Chapter 7

“Then why won’t you give me another chance?”

“Because loving you and staying with you are two different things.”

People passed outside the meeting room.

Through the glass, I watched them carrying New Year gifts, laughing and planning where to go after the holiday.

I used to believe that leaving Zhou Xu would leave my life in ruins.

Once I truly left, I discovered that things didn’t become better overnight. They returned to my hands, little by little.

“Go home.”

I opened the meeting-room door.

“Don’t come here again.”

He sat without moving.

I didn’t wait.

By the time I finished work, the snow had stopped.

Dad sent a photograph of the New Year’s Eve dinner.

Mom asked what I was eating alone in Nancheng.

Lin Wei sent New Year wishes, along with a very overdue apology.

An old coworker told me our former boss had cut year-end bonuses. Three more people had resigned.

Chen Yue asked the matchmaker to explain that he hadn’t known the online video was deliberately edited. He hoped I wouldn’t hold it against him.

I read every message.

Some people regretted what they’d done. Some apologized. Some had finally begun to understand me.

Their understanding came too late. It couldn’t shelter the woman I’d been from that rain.

I hadn’t forgiven everyone.

I didn’t hate them, either.

I simply no longer needed them to tell me whether I’d been wrong.

That evening, I made dumplings for myself.

They weren’t very pretty. Several split as soon as they went into the pot.

Mom called on video. Seeing them, she began nagging me about wasting food.

Halfway through, she stopped.

“Xiaowan.”

“Yes?”

“That day in hospital… did it hurt?”

I lowered my eyes to the dumplings in my bowl.

Her eyes reddened.

“I’m sorry.”

I didn’t say it was fine.

Some things couldn’t be put behind us with one apology.

But I didn’t hang up.

Fireworks crackled outside.

Mom taught me how to mix a dipping sauce. Dad occasionally added something, only for her to brush him aside.

The doorbell rang. My coworkers were calling me downstairs to set off fireworks.

I put on my coat and picked up my keys.

Before leaving, I looked back.

The light was on. Fresh dumplings sat on the table. Clothes I’d washed that day moved in the breeze on the balcony.

There were no old photographs of anyone else here. No mess waiting for me to clean.

My coworkers rang again.

I called back, stepped out, and closed the door.

This time, I was the only one who knew the code.

And whenever I wanted to return, that door would always open for me.

**The End**

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