Chapter 3

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“Hello, how are you? May I ask if you are Mr. Zhang Guo Qing? The one who grew up at L Welfare Institute?” At this moment, a phone call had interrupted Zhang Guo Qing’s thoughts.

Listening to the strange voice coming from his Bluetooth, he casually asked: “Yes, what’s the matter? I am driving right now, if it’s convenient, could you please contact me tomorrow.”

“Oh, so it’s like this. I am an attorney at XG law firm, my name is Attorney Zhou. I was entrusted by your grandfather to deal with some of your personal assets and issues with your inheritance. The inheritance you can inherit is a large amount and we will need to meet in person to discuss the details and we can answer your questions at that time. Can we meet as soon as possible? We may also need your wife to come and meet the elderly together.”

If there is no unknown in life, what is the point of tomorrow?

Zhang Guo Qing liked this sentence very much in the past. For 20 years, he has sealed his inner hopes for ever having the chance to connect with his blood-related family, but to be hit with this news all of a sudden—he was a little overwhelmed. He doesn’t know what he is waiting for, just like how he doesn’t know what is waiting for him.

Even the strongest person could be hit by desolation. Since he was young. He has always wanted to know who his parents were, why they would give up a healthy baby boy? It was known that baby boys 20 years ago were very popular at the adoption center, there was no need to place him at the entrance of the welfare center.

That’s why by the time he grew up, came to understand things, and people started to inquire about adopting him—he rejected all of them.

He thought that if his family really didn’t want him, they would’ve given him away to someone else and wouldn’t have placed him at the orphanage. Back then, you could receive money when you gave away your son. He believed that his parents must have met with some difficulties and would come to find him later so he has to stay here and wait for them.

As he slowly grew older, and his disappointment also grew, he knew that he could not wait any longer for them. But by the time he turned 20, there were no more requests for adopting him. Regardless of the reason for his abandonment, it was still abandonment.

The husband and wife were looking forward to this new life with much excitement and happiness- how could they ever think of abandoning it?

But to suddenly have someone tell him that his grandfather was looking for him, and that he didn’t have much longer to live—where were his parents?

Zhang Guo Qing, with a belly full of suspicions: “Then come to our place in another three hours, at that time we’ll talk about, it’s not to convenient while I’m driving.”

Zhou Jiao curiously stared at her husband, seeing as how his face fell from before and the veins from his hand bulging out as he held the steering wheel, she worriedly asked: “Husband, are you ok? Why don’t we stop for a little, rest, and then let me drive?”

Zhang Guo Qing took a deep breath. He couldn’t let his pregnant wife, his lover for life, and the mother of his child, get worried. The person who has finally found his family is still the same person he was before. The truth will be revealed in time, there was no need to be too rushed, safety is the top priority.

“What a silly joke, how are you going to drive with such a big belly? Nothing’s wrong, it’s just a lawyer that called to tell me they’ve found my family members. In three more hours, we’ll discuss with the lawyer, no need to be worried, there’s no problem.”

Zhou Jiao stopped talking when she heard that, she knew that the man was heartbroken. Right now, the most she can do is quietly accompany him, so what about his family members, she wouldn’t put it to heart. For them to be able to give up such a talented man such as her husband—they must have had some problems, if not, they were just stupid and had a hole in their brains.

The sun was setting on the west side, and the remaining brilliance from the sunset dyed the corners of the sky with red. Somehow, it always manages to leave people with a melancholic feeling—almost like watching the curtains close during a play, a growing feeling of frustration.

Upon reaching home, Attorney Zhou timely got in touch with them, a chubby middle-aged man in his 40’s who looked very kind, who occasionally had gleams flash across his eyes. En, Zhou Jiao thought: this is definitely somehow with the appearance of a pig, but could actually eat a tiger.* (someone who looks kind and stupid, but may actually have a hidden agenda/ strength)

After certifying his identity of a lawyer through his ID card, Attorney Zhou straight-forwardly introduced himself. Then he continued by explaining the reason for his arrival, how long it took for him to do his research online, and added some more pity-inducing stories. If this wasn’t about her possible in-laws, Zhou Jiao wouldn’t have been able to finish listening.

A handsome, smooth talker, Father Zhang, fell in love with the poor orphan, Mother Zhang. In the end, they met with many obstacles, the girl get pregnant before marriage, and out of fear she herself left to work at a distant cousin’s place.

