Morning Longing for Warmth – Chapter 23
by Little PandaShi’er
I will not keep a dog.
After Shiyi left, Wei Hui got up and changed into her sleepwear. When she looked down at her chest, she moved aside the gauze dress, and the ugly scars that were previously hidden became completely visible under the light, clearly showing one scar, then another. Wei Hui suddenly heard that child’s question echoing in her ears: “It must have hurt, right?”
Did it hurt?
Wei Hui buttoned up her sleepwear. She had undergone many surgeries and had many episodes of illness. The initial fear and pain from being sick gradually turned to numbness. Now, she felt no pain at all.
Her hand touched her chest area. She saw the doll placed at the bedside, still wrapped in its packaging. She walked over, put the doll on the ground beside her, and closed her eyes to rest. But the child’s sincere gaze kept appearing before her eyes. Wei Hui sat up again, picked up the doll from the ground, and opened the packaging.
The doll wasn’t big, just the right size to hold, light gray in color. Along with the packaging fell a slip of paper. Wei Hui bent down to pick it up and saw several characters written crookedly: “Happy Birthday, Third Miss.”
The handwriting wasn’t neat or pretty, written in a halting manner, like a primary school student’s writing. The handwriting on the elegant card seemed out of place. Wei Hui’s lips curved slightly as she held the card. She opened the bedside drawer, put the card inside, then turned to look at the stuffed dog. The dog’s black eyes were bright, like that child staring at her. Wei Hui wasn’t completely resolute after all; she still placed the doll at the far end of her bed before turning over to rest.
At night, she was awakened by the wind. Rain and wind beat against the windows, making loud banging sounds. Perhaps because she hadn’t drunk milk that evening, her sleep was restless. After being woken twice, she got up, put on clothes, and stood by the window. The street lamp below cast a dim yellow light. The rain fell at a sharp angle, striking the ground directly and creating ripples in circles. After watching for a few minutes, she saw a familiar figure appear below.
That person wore loose sportswear, light cyan in color, with a thin frame. She was walking quickly while holding an umbrella in the rain. Her figure swayed in the strong wind but quickly continued forward. Wei Hui’s fine eyebrows furrowed slightly – wasn’t that Shiyi?
What was this child doing out at night? And in such rainy weather?
She stared at that slender silhouette for a few seconds before turning to go downstairs, grabbing a black umbrella from beside the door. By the time she reached the main entrance, the figure was no longer visible.
“Where is she?” Her cool voice cut through the darkness. The security guard in front pointed to a small path not far away: “Miss Shiyi went that way.”
“I’ll accompany you…”
Wei Hui coldly interrupted: “No need.”
After speaking, she walked out the gate, following the direction the guard had pointed. This small path rarely had people on it. Now in the deep night, with wind and rain combined, it felt even more desolate. She walked forward a few steps. Everything around was pitch black – rainy weather already absorbed light, and this path had no streetlights. Her phone’s flashlight didn’t reach very far.
After walking for about a few minutes without seeing that slender figure, Wei Hui couldn’t help but call out: “Shiyi?”
There was no response, only the pitter-patter sound of rain falling on the black umbrella, clear and crisp. Wei Hui walked a few more steps with the umbrella, and just as she was about to turn back, she saw a light coming from beneath a tree not far away. Looking carefully, who else could it be but Shiyi.
She was crouching on the ground holding an umbrella, facing away. Wei Hui’s brows furrowed even tighter as she walked over, stood behind her, and called: “Shiyi.”
The person whose name was called let out a startled cry, almost jumping up!
Wei Hui had no patience and asked directly: “What are you doing here?”
Her voice was too distinctive, clear like cold water [too clear]. Shiyi recognized it after a pause of a few seconds. She turned around in disbelief to indeed find Wei Hui standing behind her with an umbrella. Rain had soaked her nightgown, the hem was dripping wet, her whole face hidden under the black umbrella. Though her expression wasn’t visible, from her voice, she wasn’t very happy.
Shiyi didn’t know how Wei Hui had come out, but she still answered honestly: “I came out because I had something to do.”
Wei Hui stared at her steadily: “What thing?”
Shiyi moved back slightly, and Wei Hui saw she was holding a dog in her arms. It wasn’t small, but earlier it had been hidden by the umbrella and her figure, so it wasn’t visible. Now both person and dog were staring at her unblinkingly with two pairs of eyes. Wei Hui’s breath caught: “Where did it come from?”
Shiyi shook her head: “I don’t know, I found it on the street.”
After speaking, she bit her lip, still holding the dog, unwilling to let go: “I was planning to ask you tonight if I could bring it back…”
Before Shiyi could finish speaking, Wei Hui suddenly thought of the gift she had received – also a fluffy dog doll. So this was why. Wei Hui’s face tensed as she asked in return: “What do you think?”
There was no need to think about it. Hearing these words, Shiyi knew Wei Hui definitely didn’t like it. Her head drooped, shoulders slumped. Her chest was already dirty from holding the dog, and with rain pouring down, her clothes clung to her body. Shiyi knew how bedraggled she looked, just as bedraggled as Shi’er.
Wei Hui turned impatiently: “Let’s go home.”
