Chapter 7: Trapped in a Cage
The call came from her elder sister-in-law.
“Mother is furious. She fainted. Come back and have a look!”
“What did the private doctor say?” Song Yanzi remained calm.
It was not that she was cold-blooded or heartless. In recent years, such scenes had become all too common.
Her mother often pretended to be ill to lure her home, though in truth there was nothing seriously wrong with her.
A trick repeated too many times lost all novelty.
Xu Yaqi answered honestly, “She’s fine. She took her medicine and is lying down now.”
Then, from the other end, her sister-in-law lowered her voice on purpose. “She keeps insisting I call you and make you come back.”
Song Yanzi lay back on the bed, her tone cool. “I’m not a doctor. Even if I go back, it won’t help. It’ll only make things worse.”
After a pause, she added, “Let Auntie take care of her. Just tell her you can’t reach me.”
Her sister-in-law knew her difficulties and said no more.
After hanging up, Song Yanzi shut her phone off at once.
Restless and vexed, she tossed and turned without sleep, and could only get up for a glass of water and take some medicine.
The price of relying on pills to sleep was heavy side effects and a wrecked biological clock.
When she woke, it was already nine in the morning.
Fortunately, it was the weekend, so she did not have to go to work.
As soon as she turned on her phone, the alert tones for messages and calls rang out one after another, just as she had expected.
Song Yanzi replied to the important work messages first, and only then called home.
From her sister-in-law she learned that her mother was safe and sound, and was eating breakfast.
At last, she opened the chat with the client.
The client: What is the meaning of this? You are ignoring me as if I were air.
The client: So, my dear contractor, you have some nerve, even daring to switch off your phone.
Only then did Song Yanzi remember and hurriedly replied, Yesterday something unexpected came up.
The client: My dear contractor, you failed to fulfill the contract. How do you intend to handle this?
The agreement stated that, as the contractor, Song Yanzi had to be available at a moment's notice.
But last night she had completely forgotten about it and even turned her phone off.
Song Yanzi: I had a reason last night. I was ill. I was afraid I might infect you.
The excuse was solid enough. The other party should not suspect anything.
He had been replying instantly just moments ago, but now there was no answer, and she could not tell what he was thinking.
To make it more convincing, she went into the living room, opened the medicine box, deliberately found the cold medicine, and took a photo to send over.
The client replied at once: Make a note of it. Next time, you’ll make it up to me.
A damned capitalist.
Song Yanzi muttered inwardly.
At noon, she had an appointment to play golf with a business partner, so she asked a friend to go with her.
When she arrived at Nanxi's villa, Nanxi spotted her car and immediately waved.
After getting in, Nanxi fastened her seat belt. “Darling, I’ve missed you so much. Come on, let me kiss you.”
She puckered her lips and leaned over for a kiss.
Song Yanzi smiled brightly. “Young lady, please mind your safety. I’m driving.”
Her hands moved expertly over the steering wheel.
Nanxi looked a little disappointed and sat back. “You’re so cold to me. You don’t love me anymore, do you? You’ve found someone new, haven’t you?”
The car glided forward at a steady pace.
Song Yanzi’s voice softened. “If I didn’t love you, would I buy you your favorite breakfast and coffee?”
At once, Nanxi broke into a delighted smile.
“I stayed up until after midnight last night. I just happen to need this to keep me alive.”
As an emergency room doctor, overtime was common; she had not rested for a week.
Song Yanzi asked, “Then why don’t you sleep in at home instead of agreeing to accompany me to play?”
After swallowing a mouthful of coffee, Nanxi said, “That’s exactly why I love you! For your sake, I’m sacrificing my sleep.”
Song Yanzi teased her, “I’m so touched. I’ve decided to repay you by giving myself to you.”
Today’s partner was a difficult one, notoriously hard to deal with, and Song Yanzi was worried she might not manage alone, which was why she had asked her good friend for help.
Nanxi patted her chest. “Don’t worry. I’ll treat you well and love only you forever.”
After their banter, Nanxi got back to business. “Is Auntie all right?”
Between them, there was nothing they could not discuss.
Song Yanzi smiled faintly. “About the same. After all these years, I’m used to it.”
Though she was smiling, as if it were of no concern, Nanxi knew the bitterness and pain hidden deep in her heart.
“Yanzi, your father...” Realizing herself, Nanxi changed her words at once. “What happened back then was an accident. It had nothing to do with you. I don’t want you to imprison yourself.”
At the mention of that matter, a sharp pain pierced Song Yanzi’s chest, spreading in thin, relentless waves from her heart to every limb.
Seeing that she remained silent, Nanxi said sternly, “Auntie is just selfish and unreasonable. She insists on forcing the blame onto you. You’re the most innocent person of all.”
Every time Nanxi brought it up, anger surged through her, and she felt distressed on Song Yanzi’s behalf.
Song Yanzi curved her lips. “She’s ill, so I can understand.”
Nanxi cut straight to the point. “She’s doing it on purpose. She’s using her illness to do as she pleases and never considering your feelings.”
In recent years, their mother-daughter relationship had been so strained that they might as well have been enemies.
But in the end, it was all Auntie’s fault.
Song Yanzi knew that in this world, Nanxi was the only one who truly felt for her.
“All right, let’s not talk about this.”
This was the wound she could not bear to touch. Once it was torn open, it would bleed all over again.
Nanxi was sensible enough to drop the subject immediately.
After that, the two of them chatted idly.
By the time they reached the golf course and arrived at the entrance, both of them froze when they saw someone not far away.