The Person I Love Who Has Been Missing For Three Years - Chapter 20

Chapter 20: Not a Cat That Can’t Be Tamed

A warm touch landed on her hand. Ming Jin’s grip on Xu Zhiyan’s hand tightened: “Why are you wearing so little?”

“The temperature dropped today. Shan Cheng is colder than Haicheng. You rushed here without even putting on an extra layer. The person accompanying you didn’t even remind you.”

Her tone was gentle, as if she hadn’t heard the sharp exchange between Xu Zhiyan and Song Xiangwan just moments ago.

Song Xiangwan couldn’t help but purse her lips…

“It’s fine, I’m not cold.” Xu Zhiyan’s gentle tone was completely different from the aggressive person she had been just now.

“Why did you get up? Are you feeling alright sitting up? Isn’t it too strenuous…” Xu Zhiyan’s voice was filled with anxiety.

She had peeked in earlier and saw Ming Jin sleeping with her eyes closed before coming over.

When Ming Jin was lying in bed earlier, she was wearing a nasal cannula. Now that she had taken off the oxygen, she looked slightly unwell, and her lips were faintly purple.

“I calculated the time your flight should have arrived. I couldn’t wait any longer, so I came out to see.”

“Bend down, come here.” Ming Jin’s voice was faint, even low, but it seemed like a decree to Xu Zhiyan, who immediately leaned in without thinking.

Fingertips brushed her neck. Ming Jin’s movements were very gentle, and her shallow brown eyes were soft as she carefully tidied Xu Zhiyan’s collar, whispering, “There.”

“It’s almost dinner time. I had the kitchen add your favorite Szechuan boiled fish when I accounted for your arrival.” Ming Jin was slightly breathless after saying these few sentences.

Although the color of her lips was progressively worsening, her expression remained unchanged, maintaining a cool, noble, and unshakable composure.

“Let’s go.” After speaking these two final words, she leaned back against the wheelchair, slightly closing her eyes, and said nothing more.

From the moment she appeared until her final departure, she did not speak a single word to Song Xiangwan, not even giving her a glance, as if Song Xiangwan didn’t exist.

Cheng Cheng quickly followed to close the door, and Cao Xin didn’t dare to speak. The ward was silent.

Song Xiangwan turned her back, her voice muffled: “You guys leave. I want to sleep.”

“Well…” Cao Xin said tentatively, “I’ll leave the food here. Eat when you’re hungry. There’s a microwave at the nurses’ station…”

“Okay, okay, I know. Don’t worry about me,” Song Xiangwan interrupted Cao Xin repeatedly.

Cao Xin gave Cheng Cheng a look, and the two left one after the other, closing the door softly.

Dusk was swift. A moment ago, the sky was full of clouds, but in this short time, the whole room grew dim, the daylight gone, and the coldness seeped in like water.

The light wasn’t on, and Song Xiangwan didn’t move. She just sat on the bed, dazed, her thoughts indiscernible.

Her phone on the pillow vibrated several times before she finally picked it up as if waking from a dream.

Seeing the caller ID, she took several deep breaths, adjusted her emotional state, and answered the phone with a relatively cheerful tone.

“Hello, Mom.”

“Wanwan, I just heard the news today. How are you doing? Do you need Mom to come take care of you?” A slightly anxious voice of a middle-aged woman.

“I’m fine, the media is just talking nonsense. It’s just a common cold.” Song Xiangwan said with a smile.

“Besides, I’m joining the production crew in two days, so I don’t have time for you to take care of me. Cao Jie and Cheng Cheng are here. Don’t worry.”

“Alright, Mom won’t cause you trouble.” The woman on the other end sighed softly before continuing, “Take good care of yourself. Don’t worry about things at home.”

“Mhm.” Song Xiangwan nodded.

“Don’t mind what the internet says. Wanwan is a good child, a big star, and Mom’s pride.”

“What if…” Song Xiangwan paused slightly before continuing, “I don’t want to be a big star anymore?”

“If you don’t want to, then don’t. Just come home and be Mom’s daughter.” Through the phone, the affection in her voice was clear. “Whether you’re a big star or not, you are always Mom’s pride. If you’re truly tired, come back.”

She seemed to sense something. For all these years, Song Xiangwan mostly reported good news and concealed bad, and she had never said anything like this before.

“Mhm.” Song Xiangwan’s voice was muffled. She could feel the dampness trickle down from her eyes.

