"Life has many things you can't imagine," Su Yiheng slowly turned her cheek and said to her.
Emma had indeed been in a good mood today. After all, their guests had taken the initiative to visit her, and she was willing to take a small loss, considering it as being bitten by a dog.
That's how Emma consoled herself in her heart.
However, just as she finished thinking this, there was a movement at the entrance, and when everyone looked over, they found Jason had returned.
At this moment, he was still wearing a formal three-piece suit, a blue striped style that made him look tall and slender, especially the waist, which accentuated his broad shoulders and narrow waist, making him quite pleasing to the eye.
But what surprised everyone the most was that he was holding a bouquet of flowers in his arms.
Emma really didn't expect Jason to rush back. Before she could blink, Jason had changed his shoes and walked in. Emma then bypassed Su Yiheng and went straight to him.
Jason stuffed the flowers into her arms. Before Emma could say thank you, she was gently embraced by him.
There was a large bouquet of flowers between them.
Fortunately, he just held her gently for a moment and then let go, but he also lightly kissed her forehead and whispered, "You've been working hard these days, wife."
Although the voice was low, the others in the living room heard it.
Jason has always been restrained and calm, and no one has ever seen him show such unabashed tenderness to someone, especially the kiss on her forehead, as if he was kissing a treasure.
His treasure.
"Mom," Jason called out to Zhong Lan, then glanced at Su Yiheng and Shen Qiqi with a light smile, "You're all here."
Emma knew he had a meeting, and now she asked in a low voice, "Is your meeting over?"
"Mm-hmm," Jason responded, but then he turned to Emma with curiosity, "What were you guys just talking about?"
When he entered the door, he saw Emma and Su Yiheng standing here, both staring at the wall.
Emma casually said, "We were talking about the life of wealthy people like you, which is really beyond my imagination."
Her tone was teasing. Although Su Yiheng implied that she was unsophisticated, Emma didn't mind because it didn't hit her pain point.
After all, ordinary families make up the vast majority of the world, and she really didn't expect that a single oil painting hanging on the wall would be worth more than thirty million.
"What's beyond your imagination?" Jason frowned slightly.
Su Yiheng pulled the corner of her lips and said, "Jingxi meant she couldn't imagine that this oil painting is so valuable."
Jason looked at Su Yiheng, his expression calm.
After a moment, he said indifferently, "She doesn't need to imagine, it's hers."
Su Yiheng was stunned, her expression gradually solidifying, seemingly unable to believe she was looking at Jason, unable to believe he could say it directly with Zhong Lan behind her.
But Jason didn't avoid it at all, instead, he looked at Emma, who was also stunned.
Until Emma looked at him as if seeking confirmation, Jason's voice was low and gentle, "The painting is registered in your name, do you like this style?"
Emma looked at him straight, she understood the words, but she was completely stunned.
Just now she was lamenting that a painting hanging on the wall cost more than thirty million, and in the blink of an eye, the painting became hers, without her knowledge.
Jason's nature never flaunted these material possessions, after all, he was born into such a family and was already accustomed to this kind of life.
But he knew Su Yiheng too well, knowing that under her seemingly soft and modest exterior was a strong and competitive character.
While Jason grew up with Su Yiheng and wasn't devoid of affection, he always treated her as a sister. If Su Yiheng needed his help for anything, he would act without hesitation. However, between Emma and her, Jason would also stand firmly by Emma's side without a moment's pause.
When it comes to decisiveness, indecision only leads to chaos. This was a lesson imparted by the elder statesman since his youth, and thus, Jason's character was shaped accordingly. He would see through what he was determined to do and immediately reject what he felt was unacceptable.
He was well aware that if he wasn't firm, Su Yiheng wouldn't easily give up. It was better for him to play the villain so that the long-standing relationship between them wouldn't be completely severed in the future.
A brief vacuum of silence fell in the living room, broken by Shen Qiqi's scream: "So this painting is what Shen Yan bought for Jing Xi, and I like it too."
Pouting slightly, she looked envious and said, "I want this painting as well."
"What a dreamer you are," Jason glanced at her and replied indifferently.
Shen Qiqi, being more than a decade younger than Jason, was spoken to by him in a more relaxed and informal manner.
