This chapter is brought to you by Celestialsiren, thanks for the ko-fi! (ﾉ´ヮ`)ﾉ*: ･
Please Like Her 01 – “I really want to forgive you, Brother.”
Shang Lu didn’t know how to respond for a moment.
Or you could say she didn’t know how to face this unexpected surprise that fate had suddenly bestowed upon her—a gift she had never even imagined she could receive.
Something she had once wanted so desperately, but had decided to give up, had now come to her in a better way than she could have ever imagined.
Shang Lu wanted to accept it, but she also felt somewhat overwhelmed.
Just moments ago, Xue Zishan had bragged about her being obedient to Cheng Baojiao.
But in reality, that word had nothing to do with her.
If she had to describe herself as an animal, Shang Lu would choose a hedgehog without hesitation.
She felt like she was covered in spikes, and her attitude towards the world was often sharp. She had always been accustomed to protecting herself in this way.
It was just that Xue Zishan and Wang Rong had been so kind to her that she would sometimes hide these sharp edges when she was with them, fearing that she might hurt them.
Feeling a bit unsure, Shang Lu let go of Xue Zishan’s hand and looked at her, whispering, “But I’m not as good as you all think. I have a lot of flaws. I’m not obedient or well-behaved at all, really.”
At this moment, Duan Anguo suddenly interjected, “What flaws do you have? I’ve been with you for so long, and I haven’t noticed any.”
Cheng Baojiao, who had always been serious, spoke directly, “Why don’t you tell them and let them judge for themselves?”
Hearing their words, Shang Lu immediately lowered her head and turned her hand palm up, counting earnestly.
“I’m not obedient, not well-behaved, not attentive, and sometimes clumsy. When I was a child, I even broke some very important things at home, and my family didn’t really like me. Sometimes my mouth is faster than my brain, and I just revealed Brother Duan’s secret. And I don’t really have any outstanding skills; I’m just very ordinary…”
As Shang Lu listed her flaws one by one, she quickly realized that one hand might not be enough.
She reached out with her second hand, but at that moment, she didn’t know whether she should continue counting.
How could there be so many things wrong with her?
She hadn’t really been aware of it at all in her everyday life.
Xue Zishan laughed and reached out to touch Shang Lu’s face, asking, “Is this what you call your flaws? But I think everything is cute.”
Shang Lu’s hand, which had stiffly hung in the air, was also held by Xue Zishan. Xue Zishan’s voice became even softer as she said, “Is this how you see yourself? These are just different aspects of your personality, and they’re entirely normal. In fact, I think what you mentioned are all strengths.
“Not being too obedient and not always following others’ orders simply means you have a mind of your own. Your thoughts shouldn’t be restricted by others. As for breaking things at home, almost every child makes such mistakes during their childhood.”
“Yes,” Wang Rong chimed in, “Don’t even mention children; I broke several dishes at home just a couple of days ago. And here I am, well past fifty, still making the same mistakes as you did in your childhood.”
“Stop interrupting,” Xue Zishan scolded Wang Rong with a displeased look. She continued, one hand holding Shang Lu’s hand and the other gently caressing Shang Lu’s face, “And as for speaking without thinking, it’s because you have a kind heart and can express your thoughts honestly. You’re not ordinary at all. Our Lulu is always dedicated to learning acting, is very serious about work, and has excellent acting skills. Is that ordinary? You’re obviously quite remarkable.”
Shang Lu’s hand remained lightly held by Xue Zishan, and with each self-doubt she expressed, it seemed that Xue Zishan was negating them one by one.
Xue Zishan was a gentle elder, and each word she spoke tenderly comforted the faint self-doubt and unease within Shang Lu.
Shang Lu’s mind was still a bit confused, and she couldn’t help but ask, “I’m already an adult now, not a child anymore. What if I make other mistakes in the future? I might… might not be a very good daughter.”
What she wanted to say was a qualified daughter, but as the words came to her lips, she changed them slightly.
These words, like a spell, had been used by her father to accuse her every time he got angry since she could remember.
Even if it was a lie, hearing it a thousand times could still shake a person.
“But perhaps we’re not such great parents either,” Wang Rong lowered his head, then forced a smile, his eye wrinkles showing some signs of aging. He slowly said, “We once had a daughter, but we didn’t even get the chance to be with her. She left this world early. If she were still alive, she would be about your age. In terms of being parents, we don’t have much experience, and we may not be able to provide you with everything you deserve. So, we’re quite anxious as well. But if you’re willing, we can try together, and we can work on it together.”
Shang Lu didn’t answer the question directly but suddenly asked, “Are we about the same age?”
“Yes,” Xue Zishan nodded and then told her, “She’s born in the same year as you, on Valentine’s Day, February 14th, so we gave her the nickname ‘Qingqing1‘ at the time.”
“Three days older than me,” Shang Lu pursed her lips, then looked at them and said, “So, she’s my eldersister.”
Xue Zishan froze, and the next second, she covered her mouth, tears instantly filling her eyes.
Everyone understood.
When Shang Lu said Qingqing was her elder sister, it meant she was willing to be Xue Zishan and Wang Rong’s child, willing to be Qingqing’s little sister.
At the same time, Shang Lu’s words also touched Xue Zishan, making her even more fond of Shang Lu.
Such details were enough to show that Shang Lu was a thoughtful and warm child; they were really lucky.
They were so fortunate to meet Shang Lu.
It was just a child they had grown fond of after watching her audition video, so they had specially prepared a gift at their first meeting, and afterwards, they wanted to get to know her better and care for her. And now, their wish had come true.
Wang Rong couldn’t hide his joy on his face, wiping away tears while smiling.
Duan Anguo and Cheng Baojiao exchanged delighted glances, and even Cheng Baojiao, who usually had a serious expression, showed a smile on her face.
“Oh, this is wonderful!” Duan Anguo grinned widely. “I’ll go find Xiao Cheng and Xiao Shen and see if we can reschedule tonight’s performance. On such a good day, we must go out for a meal together. Baojiao and I are the witnesses, after all!”
After dinner that night.
Shang Lu’s assistant came to pick her up and take her back.
Sitting in the back seat, Shang Lu held a longevity lock in her hand, which was the gift given to her by Wang Rong and Xue Zishan.
Thinking about how proud Wang Rong was when he entered the store earlier and said to the shopkeeper, “Bring out the best and most expensive items, I want to buy a gift for my daughter,” Shang Lu couldn’t help but smile.
After considering various options, she had chosen this longevity lock.
Normally, children receive this gift when they turn one month old or one year old, and now she had one too. She had people who cared for her and loved her.
This feeling is unbelievably wonderful.
Shang Lu had been silent all along, and Wang Rong and Xue Zishan didn’t rush her. When they were about to part, she couldn’t help but hug Xue Zishan and whispered, “Mom, Dad, I’m leaving first.”
Feeling the warmth of Xue Zishan’s embrace, she almost teared up for a moment.
But she held back.
Because she felt so happy, and at such times, one should smile, not cry.
- 情 (qíng) means affection ↩︎
Hey, whoever’s cutting the onions, come out here. I promise I just want to talk to you (=ↀωↀ=)
No problem. I’m crying enough for all of them 😭♥️
I’m so happy for her
oof, the feels.