Chapter 96: First Place Was Stolen

Chapter 96: Chapter 96: First Place Was Stolen

While playing, Pingping and An’an bumped into a middle-aged woman.

"I’m sorry," Pingping apologized, ducking behind his mother.

The middle-aged woman smiled kindly at the child. "It’s alright. Such a polite little one!"

Han Xiaorui looked up. The woman seemed familiar. She searched her memory. "Teacher Zhou!"

Teacher Zhou paused, looking closely at the well-dressed young woman before recognition dawned.

"I remember you! You’re Han Xiaorui from my class! You were first in the whole school that year and got into the best university in Shencheng! You’re the pride of our school! To this day, your picture is still up on our school’s wall of honor!"

Han Xiaorui felt a little embarrassed hearing this.

’Her former self had let down her teachers’ expectations, completely love-struck and easily fooled by a man.’

"How have you been, Teacher Zhou?" Han Xiaorui changed the subject, afraid of further questions.

Teacher Zhou nodded, sighing with emotion. "I’m doing well, it’s just that this year’s students are struggling a bit. After you, we’re lucky to get even a few into university. No one has gotten into a better school than you did!"

Just then, Han Xiaoqing returned with the toilet paper she had bought.

At the entrance to the women’s restroom, she instantly recognized her homeroom teacher. "Hello, Teacher Zhou."

Teacher Zhou started slightly when she saw Han Xiaoqing. Of course, she recognized her. "Xiao Jing, what are you doing here? Did East China Normal University let out for summer break this early?"

Hearing this, both Han Xiaorui and Han Xiaoqing froze.

’From the sound of it, Xiao Jing must have gotten into university too.’

Han Xiaoqing was so furious she could barely control herself, and her body began to tremble.

Han Xiaorui reached out and squeezed her sister’s hand, then turned back to the teacher, probing. "There was a family matter, so she took leave to come home. My sister always felt she didn’t do well on the exam last year and was too embarrassed to see you!"

Hearing this, Teacher Zhou chuckled and waved her hand dismissively. "Actually, Xiao Jing did very well! She was first in the whole school, you know. Getting into East China Normal University is also excellent!"

At these words, Han Xiaoqing could no longer hold it in and burst into tears.

Teacher Zhou thought she was just being modest. "Silly girl, what are you crying for! Even if you didn’t get into the same university as your sister, this school is genuinely very good!"

"I only graduated from a provincial normal university, and I get to teach high school. Once you graduate from East China Normal University, you might even be able to teach university students!"

"You and your sister are both equally brilliant, excellent students on our school’s wall of honor! I often point to your photos and tell my students that poverty is never an obstacle to learning. In fact, it’s the very motivation that drives students from poor families to push forward!"

Han Xiaorui recalled her sister saying she had performed exceptionally well, but since she never received an acceptance letter, she assumed she had failed.

’But now it was clear she hadn’t failed. Someone must have stolen her spot.’

"Thank you, Teacher Zhou! When we have time, my sister and I will come visit the school and see you!" Han Xiaorui said with a smile, forcibly suppressing her churning mix of agitation and fury.

Teacher Zhou nodded and smiled. "That would be wonderful! You must be sure to tell the younger students all about the world outside and encourage them to study even harder."

As she spoke, Teacher Zhou glanced at her watch.

"There’s an event at the school, and I still have to buy some things, so I can’t chat any longer! It’s rare for you to be back, so you must come visit."

Han Xiaorui nodded. "We definitely will, Teacher Zhou."

Watching Teacher Zhou walk away, Han Xiaorui handed a handkerchief to Han Xiaoqing. "Xiao Jing, stop crying. Your university spot was almost certainly stolen."

"For someone to dare to steal the spot from the top-ranked student, it means they’re not only audacious, but they also have powerful connections. If we were to rush to the school or go to the police right now, it could be extremely dangerous."

To have your success stolen right after the examinations—one of life’s cruelest tragedies—had befallen Han Xiaoqing.

Han Xiaoqing wiped away her tears and gradually calmed down. "Sis, do you think I can get my place at the university back?"

"We can!" A sharp glint flashed in Han Xiaorui’s eyes. "Xiao Jing, you need to stay calm. I have a camera in my bag. I’m going to the school right now to take a picture of your photo on the wall of honor for evidence."

"You take Pingping and An’an and stay put. You also need to keep Han Xiaoyuan off his guard. Don’t let him realize you know your university spot was stolen."

Han Xiaoqing stared in disbelief. "Sis, are you saying you suspect Xiao Yuan and our parents knew about this?"

Han Xiaorui nodded, her expression grim. "First, there’s the 1,000-yuan bride price for the Wang Family. Then there’s the two-story house they built, which must have cost at least 3,000 yuan. That’s 4,000 yuan altogether."

"I calculated all the money I’ve sent home over the years, plus what you’ve sent. The total comes to less than 3,000 yuan! And our relatives? They only ever try to get things from us; they’d never lend us money. So how could our family possibly have afforded to build such a nice house?"

"There’s another suspicious point. Yesterday, when I suggested bringing Xiao Yuan into town for shopping, Mom hesitated. Only after Xiao Yuan agreed to come along did our parents consent."

"Then this morning, when I asked Mom for the household registration book, I could clearly sense her nervousness. When she finally brought it out, she shoved it at Xiao Yuan and whispered something to him. She was obviously trying to prevent us from seeing it!"

"If they sold your university spot, the person who took your place would have had to transfer their household registration as well. Your registration probably isn’t here anymore. It’s likely been moved to Shencheng, which is why they’re trying to keep us from finding out."

Han Xiaoqing’s body trembled with rage. "How could they do this? Are they even human?"

She had cherished the hard-won opportunity to study, working diligently, never daring to slack off for a single moment.

To think she had actually gotten into university, only for someone else to take her place—and her parents might have even been involved.

A derisive light filled Han Xiaorui’s eyes. "In our parents’ eyes, maybe we really aren’t people. We’re just things they can sell for money, commodities that bring them benefits."

"Xiao Jing, if you still want to go to university, if you want to reclaim your life, then from this moment on, dry your tears, watch the children for me, and I will figure out a way."

Gritting her teeth, Han Xiaoqing wiped her tears, then splashed cold water from the faucet onto her face to reduce the swelling and redness.

"Sis, I want to go to university! I have to escape this prison. I will not resign myself to being manipulated in the dark."

Han Xiaorui nodded. Once the children were done in the restroom, she said, "I’m going now. From this moment on, hold Pingping and An’an’s hands at all times. If Han Xiaoyuan asks, tell him I ran into an old classmate who can get his hands on a television that’s in high demand!"

Han Xiaoqing nodded, clenching her jaw. "Don’t worry, Sis. I’ll watch Pingping and An’an closely. I’ll also keep my emotions in check so Xiao Yuan won’t suspect a thing."

Han Xiaorui nodded and hurried out of the department store.

When she arrived at the school, she slipped the gatekeeper two packs of cigarettes, said she was there to see her little brother, and he let her in.

Han Xiaorui rushed over to the wall of honor with her camera. Both her and Han Xiaoqing’s photos were on display.

She quickly snapped pictures, not just of her and Han Xiaoqing’s photos and their accompanying descriptions, but of everyone else’s as well.

She didn’t stay long at the school. Back in town, she found a photo studio, pulled out 50 yuan, and paid for a rush development of the photos.

Seeing the money, the studio employee assured her the pictures would be ready within two hours.

There was a post office across the street from the photo studio. After paying, Han Xiaorui went over to make a phone call.