She was wrong, she truly was wrong.
In fact, when Cheng Shuo spoke to her, she vaguely sensed that she might have been mistaken.
But Liu Jiaxue's refusal to come home reignited her fury, burning away any chance for her to reflect on her own errors.
Driven purely by instinctive anger, every word she spoke and every action she took were done without thought.
She never imagined she would actually push Jiaxue to... suicide.
Real suicide.
Her Jiaxue was gone—her only daughter, the emotional pillar of her entire life.
It was only at this moment that Qian Yu realized how gravely she had erred.
But her Jiaxue, her child, had been driven away by her own doing.
"I was wrong, I was truly wrong. Come back, Jiaxue! Mom won’t force you anymore! I’ll change... I’ll change everything..." Qian Yu wailed uncontrollably. At this moment, she even thought about following her daughter in death.
She would go to the underworld to repent, to tell her she was sorry.
She shouldn’t have pushed her like that!
"Mom, will you really change?" A tearful female voice came from beneath the blanket Qian Yu was clutching.
The voice was hoarse, filled with pain and sorrow.
Qian Yu froze, then yanked the blanket away to reveal a tear-streaked but very much alive face.
Then she looked around and realized no one else was surprised—even Liu Jun had been in on it.
Qian Yu was stunned for a moment before raising her hand toward Liu Jiaxue.
"You wretched girl—"
Liu Jiaxue shut her eyes. Was she going to hit her again?
But at the last moment, Qian Yu’s hand veered off and struck the bed beside them instead. Then she pulled Jiaxue into a tight embrace, sobbing—
"You scared me to death!!! Waaah—"
Liu Jiaxue also reached out and gently hugged her back.
If it hadn’t been for Xue Jiao, she probably would have died that day. And even in death, she wouldn’t have known that her parents loved her.
Even if their way of expressing it was wrong, even if their actions had hurt her in many ways.
They truly did love her.
On New Year’s Eve, Liu Jiaxue went home with Qian Yu.
Perhaps because Qian Yu had been thoroughly frightened, she clung tightly to Jiaxue the entire time, unwilling to let go.
Before leaving, both Liu Jiaxue and Liu Jun thanked the Cheng family, but Qian Yu remained silent.
These people had come up with such a twisted plan to scare her, leaving her in such a state—she still held a grudge.
Of course, Xue Jiao and Cheng Shuo didn’t need her gratitude.
All they wanted was for Liu Jiaxue to live well.
And they hoped Qian Yu would learn from this—children are independent individuals with their own thoughts. They are their parents’ closest kin, not their appendages.
Respecting one’s child is far more important than anything else one can give them.
But too many parents fail to understand this.
"Jiao Jiao, you must finally feel relieved," Cheng Shuo said with a smile, looking at Xue Jiao.
Xue Jiao nodded emphatically and replied, "These past few days have been hard on Mom, Dad, and Brother too."
And thank you, Lin Zhihua... though this method was harsh, it was the most effective.
Only when people truly lose something do they understand things they couldn’t grasp before.
Cheng Shuo ruffled her hair. "What’s there to say among family?"
After a pause, he added with a chuckle, "You just breathed a sigh of relief, but now I have to tell you something else."
"What?" Xue Jiao blinked in surprise.
"Today is New Year’s Eve—we’re going to Grandma and Grandpa’s for dinner."
Xue Jiao: "…………"
Couldn’t she catch a break?At five in the afternoon, as they rode together to the old family residence, Li Sitong glanced at Xue Jiao, who seemed somewhat downcast, and sighed softly.
"Jiao Jiao."
"Hmm?" Xue Jiao looked puzzled.
"Your second uncle's family..." Li Sitong began, then turned to Cheng Shuo.
Cheng Shuo nodded and sighed. "Go ahead and tell Jiao Jiao. There's nothing that can't be said."
Xue Jiao looked confused. What was this about?
Li Sitong turned back to Xue Jiao and Cheng Mingze.
"Your second aunt and Cheng Mingjiao aren't doing well. After Mingjiao changed schools, people still noticed her unstable mental state. Your second aunt went to great lengths to keep Mingjiao in that school instead of sending her to a psychiatric hospital. But rumors spread throughout the school. Mingjiao is often mocked and feared, and her condition keeps worsening. Your grandparents no longer favor the mother and daughter either, and your second uncle... rarely comes home now. The last time I saw your second aunt, she was so thin she looked almost skeletal..."
