Chapter 57

Ning Xueqing rested both her hands on her closed knees, blinking her large, shimmering eyes. “Hello, Auntie Ming.”

“My… my mom and I came here for a vacation. While strolling through the ancient town, Mengmeng picked out a lot of local snacks for Ming Nuo. I brought them over for you all, and I hope you like them.”

As Ming Yan’s gaze scanned the space around them, Ning Xueqing quickly added, “The snacks don’t keep well, so Ming Nuo put them in the refrigerator.”

Ming Nuo immediately chimed in, “Yes, they’re all at my place. Mammy, you should try some later.”

Ming Yan cast another glance at her daughter, letting out a soft chuckle without saying a word. To Ning Xueqing, however, it felt as if Auntie Ming’s eyes could see right through everything.

Feeling the scan of that sharp gaze, Ning Xueqing remembered her purpose and quickly thanked Ming Yan. “Auntie Ming, my mom saw the video of you at the art museum, and she is incredibly grateful to you. When you have some free time, could you come over to our place for dinner? She wants to paint a portrait of you to show her gratitude.”

“We’ll see about that. No need for thanks,” Ming Yan waved her hand briskly and huffed. “I just couldn’t stand the sight of that auction boss. It wasn’t like I was venting anger on your mom’s behalf.”

Ning Xueqing hid her curving lips. “Yes, that boss was so repulsive, she deserved to be taught a lesson. Auntie Ming, you were absolutely magnificent!”

As she spoke, Ning Xueqing gave an admiring thumbs-up.

Ming Yan tilted her head up and cleared her throat. “A minor matter, just ridding the people of a pest.”

She paused, her gaze shifting back and forth between the two young people before finally unauthorized copysettling on her own daughter. She raised her arm and delivered another sharp slap to Ming Nuo’s back.

Ming Nuo drew in a sharp breath. “Mammy?!”

Ming Yan spoke with a booming, robust voice, “We have a guest here! Send her off properly. What were you spinning lies to me for?!”

Ming Nuo thought to herself that she was only worried her mother would have an issue with Ning Xueqing. She wanted to avoid Ming Yan creating a chaotic scene upon finding out they were meeting in private.

“Mammy, didn’t I say I was meeting a friend?”

“Did Cen Hong ask someone to deliver snacks?”

Ming Nuo was stumped.

Ming Yan pointed a finger at her. “And that twisted, slouching posture of yours when you were leaning on the car just now—I don’t even want to talk about it. No proper stance whatsoever.”

Ming Nuo: “.”

Ming Yan: “You need to mind your manners in front of a guest, do you hear me?”

Ming Nuo responded obediently, “Understood, Mammy.”

Inside the car, Ning Xueqing’s smile grew wider. Seeing unauthorized copy Ming Nuo look over with a wronged expression, she turned her head away so Ming Nuo wouldn’t see her laughing.

Ning Xueqing then heard Ming Yan ask her, “Mengmeng and her grandma came along too? Are you staying here?”

Ning Xueqing quickly replied, “We all came to Lanyu for a trip. We’re staying across Baiou Lake, not here.”

Ming Yan nodded, then called Ming Nuo over. “Take a bag of the wild mushrooms that Auntie Wang and I picked and give them to Xueqing so she can take them back for Mengmeng to eat.”

Ming Nuo knit her brows. “Mammy, you picked those in the wild. Are they safe to eat?”

Ming Yan snapped, “How could they not be safe?! That’s a mountain slope managed by local farmers, taken care of every single day. All the toxic ones have been cleared out, and what we picked has been checked by people in the know. They’re incredibly fresh. Go out and ask any local in Lanyu—if you don’t eat wild mushrooms, what else would you eat?”

“Mammy—”

“Auntie Ming is right. Eating mushrooms is all about experiencing that freshness,” Ning Xueqing joined the mother-daughter conversation, giving Ming Nuo a look to stay quiet before turning back to Ming Yan. “Thank you, Auntie Ming. Mengmeng didn’t get to eat mushrooms in Xixue and has been longing for them. She’ll definitely be thrilled when she sees you sent some.”

