Chapter 11: Bathroom

The half-grown little girl threw herself into Gu Yining’s arms, latching onto her waist. “Mommy, I’ve been waiting for you forever. I got all your messages. The fight I got into today was to help a classmate. They were bullying her, and I couldn’t stand it, so I went to argue with them. But they wouldn’t listen to reason. I didn’t do anything wrong.”

Her clear, crisp voice made Ji Huaqing glance aside. Gu Yining, meanwhile, scooped up the child and carried her back inside. “Ji Ningning, helping a classmate is a good thing, but don’t put yourself in danger…”

“Mommy, I’m super tough. I took on three of them by myself.” Ji Ningning proudly cut her off, then affectionately cupped Gu Yining’s face and kissed her on the forehead. “I’ll make you proud of me.”

“Proud? Proud that you went fighting?” Gu Yining closed her eyes at the enthusiastic kiss, coming back to herself. She remembered Ji Huaqing was behind her. “Get down. We have a guest.”

Ji Ningning slid down from Gu Yining’s arms, stood at attention, hands at her sides, and greeted Ji Huaqing with a smile—half-moon eyes. “Hello, Auntie.”

“Hello. You’re Ji Ningning? Which Ji, which Ning?” Ji Huaqing looked at this clever, mischievous little girl. There was something oddly familiar about her features, but she couldn’t place it.

Ji Ningning clutched her mother’s hand and grinned. “The Ji of Ji Ningning, and the Ning of Ji Ningning.”

Gu Yining couldn’t help laughing. She ruffled Ji Ningning’s head and explained to Ji Huaqing: “The Ji of Ji Huaqing, and the Ning of serene peace—also Gu Yining’s Ning with the wood radical removed.”

Ji Ningning—a name carrying beautiful meaning.

Ji Huaqing sighed softly. Ji Ningning grabbed her hand. “Auntie, let’s go inside for dinner. Grandma made lots of delicious food.”

The little hostess warmly pulled Ji Huaqing into the villa. Gu Yining’s mother, Lu Xi, stood in the entryway, nervously greeting the guest. But when she took in the guest’s face, she froze entirely.

“Ji… Ji… Ji…” Lu Xi said “Ji” three times without managing “Huaqing.”

“I’m Ji Huaqing.” Ji Huaqing said gently.

Lu Xi stepped back, her gaze reflexively glued to Ji Huaqing’s moon-bright face. A dead person had come back to life…

“Mom, she’s back. She went to Myanmar and just came home.” Gu Yining appeared at the door at the perfect moment with her most proper smile. “Don’t be scared, Mom. Touch her face, touch her hand—they’re warm.”

“Myanmar…” Lu Xi muttered, then mumbled to herself, “Did Myanmar have scams back in ’09? They were that rampant?”

Ji Huaqing: “?”

Gu Yining turned her back to laugh, her thin shoulders shaking. Ji Ningning was too young to understand what was happening. “Mommy, what are you laughing at?”

“Nothing. Let’s go inside—I’m hungry.” Gu Yining’s smile didn’t fade. “Get Auntie her shoes.”

Ji Ningning scurried to the shoe cabinet, took out a pair of pink slippers, and crouched down to place them neatly at Ji Huaqing’s feet.

“Auntie, change your shoes.”

“Thank you. You’re such a good girl.” Ji Huaqing praised her. Ji Ningning was truly the most well-behaved child she’d ever seen.

A far cry from the rebellious Gu Yining.

The four of them entered. The nanny, bustling in the kitchen, came out at the sound and let out a surprised “Oh—Little Ning is back.”

“Auntie Wang, I’m home. I’ll leave again tomorrow.” Gu Yining smiled at her. “Sorry to trouble you tonight.”

“Nonsense, ‘trouble.’ Having you here makes me happy. Ningning cried last night—woke up in the middle of the night demanding her mommy. Since you’re back, spend more time with her.” Auntie Wang wiped her hands on her apron and smiled at the guest Gu Yining had brought. “It’s rare to see you bring home a guest.”

Gu Yining was rarely home; she spent most of her time at the company, and her vacations in the Hang City apartment.

Before Lu Xi came back, she used to take Ningning out everywhere. Later, she left her daughter with her mother, and with a nanny in the house, she was too busy to be home.

Gu Yining brought the suitcase in and turned to smile at Ji Huaqing in the entryway. “Teacher Ji, make yourself at home. Don’t be shy.”

Ji Huaqing drifted for a moment, remembering the year she’d brought Gu Yining home for New Year’s. Gu Yining had been shy too, but she had a lively nature—she’d called Ji Huaqing’s parents “Uncle” and “Auntie” sweetly and charmed them completely.

Now their positions had reversed. The Gu house was big, with an exquisite crystal chandelier and bright lights.

Ji Ningning pulled the guest to sit down, studying Ji Huaqing with her head tilted. “I feel like I’ve seen you somewhere.”

“Where?” Ji Huaqing tried to relax, tapping her forehead lightly.

Ji Ningning blinked. “In Mommy’s phone.”

Gu Yining came over with a tablet, passing between them. She was tall, her hair pinned up, her long, swan-like neck exposed, her face dark as water.

The school had a parent group chat, so Gu Yining had bought a tablet for home, for her mother to keep an eye on the class group.

She opened the messages and saw a flood of @s. The parents of the three kids Ningning had hit had made a small group, pulled her in, and were collectively condemning her.

“Teacher Ji, if bullying happened in your class, how would you handle it?”

