Chapter Thirteen New Home

  The sun rose, piercing the dark sky, and sunlight shone into the hospital room, reflecting off the blue-striped hospital gown. Xiaoyan let out a breath of relief as her tense nerves finally relaxed.

  The sunlight stung Tong Xuan's eyes, and she opened them to find Xiao Yan already awake and staring at her. Smiling, Tong Xuan asked:

  "How come you woke up so early? Are you hungry? Mom will buy breakfast for you."

  Xiao Yan didn't sleep well at all.

  "Uh, I think I'm going to be discharged. Mom, can you help me with the formalities? I'm fine now, it's uncomfortable staying here."

  Tong Xuan looked at Xiao Yan, who was full of energy and vitality, and thought that it wasn't good for the child to stay in the hospital all the time. She nodded her head and, after getting the doctor's approval, went to process the discharge procedures.

  Watching Tong Xuan leave, Xiao Yan took out the mobile phone on her bedside table and dialed Ye Chen's number. It was now morning time to go to school, and she must have worried him for another night.

  After a while, Ye Chen picked up the phone and hastily asked:

  "Xiao Yan! Are you awake?!"

  Xiao Yan's face lit up with a bright smile, and she couldn't help but reveal her radiant grin.

  "Uh, I woke up last night, but it was too late and I didn't dare call you. I'm fine now, and I'll be discharged soon."

  Ye Chen was overjoyed and felt that his heart, which had been hanging in the air, finally put down.

  "That's good, I'll go with you this afternoon then?"

  "I'm going to school this afternoon, if I miss class for too long, I won't be able to catch up with my homework. Just wait for me at school."

  "Alright." Even though it had only been a moment, Ye Chen felt somewhat unhappy, but thinking that Xiao Yan had finally woken up made him extremely joyful.

  She hung up the phone and gazed out the window at the dazzling sunlight, feeling a warmth in her heart as if it was enveloped by the sun. Even with only Tong Xuan and Ye Chen guarding and accompanying her, Xiao Yan felt extremely satisfied and warm. In this world, the greatest happiness is to have loved ones by your side, never leaving each other.

  Tong Xuan handled the discharge procedures, helped Xiao Yan pack her clothes, and the mother-daughter duo walked out of the hospital hand in hand, beaming with joy.

  Watching Tong Xuan didn't head in the direction of home, Xiao Yan stopped in her tracks, puzzled. Before she could even ask, Tong Xuan smiled and said:

  "While you were unconscious, Ye Chen helped mom move house, let's go take a look at the new place."

  As she spoke, she pulled Xiaoyan along, walking quickly with a happy stride.

  The new home is not far from the hospital, and it takes only ten minutes to get there. Tong Xuan walks fast and arrives in just five minutes.

  Xiao Yan looked around, this was a modern residential area with trees, water, flowers and grass. The building where her new home was located was one of the older ones in the community, but compared to their previous home, it was much better.

  The new home is on the fourth floor, and there's no elevator. Tong Xuan was worried that Xiao Yan would be too tired after just being discharged from the hospital, so she wanted to carry all the luggage herself, but Xiao Yan refused with a sentence "I'm not a useless person, I can handle this little luggage."

  Walking into the corridor, there is no longer a familiar musty and damp smell, nor is it a dark scene.

  As the key turned in the lock, a familiar living room unfolded before Xiaoyan's eyes, tidy and comfortable as ever. The spotless white walls seemed to exude a warm, homey atmosphere.

  Tong Xuan excitedly pulled Xiao Yan directly into her room. Xiao Yan looked at the blue curtains blowing in the wind, the spotless floor, the tidy bookshelf, the clean desk, the newly changed sheets and quilt, as well as the brand new big bed... Her eyes grew warm again, it was clear that Tong Xuan had put a lot of thought into this and spent a considerable amount of money.

  "Do you like it?!"

  Xiao Yan nodded vigorously, speechless, afraid that once she opened her mouth, the choked voice would be irrepressible.

  Tong Xuan became even happier, helping Xiao Yan tidy up the clothes in her bag and put them in the wardrobe, busily folding and carefully hanging them up.

  Xiao Yan turned around and wiped away the tears that had welled up in her eyes. In the past, her mother had been cold towards her for the sake of making money, but she didn't resent it because she understood it was all for her own sake. Now, her mother worked hard to make a living while devoting herself to taking care of Xiao Yan and keeping her company. She could see the worry and guilt in her mother's eyes, and she wanted to tell her that she had never blamed her, that she had always loved her mother dearly. But she was used to speaking in a tone devoid of warmth, and she couldn't bring herself to say those words of love out loud.

  After a long time, Tong Xuan cleaned up everything and looked at the time. She then rushed out of the room, passing by Xiao Yan without noticing the tears in her eyes. She hastily picked up the yellowed cloth package on the table and loudly said to Xiao Yan in the room:

  "Mom is running late and has to go to work, be good at home."

  Before she could respond, Xiaoyan heard a "bang" and the door was already closed.

  Xiao Yan walked to the bedside, touching the neatly folded quilt, tears falling one by one, her heart filled with mixed emotions.

  Is it just a new environment, a new bed, and there will be a new beginning, bidding farewell to the past, bidding farewell to 'her', bidding farewell to that dark and rotten bed bottom. End all this.

  The answer is certainly not, 'she' will never let herself go, Xiao Yan thought to herself. That rotten and terrifying face appeared again, smiling so brightly, so sinisterly.

  Wiping away tears, Xiaoyan washed her face and put on the school uniform she hadn't touched for several days. She smiled at herself in the mirror again and again, trying to cover up her pale and weak complexion. Mirror, do you know the weakness hidden beneath the smile?

  Xiao Yan put on her backpack and walked out the door, heading to school. Along the way, it was quiet and deserted, with a faint sense of unease in her heart, as if something might happen. Was she just thinking too much or would something really occur? How could she know?

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