Sheng Zhuang, who had been quietly listening to her speak, suddenly turned his head to look at her.
Lin Jing: "It's true."
Life abroad wasn't easy, especially having to accompany Jiang Wan for medical treatment.
Initially, Jiang Wan had hidden her illness from her. Lin Jing hadn't witnessed Jiang Wan seeking medical help, so she didn't think much of it. However, once they were abroad, going to doctor after doctor, exploring treatment options, experiencing glimmers of hope only to be told there was simply no way, that she couldn't be saved – it was overwhelming.
How could she describe the feeling during that period?
Utterly despairing.
Her feelings for Jiang Wan were complex. Jiang Wan had disappointed her too many times, and she thought she no longer had any emotional attachment to her mother. Yet, witnessing Jiang Wan on the brink of death, with no cure in sight, she found herself unable to accept it.
She had exhausted almost all of Jiang Wan's savings to save her.
When the doctor finally declared Jiang Wan untreatable and advised her to enjoy her remaining days, Lin Jing completely broke down.
This was the last remaining family member in her life. Even though her mother hadn't been particularly good to her, she was still her mother.
That night, Lin Jing, for the first time, wanted to reach out for help.
The first person who came to her mind was her biological father.
Jiang Wan detested her father and had extremely severed all contact between them. But Lin Jing believed that even though her parents had divorced, they had once been family, and there was also her.
She wanted her father to accompany her mother during her final days.
She had always felt that her mother's hatred for her father stemmed more from once loving him deeply.
She dialed her father's number, but it was a woman who answered.
The woman's voice was somewhat familiar. Before Lin Jing could recall who it was, a boy's voice came from the other end of the line, "Mom, the teacher asked us to memorize 'Bringing the Wine' today, the kind that requires parents' signatures..."
"Son, come recite it for your dad." Lin Zhengru's voice followed.
Then, accompanying the woman's "Hello" as she answered the call, Lin Zhengru asked, "Wife, who's calling me?"
"I don't know. The person on the other end isn't speaking. The number looks like it's from overseas."
"Probably a scam call, hang up."
...
The call was then disconnected.
Afterward, Lin Jing stood there stunned, as if struck by a heavy blow. It took her a long while to comprehend everything.
No wonder Jiang Wan had reacted so strongly back then. No wonder Jiang Wan had insisted on divorcing Lin Zhengru.
Lin Zhengru had cheated. And he had been cheating for years, having a son outside who was already in high school, not much younger than her.
This meant that when she was in elementary school, after Lin Zhengru had called her his precious daughter, he would turn around and go to another woman's house to call his newborn son his precious son.
In that moment, Lin Jing finally understood that Jiang Wan, whom she had resented for so many years, was the victim. And Lin Zhengru, whom she had thought about for years, was the one who abandoned his wife and daughter.
Jiang Wan's methods of handling the situation after Lin Zhengru's infidelity were indeed a bit extreme, but the true instigator of her extremism was Lin Zhengru.
She had always blamed Jiang Wan for not allowing her to contact Lin Zhengru. But thinking about it, if Lin Zhengru had truly cared about her as a daughter, wouldn't he have contacted her?
She was a child and feared Jiang Wan, so she stopped contacting him when told. But Lin Zhengru was not a child.
Her mother was gravely ill, and her father had abandoned her many years ago.
This stark realization made Lin Jing begin to question her entire life.
It was during that time abroad, when she needed care the most, that apart from Lin Zhengru, the second person she could think of was Sheng Zhuang.
She called Sheng Zhuang all night, but he never answered.