Chapter 28

Chapter 28

Tang Qingqing woke up from a dream and looked at her wrist, feeling somewhat dazed.

Some memories seemed to well up from the depths of her heart, becoming clearer and clearer from their original blur.

Things that happened would be hidden in memory, gradually forgotten over time, but when triggered, they would surge forth like water from a faucet.

Tang Qingqing remembered when she was young, and people would ask who was Zhenzhen and who was Qingqing.

Tang Zhenzhen would always say, "She is my elder sister, I am the younger sister," skipping over their names directly.

Many people didn't remember children's names too well, and with this emphasis, it was easy for them to forget the names and just call them "elder sister" or "younger sister."

Everyone in the village knew that Tang Jianguo's children were older than Tang Jianjun's because Grandma Wu had initially gone to serve Tang Jianguo's wife's confinement period before Zhao Dahua gave birth.

She thought that once Tang Jianguo's wife finished her confinement, Zhao Dahua would also have given birth, and she could return then.

However, Zhao Dahua gave birth a month early, and Grandma Wu couldn't leave, so Zhao Dahua ended up without anyone to help her during her confinement.

Zhao Dahua has been complaining about this ever since she gave birth. Whenever she talks about family matters or her mother-in-law, she can't get past the resentment over the confinement.

The two girls looked alike, and without any clarification, now with many children around, everyone raised them loosely. Since they were girls, no one paid much attention.

This led the villagers to gradually believe that Tang Zhenzhen was the elder sister, Tang Jianguo's daughter, while Tang Qingqing was the younger sister, Tang Jianjun's daughter.

The more Tang Qingqing thought about it, the more she felt a chill down her spine. She wondered if Tang Zhenzhen did it on purpose or inadvertently guided Zhao Dahua and Tang Jianjun to switch the children?

If it was intentional, that would be terrifying, considering Tang Zhenzhen was only a little over a year old. Even the smartest child couldn't be so calculating, right?

Tang Qingqing found it unbelievable, yet everything unfolded exactly as in her dream.

Until Tang Jianguo and his wife came to take the children away, almost no one called them by their names; they were referred to as "elder sister" and "younger sister."

When they appeared, the adults were not home, leaving only the sisters.

Their eyes were not on the dirty Tang Qingqing but on the clean and tidy Tang Zhenzhen.

From a young age, Zhao Dahua had not taken good care of her, being very perfunctory.

Especially since Tang Zhenzhen could do everything herself, Zhao Dahua paid even less attention.

At the time, Tang Qingqing was indeed much less clever than Tang Zhenzhen, knowing nothing and spending her days following Tang Zhenzhen, often getting herself dirty.

Tang Jianguo had never seen his daughter, and Su Rong hadn't seen her after her confinement, making him quite unfamiliar with his daughter.

Tang Zhenzhen asked curiously, "Who are you? Who are you looking for?"

Then she leaned over to Tang Qingqing and whispered, "This uncle looks very familiar."

Young Tang Qingqing, an echo, nodded without really seeing anything, but she nodded anyway.

As she nodded, snot ran down her nose, and she tried to lick it off as usual.

But this time, Tang Zhenzhen stopped her and gently wiped her nose with a handkerchief.

"Younger sister, don't lick your nose; it's dirty and unhygienic."

Tang Qingqing didn't understand why things were different now, as Tang Zhenzhen had told her that snot was sweet and made of sugar. Why was it now dirty and unhygienic?

Still, she was used to listening to her sister and said nothing.

Hearing the terms "elder sister" and "younger sister," the couple, who were still hesitant, became certain that Tang Zhenzhen was their daughter.

They teared up and waved at Tang Zhenzhen:

"Zhenzhen, we are your parents."

Tang Zhenzhen looked surprised and hugged Tang Qingqing.

"I and my younger sister have parents; we don't know you. Are you trying to snatch children?"

She then pulled Tang Qingqing and ran away, shouting, "Help! Someone is trying to snatch children!"

The villagers heard the commotion and rushed over. Tang Jianjun and Zhao Dahua also ran home, discovering it was all a misunderstanding.

