Upon returning home, Wen Yifan placed the handmade candies into a box. The topic of moving had been abruptly diverted by Sang Yan earlier, and though she considered bringing it up again, she thought there were still several months left and it wasn’t urgent.
As usual, Wen Yifan tidied up after Sang Yan before retreating to her room.
It seemed Sang Yan hadn’t told his family about his injury. Over the past few days, Wen Yifan had overheard him speaking to them on the phone a few times—mostly about being asked to come home for a meal.
But each time, Sang Yan had used his injury as an excuse to decline, to the point where his parents now seemed quite displeased with him.
Sang Yan, however, remained indifferent.
As if he had long grown accustomed to such treatment.
Wen Yifan guessed that he probably intended to wait until the weather cooled down, when he could wear a jacket to cover his wound, before going back. She sat on the bed and idly scrolled through her phone.
When she noticed Zhao Yuandong’s message, Wen Yifan was reminded of the words Zheng Kejia had relayed through Sang Yan earlier that day.
She tapped on the message.
Only glancing at the latest one.
[Ajiang, can Mom see you?]
Wen Yifan stared at it for a long time, then clicked on Zhao Yuandong’s profile, hovering over the delete button for a few seconds. In the end, she sighed softly and didn’t press it, exiting the screen instead.
Her mind wandered, thinking about all sorts of trivial matters, but soon circled back to tonight.
To the last thing Sang Yan had said before they entered the elevator.
— “I did it willingly.”
Wen Yifan blinked slowly, and the lingering gloom in her heart was instantly replaced by thoughts of that man. The corners of her lips curled up as she grabbed a pillow, hugged it tightly, and rolled around on the bed.
The next day, Wen Yifan accompanied Sang Yan to the hospital for a dressing change. His wound was healing well—the edges were neatly aligned, and there was no redness or swelling. The doctor instructed him to return in another week for a follow-up to determine whether the stitches could be removed.
Wen Yifan calculated the timing—it happened to fall on her birthday.
It was still a Saturday, but this time, Wen Yifan wasn’t on her scheduled day off and had to work. However, as a journalist, her hours were flexible. She woke up early that day, accompanied Sang Yan to the hospital to remove his stitches, and then headed to the TV station with peace of mind.
In the afternoon, Wen Yifan arranged to meet an eyewitness.
The location was set at a café near the witness’s home.
After the interview, Wen Yifan thanked the person. Once they left, she organized her thoughts and began drafting the article. Just then, her phone buzzed. She picked it up casually and unlocked it.
It was a message from Sang Yan.
Sang Yan: Where are you?
Wen Yifan sent him her location directly.
Sang Yan: Off work?
Wen Yifan: Yeah, I’ll head home after finishing this draft.
Sang Yan: I’ll come pick you up.
Wen Yifan replied with an okay and continued writing. When she typed the last word, she reviewed the article and emailed it to her editor. Letting out a sigh of relief, she packed up and headed out.
Just as she stepped out of the café, Wen Yifan bumped into a woman about her height.
She instinctively apologized and tried to walk past her, but the woman grabbed her arm.
A familiar voice reached her ears.
“…Ajiang?”
Wen Yifan looked up and immediately met Zhao Yuandong’s weary face. Her expression froze—she had never imagined that in a city as large as Nanwu, she would coincidentally run into Zhao Yuandong.
Zhao Yuandong appeared even more uneasy than before. “Are you here to meet a friend?” Wen Yifan smiled and replied succinctly, "No, work."
"Your Uncle Zheng and I just had dinner nearby," Zhao Yuandong said, looking noticeably thinner than their last meeting, her cheeks sunken in. "He went back to the company for overtime, and I'm walking this way home."
Wen Yifan nodded, unsure of what else to say.
Just as she was thinking of an excuse to leave, Zhao Yuandong spoke again, her voice tinged with pleading: "Ajiang, today is your birthday. Can we talk?"
The two stood in an awkward stalemate outside the shop.
Wen Yifan relented, her voice soft: "I have something to do soon, so we might not have much time."
