Shen Yi hadn’t known about this before. Even when everything belonging to the Shen Family was later inherited by an outsider named Chen Feng, he hadn’t thought much of it.

But when he went to visit his gravely ill mother, he stood outside her room and heard his parents arguing inside.

It was only then that he learned that Li Xiaomei, the woman who had married his younger uncle, was actually his father’s first love.

And that Shen Feng, who had changed his name, was his half-brother... an older brother, born just one month before him. ’How ironic?’

Shen Yi knew his mother had a bad temper. She could be hysterical at times, which was incredibly frustrating. But at that moment, standing in the cold hospital corridor, Shen Yi felt his mother was just so pitiful.

Later, after his mother died, Shen Yi slapped his biological father in front of her tombstone. "You shouldn’t have told her!"

"Xiao Yi? How come you’re just getting back?"

The elderly tend to sleep early. Mr. Du had already had a nap, assuming his grandson was already home. But then he looked up and saw his grandson just walking in from outside.

Shen Yi saw that his grandfather was in relatively good spirits and said, "Seniors have evening study hall. I... I walked Qin Jiao home first before coming back."

"Oh, that’s good. You should. It’s late, after all, and it’s not safe for a young girl to be out alone." Mr. Du yawned, told his grandson to get some rest, and turned to go back to his room.

Shen Yi watched his grandfather’s shuffling figure, a gentle look flashing in his eyes.

’Grandpa, in this life, I hope you live to be a hundred.’

He made a decision. The next time his mother visited, he would have a serious talk with her and convince her to take his grandfather to the provincial capital for treatment.

**

Qin Jiao had wanted to help her parents with their chores, but they shooed her away. In the end, she grabbed her schoolbag and went up to the small loft, where she found Xiao Shi sprawled out, practicing her writing.

The little girl’s handwriting was wobbly and crooked, but she looked incredibly proud of herself after she finished.

"Sis, I learned how to write today!"

"Yeah, Xiao Shi, that’s amazing! How was your first day of school?"

Xiao Shi hesitated for a moment before saying softly, "Most of the other kids and the teacher are really nice... but the boy who sits behind me is mean. He said he doesn’t like me and called me old."

Qin Jiao: "..."

Xiao Shi was the oldest in her class. She was already nine, while the other students were seven or eight. On top of that, girls tend to develop earlier.

Because Xiao Shi had been malnourished and frequently bullied in the past, she wasn’t very tall for her age. A classmate must have seen her personal information and found out she was nine.

Young girls mature quickly, and they’re also sensitive and prone to overthinking.

Qin Jiao remembered how back in middle school, when girls in her class started going through puberty, boys would mock them for "getting fat"...

Qin Jiao patted her sister’s head and said, "Xiao Shi, don’t listen to that little brat’s nonsense. Next time, you tell him this: ’So you admit you’re just a little kid? Then you should call me Big Sis!’ Little boys are all troublemakers. If they dare pull your braids, you pinch them right back. They’re all younger than you, so don’t be afraid. We don’t start fights, but if someone picks one with us, we won’t let them get away with it. No matter what happens, you have me, and you have Mom and Dad!"

’The Xiao Shi of her past life had been weak-willed and timid, and she was bullied all the time.’

In this life, Qin Jiao was determined to make her sister tough from a young age. She and her parents would be her unwavering support.

A person’s character really is shaped by their environment. No one is born a coward, just as no one is born fearless.

Nature has its influence, but with effort, nurture can play just as important a role.

Xiao Shi was still young. Qin Jiao just hoped that in this life, her sister could grow up to be a happy, healthy girl.