Chapter 4: Let Her Be—No Use Searching for Anyone Else!

“Why do you think you can send me ten yuan every month?”

Heh!

Song Wenran felt a slight urge to laugh and gave a faint, symbolic smile.

In her memories, Wenxin had said the same thing when she agreed to go to the countryside on her behalf, and she had believed it.

But in reality, not only did she never receive ten yuan, she never received a single cent.

It was her mother who had to ask others to bring her money and clothes.

Yet, she had failed to protect her mother.

Her mother ended up in a mental hospital.

She should have fought back then!

Recalling those scenes from her past life now caused her intense heartache—it was truly laughable.

Wenxin didn’t know how many layers of meaning lay behind her smile and felt inexplicably guilty.

She, skilled at saying the right things, absentmindedly fiddled with a roasted sweet potato and said, “If ten yuan isn’t enough, I’ll find a way to send you more. If I weren’t so weak and if dad didn’t live in the cattle shed, I wouldn’t let my sister suffer like this. Honestly, I feel bad too. From now on, I’ll be more filial to our parents on your behalf.”

Normally, Song Wenran wouldn’t indulge in a show of sisterly affection but might be touched to some degree.

But now that she had come to her senses, those words felt off.

Her life in the countryside had been worse than that of most sent-down youths, all because of her second uncle’s influence.

Since she went in Wenxin’s place, people assumed she was her second uncle’s daughter and naturally showed no mercy.

Coldly, she said, “I’ll take care of my own mother! If you feel bad, then you can go yourself! Being weak is because you don’t exercise; go to the countryside and get some exercise.”

Wenxin’s large, watery eyes widened in disbelief. “Sister, you didn’t agree with dad?”

“Who said I agreed?” Song Wenran stopped pretending. “Why should I go instead of you? Do you not have legs or feet?”

Wenxin: “…”

Wenxin panicked for no reason, thinking Song Jianshe had surely persuaded her. She had overestimated the situation.

The roasted sweet potato in her hand fell with a “smack” to the ground, deformed and looking like a lump of dung.

Song Wenran, however, felt unusually refreshed.

Just then, their mother, Lu Meiqin, returned from buying vegetables. Spotting the roasted sweet potato on the floor, she frowned in displeasure. “What kind of family are we that you don’t even care about roasted sweet potatoes! They don’t cost anything, and yet you act like you’re rich now!”

She didn’t name anyone specifically, even adding a plural “you,” but it was clear the sweet potato was dropped by Wenxin, whose hands were still sticky, while Wenran’s were clean.

Wenxin seemed deeply wronged, wiped her tears, and ran out.

***

Lu Meiqin frowned. “She must have gone to find your father again.”

“Let her; it won’t do any good no matter who she goes to,” Song Wenran said flatly.

No one could control her will—this time, she would take charge of her own life.

Just as Lu Meiqin had guessed, Wenxin went to find Song Jianshe, crying and complaining.

Song Jianshe was troubled but comforted her somewhat.

When Wenxin heard that Song Wenran had already passed the nursing exam, she broke down further.

Covering her chest, she coughed uncontrollably, tears streaming.

Her tears and cough made her seem even more fragile. Song Jianshe felt a deep pity for this daughter who had been fostered by him and always called him “dad.”

More importantly, she was the daughter of his first love, and in her, he could vaguely see the shadow of that first love.

Though his first love had chosen his younger brother, it did not diminish his affection.

Patting her back gently, he said with concern, “Xinxin, don’t worry. I’ll find a way. Even if your sister can’t go to the countryside for you, I’ll find a way to keep you from having to go.”

Wenxin’s tears fell like broken pearls. “Dad, you’re all I can rely on now. I want to stay by your side and be filial. I don’t even know if I’ll come back alive if I go to the countryside.”

“Don’t say such foolish things. Dad won’t let you go,” Song Jianshe hastened to assure her.

Time was tight, and the task was heavy. If he couldn’t think of a solution soon, it would truly be too late.

Wenxin dared not place all her hopes on him alone.

Her grandmother, Lu Meiqin’s mother, who could influence Lu Meiqin, lived far away in the countryside—too distant to help in the immediate crisis.

She had underestimated Song Wenran.

She never expected Wenran to pass the nursing exam. If she could have the nursing job handed over to her, it would be perfect.

Not only could she stay in the city, but she would also have a more respectable job than factory work.

In the factory, at best, she could only get an office job.

And the hope of office work within five years was slim.

Being a nurse was different—just the title sounded better than a factory worker, and it might catch the eye of the Fu family.

Suddenly, she thought of another possibility: how did Song Wenran suddenly pass the nursing exam?

Could it be to be with Fu Kaiyu?

If she could win Fu Kaiyu over early, it would add another layer of security for staying in the city.

She hurried off to find Fu Kaiyu.

***

Fu Kaiyu’s father was a director at the factory. He had an office job and had performed well in the office over the past two years.

As soon as Wenxin saw him, her tears flowed uncontrollably.

“Brother Kaiyu, I don’t want to disturb you at work, but I really have no other choice!”

“Take your time. What’s going on?” Fu Kaiyu tenderly took out a handkerchief to wipe her tears.

Wenxin cried harder, her tears like rain. “You know I’m fostered at my uncle’s house. I can’t ask my sister to go to the countryside for me. I’ve decided I’ll go myself so my sister won’t have to suffer. But just thinking that I won’t see you again after going makes me so sad.”

If this weren’t at the factory gate, Fu Kaiyu wanted to scoop her into his arms. Only his last shred of reason kept him composed. He lowered his head and said, “Xinxin, don’t be sad. If nothing else works, we can get a marriage certificate first. Once we’re married, you can stay in the city openly.”

Wenxin looked at him intently. “But will Uncle Fu and Aunt Wan agree?”

“With me around, don’t worry,” Fu Kaiyu patted his chest in assurance. “I only like you. I have no feelings for Song Wenran, who’s as dull as a block of wood.”

Wenxin was happy inside but still said, “Don’t say that about my sister. She’s just not good with words.”

“Oh, go on and protect her then!” Fu Kaiyu found her kindness endearing and even felt a bit disgusted by Song Wenran, who was betrothed to him.

The thought of them together gave him goosebumps; he hoped it would be Song Wenran going to the countryside, as far away from him as possible.

He was not alone in hoping for distance. Song Wenran herself wished to be far away from him.

If she had once harbored any hopes because of their childhood engagement, now, fully awake, she only wanted to keep her distance from Fu Kaiyu.

He was not her type; even a glance made her feel sick.

In the book, she agreed to go to the countryside on Wenxin’s behalf partly because she knew Wenxin’s involvement with Fu Kaiyu would break her heart and wanted to leave that troublesome place quickly.

Now, she was no longer foolish. Wenxin’s flaunted happiness was only an illusion, and escapism was not a solution.

She quickly re-planned her life and set new goals.

Returning to East City Hospital as a nurse was only the first step; next, she would study hard.

If she could get into university in her past life, she would certainly get in in reality too.

And she would aim for medical university, to become a doctor.

Having suffered long illness, she had studied medical books extensively in the book’s storyline—those medical books probably filled an entire room.

She understood the pain of infertility all too well, though she had never cured herself.

Though she didn’t intend to marry, she wanted to contribute more to medicine.

While sorting out her thoughts and packing the old books she planned to sell, a stamp slipped from the pages—a stamp titled “The Whole Country Is Red.”