02

The café is sparsely populated, and soothing light music is playing inside. Perhaps many people come to such places to relax, but it is ineffective for me

"Little Fish, Yao Yizhou has arrived!" I whispered softly in Little Fish's ear and then waved my hand towards Yao Yizhou

Seeing that I remained silent, my mother continued to explain to me: "Xiaoya, you have grown up now, and I will no longer hide things from you... In fact, my marriage with your father was originally a mistake. Now that you are older, you have reached the age to start dating... If you do not like a boy, but marry him, and then after the marriage, you find someone you truly like, how could you not pursue your own happiness?"

When I arrived home, my father, that woman, and their son were happily sitting around the dining table enjoying their meal as a family of three. As soon as I opened the door, the laughter and joy in the room came to an abrupt halt

I caught sight of that woman leaving with Wen Shaoyue and couldn't help but laugh, then turned around and returned to my room

I walked down the street, tightly clenching my fists

Seeing that my father and I had begun another round of conflict, that woman pulled Wen Shaoyue towards the bedroom

I furrowed my brows, not quite understanding why Xiaoyu would bring up this matter at this time, but it piqued my interest. Could it be that she and Yao Yizhou had suddenly made some progress? With this thought in mind, I asked, "How did your conversation with Yao Yizhou go that day?"

Unknowingly, I found myself by the riverbank. A cold breeze swept by, gradually calming my tumultuous thoughts. I sat by the river, hugging my knees and gazing at the broad river surface, unable to help but start reminiscing about the days when my mother abandoned me and left home

That night, Ji Chuan did not call me after finishing his work, nor did he send a text message. I also did not take the initiative to contact him. In the following days, he seemed to have disappeared, not reaching out to me either. I stubbornly held back and did not call him.

How ironic it is! When I needed her, she was with someone else, and now that she remembers me again, I no longer need her... Thinking of this, I feel an overwhelming sadness, unsure whether it is for myself or for the woman who abandoned me

My father looked at me for a while, his brows furrowed so tightly that they could almost pinch a pair of chopsticks.

I took out my phone and dialed Ji Chuan's number—at that moment, I suddenly missed Ji Chuan very much. However, Ji Chuan's line was always busy.

No, Xiaoya, it is not like that! Listen to your mother, she came back to find you because she misses you! If you are willing, I can take you to the United States, and I will give you whatever you want

The appearance of Yao Yizhou brought life to the previously quiet library, as the girls who were reading began to whisper among themselves, and some even picked up their phones to make calls. Without a doubt, those making the calls were spreading the news of Yao Yizhou's presence in the library.

I held Xiaoyu's hand with a backhand grip and scoffed at her words: "Xiaoyu, saying that makes it sound distant! After all these years, our relationship is anything but ordinary! Can my feelings for Yao Yizhou be compared to what we have? Yao Yizhou is my brother, while you are my sister. I can be without brothers, but I cannot be without sisters"

The woman stole a glance at me, then continued to focus on her meal as if she were completely indifferent to the topic I was discussing. However, the way she ate made it clear to me that she was undoubtedly speculating about what I had said to the woman who gave birth to me.

Let us go to the café. There is a coffee shop by the street, and I turned around and walked towards it

Who am I, Wenya? How could I possibly make this woman happy? When she is happy, I feel uncomfortable; only when she is unhappy can I feel a bit better!

Mother locked the car and followed behind me

The coffee has arrived, but I don't even touch it. I let out a cold snort, a hint of sarcasm flashing in my eyes: "Haven't you always been reluctant to return to your home country? With such heavy smog here, aren't you afraid that a few breaths will turn you into a mummy?" As I spoke, I turned to glance at the Bugatti outside the window, and then continued, "Do you think that just because you drive a Bugatti, you are a wealthy person? Do you think that because you drive a Bugatti, I will believe you are rich and follow you? Let me tell you right now, absolutely not, don't even think about it!"

