The Gentle Breeze Reflects in My Eyes - Chapter 6

Chapter 6

After a long while, Gu Yitong reached out and covered Xia Lusheng’s hand with her own. “Lusheng.”

Aside from calling her name, she found herself at a loss for words.

Gu Yitong couldn’t suppress the heartache, but it was accompanied by a boundless wave of guilt. How could she have been so blind and careless before to miss how sensitive this young girl was? How could she have been so bastardly as to simply think Xia Lusheng was just “antisocial”?

Xia Lusheng remained still, her arms wrapped around her knees and her head buried low.

Gu Yitong leaned forward, shifting her hand from Lusheng’s hand to her shoulder. She drew the girl into a light embrace. Xia Lusheng yielded, leaning into Gu Yitong’s arms like a submissive kitten being held.

Gu Yitong whispered, “Does this make you feel safe?”

Xia Lusheng gave a nearly imperceptible nod.

Seeing this, Gu Yitong smiled faintly. “It makes me feel very safe, too.”

Xia Lusheng froze. Not understanding, she lifted her head from Gu Yitong’s shoulder—though she didn’t pull away—her small face filled with confusion.

Noticing the girl’s bewilderment, Gu Yitong expanded on her thought: “Knowing that you need me makes me feel very safe. Lusheng, you aren’t a ‘trouble.’ You are my redemption.”

You are my redemption.

Xia Lusheng was stunned. She didn’t snap out of it for a long time after hearing those words. Gu Yitong didn’t push her, giving her all the time she needed to process it.

Eventually, Xia Lusheng straightened her back, sitting upright on the bed. She faced Gu Yitong and repeated, word for word: “You… Do you need me?”

The girl was incredibly solemn. Even knowing she couldn’t see, Gu Yitong sat up straight as well, looking directly into the girl’s eyes. She answered with absolute sincerity: “I need you, Lusheng.”

Xia Lusheng blinked. Her face remained expressionless, making it impossible to tell if the words had truly landed.

When no further response came, Gu Yitong tentatively asked, “Lusheng, can I sleep here with you tonight? This is our home now. I’ll be right by your side.”

Xia Lusheng didn’t agree, but she didn’t refuse either. After sitting for a moment, she stretched out and lay down, turning her back to Gu Yitong as she burrowed into the covers.

Gu Yitong let out a sigh of relief, feeling a bit amused. What a stubborn child.

She lay down right next to her. At first, Xia Lusheng was stiff and unnatural, but gradually her breathing evened out and her body relaxed. Eventually, as if getting comfortable, she rolled over to face Gu Yitong.

The living room light was still on. In the soft, hazy glow spilling through the door, Gu Yitong could see the delicate features of Lusheng’s face. With the light behind her, the girl looked serene and peaceful, though her youth was still very apparent.

Looking at her, Gu Yitong’s heart turned to mush. Outside, the night was vast and silent; inside, the room was quiet. Before she knew it, Gu Yitong also fell into a deep sleep.

…

When she woke up, it was the next morning.

She glanced at the sleeping girl beside her and got up quietly. The living room light had been on all night; she switched it off, washed up quickly in the guest bathroom, and headed to the kitchen.

Xia Lusheng was lured awake by the scent of food. Her stomach growled several times. She lingered in a half-asleep daze for a while before remembering she was now living in Gu Yitong’s home.

“Yi… Yitong-jie?” Xia Lusheng called out, her voice sounding awkward and unfamiliar with the name.

Gu Yitong happened to be walking in to call her for breakfast. She froze for a second upon hearing the name, then a wide smile spread across her face. “You’re awake? Go wash up, then we’ll eat.”

Xia Lusheng got out of bed, picked up her cane, and navigated toward the bathroom using yesterday’s memories. Gu Yitong stood by the door, watching her quietly, purposefully not stepping in to help so the girl could gain confidence.

Once Xia Lusheng emerged, Gu Yitong stepped forward and took her hand. “Come.”

At the table, as she handed a glass of milk to Xia Lusheng, Gu Yitong said, “Today, you’re coming with me to a new place to work. It’s a cafe right downstairs from my office. If anything happens while you’re there, call me immediately, okay?”

Xia Lusheng nodded obediently. Suddenly remembering something, she fumbled for a phone and handed it to Gu Yitong. “Your… your number.”

Gu Yitong took the phone. It looked familiar.

“You bought this for me,” Xia Lusheng said softly. “I never replaced it.”

In fact, Xia Lusheng hadn’t just “not replaced” it—she had never used it. It had been more like a decoration she carried around. After her mother died, she was alone. No relatives, no family. She had no one to call.

With the reminder, Gu Yitong remembered. She had bought it for her two years ago when Lusheng refused to move in.

She opened the contact list and froze. It was empty. She checked the call logs: nothing but missed calls from the mobile service provider from months ago, all with zero duration.

She looked up at the girl, who was calmly sipping her milk, completely unaware of the turmoil in Gu Yitong’s mind.

Gu Yitong quickly saved her number and set up a speed dial. “I set a shortcut. To call me, just press ‘1’ and then the call button.”

She took Xia Lusheng’s free hand and guided her fingers to the two buttons. “Got it? Give it a try.”

Xia Lusheng carefully pressed the buttons. Moments later, Gu Yitong’s phone rang. A small, happy curve appeared at the corners of Xia Lusheng’s eyes.

Seeing her happy, Gu Yitong couldn’t help but reach out and ruffle her hair.

“Finished? Are you ready to go?”

Xia Lusheng put down the glass and nodded, looking nervous. “Yes. Is it time for work?”

Gu Yitong smiled. “Yes. Don’t be afraid. I’m right here.”

…

When they arrived at the cafe below the office, Qi Die was already waiting. The moment she saw Gu Yitong, she started charging toward her as if to demand an explanation for yesterday, but she skidded to a halt when she saw the girl behind her.

Gu Yitong led Xia Lusheng to her. “Die, meet Lusheng.”

Qi Die’s voice softened into a smile. “Hi, Lusheng.”

Gu Yitong gave Lusheng’s hand a gentle squeeze. “Lusheng, say hello to ‘Sister’.”

Xia Lusheng’s face was neutral, appearing somewhat cold. “Hello, Sister,” she said, her voice clear and distant.

She offered nothing more, looking as though she were pushing everyone away.

If Gu Yitong wasn’t currently feeling her hand being squeezed with a death grip by Xia Lusheng, she would have believed the girl was being aloof.

Gu Yitong suddenly thought of the past. When she used to visit Lusheng back then, the girl had always been like this. Was she that nervous back then, too? Was it possible… that Lusheng wasn’t pushing her away at all, but was simply using coldness as a protective shell?