After persuading Sister Yanli to go home, Xun Xun continued to stay by Professor Zeng’s side. Looking at her stepfather’s increasingly gaunt and sunken face, she couldn’t help but recall the graceful, steady-footed man he once was. She wondered if that version of Professor Zeng had ever imagined that one day he would lie unconscious, his body becoming a battleground for negotiations among his closest family members.
In the afternoon, while Xun Xun was busy attending to some students from the department who had come to visit Professor Zeng, her phone rang with an unfamiliar number. When she answered, a voice hovering between strange and familiar came through—it was Chi Cheng.
“I knew someone like you wouldn’t dare miss any phone calls,” he said with amusement in his voice, skipping all pleasantries with inexplicable familiarity.
“How did you get my phone number?” Xun Xun asked.
“If you wouldn’t give it to me, did you think I couldn’t find out?”
“From whom?”
“Your mother-in-law, of course,” Chi Cheng said matter-of-factly. “I told her I wanted to consult you about something, and she gave me your number without hesitation.”
Xun Xun nearly fainted. There was nothing he couldn’t think of, nothing he wouldn’t do.
“May I ask exactly what you needed to consult me about?”
“Nothing much, just wanted to check if Xie Pingning gave you any trouble since you got home quite late yesterday.”
He spoke with apparent sincerity. Xun Xun walked out of the hospital room and responded with restraint, “Stop pretending like you don’t know he didn’t come home last night. And if I’m not mistaken, Shao Jiaquan probably wasn’t by your side either.”
Chi Cheng laughed again. “You’re more adorable when you play dumb. Though I didn’t know at first whether Jiaquan had come home… Thanks to your thoughtful husband’s arrangements, he booked separate rooms for each of us. It worked out well—we couldn’t disappoint his kind gesture, and I suppose he knows that Jiaquan tends to snore right next to people’s ears once she falls into a deep sleep.”
Xun Xun fell silent, feeling awkward.
“Why are you telling me all this?”
“Just chatting. I feel we share similar experiences, which makes it easier to find common topics,” he said half-jokingly. “Jiaquan came back this morning. She told me that after getting her wound treated at the hospital last night, it was too late, and since the hospital was close to your in-laws’ place, Xie Pingning let her stay there for the night. In this regard, Jiaquan is different from you—she’s straightforward, wearing her thoughts on her face. She’s such a poor liar that she even deliberately brought me breakfast when she returned, something she’s never been so thoughtful about before.”
“How did you respond?”
Chi Cheng said, “Of course, I was a bit upset—after all, my fiancée didn’t come home all night. She felt guilty, which means more benefits for me, so why not?”
“How boring,” Xun Xun muttered.
“You could enjoy these benefits too, of course, provided Xie Pingning cooperates.” Chi Cheng’s voice seemed to float over light music playing in what sounded like a car, making his tone even more leisurely. “How have you considered my suggestion from last night? The more outrageous they become, the better it might be. Let them continue—it’ll be more satisfying when we spring the trap. With your talent for playing dumb, this shouldn’t be too difficult.”
Xun Xun wouldn’t tell him that this question had troubled her all night; she only shared her conclusion.
“I have my doubts. If you truly loved someone, even if they became despicable, you wouldn’t position them as prey to be so carefully calculated against.”
Chi Cheng easily countered, “Wrong! This exactly proves you’ve never been in love. Only those who have invested emotions know that often it’s because you care too much about someone that you want to return the degradation they’ve imposed on you double-fold. Everyone’s so busy—who would waste effort on insignificant people? Indifference is the true expression of not caring.”
Xun Xun couldn’t be bothered to refute his sophistry. “I don’t have the energy to think about these things right now!”
“You sound like you’re in a terrible mood. You can use me as a garbage bin,” he offered generously.
Xun Xun didn’t dare casually use this garbage bin—she feared that one day when the bin became unhappy, it might force everything she had disposed of back into her mouth. She was about to end the call when she suddenly remembered that Chi Cheng had mentioned studying pharmaceuticals. After some hesitation, she asked him about the special medicine for Professor Zeng’s condition.
As expected, before answering her question, Chi Cheng thoroughly investigated the situation’s ins and outs. Xun Xun had to briefly explain her stepfather’s condition and the choices they faced.
After pondering for a moment, Chi Cheng replied, “I know the medicine you’re talking about. From a pharmacological perspective, your stepfather’s attending physician has explained it quite clearly. Drug tolerance indeed varies from person to person—no one can make arbitrary conclusions. But as a friend, I’ll just ask you this: if you oppose it, will your mother abandon this treatment plan?”
Xun Xun barely noticed she had gained a “friend,” as she had to admit he had identified the core issue.
“I don’t think so,” she answered honestly.
