When Su Zhinian went off to university, she started praying for him to get a girlfriend.
However, year after year, as her son’s business grew bigger and bigger, there was practically no news on the relationship side. At the time, she had thought, perhaps he would find someone after he graduated.
Alas, there was still no progress after graduation. She looked on with impatience as her friends started to visit with their grandchildren. Whenever her son came for his weekly meal, she would needle him about his relationship situation. She started to worry about her own son and even began to believe those rumors floating around the internet that he had some kind of weird fetish.
When she found out that her son had someone he liked, she instead prayed to meet this girl. In fact, when playing mah-jongg with her mates, she would say proudly that perhaps their family was going to welcome a marriage soon.
Now, she had finally met the girl her son loved, but she could not give them her blessing; she had to walk away from the promise she had given her son. In fact, she had to play an antagonist who pulled them apart.
She really did not want to, but she had no other choice.
…
Auntie Su did not return to Su Zhinian’s room. After she calmed herself down, she left the hospital and went to her hotel room. At around 11 am, she pretended to have just woken up and walked to the hospital.
When she once again appeared by the window, Song Qingchun and Su Zhinian had both woken up. Song Qingchun was feeding Su Zhinian a fruit juice blended from all the fruits given by the visitors who had come to visit Su Zhinian.
Su Zhinian’s room was facing the sun. The curtain was open, and the wintry sun showered the room with its warm light. They made gorgeous couple, one sitting by the bed and the other lying in it. It was picture perfect. Even though Auntie Su was already in her advanced years, when she saw this scene, her heart was still touched. This couple in the room really looked like they were meant for each other.
As she stared at them, Auntie Su’s eyes started to redden. She quickly turned her head around to look at the dried tree branches outside the other window. Then she slowly pushed the room door open like she had not seen anything earlier.
It was Su Zhinian who heard her first. He turned to look at the door as he swallowed the juice that Song Qingchun had just fed him. He called out, “Mother.”
Song Qingchun turned from the sound. She greeted gently with a smile, “Auntie Su, good morning.”
“Good morning,” Auntie Su replied kindly as she usually would. Then, she grabbed the juicer and headed into the bathroom to clean it.
When she came out, Song Qingchun was discussing the lunch menu with the nurse. When she saw Auntie Su, she smiled brightly and asked, “Auntie Su, what do you want to have for lunch?”
Auntie Su thought, Why am I feeling so guilty when I haven’t even done anything yet?
She averted her gaze away from Song Qingchun and replied genially, “Anything works.”
Song Qingchun nodded and then turned to continue the conversation with the nurse.
Auntie Su slowly walked to bed to pull on the quilt to cover Su Zhinian’s feet that were hanging in the open. She stared at Su Zhinian, who was reading the company document Cheng Qingchong had brought over yesterday, and said, “Ah Nian, where’s your phone? Can you lend it to me? I need to call home and have Xiao Lin bring something when she comes over later.”