Ming Yan beamed with joy. “It’s wonderful as long as the child likes them.” She gestured to Ming Nuo, “It’ll be lunchtime if you delay any longer. Hurry up.”

Ming Nuo straightened her back and walked around to the driver’s seat. “Mammy, Auntie Wang, I’ll drop Xueqing off first.”

Ming Yan called out, “Remember to take the mushrooms!”

“I remembered!”

Ming Nuo rolled up the car window, placed her hands on the steering wheel, and let out a sigh.

Ning Xueqing watched the figures of the two elders shrink into tiny dots in the rearview mirror. She looked at Ming Nuo and smiled. “Auntie Ming was so gentle with me today.”

Ming Nuo’s frown deepened even further. “You call that gentle?”

Ning Xueqing leaned into her neck pillow. “Mm-hmm. Didn’t Auntie Ming tell you that you can’t be half-hearted? She thought you had someone hidden in your car.”

Ming Nuo’s heart leaped slightly. “You mean…”

Ning Xueqing smiled radiantly, the sunlight illuminating her bright face. “Auntie Ming tacitly accepts that if the person in your car is me, it doesn’t count as being half-hearted.”

Ming Nuo nodded solemnly. “True. After all, she still helps me put up your new posters every year.”

Ning Xueqing was pleasantly surprised. “Auntie Ming watches my projects too?”

Ming Nuo: “She’s watched almost all of them. Whatever I watch, she follows along, and she watches anything that features my music.”

To understand her daughter’s preferences, Ming Yan—who had absolutely no interest in the entertainment industry—had watched countless television dramas and movies. Most importantly, Ning Xueqing’s works always featured Ming Nuo’s songs.

Ning Xueqing grew thoughtful, gazing out the car window. As she waited for Ming Nuo to fetch the wild mushrooms for her, a sudden wave of emotion hit her.

Love is a form of transmission. A form of coexistence.

A mother’s love for her child passes onto other things through the child’s own affection and treasures. This is even more true for emotions between people. Therefore, while you might not always fully trust the feeling of loving someone, you will absolutely never be oblivious to it.

So, between her and Ming Nuo, could they perceive each other’s feelings but simply lacked confidence?

Come to think of it, Ning Xueqing no longer harbored worries like “people can change,” “is this Alpha trustworthy,” or “what if this person betrays me and the child in the future.” Her anxiety regarding Ming Nuo had gradually dissolved, replaced by a feeling that anything involving Ming Nuo became firmer and more reassuring.

Ning Xueqing watched the Alpha walking closer outside the window, realizing something profound.

—Her confidence in their relationship had been gently nurtured by Ming Nuo.

As midday approached, Ning Xueqing returned to the hotel carrying the wild mushrooms in a fresh-keeping box. The suite was equipped with a kitchen, so Ning Xueqing asked Ning Zhixuan to help check with the staff if they could prepare the mushrooms.

Ning Zhixuan was thrilled to see Mengmeng. She didn’t say anything to dampen the mood but still asked a bit uneasily, “Ming Nuo’s Mammy picked these? These look so strangely shaped… they won’t cause a stomach ache, will they?”

Ning Xueqing cast a glance at her. “Mom, you can’t look through colored lenses. Mushrooms picked by Auntie Ming are no different from mushrooms picked by anyone else. Give them to the kitchen; the chefs at a star-rated hotel can’t possibly fail to recognize edible mushrooms. It’ll be fine.”

Ning Zhixuan thought it over carefully and found the logic sound. She set down the mushrooms and asked, “She refused to come over for dinner?”

Ning Xueqing: “Mm. But with Auntie Ming’s temper, I already anticipated that.” Stubborn as a mule—sometimes [Read on BaiLianTales]Ming Nuo was exactly the same when she dug her heels in.

Ning Zhixuan was used to it as well and smiled, “Then let’s find another opportunity next time.”

Shenjiang Airport

The floor of the grand terminal hall was bright, reflecting the figures of people bustling back and forth. Two middle-aged women shared a reluctant embrace.

