Chapter 48 Insisting on This

Chapter 48: Determined to Do This

Standing on the small path not far from the Gao family’s home, Zhi Xia reflected on the stark contrast between her past misery and her present circumstances, a surge of emotions washing over her.

“Fourth Brother, I want to go to the Gao house. Please wait for me at the door and don’t come inside, okay?”

“What’s there to see in that place?” An Zhiang looked at Zhi Xia, puzzled and clearly disapproving of her request.

But seeing the pensive gaze in her eyes, he thought perhaps she should go after all—to let those who had once mistreated his sister see that his Zhi Xia was no longer the helpless Xiao Cao they could bully, but An Zhixia, someone far beyond their reach.

“If you want to go, then go. But I’ll have to accompany you. With your delicate arms and legs, what if someone bullies you when I’m not around?” This was his final compromise. If his sister got hurt while he was with her, then An Zhiang would have lived all these years for nothing.

Zhi Xia could only smile helplessly. “Alright, alright, I’ll do as you say.”

Zhi Xia walked toward the Gao family’s home, with An Zhiang following closely behind.

In fact, as soon as Zhi Xia returned to the village, busybodies had already informed Gao Dalin and Gao Ermei.

Recalling how they had bullied Zhi Xia in the past, they knew better than to pull rank as older siblings. Instead, they locked themselves inside their home.

Gao Ermei still remembered the words of the group that had ransacked their house not long ago: “Behave from now on, or you’ll end up like your parents.”

Gao Dalin and Gao Ermei hid in the courtyard, afraid to step outside, terrified that Zhi Xia might come to cause trouble.

Just then, the gate was loudly pounded.

Gao Ermei’s heart tightened with fear.

She had been the one who bullied Zhi Xia the most, especially after learning that Zhi Xia was not her biological sister and resembled her birth mother. At one point, she had even wanted to disfigure Zhi Xia.

Afraid of damaging her reputation, she never dared to act openly. Her covert attempts had failed, and when she heard that her mother planned to sell Zhi Xia to pay for their eldest brother’s wedding, she reluctantly gave up.

“Who is it?” Gao Dalin asked, his voice trembling.

Compared to Gao Ermei’s deliberate cruelty, he was no better.

Unlike Gao Ermei, as a grown man, he understood more—especially after learning that Zhi Xia was not his biological sister, he had developed some inappropriate thoughts.

It wasn’t pure affection but rather a man’s curiosity and desire for a woman.

Unfortunately, the girl had screamed every time he tried to approach her, and even threats and beatings hadn’t worked. After learning she was to be sold, he had regretted not succeeding.

“It’s me, Big Brother, Second Sister. I’ve come to see you.” Zhi Xia’s voice remained calm, betraying none of the trauma one would expect from a girl who had suffered so much at their hands.

“Our parents have already been arrested. We don’t owe you anything. Why are you back? This isn’t your home anymore. Haven’t you found your birth parents?” Gao Ermei’s voice trembled, on the verge of tears. Her former arrogance was gone, replaced only by fear.

She would never forget the day Li Xiu had her head shaved in humiliation, or when Gao Dazhuang was slapped dozens of times until his face swelled beyond recognition, looking as if the skin would split open.

That day, their family had been put on display like monkeys, becoming the laughingstock of the surrounding villages.

Even now, she and her brother dared not go outside. When they worked in the fields, people still pointed and whispered about them.

She was scared—truly scared.

She didn’t want to be sent for re-education like her parents.

It was terrifying!

Hearing Gao Ermei’s frightened, tearful voice and contrasting it with her former viciousness, Zhi Xia couldn’t help but think how fortunes could change.

One should never go too far, or they might leave themselves with no way out.

“I’ll give you two choices: either open the door and let me in, or I’ll break it down myself.” Zhi Xia reminded them kindly, “Don’t doubt my words. If the door gets broken, you might not even have a proper place to live afterward.”

Given what their parents had done, there were people in the village who could make doors, but none would likely be willing to help the Gao family.

The Gao couple’s misdeeds went beyond swapping children—they had also hidden gold and silver during the land reform era.

It was said that during the struggle sessions against landlords, Gao Dazhuang had been one of the most vocal.

Besides, the Gao family probably couldn’t afford a new door now.

After weighing his options, Gao Dalin nudged Gao Ermei. “Second Sister, go open the door. If she really breaks it, we’ll have no gate left, and we’ll be even more vulnerable to bullies.”

“You’re my brother—why don’t you go?” Gao Ermei grumbled reluctantly.

Gao Dalin raised his hand angrily. “Because I’m your brother, and you have to listen to me. Are you going or not?”

“Fine, I’ll go.” Gao Ermei stamped her foot in frustration, wondering why she had to deal with such troubles.

It wasn’t her who had swapped the children, and she hadn’t benefited from it. If anyone should suffer, it should be her dear sister An Meiyun—after all, their parents had done it for her sake.

Yet An Meiyun was living a comfortable life, completely unaffected, while Gao Ermei was now too afraid to even step outside.

In the mere month since their parents were taken away, and after the Red Guards had confiscated the hidden gold and silver, people had frequently used “inspections” as an excuse to ransack their home. Now, all their decent belongings were gone, and only a few chipped bowls remained in the kitchen.

Gao Ermei cracked the door open slightly. She already knew that An Zhixia hadn’t returned alone—she was accompanied by her biological brother.

Peeking through the crack, she saw that the visitors didn’t look hostile or violent. Only then did she fully open the gate, forcing an awkward smile. “Xiao Cao, you… you’re back. Come in.”

But Zhi Xia didn’t rush inside. Instead, she turned to An Zhiang. “Fourth Brother, I just have a few words to say to them. With you waiting here, I’m sure they won’t dare bully me. Could you wait outside for a while?”

An Zhiang didn’t understand why Zhi Xia insisted he stay behind. Wouldn’t it be safer if he accompanied her? Couldn’t she flaunt his presence to intimidate them?

What he didn’t realize was that precisely because she cared, Zhi Xia didn’t want to reveal her darker side in front of him.