Chapter 16: I'll Pay for It

San Ya leaned against Ruan Shi and whispered, "While I was waiting for my brother outside, Da Bao came out and said that Third Aunt had bought him candy in the county today. I ignored him, but he came up to me and I couldn't resist saying that I had eaten candy today too."

Then, as Shu Yu saw, the chubby boy boasted while scolding San Ya, and finally cried loudly.

After all, the chubby boy was the old lady's grandson, so Shu Yu explained a few words.

But the old lady waved her hand, "It's okay, it's okay. If his father dares to come, I'll deal with it. " She obviously cared more about Lu Er Bai's leg and asked urgently, "Miss Shu, is there any other way to treat our second son's leg? Is the plaster really useless?"

Shu Yu shook her head, "Not only is it useless, it will also aggravate the injury. He fell on his leg again today. It's best to see a doctor tomorrow. Delaying it is not good."

The old lady was worried and sad, "Well, then, I'll think of something else."

Shu Yu knew that the Lu family was in dire straits, and even five taels of silver might not be available, let alone five qian.

Lu Er Bai's leg couldn't be delayed any longer.

She knew that wealth should not be displayed, but after the interaction just now, Shu Yu had a better understanding of several people's characters.

She took out two broken silver coins and put them on the table, "Uncle Lu's medical expenses, I'll pay for it."

The people in the hall all widened their eyes, and Lu Er Bai reacted the most, quickly pushing it back, "No, this won't do. How can I take your money?"

The old lady wanted to say something, but seeing her son's appearance, she finally sighed and turned her head to look elsewhere with red eyes.

Shu Yu's tone was particularly firm, "Uncle Lu, as you know, if you don't accept it, I won't feel at ease and won't be able to face you."

Lu Er Bai was stunned. He wanted to say that his leg was not her responsibility. He hadn't paid attention and left with the injury untreated. But he couldn't say such a thing in front of his mother. Otherwise, with his mother's personality, she would definitely make Shu Yu responsible to the end.

So he finally clenched his fists and asked in a low voice, "Then let's consider it a loan. When my leg is better, I'll work hard and pay you back."

The old lady nodded quickly, "Yes, yes, the most important thing now is to cure your leg. We'll get through this difficult time as a family and figure out how to make money later."

Ruan Shi nodded on the side, even San Ya said softly, "I, I can also work in the fields and pick lots of vegetables."

Shu Yu didn't refuse, he'd worry about paying back the money later. The priority now was to cure Lu Erbo's leg.

Feeling relieved, the old lady got up and said, "Since we're going to the county tomorrow, I'll go to the village head's house and borrow a cow cart."

Then she instructed Ruan Shi, "Second daughter-in-law, start cooking and cook the pork. Miss Shu must be hungry too. It's getting late and she probably can't leave today. Why not rest here for the night? Our house is very run-down, I'm afraid you won't be comfortable."

"It's okay, I'm just afraid of bothering you."

The old lady smiled so much her eyes were squinting, "It's no bother at all."

She had originally been reluctant to cook the pork, planning to slowly eat it over time. But Miss Shu was so generous, even lending money to help cure Lu Erbo's leg. How magnanimous! 

(End of chapter)

 Chapter 15: Make Him Cry

Little Fatty stared in disbelief. Before he could ask anything, he heard Shu Yu say to San Ya, "Let's eat some candy first. We still have some snacks at home. We'll have them later."

San Ya blinked, feeling a bit light-headed from the sweetness in her mouth.

Shu Yu handed the rest of the candy to her.

Across from them, Little Fatty's eyes lit up when he heard the word "snacks." When he saw the candy in San Ya's hand, he lost his cool and charged over, shouting, "Give it to me! What right do you have to eat candy, you ugly thing? Give it all to me!"

San Ya was startled, and Shu Yu narrowed her eyes. When Little Fatty ran over to them, she grabbed his collar and spun him around, then pushed him back.

Shu Yu wasn't too rough, but Little Fatty stumbled and took a few steps forward before stopping.

He was a little confused, but the next moment he looked down and saw that the candy in his hand had fallen to the ground. Instantly overwhelmed with grief, he sat down and kicked his legs, crying loudly, "My candy! My candy fell! Ugly freak, you owe me! Waaah! If you don't give me candy, I'll beat you to death! I want candy! I want snacks!"

San Ya looked up at Shu Yu worriedly and said, "Big sister."

Shu Yu squatted down, patted the little girl's head, and said to her, "It's okay. We're not his parents. We won't indulge him. If he has the guts, let him cry all night, cry until the end of time."

Although Little Fatty was crying, he clearly heard what Shu Yu said. He stood up angrily, dusted off his pants, and glared at them, pointing his finger at them, "You wait for me! I'll go tell my dad, and when he's done with his business, he'll come and teach you a lesson."

With that, he ran back to his house.

When he's done with his business? 

Shu Yu felt disgusted and shuddered. She shook her head, took San Ya by the hand, and turned to go back into the courtyard, closing the gate behind them.

Then she looked down and saw San Ya suddenly laughing.

Shu Yu raised an eyebrow. "What's so funny? Did you think of something amusing?"

San Ya was startled and quickly shook her head. "No, no, the candy was just really sweet." Actually, she wanted to say that she and her brother were always the ones who were made to cry by Da Bao, but today was the first time they had made him cry.

But that was a bad thought, and she didn't want her sister to know she was a bad girl.

She just wanted to enjoy this moment and not think about it anymore.

Shu Yu couldn't help but laugh, "You like it, I'll buy it for you next time."

San Ya blinked, "Oh, there will be a next time?"

The little girl didn't dare to ask, afraid that her sister was just trying to appease her, but she held onto Shu Yu's hand tighter.

Shu Yu smiled and finally looked up, only to come face to face with Ruan Shi who was standing nearby. Ruan Shi's eyes were burning with a hint of intensity as she looked at them.

For some unknown reason, her eyes became slightly red and her lips trembled.

Shu Yu wondered, "..." Did she do anything strange just now? She only teased the little troublemaker on purpose.

But Ruan Shi quickly wiped her face and forced a smile, "Come in first."

Her voice was also very soft, as if she was speaking in a whisper.

San Ya had already run to Ruan Shi's side and was curiously looking up at her, "Mom, what's wrong with you?"

"I'm fine," Ruan Shi said and couldn't help but glance at Shu Yu a few more times.

The group then returned to the main room, and the old lady asked what had happened.

