Chapter 49: Do You Dare to Go to Prison? p2
Yun Lan buried her head in Yang Yijun’s shoulder, not daring to look at Zhou Wanfeng’s eyes. She felt that Zhou Wanfeng was as formidable as a ghost, as if she could see into people’s hearts and knew everything.
Yang Yijun pressed her lips together tightly and glared at Zhou Zhiru, the veins on her neck bulging with anger.
Zhou Wanfeng sized them up one last time and sneered, her voice dragging. “So that’s how it is. No wonder you’re not willing to pretend anymore. You’re so fearless. I’ll be leaving first. I won’t disturb your discussion. Just please don’t use your schemes on me in the future.”
After she left, she kindly closed the door.
Zhou Zhiru had touched one of Yang Yijun’s sore spots, and he was about to touch another. Even a mother tiger lying in her den would have to stand up and roar three times.
Zhou Wanfeng had directly torn apart the harmony that everyone had been maintaining on the surface, just like the military academy materials that Sun Mulan had mailed her.
But in her opinion, the balance of this family was not so easily broken.
She still had time to prepare.
On Saturday morning, the atmosphere in the house began to change.
Yun Lan was cautious and was constantly watching Yang Yijun’s expression. She had tried to start a conversation several times, but Yang Yijun had not responded at all. This had never happened before.
After breakfast, Zhou Wanfeng asked Yun Jingya, “Do you want to go back to the rented house?”
Yun Jingya was taken aback. She turned to look at Yun Chengbin. “Aren’t we going back to our hometown in Dongshan today?”
“Sister Wanfeng, are we not going anymore?” Yun Chengbin’s big eyes were filled with disappointment.
“It’s cancelled,” Zhou Wanfeng said, going upstairs to change and get her backpack.
Yun Jingya comforted her brother a couple of times, saying that they would go another time, and then followed her upstairs, preparing to go back to the rented house together. As for what had happened in the second-floor study last night, she was actually very curious. The atmosphere between her grandmother and her mother was clearly not right.
Her grandmother was still angry with her mother, and her mother didn’t dare to look at her grandmother’s face and eyes.
When the two of them were leaving, Yun Jingya specifically ran to the first-floor main bedroom to talk to Yang Yijun.
Yang Yijun was lying on the bed, her expression dejected. She was sighing and regretting, and at the same time, she was glad that the Yun family’s Yuyanfang and Yuxiang Pavilion were still doing well. The thought of the business losing money and almost going bankrupt three years ago, she didn’t know what the situation would be like now.
Zhou Zhiru was deep and scheming, and Yun Lan was devoted to him. Whatever Zhou Zhiru said, she would believe it without thinking. Yang Yijun was almost angered to death by Yun Lan.
“Grandma, are you still upset?” Yun Jingya walked to the bedside and leaned over intimately.
Yang Yijun propped herself up. Only when she saw Yun Jingya’s face did a hint of a pleased smile appear. She took a deep breath, reached out and touched Jingya’s face, and said softly, “Grandma, even for you, I have to get better.”
A smile appeared on Yun Jingya’s lips, and she reached out and hugged her grandmother. “Grandma, did Mom make you angry?”
“Don’t mention her. I get a headache just talking about her,” Yang Yijun said, looking at Jingya’s outdoor clothes and the backpack she was carrying. “Are you going back so soon?”
Zhou Zhiru had denied that he was targeting Jingya, saying that he treated Jingya as his own, and that he couldn’t do that.
He would definitely not admit it before it was discovered. Yang Yijun didn’t believe it now. The thought that she had wanted to take Jingya back before, now it seemed that it was better for her to stay at the rented house. It was always good to have less contact.
“Study hard. There’s nothing wrong at home. Don’t worry. You know that Grandma is just angry with your mom for a while. It will be fine in a couple of days,” Yang Yijun said, her heart filled with helplessness. The only thing that pleased her was that Yun Jingya had been raised very well by her, unlike Yun Lan.
“Yes, I know that Grandma loves Mom and won’t be really angry with her,” Yun Jingya said, reaching out and stroking her grandmother’s back. She could see a hint of sadness in her grandmother’s eyes. She was still sad after all.
Yang Yijun touched Yun Jingya’s head, her eyes filled with love. She suddenly remembered something and slowly opened her mouth. “…Jingya, about what happened in the study yesterday, if Zhou Wanfeng tells you, whatever she says, you just have to believe her. Don’t believe what others tell you, including what your mother tells you. Do you understand?”
With that, a bitter smile appeared on her face. “…Grandma can’t see through this person, but she’s good to you. It’s enough for Grandma to know that.”
In the courtyard, Zhou Wanfeng was waiting for Yun Jingya by the pond. The carp in the small pond had been replaced by Old Dong. They were not big yet, but they were still foolish enough to swim over with their heads up, asking for food.
