Chapter 21, Part Twenty-One

"Why is your name Ruan Mianmian?" On her first day of kindergarten, the other children asked her curiously after hearing her self-introduction.

"Is it because you were soft when you came out of your mother's tummy?"

Ruan Mianmian? Soft and fluffy.

"I don't know either," Little Ruan Mianmian shook her head.

She went home and asked her mother.

Why is my name Ruan Mianmian?

"Because..." She had just returned home from a social event and had drunk too much alcohol, so she was a bit slow to react.

"Because your mother doesn't want you to become like your father."

She pinched Ruan Mianmian's chubby cheeks.

"My daughter will surely grow up to be a gentle girl, just like a soft, gentle rain."

Ruan Mianmian looked at her drunken mother, seemingly understanding but not quite.

What exactly does "gentle" mean?

It's about being more generous and tolerant.

But even children know that you have to pick on the weak, and little Ruan Mianmian is sometimes bullied because of her good temper.

At first, she would swallow her anger, but as she grew older, she learned to give them a taste of their own medicine.

If you wrap her in cotton, she will accept you with the same tenderness.

Conversely, the only option is probably a head-on confrontation.

Ruan Mianmian is not soft or weak at all.

Her soft spot is only for the people she likes.

"I like Sister Mianmian." One day, Ren Yanyu deliberately took the popcorn that Ruan Mianmian bought to her sister's room and circled around. Sure enough, her sister slapped her on the bottom.

The main reason Ren Yanyu liked Ruan Mianmian was not because she was gentle, but because Ruan Mianmian would often take Ren Yanyu out to play and use her own pocket money to buy delicious food for Ren Yanyu.

Children's likes and dislikes are very simple: they like whoever plays with them or buys them snacks.

"Ayi, the novel you wanted to read has arrived, so I took Xiaoyu to browse around." Ruan Mianmian followed Ren Yanyu in and placed the unopened book on the desk.

She was even carrying groceries she had bought at the supermarket.

She didn't want to do nothing and waste Aunt Ren's kindness.

"Living under someone else's roof" requires her to be more self-aware.

After her father went to jail, the responsibility for the debts and compensation fell entirely on Ruan Mianmian's mother.

She left this house for Ruan Mianmian, and even selling all her other assets couldn't plug this huge hole.

A man she dated when she was young agreed to go to another city with her to make a living, so she had no choice but to let Ruan Mianmian stay here.

"Mom will come back to see you during the Chinese New Year."

But she didn't come back for the Chinese New Year.

Because she had a little sister.

They met again after more than a decade.

The two stood at their former neighbor's house, speechless.

"Xiao Ruan's back? Your mother came looking for you today. She didn't know you moved in with Xiao Yi, so I asked her to come over and wait." Mrs. Ren finally emerged from the kitchen. "Xiao Yi, come quickly and see how to do this..."

"I'll take Yunyun to wash her hands first." Ruan Mianmian took Ren Yunyou's little hand and walked inside.

The huge living room was suddenly empty except for the two of them.

The girl behind Ruan's mother didn't receive a response from Ruan Mianmian and stood awkwardly to the side.

In the kitchen, Ren's parents looked at the gas stove, which they couldn't light, with worry. They looked it over and then dialed the repairman's number.

"It will take her more than an hour to get here."

"What can we do... Your Aunt Ruan is coming over with her daughter, and we can't cook at home..."

Let's order takeout.

"Why don't you take them out to eat? Your dad and I will stay home and wait for them to come."

Ren's mother winked at her.

"The mother and daughter haven't seen each other for so long, it's inevitable that they've developed some resentment. It's not appropriate for too many outsiders to be around."

"I'll send you then."

*

I'm planning to eat at the Chinese restaurant on the top floor of the nearby shopping mall.

They split into two cars and went there. Ruan Mianmian and her mother rode in one car, while Renyi took the two children in the other.

