Chapter 12: Su Zhiluo was so anxious that tears welled up in her eyes. She cried and asked Yang Jie what to do, pleading for help for Liu Chengxu.

Su Zhiluo was so anxious that tears welled up in her eyes. She cried and asked Yang Jie what to do, and cried out for help to save Liu Chengxu.

Liu Chengxu also thought she was going to die. She gripped Su Zhiluo's hand, her confidence from before coming completely shattered. She was terrified that if she died like this, would her sister-in-law never know her feelings?

She wanted to explain to Su Zhiluo that she really liked her, but she didn't dare to say it, afraid that things would get worse and that they could never go back to the way they were.

Liu Chengxu was in a daze, kneeling on the ground, her arms holding her sister-in-law hanging limply. Yang Jie borrowed a plastic bag from a passerby and put it over her head.

This winter, the streets were filled with joy and laughter as people welcomed the New Year. Only Liu Chengxu was in a terrible state, completely out of sorts. He was kneeling next to his sister-in-law, wearing a transparent plastic bag, trying to relieve the alkali poisoning caused by his outburst of "I don't like you."

Before saying those words, she hadn't realized the situation was so serious; she thought it was just a simple statement, and at most she would feel sorry for herself for a few seconds.

I'm so sad, Su Zhiluo.

The heart dies before the body.

A single word like "I don't like you" could kill Liu Chengxu. Su Zhiluo trembled as she cupped her face in her hands, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Chengxu... Liu Chengxu... don't die, I'll take you to the hospital right now..."

Yang Jie helped her into the car, and they sped off to the hospital.

Liu Chengxu leaned weakly against her, knowing clearly in his heart that his sister's death had left a deep wound in Su Zhiluo's heart, and that if he died, Su Zhiluo might not be able to bear it.

Hearing the choked plea, Liu Chengxu lowered his head, tears silently soaking his clothes.

Su Zhiluo held her and kept crying. She tried to be strong, but she couldn't stop crying as soon as she opened her mouth. She hugged Liu Chengxu very tightly. Liu Chengxu felt even more distressed when he saw her panicked and helpless appearance. Su Zhiluo comforted her, "It's okay, Chengxu, it's okay, don't be afraid."

Yang Jie glanced at herself in the rearview mirror a few times and felt a pang of sadness.

Upon arriving at the hospital, they quickly went to the emergency room for blood tests and an electrocardiogram. Yang Jie helped pay the fees, and the doctor brought a mask for Liu Chengxu to put on.

Su Zhiluo asked worriedly, "Is it some serious illness? Is it life-threatening?"

"We'll check the test report later. If the report is fine, then it's not a big problem. If you're still worried, you can get a physical exam. I think it's just that you were emotionally agitated. You'll be fine after a while. You can get the report in two hours."

Su Zhiluo nodded, raised her arm to wipe away her tears, turned her face away, choked back sobs, and then looked at Liu Chengxu with a smile. She laughed through her tears, "It's alright, Chengxu."

Yang Jie went and bought two cups of porridge and came back, saying, "Eat something to save your energy. The factory has asked for leave for you."

Su Zhiluo said, "Thank you."

These words made Yang Jie feel ashamed, as she was partly responsible for the whole affair. Su Zhiluo took the porridge but didn't dare feed Liu Chengxu. She took out her phone and opened Alipay, while Yang Jie watched as she released herself from Alipay to transfer money.

Yang Jie said, "Don't transfer the money to me anymore. It's not much. Just consider it as compensation for my medical expenses. That way, I'll feel better."

Su Zhiluo still transferred it to her. Yang Jie sighed. After Su Zhiluo finished transferring it, Yang Jie said, "You transferred too much. I'll send it back to you via WeChat. Please check it."

When the money was transferred back, Su Zhiluo only kept the excess portion.

The doctor came again, took off Liu Chengxu's mask, took her temperature, and said that Liu Chengxu's condition had improved.

Liu Chengxu's mouth was very dry. She felt clumsy and ashamed, like a naughty child deliberately playing tricks. "Sister-in-law, I'm sorry, this examination cost a lot of money."

