3

School started in September, and my mom managed to get me into Lucy's school to attend 8th grade, in the same class as Lucy.

As soon as I entered the classroom, I noticed the strange looks from my classmates.

During the break, a few of the more daring students asked me, Kaya, we heard you were quite poor before and lived in the mountains, even raising pigs, is that true

Everyone pricked up their ears, some curious, others scornful, a group even sneered and said, No wonder you smell like a pig.

Lucy came over and held my hand, saying affectionately, You better not bully my sister. Although she used to raise pigs and her family was poor, wearing clothes that others didn't want, she is now living in my house. My mother spent a lot of money to buy clothes for her. Once she's clean, there will be no smell of pigs!

Ah Living at your place Lucy, is she a beggar Why does she have to live in your house

Yeah, Lucy, why do you call her your sister Is she a poor student sponsored by your family

Why does she spend your mother's money, isn't she shameless!

...

I looked at Lucy's proud face and loudly said, Thank you for your concern for me.

It's true that I used to live in the mountains, and my family was poor, so I raised pigs to earn money. We could also catch chicken, capture larvae to make windmills, lobster and roast sweet potatoes – my roast sweet potatoes were so tasty!

The reason I lived in the mountains is that Lucy and I were switched at birth. Now, Lucy's mom is my biological mother, we don't know who Lucy's real parents are. As my mother has raised Lucy for over a dozen years, she decided to continue to raise her.

So Lucy and I are sisters with different fathers and mothers, Lucy will continue to live in my house for now. So, please don't be prejudiced against Lucy!

There was a moment of silence around us.

Gradually, someone quietly discussed, So Lucy has taken Kaya's mother, making Kaya suffer in the mountains.

Kaya is so pitiful, her mother was taken away from her, and she suffered a lot.

Yeah, Lucy is so shameless.

Hey Kaya, can you tell us, can that worm really be made into a windmill

What is a roasted sweet potato

Is the chicken in the mountains different from the chicken we eat

...

The children in big cities live in ivory towers, so the things I was telling them were fascinating to them.

I was held up by several students sharing interesting stories from the mountains until the bell rang for class. They returned to their seats reluctantly.

Lucy saw that smearing my name didn't work and had even made me friends with some students, which embarrassed her. She was glaring at me with a look that could kill.

I wasn't interested in whether she hated me. My grades had been the top in the county, but here at the city school, they were not worth mentioning.

I valued this hard-earned opportunity to study, learned every minute, and hungrily absorbed knowledge.

I understood one lesson knowledge changes fate.

Especially for children like me from the mountains, education is the only way to change our fate.

Fatherly love and motherly love can be shared. Only the knowledge in my head truly belonged to me.

However, there are always things that stand in the way.

4

After school, I didn't see the driver who had driven me in the morning. I suspected that Lucy had intentionally had the driver take her home first.

I walked for a long time, taking the bus and walking, before I finally found my house.

As soon as I stepped in the door, a cup was flung my way, followed by a torrent of angry shouts.

You have the audacity to come home! You're nothing but an ungrateful wretch! You run wild after school on the first day and dare to bully Lucy at school, I disown you as my daughter!

The voice came from my so-called father, and Lucy, red-eyed from crying, was in his arms.

My mother was standing to one side, watching me disapprovingly.

I avoided the broken cup and shut off the navigation on my phone.

Dad, Mom, it looks like uncle driver forgot about me today after picking up Lucy. Could you remind him to wait for me after school Otherwise, I'll have to take the bus for over an hour and walk two kilometers to get home.

Both my parents looked puzzled by my explanation.

Kay, are you saying the driver didn't wait for you But Lucy had said...

Wah... Lucy interrupted them with sobbing, Sister is your real daughter, Lucy shouldn't be in this house, Lucy should go away, to spare sister the worry. Lucy will go back to the mountain to feed the pigs...

As Lucy began to cry, my parents quickly tried to comfort her.

Sweetheart, mom loves you the most, mom won’t let you go...

My mother rushed to soothe her while my father slammed the table, ready to scold me. I interjected,

Lucy, why are you crying You told our new classmates that I feed pigs and that I'm a beggar taking your mother away and spending her money, but I didn't cry. Instead, I explained to them that we’re sisters from different fathers and mothers, and asked them not to treat you differently just because you aren’t our parents' biological daughter. Why should you cry

Both of them stopped to look at Lucy.

Seeing Lucy avoiding eye contact, my father angrily shot back, You liar! You’re justifying yourself! There's no way Lucy would do that. How dare you mention that Lucy is not our real daughter, don't you know how much that would hurt her self-esteem At such a young age, how can you be so cruel

In comparison to my natural mother, my biological father has never been fond of me. I knew that from the start.

But that’s okay, I never liked him either, I prefer my dad back in the mountains.

Oh, so next time when someone asks, I'll say that Lucy is your biological daughter, Dad, and I feed pigs. Dad, is this acceptable to you

You!

With that, I spoke out completely honestly, then went upstairs to do my homework.

There were many things I hadn't grasped in the lessons of the day. I needed to review well and also preview the next day's content.

After Lucy calmed down, my mom came upstairs. She took my hand and spoke in a heartfelt manner.

Kay, Lucy grew up spoiled by us, and she can't handle being wronged. For Mom's sake, could you please be more accommodating towards Lucy

I readily agreed, Mm-hmm, I understand that you and Dad prefer Lucy over me, you don't like me, and I also know that Lucy is afraid I will snatch you and Dad away. Lucy framed me, insulted me, and wanted to drive me out, all because she loves you and Dad.

I rubbed my callused hands, developed from housework, on hers, I will definitely remember, both you and Dad belong to Lucy, and I'm just a pig feeder from the mountains. I must not offend her and yield to her or else I would make you and Dad angry, and I'd have to be driven back to the mountains to feed pigs.

My mother froze. Kay, that's not what I meant.

Mom, is there something else I need to do my homework.

I picked up my pen and continued with my work.

Perhaps guilt-ridden, my mom went to talk to Lucy.

In a short while, Lucy came storming into my room and started complaining.

Kayla, you're nothing but a poor bumpkin, a stinky pig-feeder! If you have any sense, you'd leave! Otherwise, I will make sure you're thrown out! I'm the only daughter of Mom and Dad, and all the family property will be mine. Dad and Mom will never like you. Did you know that to soothe my feelings, they always give me more allowance than they give you They only love me!

The keyword caught my attention. Her allowance was more than mine？