Chapter 19

Going to school is fun if you’re good at studying.

Tian Jiao enjoys going to school, but she likes staying in the village to learn painting even more. So every time she has to leave, her eyes fill with tears, but she smiles as soon as she arrives at school.

It was the same this time. Early in the morning, before dawn, she was woken up. Zhang Rui and Uncle Da Nian from the village came to see them off together.

Yes, she’s no longer the only one in the village going to high school.

In the past, every time Tian Jiao went out, the villagers treated her like a panda. Most of the village kids didn’t like studying, so Tian Jiao was a bit of a role model. But that was all. Since the college entrance exams hadn’t resumed, high school didn’t lead to college. It only improved job assignments a bit, so villagers didn’t focus much on studying.

But she had skipped several grades and started high school at eleven, which was impressive. The uncles and aunts in the village often teased her about it.

Now she wasn’t the only one getting teased. Zhang Yanran, who was also pretty, shared the attention, which made things easier for Tian Jiao.

Da Nian, Zhang Rui’s good friend from the village, looked at the girls in the house with their backpacks. Having only two sons, he said enviously, “Daughters are still better. Both your girls are so smart.”

Zhang Rui nodded proudly. “Right! Who in our Zhang family isn’t smart?”

Da Nian laughed and scratched his head. “Let’s go once you’re all packed.”

“Alright. Yanran, climb on. Jiaojiao, go with Uncle Da Nian and be careful,” Zhang Rui called.

The two girls quickly got on.

Tian Jiao was still yawning. She needed enough sleep, more than eight hours a day, or she’d be sleepy. She’d gotten up too early this morning and wasn’t fully awake.

Zhang Rui was worried. He rode slowly behind Da Nian and kept reminding her, “Don’t fall asleep. Wait until you’re at school. If you fall, it could be serious.”

Tian Jiao blinked awake for a moment but soon felt sleepy again and closed her eyes.

Da Nian laughed from the front. “Hey, Old Third, teaching your kid to sleep in class? Watch out, or the teacher will scold you.”

Zhang Rui looked at his daughter and replied, “No way. My daughter’s amazing. All the teachers and classmates like her.”

Da Nian teased, “Isn’t that because of you? And don’t act too proud. Do you even remember who used to copy my homework back then?”

Zhang Rui: “…”

With their chatting, Tian Jiao slowly woke up and watched the sky grow lighter.

They needed to arrive by eight o’clock on Monday morning, but her school was far away, much farther than the county. So, they left very early, biking the whole way and arriving around seven.

Tian Jiao took Zhang Yanran and Zhang Rui to the dorm to put away their things, but they weren’t in the same dorm.

“Just get settled. I’ll pick you up Friday. If I don’t come, don’t go anywhere. Understand?” Zhang Rui said, giving his usual instructions before leaving.

Tian Jiao nodded sleepily. “Dad, can you ask the teacher for leave? I want to nap for a bit.”

“Alright.” Zhang Rui agreed, then gently touched her forehead. “What were you doing last night?”

Tian Jiao blinked and shook her head. “Nothing.”

She couldn’t say that she’d been secretly painting in the middle of the night with a little light on. There was a curtain in the room for changing, and she’d hidden there so no one would notice.

She’d been painting for hours, losing track of time.

Zhang Rui snorted but still agreed.

Zhang Yanran watched, stunned. Was there really a father like this?

Although Zhang Dong treated her well, there was a big difference. She and her father only met once a year, if that. She even wondered how her mom got pregnant with her in the first place.

In her previous life, Zhang Yanran was an orphan and had never experienced this kind of family closeness.

Seeing it made her feel sad.

Zhang Rui left his daughter in the dorm and took his niece to the teacher’s office. While checking her in, he also requested leave for her. Afterward, he went shopping with Da Nian, treated him to breakfast, and then headed back.

After sleeping till noon, Tian Jiao’s roommates helped her get lunch, and Zhang Yanran also brought some over.

Tian Jiao introduced her, “This is my cousin, she just transferred here,” and invited her to join them. Yanran hesitated but sat down after Tian Jiao’s roommates encouraged her to eat with them. 

As they ate, the dorm head remarked, “You two are so pretty, with clear skin and no acne.” Tian Jiao gave a playful, confident smile, which made the dorm head lightly pinch her cheek, jokingly scolding her for being cheeky. The others chimed in, giving her food, and soon, they were all laughing together.

Tian Jiao happily accepted all the food offered. She had a big appetite, and Yanran noticed this with surprise. After everyone finished, Yanran thought to herself that she’d have to give her more food from now on. Her uncle had given her money to manage both her and Tian Jiao’s expenses, as he didn’t trust Tian Jiao to handle money on her own.

