Reborn in 1977, I will no longer be my brother's blood bag.

Chapter 30 She also wants to go to university.

Lin Xiuhe stood outside the crowd and also looked at the notice. The black ink wasn't completely dry, and the words at the top were very eye-catching—

Supplementary Notice Regarding the Scope of Registration for the College Entrance Examination

She read on slowly: Previous high school graduates and young people with equivalent educational qualifications are all eligible to apply.

Upon seeing this, Lin Xiuhe's heart stirred.

She remembered. There really was such a thing in her past life.

At that time, she was stuck at home, her textbooks were burned, her letter of introduction was delayed, and she couldn't even register for school, so she naturally didn't have the mind to remember these details.

But things are different now. She stands here, seeing this notice with her own eyes, and witnessing how the fates of many people have been reopened.

"Very good."

The girl who was standing in front of the bulletin board just now had tears in her eyes.

She seemed unable to believe it, and read those lines of text again and again—until she was sure she hadn't misread them, before she lowered her head and wiped her eyes.

Someone nearby laughed at her, saying, "Why are you crying? This is a good thing!"

The girl laughed, but as she laughed, her tears fell even more heavily.

Lin Xiuhe watched quietly, a sudden pang of sadness gripping her heart.

Because she understood that feeling all too well. It wasn't just simple joy; it was like someone who thought there was no way out suddenly seeing a path.

Just then, footsteps sounded from outside the corridor.

A middle-aged woman hurried in, her face looking very unpleasant. She immediately spotted the girl in front of the notice board.

"Zhao Xiaomei!"

The girl's body stiffened abruptly.

Lin Xiuhe looked up. Zhao Xiaomei—she remembered that name.

The middle-aged woman strode forward and grabbed Zhao Xiaomei's arm: "What are you doing here?"

Zhao Xiaomei's face turned pale: "Mother, I..."

"What do you mean, 'what ...but you don't do any housework, you don't cook, and you come to the county high school to embarrass yourself?'" Zhao's mother lowered her voice, but couldn't suppress her anger. "You don't do any housework, you don't cook, what are you doing here?"

Zhao Xiaomei glanced at the notice board subconsciously, her voice very soft: "The supplementary notice says that previous graduates can also apply. I'd like to..."

"What are you thinking?" Zhao's mother interrupted directly. "You still want to go to university? You've been out of school for two years, what are you still dreaming about?"

The surrounding people gradually quieted down, and many people looked over.

Zhao Xiaomei's face turned even paler, but she still whispered, "I want to try."

Snapped!

Zhao's mother slapped her arm: "Don't you dare try! Your father has already spoken with the Li family; the engagement is next month, and the dowry is almost finalized. What are you doing taking the college entrance exam now?"

Zhao Xiaomei froze on the spot.

The light in his eyes dimmed little by little.

Lin Xiuhe stood outside the crowd, her fingers slowly tightening.

It's so familiar. It's really, really familiar.

In her previous life, Wang Xiulan was the same way—she didn't ask whether she wanted to or not, she only said that her family had already made arrangements, that a girl should get married when she grows up, that studying was useless, and that she couldn't be selfish.

Zhao's mother was still yelling, "Come on! Come home with me! Don't embarrass yourself here!"

Zhao Xiaomei stumbled as she was pulled, scattering her application materials all over the floor. Several sheets of paper landed at Lin Xiuhe's feet.

Lin Xiuhe looked down and saw the top one—her high school graduation certificate. The edges were worn, but it was well preserved, clearly indicating that its owner cherished it.

She bent down and picked it up.

Zhao Xiaomei hurriedly squatted down to pick it up. Their hands briefly touched in mid-air.

Zhao Xiaomei looked up, her eyes still red: "Thank you." Her voice was very soft, as if she was afraid of disturbing someone.

Lin Xiuhe handed her the materials, saying, "Don't lose them."

Zhao Xiaomei was stunned for a moment, then took it, her fingers trembling violently.

Zhao's mother, however, was already impatient: "What are you dawdling for? Let's go!"

