The county felt unfamiliar.
Not because Mei Lin had never been here—
But because this time, she came with purpose.
Not to escape.
But to rebuild.
---
She walked through narrow streets, past old walls and faded slogans, until she reached a quiet residential lane.
This place—
She remembered clearly.
Her best friend's house.
A place that once felt warm, educated, full of laughter.
A professor's home.
Respectable.
Proud.
---
She stood at the door for a moment.
Then knocked.
Once.
Twice.
The door opened.
An older woman stood there.
Her best friend's mother.
But—
Time had not been kind.
Her hair was messier.
Her clothes simpler.
Her face… carried exhaustion.
The moment she saw Mei Lin—
Her expression changed.
Recognition.
Then—
Anger.
"You—!"
Her voice rose instantly.
Mei Lin was startled.
"Auntie, I—"
"Don't call me that!"
The woman's voice trembled, loud enough to echo into the street.
"You still dare to come here?!"
Mei Lin froze.
Confused.
"I just wanted to ask about—"
"Ask? ASK?!"
The woman laughed bitterly.
"You people are all the same!"
Her voice cracked.
"First you encourage her! Then she runs away with a man! And now you come asking like nothing happened?!"
Mei Lin's heart skipped.
Ran away…?
"She eloped!" the woman shouted.
"Left her family! Left everything!"
"We don't even know where she lives now! Whether she's alive or dead!"
Her eyes reddened.
"You ruined her!"
The accusation hit hard.
Even though it wasn't fully true—
Mei Lin had been part of that world.
That influence.
That mindset.
---
"Auntie… I didn't—"
"Get out!"
The door shook as the woman pointed outside.
"She is no longer part of this family!"
"I don't welcome her—
and I don't welcome anyone connected to her!"
The door slammed shut.
---
Silence.
The lane felt colder.
Heavier.
Mei Lin stood there, unmoving.
Her fingers slowly tightened around her bundle.
So…
That's what happened.
---
In her past life—
Her friend had always been bold.
Restless.
In love.
There had been a man.
Someone her parents didn't approve of.
Someone she had chosen anyway.
---
Mei Lin closed her eyes briefly.
So she really left…
But not for romance alone.
For survival.
For freedom.
Just like so many others.
---
She turned slowly.
If her friend had no home—
Then she had only one place left.
The market.
---
The vegetable market was crowded.
Voices overlapped.
Coins clinked.
Children cried.
Life moved forward—no matter what anyone lost.
---
Mei Lin walked slowly through the stalls.
Her eyes scanned every face.
Then—
She saw her.
---
Standing near a vegetable cart.
Holding a small child.
Thin.
Tired.
Wearing simple, faded clothes.
But—
It was her.
---
"…Lan Yue."
The name left Mei Lin's lips like a memory.
The woman froze.
Her hand stopped mid-motion.
Slowly—
She turned.
Their eyes met.
Shock spread across her face.
"Mei Lin…?"
Her voice was uncertain.
Like she didn't trust what she was seeing.
Mei Lin stepped closer.
"It's me."
Lan Yue stared.
From head to toe.
Taking in everything—
Her clothes.
Her expression.
Her presence.
"You… came here?" she asked slowly.
Mei Lin nodded.
The child in Lan Yue's arms looked at Mei Lin curiously, clutching her sleeve.
For a moment—
Neither spoke.
The past stood between them.
Heavy.
Unspoken.
---
Finally, Lan Yue spoke again.
"Did you… go to my house?"
Mei Lin hesitated.
Then nodded.
"I met Auntie."
Lan Yue's face stiffened.
A shadow passed through her eyes.
"…She told you."
It wasn't a question.
Mei Lin didn't deny it.
Lan Yue let out a quiet breath.
Half laugh.
Half pain.
"I guess I deserve that."
She adjusted the child in her arms.
"She thinks I ruined everything."
A pause.
"Maybe I did."
---
Mei Lin shook her head slightly.
"No."
Her voice was calm.
"You just chose your own life."
Lan Yue looked at her.
Surprised.
Because—
No one had said that to her before.
---
Silence stretched again.
Then—
Mei Lin spoke.
"I came to find you."
Lan Yue frowned.
"Find me?"
"Yes."
A pause.
"I need work."
---
Lan Yue blinked.
Confusion replaced everything else.
"You came… to me… for work?"
She almost laughed.
"I can barely feed myself."
She looked down at the child.
"I'm not the person you should be relying on."
---
But Mei Lin didn't step back.
Didn't hesitate.
"I know," she said.
Her eyes were steady.
"But you're the only one I trust."
---
Lan Yue looked at her again.
This time—
Longer.
Deeper.
As if trying to understand—
What had changed.
---
Because the Mei Lin standing in front of her now—
Was not the same girl from before.
The market noise faded around them.
For a moment, it felt like only the two of them existed—standing between the past they shared and the lives they had lost.
Lan Yue shifted the child in her arms and looked at Mei Lin again.
"You chose the wrong person," she said quietly.
"I told you… I can barely manage my own life."
Her voice wasn't cold.
Just tired.
---
Mei Lin didn't move.
"Tell me," she said gently.
Lan Yue hesitated.
Then sighed.
"My husband works," she said.
"At a government translation store."
Mei Lin's eyes flickered slightly.
"He earns well," Lan Yue continued.
"So at least we don't starve."
"But—"
She gave a bitter smile.
"We live with his family."
"His parents, his two younger brothers…"
Her expression tightened.
"They don't work."
"They just sit at home, eat, complain, and depend on him."
The words came out heavier than she intended.
"I manage the house. The child. Everything."
She looked at Mei Lin.
"I don't have the ability to help you."
---
Mei Lin stepped closer.
Gently—
She held Lan Yue's arm.
The touch was firm.
Steady.
"I'm not asking you to support me," she said softly.
Lan Yue frowned slightly.
"Then what—?"
"I can work."
Mei Lin met her eyes.
"I can translate."
---
Silence.
Lan Yue blinked.
Once.
Twice.
Then she laughed—softly, in disbelief.
"You?"
Not mocking.
Just… surprised.
"You used to avoid even reading long texts," she said.
"And now you're saying you can translate?"
Mei Lin didn't react.
"I can translate English to Chinese," she said calmly.
Her voice held no hesitation.
No doubt.
Only certainty.
---
Lan Yue stared at her.
Something about her tone—
Didn't sound like a lie.
Didn't sound like a joke.
It sounded…
Real.
"…You're serious?"
Mei Lin nodded.
"Yes."
A pause.
"Give me a test."
---
Lan Yue fell silent again.
Her gaze slowly changed.
From disbelief—
To curiosity.
Then to something else.
Hope.
---
"My husband's workplace…" she said slowly,
"They sometimes take translators."
"They test people first."
She looked at Mei Lin carefully.
"If you fail… they won't even look at you again."
Mei Lin didn't hesitate.
"I won't fail."
---
Lan Yue's heart skipped slightly.
That confidence—
Was new.
Completely new.
---
After a moment, she nodded.
"…Alright."
She adjusted the child in her arms.
"I'll take you there."
"But after that—"
She looked at Mei Lin seriously.
"Whether you pass or not… will depend on you."
---
Mei Lin gave a small smile.
"That's enough."
---
The two women stood side by side.
Not as they once were—
Carefree.
Unaware.
But as they were now—
Changed.
Hardened.
Trying to rebuild something from nothing.
---
And for Mei Lin—
This wasn't just an opportunity.
It was the first step toward everything she had promised herself.