CHAPTER 426: CHAPTER 394: ABSOLUTELY REFUSE TO HAND HER OVER

Wen Wan couldn’t answer this question, she felt it was a bit strange.

Song Wei said, "Perhaps she was injured while fleeing, and lost all her past memories."

"Is it that easy for someone to lose memory?" Wen Wan found it unbelievable.

Song Wei glanced at her, "Wasn’t it like that for you back then? After waking up from a high fever, you remembered nothing."

Wen Wan wanted to argue that she was young at the time, but considering Sanyang’s age isn’t much older, perhaps she really hit her head or was like her, lost everything after a high fever in the snowy days.

With the conversation reaching this point, it seemed to hit a dead end, showing signs of not continuing.

Wen Wan noticed it was already late, told Song Jiao she wouldn’t be returning tonight, and suggested she stay here.

Song Jiao nodded woodenly.

She had been living here before and already regarded the Song Mansion as half her home.

After dinner, Song Jiao returned to her previous courtyard to rest, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t fall asleep, her mind constantly revisiting the scene of seeing Sanyang during the day, growing more conflicted with each thought.

Wen Wan coaxed her son to sleep, then went to the outer room.

Song Wei was sitting under the lamp, habitually holding a book.

Wen Wan had an illusion that he wasn’t really reading, but thinking about something else.

After sitting across from him for a while without any movement from the man, she couldn’t help but remind, "Husband, it’s late."

Song Wei raised his eyes and looked at her.

"Still thinking about Sanyang?" Wen Wan asked him.

Song Wei didn’t respond verbally, which counted as a silent acknowledgment.

Wen Wan shared her thoughts, "Initially, I thought since we already found Sanyang’s whereabouts, there’s no reason to let her wander outside, we must bring her back. However, considering she might have amnesia and remembers no one, I hesitated.

Now, to her, the Song Family might just be strangers. She has elders who love her in her new home, servants to serve her, living a carefree life full of silk and riches. Forcibly bringing her back would actually be harmful to her."

Song Wei said, "If she can’t regain her memory for life, then she can’t come back for life."

Wen Wan understood the logic, but if they brought back a Sanyang who remembered nothing, she wouldn’t regard the Song Mansion as her home, nor see the Song Family as kin, only thinking that people here deprived her of her happiness.

Before going to sleep, Song Wei suddenly said, "For now, don’t tell Second Brother and his wife, let Song Jiao know."

Wen Wan indicated she understood.

In Second Lang and his wife’s mind, their third daughter had long perished in that earthquake.

If they find out Sanyang not only didn’t die, but accidentally ended up in a wealthy family, completely unable to remember her biological parents, it would definitely stir up quite a commotion.

Song Jiao woke again after a night full of thoughts, hearing Wen Wan telling her not to inform their parents about Sanyang.

Song Jiao was perplexed, "Why can’t I let my parents know?"

Wen Wan asked back, "Even if they know, how will your family get Sanyang back?"

Song Jiao was tongue-tied, her lips moved twice, unable to speak.

Wen Wan added, "Even if she’s brought back, under the premise that she completely doesn’t remember us, she’ll only see everyone here as enemies."

Hearing this, Song Jiao’s eyes turned red uncontrollably, "I just want to know what happened after Sanyang disappeared, why did it turn out this way?"

Wen Wan gestured for her to keep quiet, "You shouldn’t reveal this for now. When the opportunity arises to visit Kang Dingbo Mansion, I’ll take you to have a distant look at her."

Song Jiao felt gloomy.

When she was sent back to her family’s alley courtyard, her parents had already gone to the stall, Song Duobao too, only Song Qi was home alone.

Having left yesterday and returned today, Song Qi didn’t need to think to know Song Jiao had been at their Third Aunt’s place. Seeing her now, he felt uneasy, and darkly asked, "Where did you go?"

Song Jiao snapped back to reality, "Didn’t Third Aunt tell you yesterday? We went to help the little beggar in Shuanghua Lane."

"Then why didn’t you return at night?"

"It was late, and Third Aunt asked me to stay for dinner."

Song Jiao thought this wasn’t showing off, but Song Qi still appeared unhappy upon hearing it, expressing his dissatisfaction by throwing things and kicking stools without directly arguing with her.

