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Xu Shiqi fell ill, suffering from a serious illness.
As Wang Yuan stepped out of the kitchen, she noticed her daughter’s pale complexion. Xu Shiqi was tightly hugging herself, sitting motionless. When Wang Yuan approached her, she saw that her daughter’s eyes seemed unfocused, and her teeth were slightly chattering. Wang Yuan was startled and called out her name, shaking her desperately.
“Mom… I feel really unwell…” Xu Shiqi buried her head in Wang Yuan’s arms, her voice weak.
“What happened? What’s wrong?” Wang Yuan called out to her husband in a loud voice and helped Xu Shiqi outside. “We need to go to the hospital. Shiqi, please don’t scare your mother…”
Xu Shiqi fainted, her last thought before losing consciousness was to mock herself—why couldn’t she hold on for such a trivial matter?
It felt like Xu Shiqi was dreaming, wandering through a desolate path of yellow sand, with a mirage of a real sea in the distance, always just out of reach. The sand obscured her face and hindered her breathing, and the struggles deep within her consciousness slowly faded into calm, like the sea at night.
When Xu Shiqi woke up, she found herself lying in a hospital bed, the cold touch of her hand uncomfortable. As she moved slightly, someone immediately pressed her down.
“Don’t move, you’re on an IV.”
She raised her eyes and saw Wen Baohua sitting beside her, looking worried.
“What are you doing here?” Xu Shiqi tried to speak but found her lips too dry. She licked them, feeling a bit of dead skin tug painfully.
“What happened?” Wen Baohua asked, gazing at her with concern. “Weren’t you fine yesterday? How did you suddenly fall ill?”
Xu Shiqi stared up at the white ceiling, her eyes glazed over, seemingly unaware.
Wen Baohua sighed. This woman seemed gentle and friendly, able to converse with anyone, yet once the door was closed, not even a ray of light would shine through.
She was startled when she received a call from Kuang Xiaoan. It turned out Wang Yuan had brought her daughter to the hospital, and after confirming that Xu Shiqi was merely suffering from a cold, her heart was still racing, making her restless. She had never seen her daughter so fragile, as if she were on the verge of collapse. Not understanding, she decided to seek out someone who might. Since Kuang Xiaoan had called her before, she checked Xu Shiqi’s phone for the number and called.
The person on the other end was also surprised, saying that nothing had seemed different the day before; Xu Shiqi had just left early, and they didn’t know what happened afterward. If anyone was to be asked, it should be Wen Baohua.
That’s how Wen Baohua received the news so quickly.
As she rushed to the hospital, she called Wen Jialuo to ask what had happened last night, only to be met with the question, “What’s wrong?”
Seventeen came back sick. What on earth happened?
…Nothing happened, maybe the water at home wasn’t hot enough, and she caught a chill while bathing.
Really nothing?
…Really nothing… Do you want me to come back now?
What would you come back for?
After hanging up, Wen Baohua wondered if there were other reasons behind this.
But when she finally saw Shiqi, lying there with her eyes closed and pale complexion, she still couldn’t guess at all.
“Daughter, you’re awake?” Wang Yuan brought in some chicken soup and greeted Wen Baohua, then helped Xu Shiqi sit up, serving her a bowl and personally feeding her while sitting on the bed’s edge.
“I’m fine now. Mom, let’s just handle the discharge procedures later.” Xu Shiqi opened her mouth to drink the soup, which was still steaming hot, warming her face, and something in her eyes seemed to melt away.
“There’s no rush; let’s wait until you’re fully recovered.” Wang Yuan gently pinched her chin, full of concern. “Look, you used to be round, but how did you become so pointed overnight?”
“How could I lose weight so quickly?” Xu Shiqi chuckled, then suddenly fell silent, lowering her head.
After finishing the soup, Xu Shiqi said to Wen Baohua, “You should go back; I’m really fine.”
Wen Baohua stared at her for a long time before finally standing up to grab her bag. “I’ll call you later. If you need me, you’re always welcome.”
“Got it,” Xu Shiqi waved her hand, appearing calm.
She was forced to stay another night, and only after that was Xu Shiqi allowed to go home. Wang Yuan prepared water and made the bed, asking dozens of times what she wanted to eat, yet not once inquiring about the reason for her earlier breakdown. She was afraid to ask; although her daughter’s face was calm now, who knew if it was the calm before a storm? She feared her daughter might hurt herself again.