A pair of small hands timidly grabbed the hem of her nightgown. Wei Hui looked down to see Shiyi’s eyes shining brightly. She moved the umbrella to shelter the dog, letting herself get wet. Now rain water ran freely down her hair strands, following her delicate features to her chin, falling drop by drop.
Just like that time at the Wang family home, she had grabbed onto her the same way, in the same posture. Her cold eyes met Shiyi’s, both looking at each other. Wei Hui unconsciously moved the umbrella more toward her side and compromised: “Just for tonight, tomorrow it goes away.”
Shiyi still held on, her clear voice especially distinct in the darkness: “I want to keep it, can I?”
“I’ll keep it in the backyard. I promise I won’t let it mess up any of your things. I just want it to have a place to sleep, so it doesn’t have to be rained on like this.” After Shiyi finished speaking, Wei Hui looked up at the dog. After being washed by the rain, the dog’s fur color gradually showed through – yellowish, long-haired. The dog was sticking out its tongue with its mouth open, its eyes looking at Wei Hui, then at Shiyi, head tilted.
Wei Hui somehow thought of how Shiyi had tilted her head that day, and the blurry fragment became a clear memory. She didn’t immediately refuse, only said: “We’ll talk about it when we get back.”
Shiyi knew she couldn’t push her luck. She obediently let go of Wei Hui’s nightgown hem, turned to loosen the dog’s leash, and held the umbrella while holding the leash, with some happiness showing on her face.
Although Wei Hui hadn’t directly agreed to let her keep the dog, she also hadn’t firmly refused just now. There was still a chance, still a chance.
Shiyi led Shi’er behind Wei Hui as the two people and one dog quickly walked toward the Wei residence.
At the main gate, the security guard was startled but immediately opened the door. Shiyi didn’t dare bring the dog into the living room, just stood at the doorway saying: “I’ll take it to the backyard.”
Wei Hui was silent for a few seconds: “Come in.”
Shiyi boldly looked at Wei Hui. Now in the light, she saw that Wei Hui’s expression showed no impatience, no coldness, no sternness, but rather looked at her calmly, her expression normal.
Only then did she feel at ease leading Shi’er into the living room. Shi’er was very well-behaved, unlike typical dogs who get excited in strange places. It sat quietly beside Shiyi; when Shiyi took a step, it would move along with her. Wei Hui looked at the person and dog before her who seemed joined at the hip and said helplessly: “Go take a hot bath first.”
She lifted her chin: “Give it a bath too.”
Although she didn’t say it directly, Shiyi could still see the disgust in her eyes. She looked down at herself, covered in black mud, most noticeable on her shoes. Just standing there for a moment left water marks on the floor. For her to be like this, Wei Hui letting her inside was already a blessing, and now allowing her to bathe the dog too. Shiyi’s heart and eyes were full of gratitude. She bowed her head and said solemnly: “Third Miss, thank you.”
Wei Hui opened her lips: “Go on.”
Only then did Shiyi take Shi’er upstairs. She first ran water to wash Shi’er. The messy, dirty fur gradually revealed its original color under the water and body wash – a light gray, a very pretty shade, and the fur was long. After washing it, Shiyi used the hair dryer for about ten minutes to get it half-dry. Then she tied Shi’er to the bedpost and took her new sleepwear to shower.
It was already half an hour later when she came out of the bathroom. Shi’er was lying by the bed and immediately stood up when it saw her come out. With its tall body, beautiful fur, and round bright eyes, Shiyi couldn’t help patting its head and calling softly: “Shi’er.”
The dog let out a bark, and Shiyi immediately covered its mouth, putting a finger to her lips to signal it to be quiet.
At this hour, she wondered if Third Miss was asleep yet?
Shiyi thought about how she had just grabbed Third Miss’s hem, how she had looked at her without coldness in her gaze, and how she had walked with her in the rain. She bit her lip, got up and went downstairs, made a cup of milk, and carried it to Wei Hui’s door, knocking gently: “Third Miss?”
Wei Hui was destined to have trouble sleeping tonight. She had just taken a shower and was preparing to sleep when she heard the knock and Shiyi’s soft call. Her brows furrowed tightly – had she given this child too many exceptions, making her so bold now?
She opened the door with a cold face, only to see Shiyi smiling shyly, holding a cup of hot milk, with steam rising gently. Those eyes of hers that held stars looked at Wei Hui as she said: “Third Miss, thank you again just now. Please drink some milk before sleeping.”
Wei Hui swallowed back the scolding she had prepared. The Shiyi before her wore a pleasing smile, being extremely careful, as if afraid of being rejected. Wei Hui paused for a few seconds before taking the milk from her hands and drinking it down.
The warm and sweet taste slid down her throat, making her voice less cold when she spoke again: “Is the dog settled in?”
Shiyi nodded repeatedly, hoping to hear words from her about letting Shi’er stay, but Wei Hui looked at her a few times and said: “I used to keep a dog before.”
“Later, I gave it away.”
Shiyi gripped the cup tightly as she heard her say: “So, I won’t agree. Tomorrow I’ll have Aunt Liu send it away.”
As if sentenced to death, the color instantly drained from Shiyi’s face. She lowered her head, her vision blurring, and said with a thick nasal voice: “I understand, Third Miss.”
Wei Hui watched her thin little shoulders slightly shrug. She lowered her eyes, stepped back, and closed the door.
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