The provincial key high school allotted two days for new student registration.
Wen Ying registered, attended Li Mengjiao’s competition, wrote the draft for the New Concept Essay Contest, openly brought home the laptop from Xie Qian, and even visited the night market. She maximized those two days.
While Wen Ying enjoyed a fulfilling time, the Shu family was steeped in gloom.
On Zhao Dong’s instructions, Boss Cai told Wen Hongyan and Shu Lu that despite his efforts, he couldn’t free Shu Guobing.
“His situation is serious. He might face jail time.”
Unable to help, Boss Cai left Wen Hongyan cursing her second brother, Wen Dongrong, for his ruthlessness. She dragged Shu Lu back to their hometown that night to complain to Grandma Wen about Wen Dongrong’s heartlessness.
Grandma Wen was stunned. “Dongrong had Guobing locked up?”
“Exactly! Our family was just getting by, and my second brother strikes like this. He’s forcing us to beg!” Wen Hongyan wailed.
She claimed she was jobless, and if Shu Guobing went to prison, she’d send Shu Lu to Wen Dongrong’s workplace and hang herself.
Grandma Wen, furious, swatted Wen Hongyan. “You dare complain? Your second brother pulled strings to get you that job, and you quit! Now you’re back whining about surviving. Blame yourself for forgetting your place!”
Shu Lu, crying, shielded Wen Hongyan, but Grandma Wen bypassed her, landing a few more hits.
“Tell me straight—what did Shu Guobing do to make Dongrong this angry?”
Wen Hongyan stammered.
Shu Lu, wiping tears, gave a sanitized version of events, downplaying the severity.
“Grandma, I know Dad was wrong, and Second Uncle’s anger is fair, but he’s still my dad…”
Grandma Wen, itching to hit Wen Hongyan again, watched her drop to her knees, clutching her leg. “Mom, I know I messed up. Guobing’s learned his lesson. Please help us just this once!”
Every family has its troubles. In the countryside, everyone was poor. In the city, Grandma Wen’s three sons thrived, but Wen Hongyan’s family was a constant mess.
The older generation didn’t entertain “divorce.” Women followed their husbands, for better or worse. Grandma Wen pitied Wen Hongyan’s bad luck with Shu Guobing but never considered advising divorce to escape him.
Though favoring sons, Grandma Wen saw Wen Hongyan as her own flesh. Seeing her kneel, face smeared with tears and snot, her heart softened.
Before she could speak, Wen Kai stepped out. “Grandma, stay out of this. Second Uncle isn’t law enforcement. He can’t order arrests. You don’t know the full story. Asking him to release someone puts him in a tough spot.”
Shu Lu’s account wasn’t necessarily true.
Wen Kai never liked Shu Lu, who was cunning. A girl could be shrewd, but why lie at school, claiming her parents worked in government or banking?
Using Wen Ying’s family background, accepting Second Uncle and Aunt’s support, then badmouthing Wen Ying—Wen Kai despised such behavior.
Ungrateful people’s words weren’t trustworthy.
Wen Hongyan glared at Wen Kai. Shu Lu’s sobs paused.
Wen Kai was close to Wen Ying. Shu Lu knew people favored the rich and scorned the poor, but with her dad detained, Wen Kai’s words felt like kicking her when she was down.
Grandma was about to relent!
“Brother Kai, I know you don’t like me and don’t expect you to treat me like Wen Ying. But my dad… Mom, get up, don’t kneel. We’re unwanted here. Let’s not trouble Grandma. If Dad goes to jail, I’ll quit school, work, and support you.”
Wen Hongyan wailed loudly.
Wen Kai frowned.
Her words painted him as a bully tormenting a widow and orphan.
Grandma Wen, head aching from the crying, suggested, “Should we call your Second Uncle to sort this out?”
Wen Kai firmly opposed.
Shu Lu talked of leaving but stayed rooted in Wen Kai’s living room. Wen Hongyan clung to her eldest brother’s home.
Zhu Meiqun, listening from the kitchen, pulled Wen Kai aside, scolding him for meddling. “Your aunt is like sticky plaster—once she’s here, you can’t shake her. Why get involved?”
At her wit’s end, Wen Hongyan might dump Shu Lu on them and vanish.
Wen Kai retorted earnestly, “If I play dumb, I’m no better than Aunt. When I wanted to repeat a year, Second Uncle tried to get me into a top provincial school. I didn’t go, but he went all out. Hasn’t he helped our family enough?”
Zhu Meiqun couldn’t argue.
Gratitude was right.
She feared Wen Dongrong would soften—Wen Hongyan was his sister, Shu Lu his niece—and Wen Kai would be caught in the middle, blamed by all.
With Wen Hongyan and Shu Lu refusing to leave, their吵闹 risked making the Wen family a neighborhood joke. Zhu Meiqun, reluctant to let Wen Kai compromise his conscience, secretly called Chen Ru.
Chen Ru, hearing it was about Wen Hongyan and Shu Lu, said she was too busy. “Sister-in-law, I’m working in Rong City now. I can’t handle hometown matters. Call Wen Ying’s dad.”
Zhu Meiqun, out of options, called Wen Dongrong, mentioning Grandma Wen’s distress.
Wen Dongrong promised to send someone to fetch Wen Hongyan and Shu Lu. Zhu Meiqun sighed in relief. “It’s not that I’m stingy about a few meals. With them crying here, outsiders think we’re bullying them. I can’t explain myself.”
Wen Dongrong understood.
Zhu Meiqun emphasized Wen Kai’s attempt to stop her from tattling. Wen Dongrong felt gratified: not all Wens were ungrateful. Wen Kai was a good kid.
Within half an hour, Wen Dongrong’s people arrived at Wen Kai’s building, taking Wen Hongyan and Shu Lu away.
Wen Hongyan was settled in a small guesthouse. The escort planned to take Shu Lu back to Rong City, but she resisted. Wen Dongrong strode in. “School starts tomorrow. Decide now. If you really want to drop out and work, I’ll let you.”
Shu Lu fell silent, muttering, “Second Uncle, how can you…”
Wen Dongrong countered, “Didn’t you tell Grandma that? If you mean it, I’d respect your backbone.”
Shu Lu went quiet.
Without a junior high diploma, she’d be a waitress or a maid like Chen Li’s hired help, serving others. Shu Lu couldn’t stomach that. She wanted high school, college, and an office job.
Wen Hongyan shouted that Wen Dongrong was killing his sister. He replied coldly, “Shu Guobing’s arrest followed procedure. If you disagree, keep reporting me.”
You can’t reason with shameless people; you need tough measures.
Wen Dongrong, respected at work and valued by leaders, understood this.
His newfound firmness stunned Wen Hongyan.
Clearly, Wen Dongrong wasn’t incapable of handling troublemakers. His “family patriarch” image had just weighed him down, making him reluctant to act.