Zhao Yuandong quickly assured her, "I won't take up too much of your time."
The nearest place to talk was the café Wen Yifan had just left. This time, she chose a seat by the glass wall inside, half-listening to Zhao Yuandong while absentmindedly watching the bustling street outside.
Over the years, the mother and daughter had barely communicated.
Their relationship was more strained than that of strangers.
After exchanging a few pleasantries, Zhao Yuandong cautiously broached the main topic.
"Ajiang, do you know about your aunt and her brother?"
Wen Yifan gave a quiet "Mm."
"Right, you work in news..." Zhao Yuandong forced a smile. "I never imagined Che Xingde was that kind of person. I thought he was just incompetent, but I didn’t expect him to do such things."
Wen Yifan picked up her glass of water and took a sip.
Silence lingered at the table.
Zhao Yuandong's voice trembled, as if she had been holding back for a long time before mustering the courage to ask: "Ajiang, back then... he didn’t do anything to you, did he...?"
Wen Yifan looked at her silently for a long moment before replying, "How am I supposed to answer that?"
Zhao Yuandong was instantly overcome with shame, unable to speak.
Wen Yifan said calmly, "It’s been a long time now."
"I..." Zhao Yuandong's eyes reddened, her voice choked with tears. "I failed you as a mother... I didn’t pay enough attention to you back then. I thought your uncle would keep you safe. It was my fault..."
Wen Yifan listened quietly.
Zhao Yuandong turned away to wipe her tears. "I don’t expect your forgiveness. I just want to see you occasionally, is that okay?"
Seeing her mother’s guilt and pain, Wen Yifan didn’t answer immediately. She lowered her lashes, gave a faint, bitter smile, and finally spoke slowly: "Honestly, I never felt that upset about how my uncle’s family treated me."
"..."
"Because I always thought raising me wasn’t their responsibility," Wen Yifan said, her voice steady. "They really didn’t owe me kindness."
Zhao Yuandong parted her lips.
Before she could speak, Wen Yifan pressed her lips together tightly and continued, "But you... you made me feel so much worse."
"..."
"You made me doubt myself constantly," Wen Yifan murmured. "Why? Why was it like this?"
Why?
Why did my mother love someone else’s child more than me?
What was wrong with me?
Did I do something wrong?
Was I not good enough?
Did I not deserve to be loved at all?
"Why is it that the person in this world who should love me the most," Wen Yifan stared at the woman before her, her eyes reddening, her words heavy with uncontrolled emotion, "didn’t love me at all?""......" Zhao Yuandong's tears were still falling as she immediately denied, "No, it's because..."
Her words stopped there.
Unable to explain anything further.
What else could it be?
"I know." Wen Yifan composed herself, her expression quickly returning to normal. "It's fine, you have a new family now. You should think more about yourself."
"..."
"I should have understood when you sent me to grandma's house." Wen Yifan found it almost laughable. "When you repeatedly ignored my words, repeatedly neglected me for your new family, when you chose to cover your eyes even when I cried out for help."
Wen Yifan repeated: "—I should have understood."
Zhao Yuandong simply lowered her head, as if consumed by guilt, feeling she didn't even have the right to shed tears.
Wen Yifan's thoughts drifted, and she fell silent. Looking at the frail and haggard woman before her, she couldn't help but recall events from many years ago.
Before getting admitted to Nanwu No.1 High School, Wen Yifan knew Wen Liangzhe had fallen ill to the point of needing surgery. But at that time, Wen Liangzhe told her it was just a minor illness and that he'd be fine after some recuperation.
Wen Yifan had always believed every word Wen Liangzhe said.
She also remembered how Wen Liangzhe had indeed maintained his usual gentle and spirited demeanor afterward.
Wen Yifan didn't think much of it.
After starting high school, because Wen Liangzhe's workplace had moved to another city, Wen Yifan saw him far less frequently. But she often received calls from her father and never doubted anything.
She just missed him terribly, always urging him to come home soon during their calls.
She didn't notice his voice growing weaker.
