As the family dispersed after their meal, Jin Liwei, his father, and grandfather retreated to the study to discuss business matters. Jin Liang, with nothing to contribute to their conversation, excused himself to his room. This left Xie Ming and Mother Jin alone in the living room, an opportunity for bonding that neither had anticipated.
Mother Jin leaned in, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "Oh, you should have seen Liwei when he was six," she began, her voice rich with amusement. "One morning, he decided to surprise us with breakfast."
Xie Ming leaned forward, intrigued. "Really? What happened?"
"Well," Mother Jin continued, gesturing dramatically, "we woke up to the most tremendous clatter coming from the kitchen. When we rushed down, there was Liwei, standing in the middle of what looked like a flour explosion!"
"No!" Xie Ming gasped, a smile tugging at her lips.
Mother Jin nodded vigorously. "Oh yes! Flour everywhere - on the counters, the floor, even the ceiling! And there was little Liwei, covered head to toe in white, holding a bowl of what I can only assume were scrambled eggs and eggshells."
Xie Ming burst into laughter, the sound genuine and carefree. "What did you do?"
"What could we do?" Mother Jin chuckled. "His father was speechless, but I took one look at Liwei's proud little face, flour in his eyelashes, and I just had to laugh. We ended up making pancakes together - very, very messy pancakes."
As Mother Jin finished her tale, Xie Ming found herself wiping tears of mirth from her eyes, realizing with a start that it was the first time she had laughed so freely in what felt like ages.
Xie Ming felt a warmth spread through her chest at the image. "He must have been a handful," she mused.
"Oh, he was," Mother Jin agreed. "But a joy, always. And Liang," she continued, her voice softening with affection, "he always marched to the beat of his own drum. When Liwei and his father were poring over business reports, Liang was composing songs in his room."
"Is that how he ended up in the entertainment industry?" Xie Ming asked, fascinated by this glimpse into the family's past.
Mother Jin nodded. "Oh yes. He's made quite a name for himself - singing, acting, you name it. His father was hesitant at first, but," she lowered her voice again, a proud smile on her face, "I think he's secretly Liang's biggest fan now."
As they chatted, Mother Jin's eyes suddenly lit up. "Oh! I almost forgot. Wait here, dear. I have something for you." Before Xie Ming could respond, Mother Jin had hurried upstairs.
In the momentary quiet, Xie Ming found herself reflecting on the warmth of this family interaction. It was so different from the cold formality of her past life, or the distant relationships of Xie Ming's memories.
Her reverie was interrupted by the return of Jin Liwei, his father, and grandfather. As they settled into the living room, Jin Liwei's gaze found Xie Ming. He winked at her playfully, causing a blush to creep up her cheeks.
"What were you and Mother talking about?" Jin Liwei asked, moving to sit beside her.
"Oh, just some interesting stories from your childhood," Xie Ming replied with a sly smile.
Jin Liwei's eyes widened. "What exactly did she tell you?"
Before Xie Ming could answer, Mother Jin returned, cradling a beautifully carved wooden box. Her face was solemn as she approached Xie Ming. "This," she said, her voice filled with reverence, "is the Jin family heirloom. I couldn't give it to you before, but now... now it's time."
Xie Ming hesitated, overwhelmed by the significance of the moment. "Mother, I... thank you for trusting me with this," she said, her voice barely above a whisper as she accepted the box.
Jin Liwei watched the exchange, a tender smile playing on his lips. He reached out and squeezed Xie Ming's hand supportively.
"Open it," Mother Jin urged gently.
With trembling hands, Xie Ming carefully lifted the lid. As her eyes fell upon the contents, she gasped. The world around her seemed to fade away as she lifted the item from its velvet nest.
It was a hairpin. But not just any hairpin. As Xie Ming held it in her palm, a flood of memories threatened to overwhelm her. Without realizing it, tears began to stream down her face.
"Ming? Are you alright?" Jin Liwei's concerned voice barely registered.
"It's normal to be emotional," Mother Jin assured him. "It's a big responsibility, after all."
But Xie Ming barely heard them. Her eyes were fixed on the hairpin, her mind racing. How could this be? The intricate design, the weight of it in her palm - it was all so familiar. Too familiar.
As the Jin family watched in bewildered concern, Xie Ming cradled the hairpin, lost in a whirlwind of emotions and memories. For in her hands, she held not just the Jin family heirloom, but a piece of her past life - a secret that threatened to unravel everything.