B5SB -Chapter 25 Returning to the Village

Originally, Gu Yihan didn’t want to pay attention to her. But Laidi kept yammering on, thinking she was afraid of her?

Gu Yihan looked at her coolly. “Did you eat shit this morning and forget to rinse your mouth before coming out?”

Laidi, realizing this, got excited and said, “You’re the one who ate shit! Hah! You useless piece of trash—going to school won’t help you at all. See? You’ve been expelled…”

Before she could finish, Gu Yihan kicked her straight in the rear. Laidi flew forward and ended up with a mouthful of yellow dirt.

“Grandpa, I’ll pay you back for her fare later.”

The man driving the ox-cart didn’t stop, smiling as he said, “Hanhan, no need.”

After getting up, Laidi saw that the ox-cart didn’t wait for her and yelled, “You little bitch, stinky slut! I bet you did some shameful stuff at school…”

Gu Yihan pretended not to hear and didn’t respond to anyone on the cart, closing her eyes as if napping.

The women on the cart looked at each other with sparkling eyes, clearly believing Laidi’s lies.

Gu Yihan didn’t bother explaining. As long as she didn’t report to the vocational school, even if she talked herself hoarse, it wouldn’t matter.

Soon, they arrived at Gu’s village. Everyone got off, and Gu Yihan was about to do the same.

The ox-cart driver said, “Hanhan, don’t get off. I’ll carry your luggage to your door.”

Gu Yihan happily agreed, “Thank you so much, Grandpa.”

She hadn’t even reached home yet, but those women, true village loudmouths, quickly spread the news that Gu Yihan had been expelled from school.

“Hey, why aren’t you back home yet? That stepdaughter of yours got expelled from school for some mischief—don’t let it affect your son’s reputation,” teased Jiawang’s wife.

“Yeah, and I don’t know what your mother-in-law was thinking—spending money on a girl’s education. Now your Gu Bao won’t have money to study.”

Chen Xiu immediately asked, “Who told you that?” Gu Bao was her biological son, her little treasure—she couldn’t let anyone interfere.

Jiawang’s wife smirked with a flash of pride in her eyes.

“The whole village knows. Someone came back with your stepdaughter. She’s carrying her luggage, kicked out of school.” With that, she hummed a discordant tune and left.

Chen Xiu hurried home. At the gate, she saw Grandma Gu happily helping Gu Yihan with her luggage.

Chen Xiu frowned, displeasure flashing in her eyes. She said, “Mom, I told you before, girls who study too much get too bold. Who knows what she’s been up to at school to get expelled?”

Grandma Gu immediately got angry. She had seen her granddaughter’s admission letter.

“That’s a load of crap! How dare you slander my granddaughter’s innocence! Our family must be cursed to have married someone like you!” Grandma Gu shouted in fury.

Chen Xiu felt wronged too. She wasn’t new to the family—she had given birth to Gu Aidan’s beloved son.

Hearing the commotion, Gu Aidang asked, “Mom, what are you fighting about again?”

Chen Xiu quickly put on a look of grievance. “Aidang, think about it—this girl has been in school for a few years. You never know what mischief she’s gotten into. Mom let her study all that time, and now look—before summer break, she’s already back, school expelled her.”

Wiping imaginary tears, she said, “I’m only doing this for her own good.”

Gu Aidang fell for it, patted Chen Xiu’s hand in pity, and looked at Grandma Gu with a sense of righteousness.

“Mom, I’ve told you many times—don’t let her go to school. Gu Meng is also at the age for marriage. Not studying is fine; she can help at home and look after her younger brother.”

Gu Yihan held onto Grandma Gu tightly. She was genuinely afraid that if she let go, Grandma Gu would argue with her stepfather and stepmother, revealing that she had actually passed the vocational school entrance.

Seeing that neither Grandma Gu nor Gu Yihan said anything, Gu Aidan assumed they agreed and nodded, satisfied, then pulled Chen Xiu back inside.

Gu Yihan quickly led Grandma Gu into her room and had her sit down.

She pulled two pairs of “liberation shoes” out of her bag and handed them to Grandma Gu, immediately distracting her.

“Granny, one pair for you, one pair for Grandpa. Next time when we get more shoe coupons, I’ll buy two more for you and Grandpa to take turns wearing.”

Grandma Gu’s wrinkled face lit up with a smile, though she said, “Too expensive, don’t waste money. Save it for yourself.”

At this moment, tears involuntarily fell from Gu Yihan’s eyes. She hugged Grandma Gu tightly, choking on her words. “Grandma, you saved me. Do you know that? No matter how much I spend on you, your granddaughter doesn’t feel guilty.”

She knew that without Grandma Gu, there would be no her today.

If Liu Zhaodi hadn’t swapped her, she couldn’t imagine what the outcome would have been. If she hadn’t retained memories from her past life, she might have blindly lived out this life. But she did remember her past life!

Grandma Gu patted her granddaughter’s back tenderly. “Don’t worry, I’ll absolutely let you go to school.”

Gu Yihan let go, holding Grandma Gu’s hand tightly. “Grandma, please don’t tell anyone that I passed the vocational school exam yet.”

Grandma Gu looked puzzled. “But that’s good news! Even if it’s not university, vocational school graduation still guarantees a secure job. You’d be the first in the village!”

Gu Yihan patiently explained, “Grandma, think about it—everyone in the village thinks I was expelled. When I go to school, won’t they all look foolish?”

“In the meantime, Grandma, you can just watch the show for free. The whole village will be fooled, and you’ll be the only one who knows the truth. Isn’t that satisfying?”

Grandma Gu thought for a moment. “It really is.”

She knew the village gossip too well. When the time came, she could treat them like fools.

Grandma Gu chuckled softly. “You’re a clever one. I’ll follow your plan—won’t tell a soul.”

Gu Yihan exhaled lightly. Only when the vocational school started and she transferred her household registration there could she truly relax. She didn’t dare let her stepfather or stepmother know, fearing they might sabotage her.

She didn’t want to think too badly of them, nor risk Liu Zhaodi acting after realizing her value.

Grandma Gu, holding the shoes, couldn’t part with them. “You rest. I’ll take the shoes to Grandpa and let him try them.”

“Old man, come see what this is!”

Hearing Grandma Gu’s cheerful voice, Grandpa Gu seemed rejuvenated.

Grandma Gu handed him the large-size shoes.

“Darling, your eyes are shining—are these liberation shoes?”

She busied herself testing the fit by walking around—they fit perfectly. Then she turned to him. “Hanhan bought them for us. Try them on.”

Grandpa Gu put them on, walked around the room, and reluctantly placed them in the cupboard afterward.

Grandma Gu smiled. “Look at you! Hanhan says she’ll buy more for us in the future. Don’t be stingy—wear them out so others can see the shoes your granddaughter bought for you.”

With that, she left the room wearing the shoes.