B5SB -Chapter 22 School Begins

Early the next morning, Gu Yihan finished the sweet potato porridge made by Grandma Gu, slung her schoolbag over her shoulder, and picked up her bundle.

“Grandma, I’m going to school now!” Gu Yihan said as she said goodbye.

“Wait a moment.”

Grandma Gu hurried into the kitchen and brought out two boiled eggs, placing them in her palm.

“Take these and eat them on the way.”

Gu Yihan didn’t refuse. She quietly remembered this kindness in her heart, resolving to be a good and filial granddaughter to this lovely old lady in the future.

When she arrived at school, she saw the elderly gatekeeper sitting in a recliner, basking in the sun.

“Grandpa, I’m a new student. Do you know which way the girls’ dormitory is?” she asked.

The old man sat up. “A freshman? Which class?”

“First year, Class One,” Gu Yihan replied.

He pointed in one direction. “That way, third floor. Your class and names are posted on the dorm doors.”

“Thank you, Grandpa,” Gu Yihan said.

The gatekeeper waved his hand.

Following the names, Gu Yihan found her dormitory. It was a six-person room.

She chose a lower bunk and began making her bed. Earlier, she had noticed that only two names were posted on the door.

Probably because there were many beds and few girls attending school. Most students from the commune went home to live, and only those who lived far away stayed in the dormitories.

She was quite pleased. Fewer people meant fewer troubles.

After tidying up, she closed the door and took out a serving of braised pork and a cup of milk from her space.

So comfortable. She hadn’t eaten meat in a long time.

After eating and drinking her fill, she lay on the bed to rest, thinking about how to earn some money in the future. She didn’t dare go to the black market, so her only option was to try submitting manuscripts.

“Bang! Bang! Bang!”

“Who’s inside? Is anyone there? Why is the door locked?”

Gu Yihan jumped in fright. She quickly cleaned up the remains of her food and put them back into her space. After checking that nothing inappropriate was left out, she went to open the door.

Standing outside was a slender, bamboo-shoot-like girl, thin and delicate, wearing clothes patched upon patches.

The girl held onto her hem, looking hesitant and nervous.

“Hello, classmate. My name is Gu Yihan,” she said, stepping aside to let her in.

The other girl said shyly, “My name is Liu Huanhuan.”

Gu Yihan smiled, returned to her bed, and began reading. She didn’t plan to make close friends at school—being ordinary roommates was good enough.

From then on, Gu Yihan lived a life of attending classes during the day, reading large amounts of newspapers at night, browsing magazines bought from the recycling station, and writing and revising manuscripts.

In the teachers’ eyes, Gu Yihan cherished this hard-won opportunity to study.

Except for meals, she almost never put her books down. They had never seen a student more diligent than her.

During that month, Gu Yihan wrote many articles. Since it was her first time, she didn’t know whether any would be accepted, so she cast a wide net and submitted everywhere.

On Saturday morning, Gu Yihan went to the post office. Inside sat a woman wearing a fashionable dress, knitting a sweater.

“Miss, please give me five envelopes and some stamps. Thank you,” Gu Yihan said.

The woman suddenly smiled. “You sure know how to talk. I’m already the mother of two children.”

Gu Yihan pretended to be surprised. “You look so young! I thought you were about the same age as my elder sister—around seventeen.”

The woman’s lips curved upward as she stood up, took out the envelopes and stamps, and handed them to her.

While writing the address, Gu Yihan casually asked, “How do you take care of your skin?”

The woman said proudly, “It’s natural. Others can’t learn it.”

Gu Yihan said enviously, “What a pity. I wanted to ask you for advice.”

The woman laughed loudly. “You sure have a sweet mouth. Come chat with me whenever you’re free.”

Gu Yihan had been waiting for that. “Alright, Sister. I’ll be mailing letters often. I’ll definitely come to you.”

It took an hour on an ox cart for her to bump her way home. Her backside suffered terribly.

“Grandma, your lovely little granddaughter missed you!”

Hearing her voice, Grandma Gu hurried out of the house. Seeing that her granddaughter hadn’t lost weight, she felt relieved.

She pulled Gu Yihan inside and asked about her life at school.

“Don’t worry, Grandma. The teachers really value me. They won’t let anyone bully me.”

Only after entering the room did Gu Yihan notice a strange young man inside, about 1.7 meters tall, wearing patched but clean clothes.

He was chatting happily with Gu Daya, looking very close and intimate.

Grandma Gu smiled. “This is your cousin’s partner. The date is set. They’ll get married in winter.”

Gu Yihan widened her eyes in surprise. “Grandma, I’ve only been gone a few days, and my cousin is getting married already? Isn’t that too fast?”

Grandma Gu shot her a glare. “Fast? When your grandpa and I got married, we hadn’t even met before. Didn’t we live well? Now they’re even allowed to interact before marriage. Be satisfied.”

Gu Yihan was speechless.

Grandma Gu continued, “This boy is the youngest in his family. He has two older brothers, both married with children. The family is thriving—no one will bully her, and she’ll have support.”

Gu Yihan could only agree. “Grandma, if you like him, he must be good.”

But inwardly, she thought: Poor, except for having a lot of people.

Grandma Gu said, “Your cousin’s partner is staying for dinner today. I’m going to cook. Go rest in your room.”

Gu Yihan nodded and went back to her room.

“Knock, knock, knock.”

When she opened the door, she saw Gu Meng standing outside holding a book. She let her in and explained the parts she didn’t understand.

Afterward, Gu Meng said softly, “Since she got pregnant, Dad has been paying a lot of attention to the baby. After it’s born, we’ll have even less place in this family.”

She was talking about their stepmother.

Gu Yihan looked at her in confusion. “What does that have to do with me?”

Gu Meng felt choked up. Yes, what did it have to do with Gu Yihan? She had Grandma’s protection.

In this family, only she had no one who truly cared for her.

Seeing her, Gu Yihan kindly reminded, “After you finish fifth grade, go to the primary school principal and take the graduation exam to get a certificate.”

Gu Meng was actually very smart and learned quickly. The family could afford her schooling, but if she didn’t strive for herself, how could others consider her position?

The family’s resources were limited. If she studied, no one would do the housework that used to fall on the second branch.

No one wanted extra chores.

But after the stepmother entered the family, Gu Meng still did the same as before, taking over her work. Since someone was willing to do it, who would want to do housework themselves?

Kind words cannot save someone determined to ruin themselves. If you don’t stand up for yourself, who can you rely on?