At that time, everyone thought she was still too young.
Everyone kept Wen Liangzhe's illness a secret from her.
Wen Yifan rushed to see Wen Liangzhe one last time. He seemed utterly worried, his face filled with guilt and pain as he struggled to tell her: "Dad's First Frost must grow up well."
"Stay as happy as you are now every day."
"Take good care of Mom—you're her only support now."
Tears streaming down her face, Wen Yifan agreed to each request. She didn't hear what Wen Liangzhe might have said to Zhao Yuandong, but she could guess it was something similar.
Asking Zhao Yuandong to take good care of their only daughter.
—You are her only support.
That very night.
Wen Liangzhe passed away.
And then, barely three months later.
One day after school, Wen Yifan was taken by Zhao Yuandong to meet her current stepfather, Zheng Huayuan. She was completely unable to accept it at the time, finding it utterly absurd and outrageous.
Wen Yifan didn't mind Zhao Yuandong remarrying.
But not just three months after Wen Liangzhe's death.
Zhao Yuandong explained that because Wen Liangzhe had been ill for so long, she had been suffering greatly during that period. And Zheng Huayuan had been helping her, constantly comforting her.
Finally, because Wen Yifan remained unyielding, Zhao Yuandong hesitantly admitted: "I'm pregnant."
"..."
After a long silence.
Wen Yifan asked her: "Did you cheat?"
Zhao Yuandong tearfully denied it.Their relationship had only begun to develop after Wen Liangzhe's passing. She would never have done anything to betray Wen Liangzhe, but she simply felt exhausted—like she couldn’t go on without someone to lean on.
In the end, Wen Yifan had no choice but to compromise.
She couldn’t force everyone to mourn Wen Liangzhe as deeply and for as long as she did.
Later, Zhao Yuandong lost the child she was carrying. She had a miscarriage after an accidental fall.
And so, everything unfolded as it did.
On the last day Wen Yifan saw Sang Yan in Beiyu, she suddenly no longer wanted to stay in that place either. She returned to Chen Xi’s home, asked her to help collect her university admission letter when it arrived, and then boarded a high-speed train back to Nanwu.
Wen Yifan knew that after the incident, Zhao Yuandong had come to Beiyu to see her.
But Wen Yifan had refused to meet her.
Once back in Nanwu, Wen Yifan returned to the Zheng family home based on her own memory. She only asked Zhao Yuandong for the money Wen Liangzhe had left for her and mechanically added, "I’ll keep in touch with you."
Because Dad wanted me to take care of you.
"Just one condition," Wen Yifan said. "You can’t give my contact information to Wen Liangxian’s family."
They treated me like that.
Even if you don’t stand by me, you should at least consider my feelings.
Zhao Yuandong agreed.
Yet the first time Wen Yifan went to the Zheng home after returning to Nanwu, she ran into Che Yanqin. It seemed Zhao Yuandong hadn’t taken her words to heart—still viewing Che Yanqin as the "benefactor" who had cared for Wen Yifan for so many years.
…
The sound of the server placing their drinks on the table snapped Wen Yifan out of her thoughts. She blinked and asked casually, "Why did Zheng Kejia tell me to come see you? Did you ask her to?"
Zhao Yuandong wiped her tears with a tissue, her expression bleak. "She…"
"..."
"Your stepfather is having an affair." After a pause, Zhao Yuandong forced a bitter smile and finished, "We’ve fought about it a few times. He promised he wouldn’t do it again. Kejia probably just wanted you here to keep me company."
Hearing this, Wen Yifan paused. "Isn’t her company enough?"
Zhao Yuandong lowered her head, her tone tinged with disappointment. "But they’re father and daughter by blood. In the end, she still takes his side..."
It was like history repeating itself.
What had once happened to Wen Yifan was now happening to Zhao Yuandong.
—Neither of them had ever been the one firmly chosen.
Wen Yifan didn’t comment on this, nor did she want to interfere in Zhao Yuandong’s life. She glanced at the time on her phone and smiled faintly. "Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about how to handle our relationship. I never deleted your contact because I kept worrying—what if something happened to you and I didn’t know?"
