CHAPTER 54: CHAPTER 54: WHY ARE YOU SO STURDY?

"Hey, why are you in such a hurry, girl? Wait a bit, let this culprit take you home, otherwise look at your arm, if you get on a crowded bus later, and someone accidentally bumps it, it’ll get worse. He can ride a bicycle!

Let him take you home."

Director Song said with a smile.

This little girl really is in a hurry.

Jiang Xiaoxiao was about to refuse, but her arm holding the mesh bag throbbed with pain.

Song Moting had already brought over a bicycle from outside the yard.

A man’s 28-inch crossbar bicycle.

"Uncle, I’m leaving first, you should still consider what I said."

He mounted the bike and spoke to Jiang Xiaoxiao.

"Can you hop on? If not, I’ll come down and let you get on first."

Jiang Xiaoxiao nodded, "No problem, don’t worry."

With one hand on the seat, she jumped on and sat steadily.

Sitting securely, she didn’t forget to wave at Director Song.

Song Moting rode quickly, and soon they couldn’t see the yard of the supply and demand cooperative.

Jiang Xiaoxiao remained silent.

But the atmosphere became a bit awkward; a man and a woman sitting on the same bicycle without saying a word.

The problem was, they were really not familiar with each other.

"I saw your parents treating you very well that day."

Song Moting spoke up, realizing that it seemed wrong for a big guy like him not to say anything.

He thought a bit and finally found an opening.

Jiang Xiaoxiao was shocked; it seemed Song Moting’s family situation wasn’t good, at least his parents probably didn’t treat him well. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have started with this line.

People are creatures of habit; often what they say and do is closely related to themselves.

"My parents, brother, and sister treat me very well, but my parents aren’t my biological ones. They are my foster parents."

This sentence left Song Moting stunned.

He just wanted to start a conversation, but it ended up touching a sensitive matter.

He couldn’t help but feel apologetic.

"I’m sorry. I didn’t expect that."

"No matter, I don’t care much. Actually, my foster parents treat me very well; they’ve raised me as their biological daughter all these years, and they always believed I was. Unexpectedly, it turned out I was their mistakenly swapped child.

But they never treated me badly because they found out I’m not their biological daughter."

"Then you’re really lucky. Generally, if not their biological child, people wouldn’t put in such effort. Even if that person is their relative."

The meaning behind Song Moting’s words was complex.

"Are you not your parents’ biological child as well?"

Jiang Xiaoxiao cautiously asked. Though she was reluctant to pry into others’ privacy, sometimes women can’t resist gossip.

Jiang Xiaoxiao was actually quite a gossip.

"My dad is my biological parent, but my mom passed away when I was three. My aunt married my dad, turning from my aunt to my stepmother. However, my aunt gave birth to a son and daughter when I was ten, giving me a brother and sister, and then I became an orphan."

Song Moting laughed bitterly, though he’s always reluctant to share these words with others.

But Jiang Xiaoxiao was a stranger, and perhaps speaking to a stranger made the psychological burden suddenly much lighter.

Keeping these thoughts to himself for so many years could really suffocate someone.

Suddenly pouring out all this to someone made him feel entirely relieved.

"You’re not exactly unfortunate."

Jiang Xiaoxiao spoke truthfully, knowing that compared to her past life with Song Moting, hers was much more tragic.

Song Moting couldn’t help but chuckle.

"Jiang Xiaoxiao, you’re really interesting. Am I really not unfortunate, then who is?"

"If I tell you, you’ll realize what misfortune truly is. Compared to you, mine was tragic, intolerable, and absolutely heart-rending."

Song Moting braced the bike.

He turned to look at Jiang Xiaoxiao.

The girl smiled so happily. He was a bit confused whether this girl was consoling him or if it was true.

Could it be that her foster parents have changed now?

After her biological daughter was found, did they suddenly treat her badly?

But wasn’t she supposed to return to her biological parents?

Could these words just be to comfort him or to joke with him?

"Don’t overthink, my foster parents treat me incredibly well, better than my biological ones."

"How do you know this is what I’m thinking?"

Song Moting chuckled softly.

For the first time, someone saw right through him.

It was truly peculiar, as if this girl felt particularly close to him.

Was it because they have shared suffering?

"What I meant by ’heart-rending’ isn’t that my foster parents treated me poorly. Let me tell you, my luckiest thing was encountering them. Even though they have their own biological daughter, they’ve never taken back their love for me, not one bit.

Instead, it’s unfair to their biological daughter.

My misery comes from my biological parents finding me not to bring back their biological daughter, but just wanting me to replace my biological brother and go to the countryside. Once I lost my value, look how quickly my parents turned on me, directly telling me to break all ties and never contact them again.

Your stepmother treats you poorly because you’re not biological and she has her own children. This is human nature; you can’t say she’s a bad person. She’s the best mother to her children but the worst stepmother to you.

But once you understand, the ties between you are non-existent, why would they love you?

But I’m different; my biological parents didn’t raise me for a single day, yet we share a bloodline. They could’ve chosen not to search for me, and I never pleaded for them to find me, but to be so callous doesn’t qualify them as parents.

If this isn’t tragic, think about whether I’m more unfortunate than you."

Song Moting laughed heartily, his cheerful laughter frightening sparrows from the trees.

"Are we having a contest of misfortune?"

Jiang Xiaoxiao laughed gorgeously.

"Indeed! I don’t know why we’re comparing misfortune. We should focus on living well. We must make our miserable days better than anyone else’s. Only then can we live up to ourselves; living one life, I don’t want to endure misery and hardship all my life."

These words were meant for Song Moting, but also for herself. Her previous life was filled with misery and hardship.

Song Moting was contemplative; this girl’s words were really profound!

Suddenly someone appeared in front of them.

Song Moting quickly hit the brakes.

Jiang Xiaoxiao’s head bumped into Song Moting’s back.

Her nose felt sour from the hit. Tears welled up immediately.

This time it wasn’t her wanting to cry.

Damn Song Moting, why’d he have to be so solid?