When Tang Jianjun and Zhao Dahua told Tang Zhenzhen that these were her real parents, she looked incredulous.

"Aren't you my parents? How can they be someone else's? Aren't both my younger sister and I your children?"

"They are your real parents. They were busy with work and left you here. You have three elder brothers. Go home with them, and you'll have a better life.

Eat meat whenever you want, eat sweets whenever you want, no need to suffer in the countryside. You'll become a city dweller."

Tang Zhenzhen still did not immediately recognize them, continuing to scrutinize them.

Tang Jianguo and Su Rong looked sad and guilty, taking out items from their backpacks and trying to please Tang Zhenzhen.

Zhao Dahua sighed and explained:

"You know, in the village, children without parents are easily bullied. And children see others having parents while they don't, which makes them unhappy. So we let them call us 'parents.'"

Tang Jianjun added, "We had no choice. We didn't know when you would come to take the children away, and there was no way to contact you. The child might think they were abandoned, otherwise why take Third Brother and not them."

Hearing this, Tang Jianguo and Su Rong felt deeply guilty. They truly owed this child a lot.

Tang Jianguo said, "This child owes you a lot for taking care of her. Calling you 'parents' is not too much."

Su Rong: "Sister-in-law, you've been through so much these years. Without your help, we wouldn't have known what to do."

Zhao Dahua looked at Tang Zhenzhen with the demeanor of a loving mother:

"I must say, I've treated Zhenzhen better than my own daughter. Look at how well-nourished and smart she is; it's clear that she's the child of capable people like you two."

Tang Zhenzhen peered out from behind Zhao Dahua, studying the two strangers with a curious expression. Tang Qingqing, as usual, sat nearby, fiddling with her fingers, seemingly indifferent to the outside world.

From time to time, Tang Zhenzhen would take care of her like an older sister.

Though they were roughly the same age, their maturity levels were clearly different.

Tang Zhenzhen appeared more astute and caring, and was also clean and pretty, making her even more endearing.

In contrast, Tang Qingqing was small and thin, with a dirty face and body, as if she had rolled in mud.

Her hair, originally neatly tied, was now disheveled, making her look like a foolish village girl.

Tang Jianguo and Su Rong had no doubt from the moment they saw Tang Zhenzhen that she was their daughter.

When they noticed the silver bracelet on her wrist, their certainty only grew stronger.

By the time Grandma Wu returned from Wu Dachui's house, the reunion was already over.

Tang Qingqing's memories ended there, jumping directly to the scene where Tang Zhenzhen left with her biological parents.

She remembered those days when the atmosphere at home was tense. Zhao Dahua and Grandma Wu often argued, and sometimes Tang Jianjun's voice could be heard.

Tang Qingqing didn't know the specifics of their arguments; every time she tried to get closer, she was scolded away.

After a few days, everything returned to normal.

Just like Tang Qingqing's feelings at the time, she initially felt sad about Tang Zhenzhen's departure but soon found herself happy without her sister, and thus stopped worrying.

Recalling all this, Tang Qingqing found it hard to describe her current emotions.

However, one thing was certain: she had no intention of recognizing her biological parents.

Firstly, there was no concrete evidence proving she was their daughter;

Secondly, she had her pride.

They had abandoned her in the countryside since childhood and couldn't even recognize her.

Sure, she was a bit messy, but did that mean she wasn't worthy of being their daughter?

The messiness was due to the lack of parental care; as a child, she knew nothing.

Compared to Tang Zhenzhen, she might have seemed foolish, but did only the clever and clever deserve to be their child?

If that were true, then recognizing them made little difference.

Moreover, Tang Qingqing had concerns. If she recognized them, she would become Tang Zhenzhen.

While it seemed unlikely for such a young child to plan an identity switch, something about Tang Zhenzhen made her uneasy.

Even if it wasn't Tang Zhenzhen's fault, Tang Qingqing still didn't want to live under the same roof as her.

At Rongshan Brigade, although her family was unreliable, she had people who cared for her.

If she went to the city, what if her family didn't welcome her? How would she cope?

She was too weak now. At Rongshan Brigade, she could rely on herself.

