Chapter 1

On a certain afternoon in early summer, Ling Yao arrived in City C by train.

Prior to this, due to the pandemic, she hadn't traveled far for half a year. This was her first train ride since the pandemic eased, and all she could see were faces wearing masks. It reminded Ling Yao of a joke from her former colleague, Ali Kai:

"The post-pandemic era has arrived. Masks will become our daily attire, making it difficult for us to see each other's true faces... I suggest the company develop a miniature display that can be worn on the head to show the owner's bare face photo. In the future, girls won't need to spend time applying makeup when going out, and photo editing will become the most important makeup technique..."

By late afternoon, the sunlight was still intense. Ling Yao stepped out of the station hall, enveloped by the heat. She freed up her hands, pulling down her mask halfway to breathe greedily. As she looked around, the bus station stood fifty meters ahead. Ling Yao adjusted her mask again, gathered her spirits, and headed towards it.

When she left City Y, Ling Yao took all her belongings with her, determined not to return. She had worked in City Y for four years, accumulating quite a few possessions. Her 28-inch suitcase was too small to fit everything, her backpack was packed to the brim, and she even carried a pot of tomato seedlings in her hands.

If her grandmother were alive, seeing this scene would surely result in another scolding session: "How many times have I told you? When you go out, pack your things neatly and leave your hands free—can't you just put that pot in your suitcase or backpack? Holding onto things with both hands, let's see how you manage to get on the train!"

First, Ling Yao stuffed the tomato seedlings under the seat near the door of the bus, then quickly boarded with her suitcase. The bus heading north was quite empty, and the driver patiently watched her struggle until she took her seat before starting the engine.

"Thank you, driver!" Ling Yao shouted loudly.

Although it wasn't her first time in City C, she had never been to the northern part. It was a suburban area, far from the city center. The journey from the train station took over an hour and a half, feeling like traveling to another city altogether.

"Why did you buy a house in such a remote area?" Ling Yao had asked Xiao Xiao on the phone three years ago.

"Because we couldn't afford a house in the city!" Xiao Xiao replied, without any bitterness in her tone, but rather a hint of laziness. "Although it's a resettlement area, the house prices are almost reaching ten thousand. The advantage is that we don't have to pay property management fees or parking fees..."

Ling Yao got off at Gubei Street. The street was lined with storefronts, and the trees in front of the shops were old, tall, and lush, giving the impression of buildings from fifty or sixty years ago. With their green shade, the buildings, with their blue bricks and gray tiles, pink walls mottled with age, mostly housed restaurants, with occasional clothing or handicraft shops interspersed among them.

At the end of the street was the riverside. Ling Yao couldn't see the water from where she stood, but she could feel its presence. The view was vast and open, as if suddenly liberated, instantly lifting her mood.

To reach Xinglin Garden Phase II from the station required taking a somewhat indirect route. Ling Yao had planned her route beforehand, ensuring she didn't take any wrong turns. The neighborhood was neither new nor old, but judging from its appearance and road infrastructure, it seemed to be well-maintained.

Xiao Xiao's home was on the fifth floor. Ling Yao entered the building and looked up at the cement staircase, then glanced at her suitcase. She couldn't help but take a deep breath.

The doorbell rang for the third time, and the door opened. He Rui appeared in front of Ling Yao, still wearing a red scarf around his neck, with a hint of shyness in his demeanor. Although Ling Yao was very familiar with him, it had been several years since they had seen each other in person.

"Auntie!"

"Oh, little Ruirui! I've missed you so much!"

Ling Yao exclaimed, reaching out to pinch He Rui's cheeks. He Rui took a few steps back, revealing an embarrassed expression, and Ling Yao immediately realized that he had grown up.

"Are you the only one at home, He Rui?"

"Yeah, my mom hasn't finished work yet—what's this?"

He Rui was referring to the tomato seedlings Ling Yao had placed on the suitcase.

"Tomato seedlings, my pets."

He Rui's eyes lit up. "Pets, huh! Do they have names?"

Without hesitation, Ling Yao made up, "Yes! They're called Xiaohong."

He Rui tilted his head to examine the seedlings. "But they're clearly green!"

"They'll turn red when they bear fruit."

He Rui didn't argue further and picked up the seedlings. "Let me help you bring them in."

He walked ahead, glanced back, and saw Ling Yao struggling to pull the suitcase inside. He probably wanted to help, hesitated for a moment, realizing he didn't have the strength, then turned around and continued walking.

"Auntie, are you thirsty? Let me get you a bottle of water."

"Sure, thanks!"

He Rui fetched a bottle of mineral water from the fridge and handed it to Ling Yao. Ling Yao was really thirsty, so she unscrewed the cap and drank it down quickly. He Rui then brought her a pair of slippers.