Let’s wait until she’s better to talk. With that thought, Wang Yuan set aside her store duties and spent the entire day with her daughter at home, cooking, walking, and watching TV.
Xu Shiqi slowly regained her spirit. Initially, she often stared blankly, then there were intermittent silences; she didn’t eat much and was reluctant to go out. Gradually, she seemed to pull herself out of a nightmare, little by little returning to her gentle smile and soft-spoken self.
However, Wang Yuan noticed that she was even more hesitant to ask about that day. Her daughter had finally regained some vitality; she didn’t want to push her back into a corner with a question. Xu Zhongda also remarked, while smoking, that their daughter should have such emotions by now, otherwise she might never get married, as it seemed she had developed feelings.
Wang Yuan both scorned her husband’s choice of words and deeply agreed; which girl hadn’t experienced a few romances, even if they ended in failure, it was nothing remarkable.
Finally, Xu Shiqi was able to return to the store to collect payments. By then, the weather had turned quite cold, and the store was air-conditioned all day, making it so warm that she felt reluctant to move. So she spent her days in the shop.
Days passed in this manner, as if she had just returned from resigning from a job. No extra people intervened, and nothing wavered. Her heart remained like a mechanical clock, steadily moving forward, each step precise and unwavering.
Until one morning, she received a call from Wen Baohua.
Wen Baohua’s voice on the other end was filled with uncontainable joy as she shouted for Xu Shiqi to hurry and congratulate her!
“What’s worth celebrating so much?” Xu Shiqi laughed, realizing she hadn’t seen her friend in a long time and felt she shouldn’t neglect her.
“I’m pregnant! I’m going to be a mom!”
“Oh!” Xu Shiqi’s eyes brightened. “Congratulations! I’m going to be a godmother!”
“Well, this godmother needs to come visit your not-yet-born daughter or son right away.”
Such good news was something Xu Shiqi couldn’t refuse. She glanced casually at the calendar, noticed it was Wednesday, then stood up and said, “I’ll be there soon.”
When she arrived at Wen Baohua’s building, she happened to bump into another female classmate, who seemed to have been called over by the soon-to-be mother. Ascending the stairs, Xu Shiqi pressed the doorbell while listening to her classmate excitedly describe Wen Baohua’s joy over the phone. When the door opened, she was taken aback.
Wen Jialuo stood there in a pure white sweater, one hand on the door frame and the other holding the door, gazing at her.
“Come in.” The girl released her grip, stepped aside, and pressed her lips together tightly.
Xu Shiqi stepped inside, maintaining her gaze straight ahead, but her eyes unconsciously flicked towards the girl. She was still the same sharply-defined chin, thin like a piece of white cloud scattered by the wind, ready to float away at any moment.
Once inside, there were congratulations, inquiries, hugs, and enthusiastic discussions, gradually warming Xu Shiqi’s heart. By lunchtime, she was able to talk normally with Wen Jialuo or help by serving a plate or moving a chair.
Aside from them, Xia Bang was naturally present, along with Wen Yu and one of Xia Bang’s friends. The table was filled with dishes prepared by the young people, with Wen Baohua carefully seated in the most honored spot.
“It’s only been less than two months; why are you all so nervous?” Though she said this, Wen Baohua still cautiously held onto her chair before sitting down.
“The first three months are quite important; it’s better to be careful.” Xia Bang kept hovering around her, not allowing Wen Baohua to move a single finger.
“You’re so tense that you’re making everyone afraid to move.” Xu Shiqi laughed, first ladling herself a bowl of soup to drink, which was her eating habit. It was nothing complicated, just a simple broth with pickled vegetables and tofu, slightly salty.
Xu Shiqi fell seriously ill.
As Wang Yuan stepped out of the kitchen, she noticed her daughter’s pale face. Xu Shiqi was sitting motionless, hugging herself tightly. When Wang Yuan walked over, she saw that her daughter’s eyes seemed unfocused, and her teeth were lightly chattering. Wang Yuan was startled and called her name, shaking her vigorously.
“Mom… I feel terrible…” Xu Shiqi buried her head in Wang Yuan’s arms, her voice weak.
