STT – Chapter 60

If one day, you have the courage.

Jiang Huaixi was woken up in the middle of the night by the sound of rain.

She opened her blurry eyes and felt the soft touch in her embrace. Lowering her head, she saw Lu Zizheng tightly nestled in her arms, curled into a ball. It was apparent that Lu Zizheng was feeling cold.

Outside the window, along with the sound of waves, there was also the crashing sound of heavy rain. Jiang Huaixi slightly lifted her head and saw the white window gauze swaying back and forth in the cool breeze.

Jiang Huaixi gazed deeply at the peacefully sleeping Lu Zizheng, observing her slightly furrowed small eyebrows and pouted little lips due to the cold discomfort. Unable to resist, she slowly moved closer. Despite her clear, cold features, in the night, she revealed an extraordinary gentleness. Her lips formed a gentle smile as she slightly lifted her head and gently planted a kiss on Lu Zizheng’s forehead, feeling content and satisfied.

Afterward, Jiang Huaixi slowly and cautiously pulled out her beautiful long hair that was pressed by Lu Zizheng, gently lifted the quilt off the bed, and then carefully tucked Lu Zizheng in, leaving no gaps.

As soon as she stepped off the bed onto the ground and straightened her waist, Jiang Huaixi couldn’t help but softly inhale a breath of cold air, covering the left side of her waist.

It seems like her cold is slowly getting better, as she has gradually stopped coughing, and Lu Zizheng even happily danced around because of this. However, it seems that since the coughing got better, every morning when Jiang Huaixi wakes up, she notices a pulling pain in the left side of her ribs, which causes her to be unable to straighten her waist for a while. Fearing that Lu Zizheng might worry, she has never mentioned it to her.

Jiang Huaixi, covering her waist and frowning, stood for a while before gradually feeling the pain subside, allowing her to slowly straighten her waist.

Worried that Lu Zizheng is a light sleeper and that wearing shoes might make noise and wake her, she walked barefoot, step by step, extremely gently towards the bed, and slowly closed the wide-open window to prevent the cold wind from blowing in.

Just as she turned around, Jiang Huaixi’s movement suddenly paused, her body stiffened, and she once again bit her lip and frowned, the pain slightly bending her waist.

In her sleep, Lu Zizheng seemed to notice the absence of the person beside her and drowsily murmured softly, “Huaixi?”

Enduring the pain, Jiang Huaixi quickly walked to the bedside, gently lifted the quilt, climbed onto the bed, leaned against the headboard, and lowered her head to gently embrace Lu Zizheng’s head, softly comforting her, “I am here.”

Thus, Lu Zizheng contentedly rubbed her face against Jiang Huaixi’s waist, held Jiang Huaixi, and once again fell into a peaceful deep sleep.

Jiang Huaixi, biting her lip, gently caressed Lu Zizheng’s cheek with her fingers, her eyes tender like water, her beautiful face half-covered by long hair, gentle yet sorrowful.

A person of interest, an interest in a person. A flower in the mirror, the moon in the water. Deep affection with shallow fate, afraid it’s difficult to grow old together.

Zizheng, how should I, in this life’s limited time, give you my all, so that when you think of me, you will only smile, with no regrets, no remorse?

Truly, I so want, so want, to be able to accompany you a little longer…

In Xu Baihan’s panic, Xu Baitao first carried Xu Baihan into the car, and then carefully carried Jiang Wang into the car, laying the seat flat to let Jiang Wang half-lie down.

Xu Baihan found a blanket and covered Jiang Wang’s body, holding Jiang Wang’s head, looking at the bloodstains still remaining on her face after being washed by seawater, unable to stop shedding tears.

