Wen Ying burst out laughing.
Chen Ru and Wen Dongrong both stared at her, puzzled how she could still find humour in this.
“I just think Shu Lu is quite impressive, I admire her!”
In her previous life, Shu Lu clung tightly to Comrade Old Wen’s side, following his every command. Under his guidance, she returned to her hometown after university, passed the civil service exam, and married the son of a local leader, living a very comfortable life in the small city.
Back then, Shu Guobing hadn’t met a “benefactor” to lift him up. Instead, after Shu Lu became a civil servant, he got entangled with a woman who ran a teahouse and had been divorced several times. He paraded around ostentatiously, nearly ruining Shu Lu’s guaranteed marriage. When the leader’s family investigated the Shu family’s reputation, their attitude towards Shu Lu cooled.
At that time, Wen Ying hadn’t completely fallen out with her parents and still returned home for holidays. She witnessed Shu Lu crying her eyes out, going to Comrade Old Wen for help.
Phrases like, “I never saw Shu Guobing as a father, he only gave me life, but you, Uncle, raised and taught me,” “If I can’t marry so-and-so, that’s minor, but Uncle, you’re the matchmaker, I’m afraid of embarrassing you,” “I don’t know why he can’t stand to see me do well and insists on dragging me down”… Sobbing while still managing to speak so clearly, Wen Ying was quite impressed by Shu Lu back then.
If Shu Lu hadn’t returned to her hometown to become a civil servant and instead became a lawyer like Wen Ying, she’d have done well. She was quick-witted and knew what judges wanted to hear.
Judge Wen, no, Comrade Old Wen, upon hearing these words, was moved by his avuncular affection and naturally stepped in to help Shu Lu.
In the end, Wen Dongrong sorted things out for Shu Lu.
He had someone warn Shu Guobing to cut ties with the teahouse woman, forcing him back to his family, while personally vouching for Shu Lu to her future father-in-law. He assured them that, though Shu Lu bore the Shu surname, she was raised by him, treated as half a daughter, and that Shu Guobing’s actions had no bearing on her, their connection being merely biological.
Back then, Wen Dongrong’s position carried weight in the small city. Without a benefactor, Shu Guobing was somewhat intimidated by him. With Wen Dongrong staking his reputation to guarantee Shu Lu, she ultimately married the leader’s son as planned.
In this life, the “benefactor’s” appearance gave the Shu family a few days of wealth. Shu Guobing was even more flamboyant than before, thoroughly offending Comrade Old Wen. Even Shu Lu wasn’t as subservient and obedient as in her previous life. In Old Wen’s eyes, let alone being half a daughter, she probably didn’t even qualify as a niece anymore.
Shu Lu had no idea what kind of life she could have led. In this life, she couldn’t replicate her previous “success.” Not only would Old Wen not help, but Shu Lu herself had completely lost the chance to become a civil servant.
At just over ten years old, Shu Lu couldn’t see the future. Instead of finding ways to clear Shu Guobing’s name, she hurriedly pinned her own misdeeds on him.
Perhaps she thought her future was bright, and since Shu Guobing was already arrested, an extra year or two in prison made little difference.
Under Wen Dongrong’s gaze, Wen Ying comforted her father, “Don’t worry, I’m not like Shu Lu. I wouldn’t let you take the blame for something like this.”
Wen Dongrong frowned, “What nonsense are you spouting? You’d never do such a thing!”
Wen Ying wasn’t Shu Lu, and he wasn’t Shu Guobing.
They were not cut from the same cloth. How could he and Wen Ying do what Shu Guobing and Shu Lu did?
Wen Dongrong told Wen Ying she had school tomorrow and sent her to bed, then discussed matters with Chen Ru.
Chen Ru, seeing his cheerfulness, sneered, “Even if Shu Guobing is willing to take the fall for Shu Lu, are you okay with her staying at the provincial key school? She’s in the same school as Wen Ying, and next year she’ll be in high school, just one building away. Thinking about what she’s done, I can’t sleep at night.”