“Then what remains is simply whether to support the action or not. To put it more bluntly, it’s a money issue. As far as I know, that medicine isn’t cheap, and it’s not covered by public healthcare or insurance.” Seeing Xun Xun’s silence, he hinted, “If you’re having difficulties…”
Xun Xun naturally refused. How could she possibly accept his money, even though Sister Yanli had clearly stated before leaving that she needed her daughter’s financial support? The special medicine Professor Zeng needed included injections costing nearly ten thousand yuan each. Combined with other treatments, the initial expenses were conservatively estimated at around two hundred thousand yuan. While this amount wasn’t shocking in a country known for expensive medical care, it was beyond public healthcare coverage and might as well have been an astronomical figure for Sister Yanli, who had no fixed assets or family support. Xun Xun had told her mother that she could only access just over eighty thousand yuan, hoping she would reconsider carefully. But Sister Yanli was adamant and unwavering. When Xun Xun asked how much she could contribute, she discovered that her mother, despite managing finances for over a decade, had even less savings than her daughter.
Borrowing money was a forbidden zone in Xun Xun’s mind. Even the closest relationships could become complicated when money was involved, let alone with someone like Chi Cheng, whose identity was special and whose thoughts were unpredictable despite his apparent youthful rashness.
In the evening, after carefully instructing the caregiver, Xun Xun left the hospital. Her mother-in-law called, asking her to stop by their place to pick up some food before heading home, so Xun Xun made a special trip to her in-laws’ house.
Xun Xun’s mother-in-law was a skilled woman who, after retirement, spent her free time perfecting her culinary arts. Yesterday, she had been inspired to make some snacks and wanted her son and daughter-in-law to try them. The thoughtful elderly woman knew Xun Xun didn’t like sweet foods, so besides preparing some for her son, she had made a saltier version specially for her daughter-in-law. Xun Xun sincerely praised the elderly woman’s craftsmanship, making her beam with joy. Before Xun Xun left, she didn’t forget to add, “I put some baking soda in these snacks—eating alkaline foods helps conceive boys.”
Xun Xun’s steps faltered. Not long ago, she had been wholeheartedly preparing for motherhood, but now she could hardly imagine what a child sharing her and Xie Pingning’s blood would be like.
Standing at the doorway, she smiled at the elderly woman and said, “That works only if the husband eats them too. By the way, Mom, wasn’t Pingning staying here with Sister-in-law last night? Why didn’t you have him take the snacks back?”
“Last night?” Unmistakable surprise flashed in the elderly woman’s eyes, her expression changing rapidly. “Oh… Pingning… yes, you know, when people get old, their memory gets worse. Sorry to make you make an extra trip.”
Xun Xun smiled faintly and nodded, “Don’t say that. I’ve been spending a lot of time at the hospital lately because of my uncle’s situation, so I rarely get to visit you.”
Her mother-in-law stroked Xun Xun’s arm, “Good child, you’ve been working hard lately. Pingning is busy with work, otherwise, he could share some of your burdens. But that’s how it is for us women—while men fight for their careers outside, we take care of things at home. You should be understanding of him and spend more time with him when possible.”
Xun Xun agreed to everything. Walking out of her in-laws’ building, she took a deep breath in the setting sun. There was a saying that rang true: no matter how nice a mother-in-law is, she’s still someone else’s mother. No matter how much she liked you before when problems arise between husband and wife, she will always stand on her son’s side.
On her way home, Sister Yanli’s phone call followed like a shadow. She said the doctor had told her that Professor Zeng’s treatment shouldn’t be delayed. If they decided to take the second option, they needed to quickly sign the family consent form at the hospital, and the treatment fees would need to be paid gradually.
Xun Xun asked, “But what can we do if we don’t have enough money?”
Sister Yanli paused for several seconds before complaining, “I’ve always told you to be more careful with money, but you let Xie Pingning control everything. Married for three years, and you only have that little money—how can that be acceptable?”
Xun Xun remained silent; arguing would be pointless.
“Bring the sixty thousand tomorrow first. I have some myself, and we’ll figure out the rest later,” Sister Yanli said.
“What other solutions do you have in mind?” Xun Xun knew exactly how capable her mother was.
“Talk to Pingning—he must be able to come up with the money.”
“Him?”
“Who else? The one lying in the hospital is his father-in-law. It’s a matter of life and death—how can he, as a son-in-law, not help?”
“We’re husband and wife—every penny I can contribute is our joint marital property. How can you say he’s not helping?”
“Eighty thousand? Is that all I painstakingly married you off to him for? Family matters come first—he married you, so your affairs are his affairs.”
Chi Cheng’s phrase “legal prostitution” inexplicably popped into Xun Xun’s mind.
“There are some issues between us,” Xun Xun said softly.
