Chapter 35 Su Wanqing also has a happy and complete family.

The train traveled south with the clanging of its wheels, and the scenery outside the window gradually changed from the vast plains of the north to the lush and verdant water towns of the south.

The two arrived in Jiangcheng the following afternoon. The humid air, carrying the scent of the river, was a stark contrast to the dry and stifling atmosphere of northern industrial cities.

Chu Yanxi and Lu Zhe found a simple guesthouse near the station to settle down.

After a brief rest, they split up to carry out their plans. Lu Zhe went to find his mother, Chen Jing, when she was young, while Chu Yanxi's target was her father, Chu Tongyu, who was only 33 years old in this world, as well as... her mother, Su Wanqing, who taught at Jiangcheng Normal University, and her "self" who was only a few months old.

In Chu Yanxi's memory, after his mother Su Wanqing married his father Chu Tongyu, they initially lived in the staff dormitory allocated by Jiangcheng Normal University where his mother worked. Although it was only a small two-bedroom apartment of about fifty square meters, it was still quite spacious for the family of three.

Chu Yanxi's heart was beating a little fast.

For her mother, Su Wanqing, her feelings were a tangled mess. In that "real" world, in 2005, her father, Chu Tongyu, heroically sacrificed his life in an operation to apprehend an armed criminal. Immense grief overwhelmed the family, and eight-year-old Chu Yanxi cried every day looking for her father, while her mother was also devastated.

However, a year after her father's death, her mother accepted the advances of a widowed professor from the same school, started a new family, and soon had a half-sister.

The death of her father, her mother's remarriage, the arrival of a strange man in her home, and a younger sister who completely captured her mother's attention and love—all of this was a tremendous mental torment for Chu Yanxi, who was already sensitive and insecure.

Chu Yanxi was afraid that her father would be forgotten, that her mother would be taken away by her stepfather and sister, and even more afraid that her future would be lonely and helpless. However, her strong sense of self-respect did not allow her to show weakness, so she turned all her fears into anger.

She vehemently opposed her mother's remarriage, resisted her stepfather's attempts to show concern and affection, and hated the existence of her younger sister. She became like a hedgehog, raising and pulling out all her quills, and then stabbing her relatives.

Su Wanqing, the mother, didn't know why her once well-behaved daughter had become like this. She tried to coax Chu Yanxi, but Chu Yanxi didn't appreciate it at all. She carried her schoolbag and went to the house of her father's best friend, Qin Feng, and started her boarding school life. She refused to go back to her mother's new house even during winter and summer vacations.

Chu Yanxi viewed her mother's remarriage as a betrayal of her father and their once happy family. Her relationship with her mother plummeted to a freezing point, with communication limited to money transfers and a few brief phone calls or text messages. That deep-seated resentment, like a stubborn thorn, had been causing her pain for years.

Chu Yanxi had forgotten what her mother looked like when her father was still alive. She really wanted to know if her mother had ever loved her father deeply? Why did she forget him so easily? Did her mother ever treat her like she treated her younger sister? Why was she able to rebuild her family so quickly?

In order to find the answers to these questions, Chu Yanxi came to the vicinity of the Jiangcheng City Public Security Bureau.

Around three or four in the afternoon, the weak spring sunlight slanted across the national emblem hanging at the entrance, reflecting a cold, hard luster. Chu Yanxi didn't approach; instead, she stood patiently in the shade across the street.

Time passed second by second, and Chu Yanxi's feelings were a mixture of anxiety, anticipation, and a hint of trepidation at the prospect of getting close to love.

Finally, just before the end of the workday, that familiar figure, etched into my very bones, appeared.

Chu Tongyu, 33, was dressed in a neatly pressed police uniform. He stood tall and straight like a poplar tree, his steps were vigorous and powerful, and his brows were filled with the sharpness and focus unique to criminal police officers. However, the corners of his mouth seemed to be slightly upturned, indicating that he was in a good mood today.

He skillfully mounted a nearly new Forever brand bicycle, turned the handlebars, and rode briskly along the tree-lined avenue filled with plane trees towards the area where the Normal University was located.

Chu Yanxi immediately got up and quickly followed.

The bicycle bell jingled as Chu Tongyu rode slowly through the gradually bustling market. He stopped at a roadside stall to buy some fruit, greeting the stall owner familiarly and smiling as he picked out apples.

Chu Tongyu's bicycle eventually entered a quiet residential area with a sign that read "Jiangcheng Normal University Faculty and Staff Dormitory". The area consisted mostly of five- or six-story red brick apartment buildings, with clothes drying on the balconies and common flowers and plants growing in the flower beds, creating a peaceful and tranquil atmosphere.

