Chapter 2

After Wu Xiaoxiao fell into the water, Wu Ningfang didn’t call for help. She just glanced around and took the notebook home.

That was where the original owner’s memory ended. Most likely, at that moment, the original owner drowned, and her soul from the apocalypse ended up in this body.

Zhang Fang, seeing her daughter respond, sat there in a daze for a while. Still worried, she asked again, “Are you really okay? If you feel unwell anywhere, tell me. Don’t keep it in.”

Wu Xiaoxiao came back to her senses and held Zhang Fang’s hand in return. “Mom, I’m really fine.”

Zhang Fang looked at her daughter from left to right. “That’s good, that’s good. You scared me to death. Studying doesn’t matter, your health is more important. Our Xiaoxiao is so beautiful. You’ll marry a good husband in the future, live a good life, and enjoy happiness.”

Here we go again. In Zhang Fang’s mind, it didn’t matter if a girl studied or not—she was going to get married anyway. Similar words appeared countless times in the original owner’s memory. At first, the original owner tried to explain, but when Zhang Fang wouldn’t listen, she gave up. The farm work still had to be done, but studying was a must too—otherwise, she’d be trapped in this village forever.

Zhang Fang continued, “Our family isn’t like the village chief’s, nor like those educated youths. I know you’re smart, but you need luck too. Don’t listen to those educated youths talking about the college entrance exam being reinstated. It’s been years, and nothing has happened. They said the same thing years ago, but in the end, nothing changed. I think they just don’t want to work in the fields, so they use this to fool people.”

She knew her daughter didn’t like hearing this, but she couldn’t help but say, “Besides, what’s the use of studying? Look at Mr. Chen, such a learned man, yet he was sent to live in a cowshed. He’s worse off than us. If it weren’t for Dr. Chen traveling around these ten miles and getting people to help out of respect, the old man wouldn’t have survived this long.”

Zhang Fang also knew that although her daughter looked gentle, she was stubborn—especially when it came to studying. If it were in the past, she wouldn’t have stopped her from studying. But today really scared her. For just a few pages of notes, her daughter nearly lost her life.

Seeing Wu Xiaoxiao stay silent after all that she said, Zhang Fang nudged her and said, “Xiaoxiao, did you hear me? You’re not going to study anymore, alright?”

But Wu Xiaoxiao suddenly got up and put on her shoes. “Mom, I need to go out.”

“Hey! You just fell into the water today—where are you going?”

Without stopping, Wu Xiaoxiao replied while heading out, “Wu Ningfang took my notebook. I have to get it back.”

“Ah, child! It’s just a notebook! Why are you risking your health over it?” Zhang Fang panicked when she heard that Wu Xiaoxiao was going to the village chief’s house to confront Wu Ningfang. She hurriedly ran after her.

Wu Xiaoxiao thought to herself that the notebook must have been extremely important to the original owner. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have risked her life trying to retrieve it. Since she had taken over the original owner’s life, she had to fulfill the wishes that hadn’t been accomplished.

Besides, Wu Ningfang had pushed the original owner into the river and hadn’t even come to apologize after all this time. Someone like that needed to be taught a lesson.

Wu Family Village wasn’t big. Wu Xiaoxiao, anxious, walked fast. Zhang Fang struggled to keep up, finally catching her just as she reached Wu Laosan’s house.

Compared to Zhang Fang’s house, Wu Laosan’s home was much wealthier. The three large, tiled houses were built with solid blue bricks. They also used oil lamps, but theirs were bright and illuminating, unlike Zhang Fang’s, who kept the wick small to save oil, leaving the room barely lit.

—-

It was dinnertime, and the aroma of food wafted from the house. Wu Ningfang’s sharp laughter rang out. Clearly, after pushing Wu Xiaoxiao into the river that afternoon, she felt no guilt at all.

Wu Xiaoxiao didn’t hold back. She stepped forward and knocked on the door with a sharp “bang bang.”

“Wu Ningfang, come out!”

Her voice was clear and loud, making sure everyone inside the house could hear her. Even the neighbors quietly perked up their ears to listen.

Hearing Wu Xiaoxiao’s voice, Wu Ningfang instinctively shuddered, but she quickly relaxed. She hadn’t stayed by the river after the incident—she had only heard from others that Wu Xiaoxiao had been rescued by Dr. Chen. Since nothing serious had happened and she recovered so quickly, there was nothing to worry about.

Besides, there had been no one around at the time, so what could Wu Xiaoxiao possibly do to her?

With that thought, Wu Ningfang smoothed her hair and walked out of the house.

“Xiaoxiao, what brings you here?” she asked with a smile. “Oh, by the way, you fell into the water this afternoon. Are you alright?”

She gave Wu Xiaoxiao a once-over. “You look so energetic—you must be fine now. You really scared me back there! That bridge doesn’t even have a railing. Why were you walking so close to the edge?”

“I ran back to find someone to help you, but Dr. Chen was faster. He jumped in right away and pulled you out. You should really thank him properly.”

As she spoke, she playfully nudged Wu Xiaoxiao and winked, as if they were just two friends sharing a little secret—acting as if she had nothing to do with Wu Xiaoxiao’s fall into the river.