What Xiao Man didn’t expect was that his mother had done even more. On her day off, the two of them went to the Public Security Bureau to inquire about missing person cases.

After visiting two Public Security Bureau substations, Shu Yuan realized it was almost pointless. To the officers, what she provided barely qualified as a clue. They were busy and wouldn’t look into records from years ago, if those records even existed. All they did was take down her information and say they would contact her if any leads came up.

Since going to the bureau hadn’t helped, Shu Yuan thought it over and brought Xiao Man to the Lucheng Daily newspaper office, hoping to place an advertisement.

She could only afford a middle-column ad. If it was just text, a dozen yuan would be enough. But she felt text alone wouldn’t help, so she needed to include a photo. Adding a photo bumped the price to over twenty yuan, and typically, middle-column ads didn’t include images.

Given her financial situation, she could only afford to publish it three times at most, spaced out over time.

Her already strained finances grew even tighter.

But she had to do it. This was her promise to Xiao Man, proof that he was loved, that the things he cared about were important to his mother too.

“Mom, will putting an ad in the paper help?” Xiao Man asked.

Mom had handed over a large sum of money to the newspaper, even though she barely had any to begin with. Yet she was still so generous. Xiao Man felt distressed over the cost, but more than that, he felt his mother was incredibly kind and treated him exceptionally well.

He wished everyone could know just how kind his mom was.

Publishing the ad would surely help, but looking for Die Lai’s family was like searching for a needle in a haystack. Still, Shu Yuan had to give Xiao Man some confidence, so she said, “Of course it’ll help. Lots of people read the newspaper. The missing person notice might even get posted on the public bulletin board. Besides, Die Lai’s family is in Lucheng, so there’s a good chance they’ll see it.”

Shu Yuan held Xiao Man’s small hand, and he felt deeply grounded and reassured.

——

After dinner, Shu Yuan brought Xiao Man to visit Shu Ping’s home. Shu Ping lived in the new apartment building of the electronics factory’s staff housing compound. From the main entrance, they made two turns and walked about two hundred meters.

It was Shu Ping who opened the door. Seeing mother and son, she warmly welcomed them in. “It’s Xiao Man’s first time here. Come on in. Momo, your little brother’s here.”

Momo immediately ran over to grab Xiao Man’s hand and pulled him toward the bedroom. “Xiao Man, do you want to read picture books or play with building blocks?”

Modi was left out and quickly asked, “Can I play with you guys too?”

Xiao Man glanced at Momo’s desk and asked, “Are you doing homework?”

Momo replied, “Yes.”

Xiao Man didn’t really feel like playing. He said, “Can I take a look at your homework?”

Momo was surprised that a kid would actually be interested in homework. “Sure you can. Once you start primary school, you’ll have homework too.”

The new apartment buildings were generally more spacious than the old ones. Zheng Jianshe, being a workshop director, had been assigned a two-bedroom unit that was much bigger than the one Li Hongxia had. It was about fifty to sixty square meters and quite roomy.

The two bedrooms had been arranged like dormitories for boys and girls. Shu Ping shared a room with Momo, while Zheng Jianshe shared one with Modi. As for the fact that the couple didn’t sleep in the same room, their explanation was that the children were older now, and it wasn’t convenient to all share a room.

Li Hongxia’s opinion on this was that it was pointless pretentiousness, fussy for no good reason. And of course, it was Zheng Jianshe, the worker-peasant-soldier university student, who was being pointlessly fussy.

Shu Yuan didn’t bother with the three kids. Instead, she looked toward Zheng Jianshe, who was reading at the small table in the living room, and asked with a smile, “Brother-in-law, studying technology? So motivated. Oh, foreign poetry, is it?”

While pouring water, Shu Ping explained, “Your brother-in-law has been interested in poetry lately.”

Zheng Jianshe closed the book and placed it on the table with the cover facing down. He looked over at Shu Yuan and asked warily, “After working all day, can’t I just read something casually after hours?”

Shu Yuan kept her smile and said, “Why aren’t you studying technology, Brother-in-law? Even though you’re a workshop director, your technical skills aren’t even half as good as my dad’s. He’s a Level Eight technician. Shouldn’t a workshop director strive for improvement? Or are you reading poetry because you’re chasing romantic ideals now?”

Zheng Jianshe felt like she had hit him squarely on the sore spot. His shame turned to anger as he turned to Shu Ping and said, “Can you do something about your sister’s mouth? She’s got no respect.”

Shu Ping quickly tried to smooth things over, smiling as she said, “She’s always been like this, you know that.”

Shu Yuan had been observing Shu Ping’s reactions closely. From her analysis, it seemed Shu Ping was aware that Zheng Jianshe had become emotionally distant, but she didn’t want to bring it up. She only wanted to maintain the routines of daily life, regardless of whatever undercurrents were churning beneath the surface.

Divorce wasn’t something she would even consider. Shu Ping didn’t have the strength to stand up for herself. Shu Yuan didn’t want to recklessly shatter the fragile peace her sister was holding onto.

