On the twenty-eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, the eve of Chinese New Year's Eve, around five or six in the evening, if you were a resident of Wangjiang, you might look up to see a stretch of pale orange sunset illuminating the western sky. Soon after, as it faded, the city's night would descend.
Amidst the sea of lights, peering through one window, Bai Lihua, apron-clad, bustles about preparing dinner in Old Bai's kitchen. Hardworking souls deserve praise—including Yi Tongxi and Yi Yufei. Look at those two siblings, put to work as assistants. Though grown-ups now, they sit on small stools beside her, clumsily shelling beans that scatter everywhere.
The evening news played softly from the living room. Grandfather and Uncle Dai played chess at the table while Aunt Dai went out to buy aged vinegar.
This year, Aunt San and Qiao Mo stayed in Shenzhen for the New Year. With two fewer people at home, the house felt a bit quieter. Mainly, without Aunt San, the usual atmosphere of heightened alertness and nervous anticipation was missing. Though the family couldn't be fully reunited, at least they could enjoy a more grounded Spring Festival.
Bai Lihua sliced the meat into thin strips, tossing it with soy sauce while occasionally glancing at the siblings chattering away. She wanted to ask them something but held back.
"Mom," Yi Tongxi straightened her back and patted her waist after finishing the string beans. "Is there anything else to do?"
Bai Lihua snapped back to attention. "Go watch your TV. Picking some vegetables has you aching all over? You're useless."
"Exactly," Yi Yufei snorted. "She's eighteen this year and keeps saying you start getting old after eighteen. Who taught her such nonsense?"
Bai Lihua retorted, "Good heavens! If eighteen is old, then what am I—a monster?"
Just then, Auntie returned with the vinegar. The kitchen was too crowded, so the siblings were shooed out. Bai Lihua glanced at the time, lifted the lid off the soup pot, and called Yi Yufei back inside. She had him ladle several bowls of chicken soup to serve in the living room, so everyone could have a little something to tide them over.
Watching her nephew bustle about, Auntie sighed, "Second Sister, in two more years you'll be living the good life. Feifei and Xixi are so sensible—nothing like my son Qiaomo, who doesn't even call home during the New Year. He never gives us a moment's peace."
"You think your kids are easy to handle?" " Bai Lihua replied. "Kids grow up, and you gradually lose control over them. Especially Feifei—he seems so obedient at home, but he's a boy. Sometimes I just don't know how to handle things."
"What happened?"
Bai Lihua glanced toward the living room and lowered her voice. "Last month, I was cleaning the house. While tidying his room, I accidentally found it in his pocket."
Her aunt looked puzzled. "What?"
"Tsk," Bai Lihua frowned and whispered, "That... condom."
Her aunt froze for a moment, then burst into laughter.
Bai Lihua quickly nudged her with her elbow. "Keep your voice down!"
Her aunt couldn't help but chuckle, nodding repeatedly. "Alright, alright... Oh my, what's the big deal? He's grown up now. Our Feifei is so handsome, of course lots of girls like him. Dating is perfectly normal."
"But... no matter how old he is, he'll always be a child to me. Finding that thing suddenly... I just couldn't process it..." Bai Lihua pursed her lips, finding herself amused too. "Sis, you wouldn't believe it—I even had nightmares those days. Dreamt some little girl came to our house crying with a huge belly, saying I was going to be a grandmother! Good heavens, it scared me to death. I'm only in my forties—how could I possibly be a grandmother already..."
Her aunt doubled over laughing. " I don't want to be a great-aunt either—it makes me sound ancient!"
"Exactly. Besides, Feifei's only nineteen, still a freshman in college. Dating is fine, but she absolutely can't have a baby." Bai Lihua continued, "We have a daughter ourselves. Putting ourselves in their shoes, we wouldn't want anyone else's girl to suffer like that either."
Her aunt nodded. "Did you at least ask about it? Give him a gentle reminder."
"How could I dare?" Bai Lihua replied. "Don't be fooled by Yi Yufei's usual docility—when he gets angry, I wouldn't dare say a word. Since it involves privacy, I just pretended not to notice and quietly put it back."
