Chapter 81: Cannon Fodder Sister of the Female Lead (33)

Jiang Qu, who heard this news, sat in place for half a day unable to recover.

Her scores from the last selection exam barely met the undergraduate line; if English scores were counted as full marks, all the scoring lines would be recalculated. Her results would then float around the level of a technical college.

Almost everyone in the class was unable to get into a university.

Many people were crying in English class; the English teacher was also helpless. She didn’t expect that English, once considered a minor subject, would suddenly become as important as physics and chemistry.

Some people in the class were fine, they didn’t give up on those thirty points, listened in class, did their homework, memorized words, and now they were grateful their efforts hadn’t been in vain.

Meanwhile, some people completely gave up on those thirty points, using the time for memorizing words to study literature. They even reviewed other subjects during English class. Now, their English scores were only ten or twenty points, while others scored fifty or sixty; ultimately only a ten-point difference in total scores, but gained much more study time for other subjects.

A typical example was Jiang Qu.

Her English score had always been mediocre, and getting twenty or thirty points didn’t matter before, but now it looked especially bad.

The class teacher recalculated the rankings by incorporating full English scores from the last exam. The class’s first place remained unchanged, but second and third fell to positions below tenth, and the fourth rose to second. As for Jiang Qu, who was sixth, she dropped rather miserably, sliding out of the top twenty and out of the technical college line.

For several days afterward, Jiang Qu remained dazed and disoriented.

Suddenly, she remembered Jiang Lai.

She remembered what she once said.

Just as freshman year began, Jiang Qu directly went to find Jiang Lai at the entrance of her classroom, staring intensely at her.

"You knew all along, didn’t you?"

"Hmm? Knew what?"

"You knew English was about to be reformed, didn’t you? That’s why you spent every day buried in your English books, isn’t it?!"

Jiang Lai smiled, noticing the curious looks from the other students passing by. She raised her voice.

"You think I’m some kind of immortal who can foresee the future?"

"Then why are your English scores so good?! You knew it!"

Jiang Lai gave her a mocking look, her tone indifferent.

"Not only am I good at English, but also literature, math, physics, chemistry—I’m good at all of them. Do you think I’m like you, only smart enough to learn a few subjects?"

Jiang Qu was completely speechless.

Those who overheard their conversation chuckled, laughing at Jiang Qu’s irrational jealousy of her sister’s excellence, and her fanciful thinking.

Jiang Qu’s face grew increasingly unpleasant, barely able to maintain her forced calm demeanor.

"Instead of confronting me here, why don’t you go back and memorize some words? Don’t end up being unable to get into college, wasting all those eggs your mother cooked for you."

With that, Jiang Lai turned and left, not giving Jiang Qu a chance to retaliate.

Soon after, He Xing returned, and the first thing he did was visit Grandma He.

Grandma He told him everything that had happened at home, finally holding her grandson’s hand and speaking earnestly.

"That girl’s feelings towards you aren’t pure. I had said before that I’d respect your decision, but now I’ve changed my mind. I don’t like that girl and don’t want you to continue being involved with her."

"Has she come by since I was in trouble?"

Grandma He shook her head.

"There are plenty of good girls in the world. You’ll meet someone you like again. You were lucky this time to meet someone willing to help. If we had lost all that money, you might never have recovered your entire life."

He Xing nodded, his tired face full of exhaustion.

"Indeed, that person was my former boss. He knew I wanted to start on my own and let me go without saying much, even suggested I venture into foreign trade. This time, he got me the necessary licenses at a critical moment, otherwise my machines might have been seized."

"Find some time to properly thank him. Meeting such a benefactor is a tremendous fortune. We’re lucky, both you and I, to have met him. Ah... why did you fancy Jiang Qu? Jiang Lai would have been better, such a wonderful girl: beautiful, intelligent, kind, and easy to talk to; she’s lively and generous..."

Grandma He started her lamentation again, her tone full of regret.

He Xing was silent for a long time; he didn’t really feel regret, just a deep disappointment, which ultimately led to relief.

"I need to quickly tune my machines and get them up and running. The person who helped me has already placed the first order; whatever I make will be sold abroad, so I need to hurry."

Grandma He quickly waved him off.

"Then go busy yourself, don’t waste time here. Remember, if Jiang Qu comes back looking for you, don’t go soft again, got it?"

"I know, you don’t need to say more. I understand."

He clearly distinguished who was kind to him and who harbored ulterior motives.

What he couldn’t forget was only the initial Jiang Qu, who was sincere and full of affection for him.

Now?

His heart had long died after Jiang Qu implicitly severed ties.

He Xing buried himself in the factory, brought Grandma to live nearby for easier care, and hired diligent village women to operate his machines.

Time unknowingly passed this way.

Meanwhile, on the first Saturday after the semester started, Jiang Lai was about to be picked up by Jiang Qiuhe, and unexpectedly saw Cheng Lie standing under the bicycle shed.

After not seeing him for months, he seemed to have grown taller, and his hair was cut short, revealing a fresh and clean handsome face that attracted much attention.

Jiang Lai smiled and walked over, just about to say something when Cheng Lie spoke.

"Let’s talk on the road."

He had come on his bicycle again; Jiang Lai didn’t say anything. Maybe it was because they hadn’t seen each other for a long time, but now she found Cheng Lie more attractive.

The bicycle wasn’t as comfortable as a motorcycle, but along the way, she could look at the wheat fields on both sides of the country road, and the willow trees by the canal were starting to bud, with slender branches adorned with tender shoots.

Jiang Lai asked him.

"Where’s your motorcycle?"

"Lent it to a friend."

"Oh, okay."

After a while, Cheng Lie spoke again in a low voice.

"Actually, I prefer using a bicycle to carry you."

"Why?"

"Because bicycles are slower, I can carry you for longer and talk with you more."

Jiang Lai couldn’t help but smile.