Song Lijun did not respond immediately, a smile still on her face, but her hand tightened momentarily on Feng Zhenhua’s.
Wei Yumeng’s gaze shifted slightly. For a second or two, the air seemed to freeze. She cupped her fist to her lips and gave a small cough.
“Since Miss Catherine is also here, why don’t you join us for breakfast? I can’t finish it all by myself.”
“Sure!” Catherine agreed without hesitation. She sat down casually next to them, opened her takeaway breakfast, which consisted of exquisite Western-style dishes, and placed it next to the meal the couple had brought.
“A blend of East and West! Mom and Dad, we really are in sync!”
Catherine glanced casually in the couple’s direction and remarked.
Wei Yumeng observed Catherine from the corner of her eye. Beneath her thick, curly hair, a few beads of sweat glistened, perhaps from her hurried arrival.
“Xiao Lin, why are you here too? You all should eat more. One needs to recover quickly, and the other needs energy to work well,” Feng Zhenhua picked up Catherine’s words, asking casually, and then urged them to eat their breakfast.
“Dad, you forgot. My company isn’t far from here, so I thought I’d drop by to see Mrs. Zhan on my way,” Catherine complained to Feng Zhenhua, then turned and nodded at Wei Yumeng.
“Good child, you’re too thin. You need to gain some weight,” Song Lijun stepped forward at this moment, placed the cutlery in front of Wei Yumeng, and smiled at her gently.
Wei Yumeng fell silent for a moment. The sudden warmth from the three of them felt overwhelming. Had spending so much time in country Y made people so fiery in their affections?
“Thank you.”
After a soft thank you, Wei Yumeng lowered her head and drank her millet porridge. She had also heard Catherine’s words earlier.
First, the couple was having breakfast nearby, then Miss Catherine’s company was not far away. These three had similar excuses, truly worthy of being a family.
A hint of strangeness flickered in Wei Yumeng’s eyes. This was the first time she had breakfast in the same space with people she wasn’t very familiar with.
After breakfast, Wei Yumeng rang the bell for the caregiver to come and clear the table. For a moment, the three of them were silent.
The Feng couple occasionally glanced at Catherine, wanting to speak but hesitating, ultimately saying nothing.
“Mrs. Zhan, did you sleep well last night?” Catherine’s eyes darted around as she asked Wei Yumeng with a smile, her tone full of concern. “Did your stepmother harass you again yesterday? We were all worried, so we thought we’d come and visit you today.”
Catherine’s reason was quite plausible. She subtly watched Wei Yumeng’s eyes, knowing it clearly in her heart like a bright mirror.
To be the main wife of the Zhan family, the woman before her was not the innocent little white flower she appeared to be. Their arriving one after another had to have a proper explanation.
“Thank you for your concern. My stepmother hasn’t been back,” Wei Yumeng looked around at the three of them, then lowered her eyelids and picked up the fragrant jade teacup.
This Miss Catherine was quite different from her parents.
“Mrs. Zhan, forgive me for asking so bluntly, but your parents are…” Song Lijun looked at Wei Yumeng hesitantly. Although she had heard a little yesterday, what she really wanted to ask was something else…
Wei Yumeng met Song Lijun’s gaze. She furrowed her delicate brows slightly. This woman’s eyes always held an indescribable meaning.
“I apologize for making you laugh yesterday. My birth mother passed away a long time ago, and my father never doted on me.”
Wei Yumeng replied to Song Lijun in a calm tone, as if she were talking about someone else’s story, not her own.
The background of the main wife of the Zhan family was easily discoverable with a little inquiry, and Wei Yumeng didn’t mind revealing it again.
Song Lijun and Feng Zhenhua showed expressions of concern. Catherine, who had been observing them secretly, shifted her gaze. If it were before, she might have just thought her parents were showing sympathy.
However, now, she understood what kind of emotion that was.
“I’m sorry, I’ve brought up painful memories for you,” Catherine sighed softly, glancing at Wei Yumeng with an apologetic look in her eyes.
Wei Yumeng chuckled and shook her head, indicating she didn’t mind.
“Mrs. Zhan, without the love and warmth of a family, do you feel any regrets?”
Song Lijun painstakingly posed the question. A glint of tears seemed to flash in her eyes. Feng Zhenhua, who knew her well, could already hear a slight tremble in her words.
He understood his wife’s intention and placed his arm around her, giving Song Lijun a firm strength.
Catherine was slightly startled, her pupils widening for a moment. She also looked at Song Lijun, staring intently at her mother’s moving lips.
Wei Yumeng raised her eyebrows in surprise. Upon meeting Song Lijun’s gaze, she felt an inexplicable emotion.
“I used to, indeed, care a lot.”
Wei Yumeng pursed her lips, a bitter curve at the corner of her mouth. She sighed deeply and looked out the window.
The joyful laughter of children playing with their parents drifted in on the breeze, clearly reaching everyone’s ears.
Song Lijun’s body swayed noticeably. She suddenly lowered her head, gripping Feng Zhenhua’s hand tightly.
Catherine noticed Song Lijun’s action, and goosebumps rose all over her body. She spoke decisively.
“And now?”
“Now I don’t care anymore. I can get through those sad days on my own, and now, I have a happy family.”
Wei Yumeng thought of the man in her memories, and her beloved Shi Qing and Jin Zhi, and couldn’t help but show a gentle smile, her eyes curving.
The three of them looked at her expression and, at that moment, deeply understood the immense happiness the Zhan family had brought her.
“Oh my, looking at Mrs. Zhan’s expression, you must be thinking of the person by your side who walks with you through life!”
Catherine chuckled slyly, covering her mouth, and sighed with emotion, looking at Wei Yumeng with envy.
“I heard Mrs. Zhan also has a pair of adorable twins, and your husband is so handsome. I’m so envious of you!”
“Miss Catherine, you will also meet that special person.”
When she spoke of the people at home, the smile on Wei Yumeng’s face deepened. She experienced the meaning of happiness in life through Zhan Mohan and her children.
“So, the happy and fulfilling life you have now has compensated for the love you lacked in your original family. That’s wonderful!”
Catherine seized the key point, and while speaking fluently, she did not forget to glance at the couple’s expressions.
“So, Mrs. Zhan doesn’t feel any regrets now.”
Wei Yumeng reflected on her current situation, walking step by step. A happy family and a successful career were exactly what she desired.
“Indeed, the current life is what I want. I can’t say I have any regrets or deficiencies.”