Chapter 28 Zhao Jiagou
◎Hateful! The eight years I missed◎
Qian Shufen was a little confused, and looked at Zhao Chenyang blankly, as if asking: What's going on? Didn't you say you wouldn't expose this? Didn't you say Zhao Xiangwan wasn't liked by Zhao Qingyun and the others?
After meeting Zhao Xiangwan at the Four Seasons Hotel, Zhao Qingyun immediately blamed Zhao Chenyang. Zhao Chenyang knew that the truth would come out sooner or later, so he took the initiative to confess to Zhao Qingyun and Wei Meihua, and claimed that he was unaware of the matter and that it was Qian Shufen who was vain and swapped their identities.
For Zhao Chenyang, Qian Shufen took all the blame. She was very humble when she called Zhao Qingyun, crying and begging him not to blame Zhao Chenyang. She said that she had taken good care of Zhao Xiangwan and had worked hard to raise her into a college student, and she was worthy of Zhao Qingyun's trust.
After she finished crying, Qian Shufen said, "I have helped you raise your daughter for ten years, can't you help me raise her for eight years? I won't blame you for abandoning the child, but don't blame me for switching the child."
Zhao Qingyun gave birth to a daughter out of wedlock and sent her to the countryside for foster care when she was one month old. He only paid ten yuan a month for four years. This was not a fair thing to Zhao Qingyun.
What Zhao Qingyun hoped for most was that Zhao Xiangwan and Zhao Chenyang would treat each other like sisters and be raised as daughters. After all, Zhao Xiangwan was already 18 years old and was attending college, so he didn't need to spend more energy on her. He just needed to prepare an extra dowry and arrange a good job for her.
However, after meeting Zhao Xiangwan, Zhao Qingyun knew that she was not easy to talk to. Zhao Chenyang had occupied her time and resources for eight years, and she must have resentment in her heart. If she did not make her attitude clear, Zhao Xiangwan might not recognize him as her father.
Zhao Qingyun hesitated and couldn't make up his mind.
On one side is Zhao Chenyang, who had been raised for eight years and married into the Xu family; on the other side is Zhao Xiangwan, who had no gratitude towards Ji Jinmao for raising him and had close ties with him. His inner balance has been wavering as to which is more important.
After experiencing the murder of Weng Pingfang, Zhao Qingyun truly realized the value of Zhao Xiangwan.
Zhao Xiangwan investigated a case that even Xu Songling found difficult in just one week. What does this show? This shows that Zhao Xiangwan has clear logic, careful thinking, and a strong character. Such a person is definitely not an ordinary person. With a little training, his future prospects are limitless.
In comparison, giving up Zhao Chenyang was nothing. As long as he had the support of Zhao Xiangwan and the Ji family behind her, Zhao Qingyun was confident that he could move up to the next level.
After much deliberation, Zhao Qingyun put aside his pride as a father and decided to send Zhao Chenyang back to Zhao Jiagou, acknowledge Zhao Xiangwan's identity in front of Qian Shufen and Zhao Erfu, and officially take her home. Perhaps only in this way can he win back Zhao Xiangwan's heart and make her willing to be close to him.
Seeing that Qian Shufen was still in a daze, Zhao Qingyun raised his voice and spoke again: "Our two children were mistaken, how about we switch them now?"
How? No!
Qian Shufen stared blankly at Zhao Chenyang, whose face turned pale, and she wanted to curse him in her heart. You raised Chenyang to be so charming, elegant and fashionable, and now she is back. How can she get used to living in our shabby house?
"Well, Leader Zhao, look, no matter Xiang Wan or Chen Yang, they have grown up and are now attending university in Xing City. Why would you talk about sending them back or taking them back home when they are so old? It's New Year's Day, come in and have some tea first, and we can discuss anything slowly."
Qian Shufen greeted them warmly and winked at her second son standing beside her: "Why don't you go to your eldest aunt's house and bring your third sister back!"
Hearing that Zhao Chenyang was his biological sister, Zhao Zhongwu was surprised for a moment, but he quickly accepted the fact.
He said that how could a sister like Zhao Xiangwan, who is so good at studying and has amazing gambling skills, be raised by his family? Only Zhao Chenyang, who is lazy and calls him "Er Gouzi" all day long, is like his real sister!
However, Zhao Zhongwu was somewhat reluctant to pick up Zhao Xiangwan.
To be honest, he was a little afraid of Zhao Xiangwan. He had just learned how to gamble in junior high school. At that time, he gambled by rolling the dice and guessing the size, which was simple and easy to play. Zhao Zhongwu stole money from home to go out and play, and was discovered by Zhao Xiangwan. Zhao Zhongwu clearly remembered that her face was as gloomy as a moonless night.
Zhao Xiangwan asked Zhao Zhongwu: "Why do you gamble?"
Zhao Zhongwu immediately replied: "Use the small to defeat the big."
“But you will lose.”
“It’s possible to win.”
"Do you lose more often or win more often?"
