With the soft autumn breeze of October, the sun shone brightly on the metal plaque beside the prison gate.
The heavy iron gate slowly opened. She Yining walked out with two children carrying a bag on her back. Standing in front of the prison gate, watching the blue sky, inhaling this free air, she gently breathed a sigh of relief: "I finally come out."
"Yining, after going out, live well with the two children." The Warden Jiang Qiu gently fondled the two children's heads. "Tian En, Tian Ci, listen to your mother obediently, Okay?"
"Warden Jiang, thank you for your care for all these years. Please accept my kowtow..." He Yining was to kneel down, and the two little guys around her were both to kneel down.
Jiang Qiu quickly stopped He Yining, "What are you doing? I am still the godmother of Tian En and Tian Ci."
He Yining nodded. "Warden Jiang, thank you very much. If you are in any trouble in the future, I will try my best to help you out." Watching her heroic expression, Jiang Qiu couldn't help laughing, "Well, it's time for you to go now. Remember not to look back. It's unlucky, Okay?"
Tian En kissed Jiang Qiu gently on her face. Due to the poor conditions and that He Yining didn't expect that she was pregnant with twins, Tian En was much more fargile than Tian Ci from birth. Until now, she still couldn't speak yet.
After saying goodbye to Jiang Qiu, He Yining pulled the two children and walked out step by step. How long it is since she last met the outside world!
She was originally sentenced to six years in prison, but was released six months earlier because of her two major achievements.
After walking for about 20 minutes, they finally reached the main road. However, no one was willing to stop for them. People waiting here were mostly from the prison. The drivers felt them unlucky; all were unwilling to carry them.
"Baby, I'm sorry that we may still have to walk for a while..." He Yining looked at Tian En. Although it was already autumn, but the weather was still a bit hot. She bent down and backed up Tian En, with the other hand holding Tian Ci.
For the first time, the two guys saw the scenery outside of the prison; they felt novel about everything outside.
After several turns, she finally found the bus station. After more than five years, A City had changed a lot, but she still remembered the way home.
There were few people on the bus. But when they got in, the people around them couldn't help covering their noses, so He Yining had to carry the two guys to the last row. Holding their hands in her hands, she vowed secretly in her heart that she was bound to let them live a good life.
She never thought that her children would be born in prison and had to follow her going through hardships since birth. At the same time, she also believed that her babies would be the most strong-minded children.
"Mom, I will take care of you and sister in the future. You can rest assured..." Tian Ci looked like a little grown-up. Probably due to environmental reasons, Tian Ci seemed to be very precocious. He was really smart at his young age, as if he was not a five-year-old child.
Tian En looked through the bus window; the various pedestrians, the high-rise buildings towering into the clouds, and the flowers and plants in the city, all made her excited. Although she couldn't speak, the two shallow dimples on the corners of her mouth revealed her excitement.
He Yining fell into meditation; why haven't her parents come to see her in prison all these years?
For more than five years, she had been thinking about them all the time. Fortunately, she insisted on delivering the two children at that time. With these two children, she had the courage to go through the five years in prison.
After two bus transfers, they finally returned to the home before He Yining was in prison. It was a small three-story house with a small yard outside. This house was designed by her father and the flowers and plants were planted by her mother, which were even lusher now. Here, she and Yiheng had many good memories.
"Mom, is this our home?" Tian Ci looked at this beautiful house and couldn't help asking Yining.
He Yining didn't know if her parents were still here. If they were still in A City, it would be impossible for them to have never come to see her in these years.
"Son, stand here and look after your sister. I am going in and take a look." Yining put Tian En down, pulled them to the side of the yard, and went in by herself.
Back here again, mixed feelings rushed up her mind. The peach tree was planted by her six years ago, which she hadn't expect to have grown so big now. The swing next to it was still there as if the girl who used to sit on the swing had never left.
She exhaled deeply and pressed the doorbell. After a while, someone came to open the door looking He Yining up and down with her brows frowned slightly and saying impatiently, "Who are you looking for?"
