Chapter 106: A Belated Apology
The Ye sisters glanced at him with a hint of fear.
Xu Youyou frowned slightly.
Song Zhibai gave Lu Jingyao an unreadable look and said, “As long as the children are happy, that’s what matters most.”
Lu Jingyao’s heart skipped a beat. Judging from his rival’s reaction, he must have said something wrong.
He wanted to say something to salvage the situation, but Xu Youyou stood up and pulled him over to the scenic balcony.
If she didn’t know what kind of person Lu Jingyao was, she would have already scolded him for acting like an overbearing father. Some things weren’t appropriate to say in front of the two girls, so she quietly explained their background to him.
After hearing about the sisters’ tragic past, Lu Jingyao thought back to what he had just said. A rare sense of guilt arose in his heart. These two had struggled just to get enough to eat, and yet he had criticized them for treating snacks as meals…
“I was too quick to judge. I’ll apologize to them later,” Lu Jingyao admitted, not shirking responsibility.
Xu Youyou looked at him in surprise. She had assumed that someone as domineering as Lu Jingyao would never lower himself to apologize.
Lu Jingyao continued, “This isn’t the first time I’ve misjudged people. Back when we were abroad, I also misunderstood you. I’m sorry.”
These words had been weighing on his heart for a long time. Back then, he had thought Xu Youyou was just another vain woman trying to cling to him. He was so afraid she would latch onto him that he kept his distance. Now, looking back, not only had he been self-centered, but he had also wasted so much time.
Xu Youyou had long stopped holding a grudge over that. After all, the Zhaoyi Star was indeed expensive, and he had actually paid for it later. No one would turn against such a big client.
“A gentleman judges by actions, not intentions. You don’t actually need to apologize to me,” she said.
But Lu Jingyao insisted, “I want you to receive a formal apology.”
Xu Youyou raised an eyebrow. Although she didn’t really care about the past, it still felt nice to be respected. She smiled. “Then I’ll accept your apology. I forgive you.”
Lu Jingyao breathed a sigh of relief. His gaze shifted back to the two children watching TV in the living room. Suddenly, he wanted to do something for them.
“If they want to sever ties with their biological family, transferring their household registration to Shanghai would be best. It will help them with the college entrance exam in the future,” he said.
Beijing and Shanghai had some of the most favorable exam policies in the country.
Xu Youyou sighed. “Shanghai residency isn’t easy to obtain. It’s not just them—even I’m still registered as an out-of-towner.”
There were only a few ways to get registered in Shanghai. Adults had more options, but for children, their residency depended entirely on their guardians.
Lu Jingyao quickly thought of a solution. “The conventional methods won’t work, but there’s an alternative way.”
Xu Youyou’s eyes lit up. “You have an idea?”
Lu Jingyao nodded.
Xu Youyou was curious but hesitant to ask for his help. She wanted to give the girls the best possible future, but she also didn’t want to owe Lu Jingyao too much.
Sensing her hesitation, Lu Jingyao took the initiative. “Has your team gone to their hometown yet? I’ll have Assistant Liu accompany them and make sure everything gets handled properly.”
Xu Youyou asked, “What exactly is your plan?”
Lu Jingyao didn’t keep it a secret. “Adoption.”
Xu Youyou’s eyes widened. “Where are we going to find a suitable adoptive family on such short notice?”
Lu Jingyao smirked. “Life has its coincidences. I happen to know a childless couple who are lifelong Shanghai residents and meet the adoption requirements.”
Xu Youyou asked, “Would they be willing? The girls’ father is still alive. Can they even be adopted?”
Lu Jingyao remained composed. “This couple owes me a favor. They’ll likely be willing to help. As for their father, that’s the easiest part. With the right amount of money, I’m sure he’ll be more than willing to prove he’s incapable of raising them.”
Xu Youyou thought over Lu Jingyao’s plan. If everything went smoothly, it might actually work.
“I don’t want to use up your personal favors just for my sake…”
Before she could finish, Lu Jingyao interrupted, “I’m not just doing this for you. I feel sorry for the kids and want to help in whatever way I can. If anything, I should be thanking you for giving me the opportunity to do some good.”
Xu Youyou felt a pang of emotion. Since returning to China, Lu Jingyao seemed to have become much more approachable—nothing like the cold and distant man he had been abroad.
“Then, on behalf of the children, I thank you,” she said, accepting his kindness.
When Song Zhibai saw them returning from the balcony, seemingly having reached some sort of agreement, a wave of disappointment washed over him. It felt like he had already lost the competition.
“Dinner’s ready,” Song’s mother called with a warm smile.
Song Zhibai and the two sisters helped bring the dishes to the table. Xu Youyou wanted to help, but Song’s mother stopped her with a laugh. “With so many people here, we can’t have our guest doing the work.”
Because the two children were present, Song Zhibai and Lu Jingyao kept their rivalry in check during the meal.
Though Lu Jingyao saw Song Zhibai as a competitor, he was very respectful toward Song’s mother. When he genuinely wanted to please someone, it was hard to dislike him. The atmosphere at the dinner table was harmonious.
After dinner, Xu Youyou took the sisters to the balcony, and Lu Jingyao kept his promise, sincerely apologizing to them.
The two girls exchanged glances. Finally, the older sister spoke. “Mr. Lu, you don’t have to apologize to us. We’re used to being scolded—it’s nothing.”
Lu Jingyao felt a complicated mix of emotions. He didn’t even know how to respond, but the guilt in his heart deepened.
Xu Youyou, however, became serious. “Don’t say that. You’re no different from anyone else. You deserve respect. You should never just accept being mistreated.”
Looking at them was like looking into a mirror. In her past life, she had spent years chasing after a toxic idea of family love, only to lose all self-respect.
She didn’t want these girls to follow in her footsteps.
The older sister’s eyes welled up with tears. “So… it wasn’t because we weren’t good enough? It wasn’t because we didn’t do the chores properly?”
Xu Youyou nodded firmly. “You did nothing wrong. If anyone mistreats you for no reason, remember—it’s not your fault. They’re the ones who are messed up!”
The two girls gasped in shock.
The older sister hesitated, then asked, “Can we really have new names?”
Seeing their hopeful eyes, Xu Youyou nodded again.
The older sister said, “I want my name to have ‘sun’ in it. I want to be like the sun and protect Sister Youyou.”
The younger sister chimed in, “Can I be called ‘Baobao’? There was a girl in my class with that name. Her parents really loved her.”
Xu Youyou’s nose stung with emotion. “Alright. Yangyang and Baobao—it’s settled.”