“Although I lose a lot now, I will definitely win once I master my gambling skills!”
Zhao Xiangwan glanced at Zhao Zhongwu and said, "Shall we make a bet?"
Zhao Zhongwu became interested: "What bet?"
"I'll help you gamble and I guarantee you'll win every time. If I do, you'll stop gambling."
"Win every time? How is that possible?"
"Will you bet?"
Zhao Zhongwu was full of pride: "I bet!"
Then… then Zhao Zhongwu lost, and watched Zhao Xiangwan killing. Zhao Damao, who started the gambling, was so shocked that his eyes almost fell out. In the end, Zhao Damao begged Zhao Xiangwan with tears and snot to stop gambling, and promised to drive Zhao Zhongwu away when he saw him, and never let him participate in any gambling.
Zhao Xiangwan cut off Zhao Zhongwu's escape route. Anyone who ran a gambling game near the village would treat Zhao Zhongwu as a plague god. Zhao Zhongwu was forced to fulfill his promise. It was not until he went out to work in the past two years and moved to a different place, far away from Zhao Xiangwan's sight, that he dared to gamble secretly.
What was the result? Zhao Zhongwu felt guilty because he didn't make any money from gambling and was fired by the restaurant. He didn't dare to face Zhao Xiangwan.
When Zhao Zhongwu heard Qian Shufen asking him to pick up Zhao Xiangwan, he refused: "I won't go. Zhao Xiangwan is not my sister anymore, why should I pick her up?"
Qian Shufen was furious. One by one, they ignored her words. It was too much! She held back her anger and took out twenty yuan from her pocket and stuffed it into Zhao Zhongwu's hand. She gritted her teeth and said, "Be obedient and hurry up! Bring the third sister back."
Seeing the money, Zhao Zhongwu's face looked better. He rolled his eyes and said, "Only twenty yuan? Mom, you are treating me like a beggar."
Qian Shufen pretended to take the money back: "You don't want to go? Forget it, I'll ask Zhuzi to go for me."
Zhao Zhongwu chuckled, quickly put the money into his cotton-padded jacket pocket, and rubbed his hands: "Okay, I'll go, I'll go."
Seeing Zhao Zhongwu riding away happily on his bicycle, Zhao Chenyang asked her mother in some confusion: "Where is my eldest brother?" In her impression, the person her mother liked to order around the most was the honest eldest brother, so why did she ask her second brother to run errands today?
Qian Shufen said happily, "After graduating from the Traditional Chinese Medicine School, your eldest brother was assigned to the County People's Hospital as a pharmacist. He is very busy with work and will not be able to go home for the holiday until New Year's Eve."
"What?!" Zhao Chenyang cried out in disbelief.
My eldest brother works in a hospital? With his ugly appearance, how could he work as a pharmacist in the People's Hospital? He has been a farmer at home all his life, and he is an honest man with no future.
Qian Shufen didn't notice her daughter's surprise, and added with a smile: "Your eldest brother took the adult college entrance examination in 1986 and was admitted to a junior college in Zhushi. He was guaranteed a job after graduation. He is the eldest son, so I let him go back to the county hospital to work."
Zhao Chenyang asked, "Where is the second brother?" The second brother is about 21 years old this year. He was a second-rate person in his previous life, gambling all day long. Later, he was caught by the police for gambling in a group. He was detained for several months before he was released. He has a very bad reputation in the village.
Qian Shufen sighed, "Your second brother is smart, but he can't stay in anything for long. After graduating from junior high school, he was sent out to learn bamboo weaving, but he came back after two months, saying that his fingers were all cut from splitting bamboo strips every day. Then he was sent to the city to work as a bricklayer, but he came back after less than half a year, saying that the construction site was too dirty, too tiring, and the food was not enough. Last year, he went to Guangzhou to learn cooking. He is a good cook, so he worked in a big restaurant for a year, but unfortunately... he didn't stay for long and came back again, alas!"
Zhao Xiangwan looked around and noticed that there had been changes in his home.
The originally gray loess walls were painted white, the originally damp and dark rammed earth floor was paved with thick tiles, and even the edge of the eaves in front of the door was covered with large bluestones. Although it is still rustic and simple, it looks much brighter and more refined than it was eight years ago.
Zhao Chenyang frowned: "After not seeing you for so many years, there have been quite a lot of changes at home."
Qian Shufen was excited when she heard her daughter say this: "The village is now implementing the responsibility contracting system, and life is much better than before. I have saved some money now, and I plan to renovate the old house. Fourth sister, you can stay here for a while before returning to the city. Mom will buy you some meat. Are you hungry? Mom will cook you some sweet wine and eggs first."
Qian Shufen was so happy that her adopted daughter came home that she lost herself a little. She took out a large earthenware pot and boiled brown sugar water, put a handful of red dates and longans in the pot, added a large spoonful of rice wine, and then beat two eggs and poured the egg liquid into the boiling brown sugar water. The main room was immediately filled with a sweet aroma mixed with the aroma of wine, dates, and eggs.