Li Sitong sounded emotional, while Xue Jiao widened her eyes in surprise.
She hadn't realized so much had happened.
Over the past year, Xue Jiao had been too busy with her studies to inquire about Cheng Mingjiao's situation or pay it much attention.
To think...
Xue Jiao sighed quietly.
No matter how vividly others described it, nothing could compare to the shock Xue Jiao felt the moment she stepped through the Cheng family's gates.
Liu Yazhen sat on the sofa with Cheng Mingjiao, both silent. The second uncle and Cheng Mingyu were chatting with the elderly couple.
The mother and daughter sat quietly in the corner, ignored by others and making no effort to speak themselves.
Liu Yazhen clung tightly to Mingjiao, their demeanor a stark contrast to previous years...
Even Xue Jiao, who had once driven Cheng Mingjiao to jealous madness, no longer provoked much reaction from them.
They simply sat in the corner, numb. Liu Yazhen gripped Mingjiao's hand tightly, while Mingjiao stared blankly into space.
Both were alarmingly thin. Cheng Mingjiao looked nothing like her former delicate self—her cheeks were sunken, her face deathly pale. Though her clothes were neat, her eyes were hollow.
Liu Yazhen, too, looked at least ten years older than the last time Xue Jiao had seen her. Her eyes were sunken, crow's feet pronounced, her sallow skin tinged with pallor.
Most striking was the aura of despair radiating from them just by sitting there.
This mother and daughter... had clearly suffered greatly over the past year.
"Ah, the eldest is back!" Bai Xiumei greeted cheerfully.
She immediately pulled Cheng Mingze closer. "Mingze, Grandma's precious grandson, come here and let me look at you!"
She still disliked Xue Jiao, and now, she didn't even favor her own granddaughter Cheng Mingjiao.
But for this most outstanding grandson, Cheng Mingze, Bai Xiumei smiled with grandmotherly affection.
Even Old Master Cheng looked on warmly.
"Mom, Dad," Cheng Shuo and Li Sitong greeted.
"Grandpa, Grandma," Cheng Mingze and Xue Jiao followed suit.
Though Old Master Cheng and Bai Xiumei disliked Xue Jiao, they maintained decorum, showing no outward signs.
Moreover, when Cheng Mingze addressed Li Sitong as "Mom," the elderly couple seemed momentarily stunned before offering slightly warmer greetings to Li Sitong and Xue Jiao.
"Good, good, good!"
Unlike previous years when Li Sitong and Xue Jiao were the overlooked ones, now it was Liu Yazhen and Cheng Mingjiao who were ignored.
Li Sitong had mentioned in the car that Liu Yazhen's excessive outbursts earlier in the year had caused the elderly couple to grow weary of her.In the first half of the year, the couple still felt sorry for Cheng Mingjiao and helped find many doctors for her. But Mingjiao would always throw tantrums, and Liu Yazhen absolutely refused to send her to a psychiatric hospital for treatment.
Cheng Kai grew tired of it. Whenever Mingjiao acted up again, Liu Yazhen would come begging the elderly couple.
Once or twice was fine, but gradually, the old couple became utterly fed up with the mother and daughter.
Now, the two of them no longer caused scenes, but it was clear Old Master Cheng and Bai Xiumei still disliked them.
Xue Jiao didn’t speak, quietly reciting her textbook to herself. After all, her only task here was to calmly finish this meal.
After dinner, the entire Cheng family gathered together to chat with the old couple.
After all… they weren’t getting any younger.
Both Cheng Shuo and Cheng Kai appeared filial, keeping Cheng Mingze and Cheng Mingyu by their sides to talk.
Xue Jiao sat to the side, unnoticed.
The other granddaughter, Cheng Mingjiao, had long since disappeared.
Having sat for a while, Xue Jiao stood up to use the restroom.
The first-floor bathroom was further back, requiring her to pass through the small garden.
As she stepped out of the bathroom, Xue Jiao looked up and froze, puzzled. She saw someone sitting on the second-floor balcony railing.
Her heart skipped a beat.
Looking closer, she realized it was Cheng Mingjiao.
She was perched on the railing, though it was unclear what she was doing.
Perhaps because of what happened with Liu Jiaxue, Xue Jiao felt uneasy, but she didn’t go upstairs herself.
