Chapter Ten: The Key to the Little Tower (Part Two)

Tao Ming took the two little ones out to the elevator. Nuonuo, lying on Tao Ming’s left shoulder, found everything fascinating and asked endless questions.

“So this square box is the elevator?”

“The elevator runs on electricity. It’s very powerful,” Ruanruan explained as she pressed the button for the first floor.

Once they walked out of the building, the barrage of questions continued.

“How did they build this building so high? There’s not a single piece of wood?”

“Is this what you call a car? It runs even faster than a horse?”

Tao Ming lived in a high-rise apartment near the entrance of the community, while her parents’ home was in a low-rise building deeper inside. It was only a few minutes' walk between them.

After leaving the building, they stopped for breakfast. On the way, Ruanruan and Nuonuo had a heated debate over whether to have fried dough sticks or steamed buns, and whether to drink soy milk or porridge. In the end, they decided to get one of each.

Left with no choice, Tao Ming packed a bit of everything. She took the two little ones to a pavilion in the community to enjoy the shade while they ate. As they ate, she said, “This won’t do. If I keep buying so much breakfast, people are bound to wonder.”

Ruanruan stabbed her straw into the soy milk and retorted, “Mom, you always eat a lot anyway!”

Tao Ming gritted her teeth, debating whether she should give this cheeky girl a good scolding.

Nuonuo, chewing on a fried dough stick, didn’t dare look up. “When I grow a little older, I’ll be able to change into human form. Then there won’t be any problem.”

“Well, I suppose that’s the only way,” Tao Ming sighed helplessly.

After breakfast, Tao Ming bought another four fried dough sticks and two cups of soy milk before heading to her parents’ home.

Nuonuo asked, “Why don’t you all live together?”

“Because I’m afraid of cats. My parents keep a big white cat.”

Ruanruan hopped ahead, turned back, and made a face. “Mom’s a scaredy-cat. There’s nothing scary about cats!”

Nuonuo looked at Ruanruan and asked, “Don’t you care about how she walks?”

Tao Ming looked at Ruanruan, puzzled. “What’s wrong with the way she walks?”

“She’s hopping all around instead of walking properly!” The white tiger pointed a paw at Ruanruan.

“And how should one walk properly?” Tao Ming was completely at a loss.

“Young ladies of the Qiluo clan are raised by governesses from an early age, taught all kinds of etiquette. For example, when walking, you must not create a breeze.” Nuonuo lifted her paw as if to demonstrate but then gave up.

“Not create a breeze when walking? So you can’t even walk fast?” Tao Ming scoffed.

Nuonuo added, “The Qiluo clan values women above all, so things are a bit more relaxed. But in Weishui, the general environment is still male-dominated. Women are merely… well, just…”

Tao Ming, seeing Nuonuo hesitate, ventured, “Women are just private property? Just attachments?”

Nuonuo nodded. “That’s about right.”

“I see. It’s all about the economic base determining the superstructure.”

Nuonuo looked confused. “What does that mean?”

“Didn’t you learn so much last night? Where did it all go?” Tao Ming frowned deeply.

Nuonuo lowered her head sheepishly. “My hardware can’t keep up! Remembering isn’t the same as understanding.” In truth, she had only studied up to third grade last night and spent the rest of the time watching cartoons.

Tao Ming thought about it and realized that Nuonuo was still just a little one.

She kept an eye on Ruanruan as she bounced ahead and explained, “It means that in Weishui, productivity is low, and most money-making jobs are for men. Men bring home more money, so naturally, they call the shots.”

Nuonuo seemed to ponder this.

Tao Ming continued, “That’s why it’s not strange for the Qiluo clan to value women. After all, delicate work like raising silkworms and weaving silk is easier for women.”

Nuonuo glanced at Tao Ming. “Seven-year-old girls in Weishui aren’t nearly as clever as you.”