As soon as he finished speaking, Shen Qiqi looked at Zhong Lan sitting nearby and cooed, "Auntie, look at Shen Yan."
"Shen Yan, don't speak to Qiqi like that. She's a grown young lady now," Zhong Lan said with a smile, but then she added, "After all, Qiqi won't cry over exams now."
During a previous gathering, Shen Qiqi looked upset, and upon further inquiry, she burst into tears in public. Initially, everyone was worried, thinking she had been bullied. Upon closer questioning, it turned out the young girl was crying because she had failed an exam. That was just a few years ago when she was still in high school.
The atmosphere was harmonious with laughter and conversation, except for Su Yiheng who stood by, neither initiating conversation nor laughing.
After a while, Su Yiheng slowly said, "I won't disturb Jing Xi further since she just got discharged from the hospital. I have a cover shoot this afternoon, so I'll take my leave now."
Zhong Lan's face didn't show any surprise; she simply said, "Since you're here, you should at least have lunch before leaving. Aunt Zhou came with me today, and you've always liked her cooking."
"Really, no need. I have a shoot at one o'clock this afternoon, and I'm used to going there early," Su Yiheng smiled.
Zhong Lan didn't insist and said with a faint smile, "You've always been too serious and hardworking about your work, but even if work is important, it's not as important as your health."
Su Yiheng nodded, "I know, Auntie Zhong."
The term "Auntie Zhong" made Zhong Lan pause, and then a hint of a wry smile appeared in her eyes. The fates of people are always so strange; she knew Shen Yan long before Emma, and she arrived so early, yet it couldn't compare to the few days he spent with Emma.
Not only did Su Yiheng feel unwilling, but even Zhong Lan found it odd. Her son wasn't an impulsive person, yet he came back from a trip abroad with a wife.
"Sister Yiheng, I'll leave with you," Shen Qiqi immediately said.
Zhong Lan looked at her and asked, "What do you have to do?"
Shen Qiqi smiled and said, "I have a class at school this afternoon. Seeing that Sister Jingxi is alright, I'll go back now."
"Alright, alright, you're all busy," Zhong Lan said helplessly and instructed Jason, "Why don't you see them off?"
But Jason also turned his head and said, "I have a business lunch with Director Wang from the Commerce Department later, so I won't be able to have lunch at home either."
Zhong Lan was astonished: "Then why did you come back?"
Jason couldn't say he was just worried, could he?
Fortunately, Zhong Lan didn't want to say much to him and waved her hand, "Everyone leave. It just so happens that Jing Xi and I will have dinner together."
However, as she said this, she looked back at Emma suspiciously and asked, "You won't leave, right?"
"I'll have dinner with you, Mom," Emma immediately replied.
Before leaving, Jason still squeezed Emma's hand and whispered, "We'll talk about anything when I get back."
So Jason left with Su Yiheng and the others. At the door, Su Yiheng looked back at him but said nothing and got into the car. But from the car window of the minivan, she watched Jason also get into his car and leave.
Her gaze remained fixed on the vehicle as it gradually drove away. Shen Qiqi, noticing the look in her eyes, hesitated for a long moment before speaking softly, "Sister Yiheng."
Su Yiheng pulled her gaze back and looked at her.
Shen Qiqi bit her lip and whispered, "You see how much I love oil paintings, but that painting is now someone else's. I can only look at it. I think I'm still so young, there will definitely be another oil painting waiting for me. You're right, aren't you?"
Although young, Shen Qiqi was not foolish. Su Yiheng's attitude towards Jason was clearly not let go.
She really felt that Su Yiheng didn't need to be like this. She came from a good family, was beautiful, and was a big star. Even with just a flick of her fingers, a bunch of guys would surround her.
Why insist on hanging on one tree?
Shen Qiqi also admitted that Jason indeed had it all, and even she occasionally felt dazzled when looking at Jason's face, not just because he was handsome but also because of his temperament, which was proud, restrained, and naturally abstinent.
Which woman wouldn't want to scream?
But once a beautiful thing has an owner, no matter how good it is, you can't reach out for it anymore.
The words Zhong Lan just said, Shen Qiqi roughly understood the meaning. She knew that Auntie Zhong was saying these things to her out of concern for Su Yiheng.
