Overdo

We exchanged glances once again. Just then, footsteps suddenly came from beyond the Flower Barrier. It was Uncle Lei. Seeing the two of us standing there, he paused briefly, then smiled and said, "Nannan, it's time for you to go home." At the same time, he looked at Zhuo Zheng. The latter remained remarkably composed, addressing him, "Minister Lei." Uncle Lei nodded and said, "Little Zhuo, come with me. I have something to discuss with you."

I smiled and asked, "Uncle Lei, this Brother Zhuo is a good person. You mustn't scold him." Uncle Lei glanced at me and said, "You little clever one, hurry along now. Your father is waiting for you."

I rode home in the same car as Father. He remained silent the entire way, though he didn't seem to be in a bad mood, as he actually lit a cigarette in the car. He asked the attendant in the car to lower the window. The attendant lowered it slightly but refused to lower it further due to security protocols. Father didn't get angry. He was almost cheerful—something I hadn't seen in him for so many years that I couldn't quite identify the emotion.

When the car arrived home, I got out, but Father didn't. I heard him say to the director of the attendant office, "I'm going to Duan Mountain." The Duanshan Official Residence isn't far from the Shuangqiao Official Residence. I had never been there before, but I'd heard it was the house Father lived in when he was young. Director Shi replied, "Yes," and went off to make arrangements. Suddenly, I noticed that Director Shi showed no surprise at all. Normally, when Father changed his plans so casually, he would look troubled and sometimes even try to dissuade him.

I turned around and called out, "Father." Father absentmindedly grunted in response, not even looking at me. I steeled myself—whether I was right or wrong, no matter how absurd my guess might be, I was going all in! I said, slowly and deliberately, "I want to see my mother."

Father lifted his head, and under the streetlight, I could clearly see the sharp glint in his eyes. I wasn't afraid and repeated, "I want to see my mother."

Father's expression was complex, something I couldn't quite describe. Summoning all my courage, I said, "Aren't you on your way to see her? Is she at the Duanshan Official Residence?"

Father didn't lose his temper, which oddly made me feel a bit uneasy. I didn't know if I had guessed correctly—or if this absurd notion was utterly baseless... Finally, I heard Father's voice, hoarse as he said, "Your mother—you want to see her?"

My heart pounded wildly, like a frantic drumbeat. I felt as if I were standing in the eye of a typhoon, with everything around me rapidly being destroyed, and I might be next. But no matter what, I was going all in. I didn't know who that Ren Yingying was, but she evoked an indescribable longing in me. She couldn't be someone unrelated to me; she must have the deepest connection with me.

Father finally sighed and said, "Get in the car."

For a moment, I couldn't believe my ears. It was too easy—had he agreed? Had I guessed correctly? Was I really right? Could that white-clad Orchid Fairy truly be her? Everything had come too suddenly, too quickly, too astonishingly. I couldn't bring myself to believe it.The motorcade headed towards the Duanshan Official Residence. In the night, the tall trees lining the road loomed like massive dark shadows, and my heart was shrouded in that immense gloom. I didn’t know if it was Mother waiting for me, and even if it truly was her, I didn’t know what else awaited me besides Mother.