Liu Renzhi excitedly kissed Lin Wanyi on the forehead again.
"That is exactly it, Wanyi. Do not hold back in front of me; you can ask for anything.
"Let us go pick up Keke."
At the entrance of the kindergarten, Liu Renzhi stood there in a crisp, tailored suit.
The other parents did not dare to get too close to him.
They all kept a distance of a few steps.
Lin Wanyi stood in the front row, holding his hand.
Liu Renzhi told Lin Wanyi,
"I used to pick up Yueyue a lot in the past. Back then, she would always say, 'Big brother, you have to be the first one to pick me up.'"
Lin Wanyi smiled. "Every child hopes their parents will be the first to pick them up.
"It gives them a sense of security."
When Wang Keke came out, she saw Lin Wanyi and Liu Renzhi.
She waved frantically, a bright smile never leaving her face.
As they walked out of the school gates, Liu Renzhi and Lin Wanyi each held one of her hands.
She skipped and laughed, looking left at Lin Wanyi and right at Liu Renzhi.
Her two pigtails bounced around; she was happier than words could describe.
Lin Wanyi felt a sharp sting in her nose.
Tears welled up in her eyes.
Wang Hao had never held Wang Keke's hand like this.
When she was just born, he had been happy, holding Keke with a beaming smile.
But later, as Liu Chunlan kept calling the girl a money-losing burden over and over, his attitude changed.
He grew to despise Wang Keke too.
He never even visited Keke's kindergarten once, whether it was to pick her up, attend parent-teacher meetings, or participate in family sports days.
It was always Lin Wanyi who went.
Lin Wanyi had spoken seriously with Wang Hao about this several times.
But he always made excuses about being busy with work, how hard it was to make money, and having too much to do. He simply would not admit that he favored boys over girls.
Lin Wanyi secretly wiped away her tears with her free hand.
Liu Renzhi noticed, but he did not ask.
He bent down and picked Wang Keke up.
"What does Keke want to eat? Let us eat out today and let Grandma get some rest."
Wang Keke tilted her head.
"Hmm, I will eat whatever Mommy likes to eat."
The three of them got into the car, talking and laughing.
Leaving only Wang Hao standing not far away, punching the air in frustration.
Liu Renzhi ended up taking Lin Wanyi and Wang Keke to a private kitchen restaurant.
Strictly speaking, it was not exactly a regular restaurant, as there was no main dining hall.
There were only private rooms, each decorated as warmly as a home.
Some rooms even had a piano.
The dishes did not have fancy, pretentious names; instead, they were like comforting home-cooked meals.
Lin Wanyi liked this place; it made her feel very relaxed.
Wang Keke was even happier, taking big, hearty bites of her food.
After she was full, she asked Liu Renzhi,
"Uncle, can I pack some food to take home for Grandma?"
Liu Renzhi smiled.
"Of course you can. Keke is such a good, thoughtful child."
He stepped out to instruct the waiter to pack up several dishes.
Just as he was about to return to the private room, he bumped right into the person he wanted to see the least.
Huang Chunlian.
He froze for a split second.
He thought he was seeing things, that he was hallucinating.
He forced his eyes wide open and looked again.
He was certain.
That was right. The woman standing in front of him was indeed Huang Chunlian.
After thirty years, she had lost her youthful figure.
Her face had gained many wrinkles.
But it was still obvious that she lived a good life and had taken good care of herself.
She was wearing a matching set of expensive emerald jewelry.
And carrying a handbag worth over a hundred thousand on her arm.
Looking every bit the wealthy society wife.
Huang Chunlian saw Liu Renzhi too.
She was stunned at first, but then quickly became emotional.
Tears rapidly welled up in her eyes, looking as if they were about to spill over.
Liu Renzhi didn't say a word; he simply turned around and started to leave.
Huang Chunlian hurried forward and grabbed his sleeve.
"Renzhi, it's me, Mom. Have you forgotten me?
"I have never forgotten you."
Liu Renzhi frowned. He looked at Huang Chunlian's hand and said coldly,
"Ma'am, please let go."
