Lin Xiaoxiao took a moment to process this new information about Lin Zihao. Divorced, but no children—and if he was a decent person, that could still work out fine.

Besides, Zhou Xiaoling clearly liked him.

After washing the dishes, she followed Zhou Huai'an to ask, "How old is Lin Zihao?"

"Thirty-two."

Lin Xiaoxiao was pleased. "He looks older—I thought he was five or six years older than you. Thirty-two is good. Only seven years older than Xiaoling. That's fine."

Seeing that Lin Xiaoxiao hadn't given up on matchmaking, Zhou Huai'an considered discouraging her but held back, afraid she'd turn the questions on him—questions he couldn't answer anyway.

He pressed his lips together and stayed silent.

Lin Xiaoxiao didn't press further. She washed her hands and climbed into bed for a nap, reminding Zhou Huai'an that she had an important anatomy class that afternoon and couldn't be late.

The anatomy class had been moved up because the body of an executed prisoner, unclaimed by family, had been sent to the hospital for medical study.

Lin Xiaoxiao was thrilled. She loved this kind of work.

When she woke up and left in high spirits, Zhou Huai'an couldn't understand her excitement. She looked as if she were going to collect meat rations for the New Year, not to dissect a corpse.

When Lin Xiaoxiao arrived, Li Guiling and Zhang Jing were already there, but An Xiuyu was absent.

Since An Xiuyu was indirectly responsible for Zhou Xiaocheng's death, Lin Xiaoxiao had been avoiding her lately. She found a seat and waited calmly for class to begin.

Li Guiling leaned over. "Sister Xiuyu was too scared to come, so she asked for leave. I'm really nervous too—I've never seen a real dead body, let alone worked on one."

The thought made her scalp prickle.

Lin Xiaoxiao reassured her, "Don't overthink it. We're just observing. The doctor will perform the dissection and explain—we won't be doing any cutting."

But Li Guiling was still terrified. "It's still a person lying there. I don't think I can handle it. I want to ask for leave too—my legs are shaking already."

Unlike the others, Lin Xiaoxiao wasn't just unafraid—she was eagerly looking forward to it. "If you're scared, just imagine it's a sheep or a chicken. Have you ever slaughtered a chicken?"

Li Guiling couldn't make that connection. The more she thought about it, the more frightened she became, her knees practically knocking together.

She only wanted to be a factory medic, diagnosing headaches and minor fevers—why did she have to dissect a corpse?

In the end, her fear got the better of her, and she asked for leave.

Very few students actually attended the anatomy class—just a few brave male trainees, plus Lin Xiaoxiao and Zhang Jing.

Lin Xiaoxiao was surprised to see Zhang Jing there—she hadn't expected her to be so bold.

Once the class began, problems arose immediately. Dai Xueming took one look at the incision and caught a whiff of the odor—then began vomiting violently.

His reaction set off two others. In the end, only Lin Xiaoxiao, Zhang Jing, and one male trainee remained.

With so few students, everyone had a chance to participate.

Zhang Jing and the male trainee couldn't bring themselves to do it. Only Lin Xiaoxiao, under the instructor's guidance, made the incision and carefully separated the organs.

Her calm demeanor impressed the instructor.

Even after class ended, Lin Xiaoxiao felt a little reluctant to leave. It had been too long since she'd held a scalpel, and she felt rusty.

After disinfecting and washing up in the sterilization room, she still felt like the smell clung to her. She lifted her collar and sniffed—it was definitely unpleasant. She needed a bath, and fast.

As she left the hospital with her textbooks, someone blocked her path.

To her surprise, it was Cheng Mingyue—the original Lin Xiaoxiao's mother. Weren't they supposed to be living it up in the provincial capital? What was she doing here?

Lin Xiaoxiao felt a headache coming on. In the original host's memories, her relationship with her mother wasn't great, though not terrible either. Having not grown up with Cheng Mingyue, they lacked the closeness of most mothers and daughters.

Cheng Mingyue studied Lin Xiaoxiao, frowning. "Why did you cut your hair so short? And why haven't you written home since you got married?"

Lin Xiaoxiao found it strange. She replied flatly, "You moved without telling me. Where was I supposed to send letters?"

She'd never liked the original host's mother. What kind of person abandons their infant daughter to remarry right after her husband's death?

Now, seeing Cheng Mingyue in person—she was attractive, but her eyes held a calculating shrewdness—Lin Xiaoxiao liked her even less.

Cheng Mingyue stared intently at Lin Xiaoxiao's eyes. She really was different. The old Lin Xiaoxiao had been volatile when angry, with a sharp tone.

This Lin Xiaoxiao's eyes held only cold detachment.

It reminded her of what Cheng Gang had said—that Lin Xiaoxiao seemed like a completely different person. Had something happened? He'd insisted she come check.

Keeping her expression cold, Lin Xiaoxiao tried to mimic the original host's tone. "If there's nothing else, I should go."

Cheng Mingyue grabbed her wrist. "Xiaoxiao, I heard you're studying medicine. How is that possible? You didn't even finish junior high."

Lin Xiaoxiao's heart sank. Her biological mother was here to expose her. She scrambled for an excuse—what if Cheng Mingyue realized she wasn't the real Lin Xiaoxiao? Would she drag her to a Taoist priest for an exorcism?

"Xiaoxiao?"

Just as she was racking her brain, someone called her name.

She turned to see Zhou Huai'an standing not far away on his crutches. Immediately, she felt a wave of relief. Shaking off Cheng Mingyue's hand, she walked toward him. "What are you doing here? I was just about to head home after class."

Cheng Mingyue looked awkward at the sight of Zhou Huai'an. She remembered how difficult she'd been before the wedding. She was also surprised by Lin Xiaoxiao's attitude toward him.

The original Lin Xiaoxiao had refused to marry Zhou Huai'an until her family pressured her—without the marriage, they couldn't move to the provincial capital or get their current comfortable jobs.

She still didn't understand why the condition for helping their family had been that her daughter marry Zhou Huai'an.

Forcing a smile, Cheng Mingyue approached Zhou Huai'an. "Huai'an, you're here too. What happened to your leg?"

Zhou Huai'an gave a slight nod. "When did you arrive in the city?"

He didn't even call her "Mom." Lin Xiaoxiao could tell their relationship was strained.

Cheng Mingyue smiled stiffly. "Just today. I heard Xiaoxiao was here studying medicine, so I came to see. She didn't even finish junior high—how can she study medicine? Her grades were never good. Isn't this just a waste of time?"

Lin Xiaoxiao could hardly believe what she was hearing. What kind of mother badmouthed her own daughter and questioned her efforts to improve herself?

Zhou Huai'an frowned. "I'm the one who asked her to study. Past grades don't matter—as long as she can read and write, that's enough."

Cheng Mingyue forced a laugh. "No, I didn't mean it like that. I just worry she might affect your work."

Zhou Huai'an glanced at Lin Xiaoxiao, instinctively protective. "She's doing very well. But as for you—you said once you left for the provincial capital, you wouldn't return or interfere in our lives again. If there's nothing else, we'll be going."

Watching Cheng Mingyue's face turn pale with suppressed anger, and seeing how Zhou Huai'an showed her no courtesy, Lin Xiaoxiao grew even more curious about how this marriage had come to be.

Why didn't the original host remember any of it?