Chapter 52 Resistance

The second day of the Lunar New Year marked Pu Xia and Xie Sheng's first New Year.

They walked hand in hand through the streets of S City. The winter chill softened the sunlight, casting a lazy glow on the streets and alleys.

When they got tired of walking, they found a coffee shop to rest. Sitting on a bench outside, Pu Xia leaned on his shoulder, holding her coffee in both hands, her eyes half-closed. The light shone on her face, giving it a soft, warm yellow glow, which reminded Xie Sheng of the cat that he would always run into when he skipped class to catch up on sleep.

It's a scene I saw every day just a few months ago, but now it feels like a distant memory.

Pu Xia's appearance truly turned his life upside down.

If it weren't for her, he might still be lost in the darkness, unaware of what year it was.

...

"Brother, let's go home tomorrow."

Pu Xia finished the last sip of coffee in his cup and suddenly spoke.

Xie Sheng glanced sideways and squeezed her hand in his pocket. "What about your mother?"

“Let’s go back first and tell her later. I’ll text her then. I don’t dare to do it in person.” Pu Xia said frankly, not afraid of losing face in front of Xie Sheng.

Xie Sheng wanted to laugh at her bluntness, "Coward."

"Yes, the bravest thing I've ever done is being with my brother."

Xie Sheng looked away, his face calm, but only he knew how fast his heart was beating.

Pu Xia and Xie Sheng stayed in S City for one night, watched a mindless New Year's blockbuster, and laughed heartily at some of the old-fashioned jokes.

They were surrounded by couples, friends, families...

Pu Xia thought to himself, "It's amazing. There are only two of them, yet they encompass the sum of all the relationships mentioned above."

-

On the third day of the Lunar New Year, they took an early morning flight back to the provincial capital.

Once they landed, the two immediately rushed home and shamelessly vented their pent-up longing and intense love in the bathroom.

Pu Xia was held by Xie Sheng until his whole body felt hot and weak.

Her head was throbbing, her fingertips were white, and in the moment before her consciousness left her body, she was even thinking about whether she should resume her training, otherwise how could she withstand Xie Sheng's beast-like stamina?

She slept soundly until the afternoon. When she opened her eyes again, the sky had turned a dusky yellow, and when she looked beside her, Xie Sheng was not there.

She picked up her phone to contact him, only to realize that airplane mode had been left on. She also remembered the message she had sent Yang Ning before boarding the plane.

...Her fingertips hovered above the screen, unable to fall for a long time.

After a long while, as if he had mentally prepared himself, Pu Xia resignedly pressed the green airplane button.

The button turned gray, and missed calls and messages flooded in instantly.

Five of the missed calls were from Yang Ning.

Generally speaking, Yang Ning would be lucky to get three rounds of practice, but this time he did it five times. Pu Xia felt that he could feel Yang Ning's anger even through the screen.

She dialed back, listening to the dial tone as it connected—a tone that didn't match the rhythm of her breathing or heartbeat, an unsettling, jarring sound.

Suddenly, a familiar female voice replaced the previous one.

“Pu Xia,” Yang Ning’s cold and decisive voice came from the other side, “what is the meaning of the message you sent me?”

She cleared her throat, but her voice remained low, "...I don't want to take any independent enrollment exams, and I don't want to go back to Shanghai after graduation."

This was the first time Pu Xia had explicitly used the word "no" to Yang Ning, and Yang Ning on the other end of the phone was speechless for a moment.

The two quiet ends seemed to be locked in a struggle.

Finally, Yang Ning broke the silence, "Have you fallen for someone over there?"

Pu Xia's carefully constructed mental defenses crumbled instantly, and panic overwhelmed her. She tried to steady her rapid breathing, but her voice still trembled slightly, "...No."

However, Yang Ning ignored her unconvincing answer and continued, "No matter who you like or how much you like them now, it's not worth making a decision that will affect your future. Besides, how could you possibly meet anyone suitable in that remote and impoverished place? Listen to me, going home is the right choice."

"...That's not my home."

"Why isn't it your home?"

“When you divorced Dad, you had already abandoned me. When Dad passed away, you didn’t want me either. Actually, we are only related by blood; your home is not my home.”

Pu Xia originally thought she would never say these words to Yang Ning in her life, because she knew that once these cruel facts were made clear, Yang Ning and she would no longer be able to deceive themselves, and the fact that they were growing apart would be impossible to hide.

"...Are you blaming me?!" Yang Ning's voice rarely wavered. "When I divorced Pu Ming, I was furious, and he treated me like a fool, deceiving me! That's a disgrace to me!..."

“So, as proof of your shame, you don’t want to see me at all, right?” Pusha interrupted her, taking a deep breath as he continued, “I understand.”

“No, I didn’t mean that. I was really angry at the time,” Yang Ning explained quickly, “but not to you. You are my daughter, that’s an indisputable fact.”

Pu Xia didn't speak, and for the first time, Yang Ning felt uncomfortable in her silence.

"As for what happened six months ago, Xiaxia, you know that when Pu Ming and I divorced, he took a lot of assets. If it all ended up being yours, I think I could accept it. But he also has an illegitimate child!" Yang Ning's voice rose, her tone trembling. "I won't let Pu Ming's bastard get a single penny from me!"

When Pu Xia heard her say that about Xie Sheng, an inexplicable anger ignited in her heart. Why did the mistakes of the previous generation always have to affect them?

Did she and Xie Sheng bring them together?

Did she and Xie Sheng lead them to deceive each other, get married, divorced, have affairs, and harbor resentment towards each other?

The person you're talking about is my brother!

Upon hearing Pu Xia's words, Yang Ning's voice instantly turned cold. "What are you saying?"

“The person you’re talking about is my brother,” Pu Xia repeated firmly. “Mom, whether it was the first time or the second time, whether you were angry or calculating gains and losses with extreme calmness, you never considered my feelings first.”

I'm begging you this time, please respect my decision. I don't want to go back; I want to stay..."

"Beep, beep..."

Before Pu Xia could finish speaking, the other end hung up.

Looking at her phone screen, Pu Xia felt a sudden surge of helplessness.

She shrank back into bed, buried her face in the pillow, and only then did she realize that tears had started flowing without her noticing.