Chapter 31 The Young Lady in the Wheelchair 31: You're Sweating

The weather was lovely on New Year's Eve; it was a bright, sunny day, and the winter sun shone warmly on the glass.

Cheng Zhishu got up early, changed her clothes, and went to the next room, wanting to send Xi Congshuang New Year's greetings before everyone else.

She knew that going at the stroke of midnight was the fastest way, but Xi Congshuang always had a regular schedule and was basically in bed by 10 p.m., so even if she wanted to, she couldn't.

Moreover, nothing is as sincere as talking over a phone in person.

"Ding-a-ling." Xi Congshuang raised her hand, and the white ball of fur on the ground spun around in the air. The white cat's blue eyes followed the flying feathers closely, and with a thud, its four paws landed on the ground.

The sound is definitely solid.

When Cheng Zhishu opened the door and entered, she saw this scene, and her smile became even brighter: "Happy New Year, sister."

Xi Congshuang looked up and raised her hand even higher: "Happy New Year."

Nao Nao was exercising on an empty stomach early in the morning and couldn't jump anymore. She squatted on the ground with her two hind paws and used her front paws to tease the cat toy.

It wasn't until Cheng Zhishu was almost in front of him that Nao Nao noticed the arrival of its other owner. Its eyes lit up and it barked excitedly a few times.

Cheng Zhishu peeked out from behind Xi Congshuang: "I was wondering why there was no cat on the bed this morning. Turns out it ran over to my sister."

Nao Nao couldn't hear anything, it could only meow loudly, clinging to Xi Congshuang's trouser leg and urging her to play with it quickly.

Unable to bear the commotion any longer, Xi Congshuang started using her hands again.

Cheng Zhishu watched for a while, then casually asked, "Why is my sister still in her room? Doesn't she usually go downstairs?"

Xi Congshuang: "Because we were waiting for you to come."

"...!"

Cheng Zhishu's eyes lit up, and she wanted to say something.

Xi Congshuang: "Here you go, take it."

Cheng Zhishu's hands suddenly sank, and something appeared in her palms.

Upon closer inspection, she saw that Xi Congshuang, who had been playing with the cat toy with Naonao, had given her a large red envelope, the bright red packaging still warm from Xi's touch.

Cheng Zhishu accepted it with mixed feelings and put it in her inner pocket.

It's okay, she'll definitely have a chance to get it back, even if it's as a friend.

“Oh right, there’s one more,” Xi Congshuang suddenly said, taking out a paper bag from the other side.

It was a small, red paper bag, exquisitely packaged, with the name of a brand printed on the front of the other side, specializing in gold jewelry.

Xi Congshuang: "Actually, I don't have much experience in giving gifts, so I didn't know what would be the most suitable gift. I searched online and finally chose this one."

"This box looks like it's for necklaces, but I already have one." Cheng Zhishu opened the box, and a small, exquisite peace lock came into view.

A gold safety lock made of red nylon thread lay on red velvet, heavy as if it were for a child.

Cheng Zhishu was stunned: "This...this isn't right, is it?"

"What's wrong?" Xi Congshuang hooked Naonao's chin and scratched it. The white cat's eyes narrowed comfortably, and it purred contentedly.

Cheng Zhishu held the longevity lock in both hands, racking her brains.

Although the gift has a good meaning, it cannot hide the fact that it is given to a child!

Don't lie to her that she's well-read; she's seen gifts from other people!

Cheng Zhishu: "I feel like this is a gift for children, such as babies under one year old who love to cry and laugh...

Xi Congshuang: "Is that so?"

Seeing that she didn't seem to react much, Cheng Zhishu forced herself to remind her again, "But I'm already eighteen years old, it's not appropriate for me to wear this..."

Xi Congshuang noticed her troubled expression: "What you said is indeed correct."

Cheng Zhishu nodded repeatedly: "Yes, yes, yes!"

Xi Congshuang smiled: "But I haven't forgotten that Zhishu is already eighteen years old, not a child anymore."

She tapped the cat's head on her leg with her slender fingers: "This is a New Year's gift for little Nao Nao. Put it on and let me see."

