Overdo - Some Things Made Me Stay Out All Night

Some Things Made Me Stay Out All Night

We drove back to Wuchi throughout the night, arriving just as day was breaking. As soon as we turned onto the private access road, panic began to set in. He comforted me, saying, "We agreed on our story, right? As long as we stick to the same account, they will never know what we were actually doing." I nodded, struggling to steady my breathing. The car rounded a bend, and we could already see the security lights on the outermost perimeter wall. Passing the guard post, the main mansion came into view, fully illuminated. Seeing the house lit up like this meant something serious had happened. I knew that the "something serious" was simply the fact that I hadn't returned home all night.

I felt on the verge of tears. Mu Shiyang patted my back and whispered, "Don't be afraid. We are fighting a battle with our backs to the wall." I forced myself to straighten up and took a deep breath. The car finally pulled to a stop in front of the house. Director Liang opened the car door himself, and upon seeing me, he let out a sigh of relief. "Young Miss."

I nodded and walked into the living room with Mu Shiyang. I swallowed hard, struggling to keep my composure. Father was standing in the living room with his hands behind his back, his face devoid of any expression. Uncle Lei stood behind him, along with Director Shi, Secretary You, Grandpa Mu, Uncle He... they were all staring intensely at the two of us. Father’s gaze, in particular, was like a blade, as if he intended to carve transparent holes through my body. I heard Mu Shiyang call out in a low voice, "Sir." Father glared at him fiercely; I had never seen Father look so savage before. The veins on his forehead were bulging, looking truly terrifying in the harsh light. Gritting his teeth, he said, "Good! Both of you, very good!" He stared at Mu Shiyang as if he wanted to kill him with his eyes alone. "You are truly capable, aren't you!"

I shuddered, and Father’s voice finally erupted like a thunderclap: "Nannan! Come upstairs with me!"

I looked around in panic, trying to find an ally. But Uncle Lei didn't dare help me because Mu Shiyang was his nephew. Uncle He had just started to say, "Sir..." but Father glared at him so intensely that he, too, fell silent. Father turned and headed upstairs, and I had no choice but to follow him, dragging my feet. I snuck a glance at Mu Shiyang, who gave me a look to encourage me.

Father entered the study, and I slowly followed him inside. Father asked, "Tell me yourself: where did you run off to?"

"Goodness, why are the two of you arguing so fiercely? Dr. Cheng said your blood pressure is high and told you to avoid getting angry." A soft voice sounded from behind me. I turned around suddenly—it was her! She was wearing a cheongsam made of dark blue patterned fabric, with a deep blue gemstone brooch pinned to the collar. She walked over with a graceful, swaying gait, wearing the same smile as always. "The Young Miss has finally returned."

I turned my head back, and Father’s expression darkened even further. "Why didn't you knock before coming in? You don't know your manners!"

She looked somewhat disgruntled, glanced at me, and said with a smile, "Nannan, was the city fun? How could you forget to come home, spending the entire night out with a man? Tsk, tsk..."

This was truly kicking a person while they were down, adding fuel to the fire. Father’s gaze cut across like a knife, chilling me to the core. Father glared at me once, then turned to her, speaking coldly, "Get out. My daughter does not require your concern." She couldn't maintain her composure now, especially with me present, and she became angry out of shame. Her voice turned shrill and jarring: "Murong Qingyi, I won't fall for this act of yours! Don't you try to put on airs to scare me! I came here out of the goodness of my heart to care for your precious daughter, you ungrateful wretch..."

This infuriated Father, yet he began to laugh—a laugh that made my skin crawl. I knew this was a sign that his anger had reached its breaking point; once he unleashed it, it would be a devastating, thunderous rage. Sure enough, in his fury, he even slipped into the local dialect: "You idiot! Don't you treat people like fools when you don't even know what's going on!"

"How am I the one who doesn't know what's going on?" She remained defiant, though she didn't dare meet Father's eyes. "You tell me!"

