My family was also very poor, and no one knew I was the illegitimate daughter of Wan Guohua, the richest man in the city.
Because he never acknowledged me.
My mother used to be a maid in Wan Guohua's house. In his early years, he lusted after my mother's beauty, forced her into bed, and got her pregnant.
But he was afraid his official wife would find out and instead accused my mother of having an affair with a servant, saying she was indiscreet, and drove my pregnant mother out of the Wan Family.
My mother was left helpless and in tears, and could only raise me on her own.
In the following years, the Wan Family secretly sent money, but my stubborn mother never spent a penny of it, and eventually passed away from illness.
Because of my mother's experience, I never dressed up, thinking all men were lechers, wishing that I would grow uglier by the day.
At the prime of my youth, I didn't look like a girl at all. My hair was a mess, and I was quite plump and strong. I had few friends, let alone a boyfriend.
In my junior year of college, a man about my age secretly came to find me and told me that Wan Guohua's wife had died.
He said he could take me back to the Wan Family and make me a young lady of fortune.
The man was my half-brother, Wan Fang. He said he knew everything about my mother and me and had been sending money to my family all these years.
I didn't like him at first, but thinking he was different from Wan Guohua, I hesitated.
Especially since Wan Fang kept calling me 'sister' sincerely, which moved me deeply.
"You are a good kid; you're better than your dad. But I'm used to being alone now. As for your family, just forget it."
"Sister, my dad actually regrets it too, but he was constrained by my mom's authority. Now that my mom is gone, dad is also alone. He said he agrees to bring you back home. We even have a sister at home who's also looking forward to your return. Whether it's to make amends or repay a debt, let me and dad atone for our mistakes together."
Wan Fang spoke very sincerely, but I still refused.
So many years of hatred cannot be forgiven with just a few words.
Honestly, I yearn for family affection, fatherly love, and the feeling of a happy family. But thinking of the look in my mother's eyes filled with resentment before she died of illness, I could never forgive that man in my lifetime.
"I will come again, sister."
Wan Fang held my hand seriously and forcibly left his phone number.
In all these years, he was the first boy who didn't despise me, who held my hand. Although he was my brother, his sincerity and warmth surprisingly made me enjoy it a little.
What I didn't expect was that the day after Wan Fang came to see me, the famous school beauty Qinghan took the initiative to strike up a conversation with me.
When I was getting food in the cafeteria, she even bought me a drink, ignoring others' opinions, and sat down smiling to eat with me.
She said she had seen me in the library and noticed I took reading very seriously. She liked to make friends with book lovers.
Qinghan's words were charming, and she was good-looking, which made self-conscious me admire her and be pleasantly surprised.
Soon, I became her confidante, but around her, more boys inexplicably appeared.
They were always around her, while I stood aside like a redundant clown.
But Qinghan never neglected me or left me in embarrassing solitude; her high emotional intelligence not only won my heart but also captured the hearts of many boys.
I became more and more trusting of Qinghan, so when she asked about my family, I unreservedly told her about my background.
She listened with tears in her eyes, hugged me while crying, wiped my tears, and solemnly told me, "You should return to the Wan Family and reclaim your status as a young lady of fortune!"