(End of this chapter)

 Chapter 14: Third Uncle's Son

Shu Yu wasn't a professional doctor, and the only things she could discern were these.

But she was certain that Lu Erbai's leg injury was definitely not as easy as that quack doctor had claimed.

She frowned, "So, it was that Yan Langzhong who treated Uncle Lu's leg?"

"Yes, it was him," the old lady said with disgust, "I knew someone with the surname Yan couldn't be trusted. This leg has been treated for a year and it still hasn't healed properly. He's truly a useless doctor who can't do anything right."

"Ahem, mother," Lu Erbai quickly coughed twice.

The old lady silenced herself immediately, realizing she couldn't speak so crudely anymore. She changed the subject and asked, "Miss Shu, can you heal my son's leg?"

Shu Yu shook her head, "If it was right after the leg was reattached, I would have been confident in knocking it off and reattaching it again. But now, it's been so long, it's better to find a specialist in bone-setting. Do you know if there's anyone around here who's skilled in this area?"

"A specialist in bone-setting?" The old lady frowned. It was Ruan shi, who had been silent all this time, who whispered, "There's a doctor surnamed Xu in our county town who is skilled in bone-setting."

The old lady glared at her, "That Dr. Xu may be good, but the fee he charges for his diagnosis is something ordinary people can't afford. Just look at our family, we can't even sell you to afford the medicine."

Ruan shi shrank her neck and fell silent immediately.

"How much is the fee?" Shu Yu asked.

"For just the diagnosis and bone-setting, without counting the cost of medicine, I heard it's this much," the old lady gestured with her hand, "How can ordinary people afford it?"

"Five taels of silver?" Shu Yu still had money on her, and Lu Erbai had injured his leg while saving her, so it was only fair that she paid for his medical fees.

The old lady nodded.

Just as Shu Yu was about to speak, they suddenly heard San Ya's scream from outside the door.

The scream only lasted for a moment before it stopped.

But everyone in the room heard it, and Shu Yu immediately ran out. Ruan shi followed closely behind, and the old lady also wanted to go out to see, but Lu Erbai struggled to get up and sat down again, feeling weak.

Shu Yu had not even run to the courtyard gate when she heard a haughty child's voice ringing out, "Hahaha, you ugly freak, you still dare to lie. Have you even looked at what your house looks like? With your poor and shabby appearance, can you even afford candy? You can only dream of drinking a sip of sweet syrup."

The words were truly deserving of a beating. As she approached, Shu Yu realized that the speaker was a chubby child who was teasing San Ya with his head shaking and hand waving, holding a piece of candy in his hand. "See, this is candy. My mother brought it back from the county for me today. It's so sweet. You've never even seen it before, have you? Not only are you an ugly freak, but you're also a liar."

San Ya sat on the ground, tears swirling in her eyes, but she kept holding back from crying out loud.

She stood up skillfully, her voice tense, although her volume was still very low, but she was very firm, "I didn't lie, I'm not a liar."

"You are, and if you say another big lie, I'll hit you."

The chubby child glared at her, twisting his big fat face and waving his hand to threaten her.

San Ya was very afraid of him and couldn't help but take a small step back.

Then she bumped into Shu Yu who was standing behind her, and she looked up in surprise.

The chubby child also noticed her, his face full of surprise, "Who are you? How did you get to my uncle's house?"

Uncle? So, this is the son of the third uncle who lives across from them?

Suddenly, Shu Yu laughed evilly at him, took out a candy, and stuffed it into San Ya's mouth right in front of the chubby child.

(End of this chapter)

 Chapter 13: Lu Erbai's Leg

Lu Erbai couldn't help but look at San Ya. Even if the little girl had self-control, she was still young and had not eaten good food before. Lu Erbai immediately said, "San Ya, the adults are discussing things, you go outside and see if your brother has come back."

"Okay." The little girl obediently nodded, but she took a few steps and turned back to look at Shu Yu before running away.

Shu Yu noticed something strange. Lu Erbai seemed to have not told his family the reason for his injured leg. Otherwise, with the old lady's temperament, she would not have been so calm about it.

However, he didn't say anything, and Shu Yu felt more and more uneasy.

She couldn't help but look at his left leg and asked, "How's Lu Uncle's leg? I heard you guys talking earlier, it seems like he fell again. Did he see a doctor?"

"The village doctor happened to be away, but I think there's no big deal. It'll be fine after a couple of days of rest," Lu Erbai said hurriedly. Although he said so, his expression didn't match his words.

In fact, he had looked restrained since they were in the courtyard earlier.

Shu Yu naturally noticed this, "Otherwise, let me take a look at Uncle Lu's leg."

Before Lu Erbai could speak, the old lady asked in surprise, "Does Miss Shu know medicine?"

"A little bit." In fact, she knew more about nursing knowledge. In her previous life, the reason why the top boss retreated was that he had some health problems. As his confidante, Shu Yu needed to understand and learn about this aspect for emergencies.

But the old lady saw Shu Yu's calm demeanor and felt that she was very capable. She quickly got up and made way, "Then please help me take a look at my second son's leg. It was smashed by a stone a year ago, and it was fixed at that time, but it was not healed properly and was broken again. As you can see, the situation in our family is not good, we can only rely on the village doctor to help us reconnect it, but it hasn't healed for such a long time."

Lu Erbai blushed and felt very embarrassed, and he shrunk back, "Mom, this is not appropriate. Miss Shu is a young lady, and she is also a noble lady. How can she see the leg of such a rough person like me?"

"Lu Erbai saved my life, so I'll take a look. It won't hurt. Besides, I'm not really a noble lady. For now, you can treat me as a female physician," Shu Yu said, already squatting down.

Lu Erbai hesitated, but Shu Yu had already grabbed his leg.

He immediately dared not move, and Shu Yu felt around a little before frowning, "Your bone is misaligned and hasn't been fixed."

"What?" The old lady quickly asked, "What should we do?"

Lu Erbai still wanted to refuse, but Shu Yu had already taken action.

"Knock it off and reconnect."

The three members of the Lu family stared in shock and took a deep breath, "Knock it off?!"

Shu Yu looked up at Lu Erbo with a serious expression, "If we don't reconnect it, it will only get worse in the future. Especially since you fell today and there is water accumulation in your legs, if it's not treated, it's highly likely that your blood vessels will be blocked, and your leg will become completely useless."

The Lu family was scared and their faces turned pale, "How could it be so serious? The doctor in our village said it was just a bruise and that a few more patches would make it better."