Father let out a scoff through his nose but didn't say anything. emboldened, she glanced at me and sneered, "That's right, I’m inferior to others in every way. I’m not as pretty as them, not as good at playing tricks as them, not as good at seducing men as them, but at least I didn't raise a bastard for you..."

Before she could finish her sentence, Father struck her across the face, leaving the side of her head swollen. She was stunned by the blow and only burst into tears after a long moment. Father was trembling with rage. "Get out! Get as far away as you can! If I ever hear words like that again, I will peel off your skin, and then I’ll peel the skin off that tennis coach of yours."

She was shaking with fear and didn't even dare to argue back. I had never seen Father so ferocious before, and I believed he would truly do it. I shuddered inwardly; just now, she mentioned... my mother... No! It wasn't like that! There must be some hidden truth!

She left, and the sound of the door slamming shut gave me a massive fright. I looked up to find Father looking absolutely terrifying. He suddenly grabbed a ruler from his desk. "I am going to beat the living daylights out of you, you ignorant child!" I was frozen in shock, and by the time I reacted, I had already been struck once. A stinging, burning pain washed over me. I sobbed and tried to block the blows with my hands, but he yelled in a fit of rage, "You ignorant thing! Have your wings grown so stiff now? You dare ditch your attendants to go run off and play? My words mean nothing to you?" I wailed as I took two more blows. I didn't dare offer a single word of defense, but he only grew more furious, his strikes becoming increasingly heavy. "I'll beat you to death! Then you won't be able to embarrass me! Running off for a night with a man! At such a young age, who did you learn such filthy behavior from?!"

His words drilled into my ears one by one. My heart was bleeding, and the pain from the ruler was scorching. I felt lightheaded from the agony, and finally, I couldn't help but snap back, "Fine, just beat me to death then!"

He was incensed. "You think I don't dare?! I'd have so much more peace without you! I'd be so happy to be rid of a filthy creature like you!" His roar echoed through the house. I heard Secretary You knocking on the door outside, calling, "Sir! Sir!" Father bellowed, "Who dares to come in?!"

Realizing the situation was dire, Secretary You entered regardless, running over in a state of alarm to pull Father away. Father, like an enraged lion, tossed him aside instantly. As Secretary You tried to move in again, Father grabbed me and struck me several more times. Secretary You, Uncle He, Uncle Lei, and Grandpa Mu all swarmed into the room, and Father lashed out even harder. The men scrambled to grab Father and restrain him, shouting, "Sir! Sir! Stop, don't hit her anymore." Father struggled and roared, "I am going to beat this cursed disaster to death today!"

I was sobbing until I was breathless, in so much pain I didn't want to live, and I screamed shrilly, "Let him beat me to death! Anyway, like my mother, I'm just a filthy creature! Anyway, I’m not his daughter!"

The room went deathly silent. Everyone stared at me, eyes wide. The color drained from Father's face until he was ghost-white. His lips trembled, and he pointed a finger at me—a finger that was visibly shaking. "You..."

He suddenly collapsed backward! Chaos erupted in the room. Uncle Lei’s face went ghastly pale as he hurriedly loosened the buttons at Father’s collar, and Secretary You stamped his feet, shouting, "Someone come quickly!" Director Shi grabbed the phone and yelled, "Hurry! Get me Dr. Cheng!"

The attendants all ran in, and I was so terrified I was completely dazed. I tried to go over to see Father, but they stopped me, forcibly dragging me out of the study and back to my own room. I could hear the sound of cars, shouting, and urgent footsteps outside, all blending into a mess. My doctor arrived soon after to treat my injuries. I asked him, "Where is Father? Where is Father?" He shook his head and said, "I don't know, Dr. Cheng has already arrived." I cried and demanded to see Father, struggling to get out of bed. The doctor grew panicked, and the nurses held me down. I heard the doctor call out, "Administer a sedative!" I screamed and fought, but they pinned me down and gave me the injection. Everything before my eyes began to blur, and as I sobbed, I finally drifted off to sleep.

