For Xiang Yu, the happiest thing about being home on the weekends was holding her grandmother and nestling in her arms. However, ever since she started living in the dorms, she often worried about her grandmother being alone at home with no one to take care of her, and she wanted to hire a live-in nanny. This time around, her financial situation was much better. Her parents had paid for her tuition, and she had an apartment rented out to expatriates that provided a stable income. Moreover, she was confident she could find a part-time job that paid better than the one in her previous life. After doing the math, she felt she could afford a nanny. She also remembered that housing prices were still low, but would rise continuously over the next few years. Her savings were enough for a down payment on another nearby apartment. She planned to check with the bank soon to see if she could get a loan using her small apartment. Having settled into campus life over the past few weeks, she decided to look for part-time job opportunities next week.
Every week when Xiang Yu came home, she would help her grandmother wash her hair and bathe. This once vigorous elderly woman was finally showing signs of aging, her skin becoming loose, though her head remained full of dark hair with barely any gray. After washing up, her grandmother would apply jasmine-infused hair oil, combing it meticulously before dressing neatly and cleanly. She often said, "With my little girl, I am here to enjoy life." Xiang Yu always felt a mix of sadness and gratitude when she heard this, hugging her grandmother and burying her head in her neck, inhaling the floral scent, feeling as if this life would never end, and she would forever be the child nestled in her grandmother's arms.
Since her parents both remarried, Xiang Yu saw them only once or twice a year and received occasional phone calls. Her mother, who was doing well in business and had remarried a businessman, occasionally sent her money to buy things and sometimes invited her over for dinner. However, Xiang Yu rarely went, as it didn't feel like home; she was just a guest there. This time, her mother called and asked her to come over again soon after the Mid-Autumn and National Day holidays, so it must be something important.
Xiang Yu knocked on her mother's door, and her mother immediately came to open it. Hesitating whether to go in or find another place to talk, her mother pulled her inside. It was just her mother at home. Xiang Yu quietly sat on the sofa while her mother brought her a cup of instant coffee, looking at her as if unsure how to start. Xiang Yu sipped the coffee slowly without urging her.
"Xiang Yu, your mom and your uncle are planning to emigrate. We just got the approval," her mother finally said.
"Oh," Xiang Yu responded blandly.
Seeing her reaction, her mother seemed even more at a loss for words. After hesitating for a while, she asked, "Do you want to come with us? You can attend college there, which would be good for you."
"I'm staying here with Grandma. I'm already going into the best university in the city. I plan to work here in the future and take care of Grandma in her old age," Xiang Yu replied firmly without a moment's hesitation. She took another sip of coffee, not even looking up at her mother.
After a long silence, her mother finally said, "All you think about is your grandma. I raised you. Have you ever thought about me? How will I manage alone in a foreign country where I don't know anyone? What if I get sick?"
Xiang Yu inwardly scoffed but remained calm on the surface. She replied, "How could that be? You have Uncle with you, and the living conditions abroad are much better than here. You're going there to enjoy life. How could you not get used to it? Besides, if you really can't adapt, I'm still here. You can always come back. I'll be here to keep the home for you."