Chapter 97 p3
It was already past three in the afternoon when the few of them arrived at the Lu family’s house. The Lu family, led by Old Mr. Lu, had been waiting at the door for a long time, their necks stretched long.
Old Mr. Lu had always liked Tangtang and had wanted the Lu Junshan couple to adopt her as their goddaughter. Later, when he learned that Tangtang was his real granddaughter, he was overjoyed. He was so happy that he ate an extra bowl of rice for several days in a row and didn’t have any indigestion. In these few days, he had been to all the major shopping malls in the capital, busy preparing gifts for the old Su family. He walked so fast that his feet seemed to be flying.
And the Lu Junshan couple, even more so for Tangtang. Blood was thicker than water. Tangtang was the daughter that Sheng Ruiru had carried for ten months. After learning what a hard life she had lived before, they wished they could tear that vicious and hateful village woman, Su Yandi, to pieces. They wished they could take out their hearts and lungs to compensate Tangtang, and they were just waiting for the day when mother and daughter could be reunited.
In these few days, they had not been able to sleep or eat well every day, just waiting for the Su Laosan couple to arrive in the capital as soon as possible.
Lu Mingbai had never had a good relationship with Lu Youxin. He had grown up under the same roof with Lu Youxin and naturally knew her hypocritical, selfish, and lying nature. She had not only stolen things but had also framed a young maid from the countryside for the crime. Every time he wanted to discipline her, Lu Youxin would go and complain to their parents. Over time, he had become too lazy to care.
So when he learned that Lu Youxin was not his real sister, and that his real sister was someone else, a kind, quiet, and beautiful little girl, Lu Mingbai was also very happy. And perhaps because of their blood relationship, he had felt very close to this little girl the first time he saw Tangtang.
“They’re here!” Old Mr. Lu’s sharp eyes saw a group of people appear. He said excitedly, leaning on his cane, “Tangtang, you’re finally here! You’ve made Grandpa wait for a long time!”
Lu Junshan quickly strode forward and enthusiastically shook hands with Su Huimin. “Hello, hello. I’m Lu Junshan, Tangtang’s biological father.”
“Big Brother Su, Big Sister Yu, hello. I’m Tangtang’s biological mother. My name is Sheng Ruiru.”
“It’s been a hard journey. We’ve already prepared tea and pastries at home. Let’s rest for a while and chat. We’ve booked a table at the Wanguo Hotel for the evening. When it’s time, we’ll go there directly by car!”
Su Huimin and Yu Juanfang hadn’t expected the Lu family to be so enthusiastic and were a little at a loss.
Especially after they entered the Lu family’s house and saw the detached Western-style house, the various colorful flowers in the garden, the luxurious and comfortable leather sofa, and the blue and white porcelain teacups on the simple and elegant Chinese-style coffee table. They had never even seen these exquisite pastries before. It was clear that this was not an ordinary family, and they felt even more reserved.
“Grandpa Lu, Uncle Lu, Teacher Sheng, Big Brother Lu, these are my parents,” Tangtang introduced them, still using her previous titles.
Tangtang saw the faded blue uniform coverall on Sheng Ruiru’s body, and her long hair was simply tied up with a green hair tie. This was probably the most simple and shabby outfit she had ever seen Sheng Ruiru in. Not only that, but Lu Junshan had also specially changed into an old military uniform. Tangtang knew that they had deliberately dressed this way just to make her parents not feel reserved.
Hearing Tangtang’s title, Sheng Ruiru’s eyes couldn’t help but darken. But she quickly composed herself. The child had been living outside since she was young. How could she be expected to accept her biological parents right away? This just showed that she was a good child who valued feelings and righteousness. Everything couldn’t be rushed. They would take it slow.
“This Da Hong Pao was a gift from a friend a few years ago. We don’t drink it often at home. I don’t know if Big Brother Su and Big Sister Yu are used to it. If you’re not used to it, just tell me, and I’ll get you a new one.”
“We’re used to it, we’re used to it,” Su Huimin said repeatedly. Although he couldn’t tell what kind of tea it was, as soon as he took a sip, he knew that this tea must be a rare good tea. Usually, the most they drank at home was loose-leaf tea. That tea would have a lot of foam when brewed, and it couldn’t compare to this at all.
Just as Lu Junshan sat down, he was so excited that he couldn’t speak. He was about to say something, but his movements were too big, and he accidentally knocked over the water bottle.
Seeing this, Su Huimin was about to get up to help clean up. Lu Junshan quickly held him down and quickly took a rag to wipe the floor clean.
“It’s okay, it’s okay.”
This gesture undoubtedly made the Su Huimin couple feel a sigh of relief in their hearts. It turned out that they were not the only ones who were nervous. The Lu family was also so nervous.
“Big Sister Yu, try this cake. Tangtang loves to eat it. Tangtang, Juesheng, Little Zhou, you should eat too.”
As Sheng Ruiru spoke, her expectant gaze was always on Tangtang.
So after everyone had sat down and settled in, she couldn’t wait to get to the point. “Big Brother Su, Big Sister Yu, I’ve invited you over this time to talk to you about the matter of Tangtang acknowledging her relationship.”
Su Huimin and Yu Juanfang looked at each other, and their hands paused.
