TCFSRMR |Chapter 8

The daughter that the Shi family had long said was gone was not only alive again, but had come back on her own. This miracle made the whole Shilipu boil over. The villagers getting off work didn’t even have time to mind the day’s fatigue. In twos and threes, they came in groups and all ran to the Shi family’s small courtyard to see the rare sight.

Shi Zongyi was also extremely happy. It wasn’t a holiday, and the family didn’t have anything good at home either. Just right, the bag of brown sugar that his daughter had brought over some time ago was still there, so Shi Zongyi told his daughter-in-law to quickly go boil a pot of brown sugar water. Whoever came would be handed a cup, and it counted as a way of celebrating.

And as the person involved, Shi Ying was undoubtedly the center of everyone’s attention. Only after they came over did they discover that not only had the younger daughter of the Shi Guoan family come back, even their family’s idiot son seemed to be not quite so stupid anymore now—

In the past, when they passed by the Shi family’s door, they often could hear Shi Heng’s hoarse howling voice, or see him standing there alone, dumbly, with no reaction no matter how the other children bullied him.

Looking at Shi Heng now, although he still refused to communicate with others, his eyes were clearly much more alive. It was like he had lost his soul before, and now that his younger sister had come back, his soul had come back along with her.

“Your days, from now on, can finally be said to have some hope.” Liang Dacheng glanced at the villagers looking at the rare sight as if it were something unusual, then looked at Shi Guoan, whose eyes were no longer deathly dull as before, and his expression was also full of emotion.

He and Shi Guoan had grown up together since childhood. Although the two were not biological brothers, their relationship was almost the same as that of real brothers.

If Liang Dacheng were to say it, his brother’s fate was bitter…

Shi Guoan was not Shi Zongyi’s blood child. When Old Madam Shi married Shi Zongyi, she was already pregnant.

According to what his own mother said, Old Madam Shi had originally been a young lady from a prominent family, and the family she married into was also well-off. Only, at that time things were too chaotic, so that man went to Southeast Asia, and later sent word that he had died on the road. There were also quite a few bad eggs in the clan who, not only occupied all the family property, but also drove out the old madam, who was pregnant.

The old madam could not go to her husband’s family, and there was no one left in her natal family either. In her desperation, she had originally wanted to die, but was saved by Shi Zongyi, who happened to be doing labor work at the dock.

Shi Zongyi had many brothers. His mother pitied the eldest and favored the youngest, simply disliking Shi Zongyi, the second son. The money Shi Zongyi earned from labor was all handed over to his mother, who used it to marry off the eldest son and arrange the youngest son’s wedding, yet she did not care about Shi Zongyi, this second son who was always ignored.

This time, after bringing the person back, the two miserable people became one family.

Although his mother looked down on Old Madam Shi, who came over pregnant, Shi Zongyi doted on his wife a great deal.

He was also very good to Shi Guoan, this stepson.

It was just that although Shi Zongyi had a good heart, he could not withstand those sharp-tongued people. They were always pointing and talking behind his back, saying things like Shi Guoan had a hard fate, and perhaps even his biological father had been brought to his death by him.

Later, when Shi Guoan grew up, he was an honest person who was both capable and knew how to be grateful, and he took the burden of the family upon himself.

During the years he was in the army, he brought all of his allowance back home, and single-handedly handled his younger brothers’ and sisters’ marriages. Only after his younger brothers and sisters were mostly settled did he finally calm down and marry Miao Xiuxiu.

Back then he had even said that from then on, his good brother would finally have good days to live…

Although Miao Xiuxiu was from the city, she was hardworking, and her personality was also exceptionally good.

But no one had expected that the first child she gave birth to would actually be an idiot.

That was not all. Shi Guoan had three brothers, and in their three households, they had actually given birth to a full five daughters. They had forced it so that aside from Shi Heng, this idiot, not one boy was born.

This time, those sharp-tongued women finally had something else to say again. Some said that Shi Zongyi was simply someone with bad luck in his fate. No wonder his own mother had not liked him back then. And after finally getting married, look at it, among the two other households, which family under them didn’t have a row of boys? Only Shi Zongyi’s household was clearly extinct.

More people, however, were convinced that Shi Guoan had a life pattern that brought death to others, a fate that killed people.

Before he was even born, he had brought his biological father to his death. After finally having a son, he had made him stupid. His daughter, on the other hand, had been a clever one, but in the end she was also brought to her death by him.

