Yan hope asked her if she wanted it, but Aheng shook her head and said that she couldn't be willful and place all her hopes on a lamp; it was too light and she couldn't bear it.
Yan hope joked, "Then make a wish on me, and I'll be your Santa Claus, responsible for filling your stockings."
Ah Heng thought for a moment, then burst out laughing. She said, "You'll suffocate from your socks."
She couldn't imagine the scene of Yan hope being inside a stocking; it was just too ridiculous.
But these are exactly what she wants.
Yan hope had already bought his return ticket before coming; his flight was at 10 PM. He watched Aheng finish her apple before kissing her cheek and saying Merry Christmas. His smile revealed his pearly white teeth. He said, "Baby, I really came to spend Christmas Eve with you. I want you to be safe and sound forever. But, you know, it's really hard for a man to admit this."
He looked at her tenderly and affectionately, telling her to eat well. Oh, and please tell Yun for me thank you.
He turned around, waved his gloves, and left with a flourish.
Ah Heng watched his retreating figure until it disappeared into the mist.
This time, it seemed to be the last time she saw his back completely, her Mr. Yan, not a stranger named Yan Xi.
******************************** Divider ****************************
Ah Heng was rushing back to cook for Yun, but several of the streetlights on that road were broken, making it quite dark at night.
As Aheng walked toward the residential compound where Yun lived, it was pitch black, and he saw a tall, thin figure dressed very thinly under the dim streetlights.
Ah Heng walked over and realized it was Yun.
His lips were white from the cold, and his face looked terrible under the streetlights.
Ah Heng was taken aback and became anxious—what are you doing standing here in this cold weather!
The boy, his eyes filled with lingering mist, slowly said, "I'm waiting for you."
Ah Heng was furious. "How long have you been standing here?"
Holding his hand, it was ice-cold.
He pulled his hand away from hers and spoke softly—Wen Heng, if you want to relieve your conscience by being nice to me, besides money, you should also act more convincingly.
He lowered his head, grasped her chin, and bit down hard on her lips.
His eyes were cold and mocking, devoid of their usual gentleness and nonchalance. He said, "Rich people, they're really something."
She and he stood on opposite sides of the streetlights, confronting each other like enemies.
Ah Heng pushed him away, wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth where he had bitten her, and spoke calmly, her eyes clear—"Speak. Say everything you want to say at once."
Then, she took off her down jacket and threw it to him.
Yun had been standing in the snowy night for who knows how long, his lips stained with the snow. He smiled slightly and said it was nothing. Yan Xi paid me 300,000 yuan to accompany you. Originally, I thought this deal was no big deal, as long as I could tolerate your hypocrisy. But now, I realize that I have lost out big time. I can't stand you. I feel disgusted when I see you smile at me.
Then, with his slender hands, he gently waved the down jacket that had been wrapped around him a moment ago onto the snow, his gaze falling on the dirty dust.
He said, "Is it fun to treat others like toys?" Yan hope said, "You miss me a lot, but do you really miss me, or are you just trying to show your kindness and compassion to your sweetheart?"
Suddenly, the boy exhaled and spoke softly—Wen Heng, how much do you miss your younger brother whom you've been hiding from for five years?
Just how deep must the longing be for someone to only meet once every five years? If Yan hope hadn't given me the money, hadn't asked me to come see you, you probably would have spent your whole life simply "longing" for someone named Yun Zai, right?
I never intended to see you, much less spend time with you. Although you rich people want to play games, the terms are clearly unfair. If Wen Heng wants to continue pretending to be kind in front of your sweetheart, it would be more appropriate to add some more money. What do you think?
With that mocking look, those insightful, smiling eyes, they looked at Aheng.
It was like the Buddha's disdainful gaze upon the world.
Ah Heng slapped the boy hard across the left cheek.
The clouds were incredulous, frozen in place.
He bent down, picked up the down jacket, patted off the snow, put it on, and turned to leave.
She had her back to him, her voice inscrutable—"If it weren't for your health, you wouldn't have received this slap. Those who are confused, those who have been corrupted by chanting scriptures, wait until you've thought things through and understood them before speaking."
Yun's eyes welled up with tears, but she smiled calmly—Wen Heng, what right do you have to hit me, based on your surname Wen, or the blood flowing in your veins?
She stopped, feeling dizzy and lightheaded, her blood rushing to her head, but she gritted her teeth and controlled herself—no one but an animal would do something like sibling rivalry!
Her words were extremely harsh, sharper than ever before; her eyes were red as if stained with blood, and her heart trembled with cold.
She stood in the public phone booth, staring at the ten digits, her fingertips growing cold, her eyes barely able to see the snow outside.
She said, "Mom, I have a question for you."
The voice seemed to come from beyond the heavens, desolate and hoarse.
