TPW – Chapter 36

During the Spring Festival, the activities were even more vibrant and exciting than on New Year’s Eve.

On the first day of the lunar year, Qiao An was taken to Second Aunt’s house to pay New Year’s greetings. Qiao Yan was spending the holiday with her in-laws in the west part of the city, so Qiao Lu and her little family paid a quick visit and left—after all, they didn’t really know the others there, and staying too long felt awkward.

On the second day, they returned to her parental home—it was also known as the “Day of Welcoming the Son-in-Law.” Bringing along a tin of malted milk powder, a few packets of peach crisps, and various pastries was enough to count as return gifts.

The visit was mainly to check in on her parents. Seeing that Niu Qiaoli was no longer being stingy with the elderly couple’s food rations, Qiao Lu finally breathed a sigh of relief. Before they left, Niu Qiaoli deliberately pulled Xu Haizhou aside for a private chat. When Qiao Lu asked about it later, she found out that the woman wanted to get her just-turned-seventeen younger brother into the city for a government job—and she was asking Xu Haizhou for help!

That younger brother had only graduated elementary school. Other than farming and loafing around, he didn’t know how to do anything. What could he do in the city? Even street sweeping jobs required an urban household registration!

“So, did you agree?”

Xu Haizhou curled his lips slightly. “Of course.”

“What?! But—”

Xu Haizhou took her cold hands in his and rubbed them. “Don’t worry. I agreed, sure—but it’s not like I can just snap my fingers and get him a city job. If she really comes asking again, I’ll handle it.”

Qiao Lu pursed her lips and dropped the topic. “As long as you’ve got a handle on it. Just don’t drag yourself into a mess. Her siblings aren’t exactly decent people.”

“Mm. Got it.”

On the third day, they went to a temple fair. They took Qiao An to the temple to make offerings. It was the little guy’s first time in such a place, and he didn’t know where to look with those lifelike bas-reliefs of the Eighteen Arhats lining the walls.

Later, Xu Haizhou bought three sticks of incense. Curious, the little one imitated his parents, kneeling before the giant Buddha statue with hands pressed together. Mama said he should make a wish.

“Hmm… Buddha Grandpa, I wish Mama will always stay with me!”

Pfft—

“An’an, you’re not supposed to say your wish out loud, or it won’t come true.”

The little guy nodded seriously, pressed his hands together again, and bowed once more. This time, he silently thought to himself: Buddha Grandpa, please bless me—I’m making my wish again. I still want Mama to stay with me forever.

After the temple fair, they strolled through the market full of New Year’s goods. It was basically a kid’s paradise—wherever they went, they heard children crying and whining for snacks and toys.

Qiao An scoffed in his sweet little voice: “They’re not good kids. I never cry. If I want something, Mama always buys it for me. Right, Mama?”

Qiao Lu: “??”

Taking a different approach, huh?

Son, are you trying to flatter your mother?

Talk about “killing with kindness!”

By the fourth day, Xu Haizhou had to return to his stall. This was the peak season with the most foot traffic, so he had to sacrifice family time. Once the Lantern Festival passed, he planned to take a few days off to spend with his wife and son.

Qiao Lu understood—after all, making money was the priority. As far as she was concerned, time with them could happen anytime.

With New Year’s Eve past, it was now 1983—a year destined to be anything but smooth. This was a year of hidden turmoil.

Thinking of what was to come this year, Qiao Lu decided to stay low-key for now. The thought of starting a business flashed through her mind, but she chose not to go big just yet. At the very least, she would hold off on designing clothes for now.

She could try something more ordinary—like socks! There was a big demand for them, and done right, they might be just as profitable as gloves.

After all, people wore socks year-round. Gloves were only for winter.

That night, after the child had fallen asleep, Qiao Lu discussed her thoughts with Xu Haizhou.

“I’ve suddenly had some design inspiration for women’s socks. I’ll make a few samples for you to try selling. If they do well, they might make more money than gloves.”

Never underestimate the power of socks. Even if they weren’t as expensive as clothes, with enough sales volume, the profits could be considerable.

“Alright, but Hongjun is selling socks at the stall right next to mine. If I start selling them too…” He looked hesitant. “Feels a bit off.”

“Well, I’m not saying I have to sell socks…” Qiao Lu’s eyes lit up. “Hey, why don’t you two work together? He’s so good at talking—he’d be perfect for sales! And you’ve got the looks—you could handle customer outreach and orders…”

“Orders, huh? What kind of orders do you think a market stall gets?” Xu Haizhou laughed and gave her cheek a playful pinch—it was softer than their son’s.

