As she spoke, she left Meng Yao's room. Back in her own room, she leaned against the door, thinking that Song Jiaping's way of loving someone was too strange, and it made her very puzzled.
However, this was not her concern. Even if she was Song Jiaping's superior, with Song Jiaping's personality, he wouldn't listen to her if he was stubborn.
After observing Song Jiaping for a while, she found him to be a man of strong character. He was only slightly polite due to their working relationship.
Feeling tired, she collapsed onto the bed, not wanting to think about these inexplicable matters anymore. Focusing on her career and quietly establishing her own company was her most important task at the moment.
...
Meng Yao didn't sleep well all night, having some strange and peculiar dreams.
When she woke up in the morning, she thought about what Meng Qi had said the previous night. She felt regret and guilt for never having understood Song Jiaping's family situation.
In her impression, Song Jiaping, who could attend medical school and study abroad, must have come from a middle-class family at least.
But after seeing the information about Song Jiaping's background that Meng Qi had just sent her, she was greatly surprised.
Although she knew Song Jiaping's family situation was definitely not as good as hers, she hadn't expected him to grow up in such poverty.
His father had passed away early, and it was solely his mother's support that allowed him to complete his studies and even go abroad.
His mother's health had eventually deteriorated, requiring her to live in a nursing home for many years.
Staring at the address of the nursing home on the screen, she decided to buy some things and visit Song Jiaping's mother.
Upon arriving at the nursing home, she used the information from the資料 to tell the staff that she was Zhu Qin's niece and had come to visit after hearing she was recuperating there.
The staff verified her information, and finding it to be accurate, led her to see Zhu Qin.
On the short walk to see Zhu Qin, a staff member reminded her, "You might not know, but Aunt Zhu has Alzheimer's. Sometimes she doesn't recognize anyone, and sometimes she mistakes people. You should be mentally prepared."
Meng Yao had already read about Zhu Qin's condition in the information Meng Qi had found, so she was mentally prepared. She said, "Okay, it doesn't matter if Aunt Zhu recognizes me or not. I just want to see her and bring her some nutritional supplements."
The staff member smiled and said, "It's rare to have such a good relative. Since she moved in, only her son visits her from time to time. No one else has come."
"Oh, after they both moved from their hometowns to the big city to work, Aunt Zhu hasn't been in contact with my parents. There aren't many people left in their hometown, and relatives don't visit each other much," Meng Yao replied vaguely.
At this moment, the staff member pointed to an elderly woman walking alone on the lawn and said, "The one with all white hair is Aunt Zhu. Let's see if she recognizes you."
"Thank you." Meng Yao looked at Zhu Qin's back, finding it hard to believe that this was Song Jiaping's mother.
Zhu Qin was only fifty-three years old, but her back and her full head of white hair made her look like someone in their seventies or eighties.
Her own mother, who was a few years older than Zhu Qin, looked at most in her thirties or forties. The difference was immense.
She walked over and saw Zhu Qin's face, which was weathered and marked by life.
Having been mentally prepared, she was calm and polite, smiling as she greeted her, "Aunt Zhu, hello. I'm Jiaping's friend."
Zhu Qin paused, not hearing what she said, and just stared at her.
Meng Yao continued to introduce herself, "My name is Huangfu Meng Yao..."
"Ah Xing, you're here," Zhu Qin suddenly grabbed her hand, saying with a happy expression, "Stay at my place tonight! My mom made a lot of food. You can share a room with me, and we can talk at night."
Meng Yao felt bewildered and said again, "Auntie, my name is not Ah Xing, I am..."
"Ah Xing, come, let's go to my room first." Zhu Qin didn't listen to her at all, mistaking her for someone else, and pulled her away from the lawn.
Meng Yao realized that Zhu Qin had mistaken her for someone else and could only smile and follow her.
When they arrived at her room in the nursing home, Meng Yao didn't know what else to say. She placed the nutritional supplements on the table.
"Ah Xing, why did you bring gifts when you came to my place? You're too formal," Zhu Qin said happily, inviting her to sit. She then took out some snacks like biscuits from a cabinet.
"Aunt... Aunt Zhu, it's not necessary. Please don't be so polite." Meng Yao didn't know what to say or do.
Zhu Qin said strangely, "You always call me Aunt Qin. Why aren't you calling me that today? Have you become distant from me after studying outside?"
"No, no." Hearing about studying, Meng Yao thought that Zhu Qin must have mistaken her for a close friend from her youth.
"Then try this. These are your favorite twists, made by my mom herself." As she spoke, she handed Meng Yao a small bag of biscuits.
"Okay." Meng Yao looked at the soda biscuits and could only pretend they were twists, following her words, "Ah Qin, are you doing well?"
Zhu Qin's smile disappeared, and she said dejectedly, "Last year, I was only a few points short, otherwise I could have gone to the big city to study with you. This year I wanted to try again, but my parents made me go on a blind date in the neighboring village, saying that studying for another year is too expensive and it's better to get married early."
Meng Yao didn't know how to respond. She tore open the biscuit packaging and took a bite, thinking that Song Jiaping's mother had such an experience when she was young.
Zhu Qin sat next to her and asked curiously, "Is university good? Is the library big? Are there endless books to read? What's the campus like?"
"University is okay," Meng Yao guessed that Zhu Qin might not have attended university. She said, "When I have a chance, I'll take you to visit a university campus. Actually, it's just bigger than our county school and has more people."
"Really?" Zhu Qin's eyes showed longing. She looked at Meng Yao again and said, "You've become so fashionable after returning from the city. Do people in the city dress like this?"
"More or less," Meng Yao smiled and said, "The clothes you're wearing are also very nice."
Zhu Qin quickly got up and went to look in the mirror. She turned around in front of the mirror, very satisfied with her clothes.
"My husband bought them for me. He knows I like bright green." Zhu Qin turned back to speak to her and asked, "Ah Xing, do you have a boyfriend? When are you planning to get married?"
Meng Yao was a bit overwhelmed by the jumps in her timeline. She suddenly mentioned a husband, which should have been years after her desire to retake the exam.
No wonder the staff here said she would mistake people and forget those she knew.
Meng Yao saw that her memory was chaotic, thinking she was still young and living in a memorable moment from her past.
"I don't have a boyfriend yet. I want to focus on my career first," Meng Yao replied, estimating.
Zhu Qin said enviously, "It's good that you've studied so much. Unlike me, I didn't have any skills and had to get married early."
Zhu Qin must have mistaken her for a close friend from her youth. Meng Yao could only cooperate with her, saying with a mix of helplessness and gentleness, "Marriage has its own good things. You seem to be happily married."