Mommy, don't be afraid, I'll bring you blind boxes and scam you out of a wealthy family to

After driving three streets outside Duanjia's territory, the old lady finally couldn't hold back any longer and took out her phone.

"President Zhou, great news!" Her voice trembled with excitement. "We did everything you said, and the Duan family actually agreed... three hundred million! Not a single penny less!"

The old man also came over and shouted into the speakerphone, "My son-in-law went to cause trouble several times, but not only did he not get a single penny, he almost ended up in jail. Mr. Zhou, you really have a way with things!"

A low chuckle came from the other end of the phone: "Really? It seems Duan Hetong really cherishes this little one..."

"You wouldn't believe it, we all thought he would never agree to such a large sum, but he didn't even blink—"

beep.

The phone hangs up.

The old lady paused, staring at the words "Call Ended" on the screen, and muttered, "What kind of attitude is this?"

The old man didn't care: "Capable people often have big tempers. Why worry about so much? As long as I get the money, that's all that matters."

The old lady was worried, though, because 300 million yuan wasn't something that could be given away just like that; there were various procedures to go through.

In the end, will it really get its hands on them—will it actually reach the hands of those two old people?

The other side of the city.

Zhou Huateng stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window and spun his phone around.

Outside the window were the myriad lights of Tan City, a bustling scene he almost missed.

At that party, Duan Hetong's young maid not only humiliated him in public but also brought up accounting issues. Fortunately, he had diligently cultivated relationships and smoothed things over the years, which allowed him to escape unscathed.

Even so, Huateng Group still suffered a heavy blow, and he almost lost his position as chairman.

Zhou Huateng raised his glass, holding it out with a triumphant smile.

"Duan Hetong, Duan Hetong, I'll make you taste the bitterness of utter disgrace!"

-

Tanshi First Hospital.

The VIP ward area was quiet. Wen Li held Duan Hetong's hand, her little leather shoes clicking on the gleaming floor, making a crisp sound in the empty corridor.

Duan Hetong looked down at her.

Ever since the exhibition fiasco, the little guy has become especially attached to him.

He had to eat next to her, and even when he slept, he had to hold onto her clothes tightly, making sure she was always within his sight, as if she would disappear if she didn't look at her for a second.

Duan Hetong knew the reason very well.

The adoption process is frozen, and the children may not fully understand the concept, but their fear is no less.

She was afraid of leaving her behind.

"Bang bang." Wen Li raised her little face.

"Um?"

"Can I come with Li Bao today?"

Her sweet, childlike voice carried a hint of pleading. Her dark, grape-like eyes were moist, and no one could utter a word of refusal when looked at by them.

In the past, when he accompanied Wen Li to the hospital, he would wait outside the ward so as not to disturb the rare and precious time the mother and daughter could spend together.

So, by that logic, he hasn't really looked closely at Wen Li's mother yet.

But the little guy said that today.

"Okay," he agreed.

Wen Li's eyes lit up immediately, and she gripped his hand even tighter, rushing towards the ward as if afraid he would change his mind.

The curtains in the ward were half-drawn, and soft light fell on the patient.

The woman's face was almost bloodless, as white as snow and jade. Her breathing was so steady it was almost linear; with her, even time seemed to stand still.

Wenli has gotten used to her mom like this.

She released Duan Hetong's hand, expertly soaked a towel, moved a small stool over, climbed up, and wiped her mother's face and hands.

"Mommy, Pear's here to see you~" she murmured. "Pear and Gugu planted flowers together, and they'll be blooming soon; Uncle made fish, but it was black and bitter; Pear even massaged Grandpa's legs..."

Everyone in the family should be mentioned.

Duan Hetong suddenly became curious about how she was going to introduce herself.

Little Wenli busied herself around, then nestled next to her mother and said, "Baba wore sunglasses today, he looks so handsome! Mommy, when you wake up, you should see him too..."

Duan Hetong stepped forward and stopped at the foot of the bed.

This was the first time he had seriously looked at Wen Li's mother.

Wen Shulian, that's what the sign on the hospital bed says.

It's a beautiful name, yet it inexplicably evokes sadness.

Just like her young and lonely life.

Thin is the first impression.

The prolonged coma had taken its toll on her health, leaving her several layers thinner than before. Had she not received the best medication in time, she might have withered away at any moment.

Even so, her original appearance is still evident; she has a high nose bridge, beautiful eyebrows and eyes, and is captivating even without makeup.

Duan Hetong frowned.

For some reason, he felt she looked somewhat familiar.

It's not just a social nicety like "I've seen this girl before," but more like a long-forgotten dream, so long that even I thought I'd forgotten it.

Duan Hetong closed his eyes, trying to salvage traces from the torrent of memories.

Why does it seem like...?

He remembered the old photograph he kept in his study: a girl in a white dress playing the piano.

That was the white moonlight he caught a glimpse of when he was a teenager, and it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call it his first love.

But this photo was taken abroad. Regardless of the Wen family's economic situation, it's impossible to change Wen Shulian's race.

"Beep beep..."

"Beep beep!"

The baby's voice brought the adults back to reality.

Wen Li tilted her head and asked curiously, "Baba, do you know Mommy?"

Despite her apparent anticipation, Duan Hetong answered truthfully, "I don't know him."

The little one was indeed a bit disappointed, but quickly cheered up: "Now, we can get to know each other too!"

Duan Hetong ruffled her hair: "Yes, you're right. We'll get to know each other when your mommy wakes up."

Wen Li's eyes crinkled with excitement for this bright future: "Mommy, you're the most, most, most beautiful person in the world!"

Duan Hetong's gaze swept over the person on the hospital bed once again.

"Indeed," he said.

