Xiao Rou took a deep breath as she sat down with her family for dinner. The atmosphere was still a bit strained, but she was determined to make an effort to reconnect with them.
"Ming, how was your day?" Xiao Rou asked, trying to sound cheerful.
Ming looked up from her book, her eyes still a bit wary. "It was fine, Mom," she said quietly.
Xiao Rou smiled and tried to think of something to say that would break the ice. "I was thinking we could plan a fun outing for the weekend. Maybe go to the park or the museum?"
Ming's expression didn't change, but Xiao Rou noticed a tiny flicker of interest in her eyes. "I don't know," Ming said, looking down at her book again.
Zhen, who had been watching the exchange, spoke up. "Actually, that's not a bad idea, Xiao Rou. Ming, what do you think? Would you like to go to the park or the museum?"
Ming shrugged, but Xiao Rou could see the faintest glimmer of hope in her eyes. "I guess the park would be okay," she said finally.
Xiao Rou smiled, feeling a sense of relief. It was a small step, but it was a start. "Great, I'll pack a picnic lunch and we can make a day of it," she said, trying to sound enthusiastic.
As they continued with dinner, the conversation was a bit stilted, but Xiao Rou was determined to keep the momentum going. She asked Zhen about his day, and they chatted about mundane things, like work and household chores.
As the evening drew to a close, Xiao Rou felt a sense of hope. Maybe, just maybe, they were starting to heal and rebuild their relationships. But just as she was about to go to bed, she heard a knock at the door. Who could it be at this hour?
What do you think? Should Xiao Rou answer the door, or should Zhen go instead?
Xiao Rou's son, Li, had been struggling to forgive his mother for her disappearance. He was angry and hurt, and didn't understand why she would leave without telling anyone. As a result, he had become withdrawn and distant, barely speaking to Xiao Rou or anyone else in the family.
Meanwhile, Ming, Xiao Rou's daughter, was more open to listening to her mother's side of the story. She was still upset, but she was willing to give Xiao Rou a chance to explain and make things right.
As the family sat down for dinner, the tension was palpable. Li refused to look at Xiao Rou, and barely responded to her attempts at conversation. Ming, on the other hand, was trying to be supportive, but it was clear that she was still hurt and unsure of how to process her emotions.
Xiao Rou tried to reach out to Li, but he pushed her away. "I don't want to talk about it, Mom," he said, his voice cold and distant. "Just leave me alone."
Xiao Rou felt a pang of sadness and regret. She knew she had hurt her son deeply, and it would take time for him to forgive her. But she was determined to make things right, no matter how long it took.
As the days went by, Xiao Rou continued to try and reconnect with her children. Ming was slowly starting to open up to her, but Li remained distant. Xiao Rou knew she had a long road ahead of her, but she was determined to rebuild her relationships with her children and regain their trust.
How would you like to see the story unfold? Should Li's anger and hurt continue to simmer, or should he start to show signs of forgiveness and understanding?
As the days turned into weeks, Li's anger towards his mother showed no signs of dissipating. He continued to keep his distance, barely speaking to Xiao Rou or acknowledging her presence. The tension between them was palpable, and the rest of the family walked on eggshells around them.
Xiao Rou tried to reach out to Li, but he pushed her away at every turn. She could see the pain and anger in his eyes, and it broke her heart. She knew she had hurt him deeply, and it would take time for him to forgive her.
Ming, on the other hand, was slowly starting to warm up to Xiao Rou again. She would talk to her mother and even occasionally smile at her jokes. But Li's cold demeanor was a constant reminder of the distance between them.
One day, Li came home from school in a particularly foul mood. He slammed the door shut and stomped into the living room, where Xiao Rou was sitting on the couch. "I don't know why you're even here," he said, his voice low and menacing. "You're not really our mother. You're just pretending to be."
Xiao Rou felt a pang of sadness, but she tried to remain calm. "Li, I know you're angry with me," she said softly. "And I don't blame you. I was wrong to leave without telling you and your sister. But I'm trying to make things right, and I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me."
Li scoffed. "Forgive you? You think it's that easy? You just disappear without a word, and now you're expecting us to forgive and forget? You're not even explaining what happened. You're just expecting us to accept it."
Xiao Rou took a deep breath. She knew Li's anger was justified, but she couldn't help feeling a sense of frustration. She wanted to tell him everything, to explain the circumstances that had driven her to leave. But she was afraid of putting more burden on her children.
As the silence between them grew thicker, Ming walked into the room. "Li, stop," she said firmly. "Mom's trying. Can't you just give her a chance?"
Li glared at Ming. "You're just defending her because you're a little brainwashed," he spat. "You don't know what it's like to feel abandoned by the person who's supposed to love you the most."
Xiao Rou felt a sting from Li's words, but she remained calm. "Li, I understand why you're angry," she said softly. "And I'm not expecting you to forgive me overnight. But I hope you can see that I'm trying to make things right."
The tension in the room was palpable, and it seemed like the conflict was far from resolved. What do you think will happen next? Will Li's anger eventually boil over, or will he start to see his mother's efforts to make amends?
That night she got a call for her kids teacher to remind her that tomorrow is the school parent-teacher conference and to come to school tomorrow morning she end the call thinking about what tomorrow brings