Her features were no longer as bright as they had been when they first met.
Wen Zhao looked up at her, raising a hand to carefully trace the lines of her brows and eyes, her heart aching intensely.
How did things turn out like this?
“Get out.”
Wen Zhao didn’t even ask how Zheng Miaoning had gotten in. She was always like this—imperiously and unreasonably invading every domain belonging to Wen Zhao.
If Wen Zhao asked even one more question, Zheng Miaoning would likely put on that tearful expression again, while inwardly plotting how to push the boundaries even further next time.
So, Wen Zhao simply closed her eyes in exhaustion, using pale, weak words to drive her away.
Zheng Miaoning caught her meaning and, with great fanfare, hauled her own quilt over.
Hearing the door open again, Wen Zhao was left utterly speechless.
Fortunately, the night passed in peace.
Having caught up on her sleep, Wen Zhao felt much better the next day.
The climate in Songping County wasn’t particularly pleasant. While it was late spring elsewhere, the temperature here already hinted at the scorching heat of summer.
After washing her hair, Wen Zhao picked up the hairdryer in the hotel room. She had just plugged it in when she silently pulled the plug back out. Instead, she took two towels and did her best to soak the water out of her hair.
By the time her hair was half-dry, Wen Zhao had worked up a sweat.
Zheng Miaoning’s schedule yesterday had been earlier than hers, and she was still asleep now. Wen Zhao moved carefully, making no noise as she did a quick tidying up before heading out.
Compared to the bustling City B, a small town like Songping County was the kind of place Wen Zhao was familiar with. She didn’t need any adjustment time to blend in perfectly.
In the early morning, the county seat was divided into two areas by a single storefront sign.
The atmosphere inside the morning market was vibrant. The cries of street vendors and the coming and going of people kept Wen Zhao occupied. A thick sense of “living breath” brushed past her from all sides.
No matter how hard Wen Zhao tried, she couldn’t manage the heartfelt smiles of the adults and children sitting at small outdoor tables, sipping oil tea from the edges of their bowls while discussing the day’s plans.
A sweet aroma wafted into Wen Zhao’s nose. She walked quickly to a stall and bought two pieces of freshly baked, steaming jujube cake.
More than half of the morning market remained unexplored.
After paying, Wen Zhao held the bag and looked deeper into the market with hesitation. Then, she turned back, clutching the plastic bag.
She didn’t know if Zheng Miaoning liked the food here; she would buy something sweet for her to try first.
Wen Zhao still remembered Zheng Miaoning’s words from last night.
What did she mean, saying Wen Zhao couldn’t do it well?
Zheng Miaoning, Qin Zhuyu—which one of them hadn’t been raised exceptionally well by her?
Wen Zhao felt a flicker of anger.
Returning to the room, she placed the still-warm jujube cake near Zheng Miaoning’s face. Watching the girl’s eyelashes tremble from the steam of the cake—which was warmer than body temperature—Wen Zhao quickly slipped away.
If I want to influence more people, how should I go about it?
Chewing on a small piece of jujube cake, Wen Zhao pondered as she walked.
Her initial thoughts for filming were limited to two places: a nursing home or an orphanage. She couldn’t exactly grab a random person on the street and ask: “Do you want to become luckier? Why don’t you try spending time with me?”
Wen Zhao was afraid someone would invite her to the police station for a “chat.”
She pulled out her phone to open a navigation app. Just as she was about to search for the address of a nursing home, someone called out to her.
“Sister Wen Zhao?”
The voice was very familiar. Wen Zhao looked up toward the sound and saw Wen Qian. Her eyes widened. “Wen Qian? What a coincidence, meeting you here.”
The girl who called out was clearly happy that her name had been remembered.
Hearing the word “coincidence,” Wen Qian smiled and replied, “It’s not really a coincidence. This is my hometown. I’m graduating this year and just happened to come back to the local court for an internship.”
Wen Zhao wasn’t surprised that Wen Qian was interning at a court.