Su Zhiluo: "It's not much money, as long as you're healthy."

She sniffed, feeling a sharp pain in her nose. She turned her head away, tears streaming down her face. "I don't know what to do when you're like this. Please don't do this again next time."

Su Zhiluo was incapable of accepting death again. She feared that, as Liu's parents had said, she was the nemesis of their family. Liu Jinhuan died because of her, and now she was going to kill Liu Chengxu as well.

Su Zhiluo pressed her palms tightly against her eyes, rubbing her reddened eye sockets repeatedly. Liu Chengxu gently tugged at her sleeve, apologizing guiltily, "I'm sorry... Sister-in-law, I'm so sorry..."

Afraid that she would lose control of her emotions again, Su Zhiluo reached out and gently rubbed her chest, soothing her in a low voice: "Money is important, but it can't compare to people. Don't always take those things to heart."

Liu Chengxu nodded and replied in a hoarse voice, "I will obey."

But the tears just wouldn't stop.

Two hours later, Yang Jie helped retrieve the medical report. She herself had been eighteen, and love at that age is always pure and passionate, easily fantasizing about forever. But time, distance, new people... too many factors can cause the passion to fade. This was the first time she had ever seen someone fall so deeply in love at eighteen—a simple "I don't like you" could make someone cry until they couldn't breathe.

She glanced down at the report; thankfully, there weren't any major problems.

The doctor's diagnosis confirmed this. Still worried, Su Zhilu thanked Yang Jie and then prepared to take Liu Chengxu home.

Yang Jie drove them home, her heart heavy. After dropping them off, she bought a drink, leaned against her car, and let out a long sigh. Then she sent Su Zhiluo a message: "I'm sorry, I misunderstood her feelings for you before."

Su Zhiluo did not reply. Yang Jie finished drinking half a bottle of water and also asked for a day off.

Back home, Su Zhiluo sat quietly on the edge of the bed. Liu Chengxu wasn't actually sleepy, but he was just at a loss for what to do.

When Chang Ruyin called, Su Zhiluo went outside to answer the call. She was still thinking about preparing some light meals for Liu Chengxu.

Chang Ruyin asked, "What's wrong?"

Su Zhiluo was still shaken from the shock. In her flustered state, she almost dropped a bowl. Hearing her best friend's voice, she squatted down on the ground, all her grievances welling up at once. She covered her mouth and, after catching her breath, said with difficulty, "Cheng Xu almost got into trouble."

Chang Ruyin asked, "Oh? Don't worry, do you need my help? Do you have any money left?"

"Yes," Su Zhilu sniffed. "The doctor said she's fine now."

Chang Ruyin comforted her, "Don't worry, it's normal for kids to catch a cold. Don't put too much pressure on yourself."

Su Zhilu hummed in agreement. "I just don't know what to do. It feels like I've hit a dead end."

Chang Ruyin: "No rush, tell me slowly."

Su Zhi was too embarrassed to talk about what exactly had happened. But seeing Liu Chengxu like this today made her even more certain that Liu Chengxu's feelings for her had long exceeded the realm of kinship; he liked her even more than she had imagined.

This feeling was probably impossible to reverse in a short time. She couldn't help but blame herself, wondering if she had done something wrong that led Liu Chengxu down this wrong path.

Chang Ruyin gently comforted her on the other end of the phone and asked if she needed her to come over and keep her company.

Su Zhiluo wiped away her tears and said she was fine.

She composed herself and went to chop the cabbage to prepare soup.

Chang Ruyin said, "Zhiluo, don't put too much pressure on yourself. You've done a great job. To be honest, I've always thought you're very outstanding and brave. Many people like you have just accepted their fate. Don't put too much pressure on yourself. You're just too good a person, so you have to shoulder a lot of responsibility on your own."

Su Zhiluo said, "No, I owe them."

Chang Ruyin couldn't stand hearing her say that, and her words became harsher, "No, what are you thinking about all day long? Is it because you feel indebted to Liu Chengxu? Don't you know better than anyone how her family treats you? Didn't you think she was just a little girl and had nowhere to take her in? Anyway, I'm not as kind as you. If it were me, I wouldn't care at all."

