Tears welled up in Chen Shujing's eyes as she said with heartache, "Huanian, I am your mother!"

"My mother is in Beijing. Are you my mother's younger or older sister?" Gu Huanian quickly made a guess, after all, the two looked very similar.

But his mother never mentioned anything about her family, so he didn't know whether she had an older or younger sister.

“I am your mother, the one from Beijing is not. Her name is Chen Shuling, she is my twin sister, and she has been impersonating me all these years to stay by your side.”

Upon hearing this, a crack appeared on Gu Huanian's usually composed face.

"Then why haven't you come looking for us all these years?" If she really is his biological mother, how could she have been out of contact for so many years?

Chen Shujing cried even more bitterly; "I was locked in the cellar by her for almost twenty years. If she hadn't said she would drug you and force you to marry that so-called chief's granddaughter, I wouldn't have had the courage to escape that cage."

"If you are my mother, then how did she manage to impersonate me?" Gu Huanian asked the question that had been on his mind.

Chen Shujing recalled the past: "She and I are twins from the same mother. Our parents were farmers in Gejia Village, Yangnan County, in the southern province. Like most people, they favored boys over girls. Since my sister and I were born, we have never had a good day. From the time I can remember, there was always endless chores to do at home and we were constantly being beaten and scolded. Later, my parents had a younger brother, and my sister and I had an even harder time."

“This kind of life continued until I was sixteen, when a matchmaker came to propose marriage. My parents and the matchmaker both told me that the man was very nice and lived in the next village, which was very close to my parents’ home. Actually, I didn’t care about that; I even hoped he would live further away.”

"They also said that the man was tall and strong, and a good worker. He was usually quiet and didn't like to go out, saying that such a man was family-oriented. At first, I thought that getting married wouldn't be bad, at least I could escape this home. So the day before the wedding, I secretly went to meet the man they had found for me."

"That man was indeed tall and strong, just as they said, and he really didn't like going out and was not talkative. But I found out that his previous wife was beaten to death by him. It's just that no one dared to report him. Also, the reason he didn't like going out was because he stole from others and was beaten until he lost an eye and a leg. He couldn't stand the way people looked at him, so he stopped going out."

These things weren't secrets; Chen Shujing could easily find out by asking around in the village.

After learning about these things, she dared not stay in this house any longer; she didn't want to spend her life marrying someone like that.

If she really marries him, who knows when he might beat her to death.

After learning about these things, she packed her bags that very night and stole five yuan from her family.

She ran away overnight. Actually, she had hesitated at the time, wondering whether to take Chen Shuling with her. But Chen Shuling wasn't home at the time; she had gone to her uncle's house with her parents and younger brother.

If she goes to find Chen Shuling, she won't be able to escape either.

There was no time to lose; her wedding was the next day, and she didn't dare delay for a moment, heading straight to town that very night.

She didn't have a letter of introduction, and she didn't dare to ask for one in the village, because the village head and her father both shared the surname Chen, and they were related. Knowing she was getting married, how could they possibly give her a letter of introduction?

So she couldn't take the train, and she wandered around the town for a long time before finally finding a dilapidated courtyard.

She hid inside, but in the middle of the night, she still heard the voices of the villagers.

She was startled awake.

"Where did that brat run off to? We've searched the whole town for her." Chen Shuqing recognized her father's voice.

She was so frightened that she covered her mouth tightly.

The brigade leader then spoke up, "This girl didn't get a letter of introduction today, so she can't get on the train. She's probably still in town." After all, they had already come to the village.

"You worthless piece of trash! When I find her, I'll break her legs! She's getting married tomorrow, and now she's pulling this stunt!" Chen Lao Er roared.

Chen Shujing was terrified. The voices of the group were getting closer and closer, and she felt that she was doomed today.

Suddenly, a pair of soft hands grabbed her, startling her so much that she almost screamed.

"Shh, come with me," the girl said in a very soft voice.

Chen Shujing followed behind her, walking step by step from behind to her yard.

Yuan Fen led Cheng Shujing to her room; "You stay here, I don't think they'll come into my house."

Soon there was a knock at the door. Yuan Fen and Yuan Shuo went to the courtyard together. Yuan Fen called out loudly to the door, "Who is it?"

It was Chen Lao Er's voice from outside: "Open the door, my daughter is missing, I wanted to ask if you've seen her?"

Yuan Fen asked calmly, "Is she a girl of about fifteen or sixteen?"

Hearing this from inside the room, Chen Shujing thought the girl was going to report her, and she was so frightened that she almost cried.

Upon hearing this, Chen Lao Er, who was outside the door, exclaimed excitedly, "Yes, yes, she threw a tantrum at us tonight and ran away. We're worried about her safety. Could you please open the door and tell me where she is now?"

Yuan Fen didn't open the door, but instead shouted back, "I saw her heading west when it was getting dark. Go and take a look over there."

Hearing this, Chen Shujing breathed a sigh of relief.

She just didn't have a letter of introduction, so it was only a matter of time before they found her.

After they left, Yuan Fen and Yuan Shuo went into the room.

"Comrade, they've left."

Chen Shujing said gratefully, "Thank you."

Yuan Fen took her hand and said with a smile, "You can stay here with me tonight! It's too late and it's not safe for a young lady like you to be alone."

Chen Shujing's bewildered heart immediately relaxed.

"Thank you, thank you so much."

Chen Shujing rested there that day, and the next day Yuan Fen, in her own name, wanted to go to Beijing and obtained a letter of introduction for Chen Shujing.

After arriving in Beijing, Chen Shujing was penniless.

She happened to run into the injured Gu Aiguo on a road in the suburbs.

He had a high fever at the time, and she took care of him all night.

The two became acquainted through this, and when Gu Aiguo woke up the next day and learned that she had nowhere to go, he took her home.

The Gu family elders are both very good people and have always treated her very well.

Later, she and Gu Aiguo gradually became acquainted and got married with the help of the elderly couple.

She gave birth to Gu Huanian in the second year of her marriage, and the elderly couple were overjoyed.

The old lady took out all her most treasured possessions and gave them to Chen Shujing.

This is also what Chen Shuling later wanted to obtain.

After receiving the items, Chen Shujing did not leave them at the Gu family's residence, but instead followed the instructions of Old Madam Gu and placed them at another residence.