Chapter 24: The Kindness of the Qin Family

Meng Yitong’s emotions couldn’t help but rise. Annoyed, she took out her phone, opened the front camera, and while inspecting her makeup, she complained, “Ugh, no one told me in advance! I should’ve skipped the makeup today. Is my makeup too light?”

She leaned her face toward Qin Zhuoran as she said this.

Qin Zhuoran, looking at the vibrant face in front of him, couldn’t help but tighten his grip on the spoon in his hand.

Seeing that he didn’t respond, Meng Yitong found it a bit boring and said, “I’m going to check things out.”

She left her utensils behind and excitedly walked toward Qin’s father.

“Dad, is this the photographer you arranged for us?” Meng Yitong asked with a smile, sitting next to Qin’s father on the sofa.

Although yesterday, Uncle Meng told her to call Qin’s parents “Mom and Dad,” she felt that it was a bit too flattering and couldn’t bring herself to say it.

But this morning, after seeing that Qin Zhuoran had indeed returned late last night, it seemed that Qin’s father hadn’t lied to her, and his overall attitude wasn’t particularly harsh.

Moreover, Qin Zhuoran’s appearance and character so far matched Meng Yitong’s preferences. Today, Qin’s father had even specifically arranged for these photographers to take their wedding photos.

So far, the Qin family had shown sincere goodwill. Since Meng Yitong had already planned to make the most of this opportunity, she certainly wanted to take advantage of it.

As for calling them “Mom and Dad,” it wasn’t a difficult thing for Meng Yitong.

When she was at the orphanage, the matron often described what life would be like after being adopted by a family.

Many orphans longed for a kind-hearted couple to become their parents, and Meng Yitong was no exception.

They even called every charitable person who came to the orphanage “Dad” or “Mom…”

Every orphan tried their best to show off in front of these people, hoping to be adopted and have their own family.

When Meng Yitong was younger, she had been adopted twice because of her good looks, but each time, she was returned once the new family had a new member.

Her first adoption was by a couple who were both teachers. They had been married for 10 years without children, so they adopted Meng Yitong, who was beautiful, well-behaved, and thoughtful.

At that time, Meng Yitong was only five years old. When she arrived at her new home, she was loved by everyone, and she felt the warmth of family.

Unfortunately, the good times didn’t last. Meng Yitong had barely been in her new home for half a year when the teacher who had been so kind to her was diagnosed with pregnancy, and her pregnancy symptoms were severe. Without anyone to take care of her, Meng Yitong was ultimately sent back to the orphanage.

When that family sent her back, they told her that once the teacher’s mother had given birth, they would come to bring her back.

But Meng Yitong waited and waited in the orphanage, and during that time, she turned down several adoption offers, yet her adoptive parents never came to take her.

Even when the orphanage director mother clearly told her that her adoptive family would not come back for her, Meng Yitong still refused to believe it. How could the parents who had treated her so well before suddenly not want her?

Unwilling to believe it, Meng Yitong secretly ran out of the orphanage and returned to the place she hadn’t seen for more than a year.

What she saw was her previous parents gently teasing a baby.

The once warm family of three awkwardly avoided eye contact when they saw Meng Yitong.

From a young age, Meng Yitong had been adept at reading people’s expressions, and at that moment, she understood—she had truly been abandoned once again.

Heartbroken, she returned to the orphanage and refused to be adopted any longer.

However, later, a wealthy lady who had visited several times managed to persuade her, and she was sent to another new family.

This family was wealthier, with better material conditions, and they had several servants and drivers. They treated Meng Yitong even better, almost to the point of pampering her.

Just as Meng Yitong thought she had finally found a new life, her new mother became pregnant, and Meng Yitong was sent back to the orphanage again.

Meng Yitong didn’t understand. If the first family sent her back because no one could take care of her, then why did the second family, with so many servants and drivers, send her back too? She was older now and could take care of herself.

Just as Meng Yitong was trying to understand, she was told that there were more than ten families at the orphanage waiting to adopt her.

It was then that Meng Yitong realized something was wrong. These families had always preferred younger children when they came to the orphanage. Why, then, were they now choosing an eight-year-old like her?

At that moment, Meng Yitong finally understood the purpose behind these families adopting her.

They weren’t interested in her as a child—they were only eager to adopt her because they knew that the first two families who had adopted her had had their own children shortly after adopting her. These families were hoping to use her to bring their own children into the world.

She had become nothing more than a tool to help them “bring children” into their lives. From then on, Meng Yitong completely gave up on the idea of being adopted.

No matter how much these families tried to persuade her, Meng Yitong firmly refused. She didn’t want to be abandoned again.

But little did she expect that less than two months after her determination, she ended up with two pairs of parents, and they were the kind she could never get rid of.

Thinking about this, Meng Yitong smiled and lowered her head