Qiao Lu suddenly realized and swatted his hand away. “Oh, right… it is too early for that. Still, you two could start by working together. If your stall ever expands, you’ll need to branch out. You can’t stay a street vendor forever, right? I’m even thinking about opening a store in a year or two. This is all part of the process! Long-term development needs a team—you can’t form a team with just one person. Two’s the minimum… Though I can help out, I’m only good with the technical stuff. I can make clothes or socks, sure, but when it comes to the business side of things, you might know more than I do.”

“The way you’re talking now, you seem pretty business-savvy to me.” Xu Haizhou chuckled, his gaze softening even more as he looked at his wife.

Qiao Lu laughed sheepishly. “Not really… just read a few books here and there…”

Doesn’t matter what it is—if you say it came from a book, no one will question you…

“Actually, we’re kind of on the same wavelength. Before the New Year, I asked Hongjun if he wanted to work with me.”

Qiao Lu perked up and found a cozy spot in his arms. “What’d he say?”

Xu Haizhou stroked her shoulder and said, “He’s thinking about it. Mainly, he’s worried about profit disputes.”

As the saying goes, even close brothers should keep clear accounts. Once money’s involved, even the best relationships can get complicated. Li Hongjun valued their friendship.

“Well, just try it out. You two can talk it through, and decide whether or not to collaborate. If it doesn’t work out, we’ll look for someone else. What’s there to worry about? There are so many people in Lian’an City—think we can’t find another partner?”

“Mm. We’ll see how it goes.”

…

Qiao Lu officially got back to work after the Lantern Festival. She spent half a day sketching out three sock designs—long, short, and mid-length. Some had different patterns, others had creative edges like wavy trims.

But when she went to the department store, she found that many of the fabrics for her designs weren’t even available. That’s when she remembered: most sock patterns were machine-knitted. Handmade socks could only be customized around the edges. No way she’d personally crochet entire socks just for design—that would take way too much time, and time costs money.

After racking her brains, she gave up on the sock idea.

Hmm… what else could she sell? Ideally, something unique, not overdone, and tied to her skill set…

Aha! Got it!

Without wasting time, Qiao Lu buried her head in sketching. Once she was done with her drafts and finalized the design—it wasn’t socks anymore. It was bags!

Leather was hard to source and expensive, so she’d start with fabric bags.

These were even easier to make than socks—there were no strict size requirements, and she had more creative freedom. She didn’t need custom yarn colors either—she could just use patchwork. It would be both stylish and original.

She first designed three sample bags. One was about the size of two adult palms, suitable for young people to carry on outings—compact and lightweight. The second was the size of a typical canvas bag, ideal for storing books and mainly targeted at students. The third was a large-capacity bag specially designed for women with children. It could hold both the mother’s and the baby’s belongings and could be worn as a shoulder bag, crossbody, or even a backpack—three uses in one!

Of course, the more functions it had, the more expensive it would be.

Qiao Lu was completely absorbed in her work when suddenly, her son’s cautious little voice called out from the doorway: “Mama, Mama, I’m hungry. When are we going to eat?”

Afraid to disturb his mom while she was busy, he spoke very, very softly.

Qiao Lu glanced up at him. “What time is it?”

The little guy looked up at the clock on the wall. “Mama, it’s already one-two o’clock!”

Qiao Lu turned and looked at the wall clock and laughed. “Wrong again, it’s twelve, not one-two.”

“Mm! Mama, it’s already twelve o’clock! My tummy is hungry!” He patted his stomach, and the crisp little slap made him laugh at himself.

She crooked her finger at him. The little guy ran over with a da-da-da, letting Mama gently rub his belly, which was soft and chubby to the touch.

“Wow, you’ve still got a lot of belly meat—already hungry again?”

“Mm!” Qiao An nodded very seriously and looked at her. “Mama, I’m really hungry! I just heard my belly talking! It said, ‘I want to eat!’ It told me to come call Mama to make food!”

Pfft—his imagination was getting richer by the day.

“Okay, go play with the other kids for a bit. Mama will cook soon.”

After sewing the strap onto the canvas bag, Qiao Lu got up to head to the kitchen. But halfway through cooking, she realized the soy sauce was all gone. She quickly turned off the stove and prepared to run to the grocery store to get more.

