Yearning For Warmth, Day and Night - Chapter 40

Chapter 40: Past Events

Wei Changyuan spent half his life searching for a compatible heart, time and again given hope, only to be repeatedly disappointed. Just as he was about to give up, news came from the Cheng family: they had found someone. The match was done, bl00d type matched, heart individual matched, all data was consistent. It was the optimal donor. The entire Cheng family and Wei Changyuan were overjoyed. Even Wei Hui, far away in another country, received a call from Wei Changyuan, telling her to come back quickly, that he had a wonderful piece of news to tell her.

Everyone was immersed in the joyful atmosphere, forgetting one thing.

This was a living person, and a young living person at that. Waiting for him to die for the transplant, who knew how long that would take? Someone suggested going all the way, taking drastic measures, but Wei Changyuan didn’t agree. He and that man went into a room for a long, deep conversation. Finally, they came out one after another. No one knew what they discussed, nor did anyone know if the man agreed willingly or was coerced. In any case, two days later, the man was in a car accident, critically injured, and subsequently underwent a heart transplant. It happened to be the day Wei Hui returned to the country. She rushed from the airport straight to the hospital, waiting outside for a day and a night, only to find that Wei Changyuan never came off the operating table; he died directly.

Wei Hui returned with a joyful heart, only to be doused with a bucket of cold water, from head to toe, with no place untouched by the chill, making her tremble!

Later, when she took over Wei Tian, she saw a videotape and a separate will. Only then did she learn the whole story.

The man was a gambler. In his youth, he had accumulated significant debts. His wife, driven to suicide by loan sharks, left him with no will to live. He attempted to commit suicide with his newborn child, but they were saved. He then sent the child to an orphanage and wandered alone, hiding for several years, until the Cheng family found him. He had long since become indifferent to his own life or death, but his child was his only concern. So, he agreed to undergo the surgery for Wei Changyuan, but on one condition: Wei Changyuan had to adopt his child. Even if Wei Changyuan unfortunately didn’t survive the surgery, his descendants must bring the child into their home and treat her as a Wei family member. The two even signed a contract and put their handprints on it. Wei Changyuan, who had been honest his entire life, used the wrong method only in this matter. He wanted to live too badly, so he went to extremes.

That man’s car accident must have been connected to her father. Wei Hui resented him for using such methods but was helpless. She had no choice but to follow the will. She instructed Pei Tian and the Cheng family to find the child, but the orphanage informed her that the child had been adopted. After several years of searching, when she finally found the adoptive family, she learned that the family had died in an accident while traveling. Thus, she gave up the search. She never expected that child to be Eleven.

“I didn’t expect it either,” Su Ziyan said, “That day, after her examination, when I saw her rare bl00d type, I had a premonition.”

But he didn’t tell Wei Hui immediately. Instead, he repeatedly verified the information himself before informing her of the result. Seeing Wei Hui silent, Su Ziyan continued: “Eleven was indeed adopted later, but less than half a year later, she was taken away by human traffickers. Luckily, she later met a servant who treated her quite well.”

That must be the grandma Eleven mentioned.

Wei Hui’s heart ached intensely, her face pale. The cup was still overturned on the ground, water spreading to her feet, winding and twisting, shining brightly. She saw her reflection, looking utterly distraught.

“How could it be her?” Wei Hui closed her eyes: “Why, of all people, had to be her?”

Su Ziyan lowered his eyes, knowing Wei Hui must be feeling terrible now. He stood up, walked to Wei Hui’s side, picked up the cup, and asked, “How do you plan to settle Eleven?”

Wei Hui’s face was as pale as paper. At this moment, she didn’t have a trace of her usual composure. She took two deep breaths. If it were according to the will, she would have to bring Eleven into the Wei family now, but—she, Wei Hui gritted her teeth: “Let me think about it. You go back first.”

Su Ziyan patted her shoulder: “If anything comes up, contact me directly. Don’t try to bear it alone.”

Wei Hui wanted to say no, but with Eleven’s matter, she might actually need Su Ziyan’s help. She nodded: “I will.”

After Su Ziyan left, Wei Hui leaned back in the sofa chair. She closed her eyes, and the darkness before her gradually gave way to light. Eleven’s clear eyes slowly came into focus, her smiling features, her crisp voice: “Third Miss.”

