The girl sobbed as she spoke.
"It's okay, sister... I just felt sad seeing other moms buying snacks for their kids..."
"My mom and dad got divorced. Mom promised to visit me and my little brother, but she never came back..."
"Dad doesn't like us either. Every New Year, I see other parents buying this milk and candy for their children."
"They said it's expensive."
"I wanted some. My brother too. I told Dad I'd work hard, practice my skills, earn money - just to buy us some."
"Every time... he promised... but always forgot."
"Last New Year when brother was sick, I mentioned it again. He hit me, called us unworthy, said we should be grateful for the food we got..."
The girl couldn't stop crying.
Fu Yun gently stroked her back, soothing her.
She cradled the girl against her chest.
"Don't cry. Study hard, make lots of money later. If they don't love you, you must become the best, understand?"
The girl nodded: "Mhm!"
Fu Yun patted her softly: "You... remind me so much of myself."
"When I was little, my parents divorced too. One was handsome, the other beautiful - trendsetters of their time."
"So their thinking was advanced too. In an era when few divorced, they did."
"I lived with grandparents. Dad said he'd go make money - taking me would be inconvenient. Once rich, he'd bring me to live like a princess."
"I waited... and waited... Until New Year when Dad brought a new auntie to his hometown next village. I heard from others."
Memories flashed through Fu Yun's mind.
A little girl running through New Year's firecrackers, hiding behind a house, listening to cheerful voices inside.
Grandma's familiar voice: "You have a daughter. What's your plan? Will she agree?"
Dad's reply: "Her... her mother wanted her. Still lives with her parents."
The girl didn't hear the rest, couldn't process it.
She knew - Dad didn't want her anymore.
After that day, he never returned.
Fu Yun continued patting the girl's back: "Mom called saying she couldn't take me yet, to obey grandparents."
"She'd make big money, buy a huge house, bring us all over."
"I told her the house must have mosquito nets - I had so many bites."
The girl stared down the road amidst firecrackers, watching...
At dusk, a flashlight's glow appeared.
No sound, no clear figure - but she knew. Mom was back.
The girl understood - she might get a new dad.
It's okay. She'd prepared to be good, quiet, no trouble.
But at night, she heard uncle say: "You never mentioned a daughter?"
Mom replied: "You never asked. Don't like it? Leave."
Uncle coaxed: "No no... but my parents might..."
Long silence. Then mom: "It's fine. Her father wanted custody before. He can have her."
Next morning, grandparents fought fiercely with mom.
The girl woke to shouting, dried tears on her face.
She didn't understand.
Only knew mom left on New Year's Day, never returned.
"Grandparents grew old, their backs bending over time."
"In elementary school, classmates laughed that grandparents came to parent-teacher meetings..."
"I cried so hard I couldn't walk. Grandpa carried me. I thought since I was taller, I must be strong like adults."
Fu Yun's eyes glistened now.
"In middle school, I got my period. So much blood... Grandma came. The teacher said parents should teach their children."
"But I had none. Crying from pain, Grandma held me with one hand, carried my soiled clothes with the other."
"Not heavy... yet it bent her back so. Again I thought - taller means adult. Adults stay strong, don't cry."
Fu Yun wiped her tears discreetly, tucking hair behind her ear.
"In college, I read my acceptance letter to them. Said I'm an adult now - adults stay strong, don't cry."
"But I didn't want to be taller. Pressing my forehead to the ground, I imagined tears growing flowers. Wind carrying petals to tell them - I miss them, I made them proud."
Her hand still stroked the girl's back.
Fu Yun smiled tenderly.
Seeing her younger self curled before grandparents' graves.
Woken by morning birds then - not beautiful, just annoying.
Now she wouldn't let anyone disturb this girl's sleep.
Though her plans had changed.
Didn't parents' promises differ from their actions too?
Lao Liu was irritated. He'd hoped for extra cash tonight - despite knowing his limits.
Not necessarily catching - just spotting and reporting could bring reward.
So he and his daughter split up. Now she was missing.
A pale hand pierced his throat.
Fu Yun raised her slender, pink-tipped finger to lips.
"Shh," her crimson mouth breathed, "don't wake her from mending regrets."
The man's head dangled by his spine, dripping crimson.
Moonlight peeked through clouds.
Illuminating dark ground where scarlet streams flowed toward the sleeping girl.
"I'm... an adult... adults stay strong... don't cry..."
A crystalline tear fell, shattering in blood.
Fu Yun flicked her stained finger.
See - a delicate flower blooms in blood.
[Author's note about character development and update reminder removed per content filtering rules]