Ji Meng was wearing clothes from a few years ago, an apricot-colored sweater, an old-fashioned gray coat that looked somewhat worn, and her face was painted a yellowish hue. At first glance, she gave off a somewhat rustic impression. The aunties were shocked upon seeing her and couldn’t believe their eyes, even unable to restrain their exclamations:

“Heavens, Xiao Meng, how much hardship have you endured these years?”

The once a ^[1]“flower” refers to a beautiful or admired young woman, often seen as the most attractive or popular person in a particular group or community. flower of the alley, how had she become like this?

“Your dad, too, why didn’t he call you back sooner? We even advised him to come earlier.”

Everyone of them looked at Ji Meng with a hint of pity and sympathy, complaining about how Ji Qinghe had never mentioned his daughter’s situation to outsiders. Noticing Qiuqiu beside Ji Meng, they were momentarily taken aback:

“This child is… You’re married!”

In an instant, all eyes turned to Qiuqiu, even the aunt who had helped knock on the door stopped in surprise to look over.

With so many curious eyes on her, Qiuqiu inevitably felt shy and clung tighter to the bag in her arms, inching closer to Ji Meng.

“Yes, I’m married.” Sensing Qiuqiu’s discomfort and nervousness, Ji Meng reached out and pulled her close, responding while also glancing at the aunties buying vegetables:

“Thank you, auntie. I’ll come visit your house when I have some free time.”

After Ji Meng finished speaking, she took Qiuqiu’s hand to knock on the door herself, but at this moment, the yard gate swung open from the inside.

Ji Qinghe stumbled out, and upon seeing Ji Meng, he stopped in his tracks.

“Meng, MengMeng, you’re back!”

Ji Qinghe’s eyes were red and filled with emotion, and he spoke in a choked voice as he looked at Ji Meng with his lips trembling.

He didn’t expect his daughter to really come back. After sending her two letters, he had received no response. After sending off his eldest son, in his desperation, he had sent a telegram, but still got no reply.

He thought he would never see his daughter again in this lifetime.

To his surprise, she had returned.

His daughter had become thinner and darker, life in the countryside was hard, and she had never endured hardship before. She had always cared about her appearance, and he couldn’t fathom how she had survived all these years.

No wonder she had never been able to forgive him…

Ji Qinghe rubbed his fingers together nervously, his guilt nearly crushing him. After a long moment, he cautiously looked at Ji Meng and called out again in a hoarse voice, “MengMeng…”

He had rushed out, and two of the buttons on his shirt were fastened incorrectly, making him look messy. He was wearing black cloth shoes, one of which had slipped off, leaving one foot awkwardly hanging out.

Seeing him in such a state, Ji Meng felt a pang in her heart. She had never known what it was like to have parents from the moment she was born, and now she realized that this was how a father cared for his daughter.

“Yes, I’m back.”

Ji Meng shifted her gaze away from his aging, emaciated face. After a moment, she gently nodded in response and lowered her eyes to look at Qiuqiu. “Qiuqiu, call out to Grandpa.”

“Grandpa.”

Qiuqiu looked at Ji Qinghe and called out, tightening her grip on the bag in her hands, her face filled with anxiety and nervousness, afraid that Grandpa wouldn’t like her.

Ji Qinghe was taken aback. He looked down at Qiuqiu, who wasn’t very tall—a three or four-year-old child dressed in a thin reddish-brown jacket, resembling a doll from a New Year painting, very well-behaved.

“Ah!”

Noticing the child’s nervousness, Ji Qinghe quickly concealed his astonishment and surprise, nodding somewhat awkwardly in acknowledgment.

“Let’s go in quickly.”

As Ji Qinghe spoke, he reached out to take the suitcase and bag from Ji Meng’s hands.

“I can carry it myself. You help Qiuqiu with her bag, she’s been carrying it the whole way,” Ji Meng said, stepping aside to prevent him from lifting the weight, worried that he might hurt his hands. After thinking for a moment.

“Ah, alright.” Ji Qinghe paused briefly and responded, then turned to speak to Qiuqiu:

“Is your name Qiuqiu?”

“Qiuqiu, give your things to Grandpa. You’ve been on the road for so long, you must be tired.”

