She beckoned to Xiao Cheng, "Come and sit."
Xiao Cheng walked over and sat beside her.
"My daughter is such an unfortunate girl. I've repeatedly warned them not to reveal these things. But my husband and I are old, and she should find someone to cherish her."
Du Juan shook her head. As Meng Jingwei's mother, even if an adoptive mother, she had raised Meng Jingwei bit by bit.
Her love for her surpassed everything.
Knowing that she couldn't let Meng Jingwei lose a good man just to treat the old man, even if things were exposed and they might be driven out of the hospital by the Li family, she had to say it.
"See, how beautiful and adorable this girl in the photo is."
Du Juan pointed at the person in the photo, a kind smile on her lips. "She's my daughter, Jingwei."
"Little Weiwei? This... isn't this the daughter of Li Fu'an, Li Yun'er?"
In high society circles, few wouldn't know the "talented and beautiful" number one beauty, Li Yun'er.
"Yes, they're carved from the same mold. Actually, Jingwei isn't my biological daughter. I picked her up years ago. Her biological parents are Li Fu'an and Zhao Ruolan, and she and Li Yun'er are twins, looking exactly alike."
"Exactly alike?"
The news came too suddenly. Xiao Cheng felt an inexpressible shock.
The girl in the photo had fair skin and a pure, lovely smile, like a spring breeze.
But she was far from Meng Jingwei, whose skin was dark, with thick, coarse eyebrows and a face full of freckles. He could hardly imagine that the woman who disguised herself as ugly was so beautiful.
"Beautiful, right? My daughter is very beautiful."
Du Juan couldn't help but praise her daughter, but then her face darkened, her cloudy eyes filled with heartache. "But a few months ago, when my husband and I were hospitalized after a car accident and had no money for treatment, we were almost kicked out. Her biological parents appeared and said they could treat us for free."
"Is that so? Then the Li family seems quite decent."
After all, the Li family's dedication to charity was well-known in Lancheng.
"How are they decent? He could treat us for free, but the condition was that my daughter had to donate bone marrow to his son, who has leukemia, and absolutely could not reveal that face that looked exactly like Li Yun'er's! Otherwise, how could my daughter disguise herself to be so ugly, so ugly that I'm afraid she'll never find a partner."
With that, she reached out and held Xiao Cheng's hand, saying kindly, "Xiao Cheng, Auntie knows you are a good child. The reason I'm telling you this is so you know that my daughter isn't ugly. Please don't dislike her, and treat her well."
Xiao Cheng looked confused, still immersed in the overwhelming amount of information and unable to calm his emotions.
Meng Jingwei, who was so ugly she had no friends, looked exactly like Li Yun'er?
And she was actually the biological daughter of Li Fu'an.
Both living in Lancheng, the Li family not only didn't let Meng Jingwei return to the Li household, but they forced her to provide bone marrow for their son with leukemia!
He even suspected that Meng Jingwei's adoptive parents' car accident might not be accidental.
Otherwise, how could everything have happened so coincidentally.
"The Li family repeatedly warned us not to speak of this. If it were to get out, they would stop treating my old man. But we are old. We can't let our future be delayed because of our treatment. We can't be so selfish."
This was why Du Juan insisted on leaving the hospital.
She wanted to leave the hospital, no longer to be treated, so that Jingwei could leave Lancheng and be herself, without having to disguise herself as ugly every day.
"In that case, the Li family is truly despicable."
Xiao Cheng was very angry, deeply feeling injustice for Meng Jingwei.
"Xiao Cheng."
Du Juan looked at Xiao Cheng, her tone heavy. "I can see you're not from an ordinary family. Moreover, you know the Li family so thoroughly. It seems you have a certain family background."
Du Juan knew Meng Jingwei very well. That girl was tight-lipped and would never talk about the Li family with Xiao Cheng on her own.
But Xiao Cheng not only knew Li Yun'er's name but also Li Fu'an's. It was foreseeable that if he knew the Li family, his background would not be bad.
She continued, "My husband and I are incapable and have caused Jingwei to suffer grievances. But I'm more afraid that one day when my husband and I are gone, Jingwei will have no one to care for her and will still be bullied by the Li family."
She didn't know what the future held, but Du Juan knew the Li family were not good people.
"Auntie, why do you trust me so much?"
Xiao Cheng asked, taking the family photo from Du Juan's hand and looking closely at Meng Jingwei in the picture, his heart still filled with shock and surprise.
"Although my eyesight is poor, my heart is clear as day."
Du Juan sighed again, looking at Meng Tianhua lying in the hospital bed. "Although she is our adopted child, she is kind, honest, filial, and hardworking. She has suffered a lot with us. She is also an unfortunate girl."
"Don't worry, Auntie, I know what to do."
Xiao Cheng returned the photo to Du Juan. "Keep the photo safe, and don't let anyone else find it."
"Ah, okay, okay."
She took the photo, walked to the head of the bed, and put the photo into her bag, saying, "I haven't seen my daughter as she really is for a long time. I miss her so much, so I take it out to look at it from time to time."
From her words, Xiao Cheng could feel Du Juan's love for Meng Jingwei.
His complicated heart gradually calmed, but every time he thought of Meng Jingwei, he couldn't find peace.
Suddenly, an idea sprouted in his mind: he wanted to transfer Meng Tianhua and Du Juan to another hospital for treatment, and he would cover all surgical fees.
His Xiao family was not short of money.
"Auntie, if I pay for the treatment, will Little Weiwei still need to disguise herself as ugly?"
"What, you dislike her ugliness now?"
"What are you saying, Auntie? I never thought she was ugly before, so why would I dislike her now? I just think it's hard for her as a girl."
Xiao Cheng never considered himself a chivalrous person. It was just a moment where he felt Meng Jingwei's suffering was pitiful, like he was a "fellow traveler on the same road of hardship."
"Never mind, never mind."
Du Juan waved her hand. "My daughter is strong-willed and wouldn't agree. Besides, the old man is like this. What's the point of treatment or not? I've wanted to be discharged for a long time, but that girl wouldn't agree."
The two chatted for a while in the ward, and Du Juan went to open the ward door.
About half an hour later, Meng Jingwei rushed over. "Mom, I'm sorry, I overslept... Huh? Xiao Cheng, when did you get here?"
When she called Xiao Cheng earlier, he had only said "I know," and she thought he would come later.
Having learned of Meng Jingwei's background, Xiao Cheng saw her again with mixed feelings, but he just smiled and said, "I just arrived, right, Auntie?"
"Ah, yes, yes."
Du Juan cooperated perfectly and then asked Xiao Cheng, "Haven't you had breakfast yet? Jingwei, quickly take Xiao Cheng to get some food."