When I woke up, it was dark. The nightlight by my bedside was on, and a nurse was dozing on the sofa. The room was deathly quiet—a frightening, oppressive silence. The pale blue glow of the lamp flickered weakly, and my heart curled into a ball of dread. I pulled out my IV line and sat up. I couldn't find my slippers, so I got out of bed barefoot.

I left the room, but the hallway was also deathly still, lit only by the lonely glow of the wall lamps. I crossed the corridor and ran to the master bedroom, but it was pitch black inside. I turned on the lights; the room was perfectly tidy, the bed was made, and there was no one there. I turned and ran to the study, but that was empty too. Cold sweat began to bead on my forehead. I ran downstairs, but Father wasn't there either. Director Liang came toward me from the end of the hallway. "Young Miss."

I grabbed him and asked, "Where is Father? Where is he? Where did you take him?" I felt dizzy, and spots danced before my eyes. I was so afraid—afraid he would give me a horrifying answer. He said, "Sir has gone over to the Shuangqiao residence."

Oh! I thought I was going to lose my mind. I asked, "How is he?"

"He's fine. Dr. Cheng said it was just extreme agitation and high blood pressure. After an injection, he was fine..."

Oh! My heart finally dropped back into my chest. But then... the world spun, and I collapsed from vertigo...

I stayed home and behaved myself. Since that day, my opportunities to see Father were pitifully few. I felt incredibly guilty, and he seemed to have no desire to speak with me much, either. Even when he came home, it was only for a fleeting moment before he was off again. Although I felt sad, Father never asked me again where I had gone that night. However, Mu Shiyang was not as lucky. I heard that Uncle Lei had transferred him to the Pumen base, demoted him by six ranks, and sent him off to serve as a lowly chief of staff. I was crestfallen and couldn't pull myself together for many days. My younger aunt came to visit me, and I begged her to intercede with Father on Mu Shiyang's behalf. My aunt refused, saying, "Your father is still in a fit of rage. How dare you pull teeth from a tiger's mouth?" I felt truly terrible inside; he had been implicated entirely because of me. I said gloomily, "Pumen is so far away and so grueling, and with his demotion, he must be miserable. It's all my fault." My aunt looked at me with surprise. I frowned and said, "Anyway, he was ruined by me. A fish in a moat scorched by Father's fury."

My aunt laughed and said, "Don't you dare say that in front of your father—that would surely enrage him further. He might just drag that 'fish' out and roast it all over again. If you keep pleading for Shiyang, I bet he'll be banished to Java."

I deflated. "Father is punishing the innocent this time." My aunt just smiled. "Any father in the world who sees a brat who kidnapped his little daughter and kept her out all night would want to kill him on the spot; that’s nothing rare. Your father was actually giving the Mu family face. Minister Lei is a savvy man—he demoted him to Pumen before your father could even say a word."

I remembered that night, and when Father glared at Mu Shiyang, there had truly been a murderous intent in his eyes. I couldn't help but shudder in hindsight. My aunt said, "I was terrified when I heard. You don't know, back then, Father was..." She suddenly stopped, and I stared at her, stunned. She had let something slip! I knew she had! What happened to Father back then? What had occurred all those years ago? Was it related to my mother?

I called out, "Auntie," but her expression turned terrible. She said, "Nannan, I don't know. I don't know anything." I grabbed her hand and begged her, "Auntie, you've always loved me the most. I've loved you most since I was little. Tell me, what is it? I have a right to know. It's about my mother, isn't it?" My aunt shook her head, and I pleaded bitterly: "I'm grown up now; you shouldn't be hiding things from me anymore. If you don't tell me, I'll just keep overthinking it."

