Chapter 240 Plastic Sibling Relationship
Ren Xiaosheng did not return to the courtyard that night. Yu Junsheng could comfort himself that he might have encountered something at the Red Star Commune and was delayed. However, he still did not return the next day, and he could no longer sit still.
The couple discussed that Yu Junsheng should ask for leave from the factory to go to Hongxing Commune to see what was going on.
On the third day, Yu Junsheng arrived at Hongxing Commune. After some inquiries, he learned that the person had already left that day, and that someone at the station had even seen him board a bus back to Beicheng.
Yu Junsheng was a bit dumbfounded.
Since Brother Xiaosheng left Hongxing Commune and returned to the city yesterday, why didn't he go home?
Where can he go in the northern part of the city?
Yu Junsheng was completely baffled. When he told Cheng Jiajia the news at home, Cheng Jiajia couldn't understand it either.
The main reason is that Ren Xiaosheng has been away from Beicheng for ten years and has no place to stay outside. It is really strange that he has not returned home for several days in a row at this critical moment in the search for his background.
However, Cheng Jiajia had read a lot of melodramatic novels about real and fake heiresses in her previous life, and her thinking was rather divergent. She immediately suspected that Ren Xiaosheng might have encountered some troublesome situation, or even be in danger.
After all, aren't there often stories in novels where a fake heiress, fearing her status is threatened, sends someone to kill the real heiress?
Could it be that the counterfeiter discovered something and made a move against Ren Xiaosheng?
She was just imagining things, but when she voiced her guess, it sent a chill down Yu Junsheng's spine.
"Come on, honey, let's go to the police station and report that someone is missing!"
Yu Junsheng grabbed Cheng Jiajia, and the two ran to the police station.
However, when the police heard that an adult had been missing for less than 48 hours, their faces immediately darkened.
"You're reporting a case just because an adult hasn't shown up for less than two days? That's ridiculous! We have so many important cases to handle every day, how can we waste public resources and police manpower on such a trivial matter!"
Another older police officer frowned, his tone clearly impatient, "A grown man can't just disappear like that. Maybe he just decided to go for a stroll and will be back in a couple of days."
"Go back first, wait a couple more days and see. Maybe he'll show up in front of you tomorrow. Don't cause trouble here!"
After saying that, he waved his hand, indicating that Yu Junsheng and the other person could leave.
After being kicked out of the police station, Cheng Jiajia and Yu Junsheng looked at each other in bewilderment.
Are they really overthinking things?
It was at this moment that Yu Junsheng realized he had been presumptuous. What time was it? How could the police open a case just because an adult had been missing for two days?
He could only console himself that perhaps they were overthinking things. Perhaps Ren Xiaosheng really was just wandering around somewhere, as the policeman said, or perhaps he suddenly discovered some clues about his background but didn't have time to tell them and went off on his own.
Despite saying that, the two of them were not without worries.
In the afternoon, a stranger came to the courtyard looking for Yu Junsheng.
The man told them, "We've found some clues about what happened before, so Ren Xiaosheng won't be coming back for the next few days."
The couple's eyes lit up immediately.
The three of them knew perfectly well what "the previous events" referred to.
Yu Junsheng finally felt relieved.
In other words, Ren Xiaosheng actually found a new clue...
Are you with your family right now?
What about counterfeit goods?
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On the other hand, after being advised by her mother, Bai Xiaohui has been whispering sweet nothings to Dong Xiaodi from time to time these past few days.
Such messages include, "Ren Yongsheng has been arrested, and Dong Xiangxiang needs someone to care for her right now. As her younger brother, you should comfort her more so that she won't be bullied by the Ren family."
Also, "You're the only two siblings in your family living in the city. Ren Yongsheng probably won't be able to leave again, so you two will need to look after each other even more. But we're not doing well right now, so we can't help much."
"Oh, if only our family had money, we could pull some strings for you and maybe you could get a permanent position at a state-owned restaurant. You'd have more confidence then, and those two old folks wouldn't dare to look down on you."
"Ren Yongsheng has been arrested. The two elders of the Ren family will probably give Dong Xiangxiang a sum of money in order to keep her in check. However, her child is still young and she doesn't need much money. We can borrow it for now."
“You’re her only brother. If she doesn’t give you her money, who else will she give it to? Only when you’re doing well can she be doing well. I believe she can understand that.”
These were all words that Bai Zhenzhu taught Bai Xiaohui to say; otherwise, she wouldn't have been able to come up with such a roundabout way of speaking.
Dong Xiaodi thought about it and realized that made sense. He was his sister's only brother, and she would need him to support her in the future. If she didn't give her money to him, who else would she give it to?
Moreover, now that her brother-in-law has also been arrested, her sister will have to rely on her younger brother even more.
