Chapter 255: Chapter 229 Past Events (7 Updates)
Western Restaurant
Since the matter of Sheng Chendong was mentioned, Zhao Shimeng did not hide anything either.
She candidly told Qiao Yuxian about the events of that year.
She and Sheng Chendong were college classmates.
The two of them got together during their freshman year.
Their relationship was always good, and they planned to get married after graduation.
But just after graduating, Sheng Chendong disappeared.
She searched for a long time but couldn’t find him or contact him. It was as if Sheng Chendong had vanished into thin air, disappearing overnight.
For three years, Zhao Shimeng searched for him.
In the end, she was disheartened and also pressured by her family to get married.
Just then, a matchmaker showed up, and she went on a blind date.
The blind date was with Qiao Yu. They only met once, and neither had objections, so the two families arranged the marriage.
A few months later, they got married.
A year later, Zhao Shimeng became pregnant.
Seven months into her pregnancy, Sheng Chendong, who had been missing for more than five years, suddenly appeared in front of her.
Like a madwoman, Zhao Shimeng hit him and then gave him the silent treatment for a month.
During this month of silent treatment, she vented all her anger on the child inside her and on Qiao Yu.
In the end, she still decided to go with Sheng Chendong.
At that time, she was already eight months pregnant.
She confessed to Qiao Yu and also informed the elders of the Qiao Family.
Then she wanted to have an induced abortion to remove the child in her belly.
When Zhao Shimeng talked about Sheng Chendong and the divorce, Qiao Yu didn’t say a word.
It was only when she mentioned the abortion that he suddenly said, "You’ve had a hard time during the pregnancy, and there’s only so much I can share. I have limited say over the life and death of this child, but considering that he’s already formed, can we let him have a life?"
The elders of the Qiao Family didn’t speak the entire time.
It was only after their son spoke that Old Mrs. Qiao added, "The child is already so developed; an induced abortion could still have a likelihood of survival, and being premature has higher risks of being unhealthy. Below full term, it’s almost like another birth and can greatly harm the mother. We understand your feelings, but we hope you’ll reconsider."
In the end, Zhao Shimeng and Sheng Chendong agreed to give birth to the child and leave after the postpartum period was over...
Except for her wish to abort the child, Zhao Shimeng shared almost everything from those years with Qiao Yuxian.
Qiao Yuxian listened quietly.
Even if she hadn’t been told, Qiao Yuxian could tell from some things her aunt had said that at that time she must have also deeply resented the child in her belly.
Not so much resented her who was still in the womb then.
Resented how fate played with her.
But this resentment had nowhere to go, and in the end, it was all directed at the child in her belly.
"Your father is a very, very good person," Zhao Shimeng said, "He’s very gentlemanly, even a bit reserved with his emotions at times. But he knows how to care for people and accommodates them a lot. I married him under such circumstances, and though I was always irritable, when I wanted to talk, I talked to him. When I didn’t want to talk, if he uttered a word, I got unbelievably annoyed."
The dishes they ordered had all been served.
Qiao Yuxian slowly cut the steak in front of her while listening to her speak.
Zhao Shimeng got up and brought her own steak over, helping her cut it, continuing, "I often had mood swings, inexplicably and for no reason, yet he never once spoke harshly to me."
Qiao Yuxian pressed her lips slightly, suddenly feeling a pang of sympathy for her dad.
"He was great, and I’m not worthy of his love," Zhao Shimeng said, "Ill-suited people forced together will only be endlessly angry, endure grievances, and feel every day is a year."
Zhao Shimeng finished cutting the steak and gave it to her.
Qiao Yuxian took it with both hands: "Thank you."
Zhao Shimeng shook her head with a smile.
Looking at the pretty and well-behaved young girl in front of her, she thought about how if she had really gone through with the abortion back then or somehow harmed the child in her womb...
"Yu Xian."
"Hmm?" Qiao Yuxian looked at her.
