Meng Jiuyi's pen spun lightly in a circle.
"Director, I've heard that our welfare home has hosted many well-known figures in recent years. For example, the beloved daughter of the former chairman of the Gaoye Group was adopted here."
The dean looked at her, puzzled.
Meng Jiuyi added without any panic, "Understanding these things helps to endorse the welfare home and increase public trust in our place. In fact, well-known social figures and celebrities have the same influence."
The director said this happened almost ten years ago, back when she wasn't even at this welfare home.
They then sent someone to retrieve the relevant information.
"I've heard of Chairman Gao before. He not only funded children's welfare homes, but also paid close attention to the education of left-behind children in remote rural areas. It's a pity that he passed away so young."
Gaoye Group has only shown signs of decline in recent years. More than a decade ago, it was firmly the leader in the domestic textile industry.
The teacher below brought over some materials, but the director said that these were confidential documents of the welfare home and could not be photographed or circulated.
Meng Jiuyi nodded in agreement, noticing that the adoption form had been filled in the children section.
"Dean, does this mean you have biological children?"
The Gao couple had been childless for many years, and she was asking a question she already knew the answer to.
The dean said, "No, it means they had a previous adoption record, but the relationship is no longer being maintained. However, this will be taken into consideration during the government's review."
Under what circumstances would an adoption be terminated?
"Generally, the children are adults and can freely choose whether the relationship continues."
After leaving the orphanage, Meng Jiuyi went to the National Library again. Too much time had passed and she could not find any trace of Gao Xianyue's previous adoptee. However, the Gao family had developed so rapidly back then that they had even started a newspaper.
Although it is now defunct and closed, the National Library archives a large number of old newspapers.
From afternoon until evening, as the sky neared the window and darkness fell, fewer and fewer people remained engrossed in their books at their desks.
Why can't I find it?
Human nature is to seek advantage and avoid harm. If someone is used to a life of luxury in the Gao family, how could they possibly break off the adoption relationship?
There must be something strange about this.
Meng Jiuyi kept flipping through the pages, finding more and more, even going back more than twenty years.
Suddenly, her pupils contracted.
Found it!
The photos from that time were in black and white. The Gao couple looked to be in their early twenties. The girl stood between them with a shy smile, but her eyes held a longing for home.
Did the Gao couple decide they couldn't have children so early on? They don't even plan to resort to medical intervention.
Gao Xiyue.
Meng Jiuyi murmured the girl's name; she looked to be only seven or eight years old.
If he were still alive, he would be thirty-five or thirty-six.
Meng Jiuyi wasn't sure if she still used that name, so she took a picture and sent it to a private investigator, asking him to help her find her.
--
It was almost 8 o'clock when I got back to Kyushu.
Wen Qi went to visit her cousin and just texted Meng Jiuyi saying she wouldn't be back tonight.
The water from the tap was icy cold, and Meng Jiuyi shivered from the cold, but his mind became increasingly clear.
Finding out what happened back then is one thing, but finding a way to sever Gao Xianyue's ties with the Xu family is the most important thing. Otherwise, even if you find all her weaknesses, she can turn the tables immediately.
Her delicate features were reflected in the dressing mirror. She should have had a face even prettier than Kiity Cat, but because of her three-dimensional features, she inexplicably gave off a stubborn and unyielding feeling.
It makes one want to conquer it even more.
She remembered the comma Xu Yanzhi had left that day—
"Think about what I'll use to exchange next time."
Several days have passed.
Meng Jiuyi had an idea. He turned off the tap and then took off all his clothes.
Her body, as delicate as a flower stamen, was perfectly displayed.
She stood under the showerhead and kept rinsing herself with cold water.
I don't know if it's because I exercise regularly, but I only started feeling dizzy after showering for more than two hours.
Meng Jiuyi casually dried her hair, leaned against the wall to go outside, lay on the bed, took out her phone, and called Xu Yanzhi.