“What’s wrong? What happened?” Wang Yuan called out to her husband loudly, then helped Xu Shiqi up and urged, “Let’s go to the hospital. Shiqi, don’t scare Mom…”
Xu Shiqi fainted, her last thought before losing consciousness was to mock herself—why couldn’t she handle something so small?
It seemed Xu Shiqi was dreaming, wandering on a vast yellow sand road, with a mirage in the distance that seemed real yet forever out of reach. The yellow sand covered her face and blocked her breath, the struggles deep within her consciousness slowly returned to calm, like the night sea, like the sea at night.
When Xu Shiqi woke up, she found herself lying in a hospital bed. The cold touch on her hand made her uncomfortable; as she moved slightly, someone pressed her down.
“Don’t move; you’re getting an IV.”
Lifting her eyes, she saw Wen Baohua sitting beside her, brows furrowed.
“How did you get here?” Xu Shiqi attempted to speak, but her lips felt too dry. She licked them lightly, and a bit of dead skin pulled painfully.
“What happened?” Wen Baohua looked at her with concern. “You seemed fine yesterday; how did you get sick?”
Xu Shiqi gazed at the white ceiling, her eyes blank, completely unresponsive.
Wen Baohua sighed. This woman seemed gentle and approachable, capable of talking to anyone, but once the door was closed, not even a glimmer of light would seep through.
She was startled when she received a call from Kuang Xiaoan. It turned out Wang Yuan was taking her daughter to the hospital. After confirming that Xu Shiqi’s health was not seriously compromised but merely suffering from a cold, her heart raced, making her restless. She had never seen her daughter look so fragile, as if she was on the verge of collapse. Not understanding, she sought out someone who might know. Since Kuang Xiaoan had called her before, she found the number from Xu Shiqi’s phone and called. The person on the other end was also surprised, saying nothing seemed different yesterday; Xu Shiqi just left early and didn’t know what happened afterward. If she wanted to ask, she needed to contact Wen Baohua.
That’s how Wen Baohua quickly got the news.
After receiving the call, she hurried to the hospital and called Wen Jialuo to ask what happened last night, but was instead asked what was wrong.
Seventeen came back sick; what happened?
…Nothing happened; maybe the water at home wasn’t hot enough, and she caught a chill while bathing.
Really nothing?
…Really nothing… Do you want me to come back now?
What would you come back for?
After hanging up, Wen Baohua wondered if there were other reasons behind it.
But when she actually saw Seventeen, with her eyes closed and her face pale, she still couldn’t guess anything.
“Daughter, you’re awake?” Wang Yuan brought in some chicken soup, greeted Wen Baohua, then helped Xu Shiqi sit up and served her a bowl, personally feeding her.
“I’m fine now. Mom, let’s handle the discharge procedures later,” Xu Shiqi said, drinking the hot soup. The warmth filled her face, and something in her eyes began to melt away.
“Don’t rush; let’s wait until you’re fully recovered,” Wang Yuan said, tenderly pinching her chin. “Look, it was round before; how did it become so sharp overnight?”
“Who can lose weight that fast?” Xu Shiqi laughed, then suddenly fell silent, lowering her head.
After finishing the soup, Xu Shiqi told Wen Baohua, “You can go back now; I’m really fine.”
Wen Baohua looked at her for a long time, then got up to grab her bag. “Then I’ll call you later. You’re always welcome to find me.”
“Got it.” Xu Shiqi waved her hand, appearing calm.
After being pressed to stay another night, Xu Shiqi was finally allowed to go home. Wang Yuan filled the tub with water and made the bed, asking dozens of times what she wanted to eat, but not once did she ask what caused her daughter’s previous breakdown. She was afraid to ask; although her daughter’s face had returned to calm, who knew if it was just the calm before the storm? She feared—her daughter might hurt herself again.
They would talk about it when she got better. With this thought, Wang Yuan set aside her store duties and spent all day with her daughter at home, cooking, walking, and watching TV.
Xu Shiqi slowly regained her spirit. At first, she was often lost in thought, then there were intermittent silences; she ate little and didn’t want to walk. Gradually, she seemed to pull herself out of a nightmare, piece by piece, returning to that gentle smile, that gentle way of speaking.
But Wang Yuan found that she was even less willing to ask about that day; her daughter had just regained some vitality, and she didn’t want to force her back into a corner with a single question. Xu Zhongda, meanwhile, was smoking and remarked that the daughter should have had such emotions long ago, so she wouldn’t end up unmarried—perhaps she had awakened her passions.
