Chapter 1: You Have Been Accepted

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In the late summer of 1978, the voice of the postman sounded outside the door.

"Xia Xiaoyu, you have a letter."

Xia Xiaoyu took the large brown envelope, and when she saw the words "admission letter" printed on it, her heart began to race with excitement.

Taking a deep breath, she uncurled her slightly trembling fingers and unfolded the plain A4-sized paper—her name was written on it.

"Student Xia Xiaoyu, you have performed outstandingly in the National College Entrance Examination. After strict review by our school, we hereby officially admit you to the School of Architecture. Please bring the relevant documents and materials to Tsinghua University to register by October 1. We hope you will study hard at Tsinghua, be diligent and enterprising, and contribute your strength to the construction and development of our country!"

She gazed at the Tsinghua University seal stamped below—something she had never possessed in her previous life.

She pressed the admission letter to her lips, gently kissing it.

It had been half a year since she returned, and at last, she had taken the first step toward changing her fate.

In her previous life, under the arrangements of her relatives, she had simply hosted a wedding banquet in the village and married Xu Jinyan.

There was no way out. So that Xu Jinyan could attend university without worries and for the sake of the family, she gave her job at the supply and marketing cooperative to her sister-in-law and took on the responsibility of caring for the whole family.

Every day, she looked after her paralyzed father-in-law and served her demanding mother-in-law, only to receive one sentence from Xu Jinyan: "As the daughter-in-law of the Xu family, this is what you're supposed to do."

She thought he was educated, cultured, aloof, and seldom smiled at anyone. As a qualified wife, she believed she should endure hardship and never complain at home.

For forty-six years of marriage, it was not until Xu Jinyan died of illness that she discovered a marriage certificate—one that belonged to Xu Jinyan and another woman!

Only then did she suddenly realize that the more than half a month each month when Xu Jinyan claimed to be on business trips had actually been spent at his other home.

Her paralyzed father-in-law, her constantly nagging and mean mother-in-law, and her sharp-tongued sister-in-law had all known about it from the beginning.

She had been nothing more than a servant in the Xu family.

A free, despised servant.

She died of a heart attack, yet found herself back in the year she was to be married.

She pulled at the corner of her lips; her previous life had been a joke, but this time, never again. So she chose to take the college entrance exam—she would choose her own life.

Everything was as she wished in this lifetime, except for three days ago, when she lost her virginity to a man whose face she could not see...

Suddenly, hurried footsteps approached.

Xia Xiaoyu quickly put away the admission letter and hid it in the five-drawer cabinet nearby.

Xu Anxin had already reached the door, knocking and shouting, "Sister-in-law, I heard the postman just came!"

The next moment, she was already standing before Xia Xiaoyu.

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"Has the spot at the supply and marketing cooperative been confirmed? When can I start working?"

Xia Xiaoyu looked at her and asked, "Are you really that anxious?"

During this period, in order to be able to take the college entrance exam smoothly, she had endured everything in silence and avoided any conflict with the Xu family.

Xu Anxin looked at her as if it were only natural. "The family is so busy. If you can’t keep the job, someone else will snatch the spot."

Xia Xiaoyu looked at her sharp-tongued sister-in-law—she had been the one to manipulate her most in her last life.

How could she possibly give her the job?

She had already arranged to sell the spot tomorrow.

"Let’s wait a few more days. There’s still no news yet," Xia Xiaoyu replied.

Xu Anxin’s face was full of disbelief as she eyed Xia Xiaoyu suspiciously. "Sister-in-law, you’re not lying to me, are you? The village belle from the next village already got her spot and will start work the day after tomorrow!"

A chill flashed in Xia Xiaoyu’s eyes as she calmly responded, "I’ll go check tomorrow."

She now had her admission letter, but she needed travel expenses for school.

She had hidden her exam from the Xu family; this time, she would sever all ties here.

Xu Anxin’s expression finally eased a little. "Fine, I’ll go with you tomorrow!"

Xia Xiaoyu’s gaze shifted slightly as she said, "If I transfer the position to you, it’s best not to let others know. Otherwise, people will point fingers at you. I think it’s better you don’t go."

Xu Anxin thought about it, still uneasy. "My brother will be back in a couple of days. You’d better arrange the job for me quickly."

Xia Xiaoyu smiled faintly. "Alright."

Xu Anxin looked satisfied.

...

Xia Xiaoyu needed to bring in all the wheat today.

The sack was heavy, and carrying it alone left her drenched in sweat.

Before she could annul the engagement, she had no intention of letting the Xu family know what she was doing.

So, she did all the chores herself.

With two hundred pounds of wheat on her shoulder, sweat poured from her forehead as she struggled forward. Just then, footsteps sounded behind her.

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"Sister-in-law, my brother is back!" Xu Anxin’s cheerful voice rang out.

Xu Jinyan, wearing a military cap and dressed in deep blue, carried a simple canvas bag in his hand. His white sneakers were barely dusty as he strode inside and came face to face with Xia Xiaoyu, who had just finished hauling three sacks of wheat.

Her hair was messy across her forehead, her clothes were flecked with grass, and her feet in slippers showed dirt-stained toes—she looked utterly disheveled.

His expression froze. He was clean-cut and handsome, while the woman before him was worlds apart from the girls he knew at school.

If not for her pretty face, Xu Jinyan truly would have looked away in disgust.

"I’m back," Xu Jinyan announced coolly, the joy of returning home cut in half.

Xia Xiaoyu looked at the man before her, a brief daze in her eyes.

The man she had lived with for so many years in her past life now stood before her, alive and real—but love was no longer relevant.

She quickly pulled up a smile. "You’re back, just in time. I was hauling wheat—there are four sacks left. I’ll leave them to you."

Xu Jinyan’s brows knitted tightly.

Xu Anxin protested loudly, "Sister-in-law, are you serious? My brother just got back and you’re making him work? Don’t you know—"

"Brother Xu, are you home?" came the voice of Xu Chunhua from next door.

Xu Anxin nodded. "Yes, my brother is back. What do you want?"

Xu Chunhua gazed at Xu Jinyan with starry eyes. "You must be tired after your journey, right, Brother Jinyan? I just made some tea at home. Would you like to come over for a cup?"

What a stark contrast.

A neighbor knew he was tired, but as his own wife, Xia Xiaoyu hadn’t even greeted him, and instead immediately asked him to do chores.

Xu Jinyan cast a disdainful glance at Xia Xiaoyu and nodded. "Alright. I’m thirsty anyway."

Xu Chunhua immediately beamed with delight.

Watching Xu Jinyan’s retreating figure as he walked out the door, Xia Xiaoyu’s gaze flickered as she called out gently, "Jinyan, I’ll go make dinner now. The wheat sacks can wait until you’ve had your tea, but don’t leave them too late—if they get damp with dew, it won’t be good."