You on the other side of time

Only after Si Yang's footsteps completely disappeared at the alley entrance did Song Wanxi let out a soft sigh of relief, raising her hand to gently touch her still flushed cheeks. Several minutes passed before her emotions gradually calmed down.

The rice cake at her feet spun around, its tail brushing against her trouser leg, barking every now and then, being extremely clingy.

Song Wanxi bent down and took out a bag wrapped in a plastic bag from the refrigerator. The bag wasn't sealed tightly, and the aroma of braised food wafted out through the gaps, mixed with a hint of meat. It wasn't particularly strong, but it was enough to whet her appetite. This was specially given to her by Aunt Guo from the braised food shop next door. It was all leftover scraps from braised dishes, along with some bones. It wouldn't taste good to most people, but it was Nian Gao's favorite.

Song Wanxi took some food out and put it in the stainless steel plate on the ground. The rice cake immediately came over, wagging its tail even more happily, and then began to enjoy it with relish.

Seeing this, Tangyuan curiously crouched down to take a look. Suddenly, Nian Gao raised his head and barked, "Woof!" Tangyuan took a few steps back and curled up into a ball, his round eyes staring timidly at Nian Gao, but he couldn't help but glance at the bones in the plate. His look of being both greedy and afraid made Song Wanxi's lips curl into a smile.

She's had these two little ones for almost half a year now, and they're still at odds, as if they were born to be at odds.

But the next second, Nian Gao stopped chewing, nudged the pile of bones with its mouth, and pulled out a soft thing that looked exactly like a piece of braised lung. It took two steps with the piece of meat in its mouth, placed it about a meter away from the stainless steel plate, and then barked twice at Tang Yuan, its fierceness gone.

Tangyuan meowed, hesitated for a while, and when it saw that Nian Gao didn't yell at it anymore, it quickly went over and started nibbling on the "soft stuff" in small bites.

Watching this scene, Song Wanxi's smile slowly faded, and she murmured, "Even cats and dogs can help each other in times of trouble, so what about humans?"

She raised her wrist to check the time, then turned around and changed into a clean set of clothes—a slightly yellowed white shirt, perfectly ironed, which she had specifically saved for every job interview.

Before leaving, she went to the balcony again, watered the plants in the styrofoam box, and then shouted into the bedroom, "Grandma, I'm going out for another job interview. I'm sure I'll succeed today!"

……

On the other side, Si Yang slammed the door shut and collapsed onto the sofa, closing his eyes for a long while to catch his breath. The words he had just spoken to Song Wanxi, the confusion and trust in her eyes, the guilt and struggle intertwined, making his chest feel suffocated.

Before he could even react, he heard the sound of a key turning in the lock. Xu Qingwan, carrying a bag of groceries, pushed the door open and came in. She had just put her shoes down when she noticed the sneakers lying haphazardly by the door. She immediately frowned and yelled towards the living room, "Yangyang, can't you put those shoes away properly? They're blocking the way. Come help me prepare the vegetables. Water spinach, break it along the hollow part, make sure to open up the hollow part completely, you hear me? Otherwise, there will be bugs hiding inside."

"Coming," Si Yang replied listlessly, slowly standing up and walking towards the kitchen. Scattered clues were already circulating in his mind: the single mother's whereabouts, Song Wanxi's rented apartment, the person the landlord mentioned looking at the apartment... But picking vegetables, a task that didn't require much brainpower, was just what he needed to do to keep him thinking.

Walking into the kitchen, Si Yang saw Xu Qingwan toss the vegetable bag aside, hands on her hips, staring at the bag of water spinach with a troubled expression. He suddenly found it quite amusing. His mother, a strong-willed woman all her life, was the undisputed Ms. Xu at school and the undisputed "boss" at home, fearless of anything, yet she was terrified of water spinach.

He knew the reason all too well. Water spinach grows in water, and the ones sold in the market sometimes have leeches clinging to their stems—soft, slippery, like slugs. Xu Qingwan was terrified every time she saw them. Once, she bought a bag of water spinach, and when she washed it, she found several leeches crawling on it. She immediately threw the whole bag away.

But this is exactly what Si Xingbin loves to eat; it's the only leafy green vegetable he never gets tired of. Xu Qingwan always complains that "Si Xingbin is just making things difficult for people," but every time she goes to the market, she still musters up her courage to pick out a bag of clean water spinach and carefully washes it again and again.

