Gateway to Happiness - Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Abandoned

Year 23 under the Tang Empire’s rule, Gu Xi Town.

“Ah Qing, give the child to me! It’s time to send her away. We still have to hurry…” At the corner of a street, a young man said.

“Um…” The woman named Ah Qing could not help but sob. She held tightly to her baby’s hand and sobbed: “Wen Xuan, we will definitely return in the future to see her again, right?”

If it was not for the circumstances, how could a mother be willing to abandon her own flesh and blood?

“Yes…Not only will we take her back, we will also get the justice we deserve!” The man instinctively looked North with a cold and angry look in his eyes.

It was a dialogue between a young couple who was dressed like any ordinary people. But upon closer look, those two people were different from ordinary people in terms of temperament and behavior which can be seen through their eyes. The man had a pair of deep and serene eyes, while the woman had clear and bright ones. They were completely different from the ordinary, ignorant, and uncivilised peasants.

What? The swaddling baby gently opened her big black grapes-like eyes. Her biological father and mother wanted to abandon her?

Alright then. In fact, she was actually not their real daugther. Half a month ago, their poor daughter was seriously ill amidst their journey. As a result, when Ta Lu Zheng opened her eyes, she found out that she had become a baby. This made her so depressed that she cried so hard until she nearly suffocated.

She knew she had transmigrated! But why did she become a baby? When would her days of continuous sleeping and eating end? She would definitely be bored to death!

In Ta Lu Zheng’s previous life, she lived for eighteen years. She belonged to the kind of family that was a little well to do. She studied a little, learnt a little martial arts, and was a master of mischief. She also had a useless brother who always considered himself to be a ‘gangster’. Whenever he brought her out, he would pretend that he was powerful, but it was not fun. Even though he was not a big villian, whoever provoked her or was not pleasing to her eyes would be caught up with trouble.

Fortunately, her new father and mother loved her very much. She could convince herself to live with peace of mind as she would be a good person when she grew up.

Unexpectedly, before she could grow into a strong lady, she was going to become an abandoned baby!

No! She didn’t want that! In this time and age, who would bother to help raise someone else’s child? Even human traffickers would not bother! Unless she grew up to be a big beauty, maybe brothels might consider her!

Lu Zheng twitched her mouth and wanted to start crying out loud.

Before she could open her mouth, she heard her father sigh: “Don’t be sad! We are going to set off to the sea soon. The sea is unpredictable where life and death cannot be ensured. Can you bear to bring Tong’er on this adventure? You don’t have to worry. I have asked around about that family. It is a middle-class family and the couple are honest people. I believe that they will treat Tong’er kindly. (Sigh), if only we could protect ourselves…”

Set off to the sea? Lu Zheng was stunned and stopped crying.

Along the way, she somehow understood the situation. Her father, mother, and several servants were on the run from danger. Although she had not seen the ancient nautical technology, it was not very assuring. Wouldn’t staying be more convenient for herself and her parents? It should not be too bad…

After hearing what her husband had said, Mu Qing felt even sadder. But she still responded with clarity and calmness. She kissed her daughter as tears trickled down her face. After being in a daze for a moment, she passed the baby to her husband. He then handed the baby over to a servant.

Lu Zheng felt a slight coldness on her face. There were tears. She was startled as she realized that it was her mother’s tears.

After the farewell, she somehow felt an unspeakable sorrow and reluctance in her heart. She screamed and waved her little hands in an attempt to grab her mother’s hair, but it was too late.

Will they meet again in this lifetime? Lu Zheng’s vision gradually became blurred and she soon could no longer see her father and mother.

Mu Qing watched her servant carry her daughter away and disappeared into the crowd. She felt a huge pain in her heart. She groaned and fell into the arms of her husband.

Lu Zheng had a very deep sleep but she was awakened by a scream.

“Ah! This, this, this, what is this? Why is there a baby?” The explosive voice of an angry and startled woman woke Lu Zheng up from her deep sleep.

Due to the natural instinct of a baby, Lu Zheng started crying. In her tears, she saw a young man with a thin face, nice facial features, and a bronze complexion. He wore an old looking green shirt, and he carefully carried her from the pile of items on a cart.

This was a cart pulled by a donkey. Today, the couple went out to buy things on the street. The cart was filled with baskets and sacks of different sizes, and the swaddled baby was placed inside one of the baskets. Hence, the couple did not realise that a little thing was on the cart until they unloaded their goods at their house.

“Good child, don’t cry, don’t cry!” The young man gently patted and coaxed the swaddled baby. His voice was gentle and very nice.