But in the city, she would have to depend on parents whose attitude towards her was uncertain, which made her uneasy.

In a sense, her parents had abandoned her from the start.

Grandma Wu favored boys over girls and never hid her bias, always saying that only boys could achieve anything.

Not only was she cold to Tang Qingqing, but also to Tang Qiaoqiao. Her aunt-in-law, having given birth to a girl, faced constant criticism from Grandma Wu.

If not for her aunt-in-law's diligence, her attitude would have been even worse.

Moreover, Grandma Wu clearly disapproved of Su Rong, often complaining to her relatives that this daughter-in-law was unworthy of her son, except for her ability to bear sons.

Despite Grandma Wu's treatment, Tang Qingqing's parents still left her in the countryside, neglecting her for nearly four years. She couldn't trust such parents.

Although Grandma Wu wasn't as harsh as Tang Jianjun and his wife, and sometimes spoke up for her, she was still closer to Tang Zhenzhen. Tang Qingqing still felt her parents were irresponsible.

Even though she read in the book how much she was loved, and understood their work demands, she couldn't shake off her negative feelings as the one sacrificed.

After all, the book was just like watching a movie, not real-life experiences.

Reality affected her more deeply.

Besides, if she left, what would happen to her master?

Tang Qingqing learned skills from her master and intended to support him in his old age.

Only when she had the means to support both herself and her master would she have the courage to leave.

With this clarity, Tang Qingqing suppressed her wavering thoughts once again.

She would remember what Tang Jianjun and Zhao Dahua had done and make them pay.

Until she was strong enough, she would keep everything inside.

However, they shouldn't expect her to obey them as before.

As the final exams approached, Tang Qingqing applied to the teacher to include second-grade content in her exam.

When Sun Qin heard this, she couldn't help but frown:

"Knowledge needs to be accumulated bit by bit. You can't fool your way through with a little cleverness; that's just taking shortcuts."

Tang Qingqing did not argue back and continued to plead, "Teacher, I just want to try. Can I?"

"Printing extra exam papers doesn't come for free, you know. If everyone were like you, the school would be in chaos."

Sun Qin rolled her eyes, not wanting to engage further.

"Teacher, if I pay for the extra papers, would that be okay?"

"Don't think a little skill makes you so great. Study diligently and honestly. If you don't want to study properly, then don't come to school!"

Sun Qin also addressed the other students: "Don't let yourselves be misled. A little cleverness doesn't mean you're all that. Always looking for shortcuts won't get you far."

With that, she left without looking back.

Her desk mate patted her chest in relief: "Sister Qingqing, you scared me just now."

Undeterred, Tang Qingqing went directly to the principal to discuss skipping grades.

"Skipping grades after just one semester? Academics require solid foundations."

Tang Qingqing explained, "I'm not young anymore, and I understand the textbooks faster than my classmates. During class, I've also listened to lessons from other grades, and I believe I've mastered them."

With classes during the day and tutoring from Zhai Hongyi after school, Tang Qingqing made rapid progress.

Especially in math, she hardly needed Zhai Hongyi's guidance; she could grasp concepts almost immediately.

This was likely due to her training in tracking, which involved calculating the height, weight, and age of someone based on their footprints.

The first three years of schooling covered basic knowledge, which was very simple for Tang Qingqing.

Chinese wasn't an issue either. Her memory was excellent, allowing her to remember how to write characters and quickly memorize texts.

Text analysis and interpretation were taught by Zhai Hongyi, who, despite his young age, had vast knowledge, helping Tang Qingqing understand and remember quickly.

Additionally, her dreams had a positive impact, enhancing her comprehension abilities.

All these factors contributed to Tang Qingqing's rapid progress, and she didn't want to waste time, planning to skip directly to higher grades.

The principal, a kind old man, sighed upon hearing Tang Qingqing's request:

"The girls in your family are all so smart. Alright, take the exams for the first three grades. If you pass them all, you can skip grades."

The quality of education at the school was poor, and few students even managed to pass. Thus, the standards were low.

Tang Qingqing bowed to the principal and walked towards the classroom door but couldn't help turning back.