"When I was a child, I used to plant rice seedlings in the fields, and the fields were full of these kinds of bugs. Every time I finished planting, several bugs would bite my feet. Half of those bugs would burrow into my flesh and suck my blood, while the other half would stay outside, swollen and round. I had to squeeze them hard and pull them out in one go..."

"These vampires bite so hard, it's like they're going to kill you."

Xu Qingwan recounted the story vividly. Clearly, this wasn't the first time Si Yang had heard it; Old Xu would repeat it every time she bought water spinach. It was unclear whether she was trying to find an excuse for her cowardice in front of her children, simply reminiscing about those times, or if she was just used to nagging, using it to force herself to overcome her fear.

Si Yang held a bunch of water spinach in his hand, listening to his mother's nagging, but his mind was blank; he didn't hear a single word. His mind was filled with thoughts of that single mother. Where was she now? If he couldn't find her, if he couldn't find evidence of her child abuse, it would be difficult for him and his sister to clear their names; their future seemed hopeless.

Actually, he wasn't without options. He could offer money to help Song Wanxi move to a better house, freeing up that small bungalow and luring the single mother out. But he couldn't bring himself to say it; it would be too humiliating, like he was pitying Song Wanxi. Besides, what right did he have? What right did he have to use his own predicament to control the fate of an innocent girl?

"Yangyang, are you even listening to me?" Xu Qingwan's thunderous voice rang in Si Yang's ears, and the vegetable stalk in his hand snapped in two with a "snap." "I'm talking to you, what are you daydreaming about?"

Si Yang snapped back to reality and quickly replied, "Yes, Mom, I'm listening."

"Hurry up, I have a museum interview after we eat, don't waste my time." Xu Qingwan rarely saw Si Yang so absent-minded, but she wasn't surprised. After all, he was a senior, and a girl like him would have many more thoughts on her mind. Even though she knew Si Yang's goal was to get into graduate school, the pressure he faced wouldn't be small.

"How many interviews are there today?" Mentioning interviews, Si Yang suddenly remembered Song Wanxi mentioning that she was preparing for one. Could it be such a coincidence that today's interview was his mother's? He knew that Xu Qingwan, as the honorary curator of the Jinchuan Museum, rarely participated in the museum's operations; this was the first time he'd heard his mother mention interviews.

"What do you mean several sessions? Just one. Those kids who finished military training and had a day off today were making a fuss about wanting to attend the interview today, so we added a day at the last minute. Luckily, I was free today, otherwise I wouldn't have been chosen for this job." Xu Qingwan looked at Si Yang with a questioning gaze. This kid never cared about his work before, so why was he suddenly so interested in this today?

Long ago, Xu Qingwan suggested that he apply for a part-time job at a museum, which would not only improve his social skills but also deepen his understanding of cultural relics. However, Si Yang resolutely refused. He shared the same idea as Si Chuying, with a strong sense of self-reliance and a desire to forge his own path based on his passion, rather than being "Xu the Boss" or "Xu the Second Boss" under her shadow.

"What, Yangyang, you've thought it through and want to be a part-time tour guide?" Xu Qingwan raised an eyebrow. "If you want to go, you don't even need an interview. I'll put in a word, and you can start working this afternoon. You'll avoid so many detours compared to those kids."

Si Yang knew this would happen, so he remained silent. His mind was a mess, with his left and right hemispheres fighting each other. One side told him not to meddle, that Song Wanxi's matter had nothing to do with him, and that he only needed to find evidence to clear his name. The other side, however, was a clear, sincere voice: "Senior Si Yang, you are a good person. You will definitely overcome this difficulty."

The voice instantly shattered his selfishness and hesitation. He took a deep breath, looked up at Xu Qingwan, and said, "Old Xu, I don't want to go, but I'd like to recommend a friend to go. Is that alright?"

The dish in Xu Qingwan's hand nearly slipped from her grasp with a clatter. She quickly caught it, looking at Si Yang with disbelief. She knew her son all too well; he was as stubborn as a mule, always eager to sever all ties with her, always wanting to prove himself, never asking her for anything, and never taking advantage of her connections.

This was the first time she could recall making such a request. He actually asked her for a favor, which, even though he didn't say the word "beg," clearly indicated that he was using her relationship to ask for her money.

"That depends on ability. Is it your roommate?" Xu Qingwan was curious about which close friend had allowed him to break the rules he had always followed.

"It's a girl, and you know her too. Her name is Song Wanxi." Si Yang spoke slowly and calmly, as if he was certain that Xu Qingwan would agree.