When Zhong Yu heard the familiar voice, she instinctively looked up.
A young boy as straight and vigorous as a green pine was waving both arms with all his might. His cheerful energy came rushing toward her.
As she walked to meet him, Zhong Yu’s steps unconsciously grew much lighter.
Song Congchun rarely showed such a childish side, but now he charged toward his sister like a cannonball.
His small body slammed into Zhong Yu and knocked her back several steps.
Since her rebirth, it was only now—with her younger brother in her arms and her mother right in front of her—that she finally felt truly grounded.
Zhong Yu’s eyes reddened slightly. As if to hide it, she rubbed her brother’s head, then held her hand against her own chest to compare their heights.
“You’ve grown this tall already!”
She pinched his small shoulder and said with feigned disdain, “But you’re not sturdy at all. You need to eat more meat, eggs, and milk to get enough quality protein. Otherwise, how will you protect your girlfriend someday?”
Song Congchun was not shy in the slightest. He cheerfully raised his arm to show off his muscles.
“These are all muscles. Rock-hard! Don’t believe me? Feel for yourself.”
Zhong Yu turned her head away with an arrogant air. “I only pinch muscular hunks. I’m not interested in little elementary-school chickens.”
Song Congchun was offended. He hooked an arm around her shoulders and pushed her down.
The siblings tussled noisily until they reached Zhou Qin, at which point they finally stopped.
Zhou Qin looked her daughter up and down, carefully examining every change.
Seeing that she looked energetic and her complexion was rosy, Zhou Qin immediately felt much more reassured.
But when she lowered her head, she spotted bright-red bloodstains on the hem of Zhong Yu’s clothes. She immediately grabbed her and began inspecting her anxiously.
“Where are you hurt?”
Zhong Yu quickly shook her head.
“Mom, don’t worry. This isn’t my blood. I got it on me when I helped treat a patient just now.”
Zhou Qin relaxed as soon as she heard that. As long as her daughter was not injured, that was all that mattered. She took Zhong Yu’s hand and led her outside, muttering as they went:
“What terrible luck. Everything’s usually fine, but a murder had to happen on the train right when you were coming home.”
Song Congchun followed behind them with the luggage. The bags were heavy and there were so many people around that he soon became exhausted and began panting.
Hearing what his mother said, he teased her without the slightest restraint. “My sister’s a doctor. She has to see blood every day. By your logic, she’d have to perform an exorcism every day.”
Zhou Qin rolled her eyes at him. “How is that the same? Children don’t understand anything, so don’t talk nonsense! A-Yu, what kind of person was that man who stabbed someone to death on the train?”
Zhong Yu knew that her mother’s gossiping spirit had awakened, and she did not hide anything. As they walked, she told her about everything that had happened on the train.
Song Congchun was at the age when he was curious about everything. When he heard that Frog-Faced Girl had a deformed face, he found it incredibly fantastical.
He kept asking, “Sis, are there really people who look like frogs? Was she possessed by an evil spirit?”
Zhou Qin looked at him with disdain. “You’re so young, how can you be so feudal and superstitious? A few years ago, you could have been dragged out for a struggle session for saying things like that. It’s just a genetic mutation. Didn’t you hear your sister?”
Song Congchun curled his lips. “Mom, you really have no imagination at all.”
With her son around for too long, and with his energy far too abundant, Zhou Qin sometimes found him rather irritating too.
She kicked him in the butt and ordered him impatiently, “Adults are talking. Children should interrupt less. Hurry up and go claim us some seats on the bus.”
The station bus happened to go as far as Weihai Road. Zhou Qin had already told Song Bingkun that she would not be going home to sleep that night.
Her daughter had finally come home after so long, so it was only natural for mother and daughter to have some private words to share.
Without those people from the Song household around, Zhou Qin felt that even the air was much fresher.
If she had not wanted to have another son back then, she might not have been willing to remarry at all.
Once Song Congchun was no longer interrupting, Zhou Qin continued with a frown, “If you ask me, you shouldn’t have meddled on the train. If the surgery had failed, that person might have turned his hatred on you. He was ruthless enough to attack even his own biological father. He certainly wouldn’t show mercy to an outsider like you.”
Zhong Yu chuckled. She was holding Zhou Qin’s arm and gently patted the back of her hand in reassurance.
“Yao Huang isn’t that kind of person. She attacked her father to avenge her mother. Even if the surgery had failed, she wouldn’t have blamed me. Besides, if I was willing to speak up, it meant I was confident I could do it.”
