Chapter 83: Extra - The Song Mother And Daughter

T/N: Bonus extra for those who fully bought the novel chapters, added on Nov. 10 2024, one year and seven months after the novel ended. Loong ass chapter, like 5 or 6 worth of regular chapters so it disrupted my regular irregular updates 🙏

——

Before bringing Wen Ruoxian home, Song Qingluo went back first by herself.

The glacier-blue sports car sped along the empty highway, following the night scenery as it drove into the landscape of mountains and rivers. A towering mansion, grand like a palace, stood not far away, brilliantly lit with lights that stretched and intertwined.

The estate covered an area of 2,200 square meters, with three buildings. The main building was five stories high, while the east and west wings were each three stories.

Song Qingluo parked the car and, humming a tune, stepped into the elevator.

“Mom~”

Song Yulan was trimming a potted plant.

The indoor temperature was set at a constant twenty-eight degrees, so she only wore a thin, beige long-sleeved dress. Her jet-black hair fell over her shoulders, her figure was slender and upright, elegant with a refined grace and gentle nobility.

Her young boyfriend hugged her waist from behind, resting his chin against her hair.

Oh.  

How lovey-dovey.

“Dear mom~” Song Qingluo jogged over.

“You’re back, my dear.”

When Song Yulan saw her daughter, her eyes lit up. She took a few steps forward, and the young boyfriend, understanding, let go of her hand, took the scissors, and set them aside, nodding to Song Qingluo.

“Where’s Ruoxian? Weren't you coming back together?” Her gaze passed over her daughter.

“She’s at my place. She’s not coming over tonight; she’s resting. Besides… a person needs time to prepare before meeting you, you know.”

“No need to be too formal, just be at ease. After all, it’s not the first time we’ve met.”

In the past, it was always "President Song." Now, things were different; she had gone from "Auntie Song" to "Mom," so it was natural to need some time to adjust to it. "Well then, my beautiful and gentle Mommy, get ready to meet your 'goddaughter' tomorrow."

Song Qingluo kissed her on the cheek.

"Alright, alright," Song Yulan beamed with joy. "How has it been staying at Ruoxian's house these past few days? Did her parents say anything?"

Song Qingluo was just about to speak when she noticed a third person nearby—her little boyfriend was watching them. More precisely, he was looking at Song Yulan.

"?"

Song Yulan noticed as well. She turned to him and said, "You can go."

He didn’t move, his gaze clinging to her, as if he wanted to say something but didn’t dare. His expression showed some reluctance.

Song Yulan frowned slightly and looked at him calmly.

The room, at twenty-eight degrees, instantly felt half as warm.

Within seconds, the little boyfriend gave in, lowered his head silently, and walked away. His tall figure seemed somewhat desolate as he disappeared beyond the entryway.

“Mm?”

She turned her face back, her eyes once again filled with a smile.

Song Qingluo was long used to scenes like this. She casually linked arms with her mother and sat on the sofa, speaking excitedly, “Ruoxian has her own house in her hometown, a suburban townhouse. It’s more convenient for setting off fireworks, so these past two days, we didn’t stay at her parents' place. Aside from a brief chat when we first met, there wasn’t much interaction.”

She briefly described the situation that day.

“I think her parents shouldn’t be hard to get along with. At the very least, they’re people who care about appearances. They even invited me to eat and stay at their home. When we were leaving, Auntie even gave me a big red envelope, though we didn’t accept it.”

"Isn’t this essentially a form of acceptance?"

Song Yulan nodded. "Mm, many families are similar. If they don’t say or ask, you won’t know, or they might compromise out of helplessness. Either of these is already quite good. In any case, the one who’ll be living with you is her, not her parents. It’s enough to maintain a polite stance."

"Mom, you’re still the best—you love me, spoil me, tolerate me, and support me. Why didn’t I realize before how lucky I am?! Mwah mwah, I love you so much, Mom~"

Song Qingluo threw herself into her mother’s arms, acting spoiled just like when she was little, hugging her and planting several kisses on her.

That face, with its soft bone structure and striking yet sharp features, looked like a vibrant and noble flower in real life. But once on camera, it turned into a cool, classic beauty.

In her memory, her mother had looked like this in her youth.

Now, time has added a few traces.

Her skin was still very fair, though not as firm as before, with a few faint brown spots here and there, and fine wrinkles around the corners of her eyes. The once bold and striking beauty had gradually softened inward, turning into a gentle charm that glimmered between her brows and eyes.

Although she was in her fifties, she looked just around forty.

What she loved most about her mother were her eyes, which always looked at her with a smile—gentle and full of compassion. They were like a clear spring, endlessly flowing with the purest love, like a tall mountain, giving her the strongest support.

Her mother was a creator, building the world she depended on to live. Her mother was also a guide, leading her toward a broader horizon.

As long as she was here, she had a place to return to. If she wasn’t, all that would remain was a path home.

"Oh? You’re only realizing this now? That really breaks Mom's heart..." Song Yulan teased her.

"No, no! Not allowed!"

Song Qingluo lay down on her mother’s lap, resting her head, and continued, "Ruoxian’s home has a very scholarly atmosphere. There are many calligraphy and paintings on the walls. Her parents are both university professors, teaching at Nanzhou University in their hometown. I heard they retired but were rehired..."

"Nanzhou University?"

The familiar name was spoken out loud by Song Yulan.

"Yes," Song Qingluo paused for a moment, "Wait, I think your ex-boyfriend also works there?"

"To be precise, he’s my ex-ex-boyfriend."

"The Puppy No. 3, right?"

"Hahaha..."

The mother and daughter burst into laughter together.

In Song Qingluo’s eyes, the boyfriends around her mother were all "puppies," with the numbers representing their order. Puppy No. 3 referred to the third boyfriend.

She remembered that after their breakup, Puppy No. 3 had left Jiangcheng, claiming he couldn’t stay because it was too painful. He moved to the neighboring provincial capital, losing the chance to be promoted to full professor. Her beloved mother had even felt guilty about it for a while.

A fragile man who cut off his own future wasn’t worth Song Yulan’s memory.

"Mom, you’re not still thinking about him, are you? Getting so sensitive about Nanzhou University... Tsk, how unlucky, he works at the same place as my mother-in-law."

Song Yulan was silent for a moment. She didn’t answer, but instead asked, "What if Wen Ruoxian cliff broke up* with you?"

*don't know the equivalent English term, but most likely a ghosting breakup

"What’s a cliff breakup?"

Song Qingluo looked completely puzzled, having no concept of this unfamiliar term.

“For example, right now, if she called and said she wanted to break up, then just disappeared unilaterally, cutting off all contact, with no reason or chance for reconciliation.”

“Wouldn't that be insane? That’s way too much. I’d dig three feet into the ground to find her and get an explanation… No way, my Ruoxian would never do something like that.”

Song Yulan cleared her throat and turned her face away.

“Wait… don’t tell me you…”

"Mm."

Song Qingluo’s mouth dropped open, then closed again. She looked around and lowered her voice. "Mom, I never thought you’d be such a scumbag."

"…"

"Why? Even a cliff breakup should have some motive."

"Because, for a brief moment, I thought about marriage." Song Yulan’s smile faded.

Marriage, to her, was a very dangerous thing. If the thought even crossed her mind in a relationship, however fleeting, it meant she was surely under some kind of mental spell.

It wasn’t the other party’s intention, nor was it done deliberately by them. It was simply her own fleeting thought, one that emerged after being immersed in happiness and beauty.

This relationship had affected her judgment, and she caught the scent of "domestication."

Song Qingluo suddenly understood.

At that moment, she and her mother shared a connection, understanding the reasoning behind the decision without needing an explanation. Ten years had passed, and bringing it up again now revealed just how complex it had been.

