Chapter 6 : Agree to Go to the Countryside

“If I hadn’t heard the truth today, I would’ve believed the rumors in the compound were true!” Li Yue’e reflected on the past six months. There had been gossip in the compound that Siying was trying to push Shu Ruxue out and often bullied her.

“The people from the Youth Office have been coming to the Shu household quite frequently lately. They’re probably here to pressure Shu Ruxue into going to the countryside. I’m afraid Siying’s incident today is related to that,” Jiang Xianmin said thoughtfully, recalling the implication in Siying’s words.

“tsk! Could it be they don’t want Ruxue to go to the countryside, so they’re sending Siying instead?” Li Yue’e was shocked. Such things were happening in many families nowadays.

“Judging from Siying’s attitude, I think she’ll go,” Jiang Xianmin said, feeling sympathy and pity for the child. But in the end, this was someone else’s family matter.

When Shu Zhisheng and the others arrived at the courtyard, they saw a man walking out. He was about 1.85 meters tall, had a crew cut, and handsome features, his appearance bore some resemblance to Shu Ruxue. When he saw them, he called out, “Grandpa, Mom, Dad, Ruxue, where have you all been? Why are you just getting home?”

When his gaze landed on Yun Siying, it was filled with disdain and dislike. He quickly looked away and walked off, as if looking at her any longer would taint him.

“Chengzhi is back. Was your mission successful this time?” Shu Zhisheng asked seriously, looking at his grandson who had returned safely.

Shu Chengzhi stood at attention and gave a standard military salute: “Reporting to the commander, the mission was completed perfectly.”

“Not bad,” Shu Zhisheng praised and patted him heavily on the shoulder, his eyes filled with satisfaction.

“Mom, Ruxue, what happened…” Shu Chengzhi asked worriedly when he noticed Ruxue’s red eyes.

“Let’s talk inside first.” Shu Zhisheng noticed the neighbors glancing their way and quickly reminded everyone this wasn’t the place to talk.

Once they entered the living room and turned on the lights, the house brightened up. Under Shu Zhisheng’s stern gaze, Shu Guofeng recounted everything that had happened at the health center. In his heart, he blamed Yun Siying after being raised by their family for eighteen years, couldn’t she have come home to express her grievances?

If word of this got out, Ruxue’s reputation would be ruined. The Shen family had always looked down on Ruxue and criticized her for being uneducated. If this got out, her marriage prospects would definitely be affected.

Shu Chengzhi looked at Yun Siying reproachfully and said unhappily, “Yun Siying, family matters shouldn’t be aired in public. Couldn’t you have just talked to us at home? Ruxue may have gone a little overboard, but it’s because she feels insecure. Can’t you be more understanding? Instead, you made a huge scene. How do you expect people in the compound to look at Grandpa, Dad, and Mom now?”

“Your brother is right. We raised you for eighteen years is this how you repay us?” Tang Lingxue looked at Shu Ruxue’s tearful eyes and felt even angrier.

Yun Siying remained silent, quietly watching them from beginning to end. Her gaze was filled with irony not the timidity of before, nor pain, nor eagerness.

“Enough. It was Ruxue’s fault. Ruxue, apologize to Siying,” Shu Zhisheng said sternly. But in truth, he was trying to downplay the situation and avoid further fallout.

Shu Ruxue couldn’t understand why she had lost control at the clinic. She had blurted out everything in her heart and had regretted it ever since. She was terrified that her family would turn against her. But seeing how they were still on her side now, she felt relieved.

Then she said to Yun Siying with an aggrieved expression, “Siying, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have treated you that way. I won’t do it again. Don’t worry, I’ll sign up to go to the countryside tomorrow. I won’t hurt you anymore because of my insecurities.”

“Ruxue, what are you talking about? Mom has finally acknowledged you. How can I let you go suffer in the countryside again?” Tang Lingxue hurriedly pulled Shu Ruxue into her arms, looking at Yun Siying with dissatisfaction.

“Mom, but I envy Siying. She’s had your love and favoritism all to herself for eighteen years. It makes me feel uncomfortable. I’m afraid I might lose control… Besides, the people from the Youth Office have already come to urge me to go to the countryside. I don’t have a job, and I’ll have to go eventually. It’s better if I take the initiative now so I won’t cause trouble for the family,” Shu Ruxue said tearfully.

Shu Chengzhi felt uneasy hearing his sister’s words, but unfortunately, his job couldn’t be transferred to her. When he looked at Yun Siying, he thought about the truth that had come to light six months ago, and his feelings grew more complicated. He had always doted on Ruxue and often took her out. Though she seemed delicate and soft, she wasn’t any weaker than him in a fight they had both grown up under their grandfather’s training.

But when he thought of his biological sister who had suffered in the countryside for eighteen years in his place and was now being asked to go back there again, his guilt and affection quickly faded. So he said, “Yun Siying, you’ve enjoyed the blessings of our family for eighteen years. Everything you have now should belong to Ruxue. You…” He couldn’t finish his sentence.

“Brother, how can you ask Siying to transfer her job to me and go to the countryside in my place? I was wrong before. I was jealous and envious of her. I’m the one who’s unlucky, I only have a junior high school education and couldn’t get a job through my own efforts,” Shu Ruxue said, not missing the opportunity.

“Yun Siying, you should transfer your job to Ruxue tomorrow. She suffered in the countryside for eighteen years on your behalf. You should sign up to go down first. We’ll do our best to get you back to the city in the future.”

“I can transfer my job,” Yun Siying said coldly, “but you have to pay me the market price. And it’s fine if I go to the countryside in Shu Ruxue’s place to repay you for raising me for eighteen years. But you have to write a formal agreement severing our relationship.”

“Siying, do you really hate us just because of these minor things? We raised you for eighteen years. We’ve lived together for eighteen years,” Shu Zhisheng asked in shock. He truly hadn’t expected her to be so cold toward the family.

“Old man, if you really had even a little affection for me, you wouldn’t have refused to listen to my explanations when Shu Ruxue slandered me. You stood by as I was whipped, and after I was knocked unconscious, I was thrown on the bed without a second thought. No one treated my injuries, let alone sent me to the hospital. You all forced me to give up my job, and no one stopped me from going to the countryside in her place. And now you’re talking about eighteen years of affection? Don’t you find that laughable?” Yun Siying looked at the family with sarcasm. To them, blood ties were what truly mattered.

“You’re such an ungrateful person. Ruxue suffered for you for so many years, and you’ve only been wronged a few times, why are you being like this? If it weren’t for our training, would you even be so outstanding? Shouldn’t you go to the countryside in her place?” Tang Lingxue said, full of dissatisfaction, feeling that Yun Siying was simply being unreasonable.