Ever since the chance encounter with Wen Qian in an elective class, Qin Zhuyu had been holding a grudge.
“She’s not even from our School of Economics. How could she ‘coincidentally’ show up in our class?” Qin Zhuyu had grumbled before having someone look into Wen Qian.
Thus, Wen Zhao learned that Wen Qian was a senior in the Law Department with excellent grades. She had won almost every scholarship available in the department and the college. On the side, she took on odd jobs like proxy-attending classes or picking up deliveries to earn extra money.
That day had truly been a coincidence; Wen Qian had simply taken an order to attend class for one of Qin Zhuyu’s classmates.
This aligned with Wen Zhao’s first impression of her: a poor but very hardworking and proactive girl.
Seeing Wen Qian now, Wen Zhao felt a sense of kinship and asked a few more questions. “Is the internship tiring? Is there a salary? Can it cover your living expenses?”
“It’s quite tiring, but the uncles, aunts, brothers, and sisters there all take good care of me,” Wen Qian replied to each question. “As for the salary, I work part-time on weekends. Combined, it’s about enough.”
Wen Zhao nodded with relief. “You should head to work then. I won’t keep you.”
Wen Qian was about to remind her that today was Saturday and she didn’t have any part-time work when she felt a pair of malicious eyes fixed upon her.
Zheng Miaoning—the eternally high-and-mighty “chosen daughter of heaven.”
The words at the tip of Wen Qian’s tongue suddenly took a turn. She half-closed her eyes, her voice dropping low. “Sigh, I don’t have a shift today, and I don’t know what to do with myself. I’m really happy to have met Sister Wen Zhao. If only…”
“If only what?” Zheng Miaoning’s smiling voice rang out.
Wen Zhao didn’t bother turning around. This rowdy child was awake again.
“If only Sister Wen Zhao could accompany me for a walk, I would be especially, especially happy.”
The plain-looking young woman appeared exceptionally mature for her age, but as she smiled shyly now, she looked much more youthful. At this moment, Wen Qian possessed an aura of hopeful vitality.
Having to support a family at such a young age, how long had it been since Wen Qian dared to express her own desires so boldly?
Wen Zhao couldn’t help but repeatedly consider the hardships of everyone around her.
Seeing that Wen Zhao was about to go soft-hearted again, Zheng Miaoning stepped forward with a refined smile. “In my opinion, Miss Wen Qian should go find a part-time job. Or staying at home would work too. That way, you won’t end up spending money when you haven’t had a cent of income all day.”
Wen Zhao looked at Zheng Miaoning in surprise.
In broad daylight, it was rare for Zheng Miaoning to speak so harshly. The mask of a cheerful and kind person was usually perfectly adhered to her face. Even with Qin Zhuyu, Zheng Miaoning had never spoken like this in public.
Wen Zhao reached out and squeezed Zheng Miaoning’s hand lightly to soothe her.
Then she looked at Wen Qian. “I’m sorry, Miss Zheng isn’t very good with words. Come on, Wen Qian, show us around. We’ve just arrived in Songping County and aren’t familiar with anything yet.”
Zheng Miaoning’s words didn’t cause a change in Wen Qian’s expression.
Instead, it was Wen Zhao’s considerate explanation that made Wen Qian cast a subtle glance at Zheng Miaoning. The latter responded with a provocative, defiant smile, leaving Wen Qian gnashing her teeth in frustration.
In front of Wen Zhao, Wen Qian maintained a pleasant demeanor and responded enthusiastically.
For the rest of the day, the hostility Zheng Miaoning felt toward Wen Qian seemed to vanish into thin air. She simply followed quietly by Wen Zhao’s side, using a venomous glare to ward off Wen Qian whenever she made any overstepping gestures.
Wen Zhao’s suspicious gaze flickered between the two of them.
The seemingly peaceful day ended with a pot of poached fish.
After parting ways with Wen Qian, Wen Zhao and Zheng Miaoning walked side-by-side down a path where many of the paving stones were loose. The dim yellow streetlights cast their shadows, one long and one short, looking remarkably harmonious.
