Chapter 88: Tianshui

Rebecca and her parents’ cooking skills were excellent. A full table of very authentic Shanghainese dishes, sweet but not cloying, with fragrance wafting everywhere.

Grandma tied Feng Zhilan’s snow-white long hair into two little buns, both convenient for her to eat and adorably cute.

Taking advantage of a bathroom break, Chu Susu looked up precautions for albinism patients on her phone.

The internet said albinism was divided into three types. The mildest only had reduced pigment in the eyes, the second type also lacked pigment in the hair, and the third was accompanied by other symptoms like blood disorders.

Feng Zhilan was clearly the second or third type.

It also said that due to lack of pigment in the eyes, albinism patients generally had poor vision. Once exposed to sunlight, it would aggravate the condition, causing red spots and blisters on the skin that were hard to heal.

Chu Susu suddenly remembered Rebecca mentioning that her ex-husband despised this daughter. At the time, she had found it strange—what era was this, and someone still practiced son preference?

Now it seemed it was probably because Feng Zhilan’s albinism would burden the family.

It was an incurable disease. Though not life-threatening, lifespan was somewhat shorter than normal. Moreover, unable to go out, she inevitably lived under others’ strange gazes.

But Chu Susu could tell that Rebecca’s gaze toward her daughter held not a trace of intent to give up.

Whenever she mentioned Feng Zhilan, it was with a proud expression.

Despite the child bringing her far too much pressure she shouldn’t have, she still loved her child like mothers all over the world.

During the meal, Rebecca and Grandma picked dishes into the small bowl in front of Feng Zhilan, letting her choose what to eat.

Albinism patients couldn’t be directly exposed to light in their eyes or on their skin, so the indoor lights in the house were very dim, just enough to barely make out things in front.

Rebecca had apologized to Chu Susu about this beforehand.

“Really, thank you so much for coming to meet Zhilan today. She has no playmates her age and is usually just accompanied by me and my parents.”

Seeing her daughter’s good mood, Rebecca also showed a relieved smile. “Because of her condition, we never really turn on the lights at home. If you’re not used to it, I’ll treat you to dinner out alone later.”

Chu Susu shook her head. “It’s nothing.”

But her thoughts inexplicably drifted to Han Xuan.

She felt Little Zhilan had some familiar shadow about her. Thinking carefully, it was somewhat similar to Han Xuan’s past that she had once mentioned.

At that age, Han Xuan must have been very lonely too.

At the dinner table, Feng Zhilan’s voice was childish but her volume was loud and clear. “Thank you, Mommy. Thank you, Grandma. Thank you, Grandpa.”

Rebecca smiled. “Aren’t you going to thank Susu-jie?”

“Oh, right.”

Feng Zhilan immediately turned to Chu Susu. She was slightly squinting, seemingly straining to make out the other’s face. “Thank you, Susu-jie.”

Her obedient look, with white hair strands falling by her ears—even her eyelashes were the color of snow—made her like a little elf fallen into the mortal world.

Chu Susu said softly, “I should thank Zhilan too. Playing blocks with you today was so much fun.”

Feng Zhilan looked full of hope. “Jie, can you come play with me often in the future?”

As soon as she said this, Rebecca along with Grandpa and Grandma all showed somewhat sad expressions, though little Zhilan didn’t notice.

“Zhilan.” Grandma advised softly, “Susu-jie has to work. How could she come to our house every day?”

Rebecca sat beside her and gently pulled her daughter into her arms. “Right. Susu-jie is an employee at the company. If she always comes to play with you, who will do the work? Then the company will run out of money.”

Though Feng Zhilan was sensible and didn’t ask for more after hearing this, she was clearly a bit disappointed. Her little mouth pursed as she said softly, “Okay, I get it.”

The atmosphere suddenly grew heavy again.

Chu Susu paused, then chimed in. “Zhilan, do you have your own phone and WeChat?”

Last time Rebecca was on a business trip, Zhilan had video-called her holding a phone, so she guessed she did.

“Mm.”

Hearing the affirmative, she took out her own phone and opened WeChat.

“Then add me, Zhilan. In the future, if you want to play with me but I don’t have time, you can call me.”

This was a great suggestion, immediately bringing a smile to Feng Zhilan’s face.

“Mommy, is that okay?” she asked for permission.

Rebecca was stunned for a moment, a complex emotion flashing on her face. Her eyes suddenly reddened at the corners, like the prelude to tears.

“Okay.”

She said quickly, then turned away and grabbed a small phone from nearby, handing it to Feng Zhilan.

The two successfully added each other on WeChat. Feng Zhilan’s profile picture was a simple drawing she made herself.

Though drawn in extremely dim light, it still showed the heartfelt wish poured into it.

Grandpa, Grandma, and Mommy holding her, with half a body on the side that wasn’t fully captured.

Below it wrote “Family Portrait.”

