In the golden October, a gentle breeze carried the sunlight that shimmered on the metal plaque beside the prison gate.

The heavy iron doors slowly creaked open. He Yining stepped out, a bag slung over her shoulder, holding the hands of her two children. Standing outside the prison walls, she gazed at the vast blue sky, breathing in the air of freedom, and exhaled softly—*Finally, I'm out.*

"Yining, now that you're free, live well with these two little ones," said Warden Jiang Qiu, gently patting the children’s heads. "Tian'en, Tiance, promise me you'll be good and listen to your mom, okay?"

"Warden Jiang, all these years... thank you for your kindness. Please accept my deepest gratitude—" He Yining began to kneel, and the two children instinctively moved to follow.

Jiang Qiu quickly caught her arm. "What are you doing? I’m Tian'en and Tiance’s godmother, after all."

He Yining nodded solemnly. "Warden Jiang, words can’t express my debt to you. If you ever need anything from me in the future, I’d go through fire and water without hesitation." Her voice was fierce with conviction, and Jiang Qiu couldn’t help but chuckle. "Alright, enough of that. Go on now—and remember, don’t look back once you leave. It’s bad luck, understand?"

Tian'en pressed a soft kiss on Jiang Qiu’s cheek. Born under harsh conditions—and with He Yining unaware she was carrying twins—Tian'en had always been frailer than Tiance. Even now, she still hadn’t spoken a word.

After saying their goodbyes, He Yining led the children forward, step by step. *The outside world... it’s been so long.*

Originally sentenced to six years, she had been released half a year early due to two major acts of merit.

Twenty minutes of walking brought them to the main road, but car after car sped past without stopping. Most of the people waiting here were ex-convicts, and drivers avoided them like bad omens.

"Sorry, my darlings... we might have to walk a little longer." He Yining glanced at Tian'en. Despite the autumn chill, the sun still bore down warmly. She bent down, hoisting the girl onto her back while keeping a firm grip on Tiance’s hand.

For the children, everything beyond the prison walls was a wonder—every sight, every sound, utterly new.

After navigating twists and turns, they finally found the bus stop. Though the city had changed drastically in five years, the way home was still etched in her memory.

The bus was sparsely occupied, but the moment they boarded, nearby passengers instinctively covered their noses. He Yining quietly guided the children to the very back, holding their hands tightly. *I swear,* she thought, *I’ll give them the life they deserve.*

She had never imagined her children would be born behind bars, forced to endure hardship from their first breath. Yet she also knew—her babies would grow to be the strongest of them all.

"Mom, I'll take care of you and little sister from now on, don't worry..." Tianci spoke with an air of maturity beyond his years. The harsh circumstances had forced him to grow up quickly, his intelligence shining through in a way that belied his tender age of five.

Tian'en pressed her face against the car window, her eyes wide with wonder as the bustling cityscape unfolded before her. Towering skyscrapers pierced the clouds, while vibrant flowers dotted the urban greenery. Though she couldn't speak, the faint dimples that appeared when she smiled betrayed her excitement.

He Yining fell into deep thought. Why hadn't her parents visited her in prison all these years?

For over five years, she'd clung to thoughts of them like a lifeline. Thank goodness she'd kept the children - these two little souls had given her the strength to endure those interminable prison days.

After transferring buses twice, they finally arrived at the house she'd called home before her incarceration. The three-story villa with its quaint little garden stood just as she remembered. Her father had designed it himself, and her mother had planted every flower in that yard - now grown wild and lush. So many precious memories with Yiheng lingered in this place.

"Mom, is this our home?" Tianci gazed at the beautiful house, unable to contain his curiosity.

Yining wasn't sure if her parents still lived here. If they'd remained in City A, they would have visited her in prison - wouldn't they?

"Stay here with your sister, sweetheart. Mommy's going to check." She set Tian'en down and guided both children to a corner of the garden before approaching the house alone.

Returning here overwhelmed her with emotion. The peach tree she'd planted six years ago now stood tall and strong. The old swing still hung beside it, as if waiting for the girl who used to laugh there to come back.

Taking a deep breath, she rang the doorbell. Moments later, a stranger answered, eyeing her up and down with a frown. "Who are you looking for?" came the brusque question.

The sight of this unfamiliar face confirmed her parents had moved. Still, hope flickered. "Excuse me, do you know He Anguo who used to live here?"

"Never heard of him. Wrong address. Go beg somewhere else—"

The door slammed shut before she could utter another word, as though she carried some contagious disease. The old Yining would never have tolerated such treatment, but prison had stripped away all her pride.

Where had her parents and Yiheng gone? Why had they abandoned her all these years? With all those debts back then, they must have sold this house. What else had happened after she went to prison?

"Mom, are Grandma and Grandpa home?" Tianci approached cautiously, still holding Tian'en's hand.

"Son, I'm sorry... Grandpa and the others might have moved away. Let's go..." He Yining's heart ached with guilt toward her two children.

Unable to resist, she turned for one last look at what was once her happiest paradise. Goodbye.

She refused to accept this defeat. She couldn't believe her parents would be so cruel—something must have happened to prevent them from visiting. With this conviction, she brought the children to her aunt Wen Ruli's house.

Before they even reached the door, distant shouts of argument reached them, followed by the sound of objects being smashed. The situation seemed explosive enough to rival the Warring States period, making He Yining pause instinctively.

Having witnessed countless prison fights, Tianci and Tian'en stood calmly by their mother's side, waiting patiently.

After about ten minutes, the commotion inside finally subsided. Fearing the children might get caught in the crossfire, He Yining had them stand at a safe distance before approaching to knock.

"Who is it?" Wen Ruli's irritable voice carried through the door, her mood clearly foul.

"Auntie..." He Yining called softly. The woman before her bore little resemblance to the kind aunt from her memories. Clearly, life hadn't been kind to them either.

Wen Ruli's eyebrows shot up in surprise. After a long pause, she finally said, "Yining? Weren't you sentenced to six years? How are you out already?"

"You damn bitch! Hand over the money or I'll chop your legs off—" A vase came flying through the air, which He Yining dodged with practiced ease. Her years in prison had trained her well for such situations, honing her reflexes to razor sharpness.

Wen Ruli burst into tears, shoving He Yining away. "This is all your fault! If not for your father, our family wouldn't have ended up like this. What a curse!" Ma Dachao had once prospered under He Anguo's patronage, but after the He family's downfall, he'd gradually succumbed to drug addiction.

How could this possibly be her father's fault? When the He family thrived, they'd all benefited. Though in such circumstances, not being kicked while down was perhaps the best one could hope for.

"Auntie, I just wanted to ask—do you know where my parents moved to?"

"So it's you, Yining! Got any money? Lend me some to save my life!" Ma Dachao's alcohol-laden breath made He Yining wrinkle her nose. Fresh out of prison, what money could she possibly have?

"Uncle, I'm sorry, I don't have anything. Auntie, please just tell me where my parents went?" He Yining kept her voice low, pleading eyes fixed on Wen Ruli, hoping for any scrap of information.