Chapter 13

On the day Zhang Jingshu became an adult, her parents divorced. Zhang Yuanhe settled abroad, while Zhao Jing turned around and married her first love.

Her first love had worked hard, starting his own business during university. As the company grew, he finally shed his identity as a poor boy. He remained unmarried, waiting for the day Zhao Jing divorced. When that day came, he pursued his old love again, and the two finally got back together.

Two years after their marriage, they had a child.

At the entrance of Sunflower Primary School, parents were already gathering to pick up their children. The younger students followed their teachers in a long line.

Gu Xinyi was dressed up beautifully, wearing a pink long-sleeved princess dress and knee-high boots. Her hair was styled in a fluffy bun with a butterfly hairpin. Round and chubby like a glutinous rice ball, she looked around eagerly.

Zhang Jingshu had spotted her early and waved.

Gu Xinyi finally saw her sister and immediately pointed, shouting at the top of her lungs, “Look, that’s my sister! Isn’t she pretty?”

In the sharp autumn wind, Zhang Jingshu stood out in a camel-colored coat, slim black pants, and leather boots. She had always been tall, towering over the crowd of grandparents waiting for their grandchildren. She leaned against an SUV, her hair tousled by the wind. As she tucked a strand behind her ear, she noticed several gazes falling on her.

Gu Xinyi’s loud voice rang out again, “See? I wasn’t lying! My sister is the prettiest! Even prettier than Liu Xuanyuan’s sister!”

Zhang Jingshu felt embarrassed and quickly ran to Gu Xinyi, holding her hand. “Let’s go home.”

Gu Xinyi pouted, “Sister, I want KFC.”

Zhang Jingshu noticed her smug little expression. When she was younger, Gu Xinyi loved to eat, and her father never restricted her, leading to her becoming a little chubby. Now she was always talking about losing weight, so she probably hadn’t eaten fast food in a while and was craving it.

Maybe she also wanted to show off to her friends—Look, my sister is not only beautiful but also buys me whatever I want.

Zhang Jingshu sighed, “Okay.”

Gu Xinyi cheered and skillfully opened the car door.

“It smells weird in here!”

“I sprayed some perfume. The scents must have mixed.”

Zhang Jingshu didn’t let Gu Xinyi order too much. Kids always had greedy eyes, thinking they could eat more than they actually could.

After bringing Gu Xinyi home, Zhang Jingshu planned to hand her over to the nanny and leave. Unexpectedly, Zhao Jing had returned.

Before even putting down her bag, Zhao Jing linked her arm with Zhang Jingshu’s. “Jingshu, you’ve lost weight! Are you not eating well on your own? I’ve told you to come live with me. We have a nanny—just tell her whatever you want to eat. Why are you being shy? My home is your home!”

Gu Xinyi, cheeks puffed full of taro balls, chimed in, “Sister, I miss you! I haven’t seen you in so long. Do you not like younger siblings, just like in TV shows?”

Zhang Jingshu narrowed her eyes. “Who bought you those?”

Gu Xinyi quickly covered her mouth.

Zhang Jingshu turned to her mother. “Mom, I have work to finish.”

“You can’t fool me! I know what your job is—you won’t have unfinished tasks after hours. You just don’t want to see me, do you?” Zhao Jing’s eyes welled up with tears.

Zhang Jingshu glanced at the sky, sighing, “I’ll stay for dinner, but I have to go back tonight.”

Zhao Jing clung to her arm, not answering. “I’ve already tidied up your room just the way you liked it when you were little. You haven’t visited me in so long. Can’t you stay just one night?”

The warmth of her mother’s arm against hers made Zhang Jingshu feel like a child again, wrapped in her mother’s embrace—a feeling she hadn’t had in years. She hesitated but didn’t refuse.

Seeing this, Zhao Jing’s smile widened. She hurried to the kitchen to instruct the nanny to prepare Zhang Jingshu’s favorite dishes.

Meanwhile, Gu Xinyi pulled Zhang Jingshu into her room.

