You're my wife, don't doubt it!

Miao Jinfang was in relatively good spirits at the moment, but her voice was still not loud. Shen Jie was facing the window, sitting to Xiao Yao's left, leaning slightly to the left and bringing her left ear close to her grandmother's lips, then turning her head to speak softly to her.

This cycle continues, allowing the dialogue to unfold.

Mainly, it was Grandma who spoke, and Shen Jie who listened or responded.

Out of curiosity, Xiao Yao wanted to hear what the two of them were saying, but he couldn't hear clearly and could only hear a rustling sound.

The sounds of those voices did not pass through the vocal cords; they sounded like communication formed solely by airflow.

Xiao Yao abandoned his plan to listen in and straightened his back.

Throughout the conversation, his left hand and Shen Jie's right hand were intertwined, their fingers tightly clasped together.

It should be noted that it was Shen Jie who took his hand first.

Xiao Yao could feel that their palms were covered in sweat, which seemed unusual on this snowy day.

He couldn't tell whether the sweat was his own or Shen Jie's.

It's probably Shen Jie's.

Suddenly, Shen Jie's right hand twitched slightly.

Xiao Yao instinctively complied and let go of her hand.

Unexpectedly, after Shen Jie pulled her hand away, she wrapped her arms around Xiao Yao's waist from behind and pulled him towards her.

! ! ?

Before Xiao Yao could react, he was leaning against—pressing against Shen Jie's body. If the two people's genders and body types were reversed, this would be called "a soft embrace," but now... well, it's still "a soft embrace."

The boy paid no attention to the girl's fragrance; he only noticed that her slender hand rose from below and caressed his right cheek as she said in an infinitely gentle tone, "Grandma, don't worry, Xiao Yao is a big boy now, he will take good care of himself."

Xiao Yao opened his mouth, but before he could speak, Shen Jie added, "I will take good care of her as well."

The two sentences were no longer whispered, but spoken at a normal volume, attracting the attention of the elderly woman in the next bed who slept all day, to peek over and look.

Xiao Yao was touched, but also a little sad; at least his nose felt sore.

Miao Jinfang exclaimed happily, "Jiejie, you promised me?"

“Yes,” Shen Jie nodded and said softly, “Grandma, I promise you.”

“Then I’m relieved,” Miao Jinfang said contentedly. “May the Bodhisattva protect you—May Iesu bless you.”

Xiao Yao stood up and helped his grandmother lie down slowly. On her face, Xiao Yao saw a satisfied and relieved smile.

"Xiao Yao..."

Just as Xiao Yao was about to lead Shen Jie out of the ward, Miao Jinfang suddenly called out to him again.

Xiao Yao stopped and turned around. His grandmother simply bowed and looked at them for a moment, then nodded to signal them to leave without saying anything more.

The two of them and Tianyun waited for the elevator on the fifth floor for a while. Shen Jie became impatient and said she wanted to take the stairs. During this time, the two of them held hands the whole time. Shen Jie did not let go, and Xiao Yao naturally had no reason to let go on his own.

When they reached the third floor, Shen Jie stopped and looked up and down at the empty stairwell. She then forcefully pulled her hand out of Xiao Yao's hand and wiped her palm with a handkerchief. This action made Xiao Yao feel very hurt.

This was the first time Xiao Yao had seen someone carry a handkerchief since graduating from kindergarten.

The two exchanged a questioning look, then walked side by side down to the first floor.

Outside the hospital, the snow was still falling heavily, even more so than when Shen Jie arrived.

The two stood side by side under the eaves, gazing at the snow.

Xiao Yao gave Tian Yun a wink. Although Tian Yun was reluctant to leave, she understood and left, making an excuse that her grandmother couldn't be left alone for a long time, leaving Xiao Yao and Shen Jie alone.

Shen Jie took out a scarf, tied it around her neck, and refused Xiao Yao's help. Then she put her fingerless gloves back on and casually stretched out her palm, as if to catch the snowflakes falling from the sky.

“On the day it first started snowing,” Xiao Yao cleared his throat, breaking the silence, “Tianyun, Y, and I, along with them, were building a snowman. Tianyun asked what her mother was doing at that time—I, I also want to know what you were doing then, and I want to watch the snow with you like we are now.”

Shen Jie didn't speak, but simply withdrew her snow-covered hands, rubbed them together, and then breathed on them in front of her cherry-like lips.

Xiao Yao wanted to hear Shen Jie's opinion on the mirror closing and her daughter being trapped in 2004 and unable to return, but Shen Jie seemed to have something on her mind and did not express any opinion.

The young man pondered whether or not he should tell Shen Jie about the changes to the marriage certificate.

He believes that revealing this fact is a risky act.

On the positive side, this incident will reignite Shen Jie's jealousy and possessiveness.

The negative implication is that Shen Jie might think, "Since that's the case, then I wish you all the best, and you don't need to come looking for me anymore."

Of course, there's also the possibility he least wants to see: she doesn't really care about us.

In the end, Xiao Yao decided to play it safe.