My aunt shook her head. "I cannot say." I stared at her, watching her quietly until she began to look frightened. She said with effort, "Nannan!" I said gloomily, "I know. I know I am not Father's daughter. I am this family's disgrace, and Father's disgrace—he hates me, detests me, and wishes he could kill me."

My aunt cried out, "Why would you think that? You silly child! How could you guess such things? Your father actually loves you the most. You are the one he cares about most... it's just... you don't understand." I shook my head. "I don't see it. I only know he hates me."

My aunt pulled me into her embrace. "Oh! Nannan, he doesn't hate you. He just doesn't want to see you. You don't know how much you look like your mother... At first, he would always say to me: 'That child, that child's eyes are truly fatal; I don't want to look at them.' Thinking of your mother makes him miserable; you don't know how heartbroken he is."

I was half-convinced, saying, "Because I am not his daughter, he doesn't want to face this disgrace." My aunt said, "Nonsense!" She hugged me tightly. "You are the pearl of our Murong family, your father's treasure." I said miserably, "But... he said he wanted to beat me to death."

My aunt stared at me. There was still a faint bruise on my forehead, and she kissed the scar spasmatically, saying, "You good child, he was just furious, wasn't he? When people are in a blind rage, they might do anything; they aren't rational. Besides, you don't know—when I arrived, you were already asleep. Your father had just woken up. The doctors told him to rest, but he wouldn't listen. He wanted to check on you, and no one could stop him. I supported him as he went. Only after seeing you sleeping soundly did he agree to return... You don't know how scared he was at that moment. He was afraid you and..." She suddenly stopped again. I thought she had let something slip again. I looked at her sorrowfully, and she closed her eyes. "Oh! Nannan! You are so like your mother!"

My mind was in complete chaos. I didn't believe what my aunt had said, yet I hoped it was true. Father... could the awe-inspiring Father be afraid? I didn't believe it! Father had always looked down upon the world; he had never feared anything. Only others feared him—even someone as smart and capable as Mu Shiyang feared him. What could he possibly be afraid of?

My aunt stayed until after dinner before leaving. When it turned dark, I sat there alone, lost in wild thoughts. Later, I fell asleep. When I drifted awake again, the night was very deep. My curtains weren't drawn, and I heard the sound of a car, followed by several beams of light flashing across the wall. Father was home!

I jumped out of bed and ran to the window. Sure enough, Father was back. I watched him get out of the car, then I ran out of my room to wait at the top of the stairs. As expected, Father came upstairs. I smelled the scent of alcohol on him and saw his face was quite flushed. I figured he must have been drinking with one of the uncles. When he saw me, he only asked coldly, "Why are you still up so late instead of sleeping? What are you standing here for?"

I licked my dry lips and said, "May I speak with you for a moment?" He frowned. "You aren't even wearing shoes! What kind of look is that?! Go put your shoes on!"

Is this the "loving" father my aunt spoke of? I didn't believe a word she said anymore! My stubborn temper flared up again. I said, "I'm just like this!" Father replied, "You're waiting up for me in the middle of the night just to talk back to me? Are you looking for a beating again?”

I shuddered, recalling the savage look on his face that day, the stinging pain of the ruler against my skin, and the way he had gritted his teeth, shouting, "I'll beat you to death!" I said coldly, "I'm not afraid! Just beat me to death, then." I repeated his words to him, word for word: "Anyway, I'm just a filthy creature!"

He trembled with rage. "Good! Good! You aren't satisfied that you didn't manage to scare me to death that day! How did I end up with a thing like you?! Why didn't I just strangle you at the time and save myself the trouble?!"

I said hollowly, "I am not your daughter."

He froze. For a few seconds, I was afraid he would collapse like he had the last time, but I quickly mustered my courage, waiting for his outburst. I listened to his ragged, wheezing breath, expecting him to strike me, but he didn't. He stood there motionless, looking at me as if I were an alien. His voice was oddly powerless. "Susu told you to come back, didn't she? She told you to come back and question me, to come back and take revenge on me. She wants to take back everything she suffered, doesn't she?"