 Chapter 12: Long Time No See

Lu Erbai was a bit dazed, squinting his eyes for a while before recognizing the person in front of him.

In surprise, he asked, "You are... Miss Shu?"

"It's me, Uncle Lu. Long time no see," Shu Yu stood in front of the group and greeted them with a smile.

The three people in front of her, like San Ya, were all thin and weak, their clothes patched and empty. Lu Erbai was even more haggard and weathered than he was when she saw him a year ago. He didn't even look like a man in his thirties.

Lu Erbai felt a bit awkward and forced a smile as he nodded, "Uh, yeah, long time no see. So, Miss Shu, how come you're here? Do you need something from me?"

Shu Yu glanced at his raised left leg and said, "There's something I need to discuss with you. It's not convenient to talk here. Let's go inside first."

Lu Erbo eagerly agreed, "Yes, yes, let's go inside."

The old lady opened her mouth, wondering why this girl didn't seem to regard herself as a stranger. This was their home, but she spoke as if she were the hostess.

She and Lu Erbai's wife, Ruan Shi, supported Lu Erbo into the main hall. San Ya followed closely behind, and when everyone was seated, she ran to the kitchen to pour water and placed a bowl in front of each person.

Shu Yu looked at her bowl, which was the only one without a crack, feeling a bit embarrassed to drink water.

Noticing her gaze, Lu Erbai became even more flustered and whispered, "Our house is simple and we don't have any tea or anything like that. Miss Shu, please don't mind."

"Uncle Lu is too polite. The spring water here is very sweet. I like it more than tea," Shu Yu replied with a smile.

Lu Erbai visibly relaxed and rubbed his hands together, "That's good, that's good."

He lowered his head, and then realized that the old lady kept hitting his arm and gesturing with her eyes, whispering, "Why don't you introduce us? Who is this girl, and how do you know her? I've never heard you mention her before."

Luo Erbai reacted, but before he could speak, Shu Yu said, "My name is Shu Yu. A year ago, when I fell off a cliff, Uncle Lu saved me. I was seriously injured and couldn't fully regain consciousness. Later, when I was able to get out of bed, Uncle Lu had already left, and I didn't know where he lived. I couldn't thank him in person, and I felt really guilty."

Now Shu Yu was glad that she had taken a couple of seconds to think in the county town and bought some meat and snacks. Otherwise, if she had come empty-handed and found out that Luo Erbai was not only her biological father but also her lifesaver, she would have been really embarrassed.

She pushed the meat and snacks in front of them and said, "I came in a hurry and it's getting late, so I only bought a few things. I'll..."

Before Shu Yu could finish her sentence, Luo Erbai waved his hand and said, "No, no, no need. You gave me money back then, which was enough. Why bother buying these things? Really, it's not necessary."

As soon as he finished speaking, he was glared at by the old lady.

The old lady pushed the meat and snacks to her side and scolded Luo Erbai, "Are you stupid, Second Son? This is her heartfelt gift. If you don't accept it, Miss Shu will feel uneasy. Besides, you can't return the meat and snacks. The doctor said you need to eat more to recuperate. How long has it been since you've had meat? And Da Hua and Sanya haven't had any decent snacks either."

(End of this chapter)

 Chapter 11: The Truth About the Debt

"Is it you?"

At the moment when Shu Yu saw the appearance of Lu Erbai, she finally understood the meaning of the sentence that the master of Dongqing Temple wrote in the letter to her.

She really owed a debt.

It wasn't the debt of the original owner's life, but the debt of gratitude that she owed.

A year ago, the reason why she crossed over to this world was because of the original owner falling off a cliff.

When she woke up at that time, she was hanging on the half-slope of the cliff, covered in injuries and unable to move. Lu Erbai happened to pass by and saw her appearance. He quickly climbed up and rescued her.

As a result, when they were coming down the mountain, a big stone rolled down from above, and Lu Erbai couldn't escape with her. When the stone fell, he pushed her away but was hit by the stone himself.

His leg was broken at that moment.

Shu Yu had just crossed over and hadn't figured out the situation yet. But Lu Erbai's actions were very shocking to her.

She didn't understand why he would do that. He could have saved himself if he had just left her there.

Lu Erbai himself didn't know why he did it, he only said it was an instinctive action.

Now thinking back, it may be because they had a close father-daughter relationship, and the blood ties were too strong.

Later, both of them passed out and were brought back by the people from the temple who came to look for her.

When Shu Yu woke up, she immediately asked about Lu Erbai's condition. The master of the temple said that they were lucky because there happened to be a skilled wandering doctor in the temple, and both of them had no life-threatening injuries.

Even Lu Erbai's leg was reconnected, but he needed to rest for a while.

Shu Yu's injuries were more severe, and she was in a daze most of the time. Although she wanted to go see Lu Erbai, she couldn't get up and could only wait until she was well before going to thank and repay him.

At that time, the Shu family members who came to offer incense had all left, leaving only Shu Yu with a lazy servant girl who didn't work hard to keep her company during her recovery.

Shu Yu was not valued by the Shu family. Before they left, they didn't even send anyone to check on Lu Erbai, nor did they care about the fact that he had saved Miss Shu from their family. For the Shu family, he was just an ordinary civilian without any threat to his life, not worth even a glance from them.

Shu Yu didn't care either. This was her fate, and she would thank him herself. When she was conscious, she gave all the silver she had to the abbot and asked her to send it to him. As for everything else, she would wait until she could leave her bed.

Who knew that after only two days, the abbot came to tell her that Lu Erbai had left. It was said that Lu Erbai had a missing daughter whom he had been searching for all these years. He had come to the Dongqing Temple area to search for her because he had heard that she might be there.

He saved Shu Yu, but had delayed himself for a few days. He was afraid of missing any clues about his daughter and couldn't wait to leave the temple and head down the mountain.

At that time, Shu Yu only knew that his surname was Lu, but didn't know his full name, and that he didn't live in the capital.

She had no clue how to find him.

The abbot of the Dongqing Temple didn't know much about him either, only that his leg bones were set and, if properly cared for, there shouldn't be any major problems.

But now, looking at Lu Erbai again, it was clear that his leg had not only failed to heal, but had become more serious.

The abbot of the Dongqing Temple was good at face reading. Perhaps, after looking at their faces, he became suspicious and investigated, so he knew who her biological parents were?

With many of her doubts answered, Shu Yu took a deep breath and walked towards the group of people in the courtyard.