"Qiqi, you know what? I've been with that painting for twenty years, and I've long felt that it's mine," Su Yiheng's eyes were filled with a pitiful look.
Shen Qiqi didn't dare to say more. After all, when it comes to emotions, no matter how much others advise, the most important thing is to be able to let go oneself.
*
Aunt Zhou's cooking was indeed excellent. Emma had been eating pureed food in the hospital for three days, and the doctor also said she could eat normally upon discharge.
So when she finished a bowl of rice and stared at the bowl for a long time, she hesitated. If she had another bowl, would it make her seem like she could eat a lot?
But while she was still hesitating, Aunt Zhou, with a smile and surprise on her face, said, "Jing Xi wants another bowl, right? Come on, I'll help you serve it."
"Thank you, Aunt Zhou." Emma decided not to be polite and to eat.
She had been drinking porridge for the past few days, and her mouth had long been tasteless. Now, with a table full of delicious dishes in front of her, she really wanted to eat.
When Aunt Zhou brought the rice, Zhong Lan looked up.
To be honest, nowadays, the portion of young girls is really calculated by grains of rice. It's rare to see someone who can eat two bowls in one meal.
But for the elders, she liked this kind of appetite.
Before, Zhong Lan thought Emma was a bit thin, and she thought Emma was also on an excessive diet. Now it seems that she should be the type who eats a lot but doesn't gain weight.
"How about another bowl?" Zhong Lan couldn't help asking when she saw the bottom of her second bowl of rice.
Emma shook her head, but Aunt Zhou asked, "Have a bowl of soup, this crucian carp soup is especially delicious."
Aunt Zhou was not boasting. She had learned the skill of making soup, and the soup she made was indeed fresh and not greasy. Emma took a look and nodded, "Thank you, Aunt Zhou."
So Emma finished another bowl of soup.
Zhong Lan watched her finish the last sip with a satisfied look and suddenly laughed.
Emma was still savoring the delicious taste of the fish soup when she heard Zhong Lan laugh inexplicably. She blinked and then carefully took the paper towels on the table.
Did she have something on her face?
But after wiping, Zhong Lan's smile hadn't faded, so she cautiously asked, "Is there still something on my face?"
But as soon as she spoke, Zhong Lan laughed even more happily.
Emma watched her laugh for dozens of seconds before she stopped, and Zhong Lan said calmly, "I just haven't seen such a girl who can eat for a long time."
Emma: "……"
After dinner, Zhong Lan asked Emma to sit on the sofa with her.
Previously, their meetings were either with Jason present or when Emma was called back because she had made a mistake. There were really few moments as peaceful and harmonious as this.
Both of them were a bit uncomfortable.
Zhong Lan thought for a moment and took the initiative to ask, "Does your body still hurt?"
"No, it doesn't hurt anymore," Emma shook her head and said.
Zhong Lan looked at the still obvious wounds on her face. Although they were indeed a bit better than the first day she saw her at the hospital, her fair and delicate skin made the scabbed areas particularly noticeable.
It was really quite heart-wrenching to see.
At this moment, Zhong Lan sighed, "How could it not hurt? I feel the pain for you just by looking at it."
Emma was suddenly stunned. She didn't expect Zhong Lan to say such a thing. In fact, that day at the hospital, she thought Zhong Lan would be disgusted with her for always causing trouble, but not only did she not, she comforted her.
Emma looked at Zhong Lan and was silent for a long time.
It was Zhong Lan who couldn't help but ask, "What's the matter?"
"Your words sound like something a mother would say," Emma said with her head slightly lowered, seemingly a bit embarrassed to look at Zhong Lan, because it was indeed quite awkward.
She wasn't good at saying sentimental words, but sometimes when emotions took over, the words were right there on the tip of her tongue.
Mother— even for someone independent and strong-willed like Emma, just mentioning these two words could make her eyes moist.
Even when she said "mother" out loud, the slight tremble in her voice was unmistakable.
Zhong Lan was taken aback and thought of Emma's family background again. After she married Jason, Zhong Lan did have her family checked out. Her mother passed away early, her father disappeared in Israel and his whereabouts are still unknown, and the only family she had left was an elderly grandmother who had been in a wheelchair for years.
