"Green ant wine, newly brewed; a small stove of red clay." Regardless of the season, Mai Shining loved hotpot most of all. A hearty, sweating meal of hotpot was the perfect remedy to dispel gloom and dampness, suitable for young and old alike.
After twenty weeks of pregnancy, her belly had begun to swell like it was being pumped up by a blower, growing rounder by the day. Like many expectant mothers, Mai Shining would often be struck by sudden cravings. And so, on this day, the "Great Aunt" had gathered her friends for a hotpot party at her home.
However, Mai Shining only concerned herself with inviting people. Taking full advantage of her status as a pregnant woman, she sat on the sofa with her legs crossed, chatting with Liang Juejun while waiting for the food to be served.
Fan Mi diligently took on the role of the chef, while Xia Yinuo busied herself running in and out to help, never forgetting to pop over to the sofa to offer reassurance. "Just a moment! It’ll be ready to eat soon!" she said with a silly, bright grin.
Liang Juejun reached for a tissue. With just a look, Xia Yinuo instinctively leaned in, obediently letting Liang Juejun wipe the fine beads of sweat from her forehead. Every movement from Teacher Liang was the height of tenderness.
Mai Shining leaned back like a lord on the sofa, watching the two with a teasing expression. Xia Yinuo shot her a glare before scurrying back into the kitchen.
"Oh my!" Mai Shining leaned toward Liang Juejun, poking fun at them. "Xiaobao must usually act like a little tyrant at home, right? Who would have thought she’d get so shy in front of people!"
Liang Juejun merely smiled without a word.
A moment later, Xia Yinuo emerged from the kitchen again with more dishes, arranging them one by one on the dining table.
"Hey, hey, Xiaobao, come here!" Mai Shining beckoned. She reached into the candy jar on the coffee table and plucked out a piece, unwrapping it in a flash. "There. Since you’re being so well-behaved and helpful today, I shall grant you a sweet. Open up!"
Xia Yinuo looked down at the dark object near her mouth, her face a mask of horror. "What kind of candy is this?"
Mai Shining beamed. "Coconut candy! It’s delicious! Come on, ah! Open wide!" Without giving her a choice, she stuffed the candy into Xiaobao’s mouth.
"I don't like coconut candy," Xia Yinuo protested muffledly. Despite her look of utter disdain, resistance was futile.
Mai Shining immediately barked, "No spitting it out! No wasting food!"
Liang Juejun let out a laugh from the side. Fan Mi was already calling for Xiaobao to help in the kitchen, so Xia Yinuo could only knit her brows and resignedly head back, candy still in her mouth.
Triumphant in her prank, Mai Shining turned to Liang Juejun with the candy jar. "Senior Liang, would you like a piece?"
Liang Juejun shook her head, her lips curving into a blooming smile as a plan formed. She stood up and strolled into the kitchen.
The sound of rushing water filled the room as Xia Yinuo, sleeves rolled up, stood by the sink washing vegetables.
Liang Juejun stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Xia Yinuo’s waist.
Startled, Xia Yinuo instinctively turned her head. Before she could react, Liang Juejun kissed her without a word, her tongue curling away the coconut candy from Xiaobao’s mouth. Then, she turned and walked away as if nothing had happened.
Xia Yinuo’s heart skipped a beat, followed by a wave of intense embarrassment. Her pretty face flushed crimson, and even the tips of her delicate ears turned a translucent red. She glanced around guiltily like a thief.
Fan Mi was busy mixing some secret sauce; Zhang Jikang was fiddling with something at the dining table; Zhang Jiteng and Li Mu were playing video games; Li Xiuheng was standing by the window on a phone call. Everyone seemed occupied with their own tasks. *Good, good.*
Liang Juejun looked back, catching Xia Yinuo’s flustered state. Her smile could be described in one word: lethal.
Bashful, Xia Yinuo quickly lowered her head and resumed washing the vegetables with a splash.
Only Mai Shining, sitting directly across from the kitchen, had witnessed the entire scene. she couldn't help but burst into a fit of coughing laughter.
Liang Juejun walked over to Mai Shining and patted her back to help her catch her breath. Zhang Jikang hurriedly ran to pour some water, while Li Mu looked on, bewildered. "What happened? Did I miss something?"
