Stolen by the First Love - Chapter 73.2

Naturally, no one would expect fictional characters to possess consciousness.

The two fell silent, and after who knew how long, the female lead returned.

Meng Xia noticed the light sphere surrounding the female lead seemed even more translucent now, its glow so faint it was nearly transparent.

The female lead’s deep, restrained gaze swept over the rose beside Rou Rou. In an instant, the graceful rose turned into a wisp of white smoke that curled upward before dissipating into the air.

Meng Xia stiffened in shock and instinctively looked at Rou Rou. Perhaps from having experienced this many times before, Rou Rou appeared surprisingly calm.

“She’s waiting for you.” The female lead’s ethereal, icy voice reached Meng Xia’s ears.

Sister…

Meng Xia slowly clenched her hands at her sides and pleaded, “Can I go back?”

The female lead floated toward her, and in an instant, Meng Xia was enveloped in a soft, faint glow. The light was so bright it hurt her eyes, and she felt like she was riding a rollercoaster, dizziness assaulting her mind.

Amid the spinning sensation, Meng Xia fell into a warm embrace, surrounded by an overwhelming aura of sorrow like sinking into the depths of the ocean, a suffocating pressure.

The female lead’s words brushed past her ears like the wind, and the suffocation vanished, leaving no trace…

There was none of the heart-wrenching pain of having her soul extracted. Returning to her original body was almost imperceptible just a sudden flood of countless memories rushing into her mind, making her head buzz as if it might explode.

Meng Xia jolted upright in the hospital bed, the movement pulling at the wounds on her back. She gasped in pain as every nerve in her body tensed, the strain making it impossible to think.

It felt like waking from a long, bizarre dream, chaotic and incoherent.

Awakened by her movements, Xia Nianzhi quickly sat by the bed, gently stroking her back, her eyes filled with tender concern as she soothed softly, “Did you have a nightmare? It’s all over now. Don’t be afraid, Mom’s here.”

The moment Xia Nianzhi’s hand touched Meng Xia, fragmented scenes flashed through her mind. To her astonishment, they were all the beautiful and precious memories the female lead had before meeting Ji Tong.

Meng Xia recalled the words the female lead had whispered in her ear so gentle, so sorrowful.

“I’m sorry for dragging you into this whirlpool. I’m grateful fate was finally rewritten, and I’m thankful you pulled me out of the abyss of suffering. Thank you, Meng Xia.”

Her mother, her carefree childhood, her radiant youth, even this name.

All of it had been entrusted to her.

Meng Xia’s nose stung, and tears spilled uncontrollably from her eyes. The kindness from another “Meng Xia” was almost too much to bear, and she couldn’t hold back a choked sob.

At first, Meng Xia had been too calm, making Xia Nianzhi worry she was suppressing her emotions. Now that she was finally letting it out, Xia Nianzhi felt her heart wrench with pain.

“It’s good to cry, it’s good to cry,” Xia Nianzhi murmured, pulling out a tissue to wipe Meng Xia’s tears.

Meng Xia wept for a long time before finally calming down slightly.

After comforting her a while longer, Xia Nianzhi glanced at her watch. “Mom has a meeting this afternoon. I’ll ask Wan Wan to come keep you company.”

Wan Wan? Why so affectionate all of a sudden… Meng Xia suddenly remembered Xia Nianzhi’s phone call mentioning that Ning Qingwan had been in a car accident. Was her sister in the hospital too? Sniffling, she wiped her tears haphazardly and threw off the covers, trying to get out of bed.

Then she froze at the sight of one of her legs wrapped up like a dumpling.

“Don’t run around in this state. Mom will call her for you.” Xia Nianzhi helped her sit up properly and tucked the blankets around her. “I’ve never seen you so impatient before.”

Meng Xia blinked well, it hadn’t been her before.

Xia Nianzhi sighed and poked her forehead teasingly. “A grown daughter is no longer mine to keep.”

