Hearing her call him “Second Brother” after learning the truth, Zhao Zhongwu was deeply moved. Eager to please her, he nodded repeatedly. “Just name it! I’d agree to a hundred conditions if it makes you happy.”  

“Stay in the county, apprentice under Auntie, and help run a rice noodle shop.”  

Zhao Zhongwu was stunned. Weren’t they discussing her origins and seeking justice? How did it suddenly shift to opening a shop?  

Zhao Dacui and Fan Qiuhan felt even more heartache for Zhao Xiangwan. Normally, upon learning they weren’t their parents’ biological child, one would be distraught. Yet she remained composed—even remembering her promise to find Zhao Dacui an apprentice.  

Zhao Dacui wanted to urge her to focus on her identity crisis first, but Zhao Xiangwan shot her a look, silencing her.  

Zhao Zhongwu hesitated. “A few days ago, I told Mom I’m learning cooking in Yangcheng and want to open a restaurant in Luo County, but I lack funds. If Auntie can open a rice noodle shop, why not help me start a restaurant instead?”  

Zhao Xiangwan gave him a sharp glance. “Agree, and I’ll go back—you’ll even get to watch a show. Refuse, and I’ll stay here, letting Zhao Chenyang have his way.”  

Zhao Zhongwu wavered.  

Zhao Xiangwan raised a finger. “One year. Work a full year, and I’ll take you to Xing City to apprentice under a chef. Once trained, I’ll invest in your restaurant.”  

Zhao Zhongwu’s eyes lit up. “Wow, Third Sister, you have those connections?”  

Zhao Xiangwan frowned.  

He quickly backtracked. “Deal! I’ll listen to you!”  

Her expression turned stern. “I heard you were fired for gambling?”  

Zhao Zhongwu shrank under her gaze, forcing a grin. “My bad, my bad! I swear I’ll never gamble again.”  

Zhao Xiangwan smirked. “During my internship at the Municipal Bureau, I raided several gambling dens. Want a firsthand experience of detention? I can arrange it.”  

Zhao Zhongwu had already regretted his actions. Seeing how Zhao Xiangwan always won at gambling made him realize the house always cheats. Losing money again, he’d wanted to cut off his own hands.  

Hearing her familiar scolding, Zhao Zhongwu—strangely comforted—nodded eagerly. “Don’t worry, I’m done with gambling. If I relapse, call the cops on me.”  

Zhao Dacui watched, torn between amusement and sadness. In most families, brothers protected their sisters, yet Zhao Zhongwu only brought his sister worry.  

Fan Qiuhan cracked his knuckles. “Dare to gamble again, and I’ll beat you up!”  

Zhao Zhongwu muttered, “Since when are all women so terrifying?”  

Fan Qiuhan burst out laughing, lightening the mood.  

Quick-thinking, Zhao Zhongwu clasped his hands toward Zhao Dacui. “Master, I bow to you.”  

Zhao Dacui assessed him—strong, clever, and reliable. Having her nephew help run the shop was better than hiring strangers. She smiled, patting his shoulder. “Good, I trust you.”  

Zhao Zhongwu turned to Zhao Xiangwan. “Third Sister, coming home?”  

She nodded. “Yes.”  

Of course she’d return. If Zhao Chenyang and Zhao Qingyun had the audacity to show up, she’d face them head-on.  

Zhao Zhongwu cheered. “Take my car—let’s go!”  

Zhao Dacui donned the red scarf Zhao Xiangwan gave her. “Borrow a bike from Aunt Qiu. We’re going too.”  

Zhao Bowen panicked. “Wait! I’ll borrow a colleague’s car.”  

Fan Qiuhan nodded. “I’ll get another bike for you.”  

Popular in the neighborhood, Fan Qiuhan secured two bicycles in minutes.  

Five people, three vehicles, sped toward Zhaojiagou.  

Today was Little New Year and Zhaojiagou’s villagers were busy preparing. After the commotion at Qian Shufen’s house died down, only a few elders remained with Zhao Qingyun.  

Zhao Zhongwu was right—Qian Shufen had prepared a lavish lunch. A farmer’s New Year feast featured fish, meat, and eggs, yet Zhao Qingyun and Zhao Chenyang had no appetite.  

After eight years, Zhao Chenyang returned home, but everything felt different from his past life.  

In that life, his dull, hardworking eldest brother had toiled in the fields like their father. Now, he’d graduated college and become a pharmacist.  

His lazy, gambling second brother had been a village loafer. Now, he was learning a trade in the city.  

His timid aunt had endured an abusive marriage. Now, she’d divorced and lived boldly in the county with Fan Qiuhan.  

After Zhao Chenyang left, everyone thrived.  

Yet despite becoming a city dweller, he lived in constant unease. Here he was, dragged back to the countryside at Zhao Qingyun’s whim.  

Living a new life didn’t seem to bring any improvement.  

An unexplainable fear rose in Zhao Chenyang’s heart as she mechanically counted rice grains and forced them down her throat. Each swallow felt like a struggle, as if something was stuck inside.  

Meanwhile, Zhao Qingyun, seated at the head of the table and being toasted by the elders, wore an unhappy expression.  

Given his high rank, he shouldn’t even be sharing a table with these villagers. At 40, Zhao Qingyun had already become a deputy department-level cadre ^[1]a mid-level government official in China’s bureaucratic system., and his career was flourishing. The only reason he had lowered himself to visit this poor mountain village was to win over his biological daughter, Zhao Xiangwan.  

