Chapter 4: A Scoundrel Brought It Upon Herself

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Duan’s mother rushed over recklessly, arms wide open, clearly wanting to embrace her. But Su Nuo stood stiffly in place, showing no sign of moving forward. It was as if her head was filled with lead, her entire body heavy and numb, unable to stir.

“Xiao Nuo! How did you become so thin? My dear child, you’ve suffered so much!”

With tears, Duan’s mother threw herself forward and hugged Su Nuo tightly. Suddenly, the weight pressing down on her spread pain through every wound. Su Nuo’s vision blurred white, and cold sweat drenched her body.

She dared not speak or resist, biting her teeth to endure silently. She had long become numb to pain, no longer shedding tears over mere flesh wounds.

Mo Xiaoxue’s fair, tender hand gently stroked Duan’s mother’s back, bringing a refreshing fragrance with it. Her voice was soft and full of compassion.

“Aunt Duan, please stop crying. If you keep this up, you’ll ruin your eyes. If you don’t care for your own health, shouldn’t you at least think of the president and the family? It pains me just to watch.”

Then she sighed and turned to Su Nuo. “Miss Su, are you blaming Aunt Duan? During your reckless and silent absence, Aunt Duan grieved for you every day. How can you be so heartless as to watch her cry without a flicker of emotion?”

Only then did Su Nuo notice the judging gaze from Duan Yubai, as if scolding her for being cold and unfeeling. Even Duan’s mother, who had just cried so bitterly, paused, her sobs cut off for several seconds.

“I’m sorry...” Su Nuo’s voice was pitifully small. “I didn’t mean to...”

“That’s enough!”

Duan Yubai suddenly shouted. Hearing those three words ignited his fury.

“Are you trying to choke me with your words? What else can you say besides sorry? Who are you sulking at? You’re clearly angry inside but keep saying sorry—what does that mean but to make me feel guilty and pity you? When will you stop?”

His roar was so sudden it triggered a panic reaction in Su Nuo. Her whole body trembled as if the blood had fled all at once. The body that had just bathed in warm water turned icy and aching in an instant.

Her stomach churned violently; only clenching her teeth stopped her from vomiting.

“Why are you yelling?” Duan’s mother, tears in her eyes, shielded Su Nuo in her arms. “Look how scared your sister is!”

“She’s faking it! Nobody but you believes her act of not shedding a single tear! Do you think she has a conscience? We never should have adopted her—raising a dog would’ve been better!”

“What nonsense are you talking? Xiao Nuo was surely frightened after being out so long. No matter what mistakes she made, it’s enough she’s back. You’re not to provoke her anymore!”

“That’s all her own doing!”

Those few words struck Su Nuo like thunder exploding in her head.

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Indeed, it was her own doing—and she had gone to great lengths to bring it upon herself.

It was Duan Yubai’s birthday then, and she had painstakingly used her connections to find a genuine, rare calligraphy masterpiece from a master.

Previous years’ luxury gifts had been dismissed by Duan Yubai as vulgar. But this time, fate smiled upon her; she had truly found something elegant.

Moreover, the two lines of poetry inscribed—“Clouds return to Sha Yu Bai, sun rises over Shui Cheng Huang”—seemed tailor-made for Duan Yubai.

However, the seller not only demanded a sky-high price but insisted on a face-to-face transaction.

Su Nuo agreed that an in-person deal was safer, so she secretly set off on an irreversible path, excited yet alone.

But Duan Yubai never once asked why she left, unilaterally condemning her departure as willful rebellion and self-inflicted suffering.

Even Duan’s mother, who usually cared for her, unconsciously blamed her as well.

No one cared about Su Nuo’s true feelings or what she had endured.

They were accustomed to performing charity and benevolence publicly for the media and others—a love neither sincere nor grounded—so whenever trouble arose, Su Nuo was automatically deemed at fault.

They all played the role of noble saviors on high.

Suddenly, Duan’s father shouted, “Enough quarrelling! She’s back, that’s what matters. Take Xiao Nuo and come eat!”

The head of the household spoke, and everyone temporarily swallowed their anger.

Su Nuo, guarded by Duan’s mother, stiffly approached the dining table.

She sat down cautiously between Duan’s father and mother.

Mo Xiaoxue naturally took the seat diagonally across, elegant and refined as if she were the lady of the house.

When Duan Yubai pulled out a chair with a sharp sound, she gently patted him, soothing him, then deftly arranged his napkin with an intimate flourish.

The whole scene was so effortless that even the usually picky Duan Yubai showed no resistance, though his gaze remained fiercely fixed on Su Nuo across the table.

His eyes seemed to say: Try any tricks again, I dare you.

Duan’s mother quickly softened the atmosphere. “Xiao Nuo, I asked Auntie to prepare your favorite dishes. I haven’t dared to eat these these days—seeing them reminds me of you...”

Her voice faltered, and Mo Xiaoxue quietly handed her a tissue from around the table.

Squatting beside her, she spoke softly, “Please don’t cry anymore. When you cry, my heart aches too.”

She looked up at Duan’s mother with a virtuous expression, making Su Nuo, who was silently staring at the dishes, seem utterly insignificant, like mud.

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Across the table, Duan Yubai’s gaze grew even more disdainful and weary.

Little did he know Su Nuo hadn’t eaten for days.

When she was locked in the compound, she survived daily on leftovers and spoiled food. Since the day she escaped, she hadn’t even had that.

To keep up her strength while fleeing, she ate wild grass and gnawed on tree bark.

When luck smiled, she found a dead rat or some unknown rotting meat.

Further along, near the edge of the compound, there was only barren soil and endless barbed wire fences.

To stave off hunger, she swallowed clumps of earth mixed into mud.

As long as there was something heavy in her stomach, she could convince herself to get up and keep running.

Duan’s mother gently patted Mo Xiaoxue’s hand, turning her head to Su Nuo.

“Good child, mother shouldn’t be so sensitive. I was just so happy to see you.”

She spoke a lot, but Su Nuo barely absorbed a word.

The well-fed cannot understand the starving.

Only those with full stomachs have the right to speak of feelings. Su Nuo looked at the table laden with sumptuous dishes, longing to bury her face and stuff them all into her mouth.

Duan Yubai sneered across the table.

“Mom, stop wasting your emotions. She isn’t listening at all. Your worries mean nothing to her.”

Duan’s mother sighed. “Enough, let’s eat first...”

Hearing those words, Su Nuo reacted like a reflex.

Her hands trembled as she couldn’t even pick up the food properly, so she cupped the bowl with both hands and devoured a large mouthful of rice.

The warm, fragrant taste blossomed in her mouth, making her eyes burn with emotion.

But when she looked up, she was met with the disdainful faces of Duan Yubai and Mo Xiaoxue.

Her heart clenched sharply. She thought her dignity and pride had long turned to ashes, yet at this moment, the sting was suffocating.

Duan Yubai mocked, “Mom, see? Your true feelings can’t even compete with a single bowl of plain rice.”