The silk scarf that should have been around her mother’s neck—the one that carried Andrea's final piece of heart—had been haphazardly folded and knotted at both ends to form a crude harness around the little dog’s neck.

As the dog bounced along, the silk scarf dragged across the polished floor.

Chapter 5

It was the twenty-fifth day of the twelfth lunar month, just one week before the New Year.

Andrea lay curled on the bed. The effects of the painkillers had just worn off, and a new wave of dull, throbbing pain was radiating from the depths of her stomach.

The doorbell rang.

Andrea opened the door.

"Mom."

Martha looked her up and down, her brow furrowing habitually. "It’s broad daylight—why is your face still so pale? Didn't you sleep well?"

"I'm fine," Andrea said, stepping aside to let her in.

"I came over today because there’s something I need to tell you." Martha cleared her throat, her gaze fixing on Andrea’s face. "The thing is, after the New Year, your Aunt Wang has a relative whose son just returned from abroad. He’s a good person with a great job. I’m thinking of arranging a meeting for the two of you."

Andrea was stunned, unable to process the words for a moment.

"A meeting. A blind date," Martha repeated. "You know that the situation between Julian and your sister back then was only because of the family’s troubles and her going abroad. They were separated by a series of unfortunate mistakes. Now that Macy is back, she says she doesn't want to leave this time."

Martha paused to observe Andrea’s reaction. Seeing that her daughter remained pale and offered no violent protest, she continued, "I was thinking... your marriage to Julian was rushed in the first place. Since Macy has this heart for him, and Julian isn't without feelings for her either... if you’re sensible, you should know what to do. Even if you divorce, you, Julian, and our family are still one family. I’ll find you someone even better; I won't let you lose out."

She finished speaking and watched Andrea, waiting for the expected rejection, the crying, or at least a wronged interrogation.

However, Andrea just sat there quietly. She lifted her eyes to look at her mother. "Fine. I’m willing to step aside for Macy."

This time, it was Martha who was stunned.

Just then, the door opened, and Julian walked in with Macy.

Martha spoke up immediately. "Julian, Macy, you’re back just in time. I was just telling Andrea that I’ve arranged a blind date for her after the New Year with someone very qualified. Andrea has agreed. I figured since you’re all young, it’s better to have everything out in the open..."

"Enough!" Julian interrupted her sharply, his voice rising with obvious anger. He strode over to Andrea and glared at her, his eyes swirling with fury and disbelief.

"Andrea, you’re really that generous? You’d push me to someone else that easily?"

"Julian, please don't be angry," Macy spoke up timidly, reaching out to grab his arm.

Julian violently shook her hand off, his gaze still locked onto Andrea’s face as if trying to dig something out of her emotionless expression.

"Mom, don't make reckless arrangements," he turned to Martha, his tone firm. "Andrea and I are already married. The past is the past. What Macy and I missed, we missed. I only see her as a sister now."

He seemed to struggle with the final sentence.

The smile on Martha’s face collapsed completely. She looked at Julian, then at Macy—whose face had gone white as she bit her lip—and finally at Andrea.

"Andrea and I will handle our own affairs," Julian said, effectively dismissing them. "Mom, it’s late. I’ll see you and Macy out."

After closing the door, Julian walked over to Andrea.

The main lights in the living room weren't on, casting a shadow over the lingering anger and unease on his face.

"Andrea," he said, his voice dry. "I haven't been good to you lately. After the New Year, once Macy is gone..." Julian seemed to have made a decision, his tone becoming solemn. "I promise you, I will never have those thoughts about her again. We’ll live our lives properly, just like before."

Andrea watched him silently. Suddenly, a stabbing, agonizing pain twisted in her stomach without warning, churning through her internal organs.

She jerked her hand back, covered her mouth, and began to cough violently.

"Andrea?" Julian was startled and stood up.

Andrea bent over, her coughing sounding as if her lungs were tearing. A metallic sweetness rushed up her throat, and she could no longer suppress it.

Splatter!

A large spray of dark red blood hit the light-colored carpet, blooming into a shocking, vivid stain.

The expression on Julian’s face froze completely—moving from bewilderment to shock, and then to a terrified disbelief.

He stood frozen, staring at the blood on Andrea’s pale face, her body doubled over in pain, and the glaring crimson on the carpet before her.

"An... Andrea?" His voice broke, trembling. "What’s wrong? You... you’re spitting up blood?"

Chapter 6

Andrea opened her eyes again as her consciousness slowly returned.

Julian... he had seen it.

He must have been terrified.

Thinking of that last image of his face filled with horror, a complex wave of emotion drifted through her heart.

She struggled to turn her head toward the side of the bed, preparing an explanation. She wanted to tell him it was just her stomach condition getting a bit worse—that vomiting a little blood was no big deal, just an old problem.

However, the space beside the bed was empty.

Only a cold chair stood there, placed precisely in its spot.

The ward door was pushed open gently, and a nurse entered carrying a tray of medicine.

"You're awake? How are you feeling?" The nurse walked over, habitually checking her IV drip and monitors.

"I'm okay..." Andrea’s voice was incredibly hoarse. "Where is my husband?"

The nurse paused, looking at her with a trace of subtle pity and helplessness.

"Your husband," the nurse said softly, "received a phone call and left in a great hurry. He mentioned that your sister’s dog started vomiting non-stop and was in bad shape. He had to rush back to take her and the dog to a veterinarian."

"Oh," she heard herself reply.

For the next two days, the hospital room remained very quiet.

Because the New Year was approaching, the hospital was much emptier than usual, and the hallways lacked their daily clamor.

Andrea spent most of her time lying down, staring at the grey sky outside the window.

Her body was so weak that every movement felt like it exhausted all her strength.

The phone on her pillow suddenly vibrated, breaking the deathly silence of the room.

Andrea struggled to reach out and pick it up. The word "Husband" flashed on the screen.

"Hello?" Julian’s voice came through. The background was noisy, filled with the sound of car music and wind. "Andrea? How are you? Are you feeling better?"

"Yes, much better," Andrea replied softly.

"That’s good, that’s good." Julian sounded relieved. "Snowy—that’s Macy’s little dog—has a severe case of gastroenteritis. The local clinics couldn't handle it, so we have to go to a specialist hospital in the next city. Macy is frantic, and her parents are worried too, so we all drove over together. We figured since the New Year is almost here and staying home is boring anyway, we might as well make a road trip out of it and stay in the other city for a week or two."

Andrea held the phone, listening silently.

"I thought about how you haven't fully recovered and feared the travel would be too much for you, so I didn't tell you," Julian said tentatively. "But don't worry, I’ve already bought all the New Year supplies and left them at home. Everything you need is there. Just stay home and rest, and wait for me to come back. When we return, the two of us will celebrate our own New Year together."

Andrea opened her mouth, her throat tight and dry.

But before she could make a sound, her mother’s laughing voice came from the other end: "Julian, that’s enough! You and Andrea will have plenty of time to talk later. You’re driving right now, so focus! Macy, here, have an orange."

Then came Macy’s soft, cheerful response: "Thanks, Mom! Julian, focus on the road!"

Julian’s voice paused before he spoke hurriedly into the phone, "Andrea, I’m driving now and the road is noisy. Get some rest, and remember to eat and take your medicine on time. Wait for me to come back."

Beep... beep... beep...

The call was disconnected.

Andrea lay motionless on the hospital bed.

It was a long time before she slowly let her arm fall.

Scalding tears slipped from the corners of her eyes without warning. One drop, then two...

Soon, they formed a steady stream.