Ruan Xia was silent, refusing to answer his question. He could go tease the air. See if he found that satisfying.

  Song Tingshen was surprised that he didn’t get an answer to this question and was silent too.

  Was it because she thought he was being too childish? Or, did she not hear him? That latter possibility seemed unlikely. They were the only ones in the room, and his voice wasn’t too quiet.

  Song Tingshen wasn’t thick-skinned in matters like this one. Not getting an answer, he went back to his room with his tail between his legs. He thought it over and opened the recording program on his phone. He recorded his voice using the same volume he had used when he was in Ruan Xia’s room. He played the recording and finally confirmed that she should have heard him…… So why didn’t she answer his question?

  Or, was the issue that his question wasn’t appropriate and put her in a difficult spot?

  —


  Early next morning, it was time for Ruan Xia to head to the airport. Little Wang couldn’t bear to part from her. He repeatedly asked her, “Mom, you’ll come back, right?”


  Even though his mom treated him very well and had achieved the degree that other people would call her a good mom, Little Wang still didn’t have a sense of security. When his mom was always around, it was still okay. Now that she was going far away and he won’t see her for several days, Little Wang was very anxious.

  Ruan Xia kissed his fat cheek. Her heart had softened when she heard asking him asking this question. “Of course I’ll come back. Mom will call you every day. I’ll bring you back a gift too.”


  “You have to call me,” Little Wang stressed, “I don’t need a gift. I just want Mom to come back.”


  Ruan Xia had the impulse to skip this trip. She now understood why some mothers couldn’t separate from their children.

  Song Tingshen took Little Wang from her. With a complicated expression, he said, “Send me a message when you get there.”


  “Okay.” Ruan Xia nodded and kissed Little Wang’s hand. The mother and child were very cuddly for a while before she went to her car to go to the airport.

  Opening the car window, she could see Song Tingshen holding Little Wang. They were in the doorway and watching her leave.

  When he could no longer see her car, Song Tingshen stopped looking. He didn’t know why Ruan Xia hadn’t answered his question yesterday. He might be mistaken, but it felt as if she was treating him colder than usual. Did he do something wrong?

  —


  Ruan Xia was especially lucky. Her coworkers’ tickets were in the economy class while hers was in first class. She had asked the receptionist about this. She said this benefit was randomly drawn. She was the lucky one that won this benefit.

  After she boarded the plane, the flight attendant led her to her seat. Shortly after she sat down, a man came over with a plane ticket and stood in the seat next to hers.

  Ruan Xia glanced at him. The man looked to be in his 30s, but he might be older. He looked like a gentleman, and his gold-framed glasses made him look rather refined and scholarly.

  “Hi,” the man politely greeted as he sat down next to her.

  Ruan Xia smiled back at him. “Hi.”