Wen's mother was startled. "Aheng, what's wrong? It's Christmas Eve today. Did you eat an apple?"
Ah Heng interrupted her, "Mom, what happened to the Yun family during the two years I was away?"
Although she would call the hospital regularly, the hospital wouldn't provide a detailed account of the patient's condition; all she knew was a general overview. From his hospitalization to his discharge, she meticulously recorded each step in her diary.
Mother Wen paused, then said it was nothing, just that their son had surgery, and the success rate was less than 40%. They wanted to see you. At first, they wrote a letter, then they asked someone to bring a sack of dried bamboo shoots when they came to Beijing, saying they were homemade and wanted us to try them. They were hoping you could spare some time to see their son; the boy missed you. I thought asking you wouldn't be of any use, and besides, your grandfather is a quiet person and calling every few days would be annoying, so I refused. However, I did call the Southern Military Region Hospital and asked them to look after him. Later, his surgery was successful, and now that sack of dried bamboo shoots is almost moldy at home and nobody eats them…
Ah Heng spoke softly, her voice trembling, her eyes unfocused as she watched the swirling snowflakes outside the pavilion. A faint, fleeting smile played on her lips—"Mom, did you really ever consider me your child? Do you know how much I love you? I often feel that you are the most beautiful and youngest mother in the world. When I first saw you, I kept thinking, how could you be so beautiful? How could I possibly be your daughter? But why, every time I cautiously try to get closer to you, do you always push me away with an excuse I can't refuse?"
Her voice was very soft, but tears kept welling up in her eyes.
Mom, if you had ever loved me even for a single second, like I love you even a fraction of the love I have for you, if you could have worried and been saddened by my unhappiness as I do, would you have ever thought of me even a little? The son of the Yun family you spoke of—he's not a handful of lowly dust. Perhaps in your eyes he's worth less than the dried bamboo shoots my parents spent countless days and nights making. Yet, your own daughter is the sister of this handful of lowly dust, and even in our small rural town, I'm less valuable than him, simply because he's a boy! Just as Siwan would fight to the death to protect Er'er, I would also cry and grieve for this child who is so insignificant in your eyes, and abandon the home I once had. Mom, if you had ever truly loved me…
If you have ever truly loved such a humble child...
She put down the microphone and walked in the snow, the balloon in her left hand long since lost.
The microphone was in an absurd upside-down position, the dangling telephone cord seemingly unable to bear the weight, and faintly, the sorrowful voice of "Aheng" could be heard calling out.
Ah Heng. Ah Heng.
Aheng didn't know how she got back to her dorm room. Then, she took off her clothes and huddled under the covers. At first, it was very cold, but later it became very hot, and eventually, her consciousness faded.
When I woke up, it was already noon the next day.
Touching her forehead, it was burning hot. Seeing that Aheng had woken up, the eldest sister, Wuying, worriedly touched her forehead with her own—"She has a high fever, should we go to the hospital?"
Ah Heng nodded and said okay, but his voice was incredibly hoarse, and his tonsils seemed to be inflamed as well.
Xiao Wu shook his head. "No, if we go, Aheng will have to be quarantined for a month. Let's go to the lab to get some medicine, and then we can give her an injection when we get back. It won't be more than 38 degrees Celsius, right?"
Xiao Si pulled the thermometer out from under A Heng's armpit, looked at it, squinted, and read 38.7 degrees Celsius.
The mistress is acting recklessly and making a scene. We're just a bunch of half-baked people, and the kid's eyes are bloodshot from worry. If anything happens to him, will you compensate us?
Wuying frowned, wrapped Aheng in a coat, and said, "Alright, that's enough. Let's split up. Xiao Si, inform the counselor and get a leave slip. Xiao San and I will take Aheng to the hospital. Xiao Wu, ask Professor Deng, who is teaching pathology today, for leave."
Since Aheng had a high fever, going to the school hospital would inevitably mean staying in the fever clinic ward, then being isolated, treated, having her temperature taken, and being observed.
Every time Xiao Wu saw her, it was through the iron bars, like visiting someone in prison. He would grab her hand, wipe away tears, and say, "Aheng, when are you coming back?" She would wipe away more tears and say, "Aheng, if you don't come back, what am I going to do for my final exams? Who will I copy from?" She would wipe away more tears and say, "Aheng, should I talk to your husband and ask him to come see you?"
Ah Heng said if he calls the dorm, you should tell him to go die.
Xiao Wu = =, could it be that your wife can't satisfy your desires, and your lust is rising and burning fiercely, which is why it's all burning up...
The child pulled back his hand, which had become withered from the terrible food at the hospital, looked up at the sky, and said, "Go to hell too."
Xiao Wu said, "No, if I die, who will bring you jelly or candy? I just bought these yesterday. Here you go."
