First floor, the sensor light turned on. In the next second, the lights in the little girl’s house came on. Bao Shaojin lowered his eyes, a cigarette between his fingers at some point, took a shallow puff, and slowly exhaled a stream of smoke that lightly escaped from his lips. His sharp eyes, partially hidden beneath messy hair, flickered in and out of view. Before dawn, An Anqing’s alarm clock went off incessantly. She turned it off in irritation, hoping to sleep in a bit more. Suddenly remembering something, she sprang up from bed, not bothering to put on shoes, and rushed to An Ying’s bedroom. Upon opening the door, she saw the lights on in Mrs. An’s room. An Ying sat at the bedside, holding a box she regarded as a treasure. "Mom," An Yin spoke softly, "why are you up so early?" "You’re here already." An Ying hadn’t expected her daughter to burst into the bedroom so suddenly. With a hint of panic in her eyes, she hastily covered the box, pretending to be calm as she placed it in the bedside cabinet. One of her hands was in a cast, so she could only place the box down on the bed first. "I’ll help you." An Yin came to the bedside, opened the cabinet, and reached for the box. But just as her hand hovered in the air, the other person quickly took it, leaving An Yin bewildered. An Ying’s expression showed a trace of discomfort. To prevent her daughter from overthinking, her gaze fell on An Yin’s pale feet. "Put on your shoes quickly, or you’ll catch a cold again." As she spoke, she discreetly stuffed the box into the cabinet. Listening to Mrs. An’s nagging, the groggy An Yin immediately forgot about the little incident just now. An Yin went back to her room to put on shoes, washed up, and returned to An Ying’s bedroom. "Mom, what do you want to eat? I’ll go buy groceries." Just as An Yin finished speaking, an abrupt sound interrupted. "Your phone is ringing," An Ying reminded her daughter. An Yin, wearing flip-flops, left the room. Watching her daughter’s hurried silhouette, An Ying shook her head helplessly. She looked at the familiar number on her phone screen, hesitating for a few seconds before slowly answering. Bao Shaojin’s voice was haughty and commanding. "You’re here?" An Yin’s eyes lit up. She didn’t even realize the hint of excitement in her voice. The man on the other end of the line suddenly fell silent. Perhaps sensing the slight excitement in her tone, he was momentarily lost in thought. Seeing the other party remain silent, An Yin, after putting on her shoes, nervously headed towards the door. When her hand was on the door lock, the other party spoke. "I’ll be busy for a while, and you won’t manage everything with Aunt An alone. I’m sending Aunt Zhang over to help you," he instructed, word by word. Follow current ɴᴏᴠᴇʟs on 𝔫𝔬𝔳𝔢𝔩⟡𝘧𝙞𝙧𝙚⟡𝘯𝘦𝘵 At the same time, An Yin unlocked the door. Outside, Aunt Zhang was pushing a suitcase, with a basket in her other hand, surprisingly containing fresh vegetables. "Aunt Zhang," An Yin called out in surprise, her eyes wide. The phone was still held up to her ear, her sweet and soft voice transmitting through to the man on the line. "Keep chatting with the gentleman on the phone," Aunt Zhang said with a merry smile. Hurriedly, An Yin said into the phone, "Goodbye." "Why the rush? You can continue chatting, don’t mind me," Aunt Zhang, ever familiar, entered and began unpacking her suitcase, taking out her own house slippers to wear. "Aunt Zhang, I can take care of Mom. You don’t need to trouble yourself," An Yin stood there nervously. "It’s no trouble. I’m more than willing to come over," Aunt Zhang stood up, seeing the guilt on the young girl’s face. She concealed her smile with a trace of sadness. "Every New Year, the villa is so cold and empty, and the gentleman has many social engagements, leaving me to guard the vast place. It’s truly lonely." "Aunt Zhang, you can go home and be with your relatives," An Yin blinked her bright eyes, speaking meekly. "I’m an orphan," Aunt Zhang replied, pulling a bitter smile at the corner of her mouth. "I’m sorry, I didn’t know," An Yin said, filled with guilt and feeling a bit of a sting in her heart. "Silly child, no need to apologize," Aunt Zhang regained her smile. "Let Aunt Zhang stay." Inside, Aunt Zhang quietly thought to herself: a good deed. She knew the young girl was kind-hearted, which was why she revealed her background. As expected, An Yin, after a moment of contemplation, nodded deeply, "Alright." When An Ying learned that Aunt Zhang had come over, albeit surprised, she could see her determination to stay and had nothing to say. In the morning, Aunt Zhang prepared breakfast. After the meal, she and An Yin started cleaning the house. Aunt Zhang worked efficiently, and everything was exceptionally clean and tidy, leaving no room for criticism. In the afternoon, An Yin went out to buy groceries, leaving Aunt Zhang to take care of An Ying at home. When a knock on the door was heard, Aunt Zhang came out of An Ying’s bedroom, mumbling, "Forgot your keys?" But when she opened the door, she saw an elderly lady with a kind face. "Hello! Who are you looking for?" Aunt Zhang asked, puzzled. Grandma Wu, unfamiliar with the woman, hesitated for a moment before speaking, "Is An Ying home? I’m her neighbor." "She is," Aunt Zhang nodded. "I have something to discuss with her, may I come in?" Grandma Wu asked with concern. "Grandma Wu, please come in." The sound insulation of the old building wasn’t good, so An Ying heard their conversation and called out loudly. Aunt Zhang stepped aside, watching Grandma Wu head to An Ying’s bedroom. She paused, closed the door, and then paced to An Ying’s bedroom door, appearing to listen closely. Grandma Wu, seeing An Ying’s thin face and her hand and foot in casts, was filled with pity. "What happened to you, how did you get hurt so badly?" She spoke while anxiously tapping her thighs with her hands. "Aunt Wu, don’t worry, it just looks serious. These things will be gone soon," An Ying spoke softly, her tone somehow bringing a sense of calm and comfort. "Is it really okay?" Grandma Wu still seemed worried. "Truly," An Ying assured solemnly. "That’s good," Grandma Wu sighed in relief, finally letting go of her concern. "Is there something you need this time, Aunt Wu?" An Ying adjusted her position, her uninjured hand supporting her on the bed. Sitting for long periods lately had made her feel achy, so she had to shift positions to feel comfortable. Upon hearing An Ying’s words and noticing her injuries, Grandma Wu swallowed back what she wanted to say. An Ying, perceptive as always, coupled with what her daughter had mentioned before, had already guessed the neighbor’s intention for visiting. An Ying looked gently at her, "Aunt Wu, since you’ve come to visit, there’s something I’d like to discuss with you." Hearing the word "visit," Grandma Wu laughed with slight embarrassment. "Alright, go ahead." "Please, have a seat," An Ying gestured to a stool in the corner.