--
Tonight is the day that the Xu family father and son are visiting Hu Zeyuan's home.
Hu Zeyuan, who is over 60 years old, is the chairman of a central state-owned enterprise and the honorary president of Zhihua University, enjoying the treatment of a vice-ministerial level official.
Others would bow and scrape before him, but Xu Yungan did not; they had been friends for many years.
After a calligraphy contest, Hu Zeyuan said as Xu Yanzhi pushed open the door to enter.
"Yanzhi, come and see what you think of my handwriting?"
Xu Yanzhi glanced over and saw that Hu Zeyuan had just finished writing the character "天" (sky).
With just a few simple strokes, he expressed his thoughts with great skill and confidence.
A hint of a smile appeared in his eyes, "Your kung fu has improved again."
Hu Zeyuan laughed, "I'm happy to have some peace and quiet. I'm not like your father, who has to manage the company and worry about your marriage. Of course, he's overwhelmed."
Xu Yanzhi did not respond to this.
When elders bring up marriage, it's clear they've come prepared.
Xu Yungan sat at the table studying the chess game and said with a faint smile, "Caring for the younger generation can't just be superficial. Could it be that you, old rascal, have a suitable candidate in mind?"
"Of course there are, but I'm afraid they won't meet Yanzhi's standards."
Hu Zeyuan said, "I have a very close niece who is not much younger than Yanzhi. She just returned from the United States with a master's degree in humanities and is quite beautiful. I believe you two will have a lot to talk about when you meet."
This is the person Xu Yungan chose for his son, and he was perfectly matched to Xu Yungan's preferences in every aspect.
If he still harbors resentment towards a relationship from many years ago, this person cannot possibly refuse.
As they echoed each other, Xu Yanzhi could tell that the smile on his lips was rather lacking.
"Such a wonderful girl, it's such a waste that she's with me."
After dinner, the father and son chatted in the garden, with Uncle Zhuang following at a distance.
Xu Yungan Road.
"The steel project at Daying has progressed so smoothly this time, and you deserve a lot of credit for it. I was thinking that if there were any difficulties along the way, I would need to go back to China to smooth things over, but in the blink of an eye, all the approval documents have arrived here. Did you encounter any troubles during the process?"
Perhaps because his marriage was arranged without prior consultation, this strict father wanted to ease tensions.
Xu Yanzhi's tone was both respectful and distant: "As you can see, everything is going smoothly."
"If everything goes smoothly, one must relax in moderation."
Xu Yungan frowned, "How can a dinner party take so much time? You can't even attend a family dinner. You can't separate public and private matters."
The night Xu Yanzhi was unable to attend the banquet was the first night the father and son returned to China and had an argument.
"I believe I can clearly distinguish between public and private matters."
Xu Yanzhi curled his lips slightly without a smile, "If you're willing to continue acting out a father-son relationship in that kind of setting, then you don't need me to put on a smiling face."
The atmosphere suddenly became tense.
Uncle Zhuang couldn't hear what they were talking about, but seeing Xu Yungan's face from afar, he didn't dare to breathe too loudly.
Suddenly, a bright yellow figure stepped forward and took Xu Yungan's arm.
"Oh, no wonder you disappeared after I turned around. What were Uncle Xu and Brother Yanzhi whispering about?"
Xu Yungan's expression softened slightly because of Gao Xianyue's arrival, and she changed the subject.
When Xu Yanzhi left, Gao Xianyue chased after him and pressed her face against the car window.
“Brother Yanzhi, I think Uncle Xu cares about you a lot, but he just doesn’t know how to be a father.”
Xu Yanzhi's brows furrowed slightly with impatience, but his expression had calmed down, and he smiled faintly.
"It seems like you and him are more like family."
"No, I'm just a mediator between you."
The two met abroad and became friends after becoming step-siblings. Gao Xian Yue said, "However, I strongly support you bringing Su Ning back to spite Uncle Xu—"
Before he could finish speaking, the car window had already rolled up.
