The CEO’s Dancing Wife – Part One

I turned my head to look at him, my mind in chaos, momentarily unsure of what to say. After staring at each other silently for a while, he suddenly gave a helpless chuckle: “Don’t look at me like that, okay? Your eyes really make me feel an urge.” “Uh,” what was this about, him saying these things now? Over the next few days, because Aunt Min didn’t want a special nurse to look after her, I practically moved into the hospital. Aunt Min was in good spirits, and I would occasionally take her out to get some sun. Song Li also visited the hospital every day. He got along with Aunt Min very naturally and harmoniously, as if they had been friends for many years. Often, when I returned with water or food, I would see them chatting and laughing, which made me feel very warm inside. The two people I cared about most in this world were now both well and in front of me. What else could I ask for? Early one morning, Aunt Min seemed particularly cheerful. I took advantage of the not-yet-intense sunlight to push her around the garden. “Xiao Ai,” Aunt Min gestured for me to sit on a nearby bench to rest, “It’s really nice to be able to walk out with you like this.” Indeed, even now, I often feel like it’s a dream. I adjusted the blanket over her legs, “Aunt Min, you’ve been getting better every day.” Aunt Min didn’t say much, just held my hand and caressed it for a while, smiling, “Seeing you like this, I’m truly happy for you.” “What are you talking about?” I asked, half-kneeling beside her, looking up with a smile. “Silly child, do you remember what I told you when you were young, that no matter how it was, forming your own happy family would compensate for everything?” I nodded. Back then, when I couldn’t sleep at night, Aunt Min would hold me in her arms, comforting me like a little child, telling me, “Xiao Ai, there will definitely be someone who will cherish you, compensating for all the grievances and losses you’ve endured.” This sentence, for a long time, was like a totem to me; no matter what I went through, I would think of Aunt Min’s words, and thus, I felt that life still had hope. Aunt Min held my face, staring at me for a while, then her eyes reddened, “Xiao Ai, I really can’t bear to let you go…” I was stunned, tears rolling down instantly, “Aunt Min, what’s wrong? Please don’t scare me with such words.” Aunt Min wiped her eyes, forced a smile, and slowly said, “Silly child, I’m happy. My Xiao Ai has finally found someone good to her. I can see that you truly like him, and though that boy has some concerns hidden in his eyes, his gaze always follows you.” Aunt Min paused, took a deep breath, and continued, “Xiao Ai, all I want now is for you to remember, no matter what happens between you and Song Li, you must be happy. If something isn’t meant to be, let it go; just remember, ‘Aunt Min is watching me, I must be happy.’ Do you understand?” “Yes,” I nodded heavily. I understand, Aunt Min, I will always remember. * Two days later, in the afternoon, Aunt Min fell asleep after lunch and never woke up again; she passed away peacefully, with a slight smile on her face. I was overwhelmed with grief, having no mood or energy for anything else. Song Li was busy arranging everything for the funeral, making it very dignified; I didn’t take his money, spending all my savings to buy a small plot for Aunt Min. Chapter 25: The Past** I curled up on the window sill, leaning against the cool glass, lost in thought as I gazed at the dark night outside. The thick curtains separated me from the bedroom, creating a sealed environment that made me feel less distressed. My mind was numb; I didn’t think, didn’t do anything. In the blink of an eye, Aunt Min had been gone for a week, and I started having sleepless nights again. I forced myself to do things to distract myself, but couldn’t sustain it for long, feeling listless about everything. It seemed that all I could do now was keep my mind blank and sit in a daze. I heard soft footsteps outside the curtain, then suddenly, with a loud rustle, the curtain was forcefully pulled open. I knew it could only be him, so I didn’t move, feeling lazy. Song Li stood against the light, the soft indoor light casting a halo around him. He stood for a moment, then said very gently, “Why are you here again? And barefoot? Your feet are freezing.” He held my feet, warming them for a while. Then he pulled me away from the window, pressing me against his chest. I shivered slightly, weakly saying, “You should go to sleep, I just want to stay here for a bit.” “I’ll keep you company,” his voice came low from his chest. I leaned against him for a while, then said, “Let’s go inside, I’m getting cold.” I couldn’t let him stand there all night. He lifted me up and placed me on the sofa, then went downstairs to bring up a glass of milk for me. Holding the warm cup, I took a sip, the gentle warmth slowly seeping into my heart. He watched me drink, his hand stroking my hair, “You haven’t eaten properly these past days, you’ve become skin and bones.” I managed to drink half a cup, then couldn’t swallow anymore, looking up at him with a forced smile. His brows moved slightly, wiping away the milk residue from my lips with his finger, then set the cup aside, “Are you sleepy?” I shook my head, “I’m wide awake.” He looked at me, his gaze complex, then slowly, hesitantly said, “Tell me about yourself, about your childhood.” My heart skipped a beat, looking at him, “You want to hear? You want to know?” His gaze was deep, unreadable, as he said word by word, “I want to know.” “Okay, I’ve never told anyone about it.” … “Ever since I could remember, I could feel that I was different from my sister. Everyone in the Liu family, from top to bottom, knew that the eldest daughter was the apple of their eye, while the second daughter was just a peanut. My sister never played with me, my father, I mean Liu Shiquan, never even looked at me properly. Countless times, I saw him hugging my sister, teaching her to write, buying her beautiful toys, dressing her like a doll, proudly introducing her as his precious Yi Yi. I would hide in a corner, sucking my thumb, watching enviously. I thought if I was obedient enough, if I was good enough, my father would like me, and my sister would play with me. But it wasn’t like that at all. No one cared about me. I would pick up the dolls my sister threw away, clean them up, hide them carefully, and then talk to them every day, sharing all my grievances and sorrows with them.” I don’t know why my sister dislikes me, but she seems unhappy every time she sees me, and then for some inexplicable reason, I get scolded or beaten by my father. Initially, I tried to please her, but later I started avoiding her. I no longer hoped for their affection, instead, I quietly spent my days hiding in the kitchen with Aunt Min. Aunt Min is our cook, the only one in the Liu family who doesn’t call me a ‘bastard’ behind my back. Her husband had passed away, and she had no children of her own. Whenever I was beaten or scolded, she would secretly hold me and cry, saying, “Poor child, you have it worse than me.” As I grew older, I began to understand some things. My mother was Liu Shiquan’s legally wedded wife, with a rebellious and stubborn personality. She had someone else she loved but was forced to marry into the Liu family due to family interests. She was already several months pregnant when she married into the Liu family. Liu Shiquan endured this humiliation and brought her home, but the two were constantly at odds, their arguments never-ending. During one heated argument, an accident occurred, and the child was lost. Since then, my mother indulged in a life of revelry, bringing great shame to Liu Shiquan, nearly costing him his inheritance rights. They both harbored deep-seated hatred for each other. Later, my mother unexpectedly got pregnant again, and on the verge of giving birth, Liu Shiquan brought Liu Yi and her mother into the house, forcing my mother to divorce. My mother cursed them to a terrible fate. Unexpectedly, they were indeed involved in a car accident during an outing; Liu Yi’s mother died on the spot, and Liu Shiquan lost his ability to have children. Then, my mother died giving birth to me due to complications. The then-living Old Madam Liu took me for a DNA test, which prevented Liu Shiquan from abandoning me.