Cheng Zhishu: "..."

After a while, Cheng Zhishu asked, "Huh?"

Cheng Zhishu, holding the gift box in both hands, squatted on the spot, like a faded line drawing.

Xi Congshuang added fuel to the fire: "Naonao can't hear, so there's no need to worry about noise, but the little bell always poses a safety hazard. I specially bought a solid gold lock without bells. Doesn't it look nice?"

"..." Cheng Zhishu slowly lowered her head, burying it in her knees. The word "beautiful" almost floated out from between her knees.

Okay, that's so awkward.

Was it originally intended for a cat? She almost mentally prepared herself to wear it in front of Xi Congshuang.

Xi Congshuang's tone was clearly amused: "As long as it looks good, that's good. I spent quite a while choosing, and even had Xiao Li make a trip."

Cheng Zhishu let out a light, airy sound: "Hmm, it really is suitable for children."

Nao Nao, a blue-eyed white cat, is not even a year old yet; he is only a six-month-old kitten.

Xi Congshuang nudged her shoulder and leaned closer to ask, "Aren't you going to put it on Naonao?"

Nao Nao, confused and thinking it was another new game, tilted its head back and shouted loudly, "Meow!!"

He raised his paw and smacked it on Cheng Zhishu's crown.

Cheng Zhishu: "..."

The overly arrogant kitten will be severely punished by its owner, who will grab the cat and carefully put a longevity lock on it.

Still worried that it might choke Nao Nao's neck, Cheng Zhishu tested the looseness with her fingers several times before she felt relieved.

Actually, it's only worn for a few days during the Lunar New Year. It definitely needs to be put away at other times because such a lively little cat can easily get caught on something and can't get down.

Cheng Zhishu picked up the cat by its armpits, and Nao Nao grew a long, white fur with a delicate gold lock adorning its fur.

"Sister, look, this size is just right for Nao Nao."

Xi Congshuang looked up, and after a moment, she took out her phone and took a picture of the person and the cat.

"May the kitten live to be a hundred years old and stay with its owner for a long time."

The warm winter sun shone into the room, and Xi Congshuang sat in the sunlight, looking down at the photos.

A girl wearing a warm white knit sweater sat with her back to the light, holding a cat in her arms and lifting it up. Her energetic face was directly above the cat's head, her eyes smiling slightly and sparkling with tiny lights.

*

The appointed day for our trip arrived quickly, and we got up early to prepare for departure.

The resort has everything, so there's no need to bring any luggage. If you need anything, you can buy it anytime, so I didn't pack anything.

Shangguan Yin couldn't wait to escape the overcrowded environment at home and had been trying to persuade Cheng Zhishu to leave for the mountain resort a few days ago.

However, leaving home early for the New Year was just Shangguan Yin's fantasy. Her parents treated her like a puppy, taking her everywhere they went and never letting go of her for a moment.

These days, Shangguan Yin is either kowtowing to her elders or talking about her achievements and ideals; she's almost smiling herself stiff.

But after all that, Shangguan Yin discovered that she was still someone else's child, and had gained a lot of hatred from her peers.

Having finally made it out, she held her phone and kept pouring out her troubles to Cheng Zhishu. Her phone kept ringing the whole way.

Exhausted, Cheng Zhishu had no choice but to resort to using emojis to comfort herself.

A patting emoji, or a few lines later, a reply like: "Indeed." "How could you do this?" "That's too much." "You've really worked hard."

Shangguan Yin, on the other end of the phone, was deeply moved, feeling that she had been deeply sympathized with. In fact, she was introducing the attractions in the resort to Xi Congshuang.

Xi Congshuang listened quietly, occasionally responding with a few words; the only sound in the car was their conversation.

In the passenger seat, Xi Hanran removed her blindfold and whispered to the person next to her, "Is she always this talkative?"

Li Mi smiled without saying a word.

No denial? Then it's always been like this.

Xi Hanran threw away the blindfold and looked behind her in the rearview mirror. Her first reaction was disbelief.

