"Auntie, I know you love lilies. My mother picked these out especially for you."
This girl didn't take credit for herself, showing she still had some conscience and hadn't forgotten her mother upon meeting her mother-in-law.
Feng's Mother was very beautiful, with striking features and clear-cut contours that had a certain boldness to them. Shi Li remembered that the original text had mentioned that Feng's Mother's grandmother was a foreigner, making her mixed-race.
Feng Yunhe took after his mother more in appearance.
She wore comfortable loungewear, her hair casually draped over her shoulders. As she lowered her head to smell the lilies, sunlight fell upon her, enveloping her in a hazy glow that made her appear inexplicably lovely.
Seeing Feng's Mother, Shi Li found it increasingly difficult to understand Feng's Father. Why would he fancy Liang Rongrong's mother and pine for her for most of his life?
In terms of looks, Liang Rongrong had delicate features. Unless something was amiss, even if her mother wasn't ugly, she wouldn't be particularly striking.
Feng's Mother, on the other hand, was a renowned beauty in their circles. Now, approaching fifty, she could still dazzle Shi Li's eyes with her radiance.
Feng's Mother herself was cultured and empathetic.
Shi Li sighed inwardly. Some people were just perverse – they'd find even dog shit appetizing if they'd never tasted it before, and could obsess over it for half their lives.
"Thank you, I love this bouquet."
Feng's Mother placed the flowers on the table.
Huang Jie inquired about her recent health.
Feng's Mother replied with a smile, "The environment here is nice, my mood is good, so naturally, my health has improved. It's quite pleasant living here."
Feng's Mother winked at Shi Li, "Your timing is a bit unfortunate. Yunhe came to see me this morning. He left just before you arrived due to an urgent company meeting."
Huang Jie glanced at Shi Li with a smile, curious about her reaction.
Shi Li linked arms with Feng's Mother, "That is unfortunate indeed, but I'm here to see you, Auntie. It has nothing to do with Brother Yunhe."
Huang Jie chimed in, "You don't know, but this child usually doesn't like going out. She prefers to stay at home and study. When I mentioned yesterday that we'd be visiting you today, she agreed without any hesitation."
"I wonder if that's because she wanted to see you, or someone else?" Feng's Mother sighed with mock concern, "I'm not sure if I have that kind of charm."
Shi Li pretended to be upset and turned her head away, "You're all adults, yet you tease a young girl like me. Aren't you ashamed?"
Her childish gesture sent the two adults into fits of laughter.
Feng's Mother looked at Huang Jie with a touch of envy, "It's better to raise a daughter. They're like warm little quilts for the heart."
When someone compliments your daughter, as a mother, you should return the favor by praising their son.
"Don't say that. Sons and daughters are both comforting. A thoughtful son is no worse than a daughter. He still has to go to school, yet he rushes over to see you during his breaks. Isn't that thoughtful enough?"
Feng's Mother did indeed find her son thoughtful. Her envy of Huang Jie for having a daughter stemmed from the fact that she had once almost had a daughter herself. Seeing other people's daughters made her feel a sense of regret.
Huang Jie, of course, knew about Feng's Mother's emotional knot. She changed the subject, "My, Yunhe is already helping out at the company so early?"
However, Feng's Mother's tone held a note of disapproval, "After I fell ill, he started helping out at the company. He's still young, and I think it's the prime age for learning. The focus should be on his studies. I've tried to persuade him, but he won't listen to me."
Huang Jie said with a smile, "We should interfere less in young people's affairs. Yunhe has always been mature for his age. Entering the company early to learn the ropes means he can take over sooner. You shouldn't worry so much about these things. Just focus on enjoying your own life."
Feng's Mother nodded, "You're right. I'll let the father and son worry about external matters."
Suddenly, a phone alarm rang. Feng's Mother silenced it and explained to the mother and daughter, "This is my reminder to go for a morning walk. Don't worry about it, let's continue our chat."
Having come to visit, they couldn't let Feng's Mother change her routine because of their arrival.
Huang Jie said, "When we got out of the car earlier, Shi Li was quite curious about this rehabilitation area. Why don't I accompany you on your walk, and we can explore the place together?"
Shi Li added, "Yes, and let me see what the back mountain looks like. The staff are so strict, we couldn't take a step without your company."
"Alright, then I'll trouble you to accompany me on a walk."
Feng's Mother had a weak constitution, and with the outdoor temperature being quite cold, she put on a fur coat and a hat.
While waiting for Feng's Mother to change, Shi Li and Huang Jie also put on the coats they had taken off upon entering.
The temperature difference between the 20-degree Celsius indoors and the outdoors made all three of them shiver as they stepped out.
Shi Li buried her face in her scarf, "Auntie, do you usually walk alone?"
"Not always. When you're not here, I ask the staff to accompany me."
There weren't many patients in the rehabilitation center, and Feng's Mother wasn't particularly adept at socializing. Even after two months of living there, she hadn't made any friends.