Chu Yanxi watched as her father deftly parked his bicycle in front of Building No. 5, locked it, and then quickly went up to the third floor. Standing in the dense shadow cast by the camphor tree below, she looked up at the window emitting warm light, her heart filled with mixed emotions.

That was the "home" she once had in this world, but had completely lost.

About half an hour later, the door on the third floor opened. Chu Tongyu came out first, turning back to say something as he descended the stairs, a doting smile on his face. Immediately afterward, a slender young woman wearing a light gray turtleneck sweater with a beige cardigan, carrying a baby wrapped in a pale yellow blanket, carefully walked down the stairs.

That was her 28-year-old mother, Su Wanqing.

The golden sunlight of a spring evening, like warm honey, flowed over her, outlining her gentle and beautiful profile. She looked very young, with fair and delicate skin, and picturesque features, possessing the graceful and scholarly air unique to women from Jiangnan. However, a trace of fatigue could be seen between her brows—the marks left by the hard work of becoming a new mother day and night.

As Su Wanqing gazed down at the baby in her arms, her eyes were filled with an almost devout, overwhelming tenderness and love, and a serene and contented smile played on her lips. That radiant maternal glow, emanating from her completely devoted self, made her appear incredibly gentle.

Chu Tongyu naturally wanted to take the baby from her arms, but Su Wanqing smiled and gently shook her head, holding the child steadily. Chu Tongyu didn't insist, and reached out to gently rub the baby's delicate little face with his knuckles, his eyes overflowing with love.

He whispered a few words of advice before turning around and striding out of the residential area.

Su Wanqing, holding the child, walked to a wooden bench in front of the building that was warm from the sun and sat down. She gently rocked her body, humming a tuneless, soft lullaby from Jiangnan, and occasionally lowered her head to lovingly rub the baby's forehead with her smooth cheek.

The sunset, the mother, and the baby create a tranquil and beautiful scene.

Chu Yanxi stood in the dappled shadows of the trees, quietly and greedily watching this scene. Her heart, frozen by childhood trauma and years of resentment, showed signs of melting because of this heartwarming sight.

It turns out that when her father was still alive, her home was once so warm.

It turns out that her mother had also gazed at her with such unreserved, focused eyes, as if the world consisted only of the two of them.

But why... why, after her father's sacrifice, could that vow of eternal love, that warm fortress that once built her whole world, be so quickly replaced by another man and another family?

Is that incomparably sacred maternal love so easily transferred?

That familiar feeling of resentment and sharp pain from being "betrayed" by her closest loved ones swept over her again, making it hard for Chu Yanxi to breathe.

She took a deep breath, forcing herself to pull herself out of her turbulent emotions, straightened her clothes and expression, stepped out from the shadows of the trees, and pretended to be a new visitor to the neighborhood. With a perfectly timed, slightly apologetic smile on her face, she naturally walked toward the bench bathed in the setting sun.

Chu Yanxi stopped a few steps away from the bench and politely asked, "Excuse me, is there a post office nearby?"

Su Wanqing looked up at the sound and saw a young woman with delicate features, a calm temperament, and clear eyes. Her good upbringing made her respond gently: "The post office? Turn right after you leave the community gate, walk straight along Shiyuan Road, and you'll see it on the street corner after about two intersections. It's a green sign, very eye-catching."

"Thank you," Chu Yanxi said, but her gaze seemed to be inadvertently drawn to the baby in her arms who was babbling and waving its little fists.

The little one opened his big, bright eyes and looked around curiously, smacking his lips. His chubby, pink cheeks were so cute that they made your heart flutter.

It's amazing to be able to see yourself as a baby.

Chu Yanxi couldn't suppress her smile: "Your baby is so cute, with such big eyes, how old is he?"

Mentioning her child, Su Wanqing smiled, her voice filled with a mother's unique pride: "She's almost six months old. She's such a little troublemaker, never sleeps soundly at night, and keeps everyone awake."

“All children are like this. They’ll get better as they grow up and their sleep patterns will become more regular.” Chu Yanxi sat down at the other end of the bench, maintaining a safe distance that was neither distant nor aggressive.

Noticing the weariness between Su Wanqing's brows, Chu Yanxi's heart ached: "Taking care of a baby must be very tiring, right? Doesn't the baby's father help?"

“Fortunately, his father is busy with work, often working overtime and traveling for business, so he is not at home much. However, whenever he has free time, he will help take care of the child, and he will insist on changing diapers and making formula.” Su Wanqing’s tone was full of understanding and support for her husband’s work, and even a hint of defense that was not easily noticed.

