"Dad! What's the matter? Just tell us."
Jiang Shitou sat down casually.
Jiang Xiaoxiao also sat beside her brother.
She knew what it was about.
This family discussion happened in the last lifetime as well.
The most urgent issue the family faced was...
One of the children had to go to the countryside.
And the only thing their father could do was let them choose who would go.
Of course, in the previous life, Jiang Shitou, who later changed his name to Jiang Lei, volunteered to go so his younger sister wouldn't suffer.
He ended up staying there his entire life, bravely dedicating himself to that land.
The father had initially planned for her to replace him at the textile factory.
But then her biological mother came to the door.
Various reasons were given, claiming that the honest Jiang couple had switched the children to give their child a good life.
It all boiled down to the honest Jiang couple's schemes.
And she believed it.
But she never thought, if that was the case, why did her biological mother care so much about her but never sent Fang Xiaohui back to the Jiang family?
Instead, they kept Fang Xiaohui and treated her as their own while forcing her, their biological daughter, to replace her brother and go to the countryside.
The Fang family took full advantage.
What's more, her biological daughter didn't enjoy any benefits, and her biological mother convinced her she could finally establish a deep connection with her brother.
Shouldn't the Fang family compensate her?
Why should she strive to appease the Fang family?
Anyway, she wasn't very clear-minded in the previous life.
Jiang Xiaoxiao believed she was mostly focused on seeing the Jiang family as sinister traitors, thinking she was being victimized, thus trusting her biological parents deeply.
Reflecting on it, what did the so-called biological parents ever do to make her feel like their own child?
She had been treated worse than a foster daughter.
Her suffering in the previous life was largely due to her arrogance and easy trust in others.
The Jiang parents were almost heart and soul kind to her.
Even knowing she wasn't their real child, they still tried to give her a good living environment.
They wanted to protect her.
Sadly, she always turned a blind eye.
"Dad, please speak!"
Jiang Honest was relieved.
"Here's the thing, the street committee notified us that our family must send one child to the countryside, one of you siblings must go, but your mom and I think..."
"Of course I'll go, with Xiaoxiao's small stature, she'd cry her heart out in the countryside! I'll go! Dad, don't say anything, I'm the man of the house, when such things happen, of course I should go."
Jiang Shitou spoke up before his father could continue.
Just like the previous life.
Jiang Shitou wanted to protect his sister.
Jiang Xiaoxiao's eyes grew moist.
Her dear family.
Fan Xiuying heard and smiled contentedly, "Your dad is something! Such matters don't need asking, I said it should be Shitou, he's the brother, Shitou should go. Xiaoxiao is just a girl! Making her farm in the countryside, how could she manage that? Your dad insisted on asking for your opinions, see, I was right?"
The thimble pushed firmly against the needle eye, pulling the thread through the other side.
"I just don't want any complaints from you kids, since Shitou you said it, then you go, being the brother, it's right for you to go. Dad isn't playing favorites, your sister's frail body wouldn't manage well out there..."
Jiang Honest wasn't surprised, Jiang Shitou was sensible, he always protected his sister, and this time was no exception.
"No, Dad, Mom, Third Brother, I'll go."
Jiang Xiaoxiao loudly interrupted Jiang Honest.
The family fell silent.
"Xiaoxiao, what are you arguing for? This is going to the countryside, not those fun outings you're used to, there it's real farm work, you? Better forget it, in no time you'll be bawling unable to find anyone to comfort you, they'd treat you like any other person, don't get any foolish ideas."
Jiang Shitou looked disdainfully.
He truly believed his sister was mistaken, assuming going to the countryside was just to eat, drink, and play.
This little girl had no clue what going to the countryside meant.
"Stop being silly, Xiaoxiao, your brother will go, you stay home."
Jiang Honest agreed with his son.
Fan Xiuying also advised, "Xiaoxiao, you stay home with mom, let's not go to that rural place, let's not suffer."
Jiang Xiaoxiao felt pain in her heart.
Indeed, her mother's words didn't seem biased at all.
But they weren't lacking prejudice either.
If she went to suffer, wouldn't Third Brother suffer as well?
It's just they thought of her as the youngest daughter who shouldn't endure hardship.
Her parents and siblings tried to protect her, but ended up nurturing an ungrateful traitor.
How blind had she been in the previous life.
To believe parents like these would send their child to another house, exploiting others out of greed.
With parents doting on her like she's precious, would there be any need for her to endure suffering?
The Fang family always favored sons over daughters, would she return there and have a good life?
She took herself too seriously.
The Fang family, due to their capitalist background, were key targets for persecution. If she grew up in the Fang family, she would likely have been sent to the countryside long ago.
Could she have enjoyed good days here?
"Dad, Mom, Third Brother, I said I'll go to the countryside, don't think I'm messing around, I know what going to the countryside means. I want to go, I'm eighteen now, not a child anymore, I'm not attending school at home! I'm just freeloading, I could go there and work properly, besides, they said this time at the farm, wages are calculated based on work-unit points, it's practical salary.
I want to work."
"Silly girl, Dad and Mom never complained about you freeloading, besides, if you want to work, Dad's retiring soon, in worst case, you can take over his job at the factory, working there is much better than on a farm.
Don't rush, Third Brother will go to the farm, Third Brother is strong and can endure more than you. You already know not to freeload! Third Brother will learn from you, Third Brother also needs to work."
Jiang Shitou desperately tried to persuade his sister, afraid she would truly go to the countryside.
"Third Brother, don't think I don't know, Dad's job is driving trucks, if anyone takes over, it should be you, if I take over, I'd be nothing more than a textile worker in the workshop, and there's no guarantee a position would be available for me, everyone knows the textile factory is one radish one hole, if I go, someone has to give up a spot, would they be willing?
If Dad offends someone, who knows what they'd say, it's better I go to the farm, you take over, that way it's less strain on Mom and Dad.
Don't worry! I know what going to the countryside involves, also my girlfriends are going together, we agreed to stick together. Dad, Mom, please say yes."
The family thought this little girl was acting recklessly again.
Everyone knew Jiang Xiaoxiao's girlfriends also faced the decision to go to the countryside.
Their family had to offer someone, others must too.
No one knew how to persuade her.
This girl's temper was stubborn.
If words didn't go her way, she'd cry like a flood.
No one in the family could handle her.
But so it be.
The parents felt distressed.
This child was spoiled by them, completely unaware of the harshness of the world.