Lin Wan shook her head, pushing away the negative thoughts. She pulled a pill box from her bag, read the instructions carefully, and sighed. Then, she poured out a pill from the bottle, took a sip of mineral water, and swallowed it.
"Is your medicine bitter, Auntie?"
A childish voice rang out in front of her. Lin Wan looked up and saw a little girl, around five or six years old, staring at her with big, curious eyes. She was dressed in pink, looking as delicate and lovely as a little angel, almost like a little fairy that had jumped out of the forest.
Before Lin Wan could answer, the little girl looked down into her pocket, rummaged around, and pulled out a piece of candy. She handed it to Lin Wan with a serious expression, saying, "Every time I take medicine, my mom gives me a piece of candy. This is for you, so you won't cry."
Lin Wan took the candy, and instinctively wiped her eyes. Sure enough, they were wet. She smiled shyly and said softly, "Thank you, little one."
"Ni Ni, we have to go. You're going to be late for piano class..." A woman's voice called from not far away.
The little girl turned to look and then frowned, showing a disappointed expression. She pouted and said, "Mom called me. I have to go to class again."
"Don't you like playing the piano?" Lin Wan asked, curious. When she was a child, she had always envied children who could play the piano, thinking that even the simplest melodies were beautiful.
"I don't like it, but my mom does. I don't have a choice." The little girl immediately brightened and waved at Lin Wan. "I have to go now. Goodbye, Auntie."
"Goodbye, Ni Ni." Lin Wan softly said, watching the mother and daughter walk away. Suddenly, she felt a pang of envy for the mother. How wonderful it would be if she had a little daughter like that, someone she could love with all her heart. Then, she remembered Wang Xiao. They had discussed it before—she had told him that she liked sons, while he had said he liked daughters, especially if they looked like her. At the time, she had felt a twinge of jealousy, and he had teased her for even being jealous of their future daughter.
Lin Wan wiped her face, the sweeter memories only making her heart ache more. The happier times seemed so fleeting. As she looked at the soap bubbles the children were blowing nearby, she remembered the old woman's words: "Born with little fortune." They always said not to believe in superstitions, but sometimes, it was hard not to. Like her—she hadn't been completely devoid of happiness, but in the end, she couldn't hold onto any of it...
She quickly shook off the thought. The doctor had warned her that such negative self-suggestions weren't good. She had no one to rely on but herself, and whether she could escape this maze depended on her own strength. Lin Wan put the items back into her bag, then unwrapped the candy and popped the milk candy into her mouth. It tasted so good. Only those who were alive could enjoy such a taste. The warmth of the sun could only be felt by those who were alive. So, no matter what, she had to live on. Being alive meant having hope, didn't it?
Despite A Jin's repeated instructions, the news of his near-drowning had spread, prompting an urgent call that sent him back home. As soon as he entered the door, his mother rushed to him, wailing, "A Jin, my son, how can you make your mother live like this? How can you be so unfilial..."
The sudden outburst left A Jin stunned. He thought to himself, "I'm standing here perfectly fine—who are you crying for?"
His father, sitting on the sofa, watched the commotion with a cigarette in his hand, took a drag, and then casually asked, "I heard you nearly drowned because of a woman?"
A Jin's heart skipped a beat, and he hurriedly replied, "Yes, she fell into the water, and I saved her."
Mrs. Yuan wiped her tears and interjected, her voice still thick with emotion, "Didn't they say she was trying to commit suicide?"
A Jin furrowed his brow. Who spread such rumors? Couldn't they be a bit more detailed? He steeled himself and firmly said, "No, it wasn't a suicide. She just accidentally fell in."
Chen Shenxing gave him a skeptical glance, but said, "No matter the reason, saving someone is the right thing to do. And a man saving his woman is only natural."
A Jin looked at his father. This was the countless times he had been lectured by the old man, but somehow, this particular statement sounded the most agreeable. It was almost identical to what he had said to Lin Wan before, and for this alone, they were father and son.
Mrs. Yuan, feeling frustrated, hadn't even been able to finish her complaints before the two men had united on the same side. How was she supposed to continue her performance now? She squeezed onto the sofa next to her son, wiping her tears as she grumbled, "Why don't you take better care of yourself? What kind of woman are you worth risking your life for? You're already over thirty and still haven't married. I still haven't held my grandchild..."
Hearing this, A Jin realized—so, it wasn't that she was worried about him, but about the nonexistent grandchild. He had to put on a smile and comfort her, assuring her that he wouldn't get into trouble and that there was no need to worry about the grandchild. However, today, Mrs. Yuan wasn't as easy to appease as usual. She wiped her tears, cleared her throat, and said, "No, today you have to give me a clear answer. When are you getting married?"
A Jin suddenly understood what was happening. His mother had upgraded her tactics. She was using this as an opportunity to push for her agenda.
"Mom, didn't we agree on this? I'm not discussing marriage until I'm thirty-five."
"That was what you said, but we didn't agree to it. Now that this has happened, we can't just let you do whatever you want."
A Jin thought to himself, "Isn't this like in the old days, where the family arranged a marriage before the man went off to battle, fearing he would die and leave no heirs?" He felt uncomfortable. What had he become to them? But seeing his mother's eyes glistening with tears and the rare determination on her face, he had no choice but to continue with the soft approach. "Mom, you're right. Marriage is a big deal, and I can't just marry anyone. I have to find the right person."
Mrs. Yuan slapped her thigh and said, "I'm glad you finally said that. I'll start looking for someone for you tomorrow. I already have a few photos in hand. I'll get the ball rolling right away." With that, she dashed upstairs, her steps light and swift.