Wang Hui Fang said nothing, simply using her handkerchief to wipe away the blood. But the wound seemed a little large, and it started bleeding again, so she had no choice but to press the handkerchief against it.

The tactless Xiao Chen stepped forward to say more, but someone from the back kitchen nudged him with their elbow and shot him a look.

Only then did Xiao Chen glance at Wang Hui Fang and see that she really didn’t look well. He quickly backed out of the kitchen and ran off, feeling annoyed with himself. ’Why did I have to run my mouth like that?’

A coworker who was on good terms with Wang Hui Fang came over to comfort her. "Don’t listen to Xiao Chen’s rambling. You can’t believe anything you don’t see with your own eyes and hear with your own ears. Besides, we all know your He Nan; he’s not that kind of person. Go home and have a proper talk with him. I’m sure it’s just a misunderstanding."

Wang Hui Fang nodded.

When He Nan returned that evening, Wang Hui Fang had already finished cooking dinner. The three of them sat down to eat. Xiao Nian ate the quickest and went to his room to read as soon as he was done, leaving Wang Hui Fang and He Nan to eat slowly.

Wang Hui Fang hesitated for a long time before finally asking, "I heard someone came to your unit looking for you today?" 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

He Nan paused for a moment. "Oh, right. It was Xiao Nian’s mother."

Wang Hui Fang looked at him. "Did she need something from you?"

"It was nothing. She was just asking how the two kids are doing."

"That’s all?"

He Nan nodded.

In the end, he decided not to tell Wang Hui Fang about giving Guo Jinfeng money. He was afraid she would read too much into it.

But he didn’t realize that Wang Hui Fang already knew. She was waiting for him to come clean, but instead, He Nan chose to hide the truth.

Wang Hui Fang was a little disappointed, but she didn’t make a scene. Instead, she quietly finished her meal, washed the dishes, and went to her room to rest.

When He Nan came in after his shower, Wang Hui Fang was already in bed with her back turned to him.

"Tired?"

There was no response.

He Nan figured Wang Hui Fang must be asleep.

He Nan sat by the bed for a good while before turning off the light and getting under the covers. Wang Hui Fang slowly opened her eyes. Listening to his breathing, she felt a pang of sadness in her heart.

The matter should have blown over, but He Nan never imagined that Guo Jinfeng would actually come to their house.

That day, just as the family was eating dinner, there was a sudden knock on the door. Xiao Nian ran to open it, only to find his mother standing on the doorstep.

"Mom?" Xiao Nian exclaimed in surprise.

"Yes, it’s me, your mom, Tuanzi." Seeing Xiao Nian, Guo Jinfeng excitedly grabbed his hand and stroked his head. Xiao Nian gave an awkward little smile, feeling an indescribable sense of unease.

Hearing the voices, He Nan and Wang Hui Fang came out and saw Guo Jinfeng at the door. She was wearing new clothes and looked vibrant, like a completely different person from the one at the train station.

He Nan stared at Guo Jinfeng in disbelief. "How did you find this place?"

Guo Jinfeng glanced into the courtyard, her eyes lingering on Wang Hui Fang for a moment before she turned back to He Nan with a smile. "I just asked around. Your place wasn’t hard to find."

He Nan frowned. ’Is that what I was asking?’

He Nan glanced over at Wang Hui Fang and saw her staring blankly at the doorway.

Guo Jinfeng patted down her clothes and said to He Nan, "I can’t just take your money for nothing. I came to see Tuanzi and to see if there’s any work I can help you with."

He Nan’s heart clenched when he heard that. He shot a glance at Wang Hui Fang from the corner of his eye but couldn’t read her expression.

He said quickly, "We don’t have any work for you to do. You should leave."

