Chapter 1 — Return to Eighteen

On the third day after being diagnosed with stomach cancer, I found out that the valedictorian of the natural class that year was me, not my sister. Before the hospital bed, I heard my husband Lac Tu Hanh say: "When she dies, I will marry you." I heard my parents say: "That year, luckily, my younger sister took my place as valedictorian. This child is truly unlucky." It turns out that the miserable half of my life after failing out of college was a bloody path created by my own blood relatives stepping on it. Before my consciousness disappeared, the last thing I saw was the indifferent faces of all of them. Opening my eyes again, the sound of reading the lesson rang out clearly. Eighteen-year-old Lac Tu Hanh took out my college entrance exam registration form and frowned at me. "What are you so absent-minded? Give me this form, I'll submit it for you."... The moment Lac Tu Hanh pulled out the application registration form that was pressing under my elbow, Au Nhue Ninh's whole body stiffened. I looked around in all directions. The ceiling fan above my head was creaking. The leaves of the sycamore tree outside the window were brightly lit by the sunlight, the sound of cicadas chirping one after another. The students in the class huddled together to compare answers. Some people cried until their eyes turned red, some people collapsed on the table without saying anything, some people shouted loudly 'choose C for the last Math multiple choice question'. On the blackboard, write a few large letters in red chalk: [Draft registration application form must be submitted today] Next to it, stick an A4 piece of paper, with the words 'Instructions for filling out high school admission application form 2016' printed on it. Until this moment, I was finally sure, I had been reincarnated. Reborn at the age of eighteen, right on the day he filled out the draft registration form after the university entrance exam. "What are you so absent-minded about?" The teenager's voice fell from the top of his head, carrying the flavor of mint candy: "The whole class is only waiting for you." I slowly raised my head and looked at Lac Tu Hanh's youthful and familiar face. I've been looking at this face for ten years. Looking from the age of eighteen to twenty-eight, looking from youth until death. Lac Tu Hanh's finger tapped twice on my desk, his tone a bit dissatisfied: "Nhue Ninh, I'm talking to you." "That achievement of yours, even if you close your eyes, you will pass the school mark. Leave it to me, you can rest assured." In my previous life, because I also heard this sentence, I gave him the paper. And then I was forced into a second-rate teacher training school with a standard score much lower than mine. When I went to ask Lac Tu Hanh, he just said: "You study a little closer to home, so it's convenient to take care of your parents." My whole life started to deviate from this wish registration form. A bitterness welled up in my chest, I directly withdrew the registration form from his hand. "No need, I'll do it myself." Lac Tu Hanh was stunned, unconsciously asked: "Nhue Ninh, what's wrong with you?" I held the application form tightly in my hand, with an urge to cry. "It's okay, it's just my job, I do it myself." Lac Tu Hanh frowned, he thought for a moment, casually pulled out a chair to sit down. "Your mother told you again? Your mother is like that, favoring your sister." "But your sister's health is not good, it's normal for your mother to love her a little more." Hearing this sentence, I finally couldn't help but speak up: "Very normal?" "So you also feel that Uc Nhue Dao needs to be cradled in the palm of your hand, and I don't even have the right to feel sorry for myself?" Lac Tu Hanh's eyebrows furrowed even tighter: "I didn't mean that, you thought too much." But in my previous life, I heard him say with my own ears that he wanted to marry Uc Nhue Dao. At this moment, I just want to ask one question. "If Uc Nhue Dao wants my university entrance exam scores, do you think I should give it to her?" Lac

Tu Hanh was stunned for a moment, then burst out laughing. "Nhue Dao hasn't even been to school a few times, so what does she need your university entrance exam scores for?" "But if she really wants it, if you pamper her like that, I'll definitely give in. Either way, if you retake the exam again, you'll pass as usual." I stared at him, a trace of sarcasm flashed through my heart. That's right, from childhood to adulthood, whatever Uc Nhue Dao wants, I will give it. In the end, I had nothing left, including my life. I bowed my head, stuffed the wish sheet into my pocket. "Lac Tu Hanh, there is no way I can give up my university entrance exam scores." I stood up, looking at Lac Tu Hanh's puzzled face: "Moreover, I will not give in either." Just as I was about to step out, my phone vibrated. It was a text message from Australia's father. "Nhue Ninh, about your wishes... don't fill them out at school, come home and discuss them." I stared at the words on the screen, my fingertips cold. In my previous life, I also received this message. I thought Uc's father wanted to celebrate me, so I happily ran home. Then I heard them say that Uc Nhue Dao didn't test well and was in a very bad mood. Then that whole summer, I was always by Uc Nhue Dao's side. I didn't even glance at the application form that Lac Tu Hanh filled out for me. I closed my eyes and tapped lightly with my fingertips. [I know, I'll be back later. I have to take graduation photos later.] After sending it, I put my phone in my pocket and walked towards the school gate. Lac Tu Hanh naturally followed closely. The surrounding classmates whistled: "Brother Lac, when are you going to invite us to drink?" Lac Tu Hanh smiled and replied: "That depends on Nhue Ninh's intention." I turned my head and just happened to meet Lac Tu Hanh's smiling eyes. My heart trembled a beat, but was quickly suppressed by me. In this life, I will no longer be greedy for anything that does not belong to me. My classmates gathered in groups of three and walked towards the stadium, Lac Tu Hanh always walked next to me. Until I got to the stadium, I saw Uc Nhue Dao. The girl's face was pale, she was wearing a white dress, and was as thin as a dandelion. "Sister!" Uc Nhue Dao smiled and waved. Before I could speak, Lac Tu Hanh suddenly took a step to the side. My heart felt like something gently stabbed me. So Lac Tu Hanh kept his distance from me in front of Uc Nhue Dao so early? In my previous life, I was truly blind in my eyes and heart! Uc Nhue Dao came over and smiled at us: "Mr. Tu Hanh, are you guys taking graduation photos today?" "Due to health reasons, I always have to study at home. I've never experienced this feeling, so I wanted to come and join in the fun." Lac Tu Hanh's expression softened: "It's okay, just take a photo with us." Uc Nhue Dao's eyes immediately lit up: "Is that okay?" Lac Tu Hanh raised his hand and stroked the girl's hair: "Of course, just stand next to my sister." I didn't want to watch anymore, so I spoke directly to Lac Tu Hanh. "You take Nhue Dao to find a place to stand, I already made an appointment with my table mate to stand together." After saying that, I turned around and left. I suddenly heard Uc Nhue Dao's voice from behind: "Is your sister angry?" Lac Tu Hanh gently replied: "No, she's not that kind of petty person." I didn't turn my head, the corner of my lips curled up in a sarcastic smile. I found my seatmate, standing next to her. My tablemate was still a bit surprised: "Aren't you taking a photo with Lac Tu Hanh? This can later be shown at your wedding." "From the uniform to the wedding dress, how beautiful!" I shook my head: "No need, he and I won't get married." After taking graduation photos, Au Nhue Dao and I went home together. When she got home, Australia's mother had finished making a table full of food.

