Chapter 126: Changes
On New Year’s Day, Nangong Ying joined her parents for a family dinner at a restaurant with her uncles, aunts, and cousins, followed by a visit to her grandparents. Nangong Zhuo had two older brothers, both with children of their own. Nangong Ying was Nangong Zhuo’s only child.
Unlike her cousins, Nangong Ying had no siblings, but she was the most accomplished among them.
From training in martial arts from a young age, winning awards, to now becoming a celebrity, she had always been the brightest star. Her cousins envied her achievements, her success at the young age of nineteen.
Nangong Ying was genuinely famous, her name widely recognized. Mention her name, and people would instantly say, “Oh, the rising star.”
“Xiaoying, congratulations! You’ll be focusing on your studies after the New Year, right?”
Her uncle placed some food in her bowl, a smile on his face.
Among all the children present, Nangong Ying was the most exceptional, achieving what even some adults couldn’t. Besides her father, she was the only one with bragging rights.
“Yes, I want to get into a good university.”
“Haha, a big star, still studying hard.”
“Of course, I have to work hard. How else can I succeed?”
Nangong Ying smiled.
Everyone praised her talent, her accomplishments, but she knew her success was the result of hard work. Without effort, there were no rewards. If everyone could succeed without trying, what was the point of striving?
At such a family gathering, a child’s achievements should be a source of pride for their parents. However, Nangong Zhuo and Zhang Jing didn’t boast about their daughter’s celebrity status, focusing instead on her studies.
After dinner, Nangong Zhuo drove his wife and daughter to his parents’ house. Nangong Ying sat in the backseat, silent. Nangong Zhuo started the car.
“Do you… disapprove of my career choice?” Nangong Ying asked from the back.
Though he didn’t reply, his silence spoke volumes.
As a father, he didn’t want his daughter in the entertainment industry, but it was her choice. He couldn’t understand the allure of that world, why she was so drawn to it.
From the beginning, he had opposed her decision.
“It’s your choice,” he finally said.
Sensing the tension between them, Zhang Jing wisely remained silent.
Nangong Ying didn’t press the issue; it was pointless. Besides, her journey to success hadn’t been entirely honorable. She didn’t want to recount her struggles, the painful memories.
She wondered how Linna was spending the New Year. The image of a golden-haired figure flashed through her mind.
Meanwhile, Yu Linna was anticipating the New Talent Awards ceremony, wondering if she should dress up for the occasion. It was a major event, attended by the entire Wenqing staff and established authors. Dressing appropriately seemed important, even though she wasn’t guaranteed a publishing contract. She wanted to see how far her work could go.
After so many failures, this was her chance to get close to success, a chance she wouldn’t miss.
She wondered how everyone would react if they knew Shion was actually a petite, adorable girl.
Suddenly, she spotted a figure in the crowd: a middle-aged woman with two children. The streets were bustling with New Year festivities, and she held their hands tightly, afraid they would get lost.
The woman wasn’t beautiful, her appearance ordinary, her figure unremarkable, even a bit short.
Yu Linna recognized her, even after all these years.
“Aunt Lin, long time no see! Did you move here?”
The woman turned, her face initially puzzled, but upon seeing Yu Linna’s blonde hair, recognition dawned.
“You’re… Little Yu?”
This woman had taken her in when she was very young, providing her with temporary shelter. Though the memories weren’t entirely pleasant, she had cared for her, so Yu Linna felt obligated to greet her.
Even if it felt pointless.
“You’ve grown so much. What happened? No place to stay again? You should be an adult now, right?”
“Yes, but I won’t bother you. I just wanted to say hello.”
Yu Linna had no intention of rekindling their relationship; it was simply a courtesy. The woman had taken care of her, provided her with food; she was grateful for that.
“You look exactly the same as before. Found a job to support yourself?”
“No, someone is taking care of me now. I plan to finish university.”
“Really? That’s good. It’s better to have someone looking after you than being alone. Your parents, the ones who abandoned you, can finally rest easy.”