(End of this chapter)

 Chapter 10: Father and Daughter Meet

Shu Yu didn't know what to say for a moment. Although he was indeed quite poor, it wasn't to this extent.

San Ya said, "And my third uncle's house is just across the street. My grandmother said that my third uncle is always squatting at the door, so there aren't many people walking this way on normal days. Because Third Uncle liked to take advantage of others, people in the village would avoid him when they saw him."

Shu Yu raised an eyebrow, just as she was speaking, there was a commotion outside.

San Ya got excited and slid off her chair, "It must be my dad coming back."

As she spoke, she ran outside, and Shu Yu also stood up and walked towards the door.

Before he even reached the door, there was already a shrill and somewhat sharp woman's voice coming from outside, "I told you to stay at home, but you didn't listen. We have me and your wife in the field, so why did you go and join in the fun? Now, you've fallen down and hurt yourself, don't you want your leg anymore? I'm telling you, we don't have any money left to take you to see a doctor. If your leg is permanently disabled, then just stay at home and wait to die. I don't care about you anymore."

"Mom, I'm sorry. I just felt much better today and wanted to help," a man's honest and hoarse voice followed closely, with a strong sense of apology, "I didn't expect to cause more trouble for you guys."

"Help? What kind of help? Staying at home peacefully is the greatest help you can give me. I'm really unlucky to have given birth to a debt collector like you," the old woman's voice became increasingly high-pitched as she scolded, "You and your wife are truly a perfect match, one is a debt collector, the other is a jinx. There's not one easy-to-handle person in my family. Look at our village, who's like us..."

She rambled on and on, and San Ya, who wanted to say something, couldn't find an opportunity to speak.

When she finally opened her mouth, the old woman turned to San Ya, "You go away, can't you see that your dad is already like this? You're running around and blocking the way, not at all sensible for someone your age."

The old woman was very fierce, and San Ya was timid, so she shrank her neck and spoke softly, "Grandma, there's a visitor at home."

As soon as she finished speaking, she ran behind her own parents to hide.

"Visitor? What visitor? Our family is like this, and your uncles don't even come to visit. Who else could it be but debt collector?" The old woman instinctively replied, but then, as if she had thought of something, she slapped her thigh, "Oh no, they're not here to collect debts, are they? I knew it, my eyelid has been twitching all day today."

San Ya quickly shook her head, "No, no. Sister said they came to thank Dad, not to collect debts."

"Thank? What is there to thank your dad for? Is there anything worth thanking him for? Are you being tricked by someone, little girl? Where are they? Did you bring them home?" The old woman glared at San Ya, "Why do you bring anyone and everyone into our home?"

Then, as she looked up, she saw Shu Yu standing at the doorway of the main room.

Shu Yu met eyes with the old woman and stood by the doorway, unsure if she should go out or not.

The old woman became instantly alert and, holding onto Lu Er Bai, stepped forward to block his body with hers.

Lu Er Bai had remained silent after being scolded by her, but he lifted his head as soon as San Ya mentioned that there were visitor. He looked towards Shu Yu.

However, upon seeing Lu Er Bai's face, Shu Yu was suddenly stunned.

(End of this chapter)

 Chapter 9: The Lu Family

The Lu family was a bit far from the village entrance, located behind the Shishi village.

Shu Yu followed San Ya and had already surveyed the village by the time they arrived at the Lu family's residence.

Shishi village wasn't very big, and the houses were not built in a particular pattern. Most of them were old, including the village chief's house, which was only a slightly bigger mud house.

Upon reaching the Lu family's doorstep, San Ya quickly ran ahead and pushed open the half-closed door, shouting, "Dad, Dad, I'm back!"

Shu Yu followed behind and closed the door behind her, placing her backpack in the corner of the yard before looking at the small courtyard in front of her.

It was tiny, probably less than fifteen square meters, but still cluttered with many things. However, it was apparent that the Lu family members were hardworking and kept the place clean.

Shu Yu walked through the courtyard and entered the main room.

San Ya had already rushed over, sweating profusely, and said hesitantly in a low voice, "Sister, my dad's not home, he might have gone out."

"Your family members are all out?"

San Ya shook her head, "They're all out working. Sister, can you wait here for a bit? They'll be back soon. I'll go pour you some water to drink."

With that, she turned and ran to the kitchen, coming back a moment later with a bowl with a small chip on the edge. She placed it on the table in front of Shu Yu and pushed it towards her, whispering, "Sister, I washed this bowl again, it's clean. It doesn't have any cracks and won't cut your mouth. You must be thirsty after walking such a long way. Please drink it."

Even the best guest bowl had a chip in it, which gave an indication of the family's situation.

Looking around the room, Shu Yu noticed the places where the wind came in, and the walls that were slightly leaning. To her, this house was a hazardous house that could collapse at any moment.

Shu Yu looked at the little girl, who was anxiously fidgeting with her clothes as if holding a broken bowl of water was a heinous crime. She paused for a moment and then reached out to touch the girl's head, saying, "Thank you."

After that, she picked up the bowl and took a sip of water, followed by a pause and a smile. "This water is very sweet."

The little girl became happy, "This is spring water. My brother fetches it from the mountain every day." She didn't mention that her family didn't usually drink it; they only used it to brew medicine for her father.

Shu Yu was about to inquire about the family's situation when she pulled the girl over to sit on a nearby stool and asked, "Do you have a brother? Besides your father, you and your brother, is there anyone else in your family?"

"And my mother and my grandmother."

"Do you have any sisters?" 

At the mention of her sisters, Sanya's mood inexplicably became low. She nodded slightly and said, "My eldest sister and second sister... my eldest sister got married two years ago, and my second sister..."

She didn't continue, instead lowering her head and rubbing her sleeves anxiously. Shuyu noticed this was her way of showing unease.

Was she referring to herself as her second sister? Did the young girl know about her situation?

Shu Yu had intended to ask more questions, but Sanya looked up and urged her, "Sister, drink some water. If it's not enough, I can go and pour more for you."

It was clear she didn't want to talk about her second sister, and Shuyu didn't press her further. She quickly changed the subject, "Since there's no one at home, why isn't the front door locked? What if a thief comes in?"

Sanya blinked and shook her head, "We don't have anything in our house. My grandmother says even rats go around it."

(End of chapter)

 Chapter 8: San Ya Eats Candy

The little girl in front of her had a scar on her face, but it wasn't very big. It seemed like it hadn't been treated properly, but if it were, it could easily be restored.

Shu Yu helped the girl up and asked her, "What's your name? Is your father named Lu Erbai?"