Qian Shufen poured out a tea bowl and handed it to Zhao Chenyang, her smile full of courtesy: "Fourth sister, you liked to drink sweet wine and eggs when you were a child. You haven't been home for so long, drink some to get rid of the cold."
The villagers of Zhaojiagou who were watching the excitement on the sidelines all laughed.
"Alas, Aunt Qian was so happy to see her sister come back that she was willing to spend money on it. Two eggs."
"That's right. Even after Xiangwan was admitted to university, she never saw Aunt Qian cook eggs for us."
"After all, they are my biological children. It's just different!"
The villagers' words were full of thorns. Qian Shufen and Zhao Erfu's smiles were a little stiff. They could only laugh: "This is a distinguished guest from the provincial capital. We must use the best things to entertain him. Everyone, please sit down. I'll make tea for you."
Zhao Qingyun sat down. The rough backrest chair in the countryside was relatively low, and after sitting down, his legs were forced to stretch forward. He waved his hand to refuse the flowery porcelain bowl that Qian Shufen handed over: "I'm not used to sweet drinks."
Qian Shufen shyly retracted her hand, turned around and poured another bowl of farm tea to him: "There's nothing good to offer in the countryside, please don't blame me, leader."
Farmhouse tea has many leaves and a yellowish color, with a smell of firewood. Zhao Qingyun took a sip of the tea to warm his throat, then looked up to observe the furnishings in the main hall.
The blue brick floor was clean and flat. In the center of the north wall facing the gate hung a yellowed picture of cranes welcoming spring, with spring couplets pasted on both sides.
The prosperity of people and wealth brings prosperity to the family
Wealth is like spring and blessings are everywhere
Horizontal copy: Wealth and good fortune
The strong rural atmosphere reminded Zhao Qingyun of his hometown, a small mountain village in northwestern Hubei. However, he rarely went back after falling in love with Wei Meihua and had forgotten the elders and fellow villagers there.
Wei Meihua was a city girl, from a well-off family, and looked down on rural people. Previously, her family was proud of her, and any villager who came to Xing City would come to visit Zhao Qingyun first, but gradually they came less and less, and after Zhao Qingyun's parents passed away, even his brothers and sisters stopped visiting him, and gradually lost contact.
Surrounded by villagers looking at him with curious eyes, Zhao Qingyun pursed his lips uncomfortably and lowered his head to pretend to drink tea, but his mind was elsewhere.
At this moment, another person who was running desperately was Zhao Zhongwu. However, he was not running with his mind, but with his body.
Zhao Zhongwu pedaled his bicycle desperately, running from the country road to the county road, and quickly rushed to Luo County. His reluctance just now was swept away, and now Zhao Zhongwu's face was full of excitement, laughing and shouting in the cold wind.
"Haha, haha! Zhao Xiangwan, you better fight for your reputation and don't let Zhao Chenyang beat you down!"
The heroic image of Zhao Xiangwan, who at the age of twelve swept through all the gambling houses in the Zhao family, flashed before his eyes. Zhao Zhongwu was startled and didn't know how to express his inner joy of schadenfreude, so he pressed the bell like a lunatic.
Ding ding ...
There's something interesting to watch~ There's something interesting to watch~
Zhao Zhongwu, who was extremely bored and had no fear of high stage when watching a play, was not at all happy about his sister Zhao Chenyang returning home. Instead, he was worried that his parents had switched Zhao Chenyang and Zhao Xiangwan, and now the lie was exposed. Wouldn't Zhao Xiangwan skin Zhao Chenyang and demolish the old house?
Born unwilling to settle for mediocrity and always looking for opportunities in change, Zhao Zhongwu loosened his left hand, drew an arc in the air, and shouted, "Zhao Xiangwan, come on!"
Zhaojiagou is more than 20 miles away from the county seat, and it takes about 30 to 40 minutes by bike.
Zhao Zhongwu sneaked into the old alleys of the county town and saw Zhao Dacui's bungalow from a distance. He began to shout at the top of his voice: "Aunt, Aunt——"
It was already noon, Zhao Dacui had just finished cooking and was instructing Fan Qiuhan to pour drinks. Hearing this familiar voice, he couldn't help but chuckle: "Xiang Wan, this person really can't stand being talked about. You just said you would send Zhongwu to me as an apprentice, and he's here."
Zhao Bowen stood up and opened the door. Seeing his brother riding a bicycle, he called out, "Zhongwu, be careful, don't bump into anything."
The alley was narrow, and there were a lot of miscellaneous items placed in front of each house, including buckets, basins, clothes drying, dried fish, and dried meat... Zhao Zhongwu ran all the way and almost knocked over other people's clothes drying racks, which made people's eyelids twitch.
Zhao Zhongwu was playing tricks, moving quickly through the alley full of clutter, laughing and saying, "Brother, I'm here! Third sister, third sister, come out quickly."
Hearing Zhao Zhongwu's shouting, Zhao Xiangwan, Fan Qiuhan and Zhao Dacui all came out of the house.
