She smiled; it seemed Si'er had returned with Si Wan. Otherwise, Aunt Zhang wouldn't be so happy.
The doorbell rang.
Once Aunt Zhang enters the kitchen, she's basically in a "do not disturb" state, so she naturally won't hear the doorbell.
Ah Heng jogged to open the door.
He is a postman.
A greeting card was sent to Yunheng.
The card was as simple as it could possibly be, made of rough paper and printed with rough quality.
The town's style is almost unbelievably cozy.
The characters are neat and dainty. Each stroke is clean and careful.
Zai Zai's writing skills were taught to her by her own hands, and she has surpassed her teacher in every way.
"Sister, I hate you."
Her hands trembled.
"But I can't resist missing you."
She read it aloud, laughing until tears streamed down her face.
What a coincidence! Despite the distance, the card arrived in her hands on Christmas Day.
But it says "Happy New Year" on it.
Whose scene does it reflect, and whose mood does it evoke?
Her Zaizai, just like her, was rustic and silly, unaware of Western holidays, yet she estimated the time and sent it a long time ago, hoping that before the beginning of '99, her stubborn sister, whom he wrote as "Yunheng," would receive his New Year's greetings.
A single card, traveling from Wushui to City B, has endured countless trials and tribulations, snow and clouds, to become this precious.
There was a young man, bedridden with illness, thinking of his older sister, tears streaming down his face, his hatred ultimately defeated by his longing.
She left him without even saying goodbye.
This kind of pain needs no words; it remains an inescapable knot until the reunion.
Siwan took Si'er's hand and walked downstairs. Aheng was eating breakfast, head down, silent.
He felt a pang of sadness and didn't know what to say.
"Aheng," Si'er said softly, her voice slightly timid.
She was deliberately trying to please Aheng. Siwan felt sorry for Si'er, and a bitter smile appeared on her lips.
Ah Heng looked up at the girl's fair and delicate face, smiled slightly, and nodded—"Si'er, have breakfast."
Siwan breathed a sigh of relief.
"Siwan, eat too." Aheng's eyebrows curved slightly, her expression calm and gentle.
Siwan recalled what she had said in the church. In the heat of the moment, she had tried to comfort Si'er, but subconsciously she had hurt Aheng. Fortunately, Aheng couldn't hear her.
However, when he returned, the peeled apple on the desk caught him off guard and made him feel even more guilty.
"Aheng, I ate yesterday's apple," Siwan blurted out.
Ah Heng smiled and nodded. She picked up her schoolbag and said softly, "It's my turn to do chores today, I'll go first."
Siwan wanted to say something, but her mouth opened and closed repeatedly, and she felt powerless.
He could never quite figure out how he felt when he saw Ah Heng carrying his schoolbag alone. Years later, he got married and had twins. The two children always loved to fight. Whoever got hurt, whoever was hurt, whoever won, whoever lost, he would feel heartbroken for a long time. He told his wife about this feeling, but she didn't take it seriously—both were his children, how could he not feel bad?
A single word awakens one from a dream.
Both are his flesh and blood. But Er'er is always in his palm, warmly and tenderly cared for, while Aheng is always on the back of his hand, incredibly strong. He often overlooks her, but when she gets hurt, he feels heartache.
He was powerless to cherish her, yet he always unintentionally hurt her and caused himself pain.
Sixteen or seventeen years old, so young, what mistakes could they have made? Who even remembers?
But if there is a stark contrast, it becomes unforgettable.
He had long forgotten the good things he did for Aheng, but Aheng had forgotten and discarded them; however, he remembered them deeply because of Yan hope's contrast.
The point where Yan hope and A Heng met was at the beginning of 1999.
This life is intertwined with their relationship, marked by separations and reunions, repeatedly touching the softest spot in one's heart and bringing endless tears.
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In the second semester of his first year of high school, Ah Heng, who had just transferred here, made a stunning debut in the final exams, ranking third in the grade and second in his class.
To be in the top three in the annual exam at Xilin University, even a fool knows, you're guaranteed a place at Peking University.
As for Siwan, she remained fifth in her grade, a position she held from her first year of high school to her second.
Of course, the entire Wen family was taken aback by Aheng's excellent grades, but ultimately they were delighted.
Who wouldn't be happy to have such a promising child at home? Especially since he was previously considered a "good-for-nothing" kid.
Grandpa Wen couldn't stop smiling, praising his granddaughter to everyone he met, always saying "Our Ah Heng," and finding his granddaughter pleasing to the eye no matter how he looked at her.
During winter break, Wen's mother would also take Aheng to City B to buy some snacks and clothes as a reward.
Although Siwan was surprised, she understood when she thought about how hard Aheng usually studied.
