Chapter 16

Xia Ruanruan poured out the contents and saw neatly stacked, brand-new banknotes in her palm. She swallowed hard. “This much?”

Huo Beiqing gave a nonchalant nod. “If you run out, just let me know.”

“If you’re going back to school and need supplies, you can buy them yourself.”

“If there’s anything hard to find, you can also tell me.”

Hearing that Xia Ruanruan wanted to study again had surprised Huo Beiqing.

But surprised or not, he appreciated young people who were motivated to improve themselves.

So, he handed over his freshly received salary.

Because he didn’t want her to struggle.

“But… this is too much,” Xia Ruanruan said, quickly counting roughly—over two hundred yuan.

Even if she considered this financial support from a big brother, wasn’t this way too generous? Wouldn’t she get beaten up later for accepting so much?

“If there’s any left over, keep it for emergencies,” Huo Beiqing replied matter-of-factly.

His reasoning was solid, and Xia Ruanruan was tempted.

“Well… I’ll pay you back when I have money in the future!” She figured that if they ever had a falling-out, she could avoid getting beaten up as long as she repaid the debt.

Yes, that was the right approach.

As she spoke about paying him back, she carefully searched her pockets, trying to find the best place to store the money.

Huo Beiqing watched as she not only said she’d pay him back but also stuffed the money into her pocket and patted it firmly, as if making sure it wouldn’t fall out.

Then, with one hand protectively covering her pocket, she waved at him with the other. “I’m leaving now!”

Huo Beiqing nodded.

As Xiao Ruanruan was stepping out of the office, she heard a voice behind her.

“The clothes you’re wearing look nice. You should buy a couple more sets.”

She had already placed one foot outside but immediately retracted it. Holding onto the doorframe, she flashed a bright smile.

“Thank you, Dr. Huo, for the compliment! I thought it looked good too, but now that you’ve said it, I think it looks even better.”

Huo Beiqing: “…”

He decided he needed to add another note about Xiao Ruanruan—she was very good at flattering people.

At this moment, he only thought of her as someone who knew how to sweet-talk. He hadn’t yet realized just how much impact her flattery could have.

After returning home, Xiao Ruanruan had lunch with Lin Wei. After a short rest, the two of them set off for the school.

Their area was a residential complex for families, well-equipped with all kinds of facilities—supply cooperatives, cultural squares, an elderly university, night schools, literacy classes, and various recreational spots, all surrounded by other similar family housing areas.

Since they didn’t need to take public transport, the two quickly arrived at the literacy class center.

Lin Wei originally suggested that Xiao Ruanruan enroll in the night school, but she refused.

She wanted to take the exam properly. Even though night school diplomas held significant value in this era, she still preferred to sit for the exam and get into a film academy the right way.

Holding onto Lin Wei’s arm, she said, “Mom, I want to take the college entrance exam properly.”

Lin Wei nodded. “Then you should start with the literacy class. By next year, they can issue you a certification of equivalent education, and you’ll be eligible to take the exam.”

Xiao Ruanruan beamed. “Then let’s sign up for the literacy class!”

The registration process was simple, especially with Lin Wei accompanying her. Before long, everything was settled, and the teacher told her, “You can start classes tomorrow.”

Lin Wei turned to Xiao Ruanruan for her opinion.

Xiao Ruanruan thought about her hospital visit the next day and pointed to her forehead. “Teacher, I have to go to the hospital tomorrow. Can I start the day after?”

The teacher nodded. “That’s fine. A little delay won’t matter.”

Then, noticing the bandage on her forehead, the teacher asked with concern, “Is your injury serious?”

Xiao Ruanruan smiled and shook her head. “It’s fine. The wound has healed. I just need to go for a quick check-up and pick up some scar cream.”

The teacher visibly relaxed. “That’s good to hear.”

By the time they left the school, it was already evening. As dinnertime approached, Xiao Ruanruan helped out in the kitchen while Lin Wei tended to her plants.

Soon, Huo Yuanyuan arrived home from work.

The moment she stepped inside and didn’t see Xiao Ruanruan, she assumed the worst—that Xiao Ruanruan had gone back to her lazy ways and was hiding upstairs to avoid doing any chores.

She immediately turned to Lin Wei, who was sitting in the living room.

“Mom, is Xiao Ruanruan hiding upstairs again?”

“I’m telling you, she’s just lazy and greedy. There’s no way she can change. She was just pretending before.”

Before Lin Wei could respond, Huo Yuanyuan leaned in with a conspiratorial whisper.

“Do you know why she was pretending so hard the other day?”

She was like a machine gun, rattling off accusations without giving Lin Wei a chance to speak.

“I heard people at the hospital talking. They said she made a huge scene there, accusing my brother of having a relationship with one of the female interns he was mentoring. She caused such a commotion that my brother had to fire the intern!”

Huo Yuanyuan fumed. “Mom, don’t you think she’s being unreasonable?”

“And do you know how she got that injury on her forehead?”

“It wasn’t from an accident. She got hurt because she attacked that female intern, and the intern’s friend pushed her in retaliation!”

“Mom, how did our family get so unlucky to end up with someone like her?”

She pouted. “My brother is the unluckiest of all. Think about how outstanding he is, yet he ended up with her. She’s ruining his reputation!”

“The hospital staff must be laughing at him behind his back!”

Finally, she paused her ranting. Lin Wei, watching her fuming expression, asked calmly, “Are you finished?”

Huo Yuanyuan nodded. Then, noticing how composed her mother was, she felt a little uneasy.

“Mom… aren’t you angry?”

Lin Wei smiled faintly. “Angry? Of course I’m angry.”

Huo Yuanyuan immediately felt relieved and even a little smug. “I knew it! It’s infuriating!”

But then Lin Wei’s tone shifted.

“If you know it’s infuriating, why do you look so pleased with yourself?”

She reached out and flicked Huo Yuanyuan on the forehead.

“You’re not a child anymore. When are you going to grow up?”

“Are you a street vendor? Why is your tongue so sharp?”

“You keep talking about Ruanruan. But look at yourself—you’re older than her by several years. Are you more mature than her?”

“Yes, Ruanruan made some mistakes before, but she’s learning and improving. She’s much better now—responsible, hardworking, and ambitious.”

“But you? We’ve nagged you over and over again, yet you never change!”

Huo Yuanyuan clutched her forehead, looking utterly wronged. “Mom, are you even my real mother?!”

“Why do you never take my side?”

Lin Wei rolled her eyes. “Take your side over what?”

“You were sitting there gossiping about your brother, and you didn’t even think to defend him. Instead, you joined in!”

Huo Yuanyuan panicked. “I wasn’t talking about my brother! I was talking about Xiao Ruanruan!”

Lin Wei shot her a sharp look. “And what’s the difference?”

“Your brother and Ruanruan are married now. They’re a family, a unit. Talking about her is the same as talking about him.”

“Ever heard the saying ‘Even a dog deserves respect for the sake of its owner’?”

“Ruanruan is your brother’s wife. You are his sister, which makes you her sister-in-law. If people feel comfortable gossiping in front of you, it means they don’t take you seriously.”