As night fell, this was Wanqiu's first night back home.

In the vast room, which was supposedly his bedroom, a man lay on that huge, soft bed.

The bed is really big. After lying down, it seems like you can't see the edge of the bed. No matter how you spread your arms and legs, you won't be dangling over the edge of the bed.

The night was so quiet that Wanqiu had more opportunity to sort out his chaotic thoughts.

It was only later that Wanqiu realized he had truly arrived at a new home.

The words she heard during the day kept echoing in her ears, but Wanqiu couldn't recall what they were about.

Everything that happened was completely beyond Wan Qiu's comprehension, to the point that he couldn't even remember the important information.

Now he not only has a father and mother, but also two older brothers and a younger brother.

My parents have a very good relationship with our neighbors. They even cook for them. Tonight's dinner was made by our neighbors, and it was delicious.

He now has his own bedroom, as big as many, many of his previous bedrooms.

The heavy, incomprehensible things felt like a boulder pressing down on him, yet the soft bed made him feel like he was sleeping on a cloud.

New parents are new targets for Wanqiu to explore, but Wanqiu can't even find out how to explore them or what methods to use.

The air was cool, and the air conditioner was running continuously, defeating the heat of the summer night.

This is a completely unfamiliar environment.

But for Wanqiu, the 'unfamiliar' was a familiar experience.

Memories were pieced together again, and amidst the chaotic fragments, Wan Qiu found the part of her life that had brought her back to life.

He woke up in a warm bed in a dimly lit room that seemed very spacious to him at the time.

The old man's face was full of wrinkles, and the warmth in the blankets emanated from him as I slept beside him.

His hands and feet were cold, stiff, and numb. It took him a long time to be able to move his fingers with difficulty.

The old man said she was his grandmother.

The old man called out his name—Wanqiu.

Only after receiving this name did Wanqiu realize that people actually have names.

But Wanqiu couldn't recall what his name was before he died.

Is he called a monster?

Wanqiu felt strange as his body temperature returned to normal.

The pain that had been spreading throughout my body, into my bones, the fine, dense pain that felt like being torn apart by ants, all disappeared, leaving me feeling incredibly relaxed.

In the early morning, he saw the sunlight, and the light did not sting his eyes.

Wanqiu got out of bed for the first time and stood up.

That was also the first time Wanqiu clearly realized that he had stood up.

His arms and legs can be straightened just like his mother's, and he doesn't experience any pain.

So easy that you can do any movement without any hesitation.

The dimly lit mud house, where sunlight couldn't penetrate, was the largest house Wanqiu knew at that time.

Wan Qiu blinked, turned her head from the soft bed, and looked at the huge floor-to-ceiling window covered by blackout curtains.

He rolled out of the darkness, went to the window, and pulled open the heavy curtains just enough for him to fit through.

When the bright white light suddenly shone in, Wanqiu saw what seemed to be moonlight even brighter than the sunlight shining into the earthen house.

The balcony features expansive floor-to-ceiling windows free of any dirt or stains, beautiful floor tiles, a view of lovely woods, and wooden tables and chairs.

It wasn't a chicken coop, nor farm tools, and there was no bumpy yard that turned into muddy mud after rain.

It was strange and peculiar, as if it had opened up the narrow cracks in his heart and filled them with a more open space.

This is the place his parents gave him.

Wanqiu was abandoned a second time when her grandmother died.

At that time, all he knew was that he couldn't wake up his cold grandmother.

While the villagers were chatting away, he sat beside his grandmother, trying to feed her the freshly cooked rice porridge, but he couldn't get her mouth open.

Grandma gets sick easily, but if she doesn't eat, she'll stay sick.

He was pulled away from his grandmother, the precious rice porridge spilled on the ground, the bowl was smashed, and Wanqiu seemed to see his grandmother lying on the ground angrily standing up and hitting him.

But when I opened my eyes, I saw my grandmother lying peacefully on the ground, motionless, without being whipped or in pain.

"The crazy woman took care of this idiot, and now that she's dead, leaving him here, what should we do? Should we let his mother take him away?"

