Chapter 264

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Protagonist:

Lin Xiyu

"You didn't understand......"

Guben couldn't hold back upon hearing this, turned around, and explained with a straight face: "What my wife means is, the money she earns is hers, and the money I earn is also hers. It's just that what I earn has to support the family, while what she earns she can dispose of as she pleases — that's what's called private savings."

"Is that so?"

Wu Meng looked at Lin Xiyu with interest.

"Full marks for the answer."

Lin Xiyu covered her mouth and smiled.

"Envious."

Wu Meng felt sour again: "When I get home I'll tell Liangzi the same thing, make him measure up to the buddies and put his wife first in everything."

"I think that'll work."

Lin Xiyu nodded, giving very strong support.

"Hahaha."

The two best friends looked at each other and both couldn't help laughing.

——

Opening a new training institution is no small matter; it involves site selection, renting premises, hiring teachers, and a whole series of trivial matters.

For the sake of stability, Lin Xiyu frankly said she needed to consider it and did not give a definite reply.

Not refusing means there's a chance.

Wu Meng automatically took it as agreement, and after eating lunch, happily hugged her precious daughter and went home.

"Do you think opening another training class is suitable or not?"

Lin Xiyu took advantage of the babies' nap time at noon to discuss this matter with Guben.

"Open it!"

Guben expressed support very strongly.

Lin Xiyu's eyes showed joy: "You also think running a class has prospects?"

Guben deliberately tried to please his wife: "No matter what you want to do, I'll support you."

"I'm asking you."

Lin Xiyu feigned displeasure: "Don't listen to these empty words; I want practical advice."

"Ask and the answer is open!"

Guben answered decisively: "Don't doubt your own judgment; opportunity fleets in a flash."

"Then alright......"

Lin Xiyu felt confident: "I'll talk to my female cousin again and have her help me find a suitable shopfront."

"Do you want to rent or buy?"

Guben asked another question before she took out her phone.

"I want to rent."

Lin Xiyu had her own reasons: "There are still twenty days until elementary students go on holiday; buying a property requires renovation and storefront modification, which might not be done in time."

Guben laughed and praised: "Worthy of being my wife, thinking things through so thoroughly."

"I'll tell my female cousin right now......"

Lin Xiyu felt sweet inside, took out her phone and called her female cousin.

Perhaps it was fate in the dark; just as she was about to dial the number, her female cousin's call happened to come in.

"Xiyu ah, something terrible happened, Nana found out she isn't Uncle's biological daughter and ran away from home......"

The female cousin's opening words made her heart pound in fear, her brain went boom, and she was briefly stunned.

"What happened?"

Guben saw her complexion was wrong and comforted her softly.

Lin Xiyu's fingers trembled slightly, too shocked to speak.

Guben didn't ask further, took the phone himself, and inquired about the details.

——

Maternal Aunt had long worked selling clothes at the Small Commodities Market, fell ill from overwork and was hospitalized.

The Doctor confirmed cervical cancer and performed surgery to remove the uterus.

Uncle, concerned about Lin Xiyu's young child and Grandma's advanced age, kept it hidden and didn't tell them.

Originally the surgery went smoothly and chemotherapy had good results — for the couple it was a rare piece of good news — but unexpectedly, just before discharge, because of a sentence from the Doctor, another complication arose.

"That Doctor said it would've been better if she'd given birth, the probability of getting the disease is lower then, and Nana happened to be standing nearby and heard it."

The female cousin was full of regret: "I didn't pay attention at the time, only busy with discharge procedures, until we left the Ward did I discover Nana was gone; Uncle searched the Hospital for a long time but couldn't find her."

"Maternal Aunt got cervical cancer?!"

Hearing the full story, not only was Lin Xiyu panicked, even Guben couldn't stay calm; for a moment they couldn't digest this shocking fact.

"Sigh, it was Uncle who wouldn't let me tell you......"

The female cousin sighed: "He said Grandma is old, better to keep it from her for now; while she's staying at your place, do the surgery first, wait until Maternal Aunt's condition stabilizes and she's mostly recovered, then find a chance to tell her."

Guben frowned: "What did the Doctor say?"

"The doctor said fortunately it was discovered in time, the chemotherapy results are very good, go home and recuperate well, as long as there's no recurrence there won't be any problem."

Female Cousin was very self-reproachful: "The key is Nana is missing now, she definitely heard, she isn't Uncle and Maternal Aunt's biological child, I'm just afraid she can't think it through for a moment and does something irreparable."

"Called the police?"

Guben's eyebrows knitted tightly.

"Reported it."

Female Cousin's words carried a few degrees of sobbing: "The police helped search, checking surveillance could only see leaving the hospital, after that it couldn't be seen anymore."

"Where are you?"

Guben's expression was grave: "I'm heading over now."

"I'm at Maternal Grandmother's house, just sent Maternal Aunt back."

Female Cousin choked out: "Uncle is still outside, searching for Nana together with the police."

