"What conversation?" Feng Qishi asked, still avoiding eye contact.
Mu Anxiao narrowed her eyes.
Hu Yuan said, "Even if he heard, he probably wouldn't understand."
Annoyed by Hu Yuan's condescending tone, Feng Qishi turned to him and asked, "If your legs are fine, why don't you just stand up?"
"The nurse told me to use the wheelchair. Of course, I could stand up, but if anything happens," Hu Yuan made a move to rise, "you'll be responsible."
Seeing Hu Yuan about to stand and considering his words, Feng Qishi quickly said, "Don't get up."
"Fine." Hu Yuan stopped his motion.
Mu Anxiao sighed as she watched Feng Qishi's anxious expression.
Just then, Hu Yuan's mother rushed over in a hurry.
Noticing her running, Mu Anxiao remembered Hu Yuan's words and quickly stepped forward. "You shouldn't run like that."
"It's fine," Hu Yuan's mother stopped.
"You..." Mu Anxiao glanced at Hu Yuan, then turned back to his mother. "You're pregnant. You shouldn't do anything so risky."
At this, Hu Yuan's mother froze, then forced an awkward laugh. "No, I'm too old for that. How could I be pregnant?"
"I know. There's no need to hide it," Hu Yuan said, eyeing his mother.
Hu Yuan's mother stiffened, walked past Mu Anxiao, and hurried to Hu Yuan. She was about to crouch in front of him when he stopped her.
"Just stand. Squatting and standing like that might hurt you," he said.
His mother paused but still knelt before him. "YuanYuan, listen to me. I—"
"You don’t need to explain. Since I can remember, you’ve hardly ever told me the truth. Last year, you remarried while I was in the hospital. That day, I wanted to ask you, but..." Hu Yuan smiled bitterly. "I didn’t. It felt pointless."
"YuanYuan," his mother began to cry.
"I understand. Having a sickly son like me must be painful for you," Hu Yuan lowered his head. "You worked so hard to earn money, only to spend it all on me. You even borrowed money from that man, didn’t you? Otherwise, you wouldn’t have married him."
"Hu Yuan!" his mother suddenly raised her voice.
Hu Yuan slowly looked up. "Am I wrong? Didn’t you—"
"He’s your father," his mother blurted out.
Hu Yuan froze. Thinking of his fatherless childhood, he laughed. "You’re lying to me again."
"It’s all my fault. I had you out of wedlock when I was young," his mother said quietly. "That’s why you’ve lived like this."
Hu Yuan fell silent.
Mu Anxiao, unable to follow their conversation, turned away.
His mother looked at him and said, "YuanYuan, I’m not lying. Your biological father has returned, and we’re married now. Tomorrow, I’ll take you to see him."
"Why doesn’t he come to see me?" Hu Yuan asked.
"He’s very busy. He doesn’t have time—"
"He loves you, not me. If he really accepted having a sickly son like me, he would’ve come to see me long ago." Hu Yuan’s expression turned cold. Thinking of his limited lifespan, his eyes darkened. "Mom, I don’t ask for much now. I just want you to be honest with me. Stop comforting me with lies. I’m grown up. Can’t you just tell me the truth?"
"YuanYuan, I—"
"Enough. Go." Hu Yuan stood up abruptly.
Feng Qishi was startled. "I thought you couldn’t stand?"
Hu Yuan glanced at him. "You talk too much." With that, he walked past his mother and left.
Tear-stained, Hu Yuan’s mother stood up, glanced at the wheelchair, hesitated as she looked at her son’s retreating figure, then turned to Feng Qishi. "Could you please return this? Thank you."
"You should go after him," Feng Qishi said.
She smiled faintly, then hurried past him to catch up with Hu Yuan.
Mu Anxiao watched her go and murmured, "She’s pregnant. Is running like that really okay?"
"What’s the problem? Pregnant women aren’t as fragile as you think," Feng Qishi said, pushing the wheelchair.
Mu Anxiao kept staring in the direction Hu Yuan’s mother had gone. "But she’s an older mother. Is this really safe?"
"What’s the issue? You worry too much," Feng Qishi replied, wheeling the chair toward the hospital lobby.
Mu Anxiao glanced at him, then thought of her own complicated relationship with Zhang Yan and sighed, following Feng Qishi inside.
After returning the wheelchair, Feng Qishi led Mu Anxiao to the entrance of the inpatient ward.
"Once we’re upstairs, tell her you went to experience life," Feng Qishi instructed.
"You want me to lie to your sister?" Mu Anxiao side-eyed him.
"You said you went home to change clothes, but you didn’t. If you don’t say this, she’ll keep asking questions. As for what kind of ‘life experience,’ just make something up." He patted her shoulder.
"That’s deception," Mu Anxiao said, eyeing his hand on her shoulder.
"It’s a white lie. That’s not the same as lying."
Mu Anxiao lowered her gaze. "What about Hu Yuan’s mother? What kind of lie was that?"
"That was... also a white lie," Feng Qishi said, pursing his lips.
"A white lie, but to Hu Yuan, she’s just a liar," Mu Anxiao said flatly.
"Everyone interprets white lies differently. I think they’re noble, completely different from deceitful lies," Feng Qishi said earnestly.
Mu Anxiao studied his serious expression and blinked. "But to me, a white lie is still a lie. Sometimes..." She pursed her lips. "White lies hurt even more."
"That’s your opinion," Feng Qishi pointed at her.
Mu Anxiao looked at his playful expression and said, "I never expected Hu Yuan to be so profound. At first, I really didn’t see it."
Feng Qishi averted his gaze awkwardly. "What are you talking about? I don’t understand."
"You clearly heard everything but still pretend you didn’t," Mu Anxiao narrowed her eyes. "You can act clueless around Hu Yuan, but there’s no need to do it with me."
Feng Qishi grinned. "Silly Mu, your brain really switches between normal and delusional. Wow, I understand you less and less."
"I’ve never understood you either," Mu Anxiao retorted.
"In that case, we should spend more time together. That way, we can truly understand each other and become..." Feng Qishi smiled. "Better brothers."
Mu Anxiao knew Feng Qishi wouldn’t say anything worthwhile. She glared at him and walked into the inpatient ward.