Chapter 19: The More One Tries to Conceal, the More It Reveals

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That must have been a photo of her when she was about two and a half years old. Sporting a hairstyle reminiscent of Chibi Maruko-chan, with big eyes and a small, delicate nose—truly adorable. That page held no photos of anyone else. Her nose suddenly tingled with emotion. At that moment, footsteps sounded outside the door. Startled or unsure why, she quickly closed the album and placed it by the bedside.

He knocked softly on the door. “Mu Gui.”

Jiang Mu Gui gathered herself before replying, “Come in.”

In the backlight, she saw his solemn and calm expression. He wore a casual home shirt, looking relaxed and at ease, his brows and eyes peaceful, seemingly in good spirits.

“Not asleep?” he asked.

She had instinctively wanted to say she was, but then realized it was only seven o’clock; not sleeping was the norm.

She parted her lips, “Can’t sleep.”

Her eyes were red, traces of tears still evident. His gaze remained fixed on her face, making her slightly uneasy.

She turned her face slightly away. “My eyes are swollen from crying. I must look awful.”

“Not at all,” he answered.

Then he noticed the photo album beside her. His eyes darkened subtly but he said nothing. She sniffled and looked at him. “Dad, did you make something to eat?”

He answered, “Yes. Want to come out and eat?”

He had meant to suggest she sleep first, but remembering they hadn’t eaten since the meal together yesterday, he couldn’t help but speak.

The little girl obediently followed her out. After a simple wash, she sat at the table.

He had cooked two bowls of noodles, each topped with a fried egg. Her bowl had no scallions. Seeing her staring blankly at the bowl, he said, “I remember you didn’t like scallions as a child. I’m not sure if your taste has changed over the years, but I still left them out.”

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Jiang Mu Gui lowered her eyes, picked up her chopsticks, and took a bite.

The warmth spread through her chest, igniting a long-lost taste of happiness, tinged with sadness. She couldn’t recall how long it had been since she last ate a simple homemade meal with him—years, if she went back far enough.

Only when something cold trickled down her face did she realize tears had fallen. She had tried to hide her face, but then warm hands gently cupped her chin.

He carefully wiped away her tear.

She bit her lip hard, suddenly overwhelmed with sadness, and tears welled up again. His heart tightened inexplicably. He despised this unfamiliar feeling and firmly lifted her chin, wiping away her tears once more.

Their eyes met.

When the girl’s gaze met his, it was deep and complex, filled with countless emotions and a faint, inexplicable defiance.

He suddenly found her a little unfamiliar. The scent of shower gel from the previous night drifted again into his nose, mingled with the unique fragrance of the girl. He realized once more she was no longer the obedient child she had been.

His throat grew dry. He quickly released her, his voice hoarse: “Mu Gui, it’s just a meal.”

Yes, just a meal.

She smiled faintly, wiping her tears away. “Did I scare you?”

His voice was low, “No.”

After a few bites, he left.

Jiang Mu Gui watched his retreating figure and set down her chopsticks.

She drifted into a restless sleep.

She dreamed of arguing with Jiang Wei at a cliff’s edge. He pushed her off, but she didn’t fall all the way—Mu Anyan caught her. Yet the next moment, they both plunged into the water, tangled together, unable to surface.

The sensation of drowning felt so real she woke up startled, drenched in sweat, heart pounding.

After some time, trying to cover her unease, she remembered to call Jiang Wei.

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“Hello?”

Jiang Wei’s voice was still lazy, nonchalant, the tone low. Their mutual understanding made her realize he must already know about their grandmother.

“Mom,” she called softly, “are you doing okay?”

Jiang Wei was silent for a moment. “The day after tomorrow is Grandma’s funeral. If you haven’t gone back to school by then, come join us.”

“That’s certain,” she said, her voice tinged with emotion.

After another pause, Jiang Wei suddenly asked out of the blue, “Where did you stay last night?”

Her chest tightened sharply; a bit flustered, she answered, “At a hotel.”

A cold laugh came through the line. “You went to see him again, didn’t you?”

She stayed silent, clutching her phone tightly. “Using Grandma’s situation as an excuse, I wanted to ask him if there’s a chance you two could reconcile.”

“You don’t really need so many excuses…” His voice came softly. “After all these years, I still don’t know you. Do you want to poke at us, or do you just want to see him?”

Those words were like a light piercing the darkness, revealing the secret thoughts she had hidden away all these years.

She knew Jiang Wei didn’t mean much by it, and she hadn’t realized it herself until now. But the memory of that absurd dream flashed in her mind. The thought startled her deeply.

Then, abruptly, she pressed the hang-up button.