When Su Xun led his people into the flower shop, there were hardly any people left inside, and a familiar car was parked outside.
She heard Su's mother's voice from the doorway, with Uncle He standing beside her, the two seemingly discussing something.
“Manly said she wants to put a potted plant in the stairwell to make it look more comfortable. What do you think is a good choice?”
"Mom, I'm back." Su Xun turned to look at He Chengzheng and smiled kindly, "Uncle He."
Since He Chengzheng helped her out of a predicament last time, Su Xun's impression of He Chengzheng has improved considerably.
He Chengzheng smiled and nodded, "Xiao Xun is helping out at the flower shop again."
"Yeah, I'm going home this weekend."
Su Xun quietly pulled his mother aside and whispered in her ear, "Mom, I just ran into Dad."
"What did you say?" Upon hearing this, Su's mother trembled violently, almost knocking over a pot of succulents that was in full bloom beside her.
"He's right outside. Do you want to go see him?"
After composing herself, Su's mother came out and looked at He Chengzheng, who was still picking flowers.
"I just remembered I have a meeting later, so why don't I come back tomorrow?" His gaze swept over the mother and daughter's hesitant expressions, breaking the silence.
He nodded and walked outside.
As he walked, he took out his car keys from his pants pocket. As he passed the door, he glanced at the somewhat uneasy man beside him, subtly observing him before driving away.
Su Xun called the people still standing outside in, "This is your mother's flower shop. She's waiting for you inside."
Su Lingcheng pinched the corners of his clothes with both hands to straighten the wrinkled clothes before slowly walking in. Inside, there was a pleasant fragrance of various flowers mixed together.
He suddenly had the urge to escape. How could he face the conscience he had done back then?
Su Xun stopped in her tracks and looked at the man who had suddenly stopped. "Actually, we had a very difficult time at the beginning."
Then he walked out of the store and closed the glass door.
She sat on the steps by the door, watching the passersby.
She didn't know what was being said inside, nor did she know what life would be like in the future. She had already prepared herself to never see her father again.
About two hours later, the glass door opened again, and the bell on the door rang crisply with the movement, pulling Su Xun's wandering thoughts back.
The man came out, his face still bearing traces of tears he hadn't had time to wipe away, making him look many years older.
"Thank you," she said, and then left.
Su Xun walked into the store. The lighting inside was dim, and his mother sat alone in the shadows, not moving.
She didn't go closer, but simply picked up the small, transparent watering can and watered the plants.
Much later, as dusk was approaching, Su's mother slowly rose. Her voice was hoarse from not speaking for so long. "Xiao Xun, let's go home."
Su Xun had no idea what had happened; he simply nodded without saying a word.
Much later, she learned that although her mother had been waiting for her father to return all these years, she harbored resentment in her heart, more than she and Su Mu did. Yet, because of that sense of responsibility, she had waited for so long.
A month later, Su Xun received a text message.
The contact person was someone she had recently added; it was her father.
“I’m going back to Huaicheng. I contacted your uncle these past few days, and he found me a job at his factory. I’ll leave once the construction site here is finished, probably next month. You and Su Mu need to study hard and take good care of yourselves.”
My uncle's family used the money from the land expropriation to start a small factory in recent years, and it's doing quite well. My father is better off working there than on the construction site in S City.
Two weeks ago, the four of them had a meal together. The father felt sorry for them and was too ashamed to go home again. The mother remained calm, perhaps because the affection had been worn away by the daily hardships and she had become numb.
The marriage between my parents, which had no emotional foundation to begin with, ultimately ended in tragedy.
After reading the text message, Su Xun felt inexplicably relieved.
The mother finally broke free from the past, and the father admitted his mistakes; both of them will have new lives.
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