Liu Shouren was dumbfounded: After performing an act of bravery, not only did he not receive a word of gratitude from her parents, he was instead treated like a hooligan?
His dear younger sister is mistaken for a mischievous sister? — What a joke!
To be fair, Liu Shouren was indeed a doting brother, but that didn’t mean he would care for just any sister!
Especially not someone who cries at the drop of a hat and can cry herself into a fainting spell like nobody’s business—even more delicate than Lin Daiyu.
Other than her skin being a tad more delicate and her tear glands a bit more active than his own little sister’s, how could she compare to his sister in any way?
Sure, showing a bit of courtesy due to Uncle Wu’s favor is one thing, but treating her like his own sister?
Come on, even his own brother wouldn’t dare think that.
Liu Shouren thought indifferently, as Wu Yinghong, who had fainted from shock in Wu Liguo’s arms, suddenly regained consciousness. Upon opening her eyes, she saw her father looking at her with full concern. Standing beside him was Old Yang, who had confidently claimed earlier it was all nonsense and that he didn’t know Wu Liguo at all.
Seeing all this, what could Wu Yinghong not understand?
"Dad, why would you do this? You made up such an excuse to evade me without thinking that your daughter might not withstand the blow and might, in a fit of foolishness, lose hope and follow you away? What would you do then?" She said and lunged towards the familiar embrace she had missed for years. As her tears broke free, she cried heart-wrenchingly.
"Tsk tsk tsk, little girl, why do you speak such ominous words?" Wu Liguo stared at her and tapped the tip of his little girl’s nose with helplessness. Of his three sons and one daughter, this youngest daughter was his absolute favorite.
His three sons had each passed away in succession, and his wife had also left this world shortly after. His only daughter had become the apple of his eye and the center of his world.
Worried that having her raised in the palm of his hand might cause her trouble, Wu Liguo painfully announced that he was cutting ties with her to protect her. He implored an old friend, whom he’d known for years, to hastily arrange a marriage between their children to provide his daughter with a strong protector, sheltering her from the storms in his absence.
If it wasn’t because his heart ached deeply for her, how could he fear bringing her the slightest bit of hardship and force himself to suppress the longing to see her? How could he get so flustered just because of a little complaint from her?
"You’re always so fierce! I chased you across counties and cities, thinking that once we met, we could enjoy a loving father-daughter reunion. But what about you? You didn’t even want to see me, and then you...
Did I really become something undesirable, a burden you wanted to get rid of all along? Did you seize the opportunity to announce the severing of ties, and when I came to find you, you didn’t even want to see me!" As Wu Yinghong recalled her tears earlier, her anger flared.
"I, I did it for your own good!" Wu Liguo awkwardly rubbed his nose, quietly trying to justify himself.
"For my own good? For my good, you just dumped me without a word? For my good, you wouldn’t even let me see your face, and instead had someone else tell me you were gone? You’ve been since I was a child, true to that family name of yours, so arbitrary and dictatorial! Did you ever ask for my opinion? How were you sure that I’d rather live quietly behind the facade of disowning my own father than weather through storms by your side?" Her words ignited all the frustration in her heart, and she exploded like a firecracker.
A series of questions hit him, leaving Wu Liguo stunned and speechless for quite a while.
Was this really his biological daughter?
Since when did his precious daughter, whom he always thought of as a delicate flower, have this fiery side?
But having a bit of temper is good; it means he wouldn’t have to worry half the night fearing she’d be bullied.
Helping out nearly led to a big mess, and Old Yang was quite helpless.
To avoid Old Wu finding an excuse to spar with him later, he quickly cleared his throat, reminding the father and daughter that he and Liu Shouren were also present. He subtly saved Old Wu from the scene, preventing him from becoming too humiliated by his daughter.
"Cough, cough—what’s the big deal? If your throat’s not feeling great, go take some medicine, and don’t interrupt us bonding!" Wu Liguo admired the fiery liveliness of his daughter and almost got a kick out of Old Yang’s reminder, even if it was meant to help him save face.
Old Yang, with nothing to show for his good intentions, gritted his teeth: Next time, don’t bother asking me for help, no matter how grave it gets! Not only will I not help, but when Xiao Wei and the others return, I’ll make sure to spread the word about your so-called friendliness. If I don’t isolate you completely, today’s not done!
After understanding the deeper meaning behind that look, Wu Liguo didn’t take it to heart either. After all, he was up against four weak scholars. If words can’t do it, fists will, right?
Even after ignoring martial arts for years, he’s still hundreds of times better than those who just twirl pens and scheme.
But as for this niece Shuzhen and nephew Shouyi, he must introduce them properly to his daughter.
In the future, living in Liu’s village will inevitably require care and assistance from them, the brigade leader and the diligent accountant.
Although he hasn’t asked why she’s come to the countryside, now that she’s here, he has to take good care of her first before discussing anything else.
Thinking of this, Wu Liguo cheerfully beckoned his daughter over: "Come, daughter, let me introduce you. This is Liu Shouren, the elder son of Liu Chengji, who saved my life multiple times. He’s an accountant at the Liu family village production brigade. His sister Liu Shuzhen is the brigade leader. If you really get stationed at Liu family village, just seek them out for any troubles!"
Hearing that it was the grandson of the war hero who had saved her father’s life numerous times, Wu Yinghong couldn’t help but feel an innate sense of goodwill towards him.
Moreover, having just witnessed the young man pulling her away from imminent danger, she was filled with gratitude as she flashed a bright smile and sweetly called him Brother Shouren.
Unfortunately, with her hoarse voice, eyes redder than cherries, and tear-streaked face resembling a raccoon, Liu Shouren wasn’t particularly impressed by her smile. He just thought about how she seemed to switch from Lin Daiyu to Wang Xifeng adding variety to her temperament.
Yet, to give up the comfortable life in Beijing to become an educated youth in the countryside, knowing she’d get to be closer to her father .
This young lady surely displayed heartwarming filial piety.
With that in mind, Liu Shouren was willing to do his best to take extra care of her within his capacity.