School

An Xiulan always got up early in the morning, it was a habit embedded in her from a young age. When she went downstairs after taking a shower and changing into fresh clothes, she saw her mother giving orders to the maid about her likes and dislikes. She didn't tell anyone yet that she loved this world. She loved how her mother cared about every little thing about her. She loved being the centre of someone else's world for once in her life. 

Humans are selfish creatures, and she didn't feel ashamed to be greedy for her mother's love. 

She found her mother wearing a black pantsuit, her hair now cut in a Bob. She had to say that her mom was the most handsome woman she had ever seen, even more than the men featured on the programmes had watched on that magical box– meaning television. For a month, she passed her time by watching that magical box in America. 

When An Qinyan felt a burning gaze on her back, she turned her head to find Xiulan standing in the distance. She waved her hand saying, "Come on, breakfast is ready."

She had gotten used to her daughter's new habit of waking up early. She understood now how much her daughter liked to eat. Her appetite had increased after the accident. She was pleased that her underweight daughter had started eating to her heart's desire. 

"Good morning, mom," An Xiulan greeted her with a bright smile as she walked to her mother. 

Qinyan smiled and kissed her daughter's head and brought her to the breakfast table. 

"Good morning, Lanlan. Quickly have breakfast. Uncle You specially asked the kitchen to make steamed meat buns for you, "An Qinyan said as she started putting food on her daughter's bowl. 

An Xiulan could eat three times the food Qinyan ate during breakfast. Qinyan wasn't exaggerating when she said her daughter loved to eat. 

"Lanlan, mom has something to say to you, "Qinyan said with a slight hesitation. 

"Mom, are you marrying me off to some old man?" An Xiulan asked with tears shining in her eyes. Last night, she saw in a TV programme how an evil mother married off her young daughter to an old man for money. 

An Qinyan was left bewildered at the trail of her daughter's thoughts. "An Xiulan! You are sixteen. Why are you thinking about marriage?!"

"I watched in a programme how a mother married off her daughter to an old man for money," An Xiulan muttered, looking at her empty bowl. 

"No more TV for you, "An Qinyan declared. She took a deep breath and calmed her raging temper. "Lanlan, mom is working hard so you won't feel any grievances. You are not allowed to think about a boy or man at this age. When you will be of marriageable age, only then will we talk about this topic." 

An Xiulan sighed in relief. At least, she wasn't marrying anyone yet. 

"Mom wants to talk to you about your school," An Qinyan began speaking. 

"School?" Xiulan furrowed her brows. She wasn't taught to read and write in her last life. She craved to become a virtuous lady like her sister but her stepmothers refused to let her study under the same master as her siblings. She had lived a life of illiterate but she didn't want to live it anymore.

Fortunately, An Qinyan had provided quality education to her daughter. An Xiulan was knowledgeable in pinyin and English. Her English was fluent because she had spent her entire life in America but her Mandarin was accented. But not anymore. She could speak Mandarin like a native now. 

When An Xiulan had gotten original Xiulan's memories, she had gotten her ability to read and write too. She could speak all the language the original body owner knew. 

"Yes, school. You are still in freshman year. You can continue your studies here. Do you have any opinion about your new school?"An Qinyan asked. 

An Xiulan shook her head. She had no idea about school as she had never been there. Although she still hadoriginall An Xiulan's memories, they were still not enough for her to form an opinion. 

All she could say was that she wanted to go to school and be a lady of virtue. 

"Alright. Tomorrow, we will meet the principal of Jingyuan high school," An Qinyan told her. It was the best school in the entire country. Although her daughter was average in studies, still she felt that Xiulan must be given the best of the best education. 

...

Author Note: What do you think of Xiulan?