"Did you talk to them before deciding to pursue graduate studies?" Ning Youguang asked softly.
"No," Li Yanran shook her head, tears streaming down her face. A look of disgust appeared on her thin face. "Ever since I received the admission letter from our university, they've been bragging in our hometown, saying I got into a prestigious school in Beijing, and after graduating, I'd get a government job and marry an official. I really am..."
—"When I was very young, I swore that I would leave my hometown and never live with my parents. I could give them money, but I wouldn't live with them. Living with them would drive me crazy."
The word "crazy" was almost spoken through gritted teeth by Li Yanran.
"Were you left behind as a child?" Ning Youguang asked.