The principal asked, "Is there anything else?"

"I'd like to know about Tang Zhenzhen."

The principal paused briefly but then smiled, assuming she wanted to know how smart her older sister was when she was young.

"She was the smartest child I've ever met. Even as a little girl, she spoke and acted like an adult, organized and composed. She learned things instantly, just like you do now."

Tang Qingqing remained silent; she wasn't that smart.

Her age gave her a better understanding ability than children, and the new characters she learned required constant practice to remember.

At the time, Tang Zhenzhen hadn't even turned four, making it a completely different level.

"Was she good at remembering or did she truly understand everything?"

"She understood everything. When I tested her with fifth-grade math problems, she solved them effortlessly. Her essays were also beyond her age, using sophisticated vocabulary and techniques. She was incredibly smart."

The principal had mentioned this many times, but it never lost its novelty, given such a student was rare in a lifetime.

After thanking the principal, Tang Qingqing left, puzzled. The Tang Zhenzhen described in the book was ordinary and disliked studying, yet the reality seemed vastly different.

Baffled, Tang Qingqing lost focus during Zhai Hongyi's tutoring session.

Zhai Hongyi picked up a pointer and tapped her desk.

"What's wrong with you today? You keep drifting off."

Tang Qingqing was usually the most focused during lessons, but today she was clearly distracted.

"Sorry, I was thinking about something."

"What could have you so distracted? It can't be because of your brother, right?"

Tang Xingwang had lost his job as a shepherd and refused to go to school. Grandma Wu had given the family's study spot to Tang Xingqiang, who would start school next year.

As for Tang Xingsheng, he was quiet and not as quick-witted as Tang Xingqiang, but he was a hard worker.

Grandma Wu assigned Tang Xingsheng to earn work points at home, and neither Tang Jianjun nor Zhao Dahua objected.

Tang Xingwang, being neither diligent nor honest, would likely struggle when he started working officially next year.

"As if! I'm more than happy to see him suffer."

Tang Qingqing didn't hide her thoughts; Tang Xingwang deserved some tough lessons.

In the room were Old Liu, Wang Heizi, and Tang Qiaoqiao. Hearing that Tang Qingqing had been caught daydreaming, Wang Heizi gloated.

"Haha, I finally caught you not paying attention. It was always me getting beaten up before, but today it's finally your turn!"

Tang Qingqing gave him a withering look. "I was distracted because I talked to the principal about skipping a grade today. I'm worried that if I don't do well on the test, I'll embarrass Brother Yi. I'm doing this for my studies, unlike you."

Wang Heizi was stunned. "You're really going to skip a grade? Do you have to progress so fast? This makes Tang Qiaoqiao and me look stupid."

Tang Qingqing: "Don't drag my sister into this. Last time, my sister got a perfect score, while you only got sixty."

"Why do you keep bringing this up? Why can't you remember when I got a perfect score in math?"

"All perfect scores are the same; of course, I'd remember something different."

Wang Heizi gritted his teeth. "I'm doing much better now. If I took the exam now, I would definitely be at the top of the class."

Although studying was tiring, Wang Heizi couldn't sit still.

But Zhai Hongyi taught well, making it less painful than before, allowing him to listen and learn quite a bit.

"I'll bring back the test papers later. Both you and Qiaoqiao should try them out and see how many points you can get."

Wang Heizi wanted to slap himself for speaking up, as he had just invited another test upon himself.

The four of them left Old Liu's house together, with Zhai Hongyi and Tang Qingqing walking behind, while Tang Qiaoqiao and Wang Heizi ran ahead, playing.

Tang Qiaoqiao was a well-behaved and considerate child, and everyone liked her.

She had now integrated into their small group and had good relationships with everyone.

She no longer followed Tang Qingqing around all the time, preferring to follow Wang Xiaohai, who would play with her.

Tang Qiaoqiao wasn't short of brothers, but they didn't treat her as well, often dismissing her as just a little girl and not including her in their activities.

Seeing those two run far ahead, Tang Qingqing pondered for a moment and couldn't help asking:

"Brother Yi, what do you think when someone changes drastically? What could be the reason?"

