Zhuang Zijin was washing the vegetables. Upon her daughter’s question, she stopped. “Why did you suddenly think of this?”
Lin Xinyan lowered her head. “I just wanted to know. After all, when we were engaged, I was just two. Why did you…”
“I don’t remember the past well.” Zhuang Zijin did not seem to want to talk about the past. She placed the washed vegetables into the fridge drawer. She looked at her daughter, then saw her expression. “Tell me, what happened?”
Lin Xinyan could see that Zhuang Zijin did not want to talk about it, and so she did not persist. Instead, she took the opportunity and asked, “Mrs. William wants to open a branch and let me be in charge—”
“This is good news.” Zhuang Zijin answered.
She pushed her daughter aside. “I’ll cut the vegetables.”
Lin Xinyan moved aside and leaned against the stove. “The branch is at—”
“What?”
Before Lin Xinyan could finish her sentence, Zhuang Zijin interrupted her. She also knew about LEO’s rule—they would not have any branches.
Why did Mrs. William want to open branches now?
Zhuang Zijin frowned. The recent events had been unusual. She put down her knife, wiped her hands on the apron, and held onto her daughter’s arm. “Tell me honestly. Is this related to him?”
She could not hide this. If she were to go back, Zhuang Zijin would know it eventually.
“Yes.” Lin Xinyan admitted.
“What were you thinking?” Zhuang Zijin was furious as she glared at her. How could she have forgotten about it?
“Tell me, what situation you were in? When you were experiencing your worst moments in life, where was he? If it was not for Doctor He, you would not be here now. How could you not know who is good and who is bad?”
Lin Xinyan turned her head away. That was true, she did not want to return—partially because of her past, and partially because of Zong Jinghao.
She knew it was a deal, and yet when he mentioned the divorce, she was still sad.
The accident that came afterwards made her even more tired, physically and mentally.
That was why she did not want to return to that place where everything happened.
“Mrs. William was determined. If I don’t go back, I might lose my job.” She was the only breadwinner in the family. This job was important to her.
Zhuang Zijin picked the knife back up and sliced the potato. She was quiet for moment before answering. “It’s not that you can’t go back.”
Lin Xinyan was surprised that Zhuang Zijin would let her go.
“But I have a condition.”
Lin Xinyan sighed; she knew that she would not have easily agreed.
“If you promise to marry Doctor He, I’ll let you go.” Zhuang Zijin said.
In comparison with Zong Jinghao, she had better impression of He Ruize, who had always been helping Lin Xinyan.
“Mom—”
“This is not up for discussion. If you want to jump off the cliff, I can’t be the one pushing you. You’re my daughter and I only want the best for you. What’s bad about Doctor He? He has good looks and capability. Most importantly, he likes you. How many men could wait for six years—” Zhuang Zijin looked at her daughter. “Is your heart made of stone? Could you not see his efforts?”
It was true. He Ruize was great. In her most difficult moments, he was beside her. He helped with her family and he took care of her.
She knew.
“I—”
“If he minded you being pregnant, would he have waited for you so long?” Zhuang Zijin was worried that He Ruize might mind about Lin Xinyan’s pregnancy. However, his actions change her mind.
If he minded, he would not have stayed beside her for so long.
Lin Xinyan was still young, she could not stay single for the rest of her life. In Zhuang Zijin’s eyes, He Ruize was the best choice.
He was much better than that man who knew Lin Xinyan was pregnant, and yet agreed to only have a one-month marriage just to fulfil the engagement promise.
Lin Xinyan looked down at her toes. She knew that Zhuang Zijin’s words were right.
Zhuang Zijin however did not know that He Ruize’s mother had looked for her.
She was human, and her heart was not made of stone. She had once thought about being with He Ruize.
After all, he did treat her well.
However, Lin Xinyan did not want to tell Zhuang Zijin about this matter. Zhuang Zijin had been worried about her future. She was worried that her daughter would not be able to find another suitable man now that she had children.
If she told Zhuang Zijin that He Ruize’s mother had looked for her and told her that she did not want her to marry He Ruize, her mother would be upset. Zhuang Zijin would worry even more about her future.
“Mom, I won’t be happy marrying someone I don’t love.”
“He likes you, and he’s nice to you. Isn’t that enough? Feelings can grow. When you’re married and living together, you will feel something for him eventually.” Zhuang Zijin tried her best to advise Lin Xinyan.
Lin Xinyan felt at a loss. She lowered her head and rubbed her forehead, feeling an unprecedented exhaustion.
Zong Jinghao’s coercion. Zhuang Zijin’s incomprehension.
It made her feel powerless.
“Mommy.”
Lin Xichen stood at the entrance of the kitchen. He was small, but he stood straight. He was eavesdropping on Lin Xinyan and Zhuang Zijin’s conversation earlier, and he knew what they were talking about.
“Mommy, we were born in Country Z. Ruixi and I have never been to mommy’s hometown. Now that we’re going back, isn’t it something good?” Lin Xichen asked with a naive look on his face.
“You’re a kid, what do you know?” Zhuang Zijin waved her hand, signaling him to watch his sister in the living room.
“Although I’m still young, I have rights to choose. I agree with mommy going back.” Lin Xichen had a serious look on his face. “Mommy gave birth to me, and I’m also a citizen of Country Z. I’ll have to go back.”
Lin Xinyan and Zhuang Zijin looked at each other. They had never mentioned anything about their father.
Lin Xinyan had only mentioned the results of He Ruize’s investigation once. Their father was likely from Country A. However, her children looked like Lin Xinyan which was why they looked like they were from Country Z with no hints of Country A genes.
That was also something Lin Xinyan felt relieved about. Her children had the same skin color and facial features as her instead of having blond hair and blue eyes.
“Xichen.” Lin Xinyan called her son.
“Mommy, let’s go back. I want to see how mommy’s hometown looks like.” Lin Xichen blinked, and watched her with hopeful eyes.
Lin Xinyan walked over and hugged her son tightly. She felt her throat tightened, and she did not dare to speak.
Zhuang Zijin did not bear to say anything else, but her attitude held firm. “Think about what I told you.”
“Grandma, if mommy doesn’t like uncle, why do you want them to be together?” Lin Xichen had a matured look on him. “My mommy needs someone more suitable.”
Zhuang Zijin huffed with a smile on her face. What did he know at age five?
“Tell me, who do you think is suitable for mommy?”
Lin Xichen raised his head. “I’m not telling you.”
He was still looking for it.
He had asked his teacher about this. His teacher had told him that for his mother’s situation, she had to look for a man who was more handsome and richer than her ex-husband. That was how she could make her heartless ex-husband regret.
Let him know it was his loss to abandon mommy!
He had already found out that Zong Jinghao was at Country Z. That was why he wanted to go back.
His teacher had told him that knowing the enemy well will win him the battle.
Not only did he want to look for a better man for mommy, he also wanted to take revenge on that heartless man!
He Ruize did not fit into his ideal requirement. He was better than the average person, but he was still much behind from Zong Jinghao.
His mommy could not marry a man worse than Zong Jinghao.
She had to marry someone even better than him!
