Although she had slept through several years, Lian Qiao handled the work Jiang Chan had left with ease. Part of the reason was naturally the memories Jiang Chan had left her. Even when something felt a little unfamiliar, she could understand it by combining it with Jiang Chan’s memories.
Another reason was that Lian Qiao knew how things would develop over the next decade or so. She therefore had her own judgment about certain economic trends. Once she had fully familiarized herself with the company’s internal affairs, she could not help being astonished.
Wasn’t the mission taker too capable? Had she built such an empire from nothing with her bare hands? And she had left without the slightest attachment, simply leaving all this readily available wealth and glory to her.
If Jiang Chan was a workaholic, Lian Qiao surpassed her. Perhaps because she had suffered too much in her previous life, Lian Qiao placed particular importance on material things. Whenever she saw the company sign another order or turn a profit, the satisfaction in her heart was indescribable.
At the same time, however, Lian Qiao was extremely generous with charity. Every year, the company allocated a hundred million yuan specifically to charitable causes. Perhaps because her parents’ favoritism had been so pronounced in her previous life, she paid particular attention to such issues.
Almost every year, Lian Qiao was selected as the most caring charity ambassador. Her company enjoyed an excellent reputation among the public, and her wealth kept increasing. If someone asked how much money she had, even she probably would not know.
As Lian Qiao became increasingly famous, life grew harder for the Lian couple. Many people said they had picked up sesame seeds and lost a watermelon. If they had not broken Lian Qiao’s heart so thoroughly, would they still be cooped up in such a small apartment?
Just look at the executives in Lian Qiao’s company. Which of them did not live in a villa and drive a luxury car? This was exactly what people meant when they said that when one person rose to success, even their chickens and dogs rose with them. Yet as Lian Qiao’s biological parents, apart from the million yuan she had given them earlier, they had enjoyed nothing.
One day, Wu Xiuzhen went to the market to buy vegetables and argued with a vendor over one yuan. After a long bout of bargaining, the vendor finally lost patience. “Ma’am, your daughter runs such a big company. Her daily income is measured in tens of thousands. Why do you care about a yuan or two?”
Wu Xiuzhen’s expression changed, and she put down the vegetables. “I won’t buy them.”
“What kind of person is that? Bargaining for ages, then not buying anything after messing up all my vegetables.” The woman selling vegetables briskly tidied her produce as she muttered.
“Who around here doesn’t know that the daughter she had later isn’t close to her? Her own flesh and blood, too. Isn’t it because she and her husband wronged that child before? Mistreating their biological daughter just for a good reputation?”
“Ah, what do you suppose was going through their heads?”
“What else? They wanted a good reputation! Now haven’t they picked up sesame seeds and lost a watermelon?”
“I hear her younger daughter is really successful. She’s on television all the time and even had her photo taken with a government leader before. Her business is doing so well she could easily buy this entire street.”
“And that younger daughter still doesn’t come home?”
“What would she come back for? She’s living wonderfully now. She has money, a home, and a good education. Why come back here to be mistreated? If it were me, I wouldn’t come back either.”
A woman spoke up. “Come on, your vegetables look fresh. Weigh out two jin for me.”
“Coming right up!”
Wu Xiuzhen walked in a daze, carrying a bag of vegetables. Every word from the neighbors kept reaching her ears. The more she heard, the more ashamed she felt. She simply could not understand it. She had tried her best to do well, so why were people still dissatisfied?
She had worked hard to treat Lian Shuguo’s son well, unwilling to gain a reputation for mistreating her stepson. She had indeed accomplished that, yet she had estranged the biological daughter she shared with Lian Shuguo.
Now, whenever it came up, everyone said she and Lian Shuguo had been wrong. Wu Xiuzhen trudged unsteadily along. Suddenly, a BMW drove past her.
Seeing the driver’s face, Wu Xiuzhen’s eyes widened. She could not be mistaken. It was Lian Qiao! She ran a few steps after the car and watched helplessly as it disappeared from view.
Wu Xiuzhen stopped blankly. After a long moment, she covered her face and burst into tears.
After fully familiarizing herself with the company’s affairs, Lian Qiao gave herself a week off. During that week, she drove around on her own, looking wherever she pleased. After becoming paralyzed in her previous life, she had practically never gone out again. All she could see each time was that tiny patch of sky outside the window.
Now she could still run and jump. How she wanted to go out and see the world. But because the company had grown so large, she could not simply abandon it on a whim and leave.
So she generally confined her outings to the city where she had grown up. Coming here today was an accident. She remembered that Wu Xiuzhen used to like buying vegetables at this market, and she had accompanied her many times.
Wu Jin, however, had never come to such a place. She had always been beautifully dressed since childhood. At this thought, Lian Qiao felt a little breathless.
She angrily pressed the accelerator and left this oppressive place. As for Wu Xiuzhen chasing her car, she had not seen it. Immersed in the pain of the past and unable to pull herself free, how could she notice anyone else?
Only after reaching a secluded corner did Lian Qiao stop the car and lean over the steering wheel, tears streaming down her face. Remembering the past, she desperately wanted to ask Wu Xiuzhen and Lian Shuguo, “Am I your biological daughter?”
They showered children unrelated to them by blood with such love. Why could they not be fairer to her? Lian Qiao bit the back of her hand. She did not want to sob so loudly, but broken whimpers still escaped.
After crying, Lian Qiao felt much better. She managed to wipe the tears from her face and finally had the presence of mind to look around. This was the outskirts, but not far away stood what looked like a factory building.
Lian Qiao was puzzled. There was a factory here? What did it do? She locked her car and walked toward it with a small backpack.
Only when she drew closer did she hear dogs barking inside. It was probably a kennel. Perhaps because being alone was too lonely, Lian Qiao felt that keeping a dog might be quite nice.
She had always liked dogs. She still remembered wanting one before, but neither Lian Shuguo nor Wu Xiuzhen had allowed it because it would affect Lian Yanbin and Wu Jin’s studies. Lian Qiao had kept that wish hidden in her heart ever since.
Later, she could only take the family’s uneaten leftovers to feed stray dogs. But the wish to have a dog of her own had remained deeply rooted in her heart.
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