The New Favorite

The taxi stopped by the outer wall of the villa area. Xu Ke got out. The night in May was cool, the air carrying a faint scent of roses. She entered the Rong Mansion, standing before the Shen family’s door, took out the keys, and opened the iron gate. The lights on the wall cast a soft, pale glow, and the lawn was as smooth as a carpet. Beyond the lawn, the large house lay quietly in the night, like a ship anchored in a harbor. Xu Ke walked along the pebble path through the lawn. The lanterns under the corridor, which her mother had once casually mentioned liking, were installed by Shen Xiaoshan himself. Xu Ke had never really understood why Shen Xiaoshan was so fond of her mother. When she asked Shao Yiping, she only smiled. A few days ago, she had been here with Shen Mu, but she didn’t pay much attention then. Now, as she walked, she turned on all the lights in the house, stirring memories from their slumber. The house was different from six years ago, though she couldn’t pinpoint exactly what had changed. Xu Ke slowly ascended to the second floor, stopping in front of her old room. Hesitating for a moment, she gently pushed open the door. The room was empty; she had taken all her belongings when she left. A few magazines lay deserted on the bookcase, now yellowed. She picked one up, flipping through it. At that time, the TV was showing “The Return of the Condor Heroes,” and the magazine was filled with photos of Yang Guo and Xiaolongnü. She remembered discussing Yang Guo’s sixteen-year wait with Mo Xiaoxiao, filled with admiration and envy. What did Shen Mu say back then? He seemed to say nothing, just gave them a scornful look, hands in his pockets, and hummed, “Little girls, so easy to deceive.” Yet, he watched too. Suddenly, her nose tingled, and she gently put the magazine down. Some things, he too cherished in his heart. Over the past six years, the one who had suffered the most wasn’t her, but him. While she harbored only resentment, he bore a heavy psychological burden, a misunderstanding that was a terrible nightmare for him. She couldn’t imagine how he had endured those years. Scenes of their recent encounters flashed before her eyes; he was thinner, more profound, his actions more inscrutable, like the deep sea in the dark night where even the tumultuous currents and crashing waves were hidden beneath the cloak of night, unknown to others. She opened the window, standing on the balcony, taking a long breath of the fresh air to dilute the bitterness in her heart. Why did Shen Xiaoshan say those things? Perhaps because he knew Li Jinghua too well, anticipating her unrest after his death, he entrusted her care to Shen Mu, hoping he would look after her well. If she was doing well, naturally, Shao Yiping would also have a good life. Such were the deep, practical emotions of middle-aged people, yet he hadn’t anticipated such a misunderstanding, his well-intentioned plans going awry. She sighed in sorrow.