Capítulo 25

Fang Jinxiu, a daughter of unknown parentage adopted by Fang Lin and Guo Huiwen, actually had city relatives reach out to her!

This news, once spread across Fangjiaping Village, ignited heated discussions. The Fang family, led by the elderly matriarch, naturally did not believe it. Matriarch Fang wore a disdainful expression; while others might be in the dark, she knew the truth.

Fang Jinxiu’s deceased mother, Zhang Linyu, and her parents had lived right next door to the Fang family a long time ago. Back in the fifties, when Zhang Linyu went to college in another province, it was a grand affair—the talk of the village and the surrounding ten miles. She even received an official commendation from the township! Zhang Dashu, Jinxiu’s maternal grandfather—a sickly man—had been so overjoyed he nearly passed out, walking past her house three times a day just to boast about it to the village. The old man of the Fang family would sigh and lament that he had three sons who were nowhere near as accomplished as someone else’s daughter.

That infuriated her! She, Luo Sanya, had married into the Fang family and given birth to three healthy, sturdy, fat boys for her husband; she was the great benefactor of the Fang family! What was the point of a girl reading books? In the end, she would only benefit someone else’s family. Zhang Dashu had no other relatives, so who would even perform the funeral rites for him? It would be a miserable end.

That fool had doted on his wife like a treasure. Jinxiu’s maternal grandmother was indeed delicate; it was said she had come as a refugee with relatives and had been a servant in a wealthy household. In Matriarch Fang’s opinion, she was probably the daughter of some landlord who deserved to be overthrown! But that woman was ill-fated, much like her daughter, and passed away before the days of class struggle and purges. Who could have imagined that instead of the sickly Zhang Dashu dying first, his wife would be struck down by illness? Zhang Dashu spent every cent they had, even selling their house to pay for her medical care, but it was all for naught.

With his wife gone and their home lost, and his daughter away at school and out of touch, all hope was gone. The old man of the Fang family stopped envying the success of that daughter; what good was success if the couple couldn't enjoy it? After all that, Zhang Dashu couldn't hold on. He died shortly after his wife, and it was the village chief at the time, Fang Yongzhi’s uncle, who arranged a thin coffin for the couple to be buried together.

So, if that cursed girl Fang Jinxiu truly had relatives in the city, could her grandmother have kept it a secret back then when they were in such dire straits? They were practically dying; would they not have reached out if they had any connections? And later, when Zhang Linyu returned, she hadn't even finished her studies. Two months after she came back, her belly was already showing—she had come back pregnant with some bastard child. When asked who the father was, she wouldn't say. It was clearly some nameless wild man!

Matriarch Fang had found it a huge joke at the time, going around telling everyone that the girl claimed to have been studying, but who knew what shameful things she’d been up to? Fortunately, she didn't carry the Fang name; it was utterly humiliating. Zhang Linyu, with her big belly, had nowhere to live and stayed in the village’s cattle shed for a time. Because her reputation was ruined, her life in the village was miserable. Only the fool—the second son of the Fang family—would occasionally save bits of his own food to bring to her. If it weren't for the age gap, since Fang Lin was only in his early teens then, she would have suspected that little harlot had seduced him.

Later, when Fang Jinxiu was born, her mother nearly lost her life and remained frail, just like her father. Wasn't their situation difficult then? Even Matriarch Fang thought it was dire. Jinxiu was just born, and it coincided with the three-year famine; the mother and daughter almost starved to death. If there had been any reliable city relatives, would she not have contacted them? Now, after all these years, two generations of that family were dead, and suddenly relatives appeared? It was a joke!

"If she has city relatives, I’ll chop my head off and let you use it as a stool!" Matriarch Fang swore, spitting as she spoke.

The villagers mocked her: "The postman said there’s a package for her and told her to go to the post office to pick it up. The loudspeaker at the brigade headquarters was so loud, didn't you hear it? Could that be fake?"

Matriarch Fang was choked for a moment, then stubbornly maintained her stance: "Maybe they just found the wrong person..."

***

Not only was Matriarch Fang skeptical, but even Jingnian was cornered and questioned. Fang Jinxiu had brought him to Fang Yongzhi’s house; while his sister went inside to talk, Jingnian played in the courtyard.

Erniu asked him bluntly, "Does your family really have city relatives? Isn't your sister an orphan?"

This child truly never knew how to speak! Jingnian pouted, rolled his eyes at him, and clenched his little fist, looking milkily fierce: "None of your business! You scolded my sister, I’ll hit you!"

He felt that even though there was a size difference, he might stand a chance—unlike with Wang Juhua and the others, who were actual adults!

"Who scolded..." Erniu muttered, then couldn't help but ask again: "Is there really a city uncle?"

Jingnian felt a momentary pang of guilt. He knew the uncle was fake, and his sister’s ability to perform magic was real, but he couldn't let others know! So, the little guy puffed out his chest and asked aggressively, "Do you have an uncle?"

