[Epilogue] The Future

Many people tried to set up blind dates for Ji Chengshan, with Mother Dong being the most enthusiastic. Mother Dong felt that if Ji Chengshan remarried, then Xiao Man would truly become a thing of the past. As long as Ji Chengshan remained unmarried, people would still think he was pining for Xiao Man.

“This one is a college graduate,” Mother Dong said, presenting a photo of a woman to Ji Chengshan.

“Whether she’s a college graduate or not, I have no intention of remarrying,” Ji Chengshan replied. “You can stop wasting your efforts. I’m not thinking about your daughter-in-law. Don’t ascribe the worst intentions to me. I have a daughter. I don’t need to find a stepmother for her!”

Ji Chengshan didn’t give Mother Dong any face, so she went to Old Madam Ji, asking her to persuade Ji Chengshan.

“He means what he says. You know he didn’t grow up with us. We can’t control him,” Old Madam Ji said.

Later on, when people continued to look for a match for Ji Chengshan, Old Master Ji, leaning on his cane, cursed and complained.

“Can’t you stand to see others live happily?”

“What does it matter to you whether Chengshan remarries or not? Mind your own business!”

“If you like introducing matches so much, get your own son divorced and introduce him to a match!”

…

Perhaps because Old Master Ji and others knew Ji Zenan wasn’t their biological child, they didn’t need to clean up his mess all the time. Old Master Ji lived longer. While he was alive, Old Madam Ji still had something to look forward to, not feeling as if there was nothing in the world worth caring about.

**

Ji Qingqing’s academic performance was exceptional, often scoring full marks in elementary school. She even skipped grades, won awards in math competitions, and was admitted to Tsinghua and Peking University without taking exams by the age of fifteen.

By this time, Old Master Ji was over eighty, and he frequently boasted about Ji Qingqing’s achievements, saying how proud he was of her.

Ji Chengshan never imagined his daughter would be so outstanding in her studies. He couldn’t help but wonder if his rebirth was due to the heavens not wanting to lose such a talented person.

Dong Weixin went to prison, but only for two years before being released. Xiao Man and Dong Weixin’s relationship was poor, and the stepchildren also felt she didn’t genuinely care for them. Especially as people around them praised Ji Qingqing, the stepchildren thought Xiao Man was inadequate.

The stepchildren also enjoyed being praised, but they didn’t attract the same attention as Ji Qingqing.

Later on, Ji Qingqing pursued a master’s and doctorate program consecutively, joining a research institute as a researcher and becoming a scientist, achieving remarkable results.

However, by this time, Old Master Ji had passed away. Old Madam Ji was still alive and remarked with emotion, “If her grandfather had known, he would have been so happy.”

Seeing Ji Qingqing’s high achievements, Xiao Man didn’t know what to say. She only felt her situation was laughable. After graduating from college, Xiao Man became a full-time housewife, with no work, focusing on her stepchildren and husband.

Others knew Xiao Man was Ji Qingqing’s biological mother, and some mocked her.

“With such a good daughter, if it were me, I would treat my daughter very well.”

“Not taking care of your own biological daughter but raising someone else’s children—how could anyone do that?”

“How laughable.”

…

Xiao Man did not refute those remarks.

Xiao Man’s attitude towards her own mother wasn’t very warm either. She felt that if her parents had waited a bit longer, things might not have turned out this way.

Mother Xiao sensed her daughter’s cold attitude and noticed that when she was sick, Xiao Man rarely came to visit.

Once, when Mother Xiao was hospitalized, Xiao Man went to see her. Holding Xiao Man’s hand, Mother Xiao asked, “Are you blaming me? But you said you were unhappy.”

Back then, Xiao Man had complained about Lin Chengshan, saying that life was tough. Naturally, Mother Xiao wanted her daughter to marry into a better family.

In truth, after Lin Chengshan, Xiao Man’s life wasn’t much better. It appeared glamorous on the surface, but only she knew how things were inside. The Dong family was wary of her, and the stepchildren’s attitude towards her wasn’t good. Xiao Man had always wanted to have another child, but she never did.

…

Facing her sick mother lying in the hospital bed, Xiao Man remained silent.

To say she felt no resentment would be a lie. She resented herself, her mother, and Ji Chengshan!

Sometimes, Xiao Man wondered if she could have lived a better life if Lin Chengshan had been someone else. She dreamed that the Ji family didn’t know Lin Chengshan was related to them, and the Ji family might help Ji Zenan. Ji Zenan was well-connected with Dong Weixin, and even when Dong Weixin’s company ran into trouble, Ji Zenan was still helping out…

Xiao Man thought this would be a good dream, but instead, she dreamt of the stepchildren trying to drive her out of the house and Dong Weixin criticizing her for not handling things well and adding to his troubles.

Xiao Man looked out the window, knowing that if she had another chance, she would still choose Dong Weixin, even without these memories. If she could be reborn with her memories intact, she would definitely stay with Lin Chengshan and take good care of her biological daughter, rather than missing the chance to have her own child when she wanted one.

Lin Chengshan was so successful, both in dreams and reality. No matter how big the trouble, he worked hard to live upward.

She had been wrong, extremely wrong!