She had thought this call was just Yuan Wei chatting idly with her, but instead, it brought devastating news.
"Auntie, what happened to Auntie?"
Shi Ran's brow furrowed, her heart filled with anxiety.
"My mom fainted this morning. I took her to the hospital, and the doctor said... said she only has a couple more days..." Yuan Wei's voice was choked with emotion.
His mother had kidney cancer. Previously, Yuan Wei had borrowed a million from Gan Yulu for his mother's kidney transplant surgery. However, after the surgery, the cancer metastasized and recurred, requiring a nephrectomy.
After almost a year of struggle, Yuan Mu's health had been deteriorating.
Later, the doctor suggested conservative treatment for Yuan Mu, saying she could live for more than a year.
No one expected the bad news to arrive so quickly, catching them completely off guard.
"How could this happen?"
Shi Ran knew that Yuan Wei was alone in Jiangnan, with no relatives, and he also had the studio to manage. Facing such a situation, he was simply overwhelmed.
With barely a moment's hesitation, she said, "Don't be too sad. Your mother still needs you to take care of her. You absolutely cannot break down."
After speaking, Shi Ran added, "Wait for me. I'm booking a flight now. I should be able to get back to Jiangnan tonight."
"Thank you for the trouble, Ranran."
Even through the phone, it was clear that Yuan Wei was in an extremely distressed state.
Having known Yuan Wei for so long, Shi Ran truly considered him like an older brother. She had made her stance clear to Yuan Wei multiple times, stating that a romantic relationship between them was impossible.
Yuan Wei had also promised her that he would no longer pursue her, and they could simply support each other.
Therefore, seeing Yuan Wei's current state, Shi Ran couldn't help but feel sympathetic towards him.
After hanging up the phone, Shi Ran immediately booked her flight. After a quick packing of her luggage, she took a taxi to the airport.
While waiting for her flight, she was still sketching the wedding dress design in her hands.
Designing wedding dresses was Shi Ran's part-time job, a way to earn some extra money to support herself and her child.
Even though she had fifty million from Meng Jingwei in her bank account, Shi Ran had no intention of living off it.
An hour later, boarding began.
After a two-hour flight, she took another taxi back to the small town in Jiangnan.
In the car, Shi Ran called Yuan Wei, "I've arrived in Jiangnan. Where are you?"
"..." There was a few seconds of silence from the other end.
Shi Ran grew anxious, "What's wrong? Say something!"
"Yunshan Crematorium."
Finally, Yuan Wei gave his location – the crematorium.
Upon hearing his words, Shi Ran fell into a prolonged silence, unable to speak for a long time.
She felt a stinging sensation in her nose, her eyes welled up, and tears inexplicably began to flow.
When she and Yuan Wei had left Lancheng, Yuan Mu had been with them.
During the time spent together day and night, Shi Ran had also grown very fond of Yuan Mu.
She was a kind and amiable mother, and she had treated Shi Ran exceptionally well.
Who would have thought that this departure would be a final farewell?
"Driver, to Yunshan Crematorium," Shi Ran said to the taxi driver after putting away her phone.
By the time they arrived at Yunshan Crematorium, it was already dark.
Shi Ran got out of the car and walked into the crematorium. When she found Yuan Wei, he was sitting on the steps outside the main hall of the crematorium, holding an urn, looking utterly dejected.
Even though it was the end of winter, a cold wind still blew fiercely, making the night air chill the bone.
"Yuan Wei?"
Shi Ran, carrying her bag in one hand and holding her belly with the other, quickly walked over to him. "Are... are you okay? How could this happen, so suddenly?" Her gaze fell upon the black urn, and her heart sank.
Yuan Wei looked up, his eyes red, and said, "Ranran, you're here?"
He held the urn, which was resting on his lap, with one arm, and freed the other to embrace her waist. He pressed his cheek against her abdomen, his movements incredibly gentle, like a pitiable and innocent child. "My mom... my mom is gone. From now on... I... I'm a child without a mother. I have no more family."
A grown man, he was sobbing uncontrollably.
Even the hardest heart would have been moved to see him.