CHAPTER 4:A Name From The Past

The name Yu Lan echoed in Mei Xing's mind like a whisper in a dark corridor.

She sat on her bed, the confidential file spread out before her. Her hands trembled slightly as she re-read the letter attached to the hospital records—a brief note, no longer than a page, written in a worn but neat handwriting.

"To the family who will raise her,

Please take care of our daughter. We can't give her the life she deserves. Let her live where dreams grow and skies are clear. I will never forget her face.

—Yu Lan"

Mei Xing's eyes burned. The words weren't just ink on paper; they were pain, sacrifice, and a mother's heartbreak. Someone out there had given her up—not because they didn't love her, but because they thought it was the only way she could have a better future.

But who was Yu Lan? And why hadn't her parents told her anything? Were they ashamed? Afraid she would seek her real family?

The questions became a storm in her head.

The next morning, Mei Xing woke early, determined to find answers. She called the mansion's oldest housekeeper, Auntie Wen, who had worked for the Lin family for over two decades. If anyone knew the truth, it would be her.

Auntie Wen entered the room, wiping her hands on her apron. "You called me, Miss Xing?"

"Yes," Mei Xing said softly. "I need to ask you something… something important."

The elderly woman's eyes narrowed. "What is it, dear?"

"Do you know someone named Yu Lan?"

Auntie Wen's hands froze mid-wipe. The color drained slightly from her face.

"I found a letter," Mei Xing continued, watching her carefully. "It says she's my real mother."

A long silence followed. The only sound in the room was the ticking of the antique clock on the wall.

Finally, Auntie Wen sat down slowly, her shoulders heavy. "I hoped this day would never come… but I knew it might."

Mei Xing's heart raced. "So it's true?"

Auntie Wen nodded. "Your parents—Mr. and Madam Lin—couldn't have children for years. They tried everything. Then, one day, your father brought you home… said arrangements had been made with a woman in a village who wanted a better life for her child."

"Why didn't anyone tell me?" Mei Xing's voice cracked.

"They loved you like their own. We all did. Madam Lin… she truly believed you were her daughter in every way that mattered."

"But I'm not," Mei Xing whispered.

Auntie Wen looked at her with soft eyes. "Blood does not always make a family, child. Love does. But I understand. You need to know who you are."

And in that moment, Mei Xing knew what she had to do.

She was going to find Yu Lan—no matter what it took.