Mai Shining waved her hand. "Nothing, nothing. I was just saying I should wish Xiaobao fortune as vast as the Eastern Sea, and a 'submissiveness' as enduring as the Southern Mountains."
Li Mu looked suspicious. "What? It’s not even her birthday."
Mai Shining laughed even harder. "Not for children's ears! Not for children's ears!"
Li Mu finally caught on, slapped his thigh, and doubled over laughing.
Once the meal began, Xia Yinuo kept nagging Mai Shining to ensure everything was fully cooked before eating, sounding very much like she was suffering from a doctor’s occupational hazard.
Fan Mi, having been busy for half the day, was already famished. She rolled up her sleeves, ready to feast. "How did the prenatal checkup go this afternoon?"
"Smoothly!" Zhang Jikang said immediately with a sycophantic grin. "The doctor Auntie Lan introduced is naturally the best in the Affiliated Hospital, the best in City C. But the key is that my wife is so amazing, right?"
With her mouth full of food, Fan Mi asked indistinctly, "At this stage, the ultrasound should already be able to tell if it's a boy or a girl, right? Isn't that right, Xiaobao?"
Xia Yinuo placed some cooked vegetables into Liang Juejun’s bowl. "Yes, it can be seen, but theoretically, doctors aren't allowed to reveal the fetus's gender."
Mai Shining stared intently at the fatty beef in the pot. "Psh! It’s no fun if you know! Keep the mystery; the reveal is where the surprise is!"
Fan Mi nodded. "Do you guys prefer a son or a daughter?"
At this, Zhang Jikang’s eyes practically turned into hearts. "A daughter, of course!"
Zhang Jikang’s cousin, Zhang Jiteng, also chimed in happily, "Yeah, my uncle and aunt are both hoping for a girl. Our Zhang family is seriously lacking in daughters."
Fan Mi laughed. "If it really is a little princess, she’ll be the apple of everyone's eye!"
Mai Shining declared grandly, "If our Xiaobei is a boy, he shall become a knight-errant, a wanderer! If it’s a girl, she’ll be like her mother—an artist!"
Fan Mi looked speechless and said disdainfully, "Could you be a little more low-key?!"
Everyone laughed.
Li Mu was curious. "You’ve already picked a name? What does 'Xiaobei' mean?"
Mai Shining: "It doesn't mean anything special, it's just short for 'Little Baby'! Don't you think 'Xiao Bi' sounds weird?"
Li Mu: "..."
After they had eaten their fill, while Liang Juejun went to the kitchen to help clean up, Mai Shining pulled Xia Yinuo onto the balcony.
Seeing Mai Shining acting so secretive despite her protruding belly, Xia Yinuo couldn't help but laugh. "What are you doing? Why all the mystery?"
"Your sister just wants a private heart-to-heart with you!" Mai Shining whispered. "So, does Uncle Xia know about you two yet?"
Xia Yinuo shook her head. "Knowing my mother’s temperament, she probably won't mention it to my father on her own. She’s likely waiting for me to say it myself. I expect it might actually be easier with Dad."
Mai Shining glanced toward the kitchen and leaned into Xia Yinuo’s ear. "Actually, after the checkup this afternoon, I stopped by Auntie Lan’s office..."
Xia Yinuo raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"
Mai Shining teased her. "Guess what she asked me, besides the usual doctor's orders for pregnant women?"
Xia Yinuo’s expression tightened. "About me and Shijie?"
"Mhm! She asked me," Mai Shining pinched her throat to mimic Li Qinglan’s voice, "'Maimai, are you well-acquainted with Liang Juejun?'"
Xia Yinuo: "And how did you answer?"
Mai Shining: "Look at how nervous you are. I said we’re well-acquainted, of course. I’ve invited her to be a bridesmaid; how could we not be?"
Xia Yinuo: "And then?"
Mai Shining: "If I pretended not to know about you two, I’d be a pretty poor friend. So I just told her the truth."
Xia Yinuo’s eyes widened instantly.
Mai Shining rested a hand on Xia Yinuo’s shoulder. "Relax, I have tact! I just told it like it is. I said Teacher Liang has great character, great looks, great research, and most importantly, she’s great to Xiaobao. She dotes on you, loves you—she’s afraid you’ll break if she holds you too tight and afraid you’ll melt if she keeps you in her mouth..."
Xia Yinuo: "What was my mom’s reaction?"
