"Do you think that girl can be saved?"
Tan Yajun gazed wistfully at the vast expanse of white mountains beside her.
"What good would it do to save them? With parents like these and a family like this, the most likely outcome is that they'll be sold again."
Indeed, everyone fell silent.
Parents today have absolute control and dominion over their children. It's true that they have the power of life and death, but they basically have absolute control over everything except life and death.
If I tell you to do the laundry, then you have to do the laundry.
If they let you go to school, you can go; if they don't let you go, you can't go.
Of course, it's definitely right to listen to your parents in this situation, since they are your guardians.
But when you're older, you'll have to marry whoever I tell you to marry.
There might be a marriage exchange arrangement where you have to marry into the family so your sister-in-law can marry into the family. You have to marry into the family, otherwise your brother won't be able to get a wife, and you'll be the sinner of the whole family. Whether this is considered moral blackmail or the domineering and authoritarian behavior of powerful parents, this kind of thing is almost the norm in this era, not just in rural areas.
If you go to school for a few years and are lucky enough to get a job, some parents will even regard this spot as a gift to the whole family. They will think, "Hey, your brother doesn't have a job, let him go. You don't have to go. You are a girl, you stay at home and do the work. When the time comes, I will find you a good family to live with and enjoy a good life." They will think that this is a favor from their parents.
This kind of thing happens a lot.
Of course, this isn't absolute; there are some enlightened parents, but they are definitely a minority.
Over time, they've witnessed many weddings in the village, and they know that this trend is the most normal.
"You can save someone once, but you can't save them every time. I just hope that this incident will make those parents think twice."
"That's all they can do. The police are here. Believe it or not, if it were at home, even if the girl bled to death or even died on the spot, they wouldn't have shown any mercy."
Tanya Jun has a good understanding of this reality, after all, she is also one of the victims.
"That day I told you I wanted to go back. I said I'd think about it some more. I'm really unwilling to give up. I really want to know what they really mean, whether they mean it or not."
They used to send letters every now and then, even though the money and notes were very little and getting less and less, I was always very happy, especially in the past few years since I came here. I would send back mountain products and other things, thinking that they could also try them.
Later, perhaps because I portrayed the countryside as too rosy, they repeatedly complained to me about being poor, about this and that at home. At first, they weren't so blatant, but later they made it very clear that I was the one living the best in the family, and that this was an opportunity they were giving me so I wouldn't be ungrateful.
A while ago, around the time of the autumn harvest, she said she missed me and wanted me to come back, but I've been hesitant.
Several letters arrived towards the end of the year, and I wondered what had happened to make them act this way.
So, I went back.
Before, when I heard you say that some parents are biased, I thought it was an exaggeration, but I was still careful when I went back.
Who knew that I had just arrived home when I overheard their plot in the middle of the night: to marry me off to the deputy factory director, a man with a violent temper who had killed three wives, three children, and a shrewish old mother.
We originally had no connection, but unfortunately, my dad's precious nephew made a mistake and someone caught him doing something wrong, so they had no choice but to target me.
Ha, if they had spoken to me nicely, maybe I would have softened and helped them think of a solution.
As a result, knowing full well that I would never agree, they conspired to drug my food and then take me to someone's house to create the illusion that I was seducing them.
Tan Yajun sniffed, but her tone remained completely unchanged.
"Knowing that I am very sensitive about this kind of thing, and afraid that I would act recklessly, they would intentionally or unintentionally say things to affect me during my first meal after I got home, such as someone's child being caught talking to a man and being paraded through the streets, having their head shaved in a half-shaved style, being stripped naked and criticized. They were laying the groundwork in their words to scare me and force me to swallow my anger when the time comes."
They kept saying that rural people are bad, and that we should try every means to return to the city, and so on.
I didn't think too much about it at the time. I still had expectations for them. I didn't know they were talking to me, and I foolishly agreed.
The next day, they served me a feast of meat and fish, and kept urging me to eat more, even putting food on my plate. My heart immediately sank.
You all don't know, but when I was holding that piece of food, staring at my mom, I thought she must have some feelings for me. But it turned out she forced me to eat that piece of food.
At that moment, I didn't feel a single bit of regret. I rushed to the kitchen, grabbed a knife, and told them that if they dared to plot against me again, we would all die together. I even stabbed myself in the arm, which finally scared them off.
However, I was too optimistic about people. I don't know when I fell into their trap again, and when I woke up again, I was already in the hands of human traffickers.
With a bitter laugh, Tanya Jun exhaled a breath of cold air.
"I guess they're afraid that if they really send me there, I'll cause a huge scene and they'll just sell me out."
The human trafficker told me directly, "Your mother sold you to me. Don't even think about running away. They won't take you back home; they've already taken my money."
The three walked quietly, Tan Yajun's voice soft, devoid of sorrow or joy.
"Look how funny this is, isn't it?"
These are my dear parents. Tell me, were we enemies in a past life? That's why they're so cruel to me in this one.
The carriage had already returned, the snow crunching underfoot, and Tan Yajun's voice seemed to drift away in the air. Jian Dan and Mingzhu supported her on either side, while Ling Weidong followed behind, carrying some things.
None of them knew what to say.
Compared to her, even a simple orphan like her seems much happier.
After speaking out, Tan Yajun seemed to feel a little better and let out a sigh of relief.
"From now on, this will really be my home."
The others then joined in on the topic.
"That's right, look at me and Sister Zhuzhu, we've both settled down here."
Mingzhu laughed along with him.
"Yes, you are the An family. As for me, I've already had a child. Who can compare to me?"
"Sister Zhuzhu, no matter what, among the next generation of us educated youth, your Zhouzhou is definitely the eldest brother."
Mingzhu glanced behind her.
"If that's the case, then I'd like to ask you, where do you want to rank?"
Ling Weidong, who was behind him, felt a tightness in his chest.
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