Sun Xiaowan felt even more sympathetic toward Cheng You.
She had finally managed to see her younger brother improve, only for her stepmother to interfere and send him back to his old ways in the blink of an eye.
"I think you should give up on Cheng Wenyu. People like him are probably beyond saving."
"Xiaowan!" Duan Liping glared at her.
Cheng You's eyes reddened, and Sun Xiaowan was fanning the flames.
Sun Xiaowan guiltily stuck out her tongue, "I was just saying."
Cheng You rubbed her eyes, holding back a surge of tears.
"Let's go back first."
She needed to go back and think carefully about what to do.
Sun Xiaowan and Duan Liping exchanged glances, knowing she was in a bad mood and didn't dare to speak.
Qi Chengyan remained silent, following behind her, his protective stance evident.
Sun Xiaowan still couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness. This was the scene she had longed for.
She had hoped he would walk by her side, as her boyfriend.
Now she saw the scene, but he was walking beside another girl.
"Fortunately, she's prettier than I am," Sun Xiaowan said wistfully.
Duan Liping whispered, "What?"
Sun Xiaowan's gaze was mournful as she pointed her chin towards the backs of the couple in front.
"If Cheng You weren't as pretty as me but still got Chengyan ge, how heartbroken would I be?"
Duan Liping burst out laughing. This was also why she and Sun Xiaowan got along so well.
Despite her spoiled nature, her thoughts were honest.
"Alright, don't overthink it. You'll definitely meet someone better than educated youth Qi in the future."
Sun Xiaowan pouted, "I don't want to find a boyfriend in the countryside. My dad sent me a telegram a couple of days ago saying there's a worker-peasant-soldier university spot for our village, and he'll help me lobby for it."
Duan Liping envied her, "If you really get to go back, don't forget me."
For them, going down to the countryside meant more than just hardship; it meant leaving their homes.
The desire to return to the city was primarily because their homes were in the city.
Sun Xiaowan smiled, "It's not certain yet! If I can't go back this time, I might be stuck in the countryside for the rest of my life."
...
Cheng You's heart was a mess of emotions – anger, hatred, and frustration.
She had thought that life would be smooth sailing from now on.
After such a short period of peace, trouble had arrived again.
"Qi Chengyan, if Cheng Wenyu really can't be reformed, what should I do?"
Would she really have to give up on this brother?
He was her only relative.
In her eyes, her father, Cheng Tianhua, could already be equated with "deceased."
Unconsciously, Cheng You's face was streaked with tears, and a look of helplessness appeared in her eyes.
She pouted and sobbed, her slender shoulders trembling, making her look utterly heart-wrenching.
Qi Chengyan took out a handkerchief and gently wiped her tears.
"Don't worry."
Qi Chengyan wasn't as pessimistic as Cheng You.
Cheng Wenyu was merely trapped in a scheme. It wasn't like he was beyond redemption.
Cheng You bit her lip, her small face dejected.
She was just worried that Cheng Wenyu's final outcome would be the same as in her dream.
All the way, Cheng You was lost in her thoughts, unusually silent.
Qi Chengyan looked at her several times with a deep gaze, not knowing what she was thinking, so he didn't speak.
When they reached the village entrance, Cheng You walked off the tractor absentmindedly.
"Qi Chengyan, I'm going home now."
Qi Chengyan's eyes softened, and he gently stroked her head, reassuringly saying, "Don't think too much."
Cheng You furrowed her brows, "I know."
Upon returning home, she heard Song Yulian's sarcastic voice, "I'm just unlucky, marrying into this family to be a servant and taking care of everyone, born a slave! Cheng You, you're already eighteen, yet you don't do any chores at home. Be careful you won't get married later."
Seeing Song Yulian made Cheng You feel as disgusted as if she had swallowed a fly.
She felt suffocated even staying under the same roof as Song Yulian.
She flicked her braided pigtails and said coldly, "If I really don't get married, I'll have to thank you and your daughter! You snatched my marriage, and you still dare to mention it to me. When it comes to shamelessness, no one in Wujing Village can compare to you two."
Song Yulian slammed the spatula down with a clang, "Your father gave you five hundred yuan! Isn't that enough to shut you up? Cheng You, don't get too greedy. Cheng Tao's bride price was given to you, so we don't owe you anything!"
"Oh? Twenty yuan bride price? I seem to remember Wang Hongxia negotiating for one hundred, but she only gave twenty in the end? So, where did the remaining eighty yuan go?"
This was not a secret. Zhao Lifang had been telling everyone that Cheng Tao's twenty yuan bride price was essentially a dowry for her brother.
Cheng You realized with a little thought that Wang Hongxia definitely hadn't given the remaining bride price to Cheng Tao.
Song Yulian was stunned. She had forgotten about this.
No, she had to go and ask if the remaining eighty yuan had been given or not.
Cheng You watched her hurried departure, a cold smile curling her lips.
Let her and Wang Hongxia fight like dogs.
Cheng You sat by the door and chewed melon seeds for a while, then saw Cheng Wenyu return by bicycle.
The person who brought him back was Cheng Dingyuan, the eldest brother of San Leng.
"Brother Yuan, why are you bringing Cheng Wenyu home?"
Cheng Dingyuan said, "I met him on the way. You should ask him what happened first."
Most likely, he had gotten into another fight. Judging by his expression, he had probably lost.
Cheng Dingyuan waved his hand and rode away on his bicycle.
Cheng Wenyu dared not look up, slung his schoolbag, and walked inside.
Cheng You turned and followed, "Don't you need to explain yourself?"
"There's nothing to explain," he said coldly.
Cheng You laughed in anger, "What's with that attitude? Today was the first day of school. You promised you'd study hard, but on the first day, you went out to fight with people? Cheng Wenyu, I think you're beyond saving!"
Cheng Wenyu slumped his shoulders, resigned to his fate.
"Yes, I'm beyond saving. Let's forget it. I'm not cut out for studying."
Cheng You's anger turned into tears that fell with a patter.
"What will you do if you don't study? Hang around with those people doing nothing, going out to cause trouble? Cheng Wenyu, what if you really get into serious trouble? Do you think going to jail is a simple matter? Who are the people in there? You might not even survive!"
As she cried, Cheng Wenyu panicked.
He didn't dare to say that those people were holding an IOU with his thumbprint on it.
If they had the IOU, would he really go to jail?
"Sister, I'm sorry, I didn't skip class on purpose... They told me that a very good brother of mine from before was injured, and I rushed out in a panic."
That brother was a few years older than him, but he had treated him very well.
He had rushed out in a daze, thinking he would just take a quick look and then return to class.
Who knew that those people had lied to him?
They had also pulled him into a card game, saying that since class was already in session, it would be better to just play a couple of rounds.
Cheng Wenyu had initially intended to play only a couple of rounds and return to school after this period ended.
Who knew he had lost so badly that he couldn't get up, and those people had coaxed him into signing an IOU.