"Dad, dinner’s ready!"
He Tiantian diligently carried out a big basin of corn and sweet potato porridge from the kitchen.
She placed the large enal basin on the Eight Immortals table in the main room and shouted towards the courtyard.
"Hey! Hey hey!" He Dazhuang squatted by the wall, smoking a cigarette rolled from his child’s howork paper, deeply engrossed in puffing.
The tobacco was of poor quality, with a harsh taste, but He Dazhuang treasured it greatly.
He took small drags, not willing to waste even the last bit, drawing deeply a few tis until the fire almost burnt his fingers, before reluctantly crushing the butt on the ground with his shoe.
He Dazhuang stood up and looked uncomfortably towards the bustling figure inside the main room.
Two years ago, when Seo Xiulan revealed the truth about her origins to He Tiantian, she had also inford He Dazhuang.
He Dazhuang was a typical rural man who sowhat favored boys over girls, but that was just the way things were.
Having a son ant having strong labor at ho, earning work points, and getting a share of the food.
That, however, did not an he didn’t like his daughter.
He didn’t say it aloud, but every ti Seo Xiulan scolded or hit Zhou Zixuan, he would secretly give her a hand.
It was He Dazhuang who covertly directed Zhou Zixuan to run to her grandparents’ house.
Back then, He Dazhuang just thought his wife overly favored boys, that’s why she didn’t like their daughter.
The result, the result... God knows how shocked He Dazhuang felt when he heard Seo Xiulan casually talk about the past events.
How honest and spineless he usually was, yet that night he nearly had a falling out with Seo Xiulan.
Of course, it was only "nearly."
After all, he was still soft-natured and afraid of his wife. Even though he was displeased, he still sulked silently at the door.
Back then, it was only about knowing the truth; the children hadn’t been exchanged back yet, and He Dazhuang felt utterly bewildered.
Now that Zhou Zixuan and He Tiantian were back with their respective families, He Dazhuang suddenly didn’t know how to face this biological daughter who hadn’t been raised by his side.
Especially since He Tiantian looked good, dressed well, and had an aura that clearly marked her as a pampered city girl.
He Dazhuang looked at his own rough, dark hands, the patched clothes he was wearing, and the rural cotton shoes with a hole so big his toes were almost poking out...
During the day, He Dazhuang had also seen Zhou Chuanguo.
The man was three years his senior, yet looked so much younger than him.
His hair was black and lustrous, wearing a woolen overcoat outside, and a grey Sun Yat-sen suit that was eighty percent new underneath, with a pen tucked into the right pocket of his shirt, his feet in partially worn leather and cotton shoes, holding a briefcase in his hand.
His deanor and poise almost outclassed the leader of their production brigade.
You’d think he was a leader from the city if you didn’t know any better.
Zhou Chuanguo and He Tiantian seed more like father and daughter.
Whereas He Dazhuang, he was just a penniless, powerless, and incompetent country bumpkin.
A deep sense of inferiority quietly spread throughout He Dazhuang’s heart.
He Dazhuang even worried, what if his daughter, now returned, looked down on him and despised the He Family?
He Tiantian was no longer a child, a sixteen or seventeen-year-old girl, and as her father, he couldn’t hit her or scold her, it was really—
Just the thought of it gave He Dazhuang a headache.
But He Dazhuang could never have dread that after He Tiantian returned to the He Family, seeing the shabby house, the broken and missing furniture, and her father who looked just like an old farr, she didn’t show any sign of disapproval.
In front of Zhou Chuanguo, He Tiantian took the initiative to call He Dazhuang "Dad."
At that mont, He Dazhuang thought the child was probably sensible, not wanting to show an unwanted side in front of strangers.
After Zhou Chuanguo left, however, He Dazhuang found that He Tiantian beca even more affectionate towards both of them.
Calling them "Mom" and "Dad" endearingly, her attitude was as if she had grown up with them her entire life.
There was no distance, no strangeness.
Seeing such a well-behaved and sensible daughter, He Dazhuang’s emotions beca incredibly complex.
Sigh, such a good child, yet raised by soone else for over a decade.
And his own daughter, who he nurtured and cherished, has co to regard the entire He Family as enemies.