“What?” Sister Yanli clearly hadn’t understood.
“I discovered he has someone else in his heart.”
“You caught him fooling around with another woman?”
“Not exactly, but I can feel it.”
There was another moment of silence on Sister Yanli’s end. Xun Xun moved the phone a few centimeters from her ear, and sure enough, moments later, Sister Yanli’s words came like a storm. “What feeling? Have you developed some supernatural vision like your dead father? He hasn’t been caught in bed with anyone, and even if you did catch him, you’d be in the right—all the more reason he should give you money. Don’t be foolish! How did I teach you? Men need to be coaxed, need to be managed…”
“I was just saying things. Everything’s fine now,” Xun Xun said and hung up, though she could imagine her mother stomping around on the other end. She regretted mentioning this to her mother in the first place.
Back at home, Xie Pingning was already in his study. After checking on the cat to ensure it hadn’t suffered any more punishment, she walked to her husband’s side and placed the snacks from his mother on his desk.
“Mom said she forgot to give these to you when you stayed home last night.”
Xie Pingning glanced at her, opened the snack box, and smiled, “I’m not a child anymore, who still eats these things?”
“How’s Jiaquan’s hand?”
Xun Xun asked casually.
“Oh, she’s had the serum and vaccine, so there shouldn’t be any problems.” Xie Pingning placed his hand on the back of Xun Xun’s. “Why do you have dark circles? Haven’t you been sleeping well? How’s your uncle’s condition?”
Xun Xun stared at their overlapping hands, wondering if this was what Chi Cheng called the “guilt effect.”
After pondering for a while, she said quietly, “Pingning, I have something to discuss with you… do you have any extra money on hand right now?”
“How much do you need?” Xie Pingning was surprised—this was the first time Zhao Xun Xun had asked him for money since their marriage. Previously, their financial arrangements had been quite reasonable, with him paying for household expenses and giving her the monthly allowance he’d promised before marriage. She had never said it wasn’t enough.
“How much do you have?” Xun Xun asked, looking down.
“What happened?”
“My uncle’s treatment needs two hundred thousand yuan. My mother’s money plus mine isn’t enough.”
“Two hundred thousand? How is that possible? Your uncle has full public healthcare coverage!”
At this point, Xun Xun had no choice but to explain the situation to her husband in detail.
“This absolutely won’t do!” With his medical background, Xie Pingning understood the situation easily. He suppressed his initial agitation and calmly reasoned with his wife:
“Let’s not discuss the safety of this medicine first. Setting that aside, your mother is making an unwise decision. Why should you two women exhaust all your resources to pay for medical expenses while his children stand by? Because they understand the implications better than you do. Your mother lacks education, and you’re being foolish! If…”
He went on to analyze the pros and cons and consequences of this matter, his analysis being wise and purely rational, identical to that of Professor Zeng’s shrewd relatives.
Xun Xun listened to him blankly, then suddenly interrupted: “Pingning, didn’t we just collect a year’s rent from that small apartment? Could you give it to me… I mean, let me borrow it? I’ll pay it back later.”
The couple had invested in a small apartment a year after marriage, and due to its location’s appreciation, it now brought considerable rental income.
“Clearly you haven’t understood anything I’ve said!” Xie Pingning sighed deeply.
“Did you understand what I said?” They had paid in full for that apartment when its price wasn’t high—Xie Pingning had paid half, while the other half came from Xun Xun’s pre-marriage savings and dowry.
Xie Pingning hesitated for a moment, then said, “Normally, giving it to you wouldn’t be a problem. But a few days ago, Jiaquan mentioned her company had a very suitable investment project for us, so I gave her the money we weren’t using at the moment.”
Xun Xun understood—she had heard from her mother-in-law that Shao Jiaquan worked as a consultant at a financial investment company in Shanghai…
—”I feel like he’s always insulting your intelligence.”
—”But often, it’s precisely because you ask for too little that people end up giving you nothing, leaving you with nothing at all.”
Chi Cheng was a bastard, but damn it, every word he said hit the mark.
Xun Xun slowly withdrew her hand and asked coldly, “Did you think this wasn’t even worth mentioning to me?”
Xie Pingning seemed caught off guard. “I thought you wouldn’t care about these things.”
“Just like I wouldn’t care where you went last night?”
This time, there was genuine surprise in his eyes. After a while, he laughed self-mockingly:
“When it comes to money, you seem to suddenly become a different person.”
“Perhaps I was never the person you imagined me to be.”
Xie Pingning pulled out a bank card from his desk drawer and pushed it toward Xun Xun.
“Alright, arguing about this is pointless. There’s twenty thousand yuan here—it’s all the cash I have left. Take it if you want.”
Xun Xun’s fingers traced the raised numbers on the card, and her mind suddenly filled with irrelevant thoughts.
