Chapter 10: Sending Hua Chunli Back to Campus

Huo Beixi stood in the night air until not a sound could be heard, only then did he turn back. His house was right behind Hua Xiali’s, just a few steps away.

Hua Xiali sat on her bed, moving softly. She took the money out of the envelope and counted it; to her surprise, there were fifteen blue hundred-yuan bills.

This left Hua Xiali very puzzled. They had clearly agreed on a loan of eleven hundred yuan, so why would Huo Beixi give her fifteen hundred?

Could it be that he was worried she wouldn't have enough, so he lent her an extra four hundred?

Fifteen hundred it is, then. She would just have to repay Huo Beixi based on a principal of fifteen hundred when the time came. Huo Beixi had packed the money himself, so he naturally knew how much was inside. Perhaps he was testing her character; if she repaid less, wouldn't it make her look like someone with sticky fingers?

With this money, she could send Hua Chunli back to school. The most pressing matter was resolved, and now she could focus on earning money with peace of mind.

That night, Hua Xiali went to sleep happily, clutching the money.

When Hua Xiali got up the next morning, Mother Hua saw her beaming and asked curiously, "Xiali, what good thing happened to make you so happy?"

"Nothing." Hua Xiali decided to keep it a mystery; everyone would know soon enough anyway.

Once breakfast was ready and Mother Hua had finished helping Father Hua eat, she came out to join the others. Hua Xiali set down her bowl and chopsticks, sat up straight, and looked at Mother Hua, Hua Chunli, and her eldest brother-in-law, Zhang Yongfeng, who were sitting beside her. She said earnestly, "Mom, Sister, Brother-in-law, please spare me a moment. I have something very important to tell you."

Hua Chunli was full of curiosity. "What is it? You're being so serious."

Hua Xiali took out the eight hundred yuan she had counted out beforehand and placed it in front of Hua Chunli. "There is eight hundred yuan here. Sister, go back to school and study, then take the college entrance exam in July!"

Hua Chunli stared at Hua Xiali in shock.

"Sister, there are three girls in our family. Ever since we were born, the people in the village have been mocking us. Mom and Dad’s spines have been poked until they’re almost bent by the villagers. Now that these things have happened to our family, those who look down on us are practically laughing their heads off. We can't just take this lying down; we have to prove ourselves. We can't stay this depressed. We must use our own efforts to show everyone how capable we are, to let everyone know that we girls are no worse than boys, and that the Hua family isn't a family they can just mock."

"Sister, you had good grades when you were in school. If you go back and review for two months, you will definitely get into college. As long as you get into college, no one will ever mock our family or look down on us again."

Hua Chunli was three years older than Hua Xiali, so she naturally understood the issues Hua Xiali raised better than anyone. It wasn't just the villagers who mocked them; even their grandparents didn't like them. Their grandparents had never held the three sisters once, let alone given them any love or help.

It was just that they hadn't realized it was due to a preference for boys over girls back then. As they grew older and understood more, they suddenly realized that they had never been liked by their grandparents.

She herself truly wanted to go back to school, take the college entrance exam, attend university, and change her own fate and that of her family, but the family's circumstances didn't allow it.

"Sister, it's not busy in the fields right now. Staying at home is just a waste of time. You might as well go back to school. By the time you finish the exam in July, it won't even be the summer harvest yet. It won't delay anything at all!"

Hua Xiali grabbed Hua Chunli's hand and said urgently, "Sister, you don't want to live with regrets for the rest of your life, do you? Don't hesitate anymore. The exam is in July; there's no time left. If you don't take it this year, you'll have to spend even more money next year!"

"Xiali, you were always top of your class when you were in school. Why don't you go back instead?" Hua Chunli suggested.

"I didn't even finish my first year of high school before dropping out. Do you think I can take the college entrance exam?" Hua Xiali raised an eyebrow and then said, "Sister, I will go back to school, but not right now. You take the exam first, and I'll follow later. Don't worry about the money; leave that to me and Brother-in-law. We'll be responsible for earning it."

"Xiali, tell me the truth—where did you get so much money?" Although Hua Chunli wanted to study and didn't want to leave regrets in her life, she didn't want her sister doing anything foolish for her sake.

"I borrowed this money," Hua Xiali said truthfully.

"Borrowed from whom? Who would be so generous as to lend you so much money all at once?" Hua Chunli grabbed Hua Xiali's hand and asked sternly.

"Sister." Hua Xiali pushed Hua Chunli's hand away and said helplessly, "I really did borrow it, but I can't tell you who from. I can only tell you that this money is clean. It wasn't obtained by trading anything, nor did I exchange myself for it. Just go to school with peace of mind! Strive to get into college, bring honor to our family, and let me bask in your success."

"Since the money has already been borrowed, Chunli, you should go back to school and give it a try. Don't let Xiali's good intentions go to waste. When you make it big in the future and live a good life, don't forget Xiali's sacrifice," Mother Hua said with reddened eyes.

Zhang Yongfeng nodded repeatedly. "That's right, Chunli. Focus on your studies. You don't need to worry about the house. Besides, it's not the busy farming season, so we really don't need that many hands at home. You might as well go to school and try. It's only two months; it won't delay anything."

"Sister." Hua Xiali also looked at Hua Chunli, waiting for her decision. "Go and try. If you fail, it only cost eight hundred yuan. At worst, I'll go work in the south, and I'll be able to pay it back quickly."

Hua Chunli covered her face with her hands and couldn't help but cry. Then, she leaned on Hua Xiali's shoulder. After she finished crying, she said, "Xiali, thank you. If I really have the chance to make it big, I will never forget you. Whatever I have, you will have a share of it."

Hua Xiali reached out and hugged Hua Chunli, her eyes turning red. "Sister, with those words, everything I've done is worth it."

That was what she said, but she certainly wouldn't take anything from Hua Chunli when the time came. After all, her dream in this life was just to stay by her parents' side.

Besides, she now had the spiritual spring space, so earning money was easy for her. She just needed to achieve financial freedom so she wouldn't have to worry about money and could focus on staying with her parents.

Furthermore, twenty years later, when the village was demolished for redevelopment, even though she didn't have two sons to claim the extra head-count compensation, as long as she had the house and the land, she would still get one or two million yuan in relocation funds. By then, she could just put it in a fixed deposit like in her past life and live off the interest. Her future life would be nothing short of comfortable.

So, what could she possibly lack?