Ling Yao hadn't seen them, mother and son, for almost three years, although they often video chatted on WeChat. As she changed into the slippers, she said, "You've grown so much taller in the videos. It's been three years, after all!"

He Rui grumbled, "My mom doesn't think so. She always complains that I'm short and wants to take me to the hospital for a bone age test."

"You're not short!" Ling Yao seriously examined him. Xiao Xiao always seemed too anxious.

"My seat is in the second row, and half of the girls in our class are taller than me."

"Girls develop earlier than boys! How old are you this year?"

"Eleven."

"Is that your actual age?"

"If it's the actual age, it's eleven years and seven months."

"Then that's twelve!"

He Rui pursed his lips. "According to your calculation, my mom should be thirty-three this year, but she always insists she's only thirty-two."

"The calculation of age is different for men and women. Women care more about it, right?"

"I don't care anyway." Ling Yao smiled again. "By the way, I brought gifts for you guys."

She didn't waste any time and put the suitcase down on the living room floor. As she opened it, she heard He Rui hesitantly ask, "Auntie, can a bone age test really help you grow taller?"

Ling Yao looked up at him. A hint of shyness flashed across He Rui's face, followed by a trace of inferiority. Xiao Xiao must have scared him often.

"Don't worry, you're only eleven." Ling Yao comforted him. "Based on genetic inheritance, you'll be very tall in the future."

He Rui frowned slightly. "Inherited from who? My mom is only 1.6 meters tall."

Ling Yao secretly thought that the little guy was quite sensitive, but the word "dad" was taboo in this household and couldn't be mentioned.

"Like your grandfather! He's 1.82 meters tall, a real tall guy!"

"Grandfather" was actually their maternal grandfather, Xiao Xiao's father, a scoundrel in the secular sense, also not well-regarded in this household, but not as sensitive as "dad".

He Rui seemed relieved. Ling Yao quickly opened the suitcase. Her belongings immediately spilled out, like a person being gutted, exposing their innards.

When packing, Ling Yao couldn't bear to throw away many things, so she stuffed them in one by one. The originally neat suitcase ended up messy and disorderly.

"You're quite similar to my mom," He Rui commented tactfully as he looked at the suitcase.

Ling Yao disliked this comment the most. "How am I like her? It's because I was in a hurry..."

"My mom says the same thing."

"Your mom is just making excuses."

"Aren't you?"

"I'm not!"

"Hehe!"

Ling Yao bought a set of Lego toys for He Rui, but it took her a while to find them. The packaging was all squashed and deformed, and she finally chuckled when she handed them to He Rui.

"Okay, we're quite alike."

She also brought a gift for Xiao Xiao, a Hermès scarf. It cost Ling Yao almost half a month's salary, and she felt a bit reluctant when buying it. But considering the trouble Xiao Xiao had gone through for a while, she gritted her teeth and paid for it.

Ling Yao placed the gifts on the coffee table and closed the suitcase.

"He Rui, I'll show you your room. Mom heard you were coming and started cleaning up a week ago."

In addition to a bed and wardrobe, Xiao Xiao had arranged a set of desk and chair for Ling Yao in the guest room, white and refreshing. Ling Yao remembered when they used to share an old desk, often fighting over the table lamp and who occupied more space. Most of the time, Ling Yao would give in; Xiao Xiao was formidable in her teenage years.

Ling Yao took out her notebook, glasses, and other items from her bag and arranged them neatly on the desk.

He Rui came to the doorway, holding up his phone. "I'll call my mom and tell her you've arrived!"

Ling Yao hurriedly stood up. "I told her on WeChat. She didn't respond—should I say a few words to her?"

"She hung up earlier. She's in a meeting with her boss! Let me take you out for dinner first."

Ling Yao looked at the time. It was six o'clock. She asked, "Where are we going to eat?"

"Outside."

Ling Yao grabbed her phone and wallet and followed He Rui out, finally taking the opportunity to look around the entire house.

Xiao Xiao had bought a three-bedroom, two-living-room apartment. Although the decoration was simple, the details showed that the owner had put a lot of effort into it. The unified furniture colors, double-layered curtains, vases in the corners with dried flowers inside... all showed that the homeowner was someone who valued appearance.

As Ling Yao changed her shoes at the doorway, she said to He Rui, "Your mom is getting more and more successful."

Having a 100-square-meter apartment and a decent job was unimaginable when Xiao Xiao was twenty. At that time, her grandparents were always worried about their rebellious granddaughter, not knowing how she would manage with a baby.

After changing her shoes, Ling Yao noticed something was off and looked towards where the kitchen should have been.

"Is there no kitchen in your house?" she asked He Rui.

He Rui nodded. "We eat ready-made meals for all three meals a day. My mom said there's no need for a kitchen, so it was converted into a storage room."

Ling Yao chuckled. "Your mom is really something!"

He Rui also laughed. "Auntie, you've only been home for a short while, and you've already praised my mom twice!"