"Are you expecting us to raise them if you don't take them with you? Of course, we'll let that brat Ning Qiaozhen take them. If you don't take care of your own offspring, why should someone else take care of them?"

"Why hasn't Ning Qiaozhen come back yet? The place has gone bad."

Wanqiu remained unaware of what had happened.

He saw the villagers take his grandmother to a place in the woods full of mounds of earth and bury her in the soil.

It was then that he realized clearly that his grandmother would never come back.

The villagers said that his grandmother abandoned him.

Was it because he didn't take good care of his grandmother that she abandoned him?

Grandma passed away, and Wanqiu lost the land that he and his grandmother depended on for survival.

People say that when Grandma died, the land disappeared.

He had nothing. In the mud house, it seemed as if he and his grandmother could disappear into the earth at any moment.

Until Ning Qiaozhen took him home, back to the unfamiliar, brighter building.

Just like now.

Wan Qiu turned around from facing the window, looking at the bedroom that was originally shrouded in darkness but was now brightly lit by the moonlight.

After experiencing it three times, Wanqiu finally learned to think and remember.

Wan Qiu also realized that the feeling of being abandoned was becoming more and more painful for him, even more painful than physical pain. It was as if something was gripping his heart through his skin and flesh, clinging to it, holding it tightly, and tearing it apart little by little.

On a lonely night, Wanqiu curled up, covering her vulnerable chest and abdomen, and holding her head in her hands.

If no one takes Grandma away, one day no one will take her away either.

Wan Qiu racked his brains trying to figure out when Ning Qiaozhen started to dislike him.

Searching through the chaotic fragments of memory for the memories of being disliked, Wanqiu still feels happy about all the memories of being with Ning Qiaozhen, even now.

If I don't make my current mother dislike me, I won't be abandoned.

If you don't know why someone dislikes you, then think about how to become more likable.

First of all... you have to do things that won't be disliked.

Then what?

Wanqiu's mind drifted to the content taught in his elementary school textbooks, and he thought of his teacher.

Be polite, study hard, be pretty, and... become a little smarter.

Become smart, don't do bad things, and then study well and be polite.

What does intelligence look like?

Wan Qiu never expected this.

It's so quiet here, so quiet it's as if the sounds deeply etched in my mind are still lingering.

Where are Mom and Dad? Will they be gone for a long time again? Is it because he's always separated from Ning Qiaozhen that Ning Qiaozhen dislikes him?

Now even his parents' beds aren't near his bedroom?

Does this prove that parents today dislike him more than they used to?

I can't sleep.

It was as if closing his eyes would engulf him in darkness.

Wan Qiu got up from the ground, looked around, and stood under the air conditioner.

Wanqiu wanted to turn off the air conditioner to save electricity, but she had never turned on the air conditioner before, nor had she ever used a remote control. Moreover, she couldn't find the remote control in the unfamiliar, dark room.

Wan Qiu walked around the room, but did not touch any of the unfamiliar things. Even though his second brother said they were all his, he was still very careful.

It was clearly his room, but it was completely different from the room Wanqiu knew.

Wan Qiu opened a door in the room, and the automatic lights inside immediately turned on. He squinted to adjust to the light, but couldn't find the switch to turn it off.

The entire room was filled with all kinds of clothes, a dazzling array as if a clothing store had been moved in, all of which were clothes that fit Wanqiu's figure.

He wanted to change out of his light blue short-sleeved pajamas, but then he suddenly remembered that his mother was no longer Ning Qiaozhen, who used to insist that he wear long sleeves and pants.

The pajamas he's wearing now were given to him by his mother.

At the end of the fitting room was a clean and bright mirror. Unlike the half-length mirror and dressing mirror in Ning Qiaozhen's rented room, this mirror was huge, bright, and clearly reflected the inverted world in the mirror.

Looking in the mirror, Wanqiu saw her reflection clearly and confidently under the bright lights for the first time.

He is ugly.

In the ornate mirror, he looked like a monster.

She bears no resemblance to her parents at all. Her parents, just by standing there, seem to be favored by the sunlight, shining brightly.