"I take back what I said!"

"Mom~ you’re not a scumbag at all; you made the right choice, brilliantly!"

Song Yulan pinched her cheek. "You, ah..."

"To love someone so much that you want to get married—it's a romantic thing for me and Ruoxian, but if the gender were reversed, it’d turn into a horror story... Mom, have you considered switching sides?" Song Qingluo blinked rapidly.

"Switch sides?"

"Your sexual orientation. It's so easy to like women."

Song Yulan raised an eyebrow slightly. "You think I’ve never had confessions from women?"

"?? When? I didn’t know about this! How did you respond?"

"It always happens. I turned them all down."

"…"

Song Qingluo looked at her with a "you're so uncool" expression.

Then, she got a light smack on the backside.

"Sexual orientation is innate."

"Not only is it innate, but it’s also hereditary. Look at me? So, Mom~ you should like women even more. Want me to introduce someone to you? Like that retired soldier-jiejie..."

"Keep being naughty, and I'll cut off your allowance."

"Go ahead, I can make money myself. Hmph, I also have a wife who earns."

"Really?" Song Yulan picked up her phone, ready to act.

Seeing the situation take a turn, Song Qingluo quickly held down her mom's hand. "No, no, I'm just kidding! Mom is the best, hehe."

"This child..."

Song Yulan laughed reproachfully, then spoke in a serious tone. "It doesn't matter who you like. Love is just a supplement to life. You, focus on managing your own little family, and don’t worry about your mother in this regard."

"I understand." Song Qingluo nodded obediently.

Ms. Song didn't like her private matters being interfered with. As her little cotton-padded jacket*, she could be naughty, but with others, she would have lost her temper long ago.

*小棉袄 (xiǎo mián'ǎo) - a sensible little girl who is very close to her parents; daddy or mommy's girl

Anyway, women and men...

Wait.

Wait, no.

She thought of something.

"Mom."

"?"

"I and Ruoxian... are both girls, and our relationship is not protected by law, there are no marital property disputes. Could it be precisely because of this that you feel particularly at ease with us being together?" Song Qingluo asked nervously. She both wanted a real answer and was afraid of the real answer.

Song Yulan picked up the teacup and drank the water inside slowly.

Probably.

She and Ruoxian had walked this path smoothly, especially with the family situation. Her mother had been helping her all along, and there had been little to no scrutiny or precaution towards Ruoxian. The conclusion that Ruoxian had reliable character was drawn solely from two work-related encounters...

Was it just because they were both women?

If it can't be legalized, then there is no threat, so it's not taken seriously, and of course, it's all joyful. After all, if the relationship ends, she will still be her Mom’s baby, while Ruoxian will just be a passerby in the family.

Thinking about this, she felt a little sad.

"Why ask this?" Song Yulan saw through her daughter's thoughts at a glance and smiled.

"Just say whether it's true or not."

"If I say, I did consider it a little, would you think it's too much? Tell me the first answer that comes to your mind."

"I would..."

The second answer that appeared: not completely.

The comfortable life and free environment she had enjoyed since childhood were all given to her by her mother. It was a normal concern, so what right did she have to feel it was too much?

"Very honest," Song Yulan hugged her and kissed her forehead, "but actually, it's not absolute, is it?"

"Mm..."

"First, Mom loves you, so she loves everything related to you. This is the most important point. Second, as for Wen Ruoxian, although I can judge her character through our cooperation, this doesn't represent her private virtues, nor does it show the full picture of a person. It's like the same ingredients making the same dish, but the taste may be different. Your contact with her is just the beginning. Mom can only check at this point, after that, it's your own lesson. What kind of person she really is and what flavors you can taste, you should experience it yourself."

"Lastly, what you said, that the law doesn't recognize it, so there are no property disputes, what I considered was simply ease and convenience, not having to worry is the best, although these are not really issues..."

She had once thought about what motherly love truly was. Gentleness? Tolerance? Protection? Not entirely. The motherly love she understood and practiced also involved determination, strength, and vigilance.

She had to do the last three things to provide her daughter with the first three.

"If you need help, Mom will help you. If you need revenge... this sounds like xx, haha."

Song Qingluo's eyes stung, and she pouted as she muttered, "I think I'm the one being excessive. I shouldn't think so much. I should trust you. Wuwu, I have the best Mom in the world."

"Alright," Song Yulan comforted her, "It's not that complicated. As long as baby is happy."

Before her tears could fall, they were already soothed away. She sniffed the fragrance in her mother's hair, the same scent as when she was a child, and her emotions gradually calmed.

"Do you think our personalities and temperaments are very different, me and Ruoxian?"

"Mm, one is active, the other is calm. They're opposite but complementary. The future should be very lively."

"Ah! Really? Will we argue every day? Will it be chaotic?"

"Not necessarily."

Song Yulan lowered her eyes and thought for a moment before saying, "Ruoxian is a person with inner talent and a bit of 'character.' From her temperament and way of handling things, she’s not suited for business, but she not only succeeded, she also stayed true to herself. She knows the ways of the world but isn't worldly, which is a very valuable quality."

Hearing her wife praised by her mother, Song Qingluo was ecstatic, her tail nearly flying up to the sky. She excitedly said, "Yes, yes! I think so too!"

Ordinary people lack taste, only seeing the surface, so they think Wen Ruoxian is dull. But she, with her eye for detail and taste, could see deeper and knew that Wen Ruoxian was a pearl wrapped in an oyster shell.

"So, whether a relationship lasts or not isn't about how different your personalities are, but whether you can face difficulties together and support each other when you fall into the valley. It's like the saying, 'Put your strength into one place.' I believe Ruoxian can do this."

"What about me? I can do it too!"

Song Yulan shot her a skeptical glance and shook her head. "Hard to say."

"What do you mean? Mom~ I'm your biological child, and you're not confident in me?"

"I know my own child."

Song Qingluo's face darkened, she pouted and reached out to tickle her. "You have five seconds to take back that sentence, or—"

"Alright, alright, I'll take it back. Mom was just teasing you." Song Yulan begged for mercy.

"Hmph."

"Are you going home tonight?"

"No, I told Ruoxian I’d stay at home. Then I..." She was about to say she would sleep in her mom's room but then remembered that Puppy No. 5 was also at home.

Song Yulan's current boyfriend.

Her dear mother wasn't just hers alone.

"Then sleep with mom? Let Hongjie clean your room, and tomorrow you and Ruoxian can stay in it," Song Yulan looked at her expectantly.

Song Qingluo shook her head. "I’m going to video call Ruoxian soon. The room will only be empty for one night, no need to clean. I'll tidy it up myself."

"A pair of young lovers in the heat of passion..."

"Aiya, you should go comfort the puppy. He was upset just now. You need to take care of your little home, Ms. Song." She said this and ran off.

"?"

Song Yulan finally understood and was both amused and helpless.

After sitting on the sofa for a while, she sent a message to her young boyfriend: [Where are you?]

The downside of a big house was that it was hard to find someone; the location could only be tracked by phone or surveillance.

Ten minutes later, she received a reply: [The study on the fourth floor.]

The underlying message of the text was that she was expected to come find him. Otherwise, the reply should have been "I'll come over now"—the puppy's thoughts were completely transparent to her.

There was more than one study on the fourth floor. Not telling her was a way of making her search for him.

Song Yulan stood up and went downstairs. From her understanding of the puppy, he was probably in the southeast study, the largest room with plenty of sunlight during the day, and a garden fountain outside the window. But she still made her way around the entire floor, checking each room.

She pushed open the door to the southeast study—

"Here," she walked in with a smile.

The man was leaning against the window, holding a thin stack of blueprints. When he saw her, his lips lifted in pleasant surprise.