Instead, she hurried back to the living room and said to Cheng Kai and the others, "I think I saw Cheng Mingjiao sitting on the second-floor railing. Could she—"
"Don’t worry. She’s not right in the head—always acting crazy. She sits there all the time," Cheng Kai replied with a dark expression.
Mingjiao had done this too many times before. At school, she would occasionally pull such stunts, prompting the teachers to call her parents.
Cheng Kai found it humiliating and worrisome.
He wanted to send Mingjiao for treatment, but Liu Yazhen stubbornly refused.
Left with no choice, Cheng Kai grew increasingly distant from Liu Yazhen.
His initial concern for Mingjiao’s behavior had now turned to indifference.
So much so that hearing about it during the New Year only made him impatient.
"A-Kai, what are we going to do about that child?" Old Master Cheng frowned. "We can’t just let this go on."
Cheng Kai said, "She’s my daughter. I can’t just give up on her. After the New Year, no matter what Liu Yazhen says, I’m taking her for treatment!"
Seeing that he wasn’t concerned about Mingjiao sitting on the railing, Xue Jiao frowned and sat back down.
A moment later, she still felt uneasy.
This was the first time she’d seen such a situation, and precisely because Mingjiao was mentally unstable, it was even more worrying!
What if she suddenly jumped while sitting up there?
Xue Jiao frowned. Though Mingjiao was detestable, she couldn’t just stand by and watch her possibly die.
Her conscience wouldn’t allow it.
In both her past life and this one, Cheng Mingjiao had only been jealous and spiteful—nothing truly heinous.
In fact, in her past life, Mingjiao hadn’t ended up well either. After Gu Shiyun entered the Cheng family, Mingjiao often gave her a hard time.
But with her intelligence, how could she ever outmaneuver Gu Shiyun?
In that life, she hadn’t gone insane, but she became universally disliked and eventually went abroad—no one knew whether she lived or died.
There were plenty of flawed people in this world, but Xue Jiao always remembered those who had once lent her a helping hand.Back then, she had told herself to be an upright person and stay true to her heart.
Cheng Mingjiao was at fault, and Xue Jiao didn't like her.
But she couldn't just watch her die either.
So Xue Jiao stood up and quickly went upstairs.
Cheng Mingjiao was sitting on the balcony railing, silent, just staring blankly ahead.
Xue Jiao approached and said softly, "Cheng Mingjiao, what are you doing there? It's dangerous. Come down."
Cheng Mingjiao didn't respond, her gaze fixed on one spot.
Curious, Xue Jiao followed her line of sight—there was only darkness, nothing there.
"What are you looking at?" Xue Jiao asked, puzzled.
"Qizhong High."
Xue Jiao was taken aback. She hadn’t expected Cheng Mingjiao to answer her.
"Qizhong is on break. There's no one there. Do you want to go back to study?" Xue Jiao asked curiously.
Cheng Mingjiao fell silent again. Xue Jiao dragged a chair over and placed it behind the railing.
"Sit here if you want to look."
Still, Cheng Mingjiao said nothing.
Xue Jiao sighed inwardly, thinking: I’ll help you just this once. As long as my conscience is clear.
She reached out to steady Cheng Mingjiao.
The girl was so thin now that Xue Jiao thought she could probably lift her.
The moment her hand touched Cheng Mingjiao, she realized how lightly the other girl was dressed!
Not wearing a down jacket indoors was fine, but sitting on a freezing balcony like this? She’d definitely catch a cold.
"You hate me, don’t you?" Cheng Mingjiao spoke again.
Xue Jiao was surprised, pausing before shaking her head. "No, I don’t."
Cheng Mingjiao finally turned to look at her, her expression unsettling. "You’re lying!"
Xue Jiao smiled. "Cheng Mingjiao, you really overestimate yourself. I truly don’t hate you. This past year, I barely even remembered you. Even before, unless you were right in front of me, I wouldn’t think about you. I’m so busy every day, with so many interesting things and people—why would I waste time remembering you just to feel disgusted?"
Xue Jiao meant it. Over the past year, she had nearly forgotten Cheng Mingjiao existed.
Her studies were demanding—she was striving for her dreams and the college entrance exams. She had friends like Lin Zhihua, Yi Tianyu, and Liu Jiaxue, a wonderful father in Cheng Shuo, and now a mother and brother who treated her well. When would she have time to dwell on Cheng Mingjiao?