Looking into her clear eyes, Zhao Shimeng paused and asked, "Do you hate me?"
Qiao Yuxian was slightly stunned for a moment, then shook her head: "I don’t hate you."
She gave a very straightforward answer.
Indeed, she didn’t hate her.
As a child, she had complaints and hopes, but now she didn’t have much emotion stemming just from the fact that she was born.
Hearing this answer, Zhao Shimeng’s smile carried some bitterness.
At this moment, she actually hoped she would hate her, even just a little.
If there was hate, it would mean she still had expectations of her.
If not, it would mean that she was insignificant in her life.
After a while of silence, Zhao Shimeng, somewhat unwilling, asked, "Yu Xian, if you encountered the same situation as I did when I was young, what would you choose?"
Qiao Yuxian looked at her.
Zhao Shimeng said, "Would you choose to be with someone you love, or choose to live a life of resignation with someone you don’t like?"
Qiao Yuxian looked at her for a moment, then gently said, "I can only hope not to encounter such a situation."
Hearing her answer, Zhao Shimeng’s eyes wavered slightly, then she smiled and said, "I hope our Yu Xian is always happy and joyful."
"Thank you," Qiao Yuxian replied.
...
Qiao Yuxian did not return to Fenglin Villa in the evening, so Gu Yanjing did not bother to go back for dinner either.
He attended a charity dinner.
At the charity event venue, everyone was networking.
Only Gu Yanjing was upstairs, quietly watching the event below through the glass.
Occasionally, someone would come up but wouldn’t stay long, just greeting him, chatting a bit, and then leaving.
Most people were quite wary of Gu Yanjing, but the Gu Group was like the Wealth God Temple, and Gu Yanjing himself was the God of Wealth.
Even if afraid, they would boldly come over to greet him.
Gu Yanjing sat quietly upstairs in the venue, and before long, Lin Huai Shu came up.
"Yanjing, how come you have time to come out today? Is the little sister-in-law not at home?" Lin Huai Shu teased Gu as soon as he arrived.
Gu Yanjing glanced at him, not wanting to respond.
Since he came, he had watched Lin Huai Shu chat with almost everyone in the venue before coming upstairs.
"I guessed right," Lin Huai Shu sneered, "The little sister-in-law didn’t want you tonight."
As he spoke, preparing to sit in the chair next to Gu Yanjing,
he was about to sit down when Gu Yanjing stretched his leg, kicking the chair a bit out of place.
Lin Huai Shu just managed to sit on the edge of the chair.
If Gu Yanjing pushed a little harder, he’d have sat on the floor.
"Gu Yanjing!" Lin Huai Shu shouted.
Gu Yanjing lifted his eyelids to look at him.
The moment their eyes met, Lin Huai Shu’s bulldog spirit to spar with Gu Yanjing instantly deflated: "Nothing, nothing."
He adjusted the chair and sat down, saying, "Just calling you by your name, it’s been a long time; I was afraid I’d forget your surname."
Shang Chen, standing at the door, suddenly chuckled when he heard his words.
A very brief laugh.
Hearing the sound, Lin Huai Shu looked towards the door and saw only Shang Chen standing there. He looked at him, then at Gu Yanjing, saying, "Did he... just laugh?"
Gu Yanjing didn’t reply, tacitly confirming.
Lin Huai Shu looked scared, looked at Shang Chen again, then turned to Gu Yanjing and asked, "What’s happened? Did he even learn to laugh? Who taught him? Who softened my Brother Chen?"
Shang Chen always had a painted-on smile.
And that fake smile could be very intimidating.
Genuinely hearing him laugh like this was a first.
Whether before or not, anyway, it was Lin Huai Shu’s first time hearing it.
Gu Yanjing gave him a look but said nothing, though Lin Huai Shu noticed a fleeting smile in his eyes.
He understood.
"The little sister-in-law is truly remarkable," Lin Huai Shu commented, "She can not only melt the big ice block but also the iron lump."
...