No One Wanted Her Back
1617 Words
Shen Yi had come straight from the company.
He was still dressed in a perfectly tailored light-gray suit that carried the quiet elegance only he could wear.
Five years had passed, yet time seemed reluctant to leave any mark on his handsome face.
When he looked at Song Shuangxu, his eyes were exactly as she remembered—
gentle.
Steady.
Comforting.
Even though he had flown overseas to see her every single year, standing before him now somehow made him feel like a stranger.
Seeing her hesitate by the open car door, Shen Yi called softly,
“Little Nine.”
The familiar voice struck her heart like a stone dropped into still water.
A sudden sting rose in her nose.
She lowered her eyes immediately, climbed into the car, and whispered,
“…Brother.”
⸻
The car blended smoothly into the evening traffic.
Silence filled the spacious cabin.
Crossing one long leg over the other, Shen Yi asked casually,
“When did your flight land?”
“A little after two.”
“You should’ve told me. I would’ve picked you up.”
“I didn’t want to interrupt your work,” she answered softly. “It’s easy to get a taxi from the airport.”
His gaze drifted toward her.
She sat properly with her hands folded on her lap, eyes lowered, every movement restrained.
She hadn’t always been like this.
The little girl he had spoiled growing up had been lively and fearless.
She used to cling to him shamelessly, acting however she pleased because she knew he’d always indulge her.
Now…
She was quiet.
Too quiet.
And with that quietness came distance.
Even the way she sat felt polite enough to hurt.
Ever since she had been forced to leave the country five years ago, she hadn’t returned even once—not for Lunar New Year, not for family gatherings.
Whether it was resentment…
Or simply because she no longer wanted to see everyone here…
He couldn’t tell.
The last time he’d seen her was last year.
She’d caught a terrible fever on her birthday, alone in her apartment overseas.
He had flown across half the world just to spend a day with her.
She had changed.
The youthful innocence she’d once worn had quietly faded with time.
In its place stood a graceful young woman.
Shen Yi studied her for a long moment before speaking.
“Little Nine has become distant from her brother.”
She hurriedly shook her head.
“No…”
She wanted to say,
I just don’t want to trouble you anymore.
But somehow…
That sounded even more distant.
So she forced a smile.
“I just wanted to surprise everyone.”
Shen Yi looked at her.
Adult surprises…
Half the time turned into shocks instead.
⸻
By the time they arrived at the Shen residence, Shen Changyuan and Fu Yun were already waiting.
The moment Fu Yun saw her, she rushed over and pulled her into a tight embrace.
“My goodness, let me look at you!”
She held Shuangxu by the shoulders, turning her around several times.
“You’ve grown taller.”
“No… actually you look exactly the same.”
“I video call you every month, but seeing you in person is completely different.”
Shen Changyuan laughed warmly.
“If you’d told us earlier you were coming back, we’d have prepared more.”
“It was a last-minute decision,” Shuangxu explained. “Everything happened too suddenly.”
“You must be starving.”
Fu Yun led her toward the dining room.
“I asked Aunt Wang to cook every dish you loved growing up. She was thrilled when she heard you were coming.”
⸻
The dining table was covered with familiar dishes.
Steamed coral grouper.
Braised chicken soup.
Every flavor belonged to her childhood.
Fu Yun kept placing food into her bowl while Shen Changyuan asked about her life overseas.
Eventually, the conversation naturally shifted.
“How long is your vacation this time?”
Shuangxu knew the dangerous question had arrived.
She could have lied.
Instead…
She put down her chopsticks.
Looked up.
And answered honestly.
“I resigned.”
The dining room fell silent.
Fu Yun froze, chopsticks suspended in midair.
“You… quit your job?”
“No wonder you never mentioned it.”
“So suddenly?”
Quitting her airline job overseas meant only one thing.
Perhaps…
She wasn’t planning to leave this time.
The warm atmosphere around the table suddenly became like delicate glass—
beautiful…
Yet ready to shatter at the slightest touch.
“So…”
Shen Changyuan asked carefully,
“Are you planning to stay in Yancheng?”
Instead of answering directly, Shuangxu looked at them.
“Can I?”
Fu Yun hesitated.
