The New Favorite

At this moment, her mind was in turmoil, and she couldn’t muster any enthusiasm for anything. She was only accompanying him for dinner out of gratitude for him looking after Shao Yiping over the past couple of days. She had no interest in his secret. So, she softly uttered just two words, “No need to change.” “This secret involves you too. Are you sure you don’t want to change your mind?” Xu Ke lifted her eyes from her wine glass to look at him. His expression was serious, not like he was joking. Curiosity eventually got the better of her, and she said, “Alright, tell me then.” Yin Wancheng extended his pinky finger, “Come on, let’s make a promise.” This action was so childish that Xu Ke couldn’t help but smile, hooking her finger with his, then lifting her wine glass for a small sip. Tonight, for some unknown reason, she felt an urge to drink, to get drunk. “When I was very young, I knew I wasn’t my mother’s biological child.” Xu Ke nearly choked on her wine, lifting her head abruptly to look at Yin Wancheng. He was smiling gently, looking relaxed as if recounting someone else’s story. “I was quite mischievous when I was young, but the family discipline was strict. Once, after getting injured in a fight, I was too scared to tell my family and secretly went to the hospital. While getting a blood transfusion, I casually asked about my blood type.” He picked up his glass, took a sip, and sighed, “After that, I stopped being mischievous, became very obedient, and was very filial to my mom. I studied hard, went abroad for further studies, and after my studies, I followed my mom’s advice to come back and manage the business.” “Who is Aunt Shao? I don’t know, but my mom asked me to take care of her, so here I am. Just one look at you, and I knew who she was.” Xu Ke’s eyes widened in surprise, her heart beginning to feel uneasy. He raised his eyebrows, “How old are you?” Xu Ke stared at him, her voice sounding distant as if it wasn’t her own, “25.” Yin Wancheng smiled, “Oh, I’m 25 too.” Xu Ke’s heart started pounding. “My birthday is June 12, what about you?” “Mine is also June 12.” He laughed as if he wasn’t surprised at all, “I won’t ask about the exact time, just consider yourself my younger sister.” Xu Ke felt her head spinning, “You’re talking nonsense, making wild guesses. I, I need to ask my mom.” “Don’t you find it odd? My mom suddenly asked me to look after a benefactor I’ve never heard of, and your mom, when she saw me, was so excited and didn’t reject me, a stranger, at all.” “And, you look so much like my second sister. But you’re even prettier than her. She has thorns, while you’re shrouded in mist.” Xu Ke felt her heart might leap out of her throat. Her hand holding the cup was trembling, the wine inside slightly swaying. She refused to believe that Shao Yiping wasn’t her biological mother because Shao Yiping’s love was something rare among the many mothers she had seen, caring for her meticulously from childhood, never raising her voice in anger. Even when she learned Xu Ke had lost her virginity to Shen Mu, she didn’t blame her but took all the responsibility onto herself and Shen Mu. However, Xu Ke knew if she hadn’t been so infatuated with Shen Mu, how could he have had the chance to take revenge? This was also why she no longer hated him years later; everything has its cause and effect. She had planted the seed of infatuation first, so she reaped the fruit of deceit. From then on, she protected herself with self-isolation, not to fall in love, thus not to feel the pain of heartbreak. Yin Wancheng lightly smiled, lifting his cup to clink with hers, “Here’s to our same birthday, cheers.” Xu Ke’s fingers holding the cup trembled slightly. She had lost all interest in drinking, with Yin Wancheng’s terrible guesses taking root in her mind, growing and branching out uncontrollably. His ease made her even more anxious; she had never seen someone speak so casually about their own mysterious origin. Should she believe him or not? This half-belief, half-doubt torment was even more painful. “I think you’re overthinking. There are many people who look alike in this world.” She couldn’t help but raise her voice, speaking to him, or perhaps to herself. But recalling the moment she first saw Zhang Wanruo, she was also shocked by the similarity in their eyes. Yin Wancheng nodded, squinting with a bright smile, “I hope so.” This casual “I hope so” stirred up a thousand waves in her already tumultuous heart, like a small boat capsizing in the storm, offering no help at all. She began to speculate involuntarily; her heart was now in complete chaos. Yin Wancheng propped up his chin with a smile, “Now, it’s time to talk about your secret. Why do you like Lin Ge?” His question was so direct and abrupt, forcibly twisting her chaotic thoughts to another extreme. Why did she like him? She had never really thought about this question. Back then, trapped in the pain inflicted by Shen Mu, she resisted love, was afraid, had no confidence in herself, and was isolated and lonely. Among many suitors, Lin Ge was the one who silently waited, the last one standing, and the most unassuming. It was this very simplicity that gave her a sense of security, allowing her to slowly accept him and gradually heal her wounds. She had reflected on her love for Shen Mu, considering it an unattainable, delusional infatuation, which led to her downfall. Her relationship with Lin Ge was like a calm stream, clear like the moon, peaceful and serene, something she believed could last long. Her love affair with Shen Mu was tumultuous, with highs and lows, seemingly draining all her emotional energy and vitality. She felt she had no strength for another three-year-long unrequited love, from darkness to light, then back to hell. She was content with the calm life with Lin Ge, but she hadn’t anticipated another twist in her life. She remained silent, unable to give Yin Wancheng an answer; he was just a stranger, unaware of her past, and thus couldn’t understand her choice. What significance would knowing this secret hold for him? Yin Wancheng clinked his glass against hers again, feigning displeasure, “Hey, I told you my secret, and you haven’t said yours. That’s not fair; we made a pinky promise.” Xu Ke took a small sip of wine, paused, and then softly said, “I like his ordinary steadiness; it makes me feel at ease. There’s a saying, ‘In the stillness of time, the present is secure,’ that’s how I feel.” Yin Wancheng suddenly frowned, “Why do you feel inferior?” Inferior? Xu Ke was taken aback, lifting her gaze. She had never realized she felt inferior.