—

Feng Zhilan was still a child and went to bed early. By a little past eight at night, she was preparing to sleep.

Rebecca saw Chu Susu out the door all the way to the parking lot.

In the night breeze, Chu Susu’s long hair swayed and nearly caught on Rebecca’s jacket zipper.

Rebecca slowly drew the strand from her zipper, then glanced at her side profile.

“Really nice.”

She said with a sigh of admiration. “You’re much prettier than I was at your age.”

This was the first time Rebecca had directly complimented Chu Susu’s appearance, making her blink in surprise before replying:

“How could that be? You’re still young now.”

Rebecca said with self-deprecation, “I’m long past my prime, no way to compare with you young girls in your twenties.”

She opened the car door for Chu Susu. “Thanks for your hard work. I’m really grateful you came.”

“It’s what I should do.”

Sitting in the driver’s seat, Chu Susu looked at her through the open window. “I have two half-siblings from my dad’s side, but we’re not close.”

“Seeing Zhilan today, I felt like treating her as my little sister.”

Rebecca asked softly, “Your parents… are separated?”

“My mom passed away early.”

Rebecca was taken aback. “Sorry.”

Chu Susu smiled and shook her head, indicating it was fine.

There was one thing she didn’t say aloud.

In fact, today, seeing Rebecca’s instinctive maternal affection while holding Feng Zhilan made Chu Susu suddenly think of her own mother, whom she hadn’t seen in many years.

Perhaps because Rebecca resembled her mother from back then, or perhaps because all mothers in the world showed the same expression toward their children.

So when Chu Susu looked at her, she couldn’t help recalling some scenes from her own childhood.

Just as she was about to say goodbye, Rebecca suddenly reached out and gently stroked Chu Susu’s head.

Just like she did with Feng Zhilan.

“Though I didn’t know your mom, I know she must be proud of you.”

These words lingered in Chu Susu’s mind for a long time.

Even after driving far away, they still echoed in her ears, refusing to fade.

“Want to come to my place for a drink?”

She had just sent this message when the reply came instantly.

Li Le’er: “? Heartbroken?”

Chu Susu: “No, just suddenly wanted to.”

Tomorrow was the weekend anyway, no work.

If there was an award for best CP fan in the world, Li Le’er would undoubtedly win.

She immediately grilled Chu Susu: “Why not call Little Cotton Sheep?”

“…I’m afraid of embarrassing myself in front of her, okay?”

But the truth wasn’t that.

Li Le’er was a pure iron-straight girl; even drunk, nothing would happen between them—they’d just chat as friends.

But Han Xuan was different.

They were already in a developing relationship, and if they got drunk, things could easily turn ambiguous.

That would normally be good, but…

Chu Susu admitted that very rarely, she wasn’t mentally prepared yet.

She was twenty-five, not some shy girl over this, but she had been bitten by a snake once and now feared ropes for ten years.

Past experiences proved Han Xuan would go along with her when sober, but what if…

What if a drunk Han Xuan insisted on topping?

If abilities were used, Chu Susu wouldn’t even have a chance to resist.

A long-haired beauty top’s bottom line was never bottoming.

But her excuse successfully fobbed off Li Le’er, who found it reasonable:

“Okay, looks like you’re deeply in love with Little Cotton Sheep. I seriously want to crowdfund a yuri novel on Green River Literature Net, write Little Cotton Sheep as the female lead—a silent, reserved illegitimate daughter of a wealthy family… ah, knocking on my heart!”

Chu Susu was completely speechless.

“…Are you coming or not? No, then I’ll call someone else.”

Li Le’er immediately sent an address: “I’m outside, come pick me up quick.”

She was out shopping, and that shopping center was conveniently on the way, so Chu Susu took a bit of time and drove over.

She had just parked steadily downstairs when she noticed the surroundings looked a bit familiar, like she had been to this area before.

Judging by the nearby buildings, Chu Susu quickly recognized that the les bar Qiao Qian had called them to last time was right around here—a mere five-minute drive.

Qiao Qian wouldn’t happen to be inside the bar right now, would she?

Li Le’er still had a while before she was done, so Chu Susu turned the car around and headed toward the bar.

She didn’t go inside, just glanced from afar outside. Through the transparent glass, she could just make out the people at the booth.

No sign of Qiao Qian.

But she unexpectedly spotted another figure.

A girl in a black long skirt with her long hair draped down sat beside someone.

She looked up, gazing at the other person with a smile brimming with warmth, tiny starlight flickering in her eyes.

The two weren’t sitting too close, but their expressions suggested they were having a pleasant chat.

At the same moment, Li Le’er’s call came in: “I’m ready to come down. Are you downstairs?”

“Wait a moment.”

Chu Susu said, then shifted into park and got out of the car.

“You stay put a little longer. I suddenly have something to take care of.”

Li Le’er was baffled. “What’s up?”

But Chu Susu didn’t answer her. Instead, she walked straight toward them.