Shen Jiawei and Pang Dongling exchanged a glance before immediately hurrying toward their respective bedrooms.
A few seconds later, Pang Dongling’s heart-wrenching scream echoed through the house.
After emerging from the secret room, Shen Hanning saw her collapsed in the doorway of her bedroom.
When he stepped inside, he froze in shock.
The room looked as though it had been ransacked by invading soldiers. Quilts, pillows, and clothes were scattered all over the floor.
Every valuable item—including the furniture—had been stolen.
Shen Xiaoyuan and Shen Jiawei rushed downstairs as well. Seeing the devastation, they couldn’t help but gasp.
Clenching his fists, Shen Jiawei growled, “Only my room wasn’t robbed. These thieves are absolutely ruthless.”
“It’s all my fault. I slept too deeply and couldn’t stop them in time,” Shen Xiaoyuan said guiltily, pounding her chest.
Pang Dongling shot her a glare.
“You? What could you have stopped? Useless.”
“So what do we do now, Dad?” Shen Jiawei asked anxiously.
Shen Hanning slowly walked over to the sofa and sat down, burying his face in his hands with a deep frown.
“Something’s not right.”
“What do you mean?” Shen Jiawei asked.
“How did the three of them move so many things? Especially all that furniture.”
Pang Dongling immediately agreed.
“Exactly! Shen Tiantian couldn’t have done this alone. Maybe someone else stole everything before they got here.”
“Or maybe they hired people to help move everything, but the three of them just didn’t have time to escape,” Shen Xiaoyuan suggested.
She immediately covered her mouth and pretended she’d said something wrong.
“I-I’m sorry… I shouldn’t have said that.”
Pang Dongling rolled her eyes.
“Just shut up.”
Shen Jiawei glanced at Shen Xiaoyuan before saying to Shen Hanning,
“I actually think she might be right. Only the four of us knew about the secret room.
Not even she or Aunt Wu knew about it, so outsiders couldn’t possibly have known.
She stayed in her room all night, just like I did. I can vouch for that.”
Without saying a word, Shen Hanning looked up toward Shen Tiantian’s bedroom before standing and heading to the third floor. The others quickly followed.
He entered Shen Tiantian’s room and began searching.
Before long, he found the 3,000 yuan and Pang Dongling’s Patek Philippe watch hidden beneath her pillow.
“My money… It really was Shen Tiantian who stole it. I can’t believe it,” Shen Xiaoyuan said sorrowfully as she retrieved the envelope.
“That ungrateful traitor! She must have colluded with the Zhao family long ago and planned to empty out our Shen family’s assets before running away!” Shen Jiawei cursed through gritted teeth.
A look of grief appeared on Shen Hanning’s face as well.
He wasn’t only devastated that his beloved daughter had robbed the family.
He also knew that there was almost no chance of recovering the stolen property.
Now that the Public Security Bureau had become involved, even if the assets were recovered, they would most likely be confiscated by the state.
Pang Dongling, meanwhile, burst into tears.
“Waaah… Even if Tiantian did it, the Zhao couple must have forced her! She’s always been such a good child. She would never steal from us.”
“Mom, you’re still defending her?” Shen Jiawei snapped in anger.
Looking at his distraught wife, Shen Hanning patted her shoulder.
“I’ll go to the Public Security Bureau and see if Tiantian can shift all the blame onto Zhao Yuanjiang and his wife.”
The moment Shen Jiawei heard that, he slammed his fist into the wall so hard that he immediately winced in pain.
“Is Comrade Shen Jiawei here?”
A loud, authoritative woman’s voice rang out from downstairs.
The moment Shen Xiaoyuan heard it, she knew Director Li from the Educated Youth Office had come to take Shen Jiawei away.
Excitement instantly flashed across her face.
The group headed downstairs and, sure enough, Director Li was standing there with several burly men behind her.
Shen Jiawei stepped forward.
“You’re looking for me?”
Shen Hanning recognized Director Li immediately.
She was the very official he had bribed through connections to ensure that only Shen Xiaoyuan—not the rest of the Shen family—would be sent to the countryside.
“Director Li, what brings you here personally?”
