Xu Xiaoya faltered slightly before saying, "Huang Xiaojue is really thoughtful and caring. These days, so many men value money more than their own lives. If you’ve found a good man, it’s your blessing; you should cherish it. Don’t be like me, earning what little I do while still financing Zhong Minghui’s education. After his postgraduate studies, he pursued his doctorate. Last week, he even asked me to buy him a Tycoon Gold. I can’t even bring myself to buy one for myself. Sigh, by the time he graduates with his doctorate, my youth will have been completely drained..."
"Xiaoya, you should’ve left Zhong Minghui a long time ago."
Exhaustion was etched onto Xu Xiaoya’s usually radiant face. "Leave him? Am I a fool? Do you know how much I’ve invested in him? I’ve been supporting him since his senior year of college. It wasn’t until he started his doctorate that he began to earn a little money, but the little money he makes is only enough for his own expenses.
"He said his field has great potential, and that as soon as he graduates with his doctorate, he’ll marry me. I’m still waiting for all this to finally pay off! Plus, my family relies on me too. My mother calls every day about needing to build a new house on our old family land. My younger brother is getting married too. Everything costs money. I have no choice but to work myself to the bone.
"Besides, for women in our line of work, what good man could we possibly hope to marry into a higher station? Rich men are just looking for fun; who would seriously marry one of us? The fact that Zhong Minghui has agreed to marry me already feels like I’m marrying up. Sigh. Maybe this is just my fate..."
Yan Xixi didn’t know how to respond. Lately, the phrases she had heard most often were "accept your fate" and "this is just fate." She wondered, what exactly was this thing called fate?
Take Xu Xiaoya, for instance. She earned what most would consider a very good salary by leveraging her youth, but did she have any happiness?
Just as the elevator doors were about to close, Xu Xiaoya lowered her voice, "Has Wan Donglin been causing you any trouble recently?"
Fortunately, by that time the elevator doors had closed, muffling Xu Xiaoya’s voice. Yan Xixi slowly watched the elevator numbers descend, floor by floor. She found herself letting out a subtle sigh of relief because, right then, the last three words she wanted to hear were "Wan Donglin."
Her cell phone rang. Huang Xiaojue’s voice was filled with concern. "Is Auntie feeling any better?"
"By the way, Xixi, a close college friend of mine has a house in C City. He was recently posted to Singapore and will be there for six months. Since it’s a short period, he doesn’t want to rent out his house and is willing to let friends stay there temporarily. I’ve already spoken with him. You and your mother can move in there for now. Xixi, don’t wear yourself out. Don’t worry too much about the money; I’ll figure something out..."
Yan Xixi had been worried about housing, so Huang Xiaojue’s words were an unexpected joy. Her voice choked up. "Xiaojue, I really don’t know how to thank you..."
Huang Xiaojue’s voice was gentle. "Xixi, just hold on for a while. When I come back for the New Year, things will get a bit easier for you..."
It was a rare, sunny day. The bright sun added a touch of warmth to the cold winter air. After hanging up the phone, Yan Xixi sat on the hospital’s long bench for a while, a smile finally appearing on her face.
As the New Year approached, the families of any patients showing even slight improvement began packing, hoping to spend a peaceful New Year at home. Yan Xixi’s mother’s condition hadn’t improved. However, knowing how expensive a hospital stay was, she insisted on being discharged. Yan Xixi couldn’t persuade her. Seeing the dwindling balance on her card and knowing they had to plan for their future, she reluctantly agreed.