“Sis, look at these! Dad took these photos of me. They’re so ugly! Your pictures are way better.”

Two photos sat side by side.

One was likely taken by Gu Lin’an. In it, Zhao Jing and Gu Xinyi stood by the sea, dressed in matching colors, smiling brightly at the camera.

The other was taken by Zhang Jingshu. Gu Xinyi, vain as ever, loved posing in pretty places.

The composition and lighting of the second photo made the little girl look like a star.

Zhang Jingshu blinked and unconsciously reached out to touch Zhao Jing’s smiling face in the first photo. Her voice was soft. “When was this taken?”

Gu Xinyi answered, “After my midterm exams! I placed in the top five of my class! Dad promised to grant my wish, so I asked to see the sea—a faraway sea. I even rode a big cruise ship.”

Zhang Jingshu murmured, “Mom looks so happy.”

Zhao Jing entered with a plate of fruit, only to find Gu Xinyi showing off her scrapbook. It was full of photos, each accompanied by an excited explanation of the context and her favorite poses.

Then came her crafts and drawings, which she eagerly presented.

Zhang Jingshu listened patiently.

Zhao Jing quickly walked over and closed the album, making sure to hide a particular page—one filled with family photos of just the three of them. She cautiously glanced at Zhang Jingshu’s expression, which remained unreadable.

She forced a smile. “Why are you showing your sister all these? Jingshu, you should take pictures with us too when you have time.”

Zhang Jingshu responded casually, “Sure.”

Her mind told her she should leave. She knew her mother loved her. Gu Xinyi adored her. Even Gu Lin’an, by association, cared about her. They had done nothing wrong.

The problem was her, she was too sensitive.

Yet she didn’t want to leave.

She wanted to stay.

Gu Lin’an returned just before dinner, greeting her politely and even asking about her work.

The family seemed harmonious.

But suddenly, Zhang Jingshu felt like an outsider.

There was an invisible barrier between her and them. They laughed and chatted, yet consciously avoided topics she couldn’t relate to.

Their excessive warmth and attempts to please her only made her feel more uneasy.

In the end, she stayed. Zhao Jing pleaded, Gu Xinyi clung to her leg, and they insisted on hearing a bedtime story.

Finally, Gu Lin’an suggested the three of them sleep together.

Late at night, Zhao Jing and Gu Xinyi were fast asleep, but Zhang Jingshu remained awake, lost in old memories.

Her childhood was spent mostly with nannies. At first, she was a delicate little girl who would cry when her father didn’t come home. Later, she worked hard, placing first in her class. Her teacher even called her parents to share the good news.

On the phone, Zhang Yuanhe laughed, “My daughter is so smart! Just like her dad! Tell me what you want

I’ll bring it back for you!”

She only wanted her father to come home.

But he refused.

Meanwhile, Zhao Jing, still resenting her parents for breaking up her first love, often avoided coming home. When Zhang Jingshu called her, she gave the same excuse as her father.

She counted the moon’s cycles, waiting and hoping.

At first, she told herself they were just busy with work. Later, she realized they had no love between them only family interests.

By the time she turned eighteen, she finally understood.

Their lives were beginning anew. A fresh, bright future awaited them.

But she was left behind.

She felt lost.

Zhang Jingshu turned over in bed.

In the silence, Zhao Jing’s voice suddenly whispered, “Jingshu, do you blame me? I know I wronged you. But you knew how things were with your father. I hated him. I was angry at myself. Looking back, the person I hurt most was you…”

“Come home, okay? Let me make it up to you.”

Zhang Jingshu sighed softly.

“This is your home.”

“My home is your home.”

“I’ve grown up,” she said. There was no making up for the past.

Zhao Jing fell silent, then choked back tears.

Zhang Jingshu forced a smile. “Come on, Mom. Don’t cry. I have to wake up early for work. Let’s sleep.”

Zhao Jing quickly wiped her tears and agreed.

The full moon hung high.

Still unable to sleep, Zhang Jingshu thought of Cheng Shuinan.

Thinking of him, the loneliness in her heart was suddenly replaced with warmth.