"How about this."

Guben pondered slightly, then said: "You ask Maternal Aunt if Nana has any close classmates, call them one by one, I'll go and search for people together with Uncle."

"Okay."

Female Cousin had no objection, hung up the phone at once.

"I'll go with you......"

Lin Xiyu was deeply worried, the more she thought the more anxious she became.

"You don't go."

Guben persuaded in a low voice: "If both of us leave, Maternal Grandmother will easily get suspicious, it's better for you to stay at home."

"Alright then."

Lin Xiyu felt what he said made sense, didn't insist further.

——

Guest Room.

Perhaps mother and child are connected at heart, Maternal Grandmother's nap wasn't peaceful, she had a nightmare, after waking with a start from the dream she broke out in a cold sweat all over.

Nanny Huang Dajie saw something was off, didn't dare delay, on the pretext of pouring boiling water came to the living room, quietly told Lin Xiyu.

Lin Xiyu listened with heart pounding in fear, took the water cup from her hand, turned and went straight to the guest room.

"Xiyu ah, how come your Uncle hasn't come for such a long time?"

Maternal Grandmother saw her, first words made her startled and her heart and liver tremble violently again.

"Maybe the decoration company is busy?"

Lin Xiyu wanted to casually find a reason to perfunctorily fob her off.

Maternal Grandmother harbored doubt: "No matter how busy, there can't be not even a phone call, right?"

"Uncle called."

Lin Xiyu forced a laugh: "It's me, saw you were asleep, didn't tell you."

"I've stayed at your place for quite a long stretch of days, should go back too."

Maternal Grandmother stared at her for a good while, suddenly lifted the quilt, wanting to get out of bed.

"No, I won't let you go back."

Lin Xiyu panicked, instinctively stopped her.

"Why?"

Maternal Grandmother's eyes showed puzzlement.

Lin Xiyu's gaze was a bit evasive: "Uncle and Maternal Aunt are both that busy, if you go back there's no one to take care of you."

"Isn't there still Nana."

Maternal Grandmother mentioned little granddaughter, eyes showing affection: "Nana is already very sensible, can cook, at home can also keep me company chatting, relieve boredom."

"Nana......"

Lin Xiyu's breath caught, feigned composure: "Isn't it that after school she still has to go to training class, fifth grade schoolwork is tight, almost entering middle school, not like before with so much free time staying at home."

"Her not being here is fine too, I can manage alone."

Maternal Grandmother didn't care, insisted on leaving.

"Maternal Grandmother, you really bear to leave ah?"

Lin Xiyu helpless, could only bring up the little treasures, play the emotion card: "Ping'an and Xile them, one day not seeing you they miss you, not seeing you they cry, coaxing doesn't work."

"I also can't always live here ah?"

Maternal Grandmother hearing the little treasures, hesitated again.

"Why can't I always live here?"

Lin Xiyu continued persuading: "You are my biological Maternal Grandmother, me serving you, isn't that as it should be?"

"You are a good child, Maternal Grandmother knows in her heart."

Maternal Grandmother smiled reassuringly, just wanted to praise her a couple more sentences, for some reason right eyelid suddenly jumped twice.

Left eye jumps wealth, right eye jumps disaster.

She habitually believed this saying, heart gave a thump, another bad premonition welled up.

"Maternal Grandmother, what's wrong with you again?"

Lin Xiyu saw Maternal Grandmother's complexion change again while speaking, the panic in her heart also intensified accordingly.

"No, I'm still going back."

Maternal Grandmother was silent a moment, then changed her mind again.

"Can't go back!"

Lin Xiyu was thoroughly panicked, her voice turning sharp and piercing from excessive tension.

"You child......"

Maternal Grandmother was startled by her, eyes showing displeasure: "Why are you speaking so loudly, Maternal Grandmother isn't deaf, it's not like I can't hear."

"I, I've always spoken like this....."

Lin Xiyu gave an embarrassed smile, stammering a little.

"Xiyu, tell Maternal Grandmother the truth."

Maternal Grandmother's face suddenly darkened, her voice carrying a few degrees of severity: "You've been blocking me all along, not letting Maternal Grandmother go back, did something happen at home, and you don't want Maternal Grandmother to know?"

"No, nothing of the sort......"

Lin Xiyu's small gaze trembled, not daring to look straight into Maternal Grandmother's eyes.

"Nothing?"

Maternal Grandmother didn't believe it: "That expression of yours, one look and it's clearly a guilty conscience, you think Maternal Grandmother wouldn't be able to tell?"

"Maternal Grandmother......"

Lin Xiyu smiled bitterly, just about to find some other excuse to stall for a while, when her mobile phone ringtone suddenly rang, rescuing her from an extremely embarrassing predicament.

"Hello, Guben, is that right? Wonderful, thank heavens, Nana is fine, truly wonderful."

