Early the next morning.
After finishing breakfast, Liu Zhiyue prepared to leave with Zhou Shiyan.
Originally, Liu Changqing had planned to take them to the station, but Liu Zhiyue declined his father's offer. After packing lightly, he left ho with Zhou Shiyan.
However... after leaving, the two didn't head straight to the station.
Instead... after hailing a taxi, they arrived at a residential complex.
Liu Zhiyue wanted to see soone before departing.
Upon reaching their destination.
When Liu Zhiyue led Zhou Shiyan up the familiar staircase they'd climbed many tis before, they stopped before a security door.
Standing at the doorway.
After hesitating briefly, Liu Zhiyue finally raised his hand to knock.
"Knock, knock, knock."
Three knocks later, movent could be heard inside.
Soon, the door opened.
But to Liu Zhiyue's surprise, the person who answered wasn't who he expected to see, but rather an unfamiliar girl.
She appeared... about the sa age as his younger sister, with a student haircut and scholarly air, though her features were rather ordinary - the kind of face commonly seen among high school classmates.
Simply put, she had a forgettable face.
Seeing a stranger answer, Liu Zhiyue was clearly puzzled. But before he could ask, he spotted the person he wanted to see behind her.
Li Wanran.
His biological mother.
Li Wanran, standing behind the girl, was montarily stunned upon seeing the two visitors. After recovering, she seed pleased and quickly moved to the door.
Taking the door handle from the girl, she fully opened the security door that had been half-ajar.
Her gaze lingered on her son's face for a long while before finally shifting to Zhou Shiyan beside him.
The two won exchanged looks.
Zhou Shiyan greeted first.
"Hello, Auntie."
"Mmm..."
After acknowledging Zhou Shiyan, Li Wanran turned to her son standing before her.
She asked,
"What brings you here? Isn't school starting?"
"......"
Instead of answering, Liu Zhiyue glanced at the girl beside her.
He inquired,
"And this is...?"
"She lives downstairs. I was feeling bored alone at ho... so I invited her up to chat."
"I see..."
Liu Zhiyue simply acknowledged Li Wanran's response without further comnt.
All of this was observed by Chi Xiaoxiao.
Though young, she could sense... the strained relationship between them. Facing this awkward situation, she thought it best to leave.
Without overthinking, as the atmosphere grew heavy, Chi Xiaoxiao broke the silence.
Turning to Li Wanran beside her, she said softly,
"Well... I'll head back now. I'll visit again when I have ti..."
"Mm, thank you for keeping company so long."
"Don't ntion it... I get bored at ho too."
With an awkward chuckle, Chi Xiaoxiao stepped outside and headed downstairs.
After her departure, Liu Zhiyue said nothing more.
Holding Zhou Shiyan's hand, he entered and closed the door behind them.
Only then did he look at Li Wanran before him. After studying her for a mont, his gaze drifted away as he asked,
"How's... the new job treating you?"
These words left his lips.
Hearing this, Li Wanran imdiately responded,
"It's... quite good."
"......"
At this response, Liu Zhiyue's wandering gaze returned to Li Wanran, his eyes complex.
The Li Wanran in his mories was nothing like her current self.
As his birth mother, he rembered her as soone aloof and proud - not this woman who would chat with a young girl out of boredom.
Let alone... hearing words like "thank you" from her.
Too much had happened these past years...
After her mother was imprisoned, the privileged life she once knew was gone forever.
From his father, he'd learned... her biological father hadn't left her a single cent of inheritance.
It was hard to imagine how she'd felt, accustod to luxury, when that happened.
Seeing her son and his girlfriend before her now,
Li Wanran seed hesitant.
Finally, she asked,
"Your father, he..."
"Is very happy."
"Ah... happy..."
Before she could finish, Liu Zhiyue answered first.
This wasn't the first ti he'd responded to this question.
Every visit, she asked the sa thing.
His birth mother, who once treated his father with indifference, had sohow... begun caring about him.
But... it was too late now.
Liu Zhiyue's feelings toward her were complicated.
On one hand, she was his mother.
Though she'd left him no fond mories, every mont they'd shared remained etched in his mind, indelible.
Yet... the pain she'd caused him was equally real.
Long ago, Liu Zhiyue had grown cold toward her.
This estrangent might have continued indefinitely, were it not for...
"How's your health? Any improvent?"
"Much better... though I still get headaches sotis."
Li Wanran lowered her head slightly, fingertips touching her forehead.
Eyes downcast, she murmured,
"But... nothing serious. Are you two back for vacation?"
"Mm, just a weekend visit."
"And your father..."
"He's well. Quit smoking and drinking. Busy with work, but cos ho every day."
"......"
Seeing Li Wanran fall silent, Liu Zhiyue changed the subject.
"Did you eat breakfast?"
"A little..."
"Take care of yourself, eat properly..."
Pausing, Liu Zhiyue continued,
"Even alone... you should live well."
"Zhiyue..."
Li Wanran seed to have more to say, but Liu Zhiyue cut her off.
"We should get going now. Need to catch our train."
"So soon... won't you stay awhile?"
"No."
With a slight shake of his head, Liu Zhiyue reopened the recently closed door.
Leading the silent Zhou Shiyan, he stepped out.
Seeing this, Li Wanran hurried after them to the doorway.
Watching them descend, she instinctively called out,
"Zhiyue!"
"Yes?"
"......"
Seeing her son stop and turn back,
she remained silent for a long mont.
When she spoke again, her words were:
"Will you... co again next ti?"
"Mm."
With a simple nod, Liu Zhiyue led Zhou Shiyan downstairs.
Li Wanran remained at the doorway.
Watching their retreating figures...
until they disappeared from view entirely.
Only after an unknowable ti did Li Wanran finally close the door.
Then... alone, she quietly returned to her bedroom.
Sitting on the bed's edge.
Gazing at the photograph on her nightstand.
At... the man smiling so happily within it.
So very happily...
Liu Changqing...
What is regret?
Perhaps Li Wanran hadn't understood before.
But now... she knew all too well.
Regret...
This was what she felt.
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