Chapter 18

The girl who approached wore a lovely white shirt and had a high ponytail. She smiled brightly and said, “Jiaojiao, you came to find me. I just went for a walk and got lost.”

Now that Tian Jiao had her memories back, she clearly remembered that the heroine often got lost in unfamiliar places. But if she had walked somewhere twice, she wouldn’t get lost.

Tian Jiao looked at the young boy behind Zhang Yanran. He had handsome, gentle eyes and seemed to be smiling at them. She didn’t know who he was looking at. She smiled back and said, “Well, it’s time to eat. Let’s go back quickly.”

Zhang Yanran nodded, took her hand, and they walked together.

Tian Jiao looked back, and the young boy took a step forward. But when he saw her turn around, his eyes dimmed, and he stopped.

Zhang Yanran noticed this, turned back, and asked with a smile, “Jiaojiao, do you know him? He doesn’t seem like he’s from here.”

They looked fair and clean, like city kids. It’s not that countryside kids were bad; they just usually had darker skin from playing outside.

Tian Jiao nodded, “He is from the village, his name is Xiao He, and he is a year older than me.”

Zhang Yanran said “oh” without caring and smiled, “I’m two years older than you.”

Tian Jiao laughed too. This female protagonist was easy to get along with. But about Xiao He…

As she was thinking, she heard an aunt pass by, who smiled and said, “Jiaojiao is playing with her sister.”

“Hello, Auntie.” Tian Jiao smiled sweetly. “Yes, I’m going back to eat now.”

Zhang Yanran felt a bit uncomfortable with the aunt’s direct gaze. She had never experienced such a look before, so she just smiled shyly.

The aunt looked at them and sighed, “As expected of city kids, they all look good.”

The aunt said a few words before leaving, but she took a handful of green dates from her basket and said, “I just picked these. Come, have some.”

“Thank you, Auntie.” Tian Jiao accepted without hesitation. The aunt grabbed another handful for Zhang Yanran. The two girls returned with a handful of green dates.

If she accepted something from others, Tian Dao would make sure to return the favor, so they wouldn’t be at a loss.

***

When they returned to Old Zhang’s house, the chatter inside was lively. The house hadn’t been so noisy for a long time, except when Zhang Fang and Zhai Goudan visited now and then.

Xu Qiu asked, “Where is Jiaojiao’s mother? I don’t think I’ve ever seen her.”

Everyone fell silent for a moment, and she quickly added, “I’m sorry if it’s a sensitive topic. I was just curious.”

Li Mizhen and Zhang Dagen exchanged looks with Zhang Rui.

Zhang Rui replied calmly, “Jiaojiao is not my biological daughter, and I don’t know her mother either. But she is my child now.”

Xu Qiu sighed in relief, but still had an awkward smile. She moved aside and saw Tian Jiao and Zhang Yanran enter. She quickly said, “You’re back. Wash your hands and eat. I’ll wait for you.”  

Tian Jiao smiled and followed Zhang Yanran to wash their hands. One girl wore plain clothes that looked dull, while the other stood out in a bright white shirt. They both had fair skin, but their hairstyles showed their differences.

Xu Qiu smiled as he watched. When Zhang Yanran came over, he suddenly said, “Yanran, didn’t you bring back some new clothes? You should give a couple to your sister later so you both can wear them together.”

Zhang Yanran happily replied, “Okay.”

Most didn’t think anything of it, but Zhang Rui quickly objected, “No, no, Jiaojiao has new clothes she hasn’t worn yet.”

Xu Qiu felt embarrassed and said, “I was just joking. Let’s eat.”

He looked down at his hands, muttering that he didn’t know the girl was important in the Zhang family.

Tian Jiao sat down and waited for Zhang Rui to dry her hands on his clothes. She always washed her hands before meals. When it got cold, her hands would feel chilly if left wet for too long. The rags at home were too dirty, so Zhang Rui wiped her hands with his own clothes. This had become a habit over time.

Zhang Rui dried her hands, then served her some food, whispering, “Dad has to go out this afternoon. You can play by yourself.”

“Okay,” Tian Jiao replied with a nod.

She had a pretty smile, looking like a delicate porcelain doll. Zhang Dong noticed she wasn’t an ordinary child. Even though she grew up in the countryside, her behavior was different from theirs, similar to his daughter, both clearly spoiled since childhood.

At first, he doubted it, but seeing how his third brother was, how could he not be spoiled?

He chuckled, “Third brother, you’re not planning to get married?”

Zhang Zhi agreed, “Yes, Dabao is already seven and in school. Soon, it’ll just be you and our parents at home.”

Zhang Rui shook his head firmly, “No, I won’t get married. I’ll take care of my daughter when she goes to university. Then I’ll wait for her to marry and give me a grandson. Then I won’t be bored.”

Tian Jiao listened closely. If she were eleven before, she might have felt shy, but now she found it funny. She was only twenty-eight years old. In her previous life, she might have enjoyed being single and wouldn’t have cared about marriage.

But this father was already thinking about being a grandfather.

