Chapter 29: Justice

~Do you want her to take you to court?~

Seeing no way to escape, Zhao Chenyang finally stood up and stood under the eaves next to Qian Shufen.  

Zhao Chenyang was dressed fashionably, standing out among the villagers in their simple cotton jackets. She looked uncomfortable, tilting her head and refusing to greet anyone. The arrogance in her expression made the watching villagers of Zhaojiagou (Zhao Family Village) dislike her even more.  

“Who do you think you’re looking down on? Being pretty means nothing if you’re useless!”  

“She’s always been like this. She pretended to learn embroidery from Aunt Gui, but barely touched the needle. Years passed, and she never even finished a handkerchief—just putting on airs!”  

“Exactly! She kept saying embroidery hurt her hands, so Zhao Xiangwan had to do all the chores—feeding pigs, washing clothes, cleaning—while she just lazed around. A real daughter gets treated like treasure, while an adopted one gets treated like weeds.”  

“Honestly, Zhao Chenyang isn’t even as pretty as Zhao Xiangwan. She’s short, with a flat nose—what’s so special about her?”  

The more Zhao Chenyang heard, the uglier her expression became. She wanted to argue back but had no defense. She could only mutter softly, “I… I didn’t mean it.”  

Hearing this, Zhao Qingyun’s expression softened slightly. Maybe Zhao Chenyang didn’t know—maybe she was also a victim of Qian Shufen’s selfishness. If anyone was to blame, it was Qian Shufen.  

“No, Zhao Chenyang, you did it on purpose!”  

Amid the murmurs, Zhao Xiangwan finally spoke.  

Her voice was cold and sharp, like icicles falling from the roof onto stone.  

“Zhao Chenyang, Qian Shufen, Zhao Erfu—you three planned this together. I remember clearly: On January 25th, eight years ago, I was struck by lightning while picking pig grass in the storm. While I was unconscious, I heard your scheming…”  

For the first time in her life, Zhao Xiangwan spoke so many words.  

For the first time, she exposed the truth in front of everyone.  

Zhao Chenyang had said: “Zhao Xiangwan and I drank the same milk and ate from the same pot. Why does she get a city hukou ^[1]refers to household registration, determining access to benefits like education and healthcare. and state food rations^[2]which is Government-distributed food under China’s planned economy.., while I’m stuck digging in the dirt? Swap us! I’ll repay you when I’m successful!”  

Qian Shufen agreed: “You’re right! My fourth daughter is smart and sweet—if she goes to the city, she’ll take care of me. But the third daughter? Cold-faced and ungrateful. If she leaves, she’ll never come back. Raising her was a waste!”  

Zhao Erfu made the final decision: “We’ll switch! Who says a country girl can’t be a phoenix? Send the fourth daughter to the city—let’s turn a chicken into a phoenix!”  

On the morning of the 26th, Zhao Erfu waited at the village entrance before dawn for Zhao Qingyun. Zhao Xiangwan, drugged with a sleeping potion^[3]likely a sedative or herbal concoction to make someone unconscious., stayed unconscious in the inner room. Zhao Qingyun arrived in a hurry, unaware that Zhao Erfu had two daughters, and took Zhao Chenyang—thinking she was his real daughter—back to the city.  

Hearing this, the crowd erupted in anger.  

Zhao Dacui spat in disgust: “Worse than pigs and dogs! A chicken in a golden cage is still a chicken! A phoenix can rise even from a grass nest!”  

Zhao Bowen stomped his foot: “Mom, Dad, you’re fools! Stealing someone else’s life—how can you sleep at night? Don’t you feel guilty?”  

Zhao Zhongwu sneered: “You think Zhao Chenyang will repay you? She’s lazy, greedy, and cruel. Eight years without a single letter—if she hadn’t been caught, she’d have forgotten you completely!”  

Qian Shufen, humiliated, ignored the New Year’s taboo against crying. She dropped to the ground, wailing and slapping her thighs.  

“My life is so bitter! My own son curses me instead of protecting me! And now my sister-in-law brings people to shame me on New Year’s! How can I go on living?”  

Her howling filled the courtyard, grating on everyone’s ears.  

Zhao Dacui, trembling with rage, pointed at her but couldn’t speak. How could a grown woman act like this? So shameless!  

