Chapter 14: Having Money Is a Big Deal

Li Shirou could only force down half a boxed meal, after which she couldn't eat anything else.

The auntie immediately snatched her remaining half meal, started eating it while shoveling food into her mouth, saying, "Little girl, you can't finish it; I'll eat it for you, don't waste it!"

Seeing her use her own lunchbox, Li Shirou felt furious inside, but to keep up appearances she forced a fake smile.

Seeing his sister eat only half a meal, Li Zeyu wanted to tell her not to waste food, since they weren't well-off, but seeing her pale face he held back.

Su Ruo ignored the silent exchanges among them, finished her meal and went to the restroom; she had to admit the train's toilet was indescribably awful, and each time she went she had to summon great courage.

After returning from the restroom, Su Ruo immediately closed her eyes and began studying medicine in her mind, only falling asleep when she could no longer stay awake.

Perhaps because she was exhausted, Su Ruo slept especially deeply that night; even the train's noisy environment had no effect on her.

While Su Ruo slept well, Li Shirou beside her experienced the exact opposite.

The train's noisy chatter, snoring, and the foul smell of sweat made every minute a great torment for her, and she was both tired and hungry, suffering terribly.

There was no way—the train aisle was narrow, filled with many standing‑ticket passengers, so whenever someone got up to use the toilet, they inevitably bumped into the person next to them.

Li Shirou didn't know how many times she was jolted awake that night; she was tormented to the point of wishing she were dead.

Su Ruo slept soundly, woke up the next morning, and let out a big yawn,

while Li Shirou, who had barely slept all night, looked at Su Ruo with eyes full of resentment.

Li Shirou felt that everything she was enduring was Su Ruo's fault; if Su Ruo agreed to swap seats, she wouldn't have to suffer any of this.

Su Ruo didn't know Li Shirou's thoughts; if she did, she would surely give her a big eye‑roll.

Li Zeyu, sitting opposite Li Shirou, was hardly affected; he normally slept deeply, and after a day on the train he was exhausted, so even if someone bumped into him at night he wouldn't wake up.

After waking, Li Zeyu saw his sister with two dark circles under her eyes, looking exhausted, and immediately felt heartbroken, asking quickly, "Xiao Rou, didn't you rest well last night?"

Li Shirou, who had been pampered since childhood, had never endured such hardship; hearing Li Zeyu's words, her eyes instantly reddened.

"People getting up to use the toilet last night kept bumping into me, so I couldn't sleep..."

Seeing his sister's utterly wronged expression, Li Zeyu felt even more heartbroken.

Su Ruo, however, couldn't help curling her lips, thinking that in her previous life after swapping seats with Li Shirou she had gone through those ordeals, and now it was Li Shirou's turn to bear them.

Li Zeyu felt sorry for his sister but could do nothing; he directed all his anger at Su Ruo, having to admit that as siblings they shared the same mindset, as if the whole world should revolve around them.

But Li Zeyu also knew that even if he grew angrier, he couldn't force Su Ruo to change seats; after holding back for a long time he finally said to her, "I'll give you one yuan if you swap seats with my sister."

Li Shirou looked at Su Ruo full of expectation, knowing that in this era one yuan was already a lot; she felt Su Ruo would surely agree.

"No swap!" Su Ruo refused bluntly, laughing, "Do you think I'm short on that one yuan?"

"One yuan is already plenty; don't push your luck!" Li Zeyu said through gritted teeth, thinking Su Ruo just wanted to make an exorbitant demand and try to extort them.

"Are you deaf? Don't think a few measly coins make you great—I tell you, not even if you gave me ten yuan, a hundred yuan, would this grandma swap!"

Li Zeyu, furious and at a loss, wanted to lash out but found no reason; finally he gritted his teeth, took out two yuan, and exchanged seats with the auntie beside him.

Because something had happened at home, they had rushed to the countryside with little money, but for his sister to get a good night's sleep Li Zeyu still gritted his teeth and paid.

The auntie opposite Su Ruo, pleased with the money, sat down beside her; she had wanted to scold Su Ruo for being stupid over just a seat, but after meeting Su Ruo's icy gaze she decisively kept quiet and went to chat with the neighboring table.

Meanwhile, the Li siblings sitting opposite Su Ruo glared at her with eyes full of anger, feeling that if Su Ruo weren't refusing to swap seats, they wouldn't have had to spend this money.

Su Ruo ignored them, kept her eyes closed, and eagerly studied medicine in her Sea of Knowledge.

She now only wanted to quickly master medicine to heal and save people, earn Contribution Value, regain her fortune soon, and let those who harmed her in her past life receive their due retribution.

The train traveled another three days before finally arriving at the station.

Su Ruo got off the train carrying her oversized bundle; as she stepped down, Granny Li immediately held Xiao Bao in one arm and lifted her bundle with the other, squeezing up beside her and said:

"Miss, that's our village's horse cart; let's go over."

Granny Li led Su Ruo to the ox cart; since they arrived early, the cart was empty, the auntie first found a good spot, placed her belongings aboard, then pulled Su Ruo to set down her things and sit, before saying:

"Girl, this ox cart belongs to our village; if you ever need to go to town to buy things, you can take the ox cart."

After giving Su Ruo her instructions, Granny Li smiled and turned to the driver, Old Man Li, saying, "Miss Su, you're the new Educated Youth who came to the countryside this time; you're my old lady's benefactor, so please look after her when she rides."

The place Su Ruo was sent to for the countryside assignment is Li Family Village in Da Qing Shan; Li Family Village has only the Li and Wang surnames as major clans, and this Li lineage basically consists of close relatives.

Therefore, seeing Granny Li and Old Man Li speak familiarly, though she wasn't clear on their exact relation, she guessed they were likely connected by marriage or kinship.

After Granny Li finished speaking, Old Man Li lifted his head and glanced at Su Ruo; just that one look gave Su Ruo a feeling of her hair standing on end, as if her soul had been seen through in that instant.

But this feeling came and went quickly; when Su Ruo looked over, Old Man Li had already lowered his head, puffing on his pipe, as if everything just now had merely been her imagination.

"Got it!" Old Man Li said after exhaling a puff of smoke.

Upon hearing that, Su Ruo's eyes widened instantly; having ridden ox carts many times in past and present lives, this was the first time she had heard Old Man Li speak—she had always thought he was mute, never expecting him to talk.

Su Ruo heard it and instantly widened her eyes, because in this life and previous lives she had driven an ox cart many times, yet this was the first time she had heard Old Li speak; she had always thought Old Li was mute, never expecting him to actually speak.

(End of chapter)