Mu’s mother looked at Mu Jingmei’s hand clasped tightly around hers. After a moment, she slowly pulled her hand away.
“Mom…” Mu Jingmei panicked and tried to grab her again.
But Mu’s mother avoided her.
“Leave. As your mother, the last bit of leniency I can offer you is to pretend I never saw you today. As for anything else, I… I’m powerless.” After saying this, Mu’s mother turned her gaze away.
She forced herself to hold back her emotions, refusing to let herself cry.
“Mom, are you really going to be this heartless?” Mu Jingmei stared at her empty hand and slowly withdrew it. The emotions on her face gradually settled.
But if one looked closely, they could clearly see the vicious, almost crazed glint flickering in her eyes.
“It’s not that I’m heartless. It’s that you’re cruel.” Mu’s mother repeated those words to herself again and again, determined not to soften.
“Fine. You’ve made yourself perfectly clear! Since you no longer acknowledge me as your daughter, then I won’t acknowledge you as my mother either. If we ever meet again, we’ll treat each other as strangers!” Mu Jingmei put her headscarf back on and turned away without the slightest hesitation.
Hearing those words, Mu’s mother felt as though her heart were being cut by a knife. In the end, she still couldn’t stop herself from looking back.
Mu Jingmei had already gone some distance. She seemed genuinely afraid that someone else might notice her and kept glancing around. A moment later, she vanished completely from Mu’s mother’s sight.
At that moment, Mu’s mother clearly understood that although her daughter was still alive, she had lost her forever.
“Mom, why are you standing by the window?” A familiar voice suddenly came from behind her.
Mu’s mother stiffened. She quickly wiped the tears from her face and composed herself before turning around.
“Nothing. I just wanted some fresh air.”
She still had a smile on her face as she said this.
But Mu Shi’an noticed her red, swollen eyes. It was obvious she had been crying.
“What’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell again?” Mu Shi’an immediately set down the meal boxes in his hands and walked over.
“No.” Mu’s mother shook her head.
“Then… are you thinking about Jingmei again?” Mu Shi’an’s tone was hesitant.
At the mention of Mu Jingmei’s name, Mu’s mother’s hard-won composure began to crumble once more.
“Mom, don’t worry. They haven’t found a body yet, so she may still be alive.” Mu Shi’an tried to comfort her.
Mu’s mother looked at her son, who was gently reassuring her. Then she remembered the way Mu Jingmei had looked at her just moments ago—as though she were looking at an enemy. She was just about to speak when another figure appeared outside the door.
“Shi’an.”
It was Song Nianchu.
When Mu’s mother saw Song Nianchu, the words at the tip of her tongue disappeared.
“What’s going on?” Song Nianchu only realized after entering the hospital room that the atmosphere seemed somewhat off.
“Nothing.” Mu’s mother shook her head and slowly walked toward the bed.
Mu Shi’an said nothing either. He only stared at Mu’s mother with a dark, solemn look in his eyes.
“Shi’an?” Song Nianchu called out in confusion as she approached him.
Only then did Mu Shi’an pull his gaze away from his mother and look down at Song Nianchu.
“What brings you here today?” His tone was gentle.
“I happened to be nearby making a delivery, so I came to see you,” Song Nianchu explained.
“Have you eaten? I just brought up some food.”
“Not yet.” Song Nianchu smiled.
“Then eat mine first. I’ll go get another one.” Mu Shi’an handed his meal box to Song Nianchu.
“All right.” Song Nianchu accepted it.
She was indeed a little hungry after the journey.
Mu Shi’an handed the other meal box to Mu’s mother before leaving.
The hospital room was suddenly left with only Song Nianchu and Mu’s mother.
As she ate, Song Nianchu glanced at Mu’s mother on the bed.
She looked to be in poor condition. Even though she was holding the meal box, she hadn’t touched the food.
“What’s wrong? Did you have a fight with Shi’an?” Song Nianchu hesitated for a moment before asking.
After all, she and Mu’s mother had never been close. Since marrying Mu Shi’an, they had barely spoken to each other.
She was a little afraid that her sudden concern might give Mu’s mother the wrong idea.
“No.” Mu’s mother answered in a hoarse voice.
“If not, then what’s wrong? Are you still worried about Mu Jingmei?” Song Nianchu probed.
Mu’s mother was at a loss for words.
Seeing her like this, Song Nianchu let out a long sigh.
“I thought you had taken what I told you before to heart.”
Mu’s mother’s hand tightened around the meal box. She suddenly remembered what Song Nianchu had told her.
She had said that Mu Shi’an might be able to return to the city very soon.
“You said… if Jingmei isn’t dead, but instead… ran away on her own, what consequences would there be?” After hesitating for quite some time, Mu’s mother finally asked.
The moment she said this, Song Nianchu stopped eating. She raised her eyes and stared intently at Mu’s mother.
“Do you know something?” Song Nianchu’s tone grew much more serious.
“No.” Mu’s mother denied it instinctively.
But the excessive urgency in her response sounded suspicious to Song Nianchu, as though she were trying to cover something up.
Even so, Song Nianchu did not press her further. She watched Mu’s mother for a long while before speaking.
“If Mu Jingmei ran away on her own, then she’d better never be found. Otherwise, every one of us would be dragged into trouble because of her.”
“Would that affect Shi’an’s chances of returning to the city?” Mu’s mother asked anxiously.
“Of course. To begin with, she was supposed to be taking part in a collective construction assignment, which she wasn’t allowed to abandon at will. On top of that, she was a person sent down for reeducation. Her offense would only be considered even more serious.”
Mu’s mother grew even more frantic after hearing this. She lowered her head and remained silent for a long time.
“How long ago did Mu Jingmei leave?” Song Nianchu suddenly asked, watching her closely.
“She just left…” Mu’s mother answered instinctively, without immediately realizing what she had said.
Only after the words left her mouth did she understand. Her face went deathly pale, and she looked up at Song Nianchu nervously.
“I…” She opened her mouth, wanting to explain, but she had barely uttered a word when a deep voice suddenly came from the doorway.
“What did you say?”
Mu’s mother turned around and saw Mu Shi’an returning with the food. Her face became even paler.
“Shi’an…” She was so nervous that she could barely keep hold of the meal box.
Mu Shi’an closed the door and walked heavily toward her.
“What did you just say?”
“I…” Mu’s mother murmured.
“Mu Jingmei came to see you?” Mu Shi’an asked again.
Knowing she could no longer hide it, Mu’s mother nodded with reddened eyes.
“Yes…”
“Just now, while I was out getting food?” Mu Shi’an continued.
“Yes.” Mu’s mother nodded.
“I knew something was wrong when I saw you standing by the window with those red eyes. How could you keep something this serious from me?!” Mu Shi’an’s face turned livid.
