Yan Xi left. She watched his car disappear into the distance. Where he went no longer concerned her; she didn’t want to know anymore.

Finally, even she had abandoned him.

Yan Xi, is this what you wanted? I gave it to you—are you happy now?

When sending Yan Dingbang back to America, she smiled and said to that man: “Uncle Yan, please go back to America. After I move my things out, I’ll mail you the keys.”

He looked at her, his gaze heavy with reluctance and sympathy.

That woman, however, whispered in her ear behind everyone’s back. She said, “Wen Heng, thank you for helping me so much.” The plum blossom’s pure fragrance and the sea pearl’s iridescence—that smile was truly gentle.

Ah Heng smiled faintly: “You haven’t forgotten what I still hold, have you?”

Lin Rumei smiled, her eyes full of maternal affection: “If I told you that what you’re holding now is worthless before the Lu family, would you believe it?”

Ah Heng’s heart felt as if it had been pricked, and she spoke softly: “It doesn’t matter anymore.”

Nothing mattered anymore.

Her persistence and decisiveness had become a joke.

Walking from past to present was a laugh for others to hear; looking back from present to past was a laugh for herself to hear.

Nothing more than one big laugh.

Si Wan helped her pack her things. What right did the Wen family have to live in the Yan household anyway?

When Xin Dayi heard the news, he burst into the Yan house. Grabbing Ah Heng’s wrist, his eyes were red and his teeth clenched—he looked ready to kill someone.

“Why?!”

Ah Heng’s eyes were undisturbed as she looked at him calmly, almost smiling: “Why what?”

Though this young man was usually rash, he had always been gentle and tolerant toward his closest friends. He was accustomed to cherishing every friendship, so unless necessary, he would never speak harshly to a friend. But now, he was truly angry, gripping Ah Heng’s wrist tightly: “Ah Heng, you’re such a great friend! That’s Yan Xi, YAN XI! Not a cat, not a dog, not something you can play with when you like and throw away when you’re tired of it—he’s a living person!”

Si Wan frowned: “Dayi, what nonsense are you spouting?”

Xin Dayi raised his thick eyebrows: “You have no right to speak—get lost! Go live your whole life with your precious Wen surname!” He might be rough around the edges, but being simple-minded didn’t mean he was stupid!

Si Wan’s handsome face flickered between expressions, but being well-mannered, he held back.

Ah Heng shook off Xin Dayi’s hand, smiling as she spoke: “Dayi, stop making a scene. I’m very busy here. Go home first, and we can talk another day.”

Xin Dayi laughed in extreme anger: “Fine, fine! So this is the person Yan Xi cherished so much! You’re quite something—so quiet, so noble!”

Ah Heng smiled faintly: “Xin Dayi, you’re such a good person—why didn’t you stop Uncle Yan? Keeping Yan Xi here would have suited you perfectly, making everyone happy, right?”

Xin Dayi was stunned.

Why wasn’t it possible two years ago, and why was it still impossible two years later? Speaking like this made it seem as if he had any say in the matter as if whatever he decided would go.

After a while, the impetuous young man’s eyes reddened: “I wish I could! But besides you, what difference does it make how good anyone else is!”

Her belongings were moved out bit by bit, almost complete now.

Her room was on the second floor, with no tree shadows outside the window—the sunlight was perfect there.

Si Wan looked at her room and spoke with some guilt: “Ah Heng, I’ve made you suffer. I remember you used to hate sunlight the most.”

Ah Heng smiled slightly, saying nothing.

That day, someone had smiled so warmly: “Ah Heng, you like sunlight, you like black and white and cool colors, right? Right?”

How long ago was that? It should be almost forgotten by now.

Si Wan gently patted her shoulder, smiling with deep dimples: “Mother has prepared a room for you at home, waiting for you to return. The remaining odds and ends can be collected another day.”

Ah Heng glanced at the wall where the rabbit-eared figure was barely visible anymore, smiled, and turned around: “Let’s go… home.”

Before, she always felt this house was so full, noisy, and lively. Now she realized that had been an illusion.

She returned home, and her mother was overjoyed, holding her hand and chattering endlessly about family matters. She thought herself always filial, going along with her mother’s words, making her beam with happiness.

Si Er’s expression wasn’t pleasant, glaring at her several times.

Some scenes had reversed. Not long ago, she had also jealously watched Mother and Si Er like this.

Earlier, when she was in Wu Shui, she always felt very mature, very grown-up, able to help her Father and Mother, and able to take care of Zai Zai. In the few years since coming here, hadn’t she grown far more than before?

What you can’t have—well, having no desires makes one strong.

She looked at Si Er and also learned to affectionately hold her hand in front of their mother. But unlike Si Er, she didn’t let go when others weren’t watching.

Wen Si Er only did things halfway, but if she was going to do something, she would do it completely.

