Chapter 5

Chapter 5

“I can make it there tonight.”

After boarding the high-speed train, I called my mom.

She was so pleasantly surprised that she called my dad over, then smiled as she reminded me, “Sweetheart, be careful on the way. Keep an eye on your wallet. Your dad and I will wait for you at the entrance to the high-speed rail station.”

Hearing that, I couldn’t help but laugh softly.

I was already thirty-two, and I had been clawing my way through the entertainment industry for ten years.

But Mom was still reminding me to watch my wallet.

As if I were still that little girl from over a decade ago, leaving home for the first time to start college.

The moment I stepped out, I saw my parents waiting anxiously by the entrance.

As soon as I walked over, Mom took my hand and looked me up and down, while Dad took my suitcase.

Then he glanced behind me and asked, “Yaoyao, how come it’s just you? Where’s Wudu-”

I froze for a second.

Mom smacked Dad lightly and pretended to be annoyed. “Wudu must have something to do. Your daughter finally came home, and you’re still thinking about someone else? What kind of father are you?”

“Right, right, my fault.”

Dad hurriedly smiled and said, “I’ll make Yaoyao’s favorite spicy chicken today to properly make it up to her!”

There was a trace of worry in my parents’ eyes.

I smiled and nodded firmly.

When we got home, Dad went to prepare dinner, while Mom helped tidy up my room.

She called it tidying, but in truth, my room had always been clean and neat.

When children grow up and leave home, parents are always afraid they will get in the way of their children’s lives. So they place all their longing and worry into tiny details.

Like walking into the room their child once lived in, again and again.

Sitting for a while. Looking around for a while.

Several times, Mom looked like she wanted to say something but stopped herself. In the end, she still asked, “Yaoyao, did you and Wudu have a fight? Did Wudu make you angry again?”

See?

When Sister Liu talked about Shen Wudu and me, she always said I was making a fuss.

But Mom believed it had to be Shen Wudu’s fault.

I didn’t want her to worry about my relationship.

So I only said, “He and I broke up.”

But then Mom stepped closer, studied my face, and pulled me into her arms. In a soft voice, she asked, “Yaoyao, someone must have hurt you, didn’t they?”

I froze.

When I learned that the man I had loved for seven years had never even thought about marrying me, I didn’t cry.

When my resources and endorsements were taken away, I didn’t cry.

When I was pressed to answer whether I regretted it, I still didn’t cry.

Because I knew crying was useless.

It would only make people laugh at me. Mock me.

But at this very moment, leaning against Mom’s gentle, soft embrace, the tears I had held back for far too long finally spilled out beyond my control.

“I just feel like maybe I was wrong from the very beginning.”

I shouldn’t have accepted Shen Wudu’s confession.

I shouldn’t have been with him.

I shouldn’t have softened and stayed with him after his countless explanations the first time I realized he didn’t want to get married.

Maybe I really had been wrong.

But Mom only wiped away my tears tenderly and said softly, “Yaoyao, even immortals descending to the mortal world must face a trial. Perhaps Shen Wudu was your trial of love.”

“Our Yaoyao only spent seven years getting through it. Mom should be happy for you, because I believe that from now on, your life will be smooth sailing.”

Really?

I lifted my head and looked at her.

Mom answered without the slightest hesitation.

“Of course.”

In that moment, my heart, unsettled for far too long, suddenly landed back on solid ground.

And grew quiet.

“Dad and Mom will always be Yaoyao’s support. Walk your own path bravely. When you’re tired, come home. Mom’s arms will always be open to you.”

As I lay in bed, Mom tucked the blanket around me. In my drowsy haze, the sunset outside the window fell across her face, reflecting a field of gentleness.

I suddenly said, “Mom, I want to go watch the sunrise tomorrow.”

Mom raised a hand to tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear, then nodded gently.

“Okay.

“Dad and Mom will go with you.”

Mm.

Dad and Mom were both here.

That was enough.