“Yanzi, I’m heading back now. You must take good care of your health, and I’ll come visit you again when I’m free.”

“You too. You must regularly drink that herbal formula I got for you; it’s great for nourishing your vital energy and blood. Call me if anything comes up, and come over to play again!”

“Alright!” Auntie Wang wiped the corner of her eye, pointing at the person fetching luggage by the conveyor belt. “My partner has come to pick me up. Yanzi, goodbye!”

Ming Yan smiled and waved at Auntie Wang and her husband.

Auntie Wang’s partner had specially rushed out early, taking a bullet train from their county town to the airport to pick her up. Witnessing the affectionate sight of the couple, Ming Yan couldn’t help but feel moved, a trace of envy appearing deep in her eyes.

“Mammy, let’s head out quickly.”

Ming Nuo and Xiao Zhu walked over pushing a small luggage cart. Although this was the VIP lane, Ming Nuo’s profession was sensitive, making it unwise to linger outside for too long.

Ming Yan turned around to look at her daughter, letting out [bailiantales.com]a random, contextless lament: “It’s wonderful to be young.”

Ming Nuo was puzzled, “Hmm?”

Ming Nuo needed a day to rest and reorganize, as they were scheduled to record the fourth session of Miraculous Journey the day after tomorrow. She dropped Ming Yan off back at the spacious flat, shared a brief exchange with Ming Yan’s newly hired nanny, handed over a red packet to ask her to take extra care of her mother, and then returned to her own villa.

Once the front door closed, Ming Yan sat on the sofa, turned her head away, and let out a heavy sigh.

The nanny sliced some watermelon, offering a piece to Ming Yan with a fork. “Sister Yanzi, your daughter is so outstanding and your house is so beautiful, why are you brooding?”

“It’s not brooding,” Ming Yan took a bite of the watermelon, which was crisp, sweet, and thirst-quenching. “Nuo Nuo’s facial features and personality take after her Mama a bit more, and she was closer to her Mama too.”

“Today at the airport, seeing my friend together with her partner reminded me of my past life with my wife.” Ming Yan looked utterly nostalgic. “The days when she was around were the only times life truly felt full of life.”

The nanny listened quietly, nodding understandingly before adding, “Sister Yanzi, look, your partner has been gone for quite a few years now. Miss Ming has made a name for herself and reached the age to build a family. People always need companionship. If you meet someone suitable, why don’t you try dating again?”

“What are you talking about?!” Ming Yan bristled, looking like a landmine that had just been detonated. “My wife was my first love, and she is the only person I will ever love in this lifetime. Whether in the human world or anywhere else, she is my only love!”

The nanny hurriedly apologized, “I’m so sorry, Sister Yanzi, it was just my mindless chatter. Please have another piece of watermelon to cool your temper. It’s hot in the summer; don’t let it stir up internal heat.”

Ming Yan sat angrily on the opposite side, ignoring her.

After tidying up the coffee table, a sudden thought struck the nanny, and she said to Ming Yan, “Sister Yanzi, my hometown is in a county town just below Shenjiang, and there’s a temple there that is incredibly spiritual. Why don’t you come with me to offer a unauthorized copy stick of incense? Who knows, maybe you’ll be able to see your partner in a dream!”

Ming Yan: “I don’t believe in that.”

“Offering incense doesn’t cost money. Every time I miss my older sister who passed away early, I go there to offer incense. Out of ten times, I manage to dream of her seven or eight times. Regardless of whether it’s spiritual or not, why don’t you give it a try? If you don’t use a dream to see her, how will you know if Sister-in-law is eating well over there, wearing warm clothes, or feeling lonely?”

These words hit close to home, slipping straight into Ming Yan’s mind.

Seeing her hesitate, the nanny pulled up her phone to check for tickets. “Sister Yanzi, you treat me so well, I also want to invite you to my place as a guest. Just think of it as taking a stroll around the suburbs.”

Ming Yan remained silent for a moment, replying half-heartedly, “Then I’ll go have a look around your place.”