A bad feeling crept over him as he hurriedly offered cigarettes to Director Li and the men behind her.
Director Li waved them away.
“I won’t be taking those.”
Then she looked at Shen Jiawei expressionlessly.
“Comrade Shen Jiawei, the train to the Northwest leaves at noon. Have you finished packing? It’s time to go.”
“What? The Northwest?” Shen Jiawei stared blankly.
“What Northwest?”
“You signed up to be sent to the Northwest as an educated youth. Don’t you know that?”
Shen Jiawei’s face turned pale.
“Impossible! I never signed up!”
“You didn’t,” Director Li replied coldly.
“But someone signed you up.”
“Who?” Shen Hanning demanded.
“Comrade Shen Tiantian.”
“What?!”
Shen Hanning and Pang Dongling cried out in unison.
Her again!
The moment Shen Jiawei heard Shen Tiantian’s name, he exploded.
“Shen Tiantian! Damn her!”
Shen Xiaoyuan immediately chimed in indignantly.
“She’s clearly trying to ruin your life, Brother! The Northwest? That’s practically a death sentence!”
Pang Dongling hurried forward.
“Comrade, there must be some mistake. We already have someone going to the countryside—her, Shen Xiaoyuan.”
Director Li glanced at Shen Xiaoyuan before letting out a cold laugh.
“So what?
Shen Jiawei is of the proper age to be sent down to the countryside. The two things have nothing to do with each other.
Or are you trying to claim special treatment?”
“No, no! Of course not!” Pang Dongling hurriedly waved her hands.
“If not, then hurry up. Don’t delay any longer.”
“I won’t go! I’m not going!” Shen Jiawei shouted.
Director Li sighed softly and walked over, patting him on the shoulder.
“Comrade Shen Jiawei, the Northwest is a wonderful place.
It has magnificent natural scenery, a rich historical culture, and abundant local specialties.
Lamb skewers, raisins, Hami melons…
Most importantly, the policies there are quite relaxed, offering tremendous opportunities for development. People with high political consciousness are eager to sign up.”
“Stop trying to fool me! I’m not going!”
He turned desperately toward his father.
“Dad, say something!”
Bloodshot eyes fixed on Director Li, Shen Hanning forced out,
“Director Li… There must be some misunderstanding. Couldn’t you do us this favor?”
As he spoke, he secretly tried to slip Pang Dongling’s Patek Philippe ladies’ watch—the one they had just found in Shen Tiantian’s room—into Director Li’s hand.
Director Li smiled but made no move to accept it.
“The list has already been submitted. It can’t be changed.
Let’s go.”
She gave a slight nod to the burly men behind her.
Immediately, they moved into action, surrounding Shen Jiawei.
One man grabbed each of his arms and started dragging him toward the door.
The arrogance Shen Jiawei had displayed moments earlier instantly vanished.
His legs went weak with fear.
Twisting his head around, he screamed,
“Dad! Mom! Save me!”
Shen Hanning and Pang Dongling rushed forward, grabbing onto Shen Jiawei’s clothes.
“Director Li, let’s talk this over! Director Li!”
Standing nearby, Shen Xiaoyuan also hurried over and lightly grabbed the corner of Shen Jiawei’s shirt, putting on a worried expression.
Director Li was beginning to lose her patience.
Narrowing her eyes, she said,
“The train is about to leave. If we don’t go now, we’ll miss it.
Your Shen family has already been reported by numerous citizens. Strictly speaking, your entire family should have been exiled to the countryside.
We’ve already shown you plenty of leniency.
Please stop interfering.”
“Take him away!”
At her command, the men dragged Shen Jiawei out.
“No! No! Mom! Mom, save me!”
“Jiawei! Jiawei! My son!”
“Brother! Don’t go!”
“Hanning! What are we going to do?”
Amid the family’s wailing cries, Shen Jiawei was forcibly hauled away by the staff from the Educated Youth Office and taken straight to the train station.
The moment he was shoved onto the train, it pulled away from the platform.
Shen Hanning and Pang Dongling chased after it, but all they could do was watch helplessly as the train disappeared into the distance.
Only in the midst of the chaos did the two of them realize—
They hadn’t even packed any luggage for him.