The phone call was from Guben; hearing him say that he had already found the younger female cousin, she was so moved her eye rims reddened, almost crying in front of Maternal Grandmother.

——

Nana running away from home truly had to do with that sentence from the Doctor.

She heard the latent meaning in the words: Maternal Aunt had never given birth to a child, she was not their biological daughter.

A girl of only eleven years old, unable to withstand this blow, her spirit collapsed for a time.

She left the Hospital, not knowing herself where she should go; seeing a bus drive up, her brain muddled, she followed the crowd onto the vehicle.

The bus traveled over ten li to reach the terminal stop; the driver saw a not-so-big little girl sitting in the last row seat, with no intention of getting off, suspicion arose in his heart, he walked over for a look, only to discover her expression was dull, her face full of tear tracks.

The driver was a kind-hearted person, mistakenly thinking she had gotten lost, brought her back to the terminal's dispatch room, had the dispatcher help her find her relatives.

The dispatcher was also a warm-hearted elder sister, asking after her comfort with care and consideration, beating around the bush, expending a great deal of saliva, finally winning the little girl's trust, finding out her family situation clearly.

The dispatcher called Maternal Uncle, informing him of his daughter's whereabouts.

Maternal Uncle thanked them profusely; coincidentally Guben had arrived, the two of them drove together to the Route 11 bus terminal dispatch room.

——

Seeing Maternal Uncle get down from the sedan, Nana's eyes first brightened, then thinking of the Doctor's words, they dimmed again, she lowered her head in some panic.

"Nana......"

Maternal Uncle saw his daughter's eyes swollen from crying, her pitiful expression, his heart ached extremely, he subconsciously reached out a hand, wanting to wipe her tears.

Nana trembled in fright, retreated two steps backward.

"Nana, it's Daddy."

Maternal Uncle's movement froze, his heart feeling as if someone had gouged it viciously with a knife, painful to the point of almost being unable to breathe.

"Nana, no matter what the Doctor said, you are Daddy and Mommy's daughter."

Guben squatted down, using the gentlest tone, stating the established fact: "You must not doubt, nor deny yourself; Daddy and Mommy truly care for you, love you, and there's Maternal Grandmother too — how much Maternal Grandmother dotes on you, you yourself should know best; you were raised single-handedly by her, from childhood to now, she never let you suffer the slightest grievance."

"Wuwu......"

Hearing Maternal Grandmother mentioned, Nana's eye rims reddened, and she shed tears chokingly.

"You also don't want to leave Maternal Grandmother, right?"

Guben smiled gently, continued persuading: "Come home with us, Maternal Grandmother is waiting for you at home."

——

Old House.

Nana was found; Lin Xiyu had no more concerns, and truthfully told Maternal Grandmother about Maternal Aunt's illness and the Doctor's unintentional act.

"Ai."

Maternal Grandmother heard this and smiled bitterly: "I knew there would be such a day; Nana looks more and more like her birth mother, even if she doesn't know now, sooner or later she would find out."

"Is the resemblance really that strong?"

Lin Xiyu's eyes showed curiosity.

"Very alike."

Maternal Grandmother nodded: "She gave birth to a daughter first, who took after her partner; the second daughter took after her; Nana is like she was peeled off her mother's face, at least seven or eight parts alike."

"Even if it's like that......"

Lin Xiyu didn't take it to heart: "That woman favors sons over daughters; if she wanted a daughter she would have come to claim her long ago, how could she wait until now."

"Whether she wants a daughter or not is one matter......"

Maternal Grandmother saw clearly: "Whether Nana wants to acknowledge her birth parents is another matter; she already knows she isn't Maternal Uncle and Maternal Aunt's biological daughter, even if it's not spoken, her heart will harbor suspicions; rather than blocking her from acknowledging them, better to speak openly......"

"Uh."

Lin Xiyu's eyes showed astonishment: "Maternal Grandmother, what do you mean by this?"

"You tell Guben......"

Maternal Grandmother didn't let her wait long, spoke directly: "Have him bring Nana here; I'll speak with her; if she wants to go find her birth father and birth mother, we won't stop her either; raising her this big, we've done our utmost; whether she goes or stays, let her decide herself."

"You really intend to say it like that?"

Lin Xiyu's mood was complex: "If Nana really leaves, Maternal Uncle and Maternal Aunt will be heartbroken too; Maternal Aunt has already had her uterus removed, no hope of having children ever again."

"Your Maternal Aunt, is our Chen family letting her down."

Maternal Grandmother smiled bitterly: "If it weren't for your Maternal Uncle's poor health, unable to have a child, she wouldn't have gotten this illness."

"Ai."

Lin Xiyu was speechless, and she also sighed deeply.

"Pack up your things for me......"

Grandmother felt sorry for Maternal Aunt and no longer hesitated: "I must go back today. Your Maternal Aunt was just discharged from the hospital and needs someone to take care of her. I can at least help a little when I go back. Even if I can't cook, I can still boil a pot of hot water......"