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Caizhou.
At eight o'clock in the evening, the sky was already dark and the street lights were on, but the light could not penetrate the small wooden door of the "Old Place" pub.
In the pub, the warm orange light, wrapped in the mixed scent of aged wood and alcohol, dispelled some of the chill of dusk.
Tang's mother was standing behind the bar wiping the glasses, rubbing the off-white cloth back and forth in her hands. The water stains on the walls of the glass were wiped clean, but not as neatly as usual.
She unconsciously increased the strength of the cloth when wiping the cup, and the cloth made a slight "squeaking" sound as it rubbed against the rim of the cup, and even the corner of the cloth that was gripped by her fingertips was wrinkled.
"...the price is too low, much lower than the market price."
There was a pause, and the voice was like a deflated balloon.
"But if it really doesn't work... just sell it."
There is no way around it.
The old house was not worth much to begin with, and the price was lowered, which made the situation even worse for their family.
Tang Yuxun, who was standing next to him, had an unfinished cigarette between his fingers.
Sparks from the cigarette butt flickered in the dimness, smoke drifted out with the breath, and dispersed into a light mist in the warm light.
He didn't respond, just took a breath in silence.
He didn't even notice the cigarette ash falling on his pants, he just stared at the ground.
For sale?
Although the price was far below expectations, houses are not for sale these days, let alone old houses.
If you miss this buyer...
But just as the two were distressed, there was a ringing of the doorbell, followed by a choked sob voice suddenly coming from the door, like a small stone thrown into calm water:
“Mom…Dad…”
Tang's mother loosened her grip on the towel, quickly suppressed the worry on her face, and tried to force out her usual smile. As she turned around, she subconsciously straightened her clothes, trying to make herself look more energetic.
"Xiaoxiao is back? With her brother and sister..."
Before he could finish his words, his voice got stuck in his throat, and the smile on his face began to crumble bit by bit, like frozen wax.
The cloth slipped from his fingers and fell on the bar with a "click". The sound of the glasses colliding was particularly clear in the quiet pub.
Tang's mother's eyes widened, her pupils contracted, her gaze fixed on the figure at the door, she even forgot to breathe - there stood Tang Xiaoxiao, her skirt hanging down to her calves, revealing her slender, straight legs.
She was not in a wheelchair, but just stood steadily at the door. The evening breeze blew in from behind her, ruffling the ends of her soft hair. Even her posture showed her stability.
Tang Yu's hand, which had just extinguished the cigarette, was still suspended in mid-air, and he was turning around when he heard the sound.
His movements suddenly stopped, as if he had frozen in place. His originally relaxed shoulders instantly tensed up, and his Adam's apple rolled up and down in his neck twice, but no sound came out.
He stared at his daughter's legs, then quickly glanced at the door—there was no sign of a wheelchair, and his daughter's feet were firmly on the floor.
The employees in the pub also stopped moving. The young man who was arranging the tables and chairs stopped with his hands on the back of the chair, and the young girl holding the wine glass froze in place. Even the air seemed to be frozen.
The light fell on Tang Xiaoxiao, making her figure exceptionally clear. The small floral patterns on her skirt, the bows in her hair, and the pair of legs that stood firmly on their feet all indicated that what was before her was not an illusion.
Tang's mother moved her lips and wanted to call out "Xiaoxiao", but she found that her throat was dry and sore.
She raised her hand and rubbed her eyes, thinking it was because the light was too dim and she was dazzled. But when she opened her eyes again, her daughter was still standing there, tears in her eyes, whispering to her, "Mom, I'm back."
This time, Tang's mother finally found her voice, but it was hoarse as if it had been rubbed by sandpaper: "Xiao... Xiaoxiao? You..."
She pointed at her daughter's leg, her fingertips trembling slightly, her words incomplete, emotions and tears pouring out like a tide, almost drowning her.
For many years, the couple had never really dared to hope for this day, but now, the miracle was right before their eyes.
This made them unable to even react, and they could only stare at their daughter standing in the light like two stone statues.
Standing daughter.
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