Ding doesn’t go home directly after getting off the car. Instead, she lingers for a long while nearby her house. She doesn’t muster up courage to get into her house until it is almost 12 p. m. Since she was a child, Ding has developed the habit of hanging out for a while every time her parents lost their temper to her.
She doesn’t dare to go home until her parents fall asleep. She is afraid to see her parents’ angry faces. Especially what her father said today makes her scared. She could have gone home at 11 p. m, but she tries all means to stall herself until it is almost 12 p. m.
As expected, when she gets in, all the people at home have fallen into sleep. The whole house is extremely quiet. Ding cannot help but feel greatly relieved. When she takes out a bottle of water from the refrigerator and is about to close the refrigerator door, a figure suddenly appears behind it, frightening Ding a lot. Until she sees his face clearly, she feels relieved and says with a funny and annoying tone.
“Qi, why do you stay awake to scare others in the middle of night? You have scared the hell out of me. You know?” Covering her chest, Ding says with exaggeration. In front of her stands a very handsome little boy.
Ding Qi is Ding Manman’s younger brother. When Ding Manman was 12 years old, her mother gave birth to Ding Qi. At that time, her parents were so happy that they held her younger brother all day long.
In Ding’s memory, it was the first time that she had seen their ecstatic look. She had never seen her parents so happy. Even though she got the first place in her exams, her parents would not be that happy.
Not being young, her parents have a new baby. Thinking of that, it is easy to understand why they are so happy. And Ding considers that’s also the reason her parents show preference to her brother.
It seems that Ding Manman has been forgotten by her parents since Ding Qi’s birth. In their eyes, the only child they see is their little son-Ding Qi. They have completely forgotten they have a daughter.
After Ding Qi’s birth, all the good stuff is given to him first, while Ding Manman has to use things being useless for Ding Qi or the leftover. Although she doesn’t need most of them, either, her parents never pay attention to these at all.
Now Ding Qi is 10 years old. Although Ding Manman has not been favored for ten years, she still loves Ding Qi greatly. And she doesn’t care about her parents’ preference at all.
“We have planned to watch the Starship Troopers together. How can you break your promise!” Ding Qi puffs his cheeks to express his anger.
However, then Ding reaches out her hand and pinches his tender cheek, squinting her eyes contentedly.
“I haven’t seen you for so long. But your face stays tender, little Qi.” Ding likes to pinch Ding Qi’s face since he was young. His face is so tender and soft that it’s hard for Ding to take her hand off.
Ding Qi hates to be pinched, but he is willing to be pinched by Ding. Even when he was seven years old, he refused his mother’s inclination to touch his face.
“Answer me. Where have you been during this period of time? Or just as the girls in our class said, when you get married, you won’t come back again?” Ding Qi’s eyes are full of protest.
Ding Qi has been clingy to his sister Ding Manman instead of his parents since he was a child. Regarding the fact that nobody has heard from Ding for such a long time, Ding Qi is so worried. He is afraid that Ding won’t come back to play with him after her marriage.
“How can it be? I just had some things to do some time ago, so I didn’t come to see the movie with you. I can accompany you whenever you want this time.” Ding touches his head and says in a doting tone.
In Ding’s eyes, now is the most innocent and carefree time for Ding Qi now. With her brother, she doesn’t need to calculate that much, which makes her relaxed.
“Really?” Ding Qi becomes happy instantly. Sure enough, “children are the easiest to coax.” Thinks Ding.
“Well, my words are as good as gold.” Looking at Ding Qi’s absolutely pure smile, Ding feels her heart has softened.
Being satisfied, Ding Qi carries the doll to his bedroom and goes to sleep. Ding also goes back to her bedroom that she hasn’t availed herself of for several months.
Opening the door, she finds everything in the bedroom remains the same as she left on her wedding day. The new bed sheet and the scarlet hi-word on it make a festive atmosphere, but now there is a kind of unspeakable desolation.
Ding goes to the dressing table and finds it is covered with a layer of ash. It seems that no one has cleaned her room since she left.
This is the difference between Ding Qi and her. Ding Qi’s room will be cleaned every day. If she doesn’t tell the servant to clean her room, Ding’s parents will not know they still have such a daughter.
Looking at the dressing table, Ding can’t help recalling that day when she sat on the chair before it nervously and excitedly, checking her makeup again and again for fear that something went wrong.
She always desires to show her best to Fang Hao. But unexpectedly, everything she has prepared carefully breaks soon after she leaves home.
Ding doesn’t want to think about it anymore, which upsets her a lot. So she pulls the quilt and lies on the bed, compelling herself to sleep.
But when she falls asleep, she has a nightmare once again, dreaming that she returns to devil Zhong’s villa. Even though she keeps reminding herself “Don’t get into it”, her feet go straight towards it unconsciously.
Ding is woken up by her nightmare. Ding wonders why she is so vulnerable now. Even in her home where she has lived for a long time, she still has no sense of security.
When Ding goes downstairs the next day with dark circles under her eyes, her parents are having breakfast in the dining room. Seeing that, Ding thinks things will go amiss with her, but she has to go downstairs.
“Good morning, mom and dad.” Ding’s voice sounds slightly flattering. But her parents just answer in a low and faint voice. Then there is a long silence.
“Come on, my little baby. Eat more of this for nutrition. You’re looking off color recently. You should eat more for nutrition.” Ding’s mother doesn’t pay attention to her daughter who is still standing aside, instead she keeps on putting more food into her little son’s bowl.
Ding has been used to this for a long time. For that, she can only say that her parents really dote on her brother. Currently, Ding Qi is waving happily at Ding Manman.
“Sister! Come and sit here. ” Then he pats the chair beside him. Ding smiles with favor and goes to sit down. The servant immediately hands over the tableware.
Looking at the table with delicious food, Ding hesitates to eat which kind of food. At this time, Ding Qi puts all the food that his mother specially selected for him into Ding’s bowl. While moving the plate, he says in a baby-like tone.
“Sister, eat it. When you are full, we will go to see the Starship Troopers.” Ding Qi only concentrates on watching the movie with his sister, but he doesn’t notice his mother’s unhappy look at all.
Ding reaches out her hand to touch Ding Qi’s soft hair. She feels warm in her heart. When she is ready to praise little Qi, her father, wearing a sullen expression opens his mouth to talk.