From Broken Family to Life Winner: A Reborn Mother's Journey

A bitter feeling washed over Mrs. Tang at the thought. If Su Li had just been more obedient and hadn’t gone through with the divorce, they’d surely be living the high life now, instead of worrying about four thousand yuan.

She wondered if Su Li had even received the letter, and what her reaction was.

The mention of the four thousand yuan felt like a mountain pressing down on her. Mrs. Tang’s energy and mood vanished in an instant. Seeing the dark look on Tang Yuanxiao’s face, she couldn’t help but start blaming him.

”It’s been five days, and you’re only just now coming to see me. The moment you show up, you give me a long face and start lecturing me. Oh, pitiful me...”

Mrs. Tang droned on and on, but she never even thought to ask if Tang Yuanxiao had eaten.

Tang Yuanxiao listened in silence, not uttering a single word.

After she had nagged for more than half an hour, Tang Yuanxiao was just about to grab his mother’s dirty clothes and bedding to wash them when a knock sounded at the hospital room door.

”Tang Yuanxiao?”

Lin Huanzhu’s voice rang out. Tang Yuanxiao heard it, placed the washbasin back under the bed, and went to open the door.

”Who is it?” Mrs. Tang asked.

”It’s...” Lin Huanzhu started to answer, but Tang Yuanxiao had already pulled the door open.

Lin Huanzhu was holding an enamel tray. On it sat an enamel mug filled with steaming, plump, white tangyuan.

Tang Yuanxiao’s gaze landed on the enamel mug. As he caught the sweet aroma, he reflexively swallowed.

His stomach seemed to sense it too, letting out a loud GURGLE.

Lin Huanzhu heard it. ”Looks like my timing is perfect,” she said. ”You must be hungry.”

She smiled, extending the enamel tray toward him.

”You... you... You really didn’t have to.”

Tang Yuanxiao was suddenly tongue-tied.

He was completely surprised and embarrassed.

Lin Huanzhu, however, didn’t seem to mind in the slightest. ”Just eat them if you’re hungry. It’s only a few tangyuan. My aunt makes them, and they’re delicious. These are sesame-filled. I was just about to eat them myself when I remembered you probably hadn’t eaten, so I brought them to you.”

Seeing the complicated expression on his face, she simply thrust the enamel tray into his hands.

”Just think of it as my way of thanking you for saving my life.”

While Tang Yuanxiao was still grappling with his complicated feelings, Mrs. Tang could no longer contain her curiosity.

”Who is it, Tangyuan?”

Tang Yuanxiao was standing in the doorway, blocking her line of sight. Mrs. Tang could only hear voices but couldn’t see anything clearly. In her effort to see who was outside, she nearly toppled out of her wheelchair.

Lin Huanzhu’s voice was somewhat androgynous, but it was still recognizably female. The moment Mrs. Tang heard a woman’s voice—a woman bringing Tang Yuanxiao tangyuan, no less—her mind went into overdrive.

’A girl! And she’s bringing Tangyuan tangyuan to eat! She must like Tangyuan!’

’See? I always said my Tangyuan was popular! Lots of girls like him!’

Mrs. Tang asked with such excitement that it was impossible for Tang Yuanxiao and Lin Huanzhu to ignore.

Tang Yuanxiao really didn’t want his mother to see Lin Huanzhu, but he had no choice. He had to step aside, revealing her to his mother.

Lin Huanzhu could finally see inside the room as well. She smiled and greeted Mrs. Tang.

”Hello, Auntie.”

The look of eager anticipation on Mrs. Tang’s face shattered the moment she saw Lin Huanzhu.

”You... you’re... you’re a girl? What happened to your hair?”

She was so baffled that she blurted out the question.

A flash of embarrassment crossed Tang Yuanxiao’s face. ”Mom.”

He said her name with a clear note of warning in his voice. ”Lin... Xiao Lin, this is my mother.”

Tang Yuanxiao placed the enamel tray on the table. ”Mom, this is Xiao Lin.”

Mrs. Tang swallowed, her eyes raking over Lin Huanzhu from head to toe. Her gaze was filled with a mixture of surprise and criticism, as if she were examining some strange new curiosity.

Lin Huanzhu was all too familiar with such gazes. She took two steps into the room and stood calmly, ignoring the faint, persistent odor of urine wafting from Mrs. Tang.

”Hello, Auntie. I’m Lin Huanzhu.”

