Quick Transmigration: The Control Group in Sweet Novels

That same phrase again.

For some reason, after hearing it so many times, Lin Huaixu always felt something was off.

But looking at the girl's relaxed smile, he remained silent for a long time, thinking it was probably just his imagination.

When Lin Huaixu lectured, he became more dignified and teacherly, and said in a serious voice, "I will assign you a few lessons today. Go back and memorize them well. I will check them next time."

Qi Yang wrote them all down.

The last rays of the setting sun fell on people's shoulders. Qi Yang turned her head and glanced around; class had already ended.

After saying goodbye to Lin Huaixu, Qi Yang saw her sister and immediately rushed over with her short legs, tugging at her clothes and obediently saying goodbye to Lin Huaixu.

As usual, Lin Huaixu reminded them to be careful on the road, and this time he added, "Remember to memorize it."

Qi Yang nodded repeatedly in agreement.

When I got home, the yard was empty. Qi Rongguang wasn't home; I heard he had gone out to play cards. There was none of Qi Rongguang's usual noisy chatter.

Today was a rare moment of peace and quiet. Several women sat around a wooden table and had a simple dinner. Qi Yang experienced a rare moment of peaceful, homey atmosphere.

After dinner, the group quickly cleaned up the dishes and washed up. Qi Yang wiped her face and went back to the inner room. On the communal bed, little Qi An was already curled up asleep in the corner.

The three girls in the family slept together on a large communal bed year-round. The bed was small, and the three of them were so close that they could touch each other's shoulders if they turned over even slightly.

Qi Yang quietly lifted the thin blanket and lay down. There were no lights in the room, only a few faint moonlights shining through the cracks in the window. Suddenly, she heard a soft rustling sound of fabric behind her.

In the darkness, Qi Jing turned around, her voice low, and softly called her, "Yangyang."

"Mmm," Qi Yang responded, turning her head to the side.

The dim night blurred people's outlines, and she couldn't see the expression on Qi Jing's face.

Qi Jing asked softly, "Aren't you going to sleep yet?"

Qi Yang answered softly, "I'll sleep later, what's wrong, sis?"

A brief silence fell over the room, broken only by the intermittent chirping of insects outside the window.

After a long while, Qi Jing finally spoke slowly, "Yangyang, do you really think I'm as ungrateful as Mom and Dad say?"

Qi Yang subconsciously pursed her lips, her expression slightly taken aback, before softening her voice and asking, "Why would you think that?"

In the darkness, Qi Jing's eyes were unfocused as she murmured, "That's what everyone says."

Qi Yang's voice was firm, "That's what other people said, not you."

Qi Jing paused slightly, remained silent for a few seconds, and then tentatively asked, "What if it were you?"

"What?"

"If this marriage were to happen to you, what would you do?"

Upon hearing this, Qi Yang remained silent for a few seconds, then said, "I might run away."

Qi Jing gave a bitter laugh, her voice filled with helplessness, "But I have no money, how can I run away?"

Qi Yang was also speechless.

Because she was telling the most realistic truth: they had no savings and nothing to their name. This was why Qi Yang insisted on studying; compared to other things, this was the lowest-cost thing to do at that moment.

After a long silence, Qi Yang finally spoke in a low voice, comforting her, "We can go and gather herbs."

Qi Jing was taken aback.

In the darkness, Qi Yang's voice came again, "Although I don't earn much, a ticket to leave here doesn't cost much. As long as I can get out of here, that's fine."

"But what happens after I leave?" Qi Jing's voice was filled with deep fear. She had never even been to the town. Buying a train ticket and leaving for a strange city was terrifying for a girl born and raised in a mountain village.

"Where am I going? How am I going to survive? I... I don't know anything. I've never even ridden a bus before. Sigh."

After listening to her words for a long while, Qi Yang slowly said, "The worst it can get is not worse than it is now."

Qi Rongguang was tough his whole life, and no one thought they could change him; the only option was to run away.

Qi Yang raised her hand and touched Qi Jing, as if to comfort her, "Which outcome are you more willing to accept?"

Qi Jing fell silent.

The preference for one over the other is obvious.

The chirping of insects outside the window continued, and in the dim light, a thought quietly sprouted in the depths of her heart. Qi Yang no longer heard Qi Jing speak. She closed her eyes, listened to Qi An's even breathing, and gradually fell into a deep sleep.

...

The next day was the weekend, and Qi An didn't have to go to school. After breakfast, he went to run around with his friends in the village.

Qi Rongguang played cards all night and didn't get home until dawn. As soon as he entered the door, he shouted that he was hungry. Dong Yuehua was afraid that he would get anxious and start scolding him, so she quickly lit a fire to heat up his food. The man finished his food in a few bites, then lay down on the bed and started snoring loudly.

Qi Yang glanced at his appearance and felt annoyed. She didn't even want to stay in the house any longer, so she simply carried her hoe and went to her own field.

She had planted potatoes and sweet potatoes in the field herself, and now was the time to turn the soil and loosen the roots. If they ripened, she would secretly pick out some and sell them behind Qi Rongguang's back. Although she wouldn't earn much, even a starved camel is bigger than a horse. Thinking of this, Qi Yang put more effort into her work and became more and more energetic.

As the sun gradually rose, its warm rays bathed the ridges of the fields. Qi Yang huddled in the ground, loosening the soil, and muttered the text that Lin Huaixu had assigned her the day before.

Just then, a light footstep stopped in front of her.

Lin Huaixu appeared out of nowhere, his gaze falling on the figure working. He couldn't help but take a few steps closer. Hearing what she was saying, the young man's expression froze slightly. After a moment of reaction, his eyes softened involuntarily, and he half-squatted down in front of her.

"In this environment, is it still possible to memorize it?" the young man asked gently.

Qi Yang was engrossed in her work when she suddenly heard a voice. She abruptly looked up and met the man's gentle, smiling eyes. Her eyes widened instantly. "Teacher Lin, what brings you here?"

"I'm taking a break today," Lin Huaixu replied. The glasses hanging on his nose reflected the sunlight, making his eyes appear even clearer. "I'll take a walk around the village and get familiar with the surroundings."

Lin Huaixu was just strolling around casually, but for some reason, when he saw the fields, he remembered the potatoes and sweet potatoes that Qi Yang had given him yesterday. He couldn't help but walk over, and from a distance, he saw that thin figure and bumped into her by sheer coincidence.

He couldn't take his feet off the ground, and when he came to his senses, he was already standing in front of the girl.

Qi Yang gave a soft "oh".

Lin Huaixu's gaze fell on her hands. The girl's palms were small, and her fingertips were red from being rubbed by the handle of the hoe. The small cuts from yesterday's work were now covered with a layer of damp mud.

Lin Huaixu was silent for a moment, his throat tightening slightly, before he asked softly, "Are there any extra tools?"

Qi Yang didn't understand his intention for a moment, and looked up blankly, "Yes, there's another one over there."

Give me one.

Qi Yang hesitated before handing over the hoe, and then saw the young man look up, slowly roll up his sleeves, revealing a section of pale, slender forearm.

Qi Yang's eyes were full of confusion. "Teacher Lin, what's going on?"