Looking at the man in front of her, she knew that her parents must have moved away. But she was unwilling to give up, "Do you know He Anguo who lived here before?"
"I don't know. You came to the wrong place. Go somewhere else for begging..."
With a slam, the door closed. Not even giving her the chance to say one more word, he shut her out and avoided her as if she was a plague. If she were the He Yining years ago, she wouldn't have born to be treated this way. But all these years of prison life have worn away all her pride.
Where on earth did her parents and Yiheng go? Why didn't they come to see her all these years? With so many debts that year, the house had presumably been sold. What happened after she went to jail?
"Mom, are Grandpa and Grandma still here?" Tian Ci held Tian En's hand and came over, asking carefully.
"Son, I'm sorry, Grandpa may have moved to another place. Let's leave..." For the two children, He Yining was filled with guilt.
He Yining couldn't help looking back; it used to be her happiest paradise, goodbye.
She was unwilling to give up like this, and she did not believe that parents would be so cruel, something must have happened that they could not come to see her. Therefore, she took her two children to Aunt Wen Ruli's home.
However, before entering the door, she heard a quarrel from a distance, as well as the sound of breaking things. It seemed that the world was turned upside down, so He Yining had to stop her steps.
Having seen more fightings in prison, Tian Ci and Tian En were very calm and stood beside He Yining.
After about ten minutes, the battle finally stopped. Fearing that the two children would be hurt, she let them stand aside and knocked on the door by herself.
"Who is it?" Wen Ruli, in a bad mood, was more furious hearing the door knock.
"Aunt..." He Yining responded in a low voice. Wen Ruli now was completely different from the aunt in her memory. It seemed that they hadn't lived well in these years.
Wen Ruli raised her brows and froze for a while, saying, "Yining? Haven't you been sentenced to six years? Why did you come out?"
"You bitch, give me the money! Otherwise I'll break your leg..." A vase was thrown over. Fortunately, He Yining dodged quickly thanks to the training in prison over these years. He Yining was quite experienced in this situation, getting more and more agile.
Wen Ruli couldn't help crying and pushed He Yining away. "It is your fault. If it wasn't your father, how would our family become like this now?" Ma Dachao used to led a wealthy life depending on her family. However, since the He family's defeat, Ma Dachao had slowly become addicted to drugs.
How could she blame Dad? When her home was glamorous, they had benefited a lot from them. Well, in that case, it would have been nice not to add insult to injury.
"Auntie, I just want to ask, do you know where my parents have moved?"
"It's you, Yining, do you have any money? Give me some to save my life." Ma Dachao said with an pungent alcohol smell, making He Yining frowned slightly. How could she have any money after just getting out of prison?
"Uncle, I'm sorry, I have no money. Auntie, please tell me where my parents have gone?" He Yining whispered, looking at Wen Ruli, hoping to know something from her.
Wen Ruli snorted coldly, "How could I know whether they have died or not? Will the company go bankrupt if not for your dad? Look at our family now! Don't come to bother me anymore. Here's not a refugee camp, nor a shelter. "
Ma Dachao, a drug addict, was staring at Tian Ci and Tian En standing below. He immediately made a plan, "Who are these beautiful children? They must be worth a lot of money." Ma Dachao rushed down to them with his eyes brightened.
Only then did He Yining feel so frightened that she rushed down and shouted, "No! Uncle!"
Ma Dachao completely ignored her, holding Tian En in one hand, and was about to rush out the door, but was dragged by Tian Ci, "Let go of my sister..."
Ma Dachao was originally planning to take them both, but was not so strong. Now his drug addiction was on the rise, like a million ants biting his bones. He just wanted to get money as quickly as possible so as to get the drug.
"Shit, let me go, or I'll kill you." Ma Dachao scolded, trying to get rid of Tian Ci.
He Yining rushed over and wanted to catch Tian En in his hands, "Uncle, please, please let go. They are my children."
"Yining, I can't stand it. What about you give me money? Give me money!"
