Yearning For Warmth, Day and Night - Chapter 14

Chapter 14: Going Out

This sentence was like a muffled thunder exploding in Shiyi’s ears. She was completely stunned, staring blankly at Wei Hui. She hadn’t even had time to fully process how she was supposed to give Wei Hui a child before instinctively refusing: “Miss Wei, I…”

“You don’t have to answer me right away,” Wei Hui said calmly. “You have three months to consider it. Don’t waste the time.”

“If I were you, I’d think carefully about it.”

Shiyi swallowed the words she hadn’t finished.

After their conversation, they got in the car. When they arrived at the Wei residence, Pei Tian retrieved a mobile phone from the passenger seat and handed it to Wei Hui, explaining, “Miss Wei, this phone is the simplest model.”

Wei Hui took the phone, opened the box, and under Shiyi’s gaze, entered a number and dialed it. Once connected, she saved the number with a name.

“This is my number. You can call me directly if you need anything.” After saying this, Wei Hui handed the phone to Shiyi.

Shiyi looked at the phone, then at Wei Hui, and hesitated before biting her lip and accepting it.

As they entered the Wei household, Aunt Zhang came forward to greet them. Wei Hui rarely returned home so late, and tonight she’d brought Shi Yi out with her. Aunt Zhang immediately assumed it was Shiyi’s “influence,” and her gaze grew more disapproving.

But Shiyi was still thinking about the deal Wei Hui had proposed and didn’t notice the shift in Aunt Zhang’s expression.

After they entered the living room, Aunt Zhang asked, “Miss Wei, have you had dinner?”

Wei Hui replied, “Yes, I’ve eaten. I’m going upstairs to rest.”

Without another word, she turned and walked up the stairs. Behind her, Shiyi clutched the phone, staring at Wei Hui’s straight back in silence. Aunt Zhang noticed the phone and the shopping bag Shiyi was carrying—clearly just purchased—and her face darkened as she stormed into the kitchen.

Inside the kitchen, several servants were peeking out at Shiyi and gossiping.

“Did Miss Wei buy her a phone?”

“Maybe she stole it?”

“Miss Wei came home so late. She must have been out handling something.”

“Maybe stealing is exactly what she was doing.”

Already irritated, Aunt Zhang grew angrier hearing their whispers and snapped, “That’s enough! If you’ve got nothing to do, go rest. If Miss Wei hears your gossiping, don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

The mention of Miss Wei made the servants look at each other nervously and scatter.

Once the kitchen was quiet, Aunt Zhang glanced outside—Shiyi was gone.

Back in her room, Shiyi sat in front of the mirror. The old wound on her forehead hadn’t healed, and she’d gotten a new one that evening. Pressing a finger to her brow, she thought about what Wei Hui had said. If she didn’t agree, she could leave the Wei family at any time. But if she agreed… she would have to give Wei Hui a child.

She’d never had to make such a choice before. In the past, all she thought about was finding a better household to serve. Her only goal before meeting Wei Hui was to live quietly, free from harassment.

So what Wei Hui had said felt like a hammer gently cracking her closed-off world, letting her see a different path—and a different world.

Before, her life had been black and white. Now, suddenly, it was full of color—even if it wasn’t a color she liked.

Staring at her reflection, Shiyi bit her lip, then got up to wash up. When she returned, she found a glass of milk on the table, likely left by Aunt Zhang. She stared at the milk for a moment before drinking it. The milky sweetness was something she’d never tasted before coming to the Wei family. After finishing it, she lay down and tossed and turned in thought.

Meanwhile, a few rooms away, Wei Hui received a call from Su Ziyan.

“How are you feeling now?”

Standing by the window, wind howling outside and battering the glass with sharp sounds, Wei Hui replied coolly, “I’m fine.”

Unable to resist, Su Ziyan asked, “What are you going to do with Shiyi?”

From what he knew of Wei Hui, she wouldn’t do anything cruel, but she also wouldn’t let Shiyi off lightly. Thinking of that quiet, obedient girl, Su Ziyan felt a twinge of sympathy, which is why he’d called.

“You care too much,” Wei Hui said flatly.

“I’m just worried about you,” came Su Ziyan’s slightly aggrieved reply.

Wei Hui laughed lightly. “You’re worried about her, not me.”

“Don’t worry. I won’t force her.”

On the other end, Su Ziyan went silent. Wei Hui ended the call.

She stood at the window, thinking about the way Shiyi had looked in her office—curled up, frail enough that the veins on her hands were visible, her head buried in her arms, trembling slightly.

She looked so small and helpless, like an abandoned animal licking its wounds in a corner, trying not to make a sound.

Thinking about what Shiyi might have been through, Wei Hui opened her phone and sent a message: Take your time to consider. No need to rush.

It was the first time she’d done something like this. Frowning after she sent it, she thought: When did I become like Su Ziyan—so sentimental?

There was no reply for a long while. She figured Shiyi had probably gone to sleep.

Just as she was closing her eyes, her phone buzzed.

