Chapter 2 Long-cherished Wish
What she longed for most was for Song Zhiwei to come back and stay by her side.
Let's take another look.
Song Zhiwei raised her head, her tone still calm.
Five years ago, Xie Lingling helped her grandmother force her to go out, a scene she still remembers clearly.
It was drizzling that day.
The mother stood at the door: "Zhiwei, you have to leave. This is for your own good."
She didn't understand why her biological mother would side with the old lady.
She no longer resented her mother as much as before.
But those wounds aren't something you can just forget.
Xie Lingling wanted to persuade her daughter further, but when she looked up and saw several important guests entering the room, she could only let go of her daughter's hand and whisper some instructions.
"The old lady is still your grandmother in name. No matter how she treated you in the past, you have to appease her and shed a few tears. At least you have to act like a proper grandmother."
As she spoke, she glanced at the guests in dark suits at the door from the corner of her eye.
Xie Lingling dared not take any risks, and even less dared to let her daughter make the slightest mistake at this critical juncture.
She knew Song Zhiwei was stubborn, and she also knew that Song Zhiwei didn't have much affection for the Zhou family or the old lady.
In their circle, superficial rules are valued most, especially filial piety.
If a child with a special background like Song Zhiwei were to act coldly, outsiders would simply say she has no conscience.
Xie Lingling was well aware of these unspoken rules.
Therefore, she would rather her daughter suffer a little.
Song Zhiwei entered the mourning hall and immediately saw Zhou Fengyi, so she softly called out, "Uncle Zhou."
The candlelight flickered in the mourning hall, and the air was filled with the fragrance of sandalwood.
A black and white portrait hung in the center, the old lady smiling peacefully.
Song Zhiwei's gaze passed through the crowd and landed on the man in the black suit.
Zhou Fengyi was bending down to arrange the ribbons on the wreaths.
Hearing the voice, he paused slightly before slowly turning around.
Her father passed away when she was ten years old, and her grandparents had also passed away long ago. With no one to take care of her, she was taken in by the Zhou family.
That year, she was in the fourth grade of elementary school.
The relatives passed the responsibility around, none of them willing to take on the responsibility of raising the child.
Finally, Zhou Fengyi, out of consideration for his wife Xie Lingling, reluctantly agreed to take her into his home.
Her stepfather neither loved her nor abused her.
He never hit or scolded her, nor did he deliberately make things difficult for her.
But they wouldn't proactively ask her if she was cold or hungry.
If I had to describe it, it would probably be "invisible".
Many times, he acted as if she didn't exist.
When Zhou Fengyi saw her come in, he paused for a few seconds, then forced a smile.
"You're back."
"Yes, let's light some incense for Grandma."
Song Zhiwei answered calmly.
After she finished speaking, she turned and walked towards the offering table.
"Good boy."
Song Zhiwei knelt on the cushion and carefully lit an incense stick.
When it was time to cry, a scene suddenly flashed through her mind.
On the day she arrived at the Zhou family, the old lady hugged her, stroked her hair, and said with a smile, "Our little Zhiwei has big earlobes; she's sure to be blessed in the future."
She was a little reserved when she first met this "grandmother".
But as soon as the old lady saw her, she opened her arms and pulled her into her embrace.
At that moment, she thought she finally had a home.
A guest nearby noticed her eyes were red and came over to hand her a tissue, saying softly, "You must be Lingling's daughter? It's been so many years since we last met. You must have come back to see the old lady off on her final journey. You're so thoughtful."
She was a woman around fifty years old, wearing an elegant black cheongsam.
Song Zhiwei took the tissue, gently wiped her eyes, and whispered, "Thank you."
"It's been five years since I last saw you, and you've become even more beautiful."
Song Zhiwei was slightly taken aback and blinked subconsciously.
He then raised his head and carefully examined the person in front of him.
She then slowly recalled that the extraordinary woman in front of her was Madam Sheng.
The Sheng family is a top-tier wealthy and influential family in Binhai.
With generations of business experience, extensive network of connections, and deep-rooted foundation, they are almost unmatched.
Whether in political or business circles, everyone who mentions the Sheng family commands respect.
As the matriarch of the Sheng family, Madam Sheng rarely appears in public and keeps a low profile.
Song Zhiwei was about to respond with a few polite words.
Suddenly, I heard a voice behind me.
"Mom, we should go."
Her heart tightened, and she immediately turned around.
My gaze had just turned when it met a pair of brown eyes.
The man had a pair of very bright eyes, with high brow bones and a deep yet bright gaze.
His face has a clear outline and sharp lines. He has a straight nose and a small mole under one nostril, which adds a touch of wildness to his appearance.
He was wearing a black shirt with the cuffs casually rolled up, one hand draped over his jacket, and had broad shoulders and a narrow waist.
She looked both casual and incredibly elegant.
When his gaze swept over her, it seemed casual, yet it was as if he was silently observing her.
Song Zhiwei lowered her head, her eyelashes trembling slightly, unsure whether she should greet her.
After all, the eldest son of the Sheng family, Sheng Jingyu, is notoriously aloof and difficult to deal with.
After a moment's thought, she ultimately chose to remain silent.
Madam Sheng smiled at her.
She spoke gently, "Zhiwei, Jingyu and I are leaving now. Take care."
"Okay, take care."
Song Zhiwei responded softly.
She still didn't look at Sheng Jingyu, but simply raised her head slightly and nodded politely to Madam Sheng.
Only after the two had walked away did Song Zhiwei secretly breathe a sigh of relief.
After the funeral, Xie Lingling finished all the arrangements and saw off the last group of guests before finally finding some free time.
She walked over to Song Zhiwei and gently patted her shoulder.
"Come on, I'll take you to the living room to sit for a while. Don't stand here alone."
The two walked side by side into the living room.
The villa, named Shanshui Louge, is extremely spacious.
Besides Zhou Fengyi's family, Zhou Yuze also lives in this villa.
He was the son of Old Mrs. Zhou's youngest son, slightly older than her, with a calm and composed personality. He rarely showed his face, but he always stayed here.
Grandma Zhou had five children in total, three daughters and two sons.
The eldest daughter married and moved overseas, and rarely returned to China.
The second daughter was Song Zhiwei's mother, who passed away many years ago.
The youngest daughter now lives in the east of the city and occasionally comes back to visit her mother.
Of the two sons, the elder son, Zhou Fengyi, is in charge of the family business and oversees the overall situation.
The youngest son, Zhou Yuheng, studied abroad in his early years and now resides overseas, leaving only his son, Zhou Yuze, in Binhai to take care of family affairs.
Zhou Yuze was her son, born late in life, and was raised with great affection by his family from a young age.
Song Zhiwei followed Xie Lingling into the room and immediately saw Zhou Yuze sitting on the sofa.
He was looking down at his phone, his long, slender fingers swiping rapidly across the screen.
Her eyes darkened slightly.
Just as she was about to find a corner to sit down, her eyes suddenly caught sight of Zhou Zhuoye next to her.
Her body stiffened for a moment, and she quickly moved to the side without making a sound, calling out softly, "Big Brother."
Zhou Zhuoye crossed his legs, looked up from his phone, and glanced at her casually.
Song Zhiwei was already used to it.
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