"How did you know?"

"I searched through every room," Song Yulan stroked his chin. "Are you satisfied?"

The puppy showed a satisfied smile. She was willing to play along with his little game.

"Has Qingluo left?"

"No."

Song Yulan took the blueprint from his hands and flipped through two or three pages. "Why are they all old drafts?"

"Mm... I was afraid I couldn't control my emotions earlier, so I tried to find some work inspiration to distract myself. But I didn't find anything, though I'm much better now." The puppy became disappointed when he heard that Song Qingluo hadn't left. It seemed like he would have to sleep in the guest room alone again tonight. He hadn't seen her for nearly a month. Finally, when both of them had time, just two short days were already going to be squeezed away.

"Have you learned anything new recently?" Song Yulan tossed the blueprint onto the table and smiled at him.

"What?"

"Tea art*.”

*being pretentious, derived from the buzzword ‘green tea bitch’

That smile was unfathomable.

"I'm sorry, I'll speak properly, I..."

The puppy lowered his eyes and was about to explain when Song Yulan kissed his lips and said, "A little bit of tea is cute."

Oh.

How terrifying.

He relaxed a little, wrapped his arms around her waist, and only after getting her silent approval did he lower his head to kiss her.

"I've been counting the days; we haven't seen each other for twenty-four days. You promised me that you'd spend today and tomorrow with me. I’m guessing you might break that promise again, and it feels a bit frustrating."

They were both busy before the New Year. It was rare for the mother and daughter to stay home for the Spring Festival without going on a trip, yet they each had to return to their own families—as even if he didn't go back, there was no place for him here to celebrate.

Yesterday, Song Qingluo had to go to the neighboring province on short notice, and since he happened to have time, he came over, allowing them to finally meet. But who knew that today the Young Miss would rush back home again, and by the looks of it, tomorrow the house would be even livelier.

Wanting to have uninterrupted time just for the two of them had become a kind of luxury.

"Only frustrating?" Song Yulan asked beside his ear.

"...What else do you hope I feel?"

The puppy was initially bewildered, unsure of what she meant by her words. He felt like he understood yet didn’t, which made him even more uncomfortable. Then, as he slowly processed it, he earnestly said, "I won’t make you choose; it was never a multiple choice."

"No tea art involved," he added.

Pfft—

Song Yulan burst into laughter, pinching his chin as she leaned in to give him a deep kiss. Her fingers slid down and brushed against the buttons of his shirt.

"Wait..." The puppy thought she was about to do something.

This was the study! A study with surveillance cameras! How could she just start something out of nowhere? He had his pride!

But she only patted his abs and said, "You've gained weight; lose it."

“...”

"Did you hear me?"

"Alright."

Song Yulan let go of him, turned around, and walked out. When she opened the door and looked back, she noticed he was still standing by the window. "Planning to spend the night here?"

The puppy blushed and quickly followed, hurriedly buttoning up his shirt.

In the elevator, Song Yulan pressed the button for the fifth floor. The puppy hesitated for a few seconds, then uncertainly pressed the button for the second floor. She sighed, "Who told you to go to the guest room? So considerate."

"Isn't Qingluo back..."

He suddenly understood, and a look of delight spread across his face.

****

The next day, Song Qingluo didn’t wake up until noon.

Whenever she was home, she would automatically go into "find Mom first" mode upon waking up. She searched the entire floor for Ms. Song, and after a phone call, she found out that her mother was playing tennis with her young boyfriend in the east wing.

Hah!

Lovey-dovey couple.

She needed to hurry and bring her wife over.

Downstairs for lunch, Song Qingluo, still rubbing her eyes, had just sat down when Song Yulan and the puppy came in. They were both wearing sports tops and shorts, looking fresh and lively, walking hand in hand as they chatted.

"I swear, I didn’t go easy on you."

"You did."

"I really didn’t!"

The puppy was on the verge of tears.

Song Yulan ignored him and walked over to her daughter, ruffling her hair. "Good morning."

"Mom, it's already noon."

"Not bad, you know it's noon, clearly awake. Let's eat."

"..."

Song Qingluo was speechless. She glanced at the puppy, who was holding back a laugh as he silently sat beside Song Yulan, leaving a space between them.

"When are you bringing Ruoxian over?"

"Right after lunch."

"I'll head back to work in the afternoon," the puppy said, looking at Song Yulan.

When the mother and daughter talked, he usually wouldn’t interrupt. But today, the matter had nothing to do with him, and he felt awkward sitting in the middle as an outsider.

Unexpectedly, Song Qingluo spoke up first, "Why do you leave as soon as I get back? Just stay here. I'm not some monster."

“…”

Song Yulan took bites of her vegetables, chewing slowly and deliberately, as if she hadn’t heard the conversation between the two people on either side of her.

The dining table was eerily quiet.

Suddenly, she put down her chopsticks and, as if talking to herself, said, "No need to avoid appearances."

The puppy picked up his phone and typed out, "I don’t have any tea skills," but before he could send it, she seemed to sense it and looked over at him. "I know."

Song Qingluo on the side: "?"

What kind of riddle were these two lovey-dovey playing?

….

The glacier blue car went in and out as Song Qingluo drove Wen Ruoxian back home.

"Welcome another princess to the castle!" After they got out of the car, she ceremoniously took Wen Ruoxian's hand and made an inviting gesture.

Wen Ruoxian followed her into the main building.

Thinking about meeting Ms. Song in a different role today, she couldn't help but feel a bit nervous, despite having mentally prepared herself—she tried to imagine what Ms. Song would be like at home.

Drinking tea? Reading a book? Playing chess?

No...

Those were things her own parents did at home.

She couldn’t quite picture it.

Through her work, she had encountered many wealthy, middle-aged female clients, and most shared similar traits—she could usually gauge their temperaments and preferences to about seventy or eighty percent accuracy. But Song Yulan was impossible to predict; even though they had met privately before, she remained a mystery.

It wasn’t just nerves—there was curiosity, too.

"my mom’s in the gaming room. She started a game and couldn’t stop, so she told us to rest for now and join her for dinner later." As the elevator doors opened, Song Qingluo put her phone away.

"Let’s go, Ruoxian, to my room."

Wen Ruoxian was stunned. "Gaming?"

She imagined Song Yulan sitting at a computer, playing a game…

“Mm, it’s a VR game. Her boyfriend’s company collaborated with a gaming company to develop it. I played with her twice—can you believe it even has math problems? So boring.”

“Boyfriend?”

A middle-aged man's face surfaced in her mind.

"Uh…"

Song Qingluo suddenly realized she hadn’t introduced her family to her girlfriend—after all, they had just started dating, and there hadn’t been time. Her focus had always been on Wen Ruoxian, and she hadn’t thought to bring up her family.

Wen Ruoxian realized this, too. 

Her understanding of Song Qingluo’s family was limited: wealthy, established, and with a close mother-daughter bond. That was all.

Yet, in just two sentences, Qingluo had shattered her preconceived notions. The curiosity bubbled up, but so many questions felt intrusive, too personal to ask directly.

“Uh, yeah…my mom only dates, she doesn’t marry. She had me through IVF...ugh, I should’ve told you earlier.”

"???"

"We're here, come in quickly."

Song Qingluo pulled Wen Ruoxian into her room.

It was a large suite. Upon entering, there was a photo wall, featuring pictures of Song Qingluo from birth to the present. Some were solo shots, and others were mother-daughter photos.

Wen Ruoxian smiled in delight and stopped to admire them.

A tiny crimson-colored footprint caught her attention, and she couldn't help but reach out to touch it, displaying a motherly smile. "So cute..."

June 30, 2001

The newborn little Qingluo was all red, her skin wrinkled, and she seemed to be quite uncomfortable in her mother's arms, wearing a sour face. In the photo, Song Yulan was smiling happily.

