Morning Longing for Warmth – Chapter 21
by Little PandaBirthday
Not that cruel
Wei Hui wasn’t a kind-hearted person – this was everyone’s consensus. Not only was she unkind, but she was also ruthless in her actions. When she first took office, she would stop at nothing to achieve her goals, and it was precisely because of that experience that everyone feared her and didn’t dare to have any improper thoughts. Even the few who were foolish enough to try couldn’t withstand her frost-like demeanor, giving up after a few encounters.
She didn’t need others to be nice to her because she couldn’t reciprocate. Relationships weren’t like business deals; they needed long-term nurturing, and she neither had the energy nor the desire to nurture them.
Meeting Shiyi was unexpected.
Before Wei Changyuan passed away, he repeatedly hinted at wanting to see her married with children, hoping for an heir to the Wei family. He even arranged several matchmaking sessions for her. But until his death, he never knew that she didn’t like men – she liked women.
In her younger years, she had romantic fantasies, but they were all about people of the same gender. She couldn’t develop any feelings for men. Fearing it would worsen Wei Changyuan’s illness, she never revealed this, and only Su Ziyan knew about it.
After Wei Changyuan’s death, she was busy with the company and had no time for distractions. Combined with her health issues, she was even more unwilling to touch upon matters of the heart. Su Ziyan thought this was the right choice – if she got involved in relationships, it would worsen her condition. He would rather see her live as an emotionless ‘monk’ (meaning someone who has renounced worldly desires) than watch her die faster because of emotions. However, the Wei family having no heir remained a thorn in her heart, especially in the dead of night. When she recalled Wei Changyuan’s eyes before his death, that thorn seemed to dig deeper, causing her such pain that she couldn’t sleep.
Two months ago, when she realized her condition was becoming uncontrollable, she discussed many things with Su Ziyan, including this thorn. Su Ziyan responded without hesitation: “Want to have a child? Then find a woman you like to have one for you.”
He just said it casually, but who knew Wei Hui would take it seriously? She sent several people abroad to investigate, and after receiving positive confirmation, she began looking for suitable candidates.
The upper-class circle wouldn’t work, and she didn’t like the entertainment circle either. After searching for nearly a month, she couldn’t find a suitable target.
Just when she was about to give up on this idea, Shiyi appeared.
Wei Hui didn’t want to admit that she was initially attracted by those eyes. She even thought about how beautiful it would be if her child had such eyes. She was being so superficial and ordinary, judging someone by their looks, and even brought that person home.
This was something she would never do normally, but that day she was like someone possessed, feeling a bit like desperately seeking any cure when sick. But now she was thinking – this feeling wasn’t bad.
At least she was very satisfied with this child.
It was precisely because she was too satisfied that she allowed her to repeatedly cross her own boundaries – giving her three months to consider, letting her freely enter and leave the Wei household, and even now, silently permitting her to lean against her side. Wei Hui turned her head to see Shiyi’s nervous expression, her hands clasped together, showing white knuckles and faintly visible veins.
Shiyi stared at the screen without blinking. Though clearly afraid of such scenes, she couldn’t help but want to keep watching. The entire room was silent except for the distant eerie music from the screen, when suddenly came a call: “Shiyi.”
She was scared so badly her scalp tingled, and due to the long-term tension, she instinctively hid in the embrace of the person beside her. Her face pressed against something soft, her nose filled with a subtle fragrance. Only then did Shiyi realize what she had done, her body freezing and her mind going blank.
“Shiyi?” the calling continued, Su Ziyan’s voice came through: “Help me get…”
He turned his head to see the two already embracing, confused: “What are you two doing?”
Shiyi was completely embarrassed. As she rose from Wei Hui’s embrace, trying to think of a reasonable explanation, Wei Hui casually said beside her: “What is it?”
Without explaining what just happened, while Shiyi’s face still showed an unnatural expression, Su Ziyan looked at her, then at Wei Hui, and said: “Never mind, I’ll get it myself.”
