Zhou Suisui wiped her hands and hurriedly ran to open the door.
"Who is it?"
The moment she opened the door, she stood there, stunned.
It was actually Lin Sisi's biological parents!
But that wasn't what shocked her. What really surprised Zhou Suisui was that the current Father and Mother Si were quite different from the haughty couple she had seen last time. They looked as if they had aged ten years, with sunken cheeks.
She looked around the door but didn't see a car.
The two of them were holding some things in their hands.
Zhou Suisui was a bit confused and asked, "Who are you looking for?"
Seeing Zhou Suisui's surprised and uncertain look, Father and Mother Si blushed with shame.
The last time they came to the Lin family, they had looked down on them with disdain.
But now they were coming to the door, trying to curry favor.
This was a great humiliation for both of them!
However, they couldn't show it at this moment and could only say awkwardly, "Are Sisi's adoptive parents at home?"
They had gone to the police to mediate this matter in the past few days, but the answer they got was that the other side refused to mediate and would handle it according to the rules.
Even the Fu Family and Fu Yang's intervention didn't work.
Actually, if this matter had happened privately without making such a big fuss, with the Si family's connections, it would have been easy to get Lin Sisi out.
But unfortunately, this matter had become well - known throughout the military compound.
Father Si was even called by his superior for questioning. Although Lin Sisi had been raised in the countryside for more than ten years and in theory his responsibility was not great, as an officer, it was quite fatal for a direct family member to do something so disgraceful and even face imprisonment.
Now the military had sent people to keep an eye on him to handle this matter.
That meant Father Si couldn't use his connections or pull strings, nor could he give gifts to the Fu Family and ask Chief Fu for help.
But the Si family only had this one daughter, their only child. He couldn't just watch her life be ruined.
To pay back the three thousand yuan, Father Si even sold his beloved car.
In the past few days, he had been unable to eat or sleep well, and he looked more than a dozen years older.
The couple knew that this couldn't go on. After much thought, they decided to come to the Lin family.
Although they didn't know how well the Lin family had treated their daughter before, after all, they had raised Sisi for eighteen years, so there must be some affection.
Si Nian had already accepted the Lin family's parents. In this case, as long as the Lin family's parents relented, Si Nian and Zhou Yueshen probably wouldn't object too much.
So they came here.
From their previous contact, the Lin family's parents seemed honest and simple, and they thought this matter shouldn't be too difficult to handle.
"Who is it?"
Mother Lin came out and was also stunned for a moment when she saw the two of them.
Then she asked in confusion, "Do you have something to talk to me about?"
"Comrade Lin, please save Sisi quickly!"
Before Father Si could say a word, Zhang Cuimei rushed forward like a madwoman, grabbed Mother Lin's hand, and said with red - eyed desperation.
Mother Lin was startled and stammered, "Sisi? What's wrong with Sisi?"
"That dead girl, Si Nian, is trying to harm Sisi. She's determined to send Sisi to jail. Wuwuwu, my poor daughter..."
Zhang Cuimei thought that Lin Sisi had only been home for half a year and hadn't even enjoyed a good life. Then she was arrested. Thinking of her daughter holding her hand and kneeling on the ground, crying and saying she was wrong and begging her to save her, Zhang Cuimei's heart was about to break.
Although she thought her daughter's behavior was wrong, she could understand it. After all, no one would want to have their good life snatched away for eighteen years.
Her daughter had just gone bad after growing up in the countryside. How could she deserve to go to jail!
Mother Lin didn't know about this matter yet. After all, the Si family was so far from the village and the news hadn't spread there.
Except for Zhou Yueshen and Si Nian, no one in the village knew about Lin Sisi's matter.
At this moment, she was still completely confused: "What are you talking about? Why would Niannian harm Sisi?"
Zhang Cuimei blurted out, "Isn't it because she resents Sisi for going back and taking away her identity and driving her to the countryside? That's why she's trying to harm Sisi like this!"
"I know it was wrong for Sisi to take your three thousand yuan, but we've already promised to pay it back. Sisi also knows she's wrong. Why does she still want to kill her?"
"Si Nian must have said bad things about Sisi to you. So now that Sisi is in trouble, you're just ignoring it, right?"
"No matter what, you've raised her for eighteen years, and she really regarded you as her parents and was filial to you. How can you be so cruel to her just because of a few bad words from Si Nian?"
Zhang Cuimei's voice was shrill, as if she was venting all her resentment towards Si Nian on Mother Lin.
