Chapter 402 – Going to Tianjin
Just as the construction of the primary school began in Qinghe Village, Ning Di had already arrived in Tianjin with her elder brother and sister-in-law, which was where her eldest sister lived.
Ning Di always liked to surprise people, so she didn’t let Xu Aiguo inform her eldest sister in advance that she had returned.
Not only that, but she also didn’t plan to immediately reunite with her sister upon arrival. Even though she was of an older age, Ning Di still had a bit of a mischievous streak as the youngest sibling.
So, she intended to give her eldest sister a “big surprise.”
On this day, only Xu Ai’an was at home.
Her eldest daughter had gotten married, and although she married close by, both the daughter and son-in-law were university students, and now, they were attending classes at school.
As for the younger children, they were also in school at this time of day.
Thus, only Xu Ai’an was left at home.
She never had the habit of hiring a nanny. Even though her family could afford it, Xu Ai’an felt it wasn’t necessary.
She rather enjoyed the peace and quiet of being home alone.
At this moment, she was sitting on the sofa, reading a newspaper.
The newspaper happened to have an article about the demolition project.
The demolition plans had been announced last year, and this year, the work and compensation had fully started.
Soon, it would be time to demolish Xu Aian’s large houses as well.
The compensation for new houses and commercial street shops had all been agreed upon, and it was just a matter of moving in.
Having lived there for so long, Xu Ai’an felt a bit reluctant to leave.
So, she planned to move out at the last possible moment.
Her children would stay with her until then.
Meanwhile, the house they planned to move into was gradually being furnished.
Ever since the news of the demolition came out, Xu Ai’an had heard a lot of talk.
She also heard that some people deeply regretted selling their houses before the demolition.
If they hadn’t sold, they could have exchanged their old houses for new ones and received a significant amount of compensation money.
Every time Xu Ai’an heard the lamentations and regrets of those people, she couldn’t help but think of herself. She was grateful for Xu Jinning’s timely arrival, and thankful that she could hear Ningning’s thoughts, which alerted her to the upcoming demolition. Because of this, she didn’t sell her house.
Otherwise, she would have been crying and regretting it too.
Although Xu Ai’an still found it strange that she could hear Xu Jinning’s thoughts, and she was a bit curious about Ningning, she was a smart person and knew that some things were best kept to oneself.
She also understood that some questions were better left unasked.
But in the end, she was both grateful and fond of Xu Jinning, this younger relative.
Looking back on her life, Xu Ai’an felt that although she had experienced being given away by her parents and gone through a divorce, overall, fate had treated her well.
Her parents had given her away, but they loved her and did so to ensure her survival, so she didn’t blame them.
Though she had married and later divorced, and had experienced heartbreak and pain at the time, she did not regret it because she had four such lovely, wonderful children.
Moreover, she considered herself quite clear-minded.
When it comes to pain, time gradually heals wounds.
Besides, the person who betrayed her didn’t have it easy either.
Now, her eldest daughter was married to a good son-in-law, and they were a loving couple.
Her three younger children were all doing well in school, healthy and safe.
Xu Ai’an felt very content.
If there was anything she still regretted…
It was that she hadn’t yet found her younger sister!
As for her memories of her younger sister, they weren’t very clear. After all, she was too young at the time, and now, several decades had passed.
But despite the blurry memories, Xu Ai’an had never forgotten.
She knew that not only had she not forgotten, but her deceased parents and her elder brother hadn’t forgotten either. It was just that…
“Little sister, it’s been decades. When will you come back?”
“Big sister is old now, I’m afraid…”
She feared that she might never find or see her younger sister before she died.
It would be as regrettable as it was for their parents back then.
Thinking of her younger sister, Xu Ai’an couldn’t help but shed tears, her eyes reddening.
In fact, over the years, whenever she thought about it, Xu Ai’an would always end up with red eyes and tears.
At that moment, the doorbell suddenly rang.
The sound jolted Xu Ai’an out of her sadness and longing.
She looked up at the clock on the wall, her expression a bit confused.
It was still too early for the children to come home from school; they shouldn’t be back yet.
She didn’t have many friends and rarely had visitors.
So, who could it be…
Without thinking too much, Xu Ai’an got up to open the door.
As the door slowly creaked open, the person standing at the doorstep came into view.
A beauty!
A middle-aged, elegant woman!
That was Xu Ai’an’s first impression of the person before her.
And it made Xu Ai’an, who had always been sensitive to appearances, brighten up.
The woman in a deep purple qipao exuded grace and sophistication. Just standing there, she had an air of elegance and charm.
“Uh, who are you? What brings you here?”
Xu Ai’an asked softly, her tone gentle.
“Are you hungry or thirsty? Or do you need to make a call? Would you like to come in for a glass of water? If you need any help, just let me know. I’ll do my best to assist.”
After speaking, Xu Ai’an realized her own enthusiasm seemed a bit out of character.
In truth, Xu Ai’an was a reserved and rational person. She had never been so warm with anyone before.
She found her own behavior quite unusual and was concerned that her excessive warmth might lead to a misunderstanding, so she quickly added an explanation.
“Please don’t misunderstand me. I don’t mean anything by it. It’s just that you seem very familiar, and I feel a deep sense of closeness, as if…”
As if she were seeing her own younger sister.
At that moment, Xu Ai’an’s gaze fell once again on the woman’s face.
She wasn’t lying.
The woman’s face seemed increasingly familiar, as if she had seen her somewhere before.
So familiar that it made her heart ache and brought tears to her eyes.
Just then, Xu Ai’an noticed that the beautiful woman’s eyes suddenly reddened, tears brimming as if they were about to fall any second.
Seeing this, Xu Ai’an felt a pang of sympathy.
Without thinking too much, she quickly moved forward to comfort her. “What’s wrong? Why are you crying? Have you encountered some difficulty? It’s okay, it will pass. If you need help, just tell me, and I’ll definitely help you.”
Feeling somewhat flustered and unsure of what to do, Xu Ai’an was suddenly embraced by the beautiful woman.
The woman buried her face in Xu Ai’an’s neck, sobbing uncontrollably.
Xu Ai’an gently patted her back, her voice soft and soothing. “Don’t cry, don’t be upset. Things will get better.”
“Big Sister…” A soft call suddenly rang in Xu Ai’an’s ear.
