Chapter 13
Curling Smoke
Su Binglan had not noticed this before. She looked at her mother’s worn-out clothes and shoes, then looked at herself. Su Binglan had brand new clothes and shoes. She felt a sourness in her heart.
Su Binglan said, “Mother, let me see your feet.”
Shen Qiuhua was stunned and couldn’t help but shrink her feet in shame. She said, “There’s nothing wrong with my feet. Come on. It’s already past noon. Let’s go home and get something to eat. I know you must be hungry.”
Shen Qiuhua would go into town and wash clothes to earn money for Su Binglan. She would walk to the town at dawn and return at night. She didn’t have a pair of good shoes, so walking back and forth made her feet battered and bruised.
However, Shen Qiuhua did not tell anyone about this. But at that moment, Su Binglan understood what her mother went through. She immediately squatted and said, “I’ll carry you home, Mother.”
Shen Qiuhua hurriedly waved her hand and said, “N-No, you don’t have to carry me since I can walk independently. Please don’t tire yourself out.”
Shen Qiuhua knew that her daughter had changed. It was as though she became more sensible after surviving the river incident. Shen Qiuhua felt gratified yet sad.
Shen Qiuhua was sad because she thought she was a hopeless mother who troubled her daughter. Su Binglan almost drowned when she fell into the river, and Shen Qiuhua became afraid whenever she thought about it.
“Mother, I won’t eat if you don’t let me carry you.” Su Binglan knew how to make her mother listen to her since she could access her predecessor’s memories.
Under her daughter’s insistence, Shen Qiuhua finally let Su Binglan carry her. Su Binglan carried Shen Qiuhua on her back and walked home. Su Binglan didn’t feel tired. Instead, she felt a warmth in her heart.
Su Binglan only wanted the best for the people around her. Meanwhile, Shen Qiuhua lay on her daughter’s back, teary-eyed.
…
When Su Binglan carried Shen Qiuhua to the village entrance, she saw smoke rising from every household in the village. Most of the villagers had returned from the fields to cook lunch.
Su Binglan felt peaceful and comfortable when she saw the white smoke rising from the village.
At that time, Luo Jin’an worked on the mountain field, and the terrain was high. He could see the village entrance from where he stood. His attractive eyes revealed a trace of emotion when he saw Su Binglan carrying her mother on her back.
Luo Jin’an knew how Su Binglan behaved before she nearly drowned in the river. But she was an entirely different person after surviving the incident.
Previously, it was already a blessing if Shen Qiuhua didn’t have to carry Su Binglan on her back. But now, the roles had reversed. Luo Jin’an knew that Su Binglan had no concept of loving her parents.
…
Su Binglan felt a strange sensation as she carried Shen Qiuhua. It was as if someone was staring at her. It was somewhat breathtaking.
Even though Su Binglan’s powers had yet to recover, she possessed excellent perception. Then Shen Qiuhua asked, “What’s wrong, Binglan? Are you tired?”
Shen Qiuhua had asked Su Binglan to put her down several times during their travels back to the village, but Su Binglan refused. Shen Qiuhua was afraid that her daughter would be tired.
Su Binglan shook her head and said, “N-No, I’m not tired, Mother.”
Shen Qiuhua struggled to get down as she gazed at her daughter’s eyes and looked to the ground. She smiled and asked, “Are you thinking about your husband?”
Shen Qiuhua noticed that Su Binglan’s expression did not change. Shen Qiuhua deliberately said, “He’s a good man. He has been working in the field all day and can’t skip lunch. You should tell him to come home for lunch.”