Chapter 207: I want to go to school with my sister

"Mom, let's go inside to talk." Zhou Feng helped Bai's mother walk into the house, without even glancing at the girl who claimed to be her daughter.

"Xiao Feng, let me tell you, Xinya is so clueless! How could she, for an outsider, even neglect her own biological daughter! She's just been bewitched." Bai's mother chattered on.

Zhou Feng quickly replied in words, but his face showed little expression.

The girl behind looked at Zhou Feng, her complexion somewhat unpleasant; Bai's mother didn't notice, but she did see it—the way Zhou Feng had just looked at her, cold enough to make her heart jump.

She had thought that upon arriving, she would immediately replace An'an, being cherished in everyone's palms, but she hadn't expected to be met with this situation, which made her somewhat uneasy.

Fortunately, Bai's mother's behavior was completely normal; otherwise she surely wouldn't have been able to hold on.

Upon entering the room, Zhou Feng first comforted Bai's mother, then carefully questioned the girl about how she had spent these years, what happened after she was abducted, and how she was found.

The girl cried with red-rimmed eyes: "After being abducted, I came down with a high fever and forgot everything."

The people who bought me were an elderly couple without children; seeing that I didn't cry, fuss, or speak, they thought I was simple-minded, so they didn't pay much attention to me.

Recently, I accidentally fell into the river and suddenly recalled my childhood memories, so I secretly ran back."

As for where she was abducted and everything there, she remembers nothing, only that it was in a big mountain.

Upon hearing this, Bai's mother felt both heartache and relief; her granddaughter must have suffered greatly out there these years, but fortunately she had good fortune and a strong life, returning alive.

After hearing this, Su Ruo couldn't help but frown slightly; a girl who had never attended school and couldn't even remember place names—could she really make it back to Kyoto on her own, a thousand miles away?

Although Su Ruo harbored doubts, she said nothing; Bai's mother already suspected her, and if she spoke again, Bai's mother would likely think she was trying to sow discord.

Fortunately, Zhou Feng shared Su Ruo's suspicion; having spent many years in official circles, he could naturally spot the loopholes in the girl's story at a glance.

But Zhou Feng said nothing, only continually comforting Bai's mother.

At this moment the girl knelt directly before Zhou Feng and Bai Xinya, saying: "I am an unfilial daughter, causing my parents and grandmother to worry."

Bai's mother hurriedly helped her up, saying: "How could this be your fault? If blame is to be assigned, it should go to those damned traffickers."

But it's good that our family is reunited again; from now on we'll live together, never to be separated.

Bai's mother suggested that Zhou Feng and Bai Xinya move in with her, but the girl refused, saying she didn't want her return to change her parents' lives.

Moreover, she knew her parents loved her younger sister very much and didn't want them to be separated from her because of her.

Upon hearing this, Bai's mother felt even more heartache, thinking her granddaughter was so sensible—what hardships must she have endured to develop such a nature.

This also made her resentful toward her daughter and son-in-law, unable to understand how, after finally finding her granddaughter, they as parents could show so little enthusiasm.

After some discussion, the girl and Bai's mother both decided to stay, living together in the siheyuan next door that Zhou Feng had bought.

Previously, because Su Ruo wasn't home, Bai Xinya and Zhou Feng had stayed at her place for convenience in caring for An'an.

But fortunately, the siheyuan they bought, though unoccupied, had always been kept clean, so they could move in right away.

Others living in their own homes, Su Ruo naturally had no objection.

That evening, Zhou Feng and Bai Xinya moved over together at Bai's mother's strong insistence.

However, for dinner they still ate together at Su Ruo's place, because the girl said she liked everyone eating together and also wanted to spend more time with her little sister An'an.

Zhou's mother had already told her An'an's identity, so she spoke with noticeably more confidence.

Zhou Feng didn't know what he had said to Bai Xinya, but her attitude improved greatly, no longer as cold as before.

After dinner, Zhou Meng suggested visiting An'an's room; An'an frowned slightly but did not refuse.

Looking at the piano in An'an's room, she said with a face full of envy: "My sister is truly fortunate to have such a fine piano—I couldn't even play it, and I've never even seen one like it before."

After saying that, she looked hopefully at An'an and asked: "An'an, may I touch your piano?"

Although she said that, she didn't wait for An'an's response; her hand had already landed on the piano. Having just finished eating, she hadn't washed her hands, and a layer of grease on them transferred onto the piano.

An'an coldly said, "No." But it was already too late; she immediately stepped forward and pulled the girl's hand away.

An'an has a bit of a cleanliness obsession, with a strong sense of ownership over her belongings; just now Zhou Meng touched and dirtied her piano without her consent, already crossing her bottom line.

Zhou Meng's eyes immediately reddened, and she apologized aggrievedly: "Sorry, I just liked it so much that I reached out to touch it—I didn't mean to, please don't be angry."

Seeing this, Bai's mother's heart instantly flared with anger: "It's just a broken piano! What's the big deal? Sweetie, don't be upset—I'll buy you one, Grandma."

"Mom, this piano was handcrafted by the foreign piano master Leifute; it's the only one in the country, and even money can't buy another."

Bai's mother's face instantly turned ashen with anger; she felt her daughter had come today just to anger her, otherwise why would she keep elbowing outward?

Seeing this, Zhou Meng hurriedly said: "Grandma, I don't want the piano; I can't play it anyway—I just want to look."

Bai's mother looked at the well-behaved, sensible granddaughter, her heart swelling with even more pity, and she lovingly stroked Zhou Meng's hair, saying:

"Sweetie, rest assured; from now on, whatever you want, Grandma will buy it for you—you'll have everything others have."

Zhou Meng's eyes immediately lit up as she said: "Really, Grandma? Then I'd like to go to school—may I?"

Bai's mother immediately replied: "Of course you can; my dear granddaughter wanting to go to school is a good thing—I'll definitely send you to the best school."

"No need, Grandma; I want to go to the same school as my sister, so I can go to and from school together with her." Zhou Meng said happily.

Bai's mother was not too willing, fearing An'an would bully her granddaughter, but seeing the granddaughter happy, she couldn't bear to refuse.

Thus she suppressed her reluctance and, with a slight warning, told An'an: "From now on, your sister Mengmeng will study at the same school as you; you must look after her well and not let anyone bully her, understand?"

An'an was still wiping the piano, head not lifting, and said: "I'm afraid that won't work."

Bai's mother immediately raised her voice: "How can it not work? Aunt Bai has looked after you for so long, been so good to you; now all I ask is that you look after her daughter, and you won't even do that—do you have any conscience left?"

Bai's mother thought An'an was simply an ungrateful white-eyed wolf; her daughter actually, for the sake of such a little girl, didn't even want her own biological daughter.