The New Favorite

Xu Ke sat numbly on the bench, in a state of being both awake and numb, in a daze. Suddenly, a soft knock came at the door. Xu Ke was startled, got up, and opened the door. Shen Mu stood there, dressed in a very formal suit, as if he had rushed over from a meeting, looking hurried. She never expected him to show up at this moment. For a moment, she was stunned, as if in a dream. “How is Aunt?” “What are you doing here?” They both spoke almost at the same time. Xu Ke’s expression was cold, showing an unmistakable weariness. She was truly weary, of him, of his mother, and if she could, she would leave far away and never see them again. Shen Mu’s eyes were calm, looking at her silently, only letting out a sigh, “Xiao Ke, I’ve asked my mom. The situation is not what you think.” Xu Ke retorted, “Then what is it? After your mom visited, my mom had an attack.” She didn’t know what Li Jinghua had said to her mother during her sudden visit that triggered the episode. Shen Mu pursed his lips, “Xiao Ke, if you don’t believe me, ask your mom when she wakes up.” Xu Ke didn’t want to say more, turned her head, and walked to the corridor. Shen Mu followed silently; the hospital’s unique smell of disinfectant filled the air, creating an atmosphere of oppressive gloom. Outside, it began to rain, a light drizzle, like the sound of a distant piano from memories. She stood silently in front of the corridor, the wind carrying the fresh scent of rain. Suddenly, a coat was draped over her shoulders. She snapped out of her reverie, took off his suit, and handed it back to him. “Shen Mu, Lin Ge and I are getting married on the 5th. I hope you and your mother will not show up again.” He ignored her words, his brows furrowed with a resolute determination, “There’s only one thing in this world that could make me give you up, and that possibility no longer exists.” Her heart jolted, and she couldn’t help but look up at him. What was that possibility? He stared at her firmly, “Six years ago, I wasn’t seeking revenge on you, but rather,” he paused, “I genuinely liked you.” She turned her gaze away, looking at the sycamore trees in the rain. This confession, coming six years too late, carried with it a sense of melancholy and resignation, sounding in her ears like a story from another’s life. She had no words in response, nor the heart to reminisce, only silence. As evening approached, the sky darkened, the rain became denser, as if unveiling a scene of light sorrow from memory. Just then, a nurse opened the door, whispering, “The patient is awake.” Xu Ke and Shen Mu turned together. Xu Ke quickly entered the ward, about to close the door when Shen Mu was already standing behind her at the doorway. He was tall, and Shao Yiping, lying on the bed, was visibly shocked to see him. Xu Ke watched her mother’s expression anxiously, fearing any sign of displeasure or anger; what she feared most was emotional agitation. But Shao Yiping’s face was not what Xu Ke expected; she moved her fingers slightly and softly called, “Shen Mu.” Shen Mu strode over to her bedside, bent down, and held her hand. “Aunt Shao.” A tear suddenly fell from Shao Yiping’s eye, startling Xu Ke. She was taken aback by her mother’s reaction; she thought her mother would not want to see him. Although Shen Mu had not been disrespectful or rude to Shao Yiping back then, he had hurt Xu Ke, and Shao Yiping was once very upset about it. But now, she called him over with such calmness, and after shedding tears, whispered something to him. “Tell your mother, I’m very ill, and I need to see her.” Xu Ke was shocked again, quickly saying, “Mom, you’re not well, you can’t get too emotional.” She could hardly imagine what was going on with her mother today. Was it not because of Li Jinghua’s sudden visit that she fell ill? Was it not due to her stimulation? Why would she want to see her again? Shao Yiping weakly smiled, “It’s okay. Tell her, I don’t have much time left, I must see her.” Xu Ke’s nose tingled, “Mom, you’re talking nonsense, you’ll be fine after the surgery.” “Alright.” Shen Mu stepped outside to make a call. “Mom, she didn’t do anything to you, did she?” Xu Ke whispered when Shen Mu was out of the room. Shao Yiping whispered back, “No.” Xu Ke felt relieved but regretted calling Shen Mu. After a while, Shen Mu returned, “Aunt Shao, my mom says she’ll rush over right away.” Shao Yiping nodded and said to Xu Ke, “Xiao Ke, go home and get some clothes for me.” “Mom, I want to stay here.” “Go, Shen Mu is here.” Xu Ke couldn’t believe her ears; it seemed like her mother had turned into a different person after waking up. “Go on,” Xu Ke had a gut feeling that her mother wanted to send her away to talk with Shen Mu. Since she was in a hospital gown, she didn’t need clothes. Xu Ke felt indescribably uneasy but couldn’t ask directly; given her mother’s condition, she had to be overly compliant. She walked out of the room, but after a few steps, she felt uneasy and immediately returned to the ward door, pushing it open. Sure enough, Shao Yiping was indeed whispering with Shen Mu, but they stopped abruptly when they saw her. Xu Ke felt a pang of sourness in her heart; after all, she was her own daughter, worried sick while her mother was ill, and now that she had woken up, she was eager to talk with Shen Mu instead. These childish complaints, how could she voice them? She could only pick up her bag from the table, close the door in frustration, and hurry back