“Mom…” she said uneasily. Her voice was tiny, but a great improvement nonetheless.
Mama Lei heard it too.
Mama Lei touched Yi Ling’s short hair. “We are family now. Don’t worry, Mom and Dad are both open-minded. We didn’t have a girl in the Lei Family, but you will be our daughter from now on.”
“What about me?” asked Lei Qingyi, pointing to himself. If the daughter-in-law becomes a daughter, what happens to the son?
Mama Lei shot him a look. “Who cares about a brute like you? You can be our son-in-law.”
Yi Ling chuckled. Initially, she was afraid that Lei Qingyi’s parents would be hard to get along with, but it seemed like her concern was unnecessary. They were indeed good folks.
Mama Lei and Papa Lei both treated Yi Ling like their own daughter. Anything good, they kept it for her. The way they treated their son paled in comparison.
Like what Mama Lei said, “Who cares about a brute like you?” Keeping him fed was enough.
“You alright?” Yan Huan asked Yi Ling, who kept hardly keep a smile off her face these days. Any woman becomes a fool in the face of love. She wasn’t all that bright originally, and even stupider now.
“Yeah,” she replied. Thankfully, Yan Huan still had a rational secretary that made sure her daily work went smoothly. She had to go overseas for a shoot soon. Yi Ling was pretty much hopeless now, so she couldn’t depend on her.
Yi Ling suddenly hugged Yan Huan.
“Huanhuan, remember how poor we were when it was just the two of us? We had to share a white bun. Things have finally gotten better.”
“I don’t want to go back to those days again, Huanhuan. I mean it.”
“We won’t.”
Yan Huan glanced at the clear sky outside the window. They couldn’t go back to those days even if they wanted to. Life will only get better from here on.
When she had turned around, Yi Ling was already asleep, a smile hanging on her face.
Yan Huan resigned to being Yi Ling’s body pillow. She closed her eyes. It was as though she had gone back to the days when Mama Yan was still alive. At that time, they were young and guileless. They thought that was what heaven must have been like.
Then, Mama Yan was gone. That’s when life became hell, and they lived on the edge of hell for two lives.
Yan Huan was thinking whether it was time to prepare a bridal gift for Yi Ling. She still had quite a lot in the bank, not to mention the sizable returns from investing in Hello, Uncle! She planned to open an account under Yi Ling’s name and save all that money inside.
She will live well in this life. For sure.
She dozed off, returning to the time when she was little.
A young woman gently brushed her fingers against her daughter’s face as she placed a small bowl before her.
“Huanhuan, you have to eat properly to grow into a pretty woman.”
“Like Mama?” asked the little girl, her bright eyes blinking nonstop.
The woman squat down and patted her face. “Yes. Huanhuan will become even prettier than Mama.”
The little girl laughed merrily, her small cheeks like a freshly-bloomed flower flourishing its beauty.
“Remember to take care of your older sister, Huanhuan. You have to protect yourself too. If Mama’s not around one day, don’t get cheated by others. There are many bad people in this world.”
“Mhm!” the little girl nodded hard, remembering her words.
But she eventually forgot what she remembered.
She made her sister die, and made herself die too.
She cried for what seemed like forever.
That was when a large hand touched her face.
“There, there. Don’t cry. Everything’s alright now.”
Yan Huan opened her eyes. Yi Ling was already gone. After a lifetime, she had finally met him.
“There, there,” said Lu Yi, holding her cheeks in his hands.
Yan Huan smiled at him, a wistful smile that contained a deep sorrow.
Lu Yi caressed her face like how her mother used to do.
There are many bad people in this world, did you have a bad dream?
Yan Huan shook her head and gently tapped her head against Lu Yi.
“Want to hear some good news?” asked Lu Yi.
She was crying her heart out, but she wouldn’t speak of what she dreamt of or encountered. If she didn’t say it, he would not ask. He knew that she would tell him if she wanted to. Asking her again was no different from rending her heart.
“Yes,” nodded Yan Huan. She was obedient as a little girl at this moment. Still, a stubborn little girl.
“I have sued Miao Xinyuan. The court will be in session in a few days.”
Lu Yi was a man of his words. No matter who Miao Xinyuan pleaded to now, he would not take back his lawsuit.
“What will happen to her?” asked Yan Huan without much emotion. That woman had made her suffer a little, but she was fine now, wasn’t she? She wasn’t too sure why Lu Yi had to sue her.
Not like she didn’t like the idea.
“She will be trialed in the martial court. Breaking the law as an officer wasn’t a minor offense, and she would be dismissed from the service and stripped of her rank,” said Lu Yi, sprucing up Yan Huan’s hair. There was something hidden in his dark pupils, something Yan Huan didn’t know. She didn’t look too deeply into it.
Some things were too cruel. Lu Yi hoped that she would never find out.
He himself can shoulder all the bad things. As long as she was happy and doing what she wanted to do, that was enough.
As for Miao Xinyuan, he will go to any length to put her to justice.
Right now, there was a strong killing intent around him, but Yan Huan didn’t notice it. Emotionally, she was in the palace Lu Yi had built for her, being treated like a princess. At the same time, it dulled her senses.
Mama Lei came happily to Ye Shuyun to discuss Lei Qingyi’s marriage.
“Sister, I’m going to have to ask for your help.”
“What is it?” asked Ye Shuyun. Little Bean, quite the large creature now, nestled lazily in her arms.
“It’s about my Lingling. She doesn’t have parents, so I was thinking…”
“So that’s what this is about. Don’t worry, I’ll help you,” said Ye Shuyun. “I’ll ask Dad to adopt her as a god-granddaughter.
“Thanks, Sister.”
Mama Lei didn’t actually think of asking Ye Sr. to take Yi Ling as god-granddaughter. She was hoping that Ye Shuyun would take her as goddaughter. It wasn’t easy to put her in the Lu Family after all.
It turned out that Ye Shuyun had a better plan in mind. If the Lu Family won’t do, there’s always the Ye Family.
