First snow
"Dad..." She was about to call out, but then swallowed the word back and asked politely, "What brings you here?"
"I came to see you and the child. I heard from Xiaoyun that you've been feeling a bit better these past couple of days, so I dared to come over." Meng Jinxian said, and her secretary, who was following her, quickly brought chairs for the two of them. After helping Yu Xi sit down, she quietly turned and left.
"Don't worry, I've been thinking a lot lately. I won't try to kill myself anymore. I've decided to live a good life."
Meng Jinxian nodded and remained silent, not asking any further questions.
Now only he and Yu Xi remained in the rehabilitation room, and the atmosphere became somewhat awkward. They were family in name only, but in reality, they were strangers to each other, and even sitting together to talk felt stiff.
Meng Chou insisted on marrying Yu Xi, which completely strained his relationship with his family. He then left the home he had always lived in and started a new family with Yu Xi.
So many years have passed, and Meng Chou, still angry, has never gone back to see them again.
Therefore, she knew nothing about this nominal father-in-law, and every time she got news about Meng Jinxian, it was from various media platforms or industry insider information.
Meng Jinxian could only hear some news about Yu Xi in ordinary times, some of which he deliberately inquired about, and some of which he overheard unintentionally.
This sudden visit feels like someone you barely know, who, after learning of your troubles, is just making a tentative visit, going through the motions.
To break the awkward silence, Yu Xi spoke first, "Is there something you need from me?"
Yu Xi knew very well that Meng Jinxian, who was busy in the business world every day, cared a lot about his time and never did anything meaningless, so she simply asked him directly.
Meng Jinxian's brows were furrowed when he entered the room, but a fleeting look of regret crossed his face when he saw her pregnant belly. He then pulled a gift box from the inside pocket of his suit jacket.
He handed a small, deep red wooden box, no bigger than the palm of his hand, to Yu Xi. "This is for the child; it's a token of my appreciation as her grandfather."
Yu Xi carefully took it, and Meng Jinxian continued, "Open it and take a look."
She received the signal and carefully opened it to take a look. It was a small lock made of pure gold, inlaid with jade and jewels. The patterns and designs were also very meaningful. It was not a common style in gold shops. It looked like it had been pre-ordered a long time ago.
Yu Xi never expected that someone as busy as him would have time to think about something like this.
“I didn’t know what to give as a gift, but this is the first time I’ve met the child, and as a grandfather, I can’t come empty-handed, so I had someone order a gold lock.”
"I thank you on behalf of my child." Yu Xi carefully put away the gold lock, her politeness impossible to conceal. She really couldn't become as familiar with this person as family in such a short time.
The next second, Meng Jinxian spoke in a pleading and low voice, "This is the only bloodline left by A-Chou in the world. Can you please not abort the child and keep him?"
“I know this request is excessive. You should decide whether to keep the child or not. None of us can make this decision for you, let alone use our moral high ground to pressure you.”
"I just hope you can keep him, even if you don't want him, you can keep him by my side, I can take good care of him."
Hearing this, Yu Xi couldn't help but laugh out loud, revealing her stance, "Don't worry about that, I will definitely keep him. He is my and Meng Chou's child, how could I possibly abandon him?"
"Thank you," Meng Jinxian said, turning his back to her, pulling out a handkerchief from the left pocket of his coat, and wiping away the tears from the corners of his eyes.
Yu Xi quietly looked up and realized that he looked much older than she had seen on the TV screen. Many white hairs had sprouted on the back of his head, and he looked travel-worn as soon as he entered the room.
The loss of his beloved son overnight was a blow to him that could not be described as slight.
There are only two people in this family who will be saddened by Meng Chou's death: Yu Xi and him.
Meng Jinxian didn't want to lose his composure in front of Yu Xi, so after composing himself, he slowly turned around and discussed with Yu Xi, "If you have any difficulties with Jin Xuexiao, you can tell me, and I will do my best to help you."
“I know that Jin Xuexiao was established by you and Meng Chou, and I know how difficult it was.”
Yu Xi resolutely refused. She slowly stood up, walked back to the lever, and used the strength in her arms to move her whole body forward, as if talking to herself: "I appreciate your kindness, but I think I can make Jin Xuexiao develop better on my own."
"What A-Chou can do, I can do too."
"I think that's what he wanted to see too."
She spoke slowly and deliberately, paving a path for herself and for her child.
“I respect your choice, but if you have any problems, you can talk to me and I will help you solve them.”
Yu Xi didn't reply, but turned around and showed a stubborn smile, showing no fear of the difficulties and hardships before her.
Meng Jinxian didn't say anything more, but got up and left. "Then I won't disturb your practice. I'll come to see you and the child another day."
Yu Xi nodded, watching him leave. The moment the door to the rehabilitation room closed, she felt a strange pang in her heart.