As Zhong Yu said this, she was calm and confident, seeming to radiate light from head to toe.
Zhou Qin only glanced at her, but in that fleeting moment, she realized something.
Her daughter was no longer the child who needed protection beneath her wings.
For no apparent reason, she thought of Zhong Guoqiang. Back when he was still alive, whenever she complained about or tried to discipline their daughter, he would stop her.
He always said that their daughter had a mind of her own and a quick, clever brain, and that she should be allowed to do what she liked.
Now it seemed that the dead man had not been wrong about her after all. If he knew from beneath the earth, he ought to be proud.
Zhou Qin could not quite put her feelings into words. She sighed.
“Anyway, you’re grown now, and I can’t really help you anymore. Do what you can and don’t overreach yourself.”
At that moment, Zhou Qin looked somewhat weathered. Zhong Yu did not quite understand her.
Just then, Song Congchun ran onto the bus and waved at them, shouting for them to hurry.
Zhong Yu acted as though nothing had happened and pulled her mother along faster.
There were not many passengers on the bus that evening. They did not have to squeeze in with the crowd, and the loose, spacious ride was quite pleasant.
By the time they reached Weihai Road, it was already past nine. Zhong Yu did not ask why her mother had not gone back to the Song household first. Since her mother did not bring it up, she was happy to enjoy the peace and quiet.
When they finally entered the house, Zhong Yu looked at everything familiar inside, and her heart settled.
Though it was an old home, it was filled with her childhood memories.
The apartment was only ninety square meters, with an aircraft-style layout: three bedrooms and one living room.
None of the rooms was large, but the arrangement was simple and practical, making the place especially comfortable to live in.
Looking at the dim yellow light, Zhong Yu felt warmth spread through her heart.
Zhou Qin looked around the house too, and nostalgia flickered in her eyes, but the feeling faded after only a few seconds.
She was a thoroughly practical person. She never tormented herself over things. She understood that gains came with losses, and once she knew what she wanted, she simply went after it. There was no use thinking too much.
Seeing that her daughter was still lost in her memories, she interrupted her directly.
“You’ve been on the train for more than ten hours, so you must be exhausted. There’s hot water at home. Go take a shower and freshen up.”
Zhou Qin had already cleaned the house thoroughly. There was even fruit on the coffee table in the living room. The place was ready for someone to move straight in.
Song Congchun grabbed an apple and began gnawing at it, lounging carelessly against the sofa.
With his mouth full, he asked indistinctly, “Mom, where am I sleeping tonight?”
Zhou Qin was carrying Zhong Yu’s luggage and preparing to help her put things away.
“You’re tough-skinned. Make do on the sofa for one night. It isn’t cold.”
There was no need to pamper her son too much. Hearing that, Zhong Yu gave a mischievous smile.
“Mom, just put the luggage in the study for now. I’ll organize it myself after I shower.”
She had not lived with Zhou Qin for several years, and her habits had already changed.
Zhou Qin was not particularly sensitive about it. She stood up and dusted off her hands.
“Then I’ll put your things in the study. You can sort them out later. I bought some vegetables and left them in the kitchen. You haven’t had a proper meal all day on the train, have you? I’ll make you a small bowl of noodles.”
Zhong Yu had been cooped up on the train for more than ten hours and truly had no appetite at all. She had barely touched the snacks she brought along.
But her mother simply liked keeping busy, bustling around and taking care of people. If Zhong Yu refused again, her mother would probably feel hurt.
“Thank you, Mom! The air on the train was so stuffy that I didn’t feel hungry. Don’t make too much.”
Song Congchun immediately raised his hand. “Mom, I’m hungry. I helped carry all those things and put in a lot of effort. I need to replenish my strength. Make me a bowl too—preferably with a poached egg.”
Zhou Qin looked at him, still eating fruit while claiming to be hungry, and her face filled with disdain.
“I know, I know. Your stomach is a bottomless pit that can never be filled.”
Song Congchun looked completely innocent. He blinked his large eyes and shrugged helplessly.
“What can I do? I’m still growing. Even my sister says I’m too skinny. If I don’t eat well and fail to grow tall, you won’t even get to hold a grandson.”
Zhou Qin could not be bothered to argue with him. She casually picked up her apron and went into the kitchen.
Zhong Yu was in no hurry. She took all the food from her luggage and handed it to Song Congchun.
“Take all this back with you tomorrow. If you get a craving, come find your sister. I may not be capable of much else, but I can still feed you.”
Song Congchun clasped his hands together, his expression exaggerated.
