Chapter 388: Chapter 388: Yue Ming 38
Chen Wei felt like nothing had been going his way lately. He had always relied on women to get to where he was today. Originally, he had been doing just fine in S City, coaxing several rich women into being incredibly generous with him.
But in a matter of two or three days, it was as if they had all conspired together, swiftly cutting off all contact. He couldn’t reach them no matter what he tried. Not only that, but they had even put the word out.
If he were to stay in S City, he would come to no good end. Chen Wei had no choice but to leave in disgrace. He thought about threatening them in return, but unfortunately, he was just a good-for-nothing. All these years, he had only focused on wining, dining, and having fun, so he didn’t have any tricks up his sleeve.
Thus, Chen Wei could only leave S City. As his car pulled away from the highway exit, a small car brushed past him. The girl in the back seat stared at him for a few moments before slowly rolling up the window.
"I’m pretty happy to see him like this." Liuu Min looked away and tapped the driver’s seat. "Let’s go. Any later and we’ll be late."
The assistant agreed, and the car slowly pulled away from the highway exit.
Tan You sat beside Liuu Min. "Are you really that calm? I thought you’d be feeling all sorts of things."
"It’s not that big of a deal," Liuu Min said, perfectly calm. "He was barely ever in my life. I have no feelings for him whatsoever. To me, the word ’father’ is just a noun. There’s no real person attached to it."
"Besides, I don’t need a father. I love the life I have now. Your presence has filled every void in my life, and that’s more important than anything else."
Tan You propped her head on her hand. "Am I that important to you?"
"Of course," Liuu Min smiled. "Do you think my mom knows you’re not her real mom?"
"How did you figure it out?" Tan You countered.
Luu Min’s expression was perfectly serene. She raised the partition in the van, creating a small, private space. "You never made any real effort to hide it. Besides, you taught me everything I know. It’s not surprising I figured it out."
"My grandmother was a very ordinary woman from the countryside. She might have had some worldly wisdom, but she wasn’t particularly talented. How could someone’s entire worldview undergo such a complete transformation in just three years? Unless... she wasn’t the same person at all."
"And you’re just too talented. You can design clothes, create all sorts of exquisite jewelry, and you even understand business. It seems like there’s nothing in the world you can’t do. These are all things my grandmother would have never encountered."
"So, what kind of person are you, really?"
Tan You considered it and decided it was indeed time to tell the mother-daughter duo the truth. "Let’s wait until we see your mom. I’d rather not explain everything twice."
Luu Min wrung her fingers. "Once it’s all out in the open... will you still be here?"
"Of course," Tan You replied, bemused. "I still have so much I haven’t learned. It would be a waste to go back now. You’re just a young girl; you shouldn’t be worrying about such heavy things."
Luu Min let out a sigh of relief. "I don’t know why, but I get the feeling we’re around the same age."
Tan You glanced at her. "Don’t try to weasel things out of me. I taught you everything you know. The second you lift your tail, I know what you’re trying to pull."
Luu Min finally broke into a laugh. "Your... personality... it can be really hard to deal with sometimes."
Still, after just a few words with Tan You, the ripples in Liuu Min’s heart caused by seeing Chen Wei had settled. She would probably never see him again in this lifetime.
From now on, whether Chen Wei lived or died, prospered or failed, it truly had nothing to do with her.
「At Liuu Yuming’s house.」
After staring at Tan You across from her for a long time, Liuu Yuming finally let out a yelp. "How old are you?! You look about the same age as Little Min! And you’ve had me calling you Mom this whole time? Aren’t you taking advantage of me?"
Tan You’s expression was odd. "Judging by my real age, you’re the one getting the better end of the deal by calling me Mom. Now, settle down and talk properly."
Luu Yuming immediately sat up straight, though her curious eyes kept darting toward Tan You. "So what’s your name? How did you get here? And why are you helping us so much?"
Tan You glanced at Liuu Yuming with a hint of pity. ’I have no intention of telling her how tragic her life once was. In any case, none of that actually happened this time around, and Liuu Yuming is doing well now. Why dredge up the past?’
So, Tan You simply said, "Although your mother, Zhang Wangying, passed away long ago, she was always worried about you and Liuu Min. From her perspective, your previous life was not a happy one. You lived in poverty, were later wracked with illness, and Liuu Min also lived a destitute life..."
"Zhang Wangying didn’t want you to follow the same path, so she sought me out, praying that my intervention could help your lives go smoothly. She didn’t ask for immense wealth or status, only for you to be safe, peaceful, and happy."
Luu Yuming was incredibly curious about the "past life" version of herself Tan You had described. She started to ask another question but was stopped by Liuu Min. Having spent the most time with Tan You, Liuu Min could tell that Tan You was spinning a tale to comfort her mother.
’There are some things her mother shouldn’t know.’ Liuu Min smoothly changed the subject. "So my hunch was right? You really are around my age?"
Luu Yuming stared at Tan You’s face. "She looks fourteen, fifteen at most. And you had me, a woman in her thirties, calling you Mom..."
’I knew you’d react this way.’ Tan You smiled. "If I hadn’t shown up looking like this, you would’ve been scared to death. Besides, would you have actually listened to me back then?"
"Given your personality back then, I still get the urge to smack you even now."
At Tan You’s words, Liuu Yuming was quick to grovel. "Mom! I’ve already changed for the better, haven’t I? Under your guidance, I learned long ago to strive for myself and not rely on others like Dodder Seeds."
"Besides, if Xu Jia wants to spend money on me, that’s his choice. I’ve never actively asked him for a thing."
Tan You said, "I’m talking about you. What does Xu Jia have to do with this? That’s between the two of you. I’m not interested."
Luu Yuming ducked her head. "So, what is your name?"
Tan You gave a faint, knowing smile. "Why? What do you plan to do once you know it? Start calling me by my name?"
"Of course not! But... I really can’t bring myself to say the word ’Mom’ anymore," Liuu Yuming said, finding it extremely difficult. "How about... Teacher? I learned everything I know from you. Teacher fits best."
Tan You was reluctantly satisfied. "My name is Tan You. I was actually wondering myself. For someone like you who can never keep anything bottled up, you must have noticed something was off long ago. How did you manage to hold back for so many years without ever asking me?"
Luu Yuming slumped onto the sofa. "To be honest, I knew something wasn’t right a long time ago. I was just too scared to ask."
