To make up for the debt owed to Lin Qingping and Gu Juncheng

Lin Qingping said expressionlessly, "The cookies were bought by Chengzi for Zhiyuan."

"You silly girl, why can't you understand?" Her mother looked at her as if she were a fool. "This little wild brat deserves to eat such good food? He's a stranger, what good will it do him to eat you? Will he even remember you when he grows up?"

Upon hearing this, Lin Qingping saw her nephew's狰狞 (zhengning - ferocious/hideous) face before his death once again.

Yes, an outsider.

Ironically, it was this outsider who remembered her when she was about to die...

Yes, of course, the people she devoted herself to remember her, but they only remember her wealth...

She saw Zhiyuan turn his head to the side upon hearing the words "little wild brat".

Lin Qingping immediately snatched the milk cup from her brother's hand and put it away along with the cookies on the table.

"Hey, what are you doing?" her mother said, displeased.

Lin Qingping picked everything up neatly, then turned around and said sternly, "I don't want to hear those words 'little bastard' again! He's the child Chengzi raised as his own son! He's Chengzi and my own son!"

Her mother said sheepishly, "It wasn't me who said it, it's what all the acquaintances in the surrounding villages are saying. Can you really control what everyone says?"

Lin Qingping sneered, "I can't control what others say! But people like that shouldn't even think about entering my house! Anyone who dares to talk to me will get slapped across the face!"

Her mother got angry. "So, you're going to slap me today? For a little brat... for an outsider?"

Lin Qingping paused for a moment, then told Zhiyuan to go out and play. Once he was out of sight, she said, "Because you are my mother, I'll let it go today, but don't come again next time."

This kind of mother-daughter relationship is not positive, and she doesn't want the child to see it.

Her mother was so angry that she stood up abruptly to leave, but her brother tugged at her clothes and stopped her.

Her mother then sat down again, venting her anger for a while, and said, "Fine, what can I do? I'm your mother, and mothers and daughters don't hold grudges overnight."

Lin Qingping knew that her mother wouldn't come unless she had a reason, so she didn't ask and just waited.

Her mother then began to speak, saying that she had been encouraged by someone to let her brother join the army, saying how good the army was, and asking Gu Juncheng to help get him in.

She glanced at her brother. To be honest, if her brother had any ambition or ability, she would have hoped he would be successful. But it was rare to see such a delicate boy raised in the countryside. From childhood to adulthood, her mother had spoiled him, her father had pampered him, and she and her second sister had to support the family. Her brother didn't even know how to do farm work. During the busy farming season, he would go to the fields to cut wheat for a while, but he would be so tired that he would go to sleep in the shade of a tree.

Is that how someone can endure the hardships of military life?

She simply said, "Sure, this is a good way out, let's go."

“That Chengzi…” Her mother was overjoyed.

"You must register yourself. You cannot mention Chengzi's name anywhere, and you cannot use Chengzi's name to pull strings. If I find out, you will never be allowed to enter the Gu family again."

Her mother's face changed. "How can that be? If Chengzi doesn't give him any special treatment, won't the training be incredibly tough? When has your brother ever had a hard time..."

Lin Qingping knew this was the case. "You mean you want him to join the army and enjoy a life of luxury?"

"Of course! With Chengzi's connections, why would we need to suffer? We'll arrange for him to be placed next to Chengzi and give him a minor officer position..."

What kind of dream is her mother having?

"What are you thinking? Chengzi doesn't have that ability. He's just an ordinary soldier! Besides, no one goes in without suffering, and there's no precedent for that. It's fair and just. Trying to get in through the back door is impossible!" Lin Qingping said bluntly.

These words really angered her mother.

"Fine, I guess I've raised you for nothing!" Her mother stood up and grabbed her brother, trying to leave. "Now that you're married well, you don't respect your family anymore. Don't forget, without us helping you with this marriage, would you be doing so well? Fine, we can't afford this marriage, and we won't try again!"

Lin Qingping felt terrible seeing her mother's furious state; this was her own mother!

"Mom, let my younger brother study. He can study for two or three years and try to get into university."

Lin Qingping knew the path her brother would take in this life.

Later, she forced Gu Juncheng to find a comrade-in-arms to help her brother get a job in a factory. Her brother just loafed around there all day. Later, when her business took off, her brother left the factory and asked her for money to invest. He was basically a spendthrift, losing everything he tried. Eventually, she decided to support her brother instead. She supported him for the rest of his life and also supported his children...

"Hmph! If you don't want to help, then don't! What are you pretending to be, a cultured person! Fine, you're all high and mighty now, we country folk are no good enough for you! We're not going to visit you anymore, okay?" Her mother pulled her brother away.

Lin Qingping sighed inwardly; this was her final advice to her brother.

Her brother is physically weak and unable to lift heavy objects. Getting into university hasn't been too difficult for him in recent years. If he could forge a path through education, perhaps his life could be changed, but…

She shook her head, determined to pull her sister out of her tragic life no matter what!

After thinking it over for a moment, I decided to cook first, then go to town to buy some things. I wondered how my sister's school supplies were going; I had to go check on her.

She went to the yard to get some vegetables, only to find that the basket of vegetables she had just picked from the field was gone...

She smiled bitterly.

Her mother's tendency to be greedy for small gains is something she'll never change, even after several lifetimes.

She quickly cooked the meal, while also gradually planning her future. Once the meal was finished, she had a general plan in mind.

In her past life, she met so many people; some she never wanted to see again, and some she still wanted to find.

Thinking that Zhiyuan had been wronged again today, I made his favorite pumpkin pancakes while cooking.

After finishing cooking, I served the rice and went to the fields to deliver it to my father-in-law and mother-in-law. Then I called Zhiyuan back to eat.

But after searching around, they couldn't find Zhiyuan.

Remembering that Zhiyuan had run away from home before, she panicked and shouted all over the village. Finally, a neighbor heard her and told her, "Isn't Zhiyuan lying in your yard? Why are you shouting outside?"

Lin Qingping hurried back and, sure enough, found an old tree stump behind the house.

He was lying on it writing.

Lin Qingping approached gently. She had already written one version of numbers, and was writing the last row of the second version of pinyin letters.

The notes were written with great effort, but they were... crooked and messy.

She watched as Zhiyuan finished writing the last letter and then squatted down.

She first praised him for writing so diligently, then squatted down and looked into his bright eyes.

"Zhiyuan," she said softly, "Zhiyuan, will you help me from now on?"

Clearly, Zhiyuan's bright black eyes showed surprise.

“Look, your Uncle Gu is in the army and is often away from home. Grandpa is getting old and has to work in the fields every day. You are the youngest and most capable man in the family. Can you come with me and help Uncle Gu take care of this family?”