Tan You said, "After mistreating me for so many years, they really expect me to let bygones be bygones? I’m not the forgiving type."

Shen Yu punched the air. "That’s exactly what you should do! The Ji family is so shameless! Sis, why don’t you change your last name? Shen is a great name, isn’t it? We’d be even closer then."

Tan You shook her head. "My dad... he was a good man. If I don’t remember him, no one will. My last name, Ji, is for Ji Rongchang. It’s not for the Ji family."

Shen Yu pouted, his tone full of regret. "Can you imagine how devastated my uncle and aunt would be if they knew how you were living after they passed away? The Ji family is just despicable. I was too little back then, so I couldn’t do anything to help you."

Tan You smiled. "Uncle already did so much back then. It was just that we didn’t have much power, and the Ji family had so many relatives in the area. It was already a huge struggle just to ensure I could finish high school. I understand all of that."

Shen Yu’s mother wiped her eyes. "It must have been so hard on you. We’re just an ordinary family, so we couldn’t help much."

Tan You said, "You all did more than enough. Compared to the Ji family, you were wonderful to me."

Having been through several mission worlds, Tan You had learned long ago not to expect too much from others. After all, no one was obligated to treat her well. Even her own biological parents hadn’t been particularly close to her, so how could she expect anything from outsiders?

Oftentimes, the fewer expectations you had, the less imbalance and disappointment you would feel.

Ji Peng never imagined that just for sending Ji Li a few threatening private messages, she would unleash something so massive on him. Not long after Ji Li posted that video, the Ji family’s entire history was dug up and laid bare for all to see.

In the fallout, many people who knew about the Ji family’s past came forward to share what they knew. One live streamer even traveled to their village.

"Eldest Ji and his wife were both good, honest people. They were hardworking, and their life was quite prosperous back then," an old man, about the same age as Old Man Ji, recalled. "That child, Ji Li, would have to call me Uncle Ji based on our family hierarchy."

"Eldest Ji used to be in the transportation business, and after he got married, he took his wife along with him," the old man said with a small smile. "They left their child, Ji Li, with her grandparents. Every month, Eldest Ji and his wife sent money and grain, but all the best food ended up going to their younger grandson, Ji Peng."

"Ji Li was two years older than Ji Peng, but somehow, Ji Peng was always the sturdier one. My wife has a kind heart, so she’d often call Ji Li over to our house for a meal."

The live streamer, stunned for a second, reacted quickly. "So her grandparents, the Jis, were always bad to Ji Li?"

"You could say that. They fed Ji Li, sure, but all the good food definitely went to Ji Peng." Uncle Ji sighed. "Eldest Ji and his wife died in an accident. Between the insurance and the settlement from the other party, the total was over four hundred thousand yuan."

"The couple wasn’t even in the ground yet, and her grandparents were already fighting over the compensation money. They all wanted the money, but none of them wanted to raise Ji Li. Luckily, she still had her maternal uncle, who fought against all the pressure to make sure she could finish high school."

"And credit to her, Ji Li made something of herself. After she got into college, she never came back."

The live streamer glanced at the flood of comments scrolling across the screen. "Don’t you think it’s a bit cold of her to do that?"

"Of course not," Uncle Ji laughed. "Young man, you look like an honest person, so I’ll tell you what I really think. People always say, ’There’s no such thing as a bad parent.’ In my opinion, that’s pure bullshit."

"Just because someone’s an elder doesn’t mean they should be forgiven for the wrongs they’ve done. This whole idea of ’filial piety’ only makes sense when the elders are actually good people who love and care for their children and grandchildren."

"Of course, that’s completely separate from the legal obligation to provide support. Respect is respect, and duty is duty. One is about emotion, the other is about responsibility. Emotion does not equal responsibility."

The live streamer considered this. "So you believe Ji Li has an obligation to support her grandparents?"

"That would only be the case if Old Ji’s second son were no longer around. Only then would the duty of support fall to Ji Li. It makes no sense for him to have a son and a grandson, yet still expect the granddaughter he mistreated for years to be the one to support him."

Uncle Ji’s eyes widened, clearly disdainful of the Ji family’s schemes. He was not one to mince words.

The live streamer changed the subject. "Did all of that compensation money go to the old Ji couple? I was looking at their house..."

"That house was built by Eldest Ji and his wife. It was because Ji the Second was getting married, and the family needed a new house for him." Uncle Ji lit a cigarette. "Ji the Second was spoiled rotten by his mother."

"Then, less than a year after they got the compensation money, Ji the Second bought a house in the city. It’s pretty suspicious where that money came from."

After getting so much first-hand information from Uncle Ji, the live streamer left, satisfied. He didn’t leave the village right away, though. Instead, he chatted with everyone he met, and by piecing together bits and pieces of information, he was able to reconstruct the full story of Ji Li’s upbringing.

After the live streamer left, Uncle Ji’s wife came out of the house. "Why did you tell that young man so much?"

Uncle Ji’s face was obscured by a cloud of smoke. "Just wanted to give that girl, Ji Li, a helping hand. It hasn’t been easy for her. She finally managed to escape those people, so it’s best she never has anything to do with them again."

His wife immediately agreed. "That’s for the best. I heard she’s a big internet celebrity now... is that the right term? Good for her. That child has had it rough since she was young."

Uncle Ji narrowed his eyes. "I never approved of what Old Ji and his wife did back then, but at the end of the day, it was the Ji family’s business. We might share the same last name, but we’re not immediate family."

"It’s a good thing Ji Li was so determined."

His wife added, "They were all dealt a bad hand. Eldest Ji and his wife had a hard life, and this child had it even harder. It’s a relief that she’s finally seeing some good days."

The live streamer’s interviews in the village didn’t escape the notice of Old Ji’s family. They didn’t dare go outside, terrified they’d be cornered for an interview. They had done what they’d done, but it was only now that everything was being said out loud that they felt any shame.

But what could they do about their loss of face? What was done was done, and Ji Li wasn’t coming back.

Old Man Ji took a drag from his cigarette. "We’ll go to her uncle’s house tomorrow. Some things need to be said to their faces."

Granny Ji’s face contorted. "She needs to be taught a good lesson! That damned girl has always been nothing but trouble. I told her father to have another child, but he went on about family planning and refused..." 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

"Enough!" Old Man Ji shouted. "Tomorrow, get Rong Sheng, his wife, and Ji Peng to come with us. This matter has to be settled. If Rong Sheng and his wife hadn’t been making such a fuss, none of this would be happening! You’re the one who spoiled them rotten!"

"Why is it all my fault? You think you’re blameless?" Granny Ji immediately began to wail. "Back when our eldest son brought that woman home, you weren’t happy either, were you? And after that girl Ji Li was born, how many times did you even hold her?"

"When I was making plans for Rong Sheng’s sake, you agreed with me, didn’t you? And now suddenly it’s all my fault? The truth is you just disliked that mother and her daughter, so you let me raise hell!"