Chapter 2

However, in dealing with the aftermath of this woman's death, Tong Yehui also harbors a sense of regret. Tong Yehui has an inept father, and his mother ran off with someone else when he was still too young to understand. It is unclear whether his father was affected by his mother's departure or if he had issues of his own, but by the time Tong Yehui became aware of his surroundings, his father was already drowning himself in alcohol.

When Tong Yehui's father passed away, Han Sheng stayed by his side from beginning to end. However, when Han Sheng's mother died, Tong Yehui only found out six months later. Tong Yehui himself knew that, if he were to speak honestly, he owed Han Sheng for every significant event in his life.

Han Sheng carried a bowl of noodles out from the kitchen, wiped the coffee table with the cloth that Tong Yehui had just used to clean the sofa, sat down, and began to eat the noodles without looking away.

With utmost respect, she carefully placed the incense, and Han Sheng said to her mother, "Mom, I am back." A wave of grievance surged, and tears threatened to spill again. If her mother were still alive, they probably would not have gotten along well, but now that she was gone, Han Sheng felt an overwhelming sense of grievance instead.

Huan Sheng is sitting there eating noodles, and her movements seem to lack some connection, appearing rather sluggish. She is very focused and eating slowly. From these small actions, Tong Yehui can see that Huan Sheng is different from before. He knows that a place like prison is one that can fundamentally change a person, but he does not know what Huan Sheng has become after those years inside.

Regretfully, there is a hint of choking emotion; the woman in the photograph is her mother. The last time she saw her mother was in this place two years ago. She did not see her mother for the last time; the last things she saw were this incense table and this photograph. When she stood here two years ago, she did not cry, nor did she feel the impulse to shed tears

Inside the house, there is a stuffy atmosphere filled with dust, and it is dimly lit with only a hint of light and shadow visible. In the two-bedroom, one-living room apartment, each room is adorned with heavy curtains.

At that time, the neighbors all believed that Han Sheng had stolen her mother's pension, which was why her mother had no money for medical treatment, and so she just endured it. Han Sheng also thought the same at that time, but in the end, when arranging for her mother's funeral, the caretaker gave her an envelope, inside of which was a letter from her mother and a savings book.

Tong Yehui remained silent and focused, gazing at Han Sheng for a long time, while Han Sheng was entirely absorbed in the floor tiles before him, not diverting a single glance or thought.

In Tong Yehui's impression, Han Sheng is a careless and impatient person, speaking quickly and eating quickly. She used to be very carefree and flamboyant in everything she did, and she also had a tendency to be forgetful. It seemed as if there was a nerve in her that was somewhat slower than others. She always had many shortcomings, lacking the gentleness and delicacy of a woman, and Tong Yehui has never thought highly of her.

The regret of not speaking began for her after she received the envelope from her mother that year. In the letter, her mother addressed her as daughter. Over the next two years, she pondered this hazily and came to understand that her mother likely wanted to convey that she had never held a grudge against her for stealing her money back then. Those two sentences occupied her thoughts for two years, and she later realized that her mother regarded her as a daughter and was also concerned about her.

Regretfully, he slowly turned around in the center of the room, glanced around, and finally fixed his gaze on the photo on the wall, silently observing it for a long time

Tong Yehui was not familiar with Han Sheng's mother and had been avoiding her since childhood. He felt that Han Sheng's mother's gaze was different from that of ordinary middle-aged women. When Han Sheng mingled with them as a child, every time he saw her, she was very kind to others, but her gaze towards him was always inscrutable. Even when she smiled at him, it felt as if there was a barrier, as if she were telling him, "I know what you are thinking, do not try to play tricks in front of me." His little tricks and deceptions could not be used in front of this woman. He did not like her and even felt apprehensive towards her. She was very kind to others, but her gaze towards him was always inscrutable. Even when she smiled at him, it felt as if there was a barrier, as if she were telling him, "I know what you are thinking, do not try to play tricks in front of me." His little tricks and deceptions could not be used in front of this woman. He did not like her and even felt apprehensive towards her.

Regret was raised without a father, and her mother never spoke of him. From the idle gossip of neighbors during her childhood, she learned that her father lived in a large city in the south and was a wealthy man. Her parents were among the first group of entrepreneurs in China; during that time, most people who engaged in business became extremely rich. It was said that her parents had a good relationship before they ventured into business, both being middle school teachers known for their affection, yet they had no children for a long time. Later, when they became wealthy and had children, her father had someone else outside, leading to the disintegration of their family. These events occurred when Regret was only two or three years old, still an infant, unaware of anything.

The indoor furnishings are simple, featuring decorations from over a decade ago, an old leather sectional sofa, a large television, a dark-colored TV cabinet, and a coffee table, each occupying their own space. Beneath the windowsill is a wooden rocking chair with peeling paint. Directly facing the entrance against the wall is an incense altar, and on the wall hangs a black-and-white photograph of a woman

Regrettably, her mother lived for sixty-five years. When she passed away, it was due to a cardiovascular disease, which struck suddenly, and she did not suffer much. According to her caretaker at the time, her mother was not beyond treatment when she arrived at the hospital, but the cost of the surgery was 140,000, so her mother did not undergo treatment. She stayed in the hospital for more than three hours before passing away.

