On a winter afternoon, the light in the post office was dim and soft, like a thin filter, casting a nostalgic atmosphere over the surroundings.

Xia Wan stood in the corner, her hands tightly gripping the receiver. At that moment, the receiver seemed to be a lifeline connecting her to her distant relatives. The familiar and warm voice of her godmother, Sun Hui, came through the receiver, carrying the unique cheerfulness and enthusiasm of a northerner. Like a ray of warm sunshine breaking through the gloom, it gradually dispelled the heavy gloom that had accumulated in her heart due to her brother's departure and trivial matters.

"Godmother, my dad's leg is much better than before. He can walk a short distance slowly now, but he still can't exert himself too much."

Xia Wan turned slightly to the side and subconsciously glanced around, as if afraid that others would disturb this hard-won warmth.

Her tone was gentle, each word as if carefully wrapped before being delivered. Sun Hui's concerned response came immediately through the receiver: "Then you must apply the medicine on time. Tell him not to be anxious, to take good care of himself, and to let him know if he needs anything. Don't be polite with your godmother, we're all family."

Xia Wan nodded slightly, a faint smile playing on her lips. Although she knew her godmother, thousands of miles away, couldn't see this subtle gesture, she still subconsciously responded, as if this would bring them closer together.

The topic shifted, and Sun Hui's tone instantly became full of doting and helplessness: "The new kitten we got at home is so naughty. It has yarn balls all over the house. Yesterday it almost crawled into the closet and couldn't get out. It really drove me crazy."

Xia Wan couldn't help but chuckle softly, vividly recalling the image of the fluffy little creature running around wildly. Its round body weaved through the yarn, tangling it into a mess, and finally got stuck in the gap of the cabinet, meowing anxiously.

Xia Wan's clear and melodious laughter echoed gently in the post office, dispelling some of the long-standing depression in her heart.

Then, they started talking about the interesting things happening on the streets.

Sun Hui said with great interest: "A new pastry shop has opened here. Their signature peach shortbread smells so good that the whole street can smell it. Every day when they open, the neighbors line up to buy it. The line can stretch half a street."

And then there's Old Zhang's son, who got into a top school. Old Zhang's been walking around with a swagger lately, praising him to everyone he meets, his smile never stopping. He's so proud, it's like the whole world knows his kid's done well.

Xia Wan listened, occasionally chiming in with a few words. Her tone gradually became lighter, and her nerves, which had been as tense as a harp string because of her brother's departure and her worries, slowly relaxed. The corners of her mouth unconsciously turned up, and she was immersed in the warm atmosphere of the conversation. It was as if she had temporarily forgotten all her troubles. At this moment, she felt like a carefree child, tightly wrapped in the care of her family.

But she knew in her heart that she hadn't yet revealed her true purpose.

After hesitating for a moment, Xia Wan coughed lightly and paused, as if she was forcibly swallowing all those chaotic emotions.

She took a deep breath, adjusted her posture, and tried to make her voice sound calm: "Godmother, actually I called because I wanted to tell you something. Some things have happened recently; someone has been using Godfather's connections to do a lot of things..."

Her speech gradually quickened as she tried to keep her voice steady, rapidly processing the events in her mind.

It was an ordinary afternoon, and the sunlight lazily spilled onto the street, bathing everything in a warm yellow glow.

As Xia Wan was passing by the street corner as usual, she suddenly overheard two acquaintances whispering in her ears: "Xia Wan's godfather's connections," "getting in through connections"... These vague words were like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, creating ripples of unease.

From then on, she seemed to be bewitched, unable to let go of the matter. She first went to her usual grocery store to try and elicit information from the owner, subtly asking questions during casual conversations;

She stopped acquaintances in the alley to question them, not letting go of any possible clue, no matter how small. She hit walls time and time again, but each time she searched for a new direction, finally piecing together the complete truth step by step.

Now, Xia Wan recounted these contents in a clear and unreserved manner. When she got to the key points, her voice unconsciously carried a hint of tension and helplessness, and her fingers subconsciously gripped the receiver tightly, her knuckles turning white from the force.

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone, so quiet that Xia Wan could even hear her own heartbeat, "thump thump thump," beating very rapidly, as if it were about to burst out of her chest.

Immediately afterward, Sun Hui's voice rose sharply, her anger almost bursting through the receiver: "How could Qiao Qiao do such a thing! It's too much! She's using your godfather's name and dragging you down with her!"

As Sun Hui spoke, she became more and more agitated, and a series of accusations came out of her mouth. Her words were full of anger and dissatisfaction, and those sharp words were like sharp blades, piercing straight at Qiao Qiao on the other end of the phone.

While cursing, Sun Hui recalled how good she had been to Qiao Qiao: "When she came to our house, I always treated her to the best food and drink, like my own child. I always thought of her first when I had something good. When she was sick, I stayed by her bedside to take care of her. I never thought she was this kind of person. I really misjudged her!"

Her heart was filled with regret for being let down, and her tone was like that of a mother deeply hurt by her beloved child.

Xia Wan felt a mix of emotions as she listened to her godmother's scolding.

Hearing her godmother criticize Qiao Qiao so mercilessly, she still felt a little uncomfortable.

"Godmother, don't get upset. What's done is done, there's no use getting angry now," Xia Wan quickly comforted her, her voice gentle and patient, as if soothing a child throwing a tantrum.

She gently rubbed her temples, trying to relieve her inner fatigue and helplessness.

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