Dating Myself - Chapter 26

Jian Yixi woke up just as the needle was removed. An Mu held a cotton ball to the injection site, looked at the still-drowsy Jian Yixi, and remembered her promise. She lowered her head and gave the spot a quick, formal blow. She wanted to say something like, “The pain is gone,” as her adoptive mother used to, but she couldn’t bring herself to say it. Without the lines, she just blew a few more times as a substitute. When she looked up, Jian Yixi was staring at her with sleepy eyes, her lashes fluttering as if she hadn’t fully woken up.

An Mu called out her name, and Jian Yixi immediately met her gaze. In an instant, Jian Yixi was fully awake. Like a child caught with her hand in the cookie jar, she blinked several times in shock and quickly looked away.

“Uh… um… I… I just fell asleep. You must be bored, right?”

Jian Yixi’s stuttering was both clumsy and endearing. A gentle smile appeared in An Mu’s eyes. She assumed Jian Yixi was just embarrassed to be taken care of. An Mu gently pressed the injection site again. When she felt that the bleeding had stopped, she let go.

“No, I wasn’t bored. I was on my phone for a while.”

“Oh, that’s good.”

Jian Yixi peeked at her again, feeling that An Mu’s mouth was beautiful. Especially when she was blowing on her arm, her lips were pouting and rosy, like a blooming flower inviting someone to pluck it. It made her feel… hungry? Jian Yixi found the most suitable word she could. She didn’t dare look for long or think too deeply, and quickly changed the subject.

“What time is it?”

An Mu checked her phone. “It’s almost one.”

“One?! So late?!” Jian Yixi threw off the blanket and got out of bed. “You must be starving! Let’s go, I’ll treat you to…”

Before she could finish, her knees buckled, and she stumbled back onto the hospital bed. An Mu frowned and quickly helped her. “Take it easy. You had a fever all night and haven’t eaten. Of course you can’t stand up.”

Jian Yixi rubbed her temple in frustration. “I’m so useless.”

“Is that something to feel guilty about?”

“I just feel like… I’m always bothering you.”

“Instead of being so formal, you should save your energy. It’ll make it easier for me to help you get back.”

An Mu hadn’t admitted her to the hospital. First, it was noisy, and with the mess online, it would be difficult to rest. Second, they had only focused on getting the shot and IV. By the time her fever broke, it wasn’t necessary to admit her.

Jian Yixi sat for a while and regained some strength. An Mu put her beige windbreaker on her, and this time, Jian Yixi’s protest was invalid. An Mu helped her up and they slowly walked out of the hospital. It was a good thing they were on the first floor, so they didn’t have to deal with the elevator. They hailed a taxi.

“Fusheng Garden,” An Mu told the driver.

This was An Mu’s residential area, which was on the way to Jian Yixi’s villa. Jian Yixi didn’t think much of it and leaned against the car window with her eyes closed. The fever had made her feel like she had been in a hot bath all night. Her whole body was weak. Even with her eyes closed, they felt sore. When she had walked earlier, it felt like she was stepping on cotton. If An Mu hadn’t been supporting her, she would have collapsed.

“Did my sister… post on Weibo?”

“Yes, she did.”

An Mu thought she would ask for details or to use her phone, but she didn’t say anything. The taxi stopped suddenly, and Jian Yixi’s head hit the window with a thud. The sound wasn’t loud, as Jian Yixi had managed to control herself a little. An Mu looked at her.

The sunlight filtered through the trees, casting a mix of light and shadows on her pale face. The feverish blush was gone, replaced by a faded grayness. Her lips had lost their color, and the chapped skin on them seemed to mock An Mu as an unfit caretaker who hadn’t even given her a sip of water.

An Mu, knowing herself, understood everything with just a glance. Jian Yixi wasn’t asking because she was afraid of losing control of her emotions. This wasn’t the morning when she was delirious. She was awake and didn’t want to show too much in front of others. Jian Yixi’s head swayed with the car and bumped the window again.

