With Zhu Wenzhang’s wife’s approval, Ding Yun received a call that afternoon from him, using a new phone number.
The original host’s last quarrel with her parents had resulted in her not only leaving home directly but also blocking or deleting all contact information and accounts belonging to them. Ding Yun had been busy with other matters and hadn't addressed the original host's family. She also hadn't unblocked the numbers in her blacklist.
Therefore, Zhu Wenzhang had to change his number to call the daughter’s number that he had clearly remembered but hadn't dialed in years.
Because the number, though displayed as unfamiliar, was not flagged as spam or a scam, Ding Yun hesitated for a few seconds before clicking the answer button.
This was followed by several seconds of silence.
Just as Qiao Mu prompted a few times, becoming impatient, Zhu Wenzhang finally organized his thoughts and asked:
“Are you Xiaoxin? Or this number, rather. It’s your dad, Zhu Wenzhang. You can still recognize my voice, right…”
Hearing this, Ding Yun’s memories were immediately activated. Her father’s voice and appearance, no, the specific image of her father, quickly became clear. Without much hesitation, she replied:
“Dad, what’s up?”
Upon hearing Ding Yun call him Dad, Zhu Wenzhang, who had been somewhat worried, immediately felt relieved. Since his daughter could call him Dad without hesitation, he figured persuading her wouldn't be too difficult. He quickly engaged in small talk, asking about her recent situation and whether she had enough money. He deliberately avoided mentioning past events or his wife.
Towards the end of the conversation, he inquired if he could see his granddaughter, whom he hadn't seen since her birth. Ding Yun did not refuse.
She quickly agreed to a video call and called her daughter over to meet him, introducing her and encouraging her to call him Grandpa a few times.
The original host had left home after making harsh remarks and secretly vowed not to return until she had achieved something significant, to prove herself right. However, she had ultimately failed and thus felt too ashamed to go back. Now, Ding Yun was not only considered successful but her own father had initiated contact.
There was no need for her to maintain her pride.
Besides, the original host was more at fault for what had happened.
Now that her father had prepared a way for them to reconcile, why should she continue to be difficult? Of course, she should mend the relationship if possible, it wasn't a big deal.
Therefore, even when Zhu Wenzhang had greeted her daughter and chatted for a while, and Xu Ping’s face suddenly appeared on the video call, Ding Yun’s expression remained unchanged. She even calmly called her “Mom.”
At the same time, she had her daughter call her Grandma.
Her calling out "Mom" undoubtedly meant that the years of estrangement between mother and daughter had finally thawed. Xu Ping, on the other side of the screen, was so overjoyed she was almost in tears. She responded several times and then asked Ding Yun if she wanted to come back, mentioning that she had prepared many gifts for her granddaughter but hadn't had a chance to give them.
Ding Yun considered that she didn't have much going on lately. Returning to reconcile with her parents and letting her daughter recognize them, knowing she wasn’t the only family member, might be a good choice.
After a moment of hesitation, she nodded in agreement.
She agreed to return in a couple of days.
They chatted for a while longer before ending the call.
As soon as the video call ended, Xu Ping joyfully hugged her husband, her voice choked with emotion: “She’s finally willing to come back. I was so scared. I was so afraid she'd never come back. I was afraid she'd suffer and be wronged out there.”
“It’s okay, it’s okay. Didn’t you just see? Xiaoxin hasn’t lost any weight, and she even looks younger than she did a few years ago. Her living situation isn't bad either; it’s not like you imagined, living in a basement or some remote village. Even our granddaughter is well taken care of. Everything is fine, so don’t worry anymore. It looks like she's made something of herself; she can manage and live well on her own. So, stop mentioning blind dates from now on. If she’s willing, she’ll be anxious herself. Forcing her will only hurt your relationship again.”
Zhu Wenzhang comforted his wife for a while longer and then urged: “Alright, let’s get ready. First, let’s buy some groceries, and then we’ll go shopping for clothes that would suit a girl of our granddaughter’s age. Buy plenty of hair accessories too. Wipe your face, and let’s go.”
“Yes, we must entertain them properly! Wait a moment, I’ll wash my face right now, and then we’ll go out. We need to make up for the years we’ve missed.”
Hearing Zhu Wenzhang’s words, Xu Ping immediately perked up, wiped her eyes, and turned towards the bathroom, ready to tidy herself up. After getting ready, they would go shopping and buy gifts. As for her son who had gone to his grandmother’s house, seeing him now reminded her of his grades, which made her angry. It was better not to see him, so she decided to ignore him for now.
Following that, the couple went out shopping.
Meanwhile, Ding Yun briefly explained about her relatives to her daughter. She then quickly delegated some tasks for her two companies and sent a batch of core raw materials to the skincare processing plant before starting to buy train tickets.
She planned to travel back by high-speed rail. Although she had a car and a driver’s license, her hometown was too far. Why go through the trouble when there was a simpler and more convenient way to get back? Driving was fine within the city, but for longer distances, high-speed rail or airplanes were preferable, unless tickets were unavailable. However, Ding Yun wasn’t traveling during a holiday peak season, so she was unlikely to be unable to buy tickets.
After boarding the high-speed train, it took less than three hours for Ding Yun and her daughter to arrive at their hometown. They then took a taxi for another half hour, finally reaching the neighborhood they hadn’t returned to for nearly six years. The changes in the area were quite significant, making it feel somewhat unfamiliar. Fortunately, the old residential complex remained unchanged; the houses were still the same, which allowed Ding Yun to recognize them.
Following that, there were of course hugs and tears, greetings, introductions, meals, and gift-giving. The unfamiliarity after years of absence quickly faded with these interactions. Ding Yun, initially uncomfortable, gradually became more at ease. As they chatted, they discussed their experiences over the years, the high school entrance exam, and her younger brother’s exam results.
In short, everything was quite harmonious.