In the mall, Shen Mo proclaimed himself a bicycle expert and earnestly introduced various bicycle models to Hua Jie.
Hua Jie had initially thought he would show her many expensive models that she couldn’t afford, but to her surprise, he carefully avoided all the pricey ones, only showing her those with high cost-performance ratios.
Adding up her lives, she had never bought a bicycle on her own before. Her first bike as a child was also purchased by her father, so to her, they all looked the same, with two wheels and a seat.
After browsing for a short while, she chose a pink Kun bike. It was lightweight, with a basket in front and a seat for carrying a passenger in the back, and the bell rang melodiously. The seat was also very soft and comfortable.
She rode the display bike around, her face gradually breaking into a sweet, sticky smile.
She had been quite calm when she entered the mall to choose a bike.
But after she decided on it, her mood became incredibly delightful, even surpassing the joy of buying her first designer bag in her previous life.
Shen Mo discussed the new bike with the store owner and after double-checking to ensure everything was fine, he tapped and patted the seat, prompting her to make the payment.
Money in one hand, bike in the other.
Hua Jie’s heart thudded steadily, a sense of satisfaction and happiness rising within her.
She had earned the money from selling her paintings and bought the bicycle herself.
At such a young age, she was already relieving her parents’ burden and solving her own transportation problems. She was incredibly impressive.
Truly a little genius!
So capable!
Definitely her parents’ pride!
Hua Jie pushed her bicycle out of the mall, her expression rich and her inner monologue full-throttle, already imagining a whole dramatic scenario by herself.
She was incredibly joyful.
If Shen Mo hadn’t interrupted her thoughts, she might have already reached the pinnacle of life in her imagination.
He asked her, “In this ice and snow, can you ride it?”
As he spoke, he pointed to some uncleared ice and snow crusts on the ground.
“I can ride!” She had ridden for many years in her previous life.
As she spoke, she was about to mount the bicycle to show off her superb skills.
Shen Mo grabbed her arm in one swift motion, “Cross the road before you get on, do you want to die?”
“…Oh~” She chuckled, “Just a moment.”
She meticulously tied her scarf, put on her hat, and straightened her gloves and clothes before pushing the bicycle across the street with him.
“I’m impressive, right?” she couldn’t help but ask him, tilting her head.
“???” The young man was puzzled. Impressive in what way? Because she was dressed so heavily like a ball?
“I earned the money myself!” she said, slapping the bike seat loudly.
“…” He twitched his eyebrow.
“I’m really strong~” Hua Jie earnestly testified:
“I’m only 15 years old, other kids still don’t understand what money really means, they have no concept of earning money, but I can already earn and support myself, truly a little money-making fairy.”
After all, nobody knows that an old soul resides within her body, hehe.
“…” Shen Mo.
“Admire me? Jealous?” Hua Jie raised an eyebrow.
“…” Shen Mo turned to look at her, the girl’s face animated as she spoke, her expressions vivid.
It was the first time he had seen such a wide range of expressions on someone’s face.
When happy, she was hardly human-like, resembling a mischievous sprite.
Her eyebrows seemed to fly up to the sky, her originally round eyes squeezed into two curves by her smile, her nose crinkled, and her row of small teeth visible as she laughed. Doesn’t she get cold teeth?
But suddenly, he felt a special attachment to her features, the lines of her face that would usually fade from memory as soon as he looked away became distinct.
Although he might blur her face with others if he didn’t see her for a few minutes, in her smile, he sensed a familiarity.
Subtly, he seemed to grasp her silly yet clever aura.
Just as Hua Jie was about to ride her bicycle, she suddenly heard the boy who had been dragging his feet and almost pouting say in a particularly sincere voice:
“It is pretty impressive.”
Hua Jie hadn’t expected a response from him, knowing how hard it is for a teenage boy to compliment others, but… he had earnestly acknowledged her.
Slightly stunned, she turned to look at him.
Shen Mo, of course, wouldn’t just stand there for her to look at; he turned his face away, leaned forward, stepped on the pedal with his left foot, swung his right leg over, and stylishly mounted the bicycle.
He looked like a scholar from ancient times mounting a horse.
“See you Monday~” he dropped the words and rode away on his ‘horse’, speeding off, disappearing around the crossroads.
Hua Jie’s cheeks flushed pink, delighted by his compliment, her heart seemingly growing tender.
