Chapter 350: Such a Coincidence?

Wenren Lan hadn’t expected so much to have happened in the past year. She had gone to her old home only to find the house had been sold. When she couldn’t reach Du’Er’s father by phone, she finally contacted Wenren Meng.

As her sister finished her story, Wenren Lan lightly tapped her finger on the rim of her cup, a dull, oppressive weight settling over her.

She didn’t have deep feelings for her husband. Their marriage had been a family arrangement that brought her to Qingzhou in the first place, and over more than a decade, she had spent very little time with Du’Er’s father. But her heart always ached for her daughter. The situation a year ago had been an emergency. Before leaving, she had specifically left one million yuan for her family, hoping her parents and sister could help look after Du’Er. Who would have thought that Du’Er’s father would sell the house and gamble all the money away in the stock market?

She was even more horrified to learn that Du’Er, a thirteen-year-old girl, had lived alone for nearly a week, facing the landlord’s harsh demands for rent every day. Thank God she met a kind person who took her in. Otherwise, before Wenren Meng even arrived in Qingzhou, who knows how much more the poor girl would have suffered.

“I’m such a terrible mother. Du’Er must hate me.”

‘If I hadn’t been gone for so long, and completely out of contact, maybe Du’Er’s father wouldn’t have left. She wouldn’t have had to go through that period of being so alone and helpless.’

Wenren Meng shook her head. “Du’Er is very understanding, much more mature than other kids her age. She often told me that you must have had your reasons.”

Her daughter’s maturity pierced straight through Wenren Lan’s defenses. She looked down and sipped her coffee as tears streamed down her face.

“I’ve failed her. I’m a bad mother.”

Wenren Meng handed her a wet wipe. “Sister, she’s already made it through the hardest part. She’s very happy every day now.”

Wenren Lan nodded, understanding her sister’s meaning. ‘What’s past is past. There’s no point dwelling on it. I should focus on the present and the future.’

“Sister, what kind of family took Du’Er in?”

Her sister had only said that someone took her in, but Wenren Lan hadn’t asked for details about their family.

Wenren Meng said, “Mr. Yang is a very good person. He has a regular job, but he also runs his own business. As for his family situation, I don’t know much.”

After she gave a simple description of Yang Hui’s age and personality, Wenren Lan’s brow furrowed. ‘A young man took Du’Er in? How could that be acceptable?’

“Sister, you two should move out tomorrow. Stay with me in a hotel for now. I’ll find some time in the next few days to buy a house, and then we can all live together. As for that Mr. Yang, I’ll pay him a visit to thank him personally and offer him some compensation.”

Wenren Meng knew what her sister was worried about; she had been concerned herself at first. But after spending so much time with him, she found that while Mr. Yang’s gaze could be a little lecherous, he was actually a very good person. This was especially true with Du’Er. It was clear he was raising her as if she were his own daughter. And Du’Er had grown very attached to Mr. Yang. If they just moved out now, the little girl would surely be upset again.

She voiced her concerns, telling Wenren Lan that if they forced the issue, the little girl might not agree to move. Even if she did, she would be miserable. The child had matured early and had a mind of her own; it would be best to hear her opinion before making any arrangements.

Wenren Lan fell into thought for a moment. She couldn’t believe her daughter had grown so fond of him. From her sister’s description, this attachment was far stronger than what she ever felt for her own father. She understood why. Du’Er’s father had never cared much for her, even when she was little, and then so much had happened afterward. ‘The little one has probably transferred all her feelings for a father figure onto Mr. Yang.’

“How about this: you help me schedule a meeting with Mr. Yang. I’ll talk with him, and at the same time, I need to thank him for taking the little one in.”

Wenren Meng nodded. She knew her sister wanted to understand the whole situation before making a decision, and she felt this was the best way to handle it.

“By the way, what is Mr. Yang’s full name?”

“Yang Hui.”

CRASH— The cup in Wenren Lan’s hand slipped and shattered on the floor. Her pupils dilated slightly, then lost focus in the next instant, as if her soul had been ripped from her body.

Her fingers were still curved in the shape of the cup, her knuckles white. The coffee stain spread silently across her dress, like juice trickling from a sliced watermelon.

“Yang Hui… Is it… the Yang Hui from Yanghe Commerce?”

‘Could it really be such a coincidence?’ A monstrous wave crashed through Wenren Lan’s mind.

Wenren Meng was surprised that her sister, having just arrived in Qingzhou, had already heard of Yanghe Commerce, but she immediately confirmed it.

Seeing her sister nod, Wenren Lan felt as if she were in a dream. ‘How could it be such a coincidence? If it’s really him, then there’s no need to rush things.’

“Sister, let’s wait a few days before you contact Mr. Yang. Wait for my word. And, um, don’t tell Du’Er I’m back yet. I’m afraid I won’t have time to see her in the next couple of days, and she’ll think I don’t care about her. Once I’ve handled my business, I’ll come to the house to see her.”

‘My sister’s attitude did a complete 180 after hearing Mr. Yang’s name,’ Wenren Meng thought. ‘She went from distrust to absolute trust… just because of a name?’

“Sister, you need to take good care of Mr. Yang at home, understand?”

Wenren Meng was completely lost. ‘What did my sister mean by that out-of-the-blue comment? I’m his housekeeper; of course I have to take care of him. Besides, considering how much he dotes on Du’Er, I’d make sure he’s well looked after anyway.’

She nodded. “Don’t worry, Sister. I know what to do.”