The Adopted Cannon Fodder Made a Comeback

As angry as Gu’er was, she couldn’t help but soften when she saw Lin Sui’er’s miserable, tear-streaked face. ’If Sui’er is really pregnant,’ she thought, ’this is no laughing matter.’

After a moment of thought, Gu’er asked Sui’er for the specifics: where was she in her cycle when she was with that Da Lei Zi guy?

Sui’er was embarrassed, but she was also terrified, so she answered Gu’er honestly.

It had happened twice. One time was during her safe period, but the other time was risky. Gu’er sighed to herself. ’Please let it be nothing,’ she prayed. ’Otherwise, this is going to be a real mess to sort out.’

Gu’er desperately wanted to chew Sui’er out, but the girl had lost all of her previous defiance. She just stood there with her head bowed, looking like she finally understood her mistake. It left Gu’er feeling both angry and helpless. ’So she knows she was wrong now? Where was this attitude before?’

’This kid... she won’t learn her lesson without a good scolding. She’s just spoiled rotten and needs to be taken down a peg. It’s probably because of how Chen Fengjiao doted on her from a young age. It’s not that she’s truly clueless or doesn’t know what’s good for her. She’s just so used to everyone treating her well that she’s become selfish. Now that she understands how serious this is, she can at least tell that I’m trying to help her. Otherwise, she never would have come to me with this.’

"Sis."

Sui’er looked up and called out pitifully. She was completely at a loss and felt that Gu’er was her only lifeline.

"Calling for me won’t help. I can’t say for sure, either. All we can do is wait and see if you get your period when it’s due."

Gu’er sighed. "Sui’er, I’m not your enemy. I’m not wishing for bad things to happen to you. I just hope you learn from this. Sometimes, one wrong step can ruin your entire life. You’re still so young. You can’t throw your future away just because you’re acting out of spite. Do you understand?" Gu’er said, her voice full of earnest gravity.

Sui’er nodded again and again. She knew Gu’er was saying this for her own good. ’If Gu’er had just tried to talk to me nicely today,’ she thought, ’I probably would have tuned her out like always. But she hit me, and she yelled at me.’ Even though it made her angry, it also felt... real. Gu’er wasn’t being insincere. Maybe Gu’er didn’t like her, just as she didn’t like Gu’er. But like Gu’er said, she never wished her ill. And what happened today... she really had brought it all on herself.

Sui’er looked at Gu’er, who still wasn’t giving her a pleasant look. But for some reason, she didn’t find Gu’er so hateful anymore. She could actually hear what Gu’er was saying. ’Maybe she’s right. It’s not that she stole all the attention. If I were her, entering a strange new family and having a sister who was awful to me... I probably wouldn’t like her much either.’

"Sis, I don’t want to go to school anymore. If this time... if I turn out to be okay, can I come work at your department store?"

Sui’er realized that once she’d said it, the word "Sis" didn’t feel so difficult to say after all.

"No."

Gu’er refused without a second thought.

"Why? Why can other people work there, but I can’t? Yes, I was awful to you before, but can’t I change?"

Sui’er couldn’t understand why Gu’er was rejecting her, and she started shouting again.

Gu’er just stared at her coldly. Lin Sui’er’s voice trailed off. She knew shouting was useless against Gu’er.

"First of all, whether or not you stay in school is something you need to discuss with Dad."

Gu’er had barely gotten the words out before Lin Sui’er interrupted her with a cry of, "Sis!" and looked at her with pleading eyes.

"Looking at me won’t do you any good. This is your problem. I’m not going to be the one to talk to Dad for you, so don’t even think about it. Lin Sui’er, this is your life. If you don’t even have the courage to handle your own affairs, no one else can help you. Besides, Dad said that once you turn eighteen, he won’t interfere with your choices. You need to think carefully about what you want. Don’t turn around and blame someone else later," Gu’er said, her tone dead serious.

"I get it. So if I talk to Dad, and he agrees, you’ll let me work at your store?"

Sui’er gazed at Gu’er, her eyes filled with hope.

"No."

Gu’er still shook her head.

"Why?"

Sui’er didn’t understand. She had humbled herself this much; why was her older sister still refusing?

"Let me ask you something. Didn’t you used to want to be a sales clerk at the state department store?" Gu’er didn’t answer her question, instead posing one of her own to Sui’er.

"The benefits at the state store are nowhere near as good as yours! You can earn way more in a month at your place. People are fighting tooth and nail to get a job at your store these days. You’ve already hired so many people. I’m your sister, you can’t just refuse me. Aren’t you supposed to look out for me?"

Lin Sui’er spoke as if it were her right, though her tone was much friendlier than before.

"And why should I look out for you? Besides, what makes you think you can just waltz in? Do you think the store is a playground you can just drop into whenever you feel like it? Tell me, what skills do you have? Can you sell merchandise? Do you know how to deal with customers? How to make a sale? How to provide good service? You don’t know how to do anything. Do you really think you’re qualified? What value can you offer? We don’t hire useless people. The fact that you’re my sister doesn’t mean a thing. Thinking you can get a job and have me ’look out for you’? Impossible."

Gu’er knew Sui’er’s attitude toward her was softening, but she wasn’t about to start pandering to her because of it. It was crucial that Sui’er develop the right mindset and recognize her own worth.

"But you’re already carrying so many freeloaders, aren’t you? What’s one more?"

Lin Sui’er was indignant. ’Why can she support all those useless people, but not her own sister? It was my fault for not liking her before, but after today, I get it now. Isn’t changing my attitude enough?’

"Yes, I am carrying a few ’freeloaders.’ But they were part of the first batch of employees assigned by the government. I had no choice; I had to take them on. You know how it is—everyone wants to work for a state-owned enterprise, to have that ’iron rice bowl,’ a secure job for life. If I hadn’t offered generous terms, nobody would have been willing to come work for a private business owner like me. I made those offers to put people’s minds at ease, and to keep the government happy. If I hadn’t offered such good terms at the start, who do you think would have stayed? How else could I have motivated people to work hard? You only see the high wages I pay them, but do you see the profits they generate? We’re a private business, but do you have any idea how much better our sales are than the state department store’s? Now, everyone knows our store. They know we have good products and great service. Our staff greets everyone with a smile, our after-sales support is excellent, and our customers leave happy and willing to come back. Why do you think that is? It’s not just because we have a wide selection and new products. It’s because our employees built that reputation. That’s why they have value. That’s why they’re worth the high salaries I pay them. As for those ’freeloaders’? They serve as an example for new hires, to give everyone a goal to strive for. So tell me, which of those categories do you fall into? The kind that’s worth what I’m paying? Or the kind I should just ’carry’?"

Gu’er didn’t hold anything back, laying it all out for Sui’er.

Sui’er tilted her head and frowned. She wasn’t stupid; she understood every word Gu’er had said. She mulled it over. ’Everything Gu’er said is probably true. She has no reason to lie to me. And if what she said is true, then I don’t fit into any of those categories. I really don’t have any right to expect her to just carry me.’

’Gu’er had said before that I had no value, no special qualities, and that was why Li Zhi wasn’t interested in me. Is that really what I’m like?’

’I’m Lin Shan’s daughter. I’ve had a privileged life since I was a child. I’m not short on spending money now, either. But not a single cent of it is money I earned myself. It all came from Mom.’

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