"Youâll find out."
"Iâm sorry Iâm so useless." Du Xiaosong felt guilty for not being able to capture the manâs face.
"It doesnât matter." Meng Ping didnât care at all. As long as he knew who it was, that was enough, and Shen Yu wasnât that easy to deal with. He planned to take it step by step and make the two of them pay the price they deserved.
*******
Shixi Town
Tonight was New Yearâs Day, and every household had eaten dumplings and set off firecrackers before sitting on the kang to chat, preparing to discuss how to plant the spring crops. Sheng An took out her small box, which contained all the private savings she had earned from selling bean sprouts.
Usually, both Shen Luhua and Sheng Laosan didnât take her earnings, and aside from purchasing essentials like oil and salt, Sheng An hadnât spent a cent of it recklessly. She was just waiting for the New Year to be over so she could use it when she went to the city to find her sister.
"You girl, counting your little treasure again," Sheng Laosan, slightly drunk, said with a laugh.
"Dad, Iâm going to the city after the New Year, and Iâm so excited I canât even sleep," Sheng An counted again â one jiao, one fen, and five jiao pieces. All small change, but adding up to a full two hundred yuan!
"That wonât do; youâll have to wait until after the Lantern Festival. I also need a letter from your sister before letting you go. Otherwise, I wonât be at ease. What if youâre kidnapped by traffickers?"
"Thatâs fine!" Sheng An was pleased.
Shen Luhua carried in a basin of water for washing feet and overheard the father-daughter conversation, speaking unhappily, "Anâan, donât even think about going anywhere."
"Why not? Sister has already asked me to come, why are you trying to stop me?"
"I said no, so itâs a no."
"But didnât you agree before?" Sheng Ning turned her head and asked irritably, "How can you go back on your word?"
"When did I ever agree? Just forget about it." Shen Luhua gave the order very sternly and domineeringly, which was completely different from her usual gentle demeanor.
Sheng Laosan also noticed the problem and remained silent, smoking his cigarette.
"Youâre being unreasonable, hmph! Iâve grown up; I have my own ideas about what to do, and others canât control me." Sheng An hugged her own little treasury, intending to return to her room, but Shen Luhua stretched out her hand to stop her.
"Leave the money."
"What do you mean? This is my money, and I saved it through hard work."
"Donât think I donât know what youâre planning, trying to use this money to run away from home. No way!" As she snatched the small box away, Sheng Anâs tears fell in big drops. She was so anxious but didnât dare to wrestle with her own mother.
"Give me back my money; itâs mine."
"No! Unless you promise me not to go to the city, I wonât give you the money."
"Thatâs impossible. Even if you take my money, I will still go." Sheng An yelled at Shen Luhua fiercely and then turned and ran back to her room, lying on the bed and crying.
"Luhua, why are you stopping the child from going to the city?" Sheng Laosan disagreed, "Itâs good that Ningning is willing to help her. Isnât it what weâve always hoped for, that the sisters would work together and support each other?"
Shen Luhua opened her mouth, but couldnât utter a word for a long time. In the end, with no other choice, she said in a firm tone, "Just stay out of it."
"Alright, alright..." Since he wasnât Anâanâs biological father, Sheng Laosan sometimes had to give in when he disagreed with Shen Luhua. He figured, if worse came to worst, he would just have Ningning come back to take Anâan to the city himself.
This young girl had the opportunity to go to the city to study and learn skills; he couldnât let her waste her life away in the countryside.