Zhong Lan was not satisfied with such a family, but her dissatisfaction did not consider how Emma had lived all these years.
Seeing her like this now, Zhong Lan also felt a bit distressed. She asked, "When did your mother pass away?"
"When I was ten," Emma's voice was very light, without any fluctuations.
It seemed that mentioning this matter was already a piece of cake for her.
Ten years old— the age when every day going to school wanted a pretty braid from mom, and seeing a beautiful dress would pester mom to buy it. But Emma never acted so willfully.
Because her mother was not well, she never went shopping with her mother or asked for any pretty dresses.
Other people's ten-year-olds were still nestled in their mothers' arms acting coquettish, making a fuss every day to sleep with their mothers.
But her ten years old was holding her mother's portrait, quietly following her father and thanking everyone who came to the funeral.
Zhong Lan really didn't know what to say. She felt her eyes were wet. As a mother, she could hardly imagine a little girl losing her mother at such a young age.
She suddenly felt like she had been the bad guy.
"Actually, I don't oppose you and Shen Yan," Zhong Lan said out of the blue after a long while.
But Emma seemed to understand her meaning a bit, and she tried hard to restrain herself and said, "I understand what you mean. Shen Yan and I got married without discussing it with you, which was our fault."
Zhong Lan nodded eagerly. Yes, she was not a mother with strong control issues.
She just felt that such a big thing as getting married, as parents, they should have the right to know.
Zhong Lan whispered, "Our Shen Yan has never been a worry since he was a child. Although he seems a bit cold, he is very filial and smart. He always ranked first in exams, and even after entering Hengyia, he has always done very well. I never thought he would do something so out of line."
Emma wanted to say sorry again.
But Zhong Lan looked at her and said, "Let's get along well in the future."
Emma was taken aback.
"I've only given birth to a son and don't know how to be a mother to a girl, but I will treat you well from now on."
Zhong Lan looked at her, speaking very seriously and formally.
After Zhong Lan and Aunt Zhou left, Emma went back to her room to rest, but despite her body being tired, she couldn't fall asleep when she closed her eyes. Whether it was the lingering pain from her wounds or the sudden mention of her mother today, when she closed her eyes, the images of her parents would always appear. It's said that one never forgets the faces of their parents, but for Emma, it seemed like she was really starting to forget. They were people who would make her eyes wet just by thinking about them, yet their faces were gradually becoming blurred. Time is truly a terrifying thing.
Unconsciously, Emma gradually fell into a deep sleep, until the bedroom door was gently pushed open. Jason didn't see Emma downstairs when he got home after seven, and after asking Aunt Qian, he found out that she had been sleeping ever since Zhong Lan and the others left.
"Didn't she have dinner?" Jason frowned slightly.
Aunt Qian, a bit embarrassed, explained in a low voice, "I knocked on the door just now, but Madam was sleeping so soundly that she didn't respond."
Jason reached out to unbutton his suit jacket, took it off, and placed it on the sofa, saying, "I'll go check on her."
When he pushed the door open, the room was especially dark because the curtains were drawn. However, the moment he pushed the door, the light from the hallway shone through the crack, and the person who was not sleeping soundly on the bed groaned and turned over.
Jason frowned slightly, but thinking about how she hadn't had dinner yet, he tiptoed to the bedside. After sitting down and leaning against the headboard, he placed his hand on the bulging quilt and patted it ever so gently twice: "Jing Xi."
Emma's body suddenly struggled as if she had just been through a nightmare. Jason reached out to hold her, and within a few moments, Emma calmed down.
"Shen Yan," after a few seconds, a soft voice came from within the quilt, the voice not its usual clear coldness but with a huskiness from just waking up.
Jason hummed in response, his palm stroking her back through the quilt a few times: "I'm here."
They were silent for a while, and Jason asked in a low voice, "Are you awake now?"
"Not yet," Emma's eyes were still adjusting to the darkness in the room, but her mind was filled with the fragmented dreams she had just had.
Jason, hearing her soft voice, couldn't help but smile softly. But the next second, Emma said softly again, "I dreamed of my dad."