Fan Qiuhan scoffed: “Crying won’t help. You did wrong—you deserve the shame! Crying like a banshee on New Year’s—aren’t you afraid of bad luck?”  

Superstitious Zhao Erfu quickly pulled Qian Shufen up: “Stop crying! Talk properly—it’s Little New Year today!”  

Throughout this drama, Zhao Xiangwan remained cold, as if watching a play. Their tears and shouts couldn’t touch her.  

Fan Qiuhan glanced at her, heart aching. She raised her voice: “Aren’t you ashamed? If you’d treated Zhao Xiangwan even a little kindly… But no! Look at what you did!”  

The villagers chimed in, furious.  

“Zhao Xiangwan always ranked first in school, but Qian Shufen scolded her, saying girls don’t need education. If it’s useless, why send Chenyang to the city?”  

“I remember Xiang Wan invited her school teacher, Uncle Hai, and Aunt Gui to attend junior high school. If Uncle Hai hadn’t used the village rules as an excuse, the couple might never have let Xiang Wan go to school.”  

“Xiang Wan washed clothes by the pond in the middle of winter. Her hands were covered in frostbite. Once, the road was icy, and she fell, staining her clothes. Qian Shufen beat her all over with a bamboo broom—what a cruel thing to do.”  

“It wasn’t just beating, was it? I heard Qian Shufen tore up all of Xiang Wan’s homework and textbooks and burned them as firewood.”  

Fan Qiuhan exposed the truth bluntly: “You’re afraid Xiang Wan will take revenge if she becomes successful, aren’t you? That’s why you’ve been holding her back! But she still got into college—must’ve driven you crazy!”  

Even the most patient elder in the village sighed: “Ah, people should leave room for kindness. You never know when paths might cross again.”  

Village Committee Director Zhao Changxing, who had just finished a meal prepared by Qian Shufen, felt uneasy. Clearing his throat, he said sternly, “Zhao Erfu, your family’s actions have caused a terrible scandal. Right now, the most important thing is to get Zhao Xiangwan’s forgiveness. Otherwise… the village rules won’t be lenient.”  

Zhao Erfu and Zhao Changxing were from the same generation and usually got along well. Seeing his cousin speak so seriously, Zhao Erfu panicked. He had lived in Zhaojiagou his whole life and couldn’t bear the thought of being shunned by the villagers.  

Since the child-swapping incident had angered everyone, the village had to punish him. A fine or losing some grain would be bearable, but if they took back his land, barred him from village affairs, and made him an outcast—that would be worse than death.  

Zhao Erfu stammered nervously, “Ch-Changxing, don’t be like this. Everyone, please, stop talking. I was wrong! I admit it! I’ll apologize!”  

With that, Zhao Erfu hunched his back and approached Zhao Xiangwan humbly. “Third sister, I messed up. Please… forgive me.”  

Zhao Xiangwan looked up at him—her father, who used to sit back after work and demand tea, now stood before her with gray hair fluttering in the wind, looking old and frail.  

She asked the question that had haunted her: “Dad, remember what you told me? That I was just a country girl and shouldn’t compare myself to Fourth Sister. You said her parents were educated city folks, and we couldn’t match them. You said rural people should stick to farming and forget about studying.”  

“I…” Zhao Erfu hung his head in shame.  

Fan Qiuhan scoffed, “Hypocrite! You told Xiang Wan to give up studying but sent your own daughter to the best city schools!”  

Zhao Erfu finally admitted his selfishness and cowardice had hurt both children. Zhao Xiangwan despised his hypocrisy, and Zhao Chenyang hated his backwardness—now, neither wanted him.  

Tears welled in Zhao Erfu’s eyes. “Third sister, you still call me ‘Dad’… I don’t deserve it. I was selfish, thinking only of my own child’s future. I failed you. I’m ashamed… Ah!”  

Qian Shufen, realizing the severity of the situation, forced a stiff smile and stepped forward.  

“Third sister, I… was wrong. I shouldn’t have made you work or stopped you from studying. But look—you got into a great college! You’ll have a bright future. So… please forgive me.”  

Zhao Xiangwan met her gaze, memories flooding back.  

Qian Shufen never hit with her hands—she used thin bamboo sticks from brooms, sharp and painful. Other mothers avoided hitting their children’s faces, but Qian Shufen had no such restraint. The sting would linger, followed by swelling.  

