Lin Xiaoxiao knew Zhang Wanqing hated owing anyone anything—whether money or favors. Pride ran deep in this girl's bones.

She quickly linked arms with her and said cheerfully, "Don't worry about it now. When the semester starts, you can submit these receipts to the university for reimbursement."

In those days, university students not only received a monthly food allowance—medical care was also free.

Zhang Wanqing didn't insist further. She brought Lin Xiaoxiao back to her place first to pick up some clothes.

Seeing the shattered glass still scattered across the floor, Zhang Wanqing's expression darkened. She clenched her jaw, unlocked the door, and stepped inside.

Lin Xiaoxiao had a feeling that if Zhang Wanqing's arm weren't injured, she might have gone after someone with a kitchen knife right then and there.

Once inside, Zhang Wanqing haphazardly gathered a few changes of clothes. She tossed a bar of soap into a washbasin, then stuffed everything into a string bag. Lin Xiaoxiao offered to help pack while Zhang Wanqing supervised.

When they were done, Zhang Wanqing paused thoughtfully. "Wait here for a moment. I'll be right back."

Before Lin Xiaoxiao could ask, Zhang Wanqing walked out into the middle of the courtyard and yelled loudly, "Listen up! I'll be away for a few days. If so much as a blade of grass goes missing from my door, I'll burn every one of your houses down when I get back—no exceptions!"

After delivering her threats, she turned and calmly walked back inside.

Lin Xiaoxiao was stunned. Not a single person came out to respond to Zhang Wanqing's outburst. It was clear—this girl had a reputation, and everyone on this street was afraid of her.

As they left the courtyard with her belongings, Lin Xiaoxiao noticed faces peeking out from behind windows, quickly ducking away when seen. She couldn't help but smile.

Once they were out of Jixiang Alley, she asked lightly, "They all seem pretty scared of you."

Zhang Wanqing gave a faint, cynical smile. "They're all friends with my uncle. They've been helping him try to take my house from me. But my parents left it to me—I'm not giving it up."

"I can be ruthless. I lived with my uncle's family until I was eleven. When I overheard my aunt plotting to seize my home, I moved back here on my own. One night, a man from next door crept into my room and tried to touch me. I chopped his finger off with a kitchen knife. After that, no one dared mess with me."

Zhang Wanqing didn't hold back—when other kids bullied her, she fought back viciously. Soon, nobody risked provoking her.

Lin Xiaoxiao's heart ached. She hugged her gently. "From now on, if anyone bullies you, I'll help you take them down. I might look thin, but I know a little self-defense. I can handle two grown men."

Zhang Wanqing chuckled. "No one dauses trouble anymore. They're all too scared. They have families to lose—I've got nothing."

It pained Lin Xiaoxiao to see how so-called "kind and simple" people had forced a young girl to become this hard.

But Zhang Wanqing didn't seem bothered. "I only got into university because of an old friend of my grandfather's. He paid my tuition and always told me to never stop learning. Sadly, he passed away last year."

Lin Xiaoxiao noticed how Zhang Wanqing spoke about the person who cared for her most—with a detached coldness, as if it didn't matter.

She knew it wasn't that Zhang Wanqing didn't care. She had just learned to bury her feelings deep. The more something meant to her, the less she showed it. It was a defense mechanism, worn like armor.

When they returned home, Li Yunlan was delighted to see Zhang Wanqing—until she noticed the sling. "What happened? How did you hurt your arm?"

Not wanting the older woman to think poorly of Zhang Wanqing for fighting, Lin Xiaoxiao quickly said, "She took a fall and fractured her radius."

Li Yunlan clicked her tongue in concern. "A fracture! You need to sit down and rest—a bone injury takes time to heal. At your age, you have to be careful." She immediately asked the housekeeper to buy beef bones for soup to help her recover.

Zhang Wanqing tried to refuse, but Lin Xiaoxiao stopped her. "It's fine. Make yourself at home here. My mother-in-law and aunt adore having young people around."

Li Yunlan nodded warmly. "Yes, yes, no need to be polite here. You're like one of my own. I'm old—I just love a lively house."

The three little ones crawling around like curious critters soon eased the tension around Zhang Wanqing.

By dinnertime, when Zhou Bingwen and Zhou Zhennan returned, Zhang Wanqing grew nervous again. She sat stiffly beside Lin Xiaoxiao, not speaking or reaching for her chopsticks.

Zhou Zhennan had heard about Zhang Wanqing from Li Yunlan—including her hopes of matching her with Zhou Xiaocheng—so he treated her with unusual gentleness.

Even Zhou Bingwen, usually stern, softened when he saw her. "Where did this young lady come from? She's very pretty, but much too thin—like a strong wind could blow her away. Eat more, child. All you girls are too skinny."

In his eyes, Zhou Xiaoling and Lin Xiaoxiao were already too slender—Zhang Wanqing was even more so. "People will think we don't feed you enough here, like you've survived a famine. You must eat more."

Something in his tone reminded Zhang Wanqing of her grandfather. For the first time that evening, she began to relax.

Zhou Xiaocheng was busy and didn't join for dinner, so the conversation naturally turned to him.

Li Yunlan chattered endlessly about his childhood, and Zhou Xiaoling chimed in enthusiastically.

But watching Zhang Wanqing's confused reaction, Lin Xiaoxiao knew it was all in vain. Zhang Wanqing was emotionally guarded—oblivious to the subtle matchmaking, simply listening as if to a story.

After the meal, Lin Xiaoxiao brought Zhang Wanqing upstairs. She and Zhou Liyun bathed the three children together in a large metal washtub. The little ones splashed around like ducklings.

Zhang Wanqing watched, curious. "Why not bathe them one by one?"

Zhou Liyun laughed. "If we bathe them separately, these two—especially Qianqian and Xuanxuan—will start fighting as soon as they're on the bed. It's easier to wash them together, though they still sleep apart."

Amused, Zhang Wanqing started making funny faces at the children, sometimes hiding behind the door and peeking out. The babies giggled and splashed even more, drenching Lin Xiaoxiao and Zhou Liyun.

Lin Xiaoxiao didn't mind. It was good to see Zhang Wanqing act playful—and impressive how resilient she was beneath that tough exterior.