As soon as he saw Zhao Xiangwan, Zhao Zhongwu's eyes lit up. He stopped his bike in front of her and raised his chin: "Third sister, let's go. Second brother will take you home."
Zhao Bowen frowned and said, "My aunt is still here. Why don't you say hello to her first?"
Zhao Zhongwu placed one foot on the ground to maintain balance, and stepped on the pedal with the other foot. He smiled and bowed: "Hello, auntie!"
Zhao Dacui knew that he was just like that, so she didn't care. She smiled gently and said, "Zhongwu is here. Come on, come in and have dinner."
Zhao Zhongwu waved his hands and said, "No need to eat. I was sent here by my family to pick up my third sister."
Zhao Bowen was a little surprised: "It's already twelve o'clock, aren't you hungry? We are celebrating the Little New Year at my aunt's house today, you should eat first before leaving."
Fan Qiuhan curled his lips: "Today we have chicken soup, braised crucian carp, fried bacon with garlic, and fried pork with chili. They taste great. You really don't want to eat them?" With so many delicious dishes, I don't believe that the foodie Zhao Zhongwu would not stay for dinner.
Zhao Zhongwu swallowed quietly.
[How about eating first? It will be almost one o'clock if we go back now. Who knows if they will eat first? Seeing Zhao Chenyang showing off, as if he has become a high-class person after spending a few years in the city, let her wait obediently. And Zhao Xiangwan's biological father, I didn't expect that people in the city are so stupid that they can even make a mistake with their own biological daughter, who is also a big leader in the province. Ha! Let him wait for a while, he deserves to wait! ]
Zhao Xiangwan glanced at Zhao Zhongwu.
Zhao Chenyang and Zhao Qingyun came? They actually revealed the truth? Did Zhao Qingyun change his mind, or did he think Zhao Chenyang was useless?
Zhao Zhongwu's heart skipped a beat when Zhao Xiangwan looked at him. He immediately calmed down and said with a flattering smile, "Third sister, I didn't even send you to college. This time I'm here to take you home."
Zhao Xiangwan turned around and went back to the house.
Zhao Zhongwu didn't know what she was thinking, so he quickly parked his bike and followed her into the house, muttering, "Third sister, third sister, everyone at home is waiting for you to come back."
Zhao Xiangwan sat down at the table calmly: "Hurry up and eat, or it will get cold."
Zhao Dacui quickly added a set of bowls and chopsticks and placed them on the table: "Zhongwu is in luck, today we have delicious food for the Little New Year. Come on, come on, eat quickly, you must be hungry after working all morning."
The aroma of five dishes and a soup filled the air, and Zhao Zhongwu started to eat while praising his aunt's cooking skills. With the talkative Zhao Zhongwu, the table suddenly became much more lively.
"Aunt, you said you were busy all morning. What were you busy with?"
"A female college student from our next-door neighbor was kidnapped. We finally found her, but her parents were too embarrassed to see her. This morning, she cut her wrists and nearly died. We helped send her to the hospital, and Qiu Meizi and Xiang Wan ran around with her."
Zhao Zhongwu opened his mouth wide: "Ah, how can you be kidnapped even after you've gone to college? What's wrong with your brain?"
Fan Qiuhan glared at him fiercely: "Hey! Why don't you scold the kidnapper, but scold the kidnapped girl instead?"
Zhao Dacui was also somewhat dissatisfied: "It is because of people like you gossiping that Tinglan's parents think she is embarrassed."
Zhao Xiangwan sneered: "You are the one without brains."
Zhao Zhongwu raised his chopsticks and surrendered: "Okay, okay, I have no brains, I said the wrong thing, okay?"
Zhao Bowen asked sympathetically: "Has the girl who attempted suicide been rescued? Have her parents regretted it? If her parents still feel ashamed, she will have a hard time in the future."
Zhao Dacui sighed, "She was saved, but she suffered a lot. Tinglan's parents... Sigh! I don't know what they were thinking. They forced a girl to die. Let the neighborhood committee educate them when we have time."
Fan Qiuhan gave his mother a thumbs up and said, "Mom, this is a great idea. Let Aunt Qiao educate Aunt Lu so that Tinglan won't be upset again."
The family chatted while eating, and the topic kept revolving around Tinglan.
"There are no perfect parents in the world, I don't even see them."
"When the child was at her most vulnerable, her parents kept scolding her and humiliating her, forcing her to commit suicide. Is it right for such parents to do this?"
"Isn't it? Fan Youde beat me up so badly that my head was bleeding. How can such a man be worthy of being a father?"
Zhao Bowen was a little uncomfortable when Fan Qiuhan called her father by his name. However, Zhao Zhongwu admired Fan Qiuhan's decisiveness and praised her: "You can let go easily. My cousin is straightforward!"
Fan Qiuhan glanced at Zhao Zhongwu and said, "My aunt favors boys over girls and is not nice to Xiang Wan. This year she will spend the New Year at my house and will not go back to Zhao's house."
