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When he was a child, Madam Zi and Old Master Lin often quarreled and eventually got divorced. Cai Wenchuan was only sixteen years old at the time. He knew what was happening in the mansion and was very upset. He was worried about Xiaoyue, but as the son of a servant, he could not go to the mansion to inquire.
My father knew a little about his affairs, and when he was at home, he would always say, intentionally or unintentionally, "Everyone sweeps the snow from their own doorstep and doesn't care about the frost on someone else's roof!"
Cai Wenchuan could only remain silent.
However, to his utter surprise, one day he heard Lady Murasaki's voice, "Little Wenchuan—"
It was around seven or eight o'clock in the evening. There was a banquet at the Lin family mansion, with many guests. His father and mother were serving at the mansion, and he was the only one at home. He was in his room upstairs, lying on his bed, worried about Madam Zi and Xiaoyue at the mansion.
At that moment, he heard Lady Murasaki's voice, "Little Wenchuan—"
He was stunned, thinking he was doing something wrong, but the sound rang out again, this time coming from downstairs.
When Madam Zi's voice rang out for the third time, Cai Wenchuan jumped out of bed and rushed downstairs like a gust of wind. He saw Madam Zi, dressed in a purple evening gown, standing in his small living room, smiling at him.
Her arrival was like that of a queen. In addition, her high looks and the radiance of a female star added a lot of color to his simple room.
Cai Wenchuan was stunned. He stared at her and stammered, "Madam—"
Madam Zi smiled slightly and explained to him, "I know there's a ball going on at the mansion, and your parents are there. You're all alone at home, so I came to find you."
She came to see him? Cai Wenchuan's heart pounded wildly, like a drum. He stared wide-eyed at the mysterious and beautiful woman, so nervous he could hardly breathe.
The lady's smile vanished, and tears welled in her eyes. She choked out, "I've come to say goodbye."
Saying goodbye?
At that time, there was a bright moon like a jade plate outside the window. The moonlight was like water, which made Lady Zi's face appear even more beautiful and sad.
Farewell? Understanding the meaning behind Madam Murasaki's words, the sixteen-year-old boy became anxious. He took a step forward and asked urgently, "Where are you going?"
Madam Zi sighed, wiped away her tears, then rallied her spirits and said to Cai Wenchuan, "I divorced my husband. He didn't give me anything. I left with nothing. He has evidence, haha, those ridiculous pieces of evidence! He doesn't know I did it on purpose."
Cai Wenchuan was stunned. He never expected that Lin Tingfeng had actually taken photos of his wife's affair and shown them to Old Master Lin. As a result, Old Master Lin was furious and divorced Madam Zi.
He sorted out the situation and said to Madam Zi, "What will happen to Xiaoyue if you leave?" His heart felt like it was being fried in oil.
Madam Zi said softly, "I'm leaving alone. Tingxuan and Tingyue will stay here. I'm just a woman, a simple woman with no skills or high education. If I take them with me, I can't give them a good education or a future, so I'll leave them here."
What? Cai Wenchuan was struck dumb upon hearing this. She was actually going to abandon her own children and leave like this.
Cai Wenchuan was both shocked and angry. He felt sorry for Xiaoyue and said coldly and angrily, "Although I haven't grown up yet, sometimes I feel that you adults are too irresponsible! You actually had a child and then ignored her. Once you become parents, you should prioritize your child when making decisions, and it's best to ask for her opinion beforehand. Does Xiaoyue want you to get a divorce?"
At the same time, he also thought of his parents. If his father had asked for his opinion before deciding to become the housekeeper of the Lin family, he wouldn't be in so much pain these past two years. His father's decision twisted his entire life.
My current state of mind is like that of a dark, psychopathic individual.
Hearing the dissatisfaction in Cai Wenchuan's tone, Lady Zi smiled sadly and said to him, "Little Wenchuan, you're right. It's my fault. I was too selfish and willful, which led to my current defeat and exile. But there's no going back. I will come back!" She gritted her teeth, her eyes flashing with resentment, and said coldly, "One day, I will return and reclaim everything that is rightfully mine!"
Cai Wenchuan was stunned.
Madam Zi glanced at her watch, then bent down to face him and said sincerely, "Little Wenchuan, I know you love Xiaoyue. Of my two children, I love Xiaoyue the most. Have you noticed that she looks exactly like me, like we were made from the same mold? When I leave, she's the one I'm most worried about, so please take good care of her for me. I'll thank you later, okay?"
As Madam Zi finished speaking, she walked up to Cai Wenchuan and looked at him sincerely.
Cai Wenchuan nodded very seriously.
Lady Zi smiled with satisfaction. She stretched out her hand and said to him, "Very good. A gentleman keeps his promise. Let's pinky swear."
Cai Wenchuan also reached out his hand and made a pinky promise with her. Madam Zi smiled, then wiped away her tears and quickly left.
"Wenchuan, what are you thinking about? What are you thinking about?" Only when Lin Tingyue's sweet voice came Cai Wenchuan back to his senses.
He looked at Lin Tingyue in front of him, smiled at her, and reached out a hand to gently stroke her face.
The past isn't as cold as ice. After Madam Zi went abroad, he had been the one to care for Lin Tingyue from childhood to adulthood. He acted like a dutiful parent, attending parent-teacher meetings in her place, tutoring Tingyue in her studies, and even taking meticulous care of her in the hospital when she was sick. During his painful and confused adolescence, he desperately needed the stability and maturity of an adult, and Lin Tingyue's loneliness and helplessness provided him with just such an illusion. So, like someone trapped in a quagmire, he willingly sank into it.
The child he raised with his own love is the best treasure in the world, and therefore, he cherishes her more than anyone else.
Time flies like an arrow. At sixteen, Lin Tingyue started going astray and dyed her beautiful hair blonde. In a fit of anger, he took her to a hair salon and cut her hair short. At seventeen, she started hanging out with hoodlums. When he found out, he searched for her in bars late at night, his legs almost giving up, but he never gave up. Once he found her, he took her home. To get her home, he fought with the hoodlums who were trying to seduce her. Later, she started using drugs, and he forced her to quit.
In short, over the years, he has kept his promise and raised Lin Tingyue like a parent, and he has kept his word to Madam Zi.
As Cai Wenchuan recalled this, he looked at Lin Tingyue with pride. She was so beautiful, like a sparkling gem. He had raised her so well. Although he was the son of a housekeeper, he had still raised her to be the young lady of the Lin family, hadn't he?
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