, and the teacher smirked inwardly, thinking, “Little brats, I still have ways to deal with you.”

Yu Zihan quickly shifted into study mode, but Zhou Mengrui seemed to be daydreaming. She was never a model student, and not paying attention was her usual behavior.

A casual glance from Yu Zihan noticed Mengrui swaying around, distracted. She couldn’t help but think about Mengrui’s situation in her previous life.

After her father was forced to step down, they had moved away, and Yu Zihan never saw Mengrui again.

This time, however, she was determined to remind Uncle Zhou when necessary, so that he wouldn’t repeat the same mistakes. That way, Mengrui could stay safe and study here.

What she needed to do now was to motivate Mengrui to study. With her sharp mind, Mengrui could succeed if she focused—if she couldn’t get into this high school, other schools were an option. At least, if she made it to high school, she could still work toward a regular university or even a college.