Sharp eyes were watching in public, and clever people watching in private. She was tired of receiving just a bit of pity from Grandfather and Brother. In the Wen family, she wanted to become indispensable.

Wen Si Er mocked coldly: “Wen Heng, why are you pretending to be so well-behaved? Isn’t it fake?”

Ah Heng smiled brilliantly: “Yes if I don’t pretend to be well-behaved to drive you out of the Wen family, how could I live with myself?”

Si Er’s small face darkened, and she snorted coldly before ducking into Wen Si Wan’s room.

Ah Heng continued to smile sweetly.

Wen Si Er could play piano, do ballet, and win the Wen family’s favor—things Wen Heng couldn’t do. But Wen Heng consistently ranked in the top three of her grade, had a gentle personality, and carried Wen family blood—which of these could Wen Si Er achieve?

Both were surnamed Wen, who was that much worse than the other?

She didn’t know where this current desire to compete came from, just as she didn’t understand why she hadn’t competed before.

People change.

From one March to another March, and now it was August. The weather had already turned hot.

Si Wan often watched her expression, awkwardly mentioning that person, carefully telling her when he would visit, then gently asking: “Ah Heng, do you want to go to Tianwu Hospital?”

Yan’s father, fearing the shock would be too much for the elderly if he took his son to America, had left Yan Xi at Tianwu Hospital.

Ah Heng wore a slight smile as she worked on physics problems: “Maybe when I’m free.”

When she was free, she would make herself busy again, and then wait until she was free again.

Little Xia was about to enter high school and would often ask her with tears where that person was. Ah Heng responded flatly: “He went crazy, and who knows if he’s dead or not. If you want to find him, go crazy yourself first.”

The child would immediately close their mouth and bury themselves in studying.

Xin Dayi would only communicate with her through his nose, snorting this way and that. Chen Juan kicked and hit him, but it had no effect, only managed to say sheepishly: “Ah Heng, I know you must have your reasons.”

About abandoning Yan Xi.

Of course, he wouldn’t say these words, although from his perspective, that was exactly how things were.

But Ah Heng just smiled. How did she have any reasons? How could she not even know herself?

In this world, no one is free from grievance, no one is free from suffering. In Buddha’s eyes, all living beings have sinned, and all are pitiful. Amitabha—speaking of which, she must have her reasons then.

Her classmates laughed: “Is Wen Heng planning to become a Buddha?”

Ah Heng also laughed, shaking her head: “No, no, this little monk eats meat now, can’t have a meal without pork ribs.”

Xin Dayi’s ears perked up, and his nervous system sensitivity was first-rate.

Rou Si’s eyes brightened: “You eat pork ribs now?”

Ah Heng smiled: “Yes, yes, I’ve already eaten until I’m sick of them. Wait a couple more days until I’m completely nauseated, and I won’t touch them again in this lifetime.”

She had dawdled for three months and still hadn’t mailed the keys to America. Each week, she would clean once, taking back things she had missed. Next time, while wiping the tables, she would discover more of her belongings—it was truly surprise after surprise.

Si Wan was thin-skinned and privately asked her how much longer she planned to dawdle, as it had already been three months.

Ah Heng squinted: “Is Grandfather Yan in a hurry? Then I should call and ask for instructions.”

Si Wan smiled bitterly, not daring to let Grandfather Yan know—he would strangle Uncle Yan. Although this major decision was made to honor filial piety, fearing the elderly couldn’t handle the shock of bringing his son to America, in Grandfather Yan’s eyes, worried about his grandson, he would be suspicious of his son. Uncle Yan’s crime would be severe, practically unforgivable. If the Emperor Emeritus got angry and then fell ill, all of them would be considered guilty too.

Ah Heng smiled sweetly—so, just let me take my time.

Si Wan wondered, this little rascal’s demeanor seemed somewhat familiar to someone else. Suddenly remembering the elders’ saying about married couples looking alike, he was thunderstruck, as if struck by lightning on a clear day.

He hesitated again and again, weighing his words: “Are you not going to see Yan Xi? He’s so thin now, just skin and bones, can’t eat anything every day, has vomited many times…”

Towards the end, he couldn’t continue speaking, his eyes reddening.

Ah Heng looked at him and spoke calmly: “Do you want to cry? Having held back for so long, isn’t it painful?”

Wen Si Wan was always the most decisive, yet also the most deeply emotional one.

A thousand methods, good and bad, all for one person.

Initially, taking Lin Wanwan away from that person, then acting as if nothing had happened when letting that person discover it. Bound by brotherly affection, that person would necessarily give up—this was the first part. Secondly, maintaining contact with Lu Liu, vaguely mentioning that person had someone he liked, and of course that person should be named Wen Heng, preventing future problems. Thirdly, if she hadn’t guessed wrong, he probably had some thoughts about conveniently keeping that person in the hospital, keeping him by his side for life.

