Section 10
The setting sun has disappeared, and a chill has settled in the air. Zhuhang gazes at the corner of the courtyard wall still illuminated by the twilight, where a green pine stands as a black silhouette.
Her expression was distorted, partly due to embarrassment
Her arms were stiff, her muscles tense, and she did not dare to move at all
"Zhu Hang, come in," he clearly did not turn his head, yet somehow one of his eyes saw her.
She tilts her head back, and her sky is square.
Xiao Fanfan cried loudly, her eyes wide with fear, helplessly humming: "Fanfan is good, Fanfan is handsome, don't cry, don't cry!"
She was left speechless, unable to imagine what it would be like for such a tall man to lie in bed with a small child just a few dozen centimeters tall. What if the little Fan Fan wet the bed? What if little Fan Fan wanted to drink milk?
In a single day, the number of words exchanged between them can be counted on one hand.
She is not very fond of her name, Zhu Hang... Zhu Hang... the flying pig. Her sister is named Zhu Ying, which is clearly much more elegant than hers. Fortunately, she is not an elegant person. Her parents and sister call her Hang Hang, her classmates call her Pig, but only he earnestly calls her "Zhu Hang"
She was once unwilling to give birth to Xiaofan, even though she was already more than six months pregnant, because she could not provide Xiaofan with a bright future
He persuaded her, saying that he would take care of it and that he would be a responsible father
Sister Tang shifted her gaze towards the master bedroom
The nursery is next to the living room, and beyond that is the master bedroom
Today is Saturday, he is wearing casual clothes, a camel-colored sweater with a deep V-neck, and khaki casual trousers
Starvation and overeating both lead to death, but the former at least retains dignity
No matter how hard Tang Sao tried to coax her, it was futile. In a moment of frustration, she exclaimed to Zhu Hang: "Madam, you cannot just stand by and watch; you should also hold the child. He cannot hear his mother's voice and lacks a sense of security"
She pretended not to see it
No one comes to visit in the courtyard. From the courtyard, I can see the nannies of other residents passing by, each with their backs straight and eyes fixed ahead, as if they are concealing significant secrets. The moment they stop, they seem to fear being overheard.
Life is like a flickering candle in its twilight years, opening one's eyes at dawn, and then slowly waiting for nightfall
The master bedroom and Mu Jiaxi's studio are not forbidden areas. Aunt Lv cleans every day and keeps the windows and doors of each room open, allowing a clear view of the interior arrangement from the courtyard.
Sister Tang even moved a reclining chair for her in the corridor, allowing her to bask in the sun when the weather was nice. All she lacked was a pair of reading glasses, a ball of yarn, and an old cat resting at her feet
It has been over twenty years since she last did something like this, and she is counting the days on her fingers, just like when she was a child eagerly looking forward to visiting her grandmother's house during the holidays. Her grandmother's house is in the city, while her home is in a small town. The amusement park and zoo in the city are the places that children cherish the most
She walked over to the sound of the piano.
She hesitated for a moment and stepped inside
The beloved wife has suddenly passed away, and that kind of pain cannot be accurately described with words
In twelve days, it will be the so-called "full moon," which is said to be her day of pardon
Zhuo Shaohua held Fanfan in one arm while her other hand joyfully danced across the piano keys. She was a novice in music, but she felt that the melody was clear and translucent, like a babbling spring gently flowing through her heart
Cannot watch television, cannot read books, cannot drink cold water, cannot eat cold dishes, cannot be exposed to the wind, cannot get caught in the rain, cannot go outside... From the hospital to this courtyard, it is essentially a transfer from one prison to another. Sister Tang and Aunt Lü are the wardens of this confinement.
In the middle of the night, I got up to go to the bathroom and noticed the moonlight bright as frost. I took another look and suddenly saw a shadow flash under the tree in the courtyard. I was startled, thinking it was a thief, but upon closer inspection, it was the leader. The night wind was a bit strong, causing his hair to flutter slightly, and the cigarette butt between his fingers flickered in and out of light, resembling fireflies in the fields
The scene was so beautiful that it made her hesitate, fearing that if she stepped in, she would shatter that sense of beauty
I told you, Fan Fan is looking for his mother, and now he is hungry. Sister Tang, feeling quite pleased with herself, stuffed a bottle filled with milk powder into Fan Fan's mouth
Xiao Fanfan, like her, is not very adaptable to the environment. Now, apart from sleeping, she is constantly crying when awake. The volume of her cries is unabashed, exerting as much strength as she has, with beads of sweat densely covering her forehead, and her small hands still waving in the air
A miracle occurred, and Xiao Fan Fan let out a small sound with her mouth. The crying gradually weakened, and in the end, it seemed she even sighed and nuzzled into her embrace
The well-fed Fan Fan has fallen into a deep sleep on her chest, her small hand still clutching one of her fingers
Sister Tang and Aunt Lü also possess a strong sense of professional ethics. Regardless of the length of their acquaintance, they exchange insights on cooking and childcare. Sister Tang, skilled with her hands, is currently making cotton shoes for little Fanfan, with a tiger head embroidered on the toe.
A long span of years has thus torn away another page
The leader only took three days off before returning to work, yet he was very punctual in his arrival and departure. In the evenings, he would always have dinner with her, while in the mornings she would sleep in a bit longer, and by the time she got up, he had already left. The evenings were entirely dedicated to Xiao Fanfan.
Mornings are usually greeted by the cries of Xiao Fan Fan, but today it is unusually quiet. When she got up, she checked the time; Xiao Fan Fan should be awake by now
From that day on, she had to take on an additional task; after getting up in the morning, she had to go to the nursery to accompany Xiao Fanfan. He did not necessarily need her to hold him, but he had to hear her voice upon waking up
Xiao Fan Fan quietly stayed there, thoroughly enjoying the moment
In the silent and deserted deep of night, one can truly perceive how lonely and desolate he is
Abortion is shameful, but it lasts only a few short months in the womb, while life after birth spans several decades. She can act impulsively at any time, making grandiose claims without concern. She has deliberated and deliberated; she cannot bear this responsibility
The sound of the piano, tinkling in the cool morning breeze, wafted in as Sister Tang smiled gently while hanging clothes in the courtyard, and Aunt Lu was not present
The deep and warm voice called out these two characters, and it seemed not so unpleasant to listen to
A pang of bitterness arose in her heart. Fearing that he might notice, she drew the curtains and buried herself back under the covers
Tang Sao and Aunt Lu may think that she has traces of Jiaxi in her taboo. Although they disguise it well, she can sometimes catch their probing gazes directed at her
She thought that Fan Fan was sleeping with Sister Tang at night, but later she learned that Sister Tang was sleeping alone in the nursery, and it was only in the morning that the leader handed Fan Fan to her
He did not go back on his word, did he
After speaking, she stuffed Xiaofan into her arms
His master bedroom is spacious, with a living room outside. A piano is placed by the window, covered with a knitted white piano cover. On the cover is a black-and-white photo of Mu Jiaxi, with a dark background that further accentuates her beauty, making her look like a poem.