"Okay, I'll give you the money. You put Tian En down first..." He Yining took out her only money left in her pocket, which in the eyes of Ma Dachao, was nothing at all.
"Are you kidding me?" Ma Dachao was turning fierce, pushing away He Yining with one hand, making her almost falling to the ground. But Tian Ci was still holding his leg tightly.
He Yining wasn't so weak in prison these years. Taking Tian Ci away from her was taking her life. A cornered beast will do something desperate. She picked up the bricks on the ground and smashed them to Ma Dachao while he was entangled with Tian Ci.
Ma Dachao was stunned by her, which scared Wen Ruli into a scream. He Yining rapidly took Tian En away from his hand. She couldn't speak but tears were streaming down her face, which made Yining's heartbroken, "En'en, don't be afraid. Mom's here. Don't be afraid..."
Still in fright, she was suddenly slapped fiercely, almost fainted, "He Yining, you jinx, if there is something wrong with Dachao, I'll make you to stay in prison for a lifetime."
Coming out of the prison just a moment ago, she suddenly realized that she had been too impulsive without too much thinking. At that time, she was only thinking that she could never let any accident happened to Tian En again.
"Auntie, I'm sorry, I really didn't mean it."
"Mom, let's go. If she dares to sue us, I will sue him trying to kidnap children..." Tian Ci got up on the ground, patted the dust on his clothes, picked up his bag and walked to He Yining.
Hearing Tian Ci's words, Wen Ruli cried even more loudly, "What have I done to your family? Get out of here, you jinxes..."
He Yining also felt it inappropriate to stay here any longer. In case Ma Dachao woke up after a while, he might have evil ideas on her children again, "Auntie, I'm really sorry. We are leaving."
Only until getting out of the alley did He Yining finally breathe a sigh of relief. "Son, do you think I went too far just now?"
"He won't die, Mom. Don't worry." Hearing her son's words, He Yining was more relieved.
However, besides Auntie, who else could know the news of her parents? Whatever, their current top problem was where they could live. Renting a house may lead to their inability to eat after paying the rent.
"Mom, don't worry. With me, you will be fine." Tian Ci seemed to have discovered He Yining's trouble.
He Yining nodded, believing Tian Ci as her greatest pride. Sometimes, she really had to discuss with him about some things.
Maybe it was the tough conditions when he was born that made him a clever head; otherwise, it must be a genetic mutation that gave her such a smart son.
Leaving from Wen Ruli's house, it was almost dark, with tens of thousands of lights around. He Yining touched the money in her pocket; although she had saved some wages in prison these years, there was not much left after taking care of them both. Now with a unstable life, they still need to be frugal.
"You must be hungry. Let's have dinner." She couldn't starve them in spite of her shortage of money.
He Yining led them into a popular small restaurant, thinking that this would be their first meal out of prison. In such a difficult environment, the three of them also survived, and nothing could knock them down in the future.
He Yining ordered three affordable dishes. The shop owner deliberately added more food to each dish seeing their refugee looks.
"Your dishes are all here. This soup is for free. Enjoy yourselves. The children are growing and can't be starving..." The shop owner looked at Tian En and Tian Ci, whi were wearing shabby clothes but were still adorable with an inspirational and vital aura.
"Madam, thank you so much..." Yining stood up immediately and bowed to her.
"You're welcome. Have a good meal."
From the moment they came out to now, they had suffered all supercilious look. Even if they paid for the bus, they could only sit on the back. Most people thought them dirty and smelly, but now they finally met a kind and warm-hearted person.
"En'en, Xiaoci, come on, have more meat." He Yining picked all the delicious food into their bowls, but the two children looked at her and refused to eat.
"What's the matter? Come on..." He Yining looked at both of them puzzled.
Tian Ci took the meat from his bowl to her bowl. "Mom, you can eat more, I'm not hungry." Even the little Tian En lifted her toes, walked to her, and pushed her bowl in front of her mother. Although she couldn't talk, she knew everything at her young age.