I was overcome with dread. In the stillness of the deep night, listening to Father's dark, gloomy voice terrified me to my core. Father's face was beet-red, and his eyes were bloodshot. He glared at me, his gaze making the hair on my arms stand on end. "She wants to take back everything she suffered, isn't that it?"

I looked at him in terror, but he turned his face away in agony. "I treated you that way, so you must hate me to death, but why... Susu! You don't know!"

I figured Father was drunk and wanted to call the attendants to take him back to his room. I called out, "Father!" He jolted slightly and said slowly, "Nannan, I hit you so hard—you hate me too, don't you? You hate me just like your mother did, don't you?"

I swallowed hard. "Oh, Father, I don't hate you." He continued to ramble to himself. "I know you hate me, just like your mother! You don't know how scared I am. I'm afraid you'll end up just like her! I have to see you sleeping soundly with my own eyes to feel at ease. You don't know how heartless your mother was back then... she just got in the car and drove off... how heartless she was... she hated me so much—that's how she took her revenge—she used death to take her revenge on me... how heartless she was..."

I listened in a daze as Father's drunken mutterings recounted the events of that year. I gradually began to understand what he was talking about. "I didn't know... she would do that... I had no idea she hated me!" Father's tone was one of absolute despair. "You were so small... you were crying in the room... she didn't even look back... she just got in the car and sped away... she didn't know how to drive... she was determined to end her life... she died just to show me! She used her death to prove her hatred..." Father looked at me in despair. "You were crying so loudly in the room, and she didn't even look back... she didn't want me, and she didn't even want you!"

My heart tightened into a knot. I looked at Father, and in this moment, he seemed so helpless and fragile. My awe-inspiring, world-dominating Father! He was truly afraid! He was truly in despair... I felt so awful I wanted to wail, but I didn't. I didn't want to hear anymore! I didn't want to listen to the sorrowful sound of Father's voice. I called out loudly for the adjutants, and they arrived quickly. I said, "Sir is drunk; help him back to his room."

Father allowed them to help him away obediently. I stood there alone, motionless for a long time. The chandelier in the hallway was on, and the light, refracted through the crystals, felt blindingly bright. I felt an itch on my face and realized something cold was sliding down. I reached up to wipe it away and realized I was crying.

The next afternoon, Father called home. "Come to Uncle Huo's house for dinner tonight. Pick out a nice dress, comb your hair, and don't go looking disheveled." I was extremely surprised. Father had never given me instructions regarding my attire before. After Grandma passed away, my wardrobe had been handled entirely by specialists arranged by the adjutant's office. Even when I accompanied Father to diplomatic events, I had never heard him give such instructions. Why did Father place so much importance on this casual dinner at Uncle Huo's?

Father hung up, leaving me filled with suspicion. What kind of trap was this dinner party at Uncle Huo's house going to be?

With my heart pounding with nervous anticipation, I asked Ajhu to open the closet for me. Since Father had emphasized this so strongly, I didn't dare wear any of my usual messy clothes. I conservatively chose an apricot-yellow satin short cheongsam embroidered with gold and silver peonies. I asked Auntie Feng to style my hair and applied light makeup. When I looked in the mirror, I felt it looked rather old-fashioned. But that generation admired this style, so there was nothing I could do.

Before six o'clock, a car was sent by the adjutant's office. They said Father had some business to attend to and told me to head to the Huo residence first; he would arrive shortly after. Despite my thousand hesitations, I had no choice but to get in the car. Fortunately, Huo Mingyou from the Huo family was my senior at school, and we had known each other since we were children. Once I arrived at the Huo residence, being with him made things less stifling.