Su Zhiluo, do you think raising someone is easy? Do you know how much determination it takes? Even having your own child requires a lot of thought. Forget about how they bullied you; if I were Liu Jinhuan, I'd kowtow to you a thousand times over.

These words made Su Zhiluo laugh. "Thank you, I feel much better."

Chang Ruyin just couldn't stand her thinking like that. In the past, when Liu Chengxu had nowhere to go, she also advised Su Zhiluo not to care, but Su Zhiluo just wouldn't listen, saying that she was so young and had nowhere to go, and if she didn't care, no one would care.

Chang Ruyin said, "Then I'll hang up. My supervisor is here, and he's quite annoying. I'll call you from the restroom."

Su Zhiluo: "Then you should go in quickly."

After hanging up the phone, Su Zhiluo washed her face and then brought in the food: a cabbage, egg, and lean pork soup. It smelled quite good, but Su Zhiluo didn't have much of an appetite, so she sat on the edge of the bed watching Liu Chengxu eat and said, "If you can't eat, that's fine."

Liu Chengxu nodded, noticing that Su Zhiluo's eyes were red. "Sister-in-law, I'm alright. Don't worry."

Su Zhiluo asked, "Is your friend still at school?"

"Um."

“You didn’t get to play together during the New Year. Why don’t you invite your friends over? You can play together for a while while I go buy some groceries.”

After Yang Jie revealed Liu Chengxu's thoughts that day, an awkward silence fell between them. It was as if they were looking at each other through a thin mist, pretending not to see the emotions in each other's eyes even though they were so close.

Liu Chengxu clutched the hem of his clothes, his voice so soft it was almost inaudible: "Okay, I'll ask her."

That day, Su Zhiluo played games with her and they watched the Spring Festival special movie together, which they had downloaded a long time ago but never got around to watching. Their shadows flickered on the wall, reflecting two figures each lost in their own thoughts.

As Su Zhiluo made her bed at night, her fingers lingered on the pillow for a moment, debating whether to ask Liu Chengxu to come over. Liu Chengxu watched her slender back, remaining silent and pretending not to understand.

Everything Liu Chengxu did was actually to try to go back to the way things were before, to make the two of them feel at ease with each other, but... Liu Chengxu knows better than anyone else that they can't go back.

"I'll sleep here," Liu Chengxu said casually, and moved to his own bed.

She turned her back as Su Zhiluo usually did, but the moment she turned, her eyes reddened, and tears slid down her nose and fell onto the pillowcase. Her fingers tugged at the edge of the pillowcase.

The lights are off; there's no wind tonight, you could hear a pin drop.

Liu Chengxu tried his best to suppress his voice and not let himself cry out.

Su Zhilu remained silent, turning over to face the wall, her fingertips digging deeply into her palms. These past few days, she had constantly told herself to stay rational and not let her mind wander.

However, the churning pain in her chest left her feeling utterly lost.

She didn't know who to ask for help, so she could only turn to Liu Jinhuan, whom she had once relied on.

Sister, what should we do?

You said that if you like someone, you should be brave and follow your heart whether you accept or reject them. Now, how should I choose?

Your sister likes me, what should I do? Was it my mistake? Should I apologize to you?

The dead could not give her answers. Su Zhiluo opened her mouth, but turned these difficult questions into a silent sigh.

She still remembers every detail of the day Liu Jinhuan left. It was just an ordinary morning.

Liu Jinhuan was in a hurry to leave, and Su Zhiluo gently advised her, "There's no need to rush, is there? It's not a special day, there shouldn't be many people queuing to register."

Liu Jinhuan turned to her and smiled, her eyes sparkling: "Because I'm so excited. The thought that you're about to become my one and only rose, the rose that belongs only to me in this world."

Su Zhiluo: "Ah, I am not a rose."

Liu Jinhuan said, "A wife is like a rose."

Looking back now, she has to admit that they were indeed blinded by love at the time, eager to define their relationship and want to be together forever.

