Volume One, Chapter Eleven: She Is Not My Granddaughter

An hour and a half later, Lizhen Zhu caught up with Qiu Yu Su outside the convalescent home.

At first, she didn’t recognize her at all—she looked somewhat familiar, yet different.

It wasn’t until a phone call went through and she saw her answer that she was absolutely certain.

Watching Su Qiu Yu settle into the passenger seat, Lizhen Zhu stared in astonishment, sizing her up from head to toe. “I can’t believe you’re just in your early twenties!”

Su Qiu Yu took off the wig and the glasses that resembled reading glasses, then removed the scarf around her neck. “I bought these on the way.”

Lizhen Zhu was excited. “Do you know what your look reminds me of?”

Su Qiu Yu shook her head.

Lizhen Zhu caressed the wool coat Su Qiu Yu was wearing. “A university professor from the ’90s! So elegant! That kind of person who’s clearly not young anymore yet is still full of vitality and exudes a unique, youthful artistic charm! Intellectual and graceful, but also stubborn and strong-willed, with firm opinions and not easily provoked. Yet when faced with a bullying mother-in-law, she keeps giving in again and again!”

“…What kind of metaphor is that?” Su Qiu Yu said.

Lizhen Zhu suppressed a laugh. “Actually, I was describing my grandmother.”

Su Qiu Yu smiled gently. “Hello, my dear granddaughter.”

“Hmph, if only you were my grandmother! I’d be happy with even a third of your looks!”

“…I’m seriously thinking about plastic surgery,” Su Qiu Yu resolved. “Once I save enough money, I’m definitely going.”

“Ahhh!!” Lizhen Zhu grabbed her hands excitedly, putting on a fierce act. “Don’t be reckless! Consider me your friend—just don’t! No way! Absolutely not!”

Su Qiu Yu laughed, cupping her face and pushing her back into the driver’s seat. “Calm down, it’s still too early for that.”

“Hmph…” Lizhen Zhu huffed. “Others would kill to have what you have, yet you want to waste it! Alright, alright, enough about that or I’ll have a heart attack. Look! Your cardboard box is over there.”

Su Qiu Yu followed her finger and glanced at the box in the back seat.

“Xiaoyu, tell me what’s been going on—I’m really worried about you.”

Su Qiu Yu furrowed her brows slightly and nodded. “Okay.”

She recounted everything that had happened over the past few days, including the note that Lu Xiaoqian had given her.

Playing with the wig in her hands, her tone was flat: “Even Shao Shanshan knows Lu Xiaoqian is here in this convalescent home. I’m afraid lots of eyes are watching, so I disguised myself like this.”

“Oh my God…” Lizhen Zhu said sadly, “Hasn’t your mother contacted you at all during all this time?”

Su Qiu Yu shook her head.

“Why didn’t you tell me sooner?” Lizhen Zhu held her hand tightly. “These past few days, you’ve been carrying everything alone at home? Just by yourself? It breaks my heart!”

“No,” Su Qiu Yu smiled, “Uncle Liu comforted me.”

“He’s such a busy man; how much time could he possibly have to comfort you? Oh my God, it’s been so many days already!”

Lizhen Zhu looked up at the convalescent home. “Xiaoyu, I’m telling you, you’re right. That vile Shao Shanshan definitely planted several pairs of eyes here to watch us! Not just watching you, but me too! And that little devil—she’s like a ghost, you know? A few days ago she suddenly showed up at my company looking for me! I can’t stand her anymore!”

Su Qiu Yu was speechless.

“So what do we do now? I can’t show my face. The moment I appear, I guarantee Shao Shanshan will rocket down from the sky within two minutes, Gatling gun in hand, ready to blast me to pieces!”

Su Qiu Yu said, “Do you think my disguise just now was okay?”

“It worked, but even if they can’t recognize you, you’re wrapped up so tightly and went looking for Lu Xiaoqian—someone so mysterious, who else would they be watching if not you? They won’t let you off. Remember, last time, Nurse Chen told everyone about your mother coming here to see Lu Xiaoqian. They might think you’re your mother!”

