Everyone in the building knows her character. Some people even deliberately cause trouble just to tease her.”

Wen Jiajia: “…”

Life in the building was certainly eventful. She left early and returned late each day, missing out on so many interesting things.

As Chen Xuelan and many others left, Sister Jin wanted to take Wen Jiajia away. However, Wen Jiajia suddenly asked, “Comrade, where are you from? What’s your last name? Your accent sounds familiar.”

The person across from her was slightly startled and replied, “I’m from Hebei Province. My last name is Lu. You can call me Lu Yiyuan.”

“One Yuan? Your name is unusual,” Sister Jin commented.

Lu Yiyuan looked embarrassed. “I have four siblings. In rural families, we don’t always get fancy names, so we’re named after currency: one cent, one dime, one yuan.”

“So, Comrade Lu, are you the eldest in the family?”

“The youngest.”

“Isn’t that the opposite?” Sister Jin found the naming method quite intriguing.

Wen Jiajia searched her memory and confirmed that the original owner’s mother’s surname was Lu.

The original owner had left home while still young, and people in the village referred to his mother as “the Wen family” or “Aunt Wen,” rarely mentioning her surname.

Wen Jiajia had to dig through her memories to find it, recalling it from when she was five years old.

She fell silent for a moment.

“Comrade Lu, I heard that your child is being cared for by an elderly person at home. Are they the child’s maternal grandparents?”

“It’s the child’s grandparents. I’ve been working with a construction team on roads and reservoirs for the past two years, so the child has been living with his grandparents. I’ve been negligent in his education, which is why he’s turned out this way…”

As they were talking, another knock came at the door, and the mischievous child started to make a scene. “My grandparents are good people, and you are a bad person! Let my grandparents come quickly! You’re not my mother; you don’t want me, and I don’t want you either. I want my grandparents, and I want my big daddy and big mommy!”

Lu Yiyuan’s eyes turned red, but she held back her tears and forced a bitter smile. “His grandparents, uncle, and aunt are very kind to him.”

Wen Jiajia shook her head internally. If they truly cared about the child, why wouldn’t they teach him to love his parents?

“You’re not my mother! My mother is aunt! Please, bring my grandparents and uncle and aunt here quickly; I don’t want you!”

Sister Jin couldn’t bear to listen any longer and pulled Wen Jiajia away. As a mother, she couldn’t imagine the pain of hearing her child say such things.

Lu Yiyuan, infuriated, opened the door and grabbed the child, saying, “How can you be so ungrateful! Your sister was born with you, and she’s more sensible than you! You’re right, I am not your mother; your aunt is your mother!”

“It’s true that Auntie loves me more than Xiaoya. Xiaoya was born to her, but you don’t love me as much. You even beat and scold me every day.”

Wen Jiajia was pulled away by Sister Jin. As they left, she craned her neck and strained her ears, as if she hadn’t heard enough gossip, even staring at the child.

Sister Jin, feeling embarrassed, asked as they moved farther from the Li family’s home, “What’s wrong with you?”

“I just feel like something is off…” Wen Jiajia bit her lip.

“You’re still thinking you look like someone else? There are so many people who look alike. I think I resemble a little nurse I saw at the hospital.”

Wen Jiajia wanted to clarify that it wasn’t just about their similar looks.

“Let’s go, let’s go!” Sister Jin urged, pulling her downstairs.

Wen Jiajia remained silent, trying to suppress the strange feeling in her heart.

After leaving the Li family’s house, Wen Jiajia felt heavy-hearted. 

She initially wanted to visit Principal Guo but couldn’t muster the motivation.

She sat on the bamboo chair at the door for a long time, propping her head up and repeatedly going over the original owner’s memories before the age of six.

“Why—”

Wen Jiajia let out a long sigh.

_

Wei Dai came home in the evening, after dinner. Wen Jiajia was taking a shower when she heard the yard door open.

“Wei Dai?”

“It’s me.”

Wen Jiajia sighed in relief. “Have you eaten? The rice is warming in the pot.”

“Okay, I haven’t eaten yet.” He didn’t want to go to the cafeteria since there was hot food at home.

Wen Jiajia hurried through her shower, mainly because the flashlight was dim, as if it was running out of battery. The bathroom was pitch black, and she didn’t want to linger.

Because she had been preoccupied in the morning, Wen Jiajia had no appetite at noon and had just made a bowl of hot and sour noodles.

