Liu Zhiyue had seen Li Chongming before.
It was back during the ti when his parents were on the verge of divorce.
His mother had suddenly left ho and announced she wanted a divorce. At first, his father refused, but his mother didn’t argue much. After he turned her down, she never ca ho again.
After that, it was like his dad lost the will to live. He spent all day drinking at ho, never even stepping out the door…
Back then, Liu Zhiyue didn’t really understand the exact reason his parents were getting divorced.
He had asked his father but never got an answer—until one day, when he left ho feeling incredibly stifled.
He just wanted to get out and clear his head. As he wandered aimlessly, he happened to pass by the entrance of a fancy hotel—and that’s when he saw it…
His own mother, holding hands with a man, getting into a black luxury sedan.
In that mont, he understood… why his dad never talked about it, why he drowned himself in alcohol. And he finally realized who it was that had made the first mistake in their marriage.
From that day on, Liu Zhiyue buried the truth deep in his heart. He didn’t tell his father, nor did he say anything to his constantly tearful little sister.
He kept it all… inside.
So ti passed, and his father eventually agreed to the divorce.
When their mother returned to the ho they once shared, suitcase in hand, and gently pushed away his little sister—who clung to her, begging her not to go…
Back then, Liu Zhiyue had still been chubby. He just lowered his head slightly and quietly watched his mother’s retreating back with those eyes of his…
He knew everything.
Originally, he thought he’d take this secret to the grave. But for so reason, one day his dad stopped drinking. He started going out more…
Even took him out to buy so fruit.
That was the mont—when everything he’d been bottling up exploded. Liu Zhiyue still vividly rembered how he’d cried and asked his father after they ca ho with so tangerines:
“Dad… did Mom really fall in love with soone else…?”
Back then, his father just paused for a mont. Then he peeled a tangerine, popped a slice into his mouth, and smiled as he asked him:
“Isn’t it sweet?”
Liu Zhiyue didn’t know what kind of pain his father was holding back then…
Now, his eyes were fixed on the sedan temporarily parked by the roadside.
He watched as the man stepped out of the car, opened the trunk, and took the bags from the young woman beside him—stuffing them all in at once.
He just watched.
And for so reason, Liu Zhiyue began to frown.
He stared at Li Chongming, who was talking to the young woman nearby, and a sudden wave of sadness for his mother welled up in his chest...
He thought bitterly to himself:
So this… is the person you chose, after abandoning Dad, abandoning , and abandoning my sister?
That slightly odd, but once complete, family was shattered—all because of your selfish choice…
Everything…
He slipped a hand into his pocket and pulled out the old candy bar phone his dad had passed down to him. He opened the cara.
He pointed the lens at the two of them.
Pressed the shutter.
The image froze.
Then, without hesitation, Liu Zhiyue quickly tapped a few more tis, snapping a photo of the license plate at the back of the car as well.
He didn’t stop…
Not until the two of them got back in the car.
Only then did Liu Zhiyue lower the phone.
He watched as the car drove away. He didn’t move—just stood there with his head tilted slightly upward, staring until the vehicle disappeared from sight...
“Brother, what are you taking pictures of?”
Liu Xiazhi had eaten most of her fruit skewer by now.
She noticed her brother holding up the phone, seemingly taking pictures, and after hesitating for a bit, she asked.
Hearing her question, Liu Zhiyue turned to look at her. Seeing the curious look on her face...
He smiled faintly, shook his head, and quietly slipped the phone back into his pocket.
Then said,
“Let’s go ho.”
They arrived at their front door.
Liu Zhiyue let out a long breath as he pulled out the key. Only after doing so did he unlock the door.
The two of them stepped inside.
There was no sign of Liu Changqing or An Yuanyao in the living room. Liu Zhiyue didn’t say anything as he changed his shoes. His sister, however, hurried off toward the bathroom the mont she finished changing.
She’d been saying on the bus ride back that she couldn’t hold it any longer. During that packed ride, she nearly peed herself.
Noticing that she hadn’t even bothered to shut the bathroom door, Liu Zhiyue walked over and gently closed it for her.
Then he walked toward his father’s bedroom, raising his hand to knock.
Suddenly, he heard muffled voices from inside.
“Gentler… it hurts…”
“I’m already being careful. You still can’t handle it?”
“Don’t push so hard!”
“Alright, alright, I’ll take it slow…”
“……”
Silence.
Liu Zhiyue’s hand remained in mid-air, frozen in the knocking motion. His whole face flushed with embarrassnt after hearing sothing he really shouldn’t have.
What’s the most awkward thing a kid can go through at ho?
Liu Zhiyue thought… probably sothing like this.
He knew very well what it was.
Sure, it was normal for married couples to do that kind of thing. But co on—she was already pregnant, and they still did that the mont he and his sister went out?
Liu Zhiyue wanted to leave.
That thought popped into his mind, and he imdiately acted on it.
He had just taken his first step away when suddenly, the bathroom door opened.
Liu Xiazhi ca out.
She was wearing her cotton slippers with teddy bears on them. The mont she turned her head, she saw her brother standing at their parents’ door. She paused in the bathroom doorway for a second.
Then she ca right over.
Seeing her head his way, Liu Zhiyue panicked.
He raised his free hand in front of him and frantically gestured with his eyes for her not to co closer—but clearly, he had overestimated his sister’s ability to read the room.
Liu Xiazhi, puzzled, walked over anyway. As she did, she asked,
“Are your eyes dry or sothing? Why are you blinking so much…”
Stupid girl! Don’t co over!
Though he scread this in his mind, Liu Xiazhi couldn’t hear it. She quickly reached her brother, stepped around him…
Put her hand on the doorknob.
Pressed down.
Still mumbling,
“Why don’t you just go in…”
Stop!!
Liu Zhiyue, hands still full with stuff, couldn’t stop her in ti. He whipped around and stared as his sister pushed the door open…
And deep inside, a voice echoed:
It’s over. It’s all over…
The door swung open.
Liu Xiazhi froze.
She stared, wide-eyed, at the scene inside the room.
On the bed—
Their dad sat at the edge, while Mom lay flat on her back. Her legs were stretched out in front of him…
And his hands…
Were gently massaging her calves.
At that mont, Liu Changqing noticed the door was open.
He and An Yuanyao both looked toward it, saw their daughter standing in the doorway… and their son poking his head around behind her.
Realizing what was happening, Liu Changqing smiled and said,
“You’re back!”
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