Put away your magical powers now!.

Chapter 218 [A Distant Mother and Daughter] (6600)

Sorry, I originally asked for a day off, but ended up missing two days. Fortunately, I'm back to updating today.

I'm really sick, it must be the flu. I had a fever for two days, and to make matters worse, my eyes got inflamed too. One eye was so red and swollen it looked like I'd been punched. I used eye drops and let it rest for two days.

I strongly suspect that he contracted some virus while on a business trip in a crowded place.

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Chapter 212 [A Distant Mother and Daughter] (6600)

Lu Xiuting was taken back from the medical academy by her husband, Yang Jiaming.

When I was discharged from the hospital, it was summer, and the weather forecast showed that the temperature would reach 32 degrees Celsius.

Even as Lu Xiuting walked out of the hospital ward, she still felt a chill. She had even worn a shawl—after all, she came from a wealthy family, and this shawl was Burberry with a large logo on it.

The shawl, though clearly an autumn/winter style, drew puzzled glances from others in the hospital.

Lu Xiuting's face was pale, a bloodless white, and even her lips were devoid of color.

As she walked out of the hall, her steps were weak, and she felt as if she had no strength left in her body, as if even breathing made her feel tired.

Yang Jiaming helped his wife to the car and helped her get in.

His face was also gloomy. Exhaustion, anxiety, helplessness, disappointment, sadness…

Although they have been married for nearly twenty years and their feelings for each other have long since faded, Yang Jiaming still has high hopes for this "third child" that he had conceived.

He wasn't the number one heir in the Yang family—in that circle in Hong Kong, some families clung to very old traditions, even outdated ones.

This is not surprising, after all, the practice of concubinage was not officially abolished in Hong Kong until the 1970s.

Before the 1970s, many wealthy families had legal concubines.

Unfortunately, Yang Jiaming's mother was such a "concubine".

According to traditional etiquette, he would probably be considered an illegitimate son.

As an illegitimate son, he naturally has to step aside in terms of inheritance rights. He won't get a share of the family's core assets. If he wants more inheritance rights, he can only have more children.

Having more children while your biological father is still alive means that when he passes away, he will inherit more of his estate.

So he was quite looking forward to having a third child—but now there's nothing left.

In particular, after Lu Xiuting's miscarriage, she was hospitalized for treatment and examination. Before being discharged, the doctor's conversation with Yang Jiaming also hinted at something: Lu Xiuting was not young after all, and her physical condition was relatively weak. After this miscarriage, it was not recommended that she become pregnant again...

That means it will be difficult to have more children in the future.

Yang Jiaming felt somewhat helpless.

If you have one less child, you might lose 20 to 30 million when it comes to dividing the inheritance...

If that doesn't work... maybe I can find another woman and have a child with her?
Since a child is born as a single individual, when the old man passes away, the child will inevitably receive a share. Until the child grows up, the inheritance is essentially in the child's name...

It's all money!

To be honest, Yang Jiaming didn't really have any concept of monogamy.

He was born in 1980 and grew up in Hong Kong—just a few years after the Hong Kong government abolished the practice of concubinage when he was born.

Moreover, although the system was abolished, those concubines and mistresses who were still alive wouldn't all die overnight—the abolition of the law meant that it would no longer be allowed in the future, but those who existed before the abolition of the law were still recognized.

Yang Jiaming grew up in Hong Kong and in a family like the Yang family, it was common for his parents and other relatives to have concubines or mistresses.

In his view, this was all perfectly normal.

Over the years, as his looks and love for Lu Xiuting gradually faded and the initial excitement of their marriage wore off, Yang Jiaming had indeed sought other women in recent years, but he had always kept them hidden or kept them only for short periods...

If you want to have another child...

Yang Jiaming sighed inwardly, turned to look at Lu Xiuting sitting beside him, and the trace of guilt in his heart quickly dissipated.

"Just stay home and rest for the next few days. I'll ask Aunt Hu to take good care of you and buy some tonics to stew for you."

Yang Jiaming's tone was gentle, but Lu Xiuting detected a hint of coldness in it.

She glanced at Yang Jiaming: "And you?"

"Well, I have some company business to attend to. I'll be away for a few days, maybe a week. The factory in southern Jiangsu has a few orders that they can't handle. I need to meet with the manufacturers and maintain the relationship. I'll be traveling to several cities, so it'll take a few days."