"Is every baby born this ugly?"

"Not at all, very adorable."

"Hmph."

Taking advantage of the fact that her wife was engrossed, Song Qingluo pecked her lips.

"Don't be fooled by how happily my mom is smiling. According to my godmother, that day I cried miserably just for a sip of milk, but my mom refused to feed me. Wuwu, how heartless."

Wen Ruoxian was puzzled. "Is there any special meaning to it?"

"No, no, just kidding. My mom just didn't want to go through that pain. I understand her. Also, she was really, really busy. My godmother said..."

During the peak of her career, having a baby alone—it sounds like something is wrong with her mind.

But this person is Song Yulan.

She was rebellious even in school, didn’t listen after graduation, grew up with a strong sense of defiance, and loved taking risks and challenges. She would rather make one yuan on her own than earn ten working for someone else.

Oh no, a female warrior.

The mother she admires the most!

In the 1990s, she made her first fortune by selling medicine, earning over 800,000 yuan, which was considered a huge amount back then.

She made dozens of trips to Europe to select quality genes, and when she was on the brink of collapse, she almost thought of casually finding a young, strong, handsome guy to sleep with and then run away. However, she was scared off by the 50% gender probability, since she only wanted a daughter.

At eight weeks pregnant, she fell down the stairs. Her ankle swelled up high, but her belly was fine.

At 25 weeks, she got into a car accident. Her head was bruised and bled uncontrollably, but her belly was fine.

She worked at least nine hours a day, flying here and there every few days. Apart from not staying up late or touching cigarettes and alcohol, she ate hotpot, barbecue, and ice cream without missing a thing, and occasionally went to the gym for a workout.

Her pregnancy symptoms were light to the point of almost none, and all the checkups went smoothly.

"Maybe I knew I was born into a good womb, that's why I stubbornly stayed in my mom's belly like this, hehe."

Wen Ruoxian listened intently and joked, "Yes, little fox, not only smart but also has good taste. This is the destined mother-daughter bond."

"Oh, and my name..."

One evening, Song Yulan was walking in her own yard. As she passed by the wall and the tile railing, a bunch of vines hung down and brushed against her clothes, grazing her slightly swollen abdomen. She remembered a line of poetry:  

[Green bamboo enters a secluded path, green vines brush against the traveling clothes.]  

Green vines.  

Verdant, ready to drip, growing wildly, naturally, and vigorously.

"my mom said the meaning is quite good, but directly using it feels a bit cliché and unlucky. It sounds like weeds. Since her name already has water in it, she chose 'Qing' with three dots of water. Water is the source of life, nourishing with the water of love, watering with rain and dew, wishing for my strong growth."  

*she was talking about the characters used in her name the ‘Qing’ (青) from green vines was changed to ‘Qing’ (清) - which means clear, pure, still. Adding the three dots at the side (氵) which is a shorthand version of the water radical, emphasizes its connection to water. The Yu (雨) in Song Yulan means rain. In Chinese, names often have meanings or associations linked to elements, nature, or virtues.

At this point, Song Qingluo let out a beautiful sigh.  

"I really like my name!"  

Wen Ruoxian nodded in agreement: "A name full of love and hope."  

Her gaze moved leftward, to the one-year-old Qingluo, the two-year-old Qingluo, the three-year-old Qingluo... At such a young age, she had already grown into a doll-like figure with big eyes, long eyelashes, dressed in beautiful dresses, and a smile sweet enough to melt hearts.  

There were three aunties at home to take care of her.

One person prepared baby food, another took care of her daily needs, and another did the shopping for supplies. Additionally, there were two family teachers responsible for preschool education.  

"My mom only rested for a month after giving birth to me, then handed me over to the aunties. My godmother did the same. Chuchu was born half a month later than me. We were already good sisters in our mom's belly, and even as 'left-behind children,' we had to be together!"  

Although the mother and daughter did not spend much time together in the early days, the mother's care for her was never lacking.  

She remembered what food she liked and found fresh and safe sources for ingredients. She remembered when her daughter grew taller and needed new clothes, keeping track of children's clothing brand updates, and occasionally having custom-made outfits with personally chosen fabrics and cuts. She remembered her favorite cartoons, bringing back related souvenirs when she returned from business trips. She remembered the toys she wanted, often buying the latest models...

Her emotions, temper, and habits, her Mom knew them all.  

It was also her Mom who discovered her musical talent.  

At just a few months old, she would wiggle her little body to the rhythm of music. When she was just learning to speak, she could hum the melody of a song after hearing it only once. Once she started walking, the whole house became her stage.  

After listening to countless songs, she could figure out the correct scales by herself, even though she had never learned the piano.  

"Then my mom hired a professor from the music academy to give me lessons..."

"So, you learned the piano first?" Wen Ruoxian asked in surprise, giving her a thumbs up.  

Song Qingluo hummed a couple of notes in resignation.  

"Actually, I didn’t like the piano. When I was little, I just thought it was interesting and wanted to try all sorts of instruments. The piano was too easy; you press a key, and sound comes out. Isn't that something anyone can do with their hands?"  

"..."  

The humblebrag from a gifted person.  

"Later, I found the violin the most interesting because at first, I couldn’t even make a sound. When I finally did, it was so awful—like a saw cutting through wood or a crow cawing. I was determined to master it. The harder something is, the more fun it is to challenge."  

Playing around, she ended up getting into a prestigious school, participating in international competitions, and winning trophies.  

As expected, she took after her Mom’s personality.

"Anyway, loving a child doesn't mean you have to be constantly by their side. As long as there's sincerity, love can take any form. What I admire most about my mom is that she didn’t give up on certain things for my sake, like her hobbies and ideals. She lives freely, and that’s why I can be free."  

Song Qingluo said this while looking at a photo of the mother and daughter.  

Wen Ruoxian followed her gaze, feeling a slight stir in her heart.  

She chewed on the words, "She lives freely, and that's why I can be free," feeling a tinge of bitterness. Her own mother, in contrast to Song Yulan, lived far too unfree.  

"Mm…"  

As the photo wall went up, Song Qingluo grew older.  

The memories also became clearer.

Before she was nine, she was always held in her mom’s arms. After she turned nine, she grew much taller and heavier, and her Mom could no longer carry her. Instead, she would hold her hand or rest her arm around her shoulders, kissing her cheek and calling her “baby.”  

As she grew older, by the time she was twelve or thirteen, Qingluo no longer let her Mom kiss her cheek, only allowing kisses on her forehead.  

In her rebellious years, with self-awareness sky-high and inheriting her mom’s stubbornness, she did whatever she wanted. To others, she was seen as a "little devil" ——

She was never a well-behaved child.

"Those who want to discipline me are all idiots, so self-righteous. I can't be bothered with them. They’d be better off chatting with my mom. She could say just a few words, and it would be worth more than a thousand useless sentences from those fools."  

Song Qingluo said, rolling her eyes.  

Most kids her age in the industry had already scattered to "the UK, US, or Canada" during their primary school years, or at the very least, went abroad for middle school after graduating from international schools.  

She hadn’t.  

The mother and daughter couldn't bear to be apart.  

The company had already gone public, and Song Yulan held the power of the group. Apart from the core pharmaceutical business, she had investments in various industries. If she wanted to, she could retire at any time.  

Being able to personally accompany her daughter through her studies was within her power at a moment's notice.

"If my mom retired early just to accompany me, she wouldn’t be my mom. She was only in her early forties then, in her prime! Her career wasn’t finished, and she had a ten-year blueprint laid out ahead, ready to go all out… ai, workaholics are like this."  

When talking about her Mom’s career, Song Qingluo’s eyes sparkled, full of pride.  

