Chapter 1

Kong Liqing does not know what the young Kong Wanxiang experienced in those years. For the past two years, she has been patient with him, but the child has not changed much. Most of the time, he remains quiet, unlike what one would expect from a normal five-year-old.

Kong Liqing has had bad luck; one could say that throughout her 27 years of life, she has been quite unfortunate. In everything she does, she tends to encounter more difficulties than others. Whenever she aims to accomplish something, she invariably faces more setbacks than her peers. Incidents like a perfectly good plastic bag suddenly breaking without any overloading are truly nothing out of the ordinary for her.

July, the hottest month of the year, with several consecutive days of high temperatures reaching 38 degrees Celsius, left the entire city feeling weary. After enduring several days of this heat, a heavy rain finally arrived on this evening. The summer rain came with great force, but its duration was short-lived. After a downpour lasting just a few minutes, everything returned to normal.

After remarrying, Kong Jianhui can be said to have risen smoothly. In those years, he self-studied and obtained a degree, and later, with the help of his father-in-law, he advanced in his career. Over the years, he managed to steadily climb the ranks and eventually secured the position of factory director. Although many state-owned enterprises have struggled in recent years, the ones they belonged to were directly under the central government, and their performance has remained quite good. Therefore, during those years, Kong Jianhui still enjoyed a period of glory. Ultimately, his downfall into prison was also caused by some deeply ingrained negative traits in his character. Although many state-owned enterprises have struggled in recent years, the ones they belonged to were directly under the central government, and their performance has remained quite good. Therefore, during those years, Kong Jianhui still enjoyed a period of glory. Ultimately, his downfall into prison was also caused by some deeply ingrained negative traits in his character.

The elevator stopped on the top floor for one minute. In the unit where Kong Liqing lives, there are two households on each floor. The area of the unit across from hers is twice that of her own. Kong Liqing does not know much about her neighbor across the hall, only that the owner of that unit is a very beautiful young woman who works as a flight attendant

Wisteria flowers, as the wind blows, my thoughts deepen in the long night, the more I strive to be cheerful, the more my laughter becomes hoarse. Kong Liqing slowly walked along the sidewalk, listening intently.

Thus, Kong Liqing followed her father to the municipality. In her heart, her father had always been a terrifying and cold presence. Over the years, she could never forget the look of disgust in his eyes when he first discovered that she was a girl. During the journey from the countryside to the municipality, she was constantly overshadowed by her father's chilling gaze. Later, she thought that at that time, her father was actually contemplating just abandoning her.

Kong Liqing responded with an acknowledgment, bent down to change into his slippers, went to the bathroom to fetch a towel, and then returned to sit beside Kong Wanxiang, taking out the dirty items one by one and cleaning them with the towel

Kong Liqing also frowned, as she could not understand why Wan Xiang, this child, was like this. At just five years old, how could he not resemble a child at all? In her view, children at this age should be mischievous and playful, rolling around like a muddy monkey every day, causing chaos and never having a moment of peace.

Kong Liqing first met her father at the age of 7, only to learn that he had returned to divorce her mother. At that time, Kong Liqing did not quite understand what divorce meant. In her memory, that period was chaotic, and it was not until many years later that she gradually understood the reasons and consequences behind it

Two years ago, Kong Liqing purchased the house she currently resides in, located in City B, a place where housing prices have skyrocketed. This house is only 70 square meters, with a total price of 840,000. At that time, she only had 300,000, which was sufficient for the down payment. The remaining over 500,000 was a loan from the bank that she needed to repay over 25 years.

Hearing the sound of the door opening, Kong Wanxiang turned his head to look at the doorway and called out, "Mom."

Kong Liqing was born in a very remote small mountain village in the Yunnan-Guizhou region of China. Kong Liqing's father, Kong Jianhui, was the only successful person from their village at that time. Kong Liqing's grandmother was a well-known beauty in the area, and throughout her life, she gave birth to nine children, of whom only Kong Liqing's father inherited her looks, being a handsome and delicate man

Kong Liqing had never seen his father before the age of 7, and Kong Jianhui has not returned to his hometown since getting married after learning that he had descendants.

Kong Liqing fell silent, but in the end, he nodded, which could be considered as his agreement to this matter

Kong Wanxiang's eyebrows furrowed slightly, but he said nothing and turned his head back to watch television

Sometimes, Kong Liqing couldn't help but wonder if Wanxiang had memories from his early childhood, memories of the difficult times he had experienced. But how old was he back then? Kong Liqing recalled that when she brought Wanxiang to her side, he had not yet celebrated his third birthday, and logically, he should not have any memories.

As a person ages, she often reminisces. Whenever the composed Kong Liqing begins to recall the past, her stories always start from that hot evening.

