LESS GLAMOROUS PAST

More than a week passed, but Assistant Chen did not get in contact with Hu Lei. Her confidence was not shattered. She did not expect to be employed immediately. After all, her capabilities were not well-known. In addition, she had other more important matters to handle. If she did not get a position in Etude Technologies, she would not die. She would be a little miffed, but she would live.

Still, when she heard her phone ring, her heart leapt in her chest in anticipation. Unfortunately, it was not Assistant Cheng or that hateful man.

"Hello, Mother." She answered the call drily.

"Good afternoon, Hu Lei." An older woman spoke through the phone in a refined voice.

To Hu Lei, that voice was unfamiliar and the posh accent even more so. Though the woman on the other end of the line was her biological mother, she was not close with her. In fact, the last time she had seen the woman was seven years ago when she and her father had returned to the country briefly.

At the time, Hu father had had hopes that her mother wanted to reconnect with her child. Unfortunately, she only wanted to finalise their divorce and get remarried.

"How can I help you?"

Hu Lei did not know how to speak to the woman naturally. She could only adopt a professional persona for the occasion.

The older woman paused for a long moment before speaking stiffly.

"I am hoping that you can join me for brunch tomorrow."

Hu Lei had numerous questions floating through her head. Her first question would have been, brunch? Throughout her childhood in Supreme City, she had not seen her mother go for brunch. Then again, she had not seen her for years, and she had married into the high society. It was understandable. She chose to ask her next question.

"Who else will be attending this brunch?"

There was another pause.

"Hu Lei, I know that I have wronged you. I would like to form a closer relationship with you. We can begin with you meeting my family." She said in a soft tone.

Though Hu Lei was a little hurt by those words, she was not one to focus on the unimportant. Their relationship was not close, and her mother had a family she felt closer to. There was nothing that could be done about it.

"Have you told your new family about me?" she asked.

"My husband and children know everything about my less glamorous past." The older woman said in a slight self-mocking tone.

Her mother was obviously trying to make a self-deprecating joke. However, she did not consider the feelings of the daughter who was part of that dark past. Hu Lei felt pain, but she could not pinpoint the source. She had already seen the worst of her mother. How could she still be hurt by small things?

Unfortunately, she could not truly convince herself to abandon the small seed of hope that always lingered. After all, everyone claimed that it was impossible for a mother to truly forget or abandon her child.

In her mind, she imagined herself telling her mother off. She wanted to remind her of her abandonment, shunning and all the other things that had happened. However, she did not want to form a hostile relationship in a city she did not know anymore. Also, it was no secret that her father wanted her to reconnect with her mother and put the past behind.

Therefore, she said the only thing she could.

"I will be there. Send me the details." With that, she hung up.

Her deeply hurt face was seen by Bai Mama who had come to the manor to help with chores. The older woman looked at the little face with red-rimmed eyes and felt pain. She had not known Hu Lei for long, but it was impossible not to sympathise.

She had not known the Hu household when the family was still together. However, her gossipy husband, old Butler Bai, had filled her in on the happenings of the past. After interacting with the young lady, she had found her to be a sweet and kind soul. Therefore, she was on her side.

"Young Miss, you do not have to go anywhere." She spoke softly.

"I want to go. I would like to meet this family." The younger woman replied with a forced smile.

Hu Lei was truly curious. It was true that she was as hurt as anyone would be after being written off so casually by their mother. However, she could not pass off an opportunity to see how the woman had lived after moving to the greener side.