Zheng Jianshe, on the other hand, felt that Shu Yuan had changed. He couldn’t say exactly when it started, but ever since then, she seemed to find him especially displeasing and kept looking for chances to jab at him.

To him, Shu Yuan had become difficult to deal with.

Shu Yuan didn’t say anything more. She took eight bills from her pocket and handed them to Shu Ping. “I used your money before. This is the interest.”

Shu Ping was shocked. “Why are you giving me interest?”

She had never expected Shu Yuan to repay the money, let alone add interest. She had never even thought about asking for it back.

Shu Ping quickly pushed the money back, saying, “You’ve only been working for a few days. You don’t have much money yet. Keep it for yourself. There’s really no need to pay interest.”

Zheng Jianshe looked at Shu Yuan with a questioning gaze. What exactly was she up to?

She used to chase after Shen Zhongcheng and live off her parents. Now she had found a job, hit the jackpot by marrying Xiao Man’s father, and she was even paying back money with interest?

And just like that, she handed over eighty yuan!

Shu Yuan replied seriously, “You have to take it. When you borrow money, you should pay interest. I have money now.”

Shu Ping refused to take it at first, but after several rounds of pushing back and forth, she finally accepted the money, though reluctantly.

“Xiao Man, time to go home,” Shu Yuan called out toward the girls’ bedroom.

“Got it, Mom, let’s go!” Xiao Man quickly trotted over on his little legs.

Shu Ping walked them all the way downstairs. The three of them headed together toward the compound gate as Shu Ping said, “You didn’t invite Second Uncle’s family to the wedding. They feel snubbed and disrespected, and they’re pretty upset. I bet they’ll come knocking one of these days to bring it up.”

Shu Yuan remained calm. “That was expected. I didn’t invite them, and I’m not afraid of them showing up.”

Shu Ping smiled. “I was just worried your new husband might hear this kind of drama and think poorly of it. Also, Shu Hongguo is quite envious of you. She thinks if she had gone to the countryside back then, maybe she could’ve found a good match too.”

Shu Yuan couldn’t help but laugh, utterly speechless. “Is something wrong with her brain? Life in the countryside was so hard. Let her be envious then.”

After saying goodbye to Shu Ping, the mother and son headed toward the gate of the staff housing compound. Shu Yuan held Xiao Man’s small hand and said, “Mom doesn’t owe Auntie any money now.”

Now she was free of debt. At least in terms of the money Shu Ping had spent on her, she had repaid it in full.

Xiao Man thought for a moment and said, “Then Mom only owes Dad money now. But Dad doesn’t ask for it, so Mom can pay him back slowly.”

Shu Yuan was content. “That’s right. I’ll pay it back slowly.”

——

It was already June, and there were only about two to three months left before the new school term started in September, with half a month of summer break in between. Still, the young couple decided to send Xiao Man to kindergarten now.

From registration to actually starting school, they had given Xiao Man more than two weeks to mentally prepare. Shu Yuan also got him a backpack and some school supplies. With the start of a new week, the little guy was officially about to begin school.

Worried he might need to use the bathroom frequently, they didn’t give him soy milk or porridge for breakfast. Instead, he had noodles and an egg.

Dressed in a striped sailor shirt and beige cotton pants, with an army-green crossbody bag slung over his shoulder, the little boy looked even shorter than usual. But his big eyes were bright and spirited, his lashes long, and his chubby little cheeks made him look extra cute.

Shu Yuan patted the lunch box in her hand and said, “You’ll have lunch at kindergarten. I’ll come pick you up in the evening.”

“Okay, Mom,” Xiao Man said.

He was very excited. He was finally getting the chance to go to school.

But at the same time, he was a little nervous. After being brought back from the countryside, he hadn’t spent a single day away from his mom.

The first day of school was a big deal, so both Shu Yuan and Chen Zai accompanied him to the kindergarten. On the way out of the staff housing compound, Shu Yuan said, “When I was little, I went to Xiangyang Kindergarten too. So you and I are schoolmates, Xiao Man.”

So Mom had gone there too. Suddenly, Xiangyang Kindergarten felt much more familiar to Xiao Man.

Five minutes later, they arrived at the kindergarten entrance. From outside, they could hear a child bawling, refusing to go in. Shu Yuan couldn’t help but feel that Xiao Man, a child who had already endured hardship, was incredibly well-behaved. He was eager and ready to go to school.

Shu Yuan’s title as “the flower of the electronics factory” was well-deserved. Even Xiao Man’s homeroom teacher recognized her and knew the touching story of her and Xiao Man’s father from the countryside. The teacher felt it hadn’t been easy for this little family to finally come together.

The homeroom teacher held Xiao Man’s hand and smiled gently. “I’ll help him adjust to kindergarten as soon as possible. Alright, Xiao Man?”

Xiao Man nodded obediently. “Okay, teacher.”

