CHAPTER 38 — A Night Away From the Noise
(Rewritten as instructed.)
Song Liyun's apartment was warm, soft, and comforting in a way Shi Yunxi hadn't felt all week. The lights were dim, the furniture plush, and the faint aroma of ginger tea floated through the small living room like a calming spell.
Her children made themselves comfortable immediately.
Shi Yichen sat cross-legged on the carpet, putting together a small robot toy with focused seriousness.
Shi Qing'er wandered around the bookshelf, touching each spine gently like they were tiny treasures.
"You look exhausted," Song Liyun said, handing Yunxi a hot cup.
"You walked in like someone carrying the whole universe."
Yunxi sighed.
"My universe is two little people over there."
Liyun smiled.
"And they love you more fiercely than the stars."
After Dinner
The children were full and sleepy, their bellies warm, their eyes heavy. Yunxi sat on the sofa watching them nibble on fruit slices while an animated movie danced across the screen.
For a while, everything felt normal. Peaceful.
Then, quietly, Qing'er turned toward her mother.
"Mommy…"
Her voice was soft, shy.
"Will… will our Daddy ever come home?"
Yunxi's heart squeezed.
Her fingers tightened around the mug.
Yichen paused his chewing.
His eyes lowered.
He didn't look at his sister, or his mother.
"Qing'er," he said gently, "we don't… we don't have a daddy."
"But everyone in school has one." Her small lip trembled.
"Why don't we?"
Yunxi swallowed hard.
She reached out and pulled both children into her arms.
Her voice was calm, warm, steady—
even though her chest felt like cracking glass.
"Because some families are different," she whispered.
"And ours… ours is still perfect."
Qing'er sniffled.
"Is Daddy angry with us?"
Yunxi immediately shook her head.
"No. Never. He just… isn't part of our life."
Yichen leaned his head on her shoulder.
His voice was quiet, but mature beyond his years.
"Mommy, is he… a bad person?"
Yunxi froze.
Images she never wanted to remember flickered behind her eyes—
a dim hotel room
a night she didn't choose
a face she never saw clearly.
She forced herself to breathe.
"No," she said softly.
"He isn't bad."
Just someone who didn't know they existed.
Someone who never would—if she could help it.
Preparing to Leave
Later, when the children were drowsy and warm, Yunxi gathered them up.
Yichen tightened his grip on her hand.
Qing'er clung to her neck.
"Can we sleep with you tonight, Mommy?" Qing'er whispered.
"Of course," Yunxi murmured.
Walking to the Car
They stepped out into the cool night air. Qing'er rested her head on Yunxi's shoulder, half-asleep, while Yichen walked silently—too silent for a child.
Halfway to the car, he spoke.
"Mommy… if we ever meet Daddy one day… will he like us?"
Yunxi stopped walking.
The street was quiet.
The air cold.
Her heart unbearably warm and bruised.
She knelt and cupped his face gently.
"Yichen," she said softly, "anyone who sees you and Qing'er… would love you."
The boy looked into her eyes.
Searchingly.
Bravely.
Hopefully.
"Then why isn't he here?"
Yunxi kissed his forehead.
"Because sometimes," she whispered, "life hides the truth from us."
And sometimes…
we hide the truth from life.
She buckled them into their seats, her hands trembling.
As the engine hummed to life, the children drifted into peaceful sleep.
Yunxi drove through the night with a tight chest.
She didn't know…
…that across the city, someone was already searching for the past she buried.