Her heart twinged, and she clenched her hands. This child, if she had found her earlier, would she not have suffered so much?

She should have enjoyed a life of wealth, even if it was exchanged for her father’s life, but that was what she deserved! It was what the Wei family owed her! But she hadn’t found her, hadn’t found her earlier, letting her suffer so much. Wei Hui coughed a few times, an unnatural flush appearing on her pale face. She took several deep breaths. The office door was knocked. Pei Tian stood at the doorway respectfully: “CEO Wei, Vice President Luo is looking for you.”

Wei Hui composed her complex thoughts, stood up, and went to the bathroom. After washing up and applying light makeup, she came out. Luo Zhouping was already sitting on the office sofa. Pei Tian looked at her, and she said, “Vice President Luo, do you need something?”

Luo Zhouping smiled: “Not really, I just ran into Dr. Su. I was just worried if CEO Wei had any issues.”

Wei Hui met his sharp gaze with a natural smile: “I’m very well.”

Luo Zhouping’s eyes narrowed, as if trying to see through her light makeup. His sharp eyes, like a viper’s tongue, coiled around Wei Hui. She looked up at Pei Tian: “Bring two cups of coffee.”

Pei Tian responded: “Okay.”

When the coffee was brought in, Luo Zhouping was talking about the year-end shareholder dividends. Wei Hui frowned deeply, her face, illuminated by the sunlight, unnaturally pale. Pei Tian noticed that her hands were clenched tightly, the veins on the back of her hands protruding. She was putting on a brave face.

“CEO Wei, the video conference starts in five minutes. Would you like to re-verify the information?” Pei Tian stood behind her, asking in a low voice. Wei Hui nodded, following his lead: “Alright, you can see Vice President Luo out first.”

Pei Tian’s respectful demeanor: “Vice President Luo, please.”

Luo Zhouping squinted his eyes, looking calm and collected. After a long moment, he chuckled: “Since CEO Wei is busy, please go ahead. I’ll take my leave.”

Pei Tian led Luo Zhouping out. As soon as the door closed, Wei Hui couldn’t help but press her hand to her chest. A sharp, fragmented pain shot from her heart into her neural pathways. It wasn’t like the usual feeling of a heart attack; it felt more like heartache.

Just thinking about Eleven made her heart ache.

Why, why her of all people?

If she had been more careful then, if she had paid a little more attention to this matter, if she had noticed something was wrong then, if—

Would Eleven not have had to suffer so much?

The fault lay with her.

Wei Hui leaned on the sofa, closing her eyes. In her mind, she heard Eleven’s crisp voice: “I don’t have a name. Grandma said she brought me home on the eleventh day of the New Year, so I’m called Eleven.”

“Third Miss, if I leave, will you catch me and hit me?”

“Third Miss, please let me be a maid. I can do anything, I can learn anything. I’ll do it very well. I’m not afraid of hardship.”

“Third Miss, I don’t have a habit of stealing.”

Word by word, sentence by sentence, like an awl piercing Wei Hui’s chest, making her face turn pale with pain, her eyes redden slightly. This child, who should have enjoyed everything, due to her carelessness, due to her irresponsibility, had wandered for so many years. She even thought of using her to have a child.

What outrageous thing was she doing?

Absurd, utterly absurd!

The entire office was quiet. Wei Hui leaned on the sofa. After a long while, she stood up and called Pei Tian: “Get the car ready.”

Eleven was at home entertaining a guest, one person and one dog. Du Yue Ming smiled, “So you must be very bored at home usually?”

Eleven nodded shyly: “Not really.”

Du Yue Ming shook her head lightly and sighed: “If I were you, I couldn’t stand it for half a minute.”

Eleven chuckled. Shortly after returning, she received a call from Du Yue Ming asking where she was. After giving the address, Du Yue Ming arrived with her dog, saying that Sisi missed her. Eleven asked her why she didn’t go play with the secretaries. Du Yue Ming waved her hand, saying they weren’t close, so why play with them? At this moment, Eleven envied Du Yue Ming a little. She handled all relationships with ease. Even those she wasn’t close to, Du Yue Ming could still joke and play with them during team building.

This social ability truly made Eleven envious.

Du Yue Ming heard her words and laughed: “Envy me? Do you know what they say about me outside?”

Eleven widened her eyes: “What do they say?”