The entrance living room is not large, but it features a huge floor-to-ceiling window. On sunny days, when the weather is good, the sunlight streams into the room, making it bright and clean, which Kong Liqing particularly enjoys

Items fell onto the rainwater-covered ground, becoming stained with dirt. Fortunately, they were all packaged, so wiping off the mud would not affect anything. Kong Liqing thought about squatting down to pick up the most valuable can of milk powder, then turned around and returned to the supermarket

Kong Liqing's true suffering began when she arrived in the municipality where her father lived. To outsiders, Kong Jianhui appears to be a cultured, polite, and handsome man, but it is possible that his rural background and the oppression and discrimination he faced at work have led to some psychological distortion.

Kong Liqing endured for 7 years, believing she could finally break free from her family. However, just as she graduated, her father was sent to prison.

Kong Liqing ultimately found Kong Wanxiang under the table in the restaurant. At that time, he was still a child of less than three years old, with a blank expression and vacant eyes. His exposed arms and legs were covered in patches of bruises. That day, Kong Liqing took Kong Wanxiang away, and the child did not cry or make a fuss when leaving his mother; he lay quietly in Kong Liqing's arms.

The elevator was empty, and the incandescent light illuminated this small space brightly, but in Kong Liqing's eyes, it felt unnervingly white everywhere, a sensation she did not like

A pile of powdered infant formula, toothpaste, soap, and sanitary napkins lay scattered at her feet. The strap of the plastic bag in her hand had already broken. Kong Liqing, slightly delayed in her reaction, lifted the light items in her hand to her eyes for a closer look. After a moment of daze, she let out a sigh.

The down-and-out Kong Jianhui still put on a facade of strength in front of Kong Liqing, despite being weak inside. Amidst the buzzing voices around him, he stared wide-eyed and whispered to Kong Liqing: "In the old house, I left something happened. You go and get it out."

Kong Liqing is somewhat dull-witted; she is the type of person who becomes so immersed in her own world that she pays little attention to the things around her. Her habit of talking to herself while walking gives her a somewhat neurotic appearance to those around her

When Kong Liqing was 14 years old, she was in the second year of junior high school. She remembers that the day she first saw that man was a sunny day. Many years later, she can no longer recall the man's name, but she will always remember him standing on the podium, bathed in sunlight. He was tall, with a neat appearance and a resonant, magnetic voice. His shirt was white, and the sleeves were rolled up to his elbows. He stood there straight, looking at them with a serious expression: "Do you think fate is unfair? Do you think life is unsatisfactory? Do you want to achieve the ideals in your heart? Then study hard, treat your textbooks well, and they will give you great rewards."

In Kong Liqing's impression, his father was an extremely hypocritical person. In front of others, he would show concern and care for her, but behind closed doors, he would vent all his frustrations and failures onto her. During her childhood, Kong Liqing often suffered beatings, experiencing violence without reason. In her memories, she recalls never daring to wear short-sleeved shirts as her body was covered with scars inflicted by her father's belt.

Kong Liqing's hand, which was wiping something, paused for a moment as he turned to look at the expressionless delicate little face beside him. He then said somewhat shyly, "Next time, I will bring a cloth bag myself; the cloth bag is sturdy."

In Kong Liqing's memory, the moment she truly awakened was at the age of 14. At that time, although her family was quite affluent, she had never worn a decent piece of clothing. She was only allowed to bathe once a week, and she was always dirty, with greasy hair. Her academic performance was poor, and she had no friends, often huddling alone in a corner, with a gloomy expression and vacant eyes, making her a rather unpleasant child.

After turning 14, Kong Liqing had a concrete goal to strive for. She was not particularly intelligent, but when a person who had nothing learned that there was a way to change her fate, she would fight with all her might to achieve it

Kong Liqing's own childhood and adolescence were tragic. In her memory, her entire childhood and youth were spent amidst insults and beatings, enduring both mental and physical torment. This has been an inescapable nightmare throughout her life. She is acutely aware of the suffering involved, which is why she has always been tolerant and has tried her best to care for Wanxiang. However, although Wanxiang is no longer as gloomy and self-abased as he was in her childhood, his behavior is still different from that of ordinary children. He is too quiet and too understanding.

The room is simply furnished, yet impeccably tidy. When Kong Liqing entered, SpongeBob SquarePants was playing on the television. Kong Wanxiang, holding his monkey plush toy, was sitting attentively on the sofa, with his small legs dangling in the air beneath the sofa, sitting upright despite his small stature.

