“Boom!”
The dam holding back Mother Jiang’s emotions shattered completely.
She broke down into uncontrollable sobs, clutching the phone as all her doubt, fear, and despair were washed away by overwhelming joy.
“Ningning… my Ningning… it really is you… it’s really you…”
Her words tumbled over each other in a frantic rush.
“The hand warmer… the handkerchief… the ‘Ning’ character… I embroidered that myself… only you and I knew… I believe you now… I’m coming, I’m coming right now! Just wait for me! Don’t go anywhere, stay right there and wait for me!”
Through the phone, Jiang Yining could hear the chaos on the other end, hurried footsteps, things being knocked over in panic.
She held the warm phone tightly, listening to her mother’s flustered excitement.
Tears streamed down her face.
Yet for the first time since her rebirth, she smiled.
A real smile.
She lifted her gaze toward the small attic window.
Outside, under the bright midday sun, the pots of lemon mint by the shop door swayed gently. Their vivid green leaves spread wide, releasing a crisp, slightly tart fragrance into the air.
…
In the end, Mother Jiang chose not to tell her husband or son about Ningning’s return.
The truth was too shocking.
Too unbelievable.
More than anything, she feared they would try to stop her, locking her away in concern, cutting off her only chance to run to her daughter.
So she made up a simple excuse.
She told Father Jiang that she had been feeling stifled lately and wanted to return to H City for a short trip, to relax and visit an old friend.
“Why H City all of a sudden?”
Father Jiang lowered his newspaper, his gaze sharp behind his glasses, carrying both suspicion and concern.
“Did something happen?”
H City.
Their former home.
And also the place where they had buried their daughter.
For them, it was a place soaked in pain.
Mother Jiang’s heart skipped, but she forced herself to remain calm. She even added a hint of impatience to her tone.
“What could happen? I’ve just been cooped up at home for too long. I’m bored. The air there is better, and chatting with an old friend is better than staring at you two all day.”
Avoiding his probing gaze, she turned and began packing her things.
Hearing the news, Jiang Yunting rushed over, his brows tightly knit.
“Mom, if you want to relax, there’s no need to go back to H City. There’s a new resort in S City, great scenery, lots of activities. I can take you there.”
He knew.
They both knew.
That city carried too many memories.
Too much pain.
But Mother Jiang was resolute.
Her voice was firm, leaving no room for argument.
“No. I’m not going anywhere else. I’m going to H City. I’ve already booked the earliest flight tomorrow morning. Don’t try to stop me.”
Father and son exchanged a glance.
Worry flickered silently between them.
Seeing her uncharacteristic stubbornness, they fell quiet.
When Mother Jiang went into the bathroom and the sound of running water filled the space, Father Jiang lowered his voice.
“Something’s not right. This is too sudden. Normally, she won’t even look at photos of that place.”
Jiang Yunting’s expression darkened.
“I think so too… Dad, could it be… a scam? Someone using Ningning’s name to trick her?”
He struggled to finish the sentence.
Father Jiang’s eyes hardened.
“Whatever it is, we can’t let her go alone.”
After a moment, he made a decision.
“I’ll follow her quietly. You stay here, your work is busy, and the baby just recovered from a fever. If anything happens, I’ll contact you and your uncle immediately.”
His older brother lived in H City.
At least they would have support.
Jiang Yunting hesitated, but nodded in the end.
“Dad, be careful. Keep in touch.”
…
Late at night.
After confirming both her husband and son were asleep, Mother Jiang quietly slipped onto the balcony.
She closed the glass door and quickly dialed the number she had saved.
In the attic of the flower shop, Jiang Yining was curled up on her bed, watching a palace drama on her phone, gasping softly at the twists and schemes on screen.
The moment “Mom” flashed on the screen, she answered instantly.
“Ningning? Still awake this late? Watching dramas again?”
Her mother’s voice carried a familiar teasing warmth, as if the past eight years had never existed.
“Mom, you know me too well,” Jiang Yining laughed softly, her voice bright and youthful again. “You have no idea, I just got to the part in War and Beauty where the female lead gets bullied by Consort De. You promised to buy me the DVDs after my exams, remember? Where are they, huh? Hmph. But it’s fine now, phones can do everything. These things are basically magic.”
She spoke casually, sharing her discoveries in this new world as if they had only been apart for a day.
Listening to her daughter’s familiar tone, her little complaints and playful pride, Mother Jiang’s heart softened completely.
Any thought of scolding her for staying up late disappeared.
“Yes, yes, Mom was busy back then,” she said gently. “After your exams, so many things came up, I forgot about the DVDs. But don’t get too smug, you still shouldn’t stay up so late. Go to sleep. I booked the earliest flight, I’ll be in H City by noon tomorrow.”
“Mom…”
Jiang Yining hesitated, her voice lowering.
“Is Dad… and Yunting… are they coming too?”
“I didn’t tell them,” Mother Jiang whispered, her tone tight with the thrill of a shared secret. “If they knew, they’d make a fuss and never let me leave. Once I see you and bring you home safely, I’ll explain everything then.”
She could already imagine their reactions.
Shock.
Joy.
Disbelief.
Jiang Yining thought it over and nodded, even though her mother couldn’t see it.
“That works.”
The heavy weight in her chest eased a little more.
They continued chatting, about small things, ordinary things, making up for lost time.
Eventually, Jiang Yining glanced at the clock and urged softly,
“Mom, you should sleep. You need energy to come see your incredibly cute daughter tomorrow.”
“Alright, alright,” Mother Jiang replied with a laugh.
After the call ended, she stood there for a moment, a smile lingering on her face, one she hadn’t worn in eight long years.
Then, as if remembering something, she opened WeChat and sent a friend request.