บท 34: 34. The lost child

That picture showed her younger self. How is this even possible? Everything is so strange.

Hua Lan stepped by her side and hugged her. "You still have no idea? Liu Mei, this painting looks just like you. Could it be? "

Liu Mei looked at the yellowish painting of a small girl. The two buns on her head and those distinct eyes, were something she remembered wearing often as a child as well. Her parents would often scold her because of the way she put the attire on herself. She always wanted to look like a princes in those children's books, but they would scold her or even hit her from time to time.

Later on, as she grew up she gave up such thoughts, as she saw no one else wore those. When she started going to school her parents stopped scolding her and just ignored her most of the time. She found it comforting and after a while, they got new children and she practically got forgotten.

When she started working as a teenager, they would take most of the money from her to buy presents for the new children. Not her siblings, ''their children''. Those brats never treated her as a part of the family and usually would order her around.

With the time she grew even more distant and after she married to now her ex-husband, they didn't even stop there. They started leaching on him as well, making her feel worried all the time. In the end, all her worries meant absolutely nothing.

What did she do wrong in her past life, that she deserved such a hard life? Did she harm the nation or killed someone?

With shaking hands, she stood there and started crying. ''Did I do something wrong in my past life? Hua Lan, have I been punished for something? I always tried to be a good child, a good sister, a good wife and a good mother later on. What is wrong with that? But why was my life still such a mess?''

Hua Lan held her tightly in her arms as Liu Mei's legs suddenly lost strength. Her shaking body made Hua Lan look up to her husband, that didn't know how to react either.

He stood all frozen in place as he alternately looked at the picture first and then at the weeping woman in his wife's arms. ''This can't be right?'' His shaky voice could be heard as the stunned servants looked at the two people.

Secret guards from different families hiding in the shadows heard their words and rushed back to spread the news. Even he stood in shadows with his eyes cold as glacier ice and hands white from all the anger.

He whispered. ''We need to find out what really happened at that time. That story is not that simple as it seems. Who is actually behind all this?''

But all that happened behind them didn't concern the two people that locked their eyes at each other and dazedly look at one another. ''Liu Mei, is it possible that you are my sister? But I have to tell you something, even if you are not, you became one in my eyes from the first moment we met. So from now on, you have a real family. You have us...ok? So stop crying. From now on you can start living happily. ''

Liu Shan rushed to pick her up in his arms and held her tightly as he kneeled in front of her. Over and over again he patted her back trying to calm her down, as she cried fervently. Her sobs lasted for a long time.

Everyone had tears in their eyes. All the servants they took with them were ones that worked for their families for a long time. Some, like this old woman, knew them since they were small children. But even those that came later on, were completely loyal to them.

Xiao Ran started crying as well. Her eyes and heart could see and feel Liu Mei's pain. She already knew so much about this woman, but seeing her in such deep pain is something she didn't expect.

As the whole group of people sobbed only one person stayed calm and clearheaded, Hua Lan.

Her eyes fleeted over the shadows and corners of the estate and after a while, she sighed. ''Enough all off you. Servants... go get water and something to drink for the master and our miss. Xiao Ran come to help Liu Mei stand up. It would be a bad idea if she gets a cold from sitting on the floor. My love, you as well. Help Liu Mei, quickly.''

Her soft spoken words that contained determination and resoluteness woke the servants up and made them rush to do what she told them. While the girls rushed to get water for tea, the men went to the nearby pavilion to clean the place, so they could sit down and rest.

Xiao Ran wiped her eyes with the corner of her sleeve and rushed to help Liu Mei to stand up, but then both staggered and fell. Even Liu Shen went frigid as Liu Mei suddenly disappeared, literally under his hand.

They could see her holding onto her legs and massaging them. Hua Lan looked at Liu Mei in wonder and saw her looking at her aggrieved. ''My legs fell asleep...''

The older woman yelped and rushed to help her up. Looking at her pale face and thin figure she shook her head. ''How is this good? Look at you. You look like you haven't eaten anything for days. If you don't have food I will bring a lot. I saved a lot of money and I can afford to feed you for a long time. You probably need medicine as well...''

Her ramblings could be heard as she started dusting off her dress and feet with her own sleeves. Liu Mei's eyes filled with tears again as she stopped. her. ''Do not do these things anymore. You are not the youngest. I am fine. Just lately, because of the weather, I couldn't eat anything. So stop worrying.''

Asudden cough and a loud voice behind them made them jump in shock.