The nursing home where Mrs. Tang stayed was a good one; the orderlies and doctors were all very responsible. But in an era without adult diapers, for someone in Mrs. Tang’s condition, even talking a little loudly or sneezing could cause a leak. She had almost no normal bladder function, just a constant leakage. Even changing her pants ten times a day wouldn’t be enough.

The orderlies were diligent enough to change her pants twice a day, but the smell inevitably lingered.

It couldn’t be helped.

Mrs. Tang was used to it, so she didn’t notice a thing. Her gaze toward Lin Huanzhu, however, was full of scrutiny and suspicion.

’This one’s so androgynous, neither manly nor womanly. And she doesn’t look young, either. I’m not happy with this one at all.’

”How do you know our Tang Yuanxiao? What’s your relationship?”

Tang Yuanxiao let out a breath at his mother’s question. ”Mom, we only met today. We don’t have any special relationship.”

’She didn’t believe him for a second. They only just met? If they didn’t have a special relationship, why would she bring Tang Yuanxiao tangyuan!’

Mrs. Tang ignored her son and spoke to Lin Huanzhu with an air of grave concern. ”Why don’t you grow your hair long?”

”For a girl like you to not have long hair... looking so androgynous, it’s just not right. What man would ever like you looking like that?”

Lin Huanzhu looked down and gave a small smile. ”It’s more convenient for me this way.”

After saying her piece, she turned to Tang Yuanxiao. ”I haven’t eaten yet, and my aunt has probably finished making dinner. I’m getting hungry, so I’m going to head back.”

Tang Yuanxiao nodded eagerly. ”Okay. Thanks again.”

”No need to thank me. It was nothing. I hope it’s enough to eat. If it isn’t... well, I guess you’re out of luck.”

Lin Huanzhu gave a small shrug. ”I’m going to head back.”

Only then did she look back at Mrs. Tang. ”Auntie, I’ll be taking my leave.”

But Mrs. Tang didn’t want her to leave just yet. ”Your aunt? Xiao Lin, who is your aunt?”

”Mom, stop pestering her with questions,” Tang Yuanxiao cut in.

Mrs. Tang felt that her son had made her lose face. ”I’m just asking! You know her, so what’s wrong with me asking who her aunt is?”

Lin Huanzhu gestured to Tang Yuanxiao that it was fine, then replied, ”My aunt is Doctor Liao Jin. You probably know her.”

”Oh, Doctor Liao! Yes, yes, I know her.”

Mrs. Tang nodded. ’Liao Jin,’ she thought. ’I heard she’s a widow. I wonder if she heard that my Tang Yuanxiao is single and wants to match him up with her niece.’

A flicker of pride crossed Mrs. Tang’s eyes, quickly followed by a disdainful purse of her lips.

’She could understand why Liao Jin might be interested, but this Lin Huanzhu girl just wouldn’t do at all.’

’Her hair is just awful. A girl should wear colorful, bright, pretty clothes, but this outfit is a mess, too. No wonder she’s unwanted.’

’It’s only natural that someone like her can’t find a husband.’

’I wonder how old she is. She already looks like an old maid.’

With these thoughts, Mrs. Tang once again stopped Lin Huanzhu as she was heading out the door. ”Xiao Lin, how old are you?”

Lin Huanzhu had already reached the door, but hearing the question, she had no choice but to stop again.

Tang Yuanxiao gritted his teeth. ”Mom.”

He shot Lin Huanzhu an apologetic smile. ”You should just head back.”

Lin Huanzhu smiled to show it was no big deal. ”It’s fine. Parents are always asking questions like this.”

She smiled at Mrs. Tang and answered patiently, ”Auntie, I’m twenty-six, and I’m not married yet.”

Knowing what Mrs. Tang’s next question would be, she didn’t want to waste any more time and answered it preemptively.

Mrs. Tang was satisfied with the answer, but also taken aback.

”Twenty-six and still not married!” Her dissatisfaction with Lin Huanzhu deepened.

’What does a twenty-six-year-old even do if she’s not married?’ she wondered. ’Oh, right, I don’t know what her job is. What kind of work could she even do, looking like that? She’s probably broke...’

”Xiao Lin, what do you do for work? I’ve never seen you here before.”

Lin Huanzhu gave a good-natured, harmless smile. ”I’m usually pretty busy... As for what I do...”

She cracked her knuckles, the sound sharp in the quiet room, and flashed a grin that showed off her pearly white teeth. ”I’m busy catching bad guys, I suppose.”

”Catching... people?”

Her shriek, which cracked with shock, was followed by a chaotic series of CLATTERS and BANGS.