No matter how hard they tried to stay together, by the time she was in high school, she needed to go. At fifteen, her goal was clear: choose one of the world’s top music academies. It was a matter of whether she wanted it, not whether she could do it.  

"I like the UK a little more, with its architecture, history, and culture. It suits my taste. The US is just a hick town—people are hicks, the culture is hick, everything is hick."  

"Hahaha..."

Wen Ruoxian almost choked on her own saliva from laughing.  

At fifteen, Qingluo and Chuchu both went to the UK and enrolled in a girls' school.  

The two sisters had always lived by their mother's side, like part of a big family, so suddenly being separated was very hard to adjust to.  

"The first half month of school was the hardest. I missed my mom so much every day and kept messaging her. But because of the time difference, she was busy and couldn’t reply quickly, so we’d just set a time to video chat…"  

In the video, she was as happy as a little sparrow, chattering away, and sharing every little thing. But after hanging up, she would hide under the blankets and cry quietly.

"I didn’t want my mom to know. She would definitely worry, and I thought I was being pathetic. Using today’s terms, I was way too much of a ‘mama’s girl’—crying over missing my mom at fifteen. How embarrassing."  

"Guess what happened next? After about a week, Mom suddenly flew to the UK. I found out she had dreamt that I was calling for her, crying and running. She missed me so much too… After that, every month, she and my godmother would fly over, spending two days with me and Chuchu, until we completely got used to it."  

At fifteen or sixteen, Song Qingluo was youthful and full of wild energy.  

In almost every photo, she had her chin slightly raised, her eyes proud and bright, exuding the vitality of her age.  

"It was about around this time that I realized I liked girls…"

The signs had been there early on, such as her closeness with girls when she was young, only paying attention to female characters in artistic works, and sometimes feeling inexplicable desires for women.  

The body, the soul, the wisdom of women—everything attracted her.  

"It was like when we had swimming lessons together, changing clothes, and I kept staring at my classmate. One of them had a particularly good figure, hmm..." Song Qingluo's voice gradually grew softer, her face reddening.  

"Then when I was little, bathing or soaking in hot springs with my mom, I think I also paid attention to them."  

She had become used to sharing her thoughts with her mother at any time, so when she voiced her confusion and thoughts, she quickly received comfort.  

Song Qingluo is a lesbian, one of the minority in the human species, that's all.

"Mom said that sexual orientation is innate. She noticed something when I was little, but I was too young, and she couldn't be sure. Besides, it's not that important. Just let things be, and she was more worried about me not knowing how to handle relationships, about being discriminated against or misunderstood, and afraid I would be too focused on love and get tricked."  

"Does your Mom not think you're just following the trend? Or that you're influenced by your surroundings?" Wen Ruoxian thought of her own mother's attitude.  

Same generation, only a few years apart, both well-educated, and both with their own careers.  

"Huh? No, not at all. The people around me growing up were all heterosexual. If it was that easy to be influenced, I should've gone after men, right? To say someone is 'following the trend' without understanding the situation is arrogant. At least my mom took the time to have a serious conversation with me. She respects my thoughts."  

"Ai..." Wen Ruoxian sighed. "You're right. I wish my mother could think like that."  

Song Qingluo hugged her tightly and comforted her. "Every Mom loves their child differently. Looking ahead, Aunt and Uncle have accepted it. They respect and love you."

The future was bright.

Wen Ruoxian thought to herself, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "Mm."

The photo wall was higher now. At eighteen, Song Qingluo received a precious birthday gift—a violin crafted by a master.

"Antonio Stradivari. His violins are two to three hundred years old. There are only over a thousand of them, and some models can only be seen in museums. Many are replicas, but few genuine ones have survived to this day, and even fewer are violins..."

However, her great mother, after eyeing it for a long time at an auction, bought a genuine one for over five million dollars as a coming-of-age gift for her.

Three years later, she won the Paganini Award with this violin.

At twenty-one, Song Qingluo held the trophy and posed for a photo with her mother. To her, it was a day of great significance.

"It means I succeeded in challenging the violin, hehe."

The latest photo showed three people.

Youth, middle age, and old age. One Song Qingluo, one Song Yulan, and the other was her grandmother.  

At twenty-five, nine months after Song Qingluo returned to the country, and three months before meeting Ruoxian, her mother took her back to her hometown, where they met her long-lost grandmother. The three generations appeared in the same frame.  

"My Grandma was a civil servant, I guess. She followed my grandfather when he retired from the military, and they lived in a staff compound. She wasn’t a big official, just enough power to retire comfortably and live well."  

"They all hoped my mom would stay in the hometown, offering her a stable and easy civil servant job, but my mom wasn’t happy. She’s been rebellious since she was little, always going against the grain. In my Grandma’s words, 'Three days without beating, the roof would be torn off'..."  

"When Mom had me alone, my Grandma thought it was disgraceful. It was humiliating, so she scolded her badly and said she would sever ties. After that, my mom really cut off contact with the family."

"What was it that broke the ice later? Let me think..." Song Qingluo furrowed her brows.  

When she was five or six, Song Yulan was pestered by a second-generation official. His father was powerful and influential, causing endless trouble for her with just a bit of pressure. Years of hard work were almost wasted.  

"Just thinking about it makes me angry! That stinky toad wanted to eat swan meat! Not only did he try to force marriage, but he also wanted my Mom to have a second child with him. Pfft! He should take a good look at himself first!"

After her grandmother learned about it, she went through many people and picked up connections that could still be used before, and then she reluctantly asked the second-generation family to come forward to stop it. It's also a coincidence that within two years of this incident, the second-generation father fell from power and was imprisoned and has not yet been released.

"Although the relationship has eased a lot, my Grandma still doesn't accept me very well. It has only gotten better in recent years. I have met her three times in total, but I don't know her well anyway..."

Song Qingluo's voice was a little aggrieved. She didn't know why. If it were someone else who didn't want to see her, she wouldn't care at all. But thinking that it was her Grandma, her mother's mother, she felt unspeakably aggrieved.

They were supposed to be the three generations closest to each other by blood.

"My mother said that she didn't want to see her closest relatives of three generations walk into three families with different surnames and become 'outsiders,' so she started on a new path."

Now this path has been taken.

As for her, Song Qingluo, whether she will continue on this path is entirely up to her.

After looking through the entire wall of photos, Wen Ruoxian’s gaze returned to the small red footprint. She reached out to touch it again, but this time, it felt as if it held real substance.  

In a short time, she had adopted a god’s-eye view, accompanying Song Qingluo through twenty-six years of life.  

It wasn’t enough.  

"Qingluo, are there more photos? There’s no way these are all of them, right?"  

"??"  

Song Qingluo was stunned.  

How could anyone get addicted to looking at photos?  

Wen Ruoxian read her expression and said seriously, "You’ve seen plenty of my photos at my house too. It’s only fair we share."  

Then, in a quieter voice, she added, "And if you tell me more stories about Auntie, that would be even better."  

"Oh, so it turns out my Mom is the only one in your heart!"

Song Qingluo lunged at her with a playful ferocity, raining passionate kisses down on her. Wen Ruoxian was pinned against the wall, unable to move. Tilting her head back, she begged for mercy, "It’s not like that, Qingluo, Qing—mm…"  

After bullying her enough, Song Qingluo finally let her go, flashing a sly smile. "If you want to hear my Mom’s stories, why don’t you ask her yourself?"  

"Never mind…" Wen Ruoxian panted as she replied, "Those are personal matters. It wouldn’t be appropriate for me to ask."  

"Really? Well, if I spill her personal matters, I’d lose my allowance. It’s tough having a biological mom—she’s even more lenient with other people’s kids."  

"You little liar, tricking me again."