Now, Song Jiao wouldn’t cater to her every whim anymore; she knew her sister too well. The more you treated her seriously, the more she would act out and turn the family upside down.

Seeing Song Qi sulking and ignoring her, Song Jiao said, "If you’re truly bored, go help parents with work instead of sulking at home. No one here will indulge you."

"You’re not going, why should I?" Song Qi retorted, "It’s not like the money parents earn is just for me. Why should you laze at home like a young lady, sending me out to work like a slave? Aren’t you ashamed for scheming like this? Don’t you feel guilty?"

Song Jiao patiently replied, "I didn’t insist you go."

"Then I’m not going!"

With things on her mind, Song Jiao felt uninterested in tangling with her; if Song Qi wouldn’t go, she would.

When she arrived at the stall, Second Lang’s wife asked her, "Why did you come here?"

Song Jiao replied, "I’m free and want to help my parents."

Second Lang’s wife wiped her hands on her apron while telling her, "Go back quickly; you’re already thirteen or fourteen, nearly at the age to discuss marriage. Constantly showing yourself in public, what does that even look like?"

Song Jiao said, "Back home I was working in the fields every day. I can’t make dumplings well, but at least I can wash dishes."

Second Lang’s wife disagreed, "What’s wrong with you, girl? Unwilling to laze when I ask you to stay idle, determined to add more calluses to those hands and have people dislike you for pleasure?"

"Mom～" Song Jiao helplessly.

"If you don’t leave soon, I’ll pick up a stick and chase you away!"

Ever since entering the capital and seeing Da Ya being raised as a young lady by the third household, Second Lang’s wife never let those two sisters work again, urging them to learn from the nanny whenever free.

Every day when she saw her daughter getting more delicate, Second Lang’s wife was delighted, thinking that as long as she raised her finely, they wouldn’t worry about finding a good husband relying on her younger brother-in-law’s official rank.

——

Lady Kang Ding returned from the performance feeling troubled, not eating or sleeping well these days.

Li Run learned of it and specifically came to see her.

Seeing Mrs. Yao zoning out by the veranda window, Li Run stepped softly, "Mother, what’s been wrong with you these days? I heard from the servants that you barely had any lunch again."

Mrs. Yao returned to reality and smiled at her son, "I’m fine, maybe it’s too hot, making me lose appetite."

Li Run, still worried, suggested, "Why don’t I call the household doctor to check on you?"

"It’s really nothing." Mrs. Yao insisted.

Looking at his biological mother’s appearance, Li Run couldn’t help but feel uneasy, sitting down, "Is it that some concubine displeased you again?"

Mrs. Yao didn’t answer; she pondered for a moment and suddenly asked, "Run’er, if your fifth sister’s family came looking, should we send her back to them?"

Li Run was puzzled by the abrupt topic change, "Why bring that up out of nowhere, Mother?"

"It’s nothing, just a casual question." Mrs. Yao hadn’t told anyone about the incident on Fuan Street, keeping it to herself.

"Fifth sister now remembers no one besides everyone from our family. Even if her family came, what can they really do?"

Li Run continued, "Sending her back in this condition is like delivering her to strangers, she’s still so young; what would become of her afterwards?"

"But they are her kin."

"Aren’t father and mother also her kin?" Li Run raised his head, his youthful eyes showing a maturity beyond his years, "To be fair, since Fifth Sister joined our family, her food, clothing, and allowances have been according to the legitimate daughter’s standards. Father’s and mother’s concern for her is immense. Even when she was sick recently, Mother cared for her day and night for several days, took her to Fahua Temple to seek a peace charm—just like a biological mother would."

Finally, Li Run spoke firmly, "Unless Fifth Sister recovers and wants to return to find her parents, otherwise, even if her family comes, I’ll never agree to let you send her away."

Mrs. Yao felt conflicted.

To be honest, she really liked the little girl, because when she first entered the mansion, knowing nothing, she relied entirely on her teachings, growing in every aspect according to her preferences.

That day, hearing Mrs. Song’s niece say Ruru greatly resembled her lost sister.

In that instant, Mrs. Yao felt selfish, a desire not wanting them to recognize each other.

She understood it was unethical, but such possessiveness, when it struck, wasn’t something intelligence could control.