Chapter 376: Chapter 376
For the first three days, Ye Ling didn’t participate in the training. Bai Hehua didn’t need to ask more to see that Ye Ling was enjoying special treatment. The colleagues around her, exhausted to death, would always chatter enviously about Ye Ling. On the surface, Bai Hehua would join in the envy, but in her heart, she was full of jealousy. It was the same with Ye Qian’s side. It wasn’t until three days later when Ye Ling started training with them that the voices of envy began to gradually quiet down.
At the beginning, Ye Ling indeed had some trouble keeping up, after all, she had been attending classes in school for a few years. However, since she usually did some clapping run or jogging, though tired, she managed to keep up, not among the last few in line, though leaning towards the back, she fortunately wasn’t at the very bottom.
After training , apart from meals, she would directly collapse onto her cot. Not only her, but the other girls in the tent were the same; the initial excitement of the first days was long gone, leaving only complaints all around.
It wasn’t until a girl was brought to the training camp by someone from the company that the girls here began to chatter lively again. A pink cotton jacket with small floral patterns, blue cotton pants with floral patterns, plus a green scarf, two pigtails just over shoulder length draped over her shoulders; from a glance, you could tell she was from the countryside. Those clothes looked very new, probably newly made, but this earthy outfit could only come from someone from the countryside. The pigtails were tied with red ribbons.
A few saw her, and soon it spread throughout the camp. Despite being such a young, rustic rural girl, she was here looking for Minister Shen—this was what stirred the girls into a frenzy. After all, the rumors had just spread about Shen Bin and the female college student, and within a few days, a girl claiming to be his old flame showed up—how could this not excite?
This news hadn’t left everyone to settle down when immediately another piece of information spread: upon meeting Shen Bin, the young girl called him brother. Later, it became known that this was Shen Bin’s sister, named Shen Chun. Everyone’s excitement cooled down instantly like hot water in a pot during the cold winter, with eyes filled with disappointment. After all, they wanted to see how Ye Ling would react, but didn’t expect to learn this person was Shen Bin’s sister before getting much out of it.
Everyone knew Shen Bin came from the countryside, so the identity as his sister matched up.
In the tent, Shen Bin’s face showed no sign of a smile, acting as he usually did, handing over some water, "Is something wrong at home?"
Shen Chun cautiously accepted the cup, "Brother, you haven’t been home all these years, and mom and dad miss you. With the New Year approaching, they asked me to come see you."
Upon seeing her brother wasn’t angry, she continued, "Mom and dad want you to come home for New Year’s."
Shen Bin sat down in front of his sister, his expression unchanged as he directly refused, "Chun’er, you know I’m busy now. It’s not like I can do whatever I want. During New Year’s, I have to keep an eye on the company; I can’t leave."
"Brother, I know you’re still angry with mom and dad, but thinking back, from childhood to now, mom and dad treated you better than their own child. They truly cared for you like a son. Parents only adopted you because they had no son; in the countryside, you know if there’s no son, there’s no one to carry the family name, which subjects you to ridicule. They regretted all those years, knowing they were wrong. Now they’re old and just wish you’d visit when possible, nothing more."
With little courage, Shen Chun wouldn’t dare look at her opposite elder brother after saying this, showing an expression of words unsaid, afraid and hesitant to speak, especially when meeting her brother’s gaze. Her mind went blank; naturally, she dared not speak those words aloud and shut her mouth.
She was only eighteen when the family was trying to arrange her brother’s marriage, only to realize her brother’s background, knowing he and she weren’t siblings by birth. At that time, she thought her parents adopted an elder brother. It wasn’t until later when his biological parents found him that she knew her brother had been abducted by her own parents.
In the years her brother fled the marriage, he used to write back and send money home. But once his biological parents showed up, he never wrote again, only sending some money every year before New Year’s. Her parents knew their son resented them, but whom could they blame? Anyone in the same situation would undoubtedly harbor resentment.
The entire fuss at home was enough, pushing Shen Chun to find her brother. Hearing her brother’s refusal was expected, yet it brought discomfort she couldn’t shake. Not knowing what to say, her eyes grew red with impending tears.
Shen Bin’s eyes flashed with helplessness, "Chun’er, I really have no time right now. When I’m free in the future, I’ll surely visit."
"Brother, don’t blame mom and dad anymore. They now grieve more than anyone for themselves, knowing their health is declining each year, and I’m really worried. If you were home, I wouldn’t have to handle everything alone; now it’s all on me and I know the burden. I’d rather ask you to take a leave this year to go home for just a day." Shen Chun complimented softly, not used to speaking , feeling shy. Not seeing her brother upset, she continued, "Brother, can’t you take leave from your company and come home this year?"
"Chun’er, I really can’t leave here; you can see that I’m in training now and can’t get away." Shen Bin looked at his sister, eyes softening a bit, "How about this, once I settle down next year, take a leave and bring your sister-in-law back home with me."
"Brother.... getting married?" Shen Chun looked at her brother in shock, stunned by this news.
Shen Bin nodded, "Yes, she’s here in the training area. Since you just arrived today, I’ll arrange for you to stay here, and in the afternoon, she’ll come over and keep you company." The source of this content ɪs n̷o̷v̷e̷l̷f̷i̷r̷e̷.net
Shen Chun’s mind was in turmoil, not sure what to say. Watching her brother call in someone to arrange logistics, she slowly realized the setup—already an improvised bed and blankets laid out in the tent, and a junior staff member was around, leaving Shen Chun little comfort in openly talking to her brother, holding back her thoughts.
It wasn’t until after lunch that there was a chance to speak again, but even then, the chance to converse with her brother was limited, only about to bring him in again with a long-haired young woman, looking about sixteen to seventeen, walking inside.
"Chun’er, let me introduce, this is your sister-in-law." Ye Ling, called over by Shen Bin, never would have expected such an introduction upon entering, couldn’t help but turn around to look at him, but Shen Bin had already pulled her to his side. (To be continued. If you work, you are welcome to vote and give monthly tickets on Qidian (qidian.com); your support is my biggest motivation. Mobile users please visit m.qidian.com for reading.)