chapter 15
I smiled. “My homeroom teacher introduced me to a few tutoring gigs, fifteen yuan an hour.”
“Aunt, if you want me to tutor, I’ll schedule you first.”
My aunt’s expression shifted slightly. “We’re family, and you still want to charge for tutoring…?”
“Even brothers settle accounts clearly.”
My aunt left awkwardly.
Knowledge can be effectively converted into money.
Zhang Jie tutors students for twenty yuan an hour.
Because he’s from Tsinghua University.
As for me, fifteen yuan an hour.
There’s another student in our class, her rate is twelve.
Teacher Liu found me an apartment.
The landlord doesn’t charge me rent; she only wants me to help her daughter with her homework every day.
Her daughter is only in third grade.
You see.
Under the same sky, in the same county.
Parents in this world are not the same.
Some wish to break their children’s wings, while others make preparations in advance, wanting to support their children to soar as early as possible.
I teach for four hours a day; the student’s parents also give me milk and seasonal fruits, earning sixty yuan.
When my dad does odd jobs in the off-season, he works ten hours a day under the sun and wind, but only gets thirty yuan.
Perhaps it was from this moment on.
My parents truly understood that I was different now.
They realized that the steps a Female College Student could ascend to in the future were things they had never imagined.
After class that day, on my way back, I unexpectedly ran into Song Mu.
He and a few classmates were coming out of an internet café.
When he saw me, he panicked and hurriedly explained, “A middle school classmates’ reunion, I’m heading home tonight.”
I was very calm. “Your own business, arrange it yourself.”
I turned to leave, but he caught up to me.
He looked quite aggrieved.
“Song Zhaozhao, what have I done to you? Why are you treating me like this now? You weren’t like this before.”
He yelled at me, “Are you still my sister?”
The setting sun shone brilliantly, making the sweat on his forehead glisten.
I took a deep breath and said slowly, “Song Mu, growing up in a family like ours, in that kind of environment, you can only rely on yourself for everything.”
“If you do everything you can to change your life, I can give you a hand.”
“If you let yourself fall, I will never reach out. Because I don’t want to drag my own life down with yours.”
“If you think I’m selfish and don’t want to recognize me as your sister, that’s fine too.”
“I don’t care.”
Song Mu was visibly shaken.
He breathed heavily, as if he wanted to yell countless things at me.
Yet after a minute’s standoff, he hung his head in defeat. “Sorry. I’ll start studying hard tomorrow.”
My university tuition was paid with a loan.
Mom counted out five crumpled hundred-yuan bills and gave them to me.
She urged me, “When you get to another city, you must be careful with your words and actions. Don’t offend anyone, keep harmony above all.”
“Spend money sparingly, you know our family’s situation.”
I pushed the money back.
“I can earn money myself, you keep it.”
Mom praised me for being sensible, her eyes red.
She didn’t realize that I just didn’t want to owe anyone.
By refusing kindness, if I act cold or ruthless in the future, I won’t feel guilty.
Uncle De found me privately and gave me two thousand yuan.
I didn’t take it.
“Once I’m in university, in a big city, I’ll have plenty of opportunities.”
“Uncle De, thank you! Thank you for saving me back then.”
Uncle De smiled. “I’m just… making up for regrets.”
The prosperity of Hangzhou is far beyond what our small county can compare to.
Many classmates who came from small mountain villages take a long time to adjust.
But I don’t need to.
Because I’ve seen greater prosperity.
And I already possess a key that carries enough weight.
Now, it’s time to use my foreknowledge to completely change my destiny.
Opportunity came quickly.
Our roommate Jiajia’s family actually runs a clothing factory.
But now, it’s on the verge of bankruptcy.