Zhao Xiaomei was pulled outside. When they reached the door, she suddenly turned around, her gaze falling on the notice board—she glanced at it only once before quickly looking down again.

Lin Xiuhe saw it all clearly in that one glance.

Unwilling! Fearful! And a tiny spark of fire that refuses to go out!

The crowd gradually dispersed. Someone shook their head: "What a pity. That's just how girls are; if their families don't allow it, there's nothing they can do."

"They're already engaged next month, why bother taking the college entrance exam?"

These words fell into Lin Xiuhe's ears one by one.

She suddenly remembered herself in her past life. It was the same way—people said it was a pity, that there was nothing they could do, that this was just how girls' lives were.

But in this life, she knows. It's not that there's no way, it's that someone has to say no first.

Lin Xiuhe glanced down at her registration receipt, where her name was clearly written: Lin Xiuhe.

She has taken her name back.

But the girl named Zhao Xiaomei, her name is still in someone else's hands.

Thinking of this, Lin Xiuhe slowly put the receipt into her inner pocket and turned to walk out.

Just as I arrived at the entrance of the county middle school, I suddenly heard footsteps behind me.

"Lin Xiuhe".

She turned around.

Zhou Zhiyuan stood at the bottom of the steps, holding documents in his hand, as if he had just come out of the office building.

"What are you doing here?" she asked.

Zhou Zhiyuan glanced at the notice board: "Send a notice."

Lin Xiuhe remained silent.

Zhou Zhiyuan seemed to know what she was thinking and said calmly, "Once the supplementary notice is issued, many people will want to sign up, and many others will not want them to sign up."

Lin Xiuhe looked up at him. It was that feeling again—

"Are you talking about Zhao Xiaomei?"

Zhou Zhiyuan paused for a moment: "You know her?"

"I don't know him." Lin Xiuhe looked towards the entrance of the county middle school. "I just met him."

Zhou Zhiyuan paused for a moment: "Her family situation isn't very good."

Lin Xiuhe turned around: "How did you know?"

Zhou Zhiyuan glanced at her: "The commune manages these things."

It's the same old story—the commune manages these things, they're well-informed, and it's on their way. There's always a reason, but it always feels too coincidental.

Lin Xiuhe didn't ask any further questions, but simply said, "She wants to go to university."

Zhou Zhiyuan nodded: "I can see that."

"But her family won't allow it."

"This kind of thing happens a lot."

"So, that's it?"

Zhou Zhiyuan looked at her. Lin Xiuhe also looked at him.

A gust of wind blew in from the entrance of the county middle school, swirling up a few fallen leaves.

After a moment, Zhou Zhiyuan suddenly smiled and said, "I didn't say it's okay."

Lin Xiuhe was slightly taken aback.

"I just want to say," Zhou Zhiyuan's voice was somewhat unsteady, "before you want to help others, think clearly—how far can you go in helping? Don't turn yourself back into someone else's blood bag."

Upon hearing these words, Lin Xiuhe's heart suddenly skipped a beat.

She looked at Zhou Zhiyuan, and that familiar, strange feeling returned.

This person always manages to pinpoint her deepest fears. What she fears most isn't helping others, but rather that she might once again lose sight of boundaries—like in her past life, throwing herself into the trap whenever someone cries or begs.

After a long silence, Lin Xiuhe said in a low voice, "I know. I'm helping her not to live her life for her—I'm helping her to know that she can choose for herself."

Zhou Zhiyuan looked at her, and this time, there was a faint smile in his eyes: "Then go."

Lin Xiuhe was taken aback: "Where to?"

"The Zhao family."

"Now?"

"What else?" he said calmly. "Wait until next month to get engaged?"

Lin Xiuhe looked at him and suddenly laughed: "Zhou Zhiyuan, are you really just a clerk in the commune office?"

Zhou Zhiyuan's expression remained unchanged: "Currently, yes."

Currently?

These two words stirred something in Lin Xiuhe's heart. But before she could think about it further, Zhou Zhiyuan had already turned around.

"Let's go, if we're late, they might have already burned her graduation certificate."

Lin Xiuhe's smile vanished instantly.

It burned?