Quite a few people even advised Shi Zongyi to hurry up and cut ties with Shi Guoan, or else his old arms and old legs probably would not be enough for Shi Guoan to bring down…

Ever since Yingying had disappeared, Liang Dacheng had watched Shi Guoan’s light in his eyes gradually go out little by little. In private, Liang Dacheng had also once advised Shi Guoan that he might as well have another child. When the new child was born, perhaps Miao Xiuxiu’s condition would get a little better, and this family would at least be able to see some hope, right?

But he was refused by Shi Guoan. He said that his wife’s body was not good, so they would not have any more children. In the future, he would just stay with his wife and son.

Actually, Liang Dacheng could tell that it was not that Shi Guoan did not want more children. It was fundamentally that in his heart, just like Miao Xiuxiu, he had never forgotten their daughter who died young.

Liang Dacheng had not just once seen Miao Xiuxiu run from time to time to the reed marsh where Shi Ying’s little shoes and little clothes had been found, staring dumbly at the river water, sitting there for a long, long while. Every time this happened, Shi Guoan would quietly follow behind his wife. Only when Miao Xiuxiu finally was willing to go home would Shi Guoan come out, and then it would be Shi Guoan staring blankly at the river water.

Liang Dacheng had watched from not far away several times, feeling heartbroken beyond words, fearing that his good brother would think of something wrong and jump in headfirst…

Back then Liang Dacheng had even blamed the heavens for being blind, wondering why all the suffering had to fall onto one person.

Now looking at it, the heavens were ultimately still thoughtful, actually sending their little daughter back to this family again.

“The child is back. I see that your sister-in-law’s spirits have also gotten better. What I told you before, about taking over as team leader, will you think about it again?”

A few days ago the old branch secretary had already spoken with Liang Dacheng, saying that his age had reached the line, and that he had already recommended Liang Dacheng to take over the position of branch secretary in Shilipu. He had also told him to recommend someone who could take over as team leader.

Liang Dacheng immediately thought of Shi Guoan—

Capable, had been in the army, and was also a party member. There was simply no one more suitable than Shi Guoan.

In the end, after saying it several times, Shi Guoan rejected it all on the grounds that he had to take care of the family. Now that the child was back and there was no more worry behind him, Guoan couldn’t keep refusing, could he?

Shi Guoan was just about to say something when he turned and saw that because Shi Ying was being surrounded by people, she was shyly trying to hide behind Shi Heng.

Shi Heng, who had always had a rejecting attitude toward getting close to anyone, actually did not push her away, and on top of that, he took the initiative to hold Shi Ying’s hand, then lowered his head and led his younger sister toward the house.

“Oh my, look at that, everyone. The little fool… no, I mean Xiao Heng, actually knows how to protect someone now.” A neighbor who also saw this scene stood up in shock all at once.

“This little girl really has a lot of blessing. Not only did she fall into the river back then and be fine, she was even able to find her way back on her own. Now that she’s back home, Xiao Heng has also become spirited again…”

With him making such a fuss, the others all looked over as well. One of the burly men smiled and stepped forward, blocking Shi Heng’s path, and pretended to be mysterious as he held out one hand:

“Xiao Heng, come on, I’ll give you a piece of candy. How about you give your younger sister to your uncle?”

In this era, candy clearly had a huge attraction for children, but Shi Heng acted as if he had not heard anything, standing motionless in front of Shi Ying.

“Oh, you’re even being stubborn with me.” The man not only did not move aside, he instead got even more energetic. “Give you five pieces of candy, and you give your younger sister to me, okay…”

As he spoke, he was about to forcibly carry away Shi Ying, who had not left Shi Heng’s side for even a step.

Shi Guoan’s expression darkened a little, but in the end he still did not flare up. He stepped forward to protect the two children and said with a forced smile:

“Brother Dahuai, the child just got home and is shy. Don’t tease them…”

The man was no one else. Wasn’t he exactly Shi Zongyi’s nephew, Shi Dahai? Influenced by his grandparents and parents since childhood, these nephews of Shi Dahai had always looked down on Shi Zongyi’s branch.

Before Shi Guoan and his brothers had grown up, Shi Dahai, following his parents, had not bullied Shi Zongyi’s family less. Once both families’ children grew up, Shi Guoan was obviously the more outstanding one, and his relationship with the village’s few people in charge was also good. Only then did Shi Dahai start to restrain himself.

It was only these past few years, as one unlucky thing after another happened to the Shi family, especially after the most beloved little daughter was gone, that Shi Guoan as a whole had become somewhat dull. How could Shi Dahai not have returned to his old ways?

