Chapter 228: Chapter 228: Jealousy
After much reflection, Xia Wanâer decided to have the Dragon King search for that Jiangnan woman! Yet by this time, three years had already passed since the Dragon Kingâs promise!
Was she still upholding that promise, was she still foolishly waiting?
Xia Wanâer actually held no hope in her heart.
But when she and the Dragon King met that woman with the picturesque brows and eyes, her heart was also deeply touched!
A woman as poetic, beautiful, and flowing as water, waiting painfully by the lake for a lover who broke his promiseâdespite numerous pursued men, she remained as firm as Qing Zhu, as steadfast as a rock.
Green mountains and clear waters, a beauty waiting for her husband! It was like a scroll of ink painting unveiling itself, with the air of longing rushing toward her!
"How could you have the heart to betray such a woman?" At that moment, Xia Wanâer was extremely dissatisfied with the Dragon King; he really was no man!
When the woman saw the Dragon King, her eyes shone brilliantly, but as soon as she saw Xia Wanâer by his side, the light in her eyes instantly vanished, replaced by deep sorrow.
After waiting painfully for three years, her lover had brought another woman before her! What a tremendous blow for the girl!
Xia Wanâer, seeing the disappointment and sadness in the girlâs eyes, couldnât help but feel a twinge of pain herself, and she took the girlâs hand: "From now on we are close sisters! We must love each other dearly!"
Under Xia Wanâerâs coercion, the girl finally followed the Dragon King to Yanjing.
What made Xia Wanâer happy was that not long after, the girl gave birth to a lovely baby girl during a rainy day. Xia Wanâer proposed the name Ting Yu, so the girl was called Liu Tingyu!
Xia Wanâer had thought they could live simply from then on, but unexpectedly, the girlâs family curse doomed her to die before thirty! Looking back now, that must have been why the girl so readily accepted her!
When everyone realized this truth, it was too late. Only then did they discover that, although they had brought the girl over, they had gradually neglected her. Now, wanting to make amends, it was all too late!
The girl died, and Xia Wanâer and the Dragon King buried her beside the lake where they had first met and built a villa. From then on, they lived in the villa, enjoying its companionship to relieve their guilt.
With a sense of guilt, Xia Wanâer wanted to properly compensate Liu Tingyu, but she discovered that on the delicate face of young Tingyu, there was an expression of cold indifference and resistance beyond her years.
In this way, seventeen or eighteen years quickly passed by.
Xia Wanâer picked up a blanket and gently covered Liu Tingyu, a look of worry flashing across her beautiful eyes.
Liu Tingyu was twenty-four now, and if nothing unexpected happened, she had less than six years left! Over the years, Xia Wanâer had been seeking a way to solve this problem, but no matter how hard she tried, the conclusion she arrived at was an incurable dead end!
Xia Wanâer was not resigned, possibly driven by guilt toward her sister, but more out of her love for Liu Tingyu. She gritted her teeth and said, "Child, donât worry, I will break this curse no matter what. Iâll ensure you live to thirty, live to forty, and stay happy until old age! I still want to hold your child, hear you call me mother, and hear the child call me Granny! I, Xia Wanâer, will definitely make it happen!"
She gently smoothed Liu Tingyuâs forehead hair and kissed her gently on the head before tiptoeing her way out.
In the bedroom, Liu Tingyu still slept soundly, like a sleeping beauty.
After more than two hours of sleep, Liu Tingyu finally rubbed her hair and got up. Seeing the blanket on her body, a complex expression flashed through her eyes.
"Ting Yu, time to get up! Come down for breakfast!" At that moment, Xia Wanâerâs voice came from downstairs.
Liu Tingyu straightened her clothes and came downstairs, seeing the busy Xia Wanâer, a faint smile appeared on her face, "Aunt Wan, I havenât seen you in such a long time, Iâve missed you!"
Despite saying that, Liu Tingyu made no affectionate gestures.
Xia Wanâer sighed inwardly, but her face didnât show any signs of disappointment. She smiled and said, "Come on, try your Aunt Wanâs cooking. Even your father has never had the good fortune to taste the meals I make!"
Liu Tingyu washed her hands and sat at the table. The two ate the delicious meal before them, with Liu Tingyu occasionally expressing her amazement.
Liu Tingyu and Xia Wanâer sat facing each other, like the most beautiful picture in the world. Although it was beautiful, there was a lack of warmth, and an excess of formality!
As they ate, Xia Wanâer suddenly asked, "Ting Yu, how is everything at Yan University? Is everything okay? Have you thought about what to do after graduation?"
Liu Tingyuâs chopsticks paused for a moment before she replied, "Everythingâs pretty good with me. Right now, I am working as an assistant to the president at Chaoyang Biotechnology. President Yun, Yun Hanrui, is taking good care of me. Donât worry!"
"I heard..." Xia Wanâer hesitated before saying, "There was a teacher at your school named Liu Xin; I..."
"Aunt Wan, can we not talk about that person?" Liu Tingyu put down her chopsticks. "Itâs nauseating to talk about such a person when thereâs good food in front of us."
Xia Wanâer let out a faint sigh. Normally, when daughters face troubles, they would whine and cry to their mothers, but Liu Tingyu would rather bear it all herself than show any weakness in front of her!
What she didnât know was how much Xia Wanâer wished Liu Tingyu would show her vulnerability just once, whine to her just once? Her strength made Xia Wanâer feel somewhat sad.
"I heard from your father once, that youâve got a boyfriend now?" Xia Wanâer steadied herself before asking.
Liu Tingyuâs body stiffened, and she laughed, "Aunt Wan, Iâm twenty-four. Is it really so strange for me to have a boyfriend? When my mom was twenty-four, she had already given birth to me!"
Upon mentioning Liu Tingyuâs mother, Xia Wanâer felt somewhat suppressed. She said softly, "Ting Yu, since you have a boyfriend, why not bring him to meet us sometime?"
"What?" Liu Tingyu looked up, somewhat surprised.
Xia Wanâer said softly, "After all, I am your Aunt Wan. I think both your father and I would like to formally meet this boy. After all, heâs going to be with you for life, and weâll have to meet him sooner or later, right?"
"Aunt Wan, you... you donât object to me having a boyfriend?" Liu Tingyu was a bit hesitant.
"Silly girl!" Xia Wanâer said tenderly, "When did I ever oppose you having a boyfriend? I am so happy youâve found your own happiness!"
Liu Tingyu fell silent. She picked up her chopsticks, took a slice of lotus root and placed it in Aunt Wanâs bowl. "Aunt Wan, thank you!"
Xia Wanâer felt a mix of shock and pleasure, a bit of sourness but also happiness in her heart. "Weâre family, no need for thanks!"
The idea that her eighteen years of effort could be outvalued by a boy she had never met made Xia Wanâer feel somewhat jealous.