For the first time, her originally naive and youthful face showed a womanly charm, radiating a pinkish glow, like a bashful rose about to bloom.
She brushed the snow off the bicycle seat, sat down, and pushed off with her right foot on the pedal, giving a couple of assists with her left foot before starting off.
Her way of getting on the bicycle was completely different from Shen Mo’s; though not as flamboyant, it was more fitting for a lady.
Facing the light snow, she rode the greatest trophy of her rebirth home in style.
Hua Jie couldn’t wait to show off to her parents.
…
Against the wind and snow, Hua Jie rode the small bicycle as if it were armor, with a battle song playing in the background. Passersby who saw her were compelled to praise the spirited youth.
When she arrived home, her little face was red from the cold, her nose was frosty, and her eyelashes were coated with a layer of white frost, as if she had applied white mascara.
Rushing to the door, she eagerly reached for her keys to unlock it, when she suddenly heard her mother’s anxious shout from the courtyard:
“No! Hua Zhaoyuan, don’t be like this! I disagree!”
It was rare for her mother to speak so loudly.
Hua Jie froze, the keys clutched in her hand, staring blankly at the door.
Her parents were arguing. What should she do?
Having been reborn, she had grown unaccustomed to handling her parents’ disputes.
“Keep your voice down, making a fuss over nothing!” Hua’s father chided softly.
“Let’s go inside and discuss this further.”
“Let go of me.”
“Why are you being so arbitrary and domineering?”
“…” Hua’s father fell silent for a while, seemingly upset by Hua’s mother’s stubborn disobedience, and after calming down a bit, he whispered:
“I was planning to buy Little Hua a bicycle next month, but winter came early this year, with heavy snow already in September.”
“In such cold weather, do you want Bian Hong to keep carrying her to and from school? Isn’t that tiring for the child? Look at the strong wind.”
“In this icy and snowy weather, what if she falls and something happens? It would be our fault.”
“We can’t afford this kind of responsibility.”
“…” Hua Jie suddenly widened her eyes.
Was their argument about her?
“Then sell my gold necklace, I hardly ever wear it anyway,” Hua’s mother said softly, her tone almost pleading.
“No! You need to wear it when you go home for the New Year. All your siblings have moved into high-rise buildings, your second sister in Shanghai even has a car now, and here you are suffering poverty with me. How could I let you go home without even wearing the basic three pieces of gold jewelry?” Hua’s father was resolute.
“Let them live in high-rises and wear gold and silver. When we got married, my father didn’t even give me a coat as a dowry. You took me to the mall and bought a coat for a thousand yuan, emptying all your savings.”
“We live our own life, knowing you care about me is enough for me.”
“Whether I wear gold or not, I don’t care about that.” Hua’s mother was just as determined.
“…” Hua Jie pursed her lips, her eyes welling up with tears.
In her previous life, she knew her family was poor, but never realized to this extent.
Her parents had always cherished her—
Unable to afford new clothes, her mother would knit sweaters for her. Her mother was skilled, and the sweaters she made, adorned with strawberry patterns and pom-poms, were the prettiest among all the girls.
Unable to afford hair accessories, her mother would create various hairstyles for her, braiding her hair beautifully in ways other mothers couldn’t, making other children envious.
Unable to afford book covers, her mother would wrap her books with the back of calendars. Her mother’s beautiful calligraphy adorned the covers, marking them with words like ‘Literature,’ ‘Mathematics,’ and ‘Hua Jie,’ which impressed both classmates and teachers.
Although they couldn’t afford snacks, her mother cooked with care, creatively using the limited ingredients they had. She was always full and satisfied at every meal, never craving junk food.
They moved into an apartment later, but the single-story house they had was carefully renovated by her parents. The fireplace, walls, and floors were all built by her parents themselves, and her father even handcrafted beautiful new tables and chairs…
Despite being short on money, her parents put great effort into making life work.
As these memories flooded back, Hua Jie’s tears flowed freely. She wiped her tears repeatedly, her heart feeling both sour and tender.
She wanted to make money, a lot of it!
The tears wet her cheeks, and the wind made it slightly painful.
She wiped her face with her sleeve, thinking she should stop crying, or her face would get chapped.
Just then, she heard her father say:
“If we sell the motorcycle, we can live much better before the New Year and even buy more food and clothes to have a proper celebration.”