“A social butterfly,” Du Yue Ming said, not at all bothered by the nickname, and instead laughed: “Do you know what that means?”

Eleven’s round eyes stared. She instinctively felt it was a bad word. She shook her head: “I don’t know, and I don’t want to know.”

Du Yue Ming looked at her upon hearing this, then reached out and pinched Eleven’s cheek hard, laughing heartily: “Eleven, you’re so understanding, I really want to drag you home.”

She was always like this, never serious. Eleven laughed and played with Sisi, ignoring Du Yue Ming. When Wei Hui came home, she saw the two people and one dog playing in the backyard. The sunlight fell on Eleven, making even her smile much warmer. Wei Hui stood there not far away, and Aunt Liu beside her asked, “Third Miss, do you need me to call Young Miss over?”

“No need.” Wei Hui shook her head: “You go busy yourself.”

Aunt Liu looked at her, then at Eleven, lowered her head in assent, and turned to leave.

Wei Hui watched from a distance as Eleven held food up high. The slightly larger dog immediately pounced on her, knocking her to the ground but not snatching the food from her hand. Instead, it first licked her cheek. Eleven’s laughter was clear and melodious, audible from a distance.

This child should have grown up in such an environment. She should have lived a carefree, happy life, enjoying it to the fullest. She should have received a good education. All of this was traded for her father’s life; it was what the Wei family owed her. But she failed to deliver.

She didn’t find her in time, letting her taste all that suffering. It was her fault.

Wei Hui heard the bursts of laughter, but the discomfort in her heart grew immeasurably. Standing in the sunlight, her posture was not as straight as usual, slightly bent.

Eleven, after feeding Sisi, inadvertently glanced back and immediately scrambled up from the grass. She walked to Wei Hui’s side, biting her lip and saying, “Third Miss, why are you back?”

This was her home, why couldn’t she be back?

Eleven felt silly after asking such a dumb question. She scratched her head, hearing Wei Hui’s faint explanation: “Nothing at the company, so I came back early. When did Miss Du arrive?”

Du Yue Ming also walked over with the dog: “I’ve been here for a while. I’m leaving now. See you, Eleven.”

Eleven was surprised: “Didn’t you say you’d eat here?”

Du Yue Ming winked at her: “Oh, please. I’m afraid of indigestion.”

Wei Hui listened to their murmuring without a word, her gaze fixed on Eleven, not sharp or harsh, but unusually gentle. After Du Yue Ming left with the dog, Eleven finally looked up at Wei Hui boldly, forcing a smile: “Third Miss, it’s cold outside. Let me walk you home.”

“Eleven.” Wei Hui put her hands behind her back. The cold wind howled past her. She said softly, “I’m sorry.”

Eleven was somewhat puzzled by Wei Hui’s words. Perhaps the wind was too strong and scattered the sound, or perhaps Wei Hui’s voice was too low for her to hear clearly. Eleven repeated, “What did you say?”

Wei Hui met her clear eyes, her lips moved, and finally she lowered her head: “Nothing. Let’s go home.”

Eleven followed closely behind her. As they entered the foyer, Wei Hui turned her head to look into the mirror. The Eleven in the reflection was a little shorter than her, slender and thin, wearing simple sportswear. Her hair, tousled by the wind outside, clung to her back and cheeks. Her skin was fair, and her eyes were bright and spirited, with a faint smile.

“Huihui, Dad did a foolish thing. If I can come off the operating table, I will personally atone for it. If not, you must find that child and bring her back to the Wei family.”

“From now on, she will be your sister.”

Wei Hui stood motionless in the foyer, gazing at the mirror. Eleven, seeing her stop, didn’t rush her, but simply stood foolishly behind her. Wei Hui looked in the mirror for a long time before she spoke again: “Are you hungry? I asked Aunt Liu to make dinner.”

Her voice was gentle, but different from how it was at noon, and in the morning. Eleven didn’t know what was wrong with Wei Hui, who treated her with three different attitudes in one day. She was very confused and directly asked, “Third Miss, did I do something wrong?”

“Is it related to Miss Du? Do you dislike me being with her?”

Wei Hui chuckled: “Eleven, have you ever thought about how you would live if you found your family?”

Eleven was stunned. After last night, this was the second time Wei Hui had mentioned family. She wouldn’t bring it up out of the blue, which could only mean—”Are you trying to send me away?”

