Nian Nian [Rebirth] - Chapter 3

The main gate of the welfare institute was a large, wrought-iron gate with a smaller iron door set within it. A thick chain and padlock secured the smaller door.

Chen Nian climbed down the wall and stumbled toward the main gate. It was only then that she realized her feet were throbbing. The balls and heels of her feet were chafing against her shoes, burning painfully.

It hurt too much, and Chen Nian’s tears streamed down uncontrollably.

She limped to the gate, straining her neck to look inside. Someone was sweeping the ground with a large broom. Chen Nian knocked on the door.

The person looked over and asked, “Where did this child come from?”

Chen Nian said, “I want to come in.”

The person came over with the broom: “Where did you come from? Are you lost? Why is your hair such a mess? You’re not that young, and oh dear, why are you just crying…”

Chen Nian repeated the same sentence: “I want to come in.”

“Why are you crying? Hey, don’t cry…” The person dropped the broom and looked outside. “Where are your parents?”

Chen Nian shook her head. Thankfully, she was in the form of a seven-year-old child now. Whatever she said or did, even if it was unreasonable, wouldn’t be surprising.

“I want to come in,” Chen Nian repeated for the third time. This time, she sniffled and called out, “Auntie.”

The woman’s expression softened. She reached out through the iron gate and patted her on the head: “Are you cold? Are you hungry? Do you have a phone number for home?”

She did have a number. Even after decades, Chen Nian could recite her childhood landline number fluently.

But of course, she wouldn’t say it. She hadn’t figured out her current situation yet. Was it her imagination? A dream? Or did the heavens grant you a new opportunity when human obsession became too strong?

No matter the reason, Fang Zhizhu was in this world, a living, breathing Fang Zhizhu.

Then she absolutely had to stay by Fang Zhizhu’s side, to be with her and to save her.

Chen Nian chose the option that would get her through the door: “Cold.”

As expected, the woman opened the door: “Then come in and warm up. Auntie’s office has a stove burning nice and hot. This place is a… special school, we have many children, don’t be afraid…”

Chen Nian was naturally not afraid. As soon as the door opened, she quickly slipped in and walked straight toward the central building.

The woman followed behind her, still asking the same questions: “If you don’t have a phone number, you know your parents’ names and home address, right? You tell Auntie later, and Auntie will contact your parents…”

Chen Nian remained silent. Someone coming out of the building ran into the woman and called out, “Director Su.”

Director Su replied, “Hey, there’s still a lot of cabbage left, don’t buy any cabbage today.”

The person acknowledged her, glanced at Chen Nian who had already entered the main building, and asked, “A new child?”

Director Su quickly waved her hand: “No, no, she’s lost. She said she was cold, so I let her come in to warm up first.”

The person cupped their hands: “Director Su is a good person.”

“Not at all, anyone would worry if their child was lost…”

After exchanging these brief pleasantries, Director Su hurried her steps to catch up with Chen Nian.

When Chen Nian was clinging to the wall and staring at Fang Zhizhu, she had already memorized her floor and room number. Now, inside the building, she didn’t hesitate for a moment, thump-thump-thump-ing up the stairs.

Director Su called after her from below: “The office is on the second floor, the first room on the left!”

Chen Nian reached the second floor, didn’t stop, and continued up to the third floor.

Fang Zhizhu was on the fifth window facing south on the third floor.

The rooms in this building were all small singles, each with only one window.

Chen Nian counted them one by one, one, two, three, four, five…

She stopped.

The door to the fifth room was closed. The wooden door was also green, but the paint was peeling off in strips due to age.

There was a small window cut into the door, but it was very high up. Chen Nian had to stand on her tiptoes and stretch her arm to reach it.

She didn’t presumptuously open the little window. She raised her hand to wipe her face, took a deep breath, tidied her clothes, and then her knuckles knocked on the wooden door.

It was rough and splintered.

Director Su shouted from downstairs: “Hey, little friend, where did you go? Did you go the wrong way?”

Chen Nian knocked again, “Tuk-tuk-tuk.”

Director Su’s footsteps began to approach from below.

Chen Nian rubbed her fingers together, held her right hand with her left, and stopped herself from knocking again.

Director Su came up to the third floor and saw her standing in the hallway: “Why did you come here? Auntie’s office is downstairs. There’s no stove here; it’s cold…”

Chen Nian lowered her head, neither answering nor moving.

Director Su walked toward her, her footsteps getting closer: “You are a strange little girl…”

Click, the door opened.

Chen Nian snapped her head up and met Fang Zhizhu’s eyes directly.

Seven-year-old Fang Zhizhu was slightly taller than seven-year-old Chen Nian. She was thin and pale, but still strikingly beautiful.

“I…” Chen Nian opened her mouth, but before the word could come out, tears spilled out again.

In the year after Fang Zhizhu left, she cried almost every day.

She couldn’t control her tears. They would always fall whenever she thought of Fang Zhizhu, or when she forced herself not to think of Fang Zhizhu.

Later, as time passed, the sea in her heart gradually dried up, turning into a huge void. Chen Nian seemed to have run out of tears. When she wanted to cry again, her eyes just felt dry, and her head ached terribly.

