Lu Ruoxi Side Story - Thorny Rose - The Crack

Time is a silent river.

It washes over the urban village in Anhe County.

It etches deeper the wrinkles on Ye Sanqi’s face.

And it carries the infant in swaddling clothes, shaping her into a healthy, resilient girl.

Ye Ruoxi.

She is seven years old.

This household holds two worlds.

One belongs to Ye Sanqi.

The other belongs to Zhang Cuilan.

Ye Ruoxi lives in the crevice between them.

Ye Sanqi’s world is warm.

He leaves for the construction site before dawn.

Returns long after dark.

His clothes always carry the grit of labor and the scent of sweat.

But he brings things back for Ye Ruoxi.

Sometimes, an apple from the worksite—one he couldn’t bear to eat himself.

Sometimes, a crushed biscuit.

Sometimes, nothing at all.

Only his calloused, yet tender hands.

He uses them to ruffle Ye Ruoxi’s hair.

To clumsily tie her uneven pigtails.

His pockets hold little money.

But he gives her every ounce of his gentleness.

Zhang Cuilan’s world is cold.

She speaks sparingly.

Her gaze is like the moss-covered well in the courtyard—

bottomless.

The chill is most palpable at the dinner table.

Zhang Cuilan picks the largest piece of meat from the pot and places it in Ye Sanqi’s bowl.

"Eat more. Your work is hard."

She meticulously gathers the remaining scraps into her own bowl.

Then slides the dish of vegetable broth toward Ye Ruoxi.

Ye Ruoxi’s bowl is always filled with rice.

Sometimes, a few wilted greens.

Never meat.

Ye Sanqi notices.

He splits his portion in half and gives it to Ye Ruoxi.

"Eat, Xixi. You’re growing," he says with a smile.

Zhang Cuilan stays silent.

But she sets down her chopsticks.

The air in the room freezes.

Ye Ruoxi learned early to read moods.

She devours the meat in haste.

Then bows her head, shoveling plain rice into her mouth.

Pretending nothing happened.

Ye Ruoxi is quiet.

Unlike the village children who run wild, she prefers crouching by the wall, watching ants march.

For hours.

She collects pebbles too.

Arranges them in rows by size and color.

Ye Sanqi doesn’t understand.

But he thinks his daughter is special—bright.

Zhang Cuilan calls her a freak.

Once, Aunt Wang visits.

She and Zhang Cuilan sit in the yard, snapping beans.

"Cuilan, you’re blessed," Aunt Wang says enviously.

"Your girl’s sharp. My brat just plays in the mud all day."

Zhang Cuilan snorts.

"Blessed? More like cursed. What’s the use of brains? She’s not a son. Once grown, she’ll belong to another family."

"Don’t say that," Aunt Wang murmurs.

"Rumor has it your own mother rushed your marriage for your brother’s dowry. Barely took any bride price. Weren’t you bitter then?"

Zhang Cuilan’s face pales.

She hurls the beans into the basin.

"Shut your mouth! None of your business!"

Her venomous eyes land on the small, silent figure by the wall.

Ye Sanqi knows none of this.

He only knows his daughter must go to school.

Using a month’s overtime pay, he enrolls her.

Buys her a brand-new backpack printed with bunnies.

Zhang Cuilan erupts.

"Twenty yuan for a bag! Madness!"

"She’s studying, not parading!"

"That money could buy meat for five days!"

Ye Sanqi stays mute.

Just polishes the backpack over and over.

Then presents it solemnly to Ye Ruoxi.

"Study hard, Xixi. Aim for Jingzhou University."

He doesn’t truly grasp what that means.

Only overheard at the worksite that Jingzhou University exists.

If Xixi gets in, she won’t toil like him.

She’ll sit in bright rooms, live well.

Ye Ruoxi starts school.

A new window opens in her world.

Beyond it, sights she’s never seen:

Strange symbols on the blackboard.

Neat characters in textbooks.

She memorizes them at a glance.

Sings songs after one listen.

Solves arithmetic before others count fingers.

Her first midterms:

Full marks in Chinese.

Full marks in math.

The only perfect scores in her grade.

Ye Sanqi attends the parent-teacher meeting.

In his faded blue jacket, he perches on a tiny stool, uneasy.

The teacher calls Ye Ruoxi’s name.

"Ye Ruoxi is our grade’s most gifted student."

"Her memory and comprehension surpass her peers."

"Mr. Ye, you’ve raised an exceptional daughter. She’ll go far."

Ye Sanqi freezes.

Half a lifetime, and this is his first "Mr."

First public praise.

Because of his girl.

His sun-darkened face flushes.

He nods and grins, speechless.

That night, he buys pork head and cheap liquor.

Drunk, he clutches Ye Ruoxi’s hand, repeating:

"My good girl… my good girl…"

Tears drip into his cup.

He wraps the test papers in plastic.

Next day, he shows them at the worksite.

"Look! My daughter’s perfect scores!"

His voice booms with pride, as if holding the world’s rarest treasure.

Workers crowd around.

Most illiterate, but they recognize the red "100"s.

"Old Ye, your girl’s born for books!"

"Future top scholar!"

Ye Sanqi beams.

The backbreaking labor feels weightless.

But home smothers his joy.

Zhang Cuilan stares blankly.

"First place won’t fill her stomach or pay bills."

She tosses the papers aside like trash.

"Aunt Wang mentioned her nephew’s diner needs a child bride. Eight thousand in dowry."

She scrubs dishes, casual.

"With that money, we could rebuild the house."