Wife Takes the Reins: The Calm CEO

Chapter 43: Confiding for the First Time

“Um, it’s okay, Brother Tianyu. I understand. After all, in your eyes, I really am an outsider.” Li Xiaowan was quite at ease about this point—and it was an undeniable fact. “Xiaowan, don’t say that. You’re Zheng’s fiancée—how could you possibly be an outsider? Actually, if we’re going to call anyone an outsider, then I should be included too,” Feng Tianyu said wistfully. In the eyes of others, wasn’t he an outsider as well? At first, Li Xiaowan didn’t understand what Feng Tianyu meant, but she suddenly recalled that Qi Xin'er had mentioned earlier that Feng Tianyu wasn’t a biological child of the Feng Family—he must surely have an extraordinary story of his own! “Brother Tianyu, I’ve actually heard my friend mention your background, but she also said The Feng Family treats you like their own flesh and blood, so please don’t let my words affect you.” Li Xiaowan felt a twinge of guilt; it was she who had brought up a topic Feng Tianyu likely didn’t want to discuss. “Is that so? Only the person involved truly knows the truth. No matter how well they treat me, it can’t compare to how they treat Zheng and Yan'er.” Feng Tianyu’s expression gradually grew somber. Li Xiaowan didn’t know how to respond. Just as she was struggling with what to say, she heard Feng Tianyu ask, “Xiaowan, can you understand what it feels like to be dependent on others?” “I know exactly how that feels,” Li Xiaowan blurted out. “Then can you understand what it’s like to constantly strive for excellence just to hear a word of praise? And that feeling of being happy for days on end after you’re lucky enough to receive that praise?” Feng Tianyu seemed to be asking Li Xiaowan, but in reality, he appeared to be asking himself. “I don’t quite understand the latter part. Brother Tianyu, are you not happy living with the Feng Family?” Li Xiaowan asked tentatively. “There’s no such thing as happy or unhappy. Just being alive is already a struggle.” Feng Tianyu’s words grew increasingly profound, but Li Xiaowan could tell that his life wasn’t as rosy as Qi Xin'er had described—at least, she couldn’t detect even a hint of genuine joy in him. “Brother Tianyu, don’t overthink it. Just as you said, simply being alive is reason enough to be grateful. Take me, for example—I never imagined I’d make it to today in good health and safety.” Feng Tianyu’s words had reminded Li Xiaowan of her own turbulent life. “Xiaowan, hearing you say that has piqued my curiosity. Would you mind opening up to me? I’ve always felt like we’re two of a kind.” Feng Tianyu spoke very directly. Apart from Qi Xin'er and the villagers who knew her well, no one else was aware of her tragic ordeal. Should she tell him? Perhaps two people who’ve suffered similar hardships would find a deeper connection. “I don’t mind. To be honest, Brother Tianyu, when I was five years old, one day, those despicable human traffickers abducted both my older brother and sister at the same time. And on that very day, while my parents were out searching for them, a speeding truck mercilessly ran over their frail bodies,From that moment on, I became a complete orphan. Although it was later determined that the accident was caused by the truck driver’s drunk driving, and considering my young age, I was given a substantial compensation payment—but what good does that do? I once had a happy family, but it was all gone overnight.” “Afterward, many people tried to console me, saying that the dead cannot be brought back to life and that I shouldn’t make life so hard for myself. But whenever I thought of the tragic circumstances of my parents’ passing, I simply couldn’t bring myself to use the money earned at the cost of their lives. No matter how hard or difficult things got, I never touched a single penny of it.” “Fortunately, I never gave up on life. I even made a silent vow in my heart that one day, I would find the family members I’d lost, to bring comfort to my parents’ spirits in heaven.” “But in this vast sea of people, where could I possibly find my older brother and sister? Over the past decade or so, I’ve lost count of how many missing-person flyers I’ve printed and posted. I’ve even appealed to newspapers and TV stations, asking them to publish or broadcast my appeals, but in the end, they all fell on deaf ears—I’ve heard nothing back.” ”This was the first time Li Xiaowan had confided her innermost thoughts to a stranger, but it wasn’t as difficult to speak of as she’d anticipated; on the contrary, once she’d spoken, she felt an immediate sense of relief. “Xiaowan, I’m sorry—I’ve touched on a painful part of your past. Does Zeng know about all this?” Feng Tianyu felt a pang of sorrow; he hadn’t expected Li Xiaowan’s life story to be so full of hardship. “He doesn’t know. Aside from my close friends and a few people back home who are aware of the situation, I’ve never told anyone else about my past. You’re the first—and I hope you’ll be the last,” Li Xiaowan said without reservation. “Xiaowan, thank you for trusting me. I understand.” Why did an inexplicable sense of joy well up inside him when Li Xiaowan said he was the first—and also the last? Feng Tianyu shook his head. He’d weathered every storm imaginable; how could he let himself be swayed by such an indescribable emotion? “Brother Tianyu, I’m the one who should be thanking you. Thank you for being willing to listen