Ah Heng glanced around furtively. Seeing that no doctor was watching, she wrapped herself in her hospital gown, pretended to have a stomachache, and tiptoed back to her ward.
She burrowed her head back under the covers, turned on the flashlight, and instantly pouted, "Fifth Sister, I want a pearl bar, not a butter stick! I hate butter candy!" TOT
The child was feeling down when the doctor at the hospital said that someone was looking for number 53.
Ah Heng lifted the covers and looked at the bed number; sure enough, she was number fifty-three.
I got out of bed, put on my slippers, and obediently followed the doctor to the meeting. On the way, I ran into a familiar classmate. "How long have you been staying here?" "Twenty-three days and eight hours." "I'm envious. You must be leaving soon." "Yes, sigh, you've finally made it through. What about you?" "Oh, I can't. I still have fifteen days and four hours to go."
So, if you replace "days" with "years" and "hours" with "months," it might sound better, cough, more familiar, and more like a prison. ╮(╯_╰)╭
Ah Heng, dressed in a hospital gown, walked to the iron railing and glanced at it. A rare guest, Yun Zai.
Yun smiled and said, "You're really something. Your roommates are all scolding me, saying that you got a fever of 39 because I cooked for you. But I'm a heartless little brat who hasn't even met you, my older sister. So, may I ask, what are your instructions, sister?"
That "elder sister" was a term he used to call her when he was a child, but it sounded incredibly grating to Aheng's ears.
Ah Heng stared at him intently, her bright black eyes fixed on him. She said, "I'm not worthy of you calling me 'elder sister.' From now on, let's go our separate ways. You've been with me long enough; the 300,000 was worth it. From now on, don't be with rich people like me. You really can't afford to play the games of the wealthy."
She turned and stormed off. Sitting back in bed, she wiped away tears. How much I love you! But what use are you besides the value of exchange? How much I cherish you! In the blink of an eye, you want someone else's 300,000 yuan but not my care. Have you ever seen a rich person who eats only pickled vegetables for a month while buying meat for you? You have grievances, you want your older sister, but if I could give you back the old days, wouldn't that older sister choose the same path and walk into the Wen family? You, you… little thing!!!
Ah Heng wiped away her tears and walked to the window. Yun Zai's silhouette shone brightly in the winter sunlight.
The old days are like a beautiful woman; it's impossible to hate them.
Chapter 89
When Aheng was on winter break, Siwan came to pick her up, saying that Yanxi had something to do and couldn't come. Aheng thought about it and decided it was better that he didn't come, because if she saw him, she probably wouldn't be able to control her urge to kill him.
Yan hope's thoughts became increasingly difficult to understand; no one knew what he was thinking.
Siwan drove, looking at the highway ahead, and cautiously asked, "Aheng, are you angry with your mother? That child from the Yun family—no, Yun Zai—Mom didn't do it on purpose. You weren't home then, so Mom made up an excuse in front of others that you were sick, so she sent you south to recuperate and study. Besides, she already intended to keep you completely isolated from the past, so you could spend your whole life in the south and avoid getting caught up in the vortex. And, Mom still believes that Yan hope…"
Ah Heng chimed in, "We're from two different worlds, aren't we?"
She lowered her eyelids and said, "I know. He's too smart, too cunning, and I'm too stupid to keep up with him. I've always known that."
Siwan smiled wryly. "No, that's not it at all. What Mom and Dad are worried about is never that. What they're afraid of is that you like him too much."
Ah Heng's face turned pale and then red. She liked the words too much; they were too... explicit.
Siwan glanced at her and shook her head. "You think you're hiding it well? As innocent as Dayi is, she can see right through you. When we played together, Dayi often jokingly asked Yanxi when he would propose."
Ah Heng rubbed the blush on her face and said, "Now everyone knows we've talked, isn't it normal to ask this?"
Siwan scoffed – When did he ask that question? The second semester of his first year of high school!
Ah Heng immediately felt embarrassed, her face turning as red as a sunset.
Siwan turned the steering wheel and said, "Aheng, everyone knows you love Yanxi, including Yanxi himself. Everyone knows Yanxi dotes on Wen Heng, but even you know that this is not the same as love."
Ah Heng, he knows your bottom line perfectly well, but you know nothing about his Achilles' heel. Ah Heng, if what you want is his love, then you will always be the loser.
Ah Heng didn't speak, but rested her head against the car window and said, "Siwan, although it may seem hypocritical to say this to you, I have been trying my best to give Yanxi more options to choose me, not because of paying off debts or repaying kindness."
Aheng found it strange. She had never thought of discussing Yan Xi so calmly with Siwan. Although they blurred and diluted this definition for each other, they were indeed rivals in love, apart from being siblings.
Siwan smiled, saying that in many situations, you have to overcome even more obstacles than Lu Liu. His only consideration was gender.