Anyway, there was only the last class left, so An Ran asked for leave and headed home alone with her backpack.

It was just that at this hour, Uncle Wang the driver hadn’t come yet.

With no other way, An Ran could only hail a taxi herself. After telling the driver the address, she hugged her backpack and leaned groggily against the car window.

Fifteen minutes later, the taxi finally stopped outside the villa district.

In a daze, she paid the fare, then hugged her backpack and walked back home.

Who knew that just as she reached the entryway, she would hear voices talking inside.

Chi Father’s voice came through. "Xiao Cheng, have you really made up your mind?"

"Yes."

But didn’t you just say yesterday that you wouldn’t leave us?

Chi Mother wanted to ask that, but then felt that saying so was too selfish.

She could only force herself to swallow it back and say instead, "Then when you go back this time, when will you be able to come back?"

Chi Cheng: "I’m not sure yet. A lot of things need to be confirmed in person."

An Ran’s hand, which was changing shoes, paused slightly, her face full of shock.

What were they talking about...

What had her brother decided?

He... he’d decided to go to that country flying a foreign flag?

Chi Father let out a low sigh. "Then, does Ranran know about this?"

"She doesn’t yet." Chi Cheng said, casually fiddling with the mechanical watch on his wrist as he glanced at the time.

There was still an hour before she came home.

Chi Father: "Have you thought about how you’re going to tell her? Once you leave, I’m afraid she’ll let her imagination run wild..."

The three of them were in the middle of talking when they suddenly heard the sound of something hitting the shoe cabinet by the entryway.

Chi Cheng’s eyes darkened slightly, and he immediately got up and walked over.

Then he saw the girl standing there at a loss, cheeks flushed red and a thin mist of tears already clouding her eyes.

"Why are you back so early?" Chi Cheng walked over, scanning her up and down. "Did you bump yourself anywhere?"

"I—I’m fine." An Ran shook her head with all her might.

She had accidentally knocked her shin just now, but she couldn’t even bother with the pain at the moment. Hugging her backpack, stepping on her pink bunny slippers, she said, "I’m going upstairs first."

With that, she ran straight toward the second floor.

"Ranran." Chi Mother hurriedly stood up and called out to An Ran.

An Ran paused for a second. "Mom, I’m feeling a bit unwell, so I took the last class off. I’ll go back to my room first!"

Chi Cheng’s gaze had been following An Ran the whole time, his thin lips pressed into a straight line.

She must have heard everything just now.

-

Bang.

The door slammed shut, and An Ran leaned her whole body against it, tilting her small face up.

Her sore eyes were like dark clouds heavy with rain, about to overflow any second.

Her brother had still decided to go back with those people.

To a country that was unfamiliar and far away.

Yeah...

His biological father was the President of that country, after all.

An Ran, what are you crying for?

It’s not like you’ll never see him again.

It’s not like he’s never coming back.

But... her chest still felt unbearably sad.

There was this fear that once he left, he would never return.

Just then, a soft knocking sound came from behind her.

An Ran hurriedly forced back her tears and didn’t speak right away.

"It’s me." From outside the door came Chi Cheng’s warm, gentle voice. "Little An Ran, open the door and let me take a look at your injury."

"I’m fine."

It was obvious An Ran didn’t want to open the door.

There was a moment of silence outside, and in the end, Chi Cheng’s voice came through again. "Are you mad at me?"