“Besides, it’s not like I won’t ever buy another motorcycle. I’ve got my eye on a better one, and I’ll buy it after the New Year.”
Hua Jie cried even harder.
Her father had two hobbies: exploring nature and his motorcycle.
The motorcycle was his passion because it was essential for his travels.
It had always been his pride and joy. Every time she walked past it, he would remind her to be careful not to scratch it.
Now, he was planning to sell it to buy her a bicycle.
“How will you get to work then?” her mother’s voice choked up, she was probably crying too.
“Swallow back those tears,” her father awkwardly told her mother to hold back her tears, but his voice softened as he continued:
“We still have the old bike at home, I can ride that.”
“I was thinking of selling the motorcycle to buy two bicycles, one for you too, a smaller one. You riding that big old bike with your 5’2″ legs, it’s not right. If you fell, you’d be thrown right off.”
“But…” her mother was still struggling.
“Nothing to worry about. You’re all grown up, yet still shedding tears. If your sister comes back and sees, she’ll think I’ve hit you,” Hua’s father expressed his dissatisfaction.
The couple muttered to each other in the yard for a while, apparently deciding to go to the second-hand market right away.
Outside the yard, Hua Jie wiped away her tears, took several deep breaths of cold air, and then inserted the key into the door.
Inside, upon hearing the sound, Hua’s father muttered, “Our girl is back,” followed by the sound of him rushing around in a fluster.
The moment Hua Jie pushed open the door, Hua’s mother was bending down, trying to sneak into the house, obviously not wanting her daughter to see that she had been crying.
When Hua’s father turned his head and saw his daughter with red eyes, nose, mouth, and cheeks, he was startled. “What happened to you?”
“Dad! Look! What’s this?” Hua Jie didn’t answer her father’s question, but instead smiled, tilted her body, and excitedly showed her father the bicycle she was pushing.
“Where did you get this?” Hua’s father finally noticed the bicycle.
“I bought it!” Hua Jie proudly raised her head, lifted her chin, and spoke loudly, every cell in her body seemed to be shouting: “Praise me, praise me!”
“Where did you get the money?” Hua’s father walked over to her, looked at the bicycle, then glanced outside the door as if expecting a creditor to be following her.
“I sold paintings at school. Each painting sold for 2 to 10 yuan. I’ve earned a few hundred yuan since the start of school,” Hua Jie said, then patted the bicycle seat forcefully. “Dad, am I awesome or what? Isn’t this bike beautiful? I rode it back!”
“When did you learn to ride a bike?” A crack appeared in Hua’s father’s serious expression, and a smile began to appear.
“That summer,” Hua Jie brushed it off, then continued, “Now I have a bike!”
“My daughter is so amazing!” Hua’s father’s eyebrows relaxed, a smile bloomed on his usually stern face, his cheekbones rose, and laughter lines formed at the corners of his eyes.
For a moment, the dull eyes, burdened by life, regained a sparkle, hinting at the shadow of his handsome youth.
Hua’s mother heard the commotion, pushed the door open to peek, and was stunned when she saw the bicycle before asking.
Once she understood the situation, she immediately praised her daughter endlessly, unlike Hua’s father, who was more reserved, she practically praised Hua Jie to the heavens.
The girl, prepared for receiving praise, couldn’t help but feel embarrassed, feeling like her mom was praising her as if she were a celestial being.
“I have a bike! I have a bike!” Hua Jie pretended to be innocent and happy, placed the bicycle in the yard, then went back inside to hug the dog and drink juice.
Mr. and Hua’s mother stood in the yard, looking at each other, dumbfounded for a moment, then suddenly smiled at each other.
“Our daughter actually bought it herself, we don’t need to worry anymore,” Hua’s mother said with emotion.
“…” Hua’s father looked at his wife, then turned to look at his daughter’s new bicycle. After a while, he finally managed to say:
“We don’t need to sell the motorcycle.”
He burst into laughter again, then lovingly touched his motorcycle, his smile even broader.
Hua Jie stared at her father’s face through the window, feeling a mix of emotions.
She used to think her father was too serious, and later disliked his domineering temper, always arguing with him, feeling he wasn’t as knowledgeable, gentle, and loving as other fathers.
But now… she felt that Hua Zhaoyuan was the best father in the world.