Mother Lin and Si Nian looked somewhat similar. It was really strange. A rural woman living in such a place, while others were all wrinkled and looked shabby, Mother Lin had extremely good - looking eyebrows and inexplicably had an elegant charm.
Even when she was old, her face was more delicate than most people's.
She even looked better than Zhang Cuimei, who had been maintaining herself for a long time.
Zhang Cuimei felt even more uncomfortable.
Mother Lin was still a bit slow to react at first. After hearing Zhang Cuimei scolding her daughter in almost every sentence, her face darkened.
Actually, Mother Lin had suspected something about the three - thousand - yuan matter before.
After the police came to the door and her daughter's subsequent speculation, she had a vague uneasiness in her heart.
Mother Lin wasn't a fool, but she just didn't want to believe it.
She didn't want to believe that the child she had treated whole - heartedly would treat them like this.
Even though Lin Sisi's current behavior was increasingly disappointing, she had never blamed her and had never said a single bad word about her in front of others.
However, now Zhang Cuimei was constantly belittling her daughter. Clearly, it was Lin Sisi who stole the money, but now she was blaming her daughter for harming her?
It was really absurd!
"Did Lin Sisi steal three thousand yuan?" Her tone was unexpectedly calm.
Zhang Cuimei was stunned for a moment, then realized and said with an ugly face, "What are you pretending for? Didn't Si Nian tell you?"
Mother Lin was so angry that she laughed, "Niannian is busy taking care of the baby and delivering meals at home every day. Where does she have the time to tell us such things? If you hadn't said it, I wouldn't have known. So it was really Lin Sisi who stole the money. I even comforted her because of the missing money..."
When the money was stolen, Lin Sisi had cried bitterly.
Mother Lin couldn't bear it and had always comforted her, saying it didn't matter.
She even gave money to Lin Sisi to go to the city to play, worried that she might think too much.
Now it seemed that she had been completely played by this adopted daughter and was like a joke!
After that, because of this three - thousand - yuan, the whole family was like being pressed by a big mountain, and even breathing was difficult.
Her husband had aged ten years overnight, and her son worked several jobs a day just to raise the money.
Even so, there were still gossips about them in the village. The two children and the daughter - in - law were pointed at when they went out.
Only Mother Lin knew how the Lin family had endured that period.
But now Zhang Cuimei just said lightly that it was all Si Nian's fault?
What wrong did Si Nian do?
She was switched at birth right after she was born. If there was a mistake, it was the adults' fault. How could they blame her?
Moreover, because of this three thousand yuan, she had to take the blame for Lin Sisi's mistakes!
She was the biggest victim!
Zhang Cuimei was at a loss for words.
The words from Lin's mother that the money was stolen by Lin Sisi were like a resounding slap in the face.
She was born with a proud nature, yet now she had fallen to the point of being mocked by a rural woman.
Her face was extremely ugly.
"Lin Sisi stole the money, three thousand yuan. This is not a small amount. As a mother, you should know that, right? Because of this money, you, as her adoptive parents, know better than me what Si Nian has endured. What right do you have to blame her?"
"Yes, Niannian has taken away the eighteen - year happiness of Sisi, but could she choose that? We switched the babies on both sides. We changed their lives. Why should we blame Niannian now?"
Zhang Cuimei was blocked and couldn't say a word. After a long while, she flushed with anger and roared, "It's still your fault. If you hadn't failed to educate her well, how could Sisi have developed such a bad habit of stealing?"
"Our Lin family has clean hands. No one in our family has ever stolen from others. My eldest son never went to school because he gave the chance to Lin Sisi. In order to support Lin Sisi to go to high school, my two younger sons only started first grade last year. She has received a higher education than the whole family. You say we didn't educate her well?"
"Go and ask the people in Lin Family Village. Which family's daughter has had a better life than Lin Sisi?"
Zhang Cuimei was about to say something else when she was stopped by Si's Father.
He said awkwardly, "Niannian's mother, Cuimei is just too worried about her daughter and spoke out of turn. Please don't blame her."
"I don't ask for anything else. We'll return this three thousand yuan to you, every single cent. We just hope you'll give Sisi a chance at life. She's only eighteen. If she really has to go to jail, her whole life will be ruined."
"Sorry, I can't help you with this."
It was thought that Lin's mother would be more receptive to soft - spoken requests, but unexpectedly, this time she refused without hesitation.
This time, even Si's Father was stunned.