As the teacher led him into the schoolyard by the hand, Xiao Man kept looking back. His mom and dad were standing together, both watching him. His mom was still waving. The scene was so beautiful that he couldn’t help but worry. Was this just something he imagined? What if it was all an illusion, and when the illusion faded, his parents weren’t really standing there together, looking at him?

They wouldn’t suddenly leave together and disappear, would they?

Only after entering the classroom and no longer being able to see his parents did Xiao Man reluctantly turn his head back around.

Inside the classroom, a group of children had already noticed the new arrival. As soon as they saw him, they curiously looked over.

“Xiao Man!” a child called out, running toward him while waving.

“Duo Bao!” Xiao Man was pleasantly surprised. It turned out he knew someone here.

“You two know each other?” the homeroom teacher asked.

“Duo Bao is my cousin,” Duo Bao said.

“What a coincidence. You two can sit together then,” the teacher said.

Though it wasn’t really a coincidence. When Shu Yuan registered Xiao Man, she had specifically requested for him to be placed in Duo Bao’s class.

The two children became deskmates, and Xiao Man’s unfamiliarity with the new environment was immediately eased by half.

Shu Yuan shifted her gaze to Chen Zai, the corners of her lips lifting slightly. “You’re looking at me. You seem to look at me a lot.”

The man’s features were handsome, and his demeanor was calm and refined. Having such a striking man look at her made her feel quite good.

To be exact, Chen Zai had been observing her and didn’t manage to withdraw his gaze in time. Now he could only meet her clear, smiling eyes.

Seeing that he didn’t respond, Shu Yuan’s smile deepened. “You must really like looking at me, Dr. Chen. Just admit it. See you tonight.”

With that, she turned, head held high and shoulders back, brushing past him with a pleasant mood. The breeze she stirred carried with it the faint fragrance that lingered around her.

Chen Zai: “……”

It was a scent buried deep in his memory, one he knew well. It reminded him of the Northeast, the crisp aroma of birch trees, the bittersweet smell of freshly gathered wild ginseng from the mountains, and the biting cold of waist-deep snow.

With Duo Bao by his side, Xiao Man still missed his mother throughout the day. He worried that both his parents would leave him behind and run off, leaving him all alone.

When the children were passing around storybooks, Duo Bao noticed Xiao Man looking downcast and asked, “Are you missing your mom? It’s normal to feel homesick on the first day of school.”

Though the question hit right at his feelings, Xiao Man stubbornly denied it. “I’m not.”

Even while writing, he was distracted. But what made him happy was that his mom had put medicated plaster on his right hand and wouldn’t let him touch cold water, insisting he use warm water instead. His hand had now fully healed and moved freely, no longer affecting his writing.

When it was time to go out to the playground for exercises, the two finally had a chance to talk. Duo Bao asked, “Are you the kid who was brought back from the countryside?”

Xiao Man tilted his little head. He had noticed many children held biases against kids from the countryside, like Shen Pan. Was Duo Bao the same?

Right after he answered “yes,” Duo Bao said, “Then you’re better off than I am. I was brought back from the countryside by my mom too. I might even get sent back again.”

Xiao Man’s eyes widened in shock. “Why would you be sent back?”

He had already been brought to the city, how could he still be sent back?

Seeing the worried look on Duo Bao’s face, Xiao Man quietly began to feel a bit of anxiety himself.

At the photo studio, Shu Yuan worked for over an hour but felt an unexpected emptiness. So she ran off toward the kindergarten.

The playground was filled with children doing exercises. Xiao Man was easy to spot in his sailor-striped shirt. Shu Yuan quickly picked him out from among the sea of little ones.

Not wanting him to see her, she hid behind a tree. From there, she watched as Xiao Man stretched his arms and kicked his legs, following the moves with focus and precision.

Shu Yuan had once felt very resistant toward children, but now she found Xiao Man genuinely adorable. It was only now she realized that she could actually get along well with a child.

As soon as work was over, Shu Yuan rushed straight toward the kindergarten. To her surprise, Chen Zai had arrived even earlier. The man stood tall and upright at the gate, gazing out at the now-empty playground.

Xiao Man had finally made it to the end of the school day. The listless little boy instantly perked up. When the teacher led him out of the classroom, he immediately looked toward the gate, and there they were, his tall dad and beautiful mom standing right at the front. His dull little face lit up with joy and life.

Just like when they dropped him off that morning, both Mom and Dad had come to pick him up.

They hadn’t left him behind and run off.

This couldn’t be a dream, could it? He quickly pinched his palm. The jolt of pain told him it was definitely real.

The little guy walked toward his parents with an urgency in every step.

Duo Bao was picked up by Chen Hui. After the two families said their goodbyes, Shu Yuan bent down and scooped Xiao Man up into her arms with a smile. “Let’s go home, Xiao Man.”

“How was your first day of kindergarten?” Chen Zai asked.

The whole day had felt like a dream. Xiao Man’s lips curled into a smile, and he nodded repeatedly. “It was great. The teacher praised my handwriting.”

He no longer had to worry about being abandoned by his parents. They would never leave him behind. That kind of thought was just too silly now.