Yang Jiaming spoke half-truthfully.

Lu Xiuting listened, her eyes flickering with uncertainty, before finally nodding slightly: "Okay, I understand."

The car started and drove home.

·
The home is still the same home, a riverside penthouse, which marks my entry into the realm of luxury living.

The renovation was also personally handled and selected by Lu Xiuting back then, including home decoration, furniture, ornaments, and decorations...

When Lu Xiuting entered the room, she stood at the doorway and was momentarily dazed, feeling that the crystal chandelier in the living room looked somewhat dazzling.

This is a decorating style from many years ago... Back then, crystal chandeliers were a symbol of luxury and sophistication, but now they've become outdated and fussy, as young, nouveau riche prefer newer trends.

Crystal chandeliers are more showy than practical. They look beautiful when first installed, but the intricate and dense pendants are difficult to clean. Over time, the densely packed crystal pendants will look like they've been covered in a layer of dust.

Just like my own marriage, it looks high-class and glamorous, but in reality, it's covered in dust.

Lu Xiuting changed her shoes and walked in. She casually tossed her shawl onto the sofa, and without saying a word to her husband, she went straight into the room and lay down on the large bed.

The high-quality latex mattress provided excellent support for her lower back. As she lay down, Lu Xiuting finally felt a slight, almost illusory sense of comfort—after all, this bed was much more comfortable than the hospital beds.

Her mind was hazy, and she seemed to hear her husband's voice outside the bedroom, as well as the voice of the housekeeper, Aunt Hu.

After listening for a while, Lu Xiuting became exhausted and gradually fell asleep.

She didn't know how much time had passed when the door was pushed open. Lu Xiuting opened her eyes, and the glimmer of expectation in them vanished as soon as she saw that it was Aunt Hu who had walked in.

"Madam, I've stewed some bird's nest with brown sugar for you, and added some herbs to replenish your qi and blood. Would you like a sip?"

Aunt Hu is actually a local. It is said that her hometown is not far from Lu Xiuting's hometown. However, she has worked as a nanny in the Yang family for many years and has learned the way of speaking that nannies in wealthy families in Hong Kong, which she saw in TV dramas, speak.

They keep using terms like "Mr." and "Mrs."

Yes, but his accent still carries a hint of a rural accent from the outskirts of Jinling Prefecture.

Lu Xiuting raised her eyelids, looked at the bone china bowl in Aunt Hu's hands, took it, drank only one spoonful, and put it down softly, asking, "Where is he?"

Aunt Hu seemed a little flustered, and after hesitating for a moment, she said in a low voice, "The master went out and said there was something going on at the company. He told you to rest well at home."

"Is he... coming back today?"

"...The gentleman didn't say," Aunt Hu answered honestly.

A sense of unease arose in Lu Xiuting's heart—the kind of feeling that something was slipping through her fingers, yet she was powerless to grasp it.

She couldn't quite figure out what had slipped away. Perhaps it was money, perhaps the relationship with her husband, perhaps her position in the family, or perhaps... the stability of this marriage?
Aunt Hu looked at Lu Xiuting with a hint of pity in her eyes. She leaned closer and helped Lu Xiuting up, picking up the porcelain bowl again: "Madam, you should drink a little more. Let me tell you, a miscarriage is actually similar to postpartum recovery. If you don't take good care of yourself, it can leave you with health problems in the future. Your body is already very weak..."

As Lu Xiuting listened to her housekeeper's rambling on, she grew increasingly impatient. She knew the housekeeper meant well, but she was simply annoyed because this cheap goodwill couldn't solve her immediate problem.

My heart feels so empty!

It's as if there's a hole, and lots and lots of things flowed away and leaked out through this hole!

Suddenly, for reasons unknown, a resolute look appeared in Lu Xiuting's eyes.

She slowly sat up, got out of bed, and quickly put on her slippers.

"I'm going out."

"what?"

Aunt Hu was taken aback, and hurriedly tried to dissuade her: "Madam, you just got back from the hospital, it's best to rest at home and not go out..."

"Stop talking, I have something to do."

Lu Xiuting gently pushed the nanny away and quickly went into the dressing room. When she came out, she had already put on a coat.