The little girl nodded dumbly, still thinking about what she had just said.

After a while, she realized what was happening and quickly said in a low voice, "I-I'm called San Ya."

"San Ya, can you take me to your home?" Shu Yu picked up the backpack from the ground.

San Ya immediately wanted to take it, "I'll carry it."

"No need, I can walk faster carrying it myself." Unless there were any surprises, this was probably her younger sister.

San Ya still wanted to take it, but when she looked at her dirty little hands and then at Shu Yu's clean and neat clothes, she decided to retract her hands.

Shu Yu handed a piece of candy to the child who had shown her the way earlier. As for the others, they looked like bears, and they didn't get any.

The child jumped up with joy, stuffed the candy into his mouth without hesitation, and then let out a satisfied sigh, "It's delicious."

The other children looked at him enviously, and one by one, their eager eyes fell on Shu Yu.

Even when San Ya saw the candy in the child's mouth, her gaze was somewhat uncontrollable.

Shu Yu also gave her a piece of candy. San Ya hesitated for a moment, shook her head quickly, and hurried home, "I'll take you to my home right now."

Shu Yu smiled, the little girl was quite resistant to temptation.

She followed behind, and San Ya walked a long way before suddenly remembering to ask, "Sister, what are you doing at my home? Do you know my father?"

Her voice was very small, as if asking this question would make her angry. After asking, she immediately lowered her head and dared not look at Shu Yu.

Shu Yu held the pigweed in one hand, and the snacks and meat in the other, and replied, "Your father helped me before. I just found out where he lives and came to see him."

San Ya said, "Oh," and then looked up at her again. Inattentive, she stumbled and fell to the ground with a "thud."

Shu Yu frowned. This child was too easy to fall.

There were many reasons for a child to fall, and judging from San Ya's appearance, it was highly likely that she was suffering from malnutrition and calcium deficiency.

San Ya quickly got up as if it was routine, and hesitantly said, "Yes, I'm sorry."

"Why are you apologizing to me?"

San Ya was stunned, why was she apologizing?

Perhaps, it had become a habit for her. "Sorry" was the phrase she said the most often in her daily life.

Shu Yu couldn't help but think of her younger self. She used to apologize to Aunt Xue frequently as well. In fact, when she saw San Ya earlier, she was certain of her own identity.

Little Shu Yu and San Ya today were exactly the same. When she was young, she was also underfed and underclothed, thin and weak, just like a copy of San Ya.

Looking at San Ya in front of her, Shu Yu couldn't bring herself to be harsh.

Even if she was really sold by her biological parents when she was young, it had nothing to do with this little girl.

Shu Yu directly stuffed the candy into her mouth, and the little girl widened her eyes in disbelief. The sweetness in her mouth made her feel like she was dreaming.

She wanted to say something, but Shu Yu interrupted, "Don't let it fall out, otherwise it'll be wasted."

San Ya quickly covered her mouth and stared at Shu Yu with her round, bulging eyes. After a while, her eyes curved slightly, and her eyebrows revealed happiness, "It's so sweet."

Shu Yu couldn't help but smile, "Let's go, lead the way ahead."

(End of this chapter)

 Chapter 7: Little Sister is Called Ugly Duckling

The clothes worn by the child were patched and too small, with wrists, ankles, and neck exposed. The clothes were very dirty, probably from falling down, and the hair was messy.

Several children had already rushed towards her, surrounding her and shouting.

"Ugly duckling, eat pigweed, poor thing, no food to eat, fell down, broke her face, no one will want her when she grows up. Hahaha."

The little girl was trapped in the middle, unable to advance or retreat, biting her teeth and trying not to cry. She tightly covered her face with her hands, standing there feeling extremely lost.

In a panic, she tripped over her left foot with her right foot, and with a thud, fell to the ground.

The children burst into laughter. "Look, she fell down again, she falls every day. My mother said her legs and feet are not good, like her father, she will become lame in the future."

The little girl finally couldn't help but cry, but her voice was kept low.

In the next moment, she quickly got up and hastily put the scattered pigweed back into the basket.

If she didn't hurry, they would trample it, and she would have worked for nothing today.

Although tears were still streaming down her face, the little girl's hands did not stop.

Who knew that as she picked up the pigweed, she was met with a pair of fair hands, helping her gather the pigweed and putting it back in the basket.

The little girl lifted her head in a daze and met the gentle eyes of Shu Yu.

Who was this, such a beautiful sister, like a fairy.

The little girl only then noticed that the mocking voices in her ear had disappeared at some point, and the children who had been blocking her way were now standing far away, staring at the scene in a daze.

Shu Yu was now closer to the little girl, and only then did she notice a scar on her face.

The scar wasn't very large, but she was too thin, with a wax-yellow complexion, making the scar particularly clear.

No wonder those people called her ugly duckling.

Feeling her gaze, the little girl instinctively lowered her head and pushed her hair down, trying to cover the scar.

But Shu Yu smiled and said, "Don't worry, I also accidentally left a scar on my face when I was young, but it disappeared when I grew up."

The little girl stared at her, "Really?"

"Of course it's true, look, isn't my face clean and tidy?"

Shu Yu had a scar on her face from her past life, but she was still beautiful. The big shot of the organization, even though he had reached a stage of self-cultivation, would still go to great lengths to get any girl that interest him.

Shu Yu wanted revenge, but not in that way. Becoming an indispensable confidant of the big shot was much more reliable than being a woman who could be discarded at any time.

So she cut her own face, ruining her looks.

Initially, the big shot didn't want to keep her around because of her unattractive appearance, but Shu Yu had great abilities. The big shot's demands were strict, and most people couldn't meet his requirements. Shu Yu could learn anything quickly and do anything to his satisfaction. She was worth ten people on her own, which was perfect since the big shot didn't like having too many people around him.

Fortunately, he had already retired and didn't need to appear in public anymore. And with Shu Yu's makeup skills and hairstyles, she could still cover up her scars.

However, the big shot was still resentful of her scar and made her go to the hospital to have it removed. Unfortunately, Shu Yu was allergic to a certain ingredient in the scar removal cream, and the scar not only didn't get smaller but was also starting to worsen.

The big shot couldn't be bothered anymore, but Shu Yu had gained knowledge about the ingredients and production of scar removal cream. 

(End of this chapter)

 Chapter 6: Shu Yu's Journey to Er bai's home 

Finally able to move, Uncle Hu tied up the basket and eagerly urged the ox cart forward.

