Volume One, Chapter 5: My Good Friend Tian Xiaoxia

"You come in without even knocking."

Out of the corner of her eye, Shen Ruzhi caught a glimpse of a paper sticking out from the book—it was a paternity test.

She knew Shen Zhongguo was always suspicious by nature, but she hadn’t expected him to have even conducted a test for Wang Yaoyao. Then again, if he weren’t so cunning, he wouldn’t have sensed danger at the earliest moment and whisked the whole family away to Hong Kong.

"Drinking tea at a time like this? No, I don’t want any. Leave me."

“Dad, your daughter’s about to be sent to the countryside. Let me massage your shoulders, show a little filial piety. Dad, how’s the pressure?”

Before Shen Zhongguo could refuse, the comfortable pressure on his shoulders made him relax a little. Speaking in the tone of a weary father, he said, “Once you’re in the countryside, don’t cause trouble. Listen to the people there.”

“Yes,” Shen Ruzhi agreed, but her eyes were fixed on that book.

That paternity test of Shen Zhongguo’s had saved her half the trouble.

“Dad, you have a white hair. Let me pull it out for you—it stands out a lot.”

Shen Zhongguo frowned and was about to speak when he felt a sudden sharp pain on his scalp, making him suck in a cold breath and hiss.

Shen Ruzhi quickly waved the hair in front of him. “Dad, look—so white.”

Irritated, Shen Zhongguo waved her off. “Alright, alright, I get it.”

Shen Ruzhi slipped the hair into her pocket. “Dad, I’ve grown up by your side all these years, always so clumsy. Do you think someone as clumsy as me will be bullied or looked down upon in the countryside?”

He looked at her. The young girl kept her head down, eyes red, looking reluctant and a little afraid.

“You’ll be fine.”

“Dad, your desk is such a mess. Let me tidy up for you.” As she spoke, Shen Ruzhi pretended to reach for the book.

Shen Zhongguo immediately stood up, a hint of panic in his eyes. “No need! I’ll do it myself.”

“Alright, then I’ll go out first.”

Having finished her performance as the dutiful daughter, and with everything she needed now in hand, Shen Ruzhi carefully wrapped up the hairs from herself and her supposed parents, tucking them away in a cloth pouch.

“Mom, I’m going out to talk to Xiaoxia,” she called, heading out.

Wang Cuilian snapped, “Stop right there! You’re not going anywhere. Dinner is almost ready—what are you going out for?”

If the Tian family found out she was sending Shen Ruzhi to the countryside in place of Wang Yaoyao, there would be endless trouble.

Better to avoid complications. Right now, the most important thing was to send the girl away as soon as possible. Once the truth came out, she could take the fall.

“Mom, I’ll be gone for months. I just want to talk with Xiaoxia—I promise I won’t tell her I’m the one being sent away. I won’t worry you by telling her.”

“Hurry up, then, but don’t you dare tell anyone about being sent away. Not even if Xiaoxia’s parents ask—you can’t say a word, understand?”

“Don’t worry, Mom, I won’t breathe a word.”

As if! Shen Ruzhi thought.

Wang Cuilian trembled with rage. Her money! She couldn’t let this wretched girl get away with it—when Shen Ruzhi left, she’d make sure to get that thousand yuan back.

At the hospital, Shen Ruzhi submitted everything that was needed. These days, blood type testing was the most common method for paternity identification, comparing the ABO types and other hereditary markers of parents and children. She remembered her teacher mentioning this at school.

“Three people. Results in three days.”

“How soon can it be done if it’s urgent? I can pay extra,” Shen Ruzhi quickly asked.

“If you pay, the fastest is two days. You can pick it up at five in the afternoon, the day after tomorrow.”

“Alright, how much?”

“It’s usually fifty per person, but for a rush, it’s seventy. For three people, that’s two hundred ten.”

Shen Ruzhi handed over the money. No wonder so few people did paternity tests—the price was higher than most people’s salaries.

After leaving the hospital, she headed toward the Tian family home. Tian Xiaoxia was her best friend, the daughter of military cadres.

When she was younger, the Shen family had deliberately encouraged her to visit Xiaoxia, hoping to curry favor with the Tian family.

Despite the calculated beginnings, the friendship between the two girls was genuine. Thinking of Xiaoxia’s fate in her previous life, Shen Ruzhi’s eyes grew moist.

She pulled herself together—there was still much to do.

First, she needed to find a way for Xiaoxia to bring her parents along in three days, so they could witness with their own eyes that she wasn’t the biological daughter of the Shen family. That way, when the Shens were sent away, she wouldn’t be implicated.

“Uncle, Auntie, I’m here to see Xiaoxia,” she called as she knocked and entered.

“Ruzhi, you’re here! Come, have a seat—Auntie’s almost finished cooking, you must stay for dinner.”

Shen Ruzhi smiled politely. “Thank you, Auntie, but I just came to talk to Xiaoxia about something.”

“She’s holed up in her room doing who-knows-what again. Go on up and see her.”

Shen Ruzhi knocked on the door.

“I told you, I’m not coming down for dinner! I’m busy!” came Tian Xiaoxia’s angry shout.

“It’s me.”

At the sound of Shen Ruzhi’s voice, Tian Xiaoxia immediately put down what she was doing. “Ruzhi, you’re here! Why didn’t you call me? Come in, come in! Look, this is what I just put together. Isn’t it cute?”

Tian Xiaoxia proudly showed off her latest invention—a palm-sized, exquisitely crafted electric fan she had assembled herself, small and convenient.

Shen Ruzhi knew Xiaoxia loved tinkering with gadgets, but seeing such a tiny fan assembled by her own hands was still a surprise.

“Xiaoxia, you’re amazing.”

Tian Xiaoxia lifted her chin with pride. “Of course! I, Tian Xiaoxia, am going to do great things for society.”

At those words, Shen Ruzhi thought of Tian Xiaoxia’s fate in her previous life. After Shen Ruzhi went to the countryside, she’d heard Xiaoxia had gotten into university and become an outstanding engineer. But during a machine transport, there was a sudden accident—she was crushed to death. Only later did Shen Ruzhi learn it hadn’t been an accident at all, but murder.

In this life, she was determined to save her.

“Xiaoxia, I need to tell you something important. Can you promise not to tell anyone else?”

Seeing her friend’s serious expression, Tian Xiaoxia immediately straightened up. “Ruzhi, don’t worry. If you don’t want me to tell, I’ll never say a word.”

Shen Ruzhi explained how her parents wanted her to take her cousin’s place in the countryside. Xiaoxia listened, furious and indignant.

“Why should you be sent away? Don’t you know how hard it is out there? Every day is endless labor, and if you don’t work, you don’t eat. I saw my dad’s friend’s son after he came back from the countryside—he’d lost so much weight, his hands were all torn up. How could they send you in Wang Yaoyao’s place? You’re their real daughter! No, I’m going to confront them!”

She started to rise in anger, but Shen Ruzhi, knowing she meant well, reached out and held her back.

“Xiaoxia, don’t be hasty. I already have a plan, but I’ll need your help.”

At that, Tian Xiaoxia patted her chest. “Just say the word. Whatever you need, I’ll do it.”

“Thank you, Xiaoxia. In three days, I will...”