When Wang Yuanyuan heard the news, she was very indignant. Why should all the good things go to them? She had also graduated from high school, and although she didn't have grades as good as Xiao Manxue's, she was surely more than capable of being a scorekeeper.
A few days later, Xiao Manxue gradually adapted to the job. Without having to endure the wind and sun, her skin had improved considerably.
Moreover, the two sisters no longer ate at the educated youth settlement. Every day, they cooked at the clinic. Xiao Mandong prepared white rice, eggs, and the spiritual spring water from her dimension every day. Although Xiao Manxue was still skinny, her complexion was much better than before.
Watching Xiao Manxue's skin grow fairer and fairer, Wang Yuanyuan was nearly blinded by jealousy. After getting off work, she pulled Xiao Mandong aside to a secluded spot.
"Sister Mandong, I am your sister too. You can't play favorites. You have to take care of me as well. You two can't handle three jobs by yourselves anyway. Let me take the scorekeeper job, and Manxue can do the bookkeeping job. Wouldn't that be great?"
"On what grounds? Whether we can handle it or not is none of your business. You really have some nerve. We're already on such bad terms, yet you still have the audacity to make such a request?"
Wang Yuanyuan found that every time she talked with Xiao Mandong, it made her lungs ache with anger. Rage shattered her rationality.
"Xiao Mandong, I've already told Little Aunt about you coming to the countryside. You sisters have been bullying me. When Little Aunt finds out, she will never let you off the hook. If you take good care of me, I'll put in a good word for you with her so she won't make things hard for you. You know Little Aunt dotes on me the most."
Hearing Wang Yuanyuan's words, Xiao Mandong couldn't help but sneer. Yes, she certainly doted on her the most. In the past, whenever the sisters had something, her mother would always buy a copy for Wang Yuanyuan too. And if something her father bought didn't include a share for Wang Yuanyuan, her mother would throw a tantrum at home. Xiao Mandong had even suspected that Wang Yuanyuan was her mother's biological daughter.
After all, when the Xiao family learned they might be sent down, her mother, Wang Meixia, had immediately demanded a divorce from her father and taken the younger brother away. She had never once asked about what would happen to her two daughters. After the divorce, she immediately published a notice in the newspaper severing all ties with the Xiao family. Her father had also published a similar notice, but it was to protect them, while her mother did it out of fear that the Xiao family would drag down the Wang family.
Within half a year, her mother had remarried. Xiao Mandong had had no contact with her mother in two lifetimes. She stared coldly at Wang Yuanyuan.
"If you can get in touch with her, that would be wonderful, since none of us can reach her. And from now on, don't call me sister. You're not worthy."
Wang Yuanyuan's fingertips trembled with rage. She hadn't expected that even using Little Aunt as leverage wouldn't work on Xiao Mandong anymore. In the past, just mentioning Little Aunt would make the two Xiao sisters cave in obediently.
"Xiao Mandong, do you still think you're the young lady of the Xiao family? Your Xiao family is already ruined. You're just the daughter of a wealthy capitalist family whose entire household has been sent down. What do you have to be so arrogant about? You don't even know this yet—Xiao Zhenyu isn't your real brother. Your real brother is currently in my mother's hands. Every time you bully me, I'll have my father beat him once. You decide what to do."
Xiao Mandong stopped in her tracks and whirled around sharply: "What did you say?"
Seeing Xiao Mandong's reaction, Wang Yuanyuan flashed a smug smile.
She felt as if she had suddenly found a way to hold something over Xiao Mandong. Her grandparents, parents—none of them were to speak a word of it. But she realized that this Xiao Mandong could bring her far too many benefits. If she could use this to control Xiao Mandong, then whatever she wanted, wouldn't Xiao Mandong just give it to her?
It had to be that way. Look at how well Xiao Mandong treated Xiao Manxue—there was no way she would ignore the fate of her own biological brother. With that thought, her words grew bolder.
"If you want to know about your biological brother's matter, then do as I say. I want that position as scorekeeper. Otherwise, I won't tell you the truth."