She carefully used tissues to wipe the bloodstains and sweat from Jiang Wang’s face and forehead, urging Xu Baitao to drive faster, drive faster, and finally couldn’t help but scold Xu Baitao: “Baitao, Yun Bo’s injuries… you truly are reckless, how can you act so carelessly…”

At that time, Xu Baitao had just saved Xu Baihan when he saw Jiang Wang rushing over. In a moment, his heart was full of anger and resentment, and he lost all reason, not caring about the severity. Those first couple of hits were dealt with a heavy hand. When he saw Jiang Wang faint, he gradually felt some regret and fear, but being sternly scolded by Xu Baihan made him feel a bit aggrieved.

He drove the car, frowned, and glanced at Xu Baihan, who was fully focused on Jiang Wang, then looked at his own arm, full of scratches, and his lower body, still faintly aching. He couldn’t help but mutter a rebuttal: “But she hit me hard too, sister, don’t even know if you’ll have nephews anymore…”

Xu Baihan’s hand, which was helping to wipe Jiang Wang’s face, slightly stiffened, and she awkwardly fell silent for a moment. After a long time, she sighed and finally squeezed out a sentence: “Then later, let’s go have it checked. But in the future, no matter what, you are not allowed to lay hands on Yun Bo.”

Xu Baitao frowned, his grip on the steering wheel tightened, and he said unhappily, “But sister, she really, sometimes goes too far!”

Xu Baihan lowered her head and gently kissed Jiang Wang’s forehead, treating her like a lost-and-found treasure, and said seriously and firmly, “Baitao, no matter what, it’s all my willing choice, she is not wrong.”

Xu Baitao could see from her eyes the unspoken implication of Xu Baihan’s words: their relationship does not need outsiders to evaluate or interfere. It was the first time he saw his sister Xu Baihan with such firm and sharp eyes, unlike her usual gentleness. In that moment, he seemed to understand that she had truly found what she wanted to protect, so she was no longer weak, no longer compromising, no longer gentle.

For a moment, Xu Baitao didn’t know whether to feel happy or sad. Finally, he just said, “I’m sorry, sister. As long as she treats you well, I will definitely, always be on your side, supporting you. But if she dares to hurt you again, no matter what, I still can’t let her go.”

Xu Baihan looked at the stubborn, tall back in front of her, her eyes gradually softened, and finally, she softened her tone, patiently advising: “Baitao, if she ever betrays me, that is between the two of us. You must trust that I can handle it well. I am your sister, and so is she. What you need to do is love her like you love me, protect her, and not favor one over the other.”

Xu Baitao bit his lip and didn’t speak for a while. Suddenly, a call came in, and Xu Baitao glanced at the caller ID, then hurriedly answered it.

The call was from Mother Xu, and her voice was trembling and fearful, something Xu Baitao had never heard before. She panicked and anxiously questioned Xu Baitao loudly: “Baitao, your sister, where is she, where is she?!” After receiving Xu Baitao’s call inquiring about Xu Baihan’s whereabouts, she felt shocked and flustered, hurriedly instructed the driver, and quickly rushed to the resort.

With great difficulty enduring her anxiety, she arrived at the resort and entered the villa, only to find a letter waiting for her—a suicide note that made her even more terrified and fearful, causing her to momentarily weaken and nearly faint.

Xu Baitao, hearing Mother Xu nearly breaking down, quickly informed her that Xu Baihan was fine, and comforted Mother Xu, telling her: “Sister is fine, but there was an accident, and we are heading to the nearest Yurong Hospital.”

After responding with a few “uh-huhs,” Xu Baitao hung up the phone and couldn’t help but sigh: “Sister, you really scared Mother, I’ve never heard her so out-of-control and breaking down.”

Xu Baihan bit her lip, holding Jiang Wang’s hand, and guiltily lowered her head.

Upon arriving at the hospital, Jiang Wang was quickly sent into the emergency room. The doctor inquired about the details, did a preliminary examination, and confirmed that Jiang Wang was not in any life-threatening danger. They also carefully examined Jiang Wang’s wounds and decided to first have Jiang Wang undergo a CT scan.

Xu Baitao asked Xu Baihan to wait in the emergency room, but Xu Baihan was unwilling to leave Jiang Wang for even a moment, pushing the wheelchair and nervously following Jiang Wang up and down.