Wan Qiu lowered his head, avoiding looking at his reflection, but the reflection in the mirror seemed to still be staring at him, mocking him without restraint.

Wan Qiu left the fitting room without opening any more doors that led to unknown destinations.

Wan Qiu walked out of the room.

Suddenly, the door behind him slowly closed automatically, and Wan Qiu immediately pressed down on the door that was about to close.

He moved a stool from the bedroom to block the door; perhaps even his parents don't like him locking the door these days.

Wan Qiu turned and went downstairs, unaware that the door to the room next to his was opened shortly afterward.

Following the route I remembered, I arrived at the restaurant.

Wanqiu wanted to find the refrigerator.

Whether there is food in the refrigerator is the most important thing to Wanqiu.

If his parents remember to fill the refrigerator, he won't have to rush to collect trash to earn money.

There are too few people around here, and even fewer people who would litter, so there's no point in picking up trash in the countryside.

After searching around, Wan Qiu finally confirmed that the huge door, three or four times the size of his old refrigerator, belonged to the refrigerator here.

Wanqiu opened the refrigerator.

The bright light from the refrigerator instantly illuminated Wanqiu's eyes.

Fresh, plentiful, and diverse ingredients were presented before Wanqiu's eyes, like spirits of life dancing a bountiful harvest in the bright world of the refrigerator, casting a spell of joy on Wanqiu's eyes and dazzling her.

"puff--"

A short laugh suddenly broke Wanqiu's concentration.

Wan Qiu turned around and saw Chu Yigui leaning against the doorway, her lips half-covered, a smile playing at the corners of her eyes.

Chu Yigui's room was next to Wan Qiu's. After hearing the sound of Wan Qiu's door being locked, she followed him out.

The slender figure moved silently through the quiet and wide corridor, like a ghost wandering in the dead of night. If it weren't for Wan Qiu's clear eyes, Chu Yigui would have even guessed that Wan Qiu was under too much pressure during the day and was sleepwalking at night.

Chu Yigui had spent the most time with Wan Qiu and knew that Wan Qiu would not actively explore the surrounding environment and would not change once a fixed pattern was formed.

Wanqiu is now in a completely unfamiliar environment, and instead of seeking help from others, she tries to find out for herself.

Chu Yigui didn't think she needed to correct Wanqiu's personality, but she followed suit.

Until I saw this scene.

Wan Qiu's eyes were fixed on the food filling the refrigerator, as if he were looking at a young dragon with a glittering mountain of gold coins; he was practically drooling with envy.

Chu Yigui couldn't help but chuckle.

Seeing Wan Qiu's gaze, Chu Yigui said, "Are you that happy to see all this?"

Wan Qiu's eyes were fixed on Chu Yigui, which was very rare, seeing Chu Yigui's 'relaxed smile'.

It was a familiar kind of happiness to Wan Qiu; the corners of her mouth turned up, her eyes were filled with glistening tears, and her laughter was clear and pleasant.

But Wanqiu couldn't sense that Chu Yigui was happy.

Wanqiu looked at Chu Yigui, bewildered and at a loss.

Under Wan Qiu's gaze, Chu Yigui's smile gradually faded.

In Wan Qiu's pure and unadulterated eyes, Chu Yigui saw her own reflection as a clay sculpture that neither moved nor smiled.

Chu Yigui reached out and pointed at Wan Qiu's eyes, but Wan Qiu stared wide-eyed as Chu Yigui's fingertip was about to touch his eyeballs, showing no sign of closing them.

Chu Yigui stopped just before he touched Wan Qiu's eyes.

He just didn't want those eyes to look at him; he didn't want to hurt Wanqiu.

"Don't bully me," Chu Yigui said helplessly.

Chu Yigui could not deceive Wan Qiu; his lies were immediately seen through.

As those eyes gazed upon him, Wan Qiu seemed to be looking at Chu Yigui's true, most fundamental self.

But Wanqiu slowly opened his eyes wide.

Did he bully Chu Yigui?

