The New Favorite

Entering the house, Shao Yiping washed her hands and poured a cup of tea for Xu Ke. Looking at the first flush of tea, Xu Ke felt a twinge in her heart; her mother hadn’t noticed her preferences, whereas he… “Mom, Lin Ge gave me thirty thousand, and I’ve saved about sixty to seventy thousand myself, which should be enough for a down payment. I plan to finalize the purchase during the May Day holiday. The city center is now nine thousand per square meter. Even in the suburbs, the cheapest is over six thousand. If we delay any longer, we won’t be able to afford it.” Shao Yiping immediately became serious, “Are you buying a house with Lin Ge?” “Yes.” “That’s not good.” “Why?” “You two aren’t married yet. What if something happens in the future, what about the house?” Xu Ke laughed, “Mom, Lin Ge and I won’t have any ‘what ifs’. He treats me very well and is even more eager to get married than I am.” Shao Yiping was anxious, “Child, you can’t let emotions cloud your judgment. Have you forgotten the lessons from before?” Xu Ke felt a pang in her heart and fell silent. Shao Yiping didn’t want to bring up Shen Mu to upset her daughter, but she felt compelled to remind her. “In this world, what changes the most is the human heart, and what’s hardest to see through is also the human heart.” Xu Ke quietly bowed her head, memories flooding back. Six years ago, she learned how unpredictable and ungraspable the human heart could be, capable of killing without leaving a trace. But Lin Ge was not Shen Mu. “Mom, Lin Ge has given me all his savings, showing he trusts me. If I don’t trust him, it’s not fair to him.” Shao Yiping sighed, went into the inner room, and came back with a bankbook. “Use this money, give his money back to him.” Xu Ke was astonished to see the thirty-two thousand on the bankbook, “Mom, where did you get this money?” “It’s from what you’ve given me over the past two years, plus my pension.” “Mom,” Xu Ke’s voice choked, “I told you to buy supplements to take care of yourself, but you…” She couldn’t go on, overcome with emotion. Shao Yiping’s health had been poor since Shen Xiaoshan passed away. “Silly child, I eat what I grow, pure, organic food. Why would I need supplements? When you get pregnant, you must come back for the first three months. I don’t trust the vegetables sold outside, full of pesticides and hormones. I’ll take care of you personally, ensuring you have a healthy, chubby baby.” Xu Ke blushed, “Mom, you always change the subject.” “Little Ke, listen to your mom, always leave yourself an escape route. This house, you must buy it with your own money, and put it in your name. Promise me.” “Okay.” “Marriage isn’t just about two people, it involves two families. Some things must be clearly divided, or else they become the fuse for family conflicts. Especially with Lin Ge’s mother and sister, they value money very much, so you need to be particularly cautious.” Xu Ke nodded. Shao Yiping ruffled her daughter’s hair, “You’re too straightforward.” Xu Ke smiled, “I take after you.” Shao Yiping smiled back, though a twinge of pain crossed her heart. Seeing her mother in a good mood, Xu Ke hesitated before softly saying, “Mom, there’s something here that Uncle Shen left for you.” Shao Yiping froze, her expression changing. “What, what is it?” she asked with difficulty. Xu Ke took a small box from her bag and handed it to her mother. Shao Yiping’s fingers trembled slightly as she opened the box and stared at the card inside for a long time, speechless. Seeing her mother’s expression, Xu Ke’s nose tingled. Shao Yiping handed the card back to Xu Ke with a heavy sigh. “This isn’t written by Shen Xiaoshan.” Xu Ke was surprised, “It’s not?” Shao Yiping shook her head, “The handwriting is indeed very similar.”