Chapter – 22
You Forgot My Birthday Next Saturday?!
At the doorway.
Yu Zhi stood still. At first glance, the house looked unusually tidy — no empty liquor bottles scattered around, and the floor gleamed as if freshly mopped.
On the dining table sat three dishes and a soup, still steaming hot. Yu Jianhui sat there and waved her over.
“What are you standing there for? Come eat!”
For some reason, Yu Zhi’s right eyelid twitched twice — hard.
She ignored him and walked straight to the kitchen, where Shao Jinghe was simmering herbal medicine.
“I’m back,” Yu Zhi said, then lowered her voice.
“Is today some special occasion? The house feels… different.”
Shao Jinghe wiped her hands and coughed twice before speaking.
“No special occasion. I don’t know what’s gotten into him — after you left for school this morning, your dad went to the market and bought a chicken…”
Her eyes shimmered with a rare hint of hope.
“He said he wanted to make something nice for dinner tonight. You know what? He even cleaned the windows today.”
As soon as she said that, Yu Zhi looked through the kitchen window toward the living room.
Yu Jianhui immediately put on a fawning smile, even busily serving food to everyone at the table.
Yu Zhi frowned — the sight was more unsettling than a horror movie.
“Xiao Zhi,” Shao Jinghe tugged at her daughter’s sleeve and whispered, “do you think your dad… realized his mistakes? Maybe he wants to make things right now?”
Yu Zhi opened her mouth but didn’t know what to say.
Watching Yu Jianhui, she couldn’t shake off the feeling that it was a weasel paying New Year’s greetings to the chickens.
Honestly, the idea that a drunkard could suddenly reform overnight and settle down was laughable.
But looking at how happy her mother was, Yu Zhi couldn’t bear to burst her bubble.
After all, women like Shao Jinghe — living under years of domestic abuse — were far from rare. They lived their whole lives under patriarchal oppression, convinced they couldn’t survive without the man who hurt them.
And when that man showed even the tiniest bit of tenderness, they clung to it as hope — again and again, a vicious cycle.
There’s that old saying: “He’s actually pretty nice when he’s not hitting me.”
A dull ache rose in Yu Zhi’s chest.
She sighed quietly, swallowed her emotions, and pulled her mother toward the table.
“Come on, let’s eat.”
At the table, Yu Jianhui was unusually cheerful, constantly picking food for the two of them.
When he dropped a chicken drumstick into Yu Zhi’s bowl, some soup splashed onto her sleeve.
“Ah!” he exclaimed, fumbling to wipe it off. “Xiao Zhi, I’m sorry! Your sleeve’s dirty now — but no problem, Dad’ll buy you a new one!”
Yu Zhi stared at the drumstick, then set down her chopsticks.
“Right,” Yu Jianhui said, rubbing his hands together. “Do you remember that Li boy who used to come play here when you were little? His dad’s an old friend of mine.”
He grinned, revealing nicotine-stained teeth.
“I was thinking of inviting him over for dinner in a few days. You can come home early that day, yeah?”
Yu Zhi searched her memory but drew a blank — she had no idea who he was talking about.
“You can invite whoever you want,” she said, stirring her rice. “Why ask me?”
“Hey now, you’re a college student!” His voice suddenly rose. “You should show up and make your dad look good, huh?”
He kicked Shao Jinghe’s chair.
“Right, wife?”
Shao Jinghe’s chopsticks slipped from her fingers with a clack. She hesitated before asking:
“That Old Li you’re talking about — it’s not the one who…”
She met Yu Jianhui’s dark glare and instantly backed down.
“I mean — what does his son do for work nowadays?”
“Project manager at a construction company!” Yu Jianhui said proudly.
“He’s only twenty-six and makes this much a month!”
He gestured a large number with his hand, then glanced meaningfully at Yu Zhi.
“But once our Xiao Zhi graduates, she’ll definitely surpass him!”
Yu Zhi forced a couple of dry laughs.
She was majoring in Early Childhood Education — anyone in that field could tell him what the pay was like. The man really had some nerve dreaming that big.
After dinner, Yu Zhi offered to wash the dishes.
The kitchen was filled with the bitter smell of herbal medicine.
Shao Jinghe stirred the pot silently, watching her daughter.
“Mom,” Yu Zhi said suddenly, “he’s trying to set me up on a blind date, isn’t he?”
“He thinks raising me all these years means it’s time to cash out — sell me off for a bride price?”
The medicine pot made a sudden gurgle.
Shao Jinghe’s hand trembled, splashing a bit of hot liquid.
She scrambled to wipe it off, then turned to Yu Zhi with newfound resolve.
“Xiao Zhi, ask your teacher if you can live in the dorms. Don’t worry about the money — I’ll find a way. From now on, you should—”
Yu Zhi cut her off. She turned off the tap and shook her head.
“Day students can’t apply for dorms, Mom. I’ll stay home. I won’t move out.”
Shao Jinghe’s lips trembled.
“Xiao Zhi…”
Yu Zhi flicked the water off her hands.
“I’m not leaving. If anyone’s leaving, it should be him. Don’t worry, Mom — I’ll protect you.”
Back in her room, Yu Zhi locked the door and collapsed onto the bed.
The cheap bedframe creaked under her weight. She closed her eyes.
At that moment, she suddenly understood why the original “Yu Zhi” had dyed her hair bright yellow and dressed in all those flashy outfits.
In a family like this, beauty itself was a sin.
“Ugh… I really underestimated this.”
She sighed and gave a bitter laugh.
The system was just about to speak when her phone buzzed beneath the pillow.
On the screen flashed a video call from Pei Nian’an.
Yu Zhi quickly answered.
On the other side, Pei Nian’an stood before a full-length mirror, surrounded by seven or eight staff members in uniforms. Behind her hung rows of dazzling couture dresses.
“Sister Pei!” Yu Zhi greeted enthusiastically.
Pei Nian’an appeared on screen, holding up a pale pink gown encrusted with crystals.
“Help me choose — does this one look good?”
Yu Zhi shot upright, flattery flowing effortlessly:
“Oh my god, that dress is gorgeous! It’s made for you! The waistline, the sheen — you’ll look like a goddess descended from the heavens!”
Pei Nian’an’s lips curved slightly. She lifted another dress — a sapphire blue fishtail gown.
“What about this one?”
“Wow! That one’s stunning too! It makes you look so fair — like a mermaid princess!” Yu Zhi gushed. “Are you dressing up for a date tonight?”
Pei Nian’an gave a little hum, clearly in a good mood.
“Not a date. I’m picking something for my birthday banquet.”
“Birthday banquet?” Yu Zhi blinked. “Whose birthday?”
As soon as she said it, Pei Nian’an’s face darkened.
“Yu Zhi! You forgot my birthday next Saturday?!”