Life was too busy. The importance you think you hold in others’ minds is never as much as you imagine.
But Gu Shiyun… she would be hard to forget.
She would avenge Gu Xue Jiao. Gu Shiyun was someone she couldn’t let go of.
Cheng Mingjiao’s eyes burned with anger at her words.
"Aren’t you afraid I’ll kill you? I could push you off!"
Xue Jiao frowned. "Huh?"
Cheng Mingjiao suddenly grinned strangely, her face eerie, though her eyes remained full of despair and pain. She raised her voice—
"I’m mentally ill! I won’t go to jail for killing someone!"
"But you’re not mentally ill," Xue Jiao said seriously.
Cheng Mingjiao froze, her twisted smile stiffening.Xue Jiao looked at her and said word by word: "The Cheng family not only has no history of hereditary diseases, but I actually think their genes are quite excellent. Although your mother's genes are somewhat lacking, she also has no hereditary diseases. You resemble Cheng Mingze quite a bit, which shows you've inherited more of the superior genes. While your mother's IQ might have made you less intelligent, it definitely has nothing to do with mental illness."
Xue Jiao patted her shoulder: "Saying you've gone crazy from jealousy of me—at most, I'd call it depression."
Suddenly, Xue Jiao's eyes showed a hint of disdain: "With the same genes, my brother is so smart and capable, while you're like this. It really shows your mother's genes are somewhat subpar."
Cheng Mingjiao was dumbly leaning against the railing. Seeing her precarious position, Xue Jiao simply yanked her down with force.
She was too light, and Xue Jiao showed no mercy, so Mingjiao half-fell to the ground.
Mingjiao didn't move, just stared blankly at one spot.
"They all say I'm crazy..."
"If they say you're crazy, does that make it true? I could just as well say you're stupid," Xue Jiao rolled her eyes.
Then she squatted down and looked at her—
"Cheng Mingjiao, there's nothing wrong with you. You just have some psychological issues. Why are you jealous of me? Because I'm better than you? But a long time ago, you were better than me. I was jealous of you too, but I didn't end up like you. I know you're suffering now—people look down on you, avoid you. Everything you're going through now is what Gu Xue Jiao once experienced."
Mingjiao looked up at her in confusion.
Xue Jiao continued: "But I've changed for the better now, and people only remember the current me. The world is so vast—who has time to obsess over others? If you stop fixating on others and focus on yourself, others won't constantly scrutinize you either. There are gossipers and busybodies, sure. But between their studies and lives, they're too busy to watch you every day. Even if they do, what can they really do to you? The rumors and cold treatment you're enduring now—in a few years, people might not even remember you."
Xue Jiao stood up, ready to leave.
"Cheng Mingjiao, if you've given up on yourself, who will care about you besides your suffering mother?"
She had only come to pull her down from the railing. Everything else she'd said was unplanned.
Now that she'd said her piece and Mingjiao didn't seem suicidal anymore, Xue Jiao turned to leave, heading downstairs.
"Gu Xue Jiao," Mingjiao called out from behind.
Xue Jiao turned back, puzzled and surprised: "What now?"
Suddenly, Mingjiao burst into tears, crying uncontrollably. She wiped her face roughly and said—
"Gu Xue Jiao... my mother's genes... aren't that bad either."
Xue Jiao: "..." So that's what you took away from all this?
Mingjiao then laughed while still crying, creating an ugly expression—snot and tears everywhere as she tried to smile.
Xue Jiao: "...Maybe you should stop smiling."
Mingjiao stiffened slightly: "Gu Xue Jiao, I still don't like you."
Xue Jiao beamed and blinked: "What a coincidence—I don't like you either."
With that, Xue Jiao strode away, leaving Mingjiao alone on the balcony.
As she passed the bedroom, she saw a woman kneeling on the floor, covering her face in silent tears.
It was Liu Yazhen.
Xue Jiao stepped around her and left without a word."Gu Xue Jiao... thank you..." Liu Yazhen's voice was hoarse.
She had never believed Cheng Mingjiao was mentally ill—just a bit depressed. So she absolutely refused to let Mingjiao undergo psychiatric treatment or be sent to a mental hospital.
But no matter what she did or how much she insisted Mingjiao wasn't mentally ill, it made no difference.
No one believed her, not even Mingjiao herself.
In the end, the one who could wake Mingjiao up turned out to be the person she envied and hated most—the very "source of her illness"—Gu Xue Jiao.
