Memories of The Past (1)

Zhou Yuan found himself lost in an impenetrable darkness, where time held no significance. His consciousness drifted aimlessly, detached from any sense of space or direction.

Out of the blue, a brilliant flash of light materialized, seemingly pulling Zhou Yuan away from the abyss that had ensnared him.

Disoriented, Zhou Yuan slowly opened his eyes, only to find himself standing in the middle of a hallway. Directly in front of him stood an apartment door, boldly labeled with the number 302. 

Zhou Yuan's heart skipped a beat as he exclaimed in alarm, "Is... is this my house?" 

Memories from his previous life flooded his mind, reminding him of the small apartment complex he once called home. 

But something else clicked in his head, sending a wave of realization through him. 

"I can see?!" he exclaimed, his voice filled with astonishment. 

It wasn't just his spirit sight or artificially produced images in his Soul Sea. This was genuine sight, allowing him to perceive the world with his own eyes. 

Voices from inside the apartment caught his attention, and after a brief moment of hesitation, Zhou Yuan mustered the courage to turn the doorknob and open the door.

To his astonishment, as he attempted to turn the doorknob, he effortlessly passed through it and found himself outside.

Before him stood a sight that rendered him speechless and motionless. His entire being froze, his hands trembling as his mind grappled with the unfolding scene.

Zhou Yuan's gaze fell upon a young woman with lustrous black hair and large brown eyes. Her natural beauty emanated youthfulness, and she wore simple attire without unnecessary adornments.

In a mere moment, Zhou Yuan's eyes locked onto her, and he instantly recognized her as his mother. A flood of memories inundated his mind, transporting him back to a time of innocence and simplicity. 

However, amidst the bittersweet nostalgia, a surge of anger welled up within Zhou Yuan's heart as he observed the other individuals present. His fists clenched, trembling with suppressed fury.

Standing before his mother were two middle-aged individuals, unmistakably they were his paternal grandparents. 

They were dressed ostentatiously and wore haughty expressions, exuding an air of arrogance that revealed their disdain for those they considered inferior. Astonishingly, none of them seemed to acknowledge Zhou Yuan's presence, as if he were invisible to their eyes.

Zhou Yuan frowned deeply, for some reason this scene felt incredibly familiar to him. As Zhou Yuan tried to make sense of the unfolding scene, the middle-aged woman spoke with a tone of arrogance. 

"Ye Huanhuan, do you honestly believe that just because you gave birth to Luo Zhang's children, my husband and I will consider them our grandchildren? Ha, the Luo family is not something that someone like you can be a part of."

Zhou Yuan furrowed his brows as he listened to the woman's audacious words. 

This woman was Hu Yehua, his paternal grandmother. 

Beside her stood Luo Heng, her husband and a prominent figure in the business world. They were the parents of his irresponsible father, Luo Zhang.

Ye Huanhuan's face paled slightly, but she bit her lip and spoke up.

"Madam Luo, Little Lin is sick, and I don't have enough money. Brother Zhang took everything I earned this month to gamble again. I'm not asking for money for free, just lend it to me for now. I promise to pay you back as soon as possible."

Zhou Yuan's entire body felt numb, his fists clenched tightly. Initially, he had a sense of familiarity with this scene, but now he knew exactly what it was. 

It was a memory from when he was around nine years old, during a time when he fell ill and developed a high fever. He had overheard his mother talking with unfamiliar people and had quietly approached to eavesdrop.

Back then, his deadbeat father was still married to his mother, and they lived together. 

Every month, his father would take away his mother's hard-earned money to gamble, promising to earn it all back and more.

"What does that have to do with us?" Hu Yehua said dismissively, snorting in contempt.

"Miss Ye, the both of us came here today for one simple task. If you agree, then we can provide financial support for you and your son for the rest of your lives," Luo Heng, standing beside his wife, said in an indifferent tone as he placed a file in front of her.

Ye Huanhuan, though somewhat surprised, still chose to pick up the file. However, a sense of unease washed over her when she noticed that Luo Heng only mentioned her and her son, but not her daughter. As she read each page, her face started to lose color, eventually becoming pale.

"Y..you both want custody of Little Xing..." Ye Huanhuan's initially calm facade completely shattered at that moment. Clearly, the contents of the contract had shocked her to the core.

Hu Yehua seemed unfazed by Ye Huanhuan's reaction and said, "Of course we want her. Unlike your firstborn, who has a weak physique and is always getting sick, Little Xing is healthy and smart. Despite having your blood, she is still acceptable to our family."

"We plan to have her adopted by Luo Zheng's brother. As long as you sign this contract, giving us full custody of her and agreeing to never contact her again, we'll provide you and your son with a monthly allowance to ensure a comfortable life."