The courtyard: the atmosphere of human life

After Darong resigned, Ruyi's life became a lot easier. Three-year-old Anan was at the peak of her need for companionship, and when Darong was not around, Ruyi was indeed a little overwhelmed.

"Mom, was I like this when I was a child? The first thing I would do as soon as I opened my eyes was to ask Mom, let me drink water... Mom, let me eat... Mom, let me pee... Oh my God, you called me that a hundred times a day." Ruyi imitated An An's tone and complained to Darong about her child's high need for companionship.

"You were not like this when you were a kid. You basically played by yourself in the yard, and I would chase after you, calling you to drink water or eat. You were wilder than a little boy, and you would not even call for your mother if you fell down and didn't bleed."

Darong happily recalled Ruyi's naughty childhood, as if it happened right in front of her, but it seemed like thirty years had passed.

"I don't remember anything from my childhood, I just remember my dad helping me get my shoes up from the roof. He asked me how I got my shoes up there, and I just kicked the other one up there as well."

After Ruyi finished speaking, she couldn't help but burst out laughing.

After the mother and daughter chatted about Ruyi's embarrassing childhood, Darong asked about the health of Xiaohuya's father.

"How is his grandfather's recovery?"

Xiao Huya's father was released from intensive care not long ago. Although his condition was described as very serious, the old man managed to get through it on his own. After he was discharged from the hospital, Xiao Huya has been running back and forth to take care of him.

"I don't recognize many people anymore. I just sit on the sofa and take naps every day. I take several naps a day."

Ruyi shook her head. In her opinion, the old man's health was already at the end of its strength and an accident could happen at any time.

"Oh..." Darong sighed softly. She only hoped that when she got old, she would suffer less from illness and cause less trouble to her children.

After Darong moved in, Xiao Huya no longer had to worry about Ruyi not being able to go out with An'an. Every day was like going to work. He went to his parents' house in the morning, took care of his parents and had dinner in the evening before going home. During the day, he took online classes there and didn't have to worry about An'an making trouble again.

Thanks to Darong's great help, Ruyi and Xiao Huya's lives gradually returned to normal.

Although there were more and more epidemic risk areas in Yutian at that time, the area around Ruyi's home had never been affected. Although Darong had developed the habit of stockpiling vegetables, she would still go to the market next to the community to pick two fresh vegetables every day.

Yutian is a city built on a river. Large and small river tributaries surround the city, and bridges have become necessary facilities to connect the city.

There is a small river bend between Ruyi's residential area and the vegetable market, and there is a small bridge right in front of the residential area.

Darong was pulling a small cart in her hands. Just as she walked to the edge of the bridge, a speeding delivery electric bike hit the bridge pier when it turned the corner, and both the person and the cart were thrown out.

Darong quickly picked up the helmet that had rolled to her feet and walked towards the person who had fallen to the ground.

"Are you okay kid...Linlin?"

Darong originally only recognized the person as a girl from her figure, but when she got closer she discovered that the person lying on the ground was actually Linlin.

"Aunt..." Linlin struggled to get up from the ground and called Darong awkwardly.

Linlin had never been to Ruyi's home and didn't know she lived in this area. She thought she lived in the city and no one at home would know what she did.

But she didn't expect that just as she rode to the small bridge, she saw DaRong coming out of the community. The more panicked she became, the more confused she became. Linlin, who was not good at riding an electric bike, directly hit the pier at the bridge head and fell out.

"Is it okay? Where did you hit?" Darong looked at Linlin worriedly, afraid that she was injured.

"it's okay no problem……"

Linlin endured the pain in her body, picked up the electric bike from the ground, and looked at the soup that had spilled everywhere, her face full of frustration.

Darong didn't dare to speak or ask. At that moment, her emotions were very complicated. She was afraid that any word she said would hurt Linlin's fragile emotions.

She could only hold the cart tightly in her hands, looking at Linlin who was picking up the scattered items in front of her helplessly.

"Aunt, I have to go quickly." After Linlin said this, she smiled apologetically, got on her bike and crossed the bridge.

Darong stood there, unable to calm down for a long time. Just as she was confused about her own life back then, she was also confused about her children's future.

Watching Linlin disappear around the corner of the street, Darong no longer had the heart to go buy groceries, and she returned home alone, pulling the cart dejectedly.

"You're back so soon? Did you forget to bring something?" Ruyi was making noodle soup for An An in the kitchen. After hearing the voice, she asked towards the door.

Darong just said "hmm" and walked to the sofa and sat down.

Every mother has a strong ability of empathy. When she sees other children suffering, she will feel distressed too. What’s more, Darong is Linlin’s aunt who watched her grow up.

Ru Yi saw that Darong hadn't said anything, so after turning off the fire, he walked directly from the kitchen to Darong's side. Only then did he find that Darong was sitting on the sofa wiping her tears.

"What's wrong, Mom? What happened?" Ruyi was startled by Darong's sudden change of mood, and squatted beside Darong's legs nervously.

"I just saw Linlin. She was delivering food. She fell pretty hard, but she got up and left... She had never suffered such pain before..."

Darong told Ruyi what had just happened by the bridge. She seemed to be getting sadder as she spoke, and her tears kept rolling down like beads that had broken off the string.

After listening to Darong's explanation of the whole story, Ruyi felt relieved. She thought something had happened to Darong or Zhong Yunxing, but after knowing that it was just because he felt sorry for Linlin, Ruyi no longer felt as worried as before.

"Mom, you have to walk your own path in life. When Linlin chose to marry into that family, she should have been prepared to be a vase. Now that she doesn't want to be placed in a display case and left idle, she must find her own use so that she won't be discarded."

Darong understood what Ruyi said. Choices always come with a price, and Linlin must endure all the thorns and hardships on the path she has chosen.

But Darong had no way to make Ruyi understand her heartache. Ruyi was her only child. She had no brothers or sisters who grew up with her, and she could not understand the affection that Darong had for Linlin, whom she treated as her own daughter.

The word "sibling love" is both unfamiliar and distant to Ruyi's generation of only children.

They grew up in a unique era with a simple family structure and no experience of growing up with brothers and sisters. In their world, family affection was limited to the relationship between parents and children.

"Mom, please don't tell my aunt about Linlin's situation for now. Since you can see how embarrassed and awkward she is, protect her self-esteem."