Qiuqiu responded with “Okay, thank you, Grandpa,” and then handed her things to Ji Qinghe.

Ji Qinghe took the items and held her little hand, greeting the neighbors gathered around with warmth: “Xiao Meng just got back, so I won’t invite everyone in right now. We can have Xiao Meng invite you all over another day.”

As a Chinese medicine practitioner with excellent skills, Ji Qinghe was known for his gentle demeanor, making him well-liked in the neighborhood. Even the most impressive individuals would tone it down around him. Although the neighbors were very curious, they didn’t ask many questions and instead said:

“We’re all neighbors, so we understand. Train rides can be tiring, let the mother and daughter go rest.”

“Yes, alright.” Ji Qinghe nodded politely. After entering the courtyard, he led Qiuqiu inside.

“What’s going on? How did Xiao Meng get married and bring back such a big child? Old Ji never mentioned it,” said a few people who didn’t leave immediately after the Ji family’s courtyard gate closed. They exchanged glances before discussing it quietly.

“I don’t know. Just before, Old Ji was still saying he wanted to help her find a job. Maybe it’s similar to that girl from the Li family on the corner, but Xiao Meng is more conscientious than her. She brought her daughter back herself,” said one slightly plump middle-aged woman as she switched the vegetable basket to the other hand.

“Conscientious, but she must have endured a lot of hardships. Xiao Meng was the most striking girl in our alley before. Just look at her now, she looks worn out! Tsk…” Another aunt with a cloth bag peered at the closed gate and clicked her tongue.

“Isn’t that the case? This girl is so young, and she ended up like this after going to the countryside. Meng Ling came back from the countryside too, and she didn’t suffer like this. I remember Meng Ling and Xiao Meng are the same age, aren’t they, Aunt Lai?”

The slightly plump middle-aged woman chimed in and then turned to ask Lai Sufen, who was standing nearby.

“Alright, you all shouldn’t gossip. Ah Qiao is gone, and Old Ji only has this one daughter left. Given that Old Ji has provided free pulse diagnosis for us in the past, we should take care of her. No matter what the reason is for her coming back, let’s not ask. In these times, who has it easy?”

Lai Sufen was the same woman who helped knock on the door earlier. She disliked people gossiping about others without cause. She shouted this and waved her hand to signal everyone:

“Let’s disperse. Who knows, Old Ji might come out later, and that would be awkward.”

The voices of discussion were not loud, separated by a wall, little could be heard.

Ji Meng didn’t pay much attention to the sympathetic or curious discussions. Upon entering the courtyard, she began to observe the situation of the Ji family, trying to materialize the distant and vague memories of the original body to avoid unnecessary mishaps.

It would be one thing to not find the front door, but if she couldn’t even find the bathroom after getting home, it would be hard to explain, especially since this was the place where she had grown up as a child.

The Ji family’s courtyard was small, about the size of a living room, with two jujube trees and a few neglected flowerbeds, which contained vegetables. However, due to a lack of recent care, the weeds were growing better than the vegetables.

The two-story house, made of blue bricks and wooden structures with a tiled roof, had a loft and a total of five rooms, including a kitchen and a bathroom.

The architecture was from the Republic of China era, giving off an ancient and weathered feeling.

Ji Meng was carrying a suitcase, and Ji Qinghe first took her to her room, which was also the original room of the original body.

After the Ji family was raided eleven years ago, people had lived here. When Ji Qinghe returned three years ago, he sought help to reclaim the clinic and residence, but all the furniture had been removed.

Now, the bed, cabinet, and vanity in this room were gradually added by Ji Qinghe over the past three years, using the money he saved up for his daughter.

They were made of high-quality wood and painted red.

However, the painting job wasn’t very well done, some areas were uneven, but it didn’t detract from the overall appearance. The room was tidy, and the bed was already made.

In the wardrobe, there was a new kettle and basin with towels, clearly prepared in advance for her return.

“The furniture is a bit sparse, we still need a table and your favorite rocking chair. After a while, I’ll find a way to buy everything back,” he said.

Ji Qinghe placed the bag on the cabinet and, glancing at Ji Meng, who was observing the room, suddenly felt anxious. He rubbed his pants nervously and said,

“It’s already very good, I like it a lot. This furniture is more than enough.”