“Thanks for the compliment, but I’m not especially clever—just grew up in a different environment, with a broader perspective.” Tao Ming knew her limits. After a moment’s thought, she added, “With the kinds of dramas you watched yesterday, if I lived in that world, I probably wouldn’t even survive the opening credits.”

Nuonuo was baffled. What was wrong with those dramas?

As they talked, Ruanruan had already run to the building where Tao Ming’s parents lived. Tao Ming hurried after her, worried she might fall on the stairs. Fortunately, her parents lived on the second floor, so there weren’t many steps.

Ruanruan scampered up to the second floor and knocked energetically on the door, calling out, “Grandma, Grandma, I missed you so much!”

Footsteps sounded inside, and someone replied, “My little darling is here! Grandma missed you too!”

When the door opened, Ruanruan greeted the woman with a cheerful “Grandma,” then dashed inside, calling “Grandpa!” as she made a beeline for the snacks on the coffee table.

“Mom,” Tao Ming greeted.

But she noticed Tao Banxia staring at her left shoulder with a complicated expression—where Nuonuo lay.

Trying to act natural, Tao Ming called again, “Mom, what’s wrong?”

“Ai, so the day has finally come,” Tao Banxia said, then called out, “Old man, go play with Ruanruan for a bit. I have something to discuss with Mingming.”

She turned to Tao Ming. “Mingming, come with me.”

Tao Ming stepped into the living room, greeted her father, and set the soy milk and fried dough sticks on the coffee table.

Li Aiguo responded with a cheerful smile, watching Ruanruan rummage for snacks.

“Dad, I’ll go with Mom for a bit,” Tao Ming said, following Tao Banxia into the master bedroom. She watched her mother close the door and make a gesture at it, curiosity piqued but she kept quiet.

The two of them sat on the bed, facing each other, unsure where to begin.

“You know everything now?” Tao Banxia stared at Tao Ming for a long time before finally speaking.

“I know a bit,” Tao Ming replied carefully.

“Ah, after all these years of hiding, I still couldn’t avoid it.” Tao Banxia took Tao Ming’s hand, her gaze lingering on her left shoulder. “Mingming, I so wanted you to live a peaceful life. When you got married, I saw Nanxing and wanted to tell you not to marry him, but I couldn’t find a good reason.”

“Mom, what’s wrong with Nanxing?” Tao Ming thought to herself, So Su Nanxing really is hiding something!

Tao Banxia didn’t answer. Instead, she took a key from her wardrobe drawer and handed it to Tao Ming. “You came for this, didn’t you?”

Tao Ming took the key and saw that it was just a regular security door key, probably for the small house.

When Tao Ming didn’t speak, Tao Banxia said, “Take a look at what the young lady left you first.”

“The young lady?” Tao Ming thought, Surely it’s not that clichéd?

Tao Banxia nodded. “You know, my name is Tao Banxia, but actually, Banxia was given to me by the clan chief. Tao is the young lady’s surname. I was just her maid.”

Tao Ming acknowledged with a hum, thinking how melodramatic this all sounded.

Tao Banxia went on, “The young lady had four close maids: me, Lilac, Cardamom, and Indigo. She took the other three with her and left you in my care. I knew the responsibility was great, so I tried to give you a normal, uneventful life, to avoid arousing suspicion.”

She paused. “Your father doesn’t know about this, and you mustn’t tell him. He’s been truly good to me all these years.”

Tao Ming nodded in silence.

Tao Banxia sighed again. “Go look at what the young lady left you. If you don’t understand something, ask me afterward.”

Throughout the conversation, Nuonuo pretended not to exist, lying motionless on Tao Ming’s left shoulder.

Tao Ming nodded, turning her attention inward to the bundle in her mind, and in an instant, entered the space. She headed straight for the small house and stood before the security door, trembling slightly as she held the key.

Just yesterday, she had been an ordinary person, living a simple life—raising her child, cooking, playing games, taking walks—a life full and content. But now? If she opened this door, she might have to shoulder a heavy truth and never again be able to drift through life as before.