Yun Jingya stood under the covered corridor and called out to Zhou Wanfeng, “Wanfeng, let’s go, let’s go.”
Zhou Wanfeng had her hands in her pockets. She paused, and with a sensitive glance at the first-floor window, she slowly walked over.
Yang Yijun stood by the curtain, watching the two of them walk out. Jingya took the initiative to link arms with Zhou Wanfeng, and Zhou Wanfeng did not push her away.
In the living room of the rented house, Yun Jingya noticed that the usually focused Wanfeng was now holding a pen, in a daze.
She couldn’t help but reach out and wave her hand. “Wanfeng?”
Zhou Wanfeng came back to her senses and looked up.
Yun Jingya hesitated for a moment, but she still couldn’t help but ask, “Wanfeng, can I ask what you guys talked about in the second-floor study?”
“You can ask, but I won’t answer,” Zhou Wanfeng refused quickly.
Yun Jingya frowned. “Why? Why do you get to know, but I don’t?”
“When others curse you, insult your mom or your grandmother, and you’re no longer sad and crying, then you can,” Zhou Wanfeng said, lowering her head and starting to do her homework. She was already thinking about how to solve her current problem.
She was sure that Yang Yijun would not dare to hand over the dirt on Zhou Zhiru for the time being, unless the two of them really had a falling out. But after so many years, their intertwined interests could not be quickly sorted out, and there was also Yun Chengbin in the middle.
For his sake, Yang Yijun had to endure it for the time being.
Zhou Wanfeng was betting that neither of them dared to do anything now. But Zhou Zhiru had already started to have ideas. He was a person who would not rest until he had achieved his goal. It was a good thing that she had torn off all the superficial disguises. Yang Yijun would be watching him and be on guard against him.
She had talked to Sun Mulan before about the political review. It seemed that there was another situation: once the political review was passed, the personal file would be transferred to the army. Even if a family member committed a crime and had a criminal record later, it would not be affected.
Yun Jingya had tried to ask in a roundabout way a few more times, but Zhou Wanfeng had refused to answer, so she had stopped asking.
The schoolwork was very heavy. There were so many subjects to study every day, and each subject teacher would assign a lot of homework. Just finishing the homework that was left in class would take a lot of time, and they also had to review, preview, and study on their own.
But as the key high school in Yunhai City, No. 1 High School not only had good teaching quality, but the school would also regularly hold various activities to promote the active participation of the students.
On closer inspection, there were basically exciting activities every month.
This was to ensure that the students’ school life was not boring.
And so, the homeroom teacher, Xu Lei, came over during the evening self-study. The moment he stood on the podium and took out his black leather notebook, the students in the class couldn’t wait for him to speak and started to clamor, “Teacher, is the school organizing a trip to climb Longwang Mountain?”
Xu Lei had just opened his notebook and smiled at the students below. “How do you all know?”
The class exploded like a firecracker.
“We’ve known for a long time. The homeroom teacher of Class Four told his class this morning, and so did the homeroom teacher of Class Five.”
“It was so noisy in the cafeteria at noon. Everyone was talking about going to climb Longwang Mountain. Only our class didn’t know anything.”
“Exactly. Teacher, you should have run over and told us about such a good thing right away. Look at you, you’ve dragged it out until the evening self-study. The day is almost over.”
The students in the class all felt that the homeroom teacher’s efficiency was too slow and told him to be earlier next time.
Xu Lei clapped his hands to quiet the class down. “Alright, I’ll make sure to be earlier next time. As for going to climb Longwang Mountain this Saturday, it’s mainly to let you release some mental stress, to get in touch with nature, and also to enrich the campus activities. But let me say this first. This group activity has a task. Everyone has to write a detailed description of a plant and a rock on Longwang Mountain when they get back. It’s not just for you to go on a trip. The most important thing is that there are a few things to pay attention to for this mountain climbing…”
Xu Lei explained all the safety precautions to the class, and also mentioned some other things about the class. After he was done, he let the students continue to read and do their homework.
Zhou Wanfeng saw the homeroom teacher, Xu Lei, walk around the classroom, go back to the podium, pick up his black notebook, and quietly leave.
Seeing this, she stood up and chased after him.
Wu Junfeng saw Zhou Wanfeng stand up and thought something was wrong.
Jiang Chen stood up slightly and looked around. “He’s stopped the homeroom teacher. What’s he going to talk about?”
Seeing Zhou Wanfeng stand up, Yun Jingya couldn’t help but look outside.
Outside the classroom, Zhou Wanfeng stopped Xu Lei, her back to the classroom. “Teacher, I want to ask something.”
Hearing this, Xu Lei looked around and said with a proper expression, “Go on.”
“I want to take the college entrance exam early, or rather, I want to graduate early. Can I take the college entrance exam in the second year of high school? Does this require an application, or do I need to fill out some forms? And do I need my family’s signature?” Zhou Wanfeng had many questions. She didn’t know if this was possible, but she would be seventeen in the second year.
