Chapter 573 - 567_1
Xixi went out and soon led an elderly woman with a head full of silver hair into the room. The old woman’s silver hair shone, and her clothes, though old, were clean and had been washed to the point of fading in some areas. She stood erect and seemed very spirited, giving the impression of a forthright and energetic elder.
The old woman’s eyes reddened with emotion upon entering the room and seeing Lin Yue. "Erya, how you’ve suffered—Auntie is at fault. I was over at Xiaoshui Village taking care of your cousin and didn’t look after you. Who would have known that your heartless parents would sell you like that? If your grandmother knew of this in her grave, I can’t imagine how heartbroken she’d be. It’s my fault that I didn’t take good care of you, allowing you to endure so much. Thankfully you have good fortune and now you’re living a good life. But Auntie blames herself for not protecting you earlier; it leaves a sour taste in my heart."
Lin Yue instantly felt an inexplicable familiarity with the elderly woman upon seeing her, unlike the strangeness and revulsion she felt when she first met her so-called parents. Especially the genuine emotion in the woman’s words; Lin Yue didn’t think she was lying. The old woman genuinely cared for her.
"Are you Auntie?" Lin Yue followed her instincts, prompted by the warmth she felt, and helped the old woman sit down beside her.
The old woman, seeing that Lin Yue did not recognize her, seemed a bit disbelieving, unsure of what had happened. "Erya, Auntie’s watched you grow up since you were little; how can you not recognize Auntie now?"
Lin Yue smiled apologetically. "Auntie, don’t be upset. I fell seriously ill when I married into the Zhao Family last year. When I awoke, I had forgotten many things and didn’t recognize anyone, not even my brother. It was only after some time that I slowly remembered. But the moment I saw you, I felt an intense familiarity; it must be because we knew each other well before."
Hearing Lin Yue’s explanation and thinking about her plight, the old woman considered what might have been if Lin Yue had not been strong enough to survive. "My Erya, how did you end up with such wicked parents? I owe you an apology for not knowing about the terrible thing that happened to you. It wasn’t until I returned last January that I found out your parents had sold you. I severely reprimanded your father. I wanted to find you at the Zhao Family village, but I was afraid it would cause you trouble, especially since your husband had agreed to cut ties with us. Later, when Lin Qing told me you were doing well, I felt relieved. This morning, when I heard you came to Shanglin Village, I came to see how you were doing."
Lin Yue reflected, "What will be, will be; trouble that can’t be avoided is not trouble but fate. I’m living comfortably now, and my husband treats me very well. Back when my parents sold me, I felt resentful, but now I think if that hadn’t happened, I wouldn’t have met such a good man as my husband. Looking at it that way, it seems like fate had its hand in it. Otherwise, who knows where my parents would have sold me to—I wouldn’t have been lucky enough to meet someone as good as Zhao Erhu."