11: The figure coming from behind

Chen Xuening stood awkwardly to the side, her pink lips pursed, her small hand clutching the fabric of Chen Mengyao's clothes.

She had never seen her sister like this before.

"Sister," she couldn't help but call out.

Chen Mengyao raised her bloodshot eyes, staring blankly at her.

"Sister, don't cry. I... I can also work hard to earn money to buy food for Mom," Chen Xuening said in a panic.

Chen Mengyao wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes, forced a smile, and said softly, "I'm fine, you don't have to worry."

After speaking, she used the tissue the female doctor had given her to wipe her face clean, then struggled to stand up.

"Let's go, come with Sister to see Mom."

Chen Xuening nodded and followed her towards the ward.

Pushing open the ward door, it was quiet inside; her mother, lying on the hospital bed, was still unconscious.

Chen Mengyao's steps faltered.

She looked at her mother, who used to be so talkative and cheerful in her childhood, now pale as paper, with a ventilator maintaining her vital signs, like a withered rose in its twilight years.

Chen Mengyao collapsed by the bedside, tears streaming down her face.

"Mom..."

This was the fourth time.

She couldn't bear it anymore and cried into her mother's ear, saying,

"Mom, I'm sorry, I couldn't take good care of you..."

"Wuwu..."

At this moment, Chen Mengyao seemed to have lost all support. She could no longer control her emotions, gripping her mother's slightly cold hands, sobbing softly.

Chen Xuening also lay prostrate by the hospital bed, tears falling uncontrollably.

"I'm sorry, it's all my fault for being useless. What can I do to make you better? I really have no other way..."

The more Chen Mengyao cried, the sadder she became. She felt she had never been so helpless in her life.

She could accept all the misfortunes that befell her, but she couldn't accept her loved ones being harmed.

A way... Is there any way to raise three hundred thousand... Chen Mengyao suddenly thought of something and abruptly stopped crying.

She wiped away her tears, as if she had made a very important decision, and raised her head with determined eyes, saying softly,

"Xiao Ning, you stay with the duty nurse. Don't run around. I'm going out for a bit and will be right back."

"Okay, Sister, hurry back," the little girl nodded obediently.

Chen Mengyao stood up, her gaze sweeping around.

She saw her disheveled face and bloodshot eyes reflected in the ward window.

"Mom, just wait for me a little longer. I will definitely make you better."

...Ten minutes later.

Chen Mengyao got out of the taxi.

The rain was still falling, pattering.

This rain had been falling all day, but there was still no sign of it stopping, and it was getting heavier.

Pedestrians in the streets and alleys were hurrying home with umbrellas.

Chen Mengyao opened her umbrella and walked towards her home.

Although she was very careful, the puddles on the road still soaked her shoes and socks, and a bone-chilling cold continuously seeped into her heart from the soles of her feet, making her, dressed in thin clothes, shiver several times.

Chen Mengyao pulled her coat tighter, quickened her pace, and rushed to the trash can at the corner of the stairs.

She looked at the trash can with complex eyes, as if peering into another world through it.

"I hope that thing is still there..."

Chen Mengyao took a deep breath, bent down, squatted, and reached inside to rummage through it.

It was already past seven in the evening, the sky was already dim, and with the gloomy, rainy weather, the surroundings appeared even darker.

She endured the foul odor coming from the trash can and searched hard for a long time, but couldn't find the item she was looking for.

"It shouldn't be... I remember throwing it in here..." Chen Mengyao murmured with a frown, her face showing confusion and despair.

To make it easier to search, Chen Mengyao simply closed her umbrella and continued to search again and again.

The rain grew heavier, quickly soaking her clothes.

Chen Mengyao's already fair and jade-like face was frozen pale, her lips had lost their color, and a few drops of rain hung on her long eyelashes, trembling slightly in the wind.

She bit her lip, her eyes flashing with stubbornness.

"It must be in here, I can find it..."

However, in this world, most things often turn out contrary to one's wishes.

When Chen Mengyao searched the trash can for the last time and still didn't find the item she wanted.

She finally gave up.

Chen Mengyao just squatted there quietly, looking down at the trash on the ground, letting the heavy rain pour down on her body.

This slender, frail body trembled slightly in the rain, as if it could wither at any moment.

When the last hope was shattered, she knew she had to accept her fate.

Chen Mengyao let out a light breath, rubbed her cold cheeks with her hands without regard for her appearance, and her eyes gradually regained their luster.

She didn't have much time for sorrow; she had to adjust her mindset as quickly as possible and then work even harder to earn money.

"Perhaps, even Heaven doesn't want me to go down that path."

After confirming that she couldn't find the contract, Chen Mengyao felt a sense of relief instead.

Although the days ahead would be even harder, at least she wouldn't have to sell her Soul and body.

At this thought, Chen Mengyao immediately felt much lighter.

Although earning three hundred thousand within two years was a very difficult task for her.

No matter how difficult, she would never give up.

Chen Mengyao took a deep breath, her eyes becoming incredibly resolute.

Just as she was about to get up and leave,

She suddenly noticed that the rain above her head had stopped, replaced by a large black umbrella blocking the pouring raindrops.

"?"

Chen Mengyao turned her head in confusion, and a tall figure, backlit, came into view.

She looked up and saw a pair of dark, deep eyes quietly watching her.

"It's you?"

Chen Mengyao was slightly startled.

Lu Chen smiled slightly, and with his other hand, he pulled out a damp contract, asking playfully,

"Are you looking for this?"