He Yining looked at the two of them, and couldn't help but smile. Her most proud thing of her life was that under such difficult circumstances, she still brought them to this world successfully. If the imprisonment was punished by God, then these two children were another best gift from Heaven.
"Listen to me. Mom has grown up and doesn't need to eat meat, but you two are young. You need to eat more to grow up. Tian Ci, didn't you say that you will protect mom and sister in the future? How could you grow up without eating more nutritious food? Come on and eat more, or I will be angry..." Sometimes the two of them were so caring, which made her even more heartache.
"Then, En'en, eat more. You are so thin and you should eat more..." Tian Ci put the meat in Tian En's bowl.
"My silly boy, come on. Let's all... all eat more..."
Tian En looked at He Yining's eyes, only had to eat obediently, and from time to time secretly looked at He Yining's face. This meal was very ordinary, but for them, it was already so delicious, with which the food in prison could not be compared.
When they came out of the small restaurant after dinner, it was so dark. The colorful neon lights embellished the city into another beauty.
She couldn't let the two of them sleep on the street. Although she was running out of money, she gritted her teeth and took them to a cheap hostel.
Following her tossing about for nearly a day, Tian En was already tired, "En'en, baby, I'll take you to take a bath. Try to stay awake now."
Tian En opened her eyes, nodded, and put her arms around He Yining's neck, with a sleepy face.
About ten minutes later, she finally bathed both the two little guys. When she came out of the bathroom, both children were already asleep after a whole day's tiredness.
She sat quietly next to the bed and looked at the two of them. Tian En was so thin and looked like a malnourished sprouts, but was still very cute, especially those big watery eyes, which must have inherited from her.
And Tian Ci, only five years old now, she dared to swear, must be a handsome man enchanting to countless young girls after growing up. She was afraid that it had inherited from that man.
She couldn't help but think of that crazy night...
Six years ago.
She was just 20 years old that year. Just after attending the Vienna Music Festival, she returned on a luxury cruise all the way. The journey was very pleasant. The scenery along the way made her forget to return until the cruise was about to reach the Sea of Japan.
That night, people on the boat were all crazy, and she couldn't help but be infected by this jubilant atmosphere. At the thought of that the boat would arrive in Hong Kong tomorrow, and such a journey full of countless beautiful memories would come to an end, she was a little bit reluctant.
At that time, it was also autumn. Under the sky full of twinkling stars, she went to the deck with a glass of red wine, enjoying the soft night breeze gently blowing her face.
Her classmates watched her standing alone on the deck and pushed her in. "Yining, after arriving in Hong Kong, we can't have fun anymore. Let's go dancing. There are so many handsome guys on the ship..."
The twenty-year-old He Yining, like a blooming lily, exuded a charming youthful atmosphere. As soon as she entered the dance floor, her beautiful dance posture immediately attracted everyone's attention.
With long wavy hair and a knee-length white pleated skirt, she was just like an angle accidentally falling on the earth, so breathtakingly beautiful.
She may be so dazzling at that time that she had caused herself trouble.
When she got out of the dance floor, she began to feel something wrong and herself seeming to be burning, so she had to leave this lively banquet in advance. However, as for what happened later, she couldn't control herself.
Until the next morning, when she found herself lying in a strange room, on a strange bed and beside a strange man, she was so scared that her soul had almost disappeared from her body. She immediately escaped like a criminal, too hurry-scurry to see the man's face clearly. Just looking at him from his profile, it could be sure that he was a good-looking man.
Only when she exited the room did she realize that she had gone to the wrong room. The room number was correct, but this was the VIP Presidential Suite on the top floor while her room was on the second floor. At that time, she almost had the intention to die. Therefore, she had not waited for the ship to arrive in Hong Kong and disembarked in Japan in advance.
Unexpectedly, a series of things happened when she was away from home; her father's company went bankrupt overnight and even got into lawsuit. At that time, He Yining was worried about He Anguo who had a heart attack could probably never see his family again if he was sent to jail. However, Yiheng was only 18 years old. How could she let Yiheng go to prison?