Mai Shining shrugged. "She didn't say anything."
Xia Yinuo: "Oh..."
Mai Shining switched into chatterbox mode. "I remember when we were young, you loved to talk and I loved to laugh. Time flies, stars shift. We’ve walked through spring, through the four seasons, through years of blooming grass and chaotic days..."
"Stop, stop!" Xia Yinuo begged for mercy. "My dear Great Aunt! What are you actually trying to say?"
Mai Shining, belly out, tossed her hair with exaggerated flair. "Oh, nothing. I just suddenly felt like lamenting—I’m so wonderful, yet in all these years, why didn't you fall for me? Why did you fall for another woman..."
Xia Yinuo nearly choked.
Seeing that Xia Yinuo was genuinely anxious, Mai Shining finally offered some comfort. "Alright, I’m just teasing! But regarding this matter, Auntie Lan hasn't once tried to force you into anything. From where I’m sitting, there’s hope!"
Xia Yinuo gave a bitter smile. "I hope you're right."
Mai Shining’s eyes darted around. "To be honest, in all these years, have you ever blamed Auntie Lan or Uncle Xia?"
Xia Yinuo answered without a second thought, her voice firm. "No."
Mai Shining suddenly knit her brows and turned serious. "They say the one who tied the bell must be the one to untie it. You understand that logic, right?"
Xia Yinuo stared at Mai Shining in surprise. After a long silence, she finally nodded. "Don't worry. I understand."
Mai Shining patted her belly with satisfaction. "Good! Then this 'mother' can rest easy..."
Xia Yinuo was left speechless. "..."
***
Sanhe Villa, 7:30 PM. Li Du had gone out of town for a seminar. The Grandmother, Li Qinglan, Li Xiuheng, and Xia Yinuo were gathered around the dining table. They weren't in a hurry to clean up after dinner; the news was playing on the TV as the four of them chatted.
As they talked, the Grandmother naturally brought up her usual repetitive topics. Li Xiuheng skillfully diverted the conversation, mentioning that a button on his shirt was hanging by a thread and that he’d need to trouble his grandmother’s skilled hands to fix it.
Xia Yinuo chimed in, and the two siblings went back and forth, coaxing the old lady into a fit of joy.
Eventually, Xia Yinuo secretly kicked Li Xiuheng under the table as a silent thank-you.
These little movements didn't escape Li Qinglan’s notice, but she chose not to expose them.
Amidst the playfulness, a phone rang. The siblings immediately went quiet, and Xia Yinuo used the remote to lower the TV volume. Li Qinglan answered the call; from her tone, it seemed there was an urgent matter at the hospital that required her presence.
Li Xiuheng stood up immediately and pointed toward the rooms, whispering to his mother, "I'll drive you. I'll change and be right there."
Li Qinglan nodded while continuing her call, her gaze subconsciously drifting toward Xia Yinuo.
"I'll get it!" Xia Yinuo understood, quickly running to the room to grab Li Qinglan’s bag and following her to the entryway. Li Qinglan had already hung up. She turned to give Xia Yinuo a deep look before bending down to put on her shoes.
That single look sent a strange sensation through Xia Yinuo’s heart.
In kindergarten and the early years of elementary school, Xia Yinuo never took the school bus. Every evening after school, someone from the family would pick her up. Most of the time it was her grandmother, but if Li Qinglan or Xia Yan were free to come, Xia Yinuo would always be more excited. Her grandmother usually stood by the tree near the security post, but Li Qinglan would always stand right in the middle of the large crowd of parents. When the bell rang and the children flooded out, the parents would stretch their necks to find their own. Xia Yinuo’s mood back then was perhaps one part trepidation, two parts anxiety, and three parts anticipation. Strangely enough, the mother and daughter could always find each other accurately in the sea of people. The moment their eyes met, little Xia Yinuo’s heart would be filled with joy.
A mother’s gaze possessed that kind of magical light, an indescribable and infinite power that made one feel composed and at peace. In a flash, springs had gone and autumns had come; grass had withered and bloomed again. It felt like something from the last century, yet it felt like it happened yesterday. And now, wrinkles had crept into the corners of Li Qinglan’s eyes, and white hairs had appeared at her temples.
Xia Yinuo felt a surge of warmth. She walked over and gently wrapped her arms around Li Qinglan’s waist, pressing her face against her mother's back. She murmured, "Mom, you’re thinner than before, and your hair has grown longer..."
