Standing Next To You-Chapter 523: I am Your Mother

It was morning, and the sky was heavy with dark clouds. There were signs of rain, and in some areas of country C, it had already started. As the weather grew colder, many people began to fall ill.

Grandma Bei was one of them.

Bei Sangyun brought herbal tea to Grandma Bei’s bedroom. Looking at her grandmother, who had always been healthy and upbeat, suddenly falling sick, Bei Sangyun couldn’t help but worry.

"Let’s go to the hospital later," Bei Sangyun said after taking the cup back from Grandma Bei.

"Don’t worry too much. It’s nothing. I just haven’t been getting enough sleep these past few days."

"Still, I’m afraid your past illness might have flared up again. It’s better to be sure." Bei Sangyun was firm. Grandma Bei couldn’t object, so she finally agreed to go for a check-up later.

"Dear..." Grandma Bei suddenly held Bei Sangyun’s arm. She hesitated before asking, "...Has anyone come looking for you in the past few days?"

Bei Sangyun blinked. Grandma Bei had asked her the same question the other day.

"No one has come looking for me," Except for the people from the Chen family.

She clasped Grandma Bei’s hand in return. "What’s going on, Grandma?"

Grandma Bei hesitated for a long moment before finally sighing. "...We haven’t talked about your mother for a long time, have we?"

Bei Sangyun froze.

Grandma Bei looked at her with an uneasy smile. "The truth is... your mother contacted me recently. She came to the village two days ago." Grandma Bei took both of Bei Sangyun’s hands and squeezed them gently. However, her trembling eyes betrayed her nervousness as she explained.

"I wanted to tell you, but we haven’t spoken about your mother since you asked me about her as a child. And in the past few days, you’ve seemed so happy that I couldn’t bring myself to ruin it by mentioning her. I know your mother is a sensitive topic. I didn’t want to spoil your good days just because she appeared. I understand if you’re upset—"

Bei Sangyun suddenly hugged Grandma Bei, unable to bear seeing her so anxious and uncertain.

"I’m not upset, Grandma. Were you unable to sleep because of this?" Bei Sangyun sighed softly, her heart aching. Grandma must have been worrying about this so much that it made her ill. "You don’t have to tread so carefully around me. We’re family. Just tell me what’s on your mind."

Perhaps the person she had been in the past would have been upset—perhaps she would have felt betrayed.

After all, the person she had once been was someone who never showed mercy to those who left or hurt her.

But ever since Fei Chuan had forgiven her and accepted her for a second time—and as she had seen people she thought were lost causes change for the better—her perspective on life had shifted. She had learned to give herself a chance to change and to forgive, and so had the people around her.

As her perspective changed, the darkness that had once loomed over her heart and soul began to dissipate. It allowed her to see what she had been blind to before.

Grandma Bei hugged her back, gently patting Bei Sangyun’s shoulder. "You’ve grown so much. You’ve even become someone who comforts an old woman like me," Grandma Bei said with a soft smile. She then began to recount what had happened two days ago.

Her daughter, Bei Xingyun—whom she had lost all contact with twenty years ago—had suddenly shown up in River Village. Bei Xingyun had gone to their old house, and after finding it empty, she sought out the village chief to inquire about their whereabouts.

The village chief had no contact with the Bei family, and most people in the village weren’t close to Grandma Bei, especially after Bei Sangyun had left due to the incident. However, the Bang couple, who lived next door, had maintained contact with Grandma Bei over the years.

"The Bang couple always looked out for you when you were young. They treated you like their own child. After you suddenly left, they were so concerned about you and kept asking me where I had sold you," Grandma Bei said with a chuckle at the memory.

The Bang couple had believed she had sold her granddaughter to a wealthy family. But because of her prideful nature back then, Grandma Bei hadn’t explained anything to them and remained stubbornly silent. This only strained their already distant relationship further.

"Maybe it was death knocking on my door that finally made me realize some things," Grandma Bei said with a wistful look. "What I taught you back then wasn’t right. It’s okay to ask for help, to rely on others, and to trust them. After all, we’re only human. Helping others and accepting help in return is what it means to live."

