Embedded Files
Psst! We're moving!
After returning home on Sunday, Shi Ying spent an entire week without stepping foot outside.
His phone was powered off, he didn’t eat or bathe, and he lay in bed surviving on mineral water and sugar-free cola. He either slept or tried to sleep with his eyes closed, losing track of when it was day or night.
On Monday, he missed the appointment to sign the equity transfer contract at the homestay. On Wednesday, the person he had arranged to bid on the villa for him didn’t receive the deposit, causing Li Xiangqun’s villa to fail to sell again and enter a public auction phase.
On Friday, his grandfather called to check on him but discovered that his grandson’s phone was off. At dinner, he mentioned his concerns to his wife.
Tonight’s meal was prepared by Li Xiangqun—stir-fried shredded pork with eggs, stir-fried tripe, braised eggplant, all dishes their parents loved. She also used leftover fried dough sticks from breakfast to make an egg drop soup.
As their daughter went to the kitchen to fetch rice, her grandfather tapped the edge of her grandmother’s bowl with his chopsticks and whispered, “Hey, am I mistaken? Didn’t Manman say last Sunday he’d secure the Banshan Garden house this week?”
“It’s already Friday. Why hasn’t he given us any news?”
“Tomorrow’s Saturday—won’t the court be closed?”
The grandmother was halfway through her meal and had just poured herself a bowl of soup, sipping carefully from the cooler surface. Upon hearing him mention Shi Ying’s villa purchase, she immediately set down her bowl and lowered her voice. “What if he buys it? What if he doesn’t? Is that big villa so great? Life goes on fine without it. Stop meddling in unnecessary affairs.”
“Tsk.” Her grandfather frowned, realizing his wife had become increasingly rebellious lately.
In their younger years, he had a fiery temper, and she often pacified him gently. Now, as they aged, he had mellowed considerably, but her temper seemed to have grown sharper, like a porcupine bristling with needles. Every day, he felt pricked by her words—who could endure this?
His graying eyebrows drooped as he raised his voice slightly. “How is this meddling? I’m concerned about him! Whether it succeeds or not, he should give us some word. Otherwise, I can’t rest easy.”
“You old fool! Isn’t the car enough for you? What does that villa have to do with you? Stop pestering the boy and making him uncomfortable. Did you call to rush him?”
“I…” Her grandfather felt guilty but quickly retorted, slamming his chopsticks down. “Don’t make me sound so materialistic. Yes, I called, but his phone was off. So technically, I didn’t rush him.”
Cai Yuefeng furrowed her brows, glancing sideways to see her daughter return and pick up her bowl to sip the soup again.
Her husband resumed eating, picking up a piece of kidney and placing it in his bowl. But being at home, he was accustomed to speaking freely, completely disregarding his daughter’s presence. He muttered gloomily, “I hope nothing’s gone wrong. Last time, he left a spare key here. Maybe… maybe I should drive over tonight and check?”
“Who are you going to see?”
Li Xiangqun seemed to be in an excellent mood today. Not only did she prepare three dishes and a soup, but she also got a haircut at the small salon downstairs in the morning. Her complexion was rosy, her eyes bright, exuding vitality—a far cry from looking like a sick person.
She plopped down on a stool, poured the sauce from the braised eggplant over her rice, took a bite, and then asked again after not hearing her parents’ conversation. “Mom, who were you talking about earlier? Whose phone is off?”
The elderly couple stammered awkwardly. Suddenly, the talkative myna bird inside chirped, “Manman! Manman!”
That wasn’t all—the bird mimicked its owner’s tone a moment ago: “Hey, am I mistaken? Didn’t Manman say last Sunday he’d secure the Banshan Garden house this week?”
The three stared at each other, though mainly the couple looked at their daughter, fearing she might go berserk upon hearing about the villa.
But Li Xiangqun didn’t lose her temper. She calmly continued eating, finishing her meal before pouring herself a cup of hot tea. Only then did she ask them what was going on.
Cai Yuefeng led the explanation while Li Huaiqing supplemented. After listening, Li Xiangqun asked her father for the spare key to Shi Ying’s place, insisting that she, as his mother, should go check on him.
Her parents were simple workers unfamiliar with the treachery of business dealings. However, having been married to Shi Kaiji for decades, Li Xiangqun understood too well that a young man like Shi Ying earning millions in dividends within months was impossible.
There had to be details they didn’t know.
