The Gentle Breeze Reflects in My Eyes - Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Qi Die rubbed her nose, thinking to herself that this little girl was indeed just as Yitong had described—cold and difficult to get along with.

Gu Yitong squeezed Xia Lusheng’s hand in return before looking at Qi Die. “Where is Lusheng supposed to play?”

Qi Die gave her a meaningful look. “Everything’s already arranged. Lusheng, do you want to get a feel for the cello first?”

Xia Lusheng gave a small nod, her expression remaining neutral.

Qi Die led them toward the music stage of the cafe. A decorative folding screen stood there, looking somewhat out of place. Gu Yitong’s brow furrowed; she was certain that screen hadn’t been there before.

Gu Yitong questioned Qi Die with her eyes. Qi Die glanced at the screen and then at Xia Lusheng—the meaning was clear: the screen was for Xia Lusheng. She wanted her to play from behind it.

Gu Yitong’s lips thinned, and her expression darkened. But when she turned to speak to Xia Lusheng, her voice was as gentle as ever. “Lusheng, stay here and be a good girl. Don’t wander off. I have a few words to say to Sister Qi; I’ll be right back.”

Xia Lusheng felt a wave of unease but obediently let go of Gu Yitong’s hand.

Gu Yitong pulled Qi Die aside, stopping only when she was sure Xia Lusheng couldn’t overhear them. Seeing Gu Yitong’s sour face, Qi Die felt baffled. “What are you throwing a tantrum for?”

Gu Yitong suppressed her anger and looked Qi Die in the eye. “Why make Lusheng hide behind a screen?”

Only then did Qi Die realize Gu Yitong had misunderstood her intentions.

She flicked Gu Yitong’s forehead with her finger and said crossly, “Gu Yitong! What kind of person do you take me for? If I thought Lusheng being blind was embarrassing, I wouldn’t have agreed to let her come here in the first place!”

As Qi Die flared up like a firecracker, Gu Yitong belatedly realized the real motive. “Are you afraid she’ll be shy? Is that why you put the screen there?”

Qi Die huffed. “Don’t get me wrong! This lady isn’t that kind-hearted. I put the screen there exactly because I’m ashamed of her!”

Gu Yitong could easily hear the sarcasm. She immediately apologized, knowing when to back down. “I was wrong, Miss Qi. I was judging a noble heart with my own petty mind. Please, in your great mercy, forgive me just this once.”

Qi Die gave a cold snort, eyeing her sideways. “I didn’t realize you were such a protective mother wolf. You won’t let that girl suffer even a tiny bit of grievance, will you?”

Gu Yitong smiled but said nothing.

How could she explain? In her previous life, after the tragedy, she had fallen into a bottomless pit of guilt, torturing herself daily. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw Lusheng lying in that bathtub, her wrists dripping blood into a crimson pool.

Only she knew the depth of that despair and how close she had come to a total mental collapse.

Now that she was lucky enough to start over, she wanted to cherish Xia Lusheng above all else, to give everything she had just to see her happy. How could she stand by and watch her suffer any slight?

She believed that the heavens had given her this redo as a chance to climb out of that abyss.

When she said Xia Lusheng was her redemption, she meant every word.

This feeling of finding life in a dead end was something only she could truly understand.

“Let’s go back. Lusheng is waiting,” Gu Yitong said, snapping back to the present.

…

When they returned to the stage, both were stunned.

Xia Lusheng was already seated on the platform with a cello in her arms. She held the instrument between her knees, the scroll resting against her shoulder. The cello, which was only half the size of a person, looked massive in her embrace—larger than Xia Lusheng herself, almost as if she struggled to hold it.

Gu Yitong frowned. Xia Lusheng was far too thin.

Standing next to her was a young man, likely in his early twenties. He was singing a folk song to the accompaniment of her cello. The two of them were perfectly synchronized, as if they had practiced countless times.

Qi Die whispered, “That’s the part-time resident singer. He only comes once a week. He’s got a very sunny personality and gets along with everyone.”

Gu Yitong nodded, waiting until they finished the song before smiling and clapping. The young man looked over, waved at Qi Die, and gave a bright, clear smile. “Hi, Boss!”

Gu Yitong stepped onto the stage. “That was beautiful,” she said with a smile.

Xia Lusheng, who had tensed up at the sound of approaching footsteps, relaxed the moment she realized it was Gu Yitong. She pulled the cello up onto her lap. Turning her head slightly toward Gu Yitong, she looked a bit shy. “I… I wasn’t playing very well just now.”

Gu Yitong reached out to smooth a few stray hairs from the girl’s forehead and rubbed her head gently. “It was incredible. You really are amazing, Lusheng.”

Blushing at the praise, Xia Lusheng lowered her head, her fingers idly plucking at the strings.

“It’s time for me to go to work. Remember, I’m just upstairs. Call me if you need anything. I’ll come get you for lunch.”

Xia Lusheng nodded. “Mm.”

Qi Die watched from the side. She had never seen Gu Yitong act this tenderly. The two of them together, one standing and one sitting, looked remarkably right.

…

The morning passed quickly. After finishing her tasks, Gu Yitong returned to the cafe. She found Xia Lusheng sitting quietly in a corner, her face wearing a mask of cold distance.

Gu Yitong stood there watching her for a long moment before stepping forward. “Lusheng, I’m off work.”

As she spoke, she took Xia Lusheng’s hand and pulled her up from her seat to head out.

Xia Lusheng didn’t move. She gave Gu Yitong’s hand a light tug and handed over a crumpled scrap of paper. “Yitong-jie, someone told me to give this to you.”

Gu Yitong was taken aback as she took the note. On it was a line of numbers and the surname “Zhao.” It was a phone number.

“What did they say? Was it for me?” Gu Yitong was confused.

Xia Lusheng shook her head, nervously fiddling with the hem of her shirt. “It was a woman. Judging by her voice, she seemed older. She asked how old I was, what my name was, and then… then she shoved the note into my hand and told me to give it to her ‘family’.”

Clearly, the word “family” pleased Gu Yitong immensely.

“Did she say what she wanted?”

Xia Lusheng twisted her shirt even tighter. She shook her head, and after a moment of hesitation, she couldn’t help but ask, “Yitong-jie, am I… am I causing trouble for you?”

Gu Yitong suddenly realized how insecure the girl was. She knew Lusheng lacked a sense of safety, but she hadn’t realized she was this sensitive.

Her heart ached. With a soft sigh, she pulled Xia Lusheng into an embrace, gently patting her back. “Didn’t you just say I was your ‘family’? Since we’re family, how could it be trouble? Besides, it’s just a phone number. Where’s the trouble in that?”