Zhang Wanqing was not pleased. Though this stranger seemed concerned about her, she felt he was already trying to control her. Used to being independent and unrestrained, she was covered in emotional thorns and deeply wary of others.

After hearing Zhou Xiaocheng out, she immediately eyed him with suspicion. "Why would I go home with you? Who are you anyway?"

Xiaocheng's tone remained gentle. "Don't worry, my parents and grandfather are home. There's also my sister-in-law and younger sister—they're around your age."

Zhang Wanqing continued to study him cautiously, searching his eyes for any hint of deception. But his gaze was clear—devoid of slyness or vulgarity, and nothing like the leering looks idlers often gave her.

Pursing her lips, she stayed silent, her neck stiff with defiance like a stubborn robin.

Xiaocheng went on, "Come home with me first. We can talk whenever you feel ready, alright?"

Zhang Wanqing couldn't have been more than six or seven when her parents died—old enough to remember. Xiaocheng couldn't bear to force this wounded young woman to relive such brutal memories.

He knew that witnessing her mother's suicide had left its mark on her psyche. Even without the promise he'd made to her grandfather, he wanted to help her—to pull her out of this endless darkness and guide her toward a normal, healthy life.

Zhang Wanqing looked down at her feet, lost in thought. After a long moment, she gave a swift nod. "Fine, I'll go with you. But if you dare trick me, I'll make you regret ever being born."

She turned, went inside to grab her backpack, then came out and locked the door firmly. Passing by the hand-pump well, she kicked over a bucket of water—whoever it belonged to—with raw anger. Water spilled everywhere.

Xiaocheng didn't even flinch. He simply smiled faintly, as if amused by a misbehaving child. "Alright, let's go."

When Lin Xiaoxiao and Zhou Xiaoling returned home, they obediently went upstairs to shower and change before coming back down to play with the three children on the floor.

Li Yunlan asked what they'd been up to. Zhou Xiaoling made up an excuse on the spot—no way could they admit they'd been to the morgue, or both Li Yunlan and Zhou Liyun would lecture them endlessly and forbid them from going near the kids.

Lin Xiaoxiao shook a rattle, and like trained ducklings, the three babies turned cheerfully at the sound and began clumsily crawling toward her.

Zhou Zhou, ever the little bully, nudged his brother as he crawled. An An, the slowest of the three, seemed to understand the race was on—he babbled excitedly as he moved, making the adults laugh.

Just then, Zhou Xiaocheng walked in with Zhang Wanqing. The living room had been rearranged—sofa and tea table pushed to the corners—and a large carpet spread in the middle, covered with a quilt. The adults sat circled around, watching the babies crawl about. The atmosphere was full of warmth.

Lin Xiaoxiao looked up, surprised. "Wanqing?"

Zhou Xiaoling was also shocked. "Zhang Wanqing? How come you're with my second brother?"

Zhang Wanqing was equally startled to learn that Zhou Xiaocheng and Lin Xiaoxiao were family.

Xiaocheng, realizing Zhang Wanqing and Lin Xiaoxiao knew each other—likely classmates since both studied medicine—calmly made introductions. "This is my sister-in-law, Lin Xiaoxiao, and this is my younger sister, Zhou Xiaoling."

Zhou Xiaoling jumped up happily and took Zhang Wanqing's hand. "Wow, I had no idea you knew my brother! I was just thinking the other day that we should meet up again and hang out.

Come, come, sit down! This is my mom, this is my aunt, and this is our housekeeper."

Without waiting for a reply, she pulled Zhang Wanqing over and introduced her to everyone.

Li Yunlan smiled warmly. "This young lady is so pretty—like a movie star from the posters!"

Zhou Hongyun nodded in agreement. "Absolutely, she's gorgeous. Just like a celebrity. Please, make yourself comfortable."

Zhang Wanqing was led to sit on the quilt beside the babies. She offered a stiff smile and nodded awkwardly. She wasn't used to so many people complimenting her and radiating kindness all at once.

Lin Xiaoxiao glanced from Zhou Xiaocheng to Zhang Wanqing, and suddenly remembered the story he had told that morning. The timeline, the little girl, now in university—everything pointed to Zhang Wanqing.

Her heart ached for the young woman. Who would have thought that someone who talked about food and class gossip so normally had been through something so tragic?

Not wanting to make Zhang Wanqing uncomfortable, Lin Xiaoxiao acted as though she knew nothing and happily began introducing the three children.

The babies, noticing the adults had stopped playing with them and were now talking, sat up one by one. Tilting their little heads, they clapped their hands and giggled, watching the conversation unfold.

Zhang Wanqing was fascinated. The three children looked very similar, though one little girl wore a pink dress and had a few sparse hairs tied stubbornly into a tiny ponytail on top of her head.

The two boys were in tank tops and diapers, drooling as they clapped and laughed.

She had always found children annoying—the kid north of her courtyard cried all day and night, and the four- or five-year-old to the south seemed to make a point of peeing and pooping near her door.

But these three little ones, soft and fair, seemed different. Their eyes were clear like crystal.

Lin Xiaoxiao encouraged her gently, "You can touch them. This is Momo—he loves it when people tickle his neck."

Zhang Wanqing reached out as instructed and stroked the little boy in the white tank top. He giggled even more, squinting with delight and shrinking his neck playfully.

Li Yunlan, however, was already thinking ahead. Her second son had finally brought a girl home—and such a pretty one! Could it be...?

After all, in these times, you didn't just bring anyone home unless it was serious. She looked at Zhang Wanqing with the approving eyes of a future mother-in-law.

While some mothers might be critical, Li Yunlan only saw a perfect match: a beautiful, young woman, just right for her Zhou Xiaocheng.

Xiaocheng saw his mother's gaze lingering a little too intently on Zhang Wanqing and knew exactly what she was thinking. He held back a sigh, offered no explanation, and simply headed out to buy watermelons—leaving Zhang Wanqing in the care of the women.

A girl who'd spent too much time alone needed to be around people.