The glass door of the hospital room was suddenly tapped lightly. She looked up and could hardly believe her eyes—the woman standing outside in a black belted trench coat was Yu Jia. She hurriedly stood up, rushed to the door, and asked in a hushed voice, "What are you doing here?"
Yu Jia said calmly, "I need to talk to you about something."
"I have nothing to say to you." Afraid of waking Bao Bao, she stepped out and closed the door. "Leave right now, or I’ll call security to make you leave."
Yu Jia, slightly taller and wearing high-heeled leather boots, carried an imposing presence. "No need to get agitated. I have no desire to deal with you either, but let’s skip the petty arguments. Gao Xiang isn’t at the hospital right now, is he?"
"He went to see a friend."
"See a friend? Is that what he told you?" Yu Jia let out a cold laugh. "He’s accompanying my daughter on a tour of New York. I doubt he’ll be back before midnight."
"You’re lying—" Chen Zi Hui trailed off weakly, realizing it was likely true and momentarily speechless.
"I don’t want them together, and I assume you feel the same. So no matter how much we dislike each other, we have to talk."
"Why don’t you control your daughter and stop her from coming to New York to pester my son?"
Yu Jia shot her a cold glance. "If you want this conversation to continue, show some respect. You need to understand one basic fact: Gao Xiang went to Portland to find my daughter last month."
Chen Zi Hui was left speechless.
"Gao Xiang told her he would stay in New York for his MBA and hoped my daughter would come here for college," Yu Jia stated bluntly. "I suppose you didn’t know that either?"
Chen Zi Hui was even more stunned and murmured, "He never mentioned this to me. I would never agree to it."
"My daughter is already 18. I can’t interfere with where she chooses to study. Gao Xiang is an adult—he probably doesn’t need your permission either."
"What do you mean by that? Don’t expect me to approve of them being together."
"I’ve already said the same to Gao Xiang. Now, let me make my position clear to you: Gao Xiang is a fine young man, but he’s connected to a past no one wants to revisit. My daughter is an outstanding student with a promising future. I don’t want her trapped in a relationship that will only hurt her, nor do I want her to have to deal with relatives like you in the future."
Yu Jia’s words were harsh, but her tone remained calm and detached. Chen Zi Hui, unsure how to react, asked angrily, "What exactly are you here for today?"
"Grandma—" A small, tender voice came from inside the room. Chen Zi Hui hurriedly pushed the door open to find Bao Bao sitting up by the head of the bed.
"Don’t be scared, Bao Bao. Grandma’s here."
Bao Bao, still drowsy, looked curiously at Yu Jia standing behind her. "Who are you?"
Yu Jia had only glimpsed the child through the glass yesterday. Now, face to face with him and seeing his bright, sparkling eyes, even her composure wavered slightly.
Chen Zi Hui quickly interjected, "She’s just passing by and will be leaving soon."
Yu Jia said in the gentlest voice she could muster, "Yes, just passing by. I’ll be going now."
Bao Bao turned to Chen Zi Hui and asked, "Why isn’t Daddy back yet?""He won't be back until evening." Chen Zihui walked over, picked up a storybook and handed it to him. "Be good, read this book first. Grandma will come in soon to watch cartoons with you."
She came over and closed the door. Just as she was about to speak, Yu Jia suddenly asked, "How did his surgery turn out?"
At any other time, given Chen Zihui's temperament, she would have snapped back without hesitation, "None of your business." But now, being in a foreign country and feeling low-spirited, she couldn't muster the energy to lash out. She replied gloomily, "The test results aren't completely in yet. We still have to wait for the follow-up examination."
Yu Jia was silent for a moment. "In that case, focus on taking care of the child."
"Hey, what about that matter?"
"My daughter and I will return tomorrow. I'll do my best to limit their contact. As for you," Yu Jia shot Chen Zihui a glance, "never mind, there's nothing you can do right now either. You'd better discuss with your father and your husband how to stop Gao Xiang most effectively—they'll surely have a way. I've said all I need to say."
Yu Jia hurried downstairs. Looking back at the hospital building, she felt an indescribable mix of emotions. She had thought that after yesterday's visit to the hospital, Zuo Si'an would back off in the face of difficulties. But when she returned to the hotel after having dinner with Peter and went to Zuo Si'an's room to discuss the places Peter planned to take them the next day, Zuo Si'an replied, "You go have fun with Peter. I've made plans with Gao Xiang—he'll pick me up tomorrow morning and I'll probably be back quite late in the evening."
"You still intend to come to New York for university?"
Zuo Si'an nodded firmly.
Furious, Yu Jia demanded, "Did you even listen to what I told you?"
"Mom, can we not argue in the hotel? You should get some rest early."
Her daughter's stubborn refusal to see reason left Yu Jia fuming. The next day, she visited two attractions with Peter but had little enthusiasm. She ended up going alone to the hospital again. Her reasoning was simple: since her subtle hints hadn't worked, she would let Chen Zihui make a scene and directly remind Zuo Si'an that what awaited her was definitely not just Gao Xiang alone. As for how much turmoil this would stir up between Chen Zihui and Gao Xiang, that was beyond her concern.
However, unexpectedly seeing Bao Bao greatly affected Yu Jia's usually unshakable composure. The child was much thinner and weaker than other children his age, looking barely three years old. Dressed in a ladybug-patterned onesie, his head appeared disproportionately large compared to his small body, with sparse, yellowish hair. Yet he had eyes strikingly similar to her ex-husband's and daughter's—bright, lively, and faintly smiling. Even the way he looked up at her felt familiar.
