Lu Ruoxi Side Story - Thorned Rose - Spreading Wings

The sweetness of roasted sweet potatoes lingered in the chilly air.

She broke off a small piece and placed it in her mouth.

It was sweet—so sweet it seeped straight into her heart.

That tiny bit of sweetness carved out a small, warm corner in her heart, long battered and encased in frost.

But she dared not linger.

She finished it quickly, then opened her textbook.

Outside the window stretched an endless, oppressive darkness.

Inside, the dim but persistent glow of a 15-watt bulb illuminated the equations on the page.

It also lit up the unwavering goal in the girl’s eyes.

Jingzhou University—the place her father had told her, since she was little, she would one day go.

The kindness of that boy was like a small, warm bonfire in the depths of winter.

She would remember it.

But she would not stop for it.

Her destination lay far beyond.

A place without Zhang Cuilan, without Anhe County.

Her father had said that there, she could sit in bright, spacious rooms and live a good life.

...

Time flowed quietly by—through Ye Ruoxi’s exhausting labor and relentless studies,

through Zhang Cuilan’s frequent nights away from home,

and through the clumsy kindness of the boy next door.

Then, the middle school exam results were announced.

Ye Ruoxi.

Once again, that name was etched at the very top of the list, a place others could only look up to.

First in the entire county.

Fifty points ahead of the second-place student.

A score never before seen in Anhe County’s history.

Rumor had it she could attend Anhe No. 1 High School with full tuition exemption!

The news spread like wildfire through every corner of the urban village.

Some envied her.

Some resented her.

Some said that antisocial girl from the Ye family was blessed by the God of Literature himself.

When Zhang Cuilan heard these words, she was in the market, arguing furiously with a vegetable vendor over a single dime.

Her first reaction wasn’t pride.

It was rage.

A helpless, seething fury at seeing her plans completely derailed.

She threw down the wilted greens in her hand and stormed home.

The house was empty.

Ye Ruoxi was still at school, waiting for her admission letter.

Zhang Cuilan paced back and forth in the cramped, dilapidated room.

Like a beast trapped in a cage.

Her plan had been simple.

Once Ye Ruoxi finished middle school, she’d send her off to work in the factories down south.

A girl of fifteen or sixteen was at the perfect age—

either earn a monthly wage to send home,

or marry well while still young and pretty.

The bride price alone could fetch fifty or sixty thousand.

With that money, she could finally renovate this crumbling house.

But now, everything was ruined.

Anhe No. 1 High School.

Full tuition exemption.

It meant she wouldn’t see a single cent of return from this "useless girl" for the next three years.

Instead, she’d have to keep feeding and housing her for free.

The thought made Zhang Cuilan’s heart itch and burn, as if ants were gnawing at it.

She barged into Ye Ruoxi’s room.

Her eyes landed on the spotless desk,

where a stack of books—more precious to Ye Ruoxi than life itself—stood neatly arranged.

Blind with fury, she reached out and swept them all onto the floor.

“Study! Study! Study!”

“Do these books put food on the table?!”

“I’ll teach you to study!!!”

Still unsatisfied, she lifted her foot and stomped on the books, again and again.

As if she weren’t crushing paper, but Ye Ruoxi’s infuriatingly calm face.

When Ye Ruoxi returned, this was the scene that greeted her.

Chaos everywhere.

Her most treasured books—some with covers torn, others crumpled and dusty.

Zhang Cuilan sat on the bed, panting heavily.

Her gaze, sharp as a knife, sliced into Ye Ruoxi the moment she appeared.

Ye Ruoxi said nothing.

She walked over silently, knelt down,

and began gathering the trampled books one by one.

With her sleeve, she gently wiped away the footprints and dust.

Her movements were tender, as if soothing a wounded child.

Her silence poured oil onto Zhang Cuilan’s smoldering rage.

“How dare you come back!”

Zhang Cuilan shot to her feet, jabbing a finger at her.

“You curse! First your father, and now you’re here to ruin me!”

“Listen well, Ye Ruoxi—you’re not going to high school!”

“Pack your things tomorrow! I’ve already arranged a job for you at an electronics factory in the south!”

Finally, Ye Ruoxi looked up.

Clutching the last book to her chest,

she met Zhang Cuilan’s glare.

“Anhe No. 1 High School. Full tuition exemption.”

Her voice was eerily calm.

“I won’t cost you a single penny.”

“You—”

Zhang Cuilan choked on her words.

“As for living expenses,”

Ye Ruoxi’s eyes were icy,

“I’ll work night markets. A few steamed buns from you won’t be too much to ask.”

With that, she turned away,

carrying her books out of the room.

Zhang Cuilan trembled with rage as she watched her go.

She knew she couldn’t stop her anymore.

This girl’s wings had hardened.

She was beyond control now.

Days later, the admission letter arrived.

The postman called Ye Ruoxi’s name.

Zhang Cuilan snatched it from him before he could finish.

She stared at the red paper with its gilded characters, face darkening.

Her nails dug into it, nearly piercing through.

She wanted to tear it apart, just like she had with that certificate long ago.

But in the end, she didn’t.

She knew it would change nothing—Ye Ruoxi’s name was already on the school’s roster.

She flung the letter to the ground.

“Go if you want! I won’t give you a cent! Not one!”

Ye Ruoxi picked up the paper—more precious to her than life itself—

smoothed it out, and tucked it between the pages of a book.

On registration day, the autumn sky over Anhe County was the clearest it had been in months.

The entrance of Anhe No. 1 High School swarmed with crowds.

Students in new clothes buzzed with excitement,

their proud parents hovering beside them.

Ye Ruoxi came alone.

She wore her faded middle school uniform

and carried a patched-up old backpack.

Like a solitary shadow in the wrong world.

Weaving through the noise, she found the registration desk for Class 1-1.

Su Yang had also tested into the school and was placed in the same class.

He and his mother, Lin Dongmei, had arrived early.

Su Yang spotted Ye Ruoxi instantly in the crowd.

She stood out—

not because she was pretty,

but because of the quiet solitude that set her apart from everything around her.

“Ruoxi!”

Lin Dongmei waved warmly when she saw her.

Ye Ruoxi hesitated, then approached.

“Auntie Dongmei. Su Yang.”

Her greeting was soft.

“Oh, you came all by yourself? Your mother really…”

Lin Dongmei took her hand, eyes full of pity as she looked her over.