Seeing that Cheng Zhishu was talking quite a lot, and Xi Congshuang didn't give her that look that said "only fools have endless things to say," Xi Hanran became resentful.

Why doesn't Xi Congshuang look at Cheng Zhishu like that? She often looks at me like that at the company, and she's Xi Congshuang's aunt!

While her mood was complicated and she was inwardly criticizing Xi Congshuang for being two-faced, Xi Hanran suddenly felt that the car was much quieter and looked up at the rearview mirror.

Cheng Zhishu, who had been rambling on and on, had fallen asleep at some point, her face resting on Xi Congshuang's shoulder, with a familiar blanket covering her.

The blanket was supposed to be placed over Xi Congshuang's legs.

*

The resort is located near the outskirts of Anshi City. The environment is quiet and peaceful. When it opened, it was marketed as a natural oxygen bar, offering tranquility amidst the hustle and bustle.

Quiet isn't expensive, but finding peace and quiet amidst the hustle and bustle is definitely worth the price.

Moreover, there is a dedicated hiking trail behind the resort. Following the trail uphill, you can pass by a waterfall. People often camp at the summit, waiting to watch the sunrise.

Business must have been good lately, because when Xi Congshuang and her entourage arrived, there were already several cars parked in the parking lot.

Not long after the car was parked, Shangguan Yin arrived and excitedly jumped out and ran towards the car.

Seeing Cheng Zhishu standing motionless by the car, Shangguan Yin reached out and pulled her arm: "What are you doing standing here? Do you have something to take?"

As she pulled, Cheng Zhishu shifted slightly, revealing Xi Congshuang inside the car. Xi Congshuang was holding Cheng Zhishu's arm, presumably having just been interrupted while speaking.

Hearing the sound, she looked at Shangguan Yin.

Their eyes met, and Xi Congshuang's gaze remained calm.

For some reason, Shangguan Yin's first reaction was to raise her hands and say obediently, "Miss Xi, Happy New Year."

Xi Congshuang nodded: "Yes, Happy New Year."

Then, she let go of my hand and said what she hadn't said before: "You and your friend go to the place we arranged and wait for me. Don't worry about me being bored. I really want to see you fly a kite."

Cheng Zhishu had no choice but to agree. Shangguan Yin stood at a distance, glancing at Xi Congshuang out of the corner of her eye.

During this period, she heard her brother mention Xi Congshuang's name many times, feeling both fortunate and envious.

In summary: After a year, Xi Congshuang is back. Not only has she not suffered serious damage due to her physical disability, but she is also more ruthless and decisive than before, surpassing even seasoned veterans who have been in the business for many years.

Fortunately, their family business didn't have to compete with the business segment that Xi Congshuang was in charge of; otherwise, they would have had to beg their sister to act cute and cry to Cheng Zhishu to ask Miss Xi to be lenient.

However, the Xi Congshuang that Shangguan Yin saw was completely different from what her brother had described.

Gentle, mature, beautiful, and talkative.

She sometimes likes to observe people. Generally, her gaze will follow Cheng Zhishu, and occasionally it will fall on her, her eyes thoughtful.

I have no idea what she was curious about or what she was thinking.

Xi Congshuang: "Go ahead, I'll be there in a bit. I'll change my clothes and come find you."

Xi Hanran, sitting in the passenger seat, held back for a while, but finally couldn't help herself. She rubbed her arms, which had no goosebumps, and said, "She's eighteen years old. She's not like coffee that dissolves in water. How can she just disappear?"

Shangguan Yin, who was in a daze, was startled and realized that there was another person in the car. She remembered seeing her last year when she was looking for the missing Cheng Zhishu.

My impression of her is that she has a quick temper, gets angry easily but doesn't hold grudges, but she's pretty cool.

I didn't expect her to come too.

Cheng Zhishu smiled apologetically and explained the reason to her on the way. It turned out that Xi Hanran had accidentally found out about the news before she left home, and since she was annoyed by her good-for-nothing father, she followed her without saying a word.

