Chapter 6 Isn’t this child too miserable?

Lin Yiwan chided herself.

Lowering her eyes to hide the disgust in them, she whispered, “Then… then how can that be? How can I use your money?”

Song Huaiqing looked at the girl before him. Her eyelids were lowered, her long eyelashes fluttering like butterfly wings, her fair little face delicate and alluring, as if water could be squeezed from it.

Thump-thump…

His heartbeat lost control again.  At that moment, a belated thought flashed through his mind:  Would such a beautiful girl be safe in the countryside?  Would she encounter bad people?

Just as he was stunned, Lin Yirou’s envious voice suddenly came from beside him.

“Sister, this jar is so pretty.”

Usually, if Lin Yirou spoke, Song Huaiqing would immediately ask Lin Yiwan to give it to her. But today, for some reason, he couldn’t bring himself to say it.

“Wanwan found it there too. I’ll help you find some more jars.”

Lin Yiwan raised her eyebrows slightly, looking at Song Huaiqing in surprise. Had he taken the wrong medicine today?

Lin Yirou stamped her foot lightly, acting coquettishly. “Those jars are pretty, but none have the same special shape as my sister’s. I need a spittoon.”

Hearing this, Song Huaiqing felt conflicted.  But in the end, he said to Lin Yiwan, “Wanwan, why don’t you give this jar to Yirou? I’ll find you a better one.”

Lin Yiwan sneered inwardly.  Sure enough, as soon as Lin Yirou spoke, he became like a lapdog, going to any lengths for her.

The more disdain she felt, the more pitiful she acted.  Biting her lip, she held the porcelain jar tightly, as if afraid of being robbed.

“But… I also really like this jar.”

Lin Yiwan’s refusal was clearly unexpected.

Lin Yirou blinked, her head drooping in dejection, looking hurt and disappointed.

“I knew it. Sister must be annoyed with me. After all, I’m just an outsider. It’s normal not to be accepted.”

Hearing this, Song Huaiqing felt incredibly sorry for her.

“Wanwan, why don’t you just give it to her? It’s just a broken thing.  Do you really have to be like this? Yirou is so pitiful, she lost her father when she was young. Can’t you be nicer to her?”

Although she already knew Song Huaiqing’s character, Lin Yiwan couldn’t help but want to laugh. Lin Yirou lost her father, but she lost her mother! Why wasn’t he nicer to her?

But the onlookers clearly didn’t know the inside story. Hearing Song Huaiqing’s words, their gazes turned accusatory.

“Yeah, it’s just a broken jar, let the sister have it.”

“This sister is too stingy, unwilling to give even such a small thing to her sister. She probably bullies her all the time!”

“Exactly! Such a heartless young girl, watch out for not finding a partner in the future.”

…

Listening to these moralistic accusations, Lin Yiwan strangely found herself unmoved.  Perhaps she had heard worse things in her previous life?

But her eyes instantly reddened, and she put on an even more pitiful expression than Lin Yirou.

“I’m sorry, my mother died early, no one taught me. I shouldn’t have kept this jar. I even gave my job to Yirou and went to the countryside for her. It’s just a broken thing, what does it matter?  The most important thing is that my sister, aunt, and father are happy.”

Hearing this, the onlookers were astonished!

“Did I hear correctly? This girl in white isn’t her biological sister, but her stepmother’s daughter?”

“You heard correctly, I did too. The stepmother’s daughter not only took her job but also made her go to the countryside for her!”

Everyone said going to the countryside was glorious, but after two years, who didn’t know what the countryside was like?  Anyone with a brain wouldn’t give up their job in Beijing to go to those godforsaken places.

“My goodness! Look at my big mouth, I didn’t understand the situation and just talked nonsense!”

“Exactly! This child is too pitiful!”

Public opinion instantly reversed. Those who had just accused Lin Yiwan instantly turned their guns on Lin Yirou.

“Tsk! Such a vicious young girl! Not content with stealing her job, she also wants to steal the broken things she likes.  This isn’t how you bully people!”

“Exactly, tell me, whose daughter are you? I’ll tell matchmakers to avoid your house!”

…

Lin Yirou had never experienced such a situation. Her face turned pale, and she looked unsteady.

“It’s… it’s not like that, how can you say that about me?”

She just wanted a job, what was wrong with that? Why were they saying these things about her?

“Sister, quickly explain to everyone.” Lin Yirou anxiously grabbed Lin Yiwan’s arm.

Song Huaiqing also said, “Yes, Wanwan, quickly explain. It’s all a misunderstanding.”  If these words spread, Lin Yirou’s reputation would be ruined.

Hearing this, Lin Yiwan looked at him with a hurt expression.

“Explain what? Explain that I didn’t give my job to Yirou? Or explain that I’m not about to go to the countryside?”

Song Huaiqing was speechless, stammering, unable to say anything.

The women immediately understood what was going on.  They unleashed their fury, their words like poison, scolding Lin Yirou until she cried.

Lin Yiwan ignored her, took the porcelain jar, picked up the stack of newspapers, and went to pay.  Lin Yirou caught sight of a corner of paper sticking out from under the newspapers and forgot her crying.

“Wait, don’t go!”  She stepped forward, spreading her arms to stop her.  “Sister, can I see your newspapers?”

Lin Yiwan looked at her incredulously.

“Do you even want the newspapers I chose?”

Lin Yirou quickly shook her head.  “No, I just want to take a look, just a look.”  Her intuition told her that what Lin Yiwan had was important to her.

Lin Yiwan’s eyes reddened even more.

“Yirou, I’m about to go to the countryside. These are newspapers I specially chose to paste on the walls in the countryside! Beijing is so far away, it won’t be easy to come back, so I can only rely on these to remember the days here.”

These words were heartbreaking.

The onlookers’ anger towards Lin Yirou intensified.  Even the old man guarding the scrap yard couldn’t stand it anymore.  He angrily walked over.

“Both of you, get out of here! We don’t welcome you!”

Others echoed him.

“Yes! Get lost! You’re inhuman!”

“Go, go, and don’t come back! I’ll spit every time I see you!”

The two well-dressed girls were thus disgracefully driven out of the scrap yard!

Lin Yiwan, with red eyes, was comforted by the aunts and women. 

They not only comforted her but also chose several jars for her, saying they were good and could be used in the countryside, and insisted on giving them to her.

Lin Yiwan was moved to tears, repeatedly thanking them. 

When she left, she was carrying two large bags.