It truly was very good. The sheets, quilt covers, and mosquito nets were all new, the room was clean without any dust or unpleasant odors, and it was ready for someone to move in without needing any tidying up. It was far better than Ji Meng had expected.

She had thought it would be as messy as the situation at the clinic.

Ji Meng looked at Ji Qinghe, he was so thin—really thin—thin to the point that there was no flesh on his face. It looked as if only a layer of skin was stretched over his bones, and he appeared older than he was. At just 48, he looked a few years older than Fang Aihua, with completely gray and sparse hair.

With such thinness and signs of aging, it was clear that his health wasn’t good.

No wonder he hadn’t been able to hold on after being injured during the incident with the counterfeit medicine.

“Dad, thank you. I really like the room, please don’t overthink it. I was the one who didn’t understand back then.” Trying not to dwell on the uncomfortable plot from the book, Ji Meng took a deep breath and looked up at Ji Qinghe earnestly.

Ji Qinghe was taken aback, realizing what his daughter had just said. In an instant, his eyes turned red, and he hurriedly responded,

“No, no, you didn’t misunderstand, it was my fault. Back then…”

He didn’t continue, choking on his words. After a moment, as his emotions calmed down, he added,

“If you like it, that’s good. You haven’t eaten yet, have you? You and Qiuqiu tidy up here while I go prepare some food. What do you want to eat?”

After speaking, he remembered something. “Or do you want to wash up first? You must be tired from the train ride. Should I go to the boiler room and get you a couple of buckets of hot water for a shower to help you relax?”

Ji Meng initially wanted to say she had already eaten, but seeing Ji Qinghe’s anxious expression, she refrained from saying it. Guessing that Ji Qinghe probably hadn’t eaten either, she replied,

“No, I haven’t washed up yet. There’s no rush, I can get the hot water later. Qiuqiu’s grandma made zongzi, they taste pretty good. I’ll heat some up for you to try.”

Zongzi can be stored for a while, and since Ji Meng hadn’t eaten much on the train, they were perfect for breakfast.

Given Ji Qinghe’s condition, his stomach probably wasn’t good either, so it would be better not to eat too much and to make some congee instead.

“Qiuqiu, you talk to your grandpa for a bit, Mommy will be ready soon.”

As Ji Meng considered this, she picked up the bag of food that Qiuqiu had carried earlier. Remembering something, she turned back and said,

“Dad, can you look after Qiuqiu for a moment?”

“Ah, sure.”

Hearing his daughter call him “Dad” for the first time since she arrived made Ji Qinghe’s eyes redden again. He swallowed hard and responded, then remembered something and added,

“Use the coal stove to heat it up. I kept the fire from last night, just heating the zongzi. No need to make anything else. I’ll go outside to buy some steamed buns, Aunt Cai’s son has set up a bun stall on the street, and the food is quite good.”

“Okay, don’t buy too many. Qiuqiu and I ate some on the way back,” Ji Meng replied as she turned to go to the kitchen.

No matter how poor the conditions in the city were, they were still better than those in the village.

By the late 1970s, people in cities with better conditions had already started using home appliances, like rice cookers.

Three years ago, Ji Qinghe returned to live alone. He was frugal and didn’t buy any appliances, but he still had two coal stoves.

Ji Meng used one pot to cook congee and another to heat the zongzi and a few salted duck eggs. In about half an hour, breakfast was ready, and she also stir-fried some sour and spicy shredded potatoes with the two shriveled potatoes left in the kitchen.

At this time, Ji Qinghe returned with Qiuqiu, carrying some steamed buns and hot water.

Even though his daughter had said she would get the hot water later, he couldn’t just watch her busying herself alone.

He filled up all the water bottles and the hot water tank in the house.

He took the hot water tank directly to the bathroom, so after breakfast, his daughter and granddaughter could wash up and relax.

He wasn’t sure if his daughter had brought washing items for herself and Qiuqiu, so he went to the street to buy new towels, toothbrushes, soap, and a basin for Qiuqiu, and also picked up some pastries, biscuits, and soda for her.

Qiuqiu was very happy.

This was a gift from her grandpa, which meant that he really liked her.

