Looking in the rearview mirror, I saw her standing there, staring at the rear of my car, looking helpless.

To me, she seemed insignificant in my life. I had no expectations of her, nor was there any so-called familial affection. Her sudden appearance did nothing to touch my already frozen heart.

As I was nearing Director Li's house, he called. I checked the time; it was still early, only about 4:30. I slowly pressed the speakerphone button.

"Director Li, I'm almost there."

"Change of plans. Director Liang is coming too, so we're going out to eat. It's not convenient with so many people at home."

"Have you booked a place?"

"Director Liang booked it. I'll send you the address. Just change your route. I've already set off."

I wanted to ask Pei Shi Yu if she was going, but Director Li hung up quickly. What happened on the second day of the Lunar New Year gave me food for thought. I didn't want to disturb her. The pillars of her family had suddenly collapsed, which was a severe blow to everyone, especially to an unmarried woman with Xiao Long.

I immediately turned around at a nearby intersection. When I arrived, I saw Pei Shi Yu's back outside the hotel entrance, with Xiao Long beside her. It seemed she had become his sole guardian. I didn't go up to them but watched them from behind. The child seemed unwilling, and only moved forward slowly when Pei Shi Yu pulled him. His whole posture looked like a "strike."

After watching for a while, I walked to their side, without saying a word, just standing there...

I heard Pei Shi Yu say, "Why aren't you going in?"

"I want to go home."

"There's no one at home. What will you do alone?" Pei Shi Yu said gently.

"I can play by myself."

"We'll go home after we eat. We're already here. Auntie has business to discuss today."

Hearing this, I finally spoke, "Let's go in. No one's going to eat you. We'll take you to the arcade after dinner."

My sudden interjection made them both look at me. I habitually put my hands in my suit pockets. Seeing Xiao Long looking at me with longing, I took his hand and, with a rare smile, promised him in a firm tone, "Let's go in first. As long as you behave, we'll go to the arcade after dinner."

Xiao Long's gaze shifted to Pei Shi Yu, and he asked with a somewhat extravagant expression, "Can I?"

Pei Shi Yu didn't answer directly but said dismissively, "Let's go in first."

"No, promise me first."

The atmosphere was a bit tense. Before Pei Shi Yu got angry, I spoke again, "I'll take you. If your aunt doesn't agree, Uncle will take you, okay?"

Before Xiao Long could answer, I took his hand and walked inside. The child must have been bored. He seemed depressed. I thought that the family's misfortune shouldn't be borne by the child. Playing was a child's nature and shouldn't be taken away.

We were the first to arrive. After sitting down, I glanced at Pei Shi Yu, trying to read her expression. She wasn't in good shape either, her mood was low. I didn't know if she was hungry or what, but she started picking at a cold dish on the table soon after sitting down, eating slowly and deliberately.

Xiao Long didn't seem to remember me scolding him at the mall. Or rather, he couldn't distinguish between the me then and the me now. Perhaps it was the lure of the arcade. He deliberately sat in the seat next to me.

I looked down at him and asked, "Are you hungry?"

"Yes, I want to eat a chicken leg," he replied softly.

"Didn't you have lunch?"

"I eat instant noodles every day. They're not good."

Xiao Long's answer made me quickly look at Pei Shi Yu. Whether she couldn't cook or was too lazy to cook were two different concepts. The former was understandable, the latter was completely irresponsible. Although I had been living on instant noodles for the past few days, the meaning was different. As long as adults could manage, it wasn't a problem, but five or six-year-old children were at a stage where their bodies were growing. To put it mildly, it was laziness; to put it severely, it was abuse.

Perhaps I was thinking too deeply, and my gaze was unconsciously fixed on Pei Shi Yu's face. Suddenly, I heard her say expressionlessly, "What are you looking at!"

I replied without fear, "Are you abusing the child?"

"Xiao Long, come here," Pei Shi Yu said directly to Xiao Long.

"No, I like sitting here."

"Starting tomorrow, you don't have to follow me anymore."

Xiao Long pouted and replied, "I don't want to either, but my mother hasn't come back yet. When she does, I'm going to complain."

The atmosphere froze instantly. I saw the expression on Pei Shi Yu's face change from stern to heavy. If I had to analyze her emotions, they were mixed with pain and longing. Perhaps this moment evoked a sense of helplessness and regret for the loss of her family.

I saw her sniff almost imperceptibly, changing her tone from scolding to gentle, and said, "Am I not good to you?"

"You keep me locked up at home all day. I'm not happy at all."

"Then where do you want to go?"

"I want to go to the children's playground."

Pei Shi Yu agreed readily without hesitation, "Okay, I'll take you tomorrow."

"Then are we going to the arcade tonight?" Xiao Long hadn't forgotten my promise.

Perhaps because Pei Shi Yu resented me, she deliberately replied with a very resistant tone, "That's where delinquents go. Do you think it's appropriate?"

Her words made me unhappy, because from the age of seventeen or eighteen to my early twenties, I had been hanging out there. She was indirectly scolding me.

The surge of goodwill I had felt was instantly extinguished. Feeling a little uncomfortable, I picked up the kettle on the table and poured myself a cup of tea.

At this moment, Xiao Long tugged at my sleeve, persistently asking me again, "Does your promise still count?"

"If we go, we'll all be delinquents. Uncle is already like that, but you're not. Someone will object."

My words may have offended Pei Shi Yu, and she started making harsh remarks...

"Stay out of our family's business in the future."

Originally, I had been enduring, showing consideration because I sympathized with their situation. I quickly put down the teacup I had just picked up, without regard for Xiao Long's presence, and said in an equally unfriendly tone, "Who wants to interfere in your family's mess? Couldn't you just say no? Why are you hiding daggers in your words and targeting me? Are you still going on and on about that little thing from before? Do you think it's interesting!"

Pei Shi Yu sat in her seat, looking calm, but the words she spoke were unpleasant, "Rotten person."

Just as I was about to retort, the door was suddenly pushed open. Director Liang came in and immediately walked up to Pei Shi Yu, shaking her hand warmly...