Shen Youlin teased Yu Fanxing while finishing the chicken soup she had brought, then immediately turned a cold shoulder and insisted she leave.
Yu Fanxing: "Dear, can you walk me out?"
"No way! Can't you find your way or don't you have legs?"
Yu Shu noticed Yu Fanxing wanted to talk, so she comforted Shen Youlin briefly before leaving the ward with Yu Fanxing.
The two went to the hospital cafe, but Yu Fanxing didn't speak, and Yu Shu didn't ask, waiting patiently as the atmosphere grew tense.
Finally, Yu Fanxing couldn't hold back: "Did you... find out?"
These past few days, Yu Shu had been rather cold towards her, and when they ate earlier, Shen Youlin had made digs at her that Yu Shu didn't defend her against like she normally would.
"Yeah, he told me everything. I need some time to process it, so for now I can't treat you the same as before."
Yu Fanxing lowered her eyelashes: "So you think it's my fault too. But I really... really don't know how to make it up to him."
Why did everyone take the moral high ground and accuse her of being an unfit mother after having a child? As if she was nothing but a mother, as if failing at that one role made her an utter sinner.
Yu Shu sighed wearily: "I'm not you, I haven't experienced it, so I can't judge if what you did was right or wrong. The conflict between parents and children is a problem humanity can never solve - there is no absolute right or wrong, only suitable or unsuitable."
Yu Fanxing just... doesn't love her child as much. That a mother must deeply love her child is not a truth that applies to everyone.
"My mother Ye Ping was the opposite extreme compared to you. She loved her children so much that I felt suffocated, and she lost herself in the process. She pinned all her hopes on Yu Yang and me, and whenever we deviated from her expectations and control, her desire to control would spiral out of control. If I hadn't suddenly won the lottery and become wealthy, I probably would have muddled through life confined by her expectations."
"She lost herself, but no one can say she was wrong; you love yourself more than anything, and you're not wrong either. If my sister had been fine, if Shen Youlin hadn't met Zhang Yi, he wouldn't have gone through those two years, but he did..."
Shen Youfei and Shen Yuxiao were also raised by nannies and butlers when young, while Shen Youlin used to have an older sister.
Was it lucky or unlucky? Every family has its chaos, and no one can make sense of it all.
"Right and wrong, black and white - it's impossible to distinguish. All that matters is gain and loss, and now that Shen Youlin and I are together, his interests are my interests."
"I feel bad for him."
Tears rolled down Yu Fanxing's cheeks one by one. She wiped them away and smiled at Yu Shu: "It's so nice, finally someone feels bad for him out of love."
Yu Shu nodded slightly: "Yeah."
After Yu Fanxing left, Yu Shu didn't get up until her coffee had gone cold.
Thinking they had been gone a while, Shen Youlin would probably throw a tantrum when she returned, so she packed some pastries to take back.
The cafe even sold baby carrots - bright in color, tiny, looking delightfully appetizing. Yu Shu bought some to coax her "little bunny."
Remembering Shen Youlin's quirky pen names, she couldn't help but laugh.
"Little bunny, want to have some carrots for afternoon tea?"
To her surprise, Shen Youlin was sitting cross-legged on the bed writing. Seeing her return, he rolled his eyes: "Your rabbit has pined for you so much in your absence that no medicine works."
"Tsk, why learn the bad habits and not the good ones? You roll your eyes with quite some mastery." Yu Shu stuffed a carrot into his mouth, "Have this magic pill, you might still be saved."
Shen Youlin crunched and swallowed the carrot, then opened his mouth again: "I want more, ah--"
Yu Shu fed him another, then mentioned going back to her parents' home.
Shen Youlin pouted woefully: "What if your mother-in-law doesn't like me?"
After all, he had orchestrated her forcible admission to the hospital initially.
"Oh you poor thing." Yu Shu patted his cheek sympathetically. "Don't worry, whether she likes you or not won't stop me from marrying you."
"Wah..."
"Don't worry, she definitely won't like you - not because of you specifically, but she'll find fault with whoever I bring home."
Shen Youlin wailed even louder: "That makes me more scared!"
"That's just how she is, full of contradictions. When I wasn't dating, she thought anyone would be the perfect match for me; but once I started dating, she would nitpick and find the person unworthy no matter what." Yu Shu shrugged. "That's how it was before, I don't know if she's gotten better."
"If she hasn't, can we have her committed for another year or two of treatment?"
Yu Shu didn't say yes or no - truthfully, she was just as apprehensive as Shen Youlin.
But she couldn't abandon her parents, so sooner or later she would have to return and face them, and this "ugly bride" Shen Youlin would have to meet her in-laws too.
Yu Shu: "My parents' opinions and actions can no longer influence my decisions or our future."
Shen Youlin's eyes lit up: "Even if they cry and wail and threaten suicide to force me out?"
"No."
"Why don't I get it? Explain it clearly."
Yu Shu pinched his face. "No matter their attitude, I will marry you - it has to be you, no one else will do. So will you marry me?"
"Yes yes yes!!"
Yu Shu was amused by his eagerness. "Neigh neigh neigh, are you a horse?"
Hearing "horse", Shen Youlin grew even more excited: "I can ride horses too! I can even control them with one hand! When it gets warmer, let's go to the prairies and ride horses! I'll teach you, I guarantee I can teach you!"
After making plans, Shen Youlin took care of all the trivial matters - booking their flights and routes, ordering New Year gifts for Yu Shu's parents and brother, even packing her luggage.
"So industrious, you have the makings of a devoted househusband."
After the compliment, Shen Youlin worked even harder, finding time to buy a string of stars - yes, a whole string.
He felt Yu Shu was right, buying just one wasn't secure enough since it could explode. But with a string, he didn't think they could all blow up.
While Yu Shu called him wasteful, behind his back she spent two billion without blinking to commission Mr. Rodriguez to buy one of the nine ultra-rare supercars in the world.
Before leaving, they spent two days with Shen Youlin's grandmother at the old Shen residence. Shen Youlin excitedly shared their homecoming plans and asked the old lady for advice on preparing the New Year gifts.
The old lady nodded approvingly: "Since this is your first visit to your in-laws, you need to mind your manners completely, or they might not let Yu Shu marry you."
Shen Youlin stated matter-of-factly: "Then she can marry me!"
The old lady froze, her smile stuck on her face. Just as Yu Shu was about to explain, the old lady slapped her thigh vigorously: "Exactly! Why didn't I think of that!"
Yu Shu: "..."
She had a new appreciation for the open-mindedness of the Shen family.