Suddenly remembering something, Qiao Lu called out into the courtyard: “An’an! Come here!”

Qiao An was just about to join a few kids playing hopscotch under the loquat tree. Hearing his mother’s call, he immediately left the other children behind. “Mama, I’m coming!”

Qiao Lu had long wanted to find opportunities to train her son’s independence—and now the opportunity had come.

“An’an, can you help Mama get a bottle of soy sauce from Aunt Qingping’s little store?” Song Qingping was Chen Auntie’s second daughter-in-law and worked at the neighborhood grocery shop.

“I can!” He loved helping Mama the most.

But when Qiao An was handed the money and the soy sauce bottle, he suddenly froze.

Although he had gone with his mom to buy soy sauce a few times before, he had never done it on his own. Now, doing it himself meant he had to talk to the uncles and aunties, and he suddenly felt a bit shy.

But he had already promised Mama, so no matter what, even with a red face, he had to do it!

He put on his little scarf, gloves, and panda-ear hat, and, looking like a little warrior heading into battle, he clutched the empty bottle and set off—his expression so solemn it made Qiao Lu chuckle.

She wiped her hands on her apron and quietly followed behind, unnoticed.

In the yard, Auntie Chen from across the way was hanging clothes at her door. Seeing him, she called out: “Hey—Qiao An, where are you going with that bottle?”

Qiao An was familiar with Auntie Chen, so he wasn’t too shy. He replied in his soft, milky voice:  “Auntie, I’m going to get soy sauce for Mama!”

Auntie Chen raised her eyebrows in surprise: “Wow! You’re going by yourself? Your mom’s not going with you?”

The little guy shook his head firmly. “I’m going by myself, because I’m a man!”

A man can do everything by himself!

Auntie Chen laughed so hard she couldn’t straighten up. “Aiyo—what a funny little guy. Go on, go on, be careful!”

“Hey! Qiao An, do you want me to go with you?” Chen Jiamei, although she wasn’t too fond of Qiao Lu—after all, Qiao Lu had called her Chen Shimei—still had a bit of a soft spot for her son.

Who could resist such a cute and sweet-talking kid?

But the little guy shook his head again and strode off. “Thank you, sister, but I don’t need you. I can do it myself.”

Then he bit his lip, took steady strides toward the courtyard gate, his little legs bobbing up and down—his back giving off serious “lone warrior” vibes.

The neighbors all came out to watch him fetch soy sauce, amused and smiling as they watched him leave the compound. Everyone said Qiao Lu had really raised a little treasure—he was too lovable!

Qiao Lu followed at a distance. Only then did the neighbors realize the mom had been secretly tailing him all along.

Auntie Chen called to her: “Qiao Lu, I just saw your son heading out with an empty bottle—he’s really going to get soy sauce?”

She had just been thinking of going to find Qiao Lu at Xu Haizhou’s place. That kid was shy, and if Qiao Lu wasn’t worried, she as a neighbor still was!

Qiao Lu didn’t stop walking. “Yep, I wanted to train his courage. I’m secretly following him.”

Auntie Chen chuckled. “Good idea, go on then!”

From the inner courtyard to the alley entrance, everything went smoothly. Along the way, they ran into several neighbors, all of whom greeted the little guy with curiosity and warmth. Qiao An was very polite, saying “thank you auntie,” “thank you uncle,” “thank you big brother, big sister” all the way.

“Hey, look at that kid—he’s adorable.”

“Isn’t that Xu Haizhou’s boy?”

“Sure looks like it.”

A bicycle leisurely rolled up behind Qiao An. Riding on the back was Xu Simiao from the outer courtyard, and her boyfriend was pedaling.

The man called out to Qiao An: “Hey, kid! Are you Xu Haizhou’s son?”

Hearing them mention his dad’s name, Qiao An looked back without stopping, puzzled as he glanced at them. “Mm! He’s my dad!”

“Ha, thought so.” The couple exchanged looks and chuckled.

Xu Simiao asked with a smile: “Little guy, where are you going with that bottle? Why isn’t a grown-up with you?”

Qiao An looked at them cautiously, wondering—Are they bad people? Why are they following me and asking so many questions? Mama said not to talk to strangers when outside.

Luckily, it was lunchtime and lots of people were on the street, which made him feel a little less afraid.

“I’m going to get soy sauce for Mama. Don’t ask anymore!” With that, he picked up speed and ran off.