In the library, when Xiao Yu asked me how Ji Chuan and I have been recently, I found myself unable to utter a single word for a long time. Xiao Yu said nothing, merely patted my shoulder to comfort me

"Wen Ya, shut your mouth!" My father could no longer tolerate my nonsense, and he slammed his hand on the table, knocking over several bowls. Rice scattered onto the dishes and the tabletop, and the chopsticks clattered chaotically as they rolled across the table, leaving the surface in disarray.

Yao Yizhou glanced at the little fish and continued to smile, saying: "How is that possible! It's just that the little fish doesn't really want to pay attention to me..."

Wen Shaoyue is no longer a child; he understands the meaning of what I am saying. However, he seems somewhat afraid of me, not daring to say a word, merely looking at me with timid eyes

Indeed, a person skilled in acting; I had not even said anything yet, and tears began to flow. I stood up, waved my hand, and knocked over the coffee cup on the table, causing the coffee to spill onto the table and flow down its surface

My heart is already in turmoil

Neither Xiao Yu nor Yao Yizhou has contacted me, so I have not returned to the library, hoping that they can make some progress

I have long been accustomed to the fact that Yao Yizhou is the center of attention wherever he goes. When I first met Yao Yizhou, he was particularly popular among girls; the scenes when those girls saw him were no less than when they encountered a celebrity. No matter what he did, it could elicit screams from those girls

At that moment, I saw Yao Yizhou walking into the library with a backpack.

The library is very quiet, and many students are diligently reading books

Seeing that Xiao Yu was so nervous while teasing each other with Yao Yizhou right beside her, she didn't know where to put her hands. Noticing her tension, I put my arm around her shoulders and turned to Yao Yizhou, saying: "Yizhou, don't you consider Xiao Yu a friend? We are all classmates and have known each other for so many years. Why are you being so indifferent to Xiao Yu?"

Days pass by one after another, and my life remains unchanged, still living in the daily wait. It seems as if Ji Chuan has evaporated from the world, and I do not take the initiative to find him; we are just competing in this manner.

Father, seeing that I was completely ignoring the woman's good intentions, put down his chopsticks and sternly reprimanded, "Xiaoya, your mother is talking to you, do you hear? Come over and eat!"

The little fish bit her lip, and after a long pause, as if she had made a great decision, she whispered in my ear: "Xiaoya, do you remember the gathering you arranged some time ago to bring me and Yao Yizhou together?"

"Xiao Ya, what is the matter that you are in such a hurry?" Xiao Yu seemed to understand my intention, her face turning as red as a red apple

Thinking of this, I couldn't help but sarcastically say: "Is it because you can't have children that you are reminded of me, your daughter?"

I sneered coldly, yet remained silent.

After leaving the library, I wandered aimlessly around the campus. As I walked, I found myself at the taekwondo practice room, lingering at the entrance for quite some time, hesitating whether to go in or not. In the end, I turned around and left.

"Xiaoya, wash your hands and come over for dinner." The woman beamed with a smile, waving at me to come over.

After much hesitation, I finally turned around

I do not know what my mother's name is, nor do I know how to address her. The word "mother" is unfamiliar in my world; since I can remember, these two characters have become particularly difficult to grasp. Now, face to face, these two characters feel as if they are stuck in my throat, and no matter what, I cannot bring myself to utter them

I sat down at the dining table, without any intention of serving myself rice

"What a surprise, Wenya, this is the first time I have seen you in the library." Yao Yizhou sat down in the seat next to me, looking astonished.

I pinched Wen Shaoyan's face and said with a cold smile, "How does it feel? Wen Shaoyan, you will soon become a child without a father!"

I saw Xiao Yu smirking to the side, and immediately felt reassured. I picked up the book on the table and the bag behind me, feigning a look of urgency as I said: "Alright, since you are here, please help me take care of Xiao Yu. I have something to attend to."

