The year Yi Zhuo moved away, Chang Xuyu was six years old.
The figure that had briefly lingered in her life for three months gradually became blurry with the passage of time, eventually fading away completely.
Children forget quickly. Years later, when someone brought up her "painter" dream again, she just lowered her head and thought for a long time, then replied with a faint smile—
"I was young and didn't know any better."
But the person who had accompanied her dream—the one she had vowed to work so hard for—she couldn't remember at all.
She only remembered that one year in a very old alley, her long hair, which she had kept for so long, was sold. When she got home, she had to do arithmetic problems.
The year she entered her sophomore year of high school, a new member joined the family—her brother, a full sixteen years younger than her.
Because her brother, Chang Yanyan, was born on the same month and day as her, though in a different year.
Sometimes, you have to believe that there are so many coincidences in the world.
People said that daughters would eventually marry out and couldn't be relied on; you needed a son to secure your old age.
Some neighbors would whisper insinuations to Chang Xuyu, saying that now that she had a brother, her mother wouldn't love her anymore.
In fact, Chang Xuyu felt that life hadn't changed much.
She had long been used to it.
Since childhood, she had been taught to be obedient and filial.
Later, another phrase was added: "You're the older sister, you need to take good care of your little brother."
"Your mother is that way to your uncle too. Having siblings to help each other out—what a good thing."
Chang Xuyu nodded, looking down at the baby in her mother's arms. After a while, she thought the little boy's features resembled her mother's.
She gently reached out a finger and touched the tip of his small nose—soft and bouncy. The little baby looked at her with grape-like eyes. Finally, his small hand waved in the air, as if greeting this somewhat unfamiliar sister.
Chang Xuyu smiled at him. "Yanyan, I'm your sister."
The baby seemed to understand and let out two "giggles." His dough-like face was covered with large features, incredibly cute.
She had to learn to be more sensible, to not worry her family.
Then take good care of her brother, set an example, and make everyone look at her with admiration.
Until the summer vacation of her sophomore year, when art students had to attend intensive training.
She clutched the flyer for that training institution, pacing outside the door for a long time before finally going in.
She handed over the flyer, and as expected, her mother flatly refused.
"Xuyu, haven't I told you to be sensible? It's so expensive... Can't you think about your brother?"
The more she spoke, the angrier she got. Chang Xuyu just stood there quietly, not responding.
In a fit of rage, she grabbed whatever object was at hand and hurled it at Chang Xuyu.
Chang Xuyu picked up the flyer, torn in half on the floor, and silently walked out the door.
As luck would have it, her aunt came to visit that day.
Her aunt was wearing a trendy tank top. She caught sight of Chang Xuyu in the hallway, crying like a mess.
"Oh dear, what's wrong?"
Chang Xuyu stood up. Her oversized school uniform made her look even thinner and smaller.
She pressed her lips together, unwilling to speak.
Her aunt frowned, knowing it had something to do with her sister-in-law. She pulled Xuyu up to go upstairs.
Chang Xuyu struggled, tears in her eyes, slowly shaking her head at her.
"I'm fine, Aunt... I'm fine," she murmured.
Her mother had always looked down on this aunt, often saying behind her back that she had no proper conduct.
In truth, it was just that the woman was out there making her own way in the world, and her business was thriving.
Seeing this, her aunt let go of her and went upstairs alone. The sound of her high heels "click-clacked" through the entire stairwell.
Soon, shouting filled every corner of the building.
The door was left open, voices from inside and outside arguing fiercely.
Chang Xuyu shrank into a corner, closed her eyes, and thought about how she would be beaten and scolded tonight, maybe even go without dinner.
"Chang Hong, I've put up with you long enough! Changing your name to 'Chang Shengnan'—what's that about? If you can't behave yourself, fine, but Xuyu is my daughter! Don't you dare teach her to be like you! I can't bear the shame!"
"What do you mean 'like me'? What crime have I committed that you're spreading gossip behind my back? Petty-minded person, and you dare to judge me?"
...
Chang Xuyu's eyes were vacant. Listening to the increasingly heated curses, she bitterly regretted why she had wanted to learn to paint.
Tears streaming, she tore the flyer into shreds.
It was all her fault. If she hadn't brought it up to her mother, none of this trouble would have happened.
She had even caused her aunt to fall out with the family.