Wang Yuan scorned her husband’s choice of words, yet deeply felt there was some truth in it. Which girl hadn’t gone through a few relationships? Even if they ended in failure, it was nothing to make a fuss over.
Xu Shiqi was finally able to return to the shop to collect money. By this time, the weather had turned very cold, and the shop was air-conditioned all day, making it so warm that she didn’t want to move, so she spent all day in the shop.
Day by day passed, as if she had just returned from resigning her job. No one extra got involved, and nothing had shaken her; her heart remained like a mechanical clock, moving steadily, each step precisely measured.
Until one morning, she received a call from Wen Baohua.
Wen Baohua’s voice was brimming with joy on the other end, urging her to hurry and congratulate her!
“What’s worth such happiness?” Xu Shiqi asked, smiling. She realized she hadn’t seen Wen Baohua for a long time and thought she shouldn’t have neglected her friend.
“I’m pregnant; I’m going to be a mom.”
“Ah,” Xu Shiqi’s eyebrows lifted with a smile. “Congratulations! I’m going to be a godmother.”
“Well, this godmother should come to the home of your unborn daughter or son immediately.”
Xu Shiqi certainly couldn’t refuse such happy news. Glancing casually, she saw that it was Wednesday on the calendar and then got up, saying, “I’ll be there soon.”
When she arrived downstairs at Wen Baohua’s house, she ran into another female classmate, seemingly summoned by the expectant mother as well. Going upstairs, Xu Shiqi rang the doorbell and heard the nearby classmate describe Wen Baohua’s excitement at sharing the good news. However, when the door opened, she froze.
Wen Jialuo was standing there in a pure white sweater, one hand on the door frame and the other holding the door, gazing at her intently.
“Come in,” the girl said, releasing her grip and stepping aside, her lips pressed tightly together.
Xu Shiqi stepped inside, keeping her gaze straight ahead, but her eyes involuntarily darted to the girl, who still had that sharp chin and looked as fragile as a white cloud scattered by the wind, ready to float away at any moment.
Once inside, congratulations, inquiries, hugs, and animated discussions took place. Xu Shiqi gradually relaxed her heart. By lunchtime, she was able to talk normally with Wen Jialuo or help serve dishes or move chairs.
In addition to them, Xia Bang was naturally present, along with Wen Yu and one of Xia Bang’s friends. A table full of young people prepared a feast, carefully surrounding Wen Baohua at the most honored seat.
“It’s only been less than two months; why are you so nervous?” Although she said this, Wen Baohua cautiously held onto the chair before sitting down.
“The first three months are crucial; better to be careful,” Xia Bang fussed over her, not allowing her to lift a finger.
“You’re so on edge that everyone’s afraid to move,” Xu Shiqi laughed, scooping a bowl of soup, which was her eating habit. It wasn’t a complicated soup—just a simple boiled pickled vegetable and tofu soup, slightly salty.
“Who made the soup? Didn’t notice there were pickled vegetables in it; it’s too salty.” Xu Shiqi smacked her lips, laughing as she asked.
Wen Baohua quickly said, “It’s fine; it’s good.”
“Clearly trying to defend it,” Xu Shiqi couldn’t help but tease, “Xia Bang, this kind of cooking probably won’t satisfy a pregnant woman’s taste.”
Xia Bang was taken aback, rubbed his nose, and suddenly glanced at someone.
That person leisurely filled a few spoonfuls of soup, then poured it into their mouth, pausing for a moment, then stood up and said, “I’m going to add some water.”
“Forget it…” Xu Shiqi weakly said, momentarily unable to look into that girl’s eyes.
“Jialuo seems to be cooking for the first time, right?” Wen Baohua laughed, also serving soup and sipping it contentedly, “No one has ever received such treatment; it seems the baby’s influence is quite big.”
Everyone turned to the girl with a cold expression, and soon a large pot of soup was quickly devoured.
Xu Shiqi didn’t drink alcohol and was the first to eat. When she went to scoop rice, she saw that the rice cooker still had bubbling water, stirring it and feeling the porridge was still quite thick.