Li Mizhen and Zhang Dagen had grown used to these comments. When they heard it again, they looked at their other two sons with serious expressions and said, “Hurry up and talk to him. Jiaojiao will grow up and marry. Then he’ll be left alone. The child will definitely be raised by Jiaojiao’s mother-in-law.”

Zhang Zhi and Zhang Dong were about to respond when Zhang Rui seriously said, “Mom, you can’t say that. What if the man Jiaojiao marries lost both his parents?”

Tian Jiao silently ate. Hearing this, her hand trembled, and the piece of meat she just picked up fell.

Zhang Rui quickly put it back in her bowl and winked, “Jiaojiao, do you think Dad is right?”

Tian Jiao’s mouth twitched as she pushed Zhang Rui’s face away, saying flatly, “Eat.”

Li Mizhen was upset, “Can’t you say something nice? If you say this outside, people will get angry. Look, even Jiaojiao is unhappy.”

Zhang Zhi watched with a smile, having been in the village for a long time. He said, “I see Jiaojiao and Xiao He always playing together. He’s a nice-looking boy. It would be great if he could succeed. Since he’s an orphan, he could marry into our family, and Jiaojiao wouldn’t have to leave.”

Zhang Rui laughed and raised his eyebrows at his second brother, as if to say, “You get it.”

Tian Jiao blushed, wanting to kick her father. How could he say that?

Xiao He was her good friend. They had played together since childhood and lived in the same village.

Seeing her mother roll her eyes in anger and her father’s face darken, Zhang Dong said firmly, “Alright, let’s stop talking about this. The children are still young, so let’s eat.”

Zhang Zhi went quiet, and Zhang Rui lowered his head to eat.

Tian Jiao’s face felt warm from their talk, and she didn’t dare to look up.

She also remembered how strange Xu Qiu looked when he heard “Xiao He” and how he kept watching her.

In fact, Tian Jiao was surprised by Xu Qiu. In the novel, Xu Qiu was a relative of the heroine and a soldier in logistics.

When the heroine’s mother was alive, Xu Qiu came here pretending to be a babysitter for Zhang Yanran. In reality, she was lazy and only cared about eating and drinking, even trying to seduce Zhang Dong without anyone noticing.

Fortunately, Zhang Dong was straightforward and only replied every six months, so they had little time together. But as an adult, Zhang Yanran saw through her.

She even helped protect against Xu Qiu.

Later, when Zhang Yanran’s mother passed away suddenly, Xu Qiu acted out, catching Zhang Dong’s attention. However, he couldn’t find a good excuse until he got into trouble. Then Xu Qiu left without a word.

It wasn’t until later that the heroine became famous and appeared on TV. Xu Qiu noticed her again after she had once flirted with the hero, who turned her down, and she disappeared.

But in this life, Xu Qiu showed up in the Zhang family now. Tian Jiao tried to figure out the difference. She suspected Xu Qiu might be reincarnated or, like her, had traveled into a book. But it didn’t matter much because it didn’t involve her, and she had no right to interfere.

*****

After lunch, Zhang Rui took his eldest brother into the room to rest and talked about Zhang Yanran’s schooling before heading out.

However, as he was leaving, he tripped over the threshold and stumbled, almost falling.

“What’s going on?” Zhang Rui scratched his head in confusion. He usually avoided these obstacles automatically, so why was he tripping now?

“Remember to watch where you’re walking!” Li Mizhen muttered in disdain as she returned to the kitchen with the leftover dishes.

Outside, Tian Jiao was washing her hands. Seeing this scene, she smiled slightly, then looked up at the sky. It had been clear at dinnertime, but now it seemed a bit darker.

Thinking that her Heavenly Father might be watching, she ran back to her room, whispering, “Dad, look! This is what Jiaojiao drew for you this week. Do you think it looks realistic?”

The room was empty. Zhang Yanran and Xu Qiu were across the hall, and she had spoken softly so that no one could overhear her.

As she finished speaking, she watched as the papers in front of her lifted into the air by themselves, moving slightly. Tian Jiao’s eyes sparkled with excitement.

On the paper was her pencil sketch of her Heavenly Father. He was in a flowing black robe, with a serious yet handsome expression and fair complexion. Standing in the vastness between heaven and earth, his dark eyes stared intently ahead, and his long black hair and wide sleeves billowed in the wind—he truly looked like a celestial being.

After regaining her memories, she often recalled the first time she met Tian Dao. At that moment, she’d been separated from his essence and had no memory of herself. Staring at him in awe, her heart and mind filled with wonder.

It seemed Tian Dao liked her drawing, too. The paper hovered for a moment before disappearing. Then, she felt a large, gentle hand pat her head lovingly.

She smiled and whispered, “Thank you, Tian Dao Dad, for sparing me back then.”

In response, he lightly tapped her forehead, making her giggle. Perhaps Heaven had indeed calculated that her destiny lay in this world, with its own set of challenges.

Truthfully, when she first arrived, she felt a bit annoyed by the diet of sweet potatoes, potatoes, and corn every day.

Soon, the presence of Tian Dao faded away.

