Hitting Rock Bottom

“Wild girl, wild child, a wild child that no one wants!”

“Your parents don’t want you anymore. You’ll be a little beggar from now on.”

“Nyeh nyeh nyeh, little girl, nobody wants you, little beggar girl, with a broken bowl.”

…

It was the summer of 1980 in a small village. Under a big tree next to a mud house, cicadas were buzzing. A few young children surrounded a three-and-a-half-year-old girl, using the cruelest words they knew to taunt her.

The little girl’s name was Lin Qingqing, and she was wearing patched and ragged clothes.

Lin Qingqing’s biological mother, Xiao Man, was an educated youth who had been sent to the countryside. Her family’s background wasn’t good, but later, they were rehabilitated. After that, Xiao Man was able to take the college entrance exam and got accepted into a university. Once she was admitted, she didn’t think twice about abandoning her husband and daughter.

To her, a daughter was nothing more than a blemish!

This was Xiao Man’s thinking. Even before this, she hadn’t treated Lin Qingqing well. Xiao Man didn’t want to be in the countryside and was forced to go. Unable to handle the heavy labor, she chose to marry a rural man.

Lin Qingqing’s biological father, Lin Chengshan, was a retired soldier. When he was in the army, he came home to visit his family and saved Xiao Man who fell into the water. In that special era, if a woman fell into the water and was rescued, it would be easy for people in the village to point fingers at her.

Xiao Man knew that Lin Chengshan was her best choice, and Lin Chengshan had always liked Xiao Man. Seizing the opportunity, Xiao Man approached Lin Chengshan, implying that the rumors were making her life difficult. Lin Chengshan quickly offered to marry her.

Lin Chengshan had a promising future, but marrying Xiao Man affected his prospects since her family hadn’t yet been rehabilitated. Nevertheless, Lin Chengshan married Xiao Man, standing firm in his decision despite others’ advice.

Lin Chengshan genuinely loved Xiao Man, willing to sacrifice his future for her. He believed that as long as they had food and shelter, they could live a good life.

Knowing Xiao Man couldn’t endure hardship, Lin Chengshan never made her work much. In order to avoid conflicts between Xiao Man and Old Lady Lin, Lin Chengshan proposed to separate the family early.

Anyway, those people in the Lin family were not very kind to him. When Lin Chengshan was a child, he was beaten and scolded a lot. When he wanted to join the army, the old lady Lin and others were against it, straining their relationship further.

When others advised Lin Chengshan not to marry Xiao Man, the old lady Lin said he had ruined her reputation and should be responsible for her.

Lin Chengshan knew they didn’t want him to succeed. They wanted him back in the village.

Before Lin Qingqing turned three, Lin Chengshan stayed in the military and hadn’t retired yet. He sent money to Xiao Man, ensuring she had enough to live on.

Xiao Man only felt bitterness, comparing her life to the good days she had in the city. She didn’t appreciate Lin Chengshan’s care. Once her family was rehabilitated, she wanted to take the college entrance exam, return to the city, and live a good life, not endure the hardships of the countryside.

Originally, Lin Chengshan had taken a bus to the city to find Xiao Man, hoping to convince her not to abandon him and their daughter.

However, while on the bus, Lin Chengshan was reborn. He regained memories of his past life, knowing Xiao Man wouldn’t change her mind and would remarry later.

Despite Lin Chengshan’s desperate pleas, Xiao Man insisted on remarrying. When Lin Chengshan returned to the village, he learned his daughter had drowned in the river. They had buried her in a makeshift grave on the mountain.

This fueled Lin Chengshan’s rage. He vowed to take revenge on Xiao Man and make her new family suffer. In his past life, he spent his time targeting Xiao Man and her in-laws, but the effect was not very great. They always had benefactors or other help, making his efforts akin to scratching an itch. Occasionally, he caused significant trouble, but they always overcame it.

After being reborn, Lin Chengshan hurried back. He had to return home.

Upon his return, he saw children taunting his daughter, throwing small stones at her.

“I’m not, I’m not a wild child. I have parents!” Lin Qingqing shouted at the children. “I’m not an unwanted child.”

Her eyes were red. She believed her parents had just gone away and would return soon.

“You are an unwanted wild child,” a little boy said. “Your parents don’t want you anymore. You’re useless!”

“Who says she’s useless?” Lin Chengshan walked over to the boy and gave him a couple of firm smacks on the backside. “I’m her father, and I always will be.”

“Daddy.” Lin Qingqing’s eyes lit up. She hadn’t expected her father to come back so soon this time. Usually, when he went away, it was for a long time, and she had to wait a very long time to see him again.

“Qingqing.” Lin Chengshan quickly walked over to his daughter.

Lin Qingqing, at three and a half years old, was more frail than other children her age.