“That’s not true.” Meng Xia wrapped her arms around Xia Nianzhi’s waist, closing her eyes as images of Xia Nianzhi holding her as a child flashed through her mind. “I’ll always stay with you, Mom.”

Not just for herself, but for the other “Meng Xia,” she would take good care of Xia Nianzhi.

Xia Nianzhi chuckled. “If you stay with me, how will you spend time with your Wan Wan?”

“Mom, you…” Meng Xia looked up at her in surprise. Before, Xia Nianzhi’s words had clearly implied disapproval of her relationship with Ning Qingwan.

“She’s a good girl.” Xia Nianzhi ruffled her hair. “True love is hard to find. Cherish it.”

Seeing tears welling up in Meng Xia’s eyes again, Xia Nianzhi rubbed her temples helplessly. “Mom has to go now. Be good.”

Meng Xia swallowed her tears and nodded obediently.

After tidying up briefly, Xia Nianzhi peeled an orange for Meng Xia before leaving, offering a few more reminders.

The orange was sweet and refreshing, but Meng Xia only absentmindedly ate two segments, her heart tied to Ning Qingwan, restless with worry.

How bad was the car accident? If Xia Nianzhi had asked Ning Qingwan to come see her, did that mean it wasn’t serious? But even if it wasn’t serious, it must still hurt.

All her chaotic thoughts scattered the moment she saw Ning Qingwan.

Ning Qingwan was surprised that Xia Nianzhi would ask her to accompany Meng Xia. These past two days, she and that “Meng Xia” had been completely at odds.

There was no common topic to discuss, and they mutually disliked each other. As for the root cause of this animosity, Ning Qingwan instinctively avoided probing. Every time her girl was mentioned, that person’s eyes would burn with a tenderness that put her on high alert.

Especially when that person had said to her, “I thought you could protect her. Turns out you’re just this capable.”

The sense of defeat nearly suffocated her. It was an undeniable fact, she had been utterly powerless in this matter. She even had to be grateful for this person’s return, as it had spared the girl she loved from further suffering.

This person was highly skilled, manipulating Ji Tong’s lover to drive a wedge between them. With a single move of “killing with a borrowed knife,” they had not only ensured Ji Tong would have no descendants but also sent him to prison with just a few testimonies.

Afterward, under the condition of returning Meng Xia, they had borrowed the influence of the Ning family to ensure Ji Tong would live the rest of his life in misery.

Every step was taken with boldness and decisiveness.

In all her years, Ning Qingwan had never been so thoroughly suppressed. That person carried an air of authority in front of her, like an elder.

Whenever the two of them shared a room, the doctors and nurses would inevitably ask, “Should we turn up the air conditioning a few degrees?”

After a few encounters, that person had said, half-jokingly, half-seriously, “This body is mine now. How can you say ‘return’ it? I’m keeping it.”

If not for that familiar shell, Ning Qingwan would have truly wanted to strangle them.

Not only were they refusing to return her person, but they were also making her accompany them, for what? To cool the room down?

With a darkened expression, Ning Qingwan entered the hospital room. Subconsciously avoiding those frost-laden eyes, she kept her gaze lowered, not even glancing at the person on the bed. Her tone was distant and indifferent. “What is it now?”

The chill in her voice made Meng Xia pause. Blinking rapidly, her gaze fell on Ning Qingwan’s immobilized left hand, and her heart twisted painfully.

Ignoring Ning Qingwan’s coldness, she threw off the blanket and hopped off the bed, balancing on one leg as she wobbled toward Ning Qingwan. Losing her balance, she stumbled forward into Ning Qingwan’s arms.

When the figure bounced over, Ning Qingwan froze, unable to grasp the fleeting thought that crossed her mind. As Meng Xia teetered, she instinctively reached out to steady her by the arm. Frowning slightly, she took half a step back once Meng Xia regained her footing, maintaining distance between them.

“……”

Standing like a golden rooster on one leg, Meng Xia blinked innocently a few times before calling out in a soft, aggrieved voice, “Jiejie…”

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