Chapter 431 - Mother (1)
Chapter 431: Mother (1)
“I don’t quite remember what they were talking about. I just remember that both your grandfathers stayed in the room for nearly one hour at that time. Just when we thought that they were going to start fighting inside and wanted to barge in to take a look, your grandfathers came out from within. Not only did they not fight because of some disagreement, they even acted like they were best buddies who had known each other for years. They even settled the matters of your father and my wedding. They said that we can get engaged for a while, and we’ll see how things go. If we find each other suitable, we can get married when we go to university.”
Zhao Youlin found herself speechless to a deeper extent. She already did not know what she should be saying in this situation. ‘Grandfather, how did you brainwash the other father in the family in the past? Are things really supposed to develop so quickly?!’
Duan Yarong continued flipping through the old album. It contained far too many of their memories during high school. In the beginning, they took solo photos, and later on, they started taking pictures together. In the beginning, they looked stiff together, but later on, they started looking really intimate in each other’s presence. Their pictures were full of affection and they all looked natural. These photos recorded the entire process of falling in love at first sight and loving each other mutually.
Of course, aside from that, Zhao Youlin occasionally saw some rare pictures of Duan Yarong and Zhao Shunrong embarrassing themselves.
Just by looking at these pictures, Zhao Youlin felt like she was by their sides at that time and saw these two people as they were full of life and supported each other.
Zhao Youlin sat quietly beside Duan Yarong as she looked through the album. When she reached the end…
Zhao Youlin pointed at the last photo in the album. It was a huge picture with around forty people in it, and she whispered, “Huh? Mom, is this your graduation photo?”
Duan Yarong drew closer to take a look, and she smiled. “Yes. This is our high school’s graduation photo. Look, I’m here together with your father.”
Zhao Youlin looked in the direction where Duan Yarong pointed. Just as she said, there were two tiny figures inside. These two were leaning against each other in the photo. One of them was full of smiles and looked charming as well as gentle. The other just stared at the person beside him quietly with a loving look in his eyes, as if he could not see anyone else aside from the person beside him.
As Zhao Youlin marveled at Duan Yarong and Zhao Shunrong’s never-changing love, she scanned through every face on the photo with great interest.
Since most of the photos were in black and white at that time and since this was taken a long time ago, Zhao Youlin could not see these people’s faces in detail.
But she kept looking at their faces one by one, and when she saw a figure in a corner, she froze.
She reached out a hand to touch the corner of the photo, and a slight crease formed between her eyebrows. The person in the corner looked a little familiar, as if she had seen her before.
“Youlin, what’s wrong?” Duan Yarong could not help but ask when she saw that Zhao Youlin fixatedly staring at her graduation photo and did not give any reaction.
Then, Zhao Youlin seemingly snapped out of her daze. She turned to Duan Yarong and offered her a smile before she pointed at a girl with smooth long hair and showed only three-quarters of her face. She asked softly, “Mom, do you remember who she is?”
When Duan Yarong heard Zhao Youlin’s question, she leaned over to look in the direction where Zhao Youlin pointed. But even after examining the girl for a long time, she could not figure out her identity.
“That’s… I don’t remember her either. It has been a long time, and I never contacted my former classmates after graduation. I don’t know where they are now, or what they are doing.” Duan Yarong stared at the familiar yet alien faces in the picture, and a look of nostalgia appeared on her face.
Once Zhao Youlin heard this, she knew that she could not obtain an answer from Duan Yarong. She said nothing else but just observed the person’s face in the picture, attempting to look for some clues based on that hint of familiarity.
However, before Zhao Youlin could figure it out, Duan Yarong had already stood up and ran over to the other side to grab another album. She brought it to Zhao Youlin, as if she was offering up treasure.
“This is…?” Zhao Youlin took the album and asked in puzzlement. “These are my pictures during my university life… and your mother’s pictures are inside too.”
Zhao Youlin was stunned, and the thin album became heavy in her hands.
Under Duan Yarong’s encouraging gaze, she slowly flipped open the album. The main character in the album was Duan Yarong, but Zhao Shunrong was no longer the only person standing beside her. A gentle girl also appeared beside them.
Zhao Youlin stared at the girl who smiled shyly and warmly while she hugged some books in her hand as she stood beside Duan Yarong. Her smooth, dark hair hung beside her ears obediently.
Since the photo was taken against the light, when Zhao Youlin looked from the distance, it was as if the girl was covered in a faint halo that made her look clean and sacred. In fact… she gave off a gentle air.
“Your mother was publicly acknowledged as the most beautiful girl in our university at that time. She radiated beauty from within, and plenty of boys handed her love letters in secret. Unfortunately, despite being such a beautiful girl, your mother sacrificed her entire life’s happiness because of a single trade.”
“A trade?” This was the first time Zhao Youlin heard of the past between Zhao Shunrong and her biological mother in-name. She naturally became a little curious.
It was only then that Duan Yarong noticed that she had subconsciously said something she should not have. An awkward look settled on her face for a brief moment before she relaxed.
“Youlin, there’s something I couldn’t tell you before, and neither did I have the courage to tell you. But you’ve grown up now, and you’ve become mature too. You have your own opinions and thoughts. I believe that you have a right to know about this. It’s entirely on your own understanding as to whether it’s right or wrong.”
Zhao Youlin was stunned for a moment before she schooled her expression and nodded.
“Your mother didn’t like Zhao Shuncheng in the beginning. It was a coincidence that they even met. The financial situation of your mother’s family might not compare to the Zhao family, but it was pretty good. One time, your mother went to a banquet with her parents, and she met Zhao Shuncheng. Zhao Shuncheng was shocked by her beauty and started asking around for information about your mother. Then, he started wooing her.”
“Then, my mother…”
“Suxin didn’t like your father at that time.”
“Then, why…?”
“Because of her parents.”
“My grandparents?”
Regret and pain flared in Duan Yarong’s eyes. “When her parents went for a holiday abroad, their airplane crashed, and they never returned. Your mother’s company fell into chaos when they received the news, and it nearly went bankrupt.”
As Duan Yarong said this, her eyes became a little moist. “Your mother had no choice at that time. She might be a gentle person, but she’s competitive. Back then, she never mentioned this to us. Instead, she made an agreement with Zhao Shuncheng. She agreed to date him and marry him, but Zhao Shuncheng must help her protect her family business.”