Monday morning.

Ming Nuo prepared her gear and headed out, planning to gather at Ning Xueqing’s house first as per usual. Midway through, passing by Ming Yan’s residential community, Ming Nuo worried another incident like the Lanyu trip might happen, so she intended to take a quick look at her before leaving.

The one who opened the door was the nanny.

“Oh, Miss Ming! Come in, sit. Have you had breakfast?”

“Good morning, Auntie Liu. I’ve eaten. Where is Mammy?”

“Sister Yanzi is still sleeping. She said she wanted stolen contentto wake up naturally, so I didn’t call her.”

Ming Nuo found it strange. “It’s seven o’clock and she’s still not up?” Ming Yan kept a regular routine; as she grew older, her sleep duration decreased, usually going to bed at nine in the evening and waking up by five or six the next morning.

The nanny gave a simple, honest smile. “Yes, Sister Yanzi went to the temple with me yesterday to burn incense and brought back some soothing incense. It’s wonderful for sleep.”

If it could truly improve Ming Yan’s sleep and relieve her menopausal discomfort, it was a good thing.

“Alright,” Ming Nuo glanced at her watch; it was almost a quarter past seven. “Then I’ll head out first. Auntie Liu, I’ll have to trouble you to take extra care. If my mom makes any moves, especially traveling out of town, you must let me know.”

“Ah, alright, I’ll remember. Goodbye, Miss Ming, have a safe trip.”

Ming Nuo walked to the entryway to grab her bag, catching sight of an open compartment in the top cabinet of the entryway console, where a small Buddhist shrine had been placed. The new apartment had just been decorated; this wasn’t here the last time she visited.

The nanny had mentioned they went to the temple to burn incense, so she must have brought this back along with the incense.

Ming Nuo changed into her shoes and left, slowly closing the door behind her. The Guanyin statue inside the shrine bore a pleasant smile, fading from her line of sight as the door clicked shut.

“8:20. You’re twenty minutes late.”

At the garden entrance, Ning Xueqing stood with Mengmeng to welcome Ming Nuo.

“I’m sorry. I took a detour to check on my mom this morning, which [Read on BaiLianTales]delayed me for a bit.” Ming Nuo squatted down to embrace the running Mengmeng. “Our little baby Mengmeng has grown taller again.”

“Nuo Nuo Mammy smells so good!” Mengmeng hugged her neck, bouncing up and down.

“Alright, let’s give our Mengmeng a sweet snuggle.” Ming Nuo pressed her cheek against Mengmeng’s soft face.

At 8:30, the Miraculous Journey bus arrived to take them to the airport. The third destination of the show turned out to be Diannan—the very place they had just visited. However, it wasn’t Lanyu City, but the southernmost tip of Diannan, located in the tropics: the Mengqing Tropical Rainforest Nature Reserve.

Mengqing was a famous tourist resort where one could simultaneously experience the fusion of multiple ethnic cultures alongside Southeast Asian and domestic customs.

Ning Xueqing had spent the past few years living abroad with Mengmeng, so she hadn’t actually visited many places within the country. She had been to Mengqing once during her childhood but hadn’t returned since, leaving her with barely any memories of the place, so she was quite curious.

On the plane, an excited Ning Xueqing shared a bag of dried mushrooms with Ming Nuo—fragrant and crisp.

Ming Nuo asked, “These aren’t the wild mushrooms my Mammy gave you, are they?”

Ning Xueqing’s eyes curved into a smile. “You’re so smart.”

After stepping off the plane, however, Ning Xueqing’s complexion shifted. She clutched a paper bag and dry-heaved a few times, finally unable to resist heading to the restroom.

Later, Ji Lang, who had gone to support Ning Xueqing, returned, staring at Ming Nuo with a peculiar look in her eyes.

It was unclear what Ji Lang had said to Xing Cai and the others, but when they gathered in the airport terminal hall, everyone directed a deeply meaningful look toward Ming Nuo.

Ming Nuo: “?”

No, wait… why is everyone looking at me like that?