The fox’s tricks were no longer fresh.

"Hmph," Song Qingluo pouted and playfully brushed it off. She grabbed Wen Ruoxian's hand, pulling her further inside. "Alright, there are several big boxes of photos and even some videos. You can take your time and enjoy them all. But about my mom… well, I don’t know much. Her work involves business secrets, and as for her love life… all men. Not worth mentioning."  

The room’s interior featured a symmetrical, central-axis layout.  

Several big boxes weren’t an exaggeration. Song Qingluo turned the room upside down to find them and had some snacks and fruits delivered. The two of them lounged on the sofa, snacking and watching the photos while reminiscing about childhood embarrassments.  

Before they knew it, the afternoon had flown by.  

"Ahh, it’s already past six!"  

"Hmm?"  

Outside, the sky was completely dark.

Song Qingluo glanced at her phone. There were no messages. "Why isn’t my mom back yet? Never mind, let’s just go eat first."

"Maybe we should wait…" Wen Ruoxian hadn’t finished speaking when she was pulled up by Song Qingluo, who led her out.

"There aren’t so many rules at home. If we want to eat, we eat. It’s late; I don’t want my wife to go hungry."

She held Wen Ruoxian’s hand in her palm, intertwining their fingers.

Yesterday, she had already informed Aunt Hong, the housekeeper, of her wife’s preferences, asking her to relay them to the chef. Typically, dinner was served at six o’clock, and now that it was a little past that time, a feast was already waiting for them.

As they left the room and were about to enter the elevator, a voice came from the direction of the living room—

"Skip the transformation steps in between, substitute the M value into the equation, and you’ll have the answer. Adding extra steps only increases the chance of error; it’s a trick."

"Huh?"

Song Yulan and her young boyfriend were sitting on the sofa, both engrossed in discussing something over a tablet.  

She had changed into a casual outfit again: loose but elegantly draping trousers and an embroidered shirt with an asymmetric neckline, all in her usual light colors. Her face was bare of makeup, and her long hair was casually tucked behind her ears.  

She exuded a lazy yet comfortable air, gentle and approachable, yet her eyes were as deep as ocean trenches. There was a sharpness in her demeanor that was hard to ignore.  

"The last coordinate is correct. If you cut through here, it forms the proper flight path."  

She picked up a stylus and marked a few points on the screen.  

The young man exclaimed in admiration, "Both methods work…"  

Before he could finish speaking, Song Qingluo arrived hand in hand with Wen Ruoxian.  

"Mom, when did you come upstairs? Why didn’t you let me know?"  

Song Yulan looked up and noticed Wen Ruoxian standing beside her daughter. She warmly waved her over. "Ruoxian, come here."

“?”

Wen Ruoxian didn’t understand the situation but obediently leaned closer. “President Song… uh, Auntie.”  

“Could you help me with something?” Song Yulan smiled gently and naturally wrapped an arm around her shoulders, passing her the tablet. “See if you can solve this problem. If possible, calculate it using two methods.”  

On the screen was a math problem.  

It involved calculating the correct coordinates to plot a spaceship’s flight path while avoiding black holes. It seemed like a task from a sci-fi game.  

Wen Ruoxian studied it carefully. As she unconsciously leaned into Song Yulan, she felt the comforting presence of an elder woman. Forgetting her usual aversion to physical contact, she found it surprisingly unbothersome.  

“I’ll give it a try.”  

It had been a long time since she’d dealt with advanced mathematics, and she worried she might have forgotten most of it.  

The problem wasn’t too difficult. She followed the existing steps to solve it twice, then used her own approach for a third attempt. Finally, her result matched Song Yulan’s answer.  

“Auntie, is this correct?”  

“Spot on.”  

Song Yulan handed the tablet back to her young boyfriend, who slapped his thigh in realization. “I messed up by substituting the wrong number!”  

“Ruoxian’s approach simplifies things even further. It’s much faster to calculate. Young people’s brains really are sharper than ours.” She looked at Wen Ruoxian with affection and admiration.  

Wen Ruoxian felt shy from the praise and said, “I just got inspired by the existing formula.”

Wen Ruoxian hadn’t expected to meet the family in such a casual manner. All her mental preparation seemed unnecessary, but it did help ease her initial nerves, and the atmosphere immediately felt more relaxed.  

“I’ll back it up next time I log in,” the puppy said cheerfully.  

Wen Ruoxian curiously glanced at him.  

She didn’t know who he was. He looked about the same age as Qingluo, with a refined and handsome appearance, somewhat resembling a model from a magazine cover. She guessed he was probably a younger relative visiting the family for the holiday.  

Song Yulan noticed her gaze and suddenly remembered. “Oh, I forgot to introduce him. This is my boyfriend.”  

Then she turned to the young man and said, “This is Qingluo’s girlfriend, my goddaughter.”  

“?????”  

Wen Ruoxian was stunned.  

The puppy greeted her earnestly, “Hello.” 

“…Hello.” Wen Ruoxian quickly hid her surprise and responded with a polite smile.  

She wanted to say more, but Song Qingluo, who had been standing off to the side feeling ignored, was visibly displeased. “Mom? Can you finish chatting after dinner? I’m starving here!”  

Her biological mom not only ignored her but also stole her wife.  

Unacceptable.  

She was going to make a scene!

"Mom, Mom, Mom—"

"Mm?" Song Yu Lan responded, then remembered her daughter. "Alright, alright, let's eat, Ruoxian, let's go."

She affectionately linked arms with Wen Ruoxian and stood up. The two of them walked ahead and entered the elevator together. "Yesterday, Qingluo mentioned what you like to eat, so I had the chef prepare it. Don't be polite, this is your home."

"Thank you, Auntie."

"Did Qingluo take you around this afternoon?"

"Yes, we looked at a lot of photos of her as a child with you. She was so cute."

"You didn't finish looking, right?"

"Mm..."

Because there really were a lot.

Song Yu Lan chuckled softly, gently patting her hand: "If you stay a few more days, you’ll be able to finish looking. I'll have the butler register you. You can come anytime. Usually, it's just me here, and with such a big place, it's kind of lonely."

"This..." Wen Ruoxian was flattered. "I don’t want to trouble you."

"I just said not to be polite, and now you're being polite. Qingluo said she brought me a 'goddaughter,' but look, you don't act much like a daughter."

Both mother and daughter liked to tease her.

"Alright, it's better to obey than resist," Wen Ruoxian winked at Song Qingluo.

They arrived at the small round table restaurant on the first floor. Some dishes on the table were Wen Ruoxian's favorites, while others were rare ingredients, all carefully chosen to cater to everyone's tastes, with over a dozen plates arranged.

Song Qingluo went to wash her hands, and Wen Ruoxian followed behind her, closing the door.

"Qingluo..."

"Mm?"

Wen Ruoxian glanced outside, hesitating as if wanting to ask something but holding back. The look of curiosity yet restraint made Song Qingluo feel a little sorry for her. She took the initiative to speak: "It's a serious relationship, not a nurturing relationship."

"How old is he?"

"Twenty-eight or twenty-nine, I think."

"???"

Younger than her.

"For a puppy, if it's too young, it's childish. If it's too old, it's greasy. This age is just right." Song Qingluo said nonchalantly while admiring her own face in the mirror.

"Puppy?"

"Nickname. I gave it to him. This is the fifth one, Puppy No. 5."

Pfft—

Wen Ruoxian's lips twitched slightly.

….

After dinner, Song Qingluo dragged Wen Ruoxian back to the room to change into a down jacket and go outside to set off fireworks.

With more than half of the stock used up, Wen Ruoxian stood beside Song Yulan, not knowing what to talk about with her. They laughed from time to time, and their bright laughter echoed far in the cold night.

