She quickly smiled and declined, "No need, I'll earn money soon enough. I'll create a beautiful life through my own efforts."
"Mengxing is such a strong and independent girl, unlike any other girl I've ever met."
Tang Yu looked at Gu Changye and Lin Mengxing with a gossipy expression.
Shen Yunyun also knew that Lin Mengxing wouldn't accept Gu Changye's pursuit. Although Lin Mengxing appeared to be seventeen now, she was actually over fifty. Setting aside the age gap, after enduring such heartbreaking betrayal in her marriage, how could she possibly remarry? How exceptional would someone have to be to make her reconcile with the past?
After Tang Yu and Gu Changye left, Lin Mengxing said to Shen Yunyun, "I'm planning to go back to Haicheng."
"To participate in some talent show?"
"No, to attend my own funeral."
Shen Yunyun felt as if her throat was choked, unable to speak for a long time. She didn't know whether to sympathize with her or congratulate her on completely breaking free from that identity. Her husband and son had just declared her dead like that? Those two bastards truly were cut from the same cloth.
Shen Yunyun cursed inwardly but said aloud, "Congratulations, from now on you can completely shed that identity."
"You really know how to comfort people," Lin Mengxing said with a smile.
Shen Yunyun admired her for being so open-minded. Thinking about her own past troubles, she still felt like going crazy, yet Lin Mengxing remained so emotionally stable.
"Trash is trash—once you throw it away, why cling to it? I've essentially been given a new life. I can embrace the future again and start over. I won't waste my energy on irrelevant people. I want to attend the funeral just to say a final goodbye to my former self."
"What Sister Mengxing says makes sense. You still have a great life ahead. We're not even eighteen yet, and from now on, every year will feel like eighteen. We have plenty of room to make mistakes—what's there to fear? Just go for it."
"Will you come with me?"
"You know my relationship with the Qiao family, right? What if we run into someone annoying?"
"But if you don't come, I won't have an excuse to go alone."
Shen Yunyun thought about it and realized she had a point. She was now Lin Mengxing, a poor orphan from Goose City Orphanage—how could she possibly have ties to the Sheng family? Besides, she had just become younger, not transmigrated into someone else's body. Sheng Mingyang might not remember what his mother looked like when she was young, but Sheng Sinian definitely would. What would happen when he saw Lin Mengxing?
Shen Yunyun grew curious. She wanted to stick around and watch the drama.
Lin Qingyu's funeral was held very grandly. The atmosphere in the hall was oppressive, and both father and son Sheng Sinian had red eyes, clearly having cried. Sheng Sinian, in particular, looked as if he had aged years overnight, with gray hair clearly visible at his temples. His entire demeanor radiated grief.
Shen Yunyun's eyes widened as she leaned in to ask Lin Mengxing, "Sister Mengxing, what's Sheng Sinian playing at? Is he showing belated affection? Are you going to fall for that?"
Lin Mengxing curled her lips into a mocking smile. "He's always been good at putting on a show in front of others. Acting this heartbroken is just to win himself a good reputation."
Shen Yunyun pursed her lips. "That's still disgusting. I really feel for Sister Qingyu—how did she end up with such a sugarcane man?"
"What's a sugarcane man?"
"Someone who's sweet at first, but in the end, all that's left is the dregs."