Cheng You slept particularly well that night, clutching the ointment in her hand.
It was the first thing he had ever officially given her.
She dreamt of her mother, nestled in her embrace, telling her she was doing well, though she missed her dearly.
After a good night's sleep, she was awakened the next morning by Cheng Wenyu.
"I've made up my mind, I want to go back to school!"
Cheng You yawned, "Since you've decided, then study hard."
However, she had already decided that the money shouldn't come from her own pocket; Cheng Tianhua would have to pay.
"Go tell Cheng Tianhua to pay for your schooling."
Cheng Wenyu nodded, "Did you really go out last night?"
Cheng You glared at him, "You little brat, don't ask too many questions!"
"You're only three or four years older than me, what's so great about that!"
Cheng Wenyu stomped out and started knocking on the door early in the morning.
"Dad! Wake up, Dad!"
Poor Song Yulian had stayed up late with Cheng Tianhua trying to please him.
It was comfortable, but utterly exhausting.
Woken up early, her temper flared.
He threw on some clothes and walked out, "Are you trying to wake the dead!"
Cheng Wenyu declared, "I've decided, I want to go back to school."
Cheng Tianhua froze and stared at him intently.
"What's gotten into you?"
Cheng Wenyu was his only son, and Cheng Tianhua naturally doted on him.
It was precisely because he doted on him that he indulged him.
When Cheng Wenyu had proposed dropping out, Song Yulian had whispered in his ear, and he had agreed without a second thought.
"What's gotten into you? You were the one who wanted to drop out, so why do you want to go back now?"
Song Yulian also emerged from the room. After a night, the injuries on her face seemed to have worsened, looking like a palette of colors.
Cheng Wenyu almost burst out laughing.
This was the first time he had seen Song Yulian looking like this.
Song Yulian, as expected of a woman who had endured for so many years, looked as if nothing had happened after just one night.
She smiled at Cheng Wenyu, "Wenyu, you're not going to hang out with your buddies from the commune anymore? If you go back to school, you won't be able to play with them."
Cheng Wenyu looked at her strangely.
Ever since he had learned the true nature of Song Yulian and Cheng Tao, it was as if Cheng Wenyu's meridians had been unblocked.
Song Yulian's demeanor seemed to be for his own good, but Cheng Wenyu knew how fake her smile was.
"Aunt Lian, you don't want me to go back to school?"
The more Song Yulian didn't want something, the more he was determined to do it.
Song Yulian smiled, "You child still holds a grudge, why aren't you calling me Second Mom anymore? Did your sister teach you that?"
"No, I dreamt of my mother yesterday. She said if I called you Second Mom, she'd feel compelled to come over for tea and chat. I figured you wouldn't want to see my mother, would you?"
Song Yulian stared at him with a rigid smile, her fists clenched.
"You child, you barely remember what your mother looked like."
Cheng Wenyu grinned, "How could I not remember? My mother was so beautiful! Aunt Lian, honestly, I don't know how my dad could have liked you. You're far from as pretty as my mother."
Song Yulian's face turned cold, "There's no comparison, after all, your mother is gone."
Cheng Wenyu snorted, "Dad, I'll ask you one thing. I want to go to school, will you let me? I want to go to high school and find a job in the city."
Cheng Tianhua naturally wouldn't refuse his son's ambition.
"Yes, you can go if you want to!"
Cheng Wenyu held out his hand, "Then you have to pay for my tuition and living expenses. I'll enroll next month."
Mentioning money, Cheng Tianhua hesitated.
"I just gave your sister five hundred last night. Go ask her!"
Cheng Wenyu chuckled, his leg jiggling, like a rogue.
"Am I her son or your son? Why should my schooling depend on my sister's money?"
Cheng Tianhua's face darkened, "We're family, why be so calculating?"
"Since we don't need to be so calculating, then give me the money quickly!" Cheng Wenyu said.
Cheng Tao emerged from the room, braiding her pigtails.
"Dad, it's just a few dollars. Give him the money, don't delay my marriage negotiations with the Zhao family."
Song Yulian chimed in, "Tianhua, Cheng Tao is right."
Cheng Tianhua nudged Cheng Wenyu forcefully and handed him ten yuan.
"If you don't study well this time, I'll break your legs!"
Cheng Wenyu happily accepted the money, his greedy expression strikingly similar to Cheng You's.
Cheng Tao had changed into her best clothes, ready to go to the Zhao family's.
Even though yesterday had been a mess, she wouldn't give up on Zhao Yunlin.
Anyone would have panicked and chosen self-preservation in such a situation.
The thought of Zhao Yunlin becoming the richest man in the future gave her hope.
Once married, everything would be better.
Cheng Tianhua and Song Yulian quickly washed up.
For them, how messy yesterday had been was unimportant, as long as they could secure a marriage with the Zhao family.
It was as if they had split into two families; Cheng You and her brother were completely ignored.
However, Cheng You didn't care at all; she relished her freedom.
She found it disgusting to exchange even a single word with them.
Cheng Tianhua and his wife brought Cheng Tao to the Zhao's. Wang Hongxia, as if she had anticipated it, smiled and feigned indifference, "Captain, you're here to break off the engagement, right? My son can't possibly marry your Cheng You."
Cheng Tianhua chuckled, "We are here to break off an engagement, and also to discuss the marriage of our child."
Wang Hongxia's face stiffened, "What marriage? Are you talking about Cheng Tao?"
Yesterday, she had beaten Zhao Yunlin severely, and he had insisted that he hadn't gone all the way with Cheng Tao.
Only then did she heave a sigh of relief.
As long as he hadn't taken her virginity, it didn't count!
Song Yulian smiled, "The whole village knows Yunlin and Cheng Tao are dating. How can this end without marriage?"
"Nonsense! Why should we get married? With all this fuss, if we were to marry, what would our Zhao family be considered? Rag pickers?"
Song Yulian's face changed dramatically, "What are you saying? Who are you calling rags? Watch your mouth!"
"Oh! You want to fight? Then come on, who's afraid of whom!"
Just as Song Yulian and Wang Hongxia were about to clash, Zhao Yunlin walked out.
There was a visible handprint on his face, looking similar to Song Yulian's.
"Mom, let's go inside. Don't embarrass us outside."
His reputation was already in tatters, and if this escalated further, it would be ruined.
Wang Hongxia, concerned about his face, reluctantly stepped aside.
Cheng Tianhua winked at Cheng Tao and walked inside, hands behind his back.
Cheng Tao walked up to Zhao Yunlin, her heart aching as she looked at the bruises on his face.
"Did your parents hit you? Does it hurt?"
Her expression brought back memories of tenderness and affection for Zhao Yunlin.
"It's nothing. Did your mother hit you too?"
Cheng Tao shook her head, her face etched with worry, "Cheng You hit me."