An Mu placed a hand on her head and gently guided her to lean on her shoulder. Jian Yixi didn’t move. She stayed there like a napping kitten. Jian Yixi was afraid to ask, so An Mu decided to tell her.

“Your sister posted on Weibo, and I did too. Not just me. Qi Liran, Lu Yuexin, and the two other girls who helped with the photos all posted. Even Chen Han is on your side. You have nothing to worry about.”

Jian Yixi didn’t open her eyes. An Mu could only see her eyelashes flutter. She managed to say in a steady voice, “Qi Liran? Lu Yuexin? Why?”

“It’s a long story. To put it simply, I contacted Wu Shutao’s family first and convinced them to talk to him, as he had just started his sentence. Wu Shutao is the criminal who assaulted Qi Liran. He’s in his early twenties and hasn’t even finished college. His family told him about your sister’s actions. Over the past two months, Wu Shutao had already felt a lot of regret. It didn’t take much for his family to convince him to testify against your sister. They gave me his verbal confession and his phone so I could get screenshots of their chat history. With that, I went to Qi Liran and convinced her to speak up for herself and her college entrance exam. Qi Liran hates your sister, and so do Lu Yuexin and the others. When Qi Liran and I found them, they weren’t too eager to help because I had caused them to be expelled and punished. But they’re not stupid. This was a good chance to clear their names and get revenge, so they took it. Especially since they hate your sister more than they hate me. The alliance was easily formed. We all have solid evidence. Even if your parents hire a lot of trolls, they can’t stop Chen Han’s millions of fans and all the people who have turned against your sister. The more they fight back, the more they will prove us right, and the more favorable the situation will be for you.”

The house wasn’t far from the hospital, and they arrived while An Mu was still talking. Private cars weren’t allowed in the complex, so An Mu got out and explained the situation to the security guard. She gave her name, address, and phone number, and they were finally let in. Jian Yixi finally realized what was happening. She opened her eyes and saw the unfamiliar apartment complex outside the car. She was surprised. “Aren’t you going to drop me off first? I thought we were on the way.”

The order should have been hospital, then the villa, then Fusheng Garden. Why didn’t An Mu let her get out when they passed the villa?

The taxi drove to An Mu’s building. An Mu got out first, went around, and helped Jian Yixi out of the car. They went into the building together. It was noon, so the building was empty. The sound of their footsteps echoed in the hallway. While they waited for the elevator, An Mu said, “Why would you go home? Your mom’s at the hospital, your dad’s at work, and the nanny’s busy getting food for your sister. Who’s going to take care of you?”

Jian Yixi lowered her eyes and smiled faintly. “But that’s my home. I have to go back eventually.”

“Not necessarily.”

When they got to the apartment, An Mu gave her a cup of warm water and then ordered takeout.

“You need to get an IV for three days. We’ll see how you feel after that. If you’re still not better, we’ll ask for some time off.”

An Mu’s apartment was a two-bedroom and one-living room, which was perfect for a family of three. It was nothing like the Jian family’s villa, which felt empty.

Jian Yixi said, “Tomorrow’s Monday. I have to turn in my self-reflection report. It’ll be hard to get a day off. Besides, I feel much better now. I should be fine after a good night’s sleep.”

“We’ll see.”

After Jian Yixi said, “Okay,” the living room fell into an awkward silence. There was only one couch. An Mu sat on one side, and Jian Yixi sat on the other. It was the first time they had been alone together, and they didn’t know what to say. The takeout hadn’t arrived yet. An Mu looked at Jian Yixi’s half-empty cup, took it, and put it on the table.

“Lie down and rest. You can eat when the food gets here and then go to bed.”

An Mu pushed her down. The slippers on her feet came off. An Mu went to the room and came back with a blanket. “Don’t actually fall asleep. Just rest your eyes.”