However, Chu Yanxi still keenly sensed the loneliness and worry hidden in that fleeting glance and smile. The wives of police officers, especially those of frontline criminal investigators, are destined to endure more loneliness, worry, and anxiety than ordinary people.

The two chatted casually. They talked about the various trivialities and difficulties of raising children, the contrast between the humid and pleasant climate of Jiangcheng and the dryness of the north, and vaguely mentioned their own situations.

Chu Yanxi said that she was a graduate who came to Jiangcheng to stay with relatives and was temporarily staying there. She was looking for job opportunities. Her words revealed her respect for the teaching profession and her admiration and respect for Su Wanqing for being able to take care of her young children and work at the same time.

Su Wanqing seemed to have not encountered a young woman with whom she could chat so peacefully in a long time, and gradually lowered her guard. Chu Yanxi watched her gently patting and soothing the child's profile, and listened to her Mandarin with a soft Wu accent. The resentment in his heart began to loosen and disintegrate under the real, vivid, and warm contact.

At this moment, Su Wanqing is a mother who deeply loves her daughter, a wife who cares about her husband, and an ordinary woman who strives to find a balance between family and work. She deeply loves the baby in her arms, shoulders most of the housework, and also worries about the safety of her detective husband.

Chu Yanxi discovered that her long-standing resentment had nowhere to go when faced with her mother's realness.

Thinking of her father's future, Chu Yanxi changed the subject, her expression becoming solemn and slightly mysterious. She lowered her voice slightly, making sure only the two of them could hear her: "If I may ask, is your spouse's work somewhat dangerous?"

Su Wanqing was slightly taken aback, her eyes showing obvious probing and wariness, and she sat up straighter.

Chu Yanxi met her gaze, his tone sincere yet undeniably serious: "Please don't take offense, but I had an elder in my family who was a renowned physiognomist in the countryside, skilled in face reading and aura analysis. I learned a little from him since childhood. Just now, observing your face, your children's palace is full and rosy, a sign of great fortune and a prosperous later life, but..."

She paused deliberately and emphasized, "Your marital palace, which is the area above the eyebrow and near the temple, faintly exudes a bluish-black aura. This indicates that your husband may encounter a significant calamity in the future. This calamity is related to sharp metal weapons and has a strong malevolent aura. It may result in bloodshed and endanger his life."

Su Wanqing's face turned deathly pale instantly, and her grip on the baby tightened instinctively. Sensing her mother's sudden tension, the infant shifted restlessly and let out a soft whimper. While soothing the child, Su Wanqing anxiously glanced at Chu Yanxi.

As the wife of a criminal police officer, she has an extraordinary sensitivity and fear of these words. The high-risk nature of her husband's profession is the nightmare she dares not touch deep in her heart.

Chu Yanxi quickly softened her tone, speaking with a reassuring tone: "Don't be afraid! Everything has a cause and an effect, and every calamity has a solution. There is a way to overcome it."

She carefully took out a brocade pouch that she had prepared beforehand from her pocket and handed it over. The pouch was made of dark red silk, with an antique "福" (fortune) character embroidered in gold thread on the front; it looked very exquisite.

"Please keep this brocade pouch safe. Inside is a Bagua bronze mirror that can help your loved one turn misfortune into good fortune and avert disaster. Please place it in your loved one's left pocket and keep it close to their body. Remember! Do not go out on the winter solstice of 2005, seven years from now. As long as that day passes safely, the road ahead will be smooth."

Chu Yanxi had two previous experiences with time travel, and knew that once she left, all memories of her would disappear. No matter how many times she reminded her father, he would always forget. Therefore, this time, she decided to send him something tangible.

Chu Yanxi pondered to herself that her father had died on the winter solstice of 2005 after being stabbed in the left side of his waist, resulting in a ruptured spleen. This bronze mirror could both protect her father from the knife and, to some extent, remind her mother of her words, thus influencing her future trajectory and increasing her father's chances of survival.

Su Wanqing opened the delicate brocade pouch, no bigger than the palm of her hand, and saw a miniature bronze mirror inside, but nothing else. She looked up at Chu Yanxi's unusually serious eyes, her heart filled with mixed emotions.

Reason told her that everything this stranger said was too outrageous and she should refuse immediately. However, the girl in front of her had clear eyes and a sincere tone, without a trace of mercenary air. In particular, the sentence "Anything related to sharp metal weapons may lead to bloodshed" triggered her deepest fear.

She remembered the sleepless nights she endured every time her husband went to an emergency scene late at night, the occasional dark red stains on the cuffs of his police uniform that couldn't be washed off, and the thrilling moments he casually mentioned...