“Take your quilt back when we get in,” Wen Zhao said flatly.
Zheng Miaoning let out an indifferent “Oh.”
Why is she being so agreeable?
Wen Zhao shot her another suspicious look.
Zheng Miaoning showed no signs of anything unusual, so Wen Zhao suppressed her doubts and returned to the hotel with her.
Seeing Zheng Miaoning honestly haul her quilt away, Wen Zhao breathed a sigh of relief and went into the bathroom to remove her hair clip and brush her hair.
When Wen Zhao stepped out of the bathroom, she saw that beautiful face again—the one that made it impossible to scold her.
Zheng Miaoning was sitting on Wen Zhao’s bed with a face full of innocence.
Wen Zhao: “…”
This was truly “within expectations.”
She held her breath and remained silent, but Zheng Miaoning couldn’t help herself. She said, “Sister Zhao told me to take the quilt away. Didn’t you mean this?”
“Mean what?” Wen Zhao frowned.
Zheng Miaoning slowly broke into a smile. “Didn’t Sister Zhao mean that using two quilts last night was too distant? So you specifically had me move the quilt away so I could share one with you?”
“You didn’t say the person had to leave too,” Zheng Miaoning added triumphantly, leaning toward Wen Zhao and pointing a finger at her with a beaming face before Wen Zhao could speak.
Wen Zhao laughed. Out of pure frustration.
It seemed that on this trip, Zheng Miaoning was prepared to play the “shameless pestering” card to its absolute limit.
“Then I’m saying it now. You leave too.”
“Too late,” the smile on Zheng Miaoning’s lips widened, and a sense of foreboding rose in Wen Zhao’s heart. “Sister Zhao, I just threw the key inside the room. Now I can’t get in.”
Wen Zhao clenched her fists. “I don’t believe you.”
Zheng Miaoning spread her hands. “You can search me. I don’t have the key on me.”
As she spoke, Zheng Miaoning kept blinking at Wen Zhao. What are you going to do? Kill me?
Having been provoked repeatedly, Wen Zhao didn’t want to say a word, nor would she rush up to search her.
Wen Zhao grabbed her pajamas, went into the bathroom to change, and came back out. She walked to the window, opened it wide, and leaned against the bedside with her eyes closed. “Fine. We’ll just wait each other out.”
The temperature difference in Songping County was huge; the night breeze was very chilly. Even Zheng Miaoning felt like shivering, let alone Wen Zhao, who was leaning right by the bed near the window.
“You win,” Zheng Miaoning gritted her teeth.
She yanked Wen Zhao onto the bed, slammed the window shut, stared at Wen Zhao for a second or two, and then left the room with a dark expression.
Wen Zhao lay flat on the bed, turning her head slightly to avoid the piercing light.
The room was silent for over ten minutes. Wen Zhao’s breathing was steady; no one would suspect she was still awake.
After a few more minutes, Wen Zhao sat up.
It had been nearly twenty minutes, and she hadn’t heard the sound of the door next door opening.
Wen Zhao let out a long sigh and resignedly opened the door.
Looking at the “pitiful creature” sitting on the floor with her knees hugged to her chest, Wen Zhao was fuming. But she still said, “Now, take out your key, go get your quilt back, and bring it here. I’m only giving you five minutes.”
“Okay!”
The girl, who had been burying her head in her knees, looked up as if she had been waiting for this. Her bright eyes stared at Wen Zhao, her starry gaze containing both cunning and triumph.
Wen Zhao had gone soft again.
Now, under that gaze, the bit of anger she had held completely evaporated. She turned and lay back on the bed.
See? The Broken Windows Theory works perfectly.
Five minutes?
Hearing the commotion Zheng Miaoning was making, Wen Zhao squeezed her eyes shut, mocking herself inwardly.
Miss Zheng took forty or fifty seconds at most to come back with her quilt. Wen Zhao hadn’t even heard the sound of a lock being turned.
Zheng Miaoning hadn’t even locked her door!