Li Qinglan placed her hand over Xia Yinuo’s, patting it gently in comfort.
Xia Yinuo felt as though the inner wall of some organ was being softly nipped by cool teeth; that stinging pain was a tender melancholy. The tears brimming in her eyes, nearly boiling over, almost swallowed her last bit of reason. "Mom, we... we are very happy together, truly... Please tell me, we haven't done anything wrong..."
Li Qinglan’s hand stiffened, but she remained silent.
"Mom, let's go!" Li Xiuheng hurried out of the room, not even having time to fix his shirt collar.
Xia Yinuo released her hold on Li Qinglan. She turned, ignoring Li Xiuheng’s questioning look, and reached up to fix his collar for him.
Li Xiuheng clearly saw that now was not the time to pry. He gave a dry laugh and asked, "Mom, how late will you be busy this time?"
"I'm not sure yet. I'll have to see when I get there." Li Qinglan tucked a stray hair behind her ear and walked out the door without looking back.
To the end, Xia Yinuo never saw Li Qinglan’s expression.
About ten minutes later, Xia Yinuo received a text from Li Qinglan: *What kind of existence is she in your heart?*
Xia Yinuo held her phone, dazed for a moment before typing out a line: *Like sunlight shining into a crack, warming both the present and the future.*
Li Qinglan did not reply after that.
After working through the night at the hospital, Li Qinglan returned home at six the next morning. Lately, the number of overtime shifts and night shifts she had taken was more than she usually did in two months. This night, besides work, Li Qinglan had thought about many things, her heart a tangle of complex emotions. Fatigue and sleepiness washed over her, yet because of the conversation before she left, she couldn't help but quietly twist open the door to Xia Yinuo’s room.
At this moment, Xia Yinuo was lying there peacefully.
Li Qinglan walked to the bedside and leaned over to look at her daughter. Her eyes and brows were just like her own, while her nose and mouth took after her father. Her long eyelashes fluttered slightly, and the curve of her lips was endearing. When she was little, Xia Yinuo’s face had been chubby, making one want to pinch it. Now, her features were defined, spirited, and delicate—she was at the best age for a woman.
At a woman’s best age, shouldn't she enjoy love to the fullest?
Suddenly, a ringtone sounded. Li Qinglan thought it was Xia Yinuo’s alarm, so she prepared to leave the room. But Xia Yinuo groggily reached for her phone, swiped it open, and pressed the speakerphone button.
A calm, gentle female voice spoke: "Are you awake?"
Hearing the voice, Li Qinglan’s departing steps froze.
Xia Yinuo let out an unconscious mumble. "Mmm..."
The voice on the other end: "It’s seven o’clock. Didn't you say you wanted to get up at seven today?"
Xia Yinuo rolled over, hugging her quilt tight, and let out a smiling sound. "Mmm."
The other person’s voice carried a hint of doting and amusement. "Then sleep for ten more minutes? I'll call you back in ten?"
Xia Yinuo let out a satisfied, sweet, long-drawn-out "Mmm..." in response.
This ordinary morning call naturally carried a different weight in Li Qinglan’s ears. For a moment, she stood at the door, caught between staying and leaving.
Suddenly, Xia Yinuo sat bolt upright in bed, eyes bleary with sleep.
Li Qinglan gave a light cough.
Xia Yinuo jumped in fright. She rubbed her eyes, taking a good while to process the situation before speaking awkwardly, "Mom, why are you standing at the door?"
Li Qinglan only said, "It’s not early. Get up quickly; I brought breakfast for you." Her tone was that of an ordinary mother’s doting and exasperation toward a child who refused to get out of bed. With that, she left the room.
Xia Yinuo scratched her head, feeling an indescribable sensation.
That evening, after Liang Juejun finished work and walked toward the faculty housing area, she immediately spotted Li Qinglan standing at the base of the apartment building.
And Li Qinglan also immediately recognized Liang Juejun—as well as the coat she was wearing. Just a few days ago, a coat of the same style, if not the exact same one, had been seen on Xia Yinuo.
Their eyes met. After a fleeting moment of fluster, Liang Juejun composed herself, stepped forward, and gave a slight bow. "Doctor Li, you’ve come."
Li Qinglan gave a faint smile. "I have. I came specifically to find you."
***
