Chapter 3 Mother’s Plea
A week earlier, Mom had found me with guilt. "Wen Ruotang, your Dad found a girl who looks like me when young. Tests showed the nurse swapped us twenty-eight years ago."
"Fate is cruel. When Yining was ten, your real parents died saving her."
"You'll always be our daughter, even after we bring Yining back."
Now she spoke carefully. "We just learned Yining is Lu Mingyu's mother."
"She's suffered so much being separated from her child. Promise me you'll let her spend time with him."
I thought of my biological parents, civil servants who lived simply but happily.
Qiao Yining had been happy until ten.
The Qiao Family was different. Under the wealth, there was rot.
Dad only cared about his son. Daughters were for alliances.
I studied guzheng for twenty years, bleeding fingers and all, to bring honor.
After college, I escaped into photography, winning awards.
I thought success would free me from marriage.
Then I heard of my engagement from others.
No one asked my opinion.
Refusing got me a slap and my camera destroyed.
Dad yelled about the Lu Group's billions versus my photos. He locked me in the basement for three days without food or water.
My stomach issues started there.
Mom begged me at the vent to submit.
I gave in.
Now her eyes were the same.