Feng's Mother would still greet the neighbors she occasionally encountered during her walks.
Two women approached them, one old and one young – an elegant lady with a pale, haggard face, and a young, vibrant girl full of energy.
Coincidentally, the young girl was an acquaintance of Shi Li, her classmate Gu Yuqing.
Shi Li, having lived two lifetimes, only had a casual relationship with her.
Shi Li was a perceptive person, able to sense others' emotions towards her. From Gu Yuqing, she had sensed feelings of resistance and rejection.
She wasn't the type to force everyone around her to become friends. If you wanted to be her friend, she welcomed it; if you didn't, she saw no need to insist.
This was her attitude towards Gu Yuqing. Even as classmates, there was no obligation to become friends. Many people become strangers after graduation anyway.
Shi Li and Huang Jie merely nodded at the newcomers, without much interaction.
Feng's Mother greeted Gu Yuqing's mother and exchanged a few words.
Feng's Mother simply said, "Your daughter has come to keep you company again. She's so thoughtful."
Chatting in the cold wind wasn't particularly comfortable.
Feng's Mother and Gu Yuqing's mother only exchanged a few words before parting. After they had walked away, Huang Jie sighed softly and said in a low voice, "She has it tough too."
Although Huang Jie didn't specify who "she" referred to, it didn't prevent Feng's Mother and Shi Li from understanding her meaning.
Gu Yuqing had a younger sister who was kidnapped by human traffickers when she was seven years old.
The missing daughter had become a deep-seated grief for the entire family.
Even though the Gu family was wealthy and influential, spending millions each year on various search methods, the chances of finding her grew slimmer as seven or eight years passed.
Gu's mother developed severe psychological issues due to her daughter's disappearance, constantly blaming herself day and night.
Her condition fluctuated, with several suicide attempts during particularly bad episodes. Although she was always rescued, her mental state remained unstable.
In the past two years, there hadn't been any news of Gu's mother attempting suicide; she was residing in a sanatorium to recuperate.
Unlike Feng's Mother, Gu's mother required round-the-clock care from nurses and couldn't be left alone.
Seeing Gu's mother's pale face, Shi Li felt a pang of sympathy.
She thought about her past life and the novel's plot, trying to guess the current location of Gu Yuqing's sister.
Shi Li wanted to help find her, knowing that Gu's mother's psychological wounds needed emotional healing. If they could find the Gu family's youngest daughter, Gu's mother's mental illness might be cured quickly.
Gu Yuqing's sister was also a significant character in the original novel. If she were just a nameless, unmentioned person, Shi Li's desire to help would be in vain.
[Gu Yuqing's lost sister seems to be in a village in J Province]
Shi Li's inner thoughts didn't come with a volume control. While Huang Jie deliberately lowered her voice so the mother and daughter didn't hear, Gu Yuqing clearly heard Shi Li's thoughts.
Gu Yuqing's body trembled. The family had spent so much effort searching for her little sister.
A month ago, strange things began happening around Shi Li. Their classmates could hear her inner thoughts, which often revealed future events.
The incident with Wei Yi's father proved that Shi Li's predictions were accurate.
Gu Yuqing had considered approaching Shi Li to inquire about her sister's whereabouts. However, facing her sworn enemy, she found it difficult to swallow her pride.
Shi Li probably didn't even know that Gu Yuqing considered her a sworn enemy.
From her perspective, they were just classmates who didn't get along. As for why and when they became enemies, these were things she was unaware of.
Noticing her daughter's unease, Gu's mother turned and asked, "What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"
Gu Yuqing feigned composure and shook her head, "No, Mom. Didn't you say walking is good for your health? Since I'm here today, let's take a few more laps together."
Gu's mother nodded with a smile, "Alright, I'll do as you say."
Gu Yuqing then suggested, "Let's walk up the mountain again. It's full of trees there, the air is fresh, and it's very pleasant for a stroll."
Gu's mother was puzzled. It was already winter, and the trees on the mountain had long since shed their leaves. How could the air be fresh?
However, since her daughter had suggested it, she didn't object. She was happy to spend more time with her daughter.
Gu Yuqing supported her mother as they headed up the mountain, following the path that Shi Li and her two companions had taken, moving quickly forward.
Gu Yuqing feared that if Shi Li went too far, she wouldn't be able to hear her thoughts and might miss crucial information about finding her sister.
Her eagerness to catch up with Shi Li was intense, turning what should have been a leisurely walk into a brisk pace.
[It seems to be in a small coastal fishing village. When Gu Yuqing's sister returns home, her skin will be very tanned. Oh, and she's especially skilled at swimming and diving. She even used these skills to harm Liang Rongrong]
Gu Yuqing: I've noted it all down. As for her sister harming Liang Rongrong, what's that about? Is Liang Rongrong some kind of despicable person? Seems like even dogs want to kick her.