Shangguan Yin waved her hand dismissively: "It's just a small matter, a piece of cake, and it'll be more lively with more people."

Since it was a detached villa with plenty of rooms, Shangguan Yin didn't mind having an extra person.

Shangguan Yin outlined her plan: "I was a little worried that so many rooms would be a bit empty with only four people staying, and I was a little scared, but now I don't have that concern anymore."

"And everyone can have a barbecue together. I've already had the ingredients and charcoal prepared, and there's just enough to finish it all."

Cheng Zhishu felt somewhat relieved after hearing her words.

The weather has been lovely lately, with clear skies and a gentle breeze, though the temperature is a bit low. Everything else is perfect.

When Xi Congshuang came over after changing her clothes, the two people on the lawn had already started running, and two similar swallows were flying among various kites.

Besides them, several couples or lovers with children also took a liking to this wide grassland to enjoy the spring and fly kites.

As soon as Xi Congshuang arrived, Cheng Zhishu raised her hand to greet her, jumping and shouting with joy: "Sister, look, my kite is flying!"

Not far from her, Shangguan Yin ran around screaming and yelling, staring in terror at the kite that was flying erratically.

"Orange, Orange, how come the kite is flying steadily? Help me, it's going to fall!"

Cheng Zhishu had no choice but to take her kite to rescue her.

Xi Hanran dragged over a folding chair and sat down, elbows on her knees, hand supporting her chin: "I didn't expect so many people to like this kind of meaningless sport. You're so old, don't you think flying kites is childish?"

After waiting for a while and not hearing a reply from next door, she turned to look.

Xi Congshuang sat calmly in her wheelchair, her profile serene, her gaze fixed on the kites fluttering on the lawn.

She was so engrossed in watching Cheng Zhishu fly the kite that she didn't hear what Xi Hanran said at all.

"..."

Looking at the people running on the grass, and then at the silent Xi Congshuang, Xi Hanran suddenly blurted out, "Do you want to fly a kite? I'll buy you one too?"

"…………"

Don't you listen to what you're saying? Letting someone with paralyzed legs fly a kite?

Even Xi Hanran couldn't help but turn her face to the other side, raise her hand to cover her face, and dare not look into Xi Congshuang's eyes.

Even if she didn't need to look, she would definitely get that "only a fool has endless things to say" look in her eyes, like looking at a barking dog.

Xi Congshuang smiled and said, "If you want to fly on a hang glider, I can help you. Hang gliders are really good; I'll buy one for you."

Xi Hanran instinctively knew this wasn't a good sign. Holding her phone, she searched and exclaimed in surprise, "How could you be so ruthless? If you didn't hold on tight, wouldn't this be like a no-rope bungee jump?"

Xi Congshuang chuckled coldly: "Then remember to hold on tight."

Xi Hanran: "..."

Forget it, she misspoke just now, I won't hold it against Xi Congshuang.

Looking back at the people flying kites on the lawn, it has to be said that the selling point of this natural oxygen bar is really not an exaggeration. Xi Hanran's mood improved a lot, and her posture became lazy.

Even when sitting in a wheelchair, she maintains proper posture; only Xi Congshuang can do that.

She couldn't quite remember what Xi Congshuang was like before, but she remembered that her cousin and his wife weren't strict with their children, and she didn't know where they got their habits from.

Doesn't she get tired of maintaining such a poise every day?

A strange voice came from beside her: "What do you mean I'm tired? I'm just sitting here normally."

It turns out that Xi Hanran accidentally revealed what was on her mind.

Sitting on the folding chair, almost twisting herself into a pretzel, Xi Hanran fell silent. Ha, sitting so normally, why does she seem so pretentious?

Xi Hanran: "I remember we're only two years apart, right? I have no idea what people of that age are like."

Xi Congshuang looked over and remained silent.

"Turn around and go look at the kites," Xi Hanran said hastily, feeling uneasy under her gaze.

Xi Congshuang turned around without hesitation for a moment.

Unexpectedly, she was so decisive. Xi Hanran was stunned for a moment, and then she became angrier the more she thought about it. What kind of look was that she gave her just now?