Her husband had driven away their best car. Lu Xiuting quickly grabbed one of her own car keys, picked up a bag, and went out.

·
The car was a Mercedes, but it looked like an older model now, and Lu Xiuting didn't actually like it.

But... Yang Jiaming likes it.

It seems that these wealthy people in the port city have a strange preference for the Mercedes-Benz brand.

They don't really accept new energy vehicles, look down on domestic cars, and have a lukewarm impression of Japanese cars—they're for middle-class families.

In the port city, the wealthy at the very top prefer Rolls-Royce and Bentley, while those slightly less well-off tend to favor Mercedes-Benz.

Well, they don't call it Mercedes over there, they call it "Pingzhi".

What a ridiculous obsession.

Lu Xiuting didn't actually like this kind of car, but Yang Jiaming did. As a wealthy wife who relied on her husband for support, she had no real autonomy.

It's one thing for a rich wife to be supported by her husband, but the real problem is that she doesn't have any reliable family backing her—her family members are either dead or have been to prison, and she comes from a poor, rural background.

She was able to marry Yang Jiaming purely by using unspeakable means to defy fate.

After driving out of the residential area, Lu Xiuting opened the navigation on her phone; the location was...

A villa area in the south of Jinling Prefecture.

My daughter, Lu Sisi, lives there now!

·
Logically speaking, the security guards at the gate of the villa area would not allow unfamiliar vehicles to enter the community easily.

But... after all, Lu Xiuting drives a Mercedes-Benz.

If she were driving a Wuling Hongguang, she wouldn't be allowed into this residential area today.

Security guards usually know how to read people and act accordingly. After asking a simple question, they readily opened the gate. Lu Xiuting drove into the community, found a place to park, and after getting out, she took a few steps before realizing that she hadn't changed her shoes when she left.

She was still wearing a pair of slippers.

Lu Xiuting frowned. She had inquired about Lu Sisi's situation before and found out that Lu Sisi lived here with her boyfriend, Chen Yan, who seemed to have some strange abilities.

However, Lu Xiuting did not know the specific house number.

She wandered aimlessly around her neighborhood, hoping that she might run into Lu Sisi.

The residential area is very large; the further in you go, the more upscale and larger the houses become.

After walking around for a while, Lu Xiuting felt exhausted and found a bench by the artificial lake in the community to sit down and rest.

Feeling thirsty, she suddenly regretted not having drunk the brown sugar bird's nest soup at home that night.

The sun was still quite strong, but its rays actually dispelled the chill she felt.

Lu Xiuting stared blankly at the internal roads of the residential area for a while.

There was a reason she chose to sit in this spot.

This place is located at an intersection inside the residential area, not far from where three roads fork.

She thought that perhaps waiting here would increase her chances of running into her daughter. But... Lu Xiuting didn't know why she suddenly wanted to come see her daughter.

Mingming... all these years, I've always disliked her.

Logically speaking, she should want to see her son more.

Her son was her biggest asset in establishing her position in the Yang family!

From the moment my son was born, he held the highest position in our little family. From childhood to adulthood, he enjoyed the best resources in the family, including the best food, clothing, housing, and education.

The private international primary school I'm currently attending costs over 100,000 yuan a year.

But ironically, she enjoyed the most resources, the most pampering, and the most investment in her family.

In fact, although Lu Xiuting and Yang Jiaming didn't say it, they both knew in their hearts that their son was actually mediocre.

The kind that's mediocre in every way.

Neither her academic performance nor her hobbies and special skills stand out.

In fact, over the years, Lu Xiuting would occasionally have a strange thought in her mind.

Every time I see my son's mediocre grades, the expensive piano lessons he's taken, the distorted melodies he plays, and how he gets easily outplayed by his classmates and friends in sports...

Lu Xiuting couldn't help but think of her eldest daughter, Lu Sisi.

Lu Sisi is much smarter than her son.

She was frail and sickly from a young age, and suffered many misfortunes. During her school years, she was frequently injured or fell ill, and misfortunes seemed to be a constant companion. For almost half of the semester, she was unable to attend school, spending either at home or in the hospital.

The remaining half of the time spent at school was also filled with various disturbances.

