In the car back to the hotel, Song Lijun was still in a daze, seemingly replaying her first meeting with Wei Yumeng. Feng Zhenhua, much calmer, put his arm around his wife’s shoulders and patted her gently.
Catherine had observed their reactions and her heart sank a little. She took a deep breath and put on her signature smile.
“Dad, Mom, what do you think of the Zhan family’s First Madam, after meeting her for the first time?”
She was probing, wanting to know their thoughts on Wei Yumeng, which was extremely important to her.
“She has the demeanor of a lady from a distinguished family, and she looks beautiful and kind. That’s wonderful…”
Song Lijun was lost in her initial impression of Wei Yumeng, smiling with her mouth agape, a hint of relief in her expression.
The child hadn’t gone astray, hadn’t turned out badly, just too thin.
“This child is polite and easygoing. To become the Zhan family’s First Madam, she must have endured a lot of hardship.”
Feng Zhenhua said with certainty, stroking his neatly trimmed mustache, his eyes showing admiration.
Catherine watched their satisfied attitudes with a cold eye. It seemed her parents had taken quite a liking to Wei Yumeng.
“Yes, our daughter also felt an instant connection with her!” Catherine laughed carelessly, then changed the subject. “By the way, why did you decide to come here?”
Song Lijun looked at Feng Zhenhua with slight surprise at Catherine’s sudden question. He held Song Lijun’s hand casually, conveying a sense of firm support.
“We figured you were here, so we followed. We’ve stayed in Country Y for too long; we wanted to come back for a change of scenery and to check on Mrs. Zhan, whom we rescued.”
“So that’s how it is.” A glint flashed in Catherine’s eyes. Ever since she learned about that matter, she understood that their trip wasn’t solely for pleasure.
But, what did it matter?
“Your father and I were tired of Country Y. Coming out for a trip now is quite refreshing,” Song Lijun smiled gently. She always possessed a subtle, gentle aura that complemented Feng Zhenhua’s imposing presence.
When Catherine was little, she loved this quality in her mother and had aspired to be like her when she grew up. But not anymore.
“Do you have any plans for tomorrow? Do you need me to accompany you around?” Catherine offered kindly, looking at them, though without much hope.
“No need. Since you want to develop your career here, you must be very busy. We can take care of ourselves. You just focus on your work.”
Song Lijun’s expression flickered for a moment, but she quickly maintained her smile and shook her head.
Catherine frowned. Although she knew they had something on their minds, this was the first time her mother had so quickly refused her request, and it made her feel a little uncomfortable.
“Alright, then if you need anything, remember to call me.” Catherine feigned helplessness and compromise, taking a step back to remind them.
Song Lijun smiled and said she would. Just then, the car arrived at the hotel where the couple was staying. Catherine watched them go in before telling the driver to take her back to her own residence.
Catherine looked out at the dark night sky, enjoying the quiet, silent atmosphere. As their only daughter for so many years, she could see through Song Lijun’s lie at a glance.
She had indeed been incredibly busy lately, but what if they had revealed that matter while she was away…
Catherine’s heart was suddenly filled with a sense of impending danger. She unlocked her phone screen, scrolled to the last phone number, and tapped on the messaging interface, typing out a message.
The night grew darker, swallowing every starlight, and the myriad of lights gradually extinguished.
But dawn arrived with the morning, bringing the vigor of a new day.
Song Lijun woke up exceptionally early. Various clothes were piled haphazardly on the large bed. She happily picked out outfits, holding each one up to her body to see how it looked.
Feng Zhenhua shook his head helplessly as he watched her anxious demeanor and stood behind Song Lijun.
“What do you think of this one? Will she think I’m not taking this seriously?” Song Lijun mumbled, her brow furrowed.
Feng Zhenhua gazed at Song Lijun in the mirror for a long time. His wife had always been steady and gentle, never like this. All this change had begun yesterday.
“You’ll look good in anything. That child will understand your intentions,” Feng Zhenhua said, his voice soft but firm.
Song Lijun’s eyes instantly reddened. She nodded heavily, dressed, and had breakfast with Feng Zhenhua.
The couple walked out of the hotel hand in hand. A taxi sped them away. Not far off, a few people observed this scene and secretly reported to someone via their phones.
The hospital was quiet in the early morning, with only the sound of the cleaners sweeping at the entrance. The couple, familiar with the way, headed to the inpatient department and glanced at Wei Yumeng’s room.
“Hello, excuse me, has Mrs. Zhan woken up? We’re here to see her.”
Feng Zhenhua asked the nurse guarding the room in a low voice. Song Lijun, by his side, clutched his hand, her eyes filled with anticipation.
“Mrs. Zhan has just finished her morning routine. I’ll knock on the door for you.” The nurse replied, then knocked on the door. A voice quickly called out, “Come in.”
The nurse opened the door for the couple. They couldn’t help but feel a surge of emotion as they entered the room, a kind smile on their faces.
“Good morning, Mrs. Zhan.”
Hearing the familiar voices, Wei Yumeng turned around. It was the Feng couple who had visited her yesterday, Catherine’s parents!
These two had just said they would visit again last night, and they had indeed kept their word, arriving first thing in the morning.
Wei Yumeng suppressed the doubts welling up in her heart, maintaining a gentle expression as she gestured for them to sit.
“Oh, Auntie and Uncle, good morning.”
Hearing Wei Yumeng’s somewhat distant address, Song Lijun felt a pang in her heart. She forced herself not to dwell on it and placed the abundant breakfast on the table, arranging the dishes one by one.
“My husband and I were just passing by to have breakfast nearby. We thought you might not have eaten yet, so we packed some for you. We hope you like it.”
Wei Yumeng raised an eyebrow lightly and lowered her gaze to the spread of food on the table. Millet porridge, fried dough sticks, eggs, even soy milk and buns – everything was there.
Looking at the packaging boxes, it was obvious they came from a five-star hotel, not something one could casually buy nearby.
“Oh, it seems I’m late. If I had known you parents bought breakfast, I wouldn’t have bought any.”
Catherine bustled in, carrying a bag of breakfast. She tidied her voluminous wavy curls and gave Wei Yumeng a hearty smile.
Oh, so the whole family was here?
Wei Yumeng narrowed her calm eyes. She didn’t miss the fleeting surprise on the couple’s faces, nor Catherine’s slight smile.