In the evening, Ling Chuxia thought that Mrs. Shi should be awake by now, so she decided to visit her. Sister Hua had originally offered to accompany her, but she shook her head, saying it wasn’t necessary.
Her health had improved quite a bit, allowing her to walk by herself, and since they were in the same hospital, she could just walk over without expecting any accidents.
Mrs. Shi was staying in the VIP ward of Zone A, located on the floor above Zone C. Taking the elevator, Ling Chuxia reached the floor of Zone A, and after briefly asking a nurse for directions, she headed towards Mrs. Shi’s room.
Zone A was even quieter. In the vast corridor, an occasional nurse walked by, and Ling Chuxia’s footsteps were notably loud and clear with each step she took.
Upon reaching the door of the sickroom, she took a moment to smooth her clothes and hair, knowing that Mrs. Shi hated it when she didn’t look prim and proper. Then, taking a deep breath, she reached out to knock.
But suddenly, a cool breeze blew in from the outside, causing the door to swing slightly open. That’s when Ling Chuxia realized the door wasn’t properly shut. Looking up, she was struck by the sight of a slender, graceful figure.
Ling Chuxia’s expression revealed a brief confusion—what was elder sister doing here? Yet as this thought entered her mind, she couldn’t help but smile. How normal it was for elder sister to come and see Madam when she was sick?
She raised her hand to knock again, but then a burst of laughter came from inside the room, causing her hand to pause as she unconsciously looked over.
She saw Mrs. Shi sitting up in bed, her complexion indeed pale, yet her lips curled in a smile. The warmth of her smile softened her usually sharp gaze, lessening the appearance of sickness and adding a touch of affability. This was an expression Ling Chuxia seldom saw on Mrs. Shi’s face.
And there was Ling Yunshu, sitting at the bedside with a joyous look in her eyes, lips moving as she spoke, drawing continuous smiles from Mrs. Shi.
He was sitting on the other side, back facing the doorway, leaving Ling Chuxia unable to see his expression or to know whether he, too, was smiling.
The whole sickroom was filled with a joyful, harmonious atmosphere—an atmosphere never present when she, Mrs. Shi, and Shi Che were together.
In her mind, Ling Chuxia couldn’t help but picture the past three years she had spent with Mrs. Shi and Shi Che. The times were few and far between, countable on her fingers.
After marrying, Shi Che had moved her to a villa, and he rarely returned to the old house. Only during festivals and holidays, at Mrs. Shi’s insistent requests, would he come back. But even on those festive, reunion days, no matter how they sat together, the atmosphere was always icy cold—nothing like the warm and cheerful scene before her now.
Warm and cheerful, just like a family...
Ling Chuxia’s reaching hand stiffened in mid-air, unable to knock.
Shi Che liked elder sister, Mrs. Shi also liked elder sister, and now that she and Shi Che were divorced, elder sister would indeed be part of their family in the future...
Why did it still hurt, when she clearly understood all this?
Ling Chuxia’s hand involuntarily covered her heart, and she shook her head forcefully, trying hard to suppress the sadness and discomfort.
Why did she feel this heartache? Why the discomfort? Shi Che never liked her in the first place; it was his sister who was his match. Now that everything had returned to the starting point, she should be happy, she should offer her blessings!