Zhai Hongyi glanced at her. "What kind of change? If it's a sudden shift in personality, it's likely due to some significant event that impacted them, causing a major change."

Such things weren't uncommon in this era. A once cheerful person might become gloomy and cynical after experiencing betrayal or a drastic change in circumstances.

The environment has a profound impact on a person. Being able to maintain one's self in difficult times is a valuable trait.

Tang Qingqing tilted her head, thinking it didn't seem like that.

After all, what significant events could a little kid encounter? The biggest thing would be being taken to the countryside shortly after birth.

But Tang Zhenzhen was barely out of her postpartum period then; she wouldn't understand such things.

"Could it make someone go from ordinary to exceptionally smart?"

"How could that be possible? If it were that easy to become smart, scientists would have started researching it long ago. A drastic change could alter someone's personality or motivate them to work hard and change their fate, thus becoming smarter, which is possible."

This clearly didn't fit Tang Zhenzhen's situation.

"What if a child suddenly becomes very smart?"

"A child?" Zhai Hongyi looked down at her. "You're not talking about yourself again, are you?"

"Of course not, a child younger than me."

"Younger than you? Unless someone swapped their soul, I can't imagine how they could become smarter. There's no such thing as a smart pill."

"Soul swap?" Tang Qingqing widened her eyes.

"I was just joking. There's no such thing in the world. We can talk about these things among ourselves, but if others heard us, they might accuse us of superstition."

Tang Qingqing covered her mouth and nodded blankly.

Zhai Hongyi couldn't help but tug at her hat.

"Hmm, why do I feel like you've grown taller?"

Tang Qingqing, who had been lost in thought, immediately focused on him.

"Really, really? I've grown taller?"

Height had always been a sore spot for Tang Qingqing. In the book, she was already quite tall, but now she was still tiny.

Whenever people mentioned her tracking skills, they admired her abilities but also wondered if such a little girl could truly be that capable, suspecting it might be luck.

Zhai Hongyi compared their heights. "You have indeed grown taller. It seems the nutrition is helping. You're starting to grow."

Not only did she grow taller, but after stopping her sheep-herding, her sun-tanned face gradually became fairer and rounder.

In just a few months, there were noticeable changes, making her more attractive than before.

Her big eyes shone brighter, like a cat's.

Previously, her large eyes seemed disproportionate due to her thinness, but now her round face balanced them perfectly.

Now, standing there, Tang Qingqing no longer went unnoticed; people noticed her in crowds.

Tang Qingqing was overjoyed. Spending so much money on food this year was worth it.

Unfortunately, she could only sell bamboo baskets, limiting her earnings. Otherwise, eating better would improve her health even more.

This winter, she felt less cold than in previous years, and she had more energy, with no more dizzy spells.

"Now that you're growing quickly, you need to drink more milk, or you might cramp up."

Tang Qingqing was at a loss. "But where can we get milk from?"

"Maybe we can dissolve White Rabbit candies in water."

White Rabbits are so expensive! She didn't have coupons, and they were even more costly on the black market.

She could barely ensure that she ate an egg every two to three days, which was already quite difficult.

"Would goat's milk work?"

The team had many goats, some of which were currently producing milk.

"It should be fine."

Tang Qingqing breathed a sigh of relief. Other types of milk might be hard to find, but goat's milk was relatively easy to come by.

However, goat's milk had a strong, unpleasant taste.

But Tang Qingqing had a method; the book provided detailed instructions on how to remove the taste.

And even if it still tasted strong, as long as it was good for her health, she would swallow it down, even if it tasted like yellow lotus root.

On the day of the exam, under Sun Qin's mocking gaze, Tang Qingqing took three Chinese test papers.

"Hmph, always relying on tricks. Let's see how many points you can score."

Then Sun Qin stood next to Tang Qingqing, staring intently at her.

If a child with weaker mental fortitude were being watched like this during an exam, they would surely be terrified.

Tang Qingqing's seatmate was trembling with fear. The questions he already struggled with now seemed even harder, leaving his mind blank.