Even though she has evolved from a dog into a human, looking at her with the eyes of someone who is mentally challenged does not bring any comfort.

Xi Hanran: "Actually, what I wanted to say was..."

"Sister!" The sound of running came from afar. Cheng Zhishu ran towards them, holding a kite. Her hair was flying in the wind, and even the wind seemed to favor her.

Cheng Zhishu, her forehead beaded with sweat, stopped in front of the two and reached out her hand to Xi Congshuang.

"The wind is blowing just right now. Sister, would you like to try flying a kite? You can just hold the kite axle."

Xi Congshuang didn't reach out immediately. She asked, "Me? I've never flown a kite before. Aren't you afraid I'll make it crash?"

Cheng Zhishu grabbed her hand and shoved the kite axle into it: "If it falls, I'll just fly it again. It won't be too difficult, and I want you to experience what it's like to fly a kite."

In the distance, Shangguan Yin, who was running frantically trying to get her kite flying, cried out, "Aaaaaah! Where do I run to get it to fly? It's going to fall again! Aaaaaah!"

"Orange, Cheng Zhishu, Godmother, where are you?! Come to my rescue, please!"

Cheng Zhishu was bending down to talk to Xi Congshuang. She used to work part-time at a children's amusement park, where she helped teach children how to fly kites.

"Don't hold on too tightly, or it will fall. Relax and let the line and kite fly with the wind."

She is now telling Xi Congshuang this technique in detail.

Xi Congshuang, who had never flown a kite before, tried following her advice. The kite, which was about to fall, took flight again, and the brightly colored swallow kite flew the highest and farthest.

"It's a success." Xi Congshuang looked at it with a slight smile on her lips, and subconsciously glanced at the person next to her.

Cheng Zhishu knew something was wrong, but she still couldn't dodge in time and ended up staring directly into those smoky gray eyes.

At such close range, Xi Congshuang's face was clearly visible to her, including that ever-touching beauty mark.

She had once heard that people with beauty marks under their eyes have well-developed tear ducts and are more prone to crying.

But she had never seen Xi Congshuang cry, and she could not even imagine Xi Congshuang crying; it was more unbelievable than a fairy tale.

It was so close; a faint, bitter fragrance lingered around my nose.

The kite axle spun rapidly, its thin silver thread tugging at the distant kite, vying for the pilot's attention.

Xi Congshuang suddenly said, "You're sweating."

"Are you sweating?" Cheng Zhishu tried to raise her hand to touch her forehead, but Xi Congshuang grabbed her wrist.

"Don't touch me, I brought tissues." Xi Congshuang couldn't find any tissues, so she used her handkerchief to wipe Cheng Zhishu's sweat.

This feeling is somewhat familiar.

Cheng Zhishu lowered her eyes, her gaze falling, recalling the last time her face was touched in this position was because she was injured.

At that time, Cheng Zhishu was actually quite scared, but the final result was unexpected. She received the most tolerant treatment she had ever received in her life.

It was still springtime, but she felt inexplicably hot because of the person in front of her.

After a while, Xi Congshuang withdrew her hand: "It's done."

She planned to put the handkerchief away, wash it when she got back to her place, dry it, and then continue to carry it with her.

"Are you planning to take the handkerchief back to wash it, sister?" Cheng Zhishu's fingertips tugged at the corner of the handkerchief, her unintentional action giving Xi Congshuang a slight, albeit impulsive, squeeze.

It felt sour and soft, and even my lower body, which had no sensation, felt a tingling, electric-like numbness.

Cheng Zhishu continued, "I'll wash it for you, and then I'll give it back to you after it's dried, okay?"

"..." Xi Congshuang let go.

In front of her, Cheng Zhishu put away the handkerchief and placed it in the inner pocket of her coat.

She repeatedly assured Xi Congshuang, as if trying to cover up her misunderstanding, "I will definitely pay you back."

At that time, Xi Congshuang thought it wouldn't matter if she didn't pay it back.

————————

[Sprinkling flowers][Sprinkling flowers][Sprinkling flowers]