To help Chunyan adapt to her current life more quickly, Jun Jiuli began to gradually increase the time she spent in the body. After all, Jun Jiuli couldn't live her life for her.
During this period, she had become much more cheerful and dared to ask questions in class. Although she still rarely interacted with classmates, she at least had one or two people she could talk to.
One day, as soon as she got home from school, she saw two middle-aged people, both around forty, standing anxiously at the door of the rented house.
Zhao Chunyan stopped, hesitating to step forward, wanting Jun Jiuli to take control of her body. After some encouragement from Jun Jiuli, she took a few deep breaths and boldly stepped forward to ask,
"Who are you looking for? What are you doing here?"
The middle-aged man rubbed his somewhat chapped hands and forced a stiff smile.
"Daughter, I'm Jiang Bin's dad."
The middle-aged woman kept her head lowered, not daring to meet Chunyan's eyes.
Upon hearing this, Chunyan was startled and quickly took a step back.
Jiang Bin's dad quickly reached out to stop her, "Daughter, don't be afraid. Uncle means no harm. I'm here to apologize on behalf of my unfilial son. I'm truly sorry. Jiang Bin is not human. I've failed as a parent."
As he spoke, he began to slap himself on the face. Jiang Bin's mother quickly tried to stop him, weeping uncontrollably.
"Daughter, Jiang Bin is not human. We were working far away and didn't know that that scoundrel dared to bully people at school. He made his grandmother hide it from us. When the teacher visited, he colluded with his grandparents to give fake numbers to deceive the teacher. If he hadn't gotten into a car accident, we wouldn't have known about this. Our family has wronged you, sob, sob..."
Zhao Chunyan clenched her fists tightly. When she was being bullied, how she wished someone would stop it. Seeing those bad people punished one by one brought her an indescribable sense of satisfaction.
When she needed an apology the most, no one gave it. She really wanted to tell these two to get lost, but now she didn't need it anymore.
However, looking at the two people with their temples flecked with gray and their hands and faces bearing the marks of time, she didn't know what to say and looked towards Jun Jiuli somewhat helplessly.
"Just follow your heart."
Zhao Chunyan mustered up her courage and said, "You should leave. I will never forgive Jiang Bin. An apology can't solve everything. Some harm, once inflicted, can never be undone."
The two were stunned. Jiang's mother was the first to react. She quickly shook her head and waved her hands.
"No, no, child, you've misunderstood. We're just here to apologize. We dare not hope for your forgiveness. You could say we're selfish; we just want to ease our own conscience and atone for our useless son."
"Yes, it's all our family's fault. Uncle and Aunt have no right to ask anything of you. We've only come to sincerely apologize. Please don't feel any pressure. If today's events made you unhappy, just pretend they never happened."
After speaking, the couple bowed deeply. Without waiting for Zhao Chunyan's reaction, they went downstairs directly.
Zhao Chunyan watched their figures disappear into the stairwell. Her face felt a chill. She wiped it with her hand and realized she had been crying without knowing when.
Just as she was about to get her key to open the door, she found a red plastic bag on the ground. Opening it, she saw it contained about 30,000 yuan.
Zhao Chunyan felt the money was scorching hot and quickly chased after them with the bag. Jiang's parents had already left by taxi. Zhao Chunyan held the money, feeling lost.
Jun Jiuli: "This money is compensation. It's up to you whether you accept it or not, but don't feel pressured."
Zhao Chunyan: "I feel it's not right to take their money. I don't want any further connection with them. Taking the money would be like forgiving Jiang Bin, and I don't want to forgive him at all."
"That's not the case. This money is what you deserve. You can think of it as cutting ties with the past, forgetting the unhappy things, and embracing a new life."
"Mm, I understand."
Two days later, the other two families also sent compensation. All three families planned to transfer their children to other schools. Zhao Chunyan was relieved to hear this.
She no longer lived in the nightmares of the past and devoted all her energy to her studies.
Lately, Zhao Bei had been staying at home and scrolling through his phone. Although many people were prejudiced against women, they were unwilling to admit it openly. Someone like Zhao Bei, who had made such a fuss, was even more despised.
He didn't want to go out and be ridiculed, so he could only throw his weight around at home. He thought it wouldn't be too late to go out to work after the commotion died down.
Wang Ermei lost 300 yuan and was beaten half to death by Zhao Bei. She lay in bed groaning all day, and still had to get up to cook on time.
Old Mrs. Zhao: "What are you groaning about? You're not going to die, so stop pretending! Don't scare my grandson. You don't know how hard money is to earn when you don't earn it. I've turned the house upside down but can't find that money. Did you take it to subsidize your mother's family?
"Mom, what nonsense are you talking about? 300 yuan is nothing to be proud of. Besides, wouldn't we prioritize our own family? If you ask me, that little slut definitely stole it. She hasn't been home for so long and is still out gallivanting. She must have spent that money."
"What do you mean nothing to be proud of? Are you still complaining it's not enough? But you're right, that little slut has gotten quite capable. She hasn't been home for so long, she might as well die outside."
"If you ask me, she deserves it. She looks so annoying. Why do those boys bully her and no one else? It must be her fault. She deserves it."
The old woman shook her head, not wanting to talk to this idiot anymore, fearing it would lower her intelligence.
Although she was prejudiced against women, she wasn't prejudiced against other people's sons. Daughters were not as precious as sons, but they were still raised better than other people's.
Zhao Bei: "You only know how to talk nonsense all day. She's still flesh that came out of your womb. Don't you feel any pain at all?"
Wang Ermei touched her belly and said unhappily in a submissive tone,
"How could such a rebellious thing crawl out of my womb? She was born to be my nemesis. If my dear child had been born first, that cheap girl wouldn't have had a chance."
"Get up and cook. I can't be bothered talking to you."
"Yes, husband. You said that girl was beaten outside. Can we go to those families to demand compensation? It would be her fortune to earn some extra money for our family."
"You're right. After we finish eating, we'll go and find out."
Old Mrs. Zhao: "I think that's a good idea. You two look online. It's best to find the addresses of those little brats' families and get some people together to get justice for that cheap girl. I'll watch our child at home, so don't worry about anything else at home."
"Yes, yes, we'll do that."
After browsing online for a long time, the couple finally learned that Yang Yunliang lived at Tomato Hospital.
Zhao Bei contacted a few of his drinking buddies, tidied himself up, and a group of people headed to the hospital.