When Zhao Zhongwu heard this, the bacon in his mouth lost its fragrance. He thought for a moment, quickened his eating pace, finished a bowl of rice, put down his chopsticks, and looked at the four people at the table.
"Well, are you guys done eating? If you are, I have something to announce."
His tone was too serious, and Zhao Bowen was a little nervous: "What's wrong? Is there something wrong with my parents' health?"
Zhao Zhongwu shook his head: "They are in good health."
Zhao Dacui quickly finished her chicken soup, put down the bowl, and asked, "What's the matter? Did your parents have a fight?"
Zhao Zhongwu shook his head again: "They don't have time to quarrel."
Fan Qiuhan was impatient. While eating the last few mouthfuls of rice, he urged: "Hurry up and tell me, stop wasting time."
Zhao Zhongwu had whetted everyone's appetite and was feeling extremely proud. He turned around and saw Zhao Xiangwan calmly eating the chicken leg that her aunt had given her. He felt a little frustrated, coughed, and began to speak.
"Someone came to our house today. Who do you think it was?"
"who?"
"Fourth sister Zhao Chenyang is back."
When Zhao Bowen heard this, he stood up in disbelief: "She's back? Didn't she go to the city to enjoy herself? How could she be willing to come back?"
Fan Qiuhan curled her lips and said, "She finally felt guilty and came back? She left for eight years without any news. I thought she had abandoned the countryside after she found her biological parents who were officials."
Zhao Dacui was also a little curious: "I haven't seen Chenyang for so many years. Has he changed? Is he still the same as when he was a child..."
Fan Qiuhan added: "It's delicious but you're lazy to cook it?"
After saying this, Fan Qiuhan couldn't hold back his laughter and said, "To be honest, I really didn't expect Zhao Chenyang to come back. When I was a child, I had frostbite on my hands. When it got warm in the spring, it started to itch. I kept scratching it, and pus and blood were mixed together. When I went to your house to play, Xiangwan poured hot water for me to wash, and Chenyang was right beside me, covering his nose and saying that I was disgusting and dirty."
At the end of the conversation, Fan Qiuhan stopped laughing and snorted, "If she comes back, she can come back. Why does Xiang Wan have to go back to support her? I think she has gained power in the city and feels superior to others, so she wants to come back to show off, right?"
Zhao Zhongwu discovered that Zhao Chenyang was really unpopular. When she returned home, except for her parents who were happy, no one else welcomed her.
"The following news is the most explosive, guaranteed to surprise you!"
Zhao Zhongwu glanced at Zhao Xiangwan and said, "Zhao Chenyang is my biological sister, and Zhao Xiangwan is a city girl. But my parents got crazy and switched their identities, letting Zhao Chenyang go to the city to become a rich lady, and leaving Zhao Xiangwan in the countryside to be a housemaid."
"What?"
"What!"
"What did you say?!"
Zhao Bowen, Zhao Dacui, and Fan Qiuhan all slammed the table and stood up.
Zhao Chenyang is the biological daughter of Qian Shufen and Zhao Erfu, and Zhao Xiangwan is the adopted child of the educated youth in the city. When Zhao Xiangwan's biological father came to pick her up when she was ten years old, Qian Shufen and Zhao Erfu actually had a bad idea and sent Zhao Chenyang to the city?
Zhao Dacui's heart was in a knot. She turned around and hugged Zhao Xiangwan, tears streaming down her face: "My Xiangwan, you...you were harmed by them!"
Fan Qiuhan was so angry that he trembled all over. He grabbed Zhao Zhongwu by the collar and lifted him up: "What are you talking about?"
Zhao Bowen looked around in confusion, feeling sad and bitter. What had his parents done? No matter how much they loved Zhao Chenyang and how much they wanted him to go to the city, they couldn't do such a heartless thing. Just a thought changed Zhao Xiangwan's fate. How could they be so cruel!
Zhao Zhongwu didn't expect everyone's reaction to be so intense. He struggled to shake off Fan Qiuhan while shouting, "Third sister's biological father is here, and he said he wants to take her back. So he asked me to come and take Third sister back to Zhaojiagou."
He turned his head and looked at Zhao Xiangwan: "Third sister, your biological father is here. He looks like an important figure. I heard that he is a big leader in the province. When you become successful in the future, don't forget your second brother."
Zhao Bowen really couldn't help it, he raised his hand and slapped Zhao Zhongwu on the back of the head: "You idiot! At this point, what are you talking about not forgetting you when you become rich in the future? Xiang Wan has suffered so much since she was a child, don't you know how bad her parents treated her? If she doesn't come after you, just pray!"
Zhao Xiangwan was hugged tightly by Zhao Dacui, and for some reason she felt like crying.
Thinking that Zhao Xiangwan didn't like physical contact with people, Zhao Dacui quickly let go of her hand, wiped her tears and cursed Qian Shufen.