Along the way, the topic that Shu Yu heard the most about was Liang Shi. Even the locals who were not from the same village seemed to know a lot about her.

Since Liang Shi had said she lived in Shishi Village, Shu Yu couldn't help but pay a little more attention. She had been quiet all this time, but was now listening carefully.

However, these people rarely mentioned Shishi Village. Most of them talked about how stingy and shameless Liang Shi was, and how she only cared about her own interests.

Not only Liang Shi, but also her husband, Lu Laosan.

Both of them were of the same character, so their only son had also grown up crooked. Not only did he bully other children in the village, but he also played tricks on his own relatives.

Whenever Lu Laosan and his wife were mentioned, everyone would shake their heads and sigh.

While listening to the gossip, the ox cart arrived at Shishi Village.

A few women had already gotten off at the first two villages, leaving the cart mostly empty. Shu Yu was the only one getting off at Shishi Village.

As soon as Shu Yu was about to get off, she saw a man squatting at the village entrance.

Uncle Hu shouted at him unhappily, "Lu Laosan."

Lu Laosan quickly ran over after hearing this, holding a piece of grass in his mouth. He counted his goods one by one after seeing his own basket, and only when he was satisfied did he pick it up and leave without even saying thank you. He went straight home.

Hu Shu spat at his back and was surprised when Lu Laosan suddenly turned around as if sensing something. He glared at Uncle Hu fiercely and asked, "What do you want?"

Uncle Hu was obviously a little afraid of him, so he got on the cart and ran away.

Then Lu Laosan quickly ran away as well.

Shu Yu thought to herself, "You guys are quite funny."

She had originally wanted to ask Lu Laosan for directions, but he had disappeared. She could only carry her pastries and meat and walk towards the village.

There weren't many people at the intersection, but there were a group of children playing there.

Shu Yu walked towards them and waved, asking, "Can I ask you guys something?"

The children who were playing around suddenly stopped and looked at her curiously.

Immediately, their eyes all fell on the snacks and pork she was carrying in her hands, and they swallowed their saliva fiercely.

Shu Yu felt like the things in her hands were as heavy as a thousand catties. She took out a few candies from her sleeve and handed them forward, saying, "Whoever answers my question gets this candy."

The candy was a bag of taffy that she had bought from a pastry shop earlier, just for this kind of situation.

Sure enough, as soon as she finished speaking, several children immediately jumped up and down, clamoring to answer her question. "I'll answer it! I know everything, you can ask me anything."

"You're talking nonsense. You don't know anything. I know it. I'm the boss."

Shu Yu quickly raised her hand and said, "Then can any of you tell me where the Lu Erbai family in Shishi Village is located?"

Lu Erbai?

The children looked at each other, and the names of the adults were still somewhat unfamiliar to them.

Fortunately, the names of the Lu family's adults were a bit easier to remember than others. Immediately, a bigger child called out, "I know."

Shu Yu looked at him.

The child immediately pointed not far away and said, "Lu Erbai is the father of that ugly little girl over there."

Shu Yu frowned and looked up to see a little girl walking slowly towards them. She didn't look very old, and she had a big basket on her back, filled with pig grass. She was walking very slowly and with great difficulty.

(End of this chapter)

 Chapter 5: Liang Shi 

Shu Yu had just taken a stroll around the area and had become quite familiar with the several shops nearby. She went into a pastry shop and bought two bags of pastries before heading over to the next stall to buy a piece of meat.

Carrying her two bags of goodies, she returned to the ox cart exactly half an hour later.

To her surprise, there was now another woman on the cart, making it even more crowded than before.

Well, at this time of day, it's not surprising that the horse-drawn carriages wouldn't want to take the road to Dashicun. After all, the carriages came from the county town and had to return there after dropping off their passengers. 

But the ox cart belonged to an old man from the village who was both taking Shu Yu to her destination and returning home afterwards.

Shu Yu had only been on the cart for a short time when the old man driving the cart was preparing to leave. Just then, another woman ran over to them, sweating profusely, calling out, "Uncle Hu, wait!"

The old man frowned when he saw her and Shu Yu could see that he was ready to leave immediately. However, the woman was faster and had already grabbed onto the edge of the cart, refusing to let go.

Uncle Hu sighed in resignation and told her, "The Lu family already took the last spot on the cart."

Liang Shi's eyes widened in shock. "What do you mean there's no more room? Uncle Hu, this isn't right. We agreed earlier that you would save a spot for me on your cart for my return trip. I need to go back to Shishi Village on your cart."

Uncle Hu couldn't believe what he was hearing. "You said earlier that you weren't going to take my cart back."

"That's nonsense! I'm carrying all this stuff on my back. Am I supposed to walk back to Shishi Village on my own? You must have misheard me, Uncle Hu."

Liang Shi gestured towards the bamboo basket on her back.

"You..." Uncle Hu was so angry he could barely speak.

Shu Yu couldn't help but glance at the woman So, she's from Shangshicun?

Liang Shi pointed at Uncle Hu and said, "You're so unprofessional. I already told you I wanted to take your cart back, and now you've taken on an extra passenger. What are we supposed to do now? It's already so late, and I can't find another ox cart."

Shu Yu looked at her and then at the other passengers on the ox cart.

It seems that these women all followed Uncle Hu out in the morning, and she is the only newcomer. The person Liang Shi referred to as "extra" is her, right?

Shu Yu didn't want to continue squeezing on the cow carriage and said, pointing to herself, "How about I get off the carriage?" Thinking about it now, it seems more convenient to go tomorrow.

Who knew that Uncle Hu didn't say anything, but the woman waved her hand and said righteously, "No need, it's not your business. This is a problem between Uncle Hu and me. You can just sit there."

Shu Yu was taken aback by this unexpected answer.

Uncle Hu was obviously not good with words, and seeing that the villagers on the cow carriage were becoming impatient, he became a bit impatient and asked Liang Shi with a stern look, "What do you want?"

"What else can I do when the carriage is already full? Do you want me to squeeze with you at the front of the carriage?"

Other people laughed after hearing this.

Uncle Hu's face turned even redder. Liang Shi continued, "Forget it, forget it. I'm generous and won't hold it against you. I'll just walk back. But my basket is too heavy and I can't carry it. So, can you take the basket back to my house and give it to my husband?"

What could Uncle Hu say? He couldn't sit down, but there was no problem with the basket being tied to the side.

He nodded, "Okay."