I remember one semester, Lu Sisi broke her arm, and it was her right arm that was broken. She couldn't write. So, before the final exam, she went back to school—she hadn't attended classes for half a semester and spent a week reviewing. She took the exam with a hand that hurt when she held a pen.

In the end, he still managed to get into the top ten of his class.

As for his own son, when he reached the same age, despite constant reminders and three private tutors every week, he still ranked in the thirtieth rank in the class.

Sometimes, Lu Xiuting couldn't help but think, if her daughter hadn't been born with such bad luck... with her daughter's intelligence and kindness, plus the fact that her daughter would be even closer to her mother...

If her daughter grows up well and is properly raised, could Lu Sisi become her greatest support in the Yang family?

Actually... when I gave birth to her, I loved her, I suffered a lot for her, and I gave her a lot of heartfelt love.

Thinking about this, Lu Xiuting suddenly understood!

She understood why she had suddenly become so determined to come and see her daughter today!

because……

Lu Sisi has lost everything in this family.

And I, it seems, am losing something right now...

It seemed that deep down, she had a feeling that at this moment, only her daughter could truly empathize with and understand the panic and fear in her heart.

Lu Xiuting could roughly guess where her husband, Yang Jiaming, had gone today.

I heard that a young and beautiful intern joined the company. She was originally interning in the marketing department, but right after her internship ended, she was suddenly and inexplicably transferred to the general manager's office and became one of her husband Yang Jiaming's administrative assistants.

Yang Jiaming said he would travel to several cities in southern Jiangsu to visit suppliers and inspect their factories...

I guess the female assistant will be coming along too!
what!
It really is a damn cycle.

He himself rose through the ranks from an intern, and now, Yang Jiaming has another female intern by his side.

"Perhaps the voice from that jade stone back then was right."

If you seize something that doesn't belong to you through underhanded means, you will pay the price in the future.

Lu Xiuting was a little thirsty from the sun.

Just then, she saw Lu Sisi.

·
Lu Sisi walked over from the direction of the main gate of the residential area.

She was wearing a white floral dress, exuding an ethereal and fairy-like aura. From her hair to the hem of her dress, she radiated a light and airy feel.

She was carrying a shopping bag from the supermarket, and when she walked over, she had a gentle and calm smile on her face.

Lu Xiuting noticed that behind her daughter was a very thin old man.

The old man was wearing an ill-fitting, very traditional-looking jacket. He carried a shopping bag in each hand and followed behind Lu Sisi, deliberately keeping a step behind and slightly lowering his head.

Having witnessed the grandeur of prominent families in Hong Kong, Lu Xiuting immediately recognized the old man's role as a servant, steward, or follower.

Lu Xiuting held onto her knees with both hands, trying to stand up, but this movement only made things worse.

Her vision went black, and her weakness made her feel like she couldn't go on. After her vision went black, she staggered and fell back down.

Moreover, she couldn't even sit up straight; instead, her body would tilt to the side, and she would slide off the stool.

When her body landed, the stinging pain from the impact of her tailbone hitting the ground made Lu Xiuting gasp involuntarily.

As she tried to get up sideways, a hand supported her arm.

Lu Xiuting took a breath, looked up, and saw her daughter's face right in front of her.

"...Mom?" Lu Sisi's eyes were filled with surprise.

Lu Xiuting took a deep breath, struggled to get up with Lu Sisi's help, and sat back down on the stool.

Lu Sisi bit her lip, her expression and eyes both complex, staring at Lu Xiuting as she watched the woman panting.

After a while, Lu Sisi bent down and asked in a low voice, "Mom, what are you doing here?"

Lu Xiuting tugged at the corners of her mouth, as if trying to force a smile, but the movement of her body aggravated the pain in her tailbone, and she couldn't help but gasp for breath before slowly saying, "I... I'm fine, I just came to see you."

"..." Lu Sisi lowered her eyelids, seemingly pondering something. After a while, she whispered, "Mom, are you here again to persuade me to go abroad and leave Jinling Prefecture?"

Lu Xiuting shuddered. She saw the estrangement in her daughter's eyes, and Lu Sisi withdrew her hand, no longer supporting her arm.

“…No, I just… just wanted to see you,” Lu Xiuting said softly.

Lu Sisi stared at her mother's face for a while, and then a hint of doubt appeared in her bright eyes: "You don't look well, are you... sick?"

