Chapter 26 Midnight Murky Shadows
âYour father was not only good at housework but also good at doing business. Your father bought three apartments with all his savings, and we could make a very good living by rent. Although the rent was not that much at that time, the consumption at that time was also very low, thus a few hundred dollars were enough for us to spend in a month.â
Chu Yunxiuâs eyes were misted with water, âNot long after you were born, I forced your father to go out and earn money in order to live a better life. Although your father wanted to stay at home and take care of us, I didnât consider your fatherâs mood. He spoiled me so much that even if he was unwilling to leave us, he went to the southern border of Yunnan to trade jade but he never came back.â
Speaking of which, Chu Yunxiu burst into tears, âIt was all my fault. I was too selfish and willful. Otherwise, your father wouldnât have disappeared, and you wouldnât have grown up without a father. Woo, woo, woo, it was all my fault. I should not have forced your father to do business⊠woo.â
âMom, could you please stop crying. I donât blame you. Since Dad did not want to leave us, he would have come back to us if he was safe. But he hasnât come back yet. Why are you so sure Dad isnât dead?â
Eyes rimmed red, Ling Yun helped Chu Yunxiu wipe the tears and asked softly.
Chu Yunxiu choked and said, âAfter your father had disappeared, I thought he was dead too, even the public security bureau sent me his death certificate. In fact, I found long ago that your father was still alive because I often woke up in the middle of the night and saw your father standing outside the window looking at me. However, he had already left when I run out to find him.â
Lingyun opened her mouth in astonishment and said inconceivably, âMom, do you miss my father too much that you start to hallucinate?â
âIt canât be an illusion. I have seen him more than once, but we never met face-to-face. As soon as I found him and run out to chase him, he would leave immediately. I couldnât catch up with him.â
Chu Yunxiu said excitedly, âI had thought it was because I missed your father too much that I had those illusions. However, I was unreconciled. Thus, I secretly installed a camera outside my room. He wore a hat every time and I couldnât take a picture of his whole face, but how could I not recognize his figure and back?â
Speaking of which, Chu Yunxiu took out a U disk, plugged it into the computer and opened a file. Her face flushed with excitement, âLook, this is your father.â
Lingyun was stunned and speechless when she saw the man on the screen. Wearing a hat and a mask, the man stood outside her window as motionless as a clay sculpture at midnight, looking inside quietly.
The picture showed there were several times when Chu Yunxiuâs room suddenly lighted up, the man immediately turned away. When Chu Yunxiu came out, his figure was lost already.
The thought of such a man often stood outside their window at midnight made her hair stand on end.
Ling Yunâs face dignified and said, âMom, are you sure he is my dad? Does anyone want to do something against us?â
She was right to think like that. After all, though Chu Yunxiu was more than 40 years old, she was brilliant and a widow, it was not surprising that some psychopathic would peep at her at night.
âNo, thatâs definitely your dad. Although I donât know why he does not want to see us, Iâm sure that must be him.â
Chu Yunxiu said with an affirmative look.
âIt seems that my mother misses my father so much that she takes this sick voyeur as my father.â
Lingyun secretly made up her mind to capture this sick voyeur and eradicate her motherâs paranoia. Otherwise, she didnât know whether this would make her mother crazy or not.
Frowning, she asked carefully, âMum, had this person appeared many times?â
âThis person? This person is your father.â
Chu Yunxiu mock-exasperatedly rolled her eyes, stretched out her white jade-like fingers and stroked the manâs face on the computer screen infatuatedly like touching the loverâs skin, âYour father must have something difficult to say that he chose not to meet us. Many times, I felt that he was secretly protecting me behind, but I could not find him.â
My God, my mother must be possessed. This matter must be solved quickly. Lingyun asked cautiously with her eyes twinkling, âHow often does he come?â
âThe first time I saw your father was about three years ago after you went to school and stayed there. Unfortunately, there was no particular time for his appearance. Sometimes he appeared a dozen times a year and sometimes he came only once half a year. Otherwise, I must stop him and ask him what his difficulties are.â
Chu Yunxiu leafed through the recording time of the camera and replied. But soon she raised her eyebrows excitedly, âBut when I went to negotiate with the development company today, I felt that he was protecting me behind. So, I was not afraid at all.â
Lingyun heart frozen suddenly, âThis becomes awful, the pervert now has developed to the point of following my mother in broad daylight. Does he canât help but going to get started?â
She stood up immediately and stretched. She was going to change her clothes. âMom, Iâm changing clothes and Iâm going to take over my shift.â
âGoing to work? Is it your night shift today? Then what are your going to take over in the early afternoon?â Chu Yunxiu carefully packed up the U disk which seemed was taken as her spiritual sustenance.
This made Ling Yun more and more determined to seize the sick voyeur as soon as possible. âGoing on like this, mom will be tortured into a maniac even if she doesnât get lovesickness.â
âOh, elder sister Li has something to do at home in the evening. She has to leave a little earlier. Iâll go to work in advance to replace her.â
âElder sister Li? Is that the nurse who looks like a man and has bad breath? Does she bully you again? Why does she always make you cover her shift? Let me tell you that nice people are bullied and donât be a yes-man. If she thinks you are the one she can bully easily, she will eat you up for the rest of your life.â
Chu Yunxiu vigilantly raised her head, looked at Ling Yun and began her tireless teaching.