Zhao Xiangwan exhaled slowly. “Do you know why I love studying so much?”  

Qian Shufen looked up, puzzled. “Yeah, why? Why’d you fight so hard for it?”  

Zhao Xiangwan’s voice was steady.  

“Since I was little, you’ve told me Fourth Sister was prettier, sweeter, more talented. That I was just a clumsy farm girl. No matter how hard I tried, I could never measure up in your eyes.  

But studying was different.  

If I paid attention, the teacher praised me. If I worked hard, my grades improved. If I did well in exams, I could keep advancing—junior high, high school, college. Effort was rewarded. But you? You were never fair to me.”  

Qian Shufen staggered back until she hit the wall.  

So that was it.  

Her abuse, her restrictions—they only pushed Zhao Xiangwan harder. Every strike, every insult, fueled her determination to succeed.  

“Hahaha…” Qian Shufen suddenly laughed, the sound laced with bitter regret. If only she’d been kinder—maybe Xiang Wan would’ve rebelled and given up studying?  

Zhao Bowen and Zhao Zhongwu exchanged uneasy glances. “Mom, stop laughing… it’s scary.”  

Qian Shufen didn’t seem to hear her son’s words, still lost in regret. She blamed herself—blamed herself for not handling things better, for forcing Zhao Xiangwan to become a top student, and for pushing her to be outstanding through harsh discipline.  

“Fourth Sister, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have listened to you. I was wrong, so wrong…” Qian Shufen muttered like someone half-mad. Her sons, Zhao Bowen and Zhao Zhongwu, quickly held her down to stop her from hitting her head against the wall.  

Finally calming down, Qian Shufen sat heavily in the chair, breathing hard. Her stern face looked exhausted and aged.  

Seeing their mother like this, Zhao Bowen and Zhao Zhongwu felt both anger and pain. They helped her sit properly and then turned to Zhao Xiangwan with pleading eyes. No matter her mistakes, she was still their mother.  

Zhao Xiangwan watched everything calmly.  

Meeting her piercing gaze, Zhao Bowen forced a bitter smile. “Third Sister, I know you always wanted our parents’ approval, but they were unfair to you. I’m sorry, truly.”  

Zhao Zhongwu stood and bowed deeply. “Third Sister, I was wrong too. When our parents scolded you before, I stayed silent because, as a son, I benefited from their favoritism. Ah! I apologize. From now on, I’ll listen to you—whatever you say, I’ll do.”  

Without waiting for her response, he straightened up, firm. “To me, you’ll always be my real sister. Compared to you, Chen Yang means nothing!”  

Zhao Bowen nodded. “Same here. You’re the only sister I acknowledge.”  

Fan Qiuhan tugged Zhao Xiangwan’s sleeve. “Xiangwan, you’re the only cousin I recognize. To me, you’re a hundred times—no, a thousand, ten thousand times—better than Zhao Chenyang! Even if she took your spot in the city and all your resources, she’d still be worthless.”  

Zhao Chenyang had always ignored Zhao Bowen, Zhao Zhongwu, and Fan Qiuhan, seeing them as beneath her. But hearing them praise Zhao Xiangwan while dismissing her made her heart burn with bitterness.  

It was so sour it made her teeth ache, her head throb, and her throat tighten.  

Zhao Chenyang glared at her brothers. “Fine! If you don’t want me as your sister, then don’t! It’s not like I care!” She turned to Fan Qiuhan, lips curling. “Fan Qiuhan, your mouth is as nasty as ever. What did I ever do to you?”  

Seeing her lack of remorse, Fan Qiuhan scoffed. “You’ve always been sneaky, tricking your parents into favoring you while leaving all the hard work to Zhao Xiangwan. At ten, you schemed your way to the city. No matter how pretty you dress, your heart’s still rotten!”  

The villagers’ scornful stares bore into Zhao Chenyang. Unable to bear it, she jumped up, waving her arms. “What’s wrong with me?! You mountain folks wouldn’t understand! Even dandelions let the wind carry their seeds farther! Don’t parents want better for their kids?”  

Fan Qiuhan sneered. “If you wanted a better life, why not earn it yourself? Why steal someone else’s chance?”  

Tears burst from Zhao Chenyang. “You don’t know anything! You think city life is easy? I suffered too!”  

Zhao Qingyun felt a twinge of guilt.