The image of that extremely luxurious room came to mind: the extravagant furnishings, the spacious refrigerator filled with food, the comfortable big bed, the exquisite clothes… Perhaps in weather as cold as this, people are more instinctively drawn to comfort and light?
She closed her mobile phone, her eyes half-closed, her hand unconsciously reaching into the pocket of her down jacket, tightly clenching the key to the front door, her palm almost sweating from the pressure.
She hadn't realized that she had been holding onto this key all along, and that it was even more deeply hidden than she had imagined.
"Mom…"
Her voice was very faint. "A friend of mine has gone abroad and has an empty house he wants us to look after for him... What do you think, would you like to live there?"
"Xixi, can we trust this friend of yours? It's not right to live in someone else's house for free, is it? Xixi, Xixi…"
Her mother's repeated calls brought her to her senses. Her forehead was covered in sweat, and she asked dazedly, "Where are we?"
"Xixi, are you unwell? Are you sick? If you're sick, you need to go to the hospital. We can't delay treatment just to save money…"
Her mother's withered hand reached out to touch her forehead, checking if she had a fever. Yan Xixi gently took her mother's hand. It was so gaunt it resembled a bird's claw. Due to the lack of proper treatment for her prolonged illness, it had turned a sickly grayish-yellow, like a leaf desperately clinging to a branch in the harsh winter, refusing to wither solely because of a lingering, stubborn hope.
Her mother didn't have much time left to wait for fate to show mercy.
The meager sum Yan Xixi had managed to scrape together through various deceptions was far from enough to turn their desperate situation around.
Even Huang Xiaojue—his daily messages and phone calls—were of no practical help; they couldn't provide food or warmth.
Her heart ached as if pierced by a knife. She abruptly turned to the taxi driver and said loudly, "Please turn around and head south… Yes, that address…"
The taxi stopped in District C's most exclusive villa area.
The house, embraced by mountains and water, was located in this prestigious area. The community boasted excellent facilities: a swimming pool, tennis courts, a gym, a clubhouse, and more, all readily available. There were also wide lawns, towering, lush, valuable old trees, and small pink flowers and roses blooming even in winter. A look of astonishment and doubt crossed Yan Xixi's mother's face. "Xixi," she asked, "where did you find such a wealthy friend?"
She suddenly remembered that dreadful red velvet swing set... A cold sweat broke out on her palms, and she felt as if her entire body was about to collapse from exhaustion.
Her mother's expression gradually grew stern. "Xixi…"
"This friend has gone abroad, so it'll just be the two of us... Mom, please don't worry..." Her voice was so faint she could hardly believe it was her own, trailing off into a mumble, "Mom, I... I had no other choice…"
"Xixi…"
"Mom…"
Suddenly, Yan Xixi's mother squatted down, clutching her stomach tightly, in so much pain she couldn't straighten up. Large beads of sweat poured down her forehead. Xixi panicked and quickly supported her. "Mom, what's wrong? Mom… is your illness acting up again? I'll take you to the hospital right now..."
"No need… no need… I'm alright… Get my medicine…"
Yan Xixi frantically fumbled for a bottle of medicine. Before she could even open the cap, her mother's face darkened, and she collapsed to the ground. Yan Xixi was overcome with panic. Just then, her phone rang. She answered it, her expression shifting slightly.
The man on the other end of the line chuckled, sounding very pleased. "Xixi, you've arrived home? Welcome, welcome…"
Home—he'd said "home"!