Was it because she had taken too long to consider, so Wei Hui was impatient and wanted to drive her away?

Or had Wei Hui found another suitable girl?

Eleven imagined Wei Hui bringing another girl home after she left, perhaps treating that girl the same way she treated her, comforting her, chatting with her, perhaps holding her hand, teaching her how to kiss, perhaps they would have a child.

No—

Eleven couldn’t bear such an imagination. She shook her head, her heart aching as if punched hard, tears welling in her eyes.

Wei Hui extended her right hand, wanting to place it on Eleven’s shoulder. Halfway there, she curled her hand back, and softly said, “No, I was just asking. If you found your family, what would you do?”

Eleven felt a lump in her throat: “I don’t know.”

Wei Hui’s eyes shifted, her expression inscrutable: “Then what if I were your family?”

Eleven looked up in surprise, her wide eyes still filled with tears, the corners red, her nose twitching: “What did you say?”

Wei Hui pursed her lips: “I was just hypothesizing.”

Eleven thought for a moment, then walked to Wei Hui and put her arms around her. Her figure was small, not as tall as Wei Hui, so this posture was more like throwing herself into an embrace, a soft, fragrant jade. Eleven’s heart softened incredibly. She hugged Wei Hui, burying her head in her chest, and said, “If… I want to hug you.”

She used Wei Hui’s hypothesis to do what she wanted to do, afraid that Wei Hui would see through her, keeping her head down, not meeting Wei Hui’s eyes.

Wei Hui didn’t push her away, didn’t scold her, nor did she have any other reaction. She simply let Eleven embrace her like this. After a long while, she extended her hand and patted Eleven’s shoulder: “Dinner should be ready. Let’s eat.”

Eleven had a million questions in her heart, but after letting go of Wei Hui, she didn’t dare to ask anything. She was afraid that if she said one more word, Wei Hui would send her away right now. She guarded her small and fragile feelings, restraining her actions, not daring to be too bold, only able to be cautious.

However, Wei Hui was not as astute as before in seeing through her, or rather, at this moment, she didn’t want to see through Eleven. Those uncontrollable small gestures, her attempts to please her, the hidden affections—how could she not see them? She came back and asked Pei Tian to find Eleven’s family not only because she had developed feelings but also because Eleven, this child, had developed feelings for her.

That’s why she wanted to send Eleven away, but things are unpredictable.

The two sat at the dining table. Aunt Liu had prepared many dishes and greeted them: “Look how thin you both are. You must not have eaten well. Eat well tonight.”

Eleven smiled at Aunt Liu: “Thank you.”

Wei Hui looked up and saw her faint smile in profile. She blinked, then lowered her head to eat.

After dinner, Wei Hui didn’t go upstairs or to the study. Instead, she sat on the sofa. Eleven came out of the dining room and heard her say, “A walk?”

Eleven’s heart instantly tightened again. She silently said, “Okay.”

The night grew cold, and a rustling chill wind blew across their faces. Eleven couldn’t stand it and sneezed twice. She rubbed her nose somewhat shyly, pretending to look down, seeing the streetlights cast their elongated shadows.

“Next week, I’ll be very busy,” Wei Hui said first: “The unfinished building project is starting, and I have to personally oversee it. There are also many company matters that need my attention at the end of the year.”

Eleven didn’t understand why she was suddenly saying this, her eyes wide: “Third Miss.”

“So I won’t have as much time to spend with you.” More of a statement than an explanation, Wei Hui had never reported her whereabouts to anyone, finding it quite unaccustomed. Fortunately, the night was too dark, and her expression was hidden in the inkiness, unseen.

“I’ve arranged a tutor for you. Starting tomorrow, you’ll have private lessons.”

Eleven was completely confused: “Lessons?”

Wei Hui nodded: “On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, you’ll study academics. Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, you’ll learn etiquette. You can rest on weekends, but I hope you can keep up with the tutor’s progress as soon as possible.”

Eleven still didn’t quite understand: “Am I going to start studying?”

Wei Hui nodded solemnly: “Yes, you are going to start studying.”

Eleven frowned: “Why?”

Wei Hui softly said: “Don’t you want to become better?”

Eleven was silent for a few seconds. Of course, she wanted to become better, to be worthy of Wei Hui, to stand by her side, to look at those data not just feeling dizzy but being able to help her process them. These were all things she had imagined. How would the Third Miss know?

