Because she was still feeling uneasy.
Even as Jiang Sui was walking until he take Su Qing home, the girl hesitated and glanced at the handsome, cold-faced boy, who stared at her expressionlessly.
"You wouldn't lie, would you?"
Su Qing pinched the edge of her clothes, her voice a little dry and hoarse, staring down at the stone beneath her feet.
She wasn't sure if this request was excessive, but...
"Yes."
"I'll explain it later."
The boy's words, heavy and gloomy, made Su Qing's heart sink to her stomach for a moment, yet she felt a slight discomfort at the same time. What was she feeling uncomfortable about?
Su Qing bit her lip. She didn't know either. She simply thanked him again and headed home.
What was there to explain?
How could he explain it?
Never mind. None of this was what she should be thinking.
When she opened the door, Su Rao was already asleep, sitting on the sofa, clutching her unfinished sweater. The ball of yarn had fallen to the floor.
Her temples were gray, and wrinkles had multiplied between her eyebrows. Her skin had lost its luster, becoming rough and unnatural, contradicting her gentle expression. Time and trivial matters had left many indelible marks on this once-beautiful woman.
This was her mother, who had risked her life to protect her. Why wouldn't she be trying?
All of Su Qing's worries vanished at that moment. She looked at her mother, pulled a blanket from the closet, and gently covered Su Rao with it, then sat down on the sofa beside her.
"Nannan's back," Su Rao's voice was gentle, her eyes fixed on Su Qing, her voice dry from just waking up.
Nannan was Su Qing's nickname, though she didn't call her that often. She'd called her that when she was little, but now that she was grow, Su Rao had adopted her full name.
Su Qing took a cup from the coffee table, poured some water, and handed it to her.
"Did you have fun?" As she drank the water, Su Rao cared deeply for her daughter, her eyes fixed on her.
"Happy." Su Qing's eyelashes flickered, and she lowered her head slightly.
She picked up another cup and poured herself a glass of water, sipping it slowly.
She still remembered her determination and Jiang Sui's indifference when they paid for the meal.
Thinking of something, Su Qing said to Su Rao, "Mom, I have an English competition at school at the end of the month, so I'll be out of town for a few days."
"Where? For how many days, Nannan? Do you want Mom to come with you?" Su Rao looked at Su Qing nervously.
Su Qing bit her lip and decided to lie. Instead of Jiangcheng, she mentioned another place. "Three to five days, Sucheng. No need Mom, the teacher will be leading the team."
"It's safe. I'll call you if I need anything. When I get back, I'll take you to the hospital for a checkup."
The doctor said it was fatigue and prescribed a lot of medication. But Su Rao's condition had been on and off for over six months, and Su Qing was still worried.
She was determined to take Su Rao to the hospital as soon as she got the prize, no matter what.
But the girl was so preoccupied with her own thoughts that she didn't notice Su Rao's evasion.
"Mom okay. Don't worry about me. Just do well in the exam. The teacher will be leading the team. Which teacher? Give Mom the contact information."
She pulled out her phone and asked Su Qing to enter her number.
Unable to resist, Su Qing obediently entered it.
However, as she pulled out her own phone to check the teacher's number, she spotted a text message.
[Do you really want me to explain?]
[Do you really want to distance yourself from me?]
About half an hour passed between the two messages, and Su Qing's fingers tensed.
She replied him.
[Yes]