Xue Jiao merely paused her steps before continuing downstairs.
When she descended, Cheng Shuo, Cheng Mingze, and the Cheng family patriarch all glanced up at her briefly before resuming their conversation.
Xue Jiao observed Cheng Kai chatting casually with the old master and thought to herself—
Now I understand why there's such a stark difference between Mingjiao and Mingze.
Turns out the divergence in intelligence started with Cheng Shuo and Cheng Kai.
Xue Jiao: ...
Her mother really had good taste. Thankfully, she had a smart father and brother.
Around 8 PM, everyone prepared to leave.
Despite Bai Xiumei's repeated attempts to make them stay, they all insisted on returning home.
At this moment, Liu Yazhen led Mingjiao downstairs. They'd been upstairs all evening—the Cheng family was used to this, and Xue Jiao guessed they'd been talking.
Both now had red, swollen eyes from crying, though no one paid it much attention.
"Say goodbye to Grandpa and Grandma."
Cheng Mingze: "Goodbye, Grandpa and Grandma!"
Xue Jiao: "Goodbye, Grandpa and Grandma."
Cheng Mingyu: "Goodbye, Grandpa and Grandma."
After a pause, came a very soft but completely normal voice—
"Grandpa... Grandma... goodbye..."
Everyone froze.
It was Cheng Mingjiao.
Bai Xiumei, who had doted on Mingjiao for so many years, dropped her cane and rushed forward to embrace her—
"My precious Jiaojiao! You're finally better!!"
Cheng Shuo and Mingze exchanged a glance. Without interrupting, they quietly left with Xue Jiao and Li Sitong.
This was a moment for the main Cheng family members—Li Sitong and Xue Jiao didn't need to intrude.
Once in the car with Cheng Shuo driving, he glanced at Xue Jiao through the rearview mirror and asked, "Jiaojiao, was Mingjiao's recovery because of you? Did you go upstairs to see her?"
Xue Jiao shook her head: "I don't know how she got better. I just went up and spoke with her briefly."
"What did you say?" Li Sitong pressed.
Xue Jiao recounted the conversation.
Cheng Shuo's lips curved into a smile, his eyes slightly red.
"That's my Jiaojiao. Good, good, well done!"
Not everyone could maintain both principles and kindness.
Cheng Shuo felt profoundly grateful that heaven had given him such a wonderful daughter—one he would protect forever.
Xue Jiao felt somewhat embarrassed.
Mingze, seated beside her, suddenly pushed her down and began ruffling her hair with joyous abandon, as if he couldn't stop.
"Brother! Brother! Have mercy! Save some dignity for my hair!"
"Hahaha—"
Back at the Cheng residence, Cheng Shuo opened champagne while Li Sitong turned on the TV.
"Come, let's watch TV. At midnight we'll go to the riverbank to set off fireworks," Cheng Shuo said cheerfully, clearly in excellent spirits.
"Dad! You bought fireworks?" Xue Jiao was astonished.Cheng Mingze's lips curled into a smile. "I bought them. They're in the storage room."
Xue Jiao immediately ran to look, then gasped in shock—
"Brother!! How did you buy so many?! Where did you get the money?!"
After Cheng Mingze started university, apart from the few hundred thousand yuan in seed money Cheng Shuo had given him, he no longer received any living allowance.
And as for that seed money, it seemed to have been invested in some project. Last time, Cheng Shuo had mentioned with a laugh that Cheng Mingze had become completely broke.
Half a room full of fireworks must have cost a fortune!
Xue Jiao joked, "Brother, did you sell a kidney to buy these?"
Cheng Mingze glared at her. "It's the bonus from helping my professor with a project."
"You guys get bonuses too? Brother! Red envelope! Red envelope!!"
"Dream on," Cheng Mingze said with a laugh, giving her a sidelong glance.
Xue Jiao bared her teeth and shook her head vigorously. "Eww~"
Her expression clearly said "you stingy miser."
The Spring Festival Gala was like a symbol of the New Year. Li Sitong had set up a small electric hot pot nearby.
Since they had to stay up late to welcome the new year, they could eat hot pot whenever they got hungry.
In the southwest, it was common to gather around the stove eating hot pot while watching the Spring Festival Gala on New Year's Eve.
