Chapter 570: Rural Absurd Past Events Chapter 570: Du Xiaojuan Confesses Her Tragic Past

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Protagonist:

Li Xiulan

"Not every parent in this world is fit to be a parent. My parents are exactly that kind of person."

Du Xiaojuan began to recount her family situation:

"My parents' preference for sons over daughters was ingrained in their bones. From childhood to adulthood, they never treated me as their biological daughter, but as labor—no, as a slave. The name they gave me was Jianmei. It wasn't until I had been working in society for many years that I finally changed that name. From that name alone, you can see they didn't treat me as a human being. From the time I started primary school, I had to do all kinds of housework at home: chopping firewood, feeding pigs, cooking. As for my younger brother, his name is Jiabao, the family treasure. He doesn't have to do anything; all day long he just needs to stretch out his hand for clothes and open his mouth for food! Do you know? Back then, in this home, I couldn't even sit at the table to eat!"

Du Xiaojuan spoke of her painful past, her emotions stirred, and she couldn't help but shed tears.

Even so, she could still do two things at once, driving the car steadily.

Hearing this, Wang Dashan showed a hint of surprise, and for a moment didn't know what to say.

He knew there were many families in rural areas that preferred sons over daughters; some families, in hopes of having a son, would even give birth to several daughters, with names like Zhao Di, Pan Di, Ai Di, Lai Di being born in such families.

But Wang Dashan had never experienced these things. Perhaps his family also had the idea of preferring sons over daughters, but because his parents gave birth to three sons, even if they had such ideas, it wouldn't affect them in any way.

Du Xiaojuan continued:

"That's not even what I hate them for the most. Do you know what I hate them for the most?"

Wang Dashan said nothing, just silently took a tissue from the side and actively wiped Du Xiaojuan's tears.

Du Xiaojuan said:

"What I hate them for the most isn't giving me a lousy name, nor that they gave all their love to Du Jiabao and not to me. What I hate them for the most is that they wouldn't let me go to school! When I took the high school entrance exam, I ranked second in the whole school. I originally could have gone to the best high school in the county, to the best class. But they wouldn't let me go, saying what's the point of a girl reading so many books? If she reads, she should go to a technical school. After three years of technical school, she can go work and get married! In a fit of anger, I didn't go to the technical school either. I followed others out to do illegal work. I was still young then; regular factories didn't want me, so I could only work in small workshops. Small workshops required working ten-plus hours a day, exhausting beyond endurance. So I had to switch jobs: I was a cashier at a small supermarket, a hair washer at a hair salon, a waiter at a small restaurant, a customer service representative for an e-commerce company. I've done almost every kind of menial job. Back then I swore that someday I would make a lot of money. I would never let anyone control my fate again!"

Hearing this, Wang Dashan couldn't help but feel guilty:

"Xiao Juan, I misunderstood you. I'm sorry……"

Du Xiaojuan sobbed:

"Do you know? Back then, among the top ten in our school's high school entrance exam, I was WeChat friends with all of them. They later got into decent universities. The worst one got into a second-tier university. I'm not inferior to them. If I could have gone to high school, I definitely could have gotten into university. I admit I don't have the ability to get into Tsinghua or Peking University. But if I just tried, I guarantee I still had a chance at a 985 or 211 university. But there are no 'ifs' in this world. I didn't even have the chance to go to high school. And the reason my own father and mother deprived me of that opportunity wasn't because they didn't have money to pay my tuition. They could actually afford the tuition. They simply thought a girl shouldn't read so many books. Do you understand how I feel?"

Not being able to go to high school, not being able to take the university entrance exam, was Du Xiaojuan's lifelong regret, her lifelong pain.

If she hadn't had the chance, she wouldn't blame anyone.

But she originally did have the chance, and it was within reach.

Just because of her parents' ignorance, in a single thought they strangled her future and changed her fate.

Du Xiaojuan became more and more agitated as she spoke. She felt she could no longer focus on driving.

So she pulled the car over to the side, turned on the hazard lights, wanting to rest for a while to calm her inner emotions.

"Xiao Juan, regarding the marriage, whatever you decide later, I'll listen to you. I swear I'll never act on my own initiative again."

Wang Dashan embraced Du Xiaojuan, saying these words to comfort her.

Du Xiaojuan sobbed as she said:

"Do you know why I deliberately had you pretend to be poor? Because I know my parents' character too well. If they found out our financial situation was decent, they would definitely think of every way to ask us for money, to have us support Du Jiabao, that good-for-nothing. And that would definitely be a bottomless pit! Who knows, they might even forcibly demand that I transfer Xiao Du Technology to their precious son!"

When she said the last sentence, Du Xiaojuan laughed coldly through her tears.

It was very absurd. Xiao Du Technology was founded by Du Xiaojuan herself. It was her personal wealth. Logically, no one could take it away.

But reality is often unreasonable. If Du Xiaojuan's parents really found out, they might very well make Du Xiaojuan give Xiao Du Technology to Du Jiabao, and do so with a clear conscience.

No one knew Du Xiaojuan's parents better than Du Xiaojuan herself.

Among the boyfriends Du Xiaojuan had dated before, one broke up with her because he couldn't stand Du Guoqing and Lin Xiudi's endless demands.

When Du Xiaojuan first went to Wang Dashan's home, Du Guoqing and Lin Xiudi demanded she lend her car to her younger brother for a blind date. After the New Year, her parents told her to give the car to her brother, and with a clear conscience at that.

At that time, Du Xiaojuan had just broken up with Wang Dashan and was already in a bad mood. Then this happened, and she almost became depressed.

And that car is still with Du Jiabao to this day. Because the title wasn't transferred, whatever traffic violations or fines there are, Du Xiaojuan still has to clean up the mess.

So now, Du Xiaojuan tells her parents that her business failed, that she's now working in a factory, and that her boyfriend is also a factory worker.

Du Xiaojuan thought: as long as she appeared poor enough, no matter how much they demanded, they wouldn't be able to get much money or wealth from her.

"Dashan, in a few days call my dad. Tell him you can't come up with so much bride price, and ask if he can be flexible. Okay?"

Du Xiaojuan asked Wang Dashan this at that moment.

Wang Dashan no longer had any resistant emotions. He knew Du Xiaojuan did this not just for herself, but also for their future little family.

"Okay. In a few days I'll call your dad and say that."

Du Xiaojuan added:

"If your dad disagrees, just ask him if taking out a loan for the bride price would work."

Wang Dashan nodded:

"Okay. I'll do exactly as you say."

Du Xiaojuan added:

"Also, tell them that we can't afford to hold the wedding. By then we'll mooch off your second brother's event and hold it together with your second brother."

Wang Dashan nodded:

"Okay, okay."

He wasn't an unreasonable person. After understanding the reason, he was willing to listen to Du Xiaojuan's arrangements.

……