Zhang Wanqing plopped down casually into the grand wooden chair. After a moment of silence, she chuckled. "You think I'm too fragile. I'm not that easily broken. It's been so many years, and there's really only one thing I still don't understand—how could my mother have been so cruel as to choose to end her own life?"

"I was only six. Didn't she stop to think what would become of me without a mother?"

Lin Xiaoxiao watched the flicker of confusion in Wanqing's eyes and replied gently, "Everyone is afraid of death. But in that moment when someone chooses to end it all, their mind just... goes blank."

In those days, society was harshly conservative. A woman who had been violated often felt she had no reason left to live.

Wanqing ran a hand through her hair. "Whatever. It's all in the past. I grew up fine. I don't need a mother or father now anyway."
Stubborn as ever, she stood up and wandered across the room. She pulled a wooden box out of a carved rosewood cabinet and brought it over to Lin Xiaoxiao. "I meant to give this to you earlier. They're little bracelets I carved for the three kids when I had free time. Take a look."


Curious, Lin Xiaoxiao opened the box. Inside were three pairs of delicate bracelets carved from sandalwood, each adorned with intricate patterns—lifelike peach branches winding gracefully around the wood, with tiny peaches hidden among leaves. The work was far from clumsy; it was exquisite.

"You carved these? I had no idea you could do this."

Wanqing smiled. "Yeah. My grandfather was even better. I learned a little as a child and kept practicing over the years. It helped pass the time. Eventually, I got the hang of it. All the decorative pieces in this room—I made them myself."

She pointed earnestly at the bracelets. "These are real, by the way. Genuine sandalwood. If they don't fit, the kids can always keep them as treasures."

Lin Xiaoxiao studied the bracelets for a long while, admiring the fine details. "This is such a precious gift."

High-quality sandalwood was more valuable than gold, not to mention the exquisite craftsmanship.

Wanqing shrugged. "It was all left to me by my grandfather. No use keeping it to myself."

After closing the box, Lin Xiaoxiao couldn't help but ask, "Did you never go to the countryside as an educated youth?"

Wanqing looked surprised. "Of course I did. I was there for two years. But I was too young, so they let me return to the city. There weren't any jobs, so I just stayed home and studied with an elder."

Lin Xiaoxiao stayed a while longer, chatting and helping Wanqing tidy up, before finally heading home with the wooden box.

Back home, she showed the sandalwood bracelets to Li Yunlan and the others.

Li Yunlan couldn't stop marveling. "This girl is so talented! Look at these little peaches—they look almost real."
Zhou Liyun thought they were lovely too and tried one on An'an's tiny wrist.


Not knowing how small a child's wrist would be, Wanqing had carved them a little loose. It slipped on easily.

Curious about the new object on her arm, An'an stared at it for a bit before inevitably bringing it to her mouth to chew on.

Li Yunlan laughed. "We can't let them wear something this nice. She'd gnaw all the patterns off within days."

After Lin Xiaoxiao put the bracelets away, Li Yunlan asked with concern, "Did anyone give Wanqing trouble when she went back?"

Lin Xiaoxiao recounted the incident with Zhang Baojiang's sons. "It's fine. Xiaocheng's warning was enough. They won't dare bother her for a while."

Li Yunlan sighed heavily. "What a cruel fate. Such a good girl—why can't she just live in peace?"

Zhou Liyun chimed in, "I really think Wanqing is a good match. We should talk to Xiaocheng. If they take a liking to each other, having her in our family would be wonderful."

Li Yunlan was open to the idea. "I like her too. But what does Xiaocheng think? I feel like he's only helping her because someone asked him to. I'm afraid... he still has feelings for Xiao Ran."

She sighed again. A mother knows her son best.

Zhou Xiaocheng was loyal and sentimental. Letting go completely and moving on as if nothing happened—that wasn't something he could do overnight.

Lin Xiaoxiao agreed. After all, how could anyone forget their first love, especially one that began in their youth?

Zhou Liyun suddenly remembered some gossip she'd heard. "I heard Geng Aiguo and Xiao Ran are getting a divorce. His mother, Wang Suyun, supports it because Xiao Ran can't have children."

Li Yunlan looked surprised. "Is that true?"

Zhou Liyun nodded repeatedly. "I'm pretty sure it is. They've been married for more than half a year with no sign of a child. Wang Suyun never liked Xiao Ran to begin with—now she has even more reason to oppose the marriage."

Li Yunlan frowned. "You don't think they'll actually divorce, do you? If she does..."

She didn't finish, but everyone understood. If Luo Anran got divorced, what were the chances she and Zhou Xiaocheng would rekindle their relationship?

Lin Xiaoxiao thought it was unlikely. Not because she looked down on divorce, but because it would be awkward for everyone involved, living in the same compound.

Zhou Liyun, however, was more traditional. "No way. Our Xiaocheng is a young, eligible man.

Why would he want a divorced woman when he could marry a young, unmarried one? People would laugh. And if she can't have children? Absolutely not."

She turned to Li Yunlan with concern. "Sis, you have to put your foot down on this one. I know you and my brother are open-minded, but this is going too far."

Li Yunlan wasn't pleased with the idea either. She had liked Luo Anran once, but that was in the past. Now, she felt a divorced woman was no longer suitable for her son.

Seeing the two worrying over something that hadn't even happened, Lin Xiaoxiao couldn't help but laugh. "You're overthinking it. I really don't think Xiaocheng would want that either. Don't worry."

Zhou Liyun muttered, "Even a good man can be worn down. If Xiaocheng starts pitying Xiao Ran for what she's been through, sooner or later, they'll... what's that phrase? Ashes something?"

Lin Xiaoxiao smiled. "'Dead ashes rekindling?' Don't worry—that won't happen."

Li Yunlan stayed quiet, but inwardly, she was growing anxious.

Within a couple of days, news of Geng Aiguo and Luo Anran's impending divorce spread like wildfire throughout the compound. Many speculated that Zhou Xiaocheng's return had made Luo Anran reconsider her marriage.

Divorce was already hard on a woman, and the rumors flying around only made it worse.

By the time Zhou Xiaocheng found out, Luo Anran had already been beaten by Geng Aiguo and hospitalized.