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The shuttle bus back to the military base ran only once in the morning and once in the evening, aligning with work commutes—departing at eight in the morning and returning at five-forty in the evening.

After parting with her colleagues, He Zhilan walked alone, carrying her belongings towards the shuttle’s stop.

Gu En’s mother had arrived in the army vehicle that morning, but Lan Li drove her back in the afternoon.

In the car, Gu En’s mother quietly inquired about Lan Li’s life in the S Province military camp. Lan Li, though not talkative, was nonetheless willing to answer any questions posed by her aunt.

Their conversation proceeded with questions and answers, yet, as if by tacit agreement, neither mentioned Gu En at the time.

Driving, Lan Li’s eyes fixed ahead, she was surprised to notice a familiar figure in front of her.

The figure was carrying quite a few items. Lan Li honked the horn, intending to draw He Zhilan’s attention.

She was about to drive Gu En’s mother back to the base and could offer He Zhilan a ride as well.

But the person ahead did not turn around at all, continuing on with her head bowed until she reached a trash bin and then stopped.

"What’s going on?" Gu En’s mother asked, seeing Lan Li staring at something.

"That seems to be He Teng’s wife He Zhilan in front, right?" Lan Li thought she might have mistaken someone else, as it was only a back view after all.

"Yes," Gu En’s mother confirmed, her tone sure, "I saw her at the mall this morning, but for some reason, she looked at me as if I were a stranger, pretending to not recognize me or your mother so convincingly, claiming she didn’t know us."

"Doesn’t recognize?" Lan Li frowned slightly, falling silent, and slowly brought the car to a halt. Just as she was about to call out to her, she saw He Zhilan suddenly crouching down by the pile of trash, hugging her load.

"What is she doing?" Gu En’s mother exclaimed in shock.

The two of them stopped talking and sat in the car, both fixing their gaze on He Zhilan a few meters away.

They saw He Zhilan squat, empty all the contents of her bag, and then toss each unwrapped toy into the trash heap. After discarding everything, she stood up and remained in that standing position, motionless.

"He Zhilan," Gu En’s mother stuck her head out and called.

The person over there didn’t move at all, as if she hadn’t heard anything, standing with her back to them, staring at the pile of trash, lost in thought.

Lan Li stepped out of the car and walked briskly toward He Zhilan.

Yet before Lan Li could reach her, He Zhilan suddenly moved, stepping away from the trash pile, walking straight ahead, passing by Lan Li without even a glance.

It seemed as though Lan Li’s presence did not surprise her at all, or perhaps in her eyes, it was as if she did not see Lan Li, allowing her to pass by expressionlessly and walk out of sight.

Lan Li frowned, seeing He Zhilan walk far away. He had no desire to unwelcomingly chase after her, so he just got back in the car.

"Auntie, doesn’t He Zhilan seem a bit strange?" Lan Li asked.

"You also think she’s acting strange, right?

" Gu En’s mother spoke, "Just now at the mall when your mother and I saw her, she seemed to be talking with her friends about some child.

Then, when she saw your mother and me, she had the same expressionless face, as if looking at strangers, as if gazing into empty air. "