Qin Jiao smiled. She had found some scrap wood in the attic, so she brought it downstairs and asked her father, Qin Zhonghui, to help her build a simple bookshelf.

Qin Zhonghui immediately nodded and agreed.

Seeing the family of four looking so happy and harmonious, Su Lei felt relieved.

Su Lei had originally invited the family of four over to his house for dinner, but Su Yun felt that her second brother had already helped them too much, so she politely declined.

She said, "We still have a lot of unpacking to do. If you have things to take care of, Brother, you should go ahead. We’ll come over once we’re all settled in."

"Uncle, take these mushrooms home with you," Qin Jiao said, pulling out a bag of mushrooms.

Su Lei took them, nodded, and then left. 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

When the house was mostly tidied up, Su Yun gave Qin Jiao five yuan to go downstairs and buy something for dinner. This was perfect for Qin Jiao, who was just thinking about scoping out the area to figure out how to sell the wild vegetables and mushrooms from her space, so she nodded.

Xiao Shi wanted to go with her sister, so Qin Jiao took her along.

"Perfect, let’s take a walk around your school first!"

Xiao Shi smiled happily. She didn’t say anything, but her big eyes were filled with anticipation.

When she was seven, she was supposed to start school. But she was already smaller than other kids her age, and back then, their aunt and uncle would always say that it was useless for a girl to study. "Look at your sister," they’d say. "What’s the use of her going to high school? She still can’t get into university. It’s just a waste of money!"

Xiao Shi had felt so wronged back then. ’Studying is useful,’ she had wanted to say. ’And my sister will definitely get into university!’

But even though she thought it, she never dared to say it out loud.

Now that they had finally left that home, she looked up at her sister and said earnestly, "Sis, you can get into university, right?"

"I can, and our Xiao Shi will be able to, too!"

"I don’t know if I can... but Sis, I’ll definitely study hard!"

"I believe you!"

’For children from poor families like them, getting into university was the best way to secure a future in this day and age.’

’Of course, there were many kinds of universities, and getting into one didn’t mean you were set for life, but it was a path forward nonetheless.’

Qin Jiao took her sister for a walk around the Experimental Primary School. It was a little far from Pingan Middle School, but it was still manageable by bicycle.

She was very familiar with this area, having lived here for several years, after all.

Qin Jiao’s mind was already at work. ’I’ll buy a bicycle so I can stop living at the dorm. For my final year, I’ll make a final push and really focus on my studies. And there’s a small vegetable market nearby... I can sell the wild vegetables there.’

’Of course, this is just the beginning. Mom and Dad can’t just push a cart selling buns forever. Once we have some savings, we’ll open a small shop.’

Lost in her many plans, Qin Jiao didn’t notice a wheelchair heading their way until it stopped right in front of them. Only then did she look up.

Mr. Du recognized Qin Jiao at once. He smiled kindly and said, "It’s Xiao Qin, isn’t it? Do you live around here?"

Qin Jiao looked up, first at the kind and amiable Mr. Du, then her gaze fell upon the young man pushing his wheelchair.

The young man was still a bit on the thin side, with handsome features, but his expression was completely aloof, as if nothing could possibly capture his interest.

White shirt, black pants—his color palette was always just as simple.

But right now, this supposedly aloof young man was staring intently at her, and it seemed like sparks were dancing in the depths of his dark eyes.

Qin Jiao froze.

’Am I seeing things? How could I possibly see an expression like that on Shen Yi’s face?’