(287)
Ye Wenyu had no choice but to nod and accept it. She opened the brocade box and found an emerald ring inside. She immediately put it on her hand. It was just the right size, as if it had been made for her.
Lin Tingfeng's mother said with emotion, "This is what my mother gave me when I got married. It's a family heirloom passed down from generation to generation in our Huo family. I didn't give it to Tingfeng when he got married, but because you are his most beloved, I gave it to you, Xiaoyu. There are some things that Auntie can't say right now, but I think marriage is just a formality. The most important thing is that two people love each other wholeheartedly, isn't that right?"
Ye Wenyu was stunned by these words; she felt as if she had fallen into a fog.
Lin Tingfeng's mother, like Lin Tingfeng himself, treated her very well, but she was unwilling to divorce her husband and marry him.
Ye Wenyu began to feel pain.
Lin Tingfeng's mother continued softly, "You're still a student, right? Your family isn't well-off. I heard about your situation from Tingfeng, and it breaks my heart. When Tingfeng was your age, he was in the same boat. Back then, we hadn't returned to the Lin family yet. It was just the two of us, him and me, relying on each other. His grandparents had passed away, and I couldn't earn much money. It was tough for him. Throughout elementary, middle, and high school, Tingfeng only had two sets of clothes to wear in rotation. When they got worn out, I would mend them for him because we didn't have the money to buy new ones—" Her tone was filled with self-reproach and pain.
What? Lin Tingfeng actually suffered like this during his university years? Ye Wenyu looked up, her face full of shock. She looked at Lin Tingfeng, her face full of disbelief. He smiled at her.
Ye Wenxin's heart felt like an eighteen-wheeled truck had overturned. If what Lin's mother said was true, that he only had two sets of clothes to change into throughout his entire student life, then he was truly more pitiful than she was.
She never imagined that the current president of the Lin Group, who possesses enormous wealth and stands at the pinnacle of power, wielding immense influence, was so pitiful in his youth.
Lost in memories, Lin Tingfeng's mother's eyes reddened. She said softly, "Those were truly tough years. We lived in a tiny attic. It was scorching hot in the summer and freezing cold in the winter. When it rained heavily outside, it drizzled inside. When it snowed outside, it froze inside. But Tingfeng was such a sensible child. When we didn't have money for tuition or boarding fees, he worked tirelessly, sometimes four jobs a day. He would rush through his homework during breaks between classes because he wouldn't have time to do it after school. Back then, he would leave home at six in the morning and not return until one or two in the morning. When he got home, he was so tired that he would fall asleep as soon as he hit the bed. I felt so sorry for him and so worried about him back then—" Tears welled up in Lin's mother's eyes. She felt a deep sense of guilt towards her son.
What?! Ye Wenyu looked at Lin Tingfeng, staring blankly at him, a wave of heartache rising in her heart. Now, she finally understood why he was so good to her. It was because she was working hard to make a living, just like him when he was young, except that she was a girl and he was a man.
He must have felt sorry for her!
He was probably the person in the world who understood her and cared for her the most, because the two of them were so similar when they were young.
Seeing the understanding and emotion in Ye Wenyu's eyes, Lin Tingfeng felt a surge of warmth in his heart. He smiled slightly and held Ye Wenyu's hand even tighter.
Ye Wenyu smiled brightly at him. At this moment, the world around them disappeared, and his mother's voice also disappeared. There was only a blank space and a quiet place. The whole world was left with only the two of them, staring at each other as if in a trance.
Time seemed to stand still for a while before Ye Wenyu came to her senses. She heard Lin Tingfeng's mother continue, tears welling in her eyes, "Fortunately, this child is a promising young man. Because of his outstanding academic performance during his undergraduate studies in China, he was recommended to study in the UK. He pursued his master's degree in the UK and his doctorate in the US. Finally, after graduating from his university abroad, he brought me back to China and then back to the Lin family, where we finally got everything that was rightfully ours." By the end, Lin Tingfeng's mother's eyes were filled with satisfaction and relief.
Ye Wenyu smiled, thinking that today's trip had not been in vain. Through Lin Tingfeng's mother, she finally gained some understanding of Lin Tingfeng's childhood. She admired him even more and loved him even more!
His strong, optimistic, dignified, and self-reliant youthful appearance was simply her idol.
She only worked a few jobs during her first year of college, and then collapsed from exhaustion on the street. Lin Tingfeng took her in, mistaking her for a stray cat. But Lin Tingfeng was abroad at the time, and no one helped him. He gritted his teeth and worked hard every day for more than ten years, going through junior high, high school, university, undergraduate, master's, and doctoral degrees. He graduated with excellent grades, returned home to inherit the family business, and after many years of hard work, he has everything he has now.
Compared to him, she was so stupid and incompetent.
He was practically her idol, her god.
At this moment, a servant came in to announce that it was time to eat.
Lin Tingfeng's mother then pulled her thoughts back from their flight and began to arrange a meal for the two of them.
At the table, Lin Tingfeng's mother kept serving food to Ye Wenyu, and Ye Wenyu also obediently asked Lin Tingfeng's mother for advice on maintaining her youthful appearance. Lin Tingfeng's mother smiled happily and said to her, "I have to thank my son. When I was young, I looked old, but after my son became successful, I was able to maintain my appearance. All other methods of maintaining one's appearance are fake; only using money to maintain one's appearance is real. Modern medical technology is amazing. As long as you have money, you will never grow old."
Ye Wenyu nodded, thinking that what Lin's mother said made sense. With the advancements in cosmetic medicine these days, it's often the case that the richer you are, the more beautiful you become, while the poorer you are, the faster you age and become less attractive. It seems that being rich is the prerequisite for being beautiful for life. She must work hard to earn money in the future.
When they had almost finished eating, Lin Tingfeng's mother said casually, "It's rare for you to come back. Go see your father later."
Lin Tingfeng nodded and said, "I had this plan before I came."
Lin Tingfeng's mother looked at him, then at Ye Wenyu who was eating quietly, and said slowly to Lin Tingfeng, "Greetings to your father. Come here for a moment, I have something to say to you."
Ye Wenyu froze, the rice in her mouth instantly turning to sand. What did Lin Tingfeng's mother mean by that? It seemed she wanted to have a private conversation with Lin Tingfeng, something that wasn't appropriate for her to hear.
Yes, everyone says a daughter-in-law is an outsider, and besides, she doesn't even have the qualifications to be her daughter-in-law. Ye Wenyu lowered her head even further, focusing solely on her meal. The Lin family's chef was probably the best in the country, with exceptional culinary skills. All the dishes were visually appealing, fragrant, and delicious. Ye Wenyu ate with great appetite, and after tasting many of the dishes, she almost wanted to swallow her tongue. Therefore, she allowed herself to quietly savor the delicious food.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