to me pour out my troubles.” Li Xiaowan could tell that Feng Tianyu had been listening intently as she recounted the various events of her past. “Don’t mention it. Do you want me to help you look for them?” Besides feeling sympathy for Li Xiaowan’s background, Feng Tianyu also saw a reflection of himself in her. At least she had a biological older brother and sister—even though she hadn’t found them yet, she still had something to hope for. But as for himself,all she knew was that she’d been found as a stray child on the side of the road by her current parents. She had no memory of her past at all. In the first few years after she was taken in, her parents had sent people to search far and wide; the only information they’d managed to uncover was that her surname seemed to be Hua—other than that, they knew nothing. “Thank you for your kindness, Brother Tianyu, but I don’t want to go looking for them so publicly. I believe that as long as we’re meant to be, we’ll meet again.” Although she had once felt lost and even desperate, Li Xiaowan had always firmly believed that one day, they would meet again. “Good luck. I hope your wish comes true in the near future,” Feng Tianyu said, his eyes—as dazzling as the stars—radiating nothing but sincerity. “Thank you, Brother Tianyu,” Li Xiaowan replied without asking any further questions. She knew that Feng Tianyu wasn’t like her—he was a man of standing, so he certainly wouldn’t casually discuss his long-buried personal matters with an outsider. Since that was the case, why ask more? Although it was a very small detail, it earned her Feng Tianyu’s further favor, and his attitude toward Li Xiaowan was gradually undergoing a subtle change—though it was so subtle that even he didn’t notice it right away. “Gurgle…” Li Xiaowan’s stomach let out an embarrassing growl at that very moment. It wasn’t her fault, though—her stomach had always had a larger capacity than most people’s. On top of that, she’d been rushing around since early morning—changing clothes, applying makeup, and picking out jewelry—and in the end, she’d only had time to drink a glass of milk. “Xiaowan, you must be hungry. I don’t think they’ll be back for lunch. If you don’t mind, would you like to have lunch with me?” Feng Tianyu didn’t mock Li Xiaowan for this. “Of course I don’t mind. To be honest, Brother Tianyu, I am actually a little hungry,” Li Xiaowan replied, her face flushing. To others, however, this added a touch of allure to her naturally innocent appearance, and Feng Tianyu found himself mesmerized. “Brother Tianyu, why are you staring at me like that? Is my makeup smudged? I hardly ever wear makeup—I was practically forced to put it on today.” Li Xiaowan couldn’t help but think of a certain someone in her heart; it was all his fault. “No, it’s fine. Let’s eat first!” Feng Tianyu, having been caught staring, didn’t show any signs of panic; instead, he replied with remarkable composure. “Okay. Wait—aren’t Grandpa and Grandma joining us for dinner?” Li Xiaowan suddenly remembered that Feng Lingzheng’s grandparents were still upstairs. Perhaps they’d been so engrossed in their conversation earlier that she hadn’t even noticed—but when she addressed them as “Grandpa” and “Grandma,” she didn’t feel the slightest bit awkward. “Grandpa and Grandma aren’t joining us. They have their own specific diet, and since Grandma’s health has been declining, she generally prefers a quieter environment these days,” Feng Tianyu explained patiently, carefully noting the natural expression that flashed across Li Xiaowan’s face. “I see. Although this is my first time meeting Grandpa and Grandma, the kindness and warmth on their faces have really touched me. Brother Tianyu, I’m truly envious of your family.” She could have had a happy family of her own, but who would have thought that, overnight, it was all gone. “Xiaowan, you’re being silly. Won’t we be family very soon? You’ll be able to experience all the warmth we’ll feel together,” Feng Tianyu said, realizing that Li Xiaowan had once again been thinking about her own tragic past, so he quickly reminded and comforted her. “Brother Tianyu, you don’t need to comfort me. I know full well that we’ve never been on the same path, and it’s impossible for us to become a family. Besides, I’d rather not live each day like a walking corpse—not even for just one year. Brother Tianyu, since you know everything about me, then I… I just want to beg you to help me.” ” Li Xiaowan couldn’t even spare a thought for the exquisite delicacies right before her eyes; she felt as if she’d grasped a lifeline and couldn’t possibly let it slip away. “Xiaowan, I’d grant you any other request, but on this one, I’m truly powerless to help. You know my younger brother’s temperament—he’s a man of his word. Once he’s made up his mind, there’s absolutely no room for compromise.” ” Deep down, Feng Tianyu truly wanted to help Li Xiaowan, who was in the same predicament as he was. But facing his younger brother—who was always decisive and uncompromising—it was genuinely difficult to find a reason that could persuade him. After all, he was merely fortunate enough to be sheltered under The Feng Family’s wing, and when it came to the weight of his words, he was likely no match even for Ye Xiao or Xiao Tong. Li Xiaowan noticed the look of distress on Feng Tianyu’s face. “Brother Tianyu, I’m sorry. I was too forward. Please don’t let this trouble you.”