Her father naturally disapproved, believing his daughter hadn’t fully recovered and lacked the ability to converse with her grandson. Moreover, even if something happened, what could a housewife do?
“Even if I can’t do anything for him, I must see him before I leave. There are things I need to say.”
“Leave? Where do you think you’re going?” Her father scoffed at her words.
Li Xiangqun knew he had always looked down on her. Her illness temporarily placed her in a position of absolute weakness, like an adult regressing into a baby or pet, indirectly softening his disdain. But once she recovered and started making decisions for her own life, speaking and acting freely, their relationship remained irreconcilable.
She didn’t argue with him. Having thoroughly come to terms, she turned to her mother and said, “Mom, there’s something I want to tell you both today. Recently, General Manager Wu’s company offered a full-time position in Serbia working on cost estimation for the Hungary-Serbia railway project. It’s a six-month assignment, and I’ve already submitted my application.”
“What? You’re going abroad?! With your mental health issues, how can you work abroad? That’s just harming yourself and others! Don’t even think about it!” Li Huaiqing immediately barked.
This time, however, Cai Yuefeng wouldn’t let her husband dictate their daughter’s choices. She shouted sharply, “Li Huaiqing! How dare you speak to your child like that? If you can’t say anything nice, shut up!”
“This is our home, not yours alone. If you don’t want to listen, get out!”
Seizing the moment while her husband was still stunned, she firmly told her daughter, “Xiangqun, go ahead. I’m listening.”
Li Xiangqun smiled at her mother, her gaze clear.
She extended her arm, taking her mother’s hands and gently tracing the aging lines. “I know you’re worried about me. I’ll visit the hospital soon for a follow-up. I believe the doctors will agree with my assessment.”
Once she emerged from that bottomless rabbit hole, she suddenly realized how childish and laughable she had been for decades—constantly competing with her father, society, and money.
What was money, anyway? And what were others’ opinions?
If money no longer brought her joy, she was merely its slave. If she couldn’t learn to ignore others’ judgments, she’d remain trapped in hell. Their words, whether praise or criticism, would always cut like swords.
She needed to silence all voices and find her own possibilities. Now, securing a job she excelled at and proving to herself she could start anew became her source of happiness—her lifeline.
“I’m capable of handling this job, and I’m genuinely excited about it. Dad, you’ve said it yourself—I’ve been a housewife for so long that re-entering the workforce won’t be easy. This is a rare opportunity for me. While I hope for your support, regardless of your opinion, I’ll do everything I can to secure this position.”
“You both know once I decide something, no one can change my mind.”
“If this doesn’t work out, I’ll prepare for the next chance.” The Hungary-Serbia railway was China’s first high-speed rail project in Europe, and subsequent overseas projects would only increase.
Li Xiangqun was stubborn—something her parents knew better than anyone. Since she was determined to go, if the hospital approved and the company offered her the position, they couldn’t stop her.
Even if they locked her up, she’d jump out the window to escape.
“No need to persuade anyone. Mom supports you.”
Li Huaiqing had been pacing in the room, but upon hearing his wife support their daughter’s plan to work abroad on railway projects, he collapsed onto the sofa. Staring at his daughter, overwhelmed with mixed emotions, he muttered, “If only you had listened to me back then. If you hadn’t married that scoundrel and stayed at the Sixteenth Bureau, you’d have lived a peaceful life. Look how much better off you’d be now!”
“Look at your age! Do you think you’re still young? You already have gray hair. In middle age, achieving nothing and retracing your steps—do you really think it’s still possible?”
Li Huaiqing’s words were harsh, but they reflected his true feelings.
From the moment his daughter began dating, he disapproved. Even now, with her failed marriage, deteriorated health, and plans to work abroad, he remained dissatisfied.
Cai Yuefeng disliked his harsh words and was about to argue, but Li Xiangqun squeezed her mother’s hand, ready to speak her mind.
“Dad, I know you’re unhappy with me. Before meeting Shi Kaiji, I was deeply dissatisfied with myself too.”
Though an only child in her generation, Li Xiangqun never felt she received all the world’s blessings. On the contrary, due to her parents’ busy work schedules, she experienced minimal affection and faced dual expectations as if she were both a son and a daughter.
Growing up, she constantly felt she was competing with an imaginary brother who didn’t exist in their family.
Her father envisioned her as a modern-day Mulan, succeeding where men did, or at least becoming a progressive woman like her mother—capable in both literary and martial pursuits. Yet no matter how hard Li Xiangqun tried, she couldn’t meet their expectations.
