Chapter 9: Blood Ties Are Different

Rani Deshmukh was a beauty. More importantly, she was deeply loved by the Deshmukh family, whether it was Anil and Seema or her older siblings, they all spoiled her rotten. who were well-off by village standards.

Her father, Anil Deshmukh, worked at a textile factory. In this era, it was rare for rural families to have a factory worker among them. Such a job meant a stable monthly salary, the privilege of wearing a worker's uniform, a secure livelihood, and even the possibility of passing the job down to future generations.

Just by having Anil Deshmukh as a factory worker, the entire R.K. Production Team regarded the Deshmukh family with a higher level of respect.

Seema Verma, Rani's mother, had a good temperament and was an exceptional cook. Back when the village had communal kitchens, she was the one in charge of cooking. Even after the communal kitchens disbanded, the villagers still reminisced about her delicious meals.

Honestly, her cooking skills surpassed those of professional chefs from state-run restaurants.

Moreover, Rani's eldest sister, Kavita Deshmukh, was an outstanding high school graduate. At 19, she was working as a temporary language teacher at the local primary school. Even though she was a temporary worker, she still received a salary every month and didn't have to work in the fields.

Her twin brothers, Rajesh and Vikram Deshmukh, were also remarkable in their own ways. Though Rajesh, the elder by a few minutes, wasn't fond of studying and had only completed primary school, in an era where literacy was scarce, he was still considered educated.

Additionally, Rajesh was tall, strong, and hardworking. While the standard daily labor points were ten, he could earn twelve with his efficiency.

As for Vikram, he had completed middle school and, at 17, worked as the production team's record keeper. Unlike the others, he didn't have to toil in the fields yet still earned full labor points.

With such supportive parents and capable siblings. She had never known hardship. Unlike most village girls who had to work the fields, Rani barely lifted a finger. Other than doing some minor house chores, she was free to live as she pleased.

Despite this, many families in the production team wanted her as a daughter-in-law, hoping to secure an engagement for their sons or grandsons.

At fifteen, Rani was already a beauty. Well-fed, fair-skinned, and curvy—a stark contrast to many villagers who struggled with malnutrition. And was of marriageable age. Even though her elder siblings were still unmarried, it was common practice to secure a good match early.

But, The Deshmukhs even let her study until high school—something rare for girls in this era. They probably would have sent her to university if college exams hadn't been cancelled.

And with this stark difference, the whispers only grew louder…

No one had anticipated that a shocking revelation would surface—the daughters had been swapped at birth. Rani wasn't Anil and Seema's biological daughter.

Their real daughter had been living in the city all along, and the truth had only recently come to light. Now, the families involved wanted to correct the mistake.

The villagers were curious. Given how much the Deshmukhs doted on Rani, they wondered how she would react to the exchange. Surely, she would be heartbroken.

Moreover, no one knew what kind of personality or appearance the biological daughter had.

Some speculated she might be spoiled, having been raised in the city. Would she even be able to adapt to village life? And would she be willing to accept her biological parents from a rural background?

When Anaya Deshmukh finally arrived, the villagers crowded around to catch a glimpse of her.

But what they saw left them utterly disappointed.

The biological daughter was nothing like what they had imagined.

There was no trace of the elegance or confidence one would expect from a city-raised girl. Instead, they saw a timid, she was frail, dark-skinned, and painfully thin. She had the look of someone who had suffered greatly, her timid posture and pale complexion making her seem almost pitiful.

For a moment, everyone had the same question: Was she really from the city? Could city life be worse than their village?

And with that, their opinions began to shift. They thought that compared to Rani, Anaya seemed completely lacking. In every aspect, she fell short.

"She's no match for Rani," some said bluntly. "In looks, in personality, in the way she carries herself—there's just no comparison."

"They must regret it," others murmured. "If I were in their place, I'd wish the truth had never come out."

(Some even assumed that Anil and Seema, upon seeing their biological daughter, would feel regretful. They might even wish that the swap had never been discovered, that Rani could have remained their daughter.)

But then something happened that caught everyone off guard.

Seema Verma began gathering Rani's clothes—the beautiful, tailor-made outfits she had lovingly crafted—and declared that she would repurpose the fabric to make new clothes for Anaya.

"It seems we were wrong," someone murmured. "A biological child is still different after all."

"So, blood really is thicker than water."

"Well, of course. She's their real daughter, after all."

"That's true. No matter what, a child born from one's own womb is precious. But I wonder how Rani feels about all this."

"She must be devastated."

"Why would she be? "She shouldn't be too sad—after all, she's going back to a rich family. She's going to live in the city, not suffer in the fields. I heard her biological father government official. She'll have a much better life than here. Even, they wouldn't mistreat their own daughter."

"Besides, did you notice? Rani doesn't seem that attached to Anil and Seema. If she truly cared, she wouldn't have left so quickly with her biological parents. She didn't even take the clothes Seema made for her. If you ask me, I think that girl is more cunning than we thought."

Some villagers, sharper in their observations, had already noticed Rani's true nature.

"When you put it that way, it does make sense."

"I just hope Anil's real daughter has a good temperament."

Unaware of the gossip, Seema Verma hurried home with the fabric. She even skipped work that afternoon to focus on sewing clothes for her daughter.

She was skilled with her hands, and her sewing was meticulous. However, without a sewing machine, making clothes took time. If she had one, the garments would be ready much faster.

Anil Deshmukh was home that day, as he had a day off. While contemplating strategies to compete for a workshop supervisor position at the factory, he listened to his wife's concerns.

"Thankfully, it's late spring, almost summer. The weather isn't too cold, or else Anaya would suffer with just those two thin outfits she brought."

"I wonder how she endured the past winters."

"The Sharma couple pampered Rani, yet they treated Anaya so poorly…"

The more Seema thought about it, the angrier she became.

Anaya looked so frail—like a little chick barely surviving. No matter how she looked at her, she felt heartbroken.

"Anil, can you try to get extra cotton from the factory? I need to make Anaya some warm clothes for winter. Otherwise, she'll fall sick."

"Alright, I'll handle it. Also, I'll ask around about Rani and Anaya's situation."

"Tomorrow, when I go to the factory, I'll see if anyone has malted milk powder. If they do, I'll exchange for it so Anaya can have some."

"Good. She must have suffered a lot. We need to make it up to her."

"We should also take her to the county hospital for a full check-up. She's too thin—it might affect her health in the long run, even her future ability to have children."

Anil nodded. Remembering Anaya's fragile frame, even thinner than the orphan girls in the village, his heart ached.

She was his and Seema's biological daughter, after all.

"How about I take her now? Since I'm off today, and tomorrow I have work."

"That's a good idea."

"Alright, I'll go wake her up."