“Mom, Chunxing is a military wife. She has to stay in the family compound.”
Zhang Jianjun thought, doesn’t he deserve to be cared for too?
Although Chunxing couldn’t give him children, at least when it came to taking care of someone, she did a pretty good job.
Even though they’d had some recent conflicts and she wasn’t as obedient as before, she still handled all the household chores.
Seeing Zhang Jianjun’s stance, Niu Cui had no choice but to drop the matter.
Over the years, she had grown accustomed to being waited on as a mother-in-law. Now, having to manage everything herself again was truly…
Her gaze involuntarily fell on Zhang Qiumei.
It’d be best if this girl could get into university. Otherwise…
In fact, Zhang Qiumei was also desperately hoping to successfully attend college, but fate had other plans.
On the fourth day after they moved to the village, while Zhang Qiumei was still making plans to continue her studies, her brother suddenly received a phone call from the university that had admitted her.
When her brother approached with a grave expression, Zhang Qiumei was terrified.
She had a premonition—the thing she feared most might be happening.
Sure enough, her brother broke the news: the university had decided to expel her.
And there was no room for negotiation.
At that moment, Zhang Qiumei felt as if her soul had been momentarily ripped away. Her ears rang, and it took her a long time to process the words.
She grabbed Zhang Jianjun’s hand, her eyes filled with desperation. “Brother, please, beg them for me. I passed the exams—how can they just expel me?”
But it wasn’t just expulsion. Zhang Qiumei was also barred from retaking the college entrance exams for the next three years.
Zhang Qiumei was on the verge of collapse.
Three years? How old am I already?
Could I even pass the exams after three years?
And could I afford to wait that long?
Zhang Jianjun was thinking the same thing.
He pulled his hand free from her grip and said, “Little sister, if I could help, I would. But there’s nothing I can do about this.”
“Little sister, why don’t you prepare yourself? Later, I’ll introduce you to some potential suitors.”
Zhang Qiumei was already 19 years old.
Before this, Zhang Jianjun had considered arranging a marriage for her.
But then the college entrance exams were reinstated, and since his sister had decent grades, there was a chance she could get in.
Zhang Jianjun also thought that having a college-educated sister would allow her to marry into a better family later, which would ultimately benefit him more.
So he hadn’t pushed the issue, planning to introduce her to suitors only after she finished her studies.
But now…
Her chance at college was gone. She couldn’t retake the exams for three years, and even if she could after that…
Forget whether she’d even pass—even if she did, four years of university would mean she’d graduate at 27.
A 27-year-old “old maidan,” even with a college degree, wouldn’t be as appealing or valuable as a young, pretty girl.
So…
Rather than wait for that, it’d be better to marry her off now and let her create value for her brother.
After all, his demotion was partly her fault to begin with.
Now, it was only right that she sacrifice for him.
“No, no, I don’t want to get married!”
Zhang Qiumei had some understanding of her brother’s personality. She knew Zhang Jianjun was selfish, always putting himself first. Others only mattered if they were useful—otherwise, they were disposable.
And now, after causing his demotion and losing her own status as a college student, she had already been half-abandoned.
Now, her brother wanted her to get married—what kind of good family could he possibly introduce her to?
She didn’t want this—she refused!
But Zhang Jianjun just patted her hand with a meaningful, unyielding expression and said, “Don’t worry, little sister. I’ll find you a good husband.”
Without another word, he left.
Zhang Qiumei stared at his retreating figure, and suddenly, a surge of hatred rose in her heart.
But this hatred wasn’t directed at Zhang Jianjun or Niu Cui—it was aimed at someone else.
“Gu Jianing, it’s all your fault! Everything that’s happened to me is because of you!”
“You ruined me, Zhang Qiumei!”
“Why couldn’t you just obediently give Brother Sheng to me?”
“If I have to suffer, I swear I won’t let you off easy!”
…
At that very moment, as Zhang Qiumei’s hatred flared, Gu Jianing received an alert from her Malice Detector.
However, the system didn’t indicate that Zhang Qiumei would take immediate action.
Still, Gu Jianing filed the warning away in her mind.
But…
This wasn’t the first time the detector had gone off recently.
The previous alert had been triggered by Zhang Jianjun.
Recalling how, just a couple of days ago, she had run into Zhang Jianjun while out, and he had greeted her with a smile…
Gu Jianing thought coldly, What a hypocritical, two-faced snake.
People like him were the most dangerous.
“Now that both Zhang Jianjun and Zhang Qiumei hold grudges against me, I need to be extra careful.”
After all, she wasn’t alone—she had family, a husband, and children. They were her vulnerabilities.
She couldn’t afford to give these people any openings.
…
Meanwhile, as Gu Jianing continued working at the county hospital, her reputation as a highly skilled doctor—and even as the “Child-Giving Guanyin”—spread further and further.
More and more people came to her for treatment.
But she hadn’t expected to run into an acquaintance today.
Well, not exactly an acquaintance—Gu Jianing knew of her, but they had never spoken before.
“Dr. Gu, hello, I—my name is Chun Xing. You probably don’t know me, but I…”
Before she could finish, Gu Jianing smiled and said, “No, I know who you are. Chun Xing, your daughter’s name is Zhishu, right? It’s a beautiful name.”
Chun Xing was stunned.
She hadn’t expected Gu Jianing to recognize her—let alone know her daughter’s name and compliment it.
This pleased her far more than if Gu Jianing had simply acknowledged her as Zhang Jianjun’s wife.
“Y-yes, I’m Zhishu’s mother. You really think Zhishu is a nice name? I… I came up with it myself.”
“It really is lovely. She’s sure to grow up gentle, well-mannered, and full of wisdom.”
Chun Xing’s smile deepened.
Originally, her daughter had been given the name Youdi—a painfully common name for girls in the village. Many families named their daughters with some variation of “di” (娣), meaning “little sister” (implying the parents wanted a son next).
Though Chun Xing wasn’t highly educated, she understood the meaning behind it.
She hated it. She didn’t want that kind of name for her daughter.
“I believe the name a parent gives their child should be a blessing.”
That was Chun Xing’s firm belief.
Zhishu—”to know books”—was the blessing she wanted for her daughter’s future.
She hoped her child would grow up graceful, knowledgeable, and different from the ordinary—shaped by books and learning.
That was why she had defied her first husband’s family and insisted on this name.
And now, hearing Gu Jianing praise it?
Chun Xing was overjoyed.
Because in her heart, Gu Jianing was an educated, accomplished woman—someone whose approval meant something.
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