At the very end, carrying a broken heart and poverty, she gave birth and lost too much blood. Before her death, she left her child’s father’s information to her cousin and asked her to contact him and give him the child.

The cousin was mad and imagined scenarios frequently seen in televisions, which resulted in her making a brainless decision. But then again, she was only a fresh graduate who thought of newborns with annoyance and hate.

Worried that family members and neighbors would spread rumors about her, and with no proof to back her up nor no means to contact and take care of the child, she stealthily left the child at the steps of L Welfare Institute. She had contacted the man with the child’s address and time of birth, but without getting into details the phone call was cut off and she carried Mother Zhang’s ashes and hurried back to her house.

There must have been a problem with fate, but after Father Zhang received the phone call, he rushed to the institute only to be met with a car accident that took his life. Fortunately, before he left for the institute, in order to show that he did not want to accept the arranged marriage, he had explained the whole story to them beforehand by writing a very detailed letter addressed to Grandfather Zhang.

Once Grandfather Zhang found out that the son he was most proud of died from an accident, he fainted and was attacked by a stroke. Later, he found out from the letter that his grandson was left at an orphanage, but at the time he didn’t know Mother Zhang had died and only thought the child was abandoned.

After two more years of treatment, Grandfather Zhang recovered and realized that the child was still at the orphanage, but for whatever reasons he never mentioned any intentions to bring back the child.

Three years later, it was actually the cousin, who after getting married and having children of her own, felt sympathy and went to L Welfare Institute once more. There she found out that Guo Qing was still there and with anger she called the elder only to discover that both his parents had passed away.

The very next day, the elder went to L institute and from a far distance, stared at little Guo Qing who was comforting a crying child. Seeing how little Guo Qing handle matters based on other’s complexion made the elder so heartbroken that he fainted on the spot.

The recovered him didn’t know how to face this child, not to mention how he hasn’t been very healthy in the past five years. His control over his company was weakening and he didn’t want to bring the child in at such a time. This child was his eldest grandson, bringing him back would only cause him to be a needle in other’s eyes. Not bringing him back and directly making him take up his birth father’s last name would bring him less danger.

Later, when he arranged for someone to adopt him, the child was unwilling. There was no other way. He could only go behind the scenes and care for him that way.

In the past few years, the elder started to take back control of the company and created a will. His original plan was to wait until Zhou Jiao had given birth to bring the three of them back. Regretfully, though, long hours of stress and focus had caused him to burn out his oil, he could only hurriedly contact them now to see them right before he passes away.

“Mr. Zhang, actually your birth father’s surname is also Zhang and your grandfather, Elder Mr. Zhang has written your name as Zhang Guo Qing in the family register but following family rules he added a few more characters—Zhang Yi Qing. In regards to the Zhang family’s situation, I will need to discuss with you further, but first you need to sign the property change document under your name.

These are specially arranged by your grandfather, and your parents’ cemetery was buried at the XL Xilong Cemetery when you were five years old. You can directly go when you are free.

Zhang Guo Qing took a deep breath, it was overwhelming to suddenly learn about his background, to hear how his parents were in a mutual love only to not be together, died, and left him alone, and how his only grandfather had been taking care of him in the shadows.

He felt a little helpless. He didn’t know what would happen if he accepted this identity of being the eldest young master of the Zhang family.

With his clever mind and careful thinking, he immediately understood the reason behind his accelerated promotion during his two years of work. There were no coincidences, this was the work of his grandfather. At the same time, he realized that his father’s car accident may not have been an accident and his grandfather didn’t have evidence or the heart to uncover the ugly parts of his blood relatives.

He fearfully thought back to accidents that happened in the past, like during his high school exam, and another time during college. For him to be able to avoid those accidents wasn’t just because of his good luck, but because of his grandfather’s protection. If he was to enter into the Zhang family now, would that actually be a good thing?

Accepting this inheritance wasn’t a big deal to him. The couple could make a living by relying on their capabilities. If, in the future, his wife and child were to be met with an accident—he would not be able to forgive himself.

Life is like tea, one should look at things with a calm mind and heart. There is innocence in right and wrong. The reasons could be from the previous life. Forget it, no use mulling over these things. He’ll meet the old man tomorrow. Regardless of the Zhang family or not, he is still the orphan Zhang Guo Qing.

Translated on 5/23/20