A Girl Traveling Through Troubled Times

Just a few days after returning to Nanjing, school was about to start. Guier only then remembered that she had not paid the tuition yet.

She hurried to look for Sha Yanyao, but he wasn't there. After hearing Gui'er mention the tuition payment, Song Tingting said, "You're not from the eldest wife's family, so why should we take care of your tuition?"

Gui'er was stunned for a moment, and quickly said: "That's not what I meant, because before, it was my brother and sister-in-law who paid the bill, so..."

"What sister-in-law? Where did the sister-in-law come from? Now I am your eldest sister-in-law." Song Tingting said very annoyedly. It was the first time that Gui'er saw her speak in such a harsh voice. She was very surprised and speechless for a moment.

"What are you arguing about?" The lady heard the noise and walked in from outside.

As soon as Song Tingting saw the lady, she immediately lowered her head and became pleasing again.

Gui'er quickly said, "Nothing, I just haven't paid my tuition yet, and school starts in two days."

The wife said, "Oh, so, your eldest brother just got married, and he spent a lot of money on the bride, so he's really short of money now. How about this? I'll see if there's any extra money in the account office tomorrow, and then I'll arrange for someone to pay it to you."

The tuition fee was only a few silver dollars. Gui'er didn't know whether the lady wanted to tell Song Tingting that it cost a lot of money to marry her, or whether she wanted to shirk her responsibility of paying Gui'er's tuition fee.

Gui'er quickly said, "Mother, if we are short of money at home, I will ask my second brother to find a way. Maybe he can mail me some money." In fact, Gui'er had enough money to pay for tuition, but she didn't want others to know that she had money. After all, she was just a child, and she was afraid that showing off her money would bring her trouble.

When the lady heard this, she smiled and said, "You are sensible. Then ask your second brother for it and ask him to mail it to you as soon as possible. Then I will send someone to take you to pay the tuition."

Gui'er said sweetly, "Mom is busy with her work, so don't worry about this. After I get the money, just ask Ah Cheng to take me to school. I've already been to school."

The lady nodded in satisfaction and said, "If only everyone in our family were as sensible as you, I wouldn't have to worry so much."

When Gui'er heard this, she felt that there was something else behind her words, but she didn't know whether she was talking to herself or to Song Tingting.

The next day, Guier asked Acheng to take her to school. She went to the office, found the teacher, and told him that she had to pay tuition.

The teacher smiled and said, "Don't you two sisters-in-law communicate with each other? Teacher Shen has already paid for you."

Gui'er was stunned for a moment, and immediately realized that the other party was talking about Miss Shen. Gui'er felt warm in her heart, but at the same time she thought helplessly: No wonder Miss Shen and Sha Yanyao divorced, she and the people in the first house are not the same kind of people at all.

Coming out of the teacher's office, she happened to run into Miss Shen. Gui'er happily ran over to greet her: "Sister Feng Shu, long time no see."

Miss Shen smiled and said, "It's been a while. I was worried you wouldn't come back to school. I've already paid your tuition."

Guier smiled and said, "I came back yesterday. By the way, I'll return your tuition. After all, your income isn't that high right now."

Miss Shen was stunned for a moment, but did not refuse. She said, "Are you afraid that your new sister-in-law will be angry if she finds out?"

Gui Er held her hand and walked out, saying, "No, that's not the case. My tuition is paid by my second brother. I moved back in with him during this vacation."

Miss Shen said worriedly, "Is it okay for you to live there now? If it doesn't work out, then move to my house."

Gui'er was stunned for a moment, then smiled bitterly and said, "If I really moved into your house, I'm afraid Madam would definitely not be happy."

Miss Shen was silent, and Gui'er quickly comforted her, "Don't worry too much about me. I go to school and come home every day, so I don't spend much time at home. I'll join a literary club or something, and basically I'll be away from home except for sleeping, so it's okay."

Miss Shen finally smiled. After leaving the school gate, she wanted to call a rickshaw and go back together. After all, they both lived nearby. However, Gui'er wanted to take the opportunity to go to Xu Wenjie's bookstore to tell him Song Xichen's message, so she said, "I want to buy some books. Why don't you go back first?"

Miss Shen said, "Are you planning to go to Xu Wenjie's place? Then I'll go with you."

Gui Er couldn't find an excuse to refuse, so she smiled and said, "Okay."

Arriving at Xu Wenjie's bookstore, Gui'er noticed as soon as she got off the rickshaw that there seemed to be many more mobile vendors selling snacks in front of the store. There weren't any before. Gui'er remembered the spy movies where spies would set up a small stall selling fruits and snacks as a cover to monitor their targets. She quickly grabbed Miss Shen and said, "Sister Fengshu, I see there seem to be steamed cakes in front of the bookstore. Let's go buy some."

Then he dragged her to one of the snack stalls and said to the owner, "I want a black sesame one and a candied osmanthus one. Sister Feng Shu, what flavor do you want?"

Miss Shen hesitated for a moment and said, "Then I'll have two brown sugar ones."

Then the two of them watched the young stall owner working there. He was frantically adding ingredients to the wooden mold. He almost added the wrong ingredients and almost knocked over the lid. Gui'er felt very suspicious and said to Miss Shen, "Oh, I remember, I have to go home early today. I won't be shopping today. Let's come back next time."

Miss Shen looked bewildered and said, "Since you're already here, why don't you come in..."

Guier interrupted her and said, "I won't go into the store to buy anything. Let's go." Then she took the steamed cake, paid for it, held her hand tightly, turned around, hailed a rickshaw, got in and left.

After the rickshaw had gone some distance, Miss Shen asked, "Why are you acting strangely today? Didn't you say you wanted to buy..."

Gui Er quickly interrupted her and said, "I thought he must be very busy. School has just started. If we go there, he will have to entertain us and it will interfere with his business. We should wait until it's less busy before going."

Miss Shen didn't doubt it and said with a smile: "Yes, you are thoughtful."

Gui'er finally breathed a sigh of relief.

After returning to Sha Mansion, Gui'er has been thinking of countermeasures. She did not enter the bookstore and did not see the situation inside the bookstore. She was not sure whether Xu Wenjie was just targeted or the entire bookstore had been shut down and only the shell was left here to lure people into the trap. Anyone who entered the bookstore at this time would be suspected, especially Gui'er and Shen Fengshu. After all, their families worked in government agencies and would definitely attract attention.

She thought about it for a long time, not knowing what to do. She was about to call Song Xichen, but she knew she absolutely couldn't call, because Song Xichen might also be being tailed.