She gritted her teeth and, with all her strength, rushed out and threw herself into the middle of the road.
"Are you trying to get yourself killed?!"
the soldier in the driver’s seat roared.
"That’s Song Shunqiang’s girl!"
A villager, finally coming to his senses, came running over with a limp, shouting breathlessly.
His face was a little familiar, but she couldn’t place him at the moment.
But the man didn’t even offer a single pleasantry. He turned to the two soldiers and said, "She’s here. I’m not guiding you anymore. I have an emergency at home, so I’m leaving!"
The moment he finished, he turned and ran.
At that, the two soldiers looked Song Yao up and down.
Seeing her face covered in dust, the backs of her hands dark and rough, and her skin weathered by the wind and sun, they frowned.
Just as they were about to ask a question, a shout suddenly exploded by their ears.
"You wretched girl! You still dare to hide!"
Liu Yumin charged over, cursing, with Zhang Laosan cowering behind her.
Song Yao’s heart tightened. She immediately darted behind the soldiers and cried out in a hushed, urgent voice, "Sirs, save me! They’re trying to sell me! Please, I’m begging you to intervene!"
A look of vigilance immediately appeared in the two soldiers’ eyes.
The next second, the taller of the two young men stepped forward, blocking Liu Yumin’s path.
"Who are you? What are you screeching about?"
"None of your business! Get lost! This is our family’s business; it’s not for outsiders to meddle in!"
Then she spat in Song Yao’s direction, "You little jinx! Get your ass out here! I raised you for all these years for nothing, and this is how you repay me? By running off to tattle!"
Song Yao already knew these two had been sent by her real father to get her, so she laid all her cards on the table.
"Liu Yumin, stop playing dumb! I heard every word you said! Forcing me to marry Zhang Laosan? Aren’t you just afraid that if I come back alive, I’ll compete with your precious daughter for the house and land?"
Liu Yumin’s face turned green on the spot!
"You... Weren’t you blackout drunk? You... You were pretending to be unconscious?"
Tears streamed down Song Yao’s face as she cried out chokingly, "You swapped your own daughter for me, and not only do you beat and curse me every day, but now you’re trying to shove me off on some filthy old man to be ruined! He’s old enough to be my father!"
Hearing this, the two young soldiers’ expressions immediately darkened.
Liu Yumin panicked and quickly started lying, "What nonsense are you spouting! I was just saying... if you got married, you wouldn’t have to compete with your brother for food! I was just joking, did you really take it seriously? I was just worried about you, that’s all!"
Song Yao sneered and suddenly pulled a glittering gold bracelet from her pocket.
"I found this when I was going through your trunk! This is what I was wearing back then! With this, I can find my real parents! You won’t let me look, won’t let me ask, but I’m going to find out the truth no matter what!"
As soon as the bracelet appeared, the two young men beside them could no longer stay still.
"Comrade, can I take a look at that bracelet?"
the young man who spoke first asked in a calm tone.
Song Yao clutched it tightly, hiding it against her chest with a wary expression. "Why do you want to see it? What are you trying to do? Why should I let you? Who knows what your intentions are! Maybe you’re here to trick me!"
The man stood in the shadows, his face unclear.
"Maybe I can help you find your family. Just let me see the bracelet."
Song Yao’s eyes lit up instantly.
But Liu Yumin was scared out of her wits!
"Impossible... How could she be found... You... Who are you?"
She got a clear look at their green uniforms. It was official military attire, not something an ordinary militiaman would have.
Liu Yumin’s hands began to tremble uncontrollably.
’It’s over, the cat’s out of the bag!’
Her vision went black, and her ears started ringing.
She snuck a glance at Song Yao and saw her hesitantly extending her hand, her face a mask of conflict.
While her mind was in turmoil, Song Yao had already passed the bracelet over with a trembling hand.
The young man took the bracelet and pulled a yellowed photograph from his breast pocket.
It was a picture of this very bracelet, resting in a red box.
He compared them for a moment, his brow first furrowed, then slowly relaxed.
He turned to his companion and gave him a nod.
The other soldier turned and walked toward Liu Yumin.
She tried to back away but found there was no escape.
Zhang Laosan, hiding in the distance, had long since shrunk into a ball, terrified!
A moment ago, he’d wanted to rush in and play the hero saving the damsel in distress; now, he was just glad he hadn’t made a move.
’Song Yao isn’t Liu Yumin’s biological daughter?’
’Does that mean I almost risked my life fighting soldiers for an outsider?’
’Good thing I didn’t rush out. Those two soldiers would have beaten me to a pulp!’
The soldier walked up to Liu Yumin and pulled an old paper bag from his satchel.
Song Yao squinted. ’Those kinds of bags are used for holding cash...’
"Here’s the money. We’re taking the person. From now on, you go your separate ways and have nothing more to do with each other."
Meanwhile, the young man beside Song Yao opened the car door.
"Miss Song, please get in. We will take you to see your father."
Song Yao didn’t say another word, simply lifting her leg and climbing inside.
Liu Yumin watched blankly as the car door closed, then suddenly jolted. ’I can’t let her go to the city!’
Just as she was about to lunge forward to block the car, a shout came from behind her.
"Song Shunqiang! Liu Yumin! There’s trouble! Your Song Bowen was caught red-handed bullying the brigade leader’s grand-niece in the next village! Her brothers caught him and broke his legs! They’re going to call the police and have him shot!"
Liu Yumin shuddered and immediately whipped her head around to look at the person shouting.
"Limp Zhang, what nonsense are you spouting! Bowen and Xiao Juan are obviously in a proper relationship. What’s this about him acting like a hooligan?!"
"What would I get out of lying to you? Bowen is the only heir to your old Song Family, so I just..."
Hearing this, Song Yao quietly let out a long breath.
’Song Bowen, you actually did something right for once!’
Even though he was usually stupid and reckless, this time he’d been a huge help.
Although things tonight had gone a little off-script, everything was ultimately moving in the direction she had planned...
While Liu Yumin was still standing there in a daze, the army-green vehicle had already started up, made a turn, and sped away in a cloud of dust.
As the vehicle drove out of the village, Song Yao’s tense shoulders gradually relaxed.
She was sitting in the back and wanted to break the dead silence in the car.
"Hey, you two, where are you from? Do you know my real dad?"
After a few seconds of silence, the young man in the passenger seat finally spoke. "Your father sent us."
Hearing this, Song Yao quickly leaned forward, feigning the curiosity of someone who had never seen the world.
"Is this a car? This is the first time I’ve seen one! Big brother, can I switch seats with you? I want to sit up front and take a look!"
As she spoke, she even patted the young man’s shoulder.
The young man’s body stiffened, and he immediately frowned.
The man frowned and exchanged a quick glance with his companion who was driving.
A moment later, the car stopped.
Song Yao happily switched places with him, grinning from ear to ear the moment she sat down.
"Thanks, bro! When I see my dad, I’ll definitely put in a good word for you guys!"
She chattered on, the very picture of a country bumpkin who’d never seen anything of the world.
After driving for an unknown amount of time, the houses along the road disappeared, leaving only their vehicle on the bare mountain path.
Suddenly, Song Yao, who had been sitting quietly in the passenger seat, began to sob softly.
The driver asked tentatively, "Miss Song, what’s wrong?"