The New Favorite

She remembered how the sky seemed to darken at that moment, everything in her sight turning into a vague, floating white, a void of emptiness. Tears unknowingly began to flow down her cheeks, dripping onto the back of her hand. Xu Ke stood up, slowly entering the elevator. The events of the past six years, suddenly unearthed, overturned all the conclusions she had made, leaving her emotions indescribably complex. Standing in the elevator, she felt dizzy. She came to the ICU, peering inside through the window. Shao Yiping lay quietly on the hospital bed, her frail body still lifeless, like an autumn leaf about to return to its roots. At this moment, Xu Ke only felt a deeper love for her because Shao Yiping had given more over the past twenty-five years than any biological mother could have. Without realizing it, she gripped the keys in her hand. The Rong Mansion, originally left by Shen Xiaoshan for her and her mother, was abandoned without a second thought when Shao Yiping took Xu Ke away years ago. Both were people of principle. Shao Yiping had not married Shen Xiaoshan for his money and did not wish to endure Li Jinghua’s unreasonable behavior and humiliation for the sake of the house. Had Shao Yiping not been ill, Xu Ke might not have accepted the keys. But now, she felt that her pride and dignity were insignificant compared to her mother’s health. There, the mansion offered peace, spaciousness, and fresh air, the perfect place for her mother to recuperate and spend her later years. That was the “home” Shen Xiaoshan had left for Shao Yiping. With these thoughts, Xu Ke left the hospital, hailed a taxi at the entrance, and headed back to the Rong Mansion to transform it into the likeness of their home in L City, so Shao Yiping could enjoy her later years there after leaving the hospital.