With the dazzling array of entertainment options available nowadays, the Spring Festival Gala had long lost its appeal. Yet even though people complained every year about how boring it was, they still faithfully watched it year after year—especially when spending time with parents.
What we're really holding onto isn't the Gala itself, but the reunion, the warmth of watching programs together as a family.
Tonight's skits still praised this and that, tonight's crosstalk still lectured about this and that, tonight's singing performances still featured popular celebrities singing festive songs.
But Xue Jiao, Li Sitong and the others watched attentively, chatting occasionally.
When midnight struck, they all stood up.
"Come on, let's go set off fireworks!"
"Brother, it's all your fault for buying so many—we can't even carry them all!"
"Then put some back and we'll set them off next year."
"..."
"Mingze, stop teasing your sister. You carry more—why are you making your sister hold so much?"
"See! See! Dad says you're abusing me!"
...
They lined up all the fireworks. At exactly midnight, Cheng Mingze lit two, while Cheng Shuo lit another two on the opposite side.
Xue Jiao was bold too—standing between them, she lit one herself before running away laughing.
Just as she ran off, her phone rang. She answered it.
"Hello—" she shouted loudly. With fireworks going off, she unconsciously raised her voice.
Lin Zhihua chuckled on the other end—he could clearly hear the commotion on her side.
Father Lin still hadn't allowed his parents to return to China, so he was spending another New Year alone.
After eating a bowl of dumplings, he had gone back to work. At midnight, overwhelmed by longing, he had made this call.
Hearing the lively sounds on the other end, hearing her laughter—it almost made him feel like he was part of the celebration too.
"Jiao Jiao."
Hearing his familiar voice, Xue Jiao remembered last year when she had been alone, and Lin Zhihua had come over with fireworks.
"Lin Zhihua!! Happy New Year!"
The corners of Lin Zhihua's mouth lifted. "Happy New Year."
"I'm setting off fireworks!!" The explosions were loud, so Xue Jiao shouted.
Lin Zhihua chuckled and shook his head. "I can hear that."
Xue Jiao's heart twinged as she thought about Lin Zhihua's family situation.
"Are you alone?"
"Yes."
Then the call disconnected.
Lin Zhihua's chest tightened in surprise.
Soon, his phone rang again—a video call.
The curve of Lin Zhihua's lips deepened as he answered—
"Hello."
A cute, lovely face appeared on screen, her mouth open as she shouted—
"Hello! Can you hear me?!"
Lin Zhihua's smile reached his eyes as he nodded.
Actually, he could hear her even if she spoke softly. But with all the noise on her end, she couldn't hear herself and assumed he couldn't either.But... so adorable.
"I'll show you the fireworks! You're celebrating New Year with us! Happy New Year!" Xue Jiao quickly switched the camera to face the sky.
Lin Zhihua watched the dazzling display on the other end, resting his head against the floor-to-ceiling window.
Though they were in different cities, they were watching the same fireworks and talking.
It almost felt like they were truly celebrating a lively New Year together. The smile on Lin Zhihua's lips wouldn't fade.
So nice, so nice.
Xue Jiao only hung up after the fireworks ended. Yawning, she listened to the song "Unforgettable Tonight" before everyone returned to their rooms to wash up and sleep.
The next morning, Xue Jiao reached under her pillow and pulled out a red envelope.
It was quite thick, with the words written on it: From Dad—Wishing Jiao Jiao a lifetime of happiness.
She smiled, rubbing her eyes, then reached under the pillow again and pulled out another one.
This one was slightly thinner, with the words: For Mom's precious baby—Wishing you eternal health and joy.
Xue Jiao's smile brightened even more. She reached out again—sure enough, there was another one.
"This brother of mine... not bad!"
But the thickness...
And the words written on it: Under my sister's strong insistence, your brother reluctantly gives you one.
Xue Jiao: ???
She quickly opened it—inside was just a pig sticker and a single dime.
Xue Jiao: ???!!!
Humiliation! Absolute humiliation!!
Furious, Xue Jiao jumped up and stormed toward the opposite room in her pajamas.
The door was tightly shut, with a red envelope stuck to it. Xue Jiao froze.
Written on it was: Jiao Jiao, please don’t knock. It’s the New Year—let me sleep a little longer.
She took it down. On the back, it read: Afraid my sister might knock, so here’s another big red envelope! Happy New Year! May you always be a happy little treasure!
This one was impressively thick. Xue Jiao grinned.