“Thank you, Miss Wei. I will think it over carefully.”

After sending the message, Shiyi held her phone close. When the ringtone had first sounded, she’d been stunned for several seconds. Only when the screen lit up did she realize it was a message from Wei Hui.

She wasn’t very familiar with using a phone. In fact, she’d only ever watched others use them and had never owned one herself. It took her quite a while to figure out how to reply. She typed slowly, made several mistakes, but eventually managed to send the message.

It was the first text she’d ever sent. Nervous and excited, she turned the phone over and over in her hands, but there was nothing more—just silence.

She remembered Pei Tian saying this phone was basic, yet to her it still felt complicated. Without a reply from Wei Hui, she spent almost an hour exploring the phone before finally falling asleep.

That night, Shiyi had a dream. In it, she gave birth to Wei Hui’s child. The baby looked just like Wei Hui but was always smiling and constantly wanted hugs and kisses. Wei Hui sat on the couch watching them, a gentle smile on her face.

Shiyi woke with a start!

She bolted upright in bed, sunlight already streaming through the window. Maybe she’d been too exhausted at the company—she had overslept. Looking at the time, it was nearly 9 a.m.

By now, Wei Hui had probably gone to work.

Thinking of that name brought the dream to mind again. Shiyi bit her lip, got out of bed, neatly folded her blanket, and washed up. When she went downstairs, Aunt Zhang was directing the cleaning. Seeing Shiyi, she called out:

“Miss.”

“Breakfast is ready.”

It was a direct order from Wei Hui. No matter how unhappy Aunt Zhang felt, she had to follow it.

Shiyi sat at the table, drank a bowl of millet porridge, ate a boiled egg, and found a glass of milk placed beside her.

“Miss Wei instructed that you must drink the milk,” Aunt Zhang said.

Shiyi didn’t refuse. After finishing, she looked up at Aunt Zhang. “May I go out for a walk?”

Aunt Zhang wanted to respond coldly, but meeting Shiyi’s clear, bright eyes, she hesitated. “You may do as you wish.”

Shiyi smiled faintly. “Thank you.”

Aunt Zhang was left speechless.

Stepping out of the house and into the garden, Shiyi looked around. The villa had an old-fashioned design, surrounded by flower beds. It took crossing two of them to reach the gate, where security guards were stationed.

Shiyi walked toward the gate, her heartbeat quickening. Her palms were sweaty. As she reached the entrance, the gates slowly opened on their own.

She stared at the view outside. Wei Hui hadn’t lied—she really could leave anytime.

It was her first time walking out through the gates like this, yet she felt lost. She had nowhere to go. Ever since she could remember, she’d followed her grandmother everywhere. Later, her grandmother used all her savings to send her to school. She was older than the other kids, placed in classes with children two or three years younger. It made her feel out of place, which contributed to her introverted nature.

Still, it didn’t stop her from wanting to learn. “If you want a way out,” her grandmother had said, “you must study.” So she seized every opportunity and studied hard.

But shortly after graduating primary school, her grandmother passed away. After that, she was shuffled between various households.

Now, walking aimlessly on the road near the villa, she saw people rushing to work, couples laughing and holding hands—and her confusion only grew. Eventually, tired, she sat on a roadside step, resting her head on her knees.

Sunlight filtered through the trees above, warming her slightly.

A sudden bark—“Woof!”—made her turn. A few children were throwing stones at a filthy stray dog. One of them shouted, “Quick! I tied it up. Throw all you want!”

The others grew more excited. Shiyi’s heart clenched.

“What are you doing?” she shouted.

The kids turned to look at her—dressed in fine clothes, delicate and doll-like. They figured she must be from one of the nearby villas. Without another word, they scattered.

Shiyi’s heart pounded. It was her first time interfering in something like this. She’d thought they’d argue or push back—but they ran off.

She walked over to the stray dog. It growled at her, still wary. “I mean no harm,” she said softly.

Then she chuckled at herself—Was she really explaining herself to a dog?

But right now, it seemed the only one she could talk to was this dog. Seeing it still agitated, she looked around, spotted a small convenience store, and went to buy two pieces of bread.

When she returned, the dog barked again, but Shiyi stood at a safe distance, tearing the bread and tossing it piece by piece. The dog didn’t eat at first, but with her gentle gaze and soft voice, it eventually began licking the crumbs. Shiyi smiled in relief.

After finishing both pieces of bread, the dog became less hostile. It even licked her hand. Though its tongue was rough, Shiyi felt joy.

Before leaving, she moved the dog to a spot near Wei Hui’s villa, tying it under a tree by a quiet path where it wouldn’t bother passersby. She patted its head. The once-aggressive dog now sat quietly by her side, licking her hand occasionally.

It was a large dog, nearly her height when standing. Though filthy, Shiyi didn’t mind. Sitting beside it, she fed it the third bread and began talking—finally finding someone to confide in.

In the end, she asked: “Do you think I should agree to Miss Wei’s request?”

The dog tilted its head and stared at her, then barked once: “Woof!”

Shiyi laughed again.