“Just drop me off here, Aunt Su. Thank you for bringing me back. You don’t need to come inside.”
Shen Qingjun got out of the car and pushed open the door to head inside.
Originally, Su Xiangmei had been merely curious about Shen Qingjun, but hearing that, she couldn’t help but feel a bit of affection for the girl.
What a good kid—unfortunately, she ended up with the Shen family.
Thinking of the things she had bought, Su Xiangmei told the driver, “Turn around.”
…
Shen Qingjun had just pushed open the courtyard gate when Shen Hanyang and the others came out.
Seeing Shen Qingjun’s empty hands, Shen Xinwei gasped and covered her mouth. “Sister, Dad asked you to buy supplies—did you really spend it all? Three thousand yuan! No matter how lavishly you spend, there should be limits.”
At those words, both Shen Hanyang and Bai Yue’s faces darkened.
Shen Xinwei pressed her lips, pretending to soothe but actually stirring the pot. “Ah, Mom, Dad, don’t be angry just yet. Maybe Sister had her reasons. Sister, tell us. We’ll understand.”
The more Shen Xinwei spoke, the angrier Shen Hanyang became. “What reason could she possibly have?!”
Bai Yue also looked at Shen Qingjun with disappointment. “Qingjun, you really disappoint me.”
Shen Qingjun looked at Shen Xinwei quietly. “As my sister says, I do have a reason. I did buy things this afternoon, and I did spend the money—but someone took the items.”
“Sister, even if you’re making up a story, at least make it plausible! Who took it? Tell Dad and Mom,” Shen Xinwei scoffed.
“Your temper’s really spoiled. If I don’t teach you a lesson today, then I’m not a Shen!” Shen Hanyang’s anger surged as he picked up a stick from the corner and swung it at Shen Qingjun.
Standing still to take the beating would be foolish. Shen Qingjun darted behind Shen Xinwei. Startled, Shen Xinwei saw the stick about to hit her and instinctively pushed—there was a loud cry.
Bai Yue got hit hard, tears welling up immediately. Shen Hanyang dropped the stick in distress and hugged his wife.
Shen Xinwei was dumbfounded.
Shen Qingjun covered her mouth. “Sister, you just pushed Mom!”
Shen Xinwei panicked, waving her hands. “I-I didn’t mean to!”
“Not on purpose? Then it must be intentional! Today, I’ll teach you a lesson instead of Mom and Dad.” Shen Qingjun grabbed a stick from the ground and swung at Shen Xinwei, long annoyed by the little green-tea sister. Once the Shen family was relocated, there wouldn’t be another chance to vent.
Shen Xinwei yelped, gritting her teeth in pain.
Bai Yue and Shen Hanyang tried to stop her but got a few sticks in the process, too frightened to act further.
Seeing them frozen, Shen Xinwei ducked behind them, sobbing, “Mom, Dad, I really didn’t mean to! Please make Sister stop!”
Bai Yue and Shen Hanyang’s faces were completely dark. If their words worked, would things have gotten this out of hand? And stop hiding behind them!
The three of them watched in terror as sticks rained down like heavy drops.
Outside, Su Xiangmei got out of her car. Hearing the crying and shouting, she rushed in, pulled Shen Qingjun behind her, and positioned herself as a shield.
She sternly warned, “You’re supposed to be Qingjun’s biological parents, yet you don’t trust your own daughter but believe a stranger? You’ve really lost your minds!”
“D-Director Su?” came a muffled voice.
Following the voice, Su Xiangmei saw Shen Hanyang, Bai Yue, and Shen Xinwei on the floor, looking miserable, with Shen Xinwei the worst off.
She fell silent.
After learning the full story, Su Xiangmei felt no sympathy—only deep disgust. She shielded Shen Qingjun and declared loudly, “I can prove that Shen Qingjun is telling the truth. Your things were taken by Sun Lanzhi.”
Thinking back to what had happened in the alley earlier, it was clear Shen Qingjun had just been robbed—her pale, panicked face confirmed it. Luckily, she had turned back, or else who knew how badly the child would have been treated.
Su Xiangmei felt heartbroken.
Before leaving, she asked Shen Qingjun, “Do you want to stay at my place tonight?”
Shen Qingjun politely declined. With the Shen family relocating tomorrow, she couldn’t miss such a dramatic scene.
Su Xiangmei, unaware of Shen Qingjun’s thoughts, admired her sense of responsibility. She warned, “If anything happens, come to me. I won’t mind the trouble.”
She glanced at Shen Hanyang and the others as a warning.
Shen Hanyang dared not speak—who could challenge Director Lu at this point?
After seeing Su Xiangmei off, Shen Hanyang stormed back to his room, black-faced. Bai Yue followed, carrying ointment, without even looking at Shen Xinwei.
Blaming Sun Lanzhi, and combined with Shen Xinwei’s earlier actions, Shen Hanyang and Bai Yue were too frustrated to care for her.
Shen Xinwei cried and ran off.
Shen Hao, awakened by the commotion, rubbed his eyes and approached Shen Qingjun. He bravely demanded, “I’m hungry! Go make me some food!”
“Go ask your parents instead. Enjoy today—tomorrow you’ll live in the countryside in the cowshed, working every day, eating coarse food. No more new clothes or toys!”
Shen Hao froze, then wailed in shock, running toward his parents’ room while crying.
Shen Qingjun yawned and returned to her room to prepare medicine.
…
That night, after finally calming Shen Hao, Shen Hanyang and Bai Yue quietly sneaked out.
“Blame Sun Lanzhi. If not for her, we wouldn’t have risked being discovered,” Bai Yue whispered.
“Keep your voice down, don’t get caught,” Shen Hanyang replied.
Unbeknownst to them, a figure was trailing closely behind.
Shen Qingjun, yawning, overheard their conversation and grew curious—what were they doing out so late?
They didn’t leave the compound but climbed over a fence to the back hill, stopping at a large tree.
Shen Hanyang had somehow procured a hoe and began digging. Soon, a large pit appeared.
Shen Hanyang and Bai Yue lifted a wooden box from the hole. Shen Hanyang opened it and took out several gold bars, wrapping them in cloth.
“Fortunately we still have the little goldfish. Even if everything else is gone, with these, we can handle things and make life easier after relocation.”
He asked Bai Yue, “Did you bring the rest?”
Bai Yue nodded, hesitant. “Should we keep it on us? I feel unsafe leaving it here.”
“Keeping it on you is even more dangerous. Haven’t you noticed what’s been happening? The Revolutionary Committee is hunting us down like mad dogs. If this gets found, do you think we’ll keep it? Even if luck favors us, if they pin a capitalist label on us, it’s over.”
Reluctantly, Bai Yue agreed.
Perhaps stirred by the scene, she muttered resentfully, “I’m supposed to be Mom’s daughter. Why leave the inheritance to Qingjun, her granddaughter? Am I not her daughter?”
Shen Hanyang said, “It’s in your hands. If Qingjun misbehaves, she won’t get it. Weiwei is our daughter, and she’ll listen to you.”
Bai Yue smiled, nestling in Shen Hanyang’s arms. “I’ve never regretted marrying you in this life.”
He patted her shoulder. “Alright, let’s secure it and go.”
Together, they filled the pit and restored the area.
Once they left completely, Shen Qingjun appeared, grabbed the hidden hoe, and quickly dug up the wooden box.
Opening it, she saw it full of gold bars—and inside was a smaller wooden box.
Inside the small box were sheets of paper. Shen Qingjun examined them, eyes widening in shock.