1037 It’s Your Daughter
Song Xin’ai was rubbing her sore neck as she unlocked her locker while yawning. She clearly was tired and severely lacked sleep.
“Professor Song, you pulled another all-nighter?”
Song Xin’ai looked up at the person who spoke who was a rather young researcher on their team and only joined the research center about six months or so.
He was even younger than her own son and that’s why she always looked at him very kindly.
“Why don’t you care about yourself?” The young man sounded rather vexed and helpless as he spoke. “At this rate, you’ll get sick again. Why do you keep pushing your body?”
“Harry, you’re here early again?”
“Professor Song, don’t change the topic.”
Song Xin’ai sighed to herself and how persistent and downright stubborn this young man was. He was good in everything except that he loved to nag. Although she knew he didn’t nag everyone and only a few privileged ones had that right, she still couldn’t get used to his nagging.
“I’m used to this,” she told him.
.....
“And you think that’s a healthy lifestyle? As a medical researcher, you should be clear about what our body means to us. How can you keep abusing yourself?”
“Woah! That’s a strong word. I’m not abusing anyone. It’s just that I find peace when I’m working.”
The young man named Harry shook his head at her, “To me, it feels more like you’re escaping something.”
Song Xin’ai only gave him a smile in response and didn’t say anything at all. What could she say that she didn’t want to go back to her cold and empty room? Or that she was just escaping the void in her life she created herself? In fact, there was nothing to say.
“Professor Song, someone is looking for you,” came a fellow researcher’s voice and Song Xin’ai looked up at her.
“Looking for me?” She was a little surprised to hear this.
“Yes.”
“Who is it?” Asked Song Xin’ai as she unbuttoned her white coat and walked over.
“They said it’s your daughter.”
“My daughter?” Song Xin’ai was even more dumbfounded now. Xiang Wai? Why would she come to the research lab to look for her? Song Xin’ai threw her coat behind and rushed out wondering what happened to make Xiang Wai come to look for her. It really made her worry and one look could tell anyone how anxious she was right now.
As she came to reception she inquired and was directed toward the visitor’s room. Song Xin’ai opened the door and was left stunned.
For no other reason but that the daughter who came to look for her wasn’t Xiang Wai. It was actually Raelle Xiang.
It wasn’t that she didn’t think of Raelle when she was told that her daughter was here but the thing was, even in her wildest dreams she didn’t think Raelle would really come to see her. The last Raelle asked to see her on her own initiative was already unbelievable and Song Xin’ai didn’t think she could be this lucky again.
But the truth was, she really turned out to be so fortunate and Raelle really did show up there.
“Professor Song,” greeted Raelle as she stood up and the research center’s director who had been chatting with her also stood up. Firstly, he didn’t think he’d be welcoming Raelle Xiang this morning into their research facility, and secondly, he didn’t expect Raelle Xiang to be related to their ace researcher Song Xin’ai. But thinking about it, it wasn’t all that difficult to accept either. The older one was a genius researcher and the younger one was a genius businesswoman. Both were impeccably talented.
He was slightly surprised when Raelle called Song Xin’ai, Professor Song, and not mom but he didn’t think much about it.
“Little Song, you’re here. President Raelle had been waiting for you,” said the director, and from his tone, it was obvious that he was trying to flatter Raelle.
Song Xin’ai narrowed her eyes slightly at her director. She knew this old fox very well. He wasn’t usually this easy to talk to.
But he was being way too respectful to Raelle. How interesting. She didn’t think her daughter could still surprise her more with how capable she was.
“Director,” called out Song Xin’ai.
Director smiled at her even more amiably than before and turned to leave. He couldn’t stick around anymore so he reluctantly took his leave.
“Have a seat,” said Raelle as she sat back comfortably. She definitely didn’t look like she was here for the first time and was unfamiliar with this place. She definitely looked like she owned the place.
Song Xin’ai smiled at that thought. She had come to believe that no matter where Raelle was, she’d make that place seem like it belonged all to her.
“Were you expecting Xiang Wai?” Asked Raelle without beating around the bush. “You looked surprised to see me.”
“Even if it was really Xiang Wai who had come, I’d still be surprised. It’s just that you... I never thought to see you here. So, it came as more of a shock.”
“Oh.” That was all the response Raelle gave.
“What brought you here, Raelle?”
Raelle took out the invitation card from her bag and placed it on the table right in front of Song Xin’ai who eyed the card and then picked it up to see.
As she read the details on the card, she was momentarily stunned. It seemed she got a lot of surprises whenever she met Raelle. This daughter of hers was really full of surprises.
“You’re here to invite me to your engagement party?” Asked Song Xin’ai just to reconfirm what she just read. It was actually a little difficult for her to digest considering her relationship with either Raelle or the Xiang family. She was not expecting to be invited at all.
Normally, mothers don’t need invitations for their children’s engagements but they had a different family where it was full of complications.
She never played the role of a mother to Raelle and because of that Raelle had no obligation to give her the status of a mother as well. However, the more she interacted with Raelle, the more she fell into thoughts regarding what exactly was on her mind.
She thought she understood Raelle and yet it was completely not understandable. Well, that sentence didn’t make much sense just like Song Xin’ai didn’t make any sense in the presence of Raelle.
“You’re not invited as my mother,” Raelle made that clear not even considering for a minute whether her words would hurt the other person or not. She wasn’t that considerate to just anyone. “I’m inviting you as Professor Song. A female researcher whom I definitely think highly of.”
Song Xin’ai didn’t feel disappointed. In fact, her first feeling was joy to know that she got acknowledged by her daughter. This little genius actually said that she thought highly of. What a great compliment! What more could she ask for?
“Thank you,” said Song Xin’ai. “I don’t know what made you think so highly of me but thank you. Those words mean a lot to me.”
“Professor Song, you really belittle yourself. Why are you so unconfident about who you are?”
“Let me ask you something too,'” started Song Xin’ai. “Who helped you become confident about who you are?”
Raelle didn’t even have to think before she answered, “My Opa and Yanyan. They told me I’m the best.”
Song Xin’ai smiled warmly at her when she heard it. Raelle had already figured out that her mother’s expressions were as limited as her own. It’s just Song Xin’ai had learned better control over her expression and was a little more expressive in comparison to Raelle. But right now, the smile on her face told Raelle that it was coming straight from her heart.
“I’m very thankful that you had a family to tell you at every step of the way how amazing you are. I had no one to tell me that. Perhaps that’s what shaped me into this weird person I am today.”
“You’re not weird,” commented Raelle. “Don’t you think I’m weirder in comparison?”
Song Xin’ai shook her head, “Perhaps we were molded from the same clay. But the hands that molded you into who you are were always covered with the water of love and patience. I wasn’t so lucky. The hands that molded me shaped me crooked.”
Raelle stared at her in silence.
“So, I could never be like you in the truest sense. When the roots are bad, how can the tree grow straight and tall? It’ll always be leaning down.”
“You don’t share these things with others, right?” Asked Raelle.
Song Xin’ai shook her head, “No one will understand it. Not many people did. And when someone really did understand it all...”
“You got scared of that person and ran,” Raelle Completed her sentence for her. And Song Xin’ai was left laughing bitterly as she nodded.
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