Jingxia Rose

Chapter 83: The important thing is the present, and the future.

Ruan Zheng couldn't stand for long. After walking around the backyard, they sat down in the pavilion behind it.

As dusk fell, darkness completely enveloped the courtyard.

A few classic streetlights in the corner lit up, their bright white light spilling onto the irregular cobblestone path, creating a cool and serene atmosphere.

Ruan Zheng's eyes were closed, and half of her face was hidden in shadow, making it impossible to discern her emotions.

But in this lonely night, it is as desolate as the silver moon hanging in the sky.

"After talking with you, I feel much emptier inside, not as heavy as before," Ruan Zheng said with a smile. "I don't have any close friends, and given my current situation, I don't like going out."

"Although my mom is with me every day, there are some things I can't say to her, so as not to make her worry unnecessarily. She has already put in enough effort for me."

The shattering of her dreams nearly broke her.

But home is an invisible force that always supports her, enabling her to move forward even when crawling.

She can live in the shadows, but her family cannot.

To her, Wen Jingyan and Sui Yi were already her parents from the day she was brought into the Wen family.

In some ways, Ji Xian and Ruan Zheng are very similar.

The only difference is that she has a mother, but she was abandoned by her mother and did not have adoptive parents who gave her enough warmth and love.

Even though her childhood wasn't perfect and she still has many unhealed wounds, she is still grateful to her second uncle and aunt.

At least, they didn't abandon her; they raised her well.

“Sister Ruan Zheng, actually… I’m quite envious of you,” Ji Xian suddenly said.

Upon hearing this, Ruan Zheng looked at her, waiting for her to continue.

Ji Xian smiled gently, "My father passed away when I was five years old, and my mother remarried. I lived with my grandparents after that. Later, my grandfather passed away, and I went to live with my second uncle and aunt with my grandmother..."

Besides Shi Wan, this was the second person she was willing to open up and lay bare her past, muddy and bloody wounds.

Since meeting Jiao Yan at the mall, she suddenly felt completely at peace.

None of that matters anymore.

What matters is the present and the future.

Upon hearing this, Ruan Zheng's face was filled with shock, and a wave of heartache welled up in her eyes.

She got up and walked to Ji Xuan, gently hugging her. "You must have suffered a lot when you were little."

Ji Xuan smiled and said, "Those are all in the past. People should always look forward. The future is long. We can't stay in this pit forever and let ourselves sink deeper and deeper until we can't get out. Besides ourselves, the people who care about us the most will also suffer."

"Yes."

Ruan Zheng sat down on the chair next to her and patted the back of her hand. "I've come to terms with it. If I can't dance, I can't dance. It's not like I can't live."

There are two possible outcomes when a person loses what is most important to them.

One is to willingly degenerate, ultimately allowing darkness to devour them until they turn to dust and become bones.

One is to overcome that low period, like a phoenix rising from the ashes, reborn and ushering in a new beginning.

The two chatted for about half an hour.

A chill ran through her, and Ruan Zheng smiled as she stood up. "Let's go inside. You're dressed too lightly."

The two walked in chatting and laughing. Ruan Zheng glanced at the time and said, "I have a few medicines to take before meals. I'll go upstairs first and change my clothes while I'm at it. You go in and sit down first to warm up."

Ji Xuan nodded. "Do you need my help?"

"Need not."

Seeing Ruan Zheng sitting in her wheelchair walking towards the elevator, she looked away, took her scarf, and walked inside.

Wen Qi happened to walk over and noticed that the hair clip in her hair seemed to be tangled in her scarf, so he reached out to help, "Don't move, I'll do it, be careful not to pull your hair."

Ji Xuan was wearing flat shoes today. She was only 168 cm tall, which made her a little shorter than Wen Qi. At that moment, Wen Qi was standing in front of her, his hands reaching under the sides of her head to untie a few strands of string from her hair clip.

The scarf, hair clip, and hair were all black, and the rope was thin, making it a little difficult to tell them apart.

He exuded a faint woody scent, which, like his overall demeanor, was refined and gentle.

The two were only a fist and a half apart in front of each other, and Ji Xian was enveloped by his figure, as if he were being held in his arms.

In that instant, she felt as if something had tugged at her heart and then stabbed it.

Wen Qi is always very serious and focused when doing something, but he is also clumsy and still accidentally pulled her hair.

Ji Xian couldn't help but hiss.

"Did I hurt you? I'm sorry." Wen Qi subconsciously let go of her hand, looked down at her, and his eyes were filled with anxiety.

"It's okay." Ji Xuan slightly turned her body away, as if to loosen her grip on his chest. "I can do it myself."

She tried to pull it off gently a few times, but instead of opening it, she got her hair in the process. In the end, she had no choice but to grit her teeth and simply take the hair clip off. However, the thin strands of hair stuck inside still held the hair clip firmly in place.

The hair being pulled out wasn't the problem; the issue was that the scarf wasn't hers.

It's Wen Qi's; if it gets torn, it'll be hard to explain.

What's more, he himself is right in front of us.

Wen Qi seemed to see through her intention and helplessly grabbed her wrist, "Don't move."

His warm palms felt like a furnace, slowly scorching her skin as they landed on her icy hands.

Wen Qi frowned. "Are you cold?"

"not cold."

Wen Qi let go of her hand, walked behind her, gently lifted his eyelids, glanced at her fair face, and spent more than a minute untying all the strands of hair and the thin rope from the hair clip.

There was a pleasant floral scent among his dark hair; he could smell it the moment it fell down.

It also has a very light perfume scent.

Refreshing.

Like an endless field of flowers in spring, or a babbling brook in the mountains, the sunlight is just right, bright and pure.

Ji Xuan said "thank you" and clipped her hair back on. Because her movements weren't very careful, two strands of hair fell out from behind her ears.

Wen Qi gently twirled his fingers, then reached out again, reminding him, "You didn't manage to trap it."

His fingertips felt as if they were electrified; the spot he touched quickly went numb. Ji Xian hurriedly picked it up again, walked into the living room, looked around, and casually asked, "Where's Auntie?"

"kitchen."

No sooner had Wen Qi finished speaking than footsteps came from the doorway.

Wen Jingyan has returned.

Upon seeing Ji Xian, he paused for a moment, a smile appearing on his usually serious face. "Ah Xian is here. It's been so long since I've seen you. Your aunt has been talking about you a lot this past year."

Ji Xian smiled and asked, "Uncle doesn't look any different. How's your health?"

"is acceptable."

Wen Jingyan took off his coat, sat down on the sofa, and asked about her recent situation.

Their words conveyed the care and concern of elders for younger generations.

A little while later, Sui Yi also came over and chatted with her for a few minutes.

Around seven o'clock, the Wen family started their meal.

A large, long table was covered with dishes, several of which looked familiar to Ji Xian; they were dishes she often ate when she visited the old house.

"Ah-Xian, come sit down, make yourself at home, don't be shy." Sui Yi waved to her, "Come and try these dishes, see if they still taste the same as before."