My wife is a witch princess.

dong dong dong-

A clear, cheerful little girl's voice immediately came from inside the door: "Coming, coming! I'll open the door! Brother, don't move, I'll do it!"

With a creak, the door opened.

A short, chubby-cheeked little girl with eyes like black grapes peeked out and curiously looked at the strangers outside the door.

When Zhang Shushu saw this, her heart softened instantly.

She had always wanted a sweet and cuddly daughter, but her wish was not fulfilled due to policy and economic reasons. Now, seeing such a lovely child, her affection was overflowing.

"Hello, Auntie~" Tao Xiang tilted her head and asked sweetly, "Huh? Why haven't I seen this auntie before?"

Hearing the commotion, Song Che, who was inside the house, walked towards the door while saying, "Tao Xiang, how many times have I told you, you can't just give things to strangers... What the hell?! Mom?! Dad?!"

Before she could finish speaking, the door, which had just been opened, was slammed shut again, almost hitting Zhang Shushu's nose as she was about to enter.

Zhang Shushu was startled.

I haven't seen my son for half a year, why does he seem so distant?

Judging from his reaction just now, it was as if he had done something wrong and been caught red-handed.

"Could he be hiding more than one 'girlfriend' in the house?" Zhang Shushu looked at her husband suspiciously.

Song Jianguo was also taken aback, then joked, "Maybe it's not about 'keeping a mistress in a golden house,' but rather that she thinks our parents are unreliable and wants to change parents. It's all your fault for always going out to work and leaving the kids at home."

After waiting for a while, the door opened a crack again, and then slowly opened wider.

Overwhelmed with longing, Zhang Shushu stepped forward, wanting to give her son a big hug, but saw that he had his eyes tightly closed. She couldn't help but ask in confusion, "Dabao, why... are you closing your eyes?"

"I...I..." Song Che stammered, unable to explain. He was a little afraid to look at his parents, because as soon as he did, those damned "labels" would automatically reappear. He couldn't control this ability, and he was even more afraid of seeing any unpleasant words above his parents' heads—such as "incurable disease" or "exhaustion." Aunt Lan's "exhaustion of yang energy" was already enough to worry him; he simply didn't have the courage to face the potential health problems his parents might have.

"My eyes... feel a little uncomfortable," he said, offering a dry excuse.

"Son..." Song Jianguo suppressed a laugh and deliberately asked, "Could you lend me some money?"

"You dare bring this up when my mom's still here?!" Song Che retorted instinctively, but his eyes remained tightly closed.

“Then open your eyes,” Song Jianguo handed the gift forward, “I brought you a present. By the way, where’s the girl? Isn’t she home? Oh, and does she like tulips? The flower shop only has these left.”

"I..." Song Che struggled internally. He seemed fearless, but when it came to the crucial moment, he chickened out. Even the label of "memory decline" was something he didn't want to see from his closest relatives.

"Are your eyes really uncomfortable?" Zhang Shushu asked, her concern replacing her doubt as she watched him remain closed. She reached out to touch his face.

"No...it's just...sigh!" Song Che gritted his teeth, slowly opened his eyes, and glanced at the scene quickly.

Above Mom's head: "Tired" and "Healthy".

The sign above Dad's head reads: "Very healthy."

There aren't many labels, and certainly no scary words.

Song Che's tense nerves suddenly relaxed, and a relieved smile unconsciously bloomed on his face.

Zhang Shushu didn't know why her son suddenly became happy, but seeing his smile filled her heart with warmth.

"Mom, didn't you say... you wouldn't arrive for two days?"

"I just wanted to surprise you!" Zhang Shushu smiled, her eyes crinkling. "Look, I even prepared a gift for you!"

Song Jianguo handed over the rather heavy cardboard box and then stuffed the bouquet of tulips into Song Che's hand: "This is for Xia Li."

"Thank you, Mom and Dad!" Song Che took the things, stepped aside to let the two of them into the house, and closed the door behind him.

His parents' arrival was too sudden. He hadn't even memorized the "truth" script he had rehearsed countless times in his mind, and Xia Li's "persona" still had flaws. He wasn't prepared for anything.

He had thought that reuniting with them after a century would fill him with overwhelming emotion and tears. But upon actually seeing them, he felt not intense sorrow, but a profound peace filled with a sense of tranquility and happiness.

There were no tears, only a heart full of joy.

A century of vastness, fleeting like white clouds.

It's so good to see you all again.

As soon as she closed the door and turned around, Zhang Shushu gave him a tight hug, just like when they were little. She tried to pick him up, but she wasn't strong enough, so she could only hug his neck tightly, cup his face, and affectionately rub her nose against his.

"Mom, you still smell nice."

Song Che buried his face in her shoulder and took a breath.

It smelled a bit like cigarette smoke from a train carriage, and a bit like laundry soap. Unlike the cool, dewy scent on Xia Li, it was the kind of fragrance that instantly reminded you of your mother.

A thought suddenly popped into his mind.

It's a bit strange; maybe I'm not as homesick as I thought.

Because his nose didn't feel sore, and tears wouldn't fall.

Shouldn't it be more appropriate to cry at this point?

I can't cry, but...

“Da Bao has grown taller again.” Zhang Shushu took a half step back, her hand still on his arm, and suddenly asked with some doubt, “Why isn’t he clinging to me this time? Last time he came in the door he was clamoring for hot pot, and he didn’t even change his shoes.”

"Kids have to grow up eventually," Song Jianguo said with a cheerful voice, stretching out his arms to pull the mother and child into a tight embrace. "But—"

He tightened his grip, a hint of pride in his voice. "With the strength of your old man, I can still lift you both up and spin you around!"

My father's chest pressed against mine, still so thick and strong.