Kong Liqing, accompanied by Kong Wanxiang, discovered a sum of 300,000 cash in the old house where Kong Jianhui used to live before remarrying in T City. She used this money to make a down payment on a house in B City, and for the past two years, she has been living there with Kong Wanxiang

Kong Liqing, during her time living in the countryside, was actually a mischievous and wild child. However, after just a few months in the big city, she became gloomy and no longer dared to run around recklessly. She lived each day in fear, and the brutal violence around her forced her to adopt a humble and submissive way of life

Kong Liqing found Kong Wanxiang and her son in a high-end community in City T, following the address provided by Kong Jianhui. At that time, their lives were in disarray, as the court was about to seal their house. Kong Wanxiang's mother was even younger than Kong Liqing, in her early twenties, living a life of luxury without any savings. After Kong Jianhui's downfall, her life immediately fell into hardship. Upon seeing Kong Liqing, she became somewhat hysterical, cursing loudly with a heavily made-up face, hurling insults at everything she could imagine. She cursed the national government, cursed Kong Jianhui, and finally began to curse the child who was huddled in the corner with a vacant expression.

Kong Liqing not only gained admission but also completed her studies, and during her 7 years at Peking University, her father only covered her tuition fees, while her living expenses were all earned through her own work.

Kong Jianhui has been influenced by the city for many years, yet deep down he still harbors a peasant mentality. He has always hoped for a boy to carry on the family lineage, and subconsciously he has determined that the newborn child is a boy. This is why Kong Liqing, despite being a girl, has a masculine name.

"Is the bag broken again?" A tender, childlike voice, still carrying the lilt of infancy, rang in Kong Liqing's ear

Kong Liqing looked back at him, somewhat puzzled. Kong Jianhui, hesitant to speak the words he was about to say, dared not look at Kong Liqing. He gazed at a corner of the room and said: "You have a younger brother. Although I have not treated you well over the years, I have raised you. He is my root. If you can repay me by raising him, consider it a way to repay my kindness. He is only three years old; do not let him follow his mother, for she is not a good person."

Throughout Kong Liqing's entire youth, she was constantly suppressed, a child despised by her father, a child unloved by anyone, enduring disdain and insults. Those wounds have been etched deep within her, bending her spine, rendering her countenance sorrowful and her demeanor gloomy

Now, when Kong Liqing looks back, she will understand that the new Chinese teacher she encountered back then was actually a disillusioned youth. However, at that moment, her world suddenly brightened; the previously dim and chaotic world became vibrant because of his words

When Kong Liqing was 10 years old, her father remarried. Kong Jianhui's new spouse was the daughter of a deputy factory director at his workplace, who was also divorced and had a daughter the same age as Kong Liqing. One was a man seeking to elevate his status through marriage, and the other was a woman of some standing. One can imagine how dark Kong Liqing's life must have been.

Kong Liqing ultimately met his father in prison, in the visiting room of that prison, surrounded by family members who had come to visit, with a buzzing noise of voices all around. Only at their table was the atmosphere stiff. At that time, Kong Jianhui appeared haggard, his hair turned white overnight, looking like an elderly man in his sixties.

In the enclosed space, the sound of the elevator ascending, a "click-click," occasionally echoed. A faint metallic scent of blood lingered in the air. In the center of the two-square-meter elevator, there were two drops of blood, not too conspicuous. Kong Liqing's gaze lingered there for a moment before she turned her face away with indifference. She looked up at the constantly changing numbers in the elevator, her mind once again pondering the issue of money distribution, and a look of distress returned to her face.

In the supermarket, she spent 30 cents to buy a shopping bag, hurried back to collect the scattered items by the roadside. This time, she no longer had the leisure to sigh about anything, carrying the bag as she walked home. As she walked, she murmured softly to herself: "There are still 20,000 in savings, the monthly mortgage payment to the bank is 2,000, the baby's monthly daycare fee is 1,200, living expenses, water, electricity, and gas fees total 1,500, and the transportation cost for job hunting is about 400. Altogether, that amounts to 5,100, which means I can only hold on for a little over three more months." At this point, she paused, her feet also coming to a stop. She looked up at the pitch-black sky and sighed deeply, her face filled with sorrow: "What should I do if the baby gets sick again?"

Kong Liqing is 27 years old this year. She has lived a life of hardship, and her spirit has been consistently weighed down by depression and low self-esteem. Perhaps due to years of repressed emotions, she prefers to live at a high elevation. When she purchased her apartment, there were indeed lower-floor units available in the community, and the units without elevators had smaller shared areas and larger usable spaces. However, driven by her inner thoughts, she insisted on buying a high-rise unit. The apartment she bought is one of the only two small high-rise buildings in the community, and she resides on the top floor, the 28th floor.

Music emanated from the roadside shop, where three fresh female voices sang a melody that was not too intense. The girls' voices were light and pure, and the tune of the song was not particularly cheerful, as if recounting the subtle melancholy of youth.

Wisteria flowers, with her heart suspended on the carousel, still reminiscing about old love stories. Her voice, somewhat still belonging to a girl, sings lightly with a sorrowful yet unhurt tone. In the quiet listening, there is a slight touch of emotion. Kong Liqing's thoughts drifted to a distant time and space, and the scenery outside seemed to her to be entirely void. In a daze while walking, the shopping bag in her hand made a soft "pop" sound, followed by a chaotic "crash" of thoughts. When Kong Liqing came back to her senses, she realized that there was a pile of miscellaneous items she had just purchased on the ground in front of her.