When the CT results came out, showing that Jiang Wang had a fracture in her right leg and a dislocation in her left hand, Xu Baihan instantly felt heartache and couldn’t stop her tears from falling. She didn’t know when Jiang Wang got injured, and even less did she know with what kind of perseverance Jiang Wang managed to stand up again and again, walk to the seaside, walk to her, until she finally fainted from pain and exhaustion.

Xu Baitao, upon hearing the results, was also panic-stricken and deeply guilty, holding the report sheet, lowering his head, and after a while, gloomily apologizing: “Sister, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to…”

Xu Baihan looked at Jiang Wang on the hospital bed, with her fingers interlocked with hers, pursed her lips, sniffed, and then huskily shook her head, comforting Xu Baitao: “Baitao, I don’t blame you, it’s okay…”

Just as Xu Baitao was about to say something more, urgent footsteps in high heels suddenly sounded outside the emergency room, and in the next second, they saw Mother Xu almost rushing in, running into the emergency room.

The moment Mother Xu saw Xu Baihan, she suddenly swayed and almost fell, but fortunately, Xu Baitao quickly supported her. However, as soon as she steadied herself, Mother Xu pushed away Xu Baitao’s hand and hurriedly walked towards Xu Baihan.

Xu Baihan looked at her mother, who was disheveled and far from her usual calm and graceful self, and her eyes reddened as she choked out, “Mother…”

Mother Xu reached out and tightly hugged Xu Baihan, pressing her face against Xu Baihan’s, and finally couldn’t hold back her tears. She had many questions she wanted to ask Xu Baihan, but at that moment, she could only choke out, “It’s good you’re okay, it’s good you’re okay, you scared mother to death…”

Xu Baihan held Mother Xu tightly with one hand, while the other hand hugged her mother back tightly.

After a while, Mother Xu suddenly let go of Xu Baihan and nervously looked her up and down, anxiously asking, “Baitao said you had some accident, so you came to the hospital. What happened, where are you hurt?”

Xu Baitao was stunned, and Xu Baihan was also stunned.

Seeing Xu Baihan biting her lip and still hesitating, not knowing how to respond, Xu Baitao opened his mouth, intending to help Xu Baihan by taking Mother Xu outside first, allowing Xu Baihan to calm down and handle the situation.

Unexpectedly, Xu Baihan spoke ahead of him, gently but calmly and seriously answering Mother Xu: “Mother, I’m fine, not injured; the one injured is Yun Bo.”

Mother Xu was greatly shocked and involuntarily asked, “What did you say? Yun Bo?” It was only at this moment that she noticed Xu Baihan’s hand tightly interlocked with the fingers of a pale, sleeping beautiful woman on the hospital bed. She widened her eyes, and in her heart, she seemed to suddenly understand something…

Xu Baihan glanced at Jiang Wang, quietly lying on the hospital bed, and tightly held Jiang Wang’s hand. In her heart, infinite courage slowly rose.

Yun Bo, I am no longer afraid, no longer shrinking back. I want to give you a dignified and rightful love.

Xu Baihan raised her head, her gaze directly meeting Mother Xu’s, and said firmly and courageously: “Mother, I have finally waited for Yun Bo to return. I’m sorry for deceiving you all these years. What has troubled me is not only guilt but also the despair of losing a lover. Mother, Yun Bo and I have been in a romantic relationship since I was sixteen, and I gave her my whole heart and soul.”

She said: “I’m sorry, Mother, I fell in love with a woman, fell in love with my cousin. But, in this life, I do not regret it, and my determination is unwavering!”

Mother Xu looked at the resolute Xu Baihan in front of her, her head buzzing, and couldn’t help but step back a few steps in a daze. Suddenly, someone steadily supported her from behind, and in her ear, she heard her husband’s steady yet stern questioning voice: “Xu Baihan, what did you just say?!”

LP: Re-translated on September 26, 2024