Chapter 13

An MeiYun had already been in touch with the Gao Family for two years, so her family was aware of it. It would be unrealistic for her to deny it completely, so she decided to tell a half-truth to make it harder for them to distinguish fact from fiction.

An JingZhi still believed in the father-daughter love between them over the past 18 years.

It was just so contradictory. On one hand, she felt that An ZhiXia's return had snatched her position in An JingZhi and Zhou Nan's hearts. On the other hand, she felt that the feelings An JingZhi and Zhou Nan had for raising her for 18 years could not possibly be replaced by someone like Gao Little Grass who had only been around for a few days.

Before An JingZhi could respond, An MeiYun turned to look at An ZhiXia. She kneeled down on the ground without any hesitation.

From the sound alone, one could tell how painful her knees must have felt.

But An MeiYun didn't even change her expression. She looked at An ZhiXia sincerely and anxiously, and said, "Sister Xiaocao, I'm sorry, it was me who wronged you. I knew about our identities being switched two years ago, but I never told the family. I couldn't bear to leave dad and mom and brother either. I never expected the Gao Family to treat you like that. They kept lying to me that they would treat you well. Fortunately you don't seem to have suffered too much these past two years. I've also been tormented by guilt all this time. I don't dare ask for your forgiveness. I only hope you can understand me a little, okay? I grew up with dad and mom since I was little. I thought I was their biological daughter for the first 16 years too. But then one day, someone suddenly came and told me I wasn't, that I was just an imposter who took over someone else's place because of my parents' greed. I would be scared too, I would be afraid too..."

By the end, An MeiYun was crying so hard that her whole body was curled up on the floor. One could not see her face clearly, but one could hear the fear in her trembling voice.

"And that jade pendant, the reason I wore it today was because I wanted to give it to Sister Xiaocao to apologize. I thought it was small and pretty, not suitable to wear out, but nice to play with at home. I didn't expect it to backfire. Otherwise, when has Dad ever seen me wear it before?"

An MeiYun wiped her tears. Her bloodshot eyes looked at the frowning An JingZhi, putting on a brave face that made people's hearts ache.

She looked somewhat similar to Li Xiu, but the two were as different as Heaven and Earth. Perhaps this was why people from the countryside always coveted the city so much. With such similar features, Li Xiu's skin was dark from long days working under the sun. Her face often looked oily and shiny, especially under the sun. She even had dark spots on both sides of her nose, though not very noticeable on her dark skin.

An MeiYun on the other hand had a slender figure, a slightly fuller chest, and fair smooth skin. Even with average looking features, she had a soft and charming aura when she cried.

An ZhiXia was different again. Years of malnutrition made her look very undernourished. She was short and skinny, with a flat figure. Her hair was dry and yellowish. Her complexion was also sallow and lifeless.

Zhou Nan was able to marry An JingZhi not just because of the Old Master's arrangement, but also because she herself was beautiful and capable.

But An ZhiXia, who looked so much like her, was far from good-looking now after years of hardship.

Leaving these issues aside, An MeiYun's tearful plea did make An JingZhi's heart ache.

"Let's treat this incident today as a coincidence. MeiYun, you're not a child anymore. Just be more careful in the future."

An MeiYun quickly nodded in agreement.

An JingZhi understood that when coincidences happen too frequently, it becomes intentional.

But in his heart, it was just a small pendant. Just some petty jealousy between young girls.

Having said that, An JingZhi turned to look at An ZhiXia, "ZhiXia, dad has agreed to your requests. Let's just have a peaceful family dinner today, alright?"

An ZhiXia knew he was referring to sending An MeiYun away from this family.

Indeed, compared to that matter, the current issue was trivial. An ZhiXia didn't insist on gaining the upper hand at this moment either.

Just then, Zhou Nan came back from outside and called out from the yard, "Old An, ZhiAng, are you guys back?"

"It's your mom who's back." An JingZhi replied and stood up.

An MeiYun was still kneeling on the ground. When Zhou Nan reached the door and saw this scene, she was stunned for a moment.

"What's going on here?" "Mom, it's my fault..." An MeiYun quickly got up and walked over to Zhou Nan, pretending to be cheerful as she took the things Zhou Nan was holding. She then explained what had just happened.

With An JingZhi still here, she was smart enough not to add fuel to the fire.

After she finished speaking, Zhou Nan sighed.

"So it was because of that pendant. What a coincidence. MeiYun told me this morning after you left that Gao Second Sister gave her a nice looking pendant. She wanted to give it to..." Zhou Nan paused. It wasn't that she had forgotten her own daughter's name. She just simply didn't want to say "Little Grass".

A woman's heart was more sensitive. The Gao couple had swapped her daughter away and fooled her into raising someone else's child as her own for so many years. Meanwhile her own daughter had become a little grass in the wild, with no one to love or care for her.

Recalling what her husband said last night, her daughter had suffered so much, even being sold off to the mountains for just 20 yuan. If she hadn't run out herself, perhaps she would have been finished for life. Her heart ached.

An ZhiAng quickly chimed in, "Mom, my little sister is called ZhiXia, An ZhiXia. I gave her that name. Sounds nice right?"

"Yes, very nice." Zhou Nan quickly wiped the corners of her eyes and continued. But her voice sounded hoarse. "She wanted to give that pendant to ZhiXia as an apology from her and Gao Second Sister. But I felt it wasn't appropriate. Our family has an irreconcilable feud with the Gaos. Even if the children are innocent, I still can't be unprejudiced towards their children."

Zhou Nan spoke of Gao Second Sister, but An MeiYun could no longer hold back her change in expression. She couldn't be unprejudiced against the Gao's children? What about her? She was also a child of the Gaos!

No wonder, in her previous life, when she fell to that state, they all turned a blind eye to her, saying it was her own doing.

So it turns out, from the moment their real daughter returned, she, the adopted daughter, had already become an eyesore.

All those words about nothing changing for her were just lies to trick her.

An MeiYun was trapped in her own thoughts and couldn't break free.

It wasn't until An JingZhi called her, "MeiYun, your mom is asking you a question," that her mind cleared up again. She immediately snapped back to her senses and looked up to find everyone looking at her.

An MeiYun's scalp tingled. She quickly said, "I must have been too upset just now and felt a little dizzy and uncomfortable. Mom, I'm sorry, I didn't hear what you said?"

"Your mom asked you, didn't I tell you this morning to not give the pendant Gao Second Sister gave you to ZhiXia because it's inappropriate? And also told you not to keep it for yourself, and not to get involved with the Gaos in the future. What's going on with you?" Zhou Nan was a little angry too. After raising her for so many years, seeing An MeiYun's cried-out appearance still made her heart ache.