Chapter 21 – How Are You Back?

Wang Guihua wiped her wet hands on her clothes. “You… you’re here?” Her voice trembled slightly from excitement.

Because of that dream, Song Kexia also felt a surge of emotion when she saw her. “Song Leyi has gone back. Everyone in the family treats her well. I felt I couldn’t keep occupying her place, so I came back.”

Wang Guihua had lived most of her life and quickly understood what she meant. She grew anxious. “Did they bully you?”

“It’s not exactly bullying,” Song Kexia replied, “It’s just… there’s no place for me in that family anymore.”

Hearing this, Wang Guihua thought she was heartbroken. Bitterness welled up in her chest. They were mother and daughter, after all. Even if she hadn’t raised her by her side, hearing her daughter was sad made her heart ache.

She quickly composed herself and led Song Kexia into the house. Turning to Hu Qiaoer, she said, “Go pour some water.”

Only then did Hu Qiaoer snap out of it—so this was the sister raised in the city. No wonder she was so pretty and fresh-looking. “Okay, I’ll get it right away.”

Wang Guihua pulled over a stool for her to sit and called toward the inner room, “Come out, the kids’ dad. Look who’s here.”

Li Dachuan came over, and when he saw Song Kexia, he froze, thinking he was seeing things. “How did you come back?”

Wang Guihua shot him a glare. Couldn’t he speak properly? “Your daughter’s back to live here. Are you unhappy or what?”

“How could I be unhappy? I just… didn’t expect her to come back.”

The children in the house, seeing a visitor, crowded around, staring eagerly at her fishing net bag.

Song Kexia set her things down and pulled out the gifts she’d bought. “Here are some pastries and candies for the kids. And I bought some tobacco and wine for… Dad.”

Li Dachuan almost teared up at that “Dad.” When he’d first learned they had raised the wrong child, the blow had been devastating.

They had five children; the first four were boys. When a daughter was finally born, he cherished her more than anything. Then one day, someone told him the girl they had raised all those years wasn’t his biological daughter—she’d been switched at birth. It was like a thunderclap from a clear sky.

They went to the hospital, confirmed it, and could only accept fate. What hurt even more was that both girls wanted to stay with the Song family; neither was willing to return to him.

He’d thought he might never see his real daughter again. He never imagined she’d return—and even call him “Dad.”

“Yes… Dad’s here,” he replied.

Wang Guihua looked at her husband with a hint of contempt for his sentimentality, but also some envy—her daughter had called him “Dad” before calling her “Mom.”

The kids stared at the treats on the table, practically drooling.

“Grandma, can we have candy?”

“Candy? Go play outside,” Wang Guihua said, shooing the younger ones away. There were seven or eight children in the house; give each one a piece and half a pound would be gone. Such precious things could only be eaten on New Year or other holidays.

But the kids wouldn’t leave, still gazing at Song Kexia with pleading eyes.

She took out the Sachima she’d bought and handed one to each of them. The children cheered and ran outside.

Hearing the commotion in the main room, more family members came out. Most didn’t recognize her, but eldest brother Li Fanggang did—he’d gone with Li Dachuan to the city to meet her back then.

“You’re here?”

His wife, Wan Ling, nudged him with her elbow. “Who is she?”

“She’s the little sister from the city.”

At those words, everyone’s expression shifted. Everyone knew she had looked down on the family for being poor and had refused to come back.

Fourth brother Li Fangliang spoke with mockery. “Didn’t you despise our family? How come you suddenly ran back? Did your rich city parents refuse to acknowledge you and kick you out, so you had nowhere else to go?”

When she’d first seen him, she’d remembered the dream—how he had died protecting her—and had felt deeply grateful. But after hearing his words, that gratitude faded.

“Watch your mouth,” Wang Guihua scolded sharply. “How can you talk to your sister like that?”

“Hmph,” Li Fangliang snorted. “Mom, you should save your words—who knows if she even wants to be my sister.”

Song Kexia pressed her lips together. “He’s not entirely wrong. I was forced out of the Song family.”

She recounted how Li Yunmei had pressured her to hand over her university admission notice and tried to make her marry Zhao Yinqiu, a matchmaker’s proposal. Li Fangliang’s fists clenched in anger.

“What kind of people are the Songs? Our family treated little sister—Lele—so well, and they treat her like this? Do they even have a conscience?”

Li Dachuan’s face darkened. He’d thought Song Jianshe seemed scholarly and Li Yunmei had the bearing of a lady, but clearly they were not good people.

“They’ve got some nerve. Don’t worry—now that you’re back, no one will bully you again.”

Hearing this from such a quiet man touched her. This might be the softest thing he was capable of saying.

Wang Guihua concluded, “Alright, enough talk. Let her rest first. Qiaoer, go kill a chicken. Wan Ling, go tidy up Lele’s room—tonight, Xiaxia will stay there.”

Wan Ling was displeased. Why should she be ordered around just because her sister-in-law had come back? There were three daughters-in-law in the family; why not tell someone else?

Seeing her stand still, Wang Guihua’s voice turned cold. “What, you don’t listen to me anymore?”

Li Fanggang gave Wan Ling a shove. “Didn’t you hear Mom? Go.”

Wan Ling reluctantly tore her eyes from the table of goodies and went to tidy the room. In truth, everything there had been packed away long ago. What was there to tidy? She suspected her mother-in-law just wanted to make her work.

Opening a trunk, she saw Song Leyi’s old clothes and bedding—nicer than anything they used. Being the only girl in the family, Leyi had been spoiled rotten. She’d never done chores, had even been sent to high school, and though she hadn’t gotten into university, she’d ended up as a city girl.

Some people were just born lucky.

Wang Guihua brought Song Kexia into the room and caught Wan Ling rummaging through things. “What are you looking for? I told you to tidy up, and you’re snooping around. What are you trying to find?”

Caught red-handed, Wan Ling was flustered. The Li family’s love for their daughter was famous in Mian Village. Her mother-in-law especially doted on her sister-in-law. Even after she left, all her things had been carefully packed away, not to be touched—perhaps in hope she’d come back.

Thinking quickly, Wan Ling said, “These are all Lele’s things. I thought Xiaxia might not like them here, so I wanted to move them out to avoid upsetting her. I’d just opened the trunk when you came in.”

Wang Guihua glared at her, then turned to Song Kexia to explain, “We don’t have a spare room, so you’ll stay here for now. If there’s anything you need, just tell me.”

Song Kexia could hear the careful tone in her voice. “When I was in the city, I shared a room with Song Leyi. As long as she doesn’t provoke me, I don’t mind.”

Relieved, Wang Guihua nodded. “Alright, then rest. We’ll call you for dinner.”

She pulled Wan Ling out and closed the door.

Song Kexia glanced around the room and slowly unpacked her belongings.

She wondered—had Qin Muye seen her handkerchief? Would he come looking for her?