Later, after Yanran left, Tian Jiao went back to sleep until her afternoon class at two o’clock. She lay in bed, feeling full and content. Although she was slimmer than she’d been as a five-year-old, she was still chubbier than most kids. 

In school, she only had enough to buy one week’s worth of food, so she was often only half-full. She felt like she’d been cheated by her father, Tian Dao, because he once told her they’d only lost a hundred yuan. But over time, it seemed like much more.

The school term soon ended, and Tian Jiao proudly returned with the first-place grade, while Zhang Yanran came in second, though she felt a bit embarrassed. Even though Yanran was an adult in her past life and had a sharper memory after her time travel, she still hadn’t surpassed her cousin.

Despite her embarrassment, Zhang Yanran’s sadness faded quickly because it was summer break, and the family planned to celebrate the girls’ achievements. Zhang Rui prepared a wonderful meal with plenty of rare items like chicken, duck, fish, and pork. Although the portions were small, it was a feast in a time when food was scarce, and others would surely be envious.

Xu Qiu, who often visited and helped with cooking, was a bit stunned at how high-quality the Zhang family’s meal had become. She prepared the dishes carefully, her hands shaking a bit from excitement, and served up a feast that left everyone in awe.

Zhang Rui praised her cooking, saying, “Your cooking is really good—better than any state-owned restaurant chef.” Xu Qiu blushed, glancing shyly at him, and replied, “If you’d like, I can keep cooking for you.”

Zhang Rui nearly agreed, but then felt awkward, sensing something more in her words. Laughing nervously, he turned and called, “Jiaojiao, Yanran, time to eat!”

“Coming!” Tian Jiao called out without thinking, but right after, she felt it sounded too eager. She realized she should act more mature now—she wasn’t a little kid anymore.

She glanced at the heroine and immediately calmed down, letting just a faint smile show on her face, though there was still a hint of excitement in her eyes.

Tian Jiao pouted as she looked at Zhang Yanran. At thirteen, Zhang Yanran was starting to mature, with a gentle oval face and a quiet demeanor. No wonder so many people liked her.

Tian Jiao didn’t feel jealous, just a little admiration. She enjoyed watching the heroine, admiring her calm, composed personality.

When she finally stepped outside, her eyes lit up at the sight of a table full of dishes. “Wow! So much food! It looks delicious!” she exclaimed.

Zhang Rui tapped her nose lightly and said, “Go wash your hands.”

“I know.” Tian Jiao made a face but couldn’t stop eyeing the food, reluctant to step away.

Dabao, who’d been playing outside, came in and was just as amazed. “Wow! So much good food! Sister, you should ace more exams, so I can eat like this all the time.”

But before he could celebrate, Zhang Dagen gave him a knock on the head. “Just passed the exam, and you’re already asking for food?”

Dabao’s face fell, pleading, “Master, it wasn’t my fault! It’s a sign of limited smarts.”

Zhang Dagen shook his head. “Everyone in my Zhang family is smart. Why are you the only silly one?”

Seeing this, Dabao turned to his grandmother, trying to charm her.

Meanwhile, Tian Jiao went off to wash her hands. Zhang Rui had invited Zhang Zhi over for dinner since he had less work because of the summer heat. Ding Yushu, who’d recently gotten gifts from Zhang Dong, also joined when she heard there’d be good food.

Since she’d come here before, it was easy to come again. Thankfully, Zhang Dong was present, which kept her quiet as she ate.

The dinner was lively and full of joy.

…

After dinner, Tian Jiao felt free for the next two months and excitedly ran to Lanshan to paint.

Xiao He was already there.

With the two old men not around, Tian Jiao asked him, “Did you collect enough high school textbooks?”

Xiao He nodded and signaled a number with his fingers.

“Five hundred sets?”

He nodded again.

When Tian Jiao first mentioned the idea, he’d gone out collecting, though news traveled slowly in Lanshan, so people in the county had started gathering books too. He managed to gather as many as he could.

More people were now trying to collect information, and rumors about the college entrance exams restarting were spreading. Tian Jiao knew these rumors had a huge impact. Once the news was officially confirmed in October, demand would soar. But for now, five hundred sets would be enough for just the two of them.

Tian Jiao was easily satisfied; after all, she couldn’t earn any money herself. She’d decided not to handle money, only taking some when there was too much at home and tossing it around carelessly.

Seeing her relaxed, Xiao He focused on accounting, abacus in hand. The rhythmic clicking filled the cave as Tian Jiao began painting.

The cave was peaceful.

Halfway through her painting, she noticed it was getting noisy outside.

