Ruan Jiaojiao knew that if she really wanted to sit, Shu Lang would definitely agree, since he seemed to like her so much.
"Sister, you’re really good," Ruan Wei said with a moved expression.
"Why does nobody beg me? He’s my uncle too," Ruan Jie grumbled discontentedly. It was supposed to be his moment to show off, so why did everyone end up pleading with his sister? Even though he admitted that Uncle appeared to favor his sister more, he was still their uncle after all!
"Brother, we should go back," Ruan Jiaojiao said with some resignation as she saw Ruan Jun coming over with a basket of vegetables.
Ruan Jie pursed his lips; though still unconvinced, he couldn’t bear to let his sister carry such a heavy basket and took it from Ruan Jun’s hand, and the three of them returned to the apartment building together.
Although the boys usually loved to mooch food and lodging at the apartment building, when it really came down to it, they knew their boundaries. Even though they were certain there would be a feast today, none followed since Ruan Jiaojiao and Ruan Jie had not invited them.
On the way back, Ruan Jie’s mood stayed quite high, humming songs all along, a stark contrast from the previous night.
She knew it was because he had hope again, knowing that Shu Jiao would come back, that she hadn’t abandoned them, and so he felt happy.
She found that her brothers placed a great importance on kinship. The brothers from the second branch felt this way, and so did her own two brothers. Ruan Hao didn’t say much, but she knew that, like Ruan Jie, he was also awaiting their mother’s return.
The only exception was her...
To this day, she had reservations towards this mother.
Especially after having that nightmare, she subconsciously felt that the woman shrouded in mist, referred to as "Mother" by the original Ruan Jiaojiao, must be Shu Jiao.
She couldn’t define her feelings.
That was the original owner’s mother, and it was only right that the original owner’s mother loved her.
But... every time she thought of that dream, of finding herself submerged in icy water while that woman turned her back on her and lifted the original Ruan Jiaojiao, she couldn’t suppress the sourness and resistance in her heart,
even accompanied by... a hint of hatred so faint that she almost neglected it.
She didn’t know where this hatred came from.
Whether it was a sentiment still residing from the original owner, or... her own, as Fat Cat, she didn’t know.
With these thoughts, Ruan Jiaojiao’s mood began to sour, a long sigh escaped her lips, and she just felt irritably inexplicable.
Xiu Xi, who was beside her, heard her sigh and looked over with concern, "Not happy? Too hot?"
Ruan Jiaojiao pressed her lips together, gave no answer, but managed to muster a weak smile.
Once home, affected by her mood, Ruan Jiaojiao wasn’t feeling too cheerful. While lying on the rocking chair in the living room trying to cool off, she fell asleep unknowingly.
Almost the instant she slipped into sleep, she felt her body falling downward.
Falling continuously, falling endlessly, in a state of complete weightlessness.
Until at last, she landed in those familiar waters. The bone-chilling coldness hit her again, the chill seeping deep into her bones...
She heard someone speaking by her ear, over and over again.
"Jiaojiao, do you know where your mom has gone?"
"Let your aunt tell you, your mom doesn’t want you anymore!"
"She’s gone, she’s never coming back, you... are just unwanted goods that cost money. Your mom’s going to have a few more little brothers, and you’ll be pitiful. No one will love you, tsk tsk..."