Yes, this was exactly what Zuo Si'an looked like as a child. Yu Jia often traveled for research projects, once for nearly half a year. When she returned, Zuo Si'an had looked up at her just like that. The little child seemed so fragile and adorable, even stirring the latent maternal instincts in someone as unemotional as her.
Remembering the responsibilities she had failed to fulfill during her daughter's childhood, and the man who had silently supported her and doted on their daughter—in her view, excessively so—she was suddenly overwhelmed with a tumult of emotions.No matter what, Zuo Xuejun had never been able to bear seeing his daughter suffer even the slightest harm. How could she actively allow a reckless, sharp-tongued, and vicious woman to hurt her daughter face-to-face again? She changed her mind in an instant.
Standing in the biting wind on a New York street, Yu Jia told herself: This wasn’t her being weak, nor was it indulgence. Passing the news to Chen Zi Hui would ensure that she and her family would do everything in their power to stop Gao Xiang from staying in the U.S. At the very least, let Zuo Si’an enjoy one more day of a happy vacation.
9
Zuo Si’an was indeed enjoying the happiest day she’d had since arriving in America.
Gao Xiang had picked her up from the hotel early in the morning and taken her to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. They spent half a day wandering through the 130,000-square-meter museum, barely scratching the surface of its collections. Reluctant to leave, she lingered, and he promised, “We’ll come back again when we have more time.”
After that, Gao Ling accompanied Zuo Si’an to the southern entrance of Central Park to experience one of the classic tourist activities: a horse-drawn carriage ride through the park. Ordinarily, he found the ornately decorated carriages somewhat ridiculous as they paraded past, and braving the bitter cold for a carriage ride in this season seemed even more foolish. But he had guessed correctly—despite shivering from the cold, Zuo En’an was thrilled, her eyes sparkling with excitement, making him feel the folly was well worth it.
After leaving Central Park, he took her to his favorite pizza place for a meal, then they boarded the subway and went together to see Baruch College, the City University of New York that Zuo Si’an had applied to. Located in the heart of the city, not far from Wall Street, the college consisted of several compact buildings lining the streets. A new 17-story academic building was nearing completion, serving as the centerpiece of the campus, though it could hardly be said to have a traditional, self-contained campus. There wasn’t much to see, really.
Zuo Si’an clung to Gao Xiang’s arm. “Hey, don’t look so dismissive. This place is known as the ‘Harvard of the poor.’”
Gao Xiang gave a wry smile. “It’s a good thing your mother isn’t here—her expression would definitely be even less impressed than mine.” At the mention of her mother, Zuo Si’an fell silent. She knew how deeply disappointed Yu Jia would be if she persisted with her plans.
Afterward, despite her objections, Gao Xiang insisted on taking her to Columbia University. The Ivy League school was a world apart from Baruch College. They strolled around the campus and then rested on the stone steps of the university library. Gao Xiang said, “I’m planning to pursue an MBA here. Please reconsider—tuition really isn’t an issue.”
Zuo Si’an shook her head. “Attending a public university is just as good.”
“Or we could go check out New York University. I have a friend doing a postdoc in neurobiology there—he’s a really interesting guy. I could introduce you.”
“I don’t want to meet him. I’m going back tomorrow, and I just want to spend time with you.”
As night fell, they went to Rockefeller Center Plaza, where the tallest Christmas tree in New York stood, adorned with dazzling lights and stars. Since the tree-lighting ceremony in early December, the plaza had been bustling with a continuous stream of tourists. During the Christmas holidays, visitors from around the world flocked there, lingering in the festive atmosphere.Gao Xiang encouraged Zuo En'an to skate on the ice rink made from the fountain Lake. He sat aside watching. Maine's winters were long and cold, and she had learned to skate during the previous winter break. Though her control of the skates wasn't particularly smooth yet, he genuinely felt that as she glided past him with outstretched arms, wearing a woolen hat, a red sweater, and a black short skirt, her figure was light and graceful. The dazzling lights made her seem as if she were moving through a magnificent dream.
She circled around and stopped in front of him again, her cheeks flushed. He reached out and hugged her: "Do you like it here?"
To be precise, what she liked was this very moment, but she didn't plan to say it out loud. Instead, she nodded vigorously: "Can we go to the top of the Empire State Building?"
"Going to the top of the Empire State Building on such a cold day would probably freeze us half to death faster than when you took me to see the Portland Head Light."
"Come on, we're here already."
"Then we might as well go to the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center. They're taller, and I heard you can even see the Statue of Liberty from there."
"The Empire State Building is different. My classmate Sarah heard I was coming to New York and told me her mom is Tom Hanks' biggest fan. She's watched 'Sleepless in Seattle' many times and always says she wants Sarah to have her wedding on the top of the Empire State Building in the future."
They went to the Empire State Building, waited in a long queue before it was their turn, took the elevator up, and reached the top. The entire New York City lay beneath them. Directly below was Manhattan's vast and dense cluster of buildings, with roads like flowing rivers of light, and the Hudson River shimmering in reflection. The city's lights twinkled continuously, stretching all the way to the horizon.
The north wind blew against their faces. He held her close, wrapping her in his coat: "Doesn't it look like the starry sky we saw in Ali suddenly appearing beneath our feet?"
"The density is somewhat similar. Sister Ruodi said if you stare at the starry sky there for too long, you could almost get trypophobia, feeling like the sky can't bear so many stars."
In such an intimate moment, she suddenly mentioned his ex-girlfriend, leaving him torn between laughter and tears. But she clearly hadn't considered that connection at all and continued: "Still, the starry sky there was more beautiful—quiet, lofty, and pure. New York's night looks prosperous beyond imagination, but it feels too noisy, too sci-fi."
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