mynovelweb Chapter 324 The rope breaks at its thinnest point, and misfortune only finds those with unfortunate
Chapter 324 The rope breaks at its thinnest point, and misfortune only finds those with unfortunate
"Mom! No need!" Xian Zuling's voice rose slightly as she hurriedly interrupted, "Don't send me money! Really, no need! I found several part-time jobs on the commercial street next to the school! I'm working at a milk tea shop and a clothing store! I didn't go home for the seven-day National Day holiday, and the bosses even gave me extra pay! I can earn sixty yuan a day! I have enough money! Please don't send me any money! You and Grandpa and Grandma should buy some good food to nourish yourselves!"
She spoke very quickly, as if afraid her mother wouldn't believe her.
There was silence on the other end of the phone.
The silence that lasted only a few seconds felt like an eternity.
Xianzu Ling could imagine her mother's expression at that moment—a smile forced out of her heartache.
Sure enough, when her mother's voice rang out again, it was choked with barely concealed sobs, yet she still tried to smile: "Silly Ling'er... I'm so sorry! It's all my fault... Other people's children go to university, their families support them, and they're happy... But you, you still have to think about working to earn money all day long, and you can't even come home for National Day!"
"Mom—!" The mother's words were like a needle, precisely piercing the softest and most vulnerable part of Xian Zuling's heart.
Tears welled up instantly, blurring her vision: "Please don't say that! You're the one who's suffered the most! I'm fine, really! I'm doing great here! Please don't blame yourself..."
She desperately tried to suppress the sobs welling up in her throat.
"Okay, okay, Mom won't blame herself, Mom won't blame herself!"
The mother sniffed, trying to make her voice sound steady, but the slight tremor couldn't lie. "Mom's job is pretty good now, and the boss is nice too. It'll only get better. Ling'er, listen to Mom, don't be too frugal at school. Spend money where you need to, especially on food! Make sure you eat well! Make sure you get enough nutrition, don't just eat steamed buns and pickled vegetables..."
The mother kept nagging and giving instructions, as if she wanted to convey all her worries and love through the telephone line.
Upon hearing the word "nutrition," Xian Zuling recalled the expensive ingredients that filled the refrigerator in her bamboo grove courtyard—ingredients she would never normally buy—and felt a pang of sorrow in her heart.
She quickly said, "Mom, don't worry! Now... now besides my part-time job outside, I also cook and clean for others at school! They're so nice to me, I... I eat at their house, I eat whatever they eat, there's meat and vegetables! I'm eating so well now! I'm really not lacking in nutrition! You should take care of your health, you work so hard, you must eat well and take good care of yourself."
She tried to make her voice sound relaxed and pleasant.
There was a long silence on the other end of the phone.
Xian Zuling held her phone, holding her breath, as if she could hear her mother's broken sobs suppressed deep in her throat—in addition to her heavy part-time job outside of school, her daughter also cooked and cleaned for others at school... On the other end of the phone, Xian Zuling's mother bit her hand hard, and hot tears gushed out, instantly soaking her rough sleeves.
She dared not utter a sound, for fear of revealing the unbearable heartache and guilt she felt.
After what felt like an eternity, she finally mustered all her strength to suppress her turbulent emotions, making her voice sound as if it had been sanded clean, with a forced calm: "Mom knows. Ling'er, you must take good care of yourself too. I have some things to do here, so I'll have to go now!"
"Okay! Don't worry, Mom! Happy Holiday!" Xian Zuling replied quickly, afraid that if she said another word, she would completely break down.
The busy tone of the phone call ending seemed to drain all the strength from Xian Zuling's body.
She remained seated on the sofa, still in the position she was in while answering the phone.
The moonlight outside the window was cold and clear, and the room was deathly silent.
Finally, the strong shell that had held up all the way peeled away piece by piece.
She slowly, slowly curled up, like a wounded little animal, burying her face deeply between her knees.
Her thin shoulders trembled violently uncontrollably, and silent tears quickly soaked through her thin pajama bottoms.
Suppressed sobs filled the quiet little house, filled with unspeakable sorrow and an intense longing for their distant hometown.
A hemp rope always breaks at its thinnest point, and misfortune only finds those with unfortunate fates.
The burdens of life were never lessened in the slightest because of her understanding and resilience.
She was used to being strong, used to gritting her teeth and moving forward in the mud, but in the end, she was just an eighteen-year-old girl who had just left her mother's wings and was struggling to survive alone in a strange city.
Every day after leaving home, the deep-seated fear and sense of helplessness lingered like a dark cloud.
Fortunately, she met Ye Fan.
He forcefully barged into her gloomy world, like an unreasonable yet incredibly warm light, dispelling her unease.
In his bamboo grove courtyard, she began to clumsily learn to get along with people naturally, began to feel a long-lost sense of security, and even began to rediscover a little bit of the cautious confidence and sunshine that a girl of her age should have.
The torrent of tears I shed today did not stem from the current hardships, but from my mother's choked "I'm sorry," which acted like a key, instantly unlocking the long-suppressed feelings of indebtedness towards her and the bitterness of not being able to fulfill my filial duties to her.
These tears are a belated outpouring of past hardships, and also the deepest longing for loved ones far away.
After an unknown amount of time, the sobbing gradually subsided.
Xian Zuling raised her head, her face streaked with tears.
She walked to the small washbasin, turned on the cold tap, and splashed the cold water forcefully on her face.
The coolness sent a shiver down her spine, and also took away the tear stains and some of her fatigue.
She looked at herself in the mirror, her eyes red and swollen, yet her gaze had regained its determination, and took a deep breath.
Life remains difficult, but we must continue on this path.
At least now, she wasn't alone anymore. She turned off the tap, carefully dried her face with a towel, and turned to walk towards the kitchen.
The refrigerator was full of food left by Ye Fan. She had to plan it carefully so as not to waste it.
Tomorrow is another day of hard work.
......
The sunshine during the National Day holiday carried the unique warmth of southern Fujian.
the next day.
Ye Fan and his family arrived at his uncle's house in a brand-new Mercedes-Benz E300.
The adults gathered in the living room to make tea and chat, their lively conversation carrying the festive joy of the holiday.
After being asked some interesting things about university by his cousin Gu Haoyu, Ye Fan slipped away to the relatively quiet balcony.
Uncle Gu Ruoyang was leaning against the railing, gazing at the slightly dilapidated outline of the factory buildings in the distance, with a hint of weariness between his brows.
He habitually reached into his pocket and pulled out a cigarette case, just managing to shake out a cheap cigarette and put it in his mouth.
Seeing this, Ye Fan naturally pulled out a soft-pack of "Supreme 95" cigarettes from his pocket, skillfully popped open the lid, and handed one over: "Uncle, want to try this?"