Due to congenital deficiencies, Chen Er was very thin. Long - term malnutrition made her look much shorter than her peers, and her skin was an unhealthy pale.
“Huh?” Hearing the sound, Father Chen turned his head belatedly. Looking at little Chen Er standing in front of him, he asked, “What's up?”
Chen Er was mentally prepared for Father Chen's attitude. It was already a rarity for Father Chen to even acknowledge her. “The school is having a parents' meeting. Sister can't take time off. Can you go?”
As soon as she said this, Chen Er buried her head firmly in her chest. She closed her eyes, ready for Father Chen to flatly reject her request and mock her.
“Parents' meeting?” Father Chen's eyes were a bit cloudy. He swallowed hard. “Is it Huanhuan's parents' meeting? I should go then. Otherwise, her mother will be unhappy.”
Father Chen staggered to his feet, pushing away Chen Er's hand that wanted to help him. He stumbled into the bedroom.
The door slammed shut. Chen Er knew that Father Chen was going in to tidy up and change clothes.
Even though she was mentally prepared, Chen Er's heart still throbbed with a dull pain. Father Chen's memory was forever stuck in the time when Mother Chen was still alive.
He numbed himself with alcohol and refused to accept the fact that Mother Chen had passed away. Chen Er self - deprecatingly twitched the corner of her mouth. The setting sun stretched her shadow long, making it look extremely lonely.
The next day was the weekend. Father Chen, surprisingly, didn't drink. He dressed himself neatly from head to toe, as if he had transformed back into that high - spirited young man.
Chen Huan had been thinking about Chen Er's parents' meeting all the time. As soon as the teacher announced that they could go home, Chen Huan couldn't wait to rush out of the classroom and ran full - steam towards home.
“Xiao Er.” Chen Huan gasped as she opened the door. She looked around for Chen Er's figure, afraid that she had come too late and Chen Er had already left.
Hearing Chen Huan's voice, Chen Er quickly walked out of the bedroom. She took out a tissue and carefully wiped the fine beads of sweat on Chen Huan's forehead.
“Sister, don't worry. Dad has already promised me to go to the parents' meeting.” Chen Er handed a glass of warm water to Chen Huan, who was already parched from running, and said in a low voice.
“Really?” Chen Huan was obviously surprised. She also lowered her voice, but the joy between the lines was palpable. “Dad really promised you? Great! Dad is back to his old self again!”
Chen Er forced a bitter smile. Most likely, Father Chen would still think he was going to Chen Huan's parents' meeting later.
This brief moment of happiness was also hard - won for her.
The two sisters sat on the sofa with their own thoughts, waiting for Father Chen to go out. When the clock in the living room struck three times, the door of Father Chen's bedroom opened.
“Wow, Dad, you're so handsome!” Seeing the sober Father Chen, Chen Huan's admiration overflowed. She threw herself into Father Chen's arms and acted coquettishly.
Father Chen lovingly pinched Chen Huan's face. “Silly girl, Dad is old. Isn't it your parents' meeting today? Come on, let's go.”
“This...” Chen Huan looked at Chen Er in shock. She immediately understood everything. Afraid of hurting Chen Er's feelings and also afraid of angering the rarely sober and gentle Father Chen, Chen Huan's face turned red and then purple.
Seeing Chen Huan stammering, Father Chen asked curiously, “Huanhuan, what's wrong? Let's go and come back early. Otherwise, if we're late, your mother will be worried.”
“Dad!” Chen Huan grabbed the sleeve of Father Chen, who was about to pull her forward. She took a deep breath and said, “It's not my parents' meeting today. It's for my sister.”
“Sister?” Father Chen repeated Chen Huan's words. His gaze finally fell on the thin and shivering figure sitting in a corner of the sofa.
“Yes. You promised my sister yesterday. Don't you remember?” Chen Huan softened her tone and spoke gently.
Father Chen squinted his eyes, trying hard to recall yesterday's scene. He looked hesitant. “It seems so. Yesterday... it really wasn't you who told me about the parents' meeting.”
Seeing that Father Chen finally understood who the parents' meeting was for, Chen Huan secretly breathed a sigh of relief. She took Father Chen's hand, walked in front of Chen Er, and then held out her hand to Chen Er.
“So, let's go quickly now. Otherwise, we'll be late!” Chen Huan seized the opportunity, afraid that Father Chen would fly into a rage the next second and renege on going.
Father Chen looked blankly at Chen Er, who only reached his waist. His voice was hoarse. “You're Chen Er? The child she left behind?”
Chen Er didn't say a word. The only response to Father Chen was dead silence.
Chen Huan's heart jumped to her throat in an instant. She prayed frantically in her heart that Father Chen wouldn't scold or beat Chen Er at this crucial moment. The harm it would cause to Chen Er might be even greater.
Fortunately, Father Chen just sized up Chen Er with a complex look for a while, and then he took Chen Er's hand and walked towards the door.
Just before going out, Chen Er turned around and gave Chen Huan a grateful look. She even silently mouthed “Thank you”.
This day was the happiest and most unforgettable day for Chen Er.
In the past, when Chen Huan came to attend Chen Er's parents' meeting, the looks from the classmates and their parents made Chen Er feel as if she had thorns on her back. It was very uncomfortable.
Now, Chen Er held Father Chen's hand and could finally sit in the classroom with her head held high, listening to the teacher's speech.
When the teacher saw a strange man sitting in Chen Er's seat, after the initial surprise, she quickly realized that this must be Chen Er's father who had never shown up.
The parents' meeting went on in an orderly manner without any accidents. After it ended, the head teacher asked Father Chen and Chen Er to stay.
“Mr. Chen, I'm Chen Er's head teacher. I'm very happy to meet you today.” The head teacher politely reached out her hand.
Father Chen also reached out his hand to respond to the head teacher. “Hello, teacher. Do you have something to say?”
The head teacher didn't beat around the bush. She said directly, “Parents are a child's best teachers. I hope that as a parent, you can give Chen Er a little more love. It will be good for her growth.”
At first, the head teacher didn't like Chen Er either. Like the previous substitute teachers, she thought Chen Er was too withdrawn, silent, and not at all likable.
But gradually, the head teacher began to feel sorry for the thin and small Chen Er who huddled in a corner of the classroom.
In the head teacher's eyes, Chen Er was like a marionette, neither crying nor laughing, neither happy nor sad. While other students were making a ruckus, Chen Er just quietly sat at her desk and did her homework.