It was almost final examination season for JingJing. Once the final examinations were over, she would be in second grade when school started up again.

Tianbao's case was a little different. Kindergarten had no winter or summer vacations. He had paid for the year and could just take time off whenever. It was much more flexible.

Feng Zeyu remembered that Shu Yan had mentioned that she wanted to travel during summer vacation and had been thinking about where to go.

 He thought about travelling overseas but Shu Yan wanted to wait till Tianbao was older for that. If they were to travel domestically, he was thinking about visiting the grassland.

"I had stayed there for two years in the past and am very familiar with it. I also know how to ride horses and can take you out for fun. People there are very passionate and there are also a lot of activities.

Shu Yan had the ocean in mind in the past but the grassland would work as well. She had considered that in the past but worried that it wasn't too safe just yet. But if Feng Zeyu suggested it, then it must be alright. As such, they could go to the grassland in July and the ocean in August.

When the two children returned home from school, Shu Yan said to them, "We might change up our itinerary a little. We will head to the grassland first and go see the ocean in August. What do you think?"

"We are going to the grassland this month then to see the ocean in August?" Both JingJing and Tianbao looked at Shu Yan happily. As far as the children were concerned, they were excited about both places.

"Yes, but it's not safe just the three of us, so Uncle Fang will be joining us." Shu Yan carefully observed the children as she said that.

"Oh yay! We wouldn't have to worry about baddies if we have Uncle Fang with us."

JingJing did not object this time. She could still remember how worried her mother was on their trip to City Nan from City Xi. In fact, her mother was too worried to even sleep. She just held tightly onto her and her brother. Perhaps her mother would not be scared if they have Uncle Fang with them.

JingJing had to return to school for one last day the next day. Then, with some packing, the earliest time that they would take off would be the 5th.

After she had bathed, Shu Yan sat in the living room and applied her facemask. She glanced over at the phone from time to time. When it rang, her lips curved upward and she sat up immediately.

"Yanyan, it's me."

"Third Brother?" Shu Yan was a bit surprised when she heard the voice of Shu Jianyang. He rarely called her up at night. He usually in the day time if he had something to talk to her about. "What's the matter?"

"Your mom is sick. She said her stomach hurt. I helped put her in City Xi #1 Hospital. They didn't find anything wrong with her but she said she was still hurting.

 She insisted that she had some sort of terminal illness and wanted to go have herself treated at capital city. She cried for me to get in touch with you. I didn't call you until I got home." Shu Jianyang rubbed his temples. He felt bad for his cousin for having parents like them.

"Is she really sick or is she faking it?" Why did it all sound so suspicious?

"It didn't look like she was faking it. She really looked like she was hurting and had lost a lot of weight since the last time I saw her. I would not otherwise have called you." Shu Jianyang frowned. 

"But the doctors were not able to find anything wrong with her. Event he doctors looked worried when they saw your mom and also agreed to have her get checked out by a bigger hospital at the capital city."

In short, she was sick for real but they didn't know what it was.

"Then go and get herself checked out. Were her sons just there for decoration purposes? Why did she have to call me?" If she was truly ill and her three sons couldn't afford her treatment, Shu Yan would for sure pay for it. 

Point was, they didn't even know what was wrong with her but she almost wanted her over. Whatever was that for? Whenever something good came their way, they would immediately think about their sons. Whenever issues arose, they would think about the daughter that they had sold off a long time ago?

Shu Yan wasn't worried about money. Truthfully, 100,000 ~ 200,000 yuan was not a lot to her right now. It was her parents' attitude that irked her.

"I've told them already that I can take her to see a doctor in capital city. They would spend what they have at home first and I will cover what is remaining. It's not like I would watch her die without helping out. Nope, she wouldn't go for that at all. All she wanted was for you to return. She even made up how some fortuneteller said to have you return and that she would be cured when you return. If she dies, then it's on you. How ridiculous was that?"

Shu Yan rolled her eyes and snickered. "If she was still saying stuff like that, she can't be that sick."

What kind of illness would require her to return? She even conjured up this so-called fortuneteller. That really made her speechless.

"Third Brother, you can just tell them that I won't be returning. She had always said that her sons would be there for her when she gets old. Why aren't her sons taking care of her now that she is sick? What is the point of looking for the daughter that they had sold off a long time ago?" Shu Yan felt very said for the original owner. What kind of parents were these?

Shu Jianyang, too, felt that his Second Aunty's family were being unreasonable. "Okay, I know what to do then. Don't worry about things back here. I'll let you know when I find out more."

"Alright. Thanks, Third Brother," said Shu Yan, feeling slightly embarrassed.

"All good. I have no idea whether I am doing you a favor at all. Sometimes I thought it might be better for you if we have no contact with each other at all. That way you can get on with your life peacefully and not be bothered by the craziness back at your parents' place." Shu Jianyang hesitated for a long time before he reached out to her.

Shu Yan went silent for a little while and said, "No, you've done the right thing. I'm sorry for putting you in this position."

Shu Jianyang had done nothing wrong. He was stuck between this mother and daughter. He worried that Shu Yan would be bothered by what happened if he told her; he also worried that if something really happened, Shu Yan would regret had he not told her.

Inside the #1 Hospital in City Xi, Lin Zixiang rolled and grumbled, "Do you think Shu Jianyang had called up Shu Yan yet?"

