And none of it had been given by the Su parents.
She had earned many rewards from school for being top of her class and winning competitions.
At a time when a family's monthly income was barely 25–30 yuan, she alone had earned 20 yuan annually in rewards and scholarships.
When she placed first in district competitions, she earned even more.
She had participated in many contests, winning both money and prizes—things her parents had once been proud of.
Graduating high school at only fourteen had shown just how hard she had worked.
If Su Miao Miao had ever asked her parents for money, they would have given it to her. But she never asked—she always had enough.
All her basic necessities like food and clothes were fulfilled, so she didn't need to use money at all.
And even if she had wanted to spend, since she had no ration tickets, she couldn't buy things with money alone.
She searched around and found a few tickets.
There were fabric and cotton tickets that Su mother must have given her to make the cotton-padded jacket for the winter.
Winter was coming, and though not as cold as in the northeast where it snowed all winter with no way to work at all, it was still cold in A City.
There were also sugar tickets and food grain tickets which she had saved.
Industrial tickets were extremely rare, and she had none. They were required to buy watches, iron pots, cycles, and many other things.
No use crying over what she didn't have.
"Let's move forward," she thought to herself.
She kept her money inside her space with her subconscious. It vanished from the real world and appeared in her space.
She was happy. She could now store and save anything she wanted. Very convenient.
She also packed some of the better clothes inside her space.
In her past life, Su mother had convinced her not to take these clothes to the northeast when she was sent to the countryside, and she had agreed.
Those clothes had ended up with Su Ran Ran. Even her job had gone to her, she didn't want to be pushover anymore.
Why should she leave her clothes for that girl again? She didn't deserve them.
Even though they were used, they had mostly been bought with her own money and coupons given by Su parents.
She didn't owe Su parents anymore. She had paid for whatever she owed them in her last life.
In this life, she would leave them alone—but only if they left her alone too.
And she knew they wouldn't leave her alone.
She glanced around her room. This had also gone to Su Ran Ran after she left for the countryside.
She sighed but went downstairs.
Su father was sitting on the sofa reading the newspaper. Su mother was setting the table for the family.
She looked at Su Miao Miao and happily said, "Miao Miao, you're awake already. Why did you wake up so early? You don't have school anymore. You should have slept in a little later.
Well, since you're already awake, come sit and have breakfast."
She looked at Su father and added, "This girl, I tell her to rest properly but she is always so active. Waking early, studying till late."
Her face was full of pride. She was praising her own daughter.
She must not yet know that Su Miao Miao wasn't her biological daughter, thought Su Miao Miao to herself.
She looked at Su father. He had no reaction. He nodded and said nothing.
He always looked polite and cold as usual, but today he seemed to have things on his mind.
He must already know something about me not being his biological daughter, thought Su Miao Miao.
Oh well, whatever the case, Su Ran Ran's return was inevitable.
She smiled at Su mother. "Morning, Mother. Today I need to go to high school to get the results, so I couldn't sleep more."
Su mother lightly tapped her own forehead. "Is it today? I completely forgot. It's such an important day for you. Should I take leave? Maybe I should go with you. After all, It's very important."
Su Miao Miao looked at Su mother. Her affections were not fake right now.
How could these affections vanish so easily just because she wasn't their biological daughter?
She sighed for the nth time today.
She sat on the chair and said, "No need, Mother. I can handle it. I will be the top anyway. I'll bring the certificate after the ceremony. Not many parents will attend anyway. Why take leave for this?"
Su mother thought it over. "Yes, you're right. Bring the certificate and we will hang it in the living room this evening for everyone to see."
To this, Su Miao Miao said nothing.
She thought to herself, Well, you'll find your biological daughter today. You won't even think about hanging my certificate in the living room.
Su father sat down on the chair. Su mother set the table and sat down too.
After eating, Su parents went to work and Su Miao Miao left for her high school.
While Su Miao Miao was attending the graduation program in school, Su father got the call as soon as he reached his office.
"The investigation has been completed," the voice on the other end said. "Her foster parents admitted she was purchased from traffickers.
They refused to speak at first, thinking we were police, but when given some money, they confessed. The details match. She also has a mole under her ear.
She has been staying at the guest hotel near the Supply and Marketing Cooperatives. Ask for the name 'Su Ran Ran' at the front desk and meet her. She looks exactly like you."
Su father's emotions turned complicated.
He had once thought Su Miao Miao was his daughter.
When he didn't see the mole under her ear after she was rescued from traffickers years ago, he thought he had remembered it wrong.