“Uncle, are we going back to your place now?” Yan Qingsi asked in the car.
“That’s now your place too. But…we’re not going back yet. You’re going to accompany me to a meeting first, and when it’s over, I’ll take you back.” Xia Anlan still thought that it would be best if he kept Yan Qingsi by his side at all times. Otherwise, he would not be at ease.
“Oh…okay.”
Yan Qingsi hesitated a bit before posing her next question: “Uncle, can I…ask you something?”
Xia Anlan smiled. “You want to ask who she is, right?”
Yan Qingsi nodded. “Mmhmm… That’s right.”
She was curious about what relationship Mrs. You had with the Xia family. She acted as though…she were the overseer of the Xias.
Xia Anlan looked at Yan Qingsi. Through her, it was as though he could see her mother. “Your mother was ten years younger than me,” he said slowly. “I was in school when she was born, and I didn’t have much time to accompany her. When she was home, she was the only child. Your grandparents were concerned that she would be lonely, so they adopted Xia Rushuang to accompany your mother.”
Yan Qingsi only understood everything now. “Adopted. Then she…is an adoptive daughter? But why doesn’t she…”
Yan Qingsi wanted to ask why she still called the two Xia elders ‘Uncle’ and ‘Auntie’ even though she was an adoptive daughter of the Xias
Xia Anlan extended a hand and brushed it over Yan Qingsi’s fringe. “Qingsi, the Xia family only had one daughter from start until the end. Do you understand?”
Yan Qingsi was taken aback. She nodded her head.
The Xias only had one daughter. Any others were only adoptees if they were adopted—they would never be their daughter.
1
“I haven’t told you that your mother’s name was Xia Baotong. Her nickname was Little Ai…”
The moment he told her the name, Yan Qingsi suddenly understood everything. These two names were enough to discern how every member of the Xia family had adored and treasured this child. They only had a daughter after a gap of ten years—she was loved and treated as the apple of their eyes.
Baotong. The treasure of one’s eye*.
That one name solidified her position in the family.
It was a pity…that their precious daughter had faced hardship throughout her entire life. She did not know who she really was even when she died.
Yan Qingsi dipped her head. If that kidnap incident had not happened that time, her mother would definitely have a happy life now, just like Mrs. Yue. Even if she was already a mother and over fifty-years-old, she would still be an innocent, naive little girl before her parents.
However, life was like a drama, where it was always unpredictable. After all, many things do not go one’s way…
Xia Anlan noticed that Yan Qingsi’s mood had instantly changed. “What’s wrong?”
Yan Qingsi chuckled at herself, splaying her arms open. “It’s nothing… I was just having wishful thoughts—if only my mother was still alive… It would be great but there’s no room for “what-ifs” in this world. We can’t retake what has already happened. The only thing I can do…is to avenge her and hope that she will find peace in the afterlife.”
Xia Anlan’s heart weighed even heavier. He patted Yan Qingsi’s shoulder. “You’ve suffered all these years. I’ll settle the matter regarding your mother. From now on, just do whatever you want to do. If you want to film movies, go ahead. If you want to play, go ahead.”
When he mentioned filming, Yan Qingsi hesitated for a while. “Uncle… Grandfather doesn’t…seem…to like me…” she said.
“It’s not that he doesn’t like you. It’s just that all his thoughts are focused on your grandmother now,” Xia Anlan reassured her. “He doesn’t have much energy to spare for others. Once your grandmother has recovered, then he’ll like you.”
Yan Qingsi nodded her head, remaining silent.
“Uncle, are we going back to your place now?” Yan Qingsi asked in the car.
“That’s now your place too. But…we’re not going back yet. You’re going to accompany me to a meeting first, and when it’s over, I’ll take you back.” Xia Anlan still thought that it would be best if he kept Yan Qingsi by his side at all times. Otherwise, he would not be at ease.
“Oh…okay.”
Yan Qingsi hesitated a bit before posing her next question: “Uncle, can I…ask you something?”
Xia Anlan smiled. “You want to ask who she is, right?”
Yan Qingsi nodded. “Mmhmm… That’s right.”
She was curious about what relationship Mrs. You had with the Xia family. She acted as though…she were the overseer of the Xias.
Xia Anlan looked at Yan Qingsi. Through her, it was as though he could see her mother. “Your mother was ten years younger than me,” he said slowly. “I was in school when she was born, and I didn’t have much time to accompany her. When she was home, she was the only child. Your grandparents were concerned that she would be lonely, so they adopted Xia Rushuang to accompany your mother.”
Yan Qingsi only understood everything now. “Adopted. Then she…is an adoptive daughter? But why doesn’t she…”
Yan Qingsi wanted to ask why she still called the two Xia elders ‘Uncle’ and ‘Auntie’ even though she was an adoptive daughter of the Xias
Xia Anlan extended a hand and brushed it over Yan Qingsi’s fringe. “Qingsi, the Xia family only had one daughter from start until the end. Do you understand?”
Yan Qingsi was taken aback. She nodded her head.
The Xias only had one daughter. Any others were only adoptees if they were adopted—they would never be their daughter.
1
“I haven’t told you that your mother’s name was Xia Baotong. Her nickname was Little Ai…”
The moment he told her the name, Yan Qingsi suddenly understood everything. These two names were enough to discern how every member of the Xia family had adored and treasured this child. They only had a daughter after a gap of ten years—she was loved and treated as the apple of their eyes.
Baotong. The treasure of one’s eye*.
That one name solidified her position in the family.
It was a pity…that their precious daughter had faced hardship throughout her entire life. She did not know who she really was even when she died.
Yan Qingsi dipped her head. If that kidnap incident had not happened that time, her mother would definitely have a happy life now, just like Mrs. Yue. Even if she was already a mother and over fifty-years-old, she would still be an innocent, naive little girl before her parents.
However, life was like a drama, where it was always unpredictable. After all, many things do not go one’s way…
Xia Anlan noticed that Yan Qingsi’s mood had instantly changed. “What’s wrong?”
Yan Qingsi chuckled at herself, splaying her arms open. “It’s nothing… I was just having wishful thoughts—if only my mother was still alive… It would be great but there’s no room for “what-ifs” in this world. We can’t retake what has already happened. The only thing I can do…is to avenge her and hope that she will find peace in the afterlife.”
Xia Anlan’s heart weighed even heavier. He patted Yan Qingsi’s shoulder. “You’ve suffered all these years. I’ll settle the matter regarding your mother. From now on, just do whatever you want to do. If you want to film movies, go ahead. If you want to play, go ahead.”
When he mentioned filming, Yan Qingsi hesitated for a while. “Uncle… Grandfather doesn’t…seem…to like me…” she said.
“It’s not that he doesn’t like you. It’s just that all his thoughts are focused on your grandmother now,” Xia Anlan reassured her. “He doesn’t have much energy to spare for others. Once your grandmother has recovered, then he’ll like you.”
Yan Qingsi nodded her head, remaining silent.
