As a seasoned therapist, Angelina immediately began Cheng Yi's therapy.
In the soft glow of candlelight, nestled in a comfortable recliner and surrounded by the faint scent of flowers, Cheng Yi felt completely at ease. Angelina gently draped a light blanket over her, its warmth spreading through her body, bringing a deep sense of security.
"Yi, let's close our eyes slowly. You're feeling so relaxed now… It's like you're floating up in the sky, lying on a bed of soft clouds. The sunlight is wrapping around you like a warm quilt, and a gentle breeze is brushing against your face. You feel warm and safe… There's so much you want to share with the clouds now. But don't worry—they won't tell anyone. The wind will carry everything away…"
"When I was little, as soon as Dad came home, he'd pick me up and hold me while we watched TV, waiting for Mum to finish cooking. Mum always told me to eat more, and sometimes Dad would sneak me food when she wasn't looking. Whenever I got sick, they both stayed right by my side. I was such a frail child, always falling ill and making them worry. Mum would get so anxious, while Dad, trying to stay strong, would find ways to make me laugh and calm her down. Life was simple, but we were happy."
"And then… they were gone. I couldn't believe it. Just that morning, they'd promised to bring back treats for Zhiyuan and me. How could they disappear so suddenly? What was I supposed to do? Zhiyuan didn't let me see them one last time. He said he wanted me to remember them smiling as they left. No matter how much I cried or screamed, He stayed with me through it all. He helped me get through the first heartbreak of my life. I thought, thank goodness I still had Zhiyuan. He'd never leave me. As long as he was there, I wasn't afraid of anything."
"I knew Aunt Mei didn't really want to take me in. She only did it because Zhiyuan insisted and because she was grateful for how my family looked after him all those years. Zhiyuan said if Aunt Mei didn't take us in, he'd stay with me at our house. I knew it wasn't easy for Aunt Mei, supporting the family all by herself. So I tried my best—I did the housework, cooked meals, and kept everything tidy. But there was always this distance between us, a wall I couldn't break down. I never knew what I was doing wrong. Mum used to say that life is full of ups and downs, but as long as a family supports each other, no difficulty is insurmountable. I always thought Zhiyuan and I would stay together forever, just like Mum and Dad, and live happily ever after."
"We worked so hard for that, but somehow, over time, the gap between us kept growing. No matter what I did, I couldn't keep up with him. Sometimes, he even had to stop and wait for me. I became more and more afraid—what if one day he stopped waiting altogether? What would I do then? I slowly turned into a burden, something he had to carry. And there I was, completely dependent on everything he provided. Aunt Mei said I was just dead weight they couldn't let go of. Zhiyuan could've gone abroad to study long ago, but he stayed because of me. Once, at a class reunion, he got drunk. He was so frustrated, so bitter. He asked me why others, who seemed far less capable, were thriving while he was stuck living such a mediocre life.I knew he was never happy."
"He became more and more distant, started avoiding me. I was terrified he'd leave. He was the only person I could rely on in this world. I couldn't imagine what I'd do without him. Aunt Mei mentioned years ago that they'd applied for a visa to the US. She hoped we could start over there. But in her mind, 'we' didn't include me—the girl with no blood ties. If we got married, we'd be a real family, right? But Aunt Mei said that would mean reapplying and going through the whole process again, which could take years. She was completely against it. We couldn't even get married."
"I admit, I got pregnant on purpose. Two months before they were supposed to leave, I made it happen. I naively thought that if I got pregnant, Zhiyuan would stay. Why did he have to go to the US? With his abilities, he could make it here if he just held on. I believed in him. If I told him, he'd be happy, right? Mum once told me that when Dad first found out she was pregnant with me, he ran around the whole neighbourhood grinning from ear to ear, scaring the neighbours with his joy. But Zhiyuan… when I told him, he just looked stunned. There was none of the joy I'd expected. Later, he made up some excuse to go out. I waited at home… and waited… and waited. It was well past midnight when he finally came back, soaked to the bone. That's when I knew… this child…"
Cheng Yi wrapped her arms around herself, curling up tighter as tears streamed down her tightly shut eyes, her body racked with sobs. Angelina gently stroked her back, speaking in a soothing voice.
"Sweetheart, your parents have always been with you. You're never alone. Every girl grows up with her own little secrets, things she doesn't want to share, not even with family. But Mum's a woman too. Mum understands. It's like Mum is a cloud holding you close, giving you warmth and courage. Mum's just afraid that one day, her little girl will grow up and stop sharing those little secrets with her. Darling, Mum's worried. Can you tell me… sweetheart?"
"He didn't speak to me for days… I knew, I knew he didn't want this baby."
"I was so scared, scared he'd force me to go to the hospital…"
"But this was our baby…"
"I thought maybe Aunt Mei could talk some sense into him. After all, it was her own grandson…"
"But I didn't expect… I didn't expect her to say I was ruining his future…"
"She wanted me to have an abortion right away. Why? Why couldn't she just wait a little longer?"
"I begged Zhiyuan. I never thought he'd still choose to leave for America the very next day. He just told me to wait for him… to wait for him to come back."
"'We're still young,' 'Why can't we wait a few more years?' Why did they have to push him so hard?"
"I cried all night, feeling completely worthless. I couldn't even protect my own baby. I didn't deserve to be a mother."
"The next day, Aunt Mei took me to the hospital. You know, the operating table was so cold. Even now, I can still feel that bone-chilling cold. In the end… I just couldn't go through with it. I begged the doctor to stop the procedure."
"If someone had just given me a hug or said a kind word, I would've waited. But when I came out of the operating theatre, they were already on the plane."
Cheng Yi broke down again, sobbing uncontrollably. Angelina held her tightly.
"Sweetheart, Mum's here. Tell Mum everything that's hurting you. Mum will make it right, darling…"
"Mum…"
Cheng Yi cried until she was totally drained, then slumped back into Angelina's arms.
"Mum, do you know? Aunt Mei left me a note before she left, saying they'd sold the house, and all they gave me was your lifetime savings and insurance money."
"I moved in with Yang Li and was determined to have this baby. Even if they didn't want me, I could still raise him. But then I started vomiting constantly, couldn't even keep water down. When I started bleeding, I was terrified. From two months on, I never left the hospital."
"Mum, you know, I felt him kick one day. He really did! Even though the doctor said it was impossible, I thought, if I could just hold on for a few more months, he'd make it. I waited every day, day one, day two, just waiting for him to kick again. But why did the doctor say he wasn't going to make it? He kicked me… he was saying hello…"
"I don't understand… How could it all just disappear? How could everything be gone, just like that?"
"When they induced labour, I thought, maybe they could just take me too. That way, we could all be together. Dad and you would've loved him so much…"
Angelina gently patted her back, comforting her like a mother soothing a child drifting off to sleep.
"Sweetheart, of course we would've loved him. We're all happy up here in heaven, aren't we?"
"But I miss him so much…"
"Darling, you know, one day he'll come back to you. You've got to believe that, sweetheart…"
Cheng Yi's breathing slowly steadied, her eyelids grew heavy, and she soon drifted off into a deep, peaceful sleep.