Chapter 114 You're Not Worthy

My sister who hasn't returned for many years and whose whereabouts are unknown.

What are you doing here?

Zhou Shufen frowned deeply.

She never expected to see her daughter, Zhou Lijuan, whom she hadn't seen for many years, in such a place.

This unexpected reunion left her at a loss for what to do.

Upon hearing the sound, Zhou Lijuan instinctively shrank back, wanting to hide.

Her eyes darted around frantically, as if searching for a way out.

When he saw that the person standing in front of him was Zhou Shufen, he realized that it was Zhou Shufen.

She suddenly charged forward like a fuse had been lit.

She ripped off her mask roughly.

That long-unseen face was filled with anger and contortion.

"Are you fit to be a mother? You absolutely are not!"

Her voice was shrill, making the air tremble.

The sudden roar startled Zhou Shufen.

She had never seen her daughter like this before, as if she wanted to devour her alive.

"What kind of mother are you? Do you even know how badly you've ruined my life?! I hate you! I hate you so much!"

Zhou Lijuan kept cursing.

She completely lost her composure, waving her arms wildly.

Hearing the commotion outside, Zhou Hairong rushed out of the house.

He rushed forward and stood in front of Zhou Shufen.

"What are you doing? How can you talk to your mother like that?"

He yelled at Zhou Lijuan, his voice carrying the authority and unquestionable tone of an elder brother.

But she was not convinced at all, and her gaze was like a knife piercing Zhou Hairong.

At this moment, Zhou Shufen also came to her senses, and a wave of sorrow surged up from the bottom of her heart.

She and Zhou Lijuan locked eyes, and she saw nothing but hostility and undisguised resentment in each other's eyes.

She took a step forward.

There are some things I can no longer tolerate; I must lay them out today.

"What you just said was really outrageous, wasn't it?"

Her voice was soft, but every word was clear.

"I won't say much else, but in all these years of being your mother, I can honestly say I've never mistreated you."

“From childhood to adulthood, which meal didn’t I cook? I would get up at four in the morning to cook porridge during the coldest days of winter, and even when my hands were cracked and bleeding from the cold, I never let you go hungry.”

Her voice trembled slightly as memories flooded back.

"Who buys your clothes? Every year for Chinese New Year, they personally pick out the fabric for you, mend and patch it, and would rather wear their own worn-out clothes than let you wear torn ones."

"Who paid for your schooling? Tuition, books, tutoring classes—I saved every single penny for each of them. When you wanted to learn dance in junior high, did I say anything? I gritted my teeth and scraped together the money to send you to class, while I couldn't even afford to buy myself a new pair of socks."

Her tone grew increasingly somber, each word seeming etched into her heart.

"Whatever you want, I'll grit my teeth and get it for you every time. Even if I have to eat pickled vegetables and porridge myself, I'll make sure you have a meal of meat."

Her voice was filled with exhaustion and grievance, and her eyes were slightly red.

"If anyone should complain, it's Haiqing and Hairong. They're the ones I've been neglecting."

"You wanted to leave because you thought your family was too poor, but they stayed and never complained."

"Think about it yourself, what have you done in the past?"

She looked directly at Zhou Lijuan again.

“She stole money from home to sleep with men, climbed over the wall at night to hang out with a bunch of shady characters, and even used her savings account as gambling money.”

“You ran away halfway through your studies, leaving behind a letter saying ‘I want freedom.’ We searched the entire county for you and almost lost our lives.”

Her voice suddenly rose in pitch.

"Have I wronged you about these things? If you dare to say a single lie, I'll admit my mistake right now!"

"you……"

Zhou Lijuan wanted to argue back, her face full of resentment.

What's wrong with me?

Zhou Shufen gave a cold laugh.

"Which of my statements isn't true? You're almost thirty, it's time you learned to take responsibility for your actions! You can't spend your whole life blaming others!"

She glared at her fiercely.

She didn't want to waste any more words or exhaust herself in this pointless argument.

She turned around and tugged at Guo Zhenyi's sleeve.

"Let's go."

Guo Zhenyi nodded.

He didn't interfere; he deliberately let Zhou Shufen face it on her own.

He knew that she had to overcome this hurdle herself.

Zhou Lijuan stood there, her face pale.

She wanted to scream, to cry, but her throat felt like it was blocked by something.

Zhou Shufen walked a long way in one breath before stopping.

She leaned against a roadside telephone pole and took a deep breath.

It would be a lie to say I wasn't upset, especially being publicly criticized by my own daughter.

Guo Zhenyi followed behind, carefully reaching out to place his hand on her slightly trembling shoulder.

He spoke gently, his voice low but firm, as he offered his advice.

"Don't think about it anymore. Those words aren't worth hurting. Other people's opinions, cold looks, or even malicious slander can't define you. Only you know who you are. I've seen your kindness, your resilience, and all the effort you've put in along the way."

Zhou Shufen slowly looked up at him, tears welling up in her eyes.

Her voice was choked with emotion.

"I really don't understand how things have turned out like this... I haven't done anything wrong, but everyone around me is criticizing me, saying I'm not fit to be a mother. Am I a failure? Am I not good enough, which is why the family has become such a mess?"

How can you blame yourself?

Guo Zhenyi immediately retorted.

He shook his head slightly, his gaze fixed on her.

“You’ve done everything you could. You’ve given your all for your children. But children’s affairs are not something parents can control just because they want to. Even if you can control them for a while, can you control them for a lifetime? They have their own thoughts and their own choices. As for the consequences, you shouldn’t have to bear them all alone.”

He paused, his tone becoming even gentler.

"You've done enough. Really, stop being so hard on yourself."

Zhou Shufen lowered her head, her voice so low it was almost a whisper.

"Then why do you still stay by my side? You've seen it all, my family is a mess, chaotic and chaotic place, everyone avoids it, they wish they could stay far away from it."

Anyone else would have run away long ago.

Who would want to marry a woman whose family is always full of trouble and whose children are a handful?

"I'm not afraid of these things."

Guo Zhenyi's voice suddenly rose a little.

"Not only will I not run away, but I also want to stand with you through thick and thin. Life is for two people, and we face the storms together. No matter how many difficulties or setbacks we encounter in the future, this little thing is nothing. As long as we are together, as long as our hearts are together, there is no obstacle we cannot overcome."

He stared intently at her.

"If I back down because of this little bit of trouble, then why should you trust me with your life? And why should I say I'll spend the rest of my life with you?"

After he finished speaking, he took her hand in his.

His hands were broad and strong, completely enveloping her cold hands.

You must believe me.

His voice was deep yet resonant.

Choosing you wasn't a spur-of-the-moment decision, nor out of pity, nor because of loneliness. I made this decision after careful and thoughtful consideration. I wholeheartedly want to spend my life with you, and whether in good times or bad, I want to hold your hand and walk together.

Her tears finally spilled down her cheeks, each drop landing on their clasped hands.