"Great! Thank you Zhou, you’re such a good person!" He Zhilan nodded enthusiastically, "Then what time shall we leave tomorrow?"
"Stop labelling me the good guy!" Zhou Hongjin’s smile showed a hint of helplessness before he replied, "The birthday banquet is scheduled in a hotel, but we need to go to the Gu Mansion beforehand to liven things up a bit, and then we’ll go together to the hotel, I’ll come to pick you up around 2 p.m. tomorrow!"
With Zhou Hongjin’s help, He Zhilan felt a weight lifted off her shoulders. She felt really grateful to Zhou Hongjin for agreeing to bring her to the Gu Mansion’s banquet without questioning her reasons.
Knowing that He Zhilan had resolved this issue, Jiang Biyun shared her anxiety and excitement, "He Zhilan, believe it or not, I have a feeling that you will meet your family tomorrow!"
"I don’t know, I’m so nervous! I’m also full of anticipation!" He Zhilan patted her head, "I can’t wait for tomorrow, but I’m worried. What if, after I go tomorrow, everyone tells me they don’t know who my family is, or which family lost a daughter twelve years ago, what should I do?"
"That won’t happen! He Zhilan, the matter of a lost daughter is huge, your parents must have looked for you like crazy back then. So, it’s impossible nobody knows." Jiang Biyun patted He Zhilan on the shoulder, "Don’t overthink, focus on your afternoon classes! The professor likes you a lot, you can’t let him down by spacing out in class!"
"I know!" He Zhilan softly bit her lower lip in agreement, continually calming herself down, trying to keep her emotions stable.
But even though she said she was fine, in the afternoon classes, she spaced out for most of the time. The only things that came to her mind during these times were the few remaining fragments of her memory, her grandpa’s songs, the grapes her grandma peeled, her aunt’s pretty sundress, her parents calling her ’Miss Zhilan’ softly, and her cousins all around her.
After class in the afternoon, He Zhilan and Jiang Biyun waited for Chen Xiting and then all three went back to the dormitory. They thought they would be the first to return, but Gu En was already there. It looked like she hadn’t gone to her afternoon classes.
When the three entered the dormitory, Gu En was on the phone, speaking with a girlish coquettishness, occasionally flirting with the person on the other end.
After listening for a while, He Zhilan understood that Gu En was likely talking to her grandfather who would be celebrating his birthday the next day. Seeing Gu En flirting with her family on the phone, He Zhilan felt a twinge of envy.
If she hadn’t been kidnapped by human traffickers, she could have been like Gu En, calling her family in her spare time, being spoiled when happy, and being sulky when unhappy.
Gu En spent a long time on the phone before hanging up. After the call, she seemed to be in high spirits and immediately started selecting her clothes for the next day, all of which were formal clothes in pink.
"He Zhilan, it’s my grandfather’s birthday tomorrow! Which dress do you think I should wear? I am his beloved granddaughter, he has always been so good to me! He has pampered me since childhood, teaching me to sing, to write, even taking me to climb mountains and travel!"
Gu En stood in front of her mirror, holding up a few dresses to compare, the corners of her mouth upturned in a strange boastful smile. Her gaze wasn’t focused on her reflection in the mirror but on He Zhilan standing next to her.
"I don’t know." He Zhilan responded indifferently, then returned to her bed and ignored her.