I picked up my phone, opened the contacts, found Yao Yizhou's number, and handed the phone to Xiaoyu with a serious expression, saying: "Xiaoyu, tell me, do you want me to help you take revenge? Just say the word, and I will make a call to teach Yao Yizhou a good lesson. This guy is really outrageous; after all, we have been classmates for so many years. Even if we can't develop a romantic relationship, we still have the bond of classmates. How can he be so cold-blooded and heartless? Tell me, should I call him right now? Whether it's a fight or a drinking contest, as long as it makes you happy, I will accompany you in any way." This guy is really outrageous; after all, we have been classmates for so many years. Even if we can't develop a romantic relationship, we still have the bond of classmates. How can he be so cold-blooded and heartless? Tell me, should I call him right now? Whether it's a fight or a drinking contest, as long as it makes you happy, I will accompany you in any way.

Yao Yizhou smiled and said, "Alright, I haven't said anything wrong about you, so why do you have so much to say?"

Take me to America? That is truly ridiculous! It was already very suspicious that she suddenly returned to the country, and I don't know if it's because she couldn't conceive a child that she suddenly remembered my existence.

I looked at the chaotic dining table and chuckled, saying: "I will say whatever I want, however I want to say it. Do you have any control over that?"

That day, I sat by the river until very late before heading home. On my way back, I always felt as if someone was following me; when I walked, that person walked too, and when I stopped, that person stopped as well. Although I was on a main road with many people coming and going, I was still quite frightened.

This selfish woman, having not seen me for over a decade, now that she sees me, is only concerned with justifying her own mistakes. She says so much, yet I cannot absorb a single word; all I feel inside is an overwhelming sense of irony

At that time, I, a four-year-old, understood nothing and did not know why my mother suddenly stopped coming home. I suffered day by day, while this woman who abandoned me was happily with another man across the ocean. She might even be secretly rejoicing for having rid herself of the burden that I represented, and it is possible that she forgot about my existence on this planet as soon as she left China

Although the dishes on the dining table were mostly finished, it was still possible to identify what they were: braised fish, braised pork, dry pot tea tree mushrooms, garlic sprout and broccoli, and a West Lake beef soup. The meal for this family of three appeared quite sumptuous

I merely looked at her, yet did not say a single word

Perhaps they are just busy... I can only comfort myself this way

After listening, I was unsure whether I should blame her, so I remained silent. However, given the current situation between Ji Chuan and me, it is likely that we are both struggling to take care of ourselves, so how could I have the face to blame others

After ordering something, Mother anxiously said: "Xiaoya, you must understand your mother. There were reasons for my leaving you back then. Over the years, I have always missed you, but due to work commitments, I have never had the time to come back and see you. I hope you can forgive me."

In the following days, Ji Chuan still did not contact me, which made my mood very poor

You are truly unreasonable!" After I shouted in anger, I rushed out of the café

Compared to me, Xiao Yu's mood has improved quite a bit, as they spend their days secretly laughing to themselves. I really don't know what they did or said that day

"Xiao Ya, Mom is going abroad soon, and when that time comes, I won't be able to see you!" said the person who claims to be my mother loudly behind my back

I feel very conflicted and do not know what to do

The place where Xiao Yu and I were sitting was very conspicuous, and he saw us, waved his hand, and quickly walked over.

In fact, I do not know whether Ji Chuan is truly busy or has completely forgotten about me as his girlfriend, and I am also unwilling to be the one to speak first, after all, I am not the one who has done anything wrong

In response, I merely snorted coldly, indifferent to the matter, and after changing my shoes, I proceeded to my own room

On that day, Shen Xiaoyu invited me to the library, and without a second thought, I agreed.

Seeing this, I let out a cold snort and said icily: "Why aren't you hitting me? Go ahead, hit me. It doesn't matter anyway, I have parents, but it's as if I don't."

