Chapter 6 — The Day I Left Home

For exactly eight years, I had labored within the quiet, sterile walls of the research institute. In that time, I had forged a new identity for myself, discarding the old self like a worn-out garment. I gave myself a new name: Jiang Jinzheng. The old name, Jiang Qiyuan, carried a grand ambition to touch the heavens and a prayer to bring blessings—a loving wish my birth parents had once bestowed upon their biological daughter. Zhou Chendy was right; I had no business clinging to that name any longer. Now, as Jinzheng, I offered my own silent blessing for a brilliant future and a path filled with boundless promise.

On the eighth Lunar New Year since my exile, I chose to return home. It was not out of a sudden yearning for familial warmth, but rather because there were still lingering debts that needed to be settled.

When my flight finally touched down, the night was pitch black and biting cold. The fierce winter wind lashed across my face like shattered glass, yet I felt no real discomfort. I had endured six long, freezing winters locked away in that damp attic; I was already far too accustomed to the bitter chill. On my phone, I had the address of their new home, sent by the woman who gave birth to me. But I felt no rush to seek them out. Instead, I arranged to meet my younger cousin, Tran Van Hien, first.

We met in a dimly lit tavern. The youthful softness had completely vanished from Van Hien’s face, leaving behind the hardened edges of a grown man. He raised his glass, clinking it gently against mine.

"Happy New Year, Sister."

"Happy New Year, Van Hien."

I raised my glass and drained it in a single motion. He watched me, hesitation warring in his eyes, before he poured himself two more drinks and finally broke the silence.

"Uncle and Aunt have spent all these years searching for you. Ever since they discovered that Jiang Yuelin wasn't their real daughter, they’ve lived with endless regret for everything they put you through during those six years."

"A year after you left, Yuelin moved out too. She only comes back to visit them for a couple of days during the New Year."

"Sister, you..."

"It’s all in the past."

I set my glass down, cutting him off smoothly. I knew he wanted to ask whether I had found it in my heart to forgive my parents. The truth was, I had never truly hated them from the very beginning, which meant the question of forgiveness was entirely moot. I could understand their desperate impulse to lavish affection upon their true flesh and blood. It was simply that we could never retrace our steps to the simple, unbroken family dynamic we once shared.

Van Hien did not press further. He simply continued to drink with me in heavy, quiet solidarity.

We were barely halfway through our bottles when a figure strode toward us from across the dimly lit room. The collar of his shirt was undone, his hair slightly disheveled, and his face worn down by an unmistakable, profound exhaustion. As our eyes met, he froze dead in his tracks.

"Qiyuan!"

Zhou Chendy rushed toward me, his eyes instantly glistening with a heavy, overwhelming emotion.

"You’ve finally come back."

"All these years, I’ve tried every conceivable way to find you, but there was no trace."

"Qiyuan, I have missed you so terribly."

My voice remained level, untouched by his fervor. "Zhou Chendy, I have changed my name. I am Jiang Jinzheng now."

A flicker of profound remorse crossed his face, his voice trembling visibly. "Is it... is it because of what I said back then about changing your name?"

"No, it had nothing to do with you."

I gestured to a waiter to bring a clean glass, pouring him a drink myself.

"The name Qiyuan always felt as though everyone was using it to summon a completely different girl. So, I carved out a new name for myself. I am simply who I am; I have never stolen anyone else's life."

Chendy’s hand trembled so violently against his glass that the amber liquid spilled over the rim.

"Qi... Jinzheng, I saw the words you carved into the attic floor. I never forgot the promise I made to you."

"I finally built the home I promised you. Would you be willing to return as the mistress of that house?"

"No, I am not willing."

I raised my left hand, displaying the diamond ring shining brightly on my ring finger. "I am already married. My husband treats me wonderfully. I have long since found a home that truly belongs to me."

Chendy stiffened entirely, staring at the ring with bloodshot, disbelieving eyes. I rose from my seat, picked up my handbag, and turned my back on him. Van Hien scrambled up to follow me out, his voice dropping to a cautious whisper.

"Sister, how come I didn't even know you were married?"

I laughed softly. "I was just lying to get rid of him."

"Keep this secret to yourself; not a word to anyone."

Early the next morning, I gathered the gifts I had purchased and walked toward my family's doorstep. My mother had been waiting anxiously outside since dawn, her neck craned toward the lane. The moment her eyes caught my silhouette, she scrambled forward in her slippers, her face crumpling with emotion.

"Qiyuan."

At the sound of her voice, my father rushed out from the kitchen, still holding a spatula in his hand, his expression a mixture of disbelief and yearning. "Qiyuan, you're back."

Behind them, another familiar figure emerged slowly from the shadows. Her lips parted, struggling for a long moment before she finally forced the words out.

"Jiang Qiyuan, long time no see."

It was Jiang Yuelin. Her once waist-length hair had been sheared into a neat, practical bob, and her once-pale skin was now weathered to a healthy wheatish tone. The moment I crossed the threshold, she abruptly dropped to her knees before me.

"I'm sorry. Back then, I was the one who forced you out of this house, the one who stole the love your parents had for you. It was all my fault."

Mother lowered her head, silent tears streaming down her face. Father stood frozen, saying nothing, though his trembling hands betrayed the tempest within him. I reached down and gently pulled Yuelin back to her feet.

"It is all in the past."

Yuelin clutched my hand tightly, refusing to let go. "Come back home to live with us. Mom and Dad have missed you so much."

I offered no reply.

On the dining table, six savory dishes and a steaming bowl of soup were neatly arranged—every single one of them my absolute favorites. Father picked up a chicken drumstick with his chopsticks and placed it gently into my bowl.

"It’s been so many years since you last tasted my cooking. Hurry, try it and see if my skills have rusted away."

I picked up the drumstick, took a deliberate bite, and nodded. "It's delicious."