Song Che closed his eyes, and this time he really felt his eyes getting hot.

Song Jianguo put them down and looked around: "Where's that girl? I haven't seen her yet."

"Oh, she's taking a shower. She should be out soon."

"She took a shower before even eating?" Zhang Shushu keenly noticed the detail.

“She…she’s not always like this. It’s just that lately she’s gotten into the habit of washing her hands before and after meals,” Song Che quickly explained.

"Mm." Zhang Shushu nodded and didn't ask any further questions. It's normal for girls to like being clean.

She began to slowly pace around the house, her gaze carefully sweeping over every corner. The living room was tidy; the desk was piled with review materials and countless sheets of draft paper, and opposite it was another sheet of draft paper and a thick book. On the rug near the balcony, a large, round, fat cat lazily raised its head and glanced at her. Tao Xiang had already run to the kitchen doorway and was sitting obediently like a puppy waiting for its meal.

Zhang Shushu turned around once, then silently sat back down on the sofa without saying a word.

Song Jianguo was quite talkative. He squatted down and chatted with Bruce, a cat: "Your name is Bruce. Isn't that a dog's name? Song Che didn't name you that, did he? It doesn't make sense."

"Woof woof!" Bruce responded with two barks.

Song Jianguo was completely bewildered by the bark; it really was Bruce Bens.

“Dad, I already told you its name is Bruce. It’s very intelligent, almost like a dog.” Song Che laughed from the side, knowing that his father would be impressed.

At this moment, Zhang Shushu stood up from the sofa again and started pacing around. She looked from the kitchen to the bedroom, patted Taoxiang's head, checked the kitchen knives and refrigerator, which only contained eggs and some vegetables, then went to the bedroom to look at the wardrobe. There weren't many clothes, but they were neatly folded. Finally, she walked to the entrance hall and glanced at the electricity meter.

She didn't seem very happy.

After completing this series of silent examinations, she sat back down on the sofa.

Song Che noticed that his mother's mood was a bit off, so he went over to her.

He froze as soon as he got close.

She had originally decided to put on a stern face and be even more fierce, to set some rules for the girl her son had found.

But at this moment, her eyes welled up with tears, which rolled down her cheeks uncontrollably.

Seeing her son's face getting closer, she frantically tried to wipe it, but the more she wiped, the wetter it became, and she lost all her maternal authority.

She suddenly remembered a topic she and Song Jianguo used to bicker about: Is it better for a child to mature early, or to stay a child forever?

She used to say that it's always better to be sensible.

Being sensible means you won't suffer losses and will avoid taking detours, which is great.

But now, looking at this clean but somewhat empty room, and at the cuts on my son's fingers caused by the wind.

She blinked, her heart aching for her.

Zhang Shushu hugged Song Che tightly as he leaned close, tears streaming down her face. Her voice was muffled and Song Che couldn't hear her clearly: "You really don't listen to a thing... Why don't you take your mother's words to heart at all..."

"Huh?" Song Che was genuinely confused. "Where did I miss something?"

I've always been obedient, okay?

"You just didn't listen..." She was sobbing, her logic becoming jumbled, "Do you think Mommy is bad... Mommy just doesn't know how to be a mother... I haven't figured out what to do either..."

"Mom," Song Che turned his head and changed the subject jokingly, "Could it be... that you found out I was secretly playing on my phone last Sunday?"

Now Zhang Shushu cried even harder, her shoulders trembling.

However, Song Che secretly noticed that as his mother cried, the lines around her eyes softened, making her look more gentle than usual... inexplicably beautiful.

His heart softened, and he tried to comfort her: "Mom, don't cry. You look beautiful even when you cry."

The result was the opposite; she couldn't stop crying even more.

She cupped Song Che's face in her hands, examining it closely, as if she wanted to count all the weight he had lost and all the suffering he had endured in the past six months.

After looking at his face, she grabbed his hand and examined it from all angles.

Song Che was at a loss for what to do.

“These hands…” she touched the almost invisible cracks, “They didn’t even put on any oil when it was cold, they just left them rough like this.”

“It’s almost done,” Song Che glanced at his hands, not noticing anything amiss. “If I don’t do some work soon, I won’t be able to find the incision myself.”

"You're so stubborn!" Zhang Shushu's tears hadn't even dried, but her words were already flowing smoothly as she listed off one thing after another, "I told you to buy a thick down jacket, did you buy one? No, right? I told you to talk to the landlord about replacing the air conditioner, did you mention it? You definitely didn't. That knife in the kitchen, it's so slippery when cutting vegetables, and you haven't even bothered to replace it. There's nothing in the refrigerator except eggs and cabbage leaves. Your face is all chapped from the wind, and there's not even a jar for washing your face on the sink. And your shoes, you only have these two thin pairs that you alternate wearing in winter..."

As she spoke, her voice choked up again, "Are you resenting your mother for not taking good care of you...?"

Song Che felt a chill run down his spine and was almost exhausted, but he finally understood why his mother was crying.

So she felt sorry for her son because he was suffering.

Song Che felt a warm glow in his heart, but also a little amused and exasperated. He quickly reassured her, "It's okay, Mom, it's really okay. I love you, Mom, and I've never blamed you. It's a bit cold, but I can handle it. I've eaten all the good food, and I've made plenty of rib soup. I completely forgot about replacing the air conditioner, and it hurts to run a level 3 energy-efficient air conditioner. As a boy, why would I need skin cream? Just washing my face is enough..."

“You! Don’t! Listen!” Zhang Shushu interrupted him, her four words ringing out firmly.

"They are extremely disobedient!!!"

"..." Song Che immediately shut his mouth obediently.

It seems that after hearing "I love you, Mom," Mom automatically ignored all subsequent explanations.

Women... are so hard to please.