Jian Yixi smiled faintly. Her dimples weren’t there. “I’ll fall asleep if I close my eyes. Can I borrow your phone to call home?”

An Mu gave her the phone. Jian Yixi didn’t try to hide it. She lay on her side, her arm resting on the blanket, and dialed her mother’s number. The phone rang for a long time before Wen Qiaoyun answered.

“Hello, who is this?” Wen Qiaoyun’s voice was impatient.

“Mom, it’s…”

Before she could finish, Wen Qiaoyun started yelling. An Mu could hear her from a distance. She couldn’t hear what she was saying, but she could see Jian Yixi’s face lose its color. Jian Yixi tried to explain, “I have a fever. I just got an IV, so…”

“No, Mom, I didn’t mean to… I…”

“I didn’t contact those people. I didn’t mean to embarrass the family. I…”

“Mom, please listen to me. I…”

“Don’t worry, she…”

Every sentence was interrupted. Wen Qiaoyun didn’t give her a chance to speak. Jian Yixi covered her eyes with her arm. She was biting her lower lip and trying to endure her mother’s screaming. She hoped that Wen Qiaoyun would calm down and let her speak. But she didn’t get a chance. Wen Qiaoyun hung up the phone. She hadn’t even asked if Jian Yixi was okay.

After a long time, Jian Yixi put the phone down. The redness in her eyes was visible. She sat up, shook the phone, and asked, “Can I make another call?” She didn’t hesitate this time and dialed her adoptive mother’s number.

The phone rang and was answered quickly. There was a lot of noise in the background. “Hello? Xixi?”

When Jian Yixi was three years old, she had gotten lost. She couldn’t say her parents’ names, but she knew her name was Xixi. Her adoptive parents gave her the name Meng Xi. “It’s not my phone number. How did you know it was me?”

“Haha! What do you mean? You’re the only one from our family in Weicheng. When I saw the call was from Weicheng, I knew it had to be my daughter!”

Jian Yixi rested her elbow on her knee and her forehead on her hand. She took a silent, shaky breath and said in a cheerful voice, “Where are you? It’s so noisy. Are you working with Dad?”

“Yes! Business is good today. A lot of people have been asking for your dad! We’ve decided to save some money for the next two years. When you go to college, we’ll rent a place near you for four years. We’ll be closer to you. When you get married and have children, we’ll… we won’t bother you anymore. We’ll go on vacation.”

The old couple couldn’t have children and loved kids. During the new year, they had joked about her getting married right after college and giving them a grandchild. But now, they were afraid of the Jian family and didn’t even dare see her. Jian Yixi had her eyes closed. Her hair was covering her face, but it couldn’t hide her shaky voice.

“Vacation? That’s great. We can video call whenever you miss me.”

“Yes! You’re so smart! How are you doing? Your voice sounds a little strange.”

“I just woke up from a nap.”

“Oh. Okay. You need to be strong. That private school is not cheap. It must be a better school. Work hard for two years. When you go to college, your life will be better. Even though the Jian family is rich, you have to be able to stand on your own two feet. You can’t just relax because they have money, okay?”

“Did you say something?”

“I… I miss you guys. Can I come see you?”

Her adoptive mother’s cheerful voice suddenly went quiet. After a long pause, she said, “Mom misses you, too. But you just got there. If you come back right away, your birth parents might get angry. Mom’s worried they’ll be mean to you… you…”

Her adoptive mother’s voice was shaking. To hide it, she yelled loudly, “Oh, I have to go. Your dad is on a telephone pole, and he needs me to pass him some things and hold the ladder. I’ll call you back later. I’m hanging up.” Her adoptive mother hung up quickly, but Jian Yixi could still hear her sobbing.

Jian Yixi hugged her knees and stayed there for a long time. Then she looked up and handed the phone back to An Mu with a forced smile.

“My mom… my adoptive parents are working. They do everything. They help people build signs, install windows, and fix roofs… They make their own money. I’ve never felt like they were beneath me. I’ve never felt ashamed of them. I… I don’t understand why my parents would say they ruined me.”