"I do, I have two uncles..." Erniu said blankly.

"Heidan brother, do you have an uncle?" Jingnian asked again.

"Who doesn't have an uncle?" Heidan said impatiently. He had been playing fine with Erniu until his father dragged him over to watch the child. Even though Jingnian wasn't as noisy as other kids his age, he remembered the little dumpling looked like he would topple over if touched, so he didn't dare mess around with him.

Feeling supported, Jingnian lifted his little chin and said smugly, "Everyone has uncles, why wouldn't my sister and I?"

"Yeah, that's true," Erniu was left speechless.

Jingnian pressed his advantage: "Of course I have an uncle. My uncle is so good, he even sent my sister and me things—really, really good things!" In fact, his sister had conjured them! His sister was super, super amazing!

"Wow!" Erniu was envious; things sent from the city must be wonderful. Even Heidan was curious: "What did he send? Can I see?"

This time it was Jingnian’s turn to be speechless. He didn't know what his sister had conjured this time. The little cub thought for a moment and said, "I don't know, I haven't seen them yet. When I do..."

Erniu and Heidan looked expectant, while Jingnian stammered, "When I see them, I’ll ask my sister first."

"Pfft, boring. Why do you have to ask your sister about everything? Like a child who hasn't been weaned," Heidan sneered.

"That's because my sister is the most amazing!" Jingnian put his hands on his hips, full of spirit: "I love my sister the most, and I only listen to her!"

As Fang Jinxiu walked out, she heard her little cub declaring his love for her and couldn't help but laugh: "What are you all talking about?"

Caught red-handed in front of so many people, the little cub felt shy and buried his head in his sister’s arms, refusing to come out. Auntie Fang was delighted and teased him: "Nianbao, why don't you stay at my place today? Let Heidan play with you, and Grandma will steam an egg for you."

Jingnian shook his head like a rattle: "No, I want to go home with my sister."

Auntie Fang: "Not even for an egg?"

Heidan hurriedly said, "Grandma, if he doesn't eat it, I will. I love steamed eggs."

Fang Yongzhi snapped, "You love everything, go eat dirt!" Heidan shut his mouth, feeling aggrieved.

Fang Jinxiu’s eyes curved with laughter as she hugged her obedient little cub and kissed him. Her cub was so well-behaved; no one could lead him astray!

"Auntie Fang, Uncle, then I’ll take Nianbao home. I’ll go to the county tomorrow to pick up the package," Fang Jinxiu said.

Because so many people in the village shared the surname Fang, she addressed the closer ones by their titles, or by their birth order if they were less familiar.

Fang Yongzhi waved his hand: "Go on." He felt that Fang Jinxiu had become much more sensible lately, knowing to inform him of things, unlike before when she was too timid to even speak to him.

Fang Jinxiu held her brother’s hand all the way home. It wasn't until they were inside that Jingnian asked, "Sister, what did you tell Uncle? Are we going to the city again?"

"That’s right, tomorrow. Nianbao needs to sleep early tonight, or you won't be able to wake up, and sister will leave without you." Fang Jinxiu had been playing the role of a guardian for a while now; she wasn't as hesitant as before and had developed a bit of a playful streak.

Jingnian, not realizing his wonderful sister had turned "bad," was so anxious his little legs kicked: "Sister, take me with you, take me with you!"

"Alright, alright, I’ll take our Nianbao." Fang Jinxiu teased him and then soothed him, finding it endless fun.

In reality, her visit to Fang Yongzhi was to make her story official and refine the details. She had told Fang Yongzhi and Auntie Fang that the one who reached out was her maternal cousin-uncle—her mother’s cousin, the son of her great-uncle. Armed with the original owner’s memories, she had woven a lie that was three parts truth and seven parts fiction. It was true that her grandmother had a brother and she had a great-uncle, but that family had long since sailed overseas, and she dared not mention that—having overseas connections was a dangerous thing.

She claimed that when she was in high school in the county, this cousin-uncle had tried to reconnect with her, but she had been resentful because he hadn't helped when her mother and she were struggling, so she refused to acknowledge him. She only knew that his family worked in a big city and were well-off. As for why she was acknowledging him now... well, one must bow to the circumstances. She couldn't survive anymore, and she had to think about Nianbao. So, she had sent him a letter last time she went to the county.

The logic was sound, and Auntie Fang, listening in, was completely convinced. Fang Yongzhi had no doubts and even formed a better impression of Fang Jinxiu. She was a grateful girl; Fang Lin and his wife hadn't raised her in vain.

Fang Jinxiu pondered that once she picked up the package in the county tomorrow, she would have physical proof to seal this relationship. Then, she and Nianbao wouldn't have to be so clandestine.

That night, as Fang Jinxiu checked her app as usual, she was surprised to find that among the default positive reviews after an order was completed, there was actually a review with written content!