Zhou Zhengchu's heart trembled slightly, like a maple leaf blown by the wind, and a rustling sound could be heard.

After a while, he heard his own voice.

"Hmm, three more days."

Jiang Yue let out a soft "ah" and then an "oh," slowly lowering her head as if she didn't want to talk anymore. However, she couldn't fall asleep easily, feeling scared whether her eyes were open or closed. So, at this moment, she could only chat with her son.

She opened her mouth to wish him a happy birthday, but then she remembered there were still three days left, so she silently swallowed her words.

"Are you an adult?"

I just finished the college entrance exam, so I'm probably eighteen now?

Maybe he started school early and is only seventeen?

She wasn't quite sure either, because she didn't remember much.

Zhou Zhengchu thought for a moment and said softly, "I'm an adult now."

She gave a knowing "oh," as if she had just remembered that he was already eighteen, and then she had nothing more to say.

Looking up at the sky, at the pristine white ceiling, I had no idea what I was thinking.

I tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep.

But she hasn't done anything wrong! At least she hasn't been a bad person much in the last two years, so why is she having nightmares? When she wakes up, she quickly forgets everything except that she is very, very scared.

"Mother, can't you sleep?"

"No." She didn't want to admit it, so she turned around, deliberately turning her back to him: "I'm just not sleepy yet."

Zhou Zhengchu didn't expose her. After a while, the young man quietly got up, went to the bookshelf and took out two books: an adult fairy tale and a collection of poems.

When he was young, his mother's mental state was not as good as it is now. At that time, she spent most of her time confined to this house, and the only other space was the large yard in front of the house.

At that time, she was not only mentally unwell, but also physically unwell.

She gazed quietly out the window, sunlight bathing her entire body. She was so still she seemed not to exist, her fair skin and long black hair making her appear as if she were trapped in a painting.

Occasionally, when she's in a good mood, she'll pick up a book of poems from the bookshelf.

When Zhou Zhengchu was allowed to come here each week, he would often see his mother reading or daydreaming by the window.

She would sometimes read poems to him, and you could see a few words she had written down next to the poetry collection.

"Mother, let me read you a poem."

"You can't sleep either? Then whatever you want."

The young man's voice was warm and pleasant, low, and had a captivating magnetism.

It sounds very nice and has a calming effect.

The person who was tossing and turning in bed, unable to sleep, gradually became sleepy as they listened to these sounds. Their eyelids drooped, and they eventually drifted off to sleep peacefully.

Thus, a peaceful night passed.

Life gradually returned to normal.

Zhou Ji went abroad and will be staying for at least half a month. He won't be back for a while, but Zhou Zhengchu is taking good care of his mother.

Jiang Yue video calls her husband every day. Just looking at his face makes her feel content. Sometimes, even when she's so sleepy she can barely keep her eyes open, she's reluctant to hang up the video call.

She didn't close it, and neither did Zhou Ji.

When she wakes up, blushing, she says, "Oh dear, I accidentally fell asleep."

Her face showed a charming shyness, a hint of indescribable sweetness, and she wasn't wrong; she was indeed very easy to please.

However, she has indeed been sleeping longer and longer each day.

The father and son saw this, but neither of them had any effective solutions.

With Zhou Ji not returning, Jiang Yue didn't really have much to do. She had quit her job years ago, and at that time, she couldn't work anyway.

Although Jiang Yue no longer lives in the old house, she still goes back once a month or during holidays.

Out of respect for Zhou Ji, the Zhou family dared not neglect him.

The younger generation doesn't like her, and the older generation also looks down on her.

Before leaving, Zhou Zhengchu was still worried and checked everything carefully. He then patiently asked, "Did Mother take her medicine today?"

She said impatiently, "I've already eaten."

Zhou Zhengchu nodded, took his mother's hand, and led her into the car. In the car, he kept reminding her, as if afraid she wouldn't remember, "When we get to the old house, Mother, stay by my side and don't pay attention to anyone else."

Tonight is my cousin's engagement party.

It's lively when several families get together.

In fact, Zhou Zhengchu never liked lively occasions. He would always cause some trouble, and from time to time, Zhou Zhengchu would hear people pointing fingers at his mother.

This filled him with rage.

On the contrary, she might be too quiet at home and prefer lively occasions, enjoying being around others and wanting to get along with them and make friends.

However, those people were obviously not sincere.

We exchanged a few pleasantries, and at most said a few more words about coming back to visit her next time.

However, there will never be a next time.

Who knows what crazy thing she might do?

"What right do you have to tell me what to do? Even your father wouldn't tell me what to do." She wasn't happy and had already planned what to do tonight.

Zhou Zhengchu frowned and explained, "There are too many people tonight. I'm afraid something might happen to you. It's safer for you to be by my side."

She nodded perfunctorily; whether she actually listened or not, no one knows.

When we arrived at the Zhou family's old house, it was brightly lit from afar, and the courtyard was beautifully decorated.

Zhou Yu'an's engagement banquet had already been held at the hotel.

Tonight I invited two familiar friends to meet up and catch up.

Jiang Yue seemed to only then realize about the engagement. She got out of the car and tried to run away like a gust of wind, but her son held her wrist down.

As the mother and son entered the house, all eyes turned to them.

With Zhou Zhengchu present, the stares from those men subsided considerably, and they all appeared to be doing alright.

She saw many strangers, but she wasn't interested in them. Instead, she approached Zhou Yu'an's sister and asked her why she hadn't come when she said she was coming to see her last time.

Upon hearing this, the younger sister looked extremely embarrassed and mumbled that she had forgotten.

She didn't argue with her.

Zhou Yu'an only got engaged this year, which is already considered quite late.

He was only seven or eight years younger than Zhou Ji, and now in his thirties, he had finally left single life behind. He had always kept his distance from this sister-in-law.

Jiang Yue chatted with someone for a while, and then there was nothing else to do.

However, she wasn't left out; people still invited her to set off fireworks at the entrance.

Zhou Zhengchu didn't quite resemble his mother's past self, so he held back and didn't say anything to stop her. He just glanced at his aunt and said, "Aunt, please be careful."

"I know! How could I possibly hurt your mother?"

Zhou Zhengchu felt that his aunt was a bit impulsive and was still worried, so he went out with her.

The aunt stuffed a lighter into Jiang Yue's hand and told her to set off the biggest firework.

Zhou Zhengchu felt unsafe, so he grabbed the lighter and frowned, saying no, much like his father.

Jiang Yue was now intrigued and wouldn't just say no.

She asked him to return the lighter to her.

Zhou Zhengchu refused to give it to him.

She then went back to ask someone else for it.

Others, mindful of the future successor of the Zhou family, dared not listen to her.

For a while, no one offered her a lighter.

With red eyes, she glared fiercely at Zhou Zhengchu: "I'm going to tell my husband you bullied me!"

Zhou Zhengchu said, "Mother, it's very dangerous."

There have been unexpected events before.

That's why he was so cautious, walking on thin ice.