There's Something Wrong With My Little White Flower - Chapter 44

Chapter 44: Elder Sister of a Brother-Obsessed Family X University Professor

“…Mom checked, Z City Normal University is a first-tier university, and their education major aligns directly with local middle schools. You can take the civil service exam as soon as you graduate, securing a stable job. Besides, Xiao Yun, you are a girl, and your father and I are worried about you going to A City alone…”

Cheng Nuoe spoke rapidly, rarely addressing Ruan Jiyun with such an agreeable tone: “Your parents are doing this for your own good.”

Despite her tireless persuasion, Ruan Jiyun still didn’t express her agreement. She kept her head down, staring intently at a dark mark on the wooden floor. After a long pause, she mumbled: “…But I want to go to CST.”

“You child!” Cheng Nuoe frowned. “Why are you so stubborn? You’re still young and have no idea how hard it is for college students to find jobs now. We aren’t a wealthy family. You’ll be clueless there, and it’ll be too late if you want to come back!”

“Mom… I’ll study very hard.” Seeing her hope about to disappear, Ruan Jiyun looked up tearfully, summoning the courage to plead with her parents. “I can work part-time! I can tutor, wash dishes… I won’t waste the family’s money. Please, let me go to CST.”

However, she only saw indifference on her parents’ faces.

“This matter… is settled then.” It was Ruan’s father who made the final decision. He rubbed his hands together: “Normal University is very good. We’ll talk to the admissions teacher later to try and secure a better post-graduation placement for you. After all, what is the point of going to university if not to get a good job.”

Ruan Jiyun’s lips parted, but tears fell first: “I can’t… Mom and Dad, this is an opportunity I worked so hard to get. I will really try my best, I promise… I will earn money later. I can’t go to Normal University.”

“What do you mean, ‘can’t’? I think you’re just being immature. Your parents painstakingly found you a good future path, and you’re here being difficult and throwing a tantrum!”

Ruan’s mother abruptly stood up, clearly annoyed by Ruan Jiyun’s resistance. In her mind, her daughter was her private property. Now, suddenly defying her parental authority, she spoke with a threatening tone: “Xiao Yun, you are disappointing us!”

Ruan Jiyun looked at her, her eyes glistening with tears: “I won’t go to Normal University!”

“Slap—”

Following a crisp slapping sound, she covered her face, staring blankly at her furious mother.

“How dare you become so disobedient as you get older, even defying your parents’ decision?” Ruan’s mother hit her once, then continued to scold her in lingering anger: “Don’t forget who raised you!”

“Alright… why are you resorting to hitting her?” Ruan’s father restrained Ruan’s mother. “Can’t we talk things out? Xiao Yun, your parents are doing this for your own good. Look how angry your mother is… she’s not well, and she works so hard to earn money for you two… think about it carefully again, don’t make your mom angry.”

The slapped cheek still stung fiercely. Ruan Jiyun’s heart was pounding violently. She couldn’t hear a single word of Ruan’s father’s rambling. Her lips trembling, she finally couldn’t say anything more. She turned and silently walked back to her room.

The moment the door closed, her heart sank heavily, as if something had been extinguished.

“It’s not like this.” Sliding down the barrier of the door, she curled into a small ball on the floor. In the empty room, she heard the roaring sound of her heart: silent, and aching.

“Don’t be afraid…” She hugged her knees, whispering to herself: “Don’t be afraid.”

Ruan’s father and mother still had work to do. Seeing Ruan Jiyun shut herself in the room, they assumed she had compromised. Not long after they left, Ruan Jiyun suddenly heard a knock on the door.

She opened the door to find a young man in a courier uniform standing outside. He looked at the girl with red, swollen eyes and asked with some hesitation: “Miss Ruan?”

“I’m delivering a package for Miss Jiang next door, 707. The system shows that you are authorized to receive it.” The young man handed over a cardboard box. “Please sign here.”

A package for Jiang Peifeng?

Ruan Jiyun took the box. It indeed clearly stated Jiang Peifeng (Received by Miss Ruan Jiyun of 706). Seeing the familiar name, her eyes grew teary again.

The courier added: “Since it’s an electronic product, please open it here for inspection.”

Ruan Jiyun nodded, turned to find scissors, and carefully cut open the cardboard box.

Inside the box was a brand-new cell phone, a model popular among students, with a pretty pink body, clearly a style suitable for a young girl.

Along with the phone, there was a small note in the box.

“To Xiao Yun: Pre-congratulations on your success in the exam. Looking forward to seeing you again. Jiang Peifeng.”

The courier scratched his head, watching the tearful girl in front of him with some alarm, nervously asking: “Miss, are you… are you alright?”

When the phone rang, Jiang Peifeng was sitting in her office at Chengjing University of Science and Technology. Seeing the number displayed on the screen, her eyes immediately curved into a smile.

“Senior Brother, give me a moment.” She greeted the man opposite her, stood up, and answered the phone.

“Did you get the phone? I wonder if you like the style… Is it working well?” Her smile widened as she rattled off questions. “I heard you scored quite well, by the way…”

However, the cheerful, soft voice she expected did not come through the phone.

“Xiao Yun?” Jiang Peifeng glanced at the screen suspiciously. “Can you hear me?”

Just as she was filled with worry, she suddenly heard a soft sobbing sound from the other end of the receiver.