After all, unlike others, they were mother and daughter by blood—a bond that was incredibly hard to sever.
With a self-deprecating laugh, Wen Yifan added, "But I guess I was overthinking it. You never cared about me all those years, and I still made it through."
"..."
"Because we never had this conversation, it always felt like a weight on my heart." Wen Yifan said, "But after today, I’ll delete all your contact information."Wen Yifan's light-colored eyes held no softness, her gentle voice laced with a hint of cruelty: "I hope you can pretend that your daughter was already killed by Che Xingde that night."
Zhao Yuandong's face turned pale.
Through the glass, Wen Yifan caught sight of Sang Yan at that moment. Dressed in a short-sleeved shirt and long pants, he was scanning the surroundings as if searching for a location. His fingers tapped twice on his phone screen before bringing it to his ear.
Wen Yifan's gaze lingered. A few seconds later, as expected, her phone on the table rang.
She answered.
Sang Yan got straight to the point: "Still working on your draft?"
Wen Yifan slung her bag over her shoulder and replied honestly, "Finished."
"Alright." As he spoke, Sang Yan looked over, his eyes meeting hers through the transparent glass. He raised an eyebrow, his tone drawn out, "Then why aren't you coming out? What are you waiting for?"
Wen Yifan replied patiently, "I'll be right there."
Noticing someone sitting across from Wen Yifan, Sang Yan asked, "Who are you on a date with?"
Wen Yifan smiled. "I'll tell you when I come out."
Following her gaze, Zhao Yuandong also looked toward Sang Yan. Understanding dawned on her, and she asked, suppressing a sob, "Ajiang, is that your boyfriend? Can I meet him?"
Wen Yifan stood up, staring at her face. "You should have met him long ago."
During those two times when parents were called to school.
Zhao Yuandong didn't understand. "What do you mean?"
Wen Yifan shook her head. "No, there's no need."
"..."
"Regardless, I still hope you can live well," Wen Yifan said, ending the conversation without further ado. "I'll live my life well too."
Exiting the café, Wen Yifan ran over and threw herself into Sang Yan's arms.
Sang Yan instinctively caught her, steadying her. His gaze remained fixed on Zhao Yuandong's direction, his tone probing, "Who were you meeting?"
Wen Yifan answered truthfully, "My mom."
"But," she added, "not anymore."
"..."
Over this period, Sang Yan had occasionally heard her mention family matters. He roughly understood her feelings and didn't press further. "Mm. Let's go back to celebrate your birthday."
Holding his hand as they walked, Wen Yifan said, "Sang Yan."
"Yeah?"
"Can I tell you my birthday wish now?"
"Tell me later," Sang Yan said. "There's no cake here."
"But having you is enough," Wen Yifan said earnestly. "A cake can't make my wish come true."
"..."
Wen Yifan insisted, "I want to say it now."
Sang Yan turned his head, giving in quickly. "Fine, go ahead."
Too shy to say it directly, Wen Yifan rambled about other things before slowly getting to the point. "This summer has been really long. It's still so hot even after First Frost."
Sang Yan: "Hmm?"
Because he had reminded her earlier to make a proper wish this year.
"Sang Yan, if next summer is just as long—" Wen Yifan had thought of several roundabout ways to phrase it but worried he might not understand, so she decided to be straightforward. "Then propose to me."
"..."
After saying this, Wen Yifan felt nervous but forced herself to sound calm. "Okay?"Sang Yan froze for a moment, as if he hadn't expected her to say something so brazen. He lowered his head and laughed for a while, his shoulders shaking slightly. After a long pause, he finally responded, "Alright."
Wen Yifan relaxed.
The next moment, Sang Yan spoke again, "That's it?"
Wen Yifan nodded, then felt that since he'd brought it up, she'd be at a disadvantage if she didn't add a few more. "Can there be more?"
Sang Yan chuckled, "Sure."
"Then I also hope," Wen Yifan added cautiously, "that next summer will be a little longer."
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