Because of that, even though Shi Guoan tried to stop him this time, Shi Dahai did not listen at all. He directly and impolitely shoved Shi Guoan:

“Look at you, acting all useless! Someone who didn’t know better would think you had picked up some gold nugget or something!”

“If you ask me, Xiao Heng’s mind isn’t clear because you and sister-in-law spoil him too much normally… And Xiaorui, you’re already so old, yet you don’t even know how to greet people when you see them. Could it be that there’s something wrong with your mind too? Come, let uncle have a look…”

Before this, he had not done anything even worse. For example, more than once he had mocked Shi Guoan in person for being someone with bad luck who dragged others down, and yet Shi Guoan had always been deathly dull with not a trace of reaction. If not for the fact that the person was still breathing, Shi Dahai almost felt that the other party was simply a wooden man. He had even thought that this time Shi Guoan would again lower his head, but unexpectedly, a strong force suddenly came from his shoulder.

“You, what do you want to do?” Shi Dahai’s face turned a little dark. Was Shi Guoan taking the wrong medicine? In front of so many people, he dared to make him lose face?

And in Shi Dahai’s view, wasn’t he just teasing the two children? What big deal was that? Was Shi Guoan really going to suddenly go crazy over this?

In a daze, he also felt that it looked somewhat familiar—

As if when Shi Guoan’s daughter had not had an accident, Shi Guoan had been exactly this imposing. Back then, he truly had not dared to spout nonsense in front of Shi Guoan…

While he was still stunned, he was already dragged all the way outside by Shi Guoan:

“If you want to tease your own child, then tease them however you want. My child won’t do… And also, my child is not stupid!”

The force he used was no ordinary force. Shi Dahai only felt that both shoulders, which had been gripped by Shi Guoan, were as if a thousand-jin boulder had been pressed down on them. Thinking that so many people were watching, he felt like he had nowhere to put his old face:

“Let go of me… You, what are you trying to do…”

By the time Shi Guoan dragged him outside the door and let go, Shi Dahai waved his fists and rushed forward, but after meeting Shi Guoan’s cold gaze, he got so scared that he did not dare move again—

He just kept feeling that if he made a move, Shi Guoan would really hit him. What was going on?

“Oh, Dahai, what’s going on?” A somewhat flustered female voice came over.

It was Shi Guoping’s wife, Yin Zhaodi, and a woman with a long face, who had followed and run out from the back. As soon as she saw Shi Guoan and Shi Dahai in a tense standoff, Yin Zhaodi subconsciously hurried to give Shi Dahai a flattering smile.

The woman with her also frowned: “Brother Guoan, why are you so angry today? Brother Dahai just can’t keep his mouth shut, but he’s not a bad person. We’re all one family, so we can’t let outsiders see the joke…”

She was Shi Dajun’s wife, Wang Xiuju. Wasn’t her father-in-law Shi Zonglin exactly Shi Zongyi’s third younger brother?

It was just that the fact that Shi Guoan was not Shi Zongyi’s own son was known by everyone in the village. Although they all called him “brother,” in Wang Xiuju’s heart, Shi Dahai was closer than Shi Guoan.

Hearing Wang Xiuju’s dissatisfaction, Yin Zhaodi became even more uneasy—

Because the family had no sons, Yin Zhaodi always felt a little lower than others. Yet the two other households each had several boys, and Yin Zhaodi was so envious. Then thinking that their own family had no sons, while the big brother’s house had a son, but that son was an idiot and ultimately could not be counted on, she had the thought of trying to get on good terms with the two other households more often, planning that if they really could not have a son, then in their old age they would have to rely on the younger generations from Shi Dahai’s or Shi Dajun’s households to live…

With those thoughts, whenever she usually saw Shi Dahai’s families, it was unavoidable that she would try to curry favor in a fawning way.

At this moment, after hearing Wang Xiuju’s words, she became even more flustered, and hurriedly smiled and stepped forward to apologize:

“Brother Dahai, calm down. My big brother was also confused for a moment today. What you said is right, children really do need to be disciplined often… I’ll apologize to you on my big brother’s behalf…”

“Apologize? Can you afford to apologize?” Shi Dahai was extremely impatient, and glared fiercely at Shi Guoan again. “Fine, Shi Guoan, consider yourself someone with some ability. Just one thing, don’t regret it!”

“Hey, Brother Dahai…”

Yin Zhaodi was still going to chase after him and say more nice things, but unexpectedly, the cold-faced Shi Guoan suddenly said toward the courtyard:

“Guoping, tell your wife to go back into the house.”