Chapter 4

Su Li walked on the road home, relying on fuzzy memories, carried her schoolbag into the building where her home was located, and then pressed the elevator button to go up.

The Su Family was not particularly wealthy, but this apartment was bought early; it was purchased when she was in the second or third grade of elementary school. The price back then was not outrageous, and it was bought purely for the convenience of her commuting when she started middle school.

She stood at the doorway, searched for a while in her bag, and successfully found a key with a little bear pendant.

Su Li opened the door, and the fragrance of food rushed out to meet her. Under the incandescent light, the living room appeared warm and bright. The woman in front of the dining table was wearing an apron and had just set down a plate of braised fish.

Fang Lan heard the movement and turned her head with a smile: "Didn't you say you were going to be with your classmates..."

Seeing the person at the doorway, the smile in her eyes faded a little.

Su Li sensed her slight disappointment and said politely, "I'll go back to my room to do my homework first."

Fang Lan was stunned for a moment. Su Li would act spoiled, would cry and make a scene, would ignore people, but she had never been this polite before.

She pursed her lips, suspecting that she was just using a different way to throw a tantrum at them.

But Xiao Li had had everything since she was a child, while Chengcheng had suffered outside for many years. Not only did this younger sister not know how to feel sorry for her older sister, but she also competed with her for things everywhere and even planned to steal her older sister's boyfriend.

"Xiao Li!" Fang Lan said, suppressing her temper. After Chengcheng came back, they only then realized they had spoiled her too much in the past, giving in to everything, which was why her current overbearing personality had been cultivated.

Su Li listened to her cold tone and guessed that she might be overthinking it, likely assuming she was forcing them to compromise.

"Mom, don't worry, I won't fight with Su Cheng for anything anymore, including the one surnamed Jiang." Su Li said while changing her shoes, her peripheral vision sweeping over the slippers squeezed together with her parents'—those were Su Cheng's.

Fang Lan pursed her lips slightly.

Su Li didn't care whether she believed it or not. Once love is gone, former virtues all turn into flaws, then comes the feeling that she is spoiled, then dislike, harsh words, and finally, expulsion.

So why bother defending herself? Going along with them saves breath and avoids suffering.

After all, she didn't know that Su Cheng and Jiang Xiangnan knew each other; there was simply no evidence to prove it. No one would believe that she, living under the same roof as Su Cheng and going to school and back together, wouldn't know about this matter.

In her past life, she had a stubborn temper, argued with them, and fought them. Even when scolded, she still had the heart of a youth, preferring to break rather than bend. Even when she finally didn't even have money for the bus, she refused to bow her head, stubbornly walking to school on foot every morning.

But after a week of not eating breakfast or lunch, her family members didn't soften their hearts. In the end, on the day her period came, she couldn't hold out and obediently admitted her mistake.

She also finally realized that there would no longer be anyone worrying about whether she was full or if she would be uncomfortable when her period came. They only wanted to use a simple and crude method to make her compromise and make her worry-free, so as not to delay them in making it up to Su Cheng.

Su Li walked to her room and opened the door. It was tiny, and everything was crammed together. In that instant, she seemed to see that summer vacation after the high school entrance exam, when little Su Li, because Su Cheng had looked at her room with envy, considerately gave the room to her, then little by little rearranged this small room that used to be a study, and finally, exhausted, sat cross-legged on the floor, her mind full of how to maximize the limited space, heartless and carefree, completely unaware that the room was just the beginning.

Su Li felt dazed for a moment, feeling a little bit of envy and heartache for that simple and silly little Su Li from back then.

She closed the door, put down her schoolbag, and lay on the bed, taking out a portion of the wages Gouzi had given her. It was better for a girl to focus on earning money; once she earned enough money, she could live the life she wanted.

She started counting the money. Although it hadn't been settled yet, it could tide her over for a while. But that Gouzi had also transmigrated was something she hadn't expected. When people are reborn, they either have too much resentment, or they get struck by lightning or hit by a car, but she and Gouzi were at school before they transmigrated...

Su Li paused, quickly climbed up, and realized she had forgotten to discuss with Zhao Jiu how they had come over.

Since she wasn't the only one who transmigrated, there must be some object or condition that brought them here.

Su Li subconsciously reached for her pocket again, then remembered her phone was gone, so she still had to transfer so many times to find Zhao Jiu?

