The beloved but ungrateful girl is reborn: This time she has truly changed.

"Oh, then I'll go by myself."

Qi Weiwei lowered her eyes, taking one step at a time while holding onto the wall, and slowly made her way towards the courtyard gate.

Just then, Tang Yaozong suddenly spoke clearly, his voice shrill with a childlike quality: "You wretched woman, it would be better if you died of illness!"

Qi Weiwei turned around abruptly.

The five-year-old boy stood in the yard, looking up at her. His chubby little face showed no trace of childlike innocence, only malice and hatred.

Tang Yaozu, mimicking his brother, spat at her and yelled, "Die! Die!"

The two children's eyes were as cold as a frozen pond in winter.

A chill ran through Qi Weiwei's heart.

This isn't being naughty or immature—it's rotten to the core.

It's a viciousness that comes from the very core of one's being.

In her past life, she thought it was just that the child was young and didn't understand, and that both Sun Xidi and she had spoiled the child.

She kept telling herself that the child was still young and would grow up.

She made all sorts of excuses for their misbehavior: that boys are naughty, that they don't know the rules because they haven't been to daycare, that their grandmother spoils them too much...

Only now did she realize that these two bastards had inherited Tang Aijun's hypocrisy and Tang Tiantian's malice from their very blood.

They're not ignorant, they're too sensible—they know how to hurt people with the most vicious words, how to bully others by taking advantage of their power, and how to use adults' affection to do whatever they want.

I'm so blind and ignorant!

Qi Weiwei gave them one last look, her eyes as cold as ice.

The two boys instinctively shrank back under her gaze, but quickly straightened their necks, as if to say, "What can you do to me?"

She didn't linger, pushed open the door and left the yard, coughing a few times as she went.

The alley was deserted, and the autumn wind swirled fallen leaves on the ground.

Smoke was billowing from the chimneys of several houses, and the air was filled with a mixture of coal smoke and the smell of cooked food.

A neighbor came out to empty a bowl of dirty water. When he saw her, he glanced away and hurried back inside. The two children from the Tang family were too noisy, and Sun Xidi was too protective and unreasonable. Ever since they moved in, everyone in the alley avoided them like the plague.

Qi Weiwei tightened her cotton-padded coat and walked towards the hospital.

After walking about two alleyways, she stopped and looked around.

Long queues formed outside the state-run grocery store on the street corner, with people clutching their grain and oil coupons, waiting to buy the scarce goods that were rationed.

Two elderly women wearing red armbands were patrolling, watching everyone they saw with vigilance.

She turned around and headed in another direction—the way to her parents' house.

The railway staff quarters are located in the west of the city, about three or four miles from here.

Qi Weiwei walked very fast, her little leather shoes making a "rustling" sound as they stepped on the sidewalk covered with fallen leaves.

The poplar trees on both sides of the road had almost all fallen leaves, their bare branches stretching towards the gray sky.

Occasionally, a bicycle would pass by with its bell jingling, the rider wrapped in a thick cotton-padded coat, their face completely covered by a scarf.

The autumn wind already carried the chill of winter, and it felt like a knife scraping against my face.

Qi Weiwei pulled her scarf up a little, leaving only her eyes exposed.

After walking for nearly forty minutes, I finally saw that familiar cluster of red brick buildings.

The railway family compound consists of Soviet-style buildings built in the 1950s and 60s. They are three stories high with red brick walls and long corridors on each floor. Each family's kitchen extends onto the balcony.

It was lunchtime, and almost every balcony was bustling with people. The sounds of cooking, talking, and children crying mingled together, creating a lively atmosphere.

Qi Weiwei spotted the balcony on the east side of the second floor at a glance.

Mother Chen Hongxia was cooking with her back to the outside, wearing a worn blue cloth blouse, her hair casually pinned back with a hair clip—and her hair was already gray!

Qi Weiwei paused, her heart feeling as if it had been gripped tightly by something.

My mom is only fifty-two years old this year!

Why didn't she notice when her mother's hair turned white in her past life?

She remembered clearly that when her mother worked as a purchasing agent at the supply and marketing cooperative, she always had neat, short, jet-black hair.

Every time I come home, my mother will take out some new gadgets from her bag—it might be face cream made in Shanghai, a new piece of polyester fabric, or fruit candy left for the children.

Back then, my mother was energetic, capable, and walked with a brisk pace.

But now...

The hunched figure on the balcony, the gray hair, the faded blouse…

Qi Weiwei's tears welled up instantly, and she quickly lowered her head to wipe them away.

When I looked up again, my mother had just turned around, still holding a spatula in her hand.

Their eyes met, even though they were more than twenty meters apart.

Chen Hongxia was stunned at first, and almost dropped the spatula in her hand.

Immediately, an incredulous look of surprise flashed across her face. Her lips moved as if she wanted to shout something, but no sound came out. She turned around and disappeared from the balcony.

Qi Weiwei walked quickly towards the stairwell entrance.

Within ten seconds, hurried footsteps could be heard in the hallway.

Chen Hongxia rushed out, still wearing an apron, her hands stained with oil.

She hugged Qi Weiwei tightly, her voice trembling, "Weiwei! My good child, why are you back today? It's not a holiday, how could that family let you come back?"

Her embrace was warm and firm, carrying the aroma of stir-fried cabbage.

Qi Weiwei felt a lump in her throat and almost burst into tears.

At this moment, people from several neighboring households peeked out to look.

Chen Hongxia had worked at the supply and marketing cooperative for many years and was well-liked. However, after giving up her job to Tang Tiantian because of Qi Weiwei's pleas, her family was burdened with huge debts. The neighbors' gazes towards them became much more complicated—there was sympathy, regret, and also a sense of "if only they had known then what they know now."

Qi Weiwei rubbed her temples and lowered her voice, "Mom, I'm a little dizzy. Let's go inside and talk!"

"Yes, yes, let's go inside!" Chen Hongxia finally realized what was happening and pulled her daughter into the stairwell.

As soon as I entered the building, I heard hurried footsteps coming from upstairs.

Qi Chou rushed down the stairs, taking three steps at a time. Upon seeing his daughter, his face, blackened by the soot from the train, instantly broke into a cautious smile: "Weiwei, you're back?! Oh dear, why didn't you tell me sooner!"

He rubbed his hands, looking a little flustered, but the joy in his eyes was undeniable: "Dad's going to buy meat right away, we're having a special meal today! Weiwei, do you want braised pork or spare ribs?"

Qi Weiwei looked at her father.

He was only fifty-five years old, but the wrinkles on his forehead were as deep as if they had been carved by a knife, and his back was somewhat hunched—train drivers often work night shifts and have irregular meals, so they age faster than the average person.

He was still wearing his blue railway work clothes, the cuffs of which were worn white, indicating that he had just come back from get off work.

She held back a sob, thought for a moment, and said, "Braised pork."

"Okay, okay, braised pork!" Qi Chou nodded repeatedly and turned to run out.

"Old man!" Chen Hongxia called out to him, "What are you asking?! Buy both! Take more money and coupons!"

As she spoke, she pulled a small cloth bag from her apron pocket, counted out a few tickets and some money, and stuffed it into his hand. "Go quickly and come back quickly!"