Volume One, Chapter Nine: One Cold and Stern, the Other Gentle and Graceful

“Su Wan, your Mandarin is so fluent, your academic performance must be excellent. What rank did you achieve in your class?” Madam Huo adjusted her reading glasses perched on the bridge of her nose. As a revolutionary elder who had clawed her way out of the blood-soaked trenches, she was over seventy but spoke with steady authority, her spirit sharp and her gaze piercing.

It was as if she were a demon-revealing mirror, instantly exposing one’s true nature.

Su Wan had done reasonably well in middle school, but once she entered high school, her focus shifted away from studying, and she fell behind, her grades plummeting.

As Su Wan hesitated over her choice of words, Huo Xiaohan handed her transfer certificate to Madam Huo. The document not only listed Su Wan’s final exam scores in each subject but also included comments from her homeroom teacher.

Madam Huo glanced at it and, thinking she must have misread, removed her glasses to take a closer look. The report card clearly showed: Mathematics: 9, Chemistry: 23, Chinese: 54, Foreign Language: 3.

In the section on the student’s political and ideological conduct, it stated: “Lacks intrinsic motivation and self-discipline in studies, extremely poor self-control, insufficient sense of time, frivolous, inattentive. Late 15 times, skipped class 5 times. Recommended for expulsion.”

After reading it, Madam Huo passed the paper to Huo Jianguo. The latter, accustomed to bearing heavy burdens without flinching, allowed the corners of his stern mouth to twitch slightly before placing the report on the table.

“Forget it. She wasn’t really here to study anyway. Her grades don’t matter much. As long as she graduates high school smoothly, that will suffice.”

Su Xiaohui glanced at the report card on the table, her eyes filled with mockery and derision, barely suppressing a laugh.

No matter how courteous and eloquent Su Wan had been before entering, this report card struck her like a harsh slap to the face.

Unable to help herself, Su Xiaohui straightened her chest and lifted her chin slightly, feigning defense of Su Wan: “Grandma Huo, Uncle Huo, perhaps my sister wasn’t feeling well during that period, so her final exam results were less than ideal. Usually, her grades are quite good.”

Su Xiaohui’s words were not unfounded. At that time, Su Wan indeed felt unwell. In a reckless attempt to steal Su Xiaohui’s admirer, Su Wan had deliberately caused Su Xiaohui to be trampled by a raging bull, injuring her leg. When the adults discovered this, they beat Su Wan with a stick, striking her head and causing her to vomit and feel dizzy for a time.

This resulted in a mild concussion and memory loss of that day. To this day, Su Wan could not recall how she had tied the red cloth to Su Xiaohui’s back or what exactly provoked the bull. She only retained fragmented memories of being beaten.

Madam Huo and Huo Jianguo looked at Su Xiaohui’s injured right leg and soon understood what she meant by Su Wan being unwell. Their eyes softened with pity and affection.

What a sensible child—nearly harmed by her own sister, yet still willing to speak up for her.

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