That feeling of nausea and wanting to vomit struck again. Su Li clutched her chest, her head still spinning.

Make a wish.

Hope the boss automatically appears in front of her tomorrow.

At this moment, a cheerful sound drifted in from outside. Su Li pondered that Su Cheng should be back, and her father should be back soon too. Getting Zhao Jiu to appear in front of her was probably not as fast as getting her phone back from her father's hands.

Su Li opened the door and went out. Outside, Su Cheng was holding a skewer of grilled meat and handed it to Fang Lan: "Mom, try this."

Fang Lan looked at the greasy fried skewers: "This stuff isn't hygienic."

Although she said that, she still took a bite, looking at Su Cheng with a doting expression.

Su Li watched them quietly, the mother kind and the daughter filial, then turned to look at the doorway, waiting for Su Lin to come home. The top priority was to get the phone back.

Fang Lan had just swallowed that bite of meat when her peripheral vision swept over Su Li, who was looking at the doorway. There seemed to be some hidden expectation in her eyes. Comparing it to the distant attitude she had when she first entered the door, she suddenly felt a little uncomfortable.

Su Cheng saw Su Li and saw the expectation in her eyes, and her heart tightened. Although it was Su Li who insisted on following Jiang Xiangnan and even skipped class to do so, they had, after all, left her alone at the station.

She took a deep breath; even if Su Li complained, she had reasons to refute it.

The door opened, and the figure of a middle-aged man appeared at the entrance.

"Dad." Su Li had just spoken when Su Cheng walked over and said, "Dad, want to eat a fried skewer?"

Su Lin's gaze had just landed on Su Li, but as soon as Su Cheng spoke, he immediately looked at Su Cheng and smiled: "Dad won't eat it, Chengcheng eat. Dad is eating dinner."

Fang Lan walked over and said, "Then hurry up and eat."

Su Cheng breathed a slight sigh of relief. Su Li sat down as well, and the family sat around the dining table.

Su Cheng smiled and talked about the clothes they went to customize for the sports meet formation that morning, saying they were almost scammed by the boss, but fortunately, Xu Lian was good at bargaining, and so on.

Su Lin and Fang Lan listened to Su Cheng talk with smiles in their eyes. Just as Fang Lan intended to pick up some Coke chicken wings for Su Cheng, Su Lin finally noticed that Su Li had something to say.

"Xiao Li?"

Su Cheng's heart tightened, waiting for Su Li to say that she had been abandoned by them.

"I want to live on campus," Su Li said. As soon as these words were spoken, the whole family was stunned.

Fang Lan asked in confusion: "Everything is fine, why do you want to live on campus?"

Su Lin put down his chopsticks. He thought more deeply; he suspected she wanted to continue pestering that child from the Jiang Family. His anger gradually rose. If the teacher hadn't called, they wouldn't have known she had actually done something like trying to steal her sister's boyfriend. Although they didn't approve of Su Cheng's puppy love either, Su Li's actions were a matter of character.

Su Li: "I want to study hard; the atmosphere at school is better."

Su Lin frowned and said: "Didn't we hire a tutor for you on Saturdays and Sundays?"

Su Li looked straight into her father's eyes. She remembered that the tutor had cried to her mother because Su Cheng hadn't scored higher than her in the Midterm Exam, and then, because of her mother's instructions, ended up only looking after Su Cheng's learning progress.

"I still prefer the school teachers' teaching methods."

"Then what about Jiang Xiangnan?" Su Lin pursed his lips.

Su Li: "I don't like him anymore."

Su Lin didn't quite believe it. She was still moping a few days ago, and today she's fine?

Su Li: "I want to study. Love and such are all fleeting clouds. I've seen through it."

Su Lin sized Su Li up. The girl no longer had that stubbornness and grievance in her eyes from a few days ago; she looked like she had truly seen through it.

"Then you go, but if your final exam grades don't go up, you'll come home to live next semester," Su Lin said. That child from the Jiang Family clearly disliked her and shouldn't let her pester him anymore. Besides, Xiao Li's fussing made Chengcheng feel like she had no sense of belonging at home; it would be good for the two of them to be apart for a while.

Su Li nodded: "Okay."

"By the way, if I live on campus, can my phone..." Su Li pondered that they should be able to give her phone back now.

