Even in his own home, Xie Jianhua felt isolated and outnumbered.
He pressed his lips together lightly, silently regretting his well-intentioned advice that had only earned him annoyance. If Wang Cuifen gave an order, he should just follow it without question.
Watching Wang Cuifen boast about the past while Su Qing played the eager listener, Xie Jianhua decided not to interject. Instead, he grabbed two stools and cut in, "Su Qing, which grade’s textbooks do you want to start learning from?"
Wang Cuifen chimed in, "First grade, of course. We’ll take it slow."
She then shot Su Qing a doting, indulgent look.
Su Qing’s smile stiffened for a second. This was a bit too much—she wasn’t so far behind that she needed to start at first grade. At her age, that level was downright embarrassing.
She glanced at Xie Jianhua, who had taken on the role of teacher, and asked curiously, "What’s your education level?"
It was strange—they were married, yet they knew so little about each other.
Xie Jianhua gave her a calm smile. "High school."
"You actually went to high school?" Su Qing let out an exaggerated "Wow~" of surprise.
From what Wang Cuifen had told her, she’d assumed Xie Jianhua was just some rough-around-the-edges martial artist and soldier—not someone who had actually done well in academics.
In this era, many people, like Su Qing’s original self, only attended school for a few years, learning just enough to read and write. High school was considered advanced education, since not everyone could get into worker-peasant-soldier universities.
Xie Jianhua remained unfazed by Su Qing’s astonishment.
But Wang Cuifen couldn’t resist taking credit. "Jianhua hated studying as a kid. He couldn’t sit still—his backside might as well have been nailed to the chair! I had to whip him more times than I can count just to get him to do his homework. If I hadn’t pushed him, he’d never have made it to high school."
Xie Jianhua silently turned away to tidy the desk, clearly uninterested in hearing his mother expose his childhood misadventures.
With him out of earshot, Wang Cuifen only grew more animated.
"That rascal was always full of restless energy, getting into trouble everywhere. But he was no match for me. Since he had so much energy, I sent him off to martial arts training—wore him out so he’d finally sit down and study."
"Mom, you’re so clever," Su Qing praised. "Not just clever, but far-sighted too."
"Of course. I made sure all my kids finished high school," Wang Cuifen said proudly. "With a high school diploma, it’s easier to find work."
Su Qing’s original self hadn’t even finished elementary school—her family had pulled her out. But Wang Cuifen had forced her own children to study, even when they resisted.
Wang Cuifen herself had never been to school, but she understood the value of education. With savings of her own, she had the means to give her children that advantage.
Even when arranging marriages for her sons, education was a key factor—Su Xue, for instance, was a high school graduate.
In earlier years, societal constraints had limited her children’s education to high school. But now, with college entrance exams on the horizon, Wang Cuifen—having been reborn—had set her sights on university.
She laid out her plan: "Since Jianhua’s home these next few days, he’ll help you build a foundation. Once he’s back in the army, Jiankang and Guiying can tutor you. They’ll be starting high school soon—you can all study together..."
With the books practically pressed against her neck, Su Qing had no choice but to comply.
She consoled herself—it was just about passing the college entrance exam to make her mother-in-law happy. It wasn’t like she had to grind herself into the ground. That didn’t violate her principles, right?
"I’d like to start with high school material," Su Qing conceded. "I studied elementary and middle school stuff a couple of years ago with a sister from the educated youth brigade."
If she didn’t speak up, Xie Jianhua really would start her on first-grade lessons. That would be mortifying.
"High school? You sure?" Xie Jianhua raised an eyebrow skeptically.
Before he could voice further doubts, Wang Cuifen was already gushing, "Oh, our Qingqing is so smart! Bright and hardworking—she’s going places!"
Xie Jianhua sighed and dropped the subject, swapping the first-grade book for a high school math textbook.
In a tone of finality, he told Wang Cuifen, "Mom, go do your own thing. You’ll just distract Su Qing."
"Fine, you two study hard. I’ll keep working on Qingqing’s shoes." Wang Cuifen took her needlework and moved to the far side of the room.
Only with his mother out of earshot did Xie Jianhua finally relax. He flipped open the math textbook to the first chapter, ready to assert his authority as the teacher—but Su Qing cut in, "I’ve already learned this."
Xie Jianhua’s confidence deflated instantly. Resigned, he sighed, "Then I’ll get the second-year book."
"No need. Let’s stick with this. I studied with the educated youth sisters when I first came to the countryside. I’ve been too busy with labor these past two years, so I’ve forgotten bits and pieces. A quick review should jog my memory."
She was setting expectations early, ensuring her rapid progress wouldn’t shock Xie Jianhua.
After all, she’d clawed her way into a top university and a prestigious job in her past life. Even if she hadn’t touched these textbooks in years, the foundation was there. If she put in the effort, she’d pick it all back up in no time.
The current textbooks were straightforward—no fluff, just clear explanations and transparent problem-solving steps. As she followed the formulas and principles, long-buried memories resurfaced. Those grueling three years of high school hadn’t been for nothing.
"Alright, I remember this type of problem now."
Xie Jianhua had been reviewing alongside her—he’d been out of school for years too—but before he could even finish, Su Qing had already moved on.
"You actually understand this?" Xie Jianhua was skeptical. He was a proper high school graduate, while Su Qing hadn’t even finished elementary school.
Su Qing nodded. "I told you—I’ve studied this before. It’s not hard for me. Let me try a problem to confirm."
The intensity of future college entrance exams was nothing like this era’s. As an orphan, she’d had no connections or resources, so she’d relied on sheer effort—drowning in practice problems for three years straight.
Compared to Xie Jianhua’s generation, who coasted through high school without pressure, her experience had been brutal.
After solving the example problem and verifying the answer, she tapped her pen on the desk. "Next page."
Her pace left Xie Jianhua staring at her in disbelief. "Even after working in the fields, you never stopped studying? You’re even smarter and more diligent than I thought."
"I know," Su Qing replied without a hint of modesty.
If she’d crossed over during her high school peak, she’d have been unstoppable. But since she’d arrived after years of office drudgery, she was a bit rusty.
Still, her attitude shifted depending on the audience.
During a break, she sidled up to Wang Cuifen with a pitiful expression. "Studying is so exhausting... I wish I were smarter."
Wang Cuifen’s heart melted. "Don’t worry, dear. I’ll steam an egg for you at lunch—good nutrition will help you bounce back."
Xie Jianhua, who was sharpening a pencil, couldn't help but let out a scornful laugh, "Hah~"
Wang Cuifen, who hadn’t noticed him before, immediately turned her gaze toward him and demanded loudly, "Did you criticize her? Did you just criticize her?"
Wang Cuifen grabbed the needle she was using to stitch shoe soles and, like the infamous Rong Momo, chased after Xie Jianhua. "That foul mouth of yours! Just wait till I sew it shut!"