Ji Huaqing was taken aback. She composed herself and looked at Ji Ningning, instinctively hugging her, her heart aching a little. Then Gu Yining told her, “It’s not her—she’s not the bully.”

The ache in Ji Huaqing’s chest vanished. “It depends on the case, but it can’t be smoothed over easily. The bullies’ parents won’t think their children are wrong. Give in once, and they’ll grow bolder. The teacher’s role in mediation is crucial.”

“Ningning’s homeroom teacher is a girl who just graduated two years ago. I doubt she can manage the kind of mediation you’re describing.” Gu Yining kept scrolling, her expression souring. Then she gave a contemptuous laugh. “They want Ningning to apologize and pay the medical bills.”

Ji Ningning was indignant. “I can apologize, but they have to apologize to Hu Yixuan first. They poured water on her and pulled her hair. That’s going too far.”

“Alright, I’ve got it. I’ll have Auntie Zhou go over.” Gu Yining looked at her angry little girl, a headache forming. “Shh. Dinner’s ready. Take Auntie Ji to eat.”

“Okay.” Ji Ningning took Ji Huaqing’s hand and pulled her toward the dining room.

Gu Yining set down the tablet and made a call. Zhou Hui picked up quickly. “President Gu, a rare call. What do you want?”

Gu Yining said evenly, “It’s about Ningning. Go to the school tomorrow and handle it—you’re good at this. I’ll send you the screenshots later.”

“Fine, no problem.” Zhou Hui didn’t hesitate, as if it were her own duty. “Wait, are you in Hang City right now?”

“I’m home.”

“The screenshots aren’t clear. I’ll come over. Wait for me.”

The call ended.

Gu Yining picked up the tablet again and posted one line in both the small group and the class group: 【See you tomorrow in Teacher Du’s office.】 Then she @’d Hu Yixuan’s parent: 【Hu Yixuan’s parent, please come too. We’ll talk it all out together.】

After posting, she tossed the tablet aside and walked slowly to the dining room. Ji Ningning was setting out bowls and chopsticks; the rich aroma of chicken soup filled the air.

She sat down. Ji Ningning filled a bowl of soup for her. She handed it to Ji Huaqing and told Ji Ningning, “We have a guest, so the guest gets served first. Understand?”

“Got it. I’ll remember.” Ji Ningning filled a bowl for Gu Yining next. Gu Yining looked at her. “Respect your elders.”

Ji Ningning stuck out her tongue, smiled playfully, and carried the soup to her grandmother. Then she filled two more bowls—one for Gu Yining, one for herself—and only then began to sip her own.

At dinner, Gu Yining livened up the atmosphere with stories, making the old and the young laugh with delight.

Watching this Gu Yining, so different from the one outside, Ji Huaqing curved her lips. She seemed to see the eighteen-year-old Gu Yining again—lively as a little sun.

Lu Xi set down her chopsticks and said apologetically to Ji Huaqing, “We only have one guest room, and Auntie Wang is in it now. I’m sorry to put you in Little Ning’s room for the night. Little Ning can sleep with me—or Gu Yining can.”

“Sorry for the intrusion.” Ji Huaqing smiled her thanks.

Just then, Gu Yining stood—another call. She took it outside, voice muffled.

Lu Xi said, “Come, I’ll walk you over. You and Little Ning are about the same size. She has plenty of brand-new clothes she’s never worn; use them for now.”

Ji Ningning called out, “I’m sleeping with Mommy tonight. She’s telling me stories.”

Gu Yining told stories? Ji Huaqing felt inexplicably alarmed, but Gu Yining’s mother seemed used to it. She led Ji Huaqing upstairs to the room.

Gu Yining returned from her call, expression cold. Only Ji Ningning, still eating slowly, was left at the table.

“Where’s Auntie Ji?”

“Grandma put her in your room and gave her your clothes.” Ji Ningning scooped rice into her mouth, grinning—one of her front teeth was missing, giving her a very silly smile.

Gu Yining’s eyes flickered, then cleared. She tapped the little girl’s head. “Your room has no bathroom. Where am I supposed to shower tonight?”

She lobbed the question at the child, hoping for a satisfactory solution.

“How would I know?” Ji Ningning didn’t care. But since her mother was still standing there, she said offhandedly, “Go shower in your own room, then come find me.” Ji Ningning provided the perfect answer.

Ji Ningning’s room had no bathroom. She was still small; she used to sleep with her grandmother and only moved out after starting elementary school, so she still bathed in Grandma’s room.

Gu Yining had twice suggested installing a bathroom, but Lu Xi hadn’t done it—she thought the child was too young to shower safely; better to wait a couple of years.

Gu Yining was very satisfied with Ji Ningning’s answer. Smiling, she patted the little girl’s head. “Mommy will listen to you. Go to bed early tonight.”

She turned smartly, saw her suitcase sitting in the entryway, and wheeled it upstairs.

Lu Xi was already coming down. They met at the stairs. Lu Xi blocked her. “Are you going to be with her?”

“She doesn’t want me.” Gu Yining laughed at herself.

One sentence turned Lu Xi into a mute. She’d been home for six years now, and in all those six years, she’d watched her daughter live and die for a Ji Huaqing. But Ji Huaqing was dead. The world was huge—why cling to a dead woman? She’d advised her many times: stop thinking about Ji Huaqing, find someone new.

She’d even said she’d accept anyone, male or female.

But her daughter refused to look at anyone at all.