In that small county town, there were people she worried about.

Her mother didn’t understand the entertainment industry, dancing, or the vanity of fame. She didn’t know the struggles Song Xiangwan faced outside, only that she loved her daughter.

After hanging up the phone, Song Xiangwan felt a pang of hunger.

She hadn’t looked at the meal box Cao Xin left behind. She put on a jacket, ready to go to the restaurant on the basement floor.

Xu Zhiyan’s dinner was not peaceful. Ming Jin hadn’t spoken since returning, barely touched her food, just watching her finish the meal.

She felt uneasy. Ming Jin’s consistently gentle tone was too unusual.

“Are you full?” Ming Jin asked when she put down her chopsticks.

“Mhm.” Xu Zhiyan nodded.

“Poor appetite?” Ming Jin noticed she had barely eaten any of the rice in her bowl.

“It’s alright. I ate something on the plane,” Xu Zhiyan explained.

In truth, she hadn’t eaten anything. Xu Zhiyan simply had a poor appetite. Under Ming Jin’s gaze, she felt unsettled and naturally couldn’t eat much.

After returning and connecting to the nasal oxygen, her complexion looked slightly better, but only relatively speaking. Her face was still pale, almost blending with the white of the background wall.

“You don’t need to stay here tonight. Go back and rest early. You’ve been tired these past few days.”

Xu Zhiyan had been commuting between Shan Cheng and Haicheng, and her complexion looked poor, with faint dark circles under her eyes.

Xu Zhiyan lowered her head, not daring to look at Ming Jin’s face, then abruptly knelt by Ming Jin’s bed.

Ming Jin’s brows furrowed, her breathing hitched. She said firmly, “Get up.”

“Sister, if you’re angry, take it out on me. Whether you hit me or scold me, I’ll take it. I know I was wrong. I shouldn’t have caused a scene.”

“Don’t bottle up your anger. Don’t let it affect you.”

Xu Zhiyan lowered her head, her voice rushed and anxious. She had been so furious that she rushed to confront Song Xiangwan.

She would rather Ming Jin slap her twice than be this indifferent. She knew Ming Jin must care. Song Xiangwan was her precious person.

“Get up,” Ming Jin’s voice deepened slightly.

Seeing Xu Zhiyan not moving, Ming Jin leaned forward, reaching out to pull Xu Zhiyan’s arm.

The slight wrench of the pull caused Ming Jin’s body to tilt, pulling at the location of her old injury. The stiffness in her lower back instantly stretched, causing a sharp sting.

Ming Jin immediately pursed her lips, but still couldn’t suppress a slight gasp of cold air.

Xu Zhiyan’s heart clenched. She quickly rushed over and hugged Ming Jin’s waist, her voice rising in panic: “Sister, slow down! Don’t worry about me!”

Ming Jin’s hand circled her wrist. Those clear, shallow brown eyes looked over: “It’s not time for you to kneel to me yet.”

“Sister…” Xu Zhiyan’s eyes narrowed.

“Get up,” Ming Jin said softly.

Since Ming Jin had said so, kneeling any longer would be like cursing her. Xu Zhiyan dared not continue kneeling and quickly stood up.

“Sit.” Ming Jin slightly closed her eyes, gently regulating her breathing.

Xu Zhiyan didn’t dare to speak much and sat down by the bed.

She then felt a gentle touch on her knee. It was Ming Jin’s hand, lightly brushing off the dust on her pants.

“I’ve spoiled you since you were little. When have I ever let you suffer such grievance?” Ming Jin’s tone was soft, tinged with a slight melancholy.

“I… I’m not wronged…” Xu Zhiyan didn’t finish the last half of her sentence. She deserved it. The consequences of her actions meant she should apologize.

“I know you’re worried about me,” Ming Jin said slowly. “I’m not angry, truly.”

“I’m just a little worried for you. Ah Yan has so much to bear. It’s tough.”

Song Xiangwan was the person on her heart.

Her sister was also the treasure she had spoiled. Seeing Xu Zhiyan frazzled over company matters, running between two cities, and kneeling down, she felt pain too.

“Sister…” Xu Zhiyan’s eyes immediately reddened. She rushed into Ming Jin’s arms, holding her tightly, and gently sniffing.

Xu Zhiyan was careful, not putting any weight on Ming Jin. She just held her lightly, gently leaning against her, feeling her warmth.

