Chapter 602 Changing Fate

At this moment, Wu Dani's brows furrowed into a knot.

In all these years, the Cao family has never been in such chaos. One thing after another has hit her, leaving this rural woman who has only ever been to the commune dizzy and unable to process it all.

At this moment, she only grasped one central idea: Old Cao had just made the decision to divide the family property.

Where will we live from now on? Will we be evicted? Where will we get the money to build a house? Who will do all the chores around the house? Who will look after the two young children? And what about the eldest daughter, Zhaodi…?

She instinctively reached out to call out to her eldest daughter, Zhaodi, to keep the brat by her side.

But before she could speak, President Yu and his entourage, who were about to leave, stopped at the gate.

Not far away, a green jeep was driving towards them. Because the village roads were narrow, the car stopped in a slightly wider spot. The door opened, and Lu Qiaoge, the factory director of Xiangyang Food Factory, jumped out of the car briskly and walked hurriedly towards the Cao family's courtyard.

No one knows why she returned.

Only a glimmer of light appeared in the old principal's eyes. He stared intently at Lu Qiaoge, his lips trembling with excitement, trying to discern some incredible good news from the young factory director's face.

Lu Qiaoge reached the gate in a few steps, her gaze sweeping across the courtyard, taking in everyone's expressions.

Cao Laoda's wife's face was as black as the bottom of a pot, and she even glared fiercely at Cao Laosan's wife when no one was looking.

Lu Qiaoge was puzzled. Weren't these two just acting in perfect harmony, their alliance seemingly solid? How come they suddenly seem to be about to break off their relationship?

Lu Qiaoge glanced at it once and then looked away.

Her gaze shifted to the old headmaster, she cleared her throat, and her voice carried clearly throughout the suddenly quiet Cao family courtyard: "President Yu, Headmaster, I'm afraid Zhaodi won't be able to return to school."

These words were like cold water dripping into a hot oil pan, making everyone who was listening feel a jolt.

Zhao Di's face drained of color instantly. She looked at the old headmaster with fear and unease, only to find that the old headmaster was not disappointed at all, but his eyes were surprisingly bright.

"Then...where are we going? Director Lu, please tell us quickly!"

The old principal's voice trembled with urgency.

Lu Qiaoge said loudly, "Cao Zhaodi has an extraordinary talent for mental arithmetic. Our country has a special mental arithmetic unit that is dedicated to training and selecting such top talents. I was in a hurry to leave just now to call my superiors to report on Zhaodi's situation."

President Yu finally understood what had happened.

Lu Qiaoge paused, glancing at Cao Lao Er and Wu Dani, who were standing in the distance, dumbfounded, before dropping an even bigger bombshell: "The higher-ups are taking this very seriously and have decided to send the leaders of the mental arithmetic unit to personally inspect Zhao Di in three days. Of course, the specific details, such as the training methods, treatment, confidentiality regulations, etc., will be discussed with you parents and children in person when the leaders arrive."

The courtyard fell into a deathly silence.

The villagers all gaped, their eyes filled with bewilderment and disbelief.

Mental arithmetic? The military? I've never heard of them before; they seem so mysterious.

And then there's Cao Zhaodi, who's always being called a worthless brat. How can such a young girl be sent to the army?

It sounds like some kind of cryptic text to me...

Cao Lao Er and Wu Dani looked at each other, stunned for several seconds, before they seemed to have their butts on fire and hurriedly pushed through the crowd to the front.

Old Cao and his wife were stunned. Even Cao's eldest daughter-in-law, who was ready to make a scene, forgot to throw a tantrum. She turned her head and craned her neck to look in their direction.

Lu Qiaoge ignored the reactions of the other members of the Cao family.

Xiao Cangcang just told her about the family division.

Looking at Cao Lao Er and Wu Dani, who were so excited they didn't know what to do, Lu Qiaoge softened her tone: "Uncle, Aunt, what do you want to ask? As long as it doesn't violate the rules, I can tell you anything I know."

The courtyard was so quiet that you could hear the wind rustling through the leaves. All the villagers who had come to watch the spectacle held their breath, their eyes fixed intently on Lu Qiaoge.

In this almost frozen silence, Wu Dani was so nervous that her palms were sweating and her throat was dry, and she couldn't utter a single word.

Zhao Di stood beside the old headmaster, her small hands tightly gripping the hem of her clothes, her heart pounding, as if something that could change her life was rushing towards her.

It was Cao Lao Er who first found his voice, stammering, "Director Lu... what did you just say about mental arithmetic... what military unit? We... we didn't understand..."

Lu Qiaoge patiently explained again, but since it involved core secrets, she was vague, which only added to the mystery: "...This unit is very special, with strict confidentiality requirements, so I really can't say more about the specific details here. When the unit leaders arrive, they will explain everything to you. As long as Zhaodi passes the assessment and she is willing, she can become a member of the unit. At that time, you will be military dependents, and the state will provide subsidies. If your family is indeed in financial difficulty, the organization will also consider it on a case-by-case basis and may be able to arrange a stable job for one of you..."

Military dependents? Subsidies? Job placement?

These words exploded like thunder in the silent crowd, yet the extreme shock kept the scene eerily quiet.

These days, joining the army is the dream career path for countless people!

If a family produces a soldier, it's a great honor for the family!

It means a secure job, it means the whole family can stand tall!

How old is Ke Zhaodi?

A little girl, how could she...?

Old Cao's breathing suddenly became rapid. He could no longer care about suppressing his troublesome daughters-in-law and stumbled towards the door.

The old principal rubbed his hands excitedly; this was even better than the gifted youth program he had imagined.

That's the military.

He lowered his voice, unable to hide his pride: "...The mental arithmetic unit, that's where top national talents are trained. If Zhao Di can get in, he'll be a great scientist serving the country in the future, the glory of our entire commune, no, the entire county!"

Lu Qiaoge smiled and nodded, speaking gently to the completely bewildered Cao Lao Er and Wu Dani: "Zhao Di has a clean family background, and there are no problems with the political background check. The evaluation is just a necessary procedure. A talent as exceptional as her will definitely be highly valued by the country, and she will be taken to a special place to receive the best training."

Lu Qiaoge's voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable certainty. The future she described seemed as distant as a story from another world to the Cao family and villagers who toiled in the fields, yet it became real and tangible because of Lu Qiaoge's identity and the parked jeep.

Envy, shock, and disbelief all focused on the petite Zhao Di.

This ordinary, unassuming, and even bullied eldest daughter in the Cao family, had her fate completely turned around this afternoon by a single sentence…

(End of this chapter)