<h4>Chapter 111: Chapter 111 Never Going Back to Before</h4><h4></h4>


    Yun Shifei didn’t notice what Cheng Lie was thinking. After chatting with him for a while, she left.


    As she reached the doorway, she happened to bump into Cheng Lie’s elder brother, Cheng Huai, returning from outside.


    She greeted him, "Hello, brother."


    Cheng Huai was briefly stunned by her appearance, then smiled, "Is that Shi Fei?"


    Yun Shifei nodded.


    "I’m leaving now." Her voice was just as soft and gentle as it used to be.


    Heh, who would’ve thought—this ugly duckling really turned into a swan.


    Cheng Huai watched Yun Shifei walk away, truly noticing her for the first time.


    An ugly girl, who had grown to be more beautiful than Yun Sisi.


    His eyes narrowed instinctively, as some kind of thought began to rise within him.


    After that encounter with Cheng Lie, Yun Shifei spent most of the remaining summer vacation at home.


    In weather like this, she didn’t want to go outside at all.


    It also gave her a chance to review her previous studies.


    During the past month at Old Mrs. Xu’s home, Xu Yuejiao had taught her many key concepts, going through countless practice sets. What had once been headaches-inducing science subjects didn’t feel as overwhelming anymore.


    Hopefully, when next semester starts and sses are reassigned, she’ll be able to make some progress.


    She didn’t have grand ambitions or high expectations—she just hoped that each time, she could improve a littlepared to before. Even a small step forward was progress to her.


    Every day, Xu Ya woulde up with something delicious for her, as if trying to win her favor, and would even spend time in her room chatting with her.


    She truly poured her heart into being a mother, and Yun Shifei could feel it.


    But after everything that had happened, Yun Shifei wasn’t sure how much of that sincerity was genuine.


    Would she once again doubt her because of Yun Sisi?


    Having been through so much, Yun Shifei could no longer respond to Xu Ya’s kindness as easily as she once did.


    She epted Xu Ya’s kindness cautiously and carefully.


    Xu Ya, too, could sense Yun Shifei’s distance, but she knew it was something she brought upon herself.


    It was all her fault—because of her failure as a parent, Yun Sisi had made such mistakes, and as a result, Yun Shifei had be estranged from her.


    Every time she saw Yun Shifeiughing and chatting with Yun Tiancheng, she couldn’t help but feel a pang of envy.


    If only Yun Shifei could treat her the same way, instead of being so polite and reserved—how wonderful that would be.


    Even Yun Sisi wasn’t as cheerful as she used to be. Every day, she was quiet and pensive, looking mncholic.


    She would only asionally smile when she saw her.


    Everything had changed.


    Yun Tiancheng, too, aside from necessary conversations, avoided speaking to her unless he had to.


    This family seemed like it could never return to how it was before.


    Xu Ya felt that everything she had painstakingly built over the years was suddenly crumbling to pieces.


    The copse came most fiercely in mid-August.


    That day, a rainstorm had just ended, bringing some refreshing coolness to the stifling heat.


    Xu Ya instructed Aunt Zhong to slice some watermelon and cantaloupe and arrange them on tes.


    She nned to give one te each to Yun Shifei and Yun Sisi.


    Just then, the doorbell rang.


    She walked over to open the door. Outside stood a man and a woman, dressed as though they were a couple.


    They looked to be in their forties, simply dressed and travel-worn.


    Xu Ya wore a puzzled expression. "And you are...?"


    "Hello, we heard that eleven years ago, you adopted a baby girl?" The woman seemed a bit hesitant as she spoke.


    In a sh of realization, Xu Ya seemed to grasp something, her expression filled with disbelief.


    ...


    At this moment, Yun Sisi was in her room reading. She had already read several books this summer.


    She was working hard so that she could be even more diligent once school started.


    The only way for a child to win their parents’ favor is to study hard and achieve good grades.


    Yun Shifei shouldn’t think that just because she’s pretty now and Yun Tiancheng likes her, she can act arrogantly.


    Yun Sisi was determined to regain her parents’ love.


    Just then, her door was knocked on.


    "Miss Sisi, Madam wants you downstairs." Aunt Zhong called out.


    Usually, when Xu Ya needed her, she’de in person—why send Aunt Zhong today?


    Yun Sisi felt perplexed but still got up and headed downstairs.


    As she descended the staircase, she could hear fragmented conversation drifting up.


    "We’re really sorry—at that time, we were just too poor to support her. After debating all night, we left her at the hospital entrance."


    "Things have gotten better for us over the years. It’s not like we didn’t try to find her, but no matter how hard we searched, we couldn’t locate her."


    "Eventually, we found out she had been adopted by the orphanage. We searched long and hard before discovering she had been adopted by you."


    Yun Sisi’s eyes narrowed subtly upon hearing this, as though she were facing something terribly frightening.


    No way!


    Yun Sisi’s steps froze half-way down the staircase. Her hand clutched the railing tightly, her knuckles turning white.


    But she couldn’t feel anything.


    She only knew one thing—her world was falling apart.


    It was copsing!


    Instinctively, she wanted to turn back to her room, pretending none of this had ever happened.


    But the people in the living room had already noticed her.


    The woman seemed stunned for a moment, then suddenly stood up and walked toward Yun Sisi.


    "Are you Sisi?"


    Yun Sisi stared at the woman standing in front of her—this was her mother?


    Her face bore the marks of time, her hands rough and calloused, evidence of a hard life.


    No!


    This wasn’t her mother. Her mother should be like Xu Ya, high-ss and elegant.


    But then, the woman embraced her gently, holding her in her arms. "Sisi, I’m sorry—Mom is so sorry. Back then, we really had no choice but to leave you. Now, after so much difficulty, we’ve finally found you."


    Yun Sisi, leaning against the woman’s chest, caught the heavy scent of smoke and grease on her. It was the unmistakable smell of long-term struggle at the bottom of society, soaked in years spent in the kitchen.


    The scent made Yun Sisi feel nauseous.


    Unable to suppress the urge, she pushed the woman away and asked, "Are you my biological mother?"


    The woman, growing emotional, nodded repeatedly, wiping tears from her eyes. "Mom is sorry to you. You’ve grown into such a youngdy now. So good, so beautiful."


    She gazed at Yun Sisi intently.


    That fervent stare was deeply upsetting to Yun Sisi.


    She felt resistance, revulsion.


    The thought that this woman was her biological mother was something she couldn’t ept.


    Why?


    "My mother is Xu Ya. I don’t know who you are!" Yun Sisi dered, moving toward Xu Ya as though seeking protection from a threat.


    Xu Ya instinctively pulled Yun Sisi into her arm’s embrace.


    "You’vee so suddenly, I haven’t quite figured out what’s going on yet," Xu Ya said, putting on a polite smile.


    How terrifying!


    Yun Sisi stared at the two visitors, her gaze piercing, as if engraving their images deep into her mind.


    They were so in, so destitute, their features somon—it seemed impossible to believe they could have given birth to a girl like her.


    Good heavens! If people found out, who would believe it?