The Secret Affection Between a Foster Daughter and Her Guardian,Part One

01

Late autumn arrived with its chilly winds and deepening cold. On a sparse, crisp evening, the clock had already struck half past ten, yet Zheng Zifeng’s home remained brightly lit and filled with lively guests.

“Uncle Li, Uncle Zhang, Uncle Wang, it’s so rare to have you all here for dinner tonight — you must enjoy yourselves! It’s Uncle Zheng’s birthday, so make sure to drink a few more toasts with him. I’ll go whip up a couple more dishes. Take your time and eat well!” Li Xiaofei said with a sweet smile.

“Xiaofei, Xiaofei, don’t trouble yourself! Come, sit down and eat something first. Then tell us about all the interesting things happening at your university!” Li Feng, Zheng Zifeng’s closest friend, looked apologetically at Xiaofei, who had been busy since dusk. His eyes softened as he gazed at the graceful young woman, speaking with genuine warmth.

“It’s no trouble, Uncle Li! I’ll be done soon. Besides, it’s so rare to see all of you gathered together — I’m happy just watching!” Xiaofei replied cheerfully, her smile playful.

“Brother Zheng, it’s been so many years since your wife passed. You really should move on! Find someone decent, and start anew. Little Xiang is still young — he needs someone to care for him. You’re always buried in work, and the house is often cold with no proper meals. This isn’t good for the boy in the long run.”

“Ah… I know it’s time to let go. The departed are gone, but the living must carry on. But my heart… It’s hard to accept another relationship. What if I make a mistake and it hurts my child? That would backfire completely. Besides, with Xiaofei here — she’s attending university in the city and comes home every weekend — Xiang adores her. I don’t have to worry too much.” Zheng Zifeng sighed deeply, his expression complicated.

“But that’s not a permanent solution! Xiaofei’s already in college. A girl like her — bright, kind — will soon catch the eye of some fine young man. Once she starts dating, she won’t have as much time to spare…”

“Enough, enough! Brother Zheng has his own plans — let’s not decide for him! Come, let’s toast! Tonight, we talk only of pleasant things, not life’s troubles. Heaven has its own designs.” Sensing the conversation teetering toward discomfort, Li Feng quickly interjected with a lighthearted tone, raising his glass to diffuse the tension.

“Uncles, allow your niece to propose a toast! May you all enjoy good health and smooth sailing in all things!” Xiaofei emerged from the kitchen just in time, carrying fresh dishes. She set them down gracefully, her voice clear and bright as she smiled at the men.

02

Li Xiaofei had prepared small gifts for each of the uncles. As the warm family gathering came to an end, the guests departed, content and satisfied.

“Uncle Zheng, go freshen up. I’ll check on little brother once I’m done here — you should rest well tonight. Leave him to me!” Seeing Zheng Zifeng slumped wearily on the sofa, Xiaofei hurried over, urging him gently. She reached out to help him up.

“It’s fine, Xiaofei, I can manage. This little bit of wine is nothing,” Zheng Zifeng said, instinctively avoiding her touch. His expression was unreadable.

“Alright, then take it slow,” Xiaofei murmured, a faint trace of disappointment in her voice.

That night, Zheng Zifeng tossed and turned, unable to sleep. His mind swirled with countless thoughts, memories flooding back one after another.

Over a decade ago, Zheng Zifeng and his wife, Yang Xiumei, had finally united after a long romance, transitioning from campus sweethearts to real-life partners. Their love had been deep, the envy of many.

Yet there was one unavoidable, painful reality: after years of marriage, Yang Xiumei had never conceived. Zheng Zifeng’s parents grew resentful.

Forced to seek medical help, they discovered the problem lay with Yang Xiumei — her constitution was weak, and both of her fallopian tubes were blocked.

She underwent repeated treatments to clear the blockages, each session agonizing. Zheng Zifeng, heartbroken seeing his wife in pain, often begged her to stop. But Yang Xiumei refused to let her condition rob him of fatherhood or end the Zheng family line.

Clenching her teeth, she endured years of treatments, traveling to different hospitals, yet the results remained hopeless.

Finally, disheartened, Yang Xiumei gave up — for the time being. To lift her spirits, Zheng Zifeng took her traveling.

In a remote, picturesque mountain village, they met Li Xiaofei. 03

They had been so captivated by the mountain scenery that they wandered deep into the wilderness and lost their way. By chance, they encountered Li Xiaofei and her grandmother, who were gathering herbs in the remote hills. The elderly woman and her granddaughter guided Zheng Zifeng and his wife down the mountain and warmly invited them to their home for a meal.

By then, Zheng Zifeng and Yang Xiumei were famished, having exhausted their packed rations. Gratefully, they followed the pair back. But when they arrived at the small, weathered house, their hearts ached at the sight of such poverty. The home was sparsely furnished — just a battered wooden table, a grainy old television, and a few aged stools. The term “bare walls and empty halls” couldn’t have been more fitting.

Yet despite their own hardships, Xiaofei’s grandmother treated the couple with generous hospitality. She slaughtered the largest of their few chickens, cooked preserved meat usually saved for special occasions, and prepared a hearty spread of mountain bamboo shoots and other dishes.

Zheng Zifeng was deeply moved by the mountain folk’s kindness and warmth, but his heart also ached at the bleakness of the grandmother and granddaughter’s existence. Over the meal, they learned of Xiaofei’s tragic past. Her father had died young, and her mother had abandoned her within a year, never to return. Since then, the girl had clung to survival alongside her aging grandmother.

Zheng Zifeng and Yang Xiumei exchanged sorrowful glances as they listened, their eyes lingering on the seven-year-old girl. Her large, bright eyes shimmered with intelligence, yet a shadow of melancholy lingered in them. The couple left with heavy hearts, slipping the last few hundred yuan they had onto the table before departing in silence.

From then on, Yang Xiumei couldn’t forget the delicate, big-eyed girl. The image of Xiaofei’s small frame toiling through the mountains to gather herbs haunted her. She and Zheng Zifeng began making regular trips to visit the grandmother and granddaughter, and over time, the two families grew close.