Father didn't arrive until nearly eight o'clock, and the banquet officially started as soon as he got there. The Huo family maintained the traditions of an old aristocratic house; as the saying goes, the first generation focuses on food, the second on clothing, and the third on scholarship. The Huo family had never lost their influence over the decades, and their pride was palpable. In their home, one could find authentic Suzhou cuisine. Even my fastidious father was quite satisfied, and I, for my part, enjoyed a delicious meal of dishes I favored.

After the meal, Father seemed to be in a fantastic mood, for he actually suggested, "Nannan, play a piece for us." I was taken aback and stammered, "I didn't bring my violin." Uncle Huo said with great enthusiasm, "We have a violin here. Mingyou, have them bring it for Nannan to see. If it's playable, let's hear Nannan play a piece."

It seemed I was trapped in a difficult position. I braced myself and took the violin Huo Mingyou brought over. It was an exquisite Stradivarius; as expected, everything in the Huo household was a legendary treasure. I tuned it, and as if possessed, I began playing a melody from "The Butterfly Lovers." I was shocked myself and quickly glanced at Father. Father did not listen to "The Butterfly Lovers." I didn't know why, but the piece was strictly forbidden at home. I remembered once, while accompanying Father to a concert, the orchestra added an impromptu performance of "Transformation into Butterflies" as an encore. Father's expression changed instantly. He claimed to have a headache and left in a hurry, surrounded by his attendants. This caused the reporters present to speculate wildly about Father's health the following day.

When I looked over, Father's expression had indeed changed, but he quickly regained his composure. He even smiled at me and said, "This is a good piece. Play this one."

Caught off guard, I had no choice but to obey. Although my playing was stiff at the beginning due to a lack of practice, the music became more fluid the further I went. Besides, there were no experts present, and I played two segments quite confidently; everyone applauded. Father, however, seemed somewhat distracted. He whispered something to Uncle Lei, and Uncle Lei walked away. I felt strange—there was an indescribable feeling that something was about to happen.

The dinner was followed by a small cocktail party. Father went off to discuss matters with a group of uncles, and I slipped away to the Huo family's orchid house alone. Aside from being slightly inferior to the one at the Shuangqiao official residence, the orchid house at the Huo estate was truly one of the best in Wuchi. I remembered they had a "Tianli" orchid here that was better than the ones at the Shuangqiao residence. Now was the blooming season for the Cymbidium sinense; I might be lucky enough to see it.

The orchid house was bathed in dim yellow light. How disappointing; I might run into a few pretentious "uncles" there, tasting tea and critiquing flowers. I moved past a sparse screen made of hibiscus plants, and as my gaze landed in front of that pot of "Tianli," I saw someone standing gracefully, as if admiring the flowers. She heard my footsteps and turned around suddenly. I froze instantly.

Clad in white snow, she was as elegant as an orchid.

She just stood there, her beauty so deeply etched into her essence that I could barely look at her. Behind her were the most beautiful and precious orchids in the world, yet surrounded by them, she looked even more dazzling and brilliant.

I had never seen anyone so beautiful. Even though time had left its mark on her face, when she finally offered me a faint, gentle smile, the only thought that rose in my mind was: "One glance, and she topples a city; a second glance, and she topples a nation."

Her voice was also very melodious and light, though it carried a hint of shyness. "Are you Nannan?”

I murmured, "Who are you?"

She answered in a low voice, "My name is Ren Yingying."

Ren Yingying?

I looked at her, bewildered.

"Ren Susu is my cousin."

Ren Susu!

I murmured, "My mother is your cousin?"

She seemed to let out a sigh. "Yes, your mother is my cousin."

I stared at her like a fool, speechless. She raised her hands, and it felt as if her entire being was shrouded in mist and rosy clouds. I looked at her hands, dazzled; they were as white as if they were transparent. Was she real? Was she truly human? Could she be an orchid fairy? I heard her voice: "The 'Tianli' has bloomed; it is truly beautiful. Did the 'Guanshan' in the Shuangqiao flower house bloom this year?"