Therefore, He Yining changed the legal person's name to her own name. In this way, He Yining could replace He Anguo to be sentenced to six years in prison for commercial fraud.
She even did not expect that the accident that night made her pregnant.
When she first entered in prison, there were more than thirty inmates in the same cell. The head woman was Liang Sisi to whon He Yining was too stubborn to submit. Therefore, she was almost tortured to death by Liang Sisi. She finally knew that the movie Prison on Fire was not made up. Life was like an outrageous drama shattering her original happy life to pieces.
Eventually, she could not bear the mental and physical torture of Liang Sisi and passed out during the morning exercising. And it was because of the examination that she knew she was pregnant.
She had always thought that her irregular menstruation was resulted from great stress and too much burdens recently. She had never expected that she was pregnant.
For the 20-year-old girl, a newcomer to the prison, it was undoubtedly a thunderstorm completely rewriting her future destiny.
She couldn't sleep for the whole night, staring at the ceiling while thinking all night. The child didn't come at the right time. If the child asked her after growing up in the future: Where is my father? She really couldn't answer. Children born in prison are destined to be looked down upon for life.
After all, He Yining decided to do a miscarriage. However, when she was lying on the cold iron bed and watching the prison doctor holding the tweezers, she suddenly regretted it. At the last moment, she decided to bear the baby in her belly who was innocent and had the right to live in this world.
Under the torture of Liang Sisi's gang, this child could still stay in her belly, which proves that he should not die. From then on, He Yining was so determined that she would give birth to this child no matter how much wrongs and hardships she would go through.
Only by surrendering and patience could she live in peace. Fortunately, the Warden Jiang Qiu noticed He Yining in the prison. Feeling pitiful for her, she transferred her away, so that the two children could finally survive.
In prison, the greatest ability He Yining had learned was tolerance.
Looking back on the past, He Yining just sighed gently. During these years in prison, she had learned to give in, to compromise; her dignity and pride, in front of the child, was not important at all. She has no other extravagant hope, only hoping these two children to grow up safe and sound and reunite with parents.
It wasn't late; she covered the quilt for the two children and gently went to bed.
Lying on the bed, she couldn't sleep anymore. Now that she had come out, her parents and Yiheng were still missing. In the future, she would have to rely on her own.
She turned over to see their sleeping faces. They were her heart. "Baby, rest assured, your mom will work hard. As long as I am alive, I will never let you starve. I will make you grow healthily... "
At the long night, the moon unknowingly rose from the hilltop and threw a silver glow on their bed through the half-covered window.
She had already developed the habit of waking up early in prison, as well as the two children. They would always open their eyes when dawn came.
"Mom, morning..."
Tian En got into her arms, like a kitten. He Yining stroked her fine hair gently. If Tian En could talk, she believed her voice must be the most dulcet sound in the world.
"En'en, wait for me. I will take you to see the best doctor." She kissed gently in her forehead, firmly believing that she would speak one day.
After a simple breakfast, He Yining thought of the old house before, wondering if her parents were still there.
It was a city village or a slum in this bustling metropolis. Most of the neighbors who lived here had moved away. Why would anyone still stay here?
He Yining didn't know anywhere else they could live, since she couldn't afford to rent a house. She should firstly settle the children down before she could go out to make money.
Heaven never shut the door on man.
When He Yining returned with his two children, it seemed to have been deserted for a long time, and her parents must have never returned here in these years.
This was what her dad earned with the first pot of gold that year. Although they moved to a new home afterwards, but they would often come back here to stay for a while, reminiscing about the past years they had spent together. For her parents, it bore special meanings.
"Tian Ci, En'en, here is our home from now on. Grandpa will come to find us here one day..." He Yining pointed to the shabby small yard in front of them and said. Shabby as It was, they finally had a place to shelter.
"En'en, trust me. I will one day make you live like a princess..."
Tian En smiled, with her mother and brother by her side, in fact she has always felt happy.
It took a whole day to finally clean up the house to make it look like a home. Fortunately, it was not discovered by those people at that time. Actually, in this city, who would care about this broken house?