Xiao Mandong's heart was churning like a storm, but on her face she wore a mocking smile. Although she didn't know whether Wang Yuanyuan's words were true or false, she couldn't afford to show that she cared. She would not be controlled by anyone. As for her brother's matter, she could find a way to investigate on her own. And if what Wang Yuanyuan said was true, then what did she have to worry about regarding Xiao Zhenyu's death?
In truth, she had never liked this brother of hers. As a child, he had been mischievous and rowdy; as he grew older, he was always brawling and fighting. Every letter he wrote was just asking for money. She had always thought that with the whole family sent down to the countryside, she feared her brother might be living a hard life in the Wang family, which was why she kept mailing him money. But if Xiao Zhenyu wasn't her real brother, then where was her brother?
"Forget it then. As for the scorekeeper job, dream on!"
Wang Yuanyuan watched Xiao Mandong's back and gritted her teeth in frustration. She hadn't expected that even after saying all that, Xiao Mandong would still act so indifferent. Could it be that she didn't believe her?
Xiao Mandong clenched her palms tightly and didn't stop walking, step by step heading toward the clinic, her mind filled with Wang Yuanyuan's words.
At the clinic, Xiao Mandong finished preparing the meal and glanced at the time. The two had agreed that after her younger sister finished recording the work points and delivered today's accounts ledger from Accountant Sun to the village chief's house, she would come back to eat. Half an hour had already passed—why hadn't she returned?
The longer Xiao Mandong waited, the more restless she grew, her eyelids twitching relentlessly. She locked the clinic door and ran straight to the scorekeeper's office. The door was locked. She hurried over to the village chief's house, but the chief wasn't home—he had gone to the commune and hadn't returned. She then rushed to the brigade leader's house, but the leader wasn't home either. Xiao Mandong was now thoroughly panicked.
Just then, Zhou Qichuan saw Xiao Mandong in a flustered state and came over to ask, "Comrade Xiao, what's wrong?"
"My sister is missing—have you seen her?"
Zhou Qichuan knew the two sisters were rarely apart from each other. How could she suddenly vanish?
"Don't worry. I'll find some people to help you search."
Zhou Qichuan had grown up in the village and knew every household. He ran to Song Xiangjun's house and told him to quickly gather people to look for Xiao Manxue. Then he went to find Zhao Shun, the brigade leader's son. Soon, more than a dozen people began searching throughout the village.
As for Xiao Mandong, she went to the educated youth point. She found that everyone was there except Hu Guizhen. Xiao Mandong asked everyone whether they had seen Xiao Manxue after finishing work, and they all said no. When she asked again about Hu Guizhen's whereabouts, no one knew that either.
Xiao Mandong noticed Dong Huimin's eyes darting away nervously, and she asked her again whether she had seen Hu Guizhen. Dong Huimin quickly shook her head. In truth, she had seen her—today while working in the fields, she had spotted Hu Guizhen whispering with Cripple Liu.
When she got off work, she caught sight of Hu Guizhen acting suspiciously again. Out of curiosity, she followed her and saw that Hu Guizhen was walking together with Cripple Liu. Having lived in the village for so many years, she knew exactly what kind of man Cripple Liu was. The moment she heard Xiao Mandong asking about Xiao Manxue, she had already guessed most of what was going on.
But she had been feeling uneasy these past few days as well. After all, she was also a high school graduate, and she had already been sent to the countryside for four years. By all rights, how could a job like statistician or accountant go to someone new?
This Xiao Mandong—building houses, then becoming the village doctor—and Xiao Manxue landing such a good job on top of that. Why should they get all of it? That was why she had lost her earlier warmth toward Xiao Mandong.
She also knew full well that Manxue was in grave danger right now, but she simply didn’t want to tell her.
Deep down, she vaguely felt that if something happened to Xiao Manxue, that job might very well end up being hers.
Xiao Mandong could read the distance in Dong Huimin’s tone and knew she wouldn’t get anything out of her, so she turned and left.