Since Christmas, Si'er has been staying at the Wen family's house. Old Master Wen has been vague and has not made any statement, so Wen's mother and Si'er are happy to play dumb.
However, Ah Heng was a little embarrassed. Her room originally belonged to Si Er, and now that Si Er was back, should she move out or not?
Si'er has had a weak constitution since childhood. She slept in a temporary guest room, and soon fell ill because the indoor air humidity was not good enough and the heating was not strong enough.
I was taken to the hospital and given several injections. Before returning home, the doctor instructed me to rest.
Afterwards, Siwan wandered around outside Aheng's room for nearly half an hour.
Ah Heng knew early on that someone was outside the door, and the sound of footsteps confirmed it was Si Wan. After waiting for a long time without him knocking, she opened the door.
Siwan stopped in her tracks, coughed lightly, and walked up to Aheng.
"Aheng, are you getting used to living in this room?" The boy carefully chose his words, seemingly unintentionally, but his brows were furrowed.
"The room is too big, I'm not used to it." Ah Heng smiled and shook her head.
"Then, shall I get you a smaller room?" Siwan licked his dry lips, his voice cautious.
"Okay." Ah Heng chuckled, her dark eyes gentle and serene.
Siwan's eyes lit up, she breathed a sigh of relief, and her dimples seemed to hold the scent of aged wine.
"Si'er, when are you coming back?" Her voice was soft and sweet, her lips were thin, and when she smiled, it wasn't sharp, but warm like a spring day.
"This afternoon," Siwan began, only to realize she had said the wrong thing.
"Can we move now?" Ah Heng pushed the half-closed door open completely.
There was almost no trace of her presence there. It remained exactly as it had been when Si'er was there. Two suitcases were neatly placed at the foot of the bed.
She prepared everything and waited quietly, pretending not to know anything.
Siwan's eyes gradually turned cold.
All his preparations, all his words, all his anxieties now seem cold and laughable.
He never dared to misjudge Ah Heng's clumsiness or intelligence as he would his family, but clearly, she was smarter than he had imagined, and her understanding was chilling.
He lingered in front of her house for so long, but all that guilt and worry vanished in an instant.
Siwan felt angry, her face as cold as ice, and said indifferently, "Whatever you want, I will make it up to you in the future."
Ah Heng was stunned.
He then gave a wry smile, unsure of what to do with his hands and feet.
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Old Wen was furious when he learned that Ah Heng had moved to the guest room.
"Wen Siwan, who is Aheng? Tell me!" The old man's face was icy as he looked at Siwan.
"Grandpa, don't be angry. It's my fault. My brother just..." Si'er was standing to the side, almost crying with anxiety.
"I'm not your grandfather. If you really care, just call me Grandpa Wen!" The old man's face fell. He didn't look at Si'er, but glared fiercely at Siwan.
Siwan clenched her fists tightly, looked at Old Man Wen, and said, word by word, "Grandpa, since you are not Er'er's grandpa, you are naturally not my grandpa either!"
Enraged, Old Man Wen reached out and slapped the boy across the face.
Siwan didn't dodge; she raised her face and accepted the blow head-on.
Instantly, five finger marks appeared on the boy's face.
Although Grandpa Wen was strict with his grandson, he had never laid a finger on him. Now that he had hit him, he was both angry and heartbroken.
"Aheng is your own sister, do you know that!" The old man was heartbroken and pulled Aheng's hand, making her stand in front of him.
"Grandpa, what is Si'er?" Si Wan asked, her voice choked with emotion.
Old Master Wen's voice was aged and sorrowful. He held Si'er's hand and spoke softly, "Good child, consider it an indebted debt to the Wen family. You should go now!"
Ah Heng looked at Si Er, and the girl's lips instantly turned pale. She looked at Old Man Wen, her eyes filled with tears.
She laughed, opened her mouth, but before she could say anything, tears streamed down her face.
The girl suddenly grabbed Ah Heng's hand and asked her in a tearful voice, "If you are me, then who am I?"
Ah Heng's eyes were stung by the girl's gaze. In the blink of an eye, he saw her close her eyes, her body falling gently like a withered leaf until she lay unconscious on the floor.
Siwan shouted, picked up the girl, and ran outside.
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The doctor diagnosed that Er'er fainted because she was so angry that she lost her breath, and because she hadn't fully recovered from a previous illness.
Recovery isn't too difficult; as long as you stop getting angry and rest quietly, you'll recover.
When Aheng arrived at the hospital, Siwan was sitting in the ward, staring blankly at Si'er who was sleeping.
She stood outside the door, peering out the window, for a long time, her legs aching and her nose stinging, but Siwan didn't even lift her head.
Afterwards, Wen's mother also heard the news and rushed to the ward from the piano concert.