-

With 36 hours left in the countdown, Wenli sat next to her mother, her little hand supporting her chin, looking like a little flower lost in thought.

What can Pear Baby do?

If the countdown ends and Baba hasn't signed yet, Libao will have no home.

Milk Dumpling wondered if there was any other way to keep this family together.

such as……

The little light bulb on his head lit up—

Want to take a picture?

She has neither a cell phone nor a camera, and doesn't want to use any. Because ordinary photos can't capture the essence of this family; you need something really special.

"Chirp chirp, Pear wants to take a picture." She called out to the system in her mind.

[Here it comes! Little Pear, do you want to open a limited-edition photoshoot-themed blind box? Limited editions are a bit more expensive than regular ones, 300 points each.]

Wen Li took out a pink camera that felt like jelly and was covered with various cartoon stickers, like a children's toy.

[SR·I Love My Home Polaroid Camera]

[Usage Limit: 2 times]

[Function: Displays a "family portrait" of the subject—the subject themselves, along with their three most important family members.]

Wenli decided to take a picture of her mother first.

click.

A Polaroid photo is ejected from the top of the camera.

Wenli held the pear in her hand and waited devoutly as the human figure gradually appeared.

The first one to appear was Mommy.

"Wow..." The little dumpling was very surprised.

When the photo was taken, Mommy was lying in the hospital bed;

The mother in the photo is also in a hospital bed, but she is leaning against the headboard, awake, with a rosy complexion, looking very healthy, and smiling at the camera.

The little girl's nose felt a little sore; she hadn't seen her mother smile in a long time.

The second thing that appears is the newborn being held in the mother's arms.

The little bundle of milk was a little unsure, was this... itself?

The appearance of the third and fourth people at the same time startled Wen Li so much that she almost threw the photo away!

Two people stood on either side of the hospital bed; they appeared to be the maternal grandparents, but—

Both of them are black and white.

It's not the pale colors of faded old photos, but a lifeless black, white, and gray.

Even more bizarrely, both of their faces were distorted, as if they had been pieced together from somewhere else, looking completely out of place.

The milk dumpling stared wide-eyed.

The mother and myself (I think it's myself?) in the photo are clearly in normal color.

Grandpa and Grandma, why did the color fade?

Did Pear's hand shake just now?

The little dumpling was full of questions, forgetting the limit on the number of times the Polaroid camera could be used, and picked it up to take another picture of Mommy.

Soon, the photos were produced.

Mommy and myself, just like in the first picture.

But my maternal grandparents have disappeared.

They seemed to be "squeezed out" of the photo, with only two grayish afterimages at the edge of the frame, like smoke blown away by the wind.

Standing next to Mommy were two unfamiliar elders.

The man's hair was neatly combed, he wore a dark suit, his shoulders were straight, and he was calm and dignified.

The woman wore a light-colored long dress and a pearl necklace, looking dignified and elegant.

The two were dressed in fine clothes and had an outstanding demeanor, as if they were born into a prestigious family—perhaps even comparable to the Duan family.

This time, the milk dumplings' hands didn't shake, and the colors were all vibrant, but their facial features were still unclear.

Wen Li strained her eyes, but it was no use.

She looked at her mother again and noticed that her mother's expression seemed somewhat different compared to the first picture.

Warmth, relaxation, and the happiness of being loved.

just like……

It seems like Mommy now has a real home.

Such strangeness was far beyond Naituzi's comprehension. She took the photo and ran out of the ward.

In the corridor, Duan Hetong had just hung up the phone.

Seeing Wen Li run out, he bent down and opened his arms—a muscle memory that had become a conditioned reflex since some time ago.

The little dumpling buried her face in his chest, held up the photo, and, still breathless, exclaimed, "Look, look! Pear Baby took this!"

Duan Hetong took it and naturally noticed the strangeness as well.

He frowned: "When was this taken?"

"Just now. Li Bao used this." Wen Li pulled out a Polaroid camera, her little face full of confusion. "Bang, is the camera broken?"

Before Duan Hetong could answer, she suddenly remembered something, and her little shoulders slumped: "Oh dear, Li Bao forgot, we can only take two photos, so we can't take a family photo..."

Duan Hetong was unaware of the usage restrictions and comforted her, saying, "It's okay, I'll take you to film again next time."

But next time you take a picture, it won't be a magic camera anymore...

Wen Li was a little disappointed, but she still obediently agreed.

Duan Hetong pondered for a moment: "Can I keep the photos for now?"

Wen Li nodded, then pointed to the second photo: "The mommy here is even happier."

Duan Hetong looked at it and confirmed it was true. But he still asked Wen Li, "Why do you say that?"

"Because... um..." Wen Li struggled to organize her thoughts, pointing her little hand at the photo, "Mommy is smiling, just like when Li Bao sees Baba, Grandpa, Gugu, Uncle..."

That was her mother, by blood. No one could understand Wen Shulian's joys and sorrows better than her.

Wen Li clung to Duan Hetong's hand, tilting her head to look at the photos, increasingly puzzled: "Why do my grandparents keep changing? Which ones are the real ones?"

Duan Hetong was taken aback.

The speaker may not have meant anything by it; the little guy was probably just trying to identify the blurry figures in the photo.

The listener may be interested.

He subtly changed the subject, and Wen Li's attention was quickly drawn to the snacks the nurse was feeding her.

He then took out his phone and found a number that had no contact name.

[Check Wen Shulian's background again, and tell me immediately if you find any suspicious points.]

After sending the message, he glanced at the inner room of the ward again.

I'd actually felt something was off a long time ago.

A parent's daughter was seriously injured in a car accident and became a vegetable. After such a big incident, how could any parent be indifferent?

—Unless, she is not her "biological" daughter at all.