Proofread by Claire.KK
Early morning in one chilly winter day, with dense haze covering the city, there was a real nip in the air, which made people shudder.
In a shabby residential area, a black figure came over with ice crystals hanging on her hair end and wisps of steam puffed from her lips.
Carrying a cloth bag full of food with her left hand, Qiao Mu pulled the handle of the building’s gate with her red and swollen right hand. "It"s freezing cold!" The chilliness coming from the iron gate made her shiver.
She walked upstairs carefully. On the second floor, by the side of her right hand, three scarlet words "Pay the Debt" were written on the green security door, the paint of which had flaked off.
"Even though you have written these words for hundreds of times, I still don"t have the money to pay you back." Recalling several days ago when she yelled hysterically at a group of people, Qiao Mu lowered her head with her eyes full of complex emotions.
"Whatever, I"m used to it now." Qiao Mu raised her head, consoling herself.
It often happened in her life, right?
Qiao Mu took out the keys to open the door and went to the kitchen carrying the bag. Ignoring the coldness of the tap water, she rolled up her sleeves to wash the pak choi. As soon as she touched the cold water, her hands shivered. She had to cook the meal quickly and sent it to her mother.
Every night, Qiao Mu had to use two hot-water bags to dispel the cold so that she could fall asleep, with one under her feet and the other in her arms. After all, she did not have money to pay the heating fee. Even so, she often woke up at midnight with her hands and feet numbed.
Half an hour later.
Carrying the rice cooker, Qiao Mu carefully poured the steaming hot millet congee into the heat insulation barrel. After that, she placed the pak choi and two boiled eggs in the upper layer of the barrel as well as two spring onion pancakes before she closed the barrel.
Scratching the bottom of the cooker to collect the remaining millet congee, she gobbled it with the last spring onion pancake.
She had to do three part-time jobs to pay for her mother"s treatment expense and their living cost. Though she was tired, she felt satisfied with her life.
Finishing her breakfast hurriedly, Qiao Mu took the barrel and went out, with a schoolbag on her back. She planned to accompany her mother in the hospital in the morning and send books to the customers in the afternoon.
When Qiao Mu disappeared in the housing estate, a tall male got off the car which parked on the corner.
He wore a black ankle-length overcoat and a pair of deerskin gloves, which made him tall and handsome. He seemed so n.o.ble that he was incompatible with the old and shabby houses.
At this moment, he looked at the scruffy residential building, frowning. There was no expression on his face, but one could tell from his eyes that he was not as calmer as he looked. He walked towards the gate where Qiao Mu had just left.
Seeing this, Zuo Zhen standing next to him walked forward quickly to pull the rusty gate open.
The male walked upstairs slowly, looking at the broken voice-activated sensor light, rusty handles and tainted walls. After they reached the second floor, he looked at the scarlet words on the green security door, frowning.
Looking at the President who stared at the security door silently, Zuo Zhen felt like cringing. He had no idea about what the President was thinking, but he had to brace himself to ask," President, do you want the door open?"
With his eyes half opened to hide his mood, Xi Muqiao opened his mouth, saying in a low and deep voice," Give me the key."
If Qiao Mu got to know this, she would absolutely burn with rage and call the police immediately, accusing that someone had copied the key to her place without her permission.
…
It was quite cold inside the apartment. The tall man now stood in the narrow living room, setting off the small size of the s.p.a.ce. Xi Muqiao slightly lowered his head, entering the small room that had a doll hanging on the door frame.
He quickly looked from left to right until his eyes fell on a photo frame.
Like a hammer punching on his chest, he felt so painful and his fingers couldn’t help but shiver. His cold eyes became moist," Little girl, I have finally found you."
Though he had already guessed that Qiao Mu was the little girl he had been missing all the time, seeing the little girl smiling brightly on the photo who exactly looked the same as the one in his memory, his face changed.
…
"Big brother, please don"t cry. Look, the sakura is about to blossom." A silvery voice came through. The youngster turned around and saw a little girl with a ponytail smile brightly at him.
"It"s none of your business. Snotty, go away!" Staring at the shabby clothes the little girl was wearing, the young man yelled at her, trying to drive her away.
His yelling made the little girl stunned for a while. Rubbing the hem of her clothes, the little girl hesitated for quite a while and then looked at the youngster who wiped out his tears, opening her mouth again, "Don"t cry…" But her shivering voice showed that she was a little scared.
"I"m not crying! Go away!"
The little girl said nothing, but she looked at him with her innocent and crystal-clear eyes.
Suddenly, she grinned at him, like a blossomed lily in the early morning that full of dewdrops, fragrant and attractive.
…
In the many years after that time, when he thought about the little girl during midnight, he also believed that the last smile of the little girl might be the key to open his locked, depressed heart.
Looking at the familiar small face, which had been existing in his mind all the time, once again, Xi Muqiao could not help but feel so excited. Happiness like a huge wave rushed at him at this moment.
The man looked greedily at the photo in his hand: the same shabby clothes, the same ponytail, the same little face. He smiled with the corner of his mouth lifted high as if anyone seeing the softness and love in his eyes could be immersed.
"Don"t cry…" The clear voice still echoed in his mind.
On the bottom right corner of the dark photo frame, there were two words "Age 6" written with ballpoint pen. The handwriting was shaky and childish.
"Hi, little b.a.s.t.a.r.d, we meet again!" Xi Muqiao slightly raised his head, holding back the tears in his eyes.
The photo frames next to it were written with Age 10, 15 and 18. He could saw every change of her these years from the photos. Her face became more mature and her long hair was cut short. The childish handwriting had become beautiful. But the bright smile on her face had never changed.
Xi Muqiao felt his nose stung and tears welled up in his eyes. It had pa.s.sed 14 years since the scene impressed itself on his memory.
He had not got the chance to watch his little girl grow up. He did not know how she lived her life those years, but he could clearly feel his little girl was naturally obstinate.
Several photos made up the blank that Xi Muqiao had have about her life for many years. It was fortunate the tribulation of life did not overwhelm her nor squash the bright smile on her face. It was not too late.
Many years ago, he lost his little girl. But now, he had found her. Though she could not recognize him, it did not matter. He would be really close to her, not giving her any chances to leave him again.
Noticing the discoloured Mickey Doll in the bed, Xi Muqiao"s facial expression softened. After these many years, she still kept the Little Mickey he gave her.
The kitchen was clean and tidy, with a slight faint scent, but it was so small that Xi Muqiao could barely turn around.
He lifted the lid covering the plate; some new-made spring onion pancakes were still warm. With appreciation, he grabbed one pancake and started to eat, "Little b.a.s.t.a.r.d, this is the interest you pay for the physical and emotional hurt you gave me."
After finishing, Xi Muqiao wiped his hands and smiled happily, the corner of his mouth lifting. He could imagine what kind of expression Qiao Mu would have after she found out a pancake missing.
Getting out of the kitchen, Xi Muqiao touched the corner of his mouth, looking happily. It was the first time he had felt so peaceful after these many years. He waved at Zuo Zhen behind him, saying," You go to the hospital…"