Chapter 41 Holding your hand all the way through this…

"Hmm, what's wrong?"

His voice pierced the darkness and entered her heart.

Her voice was very soft, "Can you stay with me a little longer?"

So, Xu Jialan groped her way to her bedside, looked down at her, and said, "Don't overthink it."

Chen Yao'an's gaze fell on his hands. His hands were large and thick, with prominent blue veins on the back, giving them a strong and secure feel. She instinctively reached out and grasped them.

Xu Jialan's hand trembled involuntarily.

Chen Yao'an panicked and immediately let go.

"Okay, I'll stay with you for a while."

In the darkness, he sat down on the sofa.

Chen Yaoan lay back down on the bed and covered herself with the blanket.

Half an hour passed, and she still couldn't fall asleep, so she turned over in bed.

Xu Jialan turned off her phone and asked her, "What are you thinking about?"

"I was thinking... but actually I wasn't thinking about anything, I just felt uneasy."

Xu Jialan knew what she was worried about. Sometimes, even without consciously thinking about it, that person was always in her heart. This was probably what it meant to be connected by blood.

Lan Wangshu had the same feeling when he was in the hospital, and he still remembers it to this day.

Xu Jialan shifted her position, leaning lazily against the sofa with her legs crossed. "I'll chat with you for a while."

"What should we talk about?"

He clicked his tongue. "I don't know either, we're just chatting."

Chen Yao'an remained silent for a moment.

After a long pause, she asked him, "What were you like when you were in school?"

"When I was in school?" Xu Jialan recalled, "I didn't study much when I was in school. I spent my days hanging out with other people who didn't study either. I would go out to fight, skip classes, and do all sorts of things."

"Did you have many girlfriends back then?"

Xu Jialan paused for a moment before answering, "I've dated a few."

Do you like them?

"I don't like it," he replied curtly.

"Then why do you stay with them?"

"There's no reason why. They came up to me, and I accepted. It's that simple."

Chen Yao'an understood; he was neither taking the initiative nor refusing.

She turned over, her tone becoming indifferent, "I'm going to sleep now, you can go back."

So suddenly?

"Your attitude changes way too fast."

Chen Yao'an closed her eyes, didn't say anything, and pretended to be asleep.

Seeing that she did not respond, Xu Jialan stood up from the sofa and quietly left her room.

The next morning, Xu Jialan came to wake her up, but she was already up.

"Go wash up, I'll go buy breakfast."

After breakfast, the two went to meet the real estate agent.

Because they were only staying for a short period, the agent took them directly to see a short-term rental apartment.

This apartment is a duplex, with the bedroom on the second floor. It has all the basic living facilities and is fully furnished, so you can move in immediately.

After chatting for a short time, Chen Yaoan decided to rent the room.

"Should we go check next door? The apartment next door has the same layout as this one."

"Next door?" Chen Yaoan asked, puzzled.

"Yes, weren't you going to rent two rooms?"

Chen Yaoan looked at Xu Jialan, "Are you staying here too?"

“I live right next door to you.” He looked at the agent. “Let’s sign the contract now.”

"good."

After signing the rental agreement, the two of them went to the hotel to pack their things and moved into the rented house that afternoon.

The rented house was not far from the hospital. Chen Yaoan was worried about Zhou Yao, so she went to the hospital to see her the day after she moved, without inviting Xu Jialan.

In the hospital, Zhou Yao sat quietly in the ward, holding the doll she had brought from home, gently patting it and murmuring to herself.

Chen Yaoan asked the nurse to open the door, and she went in and sat down next to Zhou Yao.

She grasped Zhou Yao's hand, but Zhou Yao pulled away. It had only been a little over two days since they last met, but Zhou Yao seemed not to recognize her anymore.

"Mom, it's me, Yao'an."

Zhou Yao didn't react, so Chen Yaoan could only stay by her side.

After an unknown amount of time, Zhou Yao seemed to finally recognize her, probably remembering that it was she who brought her here.

She looked at Chen Yao'an, tears suddenly falling. Grabbing her hand, she said with great grievance, "I want to go home."

Chen Yao'an's nose tingled with emotion. "Mom, we can go home in a while."

"How long will it take? Neither Xiao Qin nor I like it here."

"It will be soon," Chen Yaoan reassured her.

Zhou Yao didn't know how fast "soon" was. Her temper flared, and she couldn't wait a moment longer. "I'm leaving!"

She was about to rush out when she said that, but Chen Yaoan couldn't stop her.

Fortunately, Zhou Yao was stopped by the nurses outside, and Chen Yao'an chased after her.

The nurse took Zhou Yao into the ward and gave her a sedative. The nurse then stopped Chen Yao'an from entering the room.

The nurse advised her, "Ms. Chen, we think it would be better if you came less often in the future. Your mother is currently emotionally unstable, and we don't want to aggravate her condition. Dr. Zhao also suggested the same thing."

Chen Yao'an was a little disappointed. "Okay, I understand."

