Mr. and Mrs. Wen walked to the window and looked down. Under the streetlight, the cousins ​​were very close together, seemingly whispering to each other, their heads occasionally touching.

"It's rare to have such a lively time," Su Juan said with a touch of emotion, as she got up to tidy up the table. She really enjoyed the atmosphere just now; as a middle-aged woman, she cherishes these moments of family joy and togetherness.

"You were quite nervous before."

Wen Yiquan stood beside her, joking and helping to clear the plates.

Contrary to her seemingly kind and gentle auntie persona, Su Juan was incredibly nervous before Xia Lian and her companion arrived, fearing that the girl might not be able to adapt well to the family. Fortunately, the outcome was quite good.

"Mind your own business."

"Okay, okay, I won't say anything more." Wen Yiquan gave in.

...

Returning home was a close call, but nothing serious happened. He hadn't walked more than a few steps from the neighborhood when Wen Mo secretly looked back and, seeing that there was no one around, quietly took Xia Lian's small hand in his.

It's still more comfortable to hold hands.

Xia Lian blinked, and in the dim light of the streetlamp, she could only make out the other person's chin.

"Is it okay to hold hands?"

"Nobody around here knows us, so we can just take anyone's hand."

Outside, no one would guess the identities of a couple who are just strangers; they can hold hands however they want.

Now Wenmo felt very comfortable, especially after bringing this girl home and seeing her sleeping in his house... no, I mean, he felt a sense of peace.

The early autumn nights were not much different from those at the end of summer. A warm breeze caressed their faces, and after holding hands for a while, they even walked in sync.

There were many fallen leaves on the road. Perhaps it was the change of seasons, as a few gusts of wind could blow down a large number of leaves, which would crunch underfoot.

I was thinking of taking a taxi home, but then I thought better of it. I ate a lot tonight anyway, so I figured I'd walk more to help digest.

"Was today's food good?"

"It was delicious...I'm very full."

Xia Lian stepped on the fallen leaves, occasionally glancing down at the ground. She found the crunching sound of the leaves amusing, and a relaxed expression unconsciously appeared on her face, like a child who hadn't lost her innocence.

"It's good that you can eat more and gain weight." Wen Mo's gaze was fixed on the road ahead, occasionally stealing a glance at Xia Lian beside him.

She was wearing a long dress, and the streetlights weren't very bright, so Xia Lian's figure could only be vaguely seen.

But Wenmo knew that this girl was definitely one of the overly thin ones. She was so skinny that he could feel it when he carried her on his back last time. It was as if a gust of wind could blow her away.

"Why?"

"Because you're too thin, and your body is still developing. How can you keep up with the nutrition if you don't eat more?" Wen Mo said, resting his chin on his hand, and nodded thoughtfully after saying this.

In the future, I might learn about nutritional combinations online. If the dishes taste good, I can learn a few more. If I want to supplement calcium, I can cook a big pot of bone broth. If I want to gain weight, I can make a bowl of braised pork.

But...

So many days have passed, she should have gained some weight, unlike when we first met her when she was so thin and small.

Instead of going straight home, the two took a longer route and finally stopped by the river where they had been taking a walk late at night.

A gentle breeze rustled the white dress, and the sound of flowing river drifted from afar. Under the full moon of the Mid-Autumn Festival, the shimmering surface of the river could be seen.

Wen Mo rested his hand on the railing, recalling what happened that night. "Do you remember we came here a few days ago? I wonder if you're feeling any better now than you were then."

There were hardly any people around; most people were still at home having their reunion dinner. The riverbanks were reflected with various neon lights.

Xia Lian nodded slightly, squinted and looked up at the sky. On a moonlit night, there are no stars; the sky is as if covered by a piece of black velvet.

She reached out to grasp at the sky, but could not see the stars.

Wenmo knew what she was thinking, so he leaned against the railing and looked up at the sky with her. "There are no stars on a full moon night."

"There won't be any stars...?" Xia Lian turned her head to look at his profile and asked with some doubt.

“But it’s okay. Didn’t you say that your mother is in your heart?” Wen Mo waved his arms, as if to embrace the bright moonlight.

He glanced at Xia Lian and said with a smile, "Remember to tell your mother that you are doing well now and everyone likes you."

The warmth of family is enough to melt a young girl's heart, and the simple joys of everyday life can help her pull herself together and continue living with her mother's support.

Xia Lian looked into the distance without speaking. Her white skirt reflected the silvery moonlight. The girl squinted her eyes. At that moment, a gentle breeze blew by, like her mother gently stroking her cheek.

She opened her arms and hugged herself, as if responding to the embrace from before.

Yes, don't worry, I'm doing fine.

...

It was almost 9 p.m. when I got home.

Wenmo put the bag on the table, stretched, and realized he had slept too long in the afternoon and probably wouldn't be sleepy tonight.

Xia Lian looked at the bag with some curiosity and poked it with her hand.

What's inside?

"You mean this?" Wen Mo opened the bag his father had given him. "Inside are your ID card and household registration book. The school will need them in a few days."

"ID card."

Xia Lian repeated the sentence, focusing her gaze on the small hard card.

Following her gaze, Wen Mo finally took a closer look at the photo on the ID card.

Xia Lian looks noticeably younger in her ID photo, although she hasn't matured much since then. Judging by the photo, Xia Lian probably got her ID card when she was in the second year of junior high school.

However, she was just as beautiful as she is now.

“You were quite cute back then,” Wen Mo joked.

Xia Lian back then was very different from now; her eyes were not as empty and lifeless as they are now.

When he looked at Xia Lian again, the girl's delicate face still showed a hint of confusion and innocence.

"Am I not cute now?" She reached out and poked her little face, looking completely innocent.

"You're all cute, but you're the cutest." Wen Mo was amused by Xia Lian's reaction and quickly added a couple more words, while pushing her into the room, "Now the cutest girl is going to take a shower, take your clothes to the bathroom."

Once she entered the bathroom, Wen Mo finally relaxed a little and stretched lazily on the sofa.

"Stealing half a day of leisure from a busy life."

Feeling a bit bored, he held the ID card in his hand and looked at it carefully. The photo also made Wenmo feel a sense of novelty.

At that time, Xia Lian also had a pair of bright eyes, which was quite rare.

He looked away from the photo and casually glanced at the information on it. Just as he was about to put the ID card away, his eyes suddenly widened, and he stared blankly at a certain piece of information for a moment—the date of birth, which was the day Xia Lian was born into this world.

Wen Mo paused, staring blankly for a moment.

"Aren't we almost there?"