Chu Yanxi smiled and said, "It's better to believe it's true than not to believe it's not, right? I'm not asking you for money or anything. I just wanted to make a good connection because I enjoyed chatting with you and found the baby adorable."

Su Wanqing hesitated for a moment, but finally clutched the brocade pouch tightly in her hand: "Thank you..."

Chu Yanxi secretly breathed a sigh of relief, her tense nerves easing slightly: "You're welcome. For me, it's just a small favor, but for you, it could mean a completely different life."

She paused, then casually turned her gaze back to the adorable baby, asking in a relaxed tone, "The baby is so beautiful, what's her name?"

Su Wanqing looked down at her daughter in her arms, her eyes filled with endless tenderness and love again, and her voice softened: "Let's call her Yanxi. Yan is the inkstone for writing brush, ink, paper and inkstone, and Xi is the stream for stream. I hope that she will be intelligent and talented in the future, like the clear and resilient stream, flowing into the sea and having a broad and open life."

It's truly a name that carries the parents' beautiful expectations.

Chu Yanxi reached out and gently, almost imperceptibly, stroked the baby's delicate, almost translucent face, her movements as tender as if afraid to disturb a fragile dream. Her voice was so low that only she could hear it, yet it contained an endless, complex mix of emotions that had transcended the torrent of time: love, regret, admonition, and an unspeakable sorrow.

"Little Yanxi, love your father and mother well, and also... love yourself well."

These words are not only addressed to the infant in front of us, who knows nothing about the future, but also a profound admonition and expectation to Chu Yanxi, who was hurt in the family upheaval, closed off for many years, never truly learned to reconcile with his mother, with the past, and did not know how to love himself properly.

Just then, a familiar figure hurried out of the residential area; it was Chu Tongyu, returning from grocery shopping. Seeing his wife talking to a strange woman, he quickly walked over, his gaze warily fixed on Chu Yanxi.

"Wanqing, what's wrong? Are you alright?" He asked with concern, his steps steady as he subtly stepped in front of his wife and daughter, his sharp gaze sweeping over Chu Yanxi with a professional scrutiny. Although young, his detective instincts made him wary of any stranger approaching his family.

Su Wanqing quickly clutched the brocade pouch tightly in her hand and subconsciously hid it behind her back: "It's nothing. This young lady was just passing by and asked for directions. We... chatted for a bit." She didn't want her husband to know about their conversation about "bloodshed," fearing it would add to his psychological burden.

Chu Tongyu glanced at the calm and clear-eyed stranger in front of him, his brows furrowing slightly. But seeing that she didn't seem like a bad person and that his wife and daughter were unharmed, he didn't ask any more questions. He simply nodded to Chu Yanxi as a greeting.

He immediately turned around, bent down very naturally, and took his daughter from Su Wanqing's arms. A bright, childlike smile, free of any gloom, bloomed on his face as he asked in a doting tone, "Xiaoxi, did you miss Daddy? Hmm?"

At that moment, the last golden rays of the setting sun bathed this warm family of three.

Chu Tongyu's tall frame was slightly bent, forming a protective posture. Su Wanqing looked up at him, her eyes full of dependence and tenderness. The baby in her arms seemed to be being teased by its father, uttering indistinct babbling sounds. Happiness, peace, and an atmosphere full of love almost overflowed.

Chu Yanxi stood quietly, watching the family of three.

The scene of happiness before her was as beautiful as an oil painting, searing her eyes and heart. Tears welled up in her eyes without warning, blurring her vision. Chu Yanxi quickly lowered her head, blinking hard to force back the tears.

Once, she also had such a happy and complete family, and she was once held so steadily in her father's arms and gazed at so tenderly by her mother.

But the wheels of fate turn cruelly, and all that she sees now will vanish, the love she once had will be transferred, and all happiness will be lost. She can only hope that everything she does today can defy that unjust fate and allow all this beauty to continue forever.

For some reason, Chu Yanxi felt an overwhelming pang of sorrow. A deep grief over the capriciousness of fate, a piercing recollection of lost happiness, and an immense, unbearable sense of loneliness surged through her. Chu Yanxi whispered goodbye, turned away hastily, and walked quickly away.

Chu Yanxi walked a long way until she turned the corner and could no longer see the building before she dared to stop, lean against the cold wall, tilt her head back, and take a deep breath of the cool evening air, trying to calm her turbulent emotions.

Night begins to fall, and the city lights begin to illuminate the night.

In the window on the third floor of the faculty and staff residential area of ​​Jiangcheng Normal University, the warm light was still on, and the faint sounds of a baby crying and an adult gently comforting him could be heard. It was the most ordinary warmth of human life, but also a distant galaxy that Chu Yanxi could never reach again in this life.