Chapter 281 Grand and Impressive

A few neighbors who were passing by peeked out, then quietly withdrew, none of them daring to approach and speak.

She just wanted to find a stable future for her daughter and for her own little family to have a foothold here.

Her daughter is only six years old, the age when she should be starting school. She can't just stand by and watch her child be trapped in the countryside for the rest of her life, following the same path she took.

There are good schools, good hospitals, and good jobs in the city. As long as I can stay here, even if I start from the bottom, it's a hundred times better than going back.

She wasn't greedy; she just wanted to fight for her family's survival.

Why is it so difficult?

Why does nobody understand her?

She walked slower and slower, tears blurring her vision, her mind racing with questions she kept asking herself.

Did she do something wrong?

She was doing it all for her child and her family, so why did everyone look at her with such cold eyes?

It's as if she's the heartless and ungrateful person who doesn't understand the rules and doesn't know how to behave.

Her sister-in-law, Qiao Wanyin, disagreed, but she accepted it.

Qiao Wanyin was a city dweller, educated, and had a job. She was always proper in her speech and actions, and Li Hongmei always respected and yielded to her.

She didn't expect the other party to spend money or effort when she came to seek refuge; she only hoped that they could be accommodating and give her family a place to stay.

Unexpectedly, even this small request was completely rejected.

Even her own husband didn't dare say a harsh word, and completely went along with his sister-in-law's wishes.

Her husband, Qiao Jianguo, was always controlled by his younger sister since childhood, and even now that he's married, he's still very submissive.

Yesterday, she advised him to talk to his sister again, but he just kept his head down and smoked, finally managing to say, "Forget it, don't cause her any more trouble."

—Just that one casual remark extinguished all her hopes.

The more she thought about it, the more frustrated she felt, as if a stone was pressing on her chest.

The stone was cold and heavy, making it hard for her to breathe.

She felt like the whole world was forcing her to bow down, but she refused to accept her fate.

On what grounds?

Why should others be able to enjoy the glamorous life in the city, while her family has to slink back home in disgrace?

"Comrade, do you need a helping hand?"

A soft question, as if drifting from afar, interrupted her chaotic thoughts.

She looked up and saw a girl in military uniform tilting her head to look at her, her eyes filled with genuine concern.

The girl was in her early twenties, with the rank of private on her shoulder and her hat on, but she didn't look at all reserved.

Sunlight fell on her face, illuminating her clear, bright eyes. The corners of her mouth were slightly upturned, radiating a reassuring warmth.

The girl had delicate features and a gentle smile.

Her skin was fair, her cheekbones were slightly high, her eyes curved into crescents when she smiled, and she had two shallow dimples on her cheeks.

The military uniform was faded from washing, but it was ironed neatly, and even the cuffs were buttoned up meticulously.

"N-nothing."

Li Hongmei quickly wiped her face, flustered and disorganized.

She hurriedly raised her sleeve to wipe away her tears, and then smoothed her hair with her palm, afraid that people would notice that she had just been crying.

But her nose was still red and her eyes were swollen; anyone could tell at a glance that she had just experienced an emotional breakdown.

"You are... Sister Wanyin's sister-in-law, right?"

The other person suddenly spoke up, "I'm Fang Wanyu! Don't you remember? Back when I was working in the countryside in our village, I used to go to your house for meals every day!"

Her voice was clear and melodious, like the babbling of a stream in spring.

Her eyes shone brightly as she spoke, with a touch of playfulness, as if even those difficult days held a hint of sweetness in her memory.

"Why?"

Li Hongmei was taken aback. "It's you?"

She paused for a moment, then carefully examined the person in front of her.

In that instant, many images flooded my mind: the mud hut, the aroma of sweet potatoes by the stove, the laughter of people huddled together on the kang (heated brick bed) on a snowy night...

And there was that skinny little girl who always loved to squat on the doorstep with a bowl in her arms, eating noodles.

A sudden thought struck her, and she remembered.

Fang Wanyu!

The educated youth who were sent to the countryside back then lived in the same production team as her family.

Back then, this girl often came to our house to borrow salt and firewood. Whenever she came, she would help sweep the floor and chop wood, never arriving empty-handed.

Li Hongmei is soft-hearted, so she always serves her an extra bowl of rice and sometimes secretly slips her an egg.

Fang Wanyu's smile grew even warmer: "I'm in the performing arts troupe now, no wonder you looked familiar at the kindergarten gate yesterday. What's wrong...?"

She leaned slightly forward, her tone as gentle as a spring breeze.

Those eyes were fixed intently on Li Hongmei, without the slightest perfunctoriness or condescending pity, but genuine concern for her.

Upon hearing this, Li Hongmei's nose tingled, and she almost blurted out:

All those grievances, those resentments, and those tormenting thoughts that lingered day and night almost burst forth with this greeting.

Her lips trembled, her eyes welled up with tears again, and her fingers gripped the hem of her clothes tightly.

"It's all because of that heartless sister-in-law! Our whole family came all the way from far away to rely on her, and this is what she—"

She stopped abruptly as soon as she said those words.

Her husband's sorrowful face and her daughter's innocent eyes flashed through her mind.

Once these things are said, they can never be taken back.

The words were on the tip of her tongue, but she swallowed them back.

She bit her lower lip, swallowing back all her anger and grievances.

Family troubles shouldn't be brought up outside the home.

She still has that much sense of propriety.

Making a scene would not only be useless, but might also destroy even the last shred of goodwill.

Fang Wanyu nodded, her tone gentle: "Sister Wanyin... has always been very concerned about her reputation."

She spoke calmly, yet her words revealed a keen insight into people's hearts.

She sighed softly, as if she were feeling sorry for Li Hongmei, or perhaps commenting on someone who had long since seen through her.

She paused, her words carrying a deeper meaning: "Things are different now; our status speaks for itself."

These words were spoken very softly, yet they were like a fine needle, precisely piercing the most painful spot in Li Hongmei's heart.

What does "status" mean?

Is it just because Qiao Wanyin is now married to a cadre and has become a "cadre's family member" that she looks down on her poor relatives from the countryside?

These words, like a needle, pierced Li Hongmei's heart.

She shuddered, and tears streamed down her face uncontrollably.

Yes, back in the village, Qiao Wanyin was also poor, wore patched clothes, and relied on her for help.

But now that they've turned their lives around, they can't wait to erase the past and kick away those "old friends" too.

"That's right!"

She lowered her voice, which trembled, and said, "Once you become a cadre's family member, you don't even recognize your own relatives!"

Her voice was so low it was almost a whisper, yet every word carried a chilling coldness.

She wasn't unaware of the fickleness of human relationships, but she never expected this day to come so quickly and so cruelly.

"She clearly had a way to make us stay here, but she just wouldn't! She thinks we're unsophisticated and that we're a burden to her!"

As she spoke, her emotions began to surge again.

His hands were clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white, and his shoulders trembled slightly.

She recalled Qiao Wanyin sitting on the sofa last night, saying in a calm tone, "Sister-in-law, this isn't about money, it's about policy regulations."

—How grand and righteous it sounds, but who would believe it?

Fang Wanyu looked around, took a step closer, and lowered her voice to a whisper: