After watching Mr. Yang and his family drive away, Ms. Huang, who had been rather silent during lunch today, asked her daughter, “What are you going to do next?” 

Lu Nan rubbed her forehead and said, “I want to sleep for a bit. Mom, I’ll sleep at your place for half an hour, then head back.” 

“You want to sleep, just sleep. Stayed up late last night, didn’t you?” Ms. Huang couldn’t help but say, noticing her daughter looked a bit tired, but she stopped herself from saying more. 

… 

Looking at her daughter’s sleeping face, Ms. Huang reflected on the lunch earlier and finally realized it wasn’t just a simple meal. 

During the meal, her daughter had expressed her gratitude to Mr. and Mrs. Yang for their support of her work, subtly implied that she (Ms. Huang) was only interested in Harmony wine and would never use her position to benefit herself, made it clear that she would be transferred next year, and emphasized that she would recommend new contacts to Mr. Yang’s team. 

Based on the second and third points, she also mentioned that before her transfer, she would organize a client list with contact details and key points for Sister Pei. As for whether Sister Pei would give the tasks to Meng Lusi or Liu Yuhan, that was no longer her concern. 

Ms. Huang thought: How old is my daughter this year? Not even twenty-three. 

She was still so young. 

Yet, her words and actions were far more seasoned than her actual age. 

Ms. Huang sighed deeply. 

Saying she’d sleep for half an hour, Lu Nan didn’t take more than five extra minutes. About thirty minutes later, she woke up, dressed quickly, and said, “Let’s go.” 

“Aren’t you going to sleep a bit more?” 

Lu Nan shook her head, “I’ve had enough sleep. My brother finishes school early today, so if we leave now, we can pick him up on the way.” 

Ms. Huang paused for a moment, “He’s a big kid, why can’t he take the bus by himself?” 

“Isn’t it on the way?” Lu Nan smiled, putting on her shoes and urging her mom, “Let’s go.” 

When they were about to leave, Ms. Huang stopped Lu Nan from picking up her suitcase, “It’s heavy; you won’t be able to carry it.” Then she placed the suitcase in the trunk herself. 

On the way back, Ms. Huang was quiet. Not only did she avoid discussing Lu Nan’s work, but she also held back from giving any “driving instructions.” 

Lu Nan guessed her mother had probably been going to psychological counseling sessions more frequently recently. 

Her guess was partly correct. 

Ms. Huang had been attending psychological counseling twice a week recently, and it had been quite effective. 

Actually, she had been aware of her mental health issues before but had avoided confronting them for various reasons. 

For example, what if she encountered someone she knew while registering or consulting in her hometown? 

What if her ex-husband found out she had a psychological issue and tried to fight for custody? 

And, of course, the most practical concern—the cost of psychological counseling wasn’t cheap. 

Now, she had realized that some expenses were necessary, and she was willing to face the problems she had been avoiding. That’s why she actively cooperated with her therapist. 

As mentioned before, Ms. Huang had always been polite and calm with outsiders. 

The therapist was, of course, an outsider—knowledgeable and professional—and Ms. Huang trusted the advice given by the therapist. 

Sitting in the car, Ms. Huang reflected on what the therapist had said about her relationship with Lu Nan. The therapist had analyzed it well and suggested that Ms. Huang should give her daughter more space and trust. 

The implication was clear: Don’t oppose her current job anymore. 

Ms. Huang understood this rationally, but emotionally, she couldn’t accept it so easily. 

Because, in her own upbringing, whether it was about studying or working, she had always followed her family’s arrangements. The only time she made a decision herself was when choosing a partner—and that decision turned out to be a complete failure, didn’t it? 

This was why she had always wanted her children (especially Lu Yang, who was still young) to follow her advice when making important decisions. 

In her mind, the advice of older people was usually right. 

However, her daughter seemed to disagree with this. 

The more Ms. Huang was frustrated, the more she tried to hold onto her daughter and make her obedient. 

This eventually led to her daughter secretly changing her college entrance exam choices, staying in Hailin after graduation, and insisting on working at her current job… 

For more than half a month, Ms. Huang had rarely called her daughter. 

Unlike her usual silent treatment, not calling didn’t mean no contact at all. 

They communicated through messages every two or three days, but they didn’t say much. 

This was the therapist’s advice —to rebuild a close relationship with her daughter, one that felt comfortable and reassuring for both of them, rather than a one-sided control. 

The therapist’s words were not difficult to understand. In the quiet of the late nights, Ms. Huang forced herself to listen to soothing music and repeatedly convinced herself to give her daughter enough trust and space. 

They lived in the same city, but hadn’t seen each other for almost a month. Ms. Huang gradually felt that, perhaps, this wasn’t so bad? 

After all, she had her own career, staying busy during the day, and when she got home, she’d cook, and by the time she finished dinner, she’d study English, office software, and research major domestic and international trade platforms. 

Though not young anymore, she was trying to absorb new knowledge. After finishing her work, it was already past ten, and she could go straight to bed. 

The symptoms of insomnia, restlessness, nightmares, and night sweats she had experienced when staying at home over the past few years were getting lighter. 

Ms. Huang had been working hard to change. 

Also, seeing her daughter’s confident performance in front of clients today, conversing with people in their thirties and forties without feeling out of place, Ms. Huang had to admit: In both life and work, her daughter no longer needed her ‘guidance.’ 

Lu Nan could sense that her mother was deep in thought after getting in the car. 

Due to safety, they didn’t talk much during the drive. Only when they got off the highway and were waiting at a traffic light did Ms. Huang silently hand Lu Nan an open bottle of water. 

Lu Nan paused, took a few sips, and then screwed the cap back on. “Thanks, Mom.” 

Ms. Huang, avoiding the topic, said, “No need to rush. Lu Yang can take the bus home, it’s fine.” She had completely forgotten they had already discussed this just before leaving. 

Lu Nan drove smoothly, quickly, and steadily, without speeding, and managed to pick up her little brother right on time. 

Lu Yang recognized his sister’s car. He was about to pull the passenger-side door handle, but when he saw their mother sitting there, his eyes widened slightly. 

Lu Nan gave him a look, signaling him to sit in the back obediently. 

On the way home, Ms. Huang said it was too late to buy groceries and cook, so they should eat dinner outside. 

The three of them went to a small restaurant near home, ordered a few dishes, had a quick meal, and then went home to tidy up the bedding and clean the house. 

After all, no one had been living in the house for over a month, and a layer of dust had accumulated. 

“The fridge is empty. Go to the supermarket and buy some fresh milk and snacks,” Ms. Huang instructed her daughter. 

Lu Nan thought for a moment and said, “I’ll help you put the duvet cover on first, then I’ll go.” 

Ms. Huang couldn’t help but say, “I can do it myself. Don’t make things harder… Your nose, every time it touches cotton, you sneeze non-stop.” She didn’t mean to complain, just to show concern, but realizing this wasn’t the best way to express it, she remembered the therapist’s advice and changed her tone. 

Lu Nan smiled lightly, took two masks out of her pocket, “This should be fine, right?” She put one on herself and gave the other to Ms. Huang. 

“Alright. Come on, be quick, slide it in from this side, place it in the corner, reach out and grab it, then do the same on the other side…” Ms. Huang instructed her daughter while they worked together to put the duvet cover on. 

In fact, how could Lu Nan not know how to do this, but she still humbly listened to her mother’s instructions. 

With someone helping, Ms. Huang managed to put on three duvet covers quite quickly. Once finished, before she could say much, Lu Nan spoke up: “Got it, got it. I’ll go to the supermarket to buy fresh milk and snacks. Mom, is there anything you want?” 

“I don’t need anything. Just buy what you and Lu Yang will eat. Don’t buy too much, you’re only staying for two or three days.” Ms. Huang added, “Go into my bag and take my wallet, I have a prepaid card.” 

Lu Nan knew that her mother had an extraordinary insistence on ‘who pays’—even though she knew that Lu Nan was already working and earning money, whenever they ate together, her mother would still habitually try to pay. 

Perhaps, in her mind, I haven’t truly grown up, and I’m still someone she needs to take care of? Or maybe, Mom realizes I’ve grown up, but doesn’t want to admit it, so she insists on paying, thinking that spending money on her children proves she’s still the head of the family? 

As Lu Nan changed her shoes at the entryway, she heard her mother, who was ventilating the room, say, “The supermarket is so close, you don’t need to drive, do you? It’d be too crowded with all the people and cars on the road.” 

Oh, I guess it’s both. 

Lu Nan grabbed the car keys and replied, “What if the stuff is heavy? It’d be tiring to carry it back.” 

“Let your brother carry it,” Ms. Huang said without hesitation. 

Lu Nan saw her younger brother secretly trying to open his computer in his room and making a gesture towards her. Smiling, she said, “Forget it, I’ll go myself.” 

An hour or so later, Lu Nan returned. Ms. Huang was very curious about what she had bought, but she restrained herself from asking. 

Lu Nan, hearing the sound of her mother mopping the floor, felt a little amused inside, thinking: She must be struggling to hold it in. I’m not going to tell her. 

Later, as she went to wash her hands in the bathroom, she heard her mother ask, “Have you put everything away?” 

“Yes, the refrigerated and frozen items are in the fridge, the rest are on the coffee table.” 

“Mm.” 

Lu Nan smiled and asked, “Is there anything else to do? I’ll help.” 

Ms. Huang shook her head. “It’s mostly done, just tell your brother to take out the trash later. As soon as he comes back, he plays on the computer and tells me it’s for homework, hmph…” 

Lu Nan tried to defend her brother a bit: “There are indeed a lot of assignments that need to be done on the computer nowadays.” 

This was probably the longest conversation between the mother and daughter since their last disagreement. 

Afterward, Ms. Huang went back to her room, took off her coat, sat by the bed for a while, and reflected on her conversation with her daughter. She smiled to herself: Maybe it’s not so hard to wait and speak a little slower? 

Lu Nan entered her little brother’s room. “Are you making a Flash project?” 

“Big sister, you know?” Lu Yang raised the corner of his mouth. “There’s a competition at school, and the computer teacher asked me to try making a project.” 

Lu Nan already knew. In fact, she knew that from that point onward, her younger brother would continue to win awards… 

She took the chance to ruffle his hair. “Good luck. But make sure you pay attention to your eyesight. You’re the only one in our family with myopia.” 

Lu Yang nodded obediently. “Okay.” 

Seeing how well-behaved he was, Lu Nan smiled and said, “Is the family computer a bit slow? Here’s the deal—if you’re in the top ten in your grade by the end of the semester, I’ll get you a new desktop. If you’re in the top five, I’ll get you a full set.” 

Lu Yang’s eyes lit up, but he quickly added, “Forget it, Mom won’t agree.” 

“Don’t worry about Mom, I’ve got that covered. You just focus on hitting your goal.” 

“Deal!” Lu Yang responded confidently. 

“Good, now go take out the trash.” 

… 

That evening, Lu Nan made a call to her grandmother to let her know that she would bring her over to stay for a few days. Of course, her grandmother agreed. 

The next day, the family of three set off early. After arriving at her grandmother’s house, Lu Nan, as usual, went to act cute with her grandmother, Lu Yang, as usual, played with his Rubik’s Cube, and Ms. Huang—also as usual—went to chat with her older sister. 

After hearing everything Lu Nan did, her aunt repeated in disbelief, “Lu Nan… made money from stocks? Bought a house? Used the house to take out a mortgage? Took out the loan to help you with your business? And arranged clients and suppliers for you?” 

Ms. Huang nodded each time her sister asked a question. 

Finally, her aunt asked, “And you still think she’s disobedient and makes her own decisions?” 

Ms. Huang, for some reason, felt a bit guilty and nodded. 

Her aunt slapped her arm hard. “Huang Li, how could you give birth to such a wonderful daughter like Lu Nan!!! Look at you now, the money to start your business came from your daughter, and you still think you’ve eaten more salt than she’s eaten rice? And you still want to tell her how to change jobs or find work? I think it’s settled. Lu Nan knows what’s best for her. Her decision-making is far better than your blind instructions.” 

“I’m paying the interest. Sis, take it easy, I get it now. I know she’s more capable than me.” Ms. Huang rubbed her arm, feeling a bit numb. She sighed. “I just think sales are too tough. I’ve raised her for so many years, yes, I have a bad temper, and I used to get angry at both of them, but other than that, Lu Nan hasn’t suffered any other hardships…” Ms. Huang spoke with concern. “I used to think she really liked a freer job, so I let her do it for a while longer. But I didn’t expect her to want to apply for a city manager position in another city, saying that since I’m a distributor, it would be inappropriate to stay in Hailin City.” 

“Lu Nan hasn’t suffered?” Her aunt snorted coldly and retorted.