Li Muzi was gentle and quiet by nature. She was also a natural for acting in stage plays. In just one year, she became the leading actress of the largest theater troupe in Huacheng.
Among all the plays she had performed, the most famous one was *The Draft*. Whenever it was staged, every show was a sell - out.
Everyone who watched the play couldn't help but shed tears. Even after the show ended, they still lingered in the aftertaste.
It was during Li Muzi's performance of this play that Sheng Shuocheng fell in love with her at first sight.
Love was like a flame, always burning fiercely and recklessly.
It was only natural for the two to fall into a passionate romance.
A young and talented man and a graceful young woman, they should have been a perfect match, envied and praised by everyone.
But the world was never perfect.
Li Muzi came from an ordinary family. At best, she was just the daughter of a family with some delicate handicrafts. Now that she had caught the attention of a business tycoon like Sheng Shuocheng, it was inevitable that people would gossip about her.
As time passed, negative rumors and scolding spread like wildfire.
People's words could be like sharp swords piercing through one's chest.
But between her lover and the gossips, she finally chose the love that was criticized by the world.
However, Li Muzi was proud and couldn't tolerate any injustice. She couldn't stand those insulting and sarcastic remarks.
Even after marrying Sheng Shuocheng, she was still depressed all day long and eventually suffered from depression.
Later, it got so bad that a single look or an innocent word from others would make her exhausted, frustrated, and drown in grief.
Some doctors suggested that she should have a child. With the bond of a child, maybe she would be willing to live a good life.
But after giving birth to a son for Sheng Shuocheng, her body became as fragile as paper. She had to rely on medicine to maintain her life all year round.
The child didn't tie her down. Instead, it gave her one more reason to leave this world.
With their son to accompany Sheng Shuocheng, he wouldn't be too lonely after she was gone.
Even if Sheng Shuocheng found the best doctors, it was of no avail.
The mental illness was deeply rooted and could never be cured.
"People say that a mother becomes strong once she has a child. But when Azhi left, Jingxi was only five years old. She was really heartless," Cheng Yingchun sighed deeply. "She put too much pressure on herself and cared too much about others' opinions. She 'forced' herself to death."
"If she had been a bit more oblivious, she could have muddled through this life. Others' opinions are nothing compared to one's own happiness, right?"
Jiang Li listened silently.
She didn't agree, but there was a faint voice in her heart saying that she understood.
No one understood better than her.
Although she had never met Li Muzi, she vaguely felt that she had crossed time and space and stood in front of her, knowing her sorrow and pain, and understanding her struggle and confusion.
It seemed that she could almost see her own ending.
Jiang Li felt a bit dazed.
The topic had become a bit heavy. Cheng Yingchun went into the room and took out an album. She opened it and showed it to Jiang Li. "Look, isn't Azhi very beautiful?"
In the photo, the girl was wearing a long gown with water - sleeves. It was a photo taken after one of her performances.
Her eyes were full of vitality, and her smile was genuine. She looked like a noble young lady, and her future seemed to be full of promise.
It was hard to imagine that she would end up with dull eyes and die of depression.
Jiang Li looked at the person in the photo. Her fingers couldn't help but touch it. She always felt that the girl's eyebrows and eyes were somewhat similar to her own.
"Do you also think she looks like you?" Cheng Yingchun suddenly spoke, which startled Jiang Li. She almost dropped the album.
"Me and her... look alike?"
"Actually, when I first saw you, I almost thought Azhi had come back."
Cheng Yingchun smiled and said, "But then I thought, even if she were still alive, she would be in her forties or fifties. According to your age, it would be more appropriate to say that you could be her daughter."
Jiang Li was stunned, and a trace of loneliness flashed across her heart.
"If I didn't know that she only gave birth to Jingxi, I would really suspect that you were Azhi's daughter."
The old lady stroked her face with her hand and said more and more sentimentally, "Look at your eyes, your nose bridge, and your lips..."
Half - way through, Cheng Yingchun suddenly stopped and rubbed her hands awkwardly. "Sorry, did I offend your parents? Just think of me as an old woman talking nonsense."
Jiang Li shook her head.
She was now an orphan, so there was nothing to be offended about.
When Cheng Yingchun put the album away, Jiang Li took a few more reluctant glances at the person in the photo.
It was as if she wanted to engrave her deeply in her mind.
—
Finally, Cheng Yingchun agreed to move. After lunch, Sheng Shuocheng left immediately. He went back and sent people to help her move, fearing that the old lady would change her mind later.
There was a prepared villa in the city, and the old lady moved in that night.
At the same time, two nannies were arranged at home to take care of Cheng Yingchun around the clock.
After everything was sorted out, Jiang Li helped the old lady sit on the sofa and said with a smile that it would be more convenient for her to come and visit her in the future.
Cheng Yingchun was still a bit unhappy and couldn't help but mutter, "I've said that I don't need someone to serve me. I'm still spry."
"Your body is strong, but you still need someone to talk to, right?" Jiang Li said with a smile. "Besides, you're not familiar with this area. Having someone to accompany you around will make me feel more at ease."
She was so good at coaxing the old people that Cheng Yingchun lost her temper after just a few words. "Okay, okay. Then you must come and accompany me more often. I'll teach you all my embroidery skills then."
"Are you really willing?" Jiang Li blinked her eyes and looked very hesitant. "This is a family - heirloom skill. I'm an outsider. It would be a pity to teach it to me."
"What's there to be a pity about!" Cheng Yingchun patted her and said reproachfully, "Don't talk about being an outsider or not. I don't care about those things. Besides, don't you call me Granny?"
Seeing that the old lady was sincere in teaching her, Jiang Li didn't decline. She happily accepted and hugged the old lady's arm and kept praising her.
"Where's Jingxi? Isn't he coming back this year? Hasn't he had enough fun abroad?"
Jiang Li was so sweet - tongued that Cheng Yingchun was very happy. Remembering something, she turned to Sheng Shuocheng and asked, "It's about time for him to come back. Introduce Lili to him then so that they can get to know each other."
When old people brought up this topic, nine times out of ten they wanted to match - make a marriage.
Sheng Shuocheng perfunctorily said that he had a competition abroad and probably wouldn't be back for a while.
Hearing about the competition, Cheng Yingchun frowned. "Tell him not to play these extreme sports all day long. Safety is the most important thing."
"That boy has been wild for too long. I can't control him," Sheng Shuocheng shook his head. As a father who knew his son well, he said, "Let him be. Anyway, it's his own life."
"You're really irresponsible as a father," Cheng Yingchun gave him a disdainful look but didn't say anything more.
Sheng Jingxi was Sheng Shuocheng's son. He was extremely unruly. He was obsessed with racing cars when he was a minor. After going abroad to study, he even became a professional racing driver.
"Jingxi really doesn't look like his mother at all. I don't know who he takes after," Cheng Yingchun looked at Sheng Shuocheng, obviously implying something.