Chapter 38: Thirty-eight, I don’t want to admit it Chapter 38: Thirty-eight, I don’t want to admit it Song Yufeng, dragging an unwilling Yang Xin’er, approached Song Yan Ning and her two companions. He looked at Song Yan Ning with a gentle smile on his face, “Xiao Ning, I’m your dad.” Although he didn’t have much affection for this child, he was still willing to acknowledge her. No matter how ugly the child was, she was still his own flesh and blood. That was unchangeable.
Song Yan Ning gave a faint nod without expressing much else.
Yang Xin’er could no longer contain her anger, which burst forth as she glared at Song Yan Ning with eyes full of fury, “Don’t you know how to greet people? Do you have any manners at all?” Were it not for her parents, she wouldn’t have let Yufeng acknowledge her. This monstrosity simply didn’t deserve to be a part of the Song Family.
Looking at Yang Xin’er, Song Yan Ning’s cool red lips curved into a mocking smile, “Didn’t you not want to acknowledge me? Good, I don’t want to acknowledge you either.” They were nothing more than the parents of her current body, and she had no connection to them. If they were good to her, naturally, she would repay them in kind, considering this body’s origin. But since they despised her, they were no different from strangers to her.
The only reason she had chosen to enter this body was because it was suitable for her, and secondly, because this body had already lost its life force in the womb.
Yang Lisheng and Li Meixiang exchanged a helpless and pained look. Xiao Ning had indeed been hurt.
“You!” Yang Xin’er pointed at Song Yan Ning, trembling with rage. What right did this monstrosity have to refuse to acknowledge them?
Song Yan Ning let out a derisive laugh, then turned her head towards Yang Lisheng and Li Meixiang, “Grandpa, Grandma, I’m tired.” She wasn’t even interested in speaking to those she didn’t like.
“Alright, let’s go home.” Li Meixiang tenderly stroked Song Yan Ning’s hair and took her hand to walk quickly forward. She wouldn’t blame Xiao Ning for not acknowledging her own daughter and son-in-law; after all, it was their own doing. Xiao Ning was a child of sentiment and righteousness, she knew very well who treated her kindly and who did not.
Yang Lisheng glared furiously at Yang Xin’er and Song Yufeng, gave a cold huff, and followed after Song Yan Ning and Li Meixiang.
“What did I do wrong? It’s so infuriating! They’re all giving me the cold shoulder.” Yang Xin’er’s face turned an ashen blue with anger. Clearly, it was that monstrosity’s fault, why blame her?
“Alright, don’t be angry, let’s hurry and catch up to mum and dad,” Song Yufeng grabbed Yang Xin’er’s hand and chased after Song Yan Ning and her companions. It was normal for the child to not recognize them; after all, they were the ones who abandoned her first.
“Let go of me, I did nothing wrong. If they don’t want to, then so be it, let’s go home.” Yang Xin’er yanked her hand away from Song Yufeng and headed towards the parking lot. She had done nothing wrong; why should she be the one to appease them?
Song Yufeng watched as Yang Xin’er walked away, then glanced in the direction where Song Yan Ning and her companions had gone, and sighed. He’d take his time recovering Xin’er’s goodwill once they got home.
As Song Yan Ning and her companions left the train station, they waited by the roadside for a ride.
The changes in Beijing were truly immense in the past few years. Yang Lisheng and Li Meixiang didn’t even know which bus to take to their home in Beijing. Luckily, transportation was convenient now, with taxis coming and going on the street.
A black Audi slowly stopped in front of the trio. As Song Yan Ning and the others looked on in surprise, a handsome youth poked his head out from the passenger side window, “Where are you headed? I can give you a ride.”
Yang Lisheng recognized the youth as the grandson of the elder he had saved on the train, “No bother, we can take a taxi.”
“This area is difficult for hailing taxis, just get in the car,” the elder in the backseat also stuck his head out the window. Yang Lisheng had saved him, and he hadn’t had the chance to properly thank him, offering a ride seemed a good opportunity to learn more about their situation.
Yang Lisheng hesitated for a moment, then nodded, “Alright, then thank you for the trouble.”
The youth and the elder were visibly happy, quickly getting out to help Yang Lisheng and his companions load their luggage into the trunk.
Once they were all in the car, the elder introduced himself, “My name is Fang Qiming. How shall I call you, Brother Yang?”
“Yang Lisheng,” he replied, picking up Song Yan Ning onto his lap since the back was a bit crowded for four people.
“What brings you to Beijing, Brother Yang? Are you visiting relatives or is your home here?” Fang Qiming smiled at Yang Lisheng.
“Home is here in Beijing. Just haven’t been back for many years. It’s surprising to see how much Beijing has changed,” Yang Lisheng looked out of the car window. He remembered when he left, this road was a bumpy, cramped concrete road, but now it was not only wide and smooth but also lined with lush greenery.
Fang Qiming nodded in agreement, also looking out the window, “Yes, Beijing has really transformed these past years, is Brother Yang planning on staying in Beijing this time?”
Yang Lisheng smiled and shook his head, “Just brought the child to visit, will leave in a few days.” Beijing held too many memories for him, but now he preferred the rural lifestyle of Yang City.
“We’re almost there; the alley ahead is too narrow for the car to enter,” the driver said.
“We can walk from here, thank you for the ride,” Yang Lisheng said, expressing his gratitude to Fang Qiming.
Fang Qiming waved his hand, “I should be the one thanking you, Brother Yang. If you hadn’t saved me, who knows what my condition might be now. Do you have time tomorrow? I’d like to invite you and your family to my home for a simple meal.”
“You’re being too polite; saving people is a doctor’s duty. We don’t need to have dinner,” Yang Lisheng laughed, declining the offer. He hadn’t been back in Beijing for a long time, and in the next few days, he planned to visit some old friends and take Xiao Ning around to see Beijing.
Fang Qiming didn’t insist, handing Yang Lisheng a business card, “Brother Yang, if you ever need help, feel free to call me.”
“Hm,” Yang Lisheng nodded as he took the business card and saw that the car was at the entrance of the alley. He smiled at Fang Qiming, “We’re getting out here.”
Fang Qiming nodded back and instructed the driver, “Xiao Zhang, help Brother Yang with the luggage.”
After bidding farewell to Fang Qiming and his grandson, Yang Lisheng and his companions walked into the alley.
“So many years have passed, but this alley hasn’t changed much,” Yang Lisheng observed the houses on either side of the alley with a hint of nostalgia.
“Xiao Ning, the house ahead with the vermillion gate is where your grandparents used to live,” Li Meixiang said with a smile as she pointed out a small courtyard further ahead.
“Okay,” Song Yan Ning nodded.
When they reached the gate, Yang Lisheng took out a key from his pocket, a key that he had not used in almost ten years.
He aimed the key at the small copper lock on the door, and to Yang Lisheng’s surprise, after several attempts, he couldn’t get the key in. “What’s going on here?”