Chapter 441 - 333: Family, Path of the Morning Star

Late at night. Jiangzhou City, Superpower Management Bureau apartments.

Wei Song stood before the floor-to-ceiling window, clutching the string of copper keys, and remained silent for a long time.

He then pulled his phone from his pocket, lit up the screen, and found his mom’s number in his call history.

Taking a deep breath, he hit dial.

RING! RING! RING!

It rang for a long time. Just as he was about to hang up, the call connected.

"Hello... Little Song?"

Her voice was hoarse and heavy with exhaustion. The clatter of pots and pans could be heard in the background—she must still have been washing dishes.

Wei Song’s throat bobbed. "Mom, it’s me."

"Why are you still up so late? Do you... do you have enough money?"

On the other end of the line, Zheng Jingfeng’s voice grew urgent. She had a faint suspicion about her son’s predicament.

"I’ll transfer you 2,000 yuan in a bit. Take it, for emergencies."

"Don’t rush finding a job. Take your time. If it really doesn’t work out, you can always come back to Xiongshi County for a while. Our home, well..."

She paused, lowering her voice.

"It’s not as good as the city, but at least you won’t starve."

Wei Song closed his eyes, his own voice a bit hoarse.

"That’s not necessary, Mom."

The other end of the line went quiet, leaving only the sound of running water.

"I found a good job here in Jiangzhou City. It’s stable, and the pay is great."

"My work assigned me an apartment—two bedrooms and a living room, right downtown. You, Dad, and my brother should move in tomorrow."

A long silence fell on the other end, broken only by Zheng Jingfeng’s slightly ragged breathing.

"R-Really?" Zheng Jingfeng’s voice trembled.

"Little Song, tell me the truth. Did you... did you get involved in something...?"

She didn’t finish, but her meaning was clear. She was afraid her younger son had gone down the wrong path, that he’d done something dangerous for money.

This younger son of hers, ever since he was a child, had always been dependable, never one to lie or brag, even if his Talent was average.

"Mom, it’s true."

Wei Song’s tone was even, trying to make every word sound believable.

"It’s a legitimate company. I signed a contract, and it even has full benefits."

"The apartment is also provided by my work. No rent, and it’s fully furnished."

"The address is 7-302, Anning District, Dongcheng District."

He paused, then added, "Come tomorrow. I’ll pick you up at the station."

On the other end, there was another stretch of silence, followed by the sound of suppressed sobs.

The sound was faint, as if she were covering her mouth tightly with her hand.

His father, Wei Tang’s, voice came through the phone.

"Jingfeng? What’s wrong? Did something happen to Little Song?"

Zheng Jingfeng didn’t answer. She just cried.

Her crying became harder and harder to control, turning from suppressed sobs into outright wails.

It was as if all the grievances, worries, and even despair that had built up over the years were being released all at once.

Wei Song held the phone, listening to her cries, and felt the warmth in his chest, which was now growing hot.

"Mom, this is a good thing. Don’t cry."

On the other end, Zheng Jingfeng sniffled, her voice catching.

"Okay... okay... Mom’s not crying. Mom’s just... happy..."

"It’s just... if all of us move in, will it affect your job?"

"Will your boss have a problem with it? Will they think you’re... dragging your whole family along?"

"They won’t," Wei Song soothed.

"The company has a policy for employee families. It’s a rule. When you and Dad come, you’ll get priority for medical care and doctor’s visits."

"And my brother’s leg... he’ll be able to get the best prosthetic."

The crying on the other end of the line stopped.

In its place was a sudden rustling, and then his father, Wei Tang, snatched the phone.

"Little Song..."

Wei Tang’s voice was rough, hoarse from years of hard labor.

"Be honest with me. This job... is it dangerous?"

Wei Song could feel the tension on the other end of the line. He pictured his father’s face in his mind.

A man in his early fifties, his hair already mostly gray.

"It’s not dangerous at all, and there’s no overtime," Wei Song reassured his dad.

"It’s just an office job, handling some documents. I occasionally go out for fieldwork, which is a chance to earn some extra cash."

"Weekends off, and any overtime is paid."

’He genuinely didn’t think the job was dangerous, nor did he feel like he was lying.’

On the other end of the line, Wei Tang let out a long sigh of relief.

"That’s good... that’s good..."

he repeated, his voice choked with emotion.

"When your mom said you got an apartment, I thought... I thought you..."

"Dad, don’t you know me?"

Wei Song said again.

"I’ll pick you up tomorrow. Just pack what you need. Don’t worry about anything else."

"The apartment here has everything."

Wei Tang mumbled in agreement, his voice growing faint.

Then Zheng Jingfeng took the phone back.

"Little Song, so... so where are you staying now? Have you eaten? Do you have enough clothes?"

"The weather’s getting cold. I knitted a sweater for you. I was going to mail it..."

She started to ramble, and Wei Song listened quietly, not interrupting.

Outside the window, the night was thick.

The city lights reflected on the glass, like a silent river flowing peacefully by.

「The next afternoon, at the Jiangzhou City high-speed rail station.」

Wei Song stood at the exit, watching the crowd pour out. He spotted them quickly.

His mother, Zheng Jingfeng, was at the front, carrying a faded woven plastic bag.

The bag was heavy, forcing her to carry it at her side and walk slowly.

She wore a floral shirt, washed so many times it had faded, with frayed cuffs.

Her hair was neatly combed and tied back.

She lifted her head, her gaze searching frantically through the crowd. The moment she saw Wei Song, her eyes lit up.

"Little Song!"

She called out, her voice full of surprise, then quickly stifled herself.

She quickened her pace, the woven bag dragging on the ground with a SCRAPING sound.

His father, Wei Tang, followed behind, pushing a wheelchair. It was an old model, and its metal armrests were starting to show signs of rust.

"Mom, Dad, brother... was the trip okay?"