While other children received some care from their parents, Lin Qingqing rarely received any affection from Xiao Man. At a very young age, she had to learn to do certain tasks, like sweeping the floor with a broom. Xiao Man disliked doing these chores and would make Lin Qingqing do them, calling her a wild child who needed to learn these things early.

If Lin Qingqing couldn’t do the chores, it meant she wasn’t diligent and would be unwanted in the future.

Lin Qingqing was worried about being abandoned by her biological mother, so she could only work hard to prevent her mother from abandoning her.

This time, Xiao Man had left the village after passing the college entrance exam.

Lin Qingqing felt very wronged. What had she done wrong? What hadn’t she done well? Why didn’t her mother take her along? Did her mother really not want her?

Little Lin Qingqing felt uneasy, tugging at her clothes, afraid they might look messy and make her father unhappy, afraid he might say her mother left because she was disobedient.

“Daddy.” Lin Qingqing lowered her head slightly. “I… I can wash the dishes now.”

“Qingqing.” Lin Chengshan’s eyes reddened. He hadn’t expected to see his daughter alive after his rebirth, and hearing her speak so cautiously broke his heart.

Lin Chengshan had once loved Xiao Man deeply, believing whatever she said. He hadn’t noticed anything wrong with Lin Qingqing’s frailness because Xiao Man had claimed that all the girls in her family were like that and would improve after they grew up and had children. Lin Chengshan had believed her, thinking it was a family trait.

When Lin Qingqing swept the floor and ate by herself, Lin Chengshan thought she was very obedient. He even told her not to trouble her mother, warning that if she misbehaved, he wouldn’t bring her any gifts next time.

After being reborn, Lin Chengshan realized how terribly wrong he had been. In his previous life, he had been blind to the truth.

“No, from now on, you don’t need to wash the dishes anymore,” Lin Chengshan said.

“Daddy…” Lin Qingqing looked up at him with wide, disbelieving eyes.

The next moment, Lin Qingqing clung to Lin Chengshan’s leg. “Daddy, don’t leave me, don’t leave me. I don’t eat much, and I can work. Please don’t leave me.”

Tears as big as beans rolled down Lin Qingqing’s cheeks. She didn’t want to be abandoned by her father.

“Daddy will never leave you.” Lin Chengshan looked at his trembling daughter, crouching down. He wanted to use a handkerchief to wipe her tears but realized he didn’t have one.

Lin Chengshan could only use his hand to wipe the tears from her eyes. This was his daughter, after all.

“Daddy will never abandon you in this life.” Lin Chengshan said. “You are Daddy’s good girl, and Daddy will raise you. Don’t be afraid. Daddy just doesn’t want our Qingqing to do those chores anymore. With Daddy here, Daddy will do the work. Daddy will wash the dishes and sweep the floor. You don’t need to do it anymore.”

In his previous life, Lin Chengshan had made a lot of money and established a company. But so what? His daughter was gone, and he was left all alone.

Lin Chengshan held his daughter tightly. In this life, he would never let her suffer.

“Lin Chengshan?” When Old Lady Lin heard that Lin Chengshan had returned, she didn’t quite believe it. Lin Chengshan liked Xiao Man so much, how could he give up pursuing Xiao Man? There was no way he would come back.

Old Lady Lin thought Lin Qingqing was just a girl, and Lin Chengshan had arranged for others to take care of her and even left some money. Old Lady Lin had initially intended to take care of Lin Qingqing herself, eyeing the money Lin Chengshan had left behind. But Lin Chengshan didn’t listen to her and arranged for someone else to take care of Lin Qingqing.

However, it was impossible for anyone to watch over Lin Qingqing all the time. In the countryside, children were often left to roam freely. As long as they returned home at mealtimes, it was considered enough.

“You’re back?” Old Lady Lin said again.

“Yes, I’m back!” Lin Chengshan replied.

“And Xiao Man? Is she back too?” Old Lady Lin frowned, not wanting Xiao Man and Lin Chengshan to be together again.

Xiao Man is a college student now, and Lin Chengshan is not worthy of Xiao Man.

Old Lady Lin harbored a secret: Lin Chengshan was not her biological son. Years ago, someone had asked her to take care of a child, and Lin Chengshan was that child. Old Lady Lin happened to have a child who was a few months old, so she had bad intentions.

A few years later, when those people came to retrieve the child, Old Lady Lin handed over her own son instead.

Old Lady Lin didn’t want Lin Chengshan to join the army, succeed, or move to the city… She feared that one day, Lin Chengshan would discover the truth, and those people would also find out the truth.

“She didn’t come back.” Lin Chengshan looked at Old Lady Lin, his eyes sharp and piercing.

Seeing this formidable Lin Chengshan, Old Lady Lin couldn’t help but take two steps back. Lin Chengshan’s presence had become even more imposing.

Having been in a leadership position for many years, managing numerous employees, how could Lin Chengshan lack presence?

“Isn’t this what you wanted?” Lin Chengshan asked. “Seeing me hit rock bottom, does it make you happy?”