Su Zhiluo raised her hand and wiped her cheek.

How did it come to this?

How could Liu Chengxu fall in love with me? Can this inappropriate feeling be changed?

In the sleepless night, Su Zhiluo pondered these questions repeatedly. As dawn broke, she finally found a seemingly reasonable explanation: things would be alright once Liu Chengxu grew up.

As you grow up, you become more rational, and those passionate loves naturally fade away.

She got up quietly, dressed, and carefully tucked Liu Chengxu in, then replaced the cold water in his thermos with hot water. By the time she left, the morning light had already filled the room. Only after confirming that Su Zhiluo was far away did Liu Chengxu dare to release the itch in his throat, letting out a suppressed cough.

Liu Chengxu had a splitting headache. She reached out to touch her forehead and found that the temperature of her palm was obviously abnormal, but she couldn't tell whether it was a high fever or a low fever. She curled up in the quilt and coughed intermittently.

She slept fitfully for an hour before fumbling for her phone. The screen lit up; Su Zhiluo had sent her a message.

Su Zhiluo: [I made you minced meat and egg custard. Eat it when you get up.]

The message followed by a money transfer read: "Have fun with your friends! I saw you had collected barbecue coupons last time, how about we go get some?"

Liu Chengxu typed a few words, wanting to reply with "Sister-in-law, I have money," but fearing she would worry, she accepted the money instead. She then texted Meng Zhenyue: "I have a cold, so I don't have time to hang out today."

Meng Zhenyue got up early to catch the subway to find her, and she replied quickly: "Did your sister-in-law take you to the hospital?"

Liu Chengxu: [I'll feel better after lying down for a while. I have some cold medicine at home.]

Meng Zhenyue: [Did your sister-in-law go to work?]

Liu Chengxu: [Hmm.]

Liu Chengxu turned over, wanting to send another message to Su Zhiluo, but before she could, she turned over and fell asleep again. She woke up again when her phone vibrated. She answered the phone, and Meng Zhenyue called her a few times before she responded in a hoarse voice.

“You’re very sick. Do you have a thermometer at home? Check your temperature and I’ll take you to get an injection,” Meng Zhenyue said.

Liu Chengxu was weak and shivering from the cold. She propped herself up to sit up and guided Meng Zhenyue to walk into the "Blue Sky Community" inside, while she went to the first floor to meet her.

Meng Zhenyue said, "Put your clothes on, and I'll take you straight to the hospital."

After getting dressed, Liu Chengxu said, "My sister-in-law prepared food for me, but I haven't eaten yet."

Meng Zhenyue said, "Put it in a bowl and chopsticks."

When Meng Zhenyue saw Liu Chengxu, her hair was a mess, and she was mechanically feeding herself with a plastic spoon. Hearing her call, she slowly raised her head—her eyes were terribly red and swollen, and she looked like a wilted eggplant, completely lifeless.

Meng Zhenyue subconsciously pulled her sweater collar up a little, and asked in confusion, "How did you spend the New Year? Why did you get yourself all messed up like this?"

Just as Liu Chengxu was about to speak, Meng Zhenyue interrupted him, saying, "Never mind, I'll take you to get your shot first."

She reached out to support him, but Liu Chengxu's legs were so weak that he leaned almost his entire weight on her, asking in a hoarse voice, "Do you... want to go out for barbecue today?"

Meng Zhenyue shook her head. Liu Chengxu gave a bitter smile: "Then use that money to get me the injection."

These words were heartbreaking. Meng Zhenyue reached out to touch her forehead; it was burning hot. The two went to a nearby small hospital, where they had their temperatures taken, skin tests done, and were finally prescribed an IV drip to treat her cold.

Liu Chengxu leaned her head against Meng Zhenyue's shoulder, her deep sorrow almost overwhelming. Meng Zhenyue hesitated for a moment, then gently patted her shoulder: "You went to confess?"

Liu Chengxu didn't know how to explain.

That day she said "I don't love you," not "I love you." It wasn't a confession at all, but she was in excruciating pain. She had thought this would put everything back on track, but reality slapped her in the face, pushing her and Su Zhiluo even further apart.