âItâs not like that, since her illness has been treated by Ding Ning, it is greatly improved. Now she is very nice to me âŠâ
Lingyun subconsciously explained but only to find her motherâs cold sight was behind her back. Sticking her sweet tongue out, she turned around, hold Chu Yunxiuâs arm and explained coquettishly.
âItâs not what you think. Ding Ning had an accident a few days ago and is hospitalized in our hospital. He happened to meet elder sister Li and me and treated her by the way.â
âDing Ning is in the hospital? What has happened? No wonder I havenât seen him come back these days. I thought he went back to his hometown.â
Chu Yunxiu asked surprisedly.
âHe is fine. Now heâs living in senior officials inpatient ward. You have no idea how happy he is. Mum, I know you have a sharp tongue but a soft heart. In fact, you still care about him, donât you?â
Ling Yun smiled, loosened her motherâs arm, and continued changing clothes.
âHum, I care nothing about him. What I care about is my rent. When you see him, you should tell him that his rent is seven days late. If he doesnât pay it, he must get out of here. I just want to rent it to someone else and collect more rent.â
Chu Yunxiu said grumpily, âIn addition, donât blame me for not reminding you. You should have less contact with Ding Ning in the future. If you dare to fall in love with him, donât take me as your mother.â
âMom, what are you talking about? How does Ding Ning provoke you? Who doesnât like him in the whole community? Only you dislike him all day long.â
Ling Yun pursed her mouth and grumbled while wearing clothes.
âThe child is good, but you have to remember that you are a Ninghai native. At the very least, we have four apartments. We can easily get twenty to thirty million if we sell them. What does Ding Ning have? He has no mother and his dad is a butcher. The most important thing is that he is not a native. He comes from Luochuan, a town I have never heard of, might be in some remote mountainous areas. He has nothing. You marry him for what?â
It seemed like Ling Yun cared nothing at all. Chu Yunxiu knew that she didnât listen. She earnestly suggested, âYou are so beautiful and a native. If you want to marry, people who come to propose may even wear out our doorstep. You can find any kind of person you likeâŠâ
âThatâs enough! A native, a native, you only know natives. Why donât I think how great the natives are.â
Ling Yun covered her ears impatiently, âI am an adult, I know what I want. Could you please not interfere in my life?â
âI interfere in your life? I am using my life experience to teach you to avoid detours. Look at what is your attitude? What wrong with natives? Natives are great. Ninghai is a first-tier city. Many people try everything they can do to get into this city, but they canât even get a Ninghai household registration. Ding Ning has nothing good. He doesnât have money, an apartment, a car or even a job. If you two live together, how can he support you?â
Chu Yunxiuâs voice suddenly raised as she scolded Ling Yun with the exasperation at her failure to make good.
Lingyun stared at her obstinately, âDonât look at people in the crack of the door and look down on them. Ding Ning is a capable person. He can make big money with his medical skills easily. He saved a rich girl a few days ago. They offered him millions, but he refused.â
âHum, just brag for him as you want. Heâs a poor student who canât even find a job. He can get paid millions yuan? Are you kidding me?â
Chu Yunxiu sneered scornfully, holding her arms, âIf he is really capable, he should buy you an apartment in Ninghai. Not too big, 200 square meters will be enough. However, the apartment must be inside the second annulus and your name must be written on the property ownership certificate. As long as he can do that, I will marry you to him without demur.â
âYou ⊠you are crazy. I am too lazy to talk with you.â
Ling Yun was so angry that she almost passed out. The price per square meter inside the second ring was no less than 100,000 yuan. A two hundred square apartment is worth 20 million yuan. Even if she has great confidence in Ding Ning, she doesnât think he can earn 20 million yuan.
Whatâs more, writing her name on the property ownership certificate, no one would agree to this.
âIf he canât do it, he doesnât have the skill. If he doesnât want to write your name on the property ownership certificate, he doesnât love you enough. What else do you like about him? Therefore, you should stay away from him as early as possible. You are 21 years old this year now, it is time to be in a relationship. You should get married after two years of relationship. Leave this matter to your mum. I will contact my sisters and will definitely help you find a good man who is handsome, rich and loves you.â
Chu Yunxiu earnestly said, âTill then, you will know that some people are destined to be only passers-by in your life. When you find your own happiness, you will find that itâs nothing but puberty germination.â
âYou⊠are truly unreasonable. I wonât have any marriage interview and donât give me a reason to run away from home. Iâm going to work!â
Ling Yun rolled her eyes, put on her shoes agitatedly and snapped the door shut. She sighed helplessly. Such a mother made her feel speechless.
Chu Yunxiu looked at the closed door and shook his head helplessly, thinking that it was true that a grown girl could not be kept at home. But on the issue as big as marriage, she could not be so capricious.
The marriage interview plan must be started right now. Chu Yunxiu immediately picked up the phone and dialed a number. A smile hung on her face as soon as the phone was put through. âSister Wang? Iâm Yun Xiu. Let me tell you something. I hear that you have a nephew who has just returned from studying abroad, right?â