Auntie laughed until her stomach hurt again. "Are you being silly? If they know how to take precautions, why worry about grandchildren?"
"You're right," Bai Lihua chuckled. "Ah, time flies. They're all grown-ups now. Guess we can't deny getting old."
After chatting about family matters, dinner finally began. As everyone sat down in the dining room, Auntie recalled their earlier conversation and found it amusing—especially when thinking about Yi Yufei. Later, unable to contain herself, she asked, "Yifei, have you found a girlfriend at university? If you have, you should bring her home for us to meet."
Yi Yufei froze, looking up. "What?"
Bai Lihua cleared her throat. "College students are allowed to date. We won't laugh at you."
"..." Yi Yufei set down his chopsticks and curved his lips. "What on earth are you talking about?"
Auntie was all excited. "What kind of girl do you like? Tell us!" She turned to ask, "Does Xixi know?"
Yi Tongxi shook his head and muttered softly, "I still want to fall in love."
"You're asking for a beating, aren't you?" Bai Lihua glared at her. "High schoolers dating? Don't get me started on trouble."
Yi Tongxi licked her lips. "But Auntie San said middle school boys are simpler. After college, they get all greasy. You gotta pick a good one early."
Grandpa frowned. "What nonsense. She never went to college herself. She's just spouting rubbish."
Bai Lihua nodded. "You're already outstanding enough. Naturally, you'll attract excellent people. Don't listen to your third aunt's nonsense. She teaches nothing but wild, unorthodox methods."
"Oh."
The conversation seemed poised to touch upon some unspoken taboo, so everyone fell silent for a moment before tacitly shifting the topic.
Yi Tongxi thought to herself how gossipy these aunts and uncles were. She picked up a piece of meat, took a bite, and discovered it was a chunk of fatty pork belly. She chewed off the lean part and casually placed the fatty section into Yi Yufei's bowl.
After dinner, the family watched TV in the living room for a while. Outside, the cold wind howled and thunder rumbled. Auntie and Uncle took advantage of the break in the rain to head home. Since it was the New Year, following custom, Bai Lihua and her two children would stay at the old man's house for the next few days, returning only after the fifth day of the New Year.
Late that night, a thunderstorm rolled in. Yi Tongxi and Bai Lihua shared a room with the window half-open, letting in a crisp, chilly breeze. Bai Lihua gently touched her daughter's hand and draped her nightgown over her shoulders.
Since her phone was confiscated, Yi Tongxi had gradually grown accustomed to life offline. Even during the holidays, she hadn't insisted on returning to Yi Yufei. Instead, she discovered some enjoyment in books—anecdotes about famous figures, amusing tales from unofficial histories. Flipping through a couple of pages before bed helped relax her mind and lull her to sleep.
Bai Lihua also loved reading. In her youth, she devoured works by Qiong Yao, Yee Shu, and San Mao. Now she was hooked on Ghost Blows Out the Light and Ghost Wall.
Yi Tongxi leaned against her shoulder, both of them silent. Around 11:30, drowsiness overtook them. They turned off the light, yawned, and crawled under the covers to sleep.
In the darkness, rain pattered softly outside the window.
At some point, someone had slipped in silently.
Yi Tongxi felt two sharp taps on her cheek. Drowsy, she opened her eyes, still half-asleep, when a pair of hands reached under the covers and lifted her out.
Good heavens, those hands were so cold.
She jolted awake, staring at Yi Yufei in shock. Then she frantically glanced back at the sleeping Bai Lihua, her voice trembling with anger. "Are you out of your mind?"
He said nothing, carrying her to his own bed and handing her his phone.
"Qiao Mo," he said.
Yi Tongxi sat there with disheveled hair, staring blankly for a moment before taking the phone and holding it to her ear.
"Hello?"
There was no sound on the other end.
"Sis?"
"Xi Xi."
Qiao Mo was crying.
She held back at first, her voice breaking into sobs before erupting into a flood of wails. She cried until she was hoarse.
