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From that day on, Hu Ouhua diligently reviewed her lessons, putting in relentless effort. She would not allow herself to fail—not even this time.
It was the power of trust.
She could not betray it.
So, except for going out to buy groceries, Hu Ouhua barely stepped outside.
Of course, while she was locked away studying, many things were happening outside.
That day, when Hu Daqian came home, he went straight to the kitchen, grabbed a knife, and stormed into the bedroom. Pressing the blade against Wang Chunlan’s neck, he bellowed, “Tell me the truth! What horrible thing did you do that got Xiaosheng implicated and sent to jail at such a young age?”
At first, Wang Chunlan refused to say anything.
It wasn’t until Hu Daqian pressed her harder that she stomped her foot and snapped, “How is this my fault? That little wretch, Hu Ouhua, that useless money-draining girl, stole my son’s place! Ever since she was born, she’s been a curse on me and Xiaosheng! Boohoohoo… I can’t live like this anymore…”
She cried for a long time before she finally started talking in bits and pieces.
It turned out she had approached Yang Wei long ago and planned everything with him. They aimed to control Hu Ouhua, ensuring she could never take the college entrance exam so they could manipulate her future.
At first, she sent Hu Jingcheng to lure Hu Ouhua into an empty alley, but Hu Ouhua was too cautious and had no trust in her younger sister at all. Not only did the plan fail, but it also made Hu Ouhua even more vigilant.
Then, Hu Jingcheng remembered that the only person her sister truly trusted at school was Wu Weiwei. So, they involved Wu Weiwei in the scheme.
The more Hu Daqian listened, the more horrified he became.
He never imagined that his wife and daughter were such monsters.
Slap!
He struck Wang Chunlan hard across the face, grabbing her collar and roaring, “This is your mess! Turn yourself in! With a mother like you, no wonder Hu Ouhua doesn’t even want to live at home!”
Thinking about how much he had wronged his daughter over the years, he felt a deep, gut-wrenching pain.
In the end, he personally took Wang Chunlan to the police station. After several rounds of interrogation, the full truth of the case was revealed, leaving even the officers speechless.
It was hard to believe that a mother could hate her own daughter this much.
Wang Chunlan was taken away.
However, since Hu Ouhua had not been physically harmed and Li San had already received his due punishment, Hu Jingcheng was only given a formal reprimand. A note was added to her record, and she was released.
Hu Jingcheng wept bitterly.
She wasn’t remorseful for what she had done—she was furious at her own failure. She hated herself for not being able to ruin Hu Ouhua completely.
Now, she had lost her innocence, Yang Wei had abandoned her, and the only person who ever truly cared for her—her mother—was in jail. From now on, she was completely alone…
But before Wang Chunlan was taken away, she had given Hu Jingcheng one last, venomous glare. Gripping her daughter’s hand, she whispered something. It wasn’t until after her breakdown that Hu Jingcheng remembered those words.
She pushed away her nagging father, opened a cabinet, and pulled out a birth certificate along with an old, yellowed photograph.
At that moment, her grief turned into a renewed, burning obsession.
As she left the house, she saw a bowl of noodles on the table. With a look of disgust, she said to Hu Daqian, “I don’t like noodles. You eat them yourself.”
Hu Daqian, seeing his daughter’s ungrateful and rude behavior, blamed himself. He thought that his years of absence had led to her turning out this way. Silently, he resolved to be more present in her life from now on, making up for his past neglect.
Meanwhile, after having a meal with Mr. Lu, he returned to his workplace only to find Director Wang had suddenly changed his attitude. Not only did he give Hu Daqian a raise, but he also assigned him a better position.
Hu Daqian was overwhelmed with gratitude toward Mr. Lu.
Days passed, and soon, there were only three days left until the college entrance exam.
During this time, Hu Ouhua’s appetite had been poor, and she often felt nauseous, though she couldn’t throw up. She simply assumed it was stress and didn’t pay much attention to it.
After all, she had just undergone a medical examination before signing up for the exam. There shouldn’t be anything wrong with her health.
She decided not to dwell on it.
As the exam approached, she felt a bit nervous.
That was when Shen Fubai arrived in his car. He carried out a fish tank filled with several vibrant koi fish.
Smiling, he said, “Comrade Ouhua, I wish you a bright future in the college entrance exam! I specially bought these fish for you. When you get your admission letter, you must treat me to a celebratory meal!”
Hu Ouhua smiled and agreed.
She didn’t have many friends in Ning City. But after everything that had happened, she had come to regard Lu Yuetang and Shen Fubai as friends.
Even if they might not see her the same way.
“Yesterday, Brother Lu mentioned that you’d be going to school today to collect your admission ticket. Since I’m free, I’ll drive you there,” Shen Fubai offered.
“Oh, that’s too much trouble for you.”
“No need to be polite. And from now on, don’t call me ‘Chief.’ It sounds weird. Just call me Brother Shen.” He chuckled.
Hu Ouhua was more than happy to oblige.
In these times, men and women had to maintain a certain decorum. Calling someone by name was too intimate, yet calling him “Chief” felt too distant. But she wasn’t someone who could easily call just anyone “Brother.”
Since Shen Fubai himself requested it, it was different.
“Brother Shen, let’s go then.” She shouldered her canvas bag.
After they drove away, Lu Yuetang emerged from the living room, sipping tea, his expression unreadable.
Upon arriving at school, Hu Ouhua went to retrieve her admission ticket from Teacher Sun.
But Teacher Sun looked puzzled. “Huh? Didn’t your father and your sister come by earlier to collect it? They took yours along with theirs.”
“What?”
Hu Ouhua’s heart sank.
She had been so careful, yet she failed to prevent this last trick. Rage surged inside her—she wanted nothing more than to tear Hu Jingcheng apart.
“What happened? Your father was there, so I gave it to him. If it had just been your sister, I wouldn’t have handed it over. Go home and check first. If there’s a problem, I’ll see what I can do,” Teacher Sun reassured her.
“Alright.”
Hu Ouhua rushed back home.
She hadn’t been to the family compound in a long time. She had been so focused on her studies that she had paid no attention to outside events.
After her rebirth, she had avoided marrying Yang Wei, and her life had taken a new path.
Other than having a general idea of the country’s future direction, she had no special knowledge of what was going to happen. So she had no idea what kind of trouble Hu Jingcheng would stir up next.
When she got home, she didn’t find her father, Hu Daqian. Instead, she saw Li Weiguo sitting under a tree, reciting English words. She nodded in greeting.
To her surprise, he smiled and spoke first. “Hu Ouhua, how’s your preparation going? I saw Teacher Sun grading your test last time—you’re brilliant! Even I felt inferior.”
Li Weiguo came from a family of high achievers, with every member holding government positions.
In her previous life, he had married Song Bao. Though Song Bao came from a lower social class, she and Li Weiguo both got into Ning Province University. As the country’s reforms progressed, their lives became enviable.
Hu Jingcheng once claimed to have liked Li Weiguo, but he never looked her way.
“You’re too kind. You’re a top student yourself—I’m sure you’ll get into your dream school. Good luck,” Hu Ouhua responded politely before moving on.
She pulled out her spare key and stepped inside, immediately starting a thorough search.