Jason's body stiffened slightly, and he reached out to hold her again, "And then, did he say anything to you?"
"No," Emma shook her head, speaking slowly, "I've heard that only the deceased speak in dreams, the living can't speak in dreams. He didn't say anything, he just kept looking at my face."
"My face is injured, he must have seen it."
She didn't want her tone to seem too sentimental, but she was genuinely happy mixed with sadness because she really missed her dad.
After she spoke in one breath, the room fell silent again.
Until Emma said in a joking tone, "If my dad were here, he would definitely go after those guys."
Although Ni Ping was gentle in nature, he valued his family immensely.
Finally, Jason, who had been silent all along, moved. He lifted the quilt, reached in, and found Emma's fingers. His palm, which had been outside the quilt, was a bit cold.
Emma's palm was gently held by him; she shrank back slightly when her warm fingers touched the tip of his cold fingers.
But the next second, Jason's fingers interlaced with hers, their hands clasping tightly together.
Lying half-reclined against the bed, the two were so close that Jason's breath was amplified in her ears.
"Jing Xi," he softly called her name.
He said, "There won't be a next time."
There would be no next time when she would be in such pain, even in her dreams, constantly on the edge of being startled.
When Emma heard this, her bright eyes narrowed in the darkness, and she whispered, "It's not your fault, don't blame yourself. I just suddenly thought of my dad."
"I know," he said gently, placing a soft kiss on her forehead. "But I will love you more than anyone else."
*
After they went downstairs, Aunt Qian had already set dinner on the table, and they each took their seats.
However, as soon as they sat down, Emma's eyes couldn't help but glance at the wall. Jason noticed she hadn't picked up her chopsticks and looked at her: "Why aren't you eating?"
Emma pulled her gaze back and, looking at the full table of dishes, asked in a low voice, "Are these plates and bowls also some kind of antique art?"
She suddenly remembered that she had broken a bowl before, and Jason had reassured her it was fine.
But she never saw that set of tableware in the kitchen again.
Jason examined the plates in front of her carefully and thought for a moment: "This set was brought back by my mother, it should be the one from 1879."
Emma froze for a moment, instinctively pulling back as if afraid to touch and break them.
Aunt Qian came out just then, carrying a bowl of freshly ladled soup. After placing it on the table, she saw Emma looking like she wanted to be a million miles away from the table: "Madam, don't you like today's dishes?"
Jason, on the other hand, picked up his bowl with a leisurely and elegant demeanor.
Emma took a deep breath and uttered two words: "I'm scared."
"Of what?" Aunt Qian asked, puzzled.
"Of these plates and bowls," she said, fearing she might break another one, and if she did...
Aunt Qian was surprised: "Madam doesn't like this set of plates and bowls? Shall I go to the basement tomorrow and bring up a new set?"
Thinking Emma didn't like the style of the plates, she quickly offered a solution.
Emma was taken aback. There were more in the basement?
Finally, Jason, after enjoying her range of expressions, couldn't hold back and chuckled.
Hearing his laughter and seeing Aunt Qian's serious face, Emma realized she had been teased.
"Huo, Shen, Yan," she called his name with emphasis on each syllable.
Jason wiped the smile off his face, but his eyes still held a hint of amusement. Emma's lively reaction was truly entertaining. Perhaps he hadn't expected her to be so amusing.
"You tricked me?" Emma took a deep breath, barely suppressing the urge to be angry.
Jason looked innocent and said, "I just wanted to make a joke with you."
A joke?
Was this how you joked with someone?
Emma felt he was simply teasing her for fun, and this kind of behavior was simply unforgivable.
"Be good, don't be angry," Jason said, looking at her huffing and puffing.
Emma ignored him and continued eating.
Usually, they didn't talk much during meals. Halfway through the meal, Emma, holding her chopsticks, looked up at the man across from her. There was something about him that was captivating.
Even something as simple as eating made her catch her breath unexpectedly.
When Emma stared at him, Jason also looked up at her.
"What's the matter?" he asked.
Emma was lost in thought for a moment before she asked softly, "About that painting?"
During the day, with everyone around, Emma didn't ask more questions. Besides, Jason was in a hurry to leave. Now that it was only the two of them, she naturally wanted to ask.