Chapter 437: The Secret About the Past (55)
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Madam Xu smiled and nodded in agreement. “After hearing what you said, I find it truly incredible too. I b.u.mped into her once when I was buying some joss sticks previously. She was buying some things too.”
“Has your daughter spoken about my family before?” Military Commander Xu asked.
“About your family? No, she hasn’t brought anything up before,” Commander-in-Chief answered.
Military Commander Xu felt an immediate sense of relief upon hearing his answer. “Youran has had some conflicts with your daughter. It’s a long story.”
“Oh, really? I see,” the Commander-in-Chief replied, slightly taken aback.
Xu Youran put on an awkward smile and said while sitting beside her mother, “I saw her just now at my mother-in-law’s place. We’re sisters-in-law now.”
“There’s no point in taking trivial matters and conflicts to heart. If there’s any misunderstanding between you two, just talk things out and you’ll be fine.”
Pretending to be sensible, Xu Youran nodded abidingly and said, “Yeah, I thought so too.”
“Commander-in-Chief, since she’s so accurate in fortune-telling, have you ever consulted her to read your fortune?” Madam Xu asked.
“Yes, I have. She’s indeed very accurate,” said the Commander-in-Chief, beaming with limitless joy.
“Is she naturally gifted or was she taught by a master?” Madam Xu asked out of sheer curiosity.
Recalling the answer An Xiaoning had given him when he asked the same question, the Commander-in-Chief explained, “She said that she was a natural and her skills were further improved under the guidance of her master. She’s had a very arduous and difficult childhood, which was far from the luxurious life she’s living now. She was abandoned at her village when she was a child, and her adoptive parents took her in for a few years. However, 20 years ago, some of the villagers were extremely superst.i.tious and claimed that she was a jinx. Thinking that she was an unlucky child who would bring about misfortune, her adoptive parents decided to abandon her at the temple belonging to her master, who then took her in.”
“I see,” said Madam Xu, who felt rather moved.
Xu Youran stood up and said, “Mother, I’m going back to my room to pack my belongings.”
“Alright, go ahead.”
At the thought of his G.o.ddaughter, the Commander-in-Chief could not help but blabber on continuously about her, “As the saying goes, when there’s a will, there’s a way. See how well she’s getting on with life now.”
“Exactly. But, she seems pretty young. She should be a lot younger than Youran,” said Madam Xu.
After a moment of silence, the Commander-in-Chief said, “She’s 29 years old this year. In fact, she’s turning 30 in July.”
“Twenty-nine? She’s as old as Youran then. What a coincidence, Youran is also born in July.”
“Is that so? She’s born in the middle of July, on the first day of the Hungry Ghost Festival,” the Commander-in-Chief said in astonishment.
Madam Xu’s jaw dropped, and she turned to look at her husband before exclaiming in astonishment, “They actually share the same birthday.”
“That’s very coincidental, indeed,” said the Commander-in-Chief, who was greatly taken aback as well.
“But wasn’t she abandoned? Was her birth date written on the blanket she was wrapped in?” Madam Xu questioned.
“I don’t think so. Her master was the one who told her that her birthday was in mid-July. Her master is even more skilled than she is, she would have been speaking the truth.”
Madam Xu was perplexed and in disbelief of how such a coincidence actually existed.
After the Commander-in-Chief left, she said to her husband softly, “How do you think something so coincidental could actually happen?”
“What’s the big deal about sharing the same birthday? There are many people in this world who have the same birthday,” said Military Commander Xu, who was unimpressed.
Madam Xu stood up and returned to her bedroom to take out an old photograph from her drawer.
It was a precious photograph of herself carrying her newborn daughter in her arms, the one and only photo they had together, which she held dearly to her heart.
Madam Xu was filled with agony upon recalling the days of searching for her missing daughter.
She could finally be at peace now that her daughter had already gotten married and would be building a family of her own with her husband.
—
Lin Mingxi returned to her maiden home only to find that her sister and brother-in-law were present too.
“Did Beicheng not come home with you?” Mrs. Lin asked.
“Yeah, he went to the office. I came back to get something.” Lin Mingxi made her way inside her bedroom to collect her things and exited again. Just as she was about to leave the house, she was stopped by Mrs. Lin.
“Mingxi, take a seat. I’d like to talk to you about something.”
Lin Mingxi sat down as instructed and asked, “Mother, what would you like to talk about?”
“Does Beicheng treat you well?”
“Yes, there’s nothing I can pick on at all.”
“That’s good. Your sister told me just now that Beicheng used to adore Xiaoning a lot…” Mrs. Lin said worriedly.
“Mother, An Xiaoning is married to Jin Qingyan, and they already have a son together. Beicheng only sees her as his younger sister. We’re a family. We don’t have any issues of that sort. Sister is just making mountains out of molehills,” Lin Mingxi explained.
Mrs. Lin nodded and said, “I just told your sister to arrange a position for you at the company. You may begin work tomorrow.”
“Alright,” Lin Mingxi agreed, having understood her mother’s intentions.
“Are you really planning to give up your fitness career? I can help you open a gym,” said Lin Mingyuan.
“You don’t have to. If I want to set up a gym, Beicheng will help me do so. I think I should focus on helping you out at the company for now, Sis. You’ve been shouldering the heavy responsibilities of running the company all along. It’s time I stop slacking off and give you a hand. Only then can Father and Mother rest their minds,” Lin Mingxi answered with a look of indifference.
“It’s only my duty to do so. Mingxi, I still think you should stick to doing the things you enjoy. You’ve already married Gu Beicheng now anyway. The Gu Corporation will belong to you guys sooner or later,” said Lin Mingyuan, remaining unfazed.
“I did marry Gu Beicheng, but didn’t you marry Brother-in-law too? The Gu Corporation belongs to Beicheng and his brother, not me. We’re the only daughters Mother has. It would really be inappropriate for me to continue sitting back and leaving you to handle the company alone. You don’t have to say anything more, Sis. I’ll be going to the office tomorrow.”
Noticing how firm in her decision Lin Mingxi was, Lin Mingyuan did not continue insisting and instead said, “Since you’re willing, you may report to the office tomorrow. I’ll arrange for you to take over the position of Deputy CEO.”
“Alright, it’s settled then.” Lin Mingxi patted her mother’s hand and said, “Mother, I’m going back now.”
“Alright, drive safe.”
Noticing that she was about to leave, Lin Mingyuan and her husband stood up one after another and exited through the door.
Once they were out of the house, Lin Mingyuan stopped Lin Mingxi in her tracks, “Mingxi, I think you haven’t gotten a clear idea of where you stand.”
“Enlighten me then, Sis.”
“You’re not suited to run a company.”
“Quit beating around the bush and blabbering on and on about that nonsense. I know you just don’t wish to let me begin working in the company. The company belongs to Father and Mother, not you. Just like you, I’m also their daughter, and that makes us equal. Save your pretentious words and high-sounding excuses, I’m not interested in hearing them,” said Lin Mingxi, not mincing her words at all.
“Don’t think you can get up to anything funny just because you’re in the company. Everyone in the company works for me and abides by my instructions. You’re just walking right into the trap.”
“Is that so?” Lin Mingxi said with a smirk.
Lin Mingyuan put on a confident smile and scoffed, “Just you wait and see.”
As soon as she finished speaking, Lin Mingxi and her husband returned inside their car and drove off quickly.
Lin Mingxi got inside her own car and left.
At this very moment, Mrs. Lin showed up at the entrance, clearly having heard the conversation between her daughters.
She closed the door and returned inside with disappointment written all over her face.