Chapter 133: Female Educated Youth – 3

In the end, the entire Ren Family, with the exception of Ren Xin, was completely ruined. Ren Lili sobbed and complained, claiming that Father Ren and Mother Ren must have said something they shouldn’t have to cause the family such misery.

Because Father Ren and Mother Ren were only being sent away for labor and hadn’t been officially labeled as “bad elements¹,” they were allowed to leave the Revolutionary Committee with a modicum of dignity.

Upon returning home, they found that Ren Xin had already arrived. Father Ren couldn’t help but lose his temper with her. “Did you say something you weren’t supposed to say?”

Ren Xin replied innocently, “I wasn’t even questioned. I just sat alone inside for a day before they told me I could leave. I was waiting outside for you, but they told me to go home and stop waiting, so I came back.”

Father Ren suppressed his anger at this, but his expression remained grim. He didn’t even bother to ask what Ren Xin’s arrangements were, showing a complete lack of concern.

Mother Ren said crossly, “Couldn’t you have told them that you were the one who insisted on going to the countryside? That we couldn’t stop you? If you were a bit smarter, our whole family wouldn’t have ended up in this state.”

Ren Xin was so angry she laughed. “So, this is all my fault now? Was I the one who lacked a brain and got tricked into signing up? Was I the one who arrogantly talked back to the investigators? Or was I the one who indiscriminately pushed all the responsibility onto an innocent eldest daughter?”

“You…”

Ren Xin wasn’t finished yet. “I’m still going to the countryside, but I’m going to the address I originally registered for. I should actually thank you. At least it’s not that godforsaken place you’re headed to. I suppose this counts as a blessing in disguise.”

Ren Lili’s eyes darted around as she quickly suggested, “Then, Big Sister, why don’t you go to the Northwest with Mom and Dad? I’ll go to the countryside at the place I originally signed up for.”

Father Ren and Mother Ren actually began to consider the possibility.

Ren Xin swung her hand and delivered a sharp slap to Ren Lili’s face. “It’s because of you that this family is in this state! My perfectly good job is gone, and now you want to commit another error? Will you only be satisfied when the whole family is living in a cowshed²? You jinx!”

The blow sent Ren Lili sprawling to the floor. She stared blankly at Ren Xin, forgetting even to cry or struggle.

Distraught, Mother Ren rushed to help her up, all the while cursing Ren Xin. She called her heartless for hitting her own younger sister and claimed they could never count on her to take care of them in their old age.

For the first time, Father Ren remained silent, not blindly taking Ren Lili’s side. He merely tried to smooth things over. “Enough. Let’s pack our things. We leave in a few days. See what we’re missing and buy it to take with us.”

“Lili’s father, are we really just going to leave like this? What did the factory say? And Ren Xin’s job is gone? There’s no explanation at all?”

Ren Xin acted heartbroken as she said, “How could they want someone from a family with a black mark on their record³? Our family is finished, and it’s all because of Ren Lili. Mom, Dad, stop spoiling her without limits. If you keep this up, you aren’t loving her, you’re destroying her.”

Father Ren looked thoughtful, but Mother Ren remained dismissive. Her Lili was the best girl; she was destined for great things.

Ren Lili seemed to finally snap out of it. She lunged at Ren Xin, but Ren Xin dodged. Ren Lili slammed into the table, knocking a thermos to the floor, where it shattered into pieces.

Ren Xin said regretfully, “What a pity.”

It was unclear whether she was regretting that she hadn’t taken the chance to kick Ren Lili, or if she was regretting the broken thermos.

The veins on Father Ren’s forehead bulged, clearly moved to genuine fury. “Enough! Ren Lili, have I spoiled you so much that you’ve become this ungrateful? Get to your room and think about exactly what you’ve done wrong!”

Ren Lili had never suffered such a grievance. She wailed, “You’re biased! You’re on Big Sister’s side! I’m never speaking to you again!”

Mother Ren also spoke up in disapproval. “Look at you, why are you acting like this with a child? Is Ren Xin without fault? You, get to your room too. You’re no good either.”

Ren Xin gave Mother Ren a cold look and turned to go to her room. Her room, naturally, couldn’t compare to Ren Lili’s. Lili had the second bedroom, while Ren Xin’s room was a partitioned-off section of the balcony.

Just how much did this family neglect the original owner?

Book Spirit Number One was still boasting. “Shen Shen, that slap was really powerful.”

Huhu also chimed in, saying it could help. After all, there was an idiom to describe its paws: Huhu Sheng Feng⁴ (Whistling like a tiger’s wind).

Ren Xin: “…”

Translator’s Notes