Song Qingluo quietly sneaked up, and upon listening, she found that they were talking about funny stories from her childhood.

“Mom—”

“What’s wrong, good girl?” Song Yulan pulled her daughter over, brushing the stray hair off her face.

Wen Ruoxian mimicked, “Good girl.”

"Ah! You two! Ahh..." Song Qingluo's face turned bright red.

"How nice it sounds, right, Ruoxian?"

"Exactly."

They harmonized together.

Song Qingluo hummed and thought of something important, then coquettishly said, "Mom~ can you transfer me some cash? I need it lately~"

"Okay, how much?"

The little fox made a "two" gesture with her hand.

Song Yulan smiled and nodded. "Keep an eye on the bank messages these two days."

"Hehe, Mom is so nice~"

Song Qingluo kissed her cheek and whispered, "You can only call me ‘good girl’ at home.”

"Alright, alright."

Wen Ruoxian looked at the mother and daughter and suddenly felt an uncomfortable sensation rise in her mind. She wanted to avoid it—she seemed to have a bit of a fear of intimacy. When others weren’t awkward, she felt awkward for them.

Between family members, openly saying "I love you" was a very distant thing. The memories of intimate contact had long since blurred.

If she hadn’t met Qingluo and hadn’t seen a different world, she would have remained trapped in her own set of doctrines forever.

After the fireworks, Wen Ruoxian went with Song Yulan to register a set of identity recognition information. She could now freely enter and exit most areas of the manor, with the same permissions as Song Qingluo.

"Mom, we still haven’t finished looking at the photos. Just give Ruoxian back to me, wuwuwu."

Seeing that her own mother was about to steal her wife again, Song Qingluo quickly acted pitiful. She looked around, irritated. Damn it, at the crucial moment, the little puppy wasn’t even around!

"Ai, this child…" Song Yulan smiled indulgently and released Wen Ruoxian.

"Don’t stay up late."

"I know, I know. Goodnight, Mom!"

“…”

Wen Ruoxian felt reluctant. She still wanted to chat with Ms. Song a little longer, but she couldn’t resist Qingluo's coquettish, pitiful behavior. She had no choice but to give in and go back to the room with her.

"Wife, wife?"

Seeing her in a daze, Song Qingluo reached out and waved her hand in front of Wen Ruoxian.

"Oh, I was thinking... just now, when you asked Auntie for pocket money, she didn’t ask you what you’re going to do with it. Aren’t you worried at all? Two hundred thousand isn’t a small amount."

"It’s two million."

Wen Ruoxian said absentmindedly, "Then that’s even more unbelievable."

"My mom usually doesn’t ask unless I tell her on my own. When I take money, it’s just to buy things, eat, drink, and have fun. She knows that. If there’s something really serious, I definitely wouldn’t hide it from her."

Song Qingluo took off her scarf and began to tidy up Wen Ruoxian’s hair.

"However, if the amount exceeds five million in one go, she would still ask. Do you remember last year when I accidentally broke the contract? At that time, I said the compensation exceeded five million, and I had to inform my mom—that’s what I meant."

"I see..." Wen Ruoxian nodded absentmindedly.

When she was a child and needed pocket money, let alone two million, even two hundred yuan, her mother would question her carefully, from "what are you going to use the money for" to other related matters.

She would ask, and Wen Ruoxian would answer, unable to lie, unable to avoid the questions.

It wasn’t just about money.

From the smallest things like eating and drinking to the bigger ones like professional choices.

Therefore, she naturally believed that every action must have a reason, a standard. Otherwise, it was wrong and shouldn’t be done.

Her childhood always seemed to hurt her unexpectedly.

Lost in thought, Wen Ruoxian had already taken off everything she could, the room was warm, and it was only then that she realized she had been dragged into the bathroom by Song Qingluo.

"Qingluo? What are you...?"

"Let's take a bath together."

Song Qingluo pinned her against the door and looked at her eagerly.

Wen Ruoxian's face became hot. "You want to do bad things again."

"Just proper things."

"You... mm..."

The temperature in the bathroom rose, and the humid air spread.

After almost an hour of washing, her fingertips became pale and wrinkled. Wen Ruoxian wrapped herself in a bath towel and fled out, putting on Song Qingluo's pajamas before leaving the room.

Qingluo was used to drinking a little wine before bed, and since there was none in the room, she went to the water bar to get some for her.

Taking advantage of the little fox still being soft in the bathtub...

The entire floor had mother and daughter’s rooms facing each other. In the middle was a hallway, and next to it was the living room, furnished with a sofa, television, and other furniture, extending out into a large glass terrace.

Song Yulan and her young boyfriend sat on the swing on the terrace, gently swaying.

"I’m going back to the office early, going back to the dorm to tidy up, have lunch at the cafeteria, and we’ll gather at 1 PM. This inspection will last at least ten days to half a month."

"Should I have the driver take you, or should I?"

"You."

The puppy paused after speaking. "Forget it, running around is too troublesome. Have the driver take me to the subway station, and I’ll take a taxi from there."

Song Yulan leaned against his chest, listened, and chuckled. "Are you afraid someone will see and think you're a little white face*?"

*a pretty boy/gigolo

"I didn’t mean that..."

"Then?"

The puppy fell silent.

Some things, if said, would seem pretentious, but if not said, would feel unjust.

After a while, he couldn’t hold back anymore. "The driver is still you. I definitely want it to be you. You know in your heart, there’s no need to ask this extra question. When I say it’s troublesome, it’s because I don’t want to take up your time at home. Whether you want to or not is up to you, you understand that. But you insist on twisting it into something else, then come and ask me. Alright, tell me, how should I answer to make you happy?"

Song Yulan stroked his face, her lips pressed close, breathing warm and seductive against his nose. "I want to hear you say you want me to take you."

The rest was just nonsense.

The puppy immediately understood, a look of shame and anger appearing on his face as he turned and pressed her down on the swing.

A series of kissing sounds.

Wen Ruoxian, who accidentally glanced over: Don’t look if it's improper!

She calmly walked through the hallway, went to the water bar to get a small bottle of sweet white wine, then calmly returned to her room, closed the door, and finally let out a breath.

"Ruoxian, is this cup pretty?"

Song Qingluo pulled out two gradient-colored goblets. She wasn’t wearing her nightgown, only wrapped in a bath towel with a face mask on. Her big eyes peeking out made her look just like Makka Pakka.

"It’s pretty, let’s go with this one." Wen Ruoxian was amused by her comical appearance, placed the wine on the table, and sat down.

"Just now, when I went out, I saw Auntie and..."

"Lovey-dovey with the puppy?"

Song Qingluo picked up the conversation, her face showing that she was already used to it. She understood not only her biological mother but also her wife.

Her family was indeed different from most others, and it was natural for people to be curious or not understand.

"Mm."

Wen Ruoxian twisted open the bottle cap and continued, "I thought the greater the age gap between partners, the harder it is to get along, but Auntie and her boyfriend seem to have a good relationship. They must have overcome a lot of difficulties."

Unexpectedly, Song Qingluo burst into laughter. "Hahahahaha..."

"?"

Watching her pour wine into her cup, Wen Ruoxian hesitated for a moment, then took a goblet and poured herself a little. "I can have a small drink today."

Song Qingluo clinked her glass with hers.

"There are no difficulties. My mom has only one principle when it comes to relationships: happiness. She doesn't consider the daily mundane things, doesn't think about how to live, and doesn't spend time or energy trying to adjust because those things aren't important to her. She can handle everything on her own. A man only needs to provide emotional value and fulfill physical needs."

Sometimes, emotional value and physical needs can be self-sustaining.

"Happiness is being together, unhappiness is separating. The puppy is temporary. She herself, her daughter, and her assets are eternal."

