Chapter 1117 - 1159: Regret

Chapter 1117: Chapter 1159: Regret

Because in her mind, she figured she’d only see her aunt today, and there wouldn’t be any chance to meet again in the future anyway! So why bother saving the phone number!

Who knows, even if she saved it, after her aunt left she might change her number again! If that’s the case, she might as well not save it—either way they wouldn’t be keeping in touch!

The call was picked up very quickly; almost the moment it started ringing, the other side answered, and Ling Shenglan’s excited voice came through right away. "Yueyue, do you have time to come out and meet me?"

Ling Yueyue nodded and said, "Yeah! I’m heading out now. Let’s meet at the Blue Sky Cafe on the top floor of the Blue Sky Building. Whoever gets there first waits!"

Ling Shenglan said excitedly, "Okay, okay, okay, I’ve already changed and I’m heading out right away! I’ll be there waiting for you, no matter what!"

"Mm! See you there, no matter what!" With that, Ling Yueyue hung up first.

After hanging up, Ling Yueyue first called Old Liu, the driver, and told him to have the car ready and waiting for her at the door, then she went upstairs to change her clothes.

Once she’d changed and slung her single-strap bag over her shoulder, Old Liu drove her to the Blue Sky Building.

By the time Ling Yueyue arrived at the Blue Sky Cafe, Ling Shenglan was already there. Seeing her come in, she frantically waved at her.

Ling Yueyue walked over and sat down in the seat opposite Ling Shenglan, politely saying, "Sorry to keep you waiting."

Ling Shenglan quickly shook her head hard. "I just got here too, I haven’t been waiting long! But as long as I can see you, I’d be willing to wait however long it takes!"

Hearing this, Ling Yueyue instinctively lifted her head and glanced at her, her brows unknowingly knitting together.

Seeing the lack of much emotional fluctuation on Ling Yueyue’s face, Ling Shenglan nervously asked, "Yueyue, just now before you came, I didn’t know what kind of coffee you like, so I didn’t order for you. What would you like to drink? I’ll order it for you."

"No need, just a milk tea is fine." Ling Yueyue shook her head. Tiantian was still breastfeeding right now, and coffee has ****** in it, which isn’t good for Tiantian, so she only ordered a milk tea.

"Okay!" Ling Shenglan nodded, reached out to get a waiter, ordered a black card coffee for herself, and then a milk tea for Ling Yueyue.

After the waiter left, Ling Shenglan looked at Ling Yueyue, smiling as she asked, "Yueyue, I thought you wouldn’t come out to see me. I didn’t expect you’d actually come. I’m really happy, really, really happy!"

Ling Yueyue tugged at the corner of her mouth, forcing a smile, and said calmly, "Even though you’re not my birth mother, we still lived together for fifteen years. No matter what the reason is, I should come out to see you once, and say thank you for taking care of me for those fifteen years."

When she heard the words "birth mother" from Ling Yueyue’s mouth, a trace of bitterness flashed in Ling Shenglan’s eyes. "You don’t need to thank me, that was what I should do. It’s just... I really regret it now. During those fifteen years we lived together, I didn’t treat you very well. In these five years abroad, every time I think of it, I feel so guilty and blame myself."

Ling Yueyue smiled. "You don’t need to feel guilty or blame yourself. In the end, you’re just my aunt, you had no obligation or responsibility to take care of me. Not taking care of me would’ve been only natural; taking care of me was kindness. You’re not my birth mother, but you still managed to look after me for fifteen years—that’s already very good! To put it bluntly, compared to my birth mother, you actually treated me better than she did! With things like that, what right do I have to resent you? I should be thanking you."

Hearing this, the expression on Ling Shenglan’s face changed in an instant. "Your birth mother—my sister‑in‑law—she didn’t treat you well?"

Ling Yueyue shrugged, giving a bitter smile. "What’s ’good’? What’s ’not good’? Hasn’t it always been like that? Anyway, I’ve already gotten used to it."

Taking in every detail of Ling Yueyue’s expression, Ling Shenglan fell into silence, not speaking for a long time. Staring into Ling Yueyue’s eyes, her guilt and self‑reproach grew even heavier.

With Ling Shenglan not speaking, Ling Yueyue didn’t say anything either.

Because of the five years apart, she really didn’t know what to say to this aunt. Every time, it was her aunt who found a topic, and then she just followed along. If her aunt didn’t speak, she had no idea what she should say.

After they’d been silent for a while, Ling Shenglan suddenly spoke, testing the waters. "Yueyue, after I left, did you live in the school dorm? Even though I know your brother and sister‑in‑law never treated you well, still, as parents, they should at least have been paying your monthly living expenses and tuition, right?"

"I’ve always rented a place outside. If I lived in the school dorm, I wouldn’t be able to work. The dorms are stricter about curfew—you can’t come back late. If I worked the night shift, I wouldn’t be able to get back in." Ling Yueyue hadn’t planned on hiding anything; since Ling Shenglan had asked, she just answered honestly.

Besides, working isn’t some shameful thing. There’s nothing wrong with talking about it.

Hearing this, Ling Shenglan sucked in a breath, utterly shocked. "Work? You’ve been working these past five years?"

Ling Yueyue pursed her lips and said helplessly, "Yeah. What else could I do if I didn’t work? Starve to death?"

After hearing what Ling Yueyue said, Ling Shenglan suddenly became agitated. "Why did you have to go out and work? Didn’t your brother and sister‑in‑law give you living expenses? When I left, you were only fifteen! What can a fifteen‑year‑old child even do?"

Ling Yueyue let out a self‑mocking laugh. "Living expenses? There are three younger sisters and one younger brother at home—where would they find the money to look after me? If I didn’t work, how would I have money to make it to university? Besides, daily food, clothing, everything costs money. I may have only been fifteen, but washing dishes and serving food in a restaurant was no problem. The wages weren’t high, but if I was careful with spending, it was enough, and I could even send Mom and Dad a bit of living money every month."

Hearing this, the delicate features of Ling Shenglan’s face completely twisted. "Living expenses? You were only fifteen, and they actually had the nerve to take living expenses from you?"

Ling Yueyue said indifferently, "Even though I lived with my aunt before I turned fifteen, they’re the ones who gave birth to me. And just like they gave you living expenses to help raise me to fifteen, it’s only right and proper that I support them. I’m willing to do it."

As Ling Yueyue’s words fell, Ling Shenglan’s eyes instantly turned red.

Seeing how sad Ling Shenglan seemed, Ling Yueyue pulled a tissue from the table and handed it to her. "What’s with you, why are you crying all of a sudden?"

Ling Shenglan took the tissue from Ling Yueyue and dabbed at the corners of her eyes. "I... I just feel so upset... I didn’t know that after I left, you were living like this. I... I... If I’d known, back then I wouldn’t have... wouldn’t have...!" By this point, Ling Shenglan couldn’t go on.

But what difference would it have made if she’d known? If she’d known, would she really have chosen not to leave back then?

Back then, for a life free from worrying about food and clothing, she hadn’t hesitated at all to leave. Now, what face did she have to regret it?