"Your father, no matter how demanding or overbearing he is, at least you can still see him." She squinted her eyes slightly as if time had intertwined, transporting her back to the past, back to her father’s side.
Yu Zexiao had never inquired about Jian Anning’s family or her background. Seeing her somber expression now, he was somewhat perplexed, "Did your parents divorce? Do you live with your mother?"
"You could say that." Indeed, her parents had divorced not long after she was born. After her father died, she had returned to her mother’s side.
"Then, what kind of person was your father?"
"My father was the best person in the world," Jian Anning’s face immediately lit up with a smile at the mention of her father. "He was refined, knowledgeable, patient with people, and liked by all the neighbors. He was a designer who created many, many beautiful houses." She remembered the azure sky of Vancouver, the exquisitely pretty rooms in the community, and the wafting fragrance greeting her as soon as she opened the door. Her father would descend the spiral staircase with a smile, take her small hand, and walk into the house. Passing through the hallway to the backyard, they were met with a burst of brilliant sunshine.
"He was young and handsome, and even after divorcing my mother, he remained a sought-after man. Each week, I would see quite a few beautiful aunts lingering around our house. I would stand on a small stool, tiptoeing and peering out the window. I knew my grandparents were eager for him to find a new mom for me. But he was afraid those women wouldn’t treat me well, so he never agreed."
In fact, that wasn’t entirely true. When she was very young, an Auntie Qiu came to their house. She got along very well with her father, and she liked her too. Her father confided to her that one day, this Auntie Qiu would become her new mother.
She could see the sparkle in her father’s eyes when he looked at Auntie Qiu.
But eventually, Auntie Qiu did not become her new mother; she went back to her country. And gradually, her father abandoned the idea of finding another wife. Even to avoid the hassle, he stopped contacting Auntie Qiu altogether.
As Yu Zexiao listened to her describe her father, even though he had never met him, he could sketch an image of her father in his mind. A kind and amiable man who had given up his own happiness for the healthy growth of his daughter.
"Your father truly was a good man." He expressed his genuine envy, "Where is he now?"
At that moment, the memories that had just been vivid on Jian Anning’s face immediately dissipated. The light in her eyes dimmed inch by inch. She lowered her head slowly, and after a while, she gave a self-mocking laugh, "He’s gone to heaven."
Yu Zexiao was stunned, "Heaven? You mean...."
"Yes." Jian Anning nodded, "He died, because of me."
Yu Zexiao was dumbfounded! He had never imagined that Jian Anning had experienced such a thing!