I was stunned, instinctively answering her, "Not yet. Perhaps it won't bloom this year."

She let out a soft sigh, a sound like the melody of a bamboo flute, yet the expression on her face was one of aimless helplessness. That look of bewilderment was so heartbreaking that one could not bear to look away. She whispered, "Yes, perhaps it won't bloom this year..."

Just as I was about to ask her a question, I suddenly heard Huo Mingyou calling my childhood nickname: "Nannan!"

I turned back and replied, "I'm over here."

Huo Mingyou walked in and chided me: "You're full of mischief, hiding away all by yourself again."

I pouted and said, "Who said I'm here alone? There's also..." I turned around, but froze. In front of that pot of "Tianli" that was in full bloom, the air was still thick with the fragrance of orchids, but where had the person standing before the flowers gone?

Where had that fairy in white, that orchid maiden, gone? Why had she vanished?! I was left speechless. Could I have truly encountered a fairy?

Huo Mingyou laughed heartily. "Who else is here? No wonder Mu Shiyang says you're a little monster; the older you get, the naughtier you become!"

I gave a bitter smile. He said, "Let's go out." I walked out of the orchid house with him, and the band was still playing music. He bowed like a gentleman. "Miss, may I have this dance?" I rolled my eyes at him and placed my hand in his. The music was a foxtrot. As we spun around with the melody, I suddenly saw a familiar figure and couldn't help but let out a small "Oh." A man as sharp as Huo Mingyou immediately followed my gaze. He only smiled. "Do you know him?"

I shook my head and said, "No, I don't." I noticed that the few people chatting and laughing beside him were all children of our family's close friends; they were already quite familiar with one another, laughing from time to time. Huo Mingyou just smiled and asked, "Why do you keep staring at him?"

I rolled my eyes at him again and said, "It's rare to see a new face; can't I look at him a few more times?" He suddenly stopped dancing and said, "In that case, let me introduce you." I had no choice but to let him drag me over by the hand, only sighing to myself. Sure enough, the moment Zhuo Zheng saw me, he raised his eyebrows in surprise, but he didn't make a sound. Huo Mingyou had already said, "Come, Zhuo Zheng, let me introduce you to our Miss Murong. Nannan, this is Vice Captain Zhuo."

He reached out to shake my hand. "Pleased to meet you." I replied with a formal, "Pleased to meet you." His gaze was piercingly sharp, and for some reason, I felt a little guilty. Several of the young men from our social circle spoke to me: "Nannan, your violin playing was excellent today." But I only stared at Zhuo Zheng. He looked at me candidly. Finally, he asked, "Miss Murong, may I have this dance?"

I nodded, and we walked down onto the dance floor. Honestly, he danced quite well; perhaps this, too, was like Father—well-versed in all forms of refined entertainment. We moved in perfect sync, attracting the attention of everyone on the dance floor; we really stole the show. When the song ended, he said, "Come with me." He dragged me by the hand, past the rose trellis, toward the back. He was truly overbearing. He asked, "Who am I?"

His expression was so funny that I couldn't help but burst into laughter. He laughed, too, saying with annoyance, "I know that's a stupid question to ask, but I have no one else to ask but you."

I sighed and said, "Honestly, I don't know either." I asked him, "Why are you here?" That was also a stupid question. He shrugged. "I'm on leave. Zhao Liliang invited me." Zhao Liliang was also one of my father's friends' sons. I nodded. He hesitated for a moment and asked, "Has Sir said anything to you?" I could hear the hesitation in his tone; he was already starting to get suspicious, and I wondered how much he had guessed.

I shook my head. "Father treats me like a child and never tells me anything." He paused and said, "When you came to find me last time, I thought you knew something." I was stunned. He continued, "The first time I felt something was wrong was not long ago when he visited the fleet. He came very suddenly that day without prior notice, just happened to come aboard our ship. The captain was on leave and couldn't make it back, so I accompanied him..."