Outside, there was a clamor as Zhang Rui prepared to take Zhang Yanran to enroll in junior high school. Zhang Dong’s sudden incident had interrupted the transfer process, but fortunately, the rural schools were not overly strict. Even with the summer vacation approaching, students could still switch classes or schools. In the countryside, farm work often left parents unable to care for their children, so they were usually sent to school.

Zhang Yanran was currently a first-year junior high student and would be entering second grade in the coming term, making it a good time to adjust.

Looking at Tian Jiao, who seemed uninterested in joining them, Zhang Yanran asked, “What grade is Jiaojiao in?”

Proudly, Zhang Rui replied, “Jiaojiao is a high school freshman. She’ll be a sophomore next semester.”

Xu Qiu raised an eyebrow in surprise, her eyes subtly questioning, “Did she skip several grades?”

Tian Jiao felt a little embarrassed and lowered her head, feeling a slight regret. Before regaining her memories, she was still a child and found the pace of learning too slow. She couldn’t sit still, as the simple content felt like torture. Not daring to make any disruptions in class, she quickly requested Zhang Rui to take her to the teachers and ask if she could skip grades.

In hindsight, though, she now felt a bit guilty standing beside Zhang Yanran, the heroine who had followed the usual learning path and only started school two years early.

Zhang Yanran was also stunned. She looked up at Zhang Rui and asked, “Uncle, can I go straight to high school, too?”

Zhang Rui blinked, glancing over at Zhang Dong through the open door. He was half-lying on his bed, ready for a nap after everyone left. Hearing this, Zhang Dong asked, “Are you sure?”

With bright, eager eyes, Zhang Yanran nodded, “I’m sure.”

Zhang Dong turned to Zhang Rui. “Alright, Third Brother, take her directly to high school.”

Zhang Rui: “…”

One student skipping grades wasn’t enough; now there was another. Smiling, he praised, “Yanran is truly remarkable.”

Yanran smiled modestly, “But Jiaojiao is the best.”

Xu Qiu, watching quietly, grew even more suspicious. Here was one girl who was a reincarnated heroine with memories of her twenties, naturally far more advanced than most children. But the other—an unlisted character in the book—was also an eleven-year-old in her first year of high school? This genius also seemed to come from beyond the book.

As they all prepared to leave, Xu Qiu silently followed, her curiosity piqued about the origins of this otherworldly girl.

Meanwhile, Tian Jiao packed her schoolbag and headed to Lanshan.

Having the weekend off meant more time for painting. Ink painting wasn’t her favorite style; she preferred colorful works with vibrant energy, so most of her creations were lively and vibrant. Although she hadn’t realized it, her paintings had special qualities. If someone spent long enough around her carefully created works, they’d feel revitalized, subtly absorbing the life force in the paintings. However, she was still unaware of this effect.

…

The latest painting depicted a vast landscape filled with smiling figures gazing out over beautiful scenery. She’d never completed such a challenging landscape and figure painting so quickly; surprisingly, it took only one afternoon this time.

It felt as if the skill had been ingrained in her, and she’d only needed practice to refine it.

Song Zhen looked over her work for a while, gently pointing out some flaws, then remarked, “You’ve improved a lot in a short time. Did someone teach you at school? These lines aren’t from traditional Chinese painting.”

Tian Jiao blinked innocently, “No, I just drew it however it felt right.”

In truth, she had studied anime-style painting in her previous life, where a character design could sell for one or two thousand yuan. Japanese anime lines differ from Chinese painting styles, so she’d instinctively used touches of her former style in this piece. Even with slight modifications, Song Zhen could see the influence.

Song Zhen squinted with a pleased smile but didn’t say more. He simply admired her work and nodded. “Not bad, but try to avoid adding these extra elements in practice—it could cause confusion.”

“Okay,” Tian Jiao replied obediently.

At that moment, a hand reached out, revealing a White Rabbit milk candy in its palm.

Xiao He and a handsome young boy stood there, looking at her with gentle smiles.

Tian Jiao’s mind instantly flashed back to her father’s and uncle’s teasing, and her face reddened as she took the candy.

Meanwhile, Song Zhen remained focused on analyzing her artwork, contemplating the next steps in her lessons, oblivious to what was happening nearby.

Xiao He, noticing her flushed cheeks, reached out and touched her face, feeling its warmth.

“Are you feeling alright?” he blinked, his expressive eyes asking silently.

Understanding, Tian Jiao smiled, shook her head, quickly unwrapped the candy, and popped it into her mouth. The sweet, creamy flavor calmed her down. *Don’t think about such things,* she told herself. *We’re both still young!*

Taking a deep breath, she turned back to him with a practical question. “How much money have you saved now? When you’ve got enough, you should go to the county and buy a house. Prices are still affordable.”

She thought of the future, where it would be more convenient to be in town, especially after the current chaotic period. Once things settled, Song Zhen and Li Mu could also move to the city—it was no place to grow old in the countryside.

Xiao He nodded and stood up, heading to the corner of the cave. From its depths, he retrieved an iron box.

When he opened it, another smaller iron box lay inside.

Tian Jiao couldn’t help but laugh, knowing that all of Xiao He’s savings were stashed away here. Inside, small change was neatly stacked alongside bills wrapped in cloth.

Her eyes widened in shock. That was… a lot of money.