Everything here was uncomfortable—the low chairs, the greasy table, the coarse farm dishes, and the harsh homemade liquor. Politely waving off another toast, Zhao Qingyun said, “Sorry, I don’t drink.”  

Zhao Changxing, the Village Committee Director, was too nervous to toast the high-ranking official from the province. Instead, he flattered him: “Leader Zhao, you’re so blessed. Xiangwan is a hardworking child—she got into the Public Security University last year. And Chenyang, after living in the city for eight years, must’ve also gotten into a good university, right?”  

Zhao Chenyang’s face darkened. What a joke! Despite taking all of Zhao Xiangwan’s resources, she had only managed to pass the college entrance exam. If not for Zhao Qingyun’s connections, she wouldn’t even have gotten into Hunan Finance and Trade School, a mere junior college.  

Ding-ling-ling, ding-ling-ling…  

The crisp sound of bicycle bells once again disrupted the quiet of Zhaojiagou.  

Villagers who had just finished lunch dropped their chopsticks and rushed outside, just in time to see Zhao Zhongwu charging ahead like a soldier, leading Zhao Xiangwan down the dirt road. Behind them were Zhao Dacui, Fan Qiuhan, and Zhao Bowen.  

“Oh, Xiangwan’s back!”  

“The whole Zhao Erfu family is here!”  

“Even the pretty nurse is back? This is gonna be fun!”  

“Hurry, let’s go to Zhao Erfu’s house and watch the drama!”  

Qian Shufen heard the commotion and nervously stepped out under the eaves. She knew she’d be scolded for the child swap, but she hoped Zhao Xiangwan wouldn’t make a scene and would just leave with Zhao Qingyun quietly.  

Zhao Erfu lit his pipe, packed it with homemade tobacco, and squatted at the door, smoking silently. This isn’t gonna be easy.  

Zhao Qingyun stood up slowly and waited at the door with a calm expression.  

Zhao Xiangwan jumped off the bicycle and walked side by side with Fan Qiuhan toward the old house. Behind them, Zhao Bowen and Zhao Zhongwu—short but sturdy—followed closely, glaring at Zhao Qingyun with hostility.  

At the front was Zhao Dacui.  

She stormed onto the porch, yanked Zhao Erfu up from his squatting position, and scolded him harshly: “If our parents were alive, they’d be furious with you! How dare you pull a ‘replacing the prince with a cat’ ^[2]a Chinese idiom meaning secretly substituting one thing for another, often deceitfully. trick? Do you have any conscience, keeping Xiangwan from her real family?”  

Since Zhao Dacui had practically raised Zhao Erfu after their parents died, he didn’t dare talk back and just shrunk his neck, leaving his pipe on the ground.  

Qian Shufen, annoyed, snapped, “Sister, why are you making such a fuss? The third sister hasn’t even spoken yet, and here you are, defending her like it’s your business. Got nothing better to do?”  

Zhao Dacui pulled Zhao Xiangwan forward and shouted, “Xiangwan, ask them if they’ve got any conscience left! Eight years ago, you should’ve gone to the city, but they sent Chenyang instead. Are they even worthy of being called your parents?”  

The crowd grew larger, all eyes fixed on Zhao Xiangwan.  

She didn’t speak or smile, yet her presence was overwhelming.  

Faced with the child she’d raised for eighteen years, Qian Shufen—who had never backed down before—finally lowered her head, her face red with shame.  

“Third sister, you came to Zhaojiagou just days after you were born. I nursed you and Chenyang together—I worked hard for you, didn’t I? Even if I scolded you sometimes, it was just to discipline you. I admit I was greedy—I sent Chenyang to the city instead of you. That was my fault. Hit me, curse me, do whatever you want. After that, we’re still family.”  

Zhao Erfu straightened his collar and forced a smile.  

“Third sister, your real father came all the way from the provincial capital to take you home. What’s done is done—no point dwelling on the past. You’re in college now, educated. You know that the love of raising a child is greater than the love of giving birth, right?”  

Zhao Chenyang hid inside, eavesdropping nervously.  

Zhao Qingyun stepped forward, his face cold. “Xiangwan, I sent Chenyang back to the countryside today so I could take you home. Forget about these people and this place. From now on, you’re my only daughter.”  

Side by side, Zhao Qingyun and Zhao Xiangwan looked strikingly similar—tall, with sharp phoenix eyes and high nose bridges, exuding an air of nobility. The villagers murmured in realization.  

“I knew it! Erfu and his wife are both short—how could they have a daughter as tall as Xiangwan?”  

“Exactly! And she’s so smart—always first in school. A golden phoenix like her was never meant to stay in Zhaojiagou.”  

“I wonder if she’s angry. She should’ve gone to the city at ten. With her brains, she might’ve gotten into the best university in the country!”  

“Yeah, even someone like Chenyang, who failed math, got into college just by studying in the city. If Xiangwan hadn’t been swapped, who knows how successful she’d be now?”  

Hearing this, Zhao Qingyun glanced at his daughter. In the villagers’ eyes, Zhao Xiangwan was exceptional. If only he hadn’t been fooled by Zhao Erfu and his wife, he could’ve brought her home years ago—she would’ve been his greatest pride.  

Damn! Those eight years I missed.  

The more Zhao Qingyun thought about it, the angrier he became at Qian Shufen and Zhao Erfu for their greed and shamelessness. Seeing Zhao Chenyang hiding inside and refusing to come out, Zhao Qingyun frowned and raised his voice: “Zhao Chenyang, come out now!”