Alarm bells rang loudly in Chu Yanling's mind. She immediately cut in, "How is she similar? They're completely different! Look at the girl in the photo—small eyes, small nose, no presence at all. How could she possibly resemble my sister-in-law?"
Chu Zhenzhen also leaned in, clearly displeased. "Exactly! I don't think she looks like my mom at all. My mom is a great beauty—everyone in our compound says I'm the one who looks the most like her!"
After she spoke, Chu Chengsong instinctively took a closer look at her face.
Although Chu Zhenzhen hadn't inherited Yang Huiru's striking features, her straight nose bridge and full forehead clearly resembled the Chu family's traits.
While Chu Chengsong was still thinking, Chu Zhenzhen noticed how focused Chu Zhenjun and Yang Huiru were on the girl in the photo, and she couldn't take it anymore.
She snatched the camera and tossed it onto the sofa, then forcefully sat between her parents, linking arms with both of them. Pouting, she said, "Dad, Mom, your most beloved daughter is right here! I don't allow you to look at other girls. Your hearts and eyes should only be on me, understand?"
Chu Yanling's eyes flickered as she quickly chimed in, "Zhenzhen, don't worry. Auntie only cares about you!"
Under normal circumstances, Yang Huiru would have argued back when Chu Yanling said something like that. But today, after seeing Su Yun's photo, she felt a strange emotion rising within her. She no longer wanted to compete with Chu Yanling—she just wanted to find out who this girl, Su Yun, really was.
---
At the same time, in a mountainous region in the southwest, in Pingshan Village:
It was a rare day off. Just as Su Jianguo's family was about to have lunch, the postman's voice rang out from outside:
"Su Jianguo! You've got a package—from the capital!"
Hearing this, Meizi's eyes lit up.
Su Jianguo, however, snorted deliberately. "I don't want it! Trying to please me now? Too late!"
Meizi said nothing. Instead, she gave her eldest son, Datou, a meaningful look.
Understanding immediately, Datou put down his chopsticks and ran outside. Soon, he came back carrying a heavy package, grinning. "Mom, this package from Dad's family is so heavy—it must be food!"
Meizi quickly opened it.
Although Su Jianguo continued eating, he couldn't help glancing sideways at the package.
When Meizi opened it, she found a thick stack of books and exam papers, with a letter placed on top.
She tore open the letter and read aloud, "Eldest Brother, this is Xiaoyun. I specially sent you these study materials. You should study well in the mountains. It wasn't easy for me to gather these resources—you should read and learn more in case you need them…"
After hearing the letter, Su Jianguo's face darkened.
He slammed the table. "What does this mean? Is Su Yun mocking me, saying I'm not qualified to be a teacher? I've been teaching for years—who is she to send me study materials and lecture me? Who does she think she is?"
He had assumed the package was a gesture of compromise from his parents. Now that expectation was shattered, and he was furious.
Grabbing the package, he stormed into the kitchen, pulled out the books and papers, and stuffed them into the stove.
The remaining flames in the stove quickly caught the papers, burning them to ashes.
Meizi looked distressed. "Jianguo, even if you don't want them, you could've kept them for Datou and the others. Burning them like this is such a waste!"
"Waste my foot!" Su Jianguo shouted angrily. "I've misjudged them all these years. They have money to buy useless things like this but none to send to me? Fine—I'll remember this!"
"Since they only care about the younger ones and ignore me, don't expect me to take care of them in their old age! Let them rely on Su Yun and Su Baoguo!"
Meizi sighed. "How can parents be so unreasonable?"
---
Meanwhile, in a northwestern village:
Xu Hongying, heavily pregnant, sat at home drinking milk powder while her three daughters bustled around serving her like maids.
After work, Su Weiguo pushed open the courtyard gate, holding a package and beaming. "Hongying, my family sent a package! I told you—they still care about me. Look, they've sent food!"
"Really?" Xu Hongying said eagerly. "How much food? Did they send money?"
"I haven't opened it yet. Let me wash up first."
But before he finished washing, Xu Hongying had already torn open the package.
Seeing the books and papers inside, she burst out laughing mockingly. "This is the 'food' your family sent? What do they mean? They know we're farming in the countryside, and they send high school study materials? Who are they mocking?"
Su Weiguo came over after wiping his face. Seeing the contents, his expression turned uneasy.
Still, he insisted, "Don't jump to conclusions. Maybe my parents want me to sell these materials? At least we could make some money, right?"
"Hahaha!" Xu Hongying laughed loudly, hands on her hips. "You can tell that lie to yourself. Try taking these books out and see if anyone wants them!"
"Su Weiguo, I said you were foolish, and you really are! Your family is slapping you in the face. You're suffering here farming, while your siblings enjoy life in the city, studying every day. You'll be stuck as a farmer forever—don't even think about changing your fate!"
"And now your sister deliberately sends these materials to humiliate you, and you don't even feel ashamed—you're proud of it?"
After repeated influence from Xu Hongying, Su Weiguo began to feel wronged.
The sight of the study materials made Xu Hongying even angrier. She ordered sharply, "Tomorrow before work, take this junk to the town recycling station and sell it! Just looking at it makes me sick!"
---
In a northeastern village:
Less than half a month after giving birth, Su Ling was already juggling housework and farm work. She looked far older than her twenty-three years.
That morning, while cooking, her baby started crying.
Panicked, she tried to prepare some milk powder, only to discover that the once full tin was now empty.
Amid her baby's cries, Ouyang Xu returned with a hoe on his shoulder and asked, "Xiaoling, why aren't you soothing the baby?"
Holding the empty tin, tears glistening in her eyes, Su Ling demanded, "A-Xu, the milk powder my mother sent—I only fed the baby a few times. How is it already gone?"
Hearing this, Ouyang Xu's gaze flickered with guilt.