Tang Qingqing, however, remained unaffected. She prided herself on her focus and composure. Without these qualities, she wouldn't have been able to observe footprints with such confidence.

Learning tracking skills required no shortcuts, only accumulated experience.

The first-grade questions were simple for Tang Qingqing, especially since her Mandarin was taught by Zhai Hongyi, and she had spent considerable time training in pinyin. With the added benefit of her other memories, her pronunciation was very standard, making pinyin problems a breeze.

Tang Qingqing finished the first-grade exam in twenty minutes, then moved on to the second and third grades. Although some questions were subjective, they were all based on textbook material and not too challenging.

Her handwriting, practiced by copying slogans on walls, was neat and tidy, making her answer sheets look very presentable.

The exams were oil-printed, and it was easy to smudge them with sleeves if one wasn't careful.

Being older and more cautious, Tang Qingqing paid attention to this issue from the start, ensuring no such accidents occurred.

Sun Qin was surprised that Tang Qingqing completed all three tests in such a short time. During her supervision, she had kept a close eye on Tang Qingqing's answers, which were all correct. This made Sun Qin feel somewhat embarrassed.

However, she didn't say anything, just coldly instructed everyone to hand in their papers and left with them.

The math exam was even simpler for Tang Qingqing. She finished well before the allotted time and double-checked her answers several times to ensure accuracy.

During the math exam, Sun Qin didn't stare at her constantly, but when she did glance over, her expression remained unfriendly.

Tang Qingqing couldn't understand why Sun Qin always looked so angry.

However, she wouldn't have to see Sun Qin's face anymore next semester, as she would be attending classes with the principal.

Although the results weren't out yet, Tang Qingqing was confident.

Even if she didn't score full marks, she expected to achieve above ninety-five percent.

Due to the small number of students, the results came out quickly.

Tang Qingqing lost a few points in Chinese, scoring 99, 98, and 95, while achieving perfect scores in math.

After receiving her papers, she specifically checked why she lost points.

The deductions were all from subjective questions. Some answers were exactly what the teacher had previously taught, yet points were deducted anyway.

The third-grade paper included an essay, which was scored particularly low.

These scores were the best in the school; many students struggled to pass.

Sun Qin said, "It's just a stroke of luck. If you become arrogant, you'll suffer in the future."

"Thank you for your guidance, Teacher."

Tang Qingqing took her report card to the principal and requested to start fourth grade directly next semester.

The principal, who already knew her scores, happily agreed.

"You must continue studying hard. Your current performance doesn't guarantee future success."

"Principal, I will."

The principal opened a drawer and handed Tang Qingqing a notebook and a pencil.

"This is your reward for this exam. Our school hasn't seen such high scores in a long time."

He had reviewed her papers; if he graded them, they would either be perfect or 99.

However, Sun Qin had her reasons for deducting points, and he didn't want to interfere. Besides, the scores were still high, and it was good for Tang Qingqing to stay humble.

With her exam results in hand, Tang Qingqing excitedly ran to Old Liu's house.

Ever since Zhai Hongyi and Wang Heizi started using it as their base, the once-desolate path halfway up the mountain had been leveled.

Now it was much easier to navigate, and there was no danger of getting lost.

Tang Qingqing no longer waited for Tang Qiaoqiao after class, allowing her to go to Old Liu's house on her own.

If Zhai Hongyi and Wang Heizi were there, they would start the lesson; if not, she would help Old Liu weave baskets to earn some private money.

Tang Qingqing pushed open the door of Old Liu's house, beaming with joy. "Master, I got first place in the whole school!"

Old Liu put down the basket he was weaving, trying hard to keep a serious expression, but his curved eyebrows betrayed his happiness.

"Not bad. At least that boy surnamed Zhai didn't teach you in vain. Study hard and aim to become a female top scholar!"

Tang Qingqing laughed happily and agreed. "Master, just wait and see. I won't let you down!"

After Zhai Hongyi arrived, he checked her test paper and looked displeased at the deductions.

"This is outrageous; the teacher's standards are too low!"

Wang Heizi stretched his neck to look at the paper but was thwarted by Zhai Hongyi.

