Jingxia Rose

Chapter 22: Still Missed Out
The two ate a simple dinner. Ji Xian didn't trust Ji Heng's cooking skills, so she chose to cook for herself, making two dishes. After eating, she prepared to go to Ji Nian's room.

Ji Heng was still eating when he saw this and called out, "Sis, your room is at the far left. My mom made your bed last night. It's not new, but it's clean."

Ji Xuan was taken aback and turned to look at him.

Ji Heng simply put down his bowl, got up and led her to the door of the house. "When we were building the house, my dad said he would leave you a room so that you would have a place to stay when you come back."

At the time, Aunt Ji even made a sarcastic remark, "She's focused on the big city now, there's no way she'd want to come back. It's pointless to keep her here."

Although that's what they said, they didn't actually object. The room had a bed, a wardrobe, and even a dressing table.

And air conditioning.

Even though this house was built three years ago, everything inside looks brand new and is very clean.

There was no sign of anyone ever living there.

Ji Xian looked at the items inside, and his internal organs were shaken, as if something was slowly turning upside down.

She knew that her second aunt had always been in charge of managing things at home.

Who said her second aunt wasn't a person who was tough on the outside but soft on the inside?

Perhaps Aunt Ji's sharp and sarcastic words, which seemed like knives, were actually wrapped in cotton called longing.

At that moment, the sense of belonging she had been craving for so many years instantly enveloped her.

The moment my eyes stung, tears began to fall.

Ji Heng was adjusting the air conditioner for her and didn't notice her unusual behavior. When he turned around, Ji Xuan had already wiped away her tears and was squatting down to pack her suitcase.

"Sis, you've had a long day. Go wash up and rest. I bought you a towel and toiletries this morning. If you need anything else, just let me know and I'll run it for you."

"Okay, you go eat now."

Ji Xian nodded in agreement.

After washing up, it was almost nine o'clock. She had just sat down on the edge of the bed to call Wen Qi when her phone rang with a pleasant ringtone.

It was Wen Qi calling.

She answered the phone, and a male voice on the other end asked, "You've gone back to your hometown? Are you home yet?"

Ji Xian hadn't expected that he already knew. She hummed in agreement, "I arrived around four o'clock in the afternoon."

"What happened?"

"My second uncle injured his back and needs surgery, so I came back to visit him," Ji Xian said truthfully. "I was just about to call you to ask for leave, but I probably won't be able to get back on Monday."

This was the first time she had mentioned her family to him.

Even after dating for so long, all he knew was where she was from; he had no idea how many people were in her family or who they were.

Wen Qi felt a complex mix of emotions and simply replied, "Is it alright?"

"I asked the doctor this afternoon, and they said it's not a big problem, and I just need to rest and recover." Ji Xuan paused for a few seconds and then asked, "How did you know I went back to my hometown?"

"When I arrived at the hotel, I ran into Ye Xueyan."

Ji Xuan was stunned, and asked uncertainly, "You...are in Minghai?"

Wen Qi responded softly, "Yes, I just arrived half an hour ago."

Perhaps it was because her slender figure from yesterday morning kept tugging at his thoughts that he felt somewhat restless from yesterday to today.

The sense of loss, in particular, made him feel depressed and suffocated.

This is a feeling I've never had before.

At lunchtime at the hospital today, Ruan Zheng noticed that he was absent-minded and assumed that he and Ji Xian had a falling out.

Although I was quite surprised, their relationship had been very stable for the past few years.

He simply said, "Don't stay here all the time. Spend more time with Ah Xian. Don't just work all day long. She's not just your secretary, she's your girlfriend too." Mentioning Ji Xian, Wen Qi's heart inexplicably clenched.

That sense of emptiness and loss intensified.

Perhaps it's because they've been inseparable for the past two years that their way of getting along has become so different from how they interact when they're at get off work.

"She went along with the company's team building activity."

"Then why are you still here?"

Wen Qi looked up at her.

"Don't worry." Ruan Zheng laughed self-deprecatingly, glancing at her legs. "Even if it's not for myself, I wouldn't do anything foolish for my parents. They've put so much effort into me, how could I bear to make them sad?"

She just couldn't accept this fact.

These days, I've been trying to convince myself to accept it.

That's too difficult.

That chasm is too high and too long.

But she could only slowly learn to accept this choice.

Wen Qi gave instructions to the maid who was taking care of her, and then went directly back to Canglan Residence to pack two sets of clothes. She then drove to Minghai, but because it was Friday, the road was a bit congested.

But to my surprise, I still missed it.

The void in my heart has not been filled; instead, it feels even emptier.

Ji Xian couldn't quite describe his feelings. He felt both excited and happy, but also rather calm. He was indifferent, but a slight ripple still stirred within him.

Like leaves or petals falling onto the water's surface, gently creating ripples.

She asked, "How is Sister Ruan Zheng? Can she be left alone?"

"I feel better today."

"That's good."

Wen Qi suddenly asked out of the blue, "Luanying City doesn't have an airport?"

“Yes, it’s only available in the provincial capital.” Ji Xuan said, then realized something. “You don’t need to come. It’s too far, and changing trains is troublesome and inconvenient.”

Wen Qi sensed the reluctance in her words and stopped checking the flight information.

His clear voice was a little hoarse, "You must be tired after a long day. Get some rest."

"Yeah, you too, driving must be tiring."

After hanging up the phone, Ji Xian ignored the unread messages on WeChat, lay down on the bed, stared at the ceiling, and gradually, drowsiness swept over him, his eyelids drooped, and he finally fell asleep.

That night, she dreamed of her father. Perhaps because she was young at the time, and now that more time has passed, the outline of her father in the dream was somewhat blurry, but she could clearly hear him say, "Next month, when it's Ah-Xian's birthday, Dad will take you and Mom to see the sea."

The next day, as soon as the sky began to lighten, Ji Xuan lost all sleepiness.

The morning air was crisp. After washing up, she spent a few minutes relaxing in the yard before going to the kitchen, where she cooked porridge, made pancakes, and boiled two bowls of tomato and egg noodles.

Ji Heng set the alarm clock and yawned with his eyes half-closed as he went downstairs. When he smelled the delicious aroma wafting from the kitchen, his eyes widened. "Sis, it smells so good! What did you make?"

Ji Xuan brought out the breakfast he had prepared and said with a smile, "Go brush your teeth and wash your face quickly, or the noodles will clump together and won't taste good."

"Yes, ma'am! I'll go right away!"

Ji Heng looked at the tempting noodles and couldn't help but swallow.

After finishing breakfast, Ji Xian packed the portion for his second aunt in a thermos. His second uncle was going to have surgery in the morning and needed to fast, so bringing one portion would be enough.

(End of this chapter)