Chapter 171: Chapter 78: Top Star of the 1960s Cultural Troupe (17)

The Wen couple shivered at the suddenly fierce glares from the surrounding neighbors. Seeing Xia Zhaoyun’s cold stare fixed on them, they slumped in defeat, filled with endless regret and frustration, wanting to open their mouths to make amends.

Xia Zhaoyun had already picked up one child, and Director Huo was holding the other.

"I see Little Ruyi’s ear is torn, and Ruyuan’s lip is split. Director, let’s take them to the clinic to get them treated first."

"As for..." she glanced at the couple. "As for them withholding the children’s benefits and compensation, Director Huo, we’ll have to ask the Women’s Federation to help get it back. If they refuse, then I will submit an application to the factory as the children’s legal guardian."

"People who abuse the families of martyrs and are ungrateful are a menace to society. Keeping them at the factory..."

The man, who had been pretending to be simple and honest, quickly blurted out, "We’ll give it back! We’ll give back every last cent. They’re my younger brother’s children. As their uncle, I’m just not capable..."

Xia Zhaoyun didn’t listen to his hypocritical words. Seeing that he was genuinely scared, she simply turned and left, holding the child.

Director Huo watched her the whole way. As they neared the clinic, she couldn’t help but smile and say, "Little Xia, if you weren’t so passionate about dancing, and so good at it, I’d be tempted to recruit you for the Women’s Federation."

"There are a lot of people in our factory, and half of the families were brought in from the countryside. You can’t reason with them; all they know is how to make a scene. They give us a massive headache every day!"

"And for us, it’s like a scholar trying to reason with a soldier. We’re completely helpless against them."

Xia Zhaoyun smiled, pressing her lips together. "I suppose either you perish in silence, or you’re forced to erupt from it."

She looked down at the little one nestled obediently in her arms, her eyes filled with a faint pain and pity. "When I see them, it’s as if..."

She didn’t finish her sentence, but that didn’t stop Director Huo’s mind from filling in the blanks.

’Little Xia must be thinking about her own childhood, isn’t she? She grew up with the Song Family. To others, she seemed pretty, well-behaved, a good student, and a talented dancer, but only she knew the suffering involved.’

’That couple from the Song Family are just awful. To think they could push a little girl to the point where her entire personality changed!’

’She can even handle a shrew that no one else could manage. Just how much injustice and hardship must Little Xia have endured?’

’Even parents who heavily favored sons—especially ones who were highly educated, well-off, and had already had two sons—wouldn’t treat their daughter in such a monstrous way.’

’To put it bluntly, the Song couple must have known Little Xia wasn’t their biological child. They must have been resentful of how outstanding and beautiful she was!’

Director Huo now had three urgent matters on her mind. After taking the new family of three to the clinic and confirming Xia Zhaoyun could manage on her own, she immediately rushed off to secure their housing. She also dispatched other colleagues to deal with the Song Family and the Wen family separately.

After the two children’s wounds were treated, Xia Zhaoyun headed toward the factory’s state-run restaurant, holding one child with each hand.

As they walked, she smiled gently and began to tell the two children about herself.

"Mommy’s name is Xia Zhaoyun. ’Xia’ is for summer, the season that brings warmth to everyone. ’Zhao’ means ’to make clear,’ a reminder that as long as we are in the right, we have nothing to fear and should live our lives with integrity. And ’Yun’ is a type of herb said to come back to life after withering. Just like us—escaping our suffering is like being reborn..."

The two children listened intently, their eyes wide. The little boy, being a bit bolder and the older brother, couldn’t help but ask in a small voice, "Mommy, what about my name and Ruyi’s?"

Xia Zhaoyun gently swayed their little hands, which were so thin they were almost all bone, and said with a smile, "Your pet names are Ruyuan and Ruyi. Your birth mommy and daddy hoped that in the future, you could achieve whatever you wished for."

"Your formal names are Wen Huaixin and Wen Huaiyu. Your mommy and daddy hoped you would hold kindness in your hearts and grow into upstanding people, unaffected by the darkness and ugliness of the world!"

"I think Wen is a great surname. It goes so well with Mommy’s surname, Xia. We won’t change it. You just have to remember that you have two mommies and daddies who love you."

The little girl’s eyes sparkled. "Two mommies and daddies? Is that a lot? Where are they?"

"It is a lot. You have double what other children have. They’ve turned into stars in the sky to watch over you. But this is a secret, so you can’t tell anyone, okay?" Xia Zhaoyun whispered, leaning down close to their ears.

The two little ones immediately grew serious and nodded repeatedly in agreement. They didn’t ask any more questions after that.

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