When the meal was served, the zongzi had their leaves peeled off and were placed on a plate. Fang Aihua’s cooking was excellent, the salted zongzi had a bit of cured meat and pickled vegetables inside, looking and smelling great. The shredded radishes that Ji Meng stir-fried were also very good, with even thickness and pleasing color, aroma, and taste, and the congee was cooked to a thick, soft consistency.

Ji Qinghe watched and was lost in thought for quite a while.

During the meal, he nearly choked up.

Ji Meng roughly understood his feelings and didn’t say much, quietly helping him peel a salted duck egg.

After finishing breakfast, Ji Qinghe stopped Ji Meng from clearing the table and asked her to take Qiuqiu to take a shower.

Ji Meng really wanted to wash up after spending a day on the train, she felt like she was covered in all sorts of odors, and right now she felt a bit off, so she looked for clothes for herself and Qiuqiu and headed to the bathroom.

Ji Qinghe had prepared plenty of hot water and had even specially provided a large wooden basin for Qiuqiu to soak in. After washing Qiuqiu, Ji Meng took a shower and washed her hair, feeling refreshed and relaxed afterward.

It was warmer here than in the village, and as it approached nine o’clock, the sun was out. Ji Meng didn’t wear her thin cotton jacket anymore, instead, she put on a loose, dark red turtleneck sweater paired with wide-legged apricot-colored pants.

No longer wrapping her waist with cloth, the loose sweater couldn’t hide her originally slender waistline. After washing off the yellow mud she had on her face, her naturally smooth and fair complexion was revealed. Her half-dried hair fell behind her, bright and beautiful.

Ji Qinghe was in the yard with Qiuqiu, having set up a small table beside them with the sweet rice cakes, biscuits, and soda he had bought for Qiuqiu. Seeing his daughter transformed into someone else, he was momentarily stunned.

“It was chaotic on the train, so I just covered up a bit,” Ji Meng explained when she noticed Ji Qinghe’s gaze.

“That’s right, you should be careful, be careful,” Ji Qinghe hurriedly replied. After a pause, he felt guilty and added, “It’s my fault, I should have come to pick you up.”

“You didn’t know when I would come back.” Noticing Ji Qinghe’s guilt, Ji Meng walked over, pulled up a small stool beside him, and sat down.

“I was just too cautious, there wasn’t anything really wrong. Qiuqiu’s dad’s brother transferred back and is working at the train station, his wife happened to be on the same train as us and looked after us the whole way.”

“Then that’s good, it’s good to have someone looking after you,” Ji Qinghe said, visibly relieved.

“Yeah,” Ji Meng replied, casually picking up a piece of sweet rice cake and putting it in her mouth.

In the 1970s and 1980s, sweet rice cakes were made with just sugar and glutinous rice flour, without so many additives, and they tasted quite good.

Ji Meng took a small bite and remarked that it tasted pretty good.

Hearing this, Ji Qinghe quickly pushed another type of pastry toward Ji Meng.

“Try this double happiness cake, it’s made by your aunt Douhua’s daughter-in-law. They opened a pastry shop on the corner, and everything tastes good. If you like it, I’ll buy more next time.”

“Okay, I’ll eat it later.”

Ji Meng replied, noticing Qiuqiu sipping on orange soda. The little girl had a small mouth and took tiny sips, licking her lips after finishing. She looked both greedy and adorable. Ji Meng couldn’t help but smile and asked, “Is it good? Did you thank Grandpa?”

“Yeah, Mom, Qiuqiu thanked Grandpa already,” Qiuqiu replied. After a moment of thought, she asked, “Mom, I saved some for you, you should try it, it’s really good.”

As Qiuqiu said this, she brought out a small bowl of soda from behind the bamboo stool she was sitting on.

“Good job, my baby, you know to save food for Mom,” Ji Meng said as she took the bowl and had a sip, smiling.

Ji Qinghe looked at Qiuqiu lovingly and said, “She just shared some with me too, this child is wonderful, just like Qingyu, both are considerate kids.”

Qingyu.

The daughter of the original body’s brother, the female lead in the story.

Ji Meng paused for a moment and then looked at Qiuqiu, “Qiuqiu, Mom and Grandpa want to chat for a bit. Would you like to take a nap? Later, Mom will take you out to play.”

—

Ji Meng: I might be the female lead who falls from grace the fastest in Jinjiang City (smiling).