Yi Tongxi froze, looking up at Yi Yufei.
His brows were furrowed, his gaunt face appearing unusually cold in the dim light.
Was this really Qiao Mo? When had she ever lost control like this in her memory?
"Sis..."
Yi Tongxi's heart pounded violently. She couldn't help but recall a Friday evening years ago. She had been eagerly anticipating the freedom after evening study hall when Qiao Mo's call suddenly came through.
"Xi Xi," the voice had said calmly, "I'm in a bit of trouble. Could you ask Yi Yufei to come over?"
Heaven knew how she managed to stay so composed. Heaven knew. When Yi Tongxi and Yi Yufei rushed to that rundown vocational high school, a group of non-mainstream youths had cornered Qiao Mo in an alley outside the campus. The ringleaders—a few girls—had already slapped her more than a dozen times.
The reason? Simply because Qiao Mo ignored them. They thought she was too arrogant, couldn't stand her.
The dim, narrow alley wasn't very deep. From a distance, Qiao Mo stood leaning against the wall, her long hair half-covering her face. She remained utterly unmoved by the violence, letting the insults and blows land without flinching.
"You stay here," Yi Yufei snapped, his face darkening as he jumped out of the car. He charged forward and started fighting bare-handed with the boys in the group.
Yi Tongxi disobeyed and charged in too.
In the chaos, she grabbed two girls by the hair—those dry, bleached yellow strands—and yanked out dozens of strands. Then her own ponytail was seized, jerking her head back. She lashed out, clawing at their faces with all her strength, her nails digging in as screams rang in her ears.
It was the only time she ever fought someone. It felt exhilarating. Perhaps because it was her family being bullied, there was no hesitation, no fear—courage came naturally.
After the fight, night had fallen. They escorted Qiao Mo home.
Yi Yufei's face was covered in bruises, a dusty footprint stamped across his back. Yi Tongxi was drenched in sweat, her hair a tangled mess like Mei Chaofeng's.
Qiao Mo remained silent the entire time, head bowed, lips pressed together. Her left cheek was swollen and red, yet her expression stubbornly held firm.
As they neared the residential complex, Yi Yufei bought a bottle of mineral water from the roadside. He poured it over his head, splashed his face, then handed the half-empty bottle to Yi Tongxi.
He stood before Qiao Mo, his gaze cold and fixed on her.
"Why didn't you fight back?"
Qiao Mo clutched her sleeve.
"I asked you—why didn't you fight back?" His voice cracked with fury. "What were you afraid of? You were going to get beaten anyway—what did you have to fear? You just stood there like an idiot, letting them slap you around. Did your hands fall off?! Are you fucking stupid? Water in your brain?! How did our family end up with a useless piece of shit like you?!"
Even so, even then, Qiao Mo would only silently shed tears.
As if showing weakness were a disgrace.
So at this very moment, Yi Tongxi listened to the heart-wrenching sobs on the other end of the line, her heart pounding so hard it felt like it would leap out of her chest.
She had no idea what had happened. Qiao Mo hadn't said a word.
It wasn't until two days later that Yi Yufei stumbled upon a viral video online.
On New Year's Eve, in a pedestrian street of Shenzhen, a wife and her best friend brutally assaulted the mistress, publicly stripping her clothes off.
Through the crowd of onlookers, the video showed the mistress curled up on the ground, arms wrapped around herself, clad only in her underwear.
Several women took turns pulling her hair, trampling her body, and hurling insults like "whore" and "slut."
Parting the wet hair revealed a bruised face—who else could it be but Qiao Mo?
Yi Yufei's breath caught.
Beyond the crowd, he spotted a familiar white BMW hesitating by the curb for several seconds before speeding away in panic.
Qiao Mo saw it too. She stared straight at the direction the car fled, a cold smile flickering in her eyes before fading into ashen emptiness.
Exiting the video, Yi Yufei immediately tried to contact her, but the phone was already unreachable.
In the days that followed, Qiao Mo left Shenzhen and traveled alone to Beijing.
And after that night, she never cried again.