Wen Ruoxian thought for a moment and said, "So, wouldn't it be better to just have a nurturing relationship? A formal relationship always involves opening up and managing emotions. That's the difference between 'serious' and 'just for fun.'"

"That's not the same."

Song Qingluo waved her hand and took a sip of wine.

"The difference for my mom is that, with casual men, it's all about looks. They flirt but don’t sleep together, and don’t get brought home. She just gives them some money to keep them around, and as long as time and energy allow, she can play with several at once."

"For serious relationships, it’s about looks, talent, and character. Poor ones are out, people from the entertainment industry are out, and those without careers or brains are out. If things go further, she checks the family background, criminal record, hotel stays, and social connections. Once officially together, the puppy has to get blood drawn every month, undergo a local physical every six months, and a full body checkup once a year... to ensure safety and cleanliness."

Wen Ruoxian was so shocked that her mouth fell open, quickly took a sip of wine.

She realized it was because she had limited experience.

"For a serious relationship, my mom will also put in a little effort. For example, she'll pay attention to the puppy's feelings, health, and needs. She'll comfort them if needed, give gifts during holidays, bring them home, or introduce them to friends, but that's about it."

"She doesn’t force anything. If she wants something, she'll clearly tell the other person and respect their choices. So, all the puppies are willing participants."

Song Qingluo clicked her tongue, shaking her head.

Half a glass of wine was almost gone, so she poured a little more and took a large satisfying sip.

"Don't drink anymore," Wen Ruoxian took the wine bottle away.

"Hmph."

Song Qingluo pouted but still listened to her wife.

"Do you ever feel awkward when you're at home with them? How does Auntie handle family relationships?" Wen Ruoxian handed her a tissue to wipe her mouth, then poured a glass of warm water for her to rinse.

Song Qingluo drank the water in one go. "No need to interact. Before I was fifteen, my mom would take the puppies to another house. After I turned fifteen, I went to the UK and later lived on my own. I would occasionally come home, but mostly we didn't cross paths."

"As for family relationships, it's just me and my mom, what is there to handle, haha... Oh no, now there's also my wife, and Chuchu, my godmother. That's our family."

She tilted her head back, closed her eyes, and asked for a kiss.

Wen Ruoxian kissed her reddened lips.

"However, I feel like this Puppy No. 5 has gotten my mom a little obsessed. Oh, by the way, there's something really funny I have to tell you..."

Two years ago in the autumn, Song Yulan and Puppy No. 5 had only been in a relationship for three months. One day, she personally drove him to his workplace in a Bentley, and someone saw them. The rumors about her keeping him spread like wildfire.

Then his family found out.

"He's local, so he went home and admitted he was dating my mom. His dad beat him up terribly, and all his cards, houses, and everything was taken away. It was so tragic, hahaha... My mom said at the time his face was all bruised, and he refused to let anyone see. He said if he got disfigured, my mom wouldn't want him anymore, hahaha!!"

Song Qingluo laughed so hard she rolled on the sofa.

Wen Ruoxian also laughed: "What happened after that?"

Of course, Ms. Song didn’t care about such things and didn’t abandon Puppy No. 5 because of it. Seeing his pitiful state, she gave him a house in the city and 100,000 yuan for living expenses. But the puppy had quite a bit of pride and didn’t go often. Most of the time, he stayed in the company dormitory, and he still hadn’t spent all the money to this day.

He was already very passionate about his work. During his time of hardship, the company provided for him, ensuring he didn’t have to worry about food or lodging. As a result, he grew even fonder of his job, with only his work and Mrs. Song on his mind.

"Did Auntie tell you all of this on her own?"

"Yeah."

"…"

"I talk to my mom every day, I’ve been used to it since I was little. There’s nothing we can’t share. She tells me her gossip, and I tell her mine, we vent together." Song Qingluo kept laughing foolishly.

Whenever she spoke of her mother, her eyes always shone brightly.

Wen Ruoxian once again felt a twinge of awkwardness.

In her memories, mothers and daughters never talked about such topics. All conversations revolved around "useful" things, like what to eat, what clothes to wear, and what grades to get.

When necessary, her mother would also give her a lesson in ideological and political education.

But she also remembered that when she was very young, she too would share, telling her mother about fun things that happened at school, about the cute cats she saw on the way home, or about which characters she liked or didn’t like in cartoons.

All of those were considered "useless."

It was like going down the stairs. One parent was above, the other below. She could only see the soles of their feet, while her head had a clear view of everything.

The stairs were the same, but Qingluo and her mom walked down side by side, holding hands, and supporting each other. A turn of the head and they could see each other's faces.

She had never seen such a scene before, so she felt awkward, uncomfortable, and overwhelmed by a sense of shame.

In truth, it was just the strong sunlight shining into a dark corner, leaving her unsure of how to react.

"Ruoxian?"

"Here."

"What's wrong?" Song Qingluo noticed that her mood was off.

She stretched her leg and sat on Wen Ruoxian's lap, like a little cat, rubbing and cuddling her in a spoiled manner. "Did I say something wrong?"

"No," Wen Ruoxian kissed her cheek and smiled gently.

"I've been thinking about Auntie's views on love. It's so new and enlightening. I thought about you and me and realized I might be overthinking things, thinking too far ahead. I should focus on living in the present. Happiness is the most important."

"No, no, no!" Song Qingluo panicked. "That's my mom, not me! We're different!"

"What?"

"My mom likes men. To be free, she has to break out of that power system. You and I are both women, so we're not bound by that system. We've always been free, which is why we need to think more about life and put effort into managing it. The present is important, but the future matters too. You're not overthinking at all!"

Old-fashioned as she may be, she's great in every way, but she thinks too much and often overanalyzes things. Who knows, one day she might just end up abandoning her.

"Don't try to be like my mom." She pinched Wen Ruoxian's face, squeezing it into a piggy nose.

Wen Ruoxian couldn't hold back her laughter. She moved her lips but could only make a snorting sound in response: "Alright, I get it."

After gossiping, the two of them continued looking at photos, from snuggling on the sofa to lying in bed. Song Qingluo gradually started to feel drowsy and fell asleep before midnight.

Wen Ruoxian had some trouble sleeping.

In the stillness of the night, her thoughts kept swirling.

The first time she met Song Yulan was in a work setting. She was the client, exuding both a powerful presence and a gentle, tolerant nature. As someone in a superior position, she was willing to listen carefully to everyone, showing extra patience with her female collaborators.

With her own abilities, Wen Ruoxian earned the trust of this client and secured a long-term cooperation opportunity.

During their second collaboration, she saw a bit more of Song Yulan. Though her age could make her a mother, her soul was always in a youthful state. She was more open to new things than Wen Ruoxian, always filled with a desire to explore the world.

She had never imagined that their interactions could transcend work.

Today, Qingluo brought her home, but it wasn't just a house—it was a dream, a new world that shattered her old order.

It was right beside her, so close, no longer a virtual label on the internet. It felt so real that she couldn't believe it, even to the point of being afraid of this overwhelming impact.

She finally understood why Song Yulan gave her an elusive feeling, different from other wealthy middle-aged female clients. It was difficult to categorize, to generalize, or to simply cater to her preferences—because she was a person without a standard answer.

She couldn't evaluate her with any "standard."

It turned out that family doesn't have just one model, and life doesn't have just one answer. She saw that the world could have many colors.

In the darkness, Wen Ruoxian gently held Song Qingluo's hand. She heard a soft murmur, and the person who was fast asleep unconsciously embraced her.

In the future, they still had a long road ahead of them.

Author's Note:

To: Song Luobo and Ms. Song.

The timeline of this extra chapter is in Chapter 81 of the original text, and can also be regarded as an independent extra chapter.