Meng Zhenyue gently patted her shoulder: "It's okay, things will get better slowly."

"But it's really difficult," Liu Chengxu said in a low voice.

"Believe me," Meng Zhenyue said gently, "time will heal all wounds."

Liu Chengxu fell asleep on her shoulder. Just then, her phone screen lit up, and Meng Zhenyue saw a young woman in the lock screen photo. The photo was taken in front of the dormitory building; the woman was wearing a black down jacket with the collar pulled up high, but her delicate features were still discernible. She was smiling at the camera, her eyes gentle and doting. Although she was looking at the camera, it seemed more like she was looking at Liu Chengxu, who was taking the photo. If this was the sister-in-law Liu Chengxu often mentioned, then she must dote on him very much.

Meng Zhenyue said, "Think about your sister-in-law. You still have your sister-in-law."

After she finished speaking, Liu Chengxu let out a sob and burst into tears.

After accompanying Liu Chengxu to get his injection, it was already past midnight. Meng Zhenyue bought two pies on the way back, but Liu Chengxu had no appetite, so Meng Zhenyue ate them herself.

Meng Zhenyue took care of Liu Chengxu until 3 PM and then left. She didn't dare to stay any longer.

The small rented room was filled with traces of a couple – two sets of toothbrushes drying on the windowsill, a photo album spread out on the coffee table covered with photos of them together, and slippers placed side by side in the entryway. Every detail stirred a subtle envy in her heart.

Liu Chengxu herself hadn't expected that saying "I don't love you" against her will cause her so much pain. The illness came on suddenly, but she didn't dare let Su Zhiluo know, so she could only secretly take her medicine. When Su Zhiluo came home from work that evening, she forced herself to cook dinner, forcing a smile and weaving a lie: "I had a lot of fun going out with my friends today, and that barbecue place was really good."

"Why is your voice so hoarse?" Su Zhiluo asked with concern.

"Maybe they were having too much fun," Liu Chengxu said with a forced, relaxed smile.

"That's good." Su Zhiluo returned the smile.

The cold lingered for a whole week. Fortunately, Su Zhiluo had to work during the day, allowing her to stay home and recover slowly. During this time, some parents called to inquire about tutoring arrangements, but Liu Chengxu resigned from her job citing illness. A kind parent added her to a neighborhood mutual aid group, saying she could find new tutoring opportunities there.

After recovering from his illness, Liu Chengxu was finally going back to school.

Liu Chengxu packed her luggage a day in advance, and Su Zhiluo helped her pack, giving her a few extra sweaters.

She spoke softly, "Cheng Xu, there's something I'd like to discuss with you."

"Hmm?" Liu Chengxu stopped what he was doing and looked at her in confusion. Su Zhiluo seemed a little hesitant. The moment their eyes met, Liu Chengxu put down his clothes, sat down on the edge of the bed, and said seriously, "Go ahead."

Su Zhiluo lowered her head and pondered for a moment before finally saying, "I plan to resign."

Liu Chengxu didn't respond immediately. Her first thought was whether she had made things difficult for her sister-in-law because of her, or whether someone was gossiping behind her back. She lowered her eyes, her voice filled with guilt: "Is it because of me?"

"No, it's not because of that," Su Zhiluo quickly explained. "It's actually my parents. I blocked all their contact information, but they still keep sending messages using other people's phones."

She handed her phone to Liu Chengxu; several unread messages were on the screen, all urging her to answer the phone, some even threatening to call the police. Su Zhiluo sighed, "They seem convinced I've struck it rich. I'm worried they'll come looking for me here. I plan to quit after this month."

“Okay, sister-in-law.” Liu Chengxu immediately expressed his support. “You don’t need to pay tuition this semester, and I have enough savings for living expenses, so you don’t need to worry.” She thought for a moment and added, “Why don’t you study for the exam at home? Haven’t you always wanted to improve your education? Now that a degree still has value, you can give it a try.”

Su Zhiluo hesitated, as if she wanted to say something but then stopped.

She plans to work in a different city.