When Su Ziyan sat back down, Shiyi awkwardly called out in a small voice: “Third Miss.”
“Just now, I’m sorry.”
Wei Hui glanced at her and said lightly: “It’s fine.”
Shiyi looked up at her. The screen’s light fell on Wei Hui’s face, making her look extraordinarily beautiful, with deep and dignified features. There wasn’t a trace of anger on her face, nor the coldness from when she first grabbed her clothes’ hem. Shiyi secretly felt relieved but didn’t dare watch the movie anymore, afraid that at scary parts, she might do something improper again.
Half an hour later, the movie ended. Shiyi sat properly on the sofa, her small frame straight, her bottom somewhat sore. In contrast, Wei Hui beside her was relaxed against the sofa, her posture more casual than ever before. Shiyi thought to herself, so this is what Wei Hui is like when watching movies.
Very different from usual.
A knock at the door interrupted her thoughts, and Aunt Liu’s voice came from the doorway: “Third Miss, dinner is ready.”
Shiyi followed behind Wei Hui and Su Ziyan as they left the movie room.
Perhaps Aunt Liu knew it was Third Miss’s birthday, as dinner was very elaborate. After sitting down, Su Ziyan smiled and said: “Coming here for a free meal was definitely a wise decision.”
Wei Hui gave him a glance, then said to Shiyi: “Eat.”
Shiyi sat down in the chair next to her. At the dinner table, Su Ziyan and Wei Hui chatted briefly about company matters. Shiyi couldn’t really understand; these professional terms were like a book without words from heaven (a Chinese idiom meaning something completely incomprehensible), going in her left ear and out her right.
Since she couldn’t understand the conversation either way, she focused on eating. She was already full before Su Ziyan and Wei Hui put down their chopsticks. Then she heard Su Ziyan ask: “So what do you plan to do?”
Wei Hui put down her chopsticks and took a sip of soup: “First, go talk with the Du family.”
Su Ziyan nodded: “I’ve met Du Yuehan a few times. Want me to go with you?”
Wei Hui: “No need, I’ll take Shiyi.”
Su Ziyan’s gaze fell on Shiyi. Shiyi inexplicably found herself under both their stares, and her lowered face turned slightly red. Su Ziyan withdrew his gaze and said: “Now that we’re full, let’s cut the cake.”
Wei Hui was neutral about sweets – she neither liked nor disliked them. But Shiyi really liked them, perhaps because she rarely got to eat them before, so she had a special fondness for sweets. The moment the cake box was opened, she smelled the rich fragrance and her eyes turned toward the cake, biting her lip.
The living room was nearly empty, with Aunt Liu and the servants clearing dishes in the dining room. When Su Ziyan saw Wei Hui pick up the knife to cut the cake, he immediately called out: “Wait!”
“You haven’t made a wish yet.”
This grown man acted like a newly-adult child, saying to Wei Hui: “Quick, I’ll light the candles for you, make a wish.”
“Shiyi, find something to make fire.”
Shiyi was stunned by her assigned task: “Fire?”
Then she realized what was needed and ran to the kitchen in her slippers. Wei Hui watched the two busying about while sitting on the sofa. After Shiyi got a lighter and found it didn’t work, she went to get a new one. Her small figure darted around the living room, and Wei Hui felt for the first time that celebrating a birthday could be this lively.
She rarely celebrated birthdays, and after getting sick, she didn’t like celebrating them at all. Su Ziyan was right – each year meant one less year left, and she didn’t like that feeling.
But she couldn’t refuse Su Ziyan – or rather, it wasn’t exactly that she couldn’t refuse. If she truly insisted, Su Ziyan would have no way with her, but after all these years, having someone who remembered her birthday and would celebrate it with her, someone who would perhaps also remember her death anniversary in the future.
That was enough.
And now, there was one more person.