"Of course he did. Mom's in so much pain. How could he not?" said Shu Jianbin confidently with one leg crossed over the other.

"You don't know that for sure. That sister of yours is like a whole different person ever since the divorce. She was a ruthless one," said Wu Xianfeng enigmatically, wife of Shu Jianbin, while holding their child.

"How could she not come back when I am in so much pain? I am sure she will return. And when she does, I sure am going to skin her alive," said Lin Zixiang through gritted teeth with the thought of Shu Yan.

"Mom, Mom, Mom. Shu Jianyang is heading this way," said Shu Jianxiang, second of the three brothers, who had been waiting by the door.

"Oh my gosh. My stomach is hurting so much~~~~~~ Doctor, I am dying from this pain~~~~~"

As soon as Shu Jianyang walked inside, he saw Lin Zixiang laying there, pale. He frowned a little said asked, "Can you give her some pain reliever? She looks like she is in a lot of pain."

"She already had some. We can't give her more."

The doctor asked her some routine questions, palpated around her stomach and, not being able to do much more, told her to just bear with it.

"Have you called Shu Yan up yet? What did she say?" asked Shu Youfu eagerly.

"I made the call." Shu Jianyang noticed that the eyes of everyone in the room lit up. He said nonchalantly, "Shu Yan said that for as long as she could remember, both you and Second Aunty had always said that your sons would take care of you when you get old and that daughters will belong to other families. 

Now that she had been married, she was somebody else's. It so happened that you have three sons now that you are sick. If you want to head to capital city, I will arrange for a car to bring you there. She will split the cost with her three brothers."

"She, she just wants me to die~~~~~" Lin Zixiang rolled in the bed while holding onto her stomach. "I don't want to live anymore. I am so sick already and my daughter still refuses to come and visit me. Will she only come after I die?"

"You look quite lively to me right now. I am sure you will be around for a while long. Anyways, if you wan to head to capital city, we can take off right now. If you don't want to go today, then I am not going to wait around. Same words as Shu Yan, you have three sons and you them on a pedestal when you raised them. Why are you look for your daughter instead of any of your sons now?" He had never heard of such a thing within 8 villages and a 10-mile radius.

"Well, a daughter was given birth and raised by her parents too. Wasn't there all the talking about equality between the two genders? Both sons and daughters are the same. Why is it the son's problems now?" Wu Xianfeng chimed in all of a sudden.

"Exactly. I've looked into it. The cops told us that the daughters, too, are responsible for taking care of their parents when they get old. If she doesn't take care of us, she's breaking the law and we can sue her," said Lin Zixiang as she sat up in bed.*

Shu Jianyang was so mad that he busted out laughing.

"That only applies if you have treated your sons and your daughter equally. You want your daughter to take care of you when you get old? That's fine. Then you should also split your fortune evenly. How much income do you have? Your three sons had gotten married with the money that you received from selling off your daughter. 

Then you got money from your daughter to build houses for your three sons. And now you are saying that your daughter is also responsible for you in your old age. Does that even make sense? If you are to sue her, the court just make take your houses and give them to Shu Yan.

 That is just going to be very embarrassing. Embarrassing yourself is one thing. Grandma just might beat you two to death if you dare embarrass the old Shu family."

Shu Youfu and Lin Zixiang exchanged a look. Old Mr. Shu was, indeed, one who cared a lot about his reputation. If they dare to do anything that would taint the old Shu family's reputation, it was very likely that Old Mr. Shu would beat them with his cane.

"Don't you try to intimidate us. So what if you are a boss now? Is that how you talk to your elderlies?" Shu Jianbin had been disgruntled with Shu Jianyang for a while now. "You are only making money now because of Shu Yan. If it wasn't for her, where else did you get the capital to start your own business and buy your big houses and cars? These should all have been mine."

Shu Jianyang gave him a smile that was not a smile. Ah, he finally said what was on his mind this entire time. That was something!

"That's very unfortunate. Shu Yan only considers me as her brother. It wasn't her fault that her real brothers are scums. Yes, I have money and power now. And what are you going to do about that? I am going to say it out loud right now. Don't bother looking for me when you go to the city. And it wouldn't do you any good going to Grandpa either. Feel free to try if you want." 

Shu Jianyang looked at them piercingly and each and every single one of them shrank back and none of them dared to meet his eyes.

Now that he was in business, he was always in his suit and looked like a boss. They had forgotten what he was in the past.

Whether it was back then or now, Shu Jianyang's crew that worked under him was not anyone that they would like to come across. Besides, now that he was rich, he had befriended many officials up there. 

When he visited now, even the officials in town would invite him to dinner, let alone those in the village. It was change of terms next year, and some were already suggesting for Shu Jianyang's father to become the head of the village and many others seconded the idea.

And that was exactly how people were. When one was nobody, no matter how well one did, other would still be able to find faults with them. 

When one was successful, one would be able to do anything and others would still praise them. Who was it that said villagers were simple? They were very smart and could also be very petty sometimes.

Now that Shu Jianyang had become a big boss, anything that he had done in the past turned into his accomplishments. Even his grandfather and his father did not see him as someone from a younger generation. 

His authority had long since exceeded that of his older brother and even his grandfather and father would sometimes consult his opinions occasionally on various things.

With Shu Jianyang being such a strong character, there was not much that Shu Youfu and his family could do.