Chapter 2 Leaving Home

  Ji Su-yin was startled and took a step back, her voice stuck in her throat. How could that woman be so shameless! The woman suddenly reached out to grab her, Ji Su-yin's whole body shook as she woke up with a start. Lying on the bed gasping for breath, Ji Su-yin stared blankly at the ceiling, then turned her head towards the window in a daze. It was dawn, and with a deep sigh, Ji Su-yin raised her left arm to cover her eyes - it had all been just a dream!

  "Hmm~" Her eyes started to ache, Ji Su Yun fumbled around, took off the glasses on her bedside table and put them on, sat up and messed with her hair. How could she have such a bizarre dream! Rubbing her neck, she slowly walked down the stairs, Ji Su Yun was still puzzled, walked into the kitchen and sat down, drinking the milk that had been poured for her.

  Ji Shaoan wore a cute pink Pochita apron, bringing the porridge to his daughter's face. Ji Suoyin picked up the spoon and drank it in small sips. Ji Shaoan looked at his daughter with some concern. "What's wrong, Suoyin?"

  Ji Su's eyes fluttered open, and she looked at Ji Shaoan's worried face, shaking her head: "Huh? Nothing, nothing at all." Ji Shaoan gazed at his daughter for a while, then suddenly sighed: "Sigh~ my daughter is growing up and starting to shut her heart off from her dad... it pains me so much! Sound (Ji Su) will be going to college soon, this afternoon she'll be leaving her dad's arms, she'll find a boyfriend, and then get married into another family..."

  Ji Su's whole body trembled, and she couldn't shake off the chill. Rubbing her temples to ease the headache, she thought for a moment before looking up: "Dad, think about it... if I go to college and find a good man to bring back home, he'll definitely prioritize you, and even after we get married, we'll still live at home! That way, not only won't you lose me, but you'll also gain a new son-in-law. Isn't this a great deal?"

  Ji Shaoan burst out laughing, nodding in agreement: "Hmmm, not bad, not bad! You're really my daughter, so clever! Haha, my dear daughter! Now you just work hard, okay? Daddy's watching over you!" Ji Su looked at her dad laughing and clapping his belly, still raising an eyebrow in a somewhat unbecoming manner. She shook her head helplessly in her heart, sighing... indeed the true nature of a businessman! This way of educating children, the speed of changing one's face... is really unmatched!

  Suddenly thinking of a very serious problem, Ji Su-yin stared at Ji Shao-an: "Dad, ask you something first!" Ji Shao-an slowly drank his porridge, glanced at her and slowly opened his mouth: "Speak." "It's nothing, just... my university living expenses..."

  Ji Shao'an closed his eyes and continued, "Ah! That thing! One thousand a month, half a year's contract, and I'll give you an extra one thousand every year!" Ji Su-yin leaned forward, "One thousand two!"

  Ji Shaoan slowly called out the price: "1,100!" "Alright! Deal!"

  Ji Su's voice was reluctant, biting her spoon and staring fiercely at Ji Shaoan. She opened her mouth hesitantly: "That... Dad, you know too... I'm a girl, after all! Of course, I'll often buy some makeup, fruit, clothes, and stuff..." "So what?! I'll give you an extra thousand every year!"

  "1,000 isn't enough!" Ji Su Yin blurted out. Ji Shao An immediately put on a pitiful face and cried: "Yin Yin! As the saying goes, 'diligence and thrift', Dad knows you're a good kid who's both frugal and hardworking. The little that's lacking, Dad believes you can definitely earn it yourself. Besides, Dad is getting old and needs to save money for retirement!"

  Ji Su's voice was about to slap the table: "Deceive Xiao ah! Can a deputy general manager of an international trading company lack money?" Ji Shao'an explained very innocently: "But sound, Dad's savings are time deposits. If we withdraw them casually, we will lose a lot of money!"

  Ji Suoyu waved her hand weakly and said, "Don't say anything more, I know, I'll plan to be self-sufficient! Starve to death then!" Ji Shaoan laughed like some kind of creature, Ji Suoyu gritted her teeth and muttered under her breath: This old fox is so stingy it's killing me!

  She turned her head to see the tightly closed door at the end of the corridor, and remembered last night's dream. Qisuon turned back to ask Qishaoan: "Dad, was the room in the corridor used as a nursery before?" Qishaoan looked up at his daughter, then lowered his head to continue drinking porridge: "No! It has always been a storage room, and the things inside have not been sorted out for a long time! Why? Why are you asking this?"

  Ji Su shook his head strangely: "No, nothing, just casually asking, asking." He continued to drink tea with a frown, not seeing the melancholy piled up in Ji Shaoan's eyes.

  After dinner, Ji Shaoan had to go to work because of an important meeting, so he couldn't see Ji Suoyu off at the train station. Ji Suoyu was already used to it, but every time Ji Shaoan would still show a guilty face. Ji Suoyu saw her father off and stood in the entrance hall looking back at the quiet home, suddenly feeling a little strange!

  Shaking her head, Ji Su-yin began to pack up the luggage she needed to take with her. After spending more than two hours tidying everything up, Ji Su-yin sat on the edge of the bed to rest, and when she looked up, she happened to see the bare window frame - had wind chimes really been hung there? Taking a deep breath, Ji Su-yin got up and put on her baseball cap, then dragged her suitcase downstairs.

  Standing in front of the stairs, Ji Suoyun didn't walk away immediately. Instead, she turned her head and stared at the door, slowly walking closer, grasping the doorknob, and twisting it with force. "Click!" But to her surprise, it wouldn't open. She tried again a few times, but still couldn't open it. Ji Suoyun stood there for a moment before turning around and dragging her luggage out the door to catch her train. On the way, she was still laughing at herself for being affected by a dream that made her a bit neurotic. The door, however, creaked "click" after Ji Suoyun left, shaking slightly...