It was an absurd analogy.
Asking others for money was like undressing in front of them. If accepting Chi Cheng’s help was like undressing before a stranger, then taking these twenty thousand from Xie Pingning was like stripping naked in front of a man who had just declared he didn’t love her anymore. Even though they had been intimate countless times before, that only made this moment more shameful.
“She wouldn’t discuss such pointless topics with you, would she?” Xun Xun asked with a smile.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Xie Pingning said, but instinctively avoided her gaze.
Shortly after dinner, Xie Pingning left on the pretext of urgent work matters. Rather than believing he went to meet Shao Jiaquan, Xun Xun thought he was avoiding his suddenly unfamiliar wife.
Xun Xun called Zeng Yu, “How much money do I have stored with you in total?”
“Wait a moment.” It took Zeng Yu quite a while to return to the phone as if she had just found a suitable place to discuss this matter. “You mean the money you’ve entrusted me to keep since high school? Let me check my notebook… a total of fifty-three thousand seven hundred and twenty-six yuan and thirty cents, not including items.”
“Would it be convenient for me to collect it from you tomorrow?”
“Is the world ending?” Zeng Yu was shocked, but she quickly realized the situation and was momentarily speechless.
“Xun Xun, have you thought this through? When I told you to go to the doctor, I hoped you could persuade your mother.”
“Why? Isn’t this what you all wanted to see?”
“Don’t mock me! To be honest, I don’t feel good about this at all. The person lying sick now is my biological father—no one hopes for his recovery more than I do, but now you’re forcing me to admit I’m standing aside.”
“I’ve never forced you.”
“Nobody wanted my father to end up like this. If he doesn’t wake up, I’ll care for him without a word of complaint. But you know some things—how much my brother and sister hate him. Not just them, sometimes even I hate him. You remember how my mom died, don’t you? She died of cancer brought on by anger. She and my father were model spouses for twenty years, but in the end, while she lay in the hospital, he’d go back after delivering her meals and climb into your mother’s bed. My brother and sister witnessed her die with unfulfilled grudges. Her body wasn’t even cold when he rushed to remarry. They said then that if the old man married your mother, they would consider themselves orphaned. If my father passes away, they’ll come to send him off, but as long as he’s still with your mother, they won’t shed a single tear for him.”
Xun Xun said, “I know, that’s why I never thought to blame them.”
“Then you’re blaming me.” Zeng Yu said, “I’m different from my siblings—they can walk away, but I can’t. I lived with my family for fourteen years, and I’ve lived with you all for fourteen years too. In the first few years after you moved in, seeing your mother’s smug attitude, I dreamed of strangling her. Of course, I hated you too, you little suck-up who always knew how to read people’s faces and curry favor. But I still ate your mother’s cooking for fourteen years. She didn’t mistreat me. When I was young and took your things, she knew I was wrong but would scold you instead. People are just like that—I still don’t like your mother, but I stopped hating her long ago. Over these years, without looking at photos, I can barely remember what my mom looked like, but it’s impossible not to remember you all. I can’t go against my siblings’ decisions—they’re my family, but how are you any different from my family? Listen to me, persuade your mother. Even if my father never wakes up, I promise her that after he passes away, I’m willing to transfer the house he bought under my name to her name. Will that give her peace of mind?”
After finishing, Zeng Yu patiently waited for Xun Xun’s response.
Xun Xun remembered Sister Yanli’s expression when she talked about dancing in the square together after Professor Zeng’s retirement.
She asked Zeng Yu, “Do you think I can persuade her? You know it’s been fourteen years too. In these fourteen years, even if she was selfish, surely this marriage meant more to her than just a house?”
The next day, before going to work, Zeng Yu brought the money to their agreed meeting place—besides the over fifty thousand Xun Xun had entrusted to her, there was also her own card.
“This is all I have. Don’t let my brother and sister know—it would break their hearts.”
With this cobbled-together money, Professor Zeng’s treatment fees were finally secured. Sister Yanli, unaware of the details, was satisfied believing her daughter had gained control of the family’s finances under her guidance. Thinking about the strange things Xun Xun had said yesterday, she felt uneasy and kept warning Xun Xun not to be suspicious—it was normal for young men to have wandering eyes, but after a few years, when they got old and lost both the desire and ability, they would naturally settle down with the woman by their side.
Xun Xun comforted her mother, saying that what she had said yesterday was just spoken in anger.
Sister Yanli went to pay the fees with the two hundred thousand yuan and a heart full of hope. Xun Xun sat alone on a chair in the hallway, watching her mother’s retreating figure. She had always believed she could grow old with Xie Pingning—even without passionate waves of emotion, the gentle flow of mutual comfort would be enough for a lifetime. But at some point, she began to understand that this was simply impossible.