Jing Zejun had known from a young age that the parents who raised her were not her biological parents.
She hasn't seen her relatives since she was three years old.
Twenty years ago, Jing Zejun and her Grandma Jing went to an amusement park. That day, Grandma Jing went to a restroom and never saw three-year-old Jing Zejun again.
Jing Zejun was taken by a man.
Within just two days, she was shuttled around various places, before the police found them and she was placed into an orphanage.
That's where she met her adoptive parents.
Jing Zejun had some recollection of being kidnapped at a young age, and her adoptive parents never hid the incident from her.
Five years ago, both adoptive parents became seriously ill and she had to take the responsibility of supporting the family. After trying various part-time jobs, eighteen-year-old Jing Zejun entered the entertainment industry.
But, her adoptive parents passed away two years ago.
Three months ago, a man claiming to be her elder brother came looking for her, followed by a middle-aged couple and a slightly younger man.
After a paternity test, it turned out that these four were indeed her biological relatives.
However, before Jing Zejun could familiarize herself with her new family, Jing Beicheng told her they were going to visit their grandmother overseas.
Even though Jing Zejun understood the full picture of her kidnapping, she decided to go along and see the little girl that her grandmother brought back after she was kidnapped.
Looking back now, a lot has happened in the past few months. It seems like a lifetime's worth of events.
Jing Zejun glanced at Jing Yi, who was sleeping with her head tilted. She couldn't help but smile faintly. Jing Yi appeared like a sweet, obedient girl, yet somehow different.
Lin Ruiqing's gaze also fell on Jing Yi. She was thinking deeply, looking at the two girls ahead, as though in a daze.
Twenty years ago, Lin Ruiqing and Jing Beicheng had to go out and left three-year-old Jing Zejun with Grandma Jing. Only Grandma Jing and Jing Zejun were at home that day.
Lin Ruiqing even brought gifts back for Jing Zejun, who was upset not being able to go with them.
But before she got home, she received a call from Grandma Jing that Junjun was missing.
She felt as though the sky had fallen upon hearing this. They checked the CCTV, filed a police report, and organized a search.
But there was no trace of Jing Zejun...
She blamed Jing Beicheng - why he had to go out that day. She blamed Grandma Jing for taking the child out alone and above all, she blamed herself...
In that period, the atmosphere in the Jing household was extremely gloomy. Lin Ruiqing was in tears almost every day. Jing Zeqian, too, cried every day, wanting his sister. Grandma Jing felt tremendous guilt.
However, what angered her was not only the fact that Grandma Jing lost her, but also that she brought another girl of the same age a month later!
The arrival of the girl was the last straw for Lin Ruiqing. Back then, she lost all sense of reason.
Outraged, she shouted at the little girl to get out, knocked everything off the table, and became uncontrollable.
Jing Beicheng held her tightly, leading the servants to take the other guests away until she was no longer agitated.
After that day, Lin Ruiqing never saw that girl again, nor saw Grandma Jing.
Every year, Jing Beicheng went to visit Grandma Jing abroad, but he never asked her to go with him. Occasionally, Jing Zeyou would accompany him.
But she never heard any news about that girl from them.
After Grandma Jing passed away, Jing Beicheng asked her if she would be willing to bring Jing Yi back with her. After a moment of hesitation, she nodded.
This was her mother-in-law's last wish before she passed away. No matter what resentment existed, it should end at this moment.
Seeing Jing Yi again, Lin Ruiqing felt conflicted and somewhat lost.
That once shy girl had grown into a young woman.
Lin Ruiqing realized that Jing Yi was the only innocent one in the past incidents. She didn't do anything wrong, but Lin Ruiqing didn't want her to take over the life that should have belonged to her own daughter. That's all.
However, upon hearing that it was because of Jing Yi that they found their daughter, Lin Ruiqing's feelings became even more complicated.
"Ruiqing."
Jing Beicheng's voice drew Lin Ruiqing out of her memories. "If you're still uncomfortable with her, I can arrange a separate place for her to stay after we go back."
Jing Beicheng's voice was soft as he drew his wife closer. He was worried about her feelings. Over the past few years, she had been anxious about Junjun and had taken umbrage at Jing Yi's existence.
Although he had promised his mother to take care of Jing Yi, if his wife was uncomfortable, he would choose to place Jing Yi a bit further away.
After all, it seemed that Jing Yi didn't really want to interact with them.
Thinking back to the voice he had heard that time, Jing Beicheng had a deep impression. Such a reserved expression coupled with a slightly playful voice, it was impossible for him not to remember.
Lin Ruiqing gently shook her head, watching Jing Yi, who was still sleeping soundly, and moved closer to Jing Beicheng.
"No need, she can stay here at home. After all, there's enough room. Besides, it's not safe for a girl to live alone outside.”
Looking into his wife's eyes, Jing Beicheng saw no reluctance and he felt somewhat relieved.
"Okay, you don't have to worry. She should be a good kid. It's good timing too since Junjun just came back and now she has a companion.”
"But will Junjun be unhappy?"
This concern wasn't in Lin Ruiqing's mind, not until the mention of Junjun. Now she couldn't avoid thinking about the interactions between the two girls.
Since they had promised Grandma Jing to take care of Jing Yi, they of course wouldn't neglect her.
But Junjun had just found her true family, and they weren't very familiar yet. With another girl suddenly appearing in the house, she was worried about how her daughter would feel.
Jing Beicheng looked up at Jing Zejun, who was staring at Jing Yi, and gestured for Lin Ruiqing to look in their direction.
"Do you see how Junjun seems? Does she appear bothered to you?"
Following his gaze, Lin Ruiqing found Jing Zejun. At this moment, her eyes were full of curiosity and she was unabashedly staring at the sleeping Jing Yi.
Seemingly to scrutinize what was so special about Jing Yi.
Jing Zejun bore no ill-will towards Jing Yi. Given how Jing Yi was an inadvertent pawn amidst the whole incident, and it was with Jing Yi's help that she could find her family more quickly, Jing Zejun's impression of Jing Yi only got better.
Moreover, she was genuinely curious. Why could she and her family hear what was going on in Jing Yi's mind?
It seemed like the gaze from the person in front was too intense. Jing Yi shifted slightly, which alarmed Jing Zejun into retracting her gaze.
After a moment, she looked up to find that the person had just changed his posture and continued to sleep.