The sound of voices was faint, but Tian Jiao’s sharp ears picked up anger in them.

The abacus kept its steady beat, but the noise outside was anything but calm.

Xiao He didn’t seem to notice the commotion, fully absorbed in his work.

But Tian Jiao found it hard to ignore.

Sensing her distraction, Xiao He looked over, a curious expression on his face.

Tian Jiao smiled, saying, “I’ll go check. You stay here.”

Xiao He shook his head, setting aside his abacus and account book, then stood up to follow her.

The two of them went outside. No one was nearby—their spot on Lanshan was usually secluded. Years back, the area had been avoided due to wolves, so it was still considered safe.

They walked down a gentle slope, and the voices grew clearer. Tian Jiao thought the noise was coming from the base, but it was actually coming from a spot further down the mountain.

There, a group of familiar villagers and some nearby neighbors had gathered, including a few noticeably paler educated youths.

Everyone looked upset. In the center was a junior team leader and a girl who sat hunched over, face hidden.

The girl looked disheveled.

Tian Jiao glanced back at Xiao He.

Their eyes met, and Xiao He’s gentle eyes held a hint of confusion, silently asking why she looked at him.

Tian Jiao turned away. He was still young, with an innocent mind.

Zhang Rui stood in the crowd, watching the scene, but his thoughts drifted to his daughter. Could she have heard the commotion?

Just then, he spotted a white figure and turned back to the group. The team leader was caught up in a squabble with the educated youth.

Zhang Rui hurried over, asking with a serious tone, “What are you two doing here?”

Tian Jiao explained, “We heard voices and came to see. What’s going on?”

Zhang Rui gave a small sigh and took the two kids aside. He didn’t lead them back to the cave, though he knew it was hidden, but he didn’t want to risk it.

After a few minutes, Zhang Rui stopped and said, “Nothing much. Go home, and you can come back to paint tomorrow.”

Xiao He nodded and was about to leave, but seeing Tian Jiao stand still, he stayed too.

Tian Jiao took Zhang Rui’s hand and begged playfully, “Dad, tell me what happened!”

Zhang Rui had no choice and said, “Alright, I’ll tell you!” 

Tian Jiao quickly let go of his hand, smiling. She took some leaves to sit on the soft forest floor, held her face, and waited to hear what he had to say.

Xiao He also sat down.

Watching them, Zhang Rui’s temples throbbed, and with a wooden expression, he began telling the story.

The educated youths were causing trouble over the spots for returning to the city. Even though news about the college entrance exam was around, they still wanted the few spots the team leader had. 

The college entrance exam was challenging, especially for people who had worked hard for a chance for ten years. Not everyone could succeed.

So, some youths started having bad ideas.

The educated youth they saw earlier got discovered because of this. This young man was from their village, and so was the brigade’s young leader. They had picked Lanshan—a rarely visited place—to discuss their plans. But they were caught.

Tian Jiao realized Zhang Rui was choosing his words carefully. She understood but also wondered why the educated youths didn’t just focus on the college entrance exam since their families in the city would know about it.

Zhang Rui noticed her thoughtful look and said, “Not everyone is like you—good at exams. The college entrance exam is tough.”

Tian Jiao nodded. “Alright, I understand. Let’s go back.”

Zhang Rui waved his hand. “Go back.”

****

Tian Jiao thought the matter was settled, with punishments given and the college entrance exam news coming soon. She figured everyone would have goals and would behave.

However, while the educated youths’ families were calm, the Zhang family was not.

The news spread widely—even in the village. Many who hadn’t cared about studying now pushed their kids to study hard for the exam.

High school textbooks quickly sold out, including the 500 sets Tian Jiao had Xiao He and Zhang Rui collect. People even came to Old Zhang’s house to ask how Tian Jiao and Zhang Yanran studied.

Tian Jiao was annoyed but too polite to turn them away, so she started hiding in the mountains whenever she could.

Curious, Zhang Yanran followed her.

Since Zhang Yanran was family and a fellow time traveler, Tian Jiao led her to her secret spot. Zhang Yanran stared in awe.

Seeing Tian Jiao’s paintings, Zhang Yanran felt both surprised and envious.

Tian Jiao felt shy. She had liked painting since she was young, and somehow, she always found a way to learn it well. 

Luckily, this didn’t take away from the heroine’s role, whose talent lay in business.

Business?

Tian Jiao glanced at Xiao He.

Focused on his calculations, Xiao He noticed her gaze, smiled, and showed her the account book.

Tian Jiao’s eyes lit up. “Wow, that’s a lot! I could buy a house in the county!”

Xiao He shook his head.