It was the holidays, already the second day of the Lunar New Year.

I stood in the kitchen, watching the boiling water in the pot, the opened instant noodles and seasoning packets emitting a spicy aroma. After sneezing twice in a row, I quickly put the noodles in. Just as I was squeezing the seasoning, my phone rang.

It was Lin Fei calling, which surprised me. I answered without much thought...

"Lin Che?"

Since we exchanged numbers last time, we hadn't spoken, so he asked a little uncertainly.

"It's me. Are you looking for me?"

"No! I want to invite you to my house for dinner."

"Isn't that too abrupt?" I thought for a moment before answering. After all, he lived with his parents, and that would inevitably bring up my family.

"Why are you being so pretentious? What kind of relationship do we have? You're being too polite."

"It's the New Year, let's skip it. Come here after the New Year and we'll get together."

"My grandfather invited you. He's listening."

Since he put it that way, it would be a bit meaningless to refuse, so I agreed.

...

It took several hours of driving to arrive. Lin Fei lived in a lively area. The building had six floors, and he lived on the top floor. I climbed the stairs in one breath. The door was open, and I could hear children playing inside. I figured it must be Lin Fei's daughter.

It was already four in the afternoon. I arrived at the door carrying two large bags of gifts. The house wasn't big, about eighty square meters, and I could see the layout at a glance. The living room faced the door, and two little girls were playing on the sofa.

I didn't go straight in, but knocked a few times on the open security door, immediately startling Lin Fei's daughters. Their eyes were fixed on me, and then the older child shouted, "Daddy, there's someone outside."

As soon as she said that, I saw Lin Fei quickly walk out, saying in a very warm tone, "Lin Che, come in."

I handed him the bags, and he took them, saying politely, "Why did you buy so much? Just a token would have been fine."

"I bought it for the kids. Two daughters?"

"That's right. The older one is five, and the younger one is only three."

Lin Fei's parents, his wife, and his grandfather came to the living room...

"Lin Che, it's been a long time," Lin's father said, staring at me.

"Yes, it's been almost fifteen years. Have a seat," Lin's mother echoed.

I sat down casually on the sofa. It really had been almost fifteen years. The village was small, and I used to visit his house almost every day. Because I was better at school than Lin Fei, we stayed together. His parents never objected, and they wouldn't stop us even if we went out to play.

Lin Fei's wife poured me a glass of green tea and placed it on the coffee table in front of me. I took a casual look at her. She was an ordinary woman, not particularly beautiful, but she looked docile and content, someone who knew how to live a simple life. She was also quite introverted. After putting down the tea, she just smiled kindly at me.

Then Lin's father asked me, "Lin Che, after you left without a word, were you taken away by your mother?"

I was actually quite curious about this topic. Why did everyone assume I was with my mother?

I picked up the teacup and took a sip, perhaps to hide my discomfort, and then replied, "No."

"Then where did you go?"

"I went to the city to work."

"But your grandfather said you were secretly taken away by your mother."

"I don't even know where she is," I said awkwardly.

"So, you haven't been in contact with your mother?"

My guess was right. Meeting them would inevitably revolve around this topic. It was clear that their actions back then had caused a stir in the village.

Next, Lin's father said something that shocked me...

"It's said that your mother left with a boss. She wanted to take you with her at the time, but your grandparents strongly disagreed, saying that you were a Lin family member and had no right to follow her."

I looked at Lin's father in astonishment. I didn't know if what he said was true or not, or how credible it was. I was trying to figure it out in my mind.

Even if my grandparents didn't agree to her taking me away, she should have at least come to see me. To leave and disappear without a trace... as a woman and a mother, that's definitely unacceptable, no matter what the reason!

"You look like your mother. Lin Yang looks like your father."

Lin's father suddenly brought up these topics that I had never heard before, leaving me unable to process them for a while. I had no contact with my mother and didn't know what kind of person she was, but Lin Hai was a very hard-hearted person, even a bit vicious.

Only they themselves knew who betrayed whom in their relationship. Half of what others said was speculation, and half was just hearsay. Over the years, I had gotten used to living alone and no longer yearned for that lost family affection.

This topic was stopped by Lin Fei. He seemed to see my discomfort and said tactfully, "Dad, let's talk about something else. It's been so long, why bring it up? If his mother really cared, why wouldn't she come to find Lin Che?"

Lin Fei's grandfather also nodded heavily and said, "Today is the New Year, let's not talk about this. It's possible that your mother had her own difficulties. Since you are mother and son, there will definitely be a day when you meet, and then the truth will come out. Compared to your father, I agree more with your mother's character. She was a good woman when she first married into the family, and she loved you dearly, holding you in her arms every day. Believe Grandpa, everything that happens in this world has a reason."

Next, I talked to Lin Fei about some work matters. Actually, his salary was decent. Having reached the level of master craftsman, it was enough to support his family. Besides, his life was different from mine. He was very frugal and knew how to manage a household, unlike me, who had a rebellious heart.

As dinner was coming to an end, I received a call. Surprisingly, it was Pei Shi Yu. I didn't answer immediately, because I was afraid she had dialed the wrong number. I waited until the ringing was almost over before swiping with my thumb...

As soon as I connected, I heard a roar, and it was a very scary sound. I pricked up my ears and listened carefully to the sound in the phone. It sounded like her father.

Seeing that Pei Shi Yu didn't speak, I finally spoke and asked, "What's wrong?"

After a while, she asked me, "Where are you?"

"I'm in my hometown."

"Is it far?"

"Tell me what's going on first."

"My dad seems to be acting strange. He's become very scary and is chasing after Xiao Long."

I was a little confused and, after a moment of silence, asked, "Did Xiao Long make him angry?"

"No, he's become very unreasonable, and I can't control him."

I switched the phone to my other hand, then got up from the dining chair and went to the balcony.