“Lu Zhong, you bastard!” The woman placed her arms on her hip and said angrily: “Why are you carrying her! Such bad luck! Which b*stard is toying with me? I will find him and beat him to death! Oh—” The woman took a step forward and stared at her husband suspiciously. She then fiercely questioned: “Is this stinky girl your illegitimate child? Lu Zhong, how dare you cheat on me!”

“What nonsense are you saying!” Lu Zhong frowned and helplessly replied: “I just find this child pitiful. Look, she is crying!”

“Just let her cry, what has it got to do with us? Are you trying to drive me to death!” The woman stomped.

“Father, mother!” A five or six years old little boy came out of the house and said: “Mother, you are so loud that you woke my sister up!”

As soon as the woman heard the cries of a baby coming from the house, she put away what she wanted to say. She glared at her husband with hatred and said: “I will deal with you later!” She then hurried into the house to coax her daughter.

“Good girl. Sigh. You are born so beautiful, how could your father and mother abandon you?” Lu Zhong looked at the swaddle baby and sighed softly.

Lu Zheng felt relieved as soon as the tigress left. Wa! She couldn’t help but think how his biological father’s way of handling her was too unreliable. What kind of family was this? There was such a ferocious tigress, yet he said it was an honest and kind family.

Father, I am your own flesh and blood, and not some free gift from mobile top-ups. How could you do this to me! Hmph, when you two come back, your poor daughter would only be left with a pile of bones. No. Even the bones might not be found.

Fortunately, this new father seemed to be a nice person. He gave off a comfortable and amicable vibe which seemed approachable.

Without further delay, should she hurry and hug her new father?

As a result, Lu Zheng immediately stopped crying. She blinked her grape-like eyes and smiled at her new father with her small toothless mouth.

Lu Zheng was an adorable and petite baby, and the smile of a baby was the purest kind of smile in the world. Lu Zhong found her pitiful and sighed. This baby was so innocent. She even stopped crying and smiled at him. His heart softened and he returned a smile. Again, he sighed: “Good girl. Since we are fated, do not worry. In the future, this is your home and I am your father.”

Initially, he reached out to carry and coax her only because he could not bear to hear her cry. But at this moment, he had decided to adopt this child.

Lu Zhong carried the child into the house. His wife, Miao Cui Lan, was breastfeeding her seven-month-old daughter, Lu Xiao Xue. When Miao Cui Lan saw her husband carry the unknown girl into their house, she opened her eyes widely and glared at him. She then remembered her daughter was in her arms hence she lowered her voice and unhappily said: “Why did you carry her in! Take her out!”

Lu Zhong looked outside and saw the sun setting. The golden sunset had formed long mountain shadows in the west. He smiled and said: “Look at the time now. If I do not carry her in, where do you want me to bring her to?”

“Hmph!”

“Cui Lan,” Lu Zhong smiled again: “We have two kids, having one more will be fine. Let’s just keep this child!”

“Do not even think about it. No!”

“This child is innocent, can you bear to abandon her? Look at how beautiful and obedient she is!”

Miao Cui Lan glared: “She is innocent, but does that make me the one at fault? Hmph, why should I bear the fault? The sin isn’t committed by me! And I do not think that she is better looking than our own daughter! You are a heartless jerk who does not dote on your own child but dotes on someone else’s child. What is wrong with you?”

“Cui Lan!”

“Do not say anymore! No means no! I do not have the spare money to raise an outsider!”

Lu Zhong was speechless. Although his family was relatively well to do, what his wife said was also reasonable.

He looked down at the swaddled baby, and he suddenly spotted a corner of a paper sticking out of the swaddle. He immediately took it out and opened it. It was a money note. He exclaimed: “A hundred silvers! Cui Lan, look. With this hundred silvers, do you still fret about not being able to raise her? When she grows older, she can also help with house chores. In a way, she will be supporting herself! To save a person’s life is better than to build a seven-storied pagoda for the god. Let us just keep her!”

“No way!” Miao Cui Lan had a stubborn character. Once she had refused, her mindset would not change. When she saw the money note, her eyes flashed but soon reverted to normal and she sighed: “I am too lazy to worry about raising another child! Since there is this money note, isn’t it better? We can send her away tomorrow and many people will want to adopt her!”

“How is that the same?” Lu Zhong frowned and said: “If the child is adopted only because of the money, then that is bad intention. How can anyone be assured?”

“You care too much! Aye, do you really have no relationship with this girl?”