After leaving the hospital, Chen Yaoan went straight home.

In the evening, Xu Jialan sent her a message.

Invite her out for dinner.

Chen Yao'an, however, did not want to go.

A few minutes later, Xu Jialan came over and knocked on her door.

Chen Yaoan went to open the door for him.

Xu Jialan leaned against the door frame and asked her, "Why don't you want to eat dinner?"

"I'm not hungry."

"Even if you're not hungry, you have to eat." Xu Jialan said firmly, pulling her out the door.

The two strolled around the street for a while before finally entering a noodle shop. The noodles were just so-so, and Chen Yao'an only ate half of them.

Xu Jialan asked her, "I went to look for you this afternoon, but you weren't there. What were you doing?"

“I went to see my mother. Her condition is unstable. Dr. Zhao said it would be best if I visited her less often to avoid upsetting her.”

Xu Jialan nodded, "Less might help her treatment."

Chen Yao'an poked at the noodles in her bowl with her chopsticks. "I know."

She just couldn't bear to see Zhou Yao like that.

"Anything going on for the next while? Is there anywhere you'd like to go?" Xu Jialan quickly changed the subject.

Chen Yao'an thought for a while and then shook her head; there was no particular place she wanted to go.

She had been away from Beijing for several years, and the city had become somewhat unfamiliar. For a moment, she really didn't know where to go.

Perhaps due to her mood, she wasn't very interested.

"It's okay, take your time to think about it. We have plenty of time."

Over the next few days, Chen Yao'an didn't go out much, and she refused Xu Jialan's attempts to get her to go out for a stroll.

When she's bored, she watches TV to pass the time.

She brought her iPad with her, which she used to draw design drafts. After watching TV for a while, she would take it out and draw a few strokes.

Xu Jialan didn't stay at her own home properly; she spent most of her time at her place, passing the time with her.

She sat on the sofa drawing, but halfway through she wasn't satisfied, so she manually destroyed it. This was already the fifth draft she had discarded that day.

Seeing this, Xu Jialan asked her again, "Are you really not planning to go out for a walk with me?"

"I'm not going."

Knowing she would refuse, Xu Jialan opened her phone and shoved the screen in front of her.

Chen Yaoan was forced to take a look, and was quickly drawn to the words on it.

"Jingbei Art University's 100th anniversary celebration, tomorrow?"

"Do you want to go?"

"think."

The next afternoon, the two went to Jingbei Art University together, because they heard there would be a performance that afternoon.

The two went directly to the stadium. The performance hadn't started yet, but the stadium was already crowded with people, mostly students.

They were all very enthusiastic and discussing the upcoming program.

Chen Yaoan felt a long-lost youthful atmosphere, and her mood improved as well.

Not long after, the performance officially began. The first half of the performance consisted of shows spontaneously organized by students from the school.

Regardless of whether the performance was good or bad, everyone was very supportive.

The second half featured a professional band and singers invited by the school, which further heightened the atmosphere.

The atmosphere reached its peak when a band came on stage. Everyone in the audience started singing along.

Chen Yaoan didn't know the band, but the song was very nice, called "Tonight I Can't Sleep".

One moon doesn't understand your eyes

The mountains and rivers do not understand your sorrow.

I only want to be with you.

The sky sweeps across your mood

I only want to be your one and only.

When he sang this line, Chen Yaoan subconsciously glanced at Xu Jialan, but his eyes were fixed on the stage, and he didn't look at her.

Chen Yao'an felt that the lyrics of this song seemed to reflect the feelings of many people, and she couldn't help but hum along.

I will always hold your hand

Crossing the entire night sky

Let me shatter this daylight.

Crying, laughing, and impulsive

Don't run away when night falls

At this moment, night had fallen, and the surroundings became hazy. The song on stage reached its climax, and fireworks lit up half of the night sky around the stage.

In the not-so-chaotic night sky, Xu Jialan also turned her head towards Chen Yaoan. She seemed to be enjoying the singing, her eyebrows curved and her eyes shining.

Xu Jialan smiled too. In this grand event, his mood brightened, not because of the event itself, but because of you.

As the performance drew to a close, Xu Jialan and Chen Yaoan left early and went to the school cafeteria.

The school cafeteria has changed its windows countless times, but Chen Yaoan still managed to find a few familiar ones and dragged Xu Jialan to eat there.

It still tastes the same as before.

After leaving the restaurant, the two strolled around the school for a while.

On the playground, students strolled around in pairs. The two sat on the grass in the middle, watching the students gradually leave, leaving only a few scattered figures.

Chen Yao'an let out a breath and said, "I really don't want to go back."

Unfortunately, good times are always short-lived.

"sure."

Xu Jialan stood up from the ground and suddenly reached out her hand, "Would you like to be my nightingale?"

Just like the song I just heard.

I'll hold your hand and walk through the entire night sky.

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Author's Note: The song "Unable to Sleep Tonight" is by the band Canvas Town.