“Sister Peifeng… please help me,” the little white flower’s choked voice reached her ears. “Wuwu… they, they won’t let me go to CST!”

Saturday was a bright, sunny day.

Cheng Nuoe woke up very early. Today was the day for university applications. She needed to take Ruan Jiyun back to the school. Last night, the admissions teacher from Normal University had specifically contacted her, saying they would be waiting for them there.

In stark contrast to her cheerful demeanor, Ruan Jiyun’s eyes were still red and swollen. She pleaded softly: “Mom, can we not apply to Normal University?”

Cheng Nuoe looked deeply at her daughter but remained unmoved: “Xiao Yun… We raised you through so much hardship. Do you really want to disappoint your mother?”

She ignored everything else, hurrying Ruan Jiyun to gather her things, and, unusually generous, took a taxi to the school.

Banners were hanging everywhere in the school. City No. 1 Middle School, as a key school, naturally had excellent results in this year’s college entrance exam. Photos of high-scoring students were posted on the red bulletin board, and Ruan Jiyun’s name was among them.

The homeroom teacher, Teacher Qin, was already waiting at the front of the building. Seeing Ruan Jiyun and her mother approach, she greeted them with a smile.

“Teacher Cheng, your daughter is amazing!” She offered genuine praise. “Xiao Yun scored so well. She’s brought great honor to you all!”

Cheng Nuoe’s face showed a proud expression. In academics, Ruan Jiyun had indeed earned her a lot of face. She smiled and thanked Teacher Qin: “Thank you to the teachers for nurturing her!”

“The admissions teachers are all in the conference room. I’ll take you over!” Having such a high-achieving student, Teacher Qin was very keen to be hospitable. “The CST teacher has been here since early morning, waiting for you.”

But Cheng Nuoe stopped in her tracks: “CST? No, no, Teacher Qin. Our Xiao Yun, well, she’s going to apply to Normal University.”

“Normal University? But… I didn’t seem to receive a notification. The admissions teachers are all here. Let’s go and ask?”

Teacher Qin was confused, but it was common for good students to be courted by multiple universities during admissions. Perhaps the parents wanted to find out more? She opened the conference room door with a smile and ushered the mother and daughter in.

Several teachers were gathered in the large conference room. The table placards in front of them bore the names of various universities. High-ranking candidates were scattered in small groups, studying the materials in their hands.

Cheng Nuoe’s goal was clear. She led Ruan Jiyun towards the Normal University admissions desk, but Ruan Jiyun refused to go any further.

“I want to choose for myself,” she said firmly, pulling away from her mother’s hand.

Hearing the commotion, the teachers present all looked over. The admissions teacher from Normal University, who had been in contact with Ruan’s mother, walked over.

“Xiao Ruan, you’re here,” the female teacher smiled, welcoming her. “No rush, no rush. Come sit with us for a while. It’s so hot. Quick, get the child a bottle of water.”

As she spoke, she tried to lead Ruan Jiyun towards her table, but the teacher from CST immediately stepped forward to compete.

“Ruan Jiyun, correct?” A male teacher wearing glasses said. “I’m from Chengjing University of Science and Technology. My surname is He. I called your mother earlier…”

Ruan Jiyun immediately looked back: “I want to apply to CST!”

“This child!” Ruan’s mother yanked her daughter back, then offered an awkward smile to Teacher He: “Sir, I’m sorry. Our family discussed it again, and we decided we want our daughter to stay local for university…”

Teacher He hesitated, then smiled: “A City is only a three-hour high-speed train ride away; the distance isn’t far. Besides, our Computer Science department is ranked number one in the country, and the career prospects are excellent…”

“Our Normal University’s education major has direct links to key middle schools in the city after graduation!” The Normal University teacher wasn’t about to let the competition continue advertising and immediately joined the argument. “Teacher Cheng, we discussed this on the phone. Come over, come over. Let Teacher Tao give you a good introduction…”

Cheng Nuoe was all smiles, pulling Ruan Jiyun’s hand and saying: “The child is too young. We don’t feel comfortable with her going far away. It’s better for a girl to attend Normal University. It’s stable. We’ve decided on Normal University.”

“That’s not true!” Ruan Jiyun shook her head. “I want to study Computer Science.”

“We have a Computer Science program at our school too, you know…” The female teacher, confused, still smiled and said: “If you come to our school, you can choose any major. What’s wrong? Didn’t your parents communicate this properly with you?”

Seeing Ruan Jiyun still refusing to obey, Ruan’s mother’s face darkened considerably. She grabbed her daughter’s wrist and sharply warned: “Are you being disobedient again?”

Her voice was too shrill, overpowering the noise of the meeting room. Even a few teachers couldn’t help but frown.

“I’m sorry, Mom…” Ruan Jiyun’s tears started again. She looked tearfully at Ruan’s mother: “It’s different. I have a goal I want to pursue. I want to study Computer Science… I will work very hard. Please agree to let me choose for myself.”

Cheng Nuoe was desperate, afraid that if Ruan Jiyun kept talking, the opportunity would slip away: “What use is learning those things? You’re a girl! It’s more important to finish school steadily and start working to earn money quickly!”

“Auntie Cheng, that’s not how it is.”

Accompanied by a clear female voice, Jiang Peifeng and her senior brother walked into the conference room, escorted by the school principal. She was tall, with clear eyes, and spoke calmly: “Please listen to your daughter’s own opinion first.”

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