Chapter 12: An Apology Letter from Zhou Ruo
The next morning, as soon as Wenxi opened her eyes, she received several long text messages.
They were all sent by Zhou Ruo.
[Xixi, Mom wants to apologize first. I've made you feel wronged both times. But Mom still wants to explain that I really didn't know Zhaozhao would be coming today. I originally wanted to invite you home for dinner since Shang Chen was away on a business trip and you were lonely at home alone, so we could spend more time together as a family and discuss whether to change the agreement we made between our two families. Who knew Zhaozhao would suddenly arrive and disrupt all our plans?]
[Mom lost you 27 years ago. I wasn't there to watch you grow up. I didn't know your lifestyle, I didn't know you had a sensitive stomach and couldn't eat crabs, and I didn't know you couldn't feel the cold and would get sick when the seasons changed. There are probably many other things Mom doesn't know...]
[Mom wants to know about your past and your habits, but she doesn't dare to bother you, afraid you'll think she's being nosy. She can only try to care for you in her own way, but often ends up making things worse and hurting you even more. Yesterday's events made Mom reflect all night, and she cried all night too. We lost you back then, and lost you for twenty-seven years. We're so sorry.]
Your father and I really want to make it up to you, to make up for the more than twenty years of affection we owe you. The relationship between an adopted daughter and a biological daughter is a complex one, one based on affection, the other on blood ties—it's always the hardest to balance. I was too greedy before, always wanting both, but now I realize I'm incapable of being fair. I often hurt you, making you feel no warmth when you come back to this home, but instead, you suffer endless grievances.
Your father and I have decided to renegotiate with the Wen family. Unless absolutely necessary, the two families will try to avoid contact. Zhaozhao is a child of the Wen family and is cared for by their parents. You are a child of the Yan family and should be cared for by your father and me. We hope you can give your father and me a chance to understand and forgive each other.
Wenxi looked at it and didn't know what to say for a long time.
Perhaps because she was so emotionally deprived, she felt touched and grateful, but was unable to reciprocate.
From the moment she discovered she wasn't her parents' biological child until now, Wenxi felt somewhat lost for the first time.
She instinctively wanted to ask her brother Wenzhou for help, but Wenzhou was abroad and she couldn't get in touch with him.
She thought of Shang Chen again.
However, it seems that she and Shang Chen haven't reached the point where they can talk about anything.
Feeling down, Wenxi didn't go to the law firm, but stayed at Mansion No. 3 instead.
Lying on a bamboo chair in the garden, Wenxi realized that Mansion No. 3 was now her only quiet place.
There's no need to think about Wen's adoptive parents, Yan's biological parents, or even about Yan Zhao and Lu Jinghuai—these are all messy people.
Wenxi sat in the garden all morning and was about to have lunch when the doorbell suddenly rang.
The aunt went to open the door and saw a middle-aged woman dressed elegantly. She politely asked, "Hello, may I ask who you are?"
"I am Wenxi's mother."
Auntie: "Hello, Mrs. Yan."
Ning Jin's expression changed slightly. "My surname is Ning. You can call me Mrs. Ning."
Ning Jin always felt that the matter of the babies being switched at birth was a family scandal and should not be made public.
Therefore, she couldn't explain to her aunt that she wasn't Wenxi's biological mother, but her adoptive mother.
"Hello, Mrs. Ning, please come in."
Upon seeing Ning Jin, Wen Xi ate a few more bites of rice without changing her expression.
She was afraid that she would lose her appetite once Ning Jin spoke.
Ning Jin put down her bag, sat down opposite Wen Xi, and waved to the aunt: "You can go down now, we don't need you here."
The aunt didn't move, but looked at Wenxi: "Madam..."
Wenxi said slowly, "Auntie, why don't you go inside and rest?"
"good."
After the aunt left, Ning Jin looked around the villa and said, "This is a really nice wedding house of yours. The seller is very sincere."
Wenxi glanced at her. "Want some soup?"
"No need, I've already eaten." Ning Jin: "I heard your mother-in-law has been praising you everywhere, saying you're very capable and have a good personality. She even bought you a set of jewelry at an auction yesterday."
Wenxi remained silent.
Ning Jin continued, "In the capital's social circles, who doesn't know that Shang Chen is outstanding? There's a long line of people who want to marry him."
"You not only have a good mother-in-law, but also a good husband."
Ning Jin rambled on and on, finally getting to the point.
"You were able to marry Shang Chen and have such a good mother-in-law like Mrs. Shang, thanks to Zhao Zhao."
Wenxi immediately lost her appetite: "What exactly are you trying to say?"
Ning Jincai showed his displeasure: "Wenxi, did you go to see Zhaozhao?"
Wen Xi calmly said, "Ms. Ning, please watch your words."
I ran into her by chance when I went back to the Yan family home.
Ning Jin didn't care about any of that: "Have you forgotten what you promised me?!"
Wenxi: "I haven't forgotten."
"Then why did you go back on your word and appear in front of Zhaozhao, making her suffer?!"
Wen Xi raised an eyebrow: "Yan Zhao complained to you?"
Wenxi remembered that although Yan Zhao was a bit 'naive and innocent,' she would never do something like complaining to Ning Jin.
Ning Jin turned her head and snorted: "Do I need to tell Zhao Zhao? She came home crying yesterday afternoon, I didn't even need to ask to know it had something to do with you!"
"Didn't you promise me you wouldn't appear in front of Zhaozhao?! If you couldn't keep your promise, you shouldn't have made it in the first place!"
Wenxi calmly explained to her, "The Yan family called me and asked me to go back. I didn't expect Yan Zhao to be there."
“I only promised you I wouldn’t visit the Wen family, not that I wouldn’t even return to the Yan family.”
Ning Jin said with dissatisfaction, "You're a lawyer, you're the best at nitpicking words, I can't argue with you."
Wenxi lowered her head and ate her food: "Then let's not talk about it."
Ning Jin stood up angrily and said, "Wenxi, now that you have biological parents, you don't recognize me as your adoptive mother anymore?!"
Wenxi sighed inwardly.
Ning Jin finally said those words.
Wenxi had long known that, given Ning Jin's personality, it was only a matter of time before he said those words.
She had tried her best to avoid it, but now there was no way to escape it.
Wen Xi looked quietly at Ning Jin, "My brother will be back soon."
Ning Jin's anger vanished instantly, but a hint of panic flashed in her eyes.
"You'd better think about how to explain the fact that Yan Zhao and I were switched at birth to my brother."
Ning Jin felt guilty but still stubbornly retorted, "Don't try to intimidate me with your brother!"
Wenxi: "If you truly care about Yan Zhao, then take on the responsibility of a mother, teach her how to maintain her marriage, and how to live a good life, instead of putting on airs and seeking justice for her."
If Yan Zhao really knew that Ning Jin had come to see her, she might not be happy.
Seeing Ning Jin's indifferent expression, Wen Xi knew she hadn't listened.
Wenxi: "...Over the years, my brother has gone abroad for a month every year, and no one can contact him during that month. Aren't you curious?"
"What are you curious about?" Ning Jin said matter-of-factly, "Isn't it normal that your brother is away on a business trip abroad and we can't contact him?"
"You can't contact your dad for half the year, and I haven't seen you go to ask him about it."
Wenxi gave a self-deprecating laugh.
Sure enough, she couldn't have too many expectations of Ning Jin.
Wenxi didn't eat much for dinner, and her stomach ache flared up that night, causing her pain for half the night.
She had a court hearing the next day, and when she looked in the mirror, she felt her complexion was too pale and unattractive, so she put on makeup.
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