Chapter 53 The Gloomy Little Poor Boy from the 70s

Winter in Huaicheng is almost over; the sunlight shines through the clouds, making people feel warm and cozy.

Shen Ci made a special trip back to her old house in Huaicheng from Shanghai, carrying bags of gifts. She was thinking about Su Wanqing, the person she was planning to adopt as her goddaughter.

Whether she's herding one sheep or a flock, it's all the same. Isn't she just here to save the villains? It's just that Su Wanqing doesn't have any mission progress.

When Shen Ci saw Su Wanqing again, his eyes lit up.

The girl no longer seemed timid or fearful; her cheeks were fuller and had a healthy blush. Her chilblains had mostly healed, leaving only faint marks.

She was dressed in clean and tidy clothes, with bright eyes. When she saw Chen Ci, a genuine and radiant smile immediately appeared on her face, and she quickly came to greet him.

"Aunt Chen! You've arrived!" Her voice was filled with joy.

"Just came to see you."

Shen Ci smiled and looked her over. "Hmm, you look much better. Looks like you've been eating and sleeping well."

"Yes! The food in the school cafeteria is delicious, and I always eat my fill!"

She used to rarely have a full meal, but now her life is like a dream, and her overall mental state has improved a lot.

Su Wanqing nodded vigorously, took some gifts from Shen Ci's hands, and led her inside. Aunt Fan heard the commotion and came out to greet them with a smile.

Sitting down in the clean and tidy main room, Shen Ci drank the hot tea brewed by Su Wanqing and chatted about her studies and life at school.

Su Wanqing became much more talkative, telling Shen Ci about school and her academic performance, her eyes filled with anticipation for the future.

After chatting for a while, Shen Ci felt the time was right. She put down her teacup and looked at Su Wanqing gently.

"Wanqing, Auntie came today not only to see you, but also to ask you something."

“Auntie, please speak.” Su Wanqing sat up straight and listened attentively.

"Auntie likes you very much. She thinks you are smart, resilient, and kind. You are a rare good child. Auntie wants to adopt you as her goddaughter. From now on, you will be Xiao Huai's god-sister, and we will be a real family."

Are you willing?

Shen Ci's voice was soft, yet carried a solemn tone.

Su Wanqing was stunned for a moment, her eyes wide open, as if she hadn't heard clearly, or as if she was shocked by this huge surprise. Were the things Shen Ci said describing her? No one had ever said she was so good.

A few seconds later, overwhelmed with excitement and joy, Su Wanqing's eyes quickly reddened, and her lips trembled slightly.

"I...I..."

She was so excited that she was almost incoherent. After a moment, she managed to suppress her emotions, but instead of agreeing immediately, she asked incredulously and fearfully in a low voice.

"Why, why? Auntie, you've been so good to me. I don't know what's so good about me that makes you want to do this for me. I'm just a..."

She's just an ordinary person with nothing, what's there to value?

“You’re very good, Wanqing,” Shen Ci interrupted her self-deprecation.

"You are smart, you achieved such good grades on your own, and you are resilient, you did not give up on yourself despite your family situation and difficulties."

You are kind and grateful. Even though you are not having an easy time, you think of giving back after receiving help. These qualities are all rare. Each one makes me feel that you deserve to be treated well and deserve a better future.

"Is auntie's reason enough that she likes you and wants to become family with you?"

Su Wanqing could no longer hold back her tears, which rolled down her cheeks in large, scalding drops! She nodded vigorously and said, her voice choked with sobs.

"Enough! Enough! Auntie, I'm willing! I'm a hundred times willing!" She longed for a warm home and family members who truly cared for her.

She is brave and kind, and when faced with what she wants, she doesn't hesitate but speaks her mind openly, which Shen Ci finds rare.

After the initial joy, she remembered Shen Huai, who always had a cold expression, and couldn't help but look at Shen Ci with some trepidation.

"Then, does Brother Shen Huai agree to this as well?" She remembered that when they first met, he didn't seem to welcome her.

Shen Ci smiled. "Of course, I asked for his opinion, and he agreed."

At that moment, Shen Huai, who was reading documents in Shanghai, suddenly sneezed. He thought to himself, "Anyway, I'm the only one who is my mother's biological son, the most special one."

Having another god-sister... doesn't seem so bad. At least Mom is happy, so that's a good thing.

Having received a positive reply, Su Wanqing finally felt completely relieved and revealed a relieved smile.

Shen Ci was happy and felt that there should be a ceremony. She originally wanted to worship her ancestors to inform them, but then she thought about her family's special situation. Shen Ci herself was an outsider, and the original owner had escaped from that abusive family. There was no ancestral tablet worth worshipping.

Forget it, I'll be my own ancestor, my own founding father!

On a whim, she asked Aunt Fan to pour three bowls of yellow wine. She handed two bowls to Su Wanqing and Aunt Fan respectively, indicating that they were for Dai Chenhuai, while she held one bowl herself, looking very serious.

"Wanqing, I'm so happy to have you as my daughter today."

But now that we've become family, there are some things we need to say upfront. You two, before me, swear this oath with this cup of wine.

She stared into the void, as if Shen Huai were also there.

"I want you to swear that in this life, no matter what happens in the future, no matter how great the conflict of interest or misunderstanding, you will never turn against your family members or against each other, never betray each other, and never intentionally harm each other."

The most important things in a family are trust and unity. If even family members have to scheme against each other and stab each other in the back, what's the point of life? Can you really do that?

I've already said these things to Shen Huai, and he's already promised them to my face.

The two children, one present and the other far away, seemed to feel the immense weight of her words. This was not a simple joke about recognizing relatives; it was a promise and a commitment.

If Su Wanqing remembers to be grateful, she will remember these words.

Su Wanqing first picked up her wine bowl, her eyes filled with utmost seriousness and determination, and said loudly.

"Godmother, I, Su Wanqing, hereby swear that I will never betray you, never betray my brother, and never harm my family in this lifetime! If I break this oath, may I be struck by lightning and die a horrible death!"

She tilted her head back and took a big gulp of the spicy rice wine, which made her choke and tears well up in her eyes, but she laughed with immense joy.

After a bowl of wine, the three of them seemed to be tightly bound together by an invisible, solemn bond.

After the ceremony, Shen Ci presented Su Wanqing with the gifts she had prepared: beautiful new clothes, school supplies, hair ties and clips that girls like, and a nice fountain pen. Su Wanqing touched the gifts, reluctant to put them down, and her eyes welled up with tears again.

Is this her mother? Even though she's her godmother, she treats her better than her own mother.

"Now that you're a child in this family, do you want to transfer to a school in Shanghai and live with us, or do you want to stay in Huaicheng to finish your studies?"

Su Wanqing thought about it seriously for a long time, then raised her head with clear eyes.

"Mom, I want to stay in Huaicheng for now."

The teachers and classmates here are all very nice, and I've settled in. I want to work hard and get into a university in Shanghai! When that happens, I'll come to Shanghai in style to find you and my brother!

I will use my own abilities to become someone worthy of being your daughter, your brother, and your sister!

Shen Ci looked at the confidence and fighting spirit shining in her eyes, and was surprised, yet felt it was only natural. This was the female lead she was supposed to be: not delicate and coquettish, but full of ambition; not love-struck, but striving for what she wanted.