Compared to the silence of the adults, the outgoing Ren Yunyou chattered away with the girl brought by Ruan's mother. By the time they got off the bus, they were already so familiar with each other that they could hold hands.

"Mom, what should I call this older sister?"

"You should call her Auntie, right?" Renyi nudged Ruan Mianmian with his elbow.

"Um."

On weekends, restaurants and hotels are extremely crowded with long queues everywhere, so they had to take a number and wait at a less crowded milk tea shop.

"Mom, I want to play the claw machine." Ren Yunyou looked at the arcade with stars in his eyes.

"I'll take you there after Mom buys the milk tea."

One cup for each person, even the adults.

"Little Auntie, let's go play." With the milk tea in hand, Ren Yunyou pulled Ruan Wanying away.

"Then Auntie, you and Mianmian rest here, I'll take them to play."

Seize the opportunity to leave Ruan's mother and Ruan Mianmian some alone time.

"I've heard about what happened to your father. I happened to have some free time, so I came back to see you," Mrs. Ruan said carefully, choosing her words carefully.

"I'm fine."

"Back then..."

“Mom,” Ruan Mianmian interrupted her.

I understand you.

She knew what her mother would say.

In front of the claw machine in the distance, Ruan Wanying finally picked up a plush toy, took it out and handed it to Ren Yunyou, looking shy.

Ren Yunyou looked at his aunt with admiration and praised her for being amazing.

She randomly picked up a basket of coins and let the two children play freely. Noticing the gazes directed at them, she patted the little girl on the shoulder.

When Ren Yunyou saw her mother looking at her, she quickly held up the doll in her hand to show it off.

“But I will not become yours.” Ruan Mianmian withdrew her gaze, the warmth in her eyes still lingering.

Her father and mother did not get together because they were deeply in love.

It was only because it was time to get married and have children that Ruan Mianmian came into being.

“I love Renyi very much, which is why I adopted Yunyun with her and will accompany Yunyun as she grows up.”

"Yunyun is not someone on whom I or Renyi have any expectations."

"I just hope she grows up happily and chooses the life she wants."

"She doesn't need to be anyone else, she just needs to be herself."

"Okay, okay." Ruan's mother wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes without leaving a trace and took a sip of the milk tea that she had ordered for them.

It's not cloyingly sweet, nor does it have a strong, bitter tea aroma.

The cool liquid slid down my throat, leaving only a crisp taste with each breath.

"Don't feel sorry for me, Mom." Ruan Mianmian handed her a tissue and wiped the water droplets off the paper cup. "You have another daughter."

"You should love her more."

She's past the age where she needs to apologize.

Ren Yi and Ren Yunyou filled the missing parts, so there was no need for anyone else to make up for it.

When Renyi returned with the two children, the atmosphere had changed from awkward to pleasant, and Ruan Mianmian and her mother were talking amicably.

When Ruan Wanying came over, Ruan Mianmian took the initiative to greet her.

The girl smiled.

At the dinner table, Ren Yunyou kept calling Ruan's mother "Grandma," making her beam with joy.

They have to go back tomorrow, and Ruan Wanying still has to go to class.

"Little Auntie, come play again next time, let's go and win all the plush toys from the claw machine."

As the family of three walked home, Ruan Mianmian felt an unprecedented sense of relief.

She had other plans for today.

Ren Yunyou was tired from playing, so he took a shower and fell fast asleep.

In the quiet night, Ruan Mianmian locked the door as usual.

He casually took off his glasses, waiting for what was about to happen.

Just like last night, she received a long, tender kiss.

Thinking about what she was about to endure, she began to feel a sense of anticipation.

Ruan Mianmian, however, made no move.

Open your eyes at will.

"Ayi, shall we get married?"

"I am your wife." Renyi thought she was asking for reassurance because of what happened today.

She kissed her lips, wanting her to continue.

The two rings placed beside the bed leaned against each other, neither of them was alone.

"Then let's get married."

Ruan Mianmian handed her the phone.

There are three plane tickets.