Now, as time reversed, she looked into Fang Zhizhu’s eyes and knew this was the sea in her heart.

Fang Zhizhu’s gaze landed on her tears, following the beads as they slid down.

Then she twisted her body and entered the room.

Director Su went to grab Chen Nian, but Chen Nian quickly stepped into the room.

Inside, there was a bunk bed, a set of tables and chairs against the wall, and a washbasin stand with a neatly folded white towel on it.

Fang Zhizhu sat down on the bed. Only the bottom bunk was made, and the duvet cover and sheets were faded.

Director Su said, “It’s cold in here. Go to my office…”

Chen Nian sat down on the stool, facing Fang Zhizhu: “Can I go with her?”

“Little Zhi doesn’t need to go. This is her room,” Director Su said.

“Hmm,” Chen Nian replied, “Then I won’t go either.”

Director Su looked perplexed: “You strange child, do you know Little Zhi?”

She turned and asked Fang Zhizhu: “Little Zhi, do you know this girl?”

Fang Zhizhu didn’t speak. She didn’t even turn to look at Director Su. Her gaze remained fixed on Chen Nian’s face, devoid of expression.

But Chen Nian knew she was studying her, just like their first meeting all those years ago. Even though Chen Nian was the photographer who was supposed to be observing the model, Fang Zhizhu looked back at her seriously through the lens.

Chen Nian sank into that sea and remained silent too.

The two of them stared at each other blankly. The surroundings were quiet, and Director Su was also stunned.

A gust of wind blew in from the window, chilling the air.

Director Su went over and closed the window, muttering, “I keep telling you to close the windows, but you never remember…”

She turned and walked out, no longer trying to talk to the two children. As she left the room, she closed the door.

Downstairs, Aunt Zhao was mopping the floor. She looked up and saw her, asking, “Teacher Su, what’s wrong with Fang Zhi again?”

Su Li’s brow was tightly furrowed. She quickly reached Aunt Zhao’s side and whispered, “Fang Zhi is strange, and today I ran into someone even stranger…”

“Who?” Aunt Zhao stopped mopping and followed Su Li downstairs.

“Who knows! She just showed up out of nowhere, crying the whole time…” Su Li had held it in for a while, and now she poured out everything that had just happened to Aunt Zhao.

Aunt Zhao listened, her eyebrows furrowing too. They speculated for a long time but couldn’t figure out what was going on.

“If worst comes to worst, call the police,” Aunt Zhao suggested. “See if anyone has lost a child. If you can’t get anything out of her, let the police try. Don’t let another child just show up here out of the blue.”

Su Li sighed: “That’s all I can do.”

After calling the police, Su Li went upstairs to check on them again.

She opened the small window on the door; she usually checked rooms this way, so the motion was familiar.

The two strange children were still sitting face-to-face. Fang Zhi was still expressionless, and the newly found child was still crying.

She didn’t know what she was crying about. No sound came out; she was just shedding tears silently, wiping them occasionally, not at all like a normal child crying.

Su Li saw her endless tears and genuinely feared she would cry herself into dehydration.

Su Li went downstairs and poured a cup of hot water. Before she could take it upstairs, the police arrived.

The police station wasn’t far, and a missing child was a serious matter, so the response was quick.

Su Li simply walked upstairs while holding the water, briefing the officers: “She was at our main gate, saying she wanted to come in because she was cold. Of course, I let her in. She didn’t say a word and just ran straight to our kids’ dorm room, and she’s been there ever since.”

The police officer asked, “What time?”

Su Li: “About half an hour ago.”

Police Officer: “Did you see anyone else?”

Su Li: “No, I didn’t. There aren’t many people here at this hour.”

“Can the surveillance camera at the entrance be used?”

Su Li slapped her thigh in embarrassment: “Oh, the wind was too strong last week and broke it. I’ve been busy and forgot to get it fixed…”

The police officer noted everything down. They reached the room door.

The officer knocked and then pushed the door open. Sure enough, just as Su Li had said, the two children were sitting inside quietly, neither speaking nor moving.

Su Li: “See?”

The officer pointed. Su Li specified: “The one on the stool.”

The officer approached Chen Nian and crouched down: “Little friend, where is your home? I’m Officer Uncle. You can tell Officer Uncle if you’re in any trouble.”

Chen Nian turned to look at him, her voice slightly hoarse: “I want to stay here.”

The officer smiled and patted her head: “Why do you want to stay here? Do you know what kind of place this is?”

Chen Nian: “A welfare institute.”

Officer: “Oh, you know, then did you have a fight with your mom and dad?”

“No.” Chen Nian’s gaze returned to Fang Zhizhu. She moved her lips a few times before making a small request: “I want to be her friend.”

The officer was stunned, clearly not expecting that answer.

Su Li laughed and placed the water cup on the table: “Then you should tell Auntie. Being friends is fine, but shouldn’t you tell your new friend what your name is?”

Chen Nian looked at Fang Zhizhu: “Can I?”

Fang Zhizhu suddenly kicked off her shoes, climbed onto the bed, pulled the blanket up, and buried herself under it.