I stayed silent. It wasn't that coincidental; it was a string of coincidences all piling up. No wonder he was suspicious. He looked at me, bewildered, and I looked back at him. We stared at each other in silence. He said softly, "Your mother..." My mouth was dry. I had thought of a key piece of the puzzle, but I didn't know why he was involved, too.

I took a breath, trying to calm myself down. "You know that my father's current wife is his second spouse. My mother, according to official records, died in a car accident before I was a year old." I said, "Zhuo Zheng, see if you can find any clues on your end."

He said, "I've already looked into the orphanage, but it was demolished long ago and is no longer there. There are no clues left.”

We stared at each other once again. Just then, footsteps suddenly echoed from outside the hibiscus screen. It was Uncle Lei. Seeing the two of us standing there, he paused for a moment, then immediately smiled and said, "Nannan, it's time for you to go home." He glanced at Zhuo Zheng simultaneously. Zhuo Zheng remained very composed and called out, "Minister Lei." Uncle Lei nodded and said, "Young Zhuo, come with me. I have something to say to you."

I asked with a smile, "Uncle Lei, this Brother Zhuo is a very good person; you mustn't scold him." Uncle Lei gave me a look and said, "You little rascal, why haven't you left yet? Your father is waiting for you."

I went home in the same car as my father. He was silent the entire way, but he didn't seem to be in a bad mood, as he actually started smoking in the car. He told the attendant traveling with us to roll down the window. The attendant rolled it down just a crack, refusing to lower it further due to safety protocols, and Father didn't even get angry. He was almost in high spirits. I hadn't seen him happy in so many years that I couldn't even be sure if that was what I was witnessing.

After the car arrived home, I got out, but Father did not. I heard him tell the Director of the Adjutant's Office, "I am going to Duanshan." The Duanshan residence was not far from the Shuangqiao official residence, but I had never been there; I heard it was the house Father had lived in during his youth. Director Shi answered, "Yes," and walked away to make the arrangements. I suddenly noticed that Director Shi was not at all surprised. Under normal circumstances, if Father changed his itinerary so casually, he would show signs of difficulty and sometimes even try to discourage it.

I turned around and called out, "Father." Father gave a careless "Hmm," not looking at me at all. I hardened my heart. Regardless of whether I guessed correctly, and no matter how absurd my speculation might be, I was going to gamble everything! I said, enunciating every word clearly: "I want to see my mother."

Father looked up, and under the streetlamp, I could clearly see the sharp light in his eyes. I wasn't afraid. I repeated, "I want to see my mother."

The expression on Father's face was complex; I couldn't even begin to describe it. I mustered all my courage. "Aren't you just about to go see her? Is she at the Duanshan residence?"

Father didn't lose his temper, which instead made me feel a vague, indescribable apprehension. I didn't know if I had guessed correctly—or if this absurd notion was utterly baseless... Finally, I heard Father's voice. It was hoarse as he said, "Your mother—you want to see her?"

My heart was racing wildly like a tiny, thumping drum. I felt as if I were standing in the eye of a typhoon; everything around me was being swiftly destroyed, and I might be next. But regardless of the outcome, I had staked everything on this. I didn't know who that Ren Yingying was, but she inspired an indescribable sense of longing. It was impossible for her to be someone unrelated to me; she must have the deepest connection to me.

Father finally sighed and said, "Get in the car."

I couldn't believe my ears for a moment. It was too easy. He had agreed? I had guessed right? I had really guessed right—that white-clad orchid fairy, could it truly be her? Everything had come so suddenly, so quickly, so shockingly that I dared not believe it.

The motorcade drove toward the Duanshan residence. In the night, the tall trees on both sides of the road were like clusters of deep, black, giant shadows, and my heart was also shrouded in this massive gloom. I didn't know if I was waiting to see my mother, and even if it truly were my mother, I didn't know what I would find besides her when we arrived.