Lucy's Origins

Lucy Lou sat hugging her knees, her chin resting on them, a look of reminiscence on her face. "My childhood... There wasn't much to be happy about when I was little."

Quentin Lin blinked at Lucy Lou. "Sister Lucy, how could you not have happy memories from childhood? Look at me—my mother died right after I was born, but my father doted on me, and so did Brother Simon, and all the uncles and elders at home. Now Father has even found me a loving new mother. Sister Lucy, your parents must have loved you too, right?"

Lucy Lou turned to look at Quentin Lin. Although Madam Lou often scolded Quentin Lin behind his back these days, Lucy Lou watched Quentin treat Madam Lou every day and found him especially adorable. She didn't dislike Quentin at all.

Especially since Lucy Lou had no friends and spent all her days with Madam Lou, having such a cute little brother around made her feel closer to him. There were things she couldn't say to Madam Lou, but in front of Quentin Lin, it was as if she could finally open up.

"I don't remember much about my childhood. Maybe it's because my mind isn't very good." Lucy Lou lowered her head, her expression tinged with sadness. "Ever since I was little, my parents said I was slow, ugly, and they didn't like me... I grew much slower than other kids my age. When others were four or five, I looked two or three, and I was slow to react. I learned to walk and talk late, so maybe that's why my parents didn't like me..."

"Later, when I was four or five, my parents brought home a younger sister, saying she was adopted. She was the same age as me but taller, smarter, and prettier. My parents liked her more than me. Back then, our family was well-off because Auntie always helped us, so my parents treated us equally and prepared everything in pairs. But one year, there was a drought, then a flood, and refugees everywhere drove us from our home and took our house. My parents, my sister, and I fled everywhere, hoping to reach Auntie's home in the capital. One time, on the road, there was a riot among the refugees. My parents protected my sister and ran away. I was weak and couldn't keep up, so I got separated from them and was kidnapped by traffickers, sold everywhere, until Auntie finally found me and saved me from misery. Auntie told me my parents and sister died on the road while fleeing." As Lucy Lou spoke of her past, her sadness was evident. Quentin Lin could sense that her parents didn't care for her much, and preferred the 'adopted' sister.

Quentin Lin looked at Lucy Lou's expression and sighed just like her, putting on a little adult's air. "Sister Lucy, I'm sure your parents still loved you."

Lucy Lou gave a bitter smile and glanced at Quentin Lin. "Quentin, you grew up spoiled and loved, a child soaked in a honey jar—you wouldn't understand. When I was little, the neighbors always mocked me, saying I was slow, short, and ugly, a freak, while praising my sister's looks. They said our family of four—my parents and sister looked like a real family, and I seemed like I was picked up off the street. Sometimes I wondered if I really was, because I didn't look like my parents, but my sister did. But Auntie said I was my parents' real child. Maybe I just looked so odd and ugly that I didn't resemble them at all."

Lucy Lou gave a self-deprecating laugh. When she mentioned the word "freak," a trace of sadness flashed in her eyes.