"Let's be clear, you did something wrong, so I'm not paying for the travel expenses." Then she looked at the other women on the cow carriage and said, "I remember your faces. If there's anything missing from my basket, I'll come to each of your homes to find it."

(The end of this chapter.)

 Chapter 4: Heading to Shishi Village

Shu Yu left the city gate and took out the letter from the box again.

Written on it was the address of her biological parents—Shishi Village, Wenlan Town, Jiangyuan County, Dongan Prefecture.

She didn't know about Shishi Village in Wenlan Town, but she knew about Jiangyuan County. It was the farthest and poorest county in the entire Dongan Prefecture.

Shu Yu sneered. She didn't want to acknowledge her biological parents. Now that she had left the Shu family, she could go anywhere she wanted. Why should she tie herself to irrelevant people? She had no attachment to anyone in this world.

She covered the box and planned to walk in any direction. However, she couldn't help but think of the nun's words. "If you have any doubts, look at the address on the letter."

Of course, she had doubts! For example, how did her master know about her birth? And how did the debt come about? Could it be related to her birth? Also, what did her master really think?

If she couldn't get answers to these questions and couldn't change her fate of being exiled in three months, she would never be able to solve them.

Shu Yu wasn't a procrastinator. Since she wanted to know, then she should...go and see for herself. She didn't want to be in the dark about anything.

Shu Yu had some silver coins with her, which she earned by going out when the Shu family wasn't paying attention in the past year. However, due to restrictions such as her identity, time and location, she didn't earn much. She had planned to accumulate more in the last three months before being exiled to ensure a comfortable life after arriving at her destination. But who knew that things would change abruptly and that she wasn't even a member of the Shu family.

She was afraid that she wouldn't be able to take the silver coins with her when she was exiled, so she hid them outside the prefecture. She had taken out the silver coins just now. There were only two silver notes, sixty taels in total. She pitied herself for two seconds and then rented a carriage and headed straight to Jiangyuan County.

It took her a day of fast travel to arrive. After arriving at the county, she paid the carriage fee and let the coachman go. She wandered around the county for a while. Although she had been in this world for a year, she had spent most of her time in the Shu Mansion. The farthest place she had been to was Dongqing Temple in the capital city.

Although Jiangyuan County is poor, it is very lively. 

Shu Yu, surprisingly, felt a sense of peace and tranquility here. 

Seeing that it was getting late, Shu Yu found a cow cart that was passing through Shishi Village at the city gate. Just as she was about to get on, she saw other villagers already on the cart. 

Most of them had large and small baskets taking up space. It was strange that she, on the other hand, was carrying only a small package on her back. The others looked at her and whispered to each other. 

Shu Yu had good hearing and could vaguely hear a few sentences. 

"Where did this girl come from? She doesn't look like she's short of money, why is she squeezing onto a cow cart with us?" 

Shu Yu looked at herself. She had already changed into a simple and lightweight dress. But compared to the other women in front of her, she still looked out of place. 

Shu Yu hesitated for a moment, then got off the cow cart and said to the old man driving it, "Sir, can you wait for me for half a moment?" 

"Sure, we'll leave at four and a quarter." 

It was nearly a quarter of an hour until four and a quarter. Shu Yu turned around and walked towards the county town. She wasn't going to change her clothes; she had seen what was in the baskets of those women and wanted to visit them to see if she should buy anything. 

Shu Yu had never thought of finding her biological parents. She didn't know who they were, and she had no feelings for them. Being alone was good for her now, why bother seeking trouble? 

Besides, she still didn't know if her biological parents were the ones who sold her to the Shu family. 

She was going to Shishi Village just to solve the doubts in her heart. 

But she couldn't just show up unannounced. She needed an excuse to visit, so she brought a gift. If she came with a gift, they wouldn't easily turn her away, and she could ask whatever she wanted in a simple and convenient way. 

In her past life, Shu Yu had climbed to the position of a top leader. These social relationships were clear to her. 

(End of Chapter)

 Chapter 3: Are People Really in Charge?

Previously, Shu Yu also believed in this way. She tried hard to win her biological mother's approval and always behaved obediently without crying or causing trouble, but it was all in vain. aunt Xue only grew more disgusted with her and not only physically abused her but also verbally humiliated her.

Now, everything made sense to Xiao Shu.

As she watched her family members leave, Xiao Shu quietly snuck to the shore and climbed out of the lotus pond.

Fortunately, the old lady didn't want to make a big deal out of this, so she sent everyone back and they didn't encounter anyone on the way.

However, because of the things she said earlier, the lights in their courtyard never went out and occasional arguments could be heard. Shu Yu could even faintly hear the old lady passing out.

Shu Yu smiled, returned to her own courtyard, changed into clean clothes, packed a few inconspicuous things, and then went out through the main gate of the Shu family, which she was quite familiar with.

By now, the sky was just starting to brighten and there were a few pedestrians on the road.

In fifteen minutes, the East Anfu City Gate would open, and Shu Yu planned to leave the city.

The Shu family wouldn't be able to find her body tonight and would definitely secretly send people to search for her. However, the Shu family was too preoccupied with their own problems now. The things she said last night were enough to cause chaos in the Shu family for a while.

Shu Yu was just about to set off when she saw a nun standing not far away.

The nun looked somewhat familiar and appeared to be dressed in the attire of the Dongqing Temple outside the city. Shu Yu was still puzzled when the nun walked up to her and handed her a box.

"Benefactor, this is something the head of our temple wanted me to give to you."

"Dongqing Master?"

A year ago, Shu Yu had accidentally fallen off a cliff while burning incense and praying for blessings with the Shu family at the Dongqing Temple. That was when her soul was exchanged with the person she was now.

As a result, she had stayed in the Dongqing Temple for more than half a month to recuperate before returning home. During her recovery, she had become acquainted with the head of the Dongqing Temple. Shu Yu could tell that this head wasn't an ordinary person and had some abilities, especially in face reading and fortune-telling.

Shu Yu was quite interested and had secretly called her "Master" a few times while learning to observe and interpret people's expressions and body language for half a month.

The nun nodded and said, "Our Master went on a pilgrimage and instructed me to wait here. If I saw you leaving, I was to give you this box."

Shu Yu was very puzzled and opened the box. Inside was a letter and a... household registration guide??

How did the Master know she needed this?

Shu Yu quickly opened the letter, and the handwriting of the Dongqing Temple's head was vivid on the paper.

"Ah Yu, by the time you receive this letter, our master has already left. Go find your biological parents, as some debts, if left unpaid, will burden you in the future. Here is the address where your parents live and their names. Take care."