A house that has been uninhabited for two years is covered in dust and rust everywhere. Han Sheng spent half a day in the kitchen washing and preparing, finally managing to make a bowl of egg noodles. Tong Yehui, not knowing what to do outside, could not leave either, so he had no choice but to wipe off the sofa and sit idly in the living room.

Tong Yehui's father rarely had moments of clarity in a day. The days Tong Yehui spent by his side were arduous, but no matter how difficult it was, his alcoholic father was the one who raised him. Five years ago, when his father suddenly succumbed to gastric bleeding, Hansheng stayed by his side in the hospital day after day. When his father passed away, it was also Hansheng who took care of all the arrangements. He only showed his face briefly at the burial, not out of unfilial piety, but because at that time he and Xiao Wu were frantically transferring funds from the company's accounts. The procuratorate and the tax bureau had already begun investigating them from the outside, and he had received advance notice. Five years ago, when his father suddenly succumbed to gastric bleeding, Hansheng stayed by his side in the hospital day after day. When his father passed away, it was also Hansheng who took care of all the arrangements. He only showed his face briefly at the burial, not out of unfilial piety, but because at that time he and Xiao Wu were frantically transferring funds from the company's accounts. The procuratorate and the tax bureau had already begun investigating them from the outside, and he had received advance notice. He only had a few days to manage the situation. At that time, Hansheng was the nominal legal representative of their trading company, and he and Xiao Wu kept this a secret without any leaks. By the time his father took his last breath and was buried, Hansheng had also been taken into custody.

Regrettably, when standing here again after two years, thinking of the various subtle emotions between her and her daughter, her eyes suddenly became moist. Her tears had been delayed for many years, but in the end, she understood.

Han Sheng has not been close to her mother since childhood. Her mother had her when she was in her forties, but it seems that she does not pay much attention to raising this daughter born in her old age. As long as she is not cold or hungry, her mother lets her be.

With utmost respect, Tang Yehui looked up at the woman in the photograph. When he was a child, he always dared not meet her gaze. He thought that if his mother, who had passed away, were still alive, he would be able to look her in the eye now. After years of experience, he has come to understand some things from the past. The reason he was afraid of her back then was probably because she had long seen through his thoughts and had likely anticipated the outcome between him and Han Sheng.

After finishing the noodles and drinking the last drop of soup, Han Sheng returned to the kitchen with the bowl. This time, she did not come out for a long while. Tong Yehui saw her washing the pots and bowls in the living room and then began to thoroughly tidy up the kitchen. In that small kitchen, narrow and stuffy, she squatted on the floor, meticulously scraping the stains off the tiles. Her clothes were soaked with sweat, which dripped down from her chin, yet she seemed completely unfazed, her expression focused and her demeanor serene, as if she had forgotten that there was another person in the room. In that small kitchen, narrow and stuffy, she squatted on the floor, meticulously scraping the stains off the tiles. Her clothes were soaked with sweat, which dripped down from her chin, yet she seemed completely unfazed, her expression focused and her demeanor serene, as if she had forgotten that there was another person in the room

Han Sheng stared at the photo on the wall for a while, then slowly walked to the incense table, lit the two candles on the table, and took out three sticks of incense to ignite. Holding the incense delicately in front of his chest, Han Sheng looked up at the photo. The photo was likely taken when the woman was in her thirties or forties, with short hair and a round face, smiling gently and warmly.

The heat is unbearable, and although the bowl of noodles in front of Han Sheng is enticing with its vibrant red and yellow colors, it is also steaming hot. She seems unfazed by the heat, eating with exceptional focus, her eyes fixed on the bowl of noodles. Without even blowing on them, she picks up her chopsticks and directly sends the noodles to her mouth, causing sweat to bead on her nose and leaving her back marked with moisture.

In such an atmosphere, Tong Yehui felt somewhat restless. He was a person with profound thoughts, sitting there with a blank expression. His gaze flickered for a moment, and suddenly he stood up. He walked into the kitchen and found a broom and a mop in the corner. Turning back, he took off his tie and stuffed it into his pants pocket, rolled up his sleeves, and began to clean the house vigorously.

Her mother's letter was simple, consisting of only two sentences: "I have lived a gloomy life in the latter half of my years, and I hope you can live freely." At the top was the word 'daughter', but inside the passbook was a full twenty million.

Han Sheng inserted the incense properly and took the noodles and eggs he bought downstairs to the kitchen. It was only then that Tong Yehui walked in. He stood in the same spot where Han Sheng had just been and respectfully lit a stick of incense.

It is regrettable that when her mother died, she was quite wealthy; it seemed intentional. In her memories, her mother was generally a cheerful and positive person, actively engaging with neighbors and always smiling at everyone. She never missed any community activities, and her life was particularly well-structured. She exercised in the morning and danced in the evening, regardless of the weather. For many years, she also enjoyed joining travel groups, having traveled all over China. To this day, she still cannot comprehend why her mother chose to die.

When Tong Yehui entered the room, Han Sheng was just pulling the curtains in the living room. With a "whoosh," a cloud of dust was stirred up. Perhaps it was fatigue that dulled her reactions; amidst the dust that enveloped her, she did not even know to dodge, staring blankly at the daylight streaming through the window. It was only after she was choked and coughed twice that she slowly turned and moved away.

Tong Yehui stood at the door, carefully observing her. He noticed that Hansheng's every movement was slow, with a certain dullness in the connection between thought and action.