A Chance to Change Fate

"So after saying all that, you're just trying to win me over with benefits. I don't need any of that."

"Then what do you want?"

"..."

"Your mother has nearly cried herself blind over you. If you don't come back, she probably won't have a moment of peace day or night."

Shen Qingling glanced at the weeping Wen Sulan and remained silent.

Wen Sulan suddenly hugged him, her words earnest and even pleading. "Qingling, just think of it as finding somewhere to settle down and move in, okay?"

"Mom doesn't need you to do anything. Just come back. You can work wherever you want, do whatever you want. Mom absolutely won't force you."

"Mom just wants to see you every day, to watch you eat and sleep properly. Don't sleep in a house with a leaking roof anymore. Just thinking about you living like that breaks Mom's heart."

Hearing Wen Sulan pour out her longing and guilt word by word, the stubbornness in the young man's eyes grew somewhat unnatural, as though piercing ice had suddenly melted away.

He had never experienced such love before and did not know how to face it, leaving him somewhat at a loss.

Even Gu Yutang felt a little heartbroken at the sight.

Although she did not like Wen Sulan, her guilt and love for Shen Qingling were touching.

If her mother were still alive, she would probably love her like this too.

The woman lowered her eyes despondently.

Wen Sulan looked at Shen Qingling. "Qingling, will you come home?"

Even after years of acting, Shen Qingling could not help being moved by such sincere, loving eyes.

Shen Qingling seemed hesitant. He pressed his lips together, looked away, and said, "You already have a child. Why are you still so determined to have me come back? If I return, what will happen to him?"

"If my arrival means turning someone else into a homeless child, then I would rather not return."

077: "666, what a perfect white lotus, hahaha. Gu Yijin's face has gone green."

Shen Qingling: "In the Original Work, Gu Yijin loved pretending to be innocent and pitiful to win sympathy, making Shen Qingling, who was originally in the right, seem like he was in the wrong. I'm just using the same trick. This is called fighting magic with magic."

Shen Qingling's words made Wen Sulan's gaze soften further. Her child truly was so innocent and kind.

Gu Yutang's expression also shifted. Turning to Gu Yijin, she said, "Ajin, he seems different from what we imagined. He probably isn't that kind of person. You don't need to worry anymore."

Gu Yijin did not look pleased, but he forced an awkward smile. "Yes, my brother really is a good person."

Why wasn't Shen Qingling angry?!

Why wasn't he yelling at him?!

At the very least, he should have grabbed him by the collar and cursed him out for stealing everything that belonged to him!

Why was he acting like some saint? Didn't that make Gu Yijin seem even more unreasonable?

Gu Yijin had wanted Shen Qingling to hit and curse him so he could pretend to be pitiful and win sympathy. Gu Yutang would definitely come to hate Shen Qingling.

But why was Shen Qingling like this? Gu Yijin felt that this was even more troublesome.

Compared to someone who was pretending, a person who was genuinely kind was much harder to deal with.

A disguise could be exposed and might even make people hate them even more.

But someone naturally kind and perfect could only be framed again and again through schemes and tricks.

Yet he had not succeeded even once.

Gu Yijin felt as if he were facing a formidable enemy.

Wen Sulan said gently, "Qingling, don't worry. Ajin hopes you'll come back too. Your return won't leave him homeless. The Gu Family can afford to raise one more child."

Shen Qingling frowned but still did not agree.

Gu Chenwang said, "I'll give you one night to think it over. The Gu Family will welcome you back at any time."

Shen Qingling said, "I'll consider it. I'll head back first."

Shen Qingling stood and took his leave.

Wen Sulan insisted on taking him home, and Shen Qingling could not refuse, so he agreed.

Wen Sulan did not stop talking the entire way.

She cared about Shen Qingling's life and wanted to know everything, wanted to help with everything, like a nagging mother.

Whenever Shen Qingling fell silent, she took the initiative to talk about the Gu Family and her father, saying Shen Qingling resembled him the most.

When she mentioned Shen Qingling's grandfather, she seemed like a different person, chattering like a lark. It was obvious how much she admired her father.

Shen Qingling found it hard to imagine that the drab woman from the Original Work had such a side to her.

Time passed quickly. The luxury car, utterly out of place in the alley, stopped at its entrance.

Even though Wen Sulan pretended to take a wrong turn and deliberately delayed for a while, they had still arrived.

"You can stop here."

"It's fine. It's only a few steps. I'll walk you downstairs."

"Okay."

"Qingling, would it be convenient for me to sit in the place where you live?"

"...Okay."

Wen Sulan got out of the car and went upstairs with Shen Qingling. It was an old apartment building, and Shen Qingling lived on the fifth floor.

The moment she pushed open the door, everything inside made Wen Sulan's heart ache.

Gu Yijin lived in the best room in the Gu Family home, enjoying sunlight and warmth, enjoying everyone's love, while her child had to live like a rat in this dark, damp rental.

Wen Sulan desperately wanted to convince herself that Gu Yijin was not to blame for all this, but she could not stop herself from feeling angry.

Her hand gripping the doorframe suddenly tightened, her nails digging deeply into her palm and leaving bloody marks.

Only after seeing it with her own eyes could she truly understand what kind of life Shen Qingling had lived before.

"What's wrong?"

"Qingling, how long have you lived here?"

"I forgot. About two years, I guess. Why?"

"This environment is bad for your health. There are mold spots on the walls. This won't do."

"This place is already pretty good. Where I lived before was even..."

As though he had remembered something, he stopped himself before finishing.

But Wen Sulan understood. He was afraid of making her sad and guilty.

His hesitation made Wen Sulan imagine even more.

"It's not very nice inside. You shouldn't come in."

"It's okay."

Wen Sulan examined the room. Though the apartment was old, Shen Qingling had kept everything neat and clean.

Without a word, Wen Sulan began cleaning the room for him. She took down the clothes he had hung up, folded them neatly, and placed them on the sofa.

Shen Qingling simply watched her.

The young man suddenly spoke. "Stop. I'll go back with you."

Wen Sulan's hands paused as she folded the clothes. She looked at him with delighted surprise. "Really?!"

"Mm."

"Good, good. Then Mom will help you pack, and we'll go home together!"

Wen Sulan's happiness and emotion were plain to see.

When she opened Shen Qingling's wardrobe, her eyes dimmed.

It was almost entirely filled with plain white shirts. She bit her lip and closed the wardrobe door.

Shen Qingling had very, very few belongings, mostly books. Other than that, he had nothing.

Holding back tears, Wen Sulan said, "It's okay. We can leave these behind. Mom will buy you new ones. Come on, let's go home."

It was already eleven at night when the two returned to the Gu Family home.

Lin Qingdai had just returned from evening self-study. As soon as she reached the door, she ran into the mother and son returning home.

The girl stood at the entrance in her school uniform, books in her arms. Hearing the sound, she turned around.

The moment she saw Shen Qingling, her eyes widened abruptly.

Everything that had happened in her dream was real.

Shen Qingling had returned...

Her chance to change fate had finally come.