Chapter 1: Rebirth
"Let me out, let me out! I promised to go to the countryside! I promised to go to the countryside in place of Shen Hongxia! Dad, let me out!"
With bloodshot eyes, Shen Hongzhu pounded on the door of the room. Her voice was weak, but not loud enough for anyone outside to not hear her. It was clearly a deliberate attempt to torment her.
Overwhelming hatred filled her mind; she wished she could kill the entire family of five outside on the spot.
In his past life, Lü Jiahao won his mother's heart with his good looks. After learning that his mother was a young lady from a wealthy family, he decisively abandoned his girlfriend and became the live-in son-in-law of the Shen family.
The couple enjoyed a sweet period after their marriage, but unfortunately, years of miscarriages caused the mother's health to deteriorate, and she ultimately risked her life to leave behind her child.
The only daughter of the maternal grandparents died in childbirth. The two of them couldn't accept it and soon passed away as well. The Shen family's huge business all fell into the hands of Lü Jiahao. Not long after, he married his ex-girlfriend Zhong Fu.
Fortunately, my maternal grandparents had many friends, and with them watching over me, I didn't suffer much hardship growing up.
After the state-private partnership was established, Lü Jiahao lost control of the Shen family's company, but he received a large share of dividends every month.
In the early 1970s, the Shen family was liquidated. Lu Jiahao had already transferred the Shen family's assets to a cemetery in the suburbs, and then used both soft and hard tactics to get her to transfer the job she was assigned to Shen Yuxia.
In her past life, she stubbornly refused to agree and almost starved to death. It was Zhou Congsheng who noticed something was wrong, forced his way into the Shen family, kicked open her door, and rescued her.
Forced by the rumors circulating in the compound, Lü Jiahao tearfully told her that if she didn't go to the countryside in place of Shen Yuxia, the Shen family would be purged and she would be arrested. He said that all the coercion he had done before was for her own good, to prevent her from suffering, which was why he wanted her to stay far away.
The sudden surge of paternal love made her lose her head. Not only did she agree to go to the countryside, but she also gave up her job to Shen Yuxia. When she left, she didn't have ten yuan left on her.
She endured hardship and toil in the countryside, suffering ostracism and abuse, but she never complained. Even when Zhou Congsheng came to her, wanting to marry her and take her away, she refused, only hoping that her promise to her father could be fulfilled as soon as possible so that he could bring her back to the city.
She never saw Lü Jiahao again until she was pushed into the river. When she died, she didn't even have a straw mat. She was buried on the hillside, and her soul left her body on the spot, becoming a wandering ghost that lingered in the world for decades.
Her father, Lü Jiahao, had long ago smuggled his stepmother and her family of five to Hong Kong. The family lived a life of luxury, and her stepsister, Shen Yuxia, seemed to have a halo around her, her business was booming, and she was pursued intensely by the young masters of several prominent families in Hong Kong.
As for Shen Yuzhu, no one remembers that she was still suffering in the countryside!
She only learned after her death that her life in the countryside was so hard, and that she was eventually pushed into the river and drowned, all of which were arranged by her stepmother.
Not only that, her mother actually gave birth to a girl safely with her first child, but Lü Jiahao switched the baby with a stillborn one. The poor older sister was sent to the countryside, where she was beaten and scolded from a young age. After she grew up, Lü Jiahao sold her to an old widower and forced her to give birth to five children. She became mentally unstable at the age of thirty and jumped naked from the third floor at the age of fifty, ending her tragic life.
It was then that she learned that the pitiful woman in the neighboring village, who was always called an old barbarian, was her older sister, Shen Yuming.
Thinking back on her past life, the only person Shen Yuzhu felt sorry for was Zhou Congsheng. He had grown up with her, and the Zhou family had always treated her very well since she was a child. Not long after she went to the countryside, the Zhou family moved to the capital.
After that, I often wrote to her, but she never replied.
Zhou Congsheng never married and lived a lonely life. Much later, upon learning of her death, he disregarded everyone's objections, took her remains back to the city, and buried them in the Zhou family cemetery. In his later years, he gave away all his wealth and was buried with her after his death.
Shen Yuzhu's fingernails dug fiercely at the door.
Several members of the Shen family died unjustly, and her mother's love was misplaced, all thanks to a few heartless and ruthless villains. Now that Shen Yuzhu has a chance to start over, she must seek justice for the Shen family.
“The child is still young. Can’t you talk things out properly? You’re a grown-up, why do you have to get angry with a child? Apologize to Yuhong properly later, otherwise, I’ll get angry.”
“You’re just too soft-hearted, that’s why she always bullies you. Besides, as her father, why should I apologize to her? That’s not fair.”
"Alright, alright, hurry up and open the door, Yuzhu must be starving."
Zhong Fu seemed to be advising, but in reality she was adding fuel to the fire, and sure enough, Lü Jiahao's disgust for Shen Yuzhu deepened.
With a "click," the door was opened by Zhong Fu.
She put on a polite smile, but before she could say anything, Shen Yuzhu suddenly lunged at Lü Jiahao and buried her face in his arms.
"Daddy, waaaaah... I'm so hungry. Do you really not love me anymore? That's why you're so angry with me. Am I even your daughter? Don't you care about me at all? Waaaaah..."
Lu Jiahao froze, and pushed Shen Yuzhu away in disgust, but was unexpectedly hugged even tighter.
"Dad, I agree to give the job to Shen Yuxia. No matter what, you must have your reasons. Dad, please don't be angry with me anymore."
After releasing Lü Jiahao, Shen Yuzhu's nose turned slightly red, and she looked at him pitifully.
Although the child wasn't born to the person I love, it's still my bloodline. Even if I can't treat her the way I treat Yuxia, Yukun, and Yucheng, I shouldn't be completely without feelings for her. Besides, she's been so understanding this time, so giving her a nice look isn't a big deal.
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