Kong Jianhui was adept at specializing throughout his life. After serving as a volunteer soldier for several years, he secured a transfer quota and, upon retiring from the military, transitioned to a state-owned large factory in a municipality adjacent to City B.

The room is simply furnished, featuring an open kitchen. At the entrance of the living room, there is a small dining table with four wooden chairs with backs, which occupies some space and can be considered a dining area. Near the floor-to-ceiling window, there is a 32-inch LCD television, a modest fabric sofa set, and a tempered glass coffee table.

Kong Liqing's grandfather was the village secretary at that time. In the late 1970s in China, military personnel were still highly regarded. When the army came to their locality to recruit soldiers, Kong Liqing's grandfather used his limited authority to send his eldest son, Kong Jianhui, to the army. From that point on, Kong Jianhui's life was changed forever.

Kong Liqing lived with her mother in that mountainous village until the age of 7. She does not have many memories from before she turned 7. In her recollection, her mother was not a very beautiful woman, but she was very capable and made delicious food. Many years later, when she thought of her mother, she felt that the best thing about her was that she had never hit her.

In a mid-range residential community with a moderate area, some elderly individuals are sitting by the greenbelt downstairs enjoying the coolness after the rain. A woman, who appears somewhat neurotic and is mumbling to herself, walks past them as if they are invisible. From a distance, her walking posture seems sluggish, with slumped shoulders and a hunchbacked appearance, giving off a sense of desolation

Kong Jianhui struggled in his youth, but he was ambitious and skilled in his trade. After becoming the factory director, the repressed and distorted aspects of his personality finally erupted. Once in power, he offended many people and led a dissolute life. His imprisonment was due to being reported for embezzlement, although the amount involved was not large, merely 100,000 yuan. However, the evidence was irrefutable. He later treated his second wife poorly, and no one was willing to help him. In the face of collective condemnation, his downfall was complete. His imprisonment was due to being reported for embezzlement, although the amount involved was not large, merely 100,000 yuan. However, the evidence was irrefutable. He later treated his second wife poorly, and no one was willing to help him. In the face of collective condemnation, his downfall was complete.

In the 1980s, divorce was still a taboo subject, especially in that remote mountain village where it was even rarer. For Kong Jianhui, the price of divorce was the obligation to raise Kong Liqing

Although Kong Jianhui had lived in the city for several years and was good-looking and hardworking, he lacked connections and background. After working for several years, he remained just a laborer. As he grew older and found it difficult to marry at his workplace, he reluctantly returned to his hometown and married a rural teacher introduced by his mother. After the marriage, Kong Jianhui returned to his job, leaving his wife in their hometown, and thus began their long-distance relationship. In the second year of their marriage, Kong Liqing's mother gave birth to her. At that time, communication was not well-developed, and Kong Liqing's mother wrote a letter to inform her husband about the birth of their child, but did not specify whether it was a boy or a girl.

Kong Liqing worked hard for 4 years, enduring hardships and difficulties that only she herself knew. Four years later, at the age of 18, Kong Liqing was admitted to the Clinical Medicine Department of Peking University. The Clinical Medicine Department of Peking University only enrolls 40 to 60 students nationwide each year, and in the end, only two-thirds of those who start are able to graduate and obtain their degree.

As he exited the elevator, a casual glance revealed some bloodstains at the neighbor's door. Kong Liqing was momentarily taken aback, but then, with a face still devoid of emotion, he turned around and took out his keys to unlock the door

Kong Wanxiang's mother was a woman of the night, who was noticed by Kong Jianhui while she was working as a hostess in a nightclub. He kept her and eventually she bore him a child.

At that time, when Kong Liqing saw her father, she felt a sense of indifference; there was no talk of pity or sympathy for him. Throughout her upbringing, no one had ever loved her, and her heart was not soft. However, she harbored no hatred towards this man who had caused her the most suffering; at most, she felt a cold emotional detachment. Sitting across from this man, she did not know what to say. In truth, she had always been fearful of him, even as she grew older. The shadow he cast in her heart remained immense.

After the rain, the sky had already darkened. At around 8 o'clock in the evening, Kong Liqing emerged from the supermarket at the entrance of the community, carrying a bag of miscellaneous items. The air, having just experienced rain, was filled with a damp humidity. The high-temperature ground, soaked by the rain, was emitting a wave of heat, and the space after the rain remained stuffy and warm

Wan Xiang is not actually the son of Kong Liqing; to be precise, he should be considered the half-brother of Kong Liqing. Kong Liqing has had a very tragic upbringing