Seeing us return, a gentle smile appeared on her face: "Nhue Dao is back? Come and see what I've made for you." "Sweet and sour fried ribs, fried chicken thighs with garlic, these are all the things you like to eat!" Uc Nhue Dao said with a very respectful 'wow', hugging Uc's mother's arm coquettishly. "Mom is the best, I love you the most!" Uc's father took the newspaper and walked out of the office, pretending to be unhappy: "Last time it wasn't like that anymore." say you love your dad the most? Uc Nhue Dao acted spoiled again. I stood at the door watching, changed my shoes and went back to my room. Not long after, Uc's father came in. "Nhue Ninh, how many points do you expect to get?" "A conservative estimate is about 700 points." Uc's father's eyes lit up: "That high! Very good." He looked out the door and lowered his voice: "Your sister didn't do well in her exam. She feels upset. Please try to advise her a little more." I curled my lips: "Yes." Dad Uc thought for a moment, then asked: "Nhue Ninh, give me your wish list, do you have any plans?" My heart tightened and I blurted out: "The application form is still blank. Let me think about it carefully and then tell dad." Uc's father nodded: "Okay, let's go out to eat." After eating, because Uc Nhue Dao had to go to bed early because she had taken medicine, everyone in the family went to their rooms early. At half past ten at night, I heard a faint conversation next to me. Sitting up and opening the door, I gingerly walked to the front door of the master bedroom. Uc's mother's voice came from the crack in the door. "Mr. Uc, Nhue Ninh's score is so good, how much better would it be if she gave it to Nhue Ninh." "That's Nhue Ninh's score, how can I give it away?" "I have an acquaintance who works in a related unit, just find a way to change Nhue Ninh's application form, it won't be difficult to do..." "That's too much of a loss for Nhue Ninh." "What's the loss? We'll let her study for a year again, and she'll still pass." as usual, but with Nhue Dao's health, if I miss this opportunity, I don't know if I will have another chance to go to college or not..." "...Okay, go find the door and run!" I stood there, a cold feeling running from the soles of my feet straight to the top of my heart. Study again? In my previous life, they basically didn't let me study again! I bit my lip and gently walked back to my room. Sitting on the bed for a long time, I took out my phone, opened the homeroom teacher's number, and sent a text message. [Miss Wang, I'm Yue Ning, today my score is estimated to be about 720. Is there any hope of applying to Peking University?] [Of course! Are you sure?] I stared at the screen, typing a line. [I'm sure, but today I accidentally lost the application form. Could you trouble me to directly register Bac Dai for me on the system?] After waiting for a certain answer from the homeroom teacher, I took out the application form from my pocket and smiled slightly. This time, Lac Tu Hanh and his parents could no longer change my future through a piece of paper. Tonight, I slept extremely peacefully. The next morning, Australia's mother called me up and said Lac Tu Hanh had come to the house. I got dressed and walked out of the bedroom, immediately seeing Lac Tu Hanh and Uc Nhue Dao sitting on the sofa, laughing and chatting happily. Seeing me coming out, Lac Tu Hanh took out three tickets. "Let's go to the amusement park today, don't you want to go? Take Nhue Dao with you." I looked blandly, I never said I wanted to go to the amusement park. On the contrary, Uc Nhue Dao happily said: "Is it an amusement park! I'm this old and I've never been able to go before!" I was about to refuse, when I heard Uc's mother jokingly speak up. "Tu Hanh really cares about Nhue Ninh. Nhue Dao also smells good in our family. Nhue Ninh, quickly go brush your teeth and wash your face." Lac Tu Hanh smiled: "Don't say that, aunt, we're all family." I looked at his smile and felt extremely dazzling.