Chapter 22: Dad Is Here
Zhu Shun Yao had one younger brother and two younger sisters. Although the number of siblings was not large, Zhu Shun Yao eventually branched off to form his own household due to the extreme favoritism of Zhu Yan Yi’s grandparents. Both the eldest branch and the second branch of the Zhu family had two daughters each. If the grandparents had simply favored sons over daughters, it would have been understandable, but they specifically doted on the two daughters of the second branch. Even a minor cold would result in them buying all sorts of canned goods and fruits for the girls, claiming it was to nourish their bodies. It must be noted that although living standards were gradually improving in this era and life was no longer as difficult as in previous years, purchasing goods still required ration coupons. This was especially true for canned products; without coupons, it was absolutely impossible to buy them.
In contrast, regarding Zhu Shun Yao’s branch, Zhu Yan Yi clearly remembered that her health was the worst among her cousins. She was sick almost every day. This situation persisted until after her fourth year of primary school, when an epidemic of hepatitis broke out. Zhu Yan Yi was not spared; she contracted acute hepatitis A. However, after recovering, her health improved significantly. To put it plainly, her weak constitution and poor immunity were due to malnutrition. During that period, her family prioritized her needs above all else, allowing her to slowly regain her strength. Although the family spent a considerable amount of money during that time, her biased grandparents didn’t even provide a single empty can, let alone canned goods or fruit.
In her previous life, Zhu Yan Yi sometimes wondered whether her father, Zhu Shun Yao, was truly her grandfather’s biological son, given the stark disparity in treatment. However, this was merely a fleeting thought. Everyone in Ganxie Village knew that Zhu Shun Yao was born into the family. The Zhu family had reportedly lived in Ganxie Village for about a hundred years. Legend had it that their ancestors were a branch of the Zhu clan from Shao City’s Zhu Township. However, over a century ago, the distinction between legitimate and illegitimate branches had been clear. The fact that the Zhu ancestor had settled here indicated that they were merely a collateral or illegitimate branch from that side. During the turbulent years, the Zhu family ancestral hall had been burned down by the Red Guards, and the genealogy book was lost. Consequently, it was impossible to verify the exact origins of the Zhu family.
Upon seeing Zhu Shun Yao and Xie Xinlian, Zhu Yan Yi rushed directly into Zhu Shun Yao’s arms. “Dad.”
Zhu Shun Yao lifted his little daughter. His dark face revealed deep, joyful affection. “Is your body fully recovered?” He looked her up and down. Seeing her rosy complexion and the joy in her eyes, he knew she had completely regained her health.
“Yes, yes.” Zhu Yan Yi nodded happily, her head bobbing up and down continuously like the paw of a Maneki-neko.
“Children always get into minor scrapes and bumps,” Mother Xie Xinlian remarked casually, relieved to see Zhu Yan Yi in good health.
“That’s because our An Ni has a strong foundation,” Xie Zhong immediately refuted, dissatisfied with Xie Xinlian’s casual tone. “Besides, this wasn’t just a scrape or a bump; she fell into the water. Fortunately, our An Ni has great fortune.”
Hearing this, Xie Xinlian merely smiled. How could she not feel heartache for her own daughter? Although she had suffered, she was fine now, so perhaps viewing it as a minor scrape wasn’t entirely wrong. As the elders said, children raised with less fuss tend to live longer.
Zhu Shun Yao held Zhu Yan Yi and led Zhu Yan Li over to Xie Zhong. “Father.” He then added, “Father has a keen eye for people. Does our An Ni really have great fortune? A few days ago, I was actually considering having her fortune told.”
“Don’t go getting fortunes told so lightly.” Xie Zhong’s expression turned serious. He casually took Zhu Yan Yi into his arms. “Children are the most vulnerable. If you insist on having An Nang and An Ni’s fortunes told, wait until they are past fifteen. In fact, it is best not to have one’s fortune told at all. Destiny is predetermined. Once it is revealed, knowing the heavenly secrets in advance can alter one’s fate, which affects the twists and turns of a person’s life.”