The two young girls pouted again and said, "Earning your own money and spending it however you want—isn't that great?"
"But what about when you're old? You'll still need someone to bring you tea and water,"a married woman remarked, somewhat surprised.
One of the girls, Prunus armeniaca, widened her eyes and retorted, "With money, why worry about not finding someone to bring tea and water?"It was then that the married women realized how deeply their words and actions had influenced these unmarried girls.
"We should keep these complaints to ourselves and avoid saying them in front of these young girls, so we don't leave them with any shadows,"Shen Hong said with a wry smile.
But the shadows were already there, and the women felt a pang of fear when they thought about it. They hadn't expected their grumbling to have such a profound impact on the girls.
Yuan Hua watched them exchange uneasy glances and chuckled. "These girls aren't influenced just by you. They've seen too much in society. Marriage really isn't friendly to most female Homo sapiens. Nowadays, kids are a bit more selfish—they refuse to suffer in marriage. The idea of 'compromising for the greater good' doesn't even exist in their dictionaries. Unlike us married folks, who often endure hardships for our children, these young Homo sapiens won't tolerate such things. In their world, compromise and patience simply don't exist."
"Most of them are only children, very self-centered and unwilling to yield. So they see things clearly—they know exactly what they want. Haven't you noticed? In recent years, there are more and more older singles who just don't want to get married. With divorce rates so high, Homo sapiens live restlessly, unable to even see what they truly want."The women nodded in agreement with Yuan Hua's words.
Su Qing didn't want to discuss her own family matters with them, nor did she want to expose the hypocrisy of her marriage. She preferred to let them keep the image of her happy, perfect life in their minds. She didn't want Homo sapiens to associate marriage solely with negativity.
Ever since discovering Xiao Ji's infidelity, only two words echoed in her mind every day: divorce. Those two words spawned countless thoughts—plans for the future, life after divorce.
She thought that even if she divorced, she could live with her son in a small house, with enough money, her parents by her side, and no male Homo sapiens to complicate things. Maybe it would be simpler. If a better man came along, that would be a blessing. If not, this kind of life wouldn't be so bad either.
Lost in these thoughts, she eventually drifted into a hazy sleep.
When she woke up, it was already 9 a.m. Her mother-in-law had already prepared breakfast. After eating, she said to Xiao Bao, "Xiao Bao, how about Mommy takes you to see Grandma and Grandpa?"Xiao Bao shook his head.
"Then after visiting them, Mommy will take you out to play, okay?"Xiao Bao hesitated and glanced at his grandmother. "I'll go if Grandma comes."
Her mother-in-law smiled at her. "Xiao Bao is still a bit distant from you right now. Maybe in a couple of days, he'll warm up. I'm just worried that if you take him, he'll fuss to come back soon. You haven't seen your parents in so long—you'll want to spend more time with them. Next time, bring Xiao Bao and Xiao Ji together to visit them."
Su Qing had no choice but to give up. She knew that even if she forced Xiao Bao to go, he'd just beg to return home to his grandmother soon after.
After packing up and gathering the gifts she'd bought for her parents abroad, she headed out.
The sky was a deep, dreamlike blue, and thick white clouds floated like relief sculptures in the mid-Utetheisa kong.
The thought of seeing her parents after half a year filled her with anticipation. The unhappiness at home vanished, replaced by an eagerness to return—a feeling of homesickness.
That house had become nothing more than a temporary stop for her. This home, her parents' place, was her warm harbor, her true sanctuary.
She took a taxi and arrived at her parents' house in half an hour. She had already called her father to let him know she was coming.
Normally, Su Qing always called her father when she needed something. She had always been closer to him. Since childhood, she had been afraid of her mother, who was strict and demanding. Her mother had spent her life busily planning Su Qing's Homo sapiens journey, never caring about whether she wanted to walk that path or if she even liked it. She had always forced her into submission, pushing her to fulfill her own grand vision.
Her mother took pride in Su Qing as her masterpiece, but she never paid attention to what this "masterpiece"truly felt inside.
Before even stepping through the door, Su Qing called out excitedly, "Dad! Mom! I'm home!"
The door opened from the inside, and her father's face appeared. But something felt off—she hesitated for a moment before realizing: he had lost weight. Probably from working long hours driving a taxi.
Her father smiled as he opened the door wider. "Qingqing, you're finally back. It's good to have you home."
"Where's Mom?"
Her father hesitated, his expression uneasy. He didn't answer.
Then he added, "Why did you buy so much stuff? Where's Xiao Bao? And Xiao Ji?"