“Such a great kindness cannot be repaid with mere thanks. For the grace of a single meal, I shall repay you with a surging spring!”
Zhong Yu rolled her eyes at him. She felt sticky and uncomfortable all over and did not feel like indulging his nonsense.
The Song household’s life was not particularly hard, but there were so many mouths to feed. No matter how many tasty things there were, little was left by the time they reached Song Congchun.
Even after Song Congchun later achieved success and fame, he never managed to shake his habit of being greedy for food and protective of his share. It was all because he had gone without enough food as a child.
After showering and changing clothes, Zhong Yu felt as though she had come alive again.
She came out of the bathroom while drying her hair, just as her mother finished making the noodles.
“I braised this beef this morning. There’s enough left at home for several more meals. I stir-fried shredded pork with green peppers to go with the noodles, and I fried two poached eggs too—one for you and one for Congchun. I made the noodles by hand as well.”
Zhong Yu had not had much of an appetite, but the smell made her mouth water.
“Mom, beef isn’t cheap. You have so many people to feed over there, so don’t buy it for me anymore. Here, you take this.”
As she spoke, she casually transferred the poached egg from her bowl into her brother’s.
Zhou Qin pulled out a stool and sat down, her voice full of confidence.
“I earn my own money. If I want to buy something for you, that’s my business. No one else gets to interfere. Besides, doesn’t your Uncle Song let Song Meiting take whatever good things he has?”
Zhong Yu gave a dry laugh. She had no opinion to offer on the Song family’s affairs. With her younger brother there, it would not be appropriate to say anything.
Song Congchun slurped up a large mouthful of noodles and said unconcernedly, “Sis, don’t take it personally. I can’t blame Mom for complaining about Dad. He really is getting more confused with age. He practically wants to hand every last scrap in the house over to my big brother and big sister. Mom should just look after herself and let him look after himself.”
There were things Zhong Yu found difficult to say, but Song Congchun could speak about them without any scruples.
Zhong Yu took a bite of noodles and said gently, “In any case, you have your own salary and don’t need to hold out your hand to Uncle Song. Once I start working, I won’t need you to support me either. As long as he treats everyone equally and is willing to properly support Congchun through school, that’s enough. A husband and wife are companions in old age; children can never be as attentive as one’s spouse.”
Even someone as resilient as Zhou Qin was struck in the heart by her daughter’s words.
Normally, she had no one outside the family to whom she could complain about these matters. Outsiders would only laugh at her and say she had brought it on herself—after all, she had been the one to remarry.
But now her children were both by her side. Her daughter had a promising future, and her son was not lacking in ability either. The days when she could enjoy some blessings lay ahead of her.
In particular, with her daughter going to work at Nanshan Hospital, people would surely come seeking her help in the future. She finally had someone to rely on, and she was willing to pour out some of her grievances.
“You don’t understand your Uncle Song. He’s a man who clings rigidly to old rules. In his eyes, the eldest son is the one who will carry on the family business. His eldest daughter lost her mother not long after she was born, so he feels guilty toward her. My Congchun is the unnecessary one—the child he doesn’t need to worry about.”
Song Congchun felt miserable hearing his mother say that.
“It’s all right for now, but when those two need to marry—one taking a wife and the other getting married—which of them won’t need money? The textile factory isn’t what it used to be. Uncle Song is wary of me, and he doesn’t know how to manage money either. I don’t know exactly how much he has in his pocket, but I’m certain that not even a third of it will end up going to Congchun.”
Zhong Yu frowned. So her mother had been carrying so many hidden worries in her heart. No wonder the older people in that household had aged so quickly later on.
Seeing her mother becoming agitated, Zhong Yu quickly set down her chopsticks and went behind her to gently rub her back, helping her calm down.
“Who knows what will happen in the future? In any case, with me here, Congchun won’t go hungry or be unable to afford school. If life at the Song household can continue, then continue with it. If it can’t, then leave.”
Zhong Yu’s words soothed her. Zhou Qin broke into a smile through her tears.
“You silly girl. If I left, how would I keep working at the textile factory? The gossip alone would drown me.”
Zhong Yu did not think much of that.
“With Congchun and me behind you, no one will dare speak ill of you. The textile factory is barely hanging on and will go bankrupt sooner or later. Instead, Mom, you should come out and start a business of your own.
“You’ve been managing money for so many years. There’s no reason you couldn’t become your own boss.
“Besides, the policies have loosened up now, and private businesses can earn quite a bit.”