Chapter 264: Two Hundred Sixty Three, Unforeseen Event Chapter 264: Two Hundred Sixty Three, Unforeseen Event Song Yan Ning saw Yang Lisheng and Li Meixiang and quickly ran towards them, “Grandpa! Grandma!”
Li Meixiang smiled and opened her arms. When Song Yan Ning rushed into her embrace, she affectionately tousled her soft, black, and shiny hair, “Did you have fun abroad?”
“Yep,” Song Yan Ning said coquettishly, hugging Li Meixiang and grinning at her, “I’ll take you and grandpa with me next time.” Although she didn’t like traveling, she wanted to take her grandparents out for fun. They had worked hard all their lives, and it was time for them to enjoy themselves.
“Okay!” Li Meixiang nodded her head happily.
Yang Lisheng saw Song Yan Ning turn to look at him, smiled, and nodded his head, “Okay!” As long as Xiao Ning was happy, that was good enough.
“Xiao Ning, have some water.” Yang Xin’er handed a bottle of mineral water to Song Yan Ning. She felt somewhat envious of her parents. If only she and Xiao Ning could become that close as well.
“Are you Xin’er?” Zhou Xiaoqi walked up to Yang Xin’er and looked at her with a smile.
“Are you… Zhou Xiaoqi?” It took Yang Xin’er a while to remember who the person in front of her was.
“It’s been a long time, you still look so young.” Zhou Xiaoqi looked on enviously at Yang Xin’er. Both she and Xiao Yue were happy women; only happiness could make someone look younger as they lived.
Yang Xin’er smiled, “Did you meet Xiao Yue on the plane?” If it weren’t for the Medicine Pill given by Xiao Ning, she wouldn’t even be on par with Xiaoqi.
“We met in Country Y. I’m going to stay in the country now after this return.” Zhou Xiaoqi was really happy in her heart. She had finally returned to her motherland and was about to see her family again. She didn’t call them when she came back—she planned to give them a surprise.
“That’s great. We can go shopping together and have afternoon tea together from now on,” Yang Xin’er looked at Zhou Xiaoqi with joy. She used to dislike Zhou Xiaoqi, mainly because Xiaoqi’s family background was average, and she felt Zhou Xiaoqi wasn’t suitable to hang out with her and Xiao Yue, as it would lower their status. After her marital mishap, she had realized many things.
Liu Shanyue looked at Yang Xin’er with surprise. This time, seeing her, she felt that Xin’er had changed a lot. The Xin’er of the past had seemed aloof and arrogant, while now she had become much gentler. Also, she must have come today to pick up Xiao Ning, because Liu Shanyue hadn’t told her that they were returning home today. Moreover, they hadn’t been in touch for some days.
Noticing Liu Shanyue’s surprised look, Yang Xin’er turned her head and smiled, “Xiao Yue, do you have a ride to pick you up?” The car she drove today couldn’t fit that many people.
Liu Shanyue nodded her head, “My car is parked in the airport parking lot.” It seemed that one really had to go through some experiences to change. The current Xin’er was very pleasant to look at. Liu Shanyue hoped she could stay this way forever.
“Well then, we’ll be leaving first and will make plans with you another day.” Yang Xin’er waved to Liu Shanyue and Zhou Xiaoqi, “Dad, Mom, Xiao Ning, let’s go home.”
“Xin’er has changed a lot,” Zhou Xiaoqi said, smiling as she watched the backs of Yang Xin’er’s family recede. She remembered that back in university, Yang Xin’er always looked down on her, especially when she was with Xiao Yue.
“Mhm,” Liu Shanyue nodded her head.
After parting with Liu Shanyue and Qin Yushen, Zhou Xiaoqi relied on her memory to return to her own home. She hadn’t been home for over a decade and wondered if her parents still lived at the same place.
Walking through the familiar yet strange alley, Zhou Xiaoqi’s mind flashed with scenes from the past, like watching a movie.
Finally, she arrived at her family’s doorstep.
Zhou Xiaoqi inhaled deeply, a bit nervous, and hesitated before knocking on the door.
Soon, a somewhat low voice came from the yard, “Coming!”
The courtyard door opened, and a middle-aged woman appeared before Zhou Xiaoqi.
Zhou Xiaoqi stared for a long time, unable to remember who the woman in front of her was, “Excuse me, does Zhou Yiqian live here?”
“Are you Xiaoqi?” The middle-aged woman recognized Zhou Xiaoqi.
Zhou Xiaoqi nodded, “And you are?”
“I’m your sister-in-law Fang Yan, let’s go inside and talk.” Fang Yan stepped forward to help Zhou Xiaoqi with her luggage.
“Big sister-in-law, how are my parents and elder brother doing?” Zhou Xiaoqi asked, looking at Fang Yan. When she left Beijing, her sister-in-law was still a young girl, now aged so much that Zhou Xiaoqi hardly recognized her, which showed how hard these years had been.
“Mom passed away a few years ago; dad has been paralyzed for several years now, and your elder brother became disabled from an accident at the construction site,” Fang Yan shook her head with a sigh. If it weren’t for her taking several jobs and struggling to support the family, their household would have been long gone.
“How could this happen?” Zhou Xiaoqi was in disbelief. Although her family’s circumstances couldn’t be compared with Xiao Yue and Xinxin, they had been considered comfortably off. How could they have fallen to such a state? And her elder brother was a graduate of Beijing University, how could he stoop to working on a construction site?
“Who’s there?” Zhou Xiaojun hobbled out of the house with the aid of crutches. Seeing the luggage-toting Zhou Xiaoqi, he paused, “Are you Xiaoqi?”
“Elder brother, I’m back,” Zhou Xiaoqi said as tears uncontrollably streamed down her face. All these years, she had thought her family was doing well, and only now did she realize how much they had suffered. It was all her fault; if she hadn’t been so blind to marry Jason, she wouldn’t have been unable to return home, and she wouldn’t have missed seeing her mother for the last time.
“It’s good you’re back,” Zhou Xiaojun said, nodding with a smile as his eyes involuntarily reddened. All these years, Xiaoqi had never made contact with the family. They had pulled many strings to find her but had not heard even a whisper. They had even feared she might have come to harm.
Zhou Xiaoqi stepped forward and embraced Zhou Xiaojun, crying, “Elder brother, I’m sorry! It’s all my fault. I will find a way to heal your leg.” Even if it meant spending all her money, she was determined to cure her brother and father.
“Okay!” Zhou Xiaojun smiled and nodded. However, deep inside he knew his leg was beyond healing; his life was destined to be that of a disabled person.
Hearing about her family’s suffering in recent years, Zhou Xiaoqi was filled with remorse, “Dad! Elder brother! I know a very skilled doctor. She will definitely be able to cure you.” She had heard from Xiao Yue that Song Yan Ning had great medical skills; perhaps she could ask her to see her family.
Zhou’s father gave a bitter smile, “Xiaoqi, have you been doing well these years?”
“Good, I’ve been doing very well,” Zhou Xiaoqi replied, not wanting her family to know of her own hardships all these years. They had already suffered so much; she didn’t want them to feel sorrow for her.
“How about your husband?” Fang Yan asked. When Xiaoqi had gotten married, she had called the family.
“He passed away.” Thinking of Jason, Zhou Xiaoqi’s heart was filled with resentment. If it hadn’t been for him, how could she have possibly been kept away from her family for so many years.