Chapter 442: Extra Story 8
Su Tao didn’t take this little incident to heart at all.
She spent two carefree weeks in Xindu, buying whatever caught her eye and playing to her heart’s content.
Thankfully, the camper van had plenty of storage space, and Fang Zhi’s “little pocket” could hold as much as she wanted to stuff inside. Otherwise, it would have been impossible to contain her ever-expanding shopping spree.
When they had their fill of fun, before leaving, Zhuo Ercheng felt it was necessary to tell her some news:
“Uh, remember that day we ran into Jiang Jinwei? That’s her name, right?”
His secretary softly corrected him, “It’s Jiang Jinwei.”
“Oh, whatever. Anyway, I looked into her situation. Just last week, her father drank himself to death… And a few days ago, her mother, who was in a vegetative state, passed away due to infection from neglected wounds… Do you want to go see them?”
After all, they were her biological parents. No matter what Su Tao chose, he felt it was his responsibility to let her know.
As for Jiang Jinwei—trapped in a miserable marriage and battling depression—there was no need to mention her.
And those two kids? They had nothing to do with Su Tao.
Su Tao was stunned for a couple of seconds, then shook her head. “No need.”
Zhuo Ercheng nodded in agreement.
During his investigation, he had learned the truth—he hadn’t realized how much coldness and mistreatment Su Tao had endured as a child.
This kind of abuse wasn’t physical—it was a form of emotional neglect and familial bullying.
She had grown up being ignored, excluded from any warmth in the family. While her parents showered love on their other children, Su Tao was left to feel like an outsider, an unwanted burden.
The way parents treat one child often sets the tone for how their siblings treat them.
As a result, she was constantly bullied—her siblings took everything from her, not just material possessions but also emotional comfort.
They couldn’t bear to see her well-fed or warmly dressed. They couldn’t stand to see her own anything. They couldn’t tolerate her happiness.
As Su Tao sat in her pink camper van, watching Xindu fade into the distance, she let out a long sigh and said to Shi Zijin beside her:
“Honestly, if they had treated me even a little bit better, I would’ve helped them.”
Shi Zijin wrapped his arms around her from behind, resting his chin on her shoulder. “I know.”
Suddenly, Su Tao felt overwhelmed by sadness and resentment.
“But they didn’t—not even once. I’ve been gone from home for so long, and they never cared. Even when they saw me again, all they did was curse me. They’re mad that I haven’t sacrificed for the family, mad that they couldn’t squeeze every last drop out of me.”
“I often wonder—am I really their biological child? Was I adopted or stolen? I even investigated it and secretly did a DNA test. But no, I really am their child—their own flesh and blood. I just don’t understand… If they never wanted me, why did they have me? I had parents, but in that house, I was always the least important, the most disposable. Why? Why?“
Shi Zijin’s heart ached.
He wanted to comfort her, but no words came out.
Some wounds—unless you’ve lived through them—you can never fully understand.
The belief that “all parents love their children” is a lie.
The truth is, many people never had the so-called “safe haven” that others take for granted.
For them, there’s no “going home when things get tough.” There is no home to return to.
And often, the road behind them is darker than the road ahead.
If Su Tao could choose one person to swap lives with for three days, she would pick Alice.
Winter in Changjing was sharp and cold. After work, Minister Xu rushed back to the courtyard house, snowflakes clinging to his hair. He pushed open the door and cheerfully called out:
“Xiao Hehe, Daddy brought you something delicious!”
He pulled a box of freshly steamed crystal shrimp dumplings from his coat—still warm.
He had tasted one earlier and thought it was so delicious that he saved the rest for his daughter.
No matter how small or precious, he always saved the best for her.
Alice, who had been playing a game with Su Tao, immediately ran over.
But no matter how much she wanted the dumplings, she always hugged her dad first and said the same thing she always did, “Daddy’s home!”
Then, she happily took the box back to share.
Minister Xu called after her, “Share with your sister, okay?”
Su Tao was momentarily stunned.
Alice, smiling brightly, stuffed a dumpling into her mouth.
Minister Xu continued, “I heard you’d be staying in Changjing for a while, so I had someone prepare new toiletries for you. And hey, I took a week off. I’m gonna show you around town—anything you want to do or eat, just let me know.”
Swallowing the dumpling, Su Tao sniffled and nodded hard. “Okay, I won’t hold back then!”
True to his word, Minister Xu spent the entire week personally guiding her through Changjing’s sights and markets.
Every time he bought something, he got two—one for Alice and one for Su Tao.
By the end of the week, Su Tao had a collection of matching sweaters, coats, gloves, and hats.
She pulled on a new hat, adjusted her gloves, and smiled at Minister Xu.
Alice, struggling to copy her, grinned goofily until Su Tao helped fix her hat.
Minister Xu beamed, “Wait, let me take a picture—you two look amazing. This is gonna be my new wallpaper!”
“Click!”
Back at work, when his colleagues asked about the picture, he laughed and proudly said, “My two daughters!”
Su Tao stayed in Changjing through the New Year.
That holiday was special—just her, Shi Zijin, Minister Xu, and Alice.
After a hearty meal and plenty of drinks, Minister Xu grew sentimental. Holding his glass, he sternly told Shi Zijin:
“Su Tao is a good girl. As her honorary elder, you have to promise me—you’ll never hurt her. If you do, I swear, I’ll drop everything and come knock your head off, no matter how far away you are.”
Shi Zijin, holding his glass with respect, promised without hesitation.
In his drunkenness, Minister Xu insisted they become sworn brothers.
When the New Year passed, the pink camper van hit the road again—this time heading to Jiang Yu and Jiang Tong’s hometown.
As spring bloomed, wildflowers lined the road. Jiang Yu drove slowly, as if wanting his sister to see how the once-broken world was becoming beautiful again.
By the time they arrived, it was already April.
Under a towering almond eucalyptus tree, Jiang Yu buried a pair of glasses and a few personal belongings.
He knelt beneath the tree for a long time, speaking softly:
“In the next life, let’s be siblings again.”
“Even if I have to stand against the whole world, I will protect you.”