Hearing this, Xu Lei was taken aback. “Why do you want to skip a grade and take the college entrance exam? Your grades are good enough to take it in the third year. It would be a natural progression, and your grades would be even better.”
“I don’t have time,” Zhou Wanfeng said directly. “Teacher, please help me ask the school, and about the required procedures and so on. I might not really skip a grade. I’m just asking first. If necessary, I might apply.”
“And please keep this a secret for me. I hope no one else knows about what I’ve asked you.”
Xu Lei subconsciously thought of Zhou Wanfeng’s family. The question was probably related to her family. He said with a serious expression:
“I will help you ask the school, but I personally don’t recommend it.”
Zhou Wanfeng nodded, said thank you, and went back to the classroom to continue her homework.
Jiang Chen stood up and whispered, “Zhou Wanfeng, did you go to the homeroom teacher to say you’re not going mountain climbing?”
“Yes, I don’t want to go,” Zhou Wanfeng replied casually.
Yun Jingya, who was sitting diagonally in front, turned to look at her, then turned back and sat properly.
Wu Junfeng asked, “What did the homeroom teacher say?”
“It’s a group activity. Everyone must participate,” Zhou Wanfeng said, lowering her head to read.
On Friday, there was a faint sense of restlessness and excitement in the noisy air.
The new students of the first year were going to climb Longwang Mountain as a group activity. On Saturday, the students from Class One to Class Six would go, and on Sunday, the students from Class Seven to Class Twelve would go.
The following Saturday and Sunday, it would be the second-year students’ turn.
The school’s tuck shop was particularly lively, with students coming and going. Bottled water, spicy strips, and hawthorn rolls and ham sausages were the best sellers. The owner had simply moved the stock boxes over. At the checkout counter, everyone was stretching their arms to hand over their money and wait for the bill, shouting and making a lot of noise.
Lu Qing was on the public phone, calling home, one leg shaking. “Mom, have my brother buy some snacks. Are there still fruits at home? Bring some more. We’re going to climb Longwang Mountain on Saturday.”
“Jiang Xiaochen is a foodie. He only brings his mouth. His brother is the same. You can’t count on either of them. Are there no girls? Yes, there are. The girls in the class will bring their own. But I and Jiang Xiaochen and the others don’t think of these things,” Lu Qing said, thinking of Zhou Wanfeng. He looked at the crowded shelves of the shop and subconsciously frowned.
“She’s not like Jiang Xiaochen. She doesn’t even bring her mouth. Alright, Mom, I’m not talking to you anymore. You can either have my brother send it to my place, or have him wait for me at Longwang Mountain. Whether your son can have a good meal depends on you, Mom.”
Jiang Chen, who was waiting for Lu Qing in the distance, pulled on Jiang Yi and said to the public phone, “I told you, you don’t have to prepare anything. Someone will have it all ready. This guy can order people around wherever he goes. The youngest son, the baby of the family, spoiled by the whole family. His big brother is his number one workhorse.”
Lu Qing hung up the phone, counted how much money he had, and went straight to the Jiang brothers. “Alright, it’s settled.”
“Is that okay? Big brother seems to be very busy,” Jiang Chen said with a fake smile, being polite.
“Then you don’t have to eat. It’s a good thing. I was worried my brother wouldn’t bring enough,” Lu Qing said, not being polite at all.
Jiang Chen quickly went up to soothe him and said a lot of nice things.
The homeroom teacher, Xu Lei, had carefully written down what Zhou Wanfeng had asked and gave it to her. He had asked the school about skipping a grade. It was possible, but it required a joint application from the student and their parents, and it could only be done after the school’s approval.
Zhou Wanfeng understood that skipping a grade was temporarily not possible.
And at the house at South Lake Mansion, Zhou Zhiru had officially moved to Ziyuan Court. Yun Lan had been two days late. She had secretly packed her luggage and gone over when Yang Yijun was not at home.
When Yang Yijun came back and found out from Auntie Zhang that Yun Lan had packed her luggage and gone to Ziyuan Court while she was away,
she was so angry that she fell ill.
Yun Jingya had been worried about the relationship between her grandmother and her mother before returning to school. She thought that after so many days, her grandmother’s anger should have subsided.
So during the lunch break, she used the public phone to call home.
Auntie Zhang answered the phone. The moment she heard Yun Jingya’s question, her nose tingled, and she said with a crying voice, “Miss Jingya, the old mistress is sick with anger. She hasn’t been able to eat for two days.”
Hearing this, Yun Jingya immediately became anxious. “Where’s my mother? Is she not at home?”
“She’s gone. She packed her things and is not living here with the son-in-law anymore. I can’t contact her either. I don’t know what happened, but it suddenly became like this.”