Jian Yixi was still smiling, as if she couldn’t speak without one. An Mu took the phone and placed it on the table. She beckoned her to come closer. Jian Yixi looked up, trying to hold back the tears that were about to fall. She then crawled over. An Mu suddenly hugged her, just like her adoptive mother had when she left for Weicheng twelve years ago. An Mu still remembers the warmth of that hug. Her sixteen-year-old self must remember it even more clearly. In moments like this, a hug is worth more than a thousand words.

“They’re not useless, and you’re not bad.”

Jian Yixi was stiff at first, but then she relaxed. Her voice was shaky. “I… I don’t know why things turned out this way… My parents said they’d been looking for me for so many years and they missed me. They promised to make it up to me and treat me well… But… but why did it turn out like this in the blink of an eye? Am I really so unlikable?”

“Who said that? I like you. Maomao likes you, too.”

“You… like me? Not just my adoptive parents, but you like me, too. I guess… I’m not that bad…”

Jian Yixi leaned against An Mu and lost all her strength. She put all her weight on An Mu, who leaned back against the armrest, her back hurting. An Mu didn’t move. She listened as Jian Yixi let out all the emotions she had been holding in all night.

“My mom said I’m doing this on purpose to mess with my sister and embarrass my family. I don’t know how she came to that ridiculous conclusion. Am I not a part of the Jian family? Why would I want to embarrass my own family? My mom also said that the person who should have died didn’t, and the one who shouldn’t have is now like this. What does that mean? Does she mean I should have died? I know she was angry, and I know she’s worried about my sister. But it still hurts. I wanted to try and see if she would worry about me as much as she worries about my sister if I also tried to kill myself.”

An Mu pushed her back a little and looked her in the eye. “Nothing is more important than life. No one is worth dying for. Don’t even think about it.”

An Mu knew herself well enough to know that she would never give up on life. But she didn’t want to hear those words coming from her own mouth. I would sacrifice for my adoptive parents, but die for the Jian family? Not even in a joke!

Jian Yixi’s face was as white as a sheet, making the red around her eyes even more noticeable. Tears were welling up in her eyes. She widened her eyes and held back the tears, still smiling. “I know. I’m not that stupid. My adoptive parents would be so sad if I was gone.”

“Don’t smile if you don’t want to. It’s ugly.”

Jian Yixi touched her face. “Is it really ugly?”

“Yes.”

Jian Yixi’s smile widened. It was a fake smile. This time, before An Mu could hug her, she hugged An Mu and buried her face in her neck. She didn’t say anything. She just hugged An Mu tightly. Her thin body was shaking. At first, she was trying to hold back, but then she burst into tears. Her tears soaked An Mu’s shirt and her memories from years ago. If only she had someone to rely on back then, maybe she wouldn’t have been so focused on pleasing the Jian family. Nobody is truly stupid. Sometimes, all you need is a reason to face reality.

After they had eaten, Jian Yixi fell asleep in An Mu’s bed. She didn’t wake up until night, and it was An Mu’s phone that woke her up. Jian Yixi yawned and got out of bed. She felt much better. She went to the living room, but An Mu wasn’t there. She saw a light from the bathroom and heard the sound of water. An Mu was taking a shower.

Jian Yixi picked up the phone. The caller ID showed a familiar number. It was Wen Qiaoyun, her birth mother! Was she finally worried about her? Jian Yixi’s sleepy eyes were filled with joy. She quickly answered the phone.

“Mom!”

“Where are you?!”

Her mother’s angry voice ruined her joy. Her voice also became cold. “I’m at a friend’s house.”

“Which friend? Is it that An Mu?”

Jian Yixi wasn’t good at lying, but she told the truth. “Haha! You’re unbelievable, Jian Yixi! You need to come home right now… Wait, which building and apartment? I’ll come pick you up!”