Chapter 130: Cracks |
Ten-year-old Liu Xiazhi struggled to comprehend her mother’s words. The little leather shoes her father had bought her were comfortable and fit perfectly, so why did her mother call them "cheap"?
Her face flushed with frustration as she twisted in Li Wanran’s grip, reaching for the discarded shoes.
“They’re… brand new…” she muttered.
“Throw them away,” Li Wanran said flatly, as if stating something trivial.
To her, shoes were just items easily replaced. How had her daughter become so stubborn under Liu Changqing’s care? Rebellion over a mere pair of shoes?
Annoyance bubbled within her as she watched her daughter futilely struggle against her grasp. Tightening her hold, she yanked Liu Xiazhi back.
Caught off balance, Liu Xiazhi stumbled and looked up at her mother, confusion etched on her small face.
“They’re perfectly fine shoes! Why throw them away?”
“What’s happened to you?” Li Wanran asked, a hint of unfamiliarity in her gaze.
“Mom, you’re the one who’s changed!” Liu Xiazhi shot back loudly, twisting harder against her mother’s grip. Despite her efforts, her small frame couldn’t break free.
Looking up at her mother’s cold expression, she cried,
“Dad bought me those shoes!”
“…”
Li Wanran froze at her daughter’s words, staring at her tearful eyes now brimming with unshed tears. A pang of guilt coursed through her, and almost unconsciously, she loosened her grip.
Freed, Liu Xiazhi darted to retrieve the shoes, crouching down to carefully place them back in the box. Her vision blurred with tears as she sniffled and wiped her face with her arm.
To her, these weren’t just shoes. They were a gift from her father, a memory of that morning when she had woken to find the shoes by her bedside. She’d run to her father, overjoyed, and insisted he help her put them on.
Clutching the box tightly, Liu Xiazhi stood and approached her mother, head bowed. Her voice wavered as she said,
“After we eat… I want to go home.”
“…”
Li Wanran’s gaze softened momentarily. Struggling internally, she eventually reached out to hold her daughter’s hand. Turning to a nearby clerk, she said,
“Please pack up the shoes and the clothes we just changed out of.”
“Of course,” the clerk replied, taking the box from Liu Xiazhi before hurrying off.
The mother and daughter stood in silence, neither speaking as they waited. Li Wanran stared straight ahead, her face expressionless. Beside her, Liu Xiazhi held her head low, her red ears and occasional sniffles betraying her emotions.
Hearing the sniffles, Li Wanran glanced at her daughter and opened her mouth as if to comfort her but hesitated. She’s just a child… She’ll be fine soon.
When the clerk returned with the bag, Li Wanran reached for it, but Liu Xiazhi quickly took it instead. Surprised, Li Wanran paused before resuming her stoic demeanor and walking ahead without another word.
Liu Xiazhi followed silently, clutching the bag. The joy she had displayed earlier was completely gone.
They exited the store, entered the car, and set off for their next destination. Throughout the drive, Liu Xiazhi remained quiet, hugging the bag to her chest. Li Wanran, noticing her subdued demeanor, leaned back against her seat, closed her eyes, and made up her mind about something.
The car soon reached its destination. Liu Xiazhi followed her mother cautiously, holding onto her bag as they entered an elevator and ascended to an upper floor.
Guided by a staff member, they stopped in front of a private room. The staff member opened the door, and Li Wanran walked in first.
Standing at the entrance, Liu Xiazhi hesitated. Sensing this, Li Wanran turned back and said,
“Come in.”
“Okay…” Liu Xiazhi whispered, stepping in reluctantly.
Once inside, the staff member closed the door behind them.
It had been a long time since Liu Xiazhi had been in a place like this, and she felt uneasy. Looking around, she noticed a man sitting on a luxurious sofa.
She didn’t recognize him.
Staring blankly at the unfamiliar figure, Liu Xiazhi froze in place.
Without noticing her reaction, Li Wanran walked over and sat beside the man, Li Chongming, their proximity suggesting familiarity.
Li Wanran turned her gaze to her daughter and gestured for her to come closer.
“Xiazhi, come here.”
“Mom…”
Liu Xiazhi’s eyes were filled with confusion as she looked between her mother, who was smiling faintly, and the stranger beside her, who also wore a smile.
This was the first time Liu Xiazhi had seen this man.
In her young mind, her mother had always been someone she admired—gentle, elegant, and loving. Even after the divorce, she had clung to that image. But now, cracks were forming in that once perfect image.
Her mind raced, recalling fragments of a conversation between her father and her grandmother during her last visit.
“No… this isn’t right…”
Li Wanran, noticing her daughter’s unease, glanced at Li Chongming, who reached out and gently took her hand. The gesture seemed to bolster her resolve.
Facing her daughter, Li Wanran said,
“Xiazhi, this is… your new father.”
“No! He’s not my dad!”
Clutching the bag tightly, Liu Xiazhi instinctively stepped back, her voice rising in defiance.
“He’s not my dad!”
Before either adult could react, she turned and bolted for the door.
Seeing her daughter flee, Li Wanran sprang to her feet, pulling her hand from Li Chongming’s grasp as she chased after her.
“Xiazhi!”
Reaching the door, Liu Xiazhi yanked it open and ran out, only to stumble and fall when she bumped into something—or someone—blocking her path.
Landing on the floor, she looked up in fear at the stern figure of her grandmother, Ye Rong, who stood towering over her, her expression icy.
“Get up,” Ye Rong commanded, her voice cold and unyielding.
Liu Xiazhi stared at her, wide-eyed and trembling, unable to move.