"I'm sorry." Wan Qiu immediately lowered his head, his eyes looking down, his fingers tightening, his apology barely audible. But fearing that Chu Yigui wouldn't hear him, Wan Qiu said in a louder voice, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

Chu Yigui looked at Wan Qiu, and each time he apologized, his voice trembled more and more.

"So uneasy?" Chu Yigui tilted her head; Wan Qiu's nervousness was all too obvious.

Wan Qiu lowered his head, unable to answer the question he didn't know how to answer.

"Are you hungry? I can cook for you," Wan Qiu asked. Chu Yigui must be hungry to be in the kitchen at night.

Occasionally, when Ninghai comes home late at night, he'll be dragged out of bed to cook.

"No, I was just looking at you." Chu Yigui stood beside Wan Qiu, turning her head to the side. "Can't sleep?"

Wan Qiu was very nervous.

The closer Chu Yigui got, the more tense Wan Qiu became.

Wan Qiu lowered her head, then suddenly looked up: "Younger brother."

Hearing Wan Qiu call him "brother" for the first time, Chu Yigui, who was much taller than Wan Qiu, bent down slightly and stared at Wan Qiu: "What's wrong, brother?"

"I will never bully you, absolutely not."

Chu Yigui thought he could understand Wan Qiu's thoughts, but now it seems he can't keep up again.

"I was just joking," Chu Yigui said.

"Little brother," Wan Qiu promised earnestly and from the bottom of his heart, "I won't bully you. If I do, you can hit me."

Chu Yigui's expression gradually underwent subtle changes.

Wan Qiu hugged his arms: "I remember the pain, so I'll remember not to bully you."

Chu Yigui looked at Wan Qiu and seemed to see the fragile glass entering a bubble called chaos, which stretched the originally fine and solid glass to the point of cracking.

Chu Yigui reached out and lifted Wan Qiu's lowered head, cradling Wan Qiu's chin in his palm as if looking at a helpless puppy.

His wet, clear, and trusting eyes reflected him, and only reflected him.

"I understand," Chu Yigui said. He couldn't guess what Wan Qiu was thinking when he said that, but he knew that he should ease Wan Qiu's anxiety. It wasn't just about comforting him, but also about offering solutions. "Then get closer to me."

Wan Qiu could feel the warmth of Chu Yigui's palm.

Chu Yigui's voice seemed to blend into the natural atmosphere in the dead of night, and the mist dissipated in Wanqiu's ears: "As long as we are close enough, the bullying will not exist."

Why do people stop bullying others when they are close to them?

Wanqiu didn't know.

But since it was Chu Yigui who said it, then it must be correct.

Chu Yigui gently stroked Wan Qiu's chin. Wan Qiu tilted her head slightly, leaned forward, and kissed Chu Yigui's hand.

Chu Yigui changed her gesture of lifting his chin to gently pinching Wan Qiu's cheek.

Wan Qiu rubbed Chu Yigui's fingers together, a very affectionate gesture.

In the midst of the calm, Wan Qiu's attention was diverted by Chu Yigui's hand.

The sadness, the unease that felt like I couldn't breathe, all seemed to dissipate because of this casual little game.

"Have you calmed down yet?" Chu Yigui asked. Wan Qiu's reaction made him feel like he was teasing a sleepy little puppy.

Wan Qiu blinked and obediently raised her eyes.

Chu Yigui noticed Wan Qiu's relaxation.

"Little brother." Perhaps out of dependence, or perhaps because he was allowed to be close, Wan Qiu wanted to become a little smarter, so he learned from the even smarter Chu Yigui, "What do I need to do?"

Wan Qiu believes that he and Chu Yigui are brothers, and they are both their parents' children.

Chu Yigui must be liked; Wan Qiu couldn't imagine what it would be like if Chu Yigui wasn't liked.

Then Chu Yigui is his role model.

"Brother, don't you know what you should do?" Chu Yigui immediately noticed Wan Qiu's worry.

Wan Qiu nodded obediently, leaving him bewildered and unable to sleep.

"Hmm..." Chu Yigui rested her chin on her hand, as if trying to think hard.