“You were doing so well overseas.”
“Why come back all of a sudden?”
Why?
One reason was Shu Yang.
The other…
The real reason…
She wanted to come home.
No matter how wonderful life abroad was…
It could never compare to Yancheng.
The city where she’d grown up.
Where summers were unbearably hot.
Winters painfully cold.
Where every street held her memories.
Unfortunately…
No one here had ever truly hoped she’d return.
⸻
Just then, Shen Yi silently placed a plate of carefully deboned fish in front of her.
The tender white fish glistened under the lights.
The porcelain plate touched the table with a soft click.
The uncomfortable silence broke.
“How is your senior doing?”
Shuangxu briefly explained Shu Yang’s illness.
“Do you need my help?” Shen Yi asked.
She shook her head.
“The treatment plan is already confirmed. They’re using the best medication available.”
“The rest depends on how her body responds.”
The subject quietly changed.
⸻
After dinner, Fu Yun insisted Shuangxu stay the night.
Before she could refuse, Fu Yun had already taken her upstairs.
“Your room was cleaned this morning.”
“Everything is exactly where you left it.”
She proudly pointed toward the bed.
“I even bought you new bedding.”
“Do you like it?”
The pink floral sheets looked warm and inviting.
Shuangxu smiled gently.
“Thank you… Godmother.”
Fu Yun lightly tapped her forehead.
“Why are you thanking me?”
“When did you become so polite with family?”
Her voice softened.
“It’s better that you’re back.”
“You were all alone overseas.”
“If something happened, who would take care of you?”
“When your brother visited last time, he said you were burning with fever and lying alone in your apartment.”
“I couldn’t sleep that entire night after hearing that.”
Her eyes turned red.
Shuangxu hurriedly comforted her.
“I’m really fine.”
“I’m an adult now.”
“I can take care of myself.”
Fu Yun gently cupped her cheek.
“No matter how old you are…”
“You’re still our little girl.”
“You’ve never been able to sleep on airplanes.”
“You must be exhausted.”
“Go take a hot bath and get some rest.”
⸻
After Fu Yun left, Shuangxu slowly walked around the room.
Her fingertips brushed across the familiar desk.
The bookshelf.
The curtains.
She had lived here for ten years.
Even the scent lingering in the air felt achingly familiar.
After showering, she planned to ask Aunt Wang to prepare some nourishing soup for Shu Yang tomorrow.
But as she reached the staircase…
She stopped.
Through the gaps in the railing, she could see the living room below.
Shen Yi sat with his back facing her.
Across from him were Shen Changyuan and Fu Yun.
Fu Yun spoke first.
“Yi… tell me honestly.”
“Did you really not know she was coming back?”
“Were you the one who agreed to let her return?”
Shen Yi sat calmly with one leg crossed over the other.
“If she wants to come home…”
“She doesn’t need anyone’s permission.”
Fu Yun sighed.
“Then tell me the truth.”
“Now that she’s back…”
“What are you going to do?”
His expression remained unreadable.
“When you joined the Song family in sending her overseas…”
“No one asked for my opinion.”
Fu Yun lowered her eyes.
“I only wanted what was best for both of you.”
“The rumors back then almost destroyed this family.”
“If it hadn’t been for her…”
Shen Yi interrupted quietly.
“They were just children’s malicious gossip.”
“Other people believed them.”
“So did you.”
The room fell silent.
Shen Changyuan gently patted his wife’s hand.
“Let’s stop talking about the past.”
“She refused to come home all these years.”
“She probably thought we didn’t want her anymore.”
“If the child wants to come back…”
“Then don’t send her away again.”
Fu Yun nodded slowly.
“If she wants to stay…”
“This will always be her home.”
She truly loved Shuangxu.
That much had never been false.
After a long pause, however, she added softly,
“But Yi…”
“Shuangxu isn’t a child anymore.”
“Even biological siblings should keep their distance once they’re adults.”
“Let alone…”
She didn’t finish the sentence.
Neither did she need to.
Standing upstairs, Shuangxu quietly leaned against the wall.
The warmth from her bath gradually disappeared.
Coldness spread through her back.
Without making a sound…
She turned around…
And walked back to her room.
- Writer
