Miu Xiangqiao’s voice came through the phone, sounding slightly anxious, and Song Lili had a bad feeling.
Instead of answering her question directly, she simply posed a counter-question.
"Big sis, you’ve been out having fun for several months now, you should hurry home."
"...What’s going on, exactly?"
Miu Xiangqiao actually hoping for her to return home? She found it so hard to believe...
Miu Xiangqiao swallowed hard, and her tone became somewhat hesitant as she spoke.
"If it’s nothing important, then I’ll just hang up. I’m having a great time out here and don’t need your concern."
Song Lili finished speaking and was about to hang up the phone, but Miu Xiangqiao on the other end was very timely in revealing the crux of the matter,
Song Lili’s hand, poised to end the call, froze.
She remembered her father had never been seriously ill enough to warrant Miu Xiangqiao calling her with such an anxious tone...
What was Miu Xiangqiao playing at?
"Big sis, Dad has been coughing for over a month. These past few days, he’s been running a fever on and off, and he just won’t take care of himself, working late at the municipal government office every day before coming home."
"...If he’s not willing to take care of his health and wants to work himself to death, what’s the use of telling me? You and Miao Lerong have lived with him for so many years—if you can’t convince him, what can I possibly do?"
"...Big sis, I know you’re still angry with me and mom, but it’s been so many years. No matter how much resentment you have in your heart, some of it should have dissipated by now, shouldn’t it?"
Miu Xiangqiao suddenly started to lecture her, which made Song Lili...
"Miu Xiangqiao, you call me big sis, does it truly not discomfort you?"
"What resentment? The way you’re talking, it’s as though I view you and your mother as huge enemies."
On the other end of the phone, Miu Xiangqiao clenched her fist, took a deep breath,
"Song Lili! Whatever! I just called to let you know! Whether you want to come back to accompany Dad and persuade him is your business! Don’t act like I’m out to get you!"
"I’m hanging up now!"
Miu Xiangqiao said her piece and hung up the phone!
The beeping tone rang in her ear, and Song Lili pursed her lips. She sat back on the edge of the bed...
Indeed, it had been a very long time since she had called her father. He simply thought she was traveling abroad to clear her mind, seemingly not wanting to disturb her trip with too much concern.
She and her father had never had a proper conversation since her mother’s death.
Plus, with the memories from her past life laid out before her, even if she didn’t want to confront them, the disappointed and distrusting look on her father’s face in the courtroom was so vividly before her eyes, washing away what little father-daughter affection she had left in her heart.
But, perhaps people are just naturally creatures easily controlled by emotion.
Thinking of him as her own father, hearing from Miu Xiangqiao about his incessant cough, the repeated fevers, and the overwork, her heart was seized by worry.
She held the phone for a long while and then made a call to her father...
She didn’t expect her father to answer so quickly...
Today was Saturday; he should be at home resting.
He picked up the call and called her by her nickname, but the unmistakable cough that followed made Song Lili feel a mixture of heartache and helplessness,
"Is it that you’re short on money? Cough cough... Dad will send you some more money, okay? Cough..."