Chapter 337: Chapter 336: Don’t Open the Door to Strangers

Over in Country A, the deal was settled. They had even signed a twenty-year contract in one go.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, and Feng Yujie took the rare opportunity to ask Xue Yue to go out with her.

"The culture in Country A is so different from ours. Now that we can relax a bit, how about we go out and look around?"

Xue Yue raised an eyebrow. "Sure."

How could Xue Yue refuse such a great opportunity? Besides, she had promised to bring gifts back for the children, so this was the perfect chance to go look for some.

They took a taxi to the local shopping district.

"Sister Feng, have you been here before?"

Feng Yujie shook her head. "No."

Xue Yue saw a stationery store across the street and went inside.

The items inside were arranged rather casually. Xue Yue browsed for a bit before stopping in front of a display of watercolors.

Feng Yujie glanced over. "You like to paint?"

Xue Yue smiled. "It’s not for me, it’s for my daughter. She’s ten, and she loves to paint."

Xue Yue bought a set of watercolors for Ruanruan.

Afterward, she followed Feng Yujie into a men’s clothing store, where rows of men’s suits were displayed near the entrance.

Xue Yue was a little surprised. ’Is Sister Feng planning to buy a suit for a family member?’

Suits were very formal attire. Xue Yue had only ever seen He Lang wear one twice. Perhaps he wasn’t used to it, but he would take it off as soon as the formal occasion was over. He almost always wore casual clothes.

It was different in their department, where the men wore suits almost exclusively. Even Xue Yue herself owned two women’s suits for mandatory formal events; in fact, she had brought one with her on this business trip.

Feng Yujie went to pick out a men’s tie. Xue Yue looked at the various colorful ties; although she didn’t know much about them, she thought they all looked quite nice.

While Feng Yujie was at the register, Xue Yue spotted a pair of cufflinks in a display case. They had silver settings with black diamonds inside. Xue Yue couldn’t tell if the diamonds were real or fake, but they looked beautiful.

"You like these?" Feng Yujie had finished paying and now stood beside Xue Yue, also looking at the cufflinks.

"They’re beautiful," Xue Yue said.

’He Lang loves wearing dress shirts,’ Xue Yue thought. ’These would be perfect for him.’

Feng Yujie glanced at the price tag below the cufflinks and reminded her, "These aren’t cheap."

Xue Yue nodded. She had seen the price.

Still, she waved to a salesclerk. "I’ll take these. Please wrap them up for me."

The price made her wince a little as she paid, but the thought that they were for He Lang made it all worth it.

Feng Yujie glanced at Xue Yue, thinking that perhaps she knew far less about this young woman than she had thought.

That night, Xue Yue dreamed of He Lang. When Feng Yujie woke her in the morning, she was still in a daze, momentarily forgetting where she was.

"Stop spacing out. We have to visit the supplier today. Get up and get ready."

Xue Yue quickly snapped out of it and got out of bed.

「Beijing City」 One afternoon, Gu Yuwei went to Xiao Yu’s school again. It was only when she arrived that she learned the school was already out for winter break.

She couldn’t help herself. At first, it had just been a passing thought, but ever since seeing her daughter that one time, the longing had grown uncontrollable. Every night, she dreamed of a life with her little girl.

She had tried to resist the urge, but here she was again. Knowing Xiao Yu was on vacation, she had no choice but to go to the courtyard she had seen Mrs. He enter last time.

When the knock came, Daya was inside with the children. As it happened, Mrs. He had gone out to buy groceries and wasn’t home.

Mrs. He never knocked since she had a key. Daya went to the door and called out, "Who is it?"

The knocking stopped, but the person outside didn’t say a word.

The children ran out and stood curiously in front of Daya.

"Big Sister Daya, who is it?"

"If they don’t answer, they’re a bad person," Shiyi said. He had learned his lesson from the last incident and knew not to talk to strangers or go anywhere with them.

Gu Yuwei heard the children’s voices from the courtyard and knocked again.

"Xiao Yu, is that you? It’s Mommy."

Daya and the others looked at Xiao Yu, who just shook her head blankly. She had no idea this woman would come to their home.

However, Xiao Yu still remembered what Gu Yuwei had told her last time.

Ruanruan grabbed Xiao Yu’s arm. "Xiao Yu, don’t believe her. Shiyi got lost last time because of her. We can’t open the door."

Shiyi nodded in agreement. "Yeah, Grandma said she’s a bad person."

Xiao Yu said nothing, only twisting the hem of her shirt.

Daya had no intention of opening the door anyway. Gu Yuwei knocked a few more times, more forcefully now.

"Xiao Yu, it’s Mommy. Open the door."

Daya shouted through the door, "Stop knocking! We’re not opening it, so you should leave." She didn’t really remember Xiao Yu’s birth mother, but she’d heard stories about her from the grandmother, and none of them were good.

Gu Yuwei didn’t hear Mrs. He’s voice, guessing she probably wasn’t home. Otherwise, she would have surely come out to chase her away by now.

"Xiao Yu, it’s Mommy. Please come out so Mommy can see you. I miss you so much. Don’t you miss me? I bought you lots of pretty clothes and toys. Please come out."

"Leave right now, or we’re calling the police!" Daya shouted again.

Just then, the children heard Mrs. He roar, "Gu Yuwei, you dare show your face here again? I’ll kill you, you bitch!"

A huge commotion erupted outside. Daya opened the door to see Mrs. He squatting on the ground, picking up scattered items and putting them back in her basket. Gu Yuwei was gone.

Mrs. He gathered her things, entered the courtyard while catching her breath, and said to the children, "In the future, if Grandma isn’t home, don’t open the door for strangers. Especially not for that woman today. You all behaved very well. I’ll make you a special treat in a little while."

Xiao Yu bit her lip, an ache spreading through her chest for reasons she couldn’t quite understand.

She had forgotten much of her childhood. Most of her memories were of her father. As for her mother, she had no real impression of her beyond the "bad woman" her grandmother always talked about.

The children were on vacation and Daya was there to help. It was now the middle of the twelfth lunar month. After discussing it with his parents, He Lang bought Mr. and Mrs. He their train tickets home.

Little Chen also had to return home early. A few days prior, he had received a letter from Gao Cuiyun. It said their family had introduced a young woman to Xiao Yang, and the two had hit it off. However, there were still some matters the two families hadn’t settled, so she hoped he could come back soon if possible.

Xiao Yang was already twenty this year—an age when men in the countryside were expected to marry. The plan was to finalize his engagement as soon as Little Chen got back.

When Mr. and Mrs. He heard this, they were also eager to return home. After all, as elders, they needed to be present for such an occasion.

So, Mr. and Mrs. He agreed to go back early with Little Chen. Daya didn’t want to leave, and Ruanruan and Shiyi wanted to stay with their father, He Lang, to wait for their mother’s return. That left only Xiao Yu to accompany her grandparents back to their hometown. 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

Xiao Yu was sullen. She wanted to stay with Ruanruan and the others and didn’t want to go back. But Mrs. He insisted she had to go. With Xue Yue away, Daya already had her hands full taking care of Ruanruan and Shiyi; having Xiao Yu there would only be a burden.