Chapter 26: Severing Ties with My Sister

When Hu Jingsheng was dragged into the courtyard, Hu Daquan had just returned home from work. Seeing his two daughters in a heated argument, he rushed over to mediate.

“What’s going on? What’s going on?” Hu Daquan asked. “Talk things out properly, we’re all family.”

Hu Ouhua, who had always been obedient and well-behaved, was furious. She scratched Hu Jingsheng’s face, yanked her hair, and even tore her clothes apart.

The usually arrogant Hu Jingsheng was beaten so badly that she cried out in pain.

In their small communal housing, secrets were impossible to keep.

As soon as the sisters started fighting, the neighbors all came out to intervene, but none could stop Hu Ouhua, who was determined to beat her sister.

It wasn’t until Hu Daquan arrived home.

Hu Jingsheng, her hair in disarray, hid behind their father. However, when Hu Ouhua swung her hand again, it landed hard on their father’s face, instantly making her realize she had gone too far.

Hu Daquan covered his face, but instead of scolding his daughter immediately, he changed from his usual peacemaking stance. He pulled his younger daughter forward and sternly asked, “Explain yourself. What did you do to your sister this time?”

Hu Jingsheng wanted to argue back.

“If you don’t come clean, get out of this house. You’re already 18—you should be independent by now,” Hu Daquan said with a serious expression.

Hu Jingsheng turned her head away and stayed silent.

Suddenly, sobbing filled the air—not from Hu Jingsheng, but from Hu Ouhua.

She went inside and brought out a smashed tape recorder, her eyes filled with tears. “Dad, I want to cut ties with her. From now on, I don’t have a sister anymore.”

In the past, no matter how much trouble Hu Jingsheng caused or how she framed her, Hu Ouhua always endured it for the sake of their blood relation and to save face for Hu Daquan.

But when she finally found out where her tape recorder had gone, when she saw the empty reels and broken parts scattered on the floor, the anger she had suppressed for so long finally exploded.

She couldn’t bear it anymore.

She wouldn’t tolerate it anymore.

From this day forward, she had no sister!

Hu Daquan had never seen a tape recorder before, but he could tell it was an expensive foreign item. Whether it was a gift or borrowed, the debt it carried was heavy.

Hu Daquan’s heart ached.

In front of all the neighbors and his colleagues, he patted Hu Ouhua’s shoulder and, exhausted, said, “Sever ties. Write a letter of disownment. I’ll take it to the newspaper tomorrow!”

“Dad…”

Hu Jingsheng never expected her own father to stop protecting her.

Even though she despised Hu Ouhua, she had still used her status as Ningcheng’s top scholar to her advantage. If they officially severed ties, she would lose that connection and be judged by others.

Hu Ouhua didn’t hesitate. She went inside, quickly wrote the letter, and handed it to Hu Daquan.

Hu Daquan signed it and pressed his fingerprint onto the paper.

With a heavy heart, he said, “Hua, this is my failure as a father. I can’t help you. But tell me how much that foreign item costs—I will pay it back for you no matter what.”

As he spoke, he fumbled in his pocket and pulled out a handful of small bills.

Hu Ouhua’s eyes reddened, and she shook her head.

She sincerely said, “Dad, it’s okay. It was a gift from someone, and I will personally return the favor. But I’ll be leaving for Beijing earlier than planned to find work and earn some money.”

For the first time, Hu Daquan felt utterly useless.

His daughter had always brought him pride, yet he had only ever dragged her down. The realization left him both sad and ashamed. “Alright. I’m stuck here with no future, but you must rely on yourself. Don’t come back to Ningcheng—there’s nothing worth staying for. If you miss me, just write me a letter.”

“I will.”

In all of Ningcheng, the only person she cared about was Hu Daquan.

“When I go to school, take care of yourself. I won’t be able to look after you,” Hu Ouhua said.

That night, no more words were exchanged.

The next morning, Hu Ouhua packed her things and got into a familiar jeep. As the vehicle pulled out of the alley, Hu Daquan stood at the roadside, waving his arms until she was out of sight.

From a hidden corner, Hu Jingsheng watched the jeep leave, her eyes filled with resentment.

The more she thought about it, the angrier she became.

She should have been the one with good fortune. She should have been the one rising step by step. Why did it have to be that wretched Hu Ouhua?

She just couldn’t understand.

As she walked aimlessly, she saw the Yang family’s house ahead and decided to go in.

When Qingfen saw that it was Hu Jingsheng, she scowled. “Why are you here? Still thinking about my son? He already said he doesn’t like you. Do you not understand plain words?”

Shameless.

Hu Jingsheng was fuming. If it weren’t for her need to deal with Hu Ouhua, she would never tolerate Qingfen’s insults.

“Yes, your son is a treasure, and I’m worthless,” she sneered. “But let me tell you something—Hu Ouhua was picked up by Lu Yuetang. He likes her very much. If you’re not careful, your daughter Yang Jiaojiao might get nothing in the end.”

After dropping that bombshell, Hu Jingsheng turned to leave.

But Qingfen immediately blocked her path. “What do you mean by that?”

Hu Jingsheng smugly spilled everything—how Lu Yuetang had given Hu Ouhua expensive foreign goods and personally driven her to the city.

Qingfen’s mind buzzed, her vision went dark, and she rushed off to find her son, Yang Wei.

When Yang Wei heard the news, he jumped down from his forklift, rolled up his sleeves, and cursed, “That shameless Hu Ouhua really hooked up with Lu Yuetang! No way! I’m going to Beijing to pressure the Lu family into finalizing our marriage before it’s too late.”

Qingfen thought for a moment and said, “I’ll go with you. We don’t know anyone there, and if the Lu family doesn’t approve, I’ll at least argue for you. I refuse to believe that people from big cities can say one thing and do another.”

“Alright.”

Yang Wei agreed with his mother.

So, the mother and son borrowed some money and pooled together two or three hundred yuan before setting off.

Meanwhile, Hu Ouhua was unaware of all this.

She sat in the back of the jeep, telling the others about how Hu Jingsheng had smashed her tape recorder. Shen Fubai was so angry that he wanted to turn the car around and make Hu Jingsheng pay for it.

But when he heard that Hu Ouhua had severed ties with her, he felt it was worth it.

Lu Yuetang nodded slightly. “A tape recorder in exchange for cutting ties? That’s a great deal. If she causes trouble again, just slap her.”

“Thanks for comforting me,” Hu Ouhua said. “I feel much better now.”

Of course, she had written an IOU for 500 yuan the night before. Under Hu Daquan’s insistence, Hu Jingsheng had reluctantly signed it, though Hu Ouhua knew she might never get the money back.

But she never expected that soon, she would have the chance to collect that debt.

After several days of travel, Shen Fubai and Lu Yuetang took turns driving, resting in military guesthouses when needed.

Finally, after three or four days, they arrived in Beijing.

Hu Ouhua had never been to the capital in either of her two lifetimes.

In her past life, Yang Wei had taken Qingfen and his father to visit the Great Wall, eat Peking duck at Quanjude, tour the Forbidden City, and watch the flag-raising ceremony at Tiananmen Square.

They had returned home boasting about their experiences and showing off their family photos to everyone.

Meanwhile, she had been left speechless when neighbors asked if she had ever been.

Yang Wei had sneered, “A woman with no foresight. Useless. You’re just bad luck, so why would you go to Beijing?”

Now, as the jeep drove through the streets of Beijing, Hu Ouhua gazed out the window with a mix of nervousness, anticipation, and joy.

A small-town girl, finally stepping into the city of her dreams.