Xia Yingyu was stunned, staring at her daughter in disbelief.
Wang Lianhua also suspected Zhao Nuanyue was possessed. But this was a new society with a new way of thinking. Otherwise, she would have bought a stack of yellow paper talismans, burned them to ash, and forced that little wretch Zhao Nuan Yang to drink it.
"You may hate us, but your mother is still a member of the Zhao Family." Wang Lianhua, worried Zhao Nuanyue would act recklessly now that she had nothing to lose and drag down the entire family, tried to find a way to keep her in check. "Your father and I agree to your request. No matter what, we are still family. It doesn't matter how you raise a fuss at home, but once you're out in the world, you cannot disgrace the Zhao Family. However, your brother... he has mental problems and can't work. If he goes with you, he'll only be a burden. Leave him at home. I'll take good care of him."
Zhao Nuanyue's anger flared at her words. Glaring, she saw right through Wang Lianhua's attempt to control her. "You can't even tolerate me, a perfectly capable person, let alone someone who can't do anything. You only want my brother to stay so you can threaten me. But I'm afraid that the moment I leave, you'll turn right around and have him committed to a mental hospital."
Zhao Nuanyue's words were not a baseless accusation; she had grounds for everything she said. 'In her previous life, these people had done exactly that, abusing her brother just to make their own lives more comfortable.'
Zhao Nuan Yang was her brother. If no one else would cherish him, she would.
'Zhao Nuanyue would never forgive anyone who bullied her brother.'
Zhao Jinghai and Wang Lianhua froze. They had, in fact, privately discussed sending Zhao Nuan Yang to a mental hospital before.
Xia Yingyu's head snapped up. She stared at Zhao Jinghai, searching his face for an answer, a wave of fear washing over her.
'Perhaps it isn't a bad thing for my son and daughter to leave. In this house, I don't have the power to protect them. I'm useless.'
"Nuanyue, I'm entrusting Nuanyang to you. I'm a terrible mother... From now on, you'll have to rely on yourselves," Xia Yingyu said, her voice choked with sobs. "Jinghai, I've been with you for so many years. Others might not know how I treated Huilan, but you do. I can say with a clear conscience that I did my best. This time, I'm begging you and your mother—you must arrange for Nuanyue and Nuanyang to be sent to a peaceful place with ample resources."
As Xia Yingyu spoke, a resolute expression settled on her face. If Zhao Jinghai couldn't do this, she would no longer keep placating his family. She finally understood. 'No matter how kind I am to them, they will never appreciate it. But Nuanyue and Nuanyang are different. They're my children. No matter what happens, they will always be on my side.'
Zhao Jinghai was caught in a difficult position. He weighed the pros and cons, and thinking of Xia Yingyu's good qualities, he finally nodded. "Alright. I promise you!"
After the struggle, Zhao Nuanyue had won a temporary victory. This time, even if she had to go to the countryside, at least she and her brother would be together.
'With decades of experience from her past life, she was confident she could survive, take care of her brother, and see them through this hardship together!'
Zhao Nuan Yang was emotionally volatile, so Zhao Nuanyue held his hand tightly and whispered, "Nuanyang, don't be afraid. No matter what happens, you'll always have me."
In her past life, the departure hadn't been for another twenty-odd days. But this time, thanks to Wang Lianhua and Zhao Jinghai's "special arrangements," it was moved up.
Five days after the confrontation, Zhao Nuanyue and Zhao Nuan Yang, carrying the luggage and backpacks their mother had packed for them, boarded the train to Sizhou.
On the platform, Zhao Nuan Yang clung to his sister's hand, his eyes wide with panic.
"Mama!" Being tall, Zhao Nuan Yang spotted their mother seeing them off and pulled his sister toward her.
Zhao Nuanyue let her brother pull her over to their mother, who was already streaming with tears.
'Perhaps she really has done her best,' she thought.
"Nuanyue, take good care of Nuanyang," Xia Yingyu choked out. "There's no place for you in that house anymore."
Zhao Nuanyue nodded. "I know. Zhao Jinghai doesn't truly care about us, but he still has some genuine feelings for you. After we're gone, Mom, you have to take care of yourself. You can't be as naive as you were before."
"I was so foolish before." Xia Yingyu wiped away her tears and pulled a handkerchief from her pocket. Inside were some money and ration coupons. "Nuanyue, this is what I managed to save in secret. Take it. And write to me often once you've settled in."
"I will," Zhao Nuanyue said. "You take care too, Mom."
Zhao Nuan Yang looked at his mother with hopeful eyes. He was anxious but didn't know how to express it, and beads of sweat formed on his forehead.
"Nuanyang, you're going with your sister now. You have to listen to her, okay?" Xia Yingyu couldn't bear to part with her son. He had been different from other children since he was little. As his mother, she knew Nuanyang wasn't slow—he just didn't like to talk.
Zhao Nuan Yang's eyes were red, but he finally nodded.
The call for final boarding came, and Zhao Nuanyue led Zhao Nuan Yang onto the train.
Amidst their mother's tear-filled gaze and a sea of blazing red banners proclaiming "Support Rural Development!" and "Welcome to the Toughest Places for Your Tempering!", the train started with a CLICKETY-CLACK... and slowly pulled out of sight.
Xia Yingyu was overwhelmed with hatred for her own powerlessness. 'If I hadn't remarried, maybe my children wouldn't have to suffer like this.'
But then again, she thought, 'if I hadn't remarried, we would have had no one to rely on, and people would have bullied them anyway.'
Zhao Nuan Yang was trembling with fear and anxiety. Zhao Nuanyue squeezed her brother's hand tightly. "Nuanyang, don't be afraid. I'll always be with you. From now on, it's just the two of us, we'll rely on each other. You love to draw, right? I'll buy you a drawing board and pens, so you can draw all you want. How does that sound?"
Hearing his sister say he could draw, Zhao Nuan Yang looked as if he had found an anchor. He nodded and said, "Okay!"
For the rest of the journey, Zhao Nuan Yang was very well-behaved. He didn't cause a scene or cry; he just listened intently to what his sister was saying.
He suddenly found his sister very interesting. 'Actually,' he thought, 'leaving that cold house isn't so bad. I miss Mom, but I still have my sister.'
The train car was filled with other young people headed for Sizhou. Their spirits were high, and they chatted eagerly.
Zhao Nuanyue only spoke quietly with her brother and those sitting nearby. She knew the students' enthusiasm would evaporate the moment they arrived. What awaited them was grueling farm work and a life of isolation.
Sitting across from Zhao Nuanyue was a girl of about seventeen or eighteen named Wang Yuan. She kept staring at Zhao Nuan Yang before leaning in and whispering to Zhao Nuanyue, "Is that your boyfriend?"
Zhao Nuanyue quickly shook her head. "No, he's my younger brother."
Hearing this, Wang Yuan became even more enthusiastic, her round face beaming. "Hi, my name is Wang Yuan! I'm headed to Labor County in Sizhou. How about you?"
"We are too," Zhao Nuanyue replied. "Since we'll be fellow townsfolk there, I hope we can look out for each other!"