She wasn’t counting on the red envelopes for actual money—Cheng Shuo gave her plenty of allowance, and she received school bonuses for ranking first each semester. There was also a hefty prize for topping the mock exams, not to mention the math competition rewards.
So, her little savings stash was already quite substantial.
But New Year’s money was different—it carried a special meaning. That’s why Xue Jiao was so happy.
Glancing at the closed door, she shook her fist. "Since you gave such a thick red envelope, I’ll let you off today! Hmph!"
With that, she returned to her room, washed up, and resumed studying.
It was senior year—she couldn’t slack off for even a single day.
In the morning, after Cheng Mingze woke up, he knocked on Xue Jiao’s door with a smile.
"What’s up?" Xue Jiao asked, surprised.
Cheng Mingze grinned, flashing his teeth. "Thanks for not waking me up this morning. The money in the red envelope might be little, but it’s the thought that counts."
With that, he quickly walked away.
Xue Jiao was stunned. Little? But it was so thick!
She had a feeling Cheng Mingze, the "schemer," wouldn’t make it that simple!
So, she hurried back to her desk, took out the red envelope, and opened it—
"CHENG MINGZE!! YOU’RE THE WORST!!!"
Downstairs, Cheng Shuo, who was reading the newspaper, looked up at Cheng Mingze. "What did you do to upset your sister this time?"
Cheng Mingze shrugged, smiling. "Gave her a red envelope full of dimes."
Cheng Shuo: "..."
"...Must’ve been quite the effort to get all those dimes from the bank."
Cheng Mingze chuckled. "Worth it."
Cheng Shuo: "..."
On the fifth day of the Lunar New Year, amid Li Sitong’s complaints, Xue Jiao shouldered her backpack and headed back to school.It's the final year of high school, so getting any New Year's holiday at all is already a blessing. Hoping for a longer break is simply impossible.
Almost every classmate I meet greets me with a "Happy New Year."
Xue Jiao scratches her head—the second mock exam was tough, but both she and Chu Sheng scored over 700, tying for first place again.
Along with her own report card, a grade-wide ranking was also sent to the parents.
The third-place student scored in the 680s, which only highlights how terrifying the top two scores were.
Xue Jiao suspects that because of these results, many students will receive less New Year's money this year...
She really feels... not the slightest bit guilty about it, haha.
By the time Xue Jiao arrives in the classroom, many students are already there, especially the boarders, who came back yesterday afternoon.
Liu Jiaxue is also there.
Xue Jiao's eyes light up as she quickly walks over.
"Jiaxue!"
Liu Jiaxue turns around abruptly, stands up, and hugs Xue Jiao with a smile.
"Jiao Jiao, I missed you."
"I missed you too," Xue Jiao replies with a grin.
Then she heads inside to her seat.
As she takes out her books, she chats with Liu Jiaxue.
"Jiaxue, how was your New Year?"
Liu Jiaxue smiles, then nods, looking a little shy.
"It was good..."
After a pause, she adds with a sigh, "My mom has changed a lot—she’s really trying to control her temper. On New Year’s Day, I got up early and made them a meal. My mom actually cried... I only just realized that if I show her warmth, her temper disappears instantly."
Xue Jiao nods in agreement. "That makes sense. Your mom has a fiery temper, and since neither you nor your dad talk much, she probably just got more and more frustrated. If you show her care, it might really help soften her temper."
"Yeah, my dad too. He actually cares a lot about my mom, but he never says it. On New Year’s Eve, I made him tell her he loves her, and my mom blushed all night, haha..." Liu Jiaxue laughs.
Xue Jiao looks at her and laughs too.
Life will always have its conflicts, and a person’s ingrained personality is hard to change—old habits often resurface.
But as long as there’s hope, as long as there’s no despair, there’s still the courage to keep going.
Now that Jiaxue’s life has hope, Xue Jiao no longer worries that she might lose her way and make mistakes again.
"Haha, that’s wonderful," Xue Jiao says with a smile.
"Oh!" Liu Jiaxue suddenly brightens and pulls out a box from her bag.
"This is...?" Xue Jiao is puzzled.
"Open it and see."
Xue Jiao glances at Liu Jiaxue before slowly reaching out to open it.
Inside are adorable snowflake-shaped cookies, filling the box, each in different colors.
"These are..."