Lu Xiuting was stunned for a moment.

Yes, that's right. I didn't tell Lu Sisi about my miscarriage and hospitalization after I got pregnant, so she doesn't know.

"I... just got discharged from the hospital."

"Are you sick?" Lu Sisi asked in a low voice.

Lu Xiuting looked at her daughter, and what brought her some comfort was that she saw genuine concern in Lu Sisi's eyes.

Lu Xiuting suddenly felt her eyes getting hot.

She hadn't seen this genuine concern in Yang Jiaming's eyes these past few days. She hadn't even seen it in her own son's eyes—that son, spoiled rotten since childhood, with a simple and blunt mind, and not very good at caring for others.

"Yes, I had surgery." Lu Xiuting looked down at her abdomen.

Lu Sisi was stunned for a moment, but when Lu Xiuting's gaze fell upon her, she immediately realized something and her voice became tense: "The baby... is gone?"

Lu Xiuting didn't speak. After a moment of silence, she forced a smile and said, "I'm a little dizzy and thirsty, okay..."

“Come home with me, let’s rest at home. We can talk about it there.” Lu Sisi said without hesitation.

"Going back to your place? Um, your boyfriend..."

“Chen Yan isn’t home; he’s been out these past few days.” Lu Sisi’s tone was very confident, with a hint of sweetness in her eyes: “Besides, Chen Yan wouldn’t object to you coming to visit me.”

Lu Sisi handed the shopping bag to Gui Geng: "Mr. Gui, thank you for your help..."

Gui Geng smiled, his tone respectful: "Don't worry, Miss Lu, leave it to me."

As he spoke, Gui Geng, carrying three shopping bags, strode ahead and quickly headed home.

Lu Sisi supported her mother and followed behind, walking slowly.

Upon arriving at the villa's gate, which was already open, Lu Xiuting followed Lu Sisi through the gate. As soon as she entered the courtyard, she suddenly felt a tremor run through her body!
It was as if an invisible sensation instantly enveloped her entire body!

My body, which was originally as weak as a withered tree, seemed to feel the omnipresent air after I stepped into this courtyard. Every breath I took made me feel less tired than before, as if each breath I took was giving me a little rest.

His body, which had been so weak and seemingly empty, suddenly regained a sliver of energy, as if from nowhere. His body also felt a little lighter.

Lu Xiuting stared wide-eyed at the courtyard—it seemed there was nothing particularly unusual about it.

The main entrance to the villa's hall was already open, and Gui Geng stood at the door, smiling at him.

·
The living room on the first floor of the villa has a five-meter-high ceiling, which makes people feel comfortable and spacious as soon as they walk in, without the oppressive feeling of an apartment building.

Gui Geng carefully welcomed Lu Xiuting to sit on the living room sofa, and then quickly brought out tea.

After putting down his teacup, Gui Geng nodded to Lu Sisi, turned around, and left.

After the mother and daughter were left alone in the room, they looked at each other in silence for a while, both seeming a little awkward.

Lu Xiuting then realized that she hadn't spent many, many years talking to her daughter alone.

"Mom, when did you have surgery? Did you just get discharged from the hospital?"

"Hmm..." Lu Xiuting said softly, "I was just discharged from the hospital today."

"Where's Dad?"

“He picked me up and took me home, and then he had to go to work because of something at the company.”

"Where's my brother?"

"Yes, at school. Aunt Hu will pick me up after school."

"..."

"..."

After they finished speaking, they suddenly fell silent again, as if they had run out of things to say.

Finally, Lu Sisi remembered something: "You don't look well. What did the doctor say when you were discharged? What treatment do you need? Did they prescribe any medication for you after you got home?"

Lu Xiuting didn't answer, but slowly reached out and grasped her daughter's hand.

Lu Sisi's hand seemed to tremble slightly, and her first instinct seemed to be to pull her hand back, but the girl pursed her lips tightly and finally did not move.

Lu Xiuting looked at Lu Sisi, her tone dry, but she slowly said a sentence.

"How have you been lately? Have you been sick or injured?"

Upon hearing this, Lu Sisi's body trembled!
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(This chapter was written on Monday the 23rd, so I only took a two-day break from updating~)

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(End of this chapter)