Chen Jiali's expression darkened. "I wish I wasn't their biological child."
If it weren't my biological child, at least I wouldn't be feeling this bad now.
She really didn't understand. If her parents favored boys over girls, then her older sister was also a daughter, so why was she always pampered? She always got the best things in the house, new clothes, new shoes, and all the good food and drinks went to her older sister. She only ever got to pick up what her older sister didn't want. They didn't even make her a new piece of clothing for years. When she earned money from odd jobs to buy herself something, her older sister would always snatch it away. And her parents would even say that they were all family and that she should give in to her older sister!
Shouldn't the older sister give way to the younger sister?
Seeing that Chen Jiali was in a bad mood, Ye Weiwei comforted her, saying, "Sometimes, the relationship between parents and children also depends on fate."
Hsu Mei-Chun: "You probably don't suit their taste."
Ye Weiwei: ……
Chen Jiali: ...
Xu Meijun said angrily, "I didn't say anything wrong! In fact, I think it's a good thing that they cut ties with you. Don't you think about your status in the family? Can you really rely on your family members? When you needed help the most, they not only didn't help you, but they also tried to exploit you and bleed you dry. Once they couldn't bleed you dry, they kicked you away. What's there to miss about family like that?"
Ye Weiwei wholeheartedly agreed, patting Chen Jiali on the shoulder, "There's a saying that goes, 'Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river.' Don't underestimate a young man's potential. They may ignore you today, but you'll make them regret it later."
Chen Jiali said with a wry smile, "I'm just a country bumpkin now, why should they be able to look up to me?"
Ye Weiwei patted the books on the table: "Just because of this!"
Chen Jiali was puzzled, but Ye Weiwei felt it was necessary to reveal some general trends to her two friends. After thinking for a moment, she said, "I am now a specially appointed doctor at the county hospital, and I get a monthly salary."
"What?" Xu Meijun and Chen Jiali stared at Ye Weiwei in shock. "You...you mean you're a doctor at the county hospital now, and you don't have to work in the fields anymore?"
Ye Weiwei pretended not to notice the envious looks from the two of them and said with emotion, "When I was a child, I would watch other children playing outside, while my grandfather kept me at home memorizing medical books, prescriptions, and identifying herbs. At that time, I often felt that my grandfather disliked me and was deliberately making things difficult for me. But now, looking back, I am extremely grateful to my grandfather. If he hadn't watched me study medicine every day back then, I wouldn't have had the opportunity to be noticed by the leaders of the county hospital."
Chen Jiali asked timidly, "You mean, you want the two of us to learn medicine like you?"
Isn't it a bit too late?
Ye Weiwei shook her head. "I'm not asking you to learn medicine from me. I want to tell you that knowledge changes destiny. We were educated youth sent to the countryside. What are educated youth sent to the countryside? They are young people who were sent to study! Even though we've been sent to the countryside to build rural areas, we shouldn't abandon our studies. Learn well, be prepared at all times, and who knows, one day an opportunity might come our way?"
Xu Meijun nodded thoughtfully: "You're right. Nobody can say for sure about these things, but it's always good to learn more. And..."
Xu Meijun glanced at the doorway subconsciously and said in a low voice, "A few days ago, when I went to the supply and marketing cooperative in town, I met some educated youth from other villages who came here on the same train as me. She told me that the commune has quotas for worker-peasant-soldier college students every year. If you are selected, you can go to college and be assigned a job directly after graduation, and stay in the city with a secure job."
Chen Jiali's heart burned with excitement as she looked at Xu Meijun with delight, "Really? You're not lying to me?"
Xu Meijun rolled her eyes: "Why would I lie to you? It wouldn't do me any good. But these spots are very competitive. We educated youth who have only been in the countryside for a little over half a year have no chance. The selection is reserved for the older educated youth who have been in the countryside for many years. But not having a chance this time doesn't mean we won't have a chance in the future. So, like Weiwei said, it's always good to read more books, study more, and be prepared at all times."
Chen Jiali clenched her fist excitedly: "You're right! Opportunities always come to those who are prepared. We have nothing to do in winter, so we can study hard at the educated youth settlement."
She was, after all, a high school graduate with decent grades in her class. If there really was an opportunity to be selected for a worker-peasant-soldier university, she could try to get a chance.
Thinking of what Ye Weiwei had said before, Chen Jiali felt the dark cloud hanging over her heart suddenly dissipate.
Today you ignore me, but one day I'll make you regret it!
She's determined to make something of herself and make those people regret abandoning her!
Seeing Chen Jiali's spirited appearance, Ye Weiwei and Xu Meijun exchanged a smile.
After giving Chen Jiali acupuncture, Ye Weiwei chatted with the two of them about recent events in the village. She then learned that the village had been quite lively while she was away.
First, there were the educated youth settlements.
Since Zhao Mingzhe went back to the pit, his popularity in the village has dropped considerably.
Now, whenever villagers mention him, they think of the two times he fell into the latrine, which has greatly diminished his originally noble image.
Moreover, because Ye Weiwei had exposed his past misdeeds in public, many people in the village now think he is of bad character and an ungrateful wretch, so their original good impression of him has plummeted.
Nowadays, Zhao Mingzhe has almost no one else around except Lu Xiaolan. Even the male educated youths who share a dormitory with him don't really pay attention to him.
Thinking of the scene described in the book where Zhao Mingzhe was surrounded by friends and received a lot of attention, Ye Weiwei's lips curled into a cold sneer.
Xu Meijun suddenly pointed outside and said disdainfully, "Speak of the devil, and he appears again!"
Ye Weiwei looked outside and saw Lu Xiaolan sticking her head out and peeking inside, looking like a spy making a rendezvous.
The door next door rang.
A moment later, Zhao Mingzhe walked out, looking at Lu Xiaolan with an impatient expression and asking, "What are you doing here again? Didn't I tell you not to come?"
Lu Xiaolan wasn't annoyed by being rejected. Instead, she took a hot boiled egg from her pocket and stuffed it into Zhao Mingzhe's hand with a fawning expression. "Zhao Zhiqing, this is for you!"
Zhao Mingzhe glanced at the egg in his hand, his eyes flickering. He put on a stern face and tried to return it to Lu Xiaolan, saying, "Comrade Lu Xiaolan, I can't accept your things! Please take them back!"
Lu Xiaolan quickly put her hands behind her back, looking at Zhao Mingzhe with a pained expression: "Zhao Zhiqing, please eat this. I went to great lengths to secretly take it out of the house for you. Look how thin you've become!"
As she spoke, Lu Xiaolan affectedly wiped away the tears in her eyes with her delicate fingers, "You don't care about yourself, but I do! I'm begging you, please take good care of your body, okay?"
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