“…Wait, what did you just say?!”
The first part of the sentence was innocuous, but the latter part… something was amiss.
“Ah, I shouldn’t have said that. Forget it. I’m sorry.”
“Aunt Lin! What does that mean? Tell me!”
How could she not be agitated when it concerned her own past?
She had been an orphan since childhood, alone and abandoned. How could she not react to the mention of her parents?
The woman looked at her, sighing. She had spoken out of turn.
“I don’t know the details. I just heard it from someone. I don’t know if it’s true. You should go to the old orphanage and ask Director Wu.”
She waved goodbye and left with her children, unwilling to linger.
“Mom, who was that?”
“A relative of an old friend. Don’t worry about it.”
“Her blonde hair is so pretty! Is it dyed?”
“I said, don’t worry about it.”
As the woman disappeared into the crowd, Yu Linna’s mind raced.
Aunt Lin had said her parents abandoned her. What did that mean? Did Aunt Lin know her parents?
It didn’t make sense; she had never mentioned them before.
Though accustomed to being an orphan, Yu Linna still longed for a sense of belonging, for family. Though she had never met her parents, she still wanted to know what they looked like.
She had so many questions.
Her mind was a whirlwind of confusion. She knew she was an orphan, alone since childhood, sold off.
But she didn’t know where she came from, where her roots were.
That was why Nangong Ying’s suggestion to enter the entertainment industry to find her family had tempted her. Deep down, she yearned to find her blood relatives.
Being mixed-race, she wanted to understand her heritage, the origins of her appearance.
Standing on the street, pedestrians brushed past her, some glancing at her striking features.
After a long while, Yu Linna started walking, her mind in turmoil, yet she knew what she wanted. Aunt Lin had said she had only heard rumors, meaning she wasn’t certain. That wasn’t necessarily a bad thing.
But Aunt Lin’s words had ignited a new desire within Yu Linna. She decided to visit the old orphanage and ask the director for the truth. She had spent a short time there as a child before it was demolished, leaving her alone once more. The director back then was a woman in her thirties named Wu Siyu.
Wu Siyu had reportedly brought Yu Linna to the orphanage when she was very young. After the orphanage closed, Yu Linna had been shuffled between foster homes until she was old enough to live on her own.
She didn’t know what the director was doing now, only that she had apparently lost her job.
Yu Linna searched for the phone numbers of her former foster families, calling them one by one, not expecting much. But luck seemed to be on her side; she learned that Wu Siyu had moved to the outskirts of Guangnan City.
What a small world.
The address she obtained was only a two-hour drive from the city center. After further inquiries, she finally got Wu Siyu’s phone number. With a mix of anticipation and anxiety, she dialed.
After so many years, she didn’t know if Wu Siyu would remember her.
And she might not receive a warm welcome.
But she had to try; she needed to know about her past.
“Hello?” A woman’s voice answered.
Yu Linna took a deep breath.
“Hello? If you don’t speak, I’m hanging up.”
“Aunt Wu.”
“…You… you’re… Nana?”
“Yes. Aunt Wu, do you remember me?”
“Of course, I remember! How could I forget? Haha, Nana, you… you actually called me! This is such a surprise! Where are you? How are you doing? Is someone taking care of you?”
Wu Siyu showered her with questions, her excitement palpable. It had been so long since she last heard from Yu Linna.
Yu Linna remembered Aunt Wu’s kindness, how she always gave her an extra bun at the orphanage, how she always slipped her a few extra candies.
After the orphanage closed, they lost contact, and years had passed.
“Aunt Wu, I’m living in Guangnan City now. Where are you? Can I meet you?”
“What a coincidence! I’m living here too! But I’m visiting my husband’s family with my daughter. Wait for me; I’ll be back soon. Where should we meet? It’s been so long. I’d love to catch up.”
Hearing her voice, Yu Linna felt a surge of happiness. She wasn’t alone. She wanted to rush to Aunt Wu, to talk all night.
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