By the time it was nearly ten that night, everyone had gone back to their rooms to sleep.
Su Muxue leaned against her door, listening to her foster parents talking in the next room.
“Dear, do you think that wretched girl’s been possessed or something? Otherwise how could she change so suddenly? Before, no matter how much we beat or scolded her, she never dared fight back.”
“She’s about to be sent to the countryside. Don’t let anything happen before that.”
“Once she’s gone, Qingrou can take her job.”
“Don’t worry. Once she leaves, she’ll never come back. I signed her up for a posting in the far northeast—so cold she’ll freeze to death there. I’m not buying her blankets or clothes either.”
“So what if she’s arrogant now? I’ll find a way to make her withdraw the money in that bankbook for us. Once she’s broke and knows no one in the countryside, she’ll starve or freeze to death for sure.”
Su Haijun snorted. “Tell me, who did that tramp Zhao Shulan get pregnant with to have Su Muxue? Absolutely shameless—didn’t even know whose child it was, yet still had the nerve to give birth and dump her on you.”
He Fengzhen said, “How should I know whose child? We were friends at the time, that’s all. She had the baby, dumped her on me with a bit of money, and left a bankbook for that girl—said she could only withdraw it at eighteen.”
“If not for that bankbook, I never would’ve agreed. I figured once I got the money, I’d marry her off to some wealthy family and get a nice bride price out of it.”
Su Haijun frowned. “But why did that brat say today that we’re not her real parents? Did she find out somehow? Did someone slip up?”
He Fengzhen hesitated. “I… might’ve said it when I got home from work. I was too angry and blurted it out. I thought she was asleep. Turns out she was pretending.”
So Su Muxue finally confirmed she hadn’t misheard before. If she wasn’t this family’s child, then things were about to get a lot more interesting.
She could finally deal with these people without holding back.
But who were her parents? Why did her mother abandon her to these monsters? If she didn’t want to raise her, why have her at all?
If that’s the case, then fine—she didn’t need parents. She could live just fine alone.
Suddenly, she remembered the box that held her bankbook. Maybe there was more inside.
She took it out and examined it, but couldn’t find a way to open it.
If it were easy to open, these people would’ve done it long ago.
She thought for a moment—maybe it required her blood?
She bit her finger and let a drop of blood fall on the pattern carved into the lid.
A moment later, the box clicked open.
Inside was the bankbook, a jade pendant, and a letter.
She opened the letter and began to read:
“My daughter, my precious child, I hope you won’t hate your mother. I had no choice but to entrust you to my friend.You were conceived by accident. You have a younger twin sister.Your sister was very sick when she was born, so I couldn’t take you with me.Please forgive me. I love you.Once your sister recovers, I will come back for you so we can be together.If I never return, the money in this account is for you. You can withdraw it when you turn eighteen.”
Su Muxue’s chest tightened. It wasn’t that her mother didn’t want her—she simply couldn’t take her because her twin sister was weak.
But so many years had passed. Why hadn’t she come? Did something happen? Had she forgotten her?
If fate allowed, Su Muxue would find her and demand the truth.
Were they still alive? Where were they now? She had to find out.
The next morning, when Su Haijun and He Fengzhen arrived at the factory, their coworkers pointed and whispered.
Especially He Fengzhen—she was missing teeth and lisping. It was hard not to laugh.
A nosy coworker approached. “What happened to you? You were fine yesterday—did your husband beat you?”
He Fengzhen froze, then suddenly came up with a story.
Sigh. “You have no idea. My eldest daughter’s been acting strange lately. She refuses to do anything—won’t cook, won’t clean. She just lies in bed all day or goes out to hang around with shady people.”
“We got home last night and the house was a mess, no dinner cooked. I just told her not to wander around, to stay home and help a little, and she went insane! She beat us like crazy! I don’t know what happened to her. How could she treat us like this? I carried her for ten months…”
“Kids these days are impossible. You can’t even scold them, let alone discipline them.”
“I think she’s possessed. One wrong word and she starts swinging. Tell me, do you think she might’ve encountered something evil?”
She sneered inwardly. Just wait, brat. I’ll ruin your reputation so thoroughly that people will spit on you everywhere you go.
The coworkers all gasped.
“Fengzhen, we’ve seen how gentle you are to that girl. You never speak harshly. How dare she treat you this way?”
“She’s your daughter! If she hits you once, next time she’ll pull a knife.”
“You need to be stricter. Beat her if you have to—show her who’s in charge. The police won’t interfere; she’s your child.”