He had lived in the Ren family's house for a while, so he naturally knew how the elderly couple treated Dong Xiangxiang. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that they treated Dong Xiangxiang like a maid. Dong Xiangxiang took care of all the big and small chores inside and outside the house, and even washed the underwear of her brother-in-law, Ren Yongchao.
After giving birth, Guan Ailian made things a little easier for her because she had to feed the baby, but she wasn't completely idle; there was just much less housework than before.
He knew that the two elders in the Ren family looked down on his sister for coming from the countryside and were deliberately making things difficult for her. In the entire compound, he had never seen anyone treat their pregnant daughter-in-law like that.
It's just a shame that I was only staying at the Ren family's place at the time and couldn't help my eldest sister much.
Xiaohui is right. Only when his life as the younger brother improves can he better support Dong Xiangxiang in the future and prevent the Ren family from bullying her and her child.
Dong Xiaodi made up his mind to ask Dong Xiangxiang for some money to give as gifts to the chefs in the kitchen, hoping that he might be able to get a permanent position.
He planned to talk to Dong Xiangxiang about this matter in a while, since Ren Yongsheng had just been arrested and the Ren family was in a terrible state. His sister was probably feeling very upset, so it wouldn't be appropriate to bring up money at this time.
It makes it seem like he's only after the Ren family's money, even though he's clearly trying to support his sister.
But Bai Xiaohui said that it was precisely because this was Dong Xiangxiang's most vulnerable moment that he had to stand up for her and let her know that she was not alone and that she had her younger brother behind her. This way, the two elders of the Ren family would not bully them, the orphan and the widow.
Brother Dong thought it made a lot of sense, so he decided to go and take a look tomorrow since it was the sooner the better.
The next day after work, he went to the Ren family's house. The elderly couple, Ren, had gone to try to pull strings for Ren Yongsheng, and only Dong Xiangxiang and the child were at home.
Dong Xiaodi first comforted Dong Xiangxiang with rambling words, then sighed with a hint of disappointment and said, "Big sister, now that your husband is gone, we should take care of each other even more. Unfortunately, I'm just a temporary worker now, and I don't have the confidence to speak in front of your in-laws."
Seeing that Dong Xiangxiang didn't react, Dong Xiaodi could only be more explicit, "I heard that another temporary worker in our kitchen got promoted by pulling strings with Chef Zhang. What do you think about me giving him a gift?"
Dong Xiangxiang, who was coaxing the child, was taken aback for a moment, then nodded and said, "Is it reliable? If it really can get me a permanent position, we can send some money."
After all, her younger brother has become a full-time employee, which will definitely give her more confidence. Presumably, her in-laws will no longer dare to look down on her.
Thinking there was a chance, Dong Xiaodi was overjoyed and quickly said, "Reliable, reliable, but, well... you know, I've only been working for two months, and I haven't been married to Xiaohui for long, so I'm short of money..." He rubbed his hands together and then rubbed his right thumb and forefinger together.
"Big sister, do you have any money here? Could you lend me some?"
“I will always remember your kindness, little brother. If you ever have any difficulties in the Ren family, Xiaohui and I will definitely come to support you immediately.”
Dong Xiangxiang's eyes flickered. Just as Bai Zhenzhu had predicted, the two elders in her family had given her a sum of money in order to keep her from remarrying.
But should this money be lent to my younger brother?
I'm afraid they'll borrow it and never pay it back.
She was unwilling to accept this; this money was the foundation for her and her child's future livelihood, and she needed to make long-term plans.
She can tell whether her brother or son is closer to her.
So, Dong Xiangxiang lowered her head and said with difficulty, "Little brother, this... I don't have any money either. You know, the old man controls all the money in this family. How can I get any money? I'll definitely be happy if you can get a permanent position, but I can't help you with this."
Suddenly, as if she had thought of something, her eyes lit up. "Why don't you ask your mother-in-law? Bai Zhenzhu must be rich. You can ask her to give you some money to do some favors."
Dong Xiaodi thought it was a sure thing, but when he saw Dong Xiangxiang hesitate, he was very displeased.
He is the only male in the family, yet his eldest sister is unwilling to pay for his job.
All the good things in the house used to belong to him; how could the little girls get any?
Just as her parents said, a married daughter is like water spilled from a cup; she had only been in the city for a short time, and her eldest sister already had her own little schemes.
He only cares about his own little family and doesn't consider his younger brother at all.
"Big sister, have you thought this through? If our parents knew I could get a permanent position, they would be overjoyed..."
He was about to use his parents' name to threaten Dong Xiangxiang when a sharp voice suddenly shouted from outside:
"Xiao Dong, Xiao Dong, you'd better go back and check! Your mother-in-law has been taken away by a red armband!"
Dong Xiaodi's expression changed, and he knocked the chair over with a loud bang.
"What?!"
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