But those short little legs couldn’t outrun a bike. Xu Simiao’s boyfriend easily caught up, riding slowly behind him.

“Hey, kiddo, be careful. You’re so pretty—human traffickers would love to snatch you. If they take you to some remote mountain, you’ll never see your mama again.”

Hearing that, Qiao An’s heart gave a hard thump.

He imagined being kidnapped by bad people, never seeing Mama again, and broke out in a cold sweat. His head even felt like it was swelling.

But—but there were so many people in the alley… he—he wasn’t afraid…

When he finally spoke, his voice was much smaller: “I—I’m not scared. I’m a man. You two stop following me!”

The little guy ran faster and faster, his short legs surprisingly quick. The couple behind him looked worried, afraid he might fall.

Xu Simiao quickly called out to him: “Hey! Kid! Don’t run, don’t run! Be careful not to fall! We’re not following you, so don’t run!”

She then gave her boyfriend a reproachful pat on the back: “I’m telling you, stop chasing! Be careful the kid doesn’t fall!”

Xu Simiao’s boyfriend just smiled carelessly but slowed down a bit: “This kid is really funny.”

As they rode along, they suddenly noticed Qiao Lu catching up behind. The young couple finally realized — so the kid’s mom was following him the whole time!

They exchanged smiles and greetings, and Qiao Lu went after her son.

Behind them, Xu Simiao’s boyfriend watched Qiao Lu’s receding figure and said, “Hey, I heard she was a widow before? But she’s raising the kid pretty well.”

The tone sounded a bit prejudiced, and Xu Simiao wasn’t happy. She tugged his arm: “A widow is still a woman, you know what motherhood and maternal love are? That’s rude to say!”

Seeing his girlfriend getting serious, the guy quickly surrendered: “Okay, okay, I won’t say anything more.”

Unbothered, Qiao An trotted all the way to the grocery store. Only after entering and seeing the familiar face of Song Qingping did he catch his breath.

“Auntie!”

“Oh! Qiao An, why are you here?” Song Qingping put down her feather duster, clearly delighted, and glanced around curiously, “Where’s your mom? Didn’t she come?”

“Auntie, I—I’m here to get soy sauce.” The little guy timidly placed the soy sauce bottle on the counter, too short to reach the edge.

Song Qingping hurriedly grabbed it for him, and Qiao An finally relaxed.

“Getting soy sauce? Where’s your mom? Why are you here alone today?” She looked out the door skeptically but still didn’t see anyone.

The little guy shook his head and looked at her with a clear voice: “I’m all alone. Mom told me to get soy sauce by myself.”

“Really? Your mom’s so tough! How old are you? Letting you come out alone to get soy sauce?” If she had a little one like that, there was no way she’d dare send them out alone! What if someone kidnapped him?

“Auntie, I’m already three and a half.” Qiao An held up three fingers and gestured: “I can get soy sauce by myself now.”

Meaning: Don’t underestimate me!

“Oh wow, that’s awesome!” Song Qingping’s eyes crinkled with a smile.

A young female colleague in her early twenties nearby also watched the kid with interest.

“So funny, whose child is this?”

Song Qingping said, “Just across the street from my place — you know Xu Haizhou? That’s his son!”

“Oh~” The young woman suddenly understood, her heart pounding.

So that’s what Xu Haizhou’s son looks like. No wonder they look alike — both good-looking!

Song Qingping filled the bottle to the brim and handed it over: “Take it slow, can you carry it? It’s a bit heavy.”

The soy sauce was finished so quickly, no problems at all. It didn’t seem too difficult, Qiao An thought quietly, his cheeks flushing a little. He felt so proud and decided he would brag to his mom later!

“Yes! I can do it!” He hugged the large bottle tightly. When Song Qingping let go, she clearly felt the bottle press heavily into his hands.

She cupped her hands underneath just in case, but the bottle just sank slightly without falling.

Turning around, Qiao An trotted off quickly — arriving and leaving in a flash.

“Be careful, don’t walk too fast on the road.”

“Okay~”

The little guy walked farther and farther away. Song Qingping looked after him worriedly. These days, kidnappers are everywhere. How could Qiao Lu be so fearless as a mom?

Just then, she happened to see Qiao Lu’s figure at the corner of the wall.

Song Qingping patted her chest, relieved. She thought, after all, how could a mom be so heartless as to let such a little one go get soy sauce alone.