"My poor Xiang Wan, Qian Shufen's conscience has been eaten by dogs. How could she bear to torture Xiang Wan like this! She sent her daughter to the city to enjoy a good life, but refused to treat Xiang Wan well. She wants to be struck by lightning..."
Zhao Zhongwu broke free from Fan Qiuhan's clutches, touched the back of his head that was hurt by his elder brother's beating, and said aggrievedly: "Why did you hit me? I was just a messenger. What my parents did was not right, you can scold them when you see them, they can't hear you if you scold them here."
Zhao Dacui gritted her teeth and said, "Let's go! Let's go back and I'll curse them to death!"
Zhao Xiangwan shook his head and said, "I won't go."
Fan Qiuhan said, "Why not go? They treated you like this, you must go back and scold them severely, and make them pay back what they owe you all these years! Your own father is here, and you have someone to back you up, what are you afraid of?"
Zhao Xiangwan raised his eyes and looked at everyone: "Aunt, do you still recognize me as your niece? Cousin, eldest brother, second brother, do you still recognize me as your sister?"
Zhao Dacui slapped her thigh and said, "Child, I have watched you grow up since you were little. So what if you are not my biological child? As long as you still call me aunt, you are my most beloved niece!"
Fan Qiuhan sighed: "Xiang Wan, I recognize you as a person, not some blood relationship. If I valued blood relationship, I would not have thrown cold water on Fan Youde when he came to me, right?"
Zhao Bowen and Zhao Zhongwu looked at each other and said in unison: "Of course you are my sister!" Zhao Zhongwu added: "I'm afraid you don't recognize me as your brother."
The warm words from his relatives flowed through his heart like a warm current. Zhao Xiangwan's eyes flickered as he looked at Zhao Zhongwu: "If you want me to go back, that's fine, but you have to agree to one condition, second brother."
Seeing that the usually stubborn Zhao Xiangwan was still willing to call him "Second Brother" after knowing the truth, Zhao Zhongwu was deeply moved. He wanted to take out his heart to make her smile and nod repeatedly: "You tell me! Don't mention one condition, I will agree to ten or a hundred of them."
"Stay in the county, be an apprentice to my aunt, and open a rice noodle shop."
Zhao Zhongwu was stunned for a moment, his mind was a little confused. Wasn't he talking about Zhao Xiangwan's life experience? Wasn't he talking about going home to seek justice? Why did the topic suddenly turn to opening a store?
Zhao Dacui and Fan Qiuhan felt even more distressed for Zhao Xiangwan after hearing this. She had just found out that she was not her biological child. Normally, a child would have been sad, angry, and lost their minds, but she was so calm and even remembered that she was going to give Zhao Dacui a little apprentice.
Zhao Dacui wanted to persuade Zhao Xiangwan not to consider this problem for the time being, and to solve the most important issue of her background first. However, as soon as she opened her mouth, Zhao Xiangwan gave her a look, signaling her not to speak, and Zhao Dacui immediately shut her mouth.
Zhao Zhongwu said, "I was talking to my mother a few days ago. I am learning cooking in Yangcheng and want to open a restaurant in Luo County, but I don't have the money. If my aunt has the money to open a rice noodle shop, why not help me open a restaurant?"
Zhao Xiangwan glanced at him and said, "If you agree, I will go and let you watch a lively show. If you don't agree, I won't go, and Zhao Chenyang can do whatever he wants."
Zhao Zhongwu was a little hesitant.
Zhao Xiangwan raised a finger and said, "One year. If you can work hard for a full year, I will take you to Xing City to find a chef to apprentice to. When you become a chef, I will invest in you to open a restaurant."
Zhao Zhongwu's eyes lit up: "Mom, Third Sister, do you still have this ability?"
Zhao Xiangwan frowned.
Zhao Zhongwu immediately raised his head: "I agree, I'll listen to you!"
Zhao Xiangwan's face turned serious: "I heard that you were fired because of gambling?"
Zhao Zhongwu was most afraid of Zhao Xiangwan's stern face, so he quickly smiled in a flattering way: "I was wrong, I was wrong! I promise I will never gamble again in the future."
Zhao Xiangwan sneered and said, "When I was an intern at the Municipal Bureau, I closed down several casinos. If you want to experience what it's like to be detained, I can arrange it."
In fact, Zhao Zhongwu had already regretted it in his heart.
After seeing Zhao Xiangwan's ability to win every time he gambled, Zhao Zhongwu realized that casinos are full of greedy cats. This time he lost money again and wanted to chop off his own hands.
Hearing the familiar teachings of the third sister again, the somewhat masochistic Zhao Zhongwu was not angry but happy, and nodded with a smile: "Don't worry, don't worry, I won't gamble again. If I gamble again, you can let the police arrest me."
Zhao Dacui watched Zhao Xiangwan training her brother from the side, feeling both amused and sad. In other families, the brothers would protect their sisters, but Zhao Zhongwu was the only one who didn't live up to expectations, causing his sister to worry about him all day long.
