As night fell, Guan Wenru remained in a daze, her mind still in turmoil.
Many images caused her excruciating headaches.
And she, like a walking corpse, tutored her child with his homework.
The two children are seven-year-old Han Xiangdong and Han Fengjiao.
The two were sitting side by side on small stools, leaning over the table. One was counting on his fingers, while the other was crookedly copying new words.
Guan Wenru sat opposite them, pencil in hand, seemingly oblivious to her own thoughts, patiently instructing the two children, "Xiang Dong, 7 + 8 isn't 14, calculate it again... Feng Jiao, the character '主' (zhu) has a dot on top, not a horizontal line..."
Her voice was gentle, yet it carried a hint of weariness that she herself was unaware of.
This seemed to be her daily routine: taking care of the two adopted children left behind by her deceased husband, Han Haoxian, and struggling to survive in this remote little town.
But...why...does something just feel off?
Her gaze swept over the children's innocent yet already willful faces, and a strong sense of unease welled up inside her, like wearing clothes inside out, making her feel uncomfortable all over.
"Hey, how do I do this problem?! I don't know how!" Han Xiangdong impatiently threw down his pencil and complained with a pout.
“That’s right, I can’t write it either. You can write it for me, the teacher won’t notice.” Han Fengjiao also raised her head, blinked, and had a spoiled sense of entitlement.
Guan Wenru pressed her temples, which were suddenly throbbing, trying to concentrate. "No, you have to do your homework yourself... If you don't know how, I'll teach you..."
This shouldn't be happening!
Her child shouldn't have this attitude towards homework!
Her child wouldn't even think about asking someone else to help him with his homework!
What exactly happened?!
Just then, a violent, sudden wave of dizziness struck!
Countless chaotic... bizarre fragments flooded her mind like a tidal wave!
[In the pristine white hospital room, the medical equipment beeped. A tall figure in a green military uniform held her hand tightly, his voice hoarse and pleading, "Wenru...please wake up..."]
Three identical, chubby-cheeked boys rushed into her arms, calling out in their clear voices, "Mommy! Mommy!"
[He Yanzhi! It's He Yanzhi! He smiled and pulled her into his arms, his kisses hot and passionate... The two of them were entangled on the kang (heated brick bed)...
[In the spacious factory area, amidst the roar of machines, the workers greeted her warmly, "Director Guan!"]
[Grandma, Baiyun, Xi Mufan... it seems like they're all here!]
"Ah!" Guan Wenru groaned in pain and suddenly clutched her head.
These scenes are too fast, too chaotic, too real, and too absurd!
It was completely out of place with everything around her!
"I'm not... This isn't right... My children... There are three... He Yanzhi... Yanzhi..."
She muttered to herself unconsciously, her eyes unfocused, and cold sweat beaded on her forehead.
Two completely different memories and perceptions were clashing fiercely in her mind, almost tearing her reason apart!
"Hey! What's wrong with you? Hurry up and help me with my homework!" Han Xiangdong saw that she wasn't moving, so he reached out and pushed her arm in annoyance.
"That's right, hurry up! I'm so sleepy!" Han Fengjiao imitated her brother and pushed her hard, her face showing no concern for her mother's sudden discomfort, only impatience and urging.
This push seemed to have toppled a crucial gate!
The moment Han Fengjiao's hand touched her, another cold and terrifying "memory" suddenly exploded in Guan Wenru's mind!
The two children before her had grown up, their faces twisted in malice. In a fight for her house and inheritance, they had conspired to kidnap her, mock her viciously, and even… kill her!
"ah!!"
Guan Wenru suddenly let out a shrill scream, a sound filled with extreme anger and despair!
She flung her hand out suddenly, as if bitten by a venomous snake!
Snap!
A crisp, loud slap landed hard on Han Fengjiao's face, who was closest to her!
Immediately afterwards, he slapped Han Xiangdong across the face with his other hand!
Snap!
The two children were completely stunned by the beating, and bright red finger marks instantly appeared on their faces.
They stared wide-eyed at the "mother" before them, who was usually submissive, gentle, and even somewhat cowardly.
Guan Wenru was panting heavily, her chest heaving violently, and the hand that had hit her was still trembling violently.
Looking at the two children she had hit, who were about to cry out, her eyes no longer held their usual gentle forbearance, but were filled with an almost insane fear, hatred, and a chilling coldness of complete awakening.
"Get out of my way!"
Her voice was hoarse, yet it carried an unprecedented ferocity, "Don't touch me! You two... ungrateful wretches!"
Han Xiangdong and Han Fengjiao were completely terrified by her eyes and tone. They even forgot to cry, covered their burning cheeks, and looked at their mother, who seemed to have completely changed, with great fear, shrinking back.
Guan Wenru stood there as if she were standing between two worlds, the tragedy of her past life and the memories of this life intertwined wildly, almost swallowing her whole.
Han Xiangdong and Han Fengjiao were terrified by her appearance. After a few seconds of stunned silence, they burst into a heart-wrenching wail, covering their faces as if they had suffered a tremendous injustice. They turned and ran outside, shouting as they ran:
"Grandma! Grandma! This woman is crazy! This woman actually hit us! Waaaaaah!"
"Grandma, help! This woman is going to kill us!"
Guan Wenru stood there, her chest still heaving violently, the palm of the hand that had hit her numb, but the chaotic, painful fragments of memory in her mind gradually became clear and settled coldly.
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