Liu Jianyi’s attitude today was noticeably much better than before—exceedingly attentive.
"Dad, if you need anything peeled, just ask me, I’ll do it... Hey, hey, Dad, what are you doing with that knife? I didn’t do anything wrong?!"
"Dad, calm down, take it easy—even a vicious tiger wouldn’t eat its own cub..."
"Ah! Murder! Murder! A father killing his own son!"
Less than a minute after stepping into his father’s house, Liu Jianyi scrambled out of the yard in a frantic rush.
Once he’d put enough distance between himself and the house, he glanced back to confirm his father wasn’t chasing him. Leaning against a tree, he gasped for breath, his chest heaving.
"My dear mother! Did the old man swallow gunpowder or something? Or is he losing his mind? Trying to chop up his own son!"
"It’s definitely that brat Yutong’s doing! If she hadn’t been badmouthing me to Grandpa, he wouldn’t be this furious!" Liu Jianyi immediately blamed his daughter, Liu Yutong, for the incident.
"That ungrateful little..."
Just as he was about to curse, Liu Jianyi received a call from a gambling buddy in the village. The friend mentioned that someone had just returned and wanted to set up a high-stakes game.
They even said the guy was a big spender with deep pockets—though the bets would be sizable—so they wanted Liu Jianyi to team up and split the winnings after cleaning him out.
A gambling addict like Liu Jianyi couldn’t resist such temptation. Without a second thought, he agreed. The game was set for that evening, at his place.
After hanging up, Liu Jianyi finally headed toward his own modest bungalow, planning to take a nap to recharge for the big night ahead.
Now that he’d seen his daughter driving a car worth millions—whether it was hers or not—it was as good as his.
Later, he’d just claim the car belonged to his family. Even if he ran out of money, he could use it as collateral for a hefty loan.
Besides, he still had a million in his bank account—that was his confidence to bet big.
At that thought, Liu Jianyi smacked his forehead. "I forgot to ask for the bank card password!"
Though he was itching to get his hands on that fortune, the memory of his father’s murderous expression made him reconsider.
He’d ask for the password later.
——
Meanwhile, on the other side...
Grandpa stood before Gao Min, carefully comparing her to his granddaughter Liu Yutong. "You look alike! Truly alike!"
Grandma, holding Gao Min’s hand tightly, couldn’t bear to let go, her eyes brimming with tears. "Child, my dear child... You’ve suffered so much out there alone, haven’t you? But it’s alright now—you’re home! This is your home from now on!"
Gao Min was completely stunned.
Yet, as she looked into the faces of these two elderly people who genuinely cared for her, a wave of emotion surged up, making her nose tingle and her eyes redden.
"Grandpa, Grandma... I’ve been fine all these years. Please don’t worry."
Liu Yutong watched the heartwarming reunion with joy. This was a decision she’d pondered for a long time.
If she was their granddaughter, why couldn’t Gao Min be too?
Moreover, Gao Min’s status was something the elders could take pride in.
"Grandma, Grandpa, my sister just got back. Let her adjust slowly. Now that we’re both here, let’s just be happy."
"Yes, yes!" Grandma hastily wiped her tears with her sleeve. "Look at me, crying like a fool."
"Old man, go make up a bed for our eldest granddaughter! She’s staying here from now on—no more leaving!"
Originally, they’d assumed Gao Min was just a guest who might leave the same day. But now? They wouldn’t let her go no matter what.
Liu Yutong chimed in, "Grandma, no need for extra trouble. Just add another quilt to my bed—my sister can share with me."
The grandparents’ house was a simple bungalow with only three rooms: one for them, one for Liu Yutong, and a main hall.
Adding another bed wasn’t practical.
Liu Yutong also felt it was time to renovate their home—maybe even rebuild it entirely. Even if the elders didn’t want to move to the city, they deserved to live more comfortably in their hometown.
Besides, the house was too small. When relatives visited, they often had to sleep on the floor.
Grandma nodded eagerly. "Alright, I’ll fetch the new cotton quilt I had made this year."
The atmosphere grew much lighter after that.
Grandpa’s earlier fury toward his son and grandson vanished completely, replaced by an unbroken smile.
One granddaughter had gotten into a top university, the other had become a successful businesswoman.
Either achievement alone would’ve been enough to make him stand tall with pride.
——
That afternoon, Liu Yutong took Gao Min for a stroll around the village to walk off their slightly heavy lunch.
At one point, Gao Min couldn’t help but ask, "Why did you say all that earlier?"
"You’re my sister—you admit that, right?"
"...Yes."
"Then that’s that. Why overthink it?"
Liu Yutong’s meaning was clear: My grandparents are yours too.
Gao Min had no rebuttal. Upon reflection, it did make perfect sense.
Liu Yutong then openly shared stories from her childhood, holding little back.
Gao Min was shocked to learn how oppressive her sister’s upbringing had been—especially hearing that Liu Yutong’s own father had sold her off as a bride for mere tens of thousands. It made her blood boil.
It also highlighted just how remarkable Liu Yutong was, even if her methods were... somewhat unorthodox.
Gao Min admitted to herself that she could never have achieved what her sister had—not even a fraction of it.
——
As the two walked toward the western edge of the village, a booming DJ beat echoed from afar.
A group of seven or eight teenagers—boys and girls—marched toward them, phones blasting energetic tunes.
Phones back then might’ve lacked smart features, but their speakers easily outclassed modern ones—flashy too, with LED-lit borders.
During the New Year, it was common to see groups of young people like this, chatting and roaming the village roads. They were usually classmates or friends from the same year.
It also showed how much more frequent social interactions were before smartphones took over.
Among the crowd, the sister duo drew the most attention—thanks to their striking looks and poise.
They even ran into some of Liu Yutong’s old classmates, who invited them to a bonfire that evening by the elementary school, where they’d light lanterns.
It was an annual New Year tradition.
Gao Min loved the idea—stargazing, singing, and chatting around a fire.
By around nine that night, Liu Yutong linked arms with Gao Min as they headed home.
"So, how’d you like today? Happy?"
"It was wonderful."
"Then let’s go for something even more exciting!"
"More exciting?"
Gao Min had assumed they were returning to their grandparents’ house, but just before reaching it, Liu Yutong suddenly steered her south toward a bungalow.
She recognized it from earlier—it was Liu Jianyi’s home.
What puzzled her, however, was the sight of several cars and motorcycles parked outside Liu Yutong's father's house late at night—clearly, there were quite a few visitors inside.