…

Meanwhile, in Qingteng Lane, an unexpected guest arrived.

“Well, a rare visitor, haven’t seen you in a long time.” Since Shen Suqin was told that Xu Haizhou got married, she seemed to have vanished into thin air. At least, she hadn’t been seen since before the New Year.

Shen Suqin smiled slightly at him, carrying a delicately packaged paper box printed with beautiful patterns.

“Try these. I spent the Spring Festival at my second uncle’s place and brought these from Shanghai — pear syrup candies, really delicious.”

Pear syrup candy isn’t like ordinary fruit candy or milk candy. It’s made by simmering pure white sugar with herbal juice. The taste is sweet like honey, crisp and crumbly, and it soothes the throat and lungs.

“Shanghai?” Li Hongjun was surprised — a big city, but far from Lian. “Tell me, is that place really huge and bustling?”

“If you’re so interested, why don’t you go do business in Shanghai?” Shen Suqin looked at him amused.

“Sigh, I heard doing business is easier in Lian because of the policies, so I came here. No choice.” Li Hongjun was also from the north, half a fellow countryman of Xu Haizhou’s — same province, different cities.

He smiled and took the gift box, nudging Xu Haizhou next to him: “He doesn’t need it, I’ll eat it myself.”

Then he tore open the package, eager to eat.

Shen Suqin got flustered: “Hey! What are you doing? This is for both of you, not just for you alone. Don’t be so selfish!”

Mainly for Xu Haizhou, giving Li Hongjun some was just to make it less obvious.

“No problem.” Li Hongjun unceremoniously peeled off the candy coating and stuffed a piece in his mouth. “He doesn’t like sweets.”

“Well, he could bring some home for his family. You don’t need to hog it all yourself.” She rolled her eyes, her nose turning red from either the cold or anger.

“Alright.” Seeing Shen Suqin looked about to get angry, Li Hongjun silently pushed the box toward Xu Haizhou. “Let’s split it, you take half home for your wife and son.”

“Okay.” Xu Haizhou deliberately took it, watching Shen Suqin’s reaction.

Sure enough, after hearing that, Shen Suqin’s posture stiffened slightly, lips trembling a bit as she bit her lower lip.

“You really have a wife?” And a son too?

“I told you before the New Year. I’m not joking about things like that.” Xu Haizhou’s expression was calm, he glanced at her briefly before looking away.

Shen Suqin smiled awkwardly, fiddling with her fingers: “Really…?”

Still a bit hard to believe… sounded pretty unbelievable.

She had known Xu Haizhou for many years, ever since four years ago when he worked at the garment factory, and later when he set up a street stall… Did she not know what kind of person he was? He had always been fully dedicated to his career. Many people introduced potential partners to him, but he didn’t like any of them. Besides, most women didn’t find his conditions appealing either.

He had said that before turning thirty, he had no plans to date anyone. So how did he suddenly come around—and who exactly was this mysterious woman? There was no transition at all. Heaven only knew how devastated she was when she heard the news. Li Hongjun told her, but she didn’t believe it and even went to the stall herself to ask Xu Haizhou directly.

After getting the answer, she disappeared, heartbroken and devastated over a crush that had ended before it even began… When she finally summoned the courage to see him again, she wished it had all been a joke.

At noon, Xu Haizhou finished packing up his stall and was heading home to eat when he “accidentally” ran into Shen Suqin at the alley entrance.

At that moment, a few rays of sunlight filtered through the eaves, shining brightly on his side profile. That superior jawline was even clearer than her life plans.

How could a young girl, harboring a crush, let go of such an outstanding-looking man?

“What a coincidence, are you heading home?” Shen Suqin gave a smile she thought was flawless, tossing her braided hair over her shoulder.

Unexpectedly, Xu Haizhou just glanced at her lightly and kept walking forward without stopping. “Quite a coincidence.”

The wind today was so strong it almost felt like a typhoon. Xu Haizhou hadn’t ridden his bike; the handlebars were tied with a bunch of goods and the ride was shaky. Falling would be too costly, so he chose not to ride.

“Your home is on Ziyuan Street, right? It’s just on my way; my place is in Beiwang.”

Shen Suqin followed him, deliberately bringing up questions about his wife and son—where he met his wife, when they got married, why they married so suddenly… She just couldn’t let it go.