Shu Yu's pupils contracted. She only found out yesterday night that she was not the daughter of the Shu family, and now her master knew who her biological parents were and where they lived.

Can fortune-telling really be accurate to such an extent?

Shu Yu felt something was amiss. She put away the letter and asked the little nun in front of her, "Did our master say anything else before leaving?"

"The master said that if you have any doubts, you will know the answer by going to the address on the letter," the little nun paused, then suddenly looked up at her and lowered her voice. "The master also said that the Shu family will know your identity, and it was she who revealed it. In fact, we have been waiting for you here for two days."

Shu Yu, "..."

What kind of person does this? Why couldn't they just tell her first? And what's up with revealing the news to the Shu family?

Shu Yu's face darkened, and she slammed the box shut with a "snap" before turning around and leaving.

(End of this chapter)

 Chapter 2: She Is Not the Daughter of the Shu Family

Push her down? Into the lotus pond??

Shu Yu immediately took a step aside and frowned, "Wait, are you trying to kill me? Why?"

Her gaze swept across the people present, including her father and siblings, but not one of them stepped forward to speak.

Even the old lady refused to look at her, and it was the stewardess next to her who spoke, coldly saying, "Third Miss... oh no, you're no longer the third Miss of the Shu family. You're just a wild bastard who knows where you came from. Back then, Xue Yiniang bribed a doctor to pretend to be pregnant, and on the day of delivery, she brought a baby from outside to pretend to be the third Miss of the Shu family. That baby was you."

Shu Yu's eyebrows tightened, and a rare trace of surprise flashed across her face.

She was not the daughter of the Shu family?? But how come there was no mention of this in the book?

Could it be that her arrival had caused the butterfly effect?

While Shu Yu was still puzzled, the stewardess beside the old lady spoke again, "You have enjoyed a life of luxury and privilege in the Shu family for fourteen years. Now that the truth is out, we naturally have to set things right."

Shu Yu suddenly looked up, "Your idea of setting things right is to push me into the lotus pond and drown me?"

The old lady finally spoke, "The Shu family cannot tolerate such a blemish."

Shu Yu thought to herself, 'hmmp, I don't know whether to laugh or cry.'

"So, the snake in my room just now was also your doing?"

The Shu family's young lady sneered, "Actually, being bitten to death by a snake is not as painful."

Shu Yu looked at everyone, and they all thought that the old lady's decision was correct. The face of the Shu family was more important than anything else. Besides, as a wild bastard who had been brought in from somewhere, no one cared if she lived or died.

Shu Yu now understood why the Shu family would end up being exiled. It seemed that even the female supporting character could not avoid their helping the tyrant and committing evil deeds.

The two stewardesses had already walked over, holding two ropes to tie Shu Yu's hands.

Shu Yu instinctively wanted to fight back, but she changed her mind and didn't move.

She couldn't change the outcome now. The Shu family members would all be exiled safely in three months' time, and she didn't need to waste her energy.

But she couldn't just calmly accept her "death" like this.

Shu Yu suddenly burst out laughing, her gaze scanning everyone present. "You want to kill me, go ahead. But before I die, can I say a few words?"

"You have last words?" Miss Shu sneered. "I'll give you a chance. Let's see what you can say."

Shu Yu's hands were bound behind her back, but her usual demeanor of keeping her head down like a transparent person was nowhere to be seen. People even felt like her figure inexplicably grew taller.

Shu Yu's gaze stopped on the person at the far left. "Master Shu, isn't the concubine in Jintai Lane beautiful as a flower? She's pregnant again, and she was sold by the First Lady. But then you took her back. It's true love after all."

Master Shu widened his eyes and faced the unbelieving gaze of the First madam, he was about to explain.

But then Shu Yu continued, "First madam, your nephew from your family has killed his second wife again. Recently, you've been discussing marrying your second sister, who is also a concubine's daughter, over to resolve the internal strife and give your family an explanation."

"Second Master Shu, didn't the old lady help you pay back the debt to the gambling house using her own savings? But if you continue to gamble, you'll have to use public funds."

"Second Madam, you gave Aunt Liu some medicine to abort her fetus, which hurt Second Master Shu's heart. No wonder he borrowed money to gamble at the gambling house to drown his sorrows."

"Big Sister, you..."

"Shut up, shut up. I tell you shut up!" The old lady fiercely tapped her cane. Seeing that the expressions of the people she mentioned changed, she immediately gestured to the two maidservants behind her, "Aren't you going to take action?"

Shu Yu sighed, "Didn't you want me to make my last words clear?" When the Shu family was exiled, she found out more than just these things. These things were all written in books.

"You're just talking nonsense. I underestimated you. You don't speak up on ordinary days, and now you're trying to sow discord and destroy the harmony of our Shu family on your deathbed. You're truly despicable." The old lady couldn't maintain her calm demeanor anymore and angrily pounded the ground.

The rest of the Shu family also echoed her words. The two maidservants didn't dare delay any longer, tying a large stone to Shu Yu's ankle and hastily pushing her into the lotus pond.

The old lady breathed a sigh of relief only when she saw Shu Yu's body sink to the bottom of the pond.

However, what she didn't know was that when Shu Yu sank, she had already untied the rope on her wrist. When she reached the bottom of the pond, she also freed herself from the rope and the stone.

She dived forward and quietly poked half her head out from under a lotus leaf. 

Several people on the pond had not yet left, seemingly confirming that she would not float up. 

The old lady instructed the two serving women who were to take action, "Tomorrow night, you will fish her out and say that third Miss came out at night to cool off and accidentally fell into the water, losing her life."

"Yes." The two women quickly agreed.

The old lady then said to eldest master Shu, "Deal with Xue Yiniang and publicly announce that she could not bear the pain of losing her daughter and passed away."

The eldest master also agreed without any objection.

However, Shu Yu remembered that in the book, Xue Yiniang did not die. She was also on the list of those banished. she did not know how she had escaped this disaster.

Just like that, Shu Yu understood why Xue Yiniang was so cruel to her own daughter back then.

Little Shu Yu had not only gone hungry and fought with dogs over food, but also had a high fever and was left in the room to die on her own. She had knelt under the scorching sun in the yard, apologizing until she fainted. She had even almost been beaten to death by Xue Yinian.

Everyone in the Shu family thought that Xue Yiniang was dissatisfied with Shu Yu being a girl, so she was resentful and not close to her. 

(End of this chapter)