Chapter Twenty-Seven: Returning to Her Parental Home

Liu Yueyu’s parents lived in the countryside outside Fengcheng—a place that was half rural, half town. It took nearly an hour on foot to reach the city from their home. As soon as the two arrived, they immediately drew the attention of many villagers.

“Aren’t those the daughter and son-in-law from Old Liu’s family?”
“Yes, that’s them. Old Liu used to be quite well-off, but ever since his daughter and son-in-law came along, he’s been driven to the brink of madness. They’re nothing but trouble, always dragging the family down.”
“I bet, just like before, they’re here to ask for money again. That son-in-law of theirs never does anything decent, just loafs around all day. Yueyu used to be such a clever girl—look at her now!”
“It was her own choice. She had so many better options, but insisted on picking that guy. I really can’t understand what she was thinking.”
“That’s exactly it. Seems like no matter how capable a woman is, she’s better off marrying a good man. That’s like being reborn a second time.”

The villagers chattered on, their voices overlapping in a chorus of gossip. Upon hearing these words, Liu Yueyu’s expression shifted, tinged with embarrassment. In the past, every time they came, it was indeed to borrow money—no wonder their reputation had spread. Rural communities were like this: good news rarely left the house, but bad news traveled far and wide. If anything unfortunate happened in your family, everyone would know in an instant.

Shen Guodong, however, was unfazed by the whispers. Most of the houses in the village were old and dilapidated, but Liu’s father had made his fortune in mining years ago and had built a brick house—a true mansion in this countryside, where such a structure was almost unimaginable.

When they reached the gate, the small door to the courtyard was closed. Laughter and conversation could be faintly heard from within.

“Is there a guest at home?” Liu Yueyu asked curiously.

“Seems like it,” Shen Guodong replied, stepping forward to knock.

Before long, a middle-aged man in his fifties opened the door. He looked robust and energetic, but his previously cheerful face darkened at once when he saw who was there. This was none other than Liu Yueyu’s father, Liu Chuanzhi.

“What are you doing here? Our family has no money left. Even if we did, we wouldn’t lend it to you. Wasn’t it always you urging Yueyu to borrow from us? And now you show up yourself—how rare.” His disappointment was palpable—a heart hardened by too many dashed hopes. He squinted at Shen Guodong with evident displeasure.

If not for the conservative values of the time, he would have long ago demanded his daughter divorce Shen Guodong. Even so, he had repeatedly told Liu Yueyu not to stay with Shen Guodong, urging her to return home instead. That alone spoke to how deeply his disappointment ran.

Shen Guodong looked a little awkward, but Liu Yueyu hurried to explain, “Dad, we’re not here to borrow money this time—we came to pay it back. You’re overthinking it!”

Pay back money? Liu Chuanzhi nearly laughed aloud at that. The family could barely make ends meet, and now they claimed to be here to repay a debt? After so many years with Shen Guodong, his daughter had apparently learned to lie as well. He disliked his son-in-law, but his daughter was still his flesh and blood. Keeping silent, he allowed them inside, though he didn’t truly believe her words.

“Let’s go in,” Liu Yueyu murmured, tugging gently at Shen Guodong’s sleeve as they followed her father into the house. Shen Guodong nodded, though a trace of helplessness clouded his face. When someone’s opinion of you is so deeply ingrained, making amends is no easy task. Yet Shen Guodong was determined to prove himself with real actions.

Inside the courtyard, they found a gathering of relatives—uncles, aunts, and cousins, all assembled as if for a special occasion. Liu Yueyu’s eldest and second brothers were chatting with them. When the relatives saw Shen Guodong, their expressions changed at once: here came the debt collector again. Such scenes had played out often, and none held a favorable impression of him.

“What are you doing here? I don’t recall our family inviting you. Little sister, come in!” her second brother, Liu Jianjun, said impatiently, hastily adding the last part to avoid making her feel unwelcome.

Her eldest brother, Liu Jianguo, was more understanding and quickly scolded, “Second brother, what are you saying? We’re all family. Don’t bring up things like that. Guodong, come in and have some tea. Dinner will be ready soon.”

“Big brother, what’s the occasion? Why are all the relatives here today?” Liu Yueyu asked, feeling a bit embarrassed but also warmed by the familiarity of her childhood home.

“It’s nothing big,” Liu Jianguo replied. “A while ago, Mom twisted her ankle and had to visit the hospital. So the relatives came over to see her.”

This was a local custom in Fengcheng: whenever a family member took ill, the relatives would come to visit.

Liu Yueyu’s face changed immediately. “Mom hurt her ankle? Why didn’t you tell me?” Guilt washed over her. If not for coming to repay the money today, she wouldn’t even have known—how could that be right?

“Well…” Liu Jianguo hesitated, unsure how to explain. He had intended to tell her, but their father insisted it was best not to worry his daughter, especially since she wasn’t doing well herself. Besides, if she knew, she would surely bring gifts and spend money unnecessarily. It wasn’t a serious injury, so they’d decided to keep it from her for peace of mind. Sometimes, not knowing is better than knowing. But as luck would have it, Liu Yueyu came home today regardless, much to their surprise.

“Let’s go see Mom first. We’ll talk later,” Liu Yueyu said, anxious to check on her mother. They entered the inner room, where a woman was resting with her eyes closed on a bamboo recliner, one foot swollen and painful to look at. As her daughter, Liu Yueyu’s heart ached at the sight.

“Mom!” she called, tears welling up in her eyes, remorseful beyond words. “Why didn’t you tell me you hurt your leg? I…”

The woman opened her eyes and, upon seeing her daughter, broke into a smile of genuine happiness. But like everyone else, the moment she caught sight of Shen Guodong, all her good mood vanished.