“It’s not tough. As long as you stay with me, Sister, it’s not tough,” Xu Zhiyan’s voice was slightly nasal.

Since childhood, through every storm, her sister had shielded her. Hiding in her sister’s embrace, no wind or rain could penetrate.

Xu Zhiyan was born when the Ming family was just starting up.

The Ming couple could be considered a couple who endured hardship together, but as the saying goes, hardship can’t withstand wealth.

With money, Ming Qin developed other ideas. The younger, prettier, and more amusing women outside were naturally better than his long-suffering wife.

Xu Xiaoyu had just given birth to Xu Zhiyan at the time, but she couldn’t care for her, spending her days chasing after her husband’s affairs.

The house was filled with arguments and crying every day, completely turned upside down.

While the outside was in an uproar, two or three-year-old Xu Zhiyan would hug her small blanket and look for Ming Jin, shrinking into her sister’s arms, trembling in fear.

Eventually, the mistress brought her family to the door and caused a scene. Xu Xiaoyu was driven to madness, raising a kitchen knife and slashing at the husband she had slept next to for years.

Xu Zhiyan, a child of only eight, witnessed all of this with her own eyes.

The man who was slashed was not seriously injured and was up and about after a month in the hospital. The deranged woman was confined to an asylum, never to see the light of day again.

Ming Jin was only a teenager, but she decisively changed her sister’s surname and sent her abroad.

She didn’t want Xu Zhiyan to face their father daily, as the shadow in her heart would be hard to erase for a lifetime.

Over the years, Xu Zhiyan was indeed well-protected, sheltered from deceit. With her sister’s love, she grew into a cheerful and optimistic person.

Xu Zhiyan couldn’t imagine what she would do if Ming Jin was gone.

She could learn to manage the company, learn to hold the family together like her sister, but she couldn’t live without her sister by her side.

Xu Zhiyan didn’t stay in Ming Jin’s arms for long, afraid of hurting her.

Coming out of the embrace, seeing that Ming Jin’s complexion was alright, she slightly sighed in relief.

Ming Jin’s fingertip pressed against Xu Zhiyan’s eye corner, gently wiping away a tear: “Little crybaby, why do you cry so much…”

She seemed to take a soft breath, then slowly said, “Let’s go. We’ll leave together tomorrow and go back to Haicheng.”

“Sister…” Xu Zhiyan was stunned.

“If we book tickets now, there should still be time.” Ming Jin’s lips curved into a faint smile.

“No, I have to ask Lin Rong and confirm your physical condition before we leave. Rather than putting you through the stress of traveling, it’s better for me to commute back and forth,” Xu Zhiyan mumbled.

Ming Jin’s heart condition hadn’t stabilized yet. She dared not take her on a several-hour flight casually.

“Alright,” Ming Jin nodded. “You can ask Dr. Lin tomorrow.”

Coming to Shan Cheng was ultimately her own self-indulgence.

She didn’t feel the trip itself was arduous. She had endured the physical discomfort for three years and was used to it.

However, there was no need to keep Xu Zhiyan on edge and have her commute between two places.

Going back was simply more convenient.

But going back meant she wouldn’t see Song Xiangwan again.

Yet, what did it matter if she saw her or not? They were meant to part ways.

Presumably, Song Xiangwan saw her and Xu Zhiyan’s interaction clearly.

She had found a new partner, so Song Xiangwan shouldn’t dwell on her. She could start her new life, pursue her dreams, her career, and her freedom.

Only…

Her long fingers gently held Xu Zhiyan’s hand, the temperature warm.

Ming Jin held her hand and slowly said, “To me, she is still the person I once loved. I don’t want her to be wronged or bullied.”

“Ah Yan, those words you just said in front of her…”

“I understand. I won’t target her.” Xu Zhiyan nodded obediently. Since Ming Jin was coming back with her, there was no need for her to blacklist Song Xiangwan.

“Also…” Ming Jin’s fingers seemed to tighten slightly, her lips pursed. Finally, she asked softly, “The resort… she came?”

Those clear eyes seemed to flicker slightly, and the numbers on the cardiac monitor jumped.

She was not a cat that couldn’t be tamed.

But now, Ming Jin wasn’t sure if this counted as good news.

A few years ago, she would have been overjoyed, utterly delighted.

But now, Song Xiangwan’s dependence, Song Xiangwan’s affection… she couldn’t bear the weight of it anymore.