Tian Sangsang wanted to join the conversation, but Ye Binyi and Hua Jun were so engaged that she couldn’t cut in at all.
She sighed silently and thought about heading back upstairs, but suddenly Hua Jun’s pleasant, lilting laugh reached her ear, "Miss Tian, could you pour another cup of tea, please? Thank you."
"Ah Jun, you’re a guest, why so polite?" Ye Binyi said sowhat disapprovingly, then added with a smile, "Have lunch with us before you leave, won’t you? If Jinghuai could stay a few more days, the two of you could et again. It’s been such a long ti since you last saw each other. Back then, you used to go to and from school together. Ti has flown, hasn’t it?"
"It hasn’t been that long. We ran into each other in East Sea last ti," Hua Jun replied flatteringly. "Ti really does fly, but you, Aunt, are just like how I rembered—kind and warm. Back when I used to wait for Jinghuai to finish school, you’d always give green apples. I can still recall their tart taste even now."
"You..." Ye Binyi smiled brightly, a flash of nostalgia in her eyes. She had truly treated Hua Jun as a prospective daughter-in-law once, but life’s twists and turns had overturned those plans unexpectedly.
Seeing Ye Binyi so engrossed in the mory, Tian Sangsang knew she wouldn’t object to her pouring tea for Hua Jun. Resigned, she poured a cup and handed it to her. However, the composed politeness on Hua Jun’s face irritated her to no end.
In the end, Hua Jun was tactful enough not to stay for lunch, though her departure left Ye Binyi visibly reluctant. Afterward, Ye Binyi took a phone call, her expression growing heavy as the conversation dragged on. When Tian Sangsang passed by on her way upstairs, she caught snippets of the conversation—"Wenxiu," she seed to hear.
As expected, the topic ca up at the dinner table.
Ye Binyi, preoccupied with her thoughts, barely touched her al. Finally, she turned to Uncle Jiang and said, "Wenxiu called earlier."
The na "Wenxiu" hadn’t been ntioned in the Jiang family for ages.
Uncle Jiang’s hand paused mid-motion, and his brow faintly furrowed.
Ye Binyi sighed empathetically. "Wenxiu’s school will be on break in a month, and she said she wants to visit us then, maybe stay over for a while. That child has been away for so long, living alone out there—it hasn’t been easy for her."
Uncle Jiang snorted coldly. "Didn’t she say she’d never co back? If she’s so headstrong, why bother coming back now? Has she learned to lower her pride at last?"
"Do you seriously believe everything a child says in a fit of anger?" Ye Binyi shot him a disapproving glance, her eyes moist. "She’s the daughter we raised ourselves—don’t you know her by now? She’s always been delicate. I heard she’s been feeling so guilty over there that she’s barely able to eat or sleep. She told she knows she was wrong and wants to co back to apologize. Now that she’s willing to take that step, why wouldn’t we let her co back? Could you really bear to let her suffer outside all on her own?"
Uncle Jiang pressed a hand to his aching head. After so many years of raising her, how could he not feel fatherly affection? His heart wasn’t made of stone. If she was sincere about making ands, he couldn’t find it in himself to turn her away.
"Handle it as you see fit," Uncle Jiang finally said. "But you’ll need to explain it clearly to our son."
"He’s already been so busy with training; telling him now would only distract him. When he cos ho and sees Wenxiu, it’ll be a nice surprise," Ye Binyi replied. "After all, they spent more than ten years together. She’s still his sister, isn’t she? Do you think he’d really harden his heart against her?"
Uncle Jiang nodded in agreent.
Tian Sangsang understood that Jia Wenxiu was the Jiang family’s adopted daughter, but the grudge between her and Jia Wenxiu ran deep. If Wenxiu ca back, it would only irk her. Yet Ye Binyi clearly hadn’t sought her opinion, showing how unimportant her feelings were in their eyes. With her sister-in-law returning, what objection could she raise?
