5

　　Three weeks into her reincarnation, Xiangyu finally met her parents. Much like in her previous life, they both used the excuse of inconvenient work locations to stay in their respective dormitories at their workplaces, only returning home once every two weeks. Xiangyu had grown up with her grandmother, so her feelings towards her parents were rather indifferent. Thankfully, they weren't too strict with her financially during her childhood, always bringing back books, toys, and various snacks whenever they visited, making her one of the better-off children in the alley. In this new life, Xiangyu didn't want to change them, but she did have some needs and hoped they would cooperate.

　　Xiangyu's father worked as a technician in the factory and was quite respected. He didn't have many demands for Xiangyu, just hoping she would study hard and eventually go into the university. Her mother was very attached to her family of birth and had few expectations for Xiangyu, just wishing for her to grow up healthy and safe. In her previous life, Xiangyu didn't plan much for herself, studying and graduating from an ordinary university, and then finding an ordinary job. After her parents divorced and remarried, they hardly communicated, and when she was 20, her grandmother passed away, followed by meeting Xiaozhanyuan at 21 and witnessing Lu Heng being killed by Xiaozhanyuan at 27, when she should have been the one to die. Xiangyu's heart ached painfully, her small body barely able to bear it. This time, she wanted to become better, to accompany her grandmother well, to change Lu Heng's fate, and to let him live well.

　　Sitting at the dinner table, Xiangyu cleared her throat and said to her father, "Dad, I like painting. Could you let me take the entrance exam for the Youth Palace? If I pass, can you send me to learn there?" Mr. Xiang had always been supportive of education and readily agreed without much thought. Xiangyu added, "I also want to learn English. When I grow up, I want to travel abroad." Mr. Xiang happily replied, "Our little girl is quite ambitious! No problem, Dad will help you find resources." In fact, Xiangyu had other plans but felt it might be detrimental to reveal them all at once, so she remained silent. The next day, she persuaded her parents to take her to the Xinhua Bookstore and bought several books before relenting.

　　Life continued peacefully like this, going to school with Hanxing every day, diligently learning familiar knowledge in school, building a safe house with chairs and reading fairy tales underneath, just like in her childhood in her previous life. When the weather got warmer, school suddenly closed for some reason. Like in her previous life, they sat on the roadside railing, watching adults on the road doing who-knows-what, shouting words they didn't understand, and walking along. In her previous life, she was troubled like these children but also felt that not going to school was quite nice. This life, she suddenly felt nostalgic. She remembered when she was in university, the professor once told them a story from those days. A senior student, the former president of the student union, was involved in that historical event as an outstanding young man from a small town who came to the big city for education. He had a deeply beloved girlfriend, the only daughter of a wealthy Chinese overseas family. Due to various reasons, the boy was expelled from school while the girl continued her education, and they never managed to be together again. Many years later, the boy went to Hong Kong to start a business, succeeded in his career, married a beautiful woman, and had a lovely son, while the girl remained alone. When the old professor told the story, there was sighing, helplessness, and compassion, perhaps many emotions that Xiangyu couldn't understand at that time. In the torrent of time, everyone was as small as driftwood, and the future was always so uncertain. Time might seem shallow, but when imposed on individuals, it was indelibly profound. At this moment, Xiangyu once again sat on the street, once again watched the bustling crowd, feeling a sense of desolation in her heart. What we cannot change may just be fate. But, there was another chance, and we always had to give it a try, even if it might end in bloodshed.

　　Siping who was a half year younger than Xiangyu was finally old enough to join Xiangyu and Hanxing in studying together at the same school , and the three of them often spent time together. Xiangyu's assessment at the Youth Palace went smoothly, and she began attending art classes there every week. Unable to find a place to learn English, Mr. Xiang would teach Xiangyu English using his rudimentary knowledge whenever he came home and assigned her homework. Unable to resist, Xiangyu said to Mr. Xiang, "Dad, can we buy tapes? Can I learn on my own?" Mr. Xiang promptly arranged it for her. In this life, Xiangyu not only arranged for herself but also brought Hanxing and Siping along to learn, making the two little companions treat her as if she were a teacher. And so, time flew by.