Chapter 11: I think you should choose Wang Liang

“I’m going to the village office to call the brick factory. I’ll take you to school to register today, so I won’t be going to the brick factory to move bricks,” Zhang Yongfeng said, then stood up and walked outside.

Hua Chunli hurried back to her room to pack her personal belongings. Although the school wasn’t far from home, there were only a little over two months left until the college entrance exam. She didn’t want to waste time on the road; she wanted to read more books and complete more practice papers, striving to get into college. Otherwise, she wouldn’t be able to justify the sacrifices Xia Li and her family had made for her.

After Zhang Yongfeng finished his call, he took Hua Chunli to school.

Mother Hua cleared the table and said, “Xia Li, thank you.”

“Mom, why are you thanking me? I’m helping my own sister, not a stranger. Besides, if my sister makes it big in the future, won’t she be able to take care of me and you guys? If she’s the one looking after you, won’t my life be a bit easier?” Hua Xiali said with a relaxed expression.

If not for the spiritual spring space, a debt of 1,500 yuan might have been difficult for her, but now that she had the space, no amount of debt was a problem.

Mother Hua sighed almost inaudibly and said, “Xia Li, once the family’s situation improves in a couple of years, you should go back to school too. You always had good grades and were college material; you shouldn’t let it go to waste.”

Hua Xiali smiled without saying anything. Her eldest sister had just taken 800 yuan today, and by the end of August, she would need several thousand more for university. She didn’t know how much pressure Mother Hua was under, and if she added that she wanted to study too, she feared it would turn her mother’s hair white with worry.

It was better to wait until she had some money in her hands before bringing it up; by then, her parents wouldn’t have to worry.

Not long after Mother Hua left, Hua Xiali heard Hua Qingmei’s voice outside. She quickly pulled a medicinal patch from her pocket, stuck it over her eye, and then pinched herself hard, only stopping once tears welled up.

“Xia Li, what happened to your eye?” As soon as Hua Qingmei reached the doorway, she saw Hua Xiali’s eye—the patch was simply too conspicuous.

“A kid hit me with a rock. I’ve already seen a doctor; the eyeball isn’t damaged, it’s fine.” Hua Xiali shook her head and gestured for Hua Qingmei to sit down. “Qingmei, sit. Let me pour you some tea.”

Hua Qingmei was born in the same year as Hua Xiali, but because her family lived in the back row of the village, the two families were far apart, and they hadn’t known each other as children.

They only became friends after starting elementary school. Being the same age and from the same village, they became close, playing and causing mischief together. They had even shared quite a few harmless jokes in the past.

Hua Qingmei’s grades weren’t good; she barely finished middle school and didn’t get into high school, so she stayed home to help with chores. Because her family had relatives closer to the city, they introduced her to a suitor from town, and the two were set to marry in May.

In her previous life, before Hua Xiali got engaged to Wang Liang—and before Hua Qingmei got married—Qingmei had taken the grass-bead bracelet from her, and after that, Xiali never saw her again.

Even when the village was demolished and every household received at least a million yuan in compensation, Hua Qingmei never returned. It was clear how much money she had made using the spiritual spring space; if she could look down on a million-yuan payout, it meant she was incredibly wealthy.

But how did Hua Qingmei know there was a spiritual spring space inside the grass-bead bracelet?

Hua Xiali hadn’t discovered it in her past life, and only found it this time because she had been reborn. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have known either. So why did Hua Qingmei know?

Was she even really Hua Qingmei?

“No need for tea. I’m getting married soon, so I just wanted to come over and chat with you.” Hua Qingmei grabbed Hua Xiali as she tried to stand up. “Xia Li, I’m feeling so anxious, just keep me company and talk for a while!”

“Getting married to someone you like—I don’t think that’s anxiety, it’s anticipation!” Hua Xiali teased. She pretended to chat with Qingmei while secretly observing her.

She couldn’t just ask, ‘Are you a reincarnated person too?’ That would expose herself.

For her, the most important thing was to stay by her parents’ and family’s side; everything else was secondary. She couldn’t risk exposing herself just because of Hua Qingmei.

Hua Qingmei smiled shyly, then looked at Hua Xiali with curiosity. “Enough about me, let’s talk about you. I heard that both Wang Liang and Ding Yong are chasing you!”

Hua Xiali raised an eyebrow, feigning surprise. “You know about Wang Liang and Ding Yong?”

“We don’t live that far apart, how could I not know? That Ding Yong has been on blind dates with many people, but he’s short, and with three older sisters, no one wants him, which is why he’s still single. And that Wang Liang—I can see his front door from the back of the village. How could I not know them?” Hua Qingmei said, nudging Xiali’s arm playfully. “Xia Li, which one are you going to choose?”

“I’m choosing Ding Yong, of course! He has so many sisters. If his parents get sick in the future, the three daughters will take turns caring for them, and it won’t be my problem. Isn’t that great?” Hua Xiali lied on purpose.

She trusted that neither Wang Liang nor Ding Yong would go around talking about being rejected; otherwise, letting everyone know they’d been turned down would only make them lose face.

Men cared about their pride; they would rather say they never pursued her than admit they were rejected.

“Xia Li, I think you should choose Wang Liang,” Hua Qingmei whispered.

Hua Xiali raised an eyebrow in surprise. “How so?”

“Wang Liang is tall and handsome, and he looks quite gentle. He’ll definitely be good to you in the future.” Hua Qingmei nudged Xiali’s shoulder. “Ding Yong has too many sisters, which means too much family drama. You might even have to fight over the inheritance later, so you really shouldn’t choose him.”

“Qingmei, what you’re saying is certainly possible,” Hua Xiali said thoughtfully.

“Right?” Hua Qingmei smiled. “That’s why I think you should pick Wang Liang.”

Encouraging her to choose Wang Liang—did this mean Hua Qingmei knew he wasn’t a good person and was trying to push her into a fire pit?

Through what channel or method did Hua Qingmei know Wang Liang wasn’t a good person?

After all, in her previous life, Qingmei had married in May and never returned, while Xiali didn’t marry Wang Liang until the end of the year. Logically, Qingmei shouldn’t have known anything about her and Wang Liang.

Hua Xiali observed Hua Qingmei calmly, playing along and pretending to chat. “I can’t make the final decision on marriage myself. I still need to discuss this properly with my parents.”