“Hey, you big men, slow down with the drinking; the porridge is not enough to fill your bellies. I’ll cook rice for you later,” Xu Shiqi said, only to realize she was pierced by several gazes, one of which was the faintest but suddenly rushed to the kitchen and then fell silent.
Holding her rice bowl, Xu Shiqi felt powerless.
Aside from that, everyone chatted happily while eating; the atmosphere was very good. As they spoke, Xu Shiqi and that female classmate began to compete to be the baby’s godmother, while Wen Baohua listened with a smile, occasionally prodding to make the atmosphere livelier.
Xu Shiqi said, “Aren’t you already with a boyfriend? You’ll definitely get married sooner than me, and the baby won’t be far behind; why are you competing to be a mom?”
The female classmate countered, “In this day and age, getting married can be as fast as a rocket; you might suddenly announce a wedding one day, or just run away with a baby.”
“Can something as improbable as that be compared to your situation? I’ll immediately call your boyfriend and tell him you want to be a mom; I believe he’d be very eager to discuss this reality with you.”
“I don’t care, I don’t care.”
“If you don’t care, then this godmother is mine.”
Xu Shiqi turned around triumphantly, glancing over at Wen Jialuo. She knew the other girl’s eyes were always on her, but this time she responded with a smile that couldn’t be more natural, then proudly told Wen Baohua, “It’s settled then; even if Kuang Xiaoan wants to compete, she’ll have to queue.”
Wen Baohua patted the table, readily agreeing with a “Good.”
After everyone finished eating, they moved to the living room for tea, while Xu Shiqi volunteered to wash the dishes.
She turned on the hot water, poured in the dish soap, and a rich foam quickly piled up in the sink. The plates sank into the foam, becoming shiny. While washing, Xu Shiqi listened to the conversations outside, multitasking.
Suddenly, the voices outside quieted down. Xu Shiqi turned around to find the door had closed, and Wen Jialuo was standing behind her.
“Is there something you want?” Xu Shiqi raised an eyebrow and asked lightly.
Wen Jialuo silently assessed her, but that gaze no longer made her heart race.
People truly are strange creatures. When she first met Wen Jialuo, she never imagined she would stop to admire this girl, who was perfect as an excuse, and even her pickiness was necessary. However, just a short while ago, in their last encounter, she felt as if she had radar inside her; every move the girl made caught her attention effortlessly. Even that night, something uncontainable sprouted within her, believing it was the early blooms of spring in the wrong season. She thought she had fallen for this girl.
But before she could escape, a serious illness had peeled away her pain, as if it had also healed those inexplicable feelings. She thought seeing the girl again would be difficult, so she reduced her contact with Wen Baohua. However, when she actually saw her, aside from the initial discomfort, she quickly returned to her previous calm demeanor. Even she was slightly surprised by herself.
Like a wave crashing in, surging and rushing, then retreating like a fierce current, leaving behind a vast expanse of sky and sea.
Yet she still remembered that the girl had answered Zhang Ya’s phone call, so what was she preparing to say?
Wen Jialuo slowly walked to her side, picked up a dry cloth, and began wiping the dishes.
Xu Shiqi also fell silent; she wouldn’t bring it up. If everyone acted as if they understood without saying anything, that would be best. But the girl was so thin and fragile, yet her quietness emphasized her presence even more. Xu Shiqi gradually became absent-minded while washing the dishes, and finally, after almost dropping a plate, she turned off the water and faced her.
“Do you have something to say?”
Wen Jialuo looked up, opening the cupboard to place the dishes. “I’m here to help.” She turned to see Xu Shiqi’s expression of endurance, then hesitated and asked slowly, “Are you… better?”
Xu Shiqi relaxed, smiling, “I’m perfectly fine now.”
The girl fell silent again, ultimately saying nothing. After they finished tidying the kitchen together, she left.
Once Xu Shiqi cleaned up the kitchen, she went outside to find everyone had moved upstairs. The winter sun was bright and warm. They were all gathered around a square table on the balcony, with Xia Bang enthusiastically flipping through a dictionary.
“Hope you’re not just picking names,” Xu Shiqi chuckled.
“Sister, I have to work tomorrow, so I’ll head out first.” Wen Jialuo stood beside her with her bag.
Wen Baohua nodded, “Drive carefully.”
As soon as Wen Jialuo turned around, Xu Shiqi brushed past her, quickly blending back into the group’s discussion.