Animated cartoons were playing on TV. Youyou was running around on the sofa in her shoes, while Youyou's father got up and went to the kitchen, casually closing the sliding door with only a crack in it.
Xie Shi'an could hear it faintly.
"Didn't we agree to only celebrate New Year's Eve? Why have you even brought your suitcases? Where are we going to stay?"
“Shi’an only has two days off. I’ll sleep in Youyou’s room with her, and you and Youyou can sleep in the master bedroom. Just make do.”
"Youyou is used to sleeping alone, you know that."
The man complained.
"Besides, it's the Lunar New Year, and it's one thing to come empty-handed, but who comes to pay New Year's visits with a cold face?"
The sound of the spatula grew louder and louder.
"Alright, alright, she's only come a few times over the years, so just shut up."
Xie Shi'an was so engrossed in listening that she didn't notice Youyou running towards her and stepping on her leg, about to slide off the sofa.
Xie Shi'an quickly caught the person.
Just then, the man came out of the kitchen and saw this scene. He immediately strode over, picked her up, and glared at her a few times.
"What are you doing! You're such a grown-up, don't you know how to let your little sister have a seat? Move over and sit down."
Youyou pouted, about to cry.
"dad……"
"It's okay, come on, Youyou, let's go play games."
Youyou's dad sat on the sofa with his arm around her and started playing games.
Xie Shi'an's new pants, which he had just changed into today, had a dirty footprint on them, and the spot where he had been stepped on was still aching.
She stared for a long time, then got up and went to the kitchen.
"Mom, let me help you."
Mother Xie waved her hand repeatedly.
"It's alright, no need, no need. You rarely come all this way, please have a seat. The food will be ready soon."
The food is served.
Fish, shrimp, crab meat, and all kinds of seafood are available.
Xie Shi'an hadn't eaten her mother's cooking for many years. As soon as she picked up her chopsticks, her mother put a piece of braised pork on her plate.
"Come on, try your mother's cooking. It was your favorite when you were little."
Xie Shi'an was taken aback and hesitated to pick up his chopsticks.
Mother Xie observed her expression.
"What's wrong? Don't you like it?"
"No, we don't allow you to eat this."
Because he had to be ready to be tested for doping at any time, and because pork on the market was artificially raised, it would contain more or less some hormones or lean meat residues, and the provincial team canteen mainly served chicken, duck, fish and beef, Xie Shi'an gradually developed the habit of not eating pork.
Mother Xie suddenly realized.
"Oh, right, you're an athlete now. Here, if you don't want pork, have something else. Try some braised prawns."
Youyou's dad put down his chopsticks gently.
“Eat whatever your parents put on your plate. Why are there so many rules? This isn’t the Binhai Provincial Team, this is your home.”
"Oh, it's just a piece of meat. Let's eat. Youyou, bring your drink to Mom."
As she smoothed things over, Xie's mother poured a glass of juice for each of them. She took a leisurely sip from her own glass, then took a look at Xie Shi'an's glass sitting next to her. Before anyone could stop her, she lowered her head and took a sip, but found it unpleasant and spat it out.
"Youyou! How could you spit into your sister's cup!" Xie's mother exclaimed in shock and picked her up.
"The child didn't do it on purpose, why are you making such a fuss!" Youyou's father also slammed down his chopsticks and shouted.
Xie Shi'an sat here, with no appetite whatsoever.
She put down her chopsticks, got up, and walked towards the door.
Mrs. Xie took two steps after him.
"Hey, Shi'an, where are you going so late?"
Xie Shi'an held onto the door frame as he put on his shoes.
"Back to training base."
Youyou's father also stood up and said.
"Let her go! It's just a drink! How can you be so narrow-minded at your age? Let me tell you, if you leave this room today, don't even think about coming back!"
Xie Shi'an stopped what she was doing, straightened up, a mocking smile playing on her lips, and slowly walked towards him.
She stood up and was taller than the man.
An overwhelming sense of oppression washed over him, and the man, his face filled with vigilance, unconsciously took a step back.
"What...what are you going to do?"
"I want you to understand one thing: this is your home, not mine. If it weren't for my mother, do you think I would have come here willingly? And who do you think you are? Ever since I walked in, you've been making sarcastic remarks and pointing fingers at me. What do I have to do with you?"
"What right do you have to say anything bad about me? If you think I'm still as helpless as I was when I was a child, then you're wrong."