"You can't see it yet. I'll copy the questions down for an exam later."

Wang Heizi felt frustrated. "We don't even go to school, why do we need an exam?"

"The exam is to assess how much you've learned recently. It gives us a sense of your progress."

Wang Heizi pouted, looking reluctant.

Tang Qingqing tapped his head with her finger. "Be grateful. Many people wish they had the chance to study."

Wang Caoer was one of them. Tang Qingqing also wanted her little sister to come and learn to read and write, but she had to tend sheep and had many chores at home, leaving no time for schooling.

Her family believed that girls learning to read and write was useless, so they wouldn't give her the opportunity.

Wang Heizi merely boasted a bit; after the exam, he eagerly wanted to know his score.

Both Wang Heizi and Tang Qiaoqiao were at the first-grade level. Wang Heizi had attended school briefly before dropping out due to lack of interest.

His previous scores were very poor; he couldn't understand what the teachers were saying.

While Zhai Hongyi was grading the papers, Wang Heizi kept glancing over, ignoring his nearly worn-out comic book.

Although Tang Qiaoqiao was nervous, she managed to focus on weaving baskets.

She lacked strength, making the process difficult and slow, but the quality and appearance were fine.

Zhai Hongyi graded quickly and finished in no time.

Seeing him put down his pen, Wang Heizi rushed from one end of the bed to the other.

"Brother Yi, how did I do?"

Wang Heizi was nervous; this was the first time he had completed an entire test and felt confident about his answers.

"You scored 98 in math and 81 in Chinese..."

Wang Heizi jumped up on the bed. "How could I be so awesome? I actually scored so high!"

"Hahaha, how could I be so cool? Why am I so cool?"

Zhai Hongyi, annoyed, said, "You're already in second grade, and these are first-grade scores. You should be ashamed to be happy."

"Hahaha, Brother Yi, you don't know my previous scores. Eight in math and five in Chinese, hahaha."

Seeing Wang Heizi's excitement, Zhai Hongyi didn't bother scolding him further.

Wang Heizi had mastered all the first-grade math content; the two points deducted were due to carelessness.

The deductions in Chinese were justified; he couldn't read pinyin, made spelling errors, and hadn't memorized the required texts.

Tang Qiaoqiao waited anxiously for her results, unable to focus on her work, watching Zhai Hongyi expectantly.

Zhai Hongyi: "Qiaoqiao did well this time, scoring full marks in both subjects."

Tang Qiaoqiao was stunned, her eyes wide open, unable to believe it.

"I, I, I scored full marks?"

Zhai Hongyi nodded. "Your knowledge is solid, but your handwriting needs improvement."

Tang Qiaoqiao hugged Tang Qingqing's arm. "Sis, I scored full marks!"

Tang Qingqing was delighted for her. "Qiaoqiao, you're amazing! Keep it up!"

Tang Qiaoqiao nodded repeatedly, holding the paper with a 100 score, smiling broadly.

She carefully put it away to show her parents and make them proud.

Although Wang Heizi had the lowest score among the three, he wasn't bothered, feeling that his performance was impressive enough.

Zhai Hongyi told Tang Qingqing, "For this exam, although your scores in other grades were good, you still need to consolidate your knowledge. This winter break, our focus will be on teaching the lower grades, and we won't rush into fourth-grade material."

These tests were very simple, and getting high scores was not particularly impressive according to Zhai Hongyi's standards.

The education in Red Star Commune was clearly lagging behind, or perhaps not enough emphasis had been placed on it in recent years, making the questions overly simplistic.

Tang Qingqing had no objections; during the winter break, she could manage her time freely.

If her family had any complaints, she could always come to Master's place.

They had previously cleaned up a nearby small cave, where she could stay if needed.

Tang Qingqing found that after she stopped caring about everything, she became more carefree and easygoing. Things that used to bother her now seemed insignificant.

She was now favored by the Public Security Bureau of the commune, so they didn't dare to do anything to her.

After winter break, Tang Qingqing would get up at dawn and rush over to Old Liu's house with steamed buns in hand.