Just as they reached the corner of a large courtyard, Qiao An, who had just finished buying soy sauce, saw Xu Haizhou pushing his bike into the alley. Beside him was a young woman with braided hair who looked different from ordinary people.

She was talking with Dad, and Qiao An noticed the woman kept smiling.

But that wasn’t the main point—the main point was that he saw Dad!

The little guy got super excited seeing Xu Haizhou and bounced over holding the soy sauce. “Dad—”

He ran over but slowed down, not crashing into him because he still had to protect his precious soy sauce bottle. It had traveled thousands of miles to get here!

“An’an? What are you doing here? Where’s Mom?” Xu Haizhou parked his bike and eagerly picked up his son.

He was about to kiss his face but was blocked by the soy sauce bottle in his arms.

Xu Haizhou was a bit puzzled. “What are you holding? Soy sauce? Or vinegar? Where’s Mom?”

He leaned his head and sniffed the kid’s neck, catching a faint milky scent mixed with a subtle “wife smell.” Well, actually, it was Qiao Lu’s scent.

Qiao An’s chubby cheeks were cool to the touch, showing he’d been outside for quite some time.

The little guy proudly held the soy sauce bottle up in front of him: “Dad, Mom’s not here. Mom told me to get soy sauce! I did it all by myself!”

Both Xu Haizhou and the young woman were surprised at the same time.

Xu Haizhou was shocked his son had come out alone to buy soy sauce. The female student was surprised that Xu Haizhou actually had a son!

“Is… is he your son?” she asked, trembling and pointing at Qiao An in disbelief.

It didn’t make sense. Even if he had married recently, this little three- or four-year-old ball of energy—where did he come from?

“Yes.”

Shen Suqin had never seen Xu Haizhou smile so gently. He rarely smiled, let alone show such warmth. Her heart was pounding wildly—how could this be? How could this be…

Then, Xu Haizhou cruelly asked her, “Isn’t my son adorable?”

Shen Suqin felt a lump in her throat. After a long pause, she stammered, “You… you don’t just have a son, your son can actually… buy soy sauce!”

Xu Haizhou laughed, rubbing his son’s head with one hand. “Yeah, my son’s great. He can even get soy sauce by himself.”

“Hehe~” Qiao An was a little shy, smiling bashfully, then pointed at Shen Suqin. “Dad, who’s she?”

Xu Haizhou glanced casually next door. “A customer.”

Pfft — a second cruel blow to the heart.

While the three were talking, a certain woman arrived, carried gently by the breeze. She wore a simple white jacket and black dress pants. The jacket was slim-fitting, accentuating her already slender figure. Anyone who saw her would sigh, “Who’s this stunning young wife?”

“Husband.”

Hu… Husband?

Xu Haizhou’s little heart secretly fluttered.

All three’s eyes turned toward the voice.

“Home so early today? The food isn’t even ready.” She casually tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, every movement full of charm.

The little guy turned his head and called out excitedly, “Mom!”

“Mom… mom?”

Seeing Qiao Lu at that moment was a triple heartbreak.

“Mom, look! Look! I got the soy sauce! I did it all by myself! Dad didn’t help me; I only saw Dad after I finished.” He said repeatedly, afraid she wouldn’t believe him.

Qiao Lu laughed, a bit speechless, pinching his cheeks as she followed him. How could she not believe him?

She took the soy sauce bottle and kissed his face, covering both cheeks.

“I believe you! I’ve always believed in An’an. Our An’an is not only brave but honest—a little man!”

The little guy was so happy he could fly!

He had finally learned a new skill!

The child was adorable, the wife beautiful. Seeing this scene, Shen Suqin’s heart sank completely.

She felt so hurt… She had heard that the gloves redesigned before New Year were by his wife. At first, she thought it was a joke, but now she knew his wife was truly outstanding.

Compared to that, she seemed so ordinary. Comparing yourself to others really makes you want to scream!

Lowering her eyelashes, Shen Suqin’s voice no longer sounded cheerful, but droopy.

Finally, taking a deep breath, she looked one last time at the family of three and said, “Sorry to bother you, Boss Xu. Goodbye.”

“Yeah, take care.”

The girl bit her lip and hurried away. When she reached the alley entrance, she couldn’t help but turn her head again. There before her eyes was the family of three holding hands and walking away.

Dad on the left, Mom on the right, that irresistibly cute child bouncing happily in between—just the sight of their backs showed pure joy.

… She knew she no longer had a chance.