"Why don't you want to meet me?"
The question hit like a spear.
Fu Yuxin's stomach dropped.
Chen Meili's eyes widened in horror.
Wang Mei covered her mouth.
And Lin Xue...
She staggered back a step, as if the tiny question had physically struck her.
She hadn't expected this.
She hadn't been prepared for her child to hear her self-blame and mistake it for rejection.
"I—I didn't mean—" Lin Xue whispered, voice trembling uncontrollably. "It's not that I don't want to— I just— I thought— I'm afraid—"
Zhenxi cried harder.
"You said you don't want to meet me…" she sobbed, wiping her cheeks with her sleeve.
"Did I do something wrong?"
"Am I not good?"
"Why… why don't you want me?"
Lin Xue's knees nearly buckled.
"No! No—never—"
Her voice breaking completely.
"I want to meet you more than anything… I was only scared I would ruin your life…"
But Zhenxi shook her head fiercely, her hair whipping across her cheeks, blurring her teary crimson eyes.