“I heard from Tangtang that you two are rare good people. The first time the two children came to the capital for university, on the train, if it weren’t for Big Brother Lu’s help, that girl Tangtang would probably have lost an eye. After arriving in the capital, you two have also taken care of the children in every aspect. You’ve never disliked her for being from the countryside and even wanted to adopt her as your goddaughter.”
Yu Juanfang put down the silver fork in her hand. “Sister Sheng, I am also a mother, so I understand your eager desire as a mother. But there are some things I have to ask clearly first.”
“Big Sister Yu, you can say it,” Sheng Ruiru nodded.
“Although Lu Youxin is not your biological daughter, she has been raised by your side for more than twenty years. On one side is your biological daughter, and on the other is the daughter who has been raised by your side since she was a child. I want to know, if the two children have a dispute in the future, which one will you help? Although our family’s conditions are not as good as yours, in our family, Tangtang, her dad and I have never been willing to let her suffer a single grievance. And her three older brothers, each of them loves their sister very much.”
Sheng Ruiru thought for a long time before she said, “Youxin is indeed the child I have raised since she was little. If it were just an ordinary case of two families’ children being swapped, I might try my best to treat them equally. But the fact is that all of this is the conspiracy of a vicious and despicable village woman. As soon as I think of that vicious and hateful woman who has been abusing Tangtang and has made her suffer so much since she was a child, and that Youxin is that woman’s daughter, I can’t help but have a grudge in my heart. In the future, my heart will only be biased towards Tangtang. I want to make up for what I have owed her all these years.”
As Sheng Ruiru spoke, she couldn’t help but hold Tangtang’s hand. When she touched her rough calluses, her eyes couldn’t help but turn red.
When she learned that this woman, Su Yandi, had beaten and abused Tangtang, and had even wanted to sell her to a fool as a child bride, and had driven her out of the house in the cold winter, her heart was simply bleeding. She couldn’t imagine how much hardship her daughter had endured all these years.
Tangtang’s hand was held by her, and a strange feeling also rose in her heart.
Especially after seeing Sheng Ruiru’s dark eye circles, she knew that Sheng Ruiru had been looking forward to her parents coming to the capital every day during this period and had not rested well.
When Sheng Ruiru was speaking, the gazes of Old Mr. Lu, Lu Junshan, and Lu Mingbai were nervously fixed on Yu Juanfang and Su Huimin, not knowing if this answer would satisfy them.
Yu Juanfang looked at the expectant eyes of this family, and a smile finally appeared on her face. “In that case, then I have no objection. Let’s acknowledge the relationship. Tangtang was originally your biological daughter. How can there be a reason to stop a child from acknowledging her parents? Besides, the child’s dad and I are in our hometown. If anything happens to Tangtang, we are too far away to help. You are in the capital and can help take care of her.”
Hearing this, a smile of excitement finally appeared on Lu Junshan’s face. “Sister Yu, you can rest assured! Whether it’s Tangtang or Juesheng, I will treat them as my own children. Whether they are studying or working, we will do our best to help them. Our two families are one family. We are one family, we don’t say two things!”
After hearing Yu Juanfang’s words, Sheng Ruiru was stunned for a long time before she reacted. Her upper and lower lips trembled. She got up from her chair, stood in front of Yu Juanfang, and knelt down to her, kowtowing three times.
Yu Juanfang was taken aback by this action. She quickly got up to help Sheng Ruiru up.
Sheng Ruiru’s eyes were red, and tears streamed down like an opened floodgate. “Big Sister Yu, do you know… when I heard that my daughter had not dropped out of school early to work, had not gotten married and had children at a young age, revolving around farming, the stove, her husband, and children, her face yellowed, her back bent, and she had suffered all kinds of hardships, but had finished primary school and middle school and had gotten into Capital University, how excited I was in my heart! How many families, even for their own biological daughters, can’t do this? But you were able to cultivate her without asking for anything in return. This is really too rare… You are a good person, and Big Brother Su is also a good person! You have raised Tangtang to be so outstanding and to have such good character. I kowtow to you, Big Brother Su, I also kowtow to you…”
“You can’t, you can’t!”
Yu Juanfang’s tears also couldn’t help but fall. “Actually, my husband and I and Tangtang, it’s not just our one-sided contribution. This child, Tangtang, is really so perceptive, so considerate, so well-behaved and sensible. Her arrival has also provided me and Laosan with infinite warmth…”
Sheng Ruiru’s kneeling scared everyone. Especially the three thudding kowtows. Everyone in the room rushed to help Sheng Ruiru up.
Her maternal love was moving.
Tangtang also hurried to help Sheng Ruiru. “Mom, you should get up quickly.”
Sheng Ruiru’s face was covered in tears and snot, but she still widened her eyes and said in disbelief, “Tangtang, what did you call me?”
Tangtang looked at the red mark on her forehead. She had never seen Sheng Ruiru in such a sorry state. Her tears also uncontrollably flowed down. “I called you… Mom.”
After calling her “Mom,” she looked at the other people in the living room and also called out, “Grandpa, Dad, Big Brother.”
Sheng Ruiru hugged her, her strength so great that it seemed as if she wanted to melt her into her own body. “Tangtang! My daughter, my child, the daughter I carried for ten months…”