Tang Qiaoqiao also wanted to go, but she wasn't as free as Tang Qingqing.

Tang Qingqing wanted to bring her along, but couldn't. Her uncle's family was different; she lacked the confidence to be willful there, and her current abilities weren't enough to support them.

Wang Heizi and Zhai Hongyi were very free. One disliked staying at the educated youth camp, while the other didn't like staying at home. They would often come to Old Liu's place when they had nothing to do.

Business was hard in winter; chickens barely laid eggs in the cold, and there wasn't much to trade.

Moreover, it was inconvenient to go out in the harsh winter.

With nothing else to do, they studied.

Wang Heizi would complain every day when he came over, but when it was time to study, he was relatively serious.

Zhao Dahua noticed that Tang Qingqing was always running around outside. She would leave early in the morning and not return until dinner time, and then disappear again after eating.

She didn't help with any household chores, which infuriated Zhao Dahua.

"All day long, she runs around. Just because she has a master, how can she be closer to him than her own parents!"

Old Wu disagreed: "A master teaches real skills, so respect is due. In the past, serving him like a slave was considered proper."

"These are outdated ideas. Besides, Qingqing is just a girl; it's not proper for her to run around like this."

"You really are thick-headed. If Qingqing learns real skills, she'll be capable and can help her brothers."

Zhao Dahua was slightly taken aback; she had never thought of this possibility.

But she quickly regained her composure and sneered, "Do my three sons need her help? What can she do? At best, she can arrange some errands. But their older sister is different; she can get them jobs in a factory."

"If they become workers, our family will change completely; we'll all be city dwellers!"

Old Wu's attitude shifted upon hearing this.

"Can it really happen?"

"Why not? Tang Zhenzhen has entered the Art Troupe and will marry a high-ranking official. With connections on both sides, promoting them would be effortless."

Old Wu found this logic convincing. She doubted the other girls, but Tang Zhenzhen, who had been clever from a young age, could certainly charm influential figures.

"It seems having a successful daughter isn't worse than having sons."

Zhao Dahua was displeased: "It's just that the Wang brothers had bad luck. If it had been them, they would have truly had a future."

Old Wu felt regretful thinking about it.

Although Tang Jianguo was her biological son, he had been adopted out.

When choosing a spouse for him, she couldn't be present, and he ended up with a troublesome wife who didn't have good intentions. She feared that if their family rose, it would overshadow hers.

Otherwise, she would have asked Tang Jianguo to help his brothers and nephews.

Initially, Old Wu strongly opposed the exchange of children.

Tang Jianguo's adoption had already distanced them. If they exchanged his daughter...

Old Wu couldn't imagine what would happen if the truth came out.

But Tang Jianjun argued that if it hadn't been for Tang Jianguo stealing his life, he would be just like Tang Jianguo now.

He wouldn't need such tactics to give his children a better life.

Old Wu eventually gave in, partly due to guilt over the adoption and partly fearing future support issues, not wanting to alienate her youngest son.

It was just a girl anyway; exchanging her was fine.

This way, the two families would forever be intertwined.

Old Wu believed she wasn't heartless. Had she been present, she wouldn't have let Tang Jianguo take the wrong child.

Tang Jianguo was her flesh and blood, and she hadn't taken good care of him. As a mother, she didn't want to deceive him.

Coincidentally, something happened at the Wu family that day, and she had to go back, missing the event.

However, all this was Su Rong's fault. She could have stayed where they were, but insisted on traveling far to find her husband.

Old Wu had offered to take care of the children if they stayed. The older ones weren't too young and wouldn't stay there permanently. Why move everyone?

But Su Rong stubbornly refused, insisting on moving the children around.

She even left the younger ones behind, fearing they might fall ill.

If Su Rong hadn't chosen this path, none of this would have happened.

Old Wu got angry thinking about it. Why did she leave her pregnant daughter-in-law to go to the city?

Su Rong insisted on following her husband to a remote area for construction.

Pah! What construction? She just feared other women would notice his talent.

Had Su Rong not caused trouble, they would have stayed in the city, enjoying urban amenities like electricity and television!