Huang Chunlian stumbled slightly, muttering to herself,
"Ma'am?
"You're calling me ma'am?"
Liu Renzhi repeated,
"That's right, Ms. Huang. Please let go of me, don't dirty my clothes."
"You're saying I'm dirtying your clothes?"
Huang Chunlian was deeply hurt, tears streaming down her face.
A few drops happened to fall onto the back of Liu Renzhi's hand.
Looking disgusted, Liu Renzhi called out to a waiter,
"Please bring me some tissues."
Huang Chunlian finally let go of his clothes, watching as he meticulously and disdainfully wiped his hand.
Her voice trembled.
"Renzhi, I am your biological mother. How can you look at me with such disgust?"
Liu Renzhi tossed the tissue into the trash can and said flatly,
"Ms. Huang, in my eyes, my biological mother has long been just like this tissue.
"Nothing but trash."
"Renzhi..."
Huang Chunlian cried even harder.
She wanted to say more, but Liu Renzhi had already shut the door.
In the split second before the door closed, she caught a glimpse of a woman and a child inside the private room.
Could it be that Liu Renzhi was married?
And had a child?
Without a second thought, she pushed the door to the private room wide open.
"Renzhi, aren't you going to introduce your wife and daughter to me?"
Lin Wanyi didn't know her, but seeing that she was an elder,
she politely tried to stand up and greet her.
But Liu Renzhi pressed down on her shoulder.
"Keep eating. Don't pay attention to irrelevant people."
"Irrelevant?"
Huang Chunlian was wounded once again. Before she could say another word, Liu Renzhi dragged her out the door.
His voice was as cold as ice, and his words were as sharp as knives.
"Ms. Huang, I will say this one last time. Have some self-respect.
"This encounter was purely an accident. Do not interfere in my life ever again.
"And more importantly, do not disturb my family. Keep that clearly in your head.
"Otherwise, I won't be as polite as I was today."
Without giving Huang Chunlian any chance to speak, Liu Renzhi left with Lin Wanyi and Wang Keke.
On the way back, he tried his best to stay calm, but Lin Wanyi could still sense the turbulence in his emotions.
Ever since that woman appeared, he had been noticeably different.
After putting Wang Keke to bed in her room, Lin Wanyi went downstairs.
She saw Liu Renzhi leaning against the car, smoking.
She gently took the cigarette from him.
"Smoke less. It's bad for your health."
Liu Renzhi smiled and replied,
"Alright, I'll listen to you."
"Renzhi."
Lin Wanyi looked into his eyes.
"If there's anything on your mind, you can tell me. Even though I might not be able to help much, I can at least be a listening ear.
"For instance, who was that woman this afternoon?"
Liu Renzhi looked up at the moon in the sky, his thoughts drifting back to thirty years ago.
"She is my biological mother. The mother who abandoned me, Huang Chunlian."
Lin Wanyi hadn't expected it to be her.
She took Liu Renzhi's hand.
"You don't want to see her, do you?"
"No. I never wanted to see her again for as long as I lived.
"From the day she abandoned me, I knew I didn't have a mother anymore.
"From the day I started calling my aunt 'Mom', I told myself that in this life, I only have one true mother, and that is Su Jing.
"No one will ever shake her place in my heart."
"Wanyi, tell me, how ruthless does a woman have to be to abandon her own flesh and blood without a second thought?
"What on earth did I do wrong to make her hate me so much?"
Lin Wanyi could hear the sorrow and heartbreak in Liu Renzhi's voice.
She heard the sheer helplessness of a child.
She took Liu Renzhi by the hand.
"Come, take a walk with me."
They strolled slowly along the riverbank.
The moonlight spilled over them, and a gentle breeze caressed their faces.
Crickets sang around them, and insects rested peacefully on the blades of grass.
Lin Wanyi stood on her tiptoes and gently pressed a kiss to Liu Renzhi's lips.
"Renzhi, don't dwell on the people and things that bring you pain.
"Because there are still so many people in this world who truly care about you, who truly love you.
"People like Aunt Su, Uncle Liu, and Siyue.
"And, of course, me."
