C2 The Sensible Brother

"Why didn't you listen when I told you to get a proper check-up at the hospital? Now you're left to face everything alone!" Ruonan muttered quietly as she sat on the back of the ox. Her husband had misplaced his medication, and on her way back, she got into a car accident.

Dawei, sitting in front, was taken aback and asked, "Sis, what are you talking about?"

Snapping back to reality, Ruonan quickly replied, "Oh, it's nothing. Dawei, why are you back?"

She remembered that her younger brother was supposed to be in middle school in town and wasn't sure why he had returned.

"I know you got married to support my education, but I don't want you marrying that jerk," Dawei said fiercely.

Ruonan appreciated Dawei's good intentions, but she knew that in this era, not getting an education would make it tough to succeed later on.

"I know you mean well, but you still need to study. I'll figure out the tuition," Ruonan assured him, patting his shoulder confidently.

After all, she was someone who had been given a second chance in life. In the '80s, making money was easy if you weren't clueless.

Dawei glanced at his sister but didn't say much more. Instead, he guided the ox toward home.

"Mom and Dad don't know about this. I rushed back as soon as I heard. Luckily, I made it in time, or that jerk would have gotten his way," Dawei said with concern.

Ruonan reassured, "Don't worry, I'll talk to Mom and Dad. You'll head back to town tomorrow."

Under the moonlight, the siblings talked for a long time. It had been ages since Ruonan had such a long conversation with her brother. In the past, her brother had developed a gambling addiction that spiraled out of control, tearing the family apart. They gradually drifted apart, only reaching out when he needed to borrow money.

Their home was a simple clay house, with the water buffalo tied up in the barn. Dawei quietly tiptoed into the yard.

"Who's there?" a voice suddenly called out from the darkness.

In the moonlight, it was their mother, who seemed to have stumbled upon them while stepping outside.

"Dawei? Aren't you supposed to be studying in town? What are you doing back here?" she asked, concerned, as she wiped the sweat from his brow.

Realizing what was happening, Wang Chunhua's expression changed dramatically as she glanced at Ruonan. She immediately shouted, "Honey, wake up!"

"What’s all the noise about in the middle of the night?" A middle-aged man, Ruonan's father, Hongqu, emerged from the house.

"Why are you back here, young lady?" Hongqu was furious. They had already accepted the dowry, and it was unheard of for a bride to return home on her wedding night. If word got out, it would surely bring shame upon the family.

Ruonan looked at her parents and softly said, "I'm not getting married. I want to go to college."

As soon as Hongqu heard this, he grabbed a broom nearby and moved to strike her, but Chunhua blocked his way, and Dawei stood protectively in front of her.

"You ungrateful girl! Don't you know we can't afford to send your brother to school anymore? And you, a girl, want to go to college? I'll beat some sense into you!" he shouted, swinging the broom.

"Calm down, please!" Chunhua pleaded, trying her best to hold him back. Despite everything, Ruonan was still her child, her flesh and blood.

Ruonan rubbed her slightly swollen forehead and said, "I'm not getting married, no matter what. I'll figure out Dawei's tuition myself, and I'm going to college!"

"College? I'll show you college!" Hongqu, still restrained by Chunhua, picked up his shoe and hurled it at her.

With a face full of desperation, Chunhua looked at Ruonan and begged, "Ruonan, please, for your mother's sake, just go back inside. Don't make a scene with Dawei here."

Dawei glared angrily at Hongqu and shouted, "You forced our older sister into marriage back then, and now it's Ruonan's turn? Fine, I won't go to school anymore!"