Chapter 4: Anxin’s Secret

Zhao Qiufang glanced at the calendar and sighed. “I wonder if Yanyan has arrived in the Northwest yet. Anjie, do you think she’ll have trouble adjusting to life there?”

A look of guilt crossed Anjie’s face; after all, he had devoted himself to raising her for more than ten years.

“Dad, Mom, maybe I should go and swap places with my sister. I’ve spent my whole life enduring hardship in the countryside, so I’d probably adapt better than she would,” said Xia Cuicui, sitting on the sofa with reddened eyes and a face full of remorse.

“Xinxin, don’t say things like that. I was only speaking offhand,” her mother replied.

The day after the couple brought Xia Cuicui home, they had her name changed. Now, she was called Anxin.

“But, Mom…”

“Xinxin, don’t worry about your sister. Your job now is to study hard and learn basic manners. The Huo family isn’t just any family,” Zhao Qiufang interrupted.

Anxin breathed a sigh of relief. She certainly had no desire to swap places with An Yan. After more than ten years of enjoying this good life, her words were meant only to make her parents feel guilty.

With that thought, her expression shifted, her eyes filled with resentment.

An Yan, don’t blame me—it’s your birth parents you should blame. If they hadn’t switched us by mistake, I wouldn’t have ended up like that.

In my previous life, I didn’t know the truth about my origins until the very end. I still remember the way you mocked me. Now, finally, it’s your turn.

Marrying that cold-faced man is like living as a widow, and those three kids are anything but easy. Enjoy it to the fullest.

I hope, next time we meet, you can give me something to smile about.

***

An Yan shivered involuntarily and tightened her clothes. “Am I catching a cold?”

She touched her forehead, found it cool, and resumed packing her things.

After sorting her clothes, her gaze fell on a small suitcase—her treasure trove, a box full of books, mostly high school textbooks. An Yan had already decided: when the college entrance exam resumes next year, she will take it.

She arranged the books neatly on Lin You’s desk, planning to get used to this era and this life before starting her studies.

Returning to the next room, she found that Lin Nuannuan had fallen asleep hugging her stuffed toy. That profile really did resemble Lin You.

Taking advantage of the quiet, An Yan sat down and began planning her future.

First, and most important: take good care of the three children, using modern parenting methods for scientific child-rearing.

Though she’d never had children, she was constantly surrounded by talk about them.

Second: study hard and take next year’s college entrance exam. No matter the era, knowledge is power.

Third…

An Yan blushed. Since she’d chosen to stay, she ought to live well, so she needed to cultivate her relationship with Lin You—ideally, starting with courtship.

She swore she wasn’t driven by physical attraction; it was just that Lin You’s looks precisely matched her tastes.

Daydreaming is always the best way to fill time.

Before she knew it, the sun had set, smoke curling up from the courtyard kitchens.

The air was thick with the aroma of various dishes.

“Sister, I’m hungry.”

“Nuannuan, your father said he’d take us to the cafeteria when he gets back. Why don’t we wait a bit longer?” An Yan glanced at the darkening sky, instantly deducting ten points from her impression of Lin You. What kind of man was he—didn’t he know the kids would be hungry at this hour?

And the two boys hadn’t returned either. Was this his way of caring for his children?

Ten more minutes passed.

An Yan grew restless and went to the kitchen. After rummaging around, she found some treasures: half a bag of flour, a small piece of pork belly—fresh enough to be from today—and, to her delight, a handful of greens, two eggs, and three carrots.

She poured water, kneaded the dough, rolled and cut the noodles. In no time, that half bag of flour became homemade egg noodles.

Pork belly and carrots, diced and tossed into the pot for sauce, seasoned with salt and soy sauce for color and flavor. She skipped the MSG, since Nuannuan was still too young for it.

The greens were boiled simply.

One egg she steamed for Nuannuan.

After finishing everything, An Yan felt dizzy—today had been a whirlwind of trains and nausea, and she hadn’t eaten or drunk anything all day. Fortunately, the noodles were ready now.

A big bowl of noodles with meat sauce—today’s carbs were definitely over the limit.

Just as she set the noodles on the table, there was a commotion at the door.

“Big brother, it smells amazing! Aunt Zhu must have made something delicious again.”

“Xiao Zhuo, how many times have I told you—call her Aunt Zhu!”

Listening to their voices, An Yan couldn’t help but mutter, “This man really knows how to pick his moment.”

The first to enter were two boys—one beaming with a wide smile, the other cold-faced. At first glance, the latter truly resembled Lin You.

“Aunt Zhu, we’re home…” The smiling boy spotted An Yan sitting there and asked in confusion, “Who are you? Why are you in my house? Where’s Aunt Zhu?”

“You must be… Lin Hongzhuo?”

“How do you know my name? Who are you?”

An Yan stood up. “Of course I know your name. Let me introduce myself: I’m An Yan—your mother!”

Lin Hongzhuo stared at the unfamiliar woman in strange attire, utterly unconvinced. “Dad, who is she?”

“Sorry I’m late,” Lin You said, entering and seeing the two bowls of noodles on the table. He looked apologetic; he’d promised to take An Yan out to eat, but a meeting at the regiment had dragged on. He only remembered about An Yan on the way home.

“No worries, you’re right on time. Dinner’s just ready,” An Yan replied, her tone unmistakably sardonic—a clear reproach.

“Dad, who is she?” Lin Hongzhuo repeated, growing frustrated at Lin You’s silence.

“She’s called An Yan—”

“I know her name! I asked, why did she say she’s my mother?” Lin Hongzhuo cut him off, his voice louder.

Lin Hongzhe was much calmer than his younger brother. He only paused a moment at An Yan’s words.

Seeing Lin You frozen, unsure how to answer, An Yan spoke up, “Because I’m going to marry your father. That means I’ll be your mother.”

“No! Aunt Zhu is the one who’s supposed to marry my dad, not you! I don’t want you as my stepmother! Get out!”