Using the excuse of going to the restroom, Cheng Zhili came out for some fresh air.
She disliked her current oppressive life at all, but her mother was right: she had enjoyed the privileged environment provided by her family, so she had to obey their arrangements.
But she was really tired. No matter where she went, she had to maintain proper etiquette at all times. She couldn't do anything according to her own wishes. Even when eating, she was never full because her mother said that if she ate too much, she would get fat and wouldn't be able to dance well.
"What's wrong?" Wenwen saw a little girl who looked similar to her staring blankly at the koi pond and couldn't help but go up to ask.
"I'm fine, I'm just unhappy."
"Huh?" Wenwen was particularly puzzled. "How could you not be happy eating my food?"
"Is this your family's shop?"
"Yes." Wenwen nodded emphatically. "It's run by my mom. My mom is amazing!"
“My mom is amazing too,” Cheng Zhili said, pursing her lips. Everyone who talks about her mom praises her.
"Let me treat you to something. My mom made this especially for me; it's not on the menu." Wenwen took out some cookies to share.
Cheng Zhili hesitated, as her mother never allowed her to eat these things: "Thank you, but I can't eat them. I'll get fat if I do."
"We're just kids, why should we worry about gaining weight? Besides, look at me, I eat every day and I'm not fat at all!"
Wenwen is indeed not fat, so Cheng Zhili has some doubts: is her mother's insistence really correct?
Wenwen felt sorry for the little girl across from her; she had never eaten a cookie before.
"Just one piece won't make any difference."
"Thank you." Cheng Zhili finally picked up a piece and put it in her mouth, then closed her eyes in enjoyment.
Wenwen was especially happy to see her like this: "Isn't that right? I told you my mom's cooking is the best."
"It is indeed very delicious. Thank you. My name is Cheng Zhili. What's yours?"
"My name is Song Wenwen. If you're ever unhappy, you can come and visit me."
“My mom usually doesn’t allow me to go out, and I have to attend a lot of tutoring classes every day, but if I have time, I will definitely come over.”
"Are you working so hard? My mom said as long as I'm happy, that's all that matters."
"Isn't your mother worried about your studies?"
“My mom works hard to support me, and I listen attentively in class. My grades aren’t bad.”
"But even if we don't go to tutoring classes, what about violin, painting, and other things? Are you not going to learn any of them either?"
Wenwen thought for a moment and said, "Mom has made me try all these courses, but I don't like most of them. So now I've learned swimming and Sanda (Chinese kickboxing).
Cheng Zhili was truly envious. Not only did she have to learn what she liked, but even what she didn't like, she had to do her best according to her mother's requirements.
"Your mother is so forgiving towards you."
No sooner had Cheng Zhili finished speaking than Yu Peiyan came out to find her, her voice cold: "Zhili, didn't you say you were going to the restroom? Why are you lingering here?"
Song Wenwen knew immediately that this aunt was difficult to get along with, so she quickly spoke up for her new friend: "Auntie, I was the one who started chatting with Zhili. Can I be friends with Zhili?"
Yu Peiyan said coldly, "My daughter isn't someone who can make friends with just anyone. Zhili, come back with your mother."
"Mom!" Cheng Zhili said anxiously and embarrassedly, "Wenwen is not a bad girl. We just hit it off and chatted for a bit."
"Now that we're done talking, you can leave, right? Do you want your parents and brother to wait for you to eat and then go hungry?"
Upon hearing this, Cheng Zhili immediately lowered her head and said, "I'm sorry, Mom. I'll go back with you right away."
Song Wenwen couldn't help but sigh as she watched her retreating figure. No wonder Zhili looked so unhappy. It's unbelievable that she had such a mother. Fortunately, her mother is the most open-minded person in the world. Fortunately, her mother is the best person in the world!
"Wenwen, what are you looking at?" Song Xia noticed that her daughter hadn't gone back inside after coming out, so she came out to look for her herself.
"I just met a friend, her mom, she's so pitiful, her mom is so mean."
Song Xia didn't take it to heart: "Every family has its own way of getting along. As outsiders, we can't interfere."
"Yeah, I just feel sorry for her, unlike me, who has such a loving mother!" Wenwen opened her arms and laughed happily.
As Song Xia looked at her daughter with affection, she thought about her biological daughter. Did that child prefer to be with her or with her wealthier adoptive parents?
She really couldn't judge, because from her memory, the child didn't seem to have expressed anything concrete. In her previous life, the child often came to her when she was on her deathbed, but didn't say much.
Forget it, I won't think about it too much. Even if she now owns three very profitable stores, she's still no match for that family. She won't hand Wenwen over.
In her past life, Wenwen suffered too much because of her, and her ending was very tragic. This time, she must make sure Wenwen lives a happy and joyful life.
What Song Xia didn't know was that, without his knowledge, the two children had gradually begun to interact, in a way completely different from their previous lives.
The two met again at a speech contest.
"Cheng Zhili!"
"Song Wenwen!"
"We meet again!" The two spoke in unison, like twins, then looked at each other and laughed heartily.
"I'm in the first group, what about you?"
“I’m in the third group. Didn’t your mom come with you? You’re smiling more this time.”
"No, my mom wouldn't send me to such a small competition."
"Do we have to differentiate between big and small matches before we can watch them?"
Cheng Zhili explained to her mother, "Mom is usually very busy, so your mom must have come, right?"
"Yes, Mom says she doesn't want to miss any part of my growth."
"That's great." Cheng Zhili was a little envious, but then she thought that every family's situation was different, and their requirements were naturally different as well. She couldn't say that her mother was wrong.
"Let's exchange contact information. You can chat with me anytime; I'm usually free."
"Hmm." Cheng Zhili took out her phone. Her mother had given her the authority to do this, since she usually needed to contact her classmates and friends at school. Her mother said that they were all from families with similar backgrounds to the Cheng family, so she could keep in touch. But if she added Song Wenwen to the list, her mother probably wouldn't notice, right?
"Okay." After the two exchanged contact information, the host came on stage, and Cheng Zhili had to go prepare, so they went their separate ways.
Song Xia, sitting in the audience, was startled when she suddenly heard the host announce Cheng Zhili's name. Was it just a coincidence, or was it the same child...?
So she couldn't help but take a second look. The child was still young, and she couldn't see anything unusual. Moreover, the person disappeared after stepping off the stage.
After the competition, Cheng Zhili sent Song Wenwen an apology message without even checking the results. Her mother told her to go to her tutoring class right after the competition so as not to be late, and she regretted not being able to say goodbye in person.
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