Such scheming and manipulation—if Xin Dayi hadn’t spent so much time by Si Wan’s side and seen through everything, she would have been too foolish to guess.

Even today, he continued to endure, truly sleeping on firewood and tasting gall, doing what others wouldn’t, achieving what others couldn’t—she had to admire him.

Si Wan lowered his eyes: “I don’t regret it.”

Ah Heng smiled, showing eight teeth, cultured and refined: “That’s for the best.”

The old piano was still downstairs, covered in dust, completely dilapidated. Every time she cleaned the room, it was quite an eyesore.

“Si Wan, give me a hand, let’s move the piano to the attic.”

Si Wan looked at the piano, somewhat surprised: “This one, wasn’t it bought when Yan Xi first started learning piano? How many years has it been? Why is it still here, shouldn’t it have been sold as scrap long ago?”

Yes, not only had it not been sold, but it could still play “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” and “Waltz”—albeit in a tone-deaf version.

Ah Heng rarely went to the attic because it was too messy, mostly filled with that person’s childhood toys—Transformers, racing cars, tricycles, and what he claimed were failed artwork.

To get the piano up there, they had to organize things first, otherwise it wouldn’t fit. The organizing created a smoky mess full of dust, making Ah Heng and Si Wan cough constantly.

She crouched down to collect the drawing papers. One was stuck under the tricycle’s wheel, and after finally moving the tricycle, there was a painting covered with black cloth behind it.

Hidden so secretly, truly worthy of being that person’s dog den. If she hadn’t cleaned thoroughly, she really wouldn’t have thought the small attic had so many twists and turns.

Lifting the black cloth, her eyes were instantly stung.

Half light, half darkness.

One-half bright as golden brocade, holy light beautiful; the other half black as ink, desolate and broken.

One half was the morning sun, one half was the waning moon.

In the light, a pair of hands reached out, warm and soft, with clear joints, slightly calloused, ten fingers spread wide, facing the night; in the darkness, there was also a pair of hands, slightly larger than the other pair, slightly colder, carrying the mist of darkness, about to disappear, yet trying hard to join with that pair of warm hands, hoping, slowly approaching, just one step away, without any gap.

In the bottom right corner was handwriting more familiar than anything: Morning Sun.

Below are small characters: If Yan Fan•Gao and Ah Heng eat the last piece of bread together, dying of hunger together, he wouldn’t commit suicide, right?

Not long after, Elder Wen received such a letter.

Grandfather:

This is my first time writing to you, and heaven willing, it will be the last.

These days, I have been trying hard to be a Wen family member according to your instructions—selfless in public but selfish in private, strong in public but crying in private, taking losses in public but gaining them back in private, clever in public and… still clever in private.

Your granddaughter is slow-witted and has pondered for over three months but hasn’t understood the meaning, feeling deeply ashamed.

In my grandfather’s life, the person I despise most is Yan Xi. He almost ruined the Si Wan you had carefully nurtured. Fortunately, Yan Xi left. But now, your granddaughter observes that brother hasn’t grown distant from Yan Xi, truly failing grandfather. Your granddaughter knows she is an unworthy descendant of the Wen family. To save my brother, I am willing to take Yan Xi away, allowing Si Wan to avoid being tormented by this “beautiful but unfortunate person who brings misfortune to his parents.”

Yan Xi’s appearance is different from ordinary people, while your granddaughter’s looks are ordinary—being with him will just offset his beauty. Yan Xi, from childhood, was unloved by his parents; at just fifteen, he was brutally harmed with nowhere to appeal; twice in his life, he suffered from hysteria that medicine couldn’t cure—truly unfortunate. But your granddaughter was loved by adoptive parents in childhood, and later cherished by birth parents; daily life always goes smoothly—just happens to be fortunate, perhaps can share some fortune with him. Yan Xi’s birth mother had a difficult labor, barely surviving after several rescue attempts—indeed bringing misfortune to his parents. But your granddaughter taking Yan Xi away this time benefits the Wen family. I dare not say it brings fortune to parents, but at least it can diminish some of Yan Xi’s sins. What does Grandfather think of this?

From now on, grandfather need not waste effort searching—your granddaughter will leave school. Since there is no good future ahead, I naturally wouldn’t dare call myself a Wen family descendant while outside, and won’t damage my grandfather’s illustrious name. Please rest assured.

As long as Yan Xi remains ill, your granddaughter will not return home. Your granddaughter is foolish and cannot divide her heart. In eternal time, she will do only this one thing.

Perhaps life will become difficult, and one day we won’t be able to survive. If your granddaughter and Yan Xi starve to death together, I will certainly not let him bring misfortune to others.

Your unfilial granddaughter,

Wen Heng

August