As soon as Feng Shihui returned home, Song Zishan came over and clung to her coquettishly.
“Mom, when am I moving into the big room? My brother doesn’t just snore now, he grinds his teeth too! I’m about to be driven crazy by him!”
Feng Shihui was already in a bad mood. Impatiently, she waved her hand and said: “We’ll talk about that later.”
“What do you mean?” Song Zishan’s face immediately fell. “Didn’t you already promise me? Are you going back on your word?! Song Ziyao is already gone, and the room is sitting empty anyway. Why can’t I live there?”
Her daughter’s complaints filled Feng Shihui with guilt as well.
Patiently, she coaxed: “I’ll help you tidy it up tomorrow. Today, your father and I have important matters to discuss.”
Song Zishan kicked a stool and left with her lips pouted high in displeasure.
Feng Shihui had no energy to concern herself with that anymore. She kept rehearsing in her mind, thinking about how she should present her grievance once Song Gaofei came home.
But after he returned, before she even had a chance to speak, Song Gaofei dropped a bombshell first.
“One of them, Weiwei or Shanshan, must go to the countryside.”
Feng Shihui stared blankly for a long time before asking: “Why? Didn’t our Ziyao already go to the countryside?”
Song Gaofei impatiently replied: “The policy states that each family can only keep one. Both Weiwei and Shanshan are youths of the proper age, and neither of them has a job. They spend every day loafing around and eating for free… Because of that, I’ve already been criticized!”
After thinking for a moment, Feng Shihui said: “Wouldn’t it be enough to arrange jobs for them?”
The mention of that only made Song Gaofei angrier. “Didn’t your son look down on the job I arranged for him?!”
Feng Shihui hurriedly stepped forward to calm him down. “That boy doesn’t know what’s good for him. It’s all because I failed to educate him properly as his mother…”
Only after much effort did Song Gaofei finally calm down.
“It’s too late to say any of that now. Your class background isn’t good, and both children have been targeted because of it. One of them has to go to the countryside.”
Upon hearing those words, Feng Shihui froze.
A bad class background… being targeted…
Ever since she had married Song Gaofei, it had been a very long time since anyone had looked down on her because of her class background. Her children had even changed their names and surnames, living normal lives. With a Deputy Factory Director as their stepfather, their futures could not possibly be too bad.
She had thought she had already escaped her past for the rest of her life.
Distraught, Feng Shihui asked: “Old Song, is there really no room for negotiation?”
Song Gaofei had already been criticized because of this matter. How could he have any desire left to talk to Feng Shihui? Stiffly, he threw out a single sentence: “Hurry up and pack their things.” Then he returned to the room.
The commotion outside had been loud, and Song Zishan had already heard everything. She came running over and stopped in front of Feng Shihui, asking nervously: “Mom, you’re not going to make me go to the countryside, are you??”
Feng Shihui’s eyes shifted away, and she did not dare look at her daughter.
“I won’t go!” Song Zishan stamped her foot hard and shouted through tears: “Am I even your biological daughter? Why have you never loved me?!”
The accusation shattered Feng Shihui’s heart. “Your brother, your brother doesn’t know how to do anything… Don’t worry, we won’t go somewhere too far away. It’ll just be a rural area around the Provincial Capital City. You’ll be able to come home every week. And things like dirty clothes, you can bring them back and Mom will wash them for you.”
Tears streamed down Song Zishan’s face one after another. She glared at Feng Shihui for a long while before silently turning around and returning to her room.
Feng Shihui pressed a hand over her chest and closed her eyes. Only after a long while did she harden her heart.
Both children were equally dear to her. She had to give up one of them.
The matter of Song Zishan going to the countryside could no longer be changed, but other matters still had to continue.
Feng Shihui got up and entered the room, walking over to Song Gaofei and telling him what had happened at the mailroom that day.
Song Gaofei was already in a bad mood. She did not even need to exaggerate or add fuel to the fire. He was bound to explode with rage anyway.
Sure enough, Song Gaofei immediately jumped up and cursed Song Ziyao thoroughly.
After venting his anger, he suddenly asked: “That Xiao Cheng from the mailroom, isn’t she the wife of Zhu Guogang from the Personnel Department?”
“Yes.” Feng Shihui paused before adding in a seemingly casual manner: “You don’t know because you’re always busy, but that couple has always been very fond of Ziyao. Every few days, they invite her over for a meal. I don’t know why…”
Why else could it be? That couple had close ties with Luo Lin!
After all these years, it seemed as though he was still living under the shadow of the Luo family.
What was even more tragic was that the harder he tried to free himself from the Luo family, the more difficult things became for him in the factory.
It was as if, in this lifetime, he would never be able to escape the Luo family.
Song Gaofei’s face twisted uncontrollably.
Carefully, Feng Shihui asked: “Then, about sending the money…”
With a gloomy expression, Song Gaofei said: “Xiao Cheng already put it that way. Do I even have the option of refusing?”
Reluctantly, Feng Shihui nodded.
“Since she sent a telegram crying poverty, that means life in the countryside isn’t easy.” Song Gaofei instructed Feng Shihui. “Write her more letters and persuade her to come back. Also, under no circumstances can we cut off contact with the Lu family.”
His own daughter was about to be sent to the countryside, yet he wanted Song Ziyao to return.
Feng Shihui felt very uncomfortable inside.
However, outwardly, she obediently agreed.
After thinking about it, she still could not accept it and continued planting seeds of resentment. “Sigh, if Ziyao hadn’t insisted on going to the countryside, Lu Ming would have already returned from the capital by now, and the two children would have already met each other.”
Song Gaofei was annoyed as well.
Suddenly, he looked at Feng Shihui. “How about letting Shanshan marry into the Lu family?”
Feng Shihui was so shocked that she blurted out: “No!”
Song Gaofei frowned. “Why not? Shanshan may not be as good as Ziyao, but she’s still a decent girl.”
Feng Shihui’s face turned somewhat pale. After a long pause, she finally said: “Director Chen took a liking to Ziyao’s personality. With Shanshan’s loud and impulsive nature, Director Chen probably wouldn’t like her.”
Song Gaofei remained silent for a long while before saying: “Who knows when Ziyao will return? I’m afraid that if we wait too long, circumstances may change. How about this: take Shanshan to the Lu family first and test the waters. Maybe Chen Yan will end up taking a liking to Shanshan too.”
Even if she did take a liking to her, it still wouldn’t do! The Lu family’s situation was complicated. Marrying into that family would only bring superficial glory. Life would not be easy. It would be better to go to the countryside than marry into the Lu family!
Song Gaofei was trying to exchange her daughter for his own future prospects.
Feng Shihui racked her brain, searching for reasons to reject Song Gaofei’s proposal.
After much difficulty, Song Gaofei’s resolve finally wavered. But the moment she stepped out the door, she met Song Zishan’s resentful gaze.
“Mom, if you still don’t stand on my side this time, I’ll hate you for the rest of my life!”