“Um,” Xiao Yao cleared his throat again, swallowed a mouthful of water, turned to Shen Jie, and bowed slightly to her, “Thank you for today.”

“Grandma has already said thank you,” Shen Jie said for the first time since leaving Miao Jinfang’s ward. “You don’t need to say it again.”

“I know, I know,” Xiao Yao said hastily, “but as her grandson, I should also thank you.”

"Grandma," after a brief silence, Shen Jie's throat, which was wrapped in a scarf, moved slightly, "Is it possible... that it will get better? What exactly did the doctor say?"

Xiao Yao's answer, though seemingly irrelevant, was actually very clear: "Brother Bo said that Grandma received the Initiation Sacrament and... the Last Sacrament, so she will definitely be able to ascend directly to heaven."

“That’s good,” Shen Jie paused for two seconds, then added, “Brother Bo never lies.”

“Brother Bo never lies.” Xiao Yao nodded firmly, as if he was trying his best to convince himself.

Then, the boys and girls fell into a brief silence once again.

Shen Jie looked a little anxious. She kept craning her neck to look around and occasionally took out her phone to press the hard keyboard.

Xiao Yao knew she was urging her black Mercedes to hurry up.

He also knew that he didn't have much time left.

Shen Jie breathed on her hands again and gently stomped her feet, which were encased in snow boots: "Why don't you go up first? It's awfully cold outside—I mean, spend more time with your grandma—"

Xiao Yao interrupted her, his heels seemingly frozen to the ground: "Do you think Grandma can see everything that happens on Earth after she goes to heaven?"

Shen Jie hesitated and said, "Maybe... I'm not sure about that. You should ask Brother Bo about this."

“If she can see everything,” Xiao Yao reasoned hesitantly, “then she—”

As soon as Xiao Yao finished saying "So, she," without saying anything substantial, Shen Jie looked wary and took a half step back: "Are you trying to morally blackmail me?"

"Huh?" Xiao Yao said.

"I came here out of kindness to help and care for Grandma," Shen Jie's tone became somewhat agitated, and the piercing look in her eyes as she looked at Xiao Yao made him a little afraid: "But you're trying to morally blackmail me?"

"I absolutely did not mean that." Xiao Yao shook his head vigorously.

"You'd better not have it," Shen Jie warned sternly.

"But what exactly is going on between us now?" Xiao Yao blurted out, his words quickening slightly. "Was I dumped? If so—"

"Yes." Shen Jie looked up, met his gaze, and answered affirmatively.

Xiao Yao's "If so, then xxxxxx; if not, then yyyyyy" was cut short as soon as it began. He regretted it and realized that his questioning had led to a problem, but since things had come to this point, he could only continue along this logic.

“If that’s the case,” Xiao Yao said, “at least give me a reason for breaking up, don’t be so vague—vague and unclear, and besides, I didn’t agree to—”

"Why do we need a reason to break up?" Shen Jie said in a strange tone, "It's not like we're getting a divorce. Breaking up is a decision that only needs to be made by one party. No one else's consent is required."

Xiao Yao wanted to say, "Why isn't this a divorce?" but then felt it was pointless: "I have to take responsibility for you."

This was meant to remind the other person of a past fact, but it was now 2005, and for the girl who was determined to leave, it was equally meaningless: "Thank you, I don't need it."

Xiao Yao: "At least give me a reason. Is it that difficult? Don't worry, I can handle the real reason."

Shen Jie hesitated for a moment, then lowered her head to think and drew a circle in the snow with her right foot, which was wearing a snow boot.

“I have the right to know why,” Xiao Yao emphasized.

Shen Jie shook the snow off her toes.

"Please, let me die knowing why," Xiao Yao said, trying to sound as sincere as possible. "It won't cost you anything."

“Often, ignorance isn’t necessarily a bad thing.” Shen Jie’s voice softened a little, and her tone became more relaxed, but she still didn’t look at Xiao Yao.

“It’s a bad thing,” Xiao Yao said. “Definitely.”

"sky--"

A blinding flash of light ripped through the already dimming sky. Shen Jie and Xiao Yao looked in the direction from which the flash came and saw the familiar black Mercedes.

Shen Jie pursed her lips, lowered her head and opened the huge black parasol, then walked lightly through the snow.

Xiao Yao subconsciously followed, unceremoniously slipping under Shen Jie's umbrella and sticking very close to her.

Shen Jie didn't look at him, nor did she chase him out from under the umbrella; she just hurried on.

"What? Tell me!" Xiao Yao urged anxiously.

"Goodbye." Shen Jie had already walked up to the black Mercedes, paused, and then said, "I will pray for Grandma."

The dark car window slowly rolled down, revealing the detestable, insincere face of my former father-in-law, Shen Hongsheng.

Xiao Yao opened his mouth—but now that things had come to this, he didn't know what else to say.

Or rather, there's too much to say, and you don't know which words are useful.

"Wait a minute," Xiao Yao said, his attempt to persuade her to stay futile.

“Also,” Shen Jie had already opened the car door, but hadn’t gotten in yet, “could you please stop blocking my school gate, no matter who it is—it’s really bothering me.”