You Are My Omega - Chapter 53

You can’t hide fire with paper. Xu Shijiu had always believed that. But she never imagined that her sister would find out about the car accident in such a sudden and mysterious way.

Her sister had locked the documents in a safe, but how could that possibly stop her? Xu Shijiu knew exactly where the key was, and her sister never hid the password from her. In fact, she always entered it right in front of her. So Xu Shijiu had easily opened the safe and taken out the documents.

With the file in her hands, Xu Shijiu felt a wave of panic rise in her chest. She opened it slowly, after mentally preparing herself for quite some time, and finally pulled out the thin stack of papers.

They were just sheets of paper, but they felt so heavy. So heavy that her hands trembled without her realizing it.

All her suspicions were confirmed. Before Xu Shijiu had time to compose herself, the door suddenly opened.

“Xiaojiu…” Xu Manyue was startled. When she saw what her sister was holding, her heart clenched. Meeting Xu Shijiu’s panicked gaze, she murmured, “So you already knew…”

Just one look, and Xu Manyue understood.

She had thought Xu Shijiu didn’t know. She thought she was the first in the family to find out. But it turned out Xu Shijiu had known long before she did.

“Sis, I just couldn’t let it go,” Xu Shijiu said quickly as she put the file back into the safe and closed it. Her eyes met her sister’s complex expression, and she didn’t know what to do with her hands. Anxiously, she added, “I didn’t mean to…”

Xu Manyue stepped forward and gently pulled her into a hug. Her voice was warm and soft.

“I know.”

She knew Xu Shijiu was scared. Scared of being misunderstood, scared that their bond might be broken.

Even though her own heart was in turmoil from this sudden revelation, Xu Manyue’s first instinct was to comfort her sister. In the end, she had failed as an older sister. She hadn’t given Xu Shijiu enough security to feel safe.

She waited patiently until Xu Shijiu had calmed down before she asked, “Xiaojiu, when did you find out?”

Her voice was calm. So calm that it was unsettling. And it was exactly the kind of calm Xu Shijiu feared the most. Her sister always bottled things up, hiding all her thoughts and emotions deep inside. Xu Shijiu was terrified of this silence.

Xu Shijiu hesitated for a moment, then decided to tell the truth.

“It’s been a while. When Grandpa Xu came back from the hospital after visiting Sister-in-law, he returned in a hurry and asked me a few questions. Then he mentioned the accident. That’s when I started to suspect something. Later, I asked him directly, and he confirmed it.”

Xu Manyue thought back to that time and realized Xu Shijiu had indeed been acting a little strange. Regret filled her heart. If only she had been more careful, more attentive, more rational, she might have noticed something. Then Xu Shijiu wouldn’t have had to carry this secret all by herself for so long.

“Why didn’t you say anything…” The words were on her lips, but she couldn’t speak them.

She already knew the reason. Xu Shijiu had stayed silent for her sake, afraid that she wouldn’t be able to handle the truth.

Meanwhile, Lin Xinyi had noticed Xu Shijiu’s unusual behavior. Her role in the drama had just wrapped up, and instead of resting at home like everyone advised, she insisted on going back to school. She couldn’t bear the thought of leaving Xu Shijiu alone in her current emotional state.

“Xinyi, did something happen with Xu Shijiu? She seems really off these past few days,” Lin Zhiling asked while holding Xinyi’s arm. She looked over at Xu Shijiu, who was staring blankly out the window. Her voice was filled with genuine concern.

Lin Xinyi felt an odd discomfort from her concern.

“Why are you so worried about her?”

Lin Zhiling laughed softly when she heard the trace of jealousy in Xinyi’s tone.

“Relax. I don’t have feelings for Xu Shijiu. It’s just that the other classmates asked me to check on her. They’re all waiting for her to come back and help with questions. But she’s been in such a strange mood lately that no one dared to approach her.”

Lin Xinyi ignored the teasing tone in Lin Zhiling’s voice. Looking at Xu Shijiu’s lonely figure, she sighed silently.

“I’ll find a time to talk to her.”

“Alright, I’m going back to my seat. The teacher’s coming soon.” Lin Zhiling smiled and returned to her desk, satisfied that she had completed the task her classmates had entrusted to her.

Pretty much everyone in class had asked Xu Shijiu for help with their studies at some point. No one wanted to see her so downcast and distant, sighing all the time.

Even though Lin Xinyi, now ranked second in the year, was back and capable of helping with questions, everyone still missed their top student. No one wanted to see their class treasure looking so sad and withdrawn.

Xu Shijiu knew how serious this matter was. She had made up her mind long ago not to bring it up again. No matter how persistent Lin Xinyi might be, she just couldn’t bring herself to talk about it.

But some things happen when you least expect them.