Initially, I intended to ignore my father's stern demeanor, but upon seeing the woman's beaming smile, I suddenly felt quite uncomfortable. After contemplating for a few seconds, I threw my backpack onto the living room sofa and turned to walk towards the dining table

But I did not expect that a single word of suspicion from me would elicit her pale face and her inability to respond. As I looked at her expression, I suddenly understood. I could hardly believe this was real. For a moment, I felt that this world was truly absurd and laughable

This woman, who once unhesitatingly abandoned me to live her own good life, has returned, and just as I had imagined, it is only because she cannot bear children...! Such a mother is of no value to me, and I do not wish to see her again at all

After class, I walked home absentmindedly when a gray Bugatti suddenly stopped by the roadside. Upon seeing this gray Bugatti, unpleasant memories from some time ago resurfaced in my mind. With one hand holding my phone and the other carrying my bag, I quickly turned and walked away.

I put away my phone and walked aimlessly

The little fish smiled and patted my shoulder: "Alright! Did you come today to express your feelings to me? Enough about me and Yao Yizhou, hurry up and read. You need to start preparing for the final paper now, otherwise you'll have to stay up late again, and I want to make it clear that I won't be keeping you company then"

In fact, I have my doubts about whether Yao Yizhou is really that handsome. However, it is true that his skin is better than mine. Once, I closely examined the pores on Yao Yizhou's face, and they were incredibly fine. Sometimes, I even wonder if he applies a facial mask every night

As soon as my words fell silent, I noticed her face instantly turn pale, and her eyes were unexpectedly glistening with tears

The father clearly paused for a moment, his expression growing increasingly grim: "And then?"

I stared at that woman for a while, then turned to my father and said: "Today I saw the woman who gave birth to me!"

Mother seemed to realize that she had said a bit too much, feeling somewhat awkward, but her expression quickly softened: "Xiaoya, have you been doing well these past few years?"

What surprised me was that his hand abruptly halted in mid-air

A gust of wind blew by, causing ripples to undulate across the river surface. I randomly grabbed a handful of stones beside me and threw them into the water. The ripples created by those stones spread out in circles, and as many ripples collided with one another, they generated splashes of water.

I had no intention of watching the splashes of water, so I took out my phone from my pocket and continued to dial Ji Chuan's number. However, I dialed several times, yet his phone remained unreachable.

The little fish handed the phone back to me, smiled and shook her head, then let out a long sigh, held my hand, and said firmly: "It really doesn't matter, Xiaoya, there will be plenty of opportunities in the future. Don't make it difficult for him, really, he has such a good relationship with you, don't let me ruin the bond you two have built over the years, that would be inappropriate."

Time passes second by second, and I do not know how far I have walked. However, my feet feel no pain at all, and my whole being seems to be numb, with no expression on my face.

I turned my head and glanced over, seeing that the dishes on the dining table were nearly empty, a hint of sarcasm flickering at the corner of my mouth

Little Fish flipped through the book in her hands, wearing a look of deep concern. Noticing her lack of enthusiasm, I asked her with concern, "What’s wrong? Little Fish, you seem distracted..."

I am waiting for Ji Chuan's apology, but it seems that Ji Chuan is completely unaware.

Clearly, my retort greatly angered my father, and he could not help but stand up, raising his hand high, seemingly about to slap me.

I couldn't help but nudge his arm with my elbow and said in a low voice, "What do you mean by that? What do you mean by seeing me for the first time in the library? The library isn't your private property; why can you come here while I cannot? Is there any reason left to discuss?"

The woman who gave birth to me said she wants to remarry you I finished saying this deceptive statement and then left the dining table

Upon hearing her say that she was going abroad, my mind was thrown into complete disarray, and I did not know what to do.

Ji Chuan just sent me a message, asking me to find him. You all stay here and study well; I will come back to find you in a little while. After I finished speaking, I waved to them and quickly ran out of the library

In fact, that day we did nothing at all. He drank his alcohol, I drank my beverage, and apart from pouring me a drink a few times, he said nothing and did nothing. Xiao Yu's face bore an unmistakable sense of disappointment