Peppermint Alley in Beixian District was a village in the city and the most famous slum in M City. It was not as elegant as its name suggested.
Even during the day, no one was willing to come here, let alone at night. The people who lived here were at the bottom of society. There were peddlers, drug addicts, and all kinds of people who had been released from prison. In order to survive, they lived like ants.
This was not only the slums, but also the most famous black market. Those shady crimes were natural here.
Therefore, when the Gu family's luxury car drove into the narrow alley, almost all the windows peeked out to admire the grand occasion. It was something that never happened before.
More than a dozen people, both men and women, got out of the three luxury cars. All of them were bright and beautiful people, making the filthy and ugly alley, which could not even be illuminated by the hot sun in broad daylight, look even more dilapidated.
"Yo! Where did this idiot come from? Does he think this place is a tourist attraction? Hahaha..."
"You're the fool! Open your dog eyes and look at the license plate! That was the Gu family's car! The Gu family!"
"Which Gu family?"
"Which Gu family? Which Gu family can you think of with that smooth brain of yours?"
"Look, look! They've entered Building 9!"
"Building 9? Qin Zhi, that girl? Could they be looking for Qin Zhi?"
"No way? How could Qin Zhi have any relationship with the Gu family?"
"Why is it impossible? You see, they didn't hesitate at all and went straight to Building 9. Now only Zhizhi lives in Building 9, and this girl is not willing to move out no matter what. She said that her sister's soul has been guarding her, sigh!"
"But what does this have to do with the Gu family? You're digressing too much."
"Hey, didn't the Gu family lose a child a few years ago? I heard that Mrs. Gu has gone crazy from looking for the child. Oh my God, is our Zhizhi a child of the Gu family?"
"Don't you think your imagination is a little too rich? Our Zhizhi may be a little cutie, but this child's life is more bitter than black coffee. How could she have any relationship with the heavenly Gu family?"
There were not many decent houses in Peppermint Alley, and they were not soundproof at all. They did not need to walk up and down the crude stairs, and could chat freely by leaning out of the window.
"Hurry! He looked there and there! She really went to Zhizhi's house! No, we have to go and take a look. Don't let the girl be bullied!"
The entire Peppermint Alley was stirred.
Qin Zhi quietly looked at the group of men and women who had rushed in. She had just been chased by this group of people and ran all the way to the fifth floor in one breath. Her breathing was rapid and even uneven for a moment.
The small room seemed to be short of air with so many people in it.
Qin Zhi's back was tightly pressed against the wall. She was holding a black cat that was as thin as her in her arms. She looked at the people in front of her alertly. Suddenly, her eyes fell on the face of the woman in the middle. She had the same face as her! It was just that this woman was a little old.
Qin Zhi swallowed with great effort, trying to suppress her wildly beating heart.
Everyone looked at Qin Zhi, and no one spoke for a while.
Qin Zhi saw that almost everyone's eyes were glistening with tears, and the woman who looked very similar to her had tears streaming down her face. She had long been sobbing.
"Zhizhi, my Zhizhi! I'm your mother! I'm your mother!" Her entire body was trembling. She wanted to reach out to touch her, but it was as if she was imprisoned and could not move forward. She could only reach out to her with trembling hands and mumble her name.
A younger woman beside her held onto her, gently caressing her back as she consoled her, "Sister-in-law, don't be agitated. It's good that you've found Zhizhi. Don't be agitated, and take care of your health."
The woman's body went soft and she collapsed on the old floor. Qin Zhi's heart tightened. She involuntarily took two steps forward and wanted to support her, but she backed away warily and leaned against the wall again as if the wall could give her a sense of security. The kitten in her arms jumped out and leaned tightly against her feet.
Gu An squatted down and looked at the skinny little girl in front of him. Her face was yellow and she looked emaciated. His heart ached.
Although she looked malnourished, her eyebrows and eyes were exactly the same as his wife, Han Li. He even felt that there was no need to do a paternity test at all.
He tried his best to soften his voice. "Zhizhi, I'm your father and this is your mother. You're our biological daughter. I'm sorry. It's our fault for losing you and making you suffer."
Gu An was so sad that she could not continue.
The daughter that he had been looking forward to, the chubby little ball, had been lost by those bastards. For so many years, his whole family had worked hard to find his daughter.
Han Li blamed herself and was sad. Her body was exhausted, her heart was not good, and her mental state was also getting worse.
He reached out to embrace Han Li and gently patted her back. Han Li, don't cry. Don't scare Zhizhi.
Han Li immediately wiped away her tears, but her tears seemed to have burst out of a dam and could not be stopped. "Zhizhi, I'm sorry. Mommy has let you down. Mommy was wrong, it's all mommy's fault..."
Han Li covered her mouth and cried so hard that she felt like her liver and guts were about to break.
Gu An had no choice but to hold Han Li and support her swaying body. He looked at Qin Zhi, who was nervous and on guard, and said gently, "Zhizhi, we're here to take you home. Grandpa and Grandma are waiting for you at home. They miss you very much."
He glanced at Han Li in his arms. "Your mother's heart is not good. She misses you too much..."
His last word turned into a sigh, and his eyes turned red.
Qin Zhi finally took two steps forward and raised her eyes to look at Han Li. "Are you really my mother?"
In the end, she was still attracted by this face that was exactly the same as hers. The moment she opened her mouth, her voice stunned everyone. Her childish voice was crisp and soft, as if it was gently caressing the tip of everyone's heart, numbing and soft.
Han Li's eyes were filled with surprise. She struggled to push Gu An away and slowly knelt down. She looked at Qin Zhi at eye level and nodded with tears in her eyes. "Zhizhi, I'm your mother..."
She reached out her trembling hand, wanting to touch Qin Zhi's face, but she was afraid that her daughter would not accept her. She was hesitant and timid.
Qin Zhi finally took two steps forward, allowing Han Li's hand to touch her.
Qin Zhi opened her mouth again. "I don't remember you. I didn't know I had a mother."
Her voice was soft, and there was an indescribable grievance in it.
Han Li could not hold it in any longer. He grabbed Qin Zhi's hand and hugged her tightly in his arms, crying out loud.
She was crying about her self-blame, her longing, and her pain.
"Baby, I'm sorry. It's all mommy's fault. Mommy accidentally lost you. Mommy's bad. Mommy's wrong!"