Fan Qiuhan rolled up his sleeves and gestured with his fist: "If you dare to go to the gambling table, do you believe I will beat you up?!"
Zhao Zhongwu shrank his neck and muttered, "Are all women nowadays so powerful?"
Fan Qiuhan chuckled, and the atmosphere at the dinner table immediately became relaxed.
Zhao Zhongwu was quick-witted. He turned around and clasped his fists towards Zhao Dacui: "Master, I bow to you."
Zhao Dacui saw that Zhao Zhongwu was healthy, had a pleasant look, and was very smart. She thought that if she opened a shop, she would really need a guy to run errands. He was a righteous man who kept his word, and he was her own nephew. Wasn't he better than those people who didn't know him well?
Zhao Dacui smiled and patted his shoulder: "Okay, okay, I believe you."
Zhao Zhongwu turned his head and looked at Zhao Xiangwan: "Third sister, are you coming back?"
Zhao Xiangwan nodded: "Yes."
Go back! Of course she has to go back. Zhao Chenyang has the nerve to come, Zhao Qingyun has the nerve to come, is she afraid to face them?
Zhao Zhongwu shouted happily and waved his hand: "Take my car, let's go!"
Zhao Dacui put on the red scarf Zhao Xiangwan gave her and said to Fan Qiuhan, "Borrow a bicycle from your Aunt Qiu, and we'll go too."
Zhao Bowen was a little anxious: "Wait for me, I'll borrow a car from my colleague."
Fan Qiuhan said, "Okay, I'll borrow another one for you."
Fan Qiuhan is very popular in this alley. Just by calling out, he can borrow two bicycles in just a few minutes.
Five people and three cars sped towards Zhaojiagou.
Today is the Little New Year, and the villagers of Zhaojiagou are all busy celebrating the New Year. After watching the excitement at Qian Shufen's house for a while, they all went home, leaving only a few respected elders to accompany Zhao Qingyun.
Zhao Zhongwu was right. Qian Shufen had already prepared a sumptuous lunch on time, without waiting for him. The New Year's Eve dinner in the countryside included fish, meat, and eggs, and was delicious, but Zhao Qingyun and Zhao Chenyang had no idea what they were eating.
After more than eight years, Zhao Chenyang returned to his old house and felt that many things were different from his previous life.
My eldest brother, who was honest and useless in his previous life, was just like his father, busy planting and harvesting rice in the fields. As a result, after not seeing him for eight years, he went to college and became a pharmacist.
The second brother was a lazy and gambling idiot in his previous life. He was a vagrant who wandered around the village. Now he is working and learning a trade in a big city.
In her previous life, her cowardly and incompetent aunt had wasted her entire life in a family full of rejection and violence. Now she has bravely divorced her uncle and lives in the county town with Fan Qiuhan.
After Zhao Chenyang left Zhao Jiagou, everyone worked hard and their lives became better and better.
On the contrary, although I became a city dweller, I was always trembling with fear and not at ease. Like now, Zhao Qingyun said one word and I had to go back to the countryside.
Living a new life doesn't seem to be any better.
An inexplicable fear surged up in Zhao Chenyang, and she counted the grains of rice and stuffed them into her mouth. Her throat seemed to be blocked by something, making it very difficult for her to swallow each grain of rice.
Zhao Qingyun, who was sitting in the main seat and being toasted by the elders, had no happy expression on his face at this moment.
According to his rank, how could he have the chance to sit at the same table and eat and drink with these farmers? At the age of 40, he became a deputy department-level cadre. Zhao Qingyun's career was smooth sailing. If it weren't for the need to keep his own daughter, Zhao Xiangwan, under his control, he would never have stooped to this mountain poor valley.
The chairs were too low, the tabletops were greasy, the farmhouse dishes were extremely coarse, and the home-brewed wine was hard to swallow. Zhao Qingyun waved his hands and politely said to the toasting person, "Sorry, I can't drink."
Village committee director Zhao Changxing was a little reserved when he saw the provincial leader. He didn't offer a toast, but only complimented him, saying, "Leader Zhao is so lucky. Xiangwan is a hardworking child. He was admitted to the Public Security University last year. Chenyang has lived in the city for eight years. He has been well taken care of. He must have been admitted to the university, too, right?"
Zhao Chenyang's face changed. What a joke! She took up all of Zhao Xiangwan's resources, but she only got a junior college score in the college entrance examination. If it weren't for Zhao Qingyun's relationship, she wouldn't have been able to go to Hunan Finance and Trade School for a junior college.
Ding ding ding ding ding ding…
A series of crisp bicycle bell sounds once again broke the tranquility of Zhaojiagou.
The villagers who had finished lunch put down their chopsticks, stood up excitedly, and rushed to the door, where they saw Zhao Zhongwu running on the dirt road in the village with Zhao Xiangwan like a charging warrior. Behind him were Zhao Dacui, Fan Qiuhan, and Zhao Bowen.
"Hey, Xiang Wan is back!"
"All the members of Zhao Erfu's family are here."
