Chapter 16 – Is She Running Away from Home?

After leaving the subdistrict office, Song Kexia went straight to the police station.
With her household registration booklet, the proof from the subdistrict office, and her university admission letter, things went much more smoothly.

By the time she came out of the station, she already had her own household registration booklet in hand.
She was finally free.

Suppressing the excitement in her heart, Song Kexia returned the household booklet.
Even when she saw the money in Li Yunmei’s room, she didn’t take a single cent.
If she took their money, they’d have a reason to call the police.
But if she only took back her own things, they would have no grounds to accuse her.

Carrying her own bundle, with no trace of reluctance, she walked out of the Song household.

At this time, the aunties in the courtyard were busy washing vegetables and cooking.
When they suddenly saw Song Kexia carrying a travel bag, they couldn’t help but be curious.

“Xiaxia, where are you going with a bag?”

“I’m leaving. My parents want to marry me off to a divorced man with a child. I don’t want to be someone’s stepmother.
But my mother said if I don’t marry him, that man won’t help my second brother.
I don’t want to make them sad, but I also don’t want to get married, so I have no choice but to run away from home.
Auntie Cui, I won’t say more— I’m going now.”

The amount of information in that sentence was staggering.

So young, and already being forced into marriage?
And to a divorced man with a child, no less?

What kind of parents could be so cruel?

Wait—she just said if she married him, the man would give them benefits?
The Songs didn’t look like such heartless people—how could they do something so shameless?

Still, some aunties doubted her words.

“Haven’t your parents always doted on you? How could they do this?”

“Because I’m not their biological daughter. Song Leyi is.
Maybe they feel that after raising me for so many years, they’ve invested too much and want to collect some interest from me.
I know leaving like this isn’t good— I probably won’t be able to come back in the future, and there might be ugly rumors about me.
We’ve lived in this courtyard together for so long, I don’t want to leave you all with a bad impression.
But I can’t stay… Aunties, I really have to go.
Thank you for taking care of me all these years. Even if we never meet again, I won’t forget you.”

This shocked everyone even more.
She wasn’t Old Song’s biological daughter?

Wasn’t it said that Song Leyi was frail and had been raised in the countryside?
How did it turn into Song Kexia not being their real daughter?

Thinking about it, it made sense—who could bear to treat their own child like that?
It was always easier to be harsh to someone else’s child.

From her words, it was clear she was deeply hurt.
Everyone felt a sour ache in their hearts.

After all, Song Kexia had grown up right before their eyes.

She had always been a beautiful child—fair-skinned, with expressive eyes that seemed to speak, the kind of face that made people praise her wherever she went.
She was also hardworking—always doing well in school, winning awards every year.
Polite, sensible, sweet-tongued, greeting everyone with a smile.

Old Song and his wife were truly cruel.

Sigh—when it’s not your own child, you can trample her without feeling pain.

Leaving the courtyard, Song Kexia went to the post office to send an anonymous letter reporting Song Jianshe’s corruption and bribery.

As the trade union chairman of the textile factory, Song Jianshe had taken bribes by abusing his position.
Everything she had seen in her dream was verifiable.
Once the factory received the report, they would definitely investigate, and Song Jianshe wouldn’t escape unscathed.

After finishing this, she went to the dance hall to find Qin Muye.
He had helped her today, so she could use that as an excuse to treat him to a meal and get closer to him.

If she returned to Mumian Village, it would be hard for them to meet again.
She had to seize this chance—at the very least, she had to tell Qin Muye where she lived.

When she arrived at the dance hall, it was closed, and there wasn’t a single person around.

It was a standalone three-story building, with no shade nearby.
Under the blazing sun, she was soon drenched in sweat.

She began to hesitate—maybe she should just go back.

A nearby middle-aged woman saw her standing there with a bag and looking pitiful, and called out:

“Girl, this place doesn’t open until five or six in the evening. You’re too early.”

“I came to look for someone.”

“Then you came at the wrong time too. These lads won’t be up before three or four.”

Hearing this, Song Kexia felt disappointed.
She couldn’t wait here for hours—this trip might be wasted.

But unexpectedly, the woman walked over and banged loudly on the door, startling her.

“Auntie, what are you doing?”

“Waking them up. You came to see them, didn’t you?”

The woman sounded so matter-of-fact, but Song Kexia felt a little guilty.
She had indeed come to see Qin Muye, but they weren’t that close—waking him like this might annoy him.

But she didn’t have time to stop her.
A voice came from inside:

“Who is it? Can’t a person sleep during the day?”

“Sleeping in broad daylight? There’s a lady here looking for you—she’s been waiting ages.”

The door opened, revealing Zhou Qi, still half-asleep.

“Who? Who’s looking for us?”

“Sorry to disturb your rest.”

The moment Zhou Qi saw her, he put his hands down.

“Comrade, you’re here to see Sixth Brother, right?”

Song Kexia nodded slightly.

“I have something to discuss with him. If he’s still sleeping, could you give him a message…”

“Comrade, come in! It’s too hot out there.”

Zhou Qi warmly invited her in, then turned to the woman outside.

“Thanks, Aunt Wang.”

Aunt Wang waved and went home.

Zhou Qi explained:

“Aunt Wang comes by in the mornings to clean.”

He took a soda from the fridge and handed it to her.

“Comrade Song, have some soda to cool off.”

“Thank you. Sorry for disturbing you.”

“Don’t say that. You sit and drink—I’ll go get Sixth Brother.”

Before she could answer, he had already dashed off.

“Sixth Brother( Brother Liu), wake up—someone’s here for you. It’s that Comrade Song from last time.”

Qin Muye, woken from sleep, replied impatiently:

“Why are you shouting like that?”

Zhou Qi knew he didn’t have the temper of a spoiled rich young master, but he was grumpy when woken.
Normally, no one dared bother him right after he got up.

But this was different—a lady had come, and specifically to see him.
Surely Sixth Brother would be pleased, not angry.

“Sixth Brother, that Comrade Song is here again. She said she came especially to see you.”

Qin Muye didn’t get up, speaking lazily:

“What for?”

“She didn’t say. A lady wouldn’t tell us her business.”

“Close the door on your way out.”

“Sixth Brother, I saw her carrying a travel bag—looks like she’s going far. Hurry, don’t keep her waiting.”

Only then did Qin Muye sit up.
A travel bag?
Was she leaving the Song household?

But with university not yet starting, where could she go?

He ruffled his hair. Wherever she went wasn’t his concern.
She was the one insisting on drawing a line between them—he wasn’t going to shamelessly chase after her.

In the lobby, Song Kexia sat sipping her drink in small sips.
Across from her, Zhou Qi was talking animatedly, and she nodded occasionally, looking unusually well-behaved.

Suddenly, she felt a gaze on her.
Looking up, she met Qin Muye’s eyes.
They were as deep as ever, as if they could see straight into her thoughts.

She pressed her lips together and, pretending nothing was unusual, greeted him:

“Sorry for disturbing your rest.”

Qin Muye strode toward her.