"Hey, that's too much."
Xu Yanzhi waved two fingers at her without changing his expression as a farewell.
But I couldn't concentrate on listening to a single word anymore.
As the Rolls-Royce drove into the villa area, the lights reflected on the man's face, revealing a hint of irritation.
What's the date today?
Uncle Zhuang said number twenty-seven.
Twenty-seven? Only three or four days have passed since we last met.
He tried to maintain social etiquette and be as nonchalant as possible, but three or four days would be about enough.
Xu Yanzhi tapped his fingers lightly on his knees and gave the order.
"Go to her place."
The fact that he spoke in that tone meant Uncle Zhuang knew who it was without even asking.
The phone suddenly vibrated in the quiet car.
Uncle Zhuang couldn't help but glance at the rearview mirror in surprise, knowing very little about his private phone number.
However, he then saw a wisp of snow-capped mountain slowly melting between the man's eyebrows.
Before I could even speak after the call connected, I heard soft sobbing on the other end.
"I feel so bad... Mom..."
**
Spraying with cold water for too long caused an illness to strike suddenly and violently, enough to make Meng Jiuyi's head throb with dizziness and spiderwebs appear before his eyes. Now, the fake illness had turned into a real one.
Someone lifted her blanket, and a large, warm hand touched her forehead. The cool touch made her murmur softly.
Xu Yanzhi frowned deeply, "How did it get burned like this?"
Meng Jiuyi didn't know how he got in, but he managed to get the person here eventually.
She rarely gets sick; being sick is a luxury for her than resting. Over the years, she has always tried various methods to avoid the possibility of getting sick.
I never knew a fever could be so painful; my half-closed eyes were filled with tears.
Xu Yanzhi said, "Let's go to the hospital."
"I'm not going," she said, her voice trembling with tears.
"How can things be good if we don't go? Be good." He coaxed her gently as he picked her up.
She covered herself completely with the blanket and refused to go. Xu Yanzhi couldn't do anything about it, especially since her hair was still wet when he touched it; going out like that would definitely worsen her cold.
He asked Uncle Zhuang to call the doctor, and then asked her where the hairdryer was. She hummed and hummed for a while, clearly not quite lucid.
Following the habit of arranging items, Xu Yanzhi pushed open the bathroom door.
However, he was stunned the next second.
A pink lace panty hung in the storage area; it was as thin as a cicada's wing, as light as moonlight, and only the size of a palm.
The scent of camellias filled the entire bedroom.
One can easily imagine how she slipped off her rounded buttocks in this room.
Finding the hairdryer became incredibly difficult in those few seconds. Xu Yanzhi grabbed it without looking to the side and left, helping her up and holding her in his arms.
The whirring of the hairdryer finally brought her some heat, and Meng Jiuyi struggled to open her eyes, her face pale and flushed.
"Mr. Xu... what are you doing here... I remember making a call for someone else..."
"How did I end up here? Some clueless person called me here."
His voice carried a subtle hint of doting affection.
Regardless of who she was going to call, he was incredibly grateful that the call had landed on him.
Xu Yanzhi tucked her hand under the covers and tried to turn on the heating, only to find that there was no air conditioner installed, just a lonely fan in the corner.
At that moment, his chest felt like a tap had been turned off.
It hurts from being twisted so much.
Meng Jiuyi was burning up, but his hands involuntarily touched her sleeve, which was icy cold, and her body was still covered with the dew that had rushed over at night.
She felt inexplicably uneasy and looked up at him, "If you ever get sick in the future... I promise I will take care of you."
Xu Yanzhi lowered his eyes to meet her gaze, clearly seeing the caution in her eyes, and swallowed hard.
Even knowing that she was so sick.
His only, and most inappropriate, thought now was to kiss her fiercely.
———
Happy Lunar New Year's Eve, everyone! Goodnight~
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