"My lord, I only hope that she can live a good life. Even if she is not the real Qian'er, I am willing to treat her as my own daughter. As long as she can be happy, I am willing to give anything." The Prime Minister's wife's eyes were filled with determination and love. Her tears kept flowing, but her gaze never left Prime Minister Lin.
Prime Minister Lin grasped his wife's hand, offering her some comfort. His hand trembled slightly, revealing his inner turmoil: "Madam, let's take it one step at a time and make sure no one else notices. This matter must be known only to the two of us; we absolutely cannot let a third person find out, or the consequences will be unimaginable."
The two remained silent in the room for a long time, an atmosphere of sorrow and helplessness filling the space. Their eyes were filled with longing for their daughter and resignation to their current situation—an unspeakable pain that deeply pierced their hearts.
After a long while, the Prime Minister's wife finally spoke slowly: "My lord, shall we try to learn more about this child?"
Prime Minister Lin pondered for a moment and nodded: "What the lady said makes sense. Perhaps we should communicate with her more and see if we can find some clues. But we must also be careful and not let her realize our suspicions."
Moonlight streamed through the window, casting long shadows on them and making them appear exceptionally lonely and desolate.
Having reached an agreement, the two rose and blew out the candles. Moonlight, like silvery radiance, poured down, casting a hazy glow over everything in the room. Prime Minister Lin and his wife lay in bed, unable to fall asleep for a long time, their hearts filled with worry for their daughter.
The next morning, sunlight streamed through the window, bathing the room in light and warmth. Lin Qian had just woken up and was sitting at her dressing table, her maid gently combing her cascading black hair. She wore a pale pink dress, its flowing fabric accentuating her fair, jade-like skin, making her resemble a lotus bud about to bloom—pure, elegant, and breathtakingly beautiful.
"Qian'er, you're awake?" The Prime Minister's wife smiled and walked gracefully to Lin Qian's side, her eyes full of affection.
Lin Qian smiled slightly, her voice clear and melodious: "Mother, Father, why did you come so early?"
"We've come to see you. Did you sleep well last night?" Lin Cheng asked with concern, his eyes filled with deep fatherly love.
"I slept very well, thank you for your concern, Father," Lin Qian replied obediently, a happy smile on her face.
Prime Minister Lin and his wife exchanged a glance, both seeing a hint of relief in each other's eyes. Although the child before them was quite different in temperament from the Lin Qian they knew, her filial piety towards them remained undiminished.
"Qian'er, what have you been busy with lately? Could you tell us?" the Prime Minister's wife asked tentatively, her eyes filled with curiosity.
Lin Qian put down the comb in her hand, turned around, looked at the Prime Minister's wife with a firm gaze, and said calmly, "Mother, I have been studying food lately."
"Food?" The Prime Minister's wife was somewhat surprised. In her memory, Lin Qian had never shown such a strong interest in food. "Qian'er, why are you suddenly interested in food?"
“Yes, Mother.” Lin Qian’s eyes shone with determination and confidence. “I have discovered that food contains endless mysteries. It can not only satisfy people’s appetites, but also convey warmth and happiness.”
The Prime Minister's wife wanted to ask more questions, but Prime Minister Lin stopped her with a look. Prime Minister Lin knew that this was not the time to delve into the details; they needed more time to observe and understand this child who seemed to have undergone a complete transformation.
Lin Qian looked at Prime Minister Lin and his wife, hesitated for a moment, and finally mustered up her courage to say, "Father, Mother, I have an idea. I want to open a hot pot restaurant and a restaurant."
Upon hearing this, both Prime Minister Lin and his wife showed expressions of surprise.
The Prime Minister's wife was the first to ask, "Qian'er, why do you have such thoughts?"
A hint of excitement flashed in Lin Qian's eyes as she said, "Mother, my hot pot is very popular. I think if I could open a shop, more people would be able to taste this unique delicacy."
Prime Minister Lin pondered for a moment and said, "Qian'er, this idea is good, but opening a shop is not an easy task. It requires a lot of capital and manpower. Have you considered these issues carefully?"
Lin Qian replied confidently, "Father, I have already considered all of this. I have my trusted servants searching for suitable shops throughout the capital, and I also have some savings that are enough to cover the initial expenses. As for manpower, I will have them select some honest, reliable, and hardworking people to help manage the shops."
The Prime Minister's wife was still somewhat worried, saying, "Qian'er, doing business is not an easy thing; the hardships and difficulties involved far exceed your imagination. Are you really confident that you can handle it?"
Lin Qian said firmly, "Mother, don't worry! I'm fully prepared. No matter how big the difficulties, I will try my best to overcome them. I believe that as long as we run the shop with our hearts, we will definitely be able to make it a success and realize my dream."
Looking at Lin Qian's determined eyes, Prime Minister Lin felt very gratified. He nodded and said, "Good, since you have such a firm determination, your father supports you. However, you must also take care of your health and not overwork yourself."
Lin Qian said happily, "Thank you, Father! Thank you, Mother! I will definitely work hard and won't let you down!"
Prime Minister Lin looked at his daughter, his heart filled with emotion. Since waking up from that near-drowning incident, Qian'er had truly become a different person. Before, her heart and soul were completely devoted to Prince Ning; to please him, she even went so far as to do things against her own conscience. But now, not only had she become much more composed, but she had also displayed unprecedented intelligence and independent thinking. She had finally found what she truly loved, no longer revolving solely around men, which filled Prime Minister Lin with genuine joy.
"Qian'er, are you really sure? You want to open a hot pot restaurant and a restaurant?" Prime Minister Lin asked again, his tone tinged with a mixture of probing and concern.
Lin Qian answered without hesitation, "Father, I have thought this through very carefully. This is not an impulsive decision, but a well-considered one. I will take this matter seriously and do my best to achieve it."
Looking into his daughter's determined eyes, Prime Minister Lin's last lingering concerns vanished. He smiled and nodded, saying, "Good! You truly are my daughter, Lin Hanmo's daughter, full of ambition! Go ahead and do it with confidence. If you encounter any difficulties or need any help along the way, come back and tell your father anytime. Your father will always be your strongest support and will fully back you up!"
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