Shu Lu was sneaky in her actions now.
After repeatedly failing to target Wen Ying, who could guarantee she wouldn’t resort to extremes?
Someone who could casually pin blame on her own father—could you expect her to show “sisterly affection” towards Wen Ying?
Wen Dongrong had been mulling over an idea, and Chen Ru’s words solidified his resolve.
“I understand, Shu Lu can’t stay at the provincial key school. I won’t go to work tomorrow, I’ll visit Vice Principal Guo.”
Because Wen Ying tutored at the Jiang family, Wen Dongrong had met Lin Lin’s mother-in-law, Vice Principal Guo Xia.
Guo Xia had pulled strings to get Wen Ying admitted to the experimental high school class, a favour Wen Dongrong and Chen Ru owed.
Though Guo Xia was only a vice principal at the provincial key school, such connections weren’t easily accessible, especially for Wen Dongrong, working in a small city. If leveraged well, this relationship could be crucial at key moments.
Even for Wen Kai’s repeat year, Wen Dongrong hadn’t considered using this connection.
Now, he felt it was necessary.
Chen Ru was right, Shu Lu couldn’t stay at the provincial key school.
As for where Shu Lu would continue her studies, Wen Dongrong believed the best outcome was for her to return to her hometown, far away from Rongcheng.
Would Shu Lu’s future be ruined?
Would this be too harsh on her?
Frankly, Wen Dongrong no longer cared.
Without an outstanding daughter, Wen Dongrong might have cherished an outstanding niece. But with an outstanding daughter, whether his niece was exceptional was irrelevant.
Besides, Shu Lu, once seen as clever, now paled in comparison to Wen Ying, her smarts seeming fake and petty.
Wen Dongrong felt rather pleased with his own parenting.
Wen Ying, once seemingly dull, wasn’t slow but perhaps profoundly wise.
Wen Dongrong was quite smug until he saw the unfinished English test paper on the desk, which cooled his enthusiasm. Wen Ying’s English prowess didn’t reflect on him. The smarter his daughter, the more she questioned him. If he didn’t work harder, how could he maintain parental authority?
Staring at the paper, the words seemed to mock him with their jagged edges. Annoyed, Wen Dongrong slammed the book shut, starting to plan what to say to Guo Xia tomorrow.
…
At the police station.
It was three in the morning when Shu Lu finally emerged.
Wen Hongyan, waiting for hours, was frozen stiff and grabbed Shu Lu’s arm.
“When are these police letting your dad go?”
“Didn’t Xiao Cai say your dad would be fine? Why’s he been arrested again!”
Wen Hongyan was furious, “I called Boss Cai, but his phone’s been busy…”
Wen Hongyan rambled on, but she was panicking.
In Rongcheng, beyond some housework, Wen Hongyan spent her days thinking about how to spend money.
Buying clothes, jewellery, getting her hair permed, facials—as long as she had money, there was no shortage of ways to spend it in Rongcheng. While Chen Ru and Wen Dongrong strove to better themselves, Wen Hongyan never even grasped the family business, a perfect match for Shu Guobing’s cluelessness.
She was used to turning to Xiao Cai for help.
If Xiao Cai couldn’t handle it, she’d beg Boss Cai.
These two seemed all-powerful, capable of solving anything, and Wen Hongyan had grown heavily dependent on them.
Suddenly, one was arrested, and the other was unreachable. How could Wen Hongyan not panic?
What now?
Wen Hongyan asked Shu Lu, who covered her face and wept.
“Boss Cai won’t help my dad, he’s going to prison!”
Is Yue Shanni out of her mind?
That matter was already over, yet she babbled to the police, dragging Shu Lu back into it.
If Shu Lu hadn’t reacted quickly, she wouldn’t have walked out of the station tonight.
—Shu Lu didn’t know that tonight was the turning point of her fate, and she was congratulating herself on her quick thinking!