home. Twenty minutes later, she rushed back to see her mother lying there peacefully, which eased her mind. Shao Yiping, seeing her come in, asked weakly, “Shen Mu said you’re getting married? Why didn’t you tell me?” Xu Ke was taken aback and glanced at Shen Mu. He raised an eyebrow, turning his face so only his slightly curved lips were visible. Xu Ke shot him an annoyed look; the usually sharp-tongued man had turned into a gossip. She whispered, “Mom, not for now.” In fact, what she said earlier in the corridor was just to make him give up; with her mother in such a state, she had no mind for marriage. Shen Mu turned back, saying seriously, “You just said the 5th.” Xu Ke glared at him, silently gritting her teeth. Shao Yiping seemed tired, closing her eyes to rest. Xu Ke looked at Shen Mu and whispered, “Why haven’t you left?” Shen Mu whispered back, “I’m staying with you.” “No need,” she said decisively. “I need to,” he replied even more firmly. Xu Ke frowned, not wanting to argue, and sat silently by Shao Yiping’s bedside. Shao Yiping, looking weak and emaciated, lay there quietly, uncertain if she was asleep or not. Half an hour later, there was a gentle knock at the door. Xu Ke’s heart skipped a beat; was it Li Jinghua? Shao Yiping suddenly opened her eyes at the sound of the knock, a strange light flashing in her eyes. Shen Mu got up to open the door. Xu Ke looked towards the entrance, feeling inexplicably nervous. Li Jinghua walked in, followed by a tall, handsome man. He was around twenty-five or six, with lively eyes under thick, dark eyebrows, exuding an aura like the morning sun. Li Jinghua’s gaze first fell on Xu Ke, but it wasn’t the naked hatred of the past. Xu Ke couldn’t describe what that look was, only that it made her feel uncomfortable. She was momentarily at a loss on how to react, filled with confusion and anxiety. She couldn’t fathom why her mother’s first thought upon waking was to see Li Jinghua. Shen Mu helped Li Jinghua approach Shao Yiping. Xu Ke clenched her fists, fearing Li Jinghua might say something hurtful to upset her mother. However, to her surprise, Li Jinghua said softly, “I forgot you have a heart condition.” Her tone was unusually calm, a stark contrast to her usual arrogance. Shao Yiping weakly replied, “Why would you remember something like that?” Li Jinghua nodded, “Take care. This is Yin Wancheng.” Brother-in-law Yin Wancheng knelt down, taking Shao Yiping’s hand, and said politely, “Aunt Shao, my mother said you’re our family’s benefactor. She asked me to take good care of you.” His voice was clear and pleasant, and despite meeting for the first time, there was no awkwardness; his tone was warm and sincere. Shao Yiping looked at Yin Wancheng intently, not saying a word, but Xu Ke was astonished to see tears welling up in her mother’s eyes. Xu Ke quickly stepped forward, wiping away the tears, and asked urgently, “Mom, what’s wrong?” Shao Yiping closed her eyes, seemingly trying to control her emotions, but tears continued to flow. Xu Ke urged, “Mom, don’t get too excited.” Li Jinghua turned to Shen Mu and said, “Wancheng hasn’t eaten yet. You take him and Xiao Ke to eat first. I need to talk with Aunt Shao.” When Li Jinghua called her “Xiao Ke,” Xu Ke didn’t see her expression, but she felt a strange emotion stir within her. Never had she imagined that one day Li Jinghua would address her like that. Xu Ke held Shao Yiping’s hand, whispering, “I’m not hungry.” Shao Yiping opened her eyes, “Go.” Xu Ke was both worried and puzzled; what could her mother possibly have to discuss with Li Jinghua? Would it upset her again? But looking at Li Jinghua’s expression and demeanor, it seemed unlikely there would be any conflict or provocation; she was unusually calm, rational, and even courteous. Seeing Xu Ke hesitate, Shao Yiping nodded slightly, signaling her to relax. “Aunt Shao, I’ll come back later. You and Aunt Li take your time.” Yin Wancheng had stood up. He turned back to Xu Ke with a smile, his dark, bright eyes fixed on her face, his gaze intense with undisguised admiration. Xu Ke had never been stared at so directly before, except by Shen Mu. She felt a bit uncomfortable, picked up her bag, and walked out of the ward. Who was he, and why did her mother react so strongly to seeing him? Her mother only mentioned wanting to see Li Jinghua, so why did Li Jinghua bring this man? Behind her, there were steady footsteps, unhurried. Those were Shen Mu’s steps; back then, when she lived in the room next to his, on countless nights, she listened to those footsteps in the corridor, as if they were the most beautiful echoes in the night. She left the hospital, found a street vendor near the hospital gate, and sat down. The evening in May was just right, neither hot nor cold, and the street vendor’s business was brisk. Yin Wancheng looked around and said to Shen Mu, “Brother-in-law, you’re not cut out for places like this, right? I remember you have a thing about cleanliness.” Xu Ke was suddenly startled; brother-in-law? Shen Mu quickly glanced at Xu Ke, frowning at Yin Wancheng, “Why haven’t you changed how you address me?” Yin Wancheng chuckled, “Old habits die hard.” Xu Ke looked at Shen Mu, his face slightly awkward, explaining, “He’s Zhang Wanruo’s brother.” Xu Ke was surprised again and couldn’t help asking, “Then why do you have the surname Yin?” Yin Wancheng pouted in dissatisfaction, “Well, in our family, daughters take the mother’s surname, only sons take the father’s.”