"The hot nurse is back too? This is going to be exciting."
"Hurry, hurry, pack up and let's go to Zhao Erfu's house to see what's going on."
Qian Shufen heard the noise and hurried out of the house, standing under the eaves and looking around. To be honest, she was a little nervous. She would definitely be scolded if she told others about the baby swap. She just hoped that Zhao Xiangwan would say less and follow Zhao Qingyun back to the city as soon as possible.
Zhao Erfu took out a cigarette stick, stuffed some homemade tobacco into it, squatted at the door and started puffing. This is not easy to do, oh!
Zhao Qingyun slowly stood up and stood at the door waiting quietly.
Zhao Xiangwan jumped off his bike and walked towards the old house with Fan Qiuhan. The brothers Zhao Bowen and Zhao Zhongwu, who were not tall but very strong, followed closely behind him and looked at Zhao Qingyun with unfriendly eyes.
The one walking in front is Zhao Dacui.
She quickly stepped onto the veranda, picked up Zhao Erfu who was squatting on the ground, and angrily scolded: "If my parents were still alive, they would be mad at you! How dare you replace the prince with a cat? Are you worthy of Xiang Wan by preventing the reunion of other people's flesh and blood?"
Zhao Erfu's parents died young. It was his eldest sister who raised him and helped him get married and have children. Therefore, the brother and sister had a good relationship. Being scolded by his eldest sister, Zhao Erfu shrank his neck and said nothing, and did not dare to pick up the cigarette rod if it fell on the ground.
Seeing Zhao Dacui scolding right away, Qian Shufen said unhappily, "Sister, why are you so arrogant? The third sister hasn't even said anything yet, but you're the first to come and defend her. Are you too free?"
Zhao Dacui pulled Zhao Xiangwan over and said loudly, "Xiangwan, you go and ask them if their consciences have been eaten by dogs! Eight years ago, you should have gone to the city, but the two of them let Chenyang take your place. Ask them if they are worthy of you calling them dad and mom!"
More and more people gathered around, all eyes fixed on Zhao Xiangwan.
Zhao Xiangwan never speaks or smiles, but he has a power that moves people.
Facing the child she had raised for 18 years, Qian Shufen, who was scolded by Zhao Dacui and could not raise her head, blushed redly. For the first time in her life, she lowered her posture in front of Zhao Xiangwan.
"Third sister, you came to Zhaojiagou just a few days after you were born. I nursed you and Chenyang together. I have no credit but I have worked hard, right? Even if I am a little harsh when I talk to you in the future, it is to discipline you, right? I admit that I was greedy at the time and let Chenyang go to the city instead of you. It was all my fault. You can beat me or scold me. Even after beating and scolding, we are still a family."
Zhao Erfu stood firmly, straightened his collar, coughed a few times, and smiled naively.
"Third sister, your biological father came from the provincial capital because he wanted you and fourth sister to go back to your own homes. As for the things that happened in the past, no matter who was right or wrong, it has already happened and there is no way to go back to the past, so don't mention it again. You are in college now, you have knowledge and culture, you should understand that the grace of raising a child is greater than the grace of giving birth to him, right?"
Zhao Chenyang hid in the house and refused to come out, listening to the noise outside with his ears perked up.
Zhao Qingyun heard this and walked out with a cold face. He said to Zhao Xiangwan, "Xiangwan, I sent Chenyang to the countryside and came to pick you up today. You don't have to worry about the people and things here anymore. Our family is reunited, and from now on I will only recognize you as my daughter."
Zhao Qingyun and Zhao Xiangwan were in the same frame. They were both tall, with red eyes and high nose bridges. Their demeanor was indescribably noble and generous. When the villagers of Zhaojiagou saw this, they suddenly realized something.
"I told you, Erfu and his wife are both short, how could they have given birth to Xiangwan with long arms and legs?"
"Yes, yes, yes. Look at Zhao Xiangwan. He is so good at studying. He always ranks first every year. How can we, the Zhao family, keep such a golden phoenix?"
"I don't know if Zhao Xiangwanhui will be angry. Logically, she should have left the countryside to study in the city when she was ten years old. A smart child like her would have been able to get into the best university in the country if she studied in the city!"
"Yes, even someone like Chen Yang, who failed the third grade math exam in elementary school, was able to go to college by studying in the city. If Xiang Wan hadn't been replaced, would he have become a top talent by now?"
Zhao Qingyun heard the discussion and couldn't help but look at his own daughter. It turned out that in the eyes of the villagers, Zhao Xiangwan was so outstanding. If he had been more careful and not been deceived by Zhao Erfu and his wife, and had brought Zhao Xiangwan back to the city directly, she would have become his greatest wealth.
Damn! Those eight years I missed.
The more he thought about it, the more he hated Qian Shufen and Zhao Erfu for their greed and shamelessness. Then he saw Zhao Chenyang hiding in the back room and refusing to come out. Zhao Qingyun frowned and raised his voice and shouted, "Zhao Chenyang, come out!"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