Xie Shi'an picked up the glass on the table and swung it sharply.
Mrs. Xie was horrified and rushed over to stop her.
"Shi'an, no!"
It's too late.
"And another thing, I'm just that narrow-minded. I won't take anything that someone else has touched, even if it's spilled. If you're not narrow-minded, then go ahead and drink it!"
Broken porcelain littered the floor, and the man was covered in spilled beverage.
Youyou was so frightened that she burst into tears.
Amidst the mess, Xie Shi'an dragged his suitcase, slammed the door, and left, leaving the man behind him raging.
A woman's piercing cries rang out.
"Please, I beg you, stop this nonsense! It's the Lunar New Year, please give me a way to live!!"
Xie Shi'an pressed the elevator button and had barely stepped out of the building when the woman, wearing only a thin sweater and slippers, chased after him.
"Shi'an, Shi'an, be good! Go back and apologize to your uncle, he will definitely accept you!"
Upon hearing this, Xie Shi'an turned around abruptly.
"I should apologize? Why should I apologize to him? What did I do wrong?!"
Mrs. Xie looked at her with disbelief, and suddenly felt that her daughter was somewhat unfamiliar.
"Shi'an, you were such a well-behaved and obedient child. What happened to you? Can't you even accept a word or two from your elders?! It's New Year's Eve today. Can't you think about your mother's feelings?"
"Mom also put in a lot of effort to convince your uncle to let you come home for the New Year. Just bear with it for a few days, we'll..."
Mother Xie stepped forward, gently took her hand, her eyes filled with tears, and pleaded.
"Let's have a proper family reunion for the New Year, okay?"
Xie Shi'an looked at her coldly, unable to describe her feelings. She felt a wave of numbness followed by a dull ache.
"I'm considering your feelings, his feelings, and the feelings of my nominal sister, but who's considering my feelings!"
“I was only six years old when my grandfather passed away. My father ran off with the money. You see, he couldn't get any money, so he ran off too. He was right there—”
Xie Shi'an reached out and pointed to the entrance of the building behind her.
“Right there, in the dead of winter, I waited for you all night! And you, you were engaged to that man, did you even glance at me?! In the end, the neighbors couldn’t stand it anymore and called the police. The police took me to my dad’s place, and my dad threw me twenty yuan and told me to get lost and not to interfere with his mahjong game.”
"Do you know what I feel like? I feel like a ball, being kicked around by you guys."
"Nobody wants me, everyone thinks I'm a burden, so why did you bring me into this world? What for?!"
As the boy spoke, he tried his best to suppress the sobs that came from deep in his throat, but tears still streamed down his face.
Xie's mother also covered her mouth and started crying, and came forward to hug her.
"I'm sorry, Shi'an, I'm so sorry. I had no choice back then. Your father ran off with all the family's money, and we're still in debt. I had to make a living too. I didn't abandon you on purpose. I was thinking of bringing you back when things got a little better..."
Before he could finish speaking, Xie Shi'an shoved the person away.
"Don't touch me! You brought me into this world. I did nothing wrong, and I don't owe any of you anything. You say I've changed, but who caused me to become like this? Don't you know in your hearts?"
"If I were still the same as before, believing everything you say, I'd be long gone!"
Xie Shi'an walked backwards, step by step, into the distance.
"That's it. You two are a family of three, but I haven't had a home since my grandfather passed away."
"Please don't bother me anymore. I'm an adult now and can live my own life."
After she finished speaking, she resolutely turned and left. The moment she turned around, all the pent-up grievances and tears poured out.
After Youyou's father chased after her, Xie's mother did not follow him, but instead buried her face in his arms and sobbed.
"Let's go. I already told you, she's not coming back. Youyou is still waiting for us at home."
As night fell, the two of them went upstairs together.
Xie Shi'an dragged his suitcase and walked a few steps in the neighborhood before suddenly starting to run.
The north wind howled, stinging her face, as if the faster she ran, the more the past hardships would never catch up with her.
She ran wildly all the way out of the community gate.
A Volkswagen was parked under a street lamp.
The car window rolled down, revealing the boy's bright smile.
Jian Changnian: "Let's go back to the training base and celebrate the New Year together."
Xie Shi'an, pulling her suitcase, suddenly froze on the spot. She had been holding back her tears, but her nose started to sting again.
Qiao Yuchu noticed from afar that her expression was unusual, so she got out of the car, walked over, and patted her head.