Zhou Yuqian had stopped moving the moment she first called out. He knew better than anyone that Xiaohui’s mother would not let her leave with him. Xiaohui was counting on this, using it to reconcile with her mother. He glanced down at Xiaohui; perhaps afraid of his reproach, she hid her face, but her legs were sliding down, trying to escape his embrace. He found her small movements amusing but knew this was not the time for laughter. He set her down, watching her walk to the bedside.
“Mom!” She stood in the backlight, her tear-streaked face evoking pity, but her mind was on how Zhou Yuqian must be resenting her for using him. She dared not look over, feeling as if eyes were trying to kill her with their gaze, so she leaned over the bed, embracing her mother to avoid those piercing looks. “Mom, I know I was wrong. I’ll leave him right away?”
Even the usually calm Zhou Yuqian now had a headache, touching his forehead in dismay. This person could indeed read the situation; she was ready to sell him out completely, forgetting how just days ago she had talked about spending the New Year together and even asked him to accompany her to buy cigarettes in the morning. Lai Ruying couldn’t hug her back but was comforted by her return. The initial shock of her daughter’s words was temporarily set aside; her eyes, cloudy before, suddenly sparkled with life. “Xiaohui, leaving him is right. A man who’s not loyal to the first won’t be loyal to the second!”
Zhou Yuqian clenched his fists, feeling as if he had endured all the humiliation of his life. He bit his thin lips, restraining himself from any outburst. He didn’t understand why he was still here, kicked aside by his own person to please her mother, and then judged by her. Especially with Xie Jiayi staring at him so openly. Forget it, he thought, who made him owe her. “I understand!” Xiaohui agreed to everything at this moment; this was the wisdom she had gained from years of dealing with Zhou Yuqian. Although he knew it was a temporary measure, Zhou Yuqian still felt a prick in his heart. He turned away, no longer willing to witness this “touching” scene of filial piety.
“Understood, Jiayi, come here!” Lai Ruying’s eyes then turned to Jiayi. As Jiayi approached, she said, “I watched you two grow up together. Whether you end up together or not, consider this a request from Auntie. Whether as friends, brothers, or husbands, I hope you will care for Xiaohui without any reservations, help her, and look after her. Can you do that?” she said lovingly.
Jiayi, of course, seized the opportunity, agreeing without hesitation and promising, “Rest assured, I will take good care of her!” Xiaohui felt awkward; she knew this was her mother’s intention to make both her and Zhou Yuqian give up, and also to save face. Her mother wanted to show Zhou Yuqian that he meant nothing to her daughter. Why make things so difficult? Zhou Yuqian could never love her; at most, he felt reluctant to let go, she thought with sorrow. She glanced at Zhou Yuqian, who was also looking at her, his face as cold as ice with accumulated anger. She lowered her head in sadness, but just a fleeting moment of guilt. When she looked up again, she only caught a glimpse of Zhou Yuqian’s departing back. She almost impulsively chased after him, but her feet felt glued to the floor. Selfishly, she thought, he came on his own; he wouldn’t leave until the matter was resolved.
Feeling reassured, she turned back to chat pleasantly with her mother, as if the storm had passed, until Lai Ruying said something that broke the calm — “I’ve been dreaming about your grandma these past few nights, Xiaohui. When can we go back to see her? I miss her so much these days.” Her tears flowed freely, leaving bright trails down her face. The words that followed were barely heard — “In my dreams, your grandma asks why I’m always barefoot. Could you get me a pair of cloth shoes if you have the time?”
“Yes, I know you want the ones with black cloth and white soles, cut from your pattern, sewn with your stitches, right? Mom—” Xiaohui finally burst into tears, remembering how long it had been since her mother wore shoes. The pain had worn her down, and Xiaohui was overwhelmed with heartache, trying to comfort herself with reassurances. “Not just shoes, I’ve also knitted you a sweater; the sleeves just need to be attached, and you can wear it. I’ll bring it over along with the shoes later, but Mom, you need to gain some weight; I’ve made the sweater a bit large, and you’ll look too thin in it…”
Lai Ruying’s sallow face lit up with a smile, like a solitary flower blooming on a barren tree, startling Xie Jiayi. “Alright, I’ll eat more. For dinner, I want braised pork, Xiao Yu, could you go buy some for Auntie? Xiaohui, Jiayi, you can leave now, I’m tired and want to rest.”
She had her last meal of braised pork, prepared by several chefs from Ouyang, ordered by Zhou Yuqian, who had waited outside. The meat was glistening red, the fat tender and melting in the mouth. Xiao Yu said Auntie kept saying it was good, but when asked if she wanted more, she said no.
That night, Lai Ruying passed away due to a brain hemorrhage, at the age of fifty-one.