"Depends on your Midterm Exam results," Su Lin said coldly.

Su Li: "..."

That's finished; having worked for ten years, she wasn't certain she could test well.

Su Cheng looked at Su Li suspiciously; what Su Li said seemed true, but had she really given up?

After finishing the meal, Su Cheng held her phone and said in a small QQ group: "My younger sister is going to live in the dormitory."

Xu Lian: "No way, Jiang Xiangnan is also living in the dormitory."

Su Cheng: "She said she wants to study hard, not for him."

Xu Lian: "Only you believe that."

Su Cheng was also not very at ease; although Jiang Xiangnan was targeting Su Li because of her, if cheerful and pretty girls kept surrounding him, she was a little afraid that Jiang Xiangnan might actually fall for Su Li if she never gave up.

"I'll bet a pack of spicy strips that from now on, Brother Jiang will see Su Li every time he eats breakfast and dinner," Hu Xiao said.

Jiang Xiangnan didn't reply; everyone knew he didn't like replying to messages.

Su Li began to pack her luggage; after living on campus, even if she bought a new phone, her parents wouldn't know, nor would they wonder where her money came from.

Two hours later, a car entered a quiet path from the bustling downtown area and stopped in front of a garden; Zhao Jiu got out of the car and walked inside.

The Zhao Family was an old, established family; the Old Master Zhao's own sons were unpromising and overly mediocre, but fortunately, there were clever ones among the grandchildren, though they were deep and scheming at a young age; the old man was getting on in years and wanted someone who didn't covet the power in his hands, someone he could feel at ease spoiling, but those types were a bit too mediocre.

Later, Zhao Jiu was born, and everyone could see the Old Master's favoritism and high regard.

Zhao Jiu couldn't be bothered to look at those uncles and aunts and those siblings who wore fake smiles for him, so he simply ran over here to study.

Since Zhao Jiu came over, even if it were only for three years, his family wouldn't let him live too uncomfortably, so they bought a garden from someone else, renovated it, and gave it to him to live in.

Inside, a babbling brook flowed by, and as the wind blew through the bamboo forest, the bamboo leaves rustled; Zhao Jiu walked across a small bridge and said to the butler who came over: "Help me transfer schools."

"You want to go back?"

"No, transfer to City No. 1 High School."

The butler was stunned: "But the learning progress is different on both sides, and the focus is different too."

After graduating from High School, Zhao Jiu was to go abroad for training; at that time, the family would confiscate all his bank cards and stop all supplies, so him going to No. 1 High School was completely meaningless. These three years were tacitly understood to be his final three years of relaxation.

Zhao Jiu: "Transfer."

Su Li was poor now and suffered from motion sickness; in this situation, there was no way she could come to find him, so he had to transfer over.

The butler thought to himself, fine then; as for the entrance exam, although the progress was different, his young master's grades had always been good, so it shouldn't be much of a problem.

Zhao Jiu, who had worked for ten years, returned to his room, looked at the slightly unfamiliar room, put down his schoolbag, picked up his phone, and dialed Su Li's phone number; he had to discuss how to go back.

The driver was on the road, so this matter was hard to discuss, and Su Li was clearly so motion-sick that her brain had short-circuited.

"Su Li."

"Huh? Pear what?"

A rough man's voice came from the other end of the phone; Zhao Jiu was stunned, then reacted and asked, "Are you Su Li's father?"

"What pear? I don't sell pears here! Wrong number!" The call was hung up.

Zhao Jiu looked at the phone number; he shouldn't have remembered it wrong, so he pressed it again and called back.

"Su Li?"

"You dialed the wrong number!! I don't sell crisp pears here!"

The person on the other end got angry and hung up again; Zhao Jiu was bewildered.

Is this number not Su Li's anymore?

He rubbed his brow and made a call: "Check the phone number for Su Li in Class Thirteen of City No. 1 High School."

Five minutes later, a text message was sent with Su Li's phone number.

Zhao Jiu dialed it, and a mechanical electronic voice said: "The number you have dialed is out of service."

Zhao Jiu: "???"

That's right, she couldn't even afford to eat, so where would she get the money to pay her phone bill.

Zhao Jiu topped up two hundred in phone credit for Su Li's number, then dialed her phone number again.

"The number you have dialed is powered off."

Zhao Jiu: "..."