The noodles were sweet potato noodles she bought from Master He during the Lantern Festival. Local sweet potato noodles are also very good and perfect for making hot and sour noodles.

For dinner, she had cooked two fish. They turned out creamy white but had too many bones, making them difficult to eat. Now, one and a half of the two fish were left.

The river shrimp was stir-fried with leeks, delicious even with the shells.

When they came out, Wei Dai was already eating. Wen Jiajia asked, “Do you have any urgent matters this morning?”

Wei Dai nodded. “I have to go out tomorrow. It won’t take long this time.”

Wen Jiajia’s heart tensed. “How long will it take?”

“If everything goes well, about a week.”

Wen Jiajia responded after a pause, “Then you should be careful.”

Wei Dai smiled. “Don’t worry; this mission isn’t difficult. We’re just participating in a competition.”

Wen Jiajia relaxed and frowned, slapping him lightly. “Why didn’t you tell me earlier? You made me worry for nothing.”

Had he told her earlier, she wouldn’t have been so anxious.

Wei Dai dodged playfully. “Hey, hey, I’m eating fish.”

_

At night, after their bedtime routine, they cuddled and talked.

It had been 75 days since they started preparing for pregnancy.

Wen Jiajia counted on her fingers. “If I get pregnant this time, the baby will be born at the end of December or in January next year, just in time for the Chinese New Year.”

Wei Dai regretted, “It would have been better if it were two months earlier. The weather during confinement would be neither too hot nor too cold.”

Wen Jiajia laughed. “I don’t want to go to work in the winter; the end of the year is the limit.”

Even if it was below freezing and snowing outside, she’d happily stay at home, waking up with a smile.

Moreover, Wei Dai would most likely be at home during the winter. If it were October or November, he would probably be away on a mission.

Wei Dai gently combed her hair with his fingers. “I might have to ask my mom to come by then.”

“Let’s wait and see. If you’re home, there’s no need for that.” Wen Jiajia thought about it and admitted she wasn’t used to living with an older person. She asked, “Have you received any letters from home recently? How is sister-in-law? It’s been six months now.”

“Yes, everything was fine in the last letter.”

Wen Jiajia sighed. “Next time I write, I’ll tell sister-in-law to go to the hospital early when she’s about to give birth. Luckily, we have a hospital here, so we won’t have to worry about giving birth in the winter.”

After saying this, Wen Jiajia told Wei Dai about the Li family. “If you get a chance, please help me find out more about her family situation.”

Wei Dai was so shocked that he sat up. “No way, how could such a coincidence happen?”

“Why are you so excited? The cold wind is giving me chills,” she said, having not even put on her clothes yet.

Wei Dai laid back down. “Are you sure your mother-in-law’s last name is Lu?”

Wen Jiajia nodded. “I… remember. One year, during ancestor worship, my mom and dad had an argument. My mom said, ‘Your Wen family’s ancestors have people worshipping them, but I don’t know if anyone worships my Lu family’s ancestors!’ I remember it clearly; it must be the Lu family.”

Wei Dai said, “But there are many people with the surname Lu in the world.”

Wen Jiajia replied, “She also looks like my mother.”

“It could also be a coincidence.”

“That’s why I asked you to help me find out indirectly. I originally wanted to ask directly, but then I thought that since my mom is gone and only Wen Chun and Wen Xuan are left at home, there’s no need to recognize relatives. I just want to know if it’s true. If so, I need to find out how many people are left in the Lu family so I can tell my mom when I burn paper for Qingming Festival^[1]also known as Tomb-Sweeping Day, is a traditional practice in Chinese culture. During this festival, paper offerings are burned to provide comfort and support to deceased ancestors in the afterlife.,” Wen Jiajia explained.

Wei Dai understood what his wife meant. “Okay, I’ll ask. I’ll definitely help you find out! If nothing unexpected happens, Li Sunming will accompany you this time.”

Wen Jiajia patted him on the shoulder and encouraged him, “The heavy responsibility is on you.”

Wei Dai asked with a grin, “How should you thank me?”

“Will I get up early to make you breakfast tomorrow?”

“Then forget it.” Wei Dai knew it would likely be just a pot of porridge, and, at most, vegetable porridge. It would be better to eat at the cafeteria.

Wei Dai pulled the quilt over and leaned forward, his warm breath brushing against her face. “I think just once is too little. Let’s do it again.”