What on earth is going on with all this?
In truth, it wasn’t just He Dazhuang who felt anxious and awkward, the other two children of the He Family were also quite uncomfortable.
He Tiantian was Seo Xiulan’s first child, and not long after giving birth, Seo Xiulan beca pregnant again.
This ti she really outdid herself, giving birth to twin boys.
Seo Xiulan, who was already fiery, straightened her back even more with sons by her side.
The twin boys were fifteen this year; the elder, He Jiabao, was tall and sturdy, but didn’t have much love for studying. He only struggled through junior high until Level 2 before adamantly refusing to continue and returned ho to farm with his parents.
The younger, He Jiayu, was more delicate and intelligent. He even skipped a grade in elentary school, and this year was admitted to a high school in the County.
He usually boarded at school and had just co ho today at noon, after being let out for winter break yesterday.
He Jiabao and He Jiayu, the brothers, were fraternal twins, so they didn’t look the sa.
Upon closer examination, it was He Tiantian and He Jiayu who bore so resemblance to each other, both with double eyelids and large eyes.
After finishing cooking, Seo Xiulan entered the main room and saw the big family gathered around the eight immortals table.
He Tiantian and He Jiayu sat next to each other, and when brought together, anyone could tell at a glance that they were blood siblings.
Yes, indeed, they are my own blood; they look pleasing to the eye.
"Jiabao, Jiayu, this is your biological sister, He Tiantian. From now on, you two brothers must protect your sister well!"
As the head of the household, it was of course Seo Xiulan who spoke on behalf of the family. She said this important statent, "Tiantian, these two are your biological brothers, you must take good care of them!"
Jiayu would be fine; he was smart and did well in school. He could go to college in the future, so there wasn’t too much to worry about.
But Jiabao was like he was carved out from He Dazhuang, simple-minded, straightforward, and apart from farming, he couldn’t do much. He definitely needed the support of his sister and brother in the future.
Like many elders, Seo Xiulan hoped her children would love and support each other.
Especially He Tiantian, who was at the highest starting point and had ample assets. Just marry into a good family, and the entire He Family could bask in her light.
"Mom, I understand!" He Jiabao timidly touched his head and cautiously glanced at He Tiantian.
Seeing He Tiantian’s graceful and delicate appearance, he felt a mix of curiosity, inferiority, but mostly joy—after all, she was his biological sister.
"Hm!" He Jiayu was more cautious, responding faintly with a nod, then turned his head to look at He Tiantian.
He suddenly realized that this sophisticated sister of his seed to resemble him sowhat.
Although He Jiayu had a twin brother, this was the first ti he truly felt the magic of blood relations!
He Tiantian, on the other hand, was poised, allowing her two brothers to observe her freely.
She didn’t resist Seo Xiulan’s expectations too much.
In this era, it was emphasized that siblings should help and love each other—a family with an outstanding child should uplift and look after the other siblings.
"Mom, don’t worry, I will take good care of Jiabao and Jiayu."
He Tiantian smiled lightly, then suddenly thought of sothing and turned to Seo Xiulan, "Mom, I rember you saying Jiabao has been working in the production team since dropping out of school?"
Seo Xiulan seed to guess sothing and her eyes brightened, "Tiantian, do you have so good opportunities?"
She knew that her daughter Tiantian was worth the trouble.
But He Tiantian didn’t rush to answer Seo Xiulan; instead, she asked He Jiabao, "Jiabao, is there sothing specific you want to do? Or any special talents?"
He Jiabao suddenly beca the center of attention of the whole family and his face turned red.
Scratching his head in his simple way, he said, "I, I don’t have much I want to do, I just like farming!"
Seo Xiulan: ...
You unlantable simpleton!
He Tiantian, however, wasn’t irritated. On the contrary, she liked He Jiabao’s straightforwardness: if he’s capable, he’s capable; if not, he’s not. Being down to earth and content with farming could still lead to a good life.
"Farming is too hard and doesn’t offer much of a future, so how about this, Jiabao, you co with to learn about dicinal herbs." When policies improve, she could even have He Jiabao plant dicinal herbs or start so special breeding or sothing...
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