Her eyes filled with regret as she looked at Bei Sangyun. "I don’t want you to be left all alone. I don’t want you to face your pain by yourself. Life is less lonely and less painful when you have people you trust by your side.

"After I finished my treatment abroad, I asked Guard Huang if he could contact the Bang couple for me. Thanks to his help, I was able to talk to them again." Grandma Bei smiled at the memory.

She still remembered the look of surprise on the Bang couple’s faces when she reached out to them first. She had apologized to them and thanked them for taking care of her granddaughter in the past. Since then, she had kept in touch with them.

"They told me your mother had come looking for us. They had only good intentions and gave her my contact information."

Grandma Bei paused, her expression growing somber. "When I received the first call, I was shocked. I thought your mother had completely left us behind. The last time I saw her, she handed you to me—you are just a baby at that time—and she promised she would return. At first, there were letters, but by the time you turned two, the letters stopped coming. fɾēewebnσveℓ.com

"Your mother said in her last letter that she had married into a good family. And that it would be her final letter," Grandma Bei said, her eyes glistening with tears. "I couldn’t tell you the truth back then."

Whenever young Bei Sangyun asked about her mother, Grandma Bei had no choice but to lie. She couldn’t bear to tell her bright little granddaughter that her mother had abandoned them. Yet, she also couldn’t bring herself to hate her daughter for choosing a better life for herself.

Bei Sangyun hugged Grandma Bei tightly.

This was the first time she had ever heard Grandma Bei mention her mother. She could now grasp how deeply her grandmother had struggled, carrying this burden silently in her heart for so many years. It ached to think that Grandma Bei had passed away without ever sharing this weight she had borne for so long.

When Bei Sangyun first learned of Bei Xingyun’s existence, it hit her hard. By then, Grandma Bei was no longer there, and she had no one to turn to for solace. She faced her mother, who appeared in her life for the very first time, and she did not handle it well.

But maybe this time, things could be different. After all, Bei Sangyun was no longer the person consumed by revenge and hatred.

"I’m not angry, Grandma. I understand," Bei Sangyun said softly, pulling back to look into her grandmother’s eyes. "Did she wish to meet me?"

Grandma Bei met her gaze, her heart aching for her sweet granddaughter. "You don’t have to if you feel you can’t," she said softly. After a moment of hesitation, her tone grew firmer. "However, you might regret it in the future if you don’t meet her. In the end, you’ll question things and wonder about the ’what ifs.’"

Bei Sangyun smiled, understanding her grandmother’s intent clearly. "I understand. I’ll meet her."

Grandma Bei suddenly held her hand, her grip steady and reassuring. "Whether you forgive her or not is entirely up to you. Whatever you decide, I’ll support you."

Bei Sangyun’s smile widened. "Thank you, Grandma."

.......

The rain had begun to drizzle. On the second floor of a quaint coffee shop, a gentle-looking woman gazed out the window, watching the pitter-patter of raindrops hit the glass.

She was youthful in appearance, her fair skin and delicate features drawing the occasional glance from passing men.

Moments later, another younger woman arrived. There was a clear resemblance between the two. If one looked closely at their features, they would easily guess they were related by blood. Yet their auras were starkly different.

The second woman’s expressionless face exuded a fierce and intimidating presence.

Bei Xingyun noticed Bei Sangyun approaching. The dazed look she wore while watching the rain vanished, replaced by a sparkle of longing and joy in her eyes.

Bei Sangyun sat across from her and met her gaze. Seeing the woman who had given birth to her yet abandoned her stirred strange emotions within her. Even though this wasn’t their first time meeting like this, the awkwardness and discomfort lingered, as if she were reliving the same scene all over again.

"I heard from Grandma that you wanted to see me?" Bei Sangyun asked, masking whatever strange feeling she had with a composed demeanor.

Bei Xingyun smiled, her eyes glistening and full of emotion.

"Yes. You must have heard about me from Mother. My name is Xingyun, I am your mother."

Bei Sangyun stared at her, expressionless.

Bei Xingyun smiled, her tone was full of apology," I know you have many questions, and my sudden appearance in your life at this moment might upset you. But I hope you can lend me your ears."