He couldn't believe it. "Why? Isn't Sisi also like your daughter? How could you just stand by and not save her?"
"Comrade Si, you care about your daughter, and I also care about mine. Why should I wrong my own daughter for the sake of yours?"
Lin's mother said calmly.
"This whole thing is Lin Sisi's fault. When she did such a thing, she should have known what kind of punishment she would receive. She's not a child who doesn't understand the law."
"You say that Niannian has ruined Sisi's life, but she'll only go to jail for at most two years. But what my daughter has lost is a lifetime of happy life..."
Actually, Si Nian had heard the voices for a while.
She was originally a bit worried that Lin's mother wouldn't be able to handle the situation or would be soft - hearted.
But now she was really stunned.
She really couldn't imagine that such words could come from someone like Lin's mother.
She stood inside the house, and a gentle look flashed in her eyes.
It was worth all the kindness she had shown to the Lin Family.
It seemed that it wasn't in vain.
"As for the gifts, we won't take them. Please go back, both of you."
Lin's mother felt that besides their Lin Family, the bigger victims in this incident were Si Nian and Zhou Yueshen.
Si Nian was already married. How could they have the right to change the outcome of this matter?
At the beginning, her daughter had asked the police to look into this matter for the sake of the Lin Family's reputation.
If they now let Lin Sisi off the hook, they would be no different from ungrateful people.
So, even if Lin Sisi was going to be executed, she wouldn't interfere.
All her affection for her adopted daughter, Lin Sisi, had been completely worn away.
Lin's mother directly told them to leave.
She didn't show any courtesy because of their status at all.
Si's Father and Si's Mother flushed with embarrassment, looking extremely ugly.
They were about to say something.
Suddenly, Si Nian walked out.
The two of them were immediately stunned.
"Why are you here?" Si's Father and Si's Mother were shocked.
Just now, they had been bad - mouthing Si Nian.
She had been there all the time but didn't come out. Wasn't this clearly making fun of them?
They had their own thoughts and were about to say something.
Si Nian's eyes welled up with tears and she started crying like a heart - broken woman. "Uncle Si, don't you want to see me? Although I'm not a daughter of the Si Family, I've always been filial to you sincerely. You've raised me for eighteen years, and I've never let you down."
Si's Father was taken aback. "I didn't mean that. It's just about Sisi..."
Si Nian wiped her tears sadly. "You all blame me for this matter with Lin Sisi, but it was really her who stole the money. I'm not saying I can't forgive her, but this matter has become a big deal. So many people know that she stole the money. What do you think others will think? When they know that Lin Sisi stole the money but isn't arrested and is set free without being punished, what will they think?"
Si's Father and Si's Mother didn't understand. "What do you mean?"
Si Nian looked serious and said gravely, "They'll think that the Si Family is abusing its power. They'll think that Lin Sisi is getting away with not going to jail because of her connections. Your status is quite sensitive. At that time, everyone will think that you're abusing your power for personal gain. Uncle, aren't you about to get promoted? If this matter gets out, your competitors will definitely use it against you. You're not young anymore. It's not easy to get a promotion. If your promotion is ruined because of this, then the Si Family will never have a chance to rise again."
Si's Father and Si's Mother were stunned. When they realized what she meant, their faces turned pale immediately.
He had been so busy these days that he had completely forgotten about this.
When Si Nian mentioned it, he just remembered.
"But!"
Si Nian suddenly raised her voice. "If you cooperate with the police on this matter and don't overstep the line because of your status, and set an example of being honest and selfless! The military region definitely won't have any objections."
"Although Sisi has to go to jail, she'll be out in at most one or two years, and it can get Dad a promotion opportunity. I think it's not a bad deal."
Si's Father's eyes lit up.
Zhang Cuimei also fell silent.
...
When Lin Sisi learned that the Lin Family's parents were not willing to help, her face turned as green as grass and she was extremely angry.
She thought that once her adoptive parents, Lin's Father and Lin's Mother, knew about her situation, they definitely wouldn't have the heart to let her go to jail.
But unexpectedly, even though her parents had come in person to ask for help, they still refused.
What on earth did Si Nian say to them!
"Sisi, don't worry. We've already made arrangements. Even if you go in, you won't suffer. You'll be out soon," Zhang Cuimei comforted her.
Hearing this, Lin Sisi could no longer control her emotions and almost went crazy. "What? You won't even help me. How could you have the heart to watch me go to jail? Do you have any conscience at all? I'm your only daughter!"
