Su Changhe knew what the village chief meant. The doctor had long since said that Little Xi wouldn’t live long, and Lian’er had ruined her health giving birth to her, so in their old age they could only rely on their eldest daughter, Huihui. Logically speaking, they shouldn’t fall out with Huihui too badly.
But no matter how unwelcome Little Xi was, she was still his daughter. Huihui had put her in the hospital time and time again—how could he just turn a blind eye?
What he couldn’t understand was why, even though Huihui was clearly in the wrong, she still stubbornly insisted on leaving the second household.
Exhausted in body and mind, Su Changhe waved his hand and lowered his head. “Third Uncle, don’t try to persuade me anymore. We’ll do as Huihui says and transfer her to the third household.”
Her goal achieved, Su Xinghui was delighted inside, but on the surface she said pitifully, “Father, Mother, Huihui knows she’s been unfilial, but there are some things I still want to make clear…”
Before she could finish, Ling Xi’s legs suddenly gave out beneath her, as if she couldn’t bear it, and she looked at her in disbelief. “Second Sister, you’re being transferred to the third household?”
That fragile, delicate demeanor, those trembling, ready-to-fall tears—anyone who saw it would feel a pang of pity.
What’s more, she had just been hospitalized because of Su Xinghui and had nearly lost her life. Before today’s events, many people had said the Su family’s second girl was cold-hearted, and now they all remembered it.
This was exactly what Ling Xi wanted. She had appeared here to remind the onlookers that the original owner’s current state was all thanks to Su Xinghui.
As if acting was hard—in her day, when she was a jade ornament, she had followed countless opera performers, celebrities, and idols. Could this possibly stump her?
Watching Su Lingxi’s pitiful, delicate appearance, Su Xinghui nearly ground her teeth to powder. It was like this every time! That detestable white lotus!
You think this will win you sympathy? Dream on!
Forcibly suppressing the resentment and viciousness in her eyes, she appeared to gently stroke Ling Xi’s hair, while in fact deliberately exposing the arm that Yu Lian had beaten red. “Little Xi, just consider it your sister’s apology to you. Even if I go to the third household, I’ll still be your sister!”
“But…”
“No buts. You know your sister is slow-witted, that I can’t take good care of you and often make Father and Mother angry…” As she spoke, Su Xinghui made a show of trying to cover the red marks on her arm—an obvious cover-up.
Seeing her fair arm beaten bright red, many people felt that Yu Lian had gone too far, beating a child like that.
Confusion appeared in Ling Xi’s dark, shiny eyes. “But if Second Sister hadn’t put me in the hospital, Father and Mother wouldn’t be angry, would they? Last time we divided the pork, Father, Mother, and Little Xi couldn’t bear to eat any and gave it all to Second Sister!”
At these words, the eyes of those who had felt sympathy for Su Xinghui instantly changed.
The village only distributed pork a handful of times a year, and to have more strength to earn work points, didn’t every household have the adults eat more and the children eat less?
Giving her all the meat—how was that abuse? That was clearly doting!
Su Xinghui’s face turned livid from the retort, and she didn’t know how to respond. Looking at Su Lingxi’s bewildered eyes, she even had a moment’s suspicion that the little brat was doing it on purpose.
But the moment the thought appeared, she dismissed it. Su Lingxi’s brain was barely better than an idiot’s—how could she possibly be this clever!
Fortunately, in her past life she had been a professional internet troll; manipulating public opinion came easily to her, and dealing with this little mishap posed no difficulty at all.
Her eyes darting evasively, she stammered, “Little Xi, you may not know this yet, but the truth is, I’m not…”
“Second Sister, are you really going to the Third Branch?” Ling Xi stared fixedly at her.
Interrupted yet again, Su Xinghui’s face had turned black as could be, but when she met Ling Xi’s dark, ink-black eyes, she inexplicably felt a twinge of guilt.
But then she thought—what did she have to feel guilty about? The ones who should feel guilty were Su Changhe and Yu Lian!
Nodding heavily, Su Xinghui said aggrievedly, “Little Xi, I can’t stay in the Second Branch any longer.”
“Fine then.” Ling Xi lowered her eyes, her jet-black lashes concealing her emotions. No one saw the sadness on her face slowly fade away as the corners of her lips curled up. “As you wish.”
She lowered her head and retreated behind Yu Lian. Everyone assumed her heart had been broken by Su Xinghui, not knowing that she simply wanted to watch the show.
Su Xinghui, standing at “center stage,” put on an air of tragic isolation and spoke with reddened eyes: “The truth is… I’m… I’m not actually the daughter of the Su family’s Second Branch…”
Everyone was shocked. Su Shanren even slammed his hand on the table. “Er’ya, what nonsense are you spouting!”
A flicker of surprise crossed Su Changhe’s face, followed by understanding and resignation.
Only Ling Xi remained calm, and if one looked closely, there was even a hint of amusement in her eyes.
Su Xinghui dropped to her knees before Su Shanren with a thud, weeping pitifully. “I’m not talking nonsense! I heard it with my own ears! Dad said I’m the daughter of the man who saved his life. My birth father died saving him, that’s why he adopted me!”
The whole village erupted in an uproar. Seeing how earnestly she spoke, everyone instinctively believed her, and their attitude toward the Su family’s Second Branch began to shift.
—”Er’ya’s birth father saved Su Changhe’s life, and this is how he treats the man’s child? Beating and scolding her?”
—”San’ya is his own flesh and blood, of course he dotes on her more!”
—”Still, he raised her for twelve or thirteen years. She was never starved or left in the cold. Changhe’s been fairly decent…”
—”Nonsense! Er’ya’s birth father gave his life! What’s a dozen years of raising her? If it were me, I’d worship Er’ya like an ancestor!”
—”Exactly! If Er’ya’s birth father were alive, who knows how much he’d have doted on her. What Changhe did was dishonorable!”
Hearing these whispered discussions, Su Xinghui secretly reveled in it, and her performance grew even more spirited.
Her back as straight as a pine, she declared righteously, “Uncles and aunts, my birth father saved someone of his own accord back then. That my adoptive parents were willing to take me in is something I’ll be grateful for my whole life. Since I can no longer serve my parents filially, I’ll shamelessly use this life-saving debt to offset their kindness in raising me!”
With that, she turned and kowtowed three resounding times to the Second Branch couple. The sound was so loud that even Ling Xi felt sore on her behalf.
Wang Guiqiu, ever the opportunist, rushed out at the sight and threw her arms around her. “Aiyo, my poor Huihui! How can you be so kind? Third Aunt has seen with her own eyes what kind of life you’ve endured. From now on, with the Third Branch protecting you, no one can bully you!”
Old Mrs. Su already favored the Third Branch, so watching this scene, she simply turned a blind eye, letting Wang Guiqiu smear the Second Branch.
This exchange deepened the villagers’ pity and admiration for Su Xinghui, and their opinion of the Su family’s Second Branch grew even worse.
Even Su Shanren, who had always thought highly of Su Changhe, felt his conviction waver. Could Changhe really be an ungrateful wretch, and had his past loyalty and righteousness all just been an act put on for his benefit?
Ling Xi appeared cowardly as she hid behind Yu Lian, but in truth she was quietly observing the shifts in everyone’s expressions, and naturally she didn’t miss the flash of smugness that crossed Su Xinghui’s face.
Her brow arched slightly. Happy now? It was far too early for that.