Wei Hui looked at Shiyi’s cheeks, which had turned rosy from all the activity. Her eyes were bright and sparkling, as if scattered starlight had been placed in them, clear and bright when looking at people. At this moment, she was eagerly looking at her, saying: “Third Miss, make a wish.”
Wei Hui came back to her senses and saw a candle stuck in the cake with the number 27 written on it.
She nodded: “Alright.”
Su Ziyan found her cooperation unbelievable – in the past, she would impatiently dismiss making wishes, saying the result would be the same anyway. Her attitude now was completely different.
He should get used to it. This person was just different when it came to Shiyi, otherwise she wouldn’t have brought someone home.
Wei Hui put her hands together and gently closed her eyes. Two minutes later, she opened them and blew out the candle. Su Ziyan smiled as he handed her the knife, asking: “What did you wish for?”
The person cutting the cake had a cool profile, and replied calmly: “I wished for a long life of a hundred years.”
This most ordinary wish made Su Ziyan’s smile freeze on his face. Shiyi also looked up at Wei Hui several times, until Wei Hui finished cutting the cake and gave pieces to her and Su Ziyan, saying with a slight smile: “You actually believed that nonsense.”
Su Ziyan took the cake and said quietly: “I rather wish you weren’t joking.”
That one sentence changed the atmosphere between the three in a subtle way. Shiyi didn’t know what to say. She looked down at her cake – even though she was holding the food she had been craving, she had no appetite. Su Ziyan picked at the fruit on top with his fork, chewing slowly.
Shortly after, Wei Hui got up to answer a phone call. Su Ziyan also put down his cake and said to Shiyi: “Take your time eating.”
Shiyi nodded: “Mm.”
She watched Su Ziyan walk towards Wei Hui. Two minutes later, Wei Hui hung up the phone and said a few words to Su Ziyan behind her. As the two walked out, Shiyi sat on the sofa, watching the people who had left, quietly lowering her eyes.
A cold wind swept in, and Wei Hui, who had stepped outside, coughed several times. Su Ziyan stood in front of her blocking the wind and said: “Let’s talk inside.”
Wei Hui shook her head: “Let’s just talk here.”
“Are you really planning to have a child with Shiyi?” Su Ziyan looked at her. The sky outside was pitch black, and the streetlight cast its glow on her, leaving half her face hidden in darkness, making it hard to see clearly.
Wei Hui: “If that child agrees.”
Su Ziyan somewhat disapproved: “This would be very hard on your body, there could be danger at any time.”
Wei Hui’s voice was very calm: “I’ve consulted about it, it’s within controllable limits.”
If Shiyi agreed, she would take her for surgery after the New Year. This way, they could see the child by the end of next year. With her current condition, Su Ziyan estimated she could last at most six more years. By then, with an artificial heart transplant, she could last several more years – at least enough time to raise a child to be independent. Moreover, there was the Cheng family, Su Ziyan, and Pei Tian.
“What about Shiyi?” Su Ziyan asked: “What will happen to her?”
Wei Hui looked up at Su Ziyan, her hands behind her back, and said: “I will give her enough money to ensure she lives without worries.”
“But this would be her child – do you think she could just let go without any attachments?”
Wei Hui grew a bit impatient: “What exactly are you trying to say?”
Su Ziyan stood beside her, looking at her with intense eyes: “I think you could reconsider your relationship with her, maybe…”
“Weren’t you the one who most wanted me to avoid relationships?” Wei Hui interrupted him, her expression much colder. Su Ziyan was silent for a moment: “That was before.”
His thoughts now were different from before. After all these years, maybe she should try accepting someone else, start a different kind of life. Even if she wanted a child, it could be born from love.
Most importantly – “You don’t dislike her, right?”
Wei Hui scoffed: “Ziyan, I admit I don’t dislike this child, but I’m not that cruel.”
If she developed feelings for Shiyi, that would truly ruin this child’s entire life. Though she wasn’t a good person, she wouldn’t be so despicable!
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