Chapter 609 She Is My Daughter!

Chapter 609 She Is My Daughter!

Jiang Yu-jie took He Xing to the department store and bought some bedding.

She also bought two lengths of fabric, planning to make her a set of clothes.

"I don’t have any cotton on hand right now, but I’ll get some later and make you two winter coats."

He Xing's winter coat had gone stiff and barely kept her warm.

And her cotton shoes—they let in water every time it snowed or rained, making them practically useless.

"Jiang Yu-jie, this is too much."

Jiang Yu-jie teased, "Then pretend I've got money to burn. Help me spend a little more, okay?"

He Xing bit her lip. "Nobody's that rich."

Jiang Yu-jie smiled without replying and took her to buy shoes.

She picked out a pair of furry boots for her—they looked warm and comfortable.

She had bought several pairs in one go before, so the salesperson still remembered her.

"Ms. Jiang, here to buy shoes again?"

Jiang Yu-jie nodded. "I'm getting my little sister a pair of boots."

She had He Xing sit down. "Try these on."

He Xing could tell at a glance that the shoes were expensive and pulled back.

"Jiang Yu-jie, I don’t need new shoes."

Jiang Yu-jie leaned down slightly. "If you feel burdened, just keep track and pay me back when you can, okay? Xing Er, I’m not pitying you. Your grandmother entrusted you to me before she passed away. I promised Granny I’d take good care of you. Do it for your grandmother's peace, all right?"

He Xing began to cry quietly as she slipped her feet into the boots.

The soft boots hugged her feet—she had never worn anything so comfortable in her life.

"Thank you, Jiang Yu-jie. I’ll remember this."

Jiang Yu-jie asked gently, "How do they feel?"

He Xing nodded. "They fit."

Actually, they were a little big, but her feet would still grow. If she got a perfectly fitting pair now, she’d outgrow them soon.

"Then wear them out. We don't need to change."

Jiang Yu-jie paid directly and had the salesperson put her old shoes in a bag.

As they were about to leave, Lan Raoping and Ding He suddenly came into view.

Lan Raoping stopped in front of Jiang Yu-jie and smiled. "I saw you from way over there."

Jiang Yu-jie glanced at Ding He. "Fancy meeting you here."

Lan Raoping’s gaze settled on He Xing, looking her over for a moment.

"And this is..."

Jiang Yu introduced, "He Xing, a girl from my hometown. I brought her here to buy some things. Xing'er, this is the director of our Plant 3. You can call her Aunt Lan."

He Xing was a bit nervous, looking up shyly.

"Aunt Lan."

Upon seeing her features clearly, Lan Raoping suddenly stiffened, frozen in place.

Ding He gently tugged her sleeve. "Mom, what's wrong?"

Hearing the address, Jiang Yu raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Sister Ping, you've taken Ding He as your goddaughter?"

Lan Raoping finally came back to herself, refocusing on Ding He.

"No. Jiang Yu, remember when I mentioned before that I had news about my daughter?"

"I do. Did you find her?"

Lan Raoping clutched her hand excitedly. "In fact, I have to thank you! Ding He—she is my daughter!"

"Ding He?" Jiang Yu was stunned.

Lan Raoping's eyes welled up. "Yes, this was meant to be between us as mother and daughter! But if you hadn't brought her back from Henan, I wouldn’t have been able to reunite with her."

Jiang Yu didn't know what to say, her heart a mix of emotions, mostly confusion and shock.

"Has it been confirmed? Sorry, Sister Ping, I don’t mean anything negatively—it’s just that after searching for so many years, there have been false leads before..."

Over the years, Lan Raoping had encountered several imposters claiming to be her daughter.

After all, she was well-off—who wouldn’t want a mother like her?

Lan Raoping said reassuringly. "Don’t worry. Captain Liang, who’s been working my daughter’s case, has known me for years. He helped verify everything—Ding He is undoubtedly my *Nini*!"

Jiang Yu said no more, simply smiling. "Congratulations, Sister Ping. After all these years, your wish came true."

Lan Raoping tightly held Ding He’s hand. She never expected such a coincidence to happen to her.

Her heart, suspended for so many years, could finally relax.

"Yes, my parents up in heaven can rest easy now."

Lan Raoping’s gaze returned to He Xing. From her clothes and complexion, it was clear this girl was having a hard time.

Seeing children around this age always made her think of her own daughter, making her feel for them.

"Since we’ve met by chance, how about Auntie buys you a pair of shoes as a welcome present?"

Ding He looked a little upset, tugging at Lan Raoping’s hand.

"Mom, you haven't even bought mine yet. Why are you buying for someone else first?"

She pouted, looking jealous.

Lan Raoping laughed helplessly—what a kid.

"Alright, we’ll buy yours first, then He Xing’s, okay?" she said.

He Xing hurriedly said, "That's not necessary, Auntie. Jiang Yu-jie has already bought me some. Please don't trouble yourself."

Jiang Yu, not wanting her to feel uncomfortable, said goodbye to Lan Raoping and led He Xing away.

As they walked, they talked about Lan Raoping's story, and He Xing sighed, "Auntie Lan is so pitiful, searching for her daughter all these years. Thankfully, heaven hasn't forgotten her."

Jiang Yu glanced at her, thinking how this girl was just as deserving of pity herself.

"Xing Er, I originally thought of getting you a temporary job at the second factory workshop, but you're too young for that now. How about I send you to school instead?"

He Xing had gone to elementary school for two years but had to drop out when Granny Blind fell ill. Later, she attended literacy classes organized by the commune. With her skills, she could manage third or fourth grade work.

"But I'm too old for school now."

"It's never too late to learn if you want to study. If you work hard and catch up, you might even skip grades. After finishing elementary and middle school, you could take the test for high school. Maybe even college someday."

He Xing felt a glimmer of hope at her words.

"Someone like me... could really go to high school?"

College was unimaginable to her—the college entrance exams had long been abolished. But even high school graduates were rare in Nanhe Village.

Jiang Yu smiled gently, her eyes full of tenderness.

"Someone like you—sincere, kind, and hardworking—why couldn’t you go to high school? Once you get your high school diploma, you might even become an office worker at the factory."

He Xing's eyes lit up. "Like you?"

Jiang Yu patted her head. "Better than me, even."

He Xing fidgeted with her hands. "If I could be even a little as good as Jiang Yu-jie, I'd be happy."

Jiang Yu raised an eyebrow. "So, is that a yes?"

"Yes, I'll go to school!"

Jiang Yu looked at her watch. "Let’s head back for lunch first. After that, I’ll take you to enroll."

She planned to place He Xing in He Feiyan’s class, where she could watch over her.

He Feiyan, hearing their plan, agreed immediately.

"Sister-in-law, don't you worry. Just leave Xing Er to me—I’ll take good care of her!"

They finished enrolling that same day, and classes would start the next day.