That day, as Xu Shijiu and Lin Xinyi returned home, they saw a car parked outside from a distance. Liu Lingyan and Xu Manyue were standing near the car, struggling against each other. Though they were too far away to see their faces clearly, it was obvious from their movements that Liu Lingyan wanted to leave, and Xu Manyue was trying to stop her.

A terrible feeling rose in Xu Shijiu’s chest.

“Hurry, drive faster!” she urged.

“Yes, of course!” the driver responded quickly. But by the time they arrived, the scene was already over. Liu Lingyan had left, and Xu Manyue was being hurried back into the house by the housekeeper.

“What happened?” Lin Xinyi asked in confusion, but instinctively followed behind Xu Shijiu, whose wheelchair was moving at an alarming speed. Xu Shijiu was maneuvering so fast that Lin Xinyi felt her heart leap into her throat, terrified that a single misstep would send her crashing to the ground.

Lin Xinyi had countless questions, but none were answered. Xu Shijiu wanted to ask even more, but there was no time to speak. Xu Manyue came rushing out of the house, holding Fantuan in her arms. She was in such a panic that she didn’t even notice Xu Shijiu and Lin Xinyi.

There was blood.

The white towel pressed against Fantuan’s forehead was soaked in crimson, vivid and frightening.

“Lin Xinyi, go with them. I can’t run fast and I’ll just get in the way,” Xu Shijiu shouted. Without hesitation, Lin Xinyi turned and sprinted after them.

Everyone was in a state of panic. No one had expected Fantuan, who usually feared climbing stairs the most, to go near them that day. Maybe she had seen her two moms arguing and got anxious, so she climbed the stairs by herself.

Xu Shijiu got into the car that left a bit later. As she sat there, the image of the blood wouldn’t leave her mind. Her hands trembled as she pulled out her phone and dialed Liu Lingyan, praying that she would pick up.

She didn’t know how badly Fantuan was hurt. But if she woke up, she definitely wouldn’t want to see her moms fighting. Xu Shijiu could understand if Liu Lingyan resented the Xu family, if she didn’t want to see any of them again. But still… seeing Fantuan like this, could Liu Lingyan really be so heartless?

No, Xu Shijiu knew she couldn’t be.

The moment Liu Lingyan chose to answer the call instead of hanging up, it was already clear—she hadn’t been able to harden her heart. Not toward Xu Shijiu, not toward the Xu family. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have answered at all.

“Xiaojiu, what’s going on?” Liu Lingyan’s voice was as gentle as ever, but Xu Shijiu could hear the restraint and tension behind it.

“Sister-in-law, Fantuan fell. She’s being taken to the hospital right now. Could you… could you come back?” Xu Shijiu knew she had no right to ask this of Liu Lingyan. Her voice was hoarse and full of humility.

“What did you say… Fantuan fell?” Liu Lingyan gasped. She immediately told the driver to change direction and head for the hospital. “I’m on my way now.”

With those hurried words, she hung up.

Xu Shijiu understood why she had ended the call so abruptly. Her hands rested on her legs—legs that, even after rehab training, still couldn’t walk. A bitter smile tugged at her lips. Of course she wouldn’t be in the first car heading to the hospital. She was useless.

Liu Lingyan arrived even before Xu Shijiu. She rushed into the hospital and headed to the location Lin Xinyi had described. Just in time, she saw her daughter being wheeled into surgery, lying pale on the hospital bed. At that moment, her final thread of rationality snapped.

Xu Manyue had been more thoughtful than Liu Lingyan expected. She had chosen a hospital with strong privacy protections. With some arrangements made ahead of time, there would be no risk of Liu Lingyan’s presence leaking to the media.

If news of this got out, Liu Lingyan’s career could be seriously affected. Xu Manyue knew she wouldn’t want that.

“Yanyan…” Xu Manyue looked at Liu Lingyan’s tear-stained eyes and felt a wave of guilt wash over her.

If only she had watched Fantuan more carefully, she wouldn’t have gotten hurt. Fantuan had bled so much. Usually, even a minor fall would make her cry out in pain. This time, the injuries were so serious… would she wake up crying uncontrollably?

Someone like her really did bring misfortune to those around her. She didn’t deserve happiness, didn’t deserve any of the warmth she had once longed for. She had been greedy. If she hadn’t let herself fall for Yanyan, then Liu Lingyan wouldn’t have been devastated after learning the truth.

“Yanyan, this is still a public place. Please put on your mask and hat,” Xu Manyue said with a trembling voice. She had already ruined Liu Lingyan’s love life. She couldn’t ruin her career as well.

Liu Lingyan stared at her with eyes full of rage, sorrow, and despair. There was hate in her gaze, but also love. How did it come to this? Why did the accident that involved her mother and younger brother have to be connected to the Xu family?

“Put it on,” Xu Manyue repeated, stepping forward.

That single step triggered Liu Lingyan.

She raised her hand and slapped Xu Manyue across the face.

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