Wei Hui, seeing her like this, continued, “I’ve thought about it. Instead of giving you ten million later, why not let you start learning now how to enter this society? What do you think?”

Eleven, of course, thought it was a good idea, but everything was too strange. Wei Hui’s words and actions these past two days, and the hypothesis she made when she first returned, left Eleven a bit confused, making her ask, “Can I know why?”

“Of course.” Wei Hui lowered her eyes, her gaze deep: “I’ve thought about it. My child, I can’t be with her for too long as she grows up, so I hope you will be there. Most importantly, my child’s mother can’t be without a name, so tomorrow I will register a new name for you, okay?”

So that was it. But—”New, new name?”

Wei Hui looked up, her gaze profound: “Yes, since you are now in the Wei family, you will take my surname. ‘Nian Eleven’ refers to early spring, shedding the cold and warming up. Let’s call you Wei Nuan.”

Eleven stammered: “Huh?”

Wei Hui tilted her head to look at her: “Is that okay?”

Eleven was so confused she felt she was losing her head. Wei Hui spoke too fast for her to process, so she could only agree: “O-okay.”

Wei Hui sighed in relief, her hands clasped behind her back loosening: “There’s one more thing. I want you to learn everything the tutor teaches you. I’ve thought about it; I have at most ten years left. I hope you can learn more in these few years. After I’m gone, and before the child comes of age, you will temporarily manage the company. I will give you additional compensation at that time.”

Eleven’s heart skipped a beat when she heard that Wei Hui had at most ten years left: “Third Miss.”

Wei Hui’s gaze was peaceful: “Are there any other questions? If not, tomorrow I’ll have Pei Tian draft a contract, and you can sign it.”

Eleven’s mind was a mess, as if a tangled ball of yarn was stuck inside. She couldn’t untangle her thoughts. The Third Miss wanted to give her a new name because the child’s mother couldn’t be nameless. She wanted her to study because she wanted her to educate the child. All these things were because of that transaction, and it seemed there were no problems, but Eleven just felt it was strange, very strange. She had a peculiar feeling in her heart, but she couldn’t articulate it. She was really so stupid, so stupid she wanted to cry. Wei Hui’s voice was very gentle as she said, “Nothing else. Go back and rest first. I’ll sit here a bit longer.”

“Oh,” Eleven responded dully, and walked several steps away with her head down. Suddenly, her eyes lit up, and a bold thought rushed into her mind. She immediately ran back to Wei Hui, looking at her urgently, and asked quickly, “Th-Third Miss, I have a question.”

Wei Hui sat on the bench, turning her head. The streetlight dimly illuminated half her face, the other half hidden in the darkness, making her expression unclear. Her tone was as usual: “What question?”

“I, I, I…” Eleven gritted her teeth: “Am I related by bl00d to you?”

Wei Hui choked on the wind. She had expected her words to be ambiguous but hadn’t thought Eleven would misunderstand so much. She chuckled. In the light, her expression was gentle: “Of course not.”

Of course not.

Eleven’s wildly pounding heart suddenly calmed down, leaving behind a dense, persistent ache.

They had no other relationship. All of the Third Miss’s proposals just now revolved around the child. Why was she explaining everything so clearly? Was it because—her time, in fact, wasn’t as long as ten years?

Thinking this, Eleven said firmly, “Then I have one last question.”

Wei Hui smiled: “What question?”

Eleven met her obscure eyes, deep and unfathomable. She kept the question she originally wanted to ask under her tongue, replacing it with: “Can I still hug you?”

Wei Hui blinked, pondering for a few seconds, then opened her arms wide: “Of course.”

Eleven closed her eyes and threw herself into Wei Hui’s embrace. They sat on the bench, Eleven completely buried in Wei Hui’s arms. The familiar scent filled her nostrils. Her body trembled slightly. Slowly, she lifted her head from Wei Hui’s embrace, resting her chin on Wei Hui’s shoulder. She turned her head, her nose resting beside Wei Hui’s slender neck. The chilling wind howled, but it couldn’t disperse the intimate warmth there. Eleven, with all her courage, bit Wei Hui’s neck, her tongue sweeping across the skin’s texture. Wei Hui instantly tensed her body, forgetting to react.