Hearing He Nan’s rejection, Guo Jinfeng’s face fell. She looked at Xiao Nian with deep attachment, saying reluctantly, "Tuanzi, you’re so grown up now. All these years, Mom has been thinking about you and your sister every single moment. Is your sister doing well in Beijing City? She must have graduated and gotten a job by now, right? And you must be about to take your college entrance exams?"

Xiao Nian hadn’t expected Guo Jinfeng to remember all that. He slowly nodded.

RUMBLE RUMBLE— A stomach growled loudly.

Guo Jinfeng suddenly lowered her head in shame.

Xiao Nian’s brow twitched. "Mom, you haven’t eaten yet?"

Guo Jinfeng didn’t answer the question, just looked up and smiled at Xiao Nian. "You all take care of yourselves. I’ll be going now."

"Why don’t you eat before you go? Um... we’re in the middle of dinner," Xiao Nian blurted out, feeling a bit anxious as soon as the words left his mouth.

A flicker of joy lit up Guo Jinfeng’s eyes as she nodded. "Alright."

He Nan frowned and looked toward Wang Hui Fang, only to see that she had already turned around and was heading back inside.

By the time Xiao Nian led Guo Jinfeng inside, Wang Hui Fang had already placed an extra bowl and chopsticks on the table.

Xiao Nian had Guo Jinfeng take a seat. The atmosphere in the room was instantly awkward. Xiao Nian glanced at Wang Hui Fang, whose lips barely moved as she said, "Go on, eat."

Everyone began to eat. Guo Jinfeng placed a piece of food in Xiao Nian’s bowl, which he ate. Then, smiling, she placed a piece in He Nan’s bowl. The atmosphere at the table suddenly grew even stiffer.

Wang Hui Fang stood up. "You all go ahead and eat," she said tonelessly. "I’m not feeling well, so I’m going to lie down for a while."

Then she went into the bedroom.

After Wang Hui Fang left, He Nan put down his chopsticks.

Guo Jinfeng said sheepishly, "Did I interrupt something?"

He Nan glanced at her. Seeing her face filled with guilt and anxiety, he said, "You two eat first. I’m going to go check on her."

Once He Nan was in the other room, Guo Jinfeng lowered her voice and asked Xiao Nian, "What’s this wife your dad married like? Is she good to you and your sister?"

Without giving it much thought, Xiao Nian nodded. "She’s great."

Seeing Xiao Nian’s reaction, Guo Jinfeng figured this woman must be very skilled at winning people over. She hadn’t just won over He Nan, but her own son’s heart as well.

She dabbed at the corner of her eye and began to complain tearfully to Xiao Nian, "I have nowhere to go now. Your maternal grandparents were so cruel to me. I know I was wrong now. If I’d known back then how heartless they could be, why would I ever have abandoned you children and divorced your father? You poor things, you and your sister, losing your real mother at such a young age."

Xiao Nian kept his head down and continued eating, not taking the bait. Guo Jinfeng started crying again. "I regret it so much, but there’s no second chance for me now. I sleep at the train station every night because it’s the only shelter I have. I eat whatever scraps people throw away or beg for handouts. I haven’t had a proper, full meal in so long."

Hearing this, Xiao Nian placed some more food in Guo Jinfeng’s bowl. "Then you should eat up, Mom. It’ll get cold."

Guo Jinfeng took a bite, found it delicious, and began to eat with gusto.

The two of them finished everything. Xiao Nian stared at the spotless plates, feeling a little dazed. He didn’t even feel full yet, but all the food was gone.

Guo Jinfeng, on the other hand, rubbed her stomach, feeling quite satisfied with the meal.

After eating, she began to size up the room. "This house... did your dad rent it or buy it?"

"He bought it," Xiao Nian replied.

Guo Jinfeng’s eyes lit up instantly. It seemed He Nan had indeed earned a lot of money over the years.

"Xiao Nian, I... I don’t have a place to sleep tonight. Do you think maybe—"

Guo Jinfeng trailed off, her expression conflicted, but Xiao Nian understood what she was asking.