He did his best to learn how to be a good father, how to be the backbone of this family.
And look at his smile now, he also has this childish side, because he’s so happy hugging his “big toy” motorcycle.
Dad, from now on, let me protect and support you both.
….
While the mother was preparing lunch, Hua Jie approached and handed her 200 yuan.
“You earned so much from selling paintings?” Hua’s mother asked in surprise.
“Yeah, I even kept some pocket money for myself,” Hua Jie nodded.
“Don’t spend it recklessly. Give it to me if you don’t know what to do with it, I’ll save it for you,” Hua’s mother said seriously.
“…” Hua Jie frowned. “No, I want to keep it for myself, I won’t spend it recklessly.”
She was already in her twenties, yet she still felt embarrassed to ask her parents for money all the time. Even though she was carrying a child, she couldn’t bear the embarrassment.
She had to keep some money for herself to maintain the dignity of her twenty-something soul.
“Okay, then what do you want me to do with this money?” Hua’s mother flicked her daughter’s nose with her finger.
“Mom, this money is for you to buy a bicycle. Sell the old one at home, add this 200 yuan, and you can buy a super nice new one. Choose one you like,” Hua Jie said.
She always thought her stern father didn’t know how to be considerate, and often complained that he didn’t treat her mother well.
But now… she suddenly felt that maybe her father loved her mother more than she did.
After all… she had only thought about buying a bicycle for herself and completely forgot to buy one for her mother.
She felt so ashamed.
“Wow, you’ve learned to earn money to buy things for your mom,” Hua’s mother suddenly blushed, acting shy and embarrassed like a young girl.
Unable to bear it any longer, Hua Jie hugged her mother tightly.
Ah! How can Mom and Dad be so good and adorable!
She can’t take it anymore!
She wants to earn a lot of money!
Work hard and make money!
She wants to shower her mom, the queen of being spoiled, with money, and let her live a life of luxury and splendor!
Buy ten thousand big motorcycles for Dad, who remains as sincere as a child even in middle age!
The Hua Zhaoyuan couple is just too good and charming!
Wow wow wow!
Is there any way for her to get rich immediately, right now, instantly?!!
She’ll work hard for them!
Ying Ying!
…
…
At the other end of Jinsong City, more bustling and affluent, lies the city’s first premier neighborhood, with high-rise buildings and villas—
In the spacious courtyard, six towering pine trees stand symmetrically.
Snow falls on them, as if draping them in a light veil, different from their usual majestic appearance, now appearing somewhat graceful.
Shen Mo casually threw his bicycle in the yard, brushing off many snowflakes as he passed the pine trees.
After taking a few steps, he stopped again, turned around, and carefully admired the beautiful scene of the falling snow.
Then, he turned back again, kicked the trunk of the tree with his foot, and the thick snow accumulated on the paper-thin leaves fell rustlingly, covering the ground.
He chuckled, bent down to brush off the fallen snow from his short hair, hopped in place for a moment, then looked down to see the snow and footprints all around him. With mischief in mind, he stomped around, leaving a mess behind, before dashing to the entranceway.
After kicking off his shoes and putting on slippers, he headed straight to the table to get a drink of water.
The housekeeper had already finished cleaning the room and left. Neither she nor his father knew when he would return, so she had just left the meal on the kitchen table covered with a lid to keep it warm.
He walked over, lifted the lid, and glanced at the food. It had already cooled down, the oil congealed, devoid of the aroma of cooking, and rather unappetizing.
His father must be immersed in his studio.
He turned around to pour water and boil it, then took out two packs of instant noodles from the drawer.
The wind was still blowing outside, but the room was dry from the heater, making his throat dry and sweat forming on his forehead.
He took off his sweater and threw it on the sofa, then spun around in place. Suddenly, he felt the living room was too quiet and desolate, making him feel like a beast standing alone in the wilderness.
Loneliness accumulated like falling dust, continuously piling up on him, until at this moment, it made him feel the pressure and suffocation that he couldn’t lift his head.
The water boiled, but he didn’t make the instant noodles.
Leaning against the table, his face obscured in the dimness, he stood silently staring at a dark corner of the room for a long time.
Until his stomach growled, hunger burning inside him, only then did he turn around to boil water.
His face was lost in the gloom, obscure and unfathomable.