In the capital city.

The September weather in the capital was pleasant. Liu Fen’s clothing stores had already stocked plenty of autumn wear, and business was going well.

As the owner, she didn’t need to oversee everything daily anymore. After running the stores for so long, she had trained several capable assistants. Liu Fen hurriedly drove home—by now, Xiaolan should be on the plane from America, right?

She had called before boarding the plane, after all.

Now, Liu Fen could finally tell Grandmother Yu the news.

Whether good news or bad, they couldn’t delay any longer. If everyone arrived from abroad while Grandmother Yu remained unprepared, that sudden shock would be too much to bear.

“This should count as good news, right? At least everyone’s alive,” Liu Fen muttered.

She had grown accepting of remarriage. Back in the countryside, people used to mock remarried women, considering them improper and unfaithful. After her own experience, Liu Fen knew remarriage wasn’t the end of the world.

When Cui Yiru couldn’t find Xu Zhongyi, what was a woman in a foreign country supposed to do? With two children to raise and no legal status, unable to work legitimate jobs—should she wait indefinitely for Xu Zhongyi while supporting the children, or remarry with the children?

Choosing the former would have been truly foolish.

Being alive was what mattered most.

The only issue was her choice of husband—according to Xiaolan, he was likely the very person who had ruined Xu Zhongyi.

Liu Fen shuddered at the thought.

Sharing a bed for years with such an evil person—even thinking about it made Liu Fen’s blood run cold.

Finding Grandmother Yu’s former daughter-in-law and grandchildren wasn’t the end of it. Even Liu Fen knew the real troubles lay ahead. They couldn’t keep everything from Grandmother Yu—that would leave her unprepared. But how much should they tell her?

Lost in these thoughts, Liu Fen drove home. Grandmother Yu now enjoys practicing sword and tai chi in the park with other elderly neighbors. When Liu Fen arrived, she happened to meet Grandmother Yu returning from her exercise.

“Ah Fen, why are you home so early today? I thought you wouldn’t be back for lunch. If I’d known, I would have bought some groceries from the market.”

Grandmother Yu was in good spirits.

Liu Fen parked the car. “It’s fine, we can make do with whatever for lunch.”

The elderly neighbors envied Grandmother Yu. Everyone in the neighborhood thought Grandmother Yu, Xia Xiaolan, and Liu Fen were family. Who would imagine someone would live with an elderly woman with no blood or family ties?

Liu Fen initially called her “Aunt Yu,” then simply “Aunt,” making their relationship even more confusing to outsiders.

She wasn’t a daughter—if Liu Fen were Grandmother Yu’s daughter, she would call her “Mom” instead of “Aunt.”

Perhaps a niece?

Even as a niece, this was remarkable—even biological daughters might not be so filial. Filial and capable, ensuring Grandmother Yu lived very comfortably.

Grandmother Yu used to be stern-faced, but recently she’d traveled to America—goodness, none of the neighbors had ever been abroad, making Grandmother Yu unique… After returning from America, she had become more cheerful, and the neighbors finally dared to joke with her.

Now people envied Grandmother Yu.

Grandmother Yu’s attitude had improved; she even worked up a sweat exercising in the park.

As soon as they parted from the neighbors, Grandmother Yu sensed something was off—Liu Fen was never good at hiding things:

“Ah Fen, do you have something to tell me? Don’t tell me the Liang family’s causing trouble again. I told you not to mind them. You think schooling is important, but they don’t take it seriously. In the same high school, Xiaolan could score over 600 points, while she couldn’t even reach 400—does that look like someone serious about studying?”

Not focusing on studies normally, then trying to find shortcuts after the college entrance exam results came out.

Wanting to attend university in the capital?

How many students nationwide wanted the same thing? What made Liang Huan so special?

Grandmother Yu had been thinking, that if the Liang family came knocking, soft-hearted Ah Fen might yield, but this old woman wouldn’t be so soft.

But Liu Fen asked Grandmother Yu to sit down and poured her a cup of hot water from the thermos.

Grandmother Yu pondered: “What you want to tell me isn’t about the Liang family.”

Liu Fen shook her head, “No…”

How could she care about Liang Huan now? She’d said all she needed to say—whether Liang Huan listened was her own business. She wasn’t Liu Fen’s daughter; Liu Fen couldn’t make decisions for her.

Now, how should she tell Grandmother Yu?

Grandmother Yu was no ordinary person—half of Liu Fen’s business acumen came from her teachings. How could Liu Fen hope to keep this from her?

What could make Liu Fen so hesitant? Liu Fen now had money, a career, and Tang Hong’en. Her husband was capable, her daughter was promising, and she wasn’t lacking. Nothing should trouble Liu Fen anymore, unless—

Grandmother Yu’s heart trembled: “Is it… is there news about Zhongyi and the others from America?”

One note, one message that her son asked her to return to China, and Grandmother Yu obediently came back, waiting patiently.

Before it was aimless waiting, now there was hope in the waiting, which explained her transformed demeanor.

Now that there was news, would it be good news?

If it were good news, would Liu Fen hesitate? She would have blurted it out immediately!

Liu Fen saw her agitation and quickly steadied the old lady: “Yes, there’s news, but not about Brother Xu. Xiaolan found Sister-in-law Cui and Changle. I don’t know how to tell you, but Sister-in-law Cui remarried many years ago…”

The words couldn’t be taken back once spoken, so Liu Fen steeled herself and told Grandmother Yu everything she knew.

Hearing that Cui Yiru and Changle had been found, Grandmother Yu was happy.

Learning about an additional granddaughter she never knew about, Grandmother Yu was overjoyed, and moved to tears.

As for the remarriage, Grandmother Yu wasn’t angry at all.

Being alive was more important than anything.

What more could she ask for?

Cui Yiru had raised Xu Zhongyi’s son and daughter—Grandmother Yu couldn’t be more grateful:

“Ah Fen, are they coming back together? Is Yiru bringing my grandson Changle and my granddaughter whom I’ve never met?”

Liu Fen nodded, “They’re already on their way back. I rushed home to tell you as soon as I got Xiaolan’s call. Xiaolan said Sister-in-law Cui wants to meet you in Shangdu. She says Changle has forgotten his childhood memories, but perhaps seeing where he lived as a child might help him remember!”

Grandmother Yu murmured: “Forgotten… that child was so clever when young. His grandfather started teaching him characters when he was just three years old. How could he forget? Ah Fen, if there’s anything else you haven’t told me, tell me everything at once. Haven’t I experienced enough changes in my life? I can bear any shock!”

Grandmother Yu truly had experienced many upheavals.

Liu Fen’s life went from bitter to sweet, while Grandmother Yu’s went from sweet to bitter. She enjoyed great fortune in her youth, but after middle age, nothing went smoothly.

What more could she ask for now?

The biggest burden in her heart had been lifted—she now knew her son Xu Zhongyi was alive, Cui Yiru and grandson Xu Changle were alive, and she even had a granddaughter. Compared to this, she could bear any other news!