Liu Jiaxue looks at her with sparkling eyes. "I made these cookies myself. Both our names have 'snow' in them, so it means we’re connected to snowflakes! The green ones are matcha, the yellow ones are plain, the white ones are milk-flavored, the black ones are chocolate, and the purple ones are sweet potato..."
Xue Jiao picks up a plain one and takes a bite. Under Liu Jiaxue’s nervous gaze, she nods—
"They’re delicious."
Liu Jiaxue beams.
Just then, a hand reaches from behind and grabs one.
"Not bad."
Yi Tianyu is still carrying his backpack, clearly having just arrived.
Xue Jiao: "..."
Liu Jiaxue glares at him fiercely before leaning closer to Xue Jiao. "Hurry and put them away. You can snack on them during breaks if you get hungry. If you like them, I’ll make more for you later."
Xue Jiao nods, her face lighting up with a happy smile."Thank you, Jiaxue."
"There's no need to be so polite between us. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't even be here," Liu Jiaxue said earnestly before giving Xue Jiao a light hug.
Behind them, Yi Tianyu's eyes widened in disbelief.
Even though you're both girls, do you have to… hug so often?
After the second mock exam, marking the start of the second semester of senior year, the atmosphere among the twelfth graders grew even more tense.
At the front of the classroom hung a countdown to the college entrance exams, while the back wall bore the words—Clear your mind, pluck the laurel from the moon; Give your all, claim your name on the golden list.
The teachers moved briskly, busy reviewing one key point after another.
Few students wore smiles anymore—the pressure was overwhelming.
"Gu Xue Jiao, come out for a moment," Yin Fang called from the doorway.
Xue Jiao paused, unsure what this was about, but walked out curiously and followed her into the office.
At that moment, Chu Sheng was standing before Teacher Li Ping at the neighboring desk, clearly deep in discussion.
"Teacher Yin, what's the matter?" Xue Jiao asked.
Chu Sheng glanced over and gave her a smile, which she returned.
"It's like this—the list for early admissions is open for submission now, and you qualify. However, since you won a first prize in the math competition, it would be easier to apply through that route. Think about which university you'd like to choose. My suggestion would be Tsinghua or Peking University—they're the top schools in the country, after all. Of course, you should discuss it with your family too. There's no rush to decide," Yin Fang explained. Xue Jiao was momentarily stunned.
Early admission…
Yin Fang thought for a moment, then pulled out a form.
"This year, we've heard rumors that several top universities are cutting back on spots. Many students in Beijing have already secured early admission, so you’ll need to be careful when selecting schools. Once you’ve submitted your choices, we’ll review the quota situation."
"Alright," Xue Jiao took the paper.
Yin Fang glanced at Li Ping and Chu Sheng across from her but didn’t say anything further.
She nodded and motioned for Xue Jiao to return to class. "Go ahead and get back to your studies."
Just then, Chu Sheng finished his conversation with Li Ping, and the two walked back to the classroom together.
"Which major are you applying for?" Xue Jiao asked Chu Sheng.
She remembered he wanted to study physics, but without any major awards in the subject, she wasn’t sure how likely his early admission was.
"I’m not applying for early admission," Chu Sheng said firmly, catching Xue Jiao off guard.
"What?"
"I’m not applying," he repeated, looking at her. "The physics department might not take me, but our grades are strong enough to get into our target schools. I don’t think I’ll fail the exams. Plus, once early admission is secured, it’s easy to slack off unconsciously. And I still want to compete with you for the top spot in the exams, so I’ll pass."
Xue Jiao grinned and gave him a thumbs-up.
"I actually feel the same way. If I can’t get into the program I want, I’ll just earn it myself."
They shared a smile before returning to their respective classrooms and diving back into intense review.
That evening, Xue Jiao returned home.
"Jiao Jiao, you're back," Li Sitong said, setting out milk, fruit, and bread for her—a late-night snack, even though it was already past ten.Cheng Shuo also came out of the bedroom: "Jiao Jiao, eat quickly and then go to sleep. Don't read in your room when you go back. High school is important, but your health is even more important."
Xue Jiao nodded, flashing a smile.
She sat at the table eating, took a bite of bread, and suddenly remembered something.
Xue Jiao pulled a piece of paper from her schoolbag and looked at the two of them.
Her plain, clean face looked sweet and adorable under the lamplight, her expression serious and earnest—
"Which do you think I should apply for—Tsinghua University or Peking University?"
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