In a completely unfamiliar environment, Wan Qiu couldn't find his place or value. The environment, so different from his former family, left him feeling lost.

“Normally, I do what I want to do.” Chu Yigui’s words only made Wan Qiu more confused.

Wanqiu had nothing he wanted to do.

Picking up trash is so that you have money to buy vegetables when you have no food; doing homework is because it's what the teacher assigned; going to school is because everyone else is going to school.

Chu Yigui clearly had a better way to guide Wanqiu, but she still chose to let Wanqiu get into chaos.

Chaos is the source of thought.

Wan Qiu finally looked away and stared at the refrigerator.

The only thing he can think of and do right now is cook for his family.

Chu Yigui immediately understood Wan Qiu's plan.

“You don’t need to cook,” Chu Yigui said.

It was rejected.

"But if you're just looking to cook, you can give it a try."

Under Wan Qiu's gaze, Chu Yigui reminded him, "There's a chef in the house, do you understand what that means?"

Wan Qiu blinked.

"Just like when you go to a restaurant to eat, the restaurant will have a chef to cook for you. My parents paid money to hire a chef to cook for us."

Chu Yigui guided him slowly, using a tone that suggested Wan Qiu was thoughtful and understanding.

"The dinner tonight was delicious, wasn't it? That's what the chef made."

Wan Qiu opened his mouth, then understood what he meant: "That's a chef."

"Yes." Chu Yigui nodded.

"This is a restaurant," Wan Qiu asked again.

Chu Yigui lowered his eyes slightly; Wan Qiu was asking him a question.

Unconsciously, Wanqiu was asking for his help.

Chu Yigui smiled and said, "This isn't a restaurant, it's home."

Wanqiu was quite bewildered.

“Do you remember the gate you saw during the day? It was tall, white, and had a long fence.” After Wan Qiu nodded in affirmation, Chu Yigui continued, “From there on, everything you see is home.”

Wan Qiu pondered Chu Yigui's words repeatedly, then suddenly opened his eyes wide in confusion.

"The place where we are standing now is the kitchen of our home, where we eat. The place where you sleep is your bedroom. My bedroom is next to yours. Mom and Dad also have their bedrooms in this house."

This passage is quite long.

However, Chu Yigui used repetitive, simple words and the most appropriate speaking speed to help Wan Qiu understand this matter that ordinary people do not need to explain in any further.

Wan Qiu blinked and looked back at the perimeter of the kitchen, the huge dining room and living room, the garden and green trees, all swirling in her memory.

His huge place, big enough to house many people, was just a bedroom.

The concept of home kept expanding in Wanqiu's mind, as if it had expanded to the starry sky, where he could see the stars connecting to form a line, creating a new family.

Wanqiu finally uttered the first sentence he understood: "What a big house."

"Yes, what a big house," Chu Yigui replied with a soft laugh.

Wan Qiu was surprised, but after experiencing everything, it was Chu Yigui who ultimately surprised him.

"Where did Mom and Dad go?" He can't see his parents now, not because they left, but because they went to his bedroom.

Chu Yigui understood Wan Qiu's confusion and replied, "We didn't go anywhere. Mom and Dad are at home now; they're in the bedroom."

Suddenly, the huge, empty space, which had been so desolate, no longer felt cold and spacious because it was home, where he lived under the same roof as his parents and even his brothers.

Suddenly I felt relieved. It wasn't that my parents disliked me and that's why we lived far away; it was just that our house was too big, so it was far.

Looking at the hints of joy in Wan Qiu's eyes, a joy that Chu Yigui had given Wan Qiu to savor, was a joy that Chu Yigui had made Wan Qiu experience.

Wan Qiu stared at Chu Yigui, vaguely sensing a unique emotion emanating from Chu Yigui.

Wanqiu thought of the daytime.

After returning home, Chu Yigui was never by his side.

The transparent, gray walls created a distance between him and Chu Yigui, and Wan Qiu could not see Chu Yigui on the other side of the dim wall.

However, Chu Yigui could easily break through the wall and arrive at Wanqiu's side at the moment when Wanqiu needed her most.