She had been tricked by Zheng Miaoning yet again.
Wen Zhao just wanted to pretend she didn’t know, not to expose it, so she could barely preserve a bit of her dignity. She still wanted to be a very “capable” mother.
Wen Zhao should have realized long ago: if she could use herself to threaten Zheng Miaoning, Zheng Miaoning could use herself to threaten Wen Zhao.
“Sister Zhao, I can’t sleep.”
“…Are you faking it or is it real?” said Wen Zhao, who had intended to stay silent.
Zheng Miaoning tilted her head to look at her. “It’s real.”
There was a hint of grievance in her tone, and Wen Zhao couldn’t help but believe her a little more. Zheng Miaoning suffered from severe insomnia and many medications hadn’t helped; Wen Zhao had always known this.
After saying “It’s real,” the room fell silent. Zheng Miaoning didn’t say another word, continuing to wait.
Someone who has been absolutely favored firmly believes that they will eventually get what they want.
After a while, a rustling sound came from beside her.
Wen Zhao sat up, took the coat from the side to drape over herself, and got out of bed. After walking around to the side where Zheng Miaoning was sleeping, Wen Zhao sat down, sighed, and asked, “Did you often sleep poorly abroad as well?”
In the darkness, Zheng Miaoning stubbornly sought out Wen Zhao’s direction.
Hearing the woman’s gentle, dream-like inquiry, Zheng Miaoning thought: If I were a sensible saint, I should say no.
But Zheng Miaoning was anything but.
From the day she sensed Wen Zhao’s thought of leaving her, Zheng Miaoning decided she wouldn’t be a “good kid.” She would be the worst, the most troublesome, the person Wen Zhao would worry about the most.
Good kids get praise; bad kids get favored.
Zheng Miaoning wanted Wen Zhao’s gaze, her care. She wanted Wen Zhao to be unable to do anything but miss her, even if she went to the ends of the earth. She wanted to be the recipient of Wen Zhao’s unique favoritism.
So, Zheng Miaoning said, “The winters in Country G are so cold, Sister Zhao.”
When she had gone abroad in a fit of pique, it happened to be winter in the Northern Hemisphere. Because of the latitude, Country G’s winters were bitterly cold and dry.
“As soon as I got there, I used my own money to buy a small apartment. I knew you didn’t like my parents and didn’t want to be watched by them, so I used the card they didn’t know about to pay.”
“I decorated the room and went to see the professor early.”
“That stiff, strict old man has very high requirements for procedural rigor. I begged him for a long time and showed him your high school grades before I convinced him to guide you personally as well. Then I found someone to help write the recommendation letters for you too.”
“But Sister Zhao… Mom…”
Zheng Miaoning’s voice was very low. Wen Zhao’s eyes felt hot, but she remained silent. She waited quietly for Zheng Miaoning’s accusation. She waited to be judged as a thoroughly “bad mother.”
Then Zheng Miaoning said, “It turns out all four seasons in Country G are cold. I understood your polite refusal. There were too many classes during the day, and I only missed you at night… I spent every sleepless night studying, so I came back early. I missed you very much.”
She was rarely so understanding. She didn’t mention Wen Zhao’s proactive blocking or Wen Zhao listening to Zheng Lihui’s words. She only said: I missed you very much.
Wen Zhao thought, It would have been better if she had cried and made a scene.
Wen Zhao gently covered Zheng Miaoning’s mouth and said in a hoarse voice, “Go to sleep, baby.”
Her warm fingertips brushed the stray hairs from Zheng Miaoning’s face, and she tucked the quilt tightly around her. Wen Zhao placed one hand on top of Zheng Miaoning’s head and patted her gently with the other.
She began to hum a soft nursery rhyme.
Only after finding the tune did Zheng Miaoning hear the lyrics Wen Zhao was softly humming:
“…Hua-la-la-la-la, my baby… when you’re tired, someone is there to accompany you…”
The resentment she had chewed on repeatedly for two years was easily smoothed away.
Zheng Miaoning fell into a peaceful sleep.