Watching the clock on the wall, Tian Sangsang counted the seconds as they dragged by, silently wishing Jiang Jinghuai would co ho soon. Lately, she had grown increasingly sentintal. This household treated her like an outsider. And Jiang Jinghuai—how would he feel about Jia Wenxiu’s return? If he, too, sided with her...
Little ng Shuyan noticed his mother’s troubled expression and furrowed his small brows as he looked toward Ye Binyi, asking in his childish voice, "Grandma, who’s Wenxiu?"
Ye Binyi imdiately smiled gently. "Wenxiu is your aunt."
"Will Aunt like ?"
"Of course she will. How could she not like our adorable Yanyan? Aunt is a very kind person; she’ll treat you very well."
"Will Grandma stop liking if she likes Aunt?"
"Who said that? In Grandma’s heart, you’re her favorite!"
And indeed, as Ye Binyi claid, her grandson’s place in her heart was far stronger than that of an adopted daughter. Her willingness to let Wenxiu return was partly due to lingering affection for her, not wanting to see her suffer outside. The other part? She simply couldn’t stand Tian Sangsang’s presence—having Wenxiu around would be a welco change.
Later that evening, as usual, Tian Sangsang went to check if her son was asleep, only to find the little boy gently tugging at her sleeve.
He tilted his head up to her. "Mommy, I want to sleep with you tonight."
"Alright," Tian Sangsang agreed readily. Jiang Jinghuai wasn’t ho anyway.
"This is for you." ng Shuyan pulled a foreign-packaged chocolate bar from under his pillow. "It’s from my second cousin. I saved a piece for you, Mommy."
"Wow, thank you." Tian Sangsang kissed his cheek.
Beaming, ng Shuyan said happily, "Mommy, if you eat this, you’ll feel better and won’t be sad anymore."
"Ah..." She froze for a mont before hugging him tightly, her heart aching. They say a mother and son share an unspoken connection; in this case, it was her son who saw through her sadness.
**
Zhao Chun stood in front of the Jiang family’s courtyard, carrying bags filled with gifts. The gatekeeper outside hadn’t let him in at first, but after he revealed his identity and reason for visiting, they made a call for confirmation and finally let him through.
As he made his way to the Jiang family’s building, he saw the courtyard gate left ajar and noticed a woman watering flowers. Zhao Chun stopped in his tracks, rubbed his bright eyes, and looked again—and again. Wasn’t that Tian Sangsang’s profile?
The lone figure amidst falling blossoms.
His eyes ward. Ever since that last encounter, Tian Sangsang had vanished without a trace. He’d heard she followed Jinghuai to Beijiang, but he hadn’t expected her to end up in Beijing. Mildly annoyed, he brooded over how, as a friend, she left without saying goodbye.
This wasn’t like her at all.
It really wasn’t like her.
Zhao Chun purposefully cleared his throat and stepped into the courtyard.
Hearing the movent, Tian Sangsang glanced over without much thought. The weather had already ward up; Zhao Chun was dressed in a blue sweater and black trousers, the wool making him appear comfortable and cozy. His clear complexion and handso features stood out even more.
In this unfamiliar city of Beijing, the sudden presence of a familiar face felt like sunlight breaking through overcast skies, filling her with joy. She was so elated that all she could do was gaze at him, her smile brimming with warmth, unable to form any words.
"Aunt Zhang! I ca to visit you!" Zhao Chun waved the gifts in his hand and asked with a smile, "Uncle Jiang and Aunt Jiang aren’t back yet?"
Aunt Zhang, seeing him, was thrilled. "The Master and Madam aren’t ho from work yet. Co on in and have a seat." She took the gifts from him and brought out so fruit and snacks without noticing that Tian Sangsang and Zhao Chun were acquaintances.
Zhao Chun took a sip of water but didn’t touch the fruit or snacks. Aunt Zhang remained busy in the kitchen.
"Why are you in Beijing?" Tian Sangsang asked, seated across from him. If she rembered correctly, it wasn’t his holiday season yet.
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