Qin Xiangnuan opened her eyes, her small body covered in scars and huddled in her brother’s arms, "Mom’s... jade, I won’t give it," she tightly clenched the small jade stone in her hand, this jade stone she had decided to keep for her lifetime, no matter what the cost, she was determined to get her mom’s jade back.
Qin Xiangnuan rubbed her sister’s little head and pressed her little face into his chest, "Yes, mom’s jade, we won’t give it away."
Then, he lifted his face, unafraid, staring at Qin Guohua and Hu Li, "This jade was left for my sister by my mom, so we can’t give it away. My sister doesn’t even remember what mom looked like, this is all she has left. Dad, can you keep it for my sister as a remembrance, it’s the only thing mom left behind."
"No way," before Qin Guohua could speak, Hu Li shouted loudly, "The jade belongs to Meimei, it has been with her since she was born, she’s had this jade for so many years, it’s hers now." Qin Guohua took Qin Xiangmei from Qin Guohua’s arms,
"If you don’t get the jade back for me, I will take Pengfei and Xiangmei back to my mother’s house, and you can live by yourself."
A vein on Qin Guohua’s forehead pulsed
He stretched out his hand in front of Qin Xiangyang and his siblings, "Qin Xiangnuan, give me the jade,"
Qin Xiangnuan raised his face, his little face was bruised and battered, making Qin Xiangyang very distressed, his poor sister, how much it must hurt.
"Nuannuan doesn’t want to give it?"
He carefully touched his sister’s little face, also cracking a smile at the corners of his mouth, but it pained him.
Qin Xiangnuan gently nodded, speaking in a low voice, "Brother, can Nuannuan keep it?"
"Alright, if you don’t want to give it, then don’t," Qin Xiangyang felt he had already let his sister down enough, having let her go hungry and cold from a young age, they had nothing, his sister had never worn new clothes or eaten good food, mom’s jade was the first thing she ever wanted, no matter what, he must keep this jade for his sister.
"Are you giving it or not?" Qin Guohua forcefully slapped Qin Xiangyang on the head, Qin Xiangyang staggered, yet still carefully held his sister’s small body.
Qin Xiangyang and Qin Xiangnuan shook their heads at the same time, both siblings huddled together, warming each other.
"Fine, you won’t give it?" Hu Li angrily carried Qin Xiangmei outside, "This house is unbearable, don’t even think about living these days."
"Give it to me," Qin Guohua was truly enraged now, his face utterly darkened.
Qin Xiangyang and Qin Xiangnuan still shook their heads
"Good, very good," Qin Guohua suddenly bit out the words, his thunderous voice startling the chickens in the house into chaotic squawks.
"If you don’t give it, get out of here immediately, from now on I am not your dad, and you shall not call me dad, we’re cutting ties, don’t even think about eating a bowl of rice or drinking a sip of my water, whether you live or die, it has nothing to do with me."
Qin Xiangyang’s face turned pale, his body even more unsteadily swayed, but he still tightly held his thin sister in his arms.
Qin Xiangnuan opened her eyes, a strange smile emerged on her bruised and swollen little face.
So, it was that simple?
She stretched out her little hand and tugged at Qin Xiangyang’s sleeve, "Brother, can you and Nuannuan leave together? Nuannuan will cook for brother."