She possessed softness and timidity, along with yearnings for romance.
She cried when scolded by her superiors, grew melancholic when sabotaged by colleagues, and trembled violently imagining potential rapists lurking in the dark during late-night commutes home without streetlights.
She always felt inadequate, weak, like a startled bird. In moments of collapse, she berated herself internally with words harsher than her father’s.
When she met Shi Kaiji, everything changed dramatically.
Shi Kaiji embraced all her weaknesses, exaggerating praise for her feminine qualities. Around him, she could cry freely, show vulnerability, throw tantrums, and act spoiled—all without restraint.
This newfound freedom, free from self-reproach, felt like discovering a new continent.
Her father thought becoming a housewife was a regression—a pursuit of comfort—but in reality, it was her way of finding peace. She rebelled against two decades of anxiety by embracing her softer side, even if it meant becoming a housewife unrecognized by her father. Competing in narrow circles of wealth, appearance, and lifestyle among other housewives, she used her wisdom in managing the household to provide a better life for her child.
But when everything began to crumble—when she discovered Shi Kaiji’s infidelity and realized her accumulated wealth was disappearing because of his mistakes—she thought of her parents.
Her endlessly demanding father who gave her little affection.
Her guilt-ridden mother who watched her helplessly, unsure of what to do.
She recalled the insults, accusations, and pity disguised as tough love. She imagined others pointing fingers at her, saying, “We warned you.”
This fear and regret became the final straw that broke her spirit. Losing the villa meant succumbing to regret.
“But now, I no longer feel regret.”
Li Xiangqun’s expression softened, but her voice carried strength.
People often romanticize paths not taken, especially when their current road is fraught with thorns, imagining the other path lined with flowers. In truth, every path has its unique scenery, with unseen bumps and potholes.
“Even if he cheated, even if I lost my money, I don’t regret anything. How can one foresee the future perfectly? If I returned to the past ten thousand times, I’d still choose him. I was happy, I experienced joy, and this path gave me Shi Ying, allowing me to experience motherhood. I know you prefer him over me, but without me, there’d be no Shi Ying.”
“I’ve walked this path, seen the outcome, and found peace.”
“Now I’m simply choosing another path. It’s never too late as long as I don’t consider myself old—I won’t truly age.”
Cai Yuefeng hugged her daughter’s shoulders, tears welling in her eyes. Never had she felt her daughter had truly grown up as she did today.
But Li Huaiqing’s face darkened—he either couldn’t understand her or refused to try. After a long silence, he finally spoke condescendingly. “Hmph, no regrets? Clearly, you’re just putting on a brave face.”
“Finding excuses to console yourself—it’s the spirit of Ah Q!”
In the past, would Li Xiangqun tolerate such barbed remarks? Surely, she’d fight back and curse.
But now, she no longer cared what he thought. Her worth wasn’t tied to proving herself to her parents or explaining her choices to anyone. Smiling peacefully, she calmly responded, “You’re right. It’s not entirely without regret. If I had one, it’s that I regret not showing more sincere, heartfelt concern for Shi Ying.”
She had always resolved Shi Ying’s needs with money, much like how Shi Kaiji loved her. For a long time, she believed money was the most precious thing in the world—wherever money flowed, love followed.
Money didn’t bring her closer to her son’s heart, nor did it grant her marriage to Shi Kaiji eternal life.
________________________________________
Half an hour later, Li Xiangqun finally obtained the spare key to Shi Ying’s apartment and arrived at Huanghe Garden in her father’s Red Flag car.
Her father wanted to accompany her upstairs, but she refused. Cai Yuefeng, adhering to the principle of letting their child decide, sided with her daughter. Neither the older nor the younger woman listened to him. Fuming, the old man had no choice but to wait below.
On the 12th floor of Building 6, the hallway was chaotic. Couriers were hauling bags of goods downstairs. Li Xiangqun didn’t see Shi Ying’s neighbor, but behind the three slightly ajar doors, she heard noise—perhaps some kind of mysterious gathering.
Knocking on Room 1201 yielded no response, and her son’s phone was still off. Using the spare key, Li Xiangqun opened the door to find the interior pitch black and silent.
She entered quietly, closing the door behind her without turning on the lights. Guided by maternal instinct, she discovered Shi Ying sleeping under the covers in the bedroom.
Google Sites
Report abuse