Even though Meng Chou had caused such a commotion with his family for her sake, and she knew he would keep quiet about it, she still felt terrible inside.
Meng Jinxian may have only realized after his death that if he had been a little softer back then, or even just a little bit, things might not have turned out this way.
Meng Chou witnessed the whole thing. He drifted to a corner, leaned against the wall, crossed his arms, and muttered, "Old man, it's too late to regret it now."
"Perhaps it's not too late. If you help Xiaoyu more in the future, I'll forgive you."
—
Time slipped away quietly through the cracks, and the flowers on the bedside table had been replaced countless times. Yu Xi looked at the increasingly thin calendar, with only a few pages left.
The last time she saw a calendar with torn pages was when she was in the orphanage. The nurse, in order to make her feel that life had meaning, put down this calendar and tore off a page every day.
As the thick half-book gradually disappeared, snowflakes began to fall outside, and the window was covered with a thick, blurry filter by the heat.
Yu Xi subconsciously walked to the window and slowly wrote Meng Chou's name with her slender white fingertips. As she finished the last stroke, water trickled down the marks left by her fingers, and the writing began to blur.
Just like their love affair, they were only together for a few years before it all became memories, and as time goes by, these memories will become blurred.
"Do you know? Our baby is about to be born. If you were still here, you wouldn't have left me here alone, would you?" Yu Xi was wearing a beige woolen hat with a white pom-pom on it. She leaned her head against the glass, her cheek pressed against the remaining writing.
Upon seeing this, Meng Chou immediately floated over and reached out to pull her into his arms. Only after his hands passed through her arms did he come to his senses. "I forgot that things are not like before, and I can't touch you anymore."
“I know all of this, Xiaoyu. I remember your due date, I remember how you used to playfully tuck your icy hands into my collar in winter, and I remember I promised you that I would watch the first snow with you every year from now on.”
Meng Chou sighed, "I remember all of these things clearly, how could I forget them?"
"It's so cold on the glass. Be good, don't lean against the glass, okay?" He said, turning his back and wiping away the blood and tears from the corners of his eyes, even though he knew Yu Xi couldn't see him there at all.
"The child will be born in early spring. Just the word 'early spring' is warm and full of hope." Yu Xi raised the corners of her mouth, revealing a faint smile.
"So, you must be born safely and peacefully."
This is something that Yu Xi has been worried about.
With Ji Huai'en handling all the big and small matters for Jin Xuexiao, she felt very at ease.
But on her side, no one could guarantee that she and her child were absolutely safe.
The car accident was ultimately dealt with sloppily by Meng Jinxian. The person who hit them died on the spot, and the real culprit behind it was never found.
Yu Xi knew in her heart that someone was secretly trying to kill her and Meng Chou.
But the murderer did not succeed completely; she and her child survived.
Thanks to Meng Jinxian's exceptional care, these past few months have been peaceful. But nothing is perfect, just like this protection.
As the doorway opened, Sun Shuhan walked in with a beaming smile, carrying a lunchbox in her right hand. Seeing Yu Xi lost in thought, she quickly asked, "Oh dear, what have you made?"
"It's so cold, don't let yourself and the child get cold." She put down the lunchbox and walked to Yu Xi's side. Before her outstretched hand could touch Yu Xi, the latter nimbly dodged it.
"What brings you here to see me today?" She had never called Sun Shuhan "Mom" before. She knew that Meng Chou would never acknowledge such a mother, so naturally she would not acknowledge her either.
Sun Shuhan waved her hand, "I've wanted to come for a long time, but Lao Meng kept telling me not to come, saying he was afraid of disturbing you."
"You're all family, what's the big deal about disturbing each other?"
Yu Xi forced a smile but did not reply.
When has Sun Shuhan ever treated her like family? She probably hates herself the most, so why would she kindly come to visit her?
"Here, this is the chicken soup I made for you. It's been simmering for several hours." Sun Shuhan opened the lunchbox, and the chicken soup emitted a fragrant aroma, with white steam swirling around, instantly filling the entire room.
She took out a small bowl she had prepared, ladled out a bowlful, and handed it to Yu Xi, saying, "You haven't eaten yet, have you? Try this."
Instead of taking it directly, Yu Xi asked, "Is there something you need from me today?"
Sun Shuhan held the bowl of chicken soup in both hands and said casually, "Nothing much, I just came to see you. Look at you, what have you been thinking about?"
"The soup is still warm, have a taste."
Sun Shuhan wasn't afraid of Yu Xi refusing; she dared to bring such a bowl of chicken soup because she was prepared. The spoon was coated with something colorless and odorless; if Yu Xi touched it, her pregnancy would be doomed, even if it wasn't premature.
She wasn't that stupid; she figured Yu Xi would never eat what she gave her.
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