Su Qiu Yu sighed. “But I don’t have a better plan.” She paused and then looked at Lizhen Zhu. “Wait… I have one.”

“Why don’t we just let Shao Shanshan rocket down? I’ll pull her hair, and you take the chance to get Lu Xiaoqian away?”

Su Qiu Yu took out her phone. “No, I’m hiring someone.”

Lizhen Zhu, certain she had a plan, started the car. “Okay, I’ll park a bit farther away. We’ll wait for the person to arrive.”

As her car had just pulled away, a Bentley drove in straight to the convalescent home.

Before Jiang Qiong could open the door, Xiao Tao jumped out by herself and slammed the door shut with her chubby little hands.

Clapping her hands, she looked up toward the room where Lu Xiaoqian was.

Jiang Qiong came over. “Miss, don’t cry or make a fuss now, okay?”

Xiao Tao nodded firmly, her gaze resolute. “Okay!”

Lu Xiaoqian’s door remained tightly closed.

Jiang Qiong knocked, and Nurse Chen lifted the curtain, startled to see them, then lowered it without expression.

Lu Xiaoqian leaned against the headboard, propping up her legs, watching a movie on her tablet.

She heard the voices outside but didn’t respond or glance at Nurse Chen.

When Nurse Chen came over, Lu Xiaoqian said, “I’m thirsty. Get me a glass of water.”

Nurse Chen handed her a cup of warm water. After drinking, Lu Xiaoqian placed it on the bedside table, swiped her finger across the tablet, and continued watching.

Outside, Jiang Qiong glanced at Xiao Tao.

Xiao Tao’s lips pressed into a line, staring intently at the window where Nurse Chen had appeared.

She saw them come but acted as if nothing had happened.

“Miss…”

Xiao Tao said, “Keep knocking.”

Jiang Qiong had no choice but to continue.

This time Nurse Chen did not appear.

After a while, Jiang Qiong stopped knocking.

Turning around in surprise, he saw the little girl holding back tears, stubbornly staring at the door.

“It’s okay, I’m not crying,” Xiao Tao said. “You… you keep knocking.”

Jiang Qiong took out a tissue and handed it to her. “Miss, wipe your tears.”

“I’m not crying. As long as the tears don’t fall, it doesn’t count as crying.”

Jiang Qiong still pressed the tissue into her hand.

The knocking resumed.

Nurse Chen glanced at Lu Xiaoqian.

She remained unmoved, quietly watching her tablet.

Unable to hold back any longer, Nurse Chen said, “Aunt Lu, that little girl outside seems to be your granddaughter…”

“She’s not mine,” Lu Xiaoqian picked up the water cup from the bedside table. “She’s Feifei’s granddaughter.”

“Who is Feifei? The woman who came to see you before?”

Lu Xiaoqian’s grip on the cup tightened. She suddenly looked up and glared at Nurse Chen. “What business is it of yours? Are you trying to probe something? Why ask about someone who has nothing to do with you?”

Nurse Chen thought, here we go again!

Usually, Lu Xiaoqian wasn’t unfriendly but wasn’t very talkative either, making her easy to care for.

But whenever the topic of that drunken woman came up, she turned into a protective tigress, fiercely on edge.

If only they could find out who that woman was—the gentleman named Zhuang had offered quite a sum…

“No, no,” Nurse Chen hurriedly explained. “Aunt Lu, don’t misunderstand. I wasn’t trying to probe anything. It’s just that they keep coming, it’s so annoying. If they’ve mistaken someone, I think we just need to clear up the misunderstanding.”

Lu Xiaoqian finished her water and looked down at the cup.

The bottom of the cup was very hard; she tapped it lightly twice with her finger. It was solid.

“You’re not wrong,” Lu Xiaoqian said thoughtfully. “Their constant visits are annoying, not just for us, but they’ll be troubled too.”

Nurse Chen was curious. “They?”

“This mess, I’ll solve it once and for all,” Lu Xiaoqian looked up. “Open the door.”