repent
In such an atmosphere of mixed joys and sorrows, touching and sad, Xiangyang gazed at Jin Cang and softly recounted how his brother Jin Yu illuminated his almost exhausted and barren life like starlight, and how, like the thread of fate, he inexplicably led the "A Cang" in real life to him.
Xiangyang's voice was a little hoarse, but his eyes were gentle enough to bring tears to your eyes. "Your brother uses your picture as his profile picture. I type and chat with you every night. I even know how many eyelashes you have." A faint smile played on his lips, carrying the warmth of nostalgia. "Do you know how shocked I was when you first appeared in front of me?"
Jin Cang's eyes warmed up, and he instantly understood something: "So Sister Xiaochan would say that..."
Xiang Yang continued, "I've been thinking about this a lot these past few days. It's like a script no one could have predicted. Fate brought your brother into my life, but your brother brought me to Taipei, to you..."
Jin Cang was so absorbed in listening that tears had unknowingly covered his cheeks. He didn't even realize that he was crying, but only felt his chest filled with indescribable sorrow and emotion.
"There's an invisible thread pulling us together," Xiangyang's eyes were deep and devout. "I promised to bring him home, and in this way, he gave me back a home that belongs to me. The story I didn't have the chance to start with him seems to continue in you."
After Xiang Yang finished speaking, he realized that Jin Cang beside him was already in tears. He reached out his hand, gently pulled Jin Cang into his arms, and kissed him deeply on the lips with endless gratitude and pity.
The night breeze blows gently, and the warm fragrance of the osmanthus in the distance wafts over.
Yet, in this tender moment, no one noticed that in a dark corner of the park, a figure stood quietly, jealousy flickering in its eyes. Zhao Zhiling held up her phone from a distance, the camera trained on Xiang Yang and Jin Cang kissing, her finger about to press the record button.
In an instant, another figure flashed out silently and blocked her camera.
The person who wanted to take the secret photo was Zhao Zhiling, and the one who blocked her was her mother, Yao Fengqin.
Yao Fengqin lowered her voice and said firmly, "What do you want? I won't let you create another tragedy!"
Her mother's words made her face turn pale in an instant. Yes, it was she who orchestrated and facilitated the fact that Jin Changan "happened" to see Jin Yu and her boyfriend Dai Tianyu having a tryst.
Was Jin Yu's tragedy really caused by me? Zhao Zhiling asked bitterly in her heart.
Then who can give her the most basic compassion and sympathy for the wound that can never be healed caused by her unrequited love that started when she was eight years old, the love that was buried deep in her heart, never expressed out loud, but had long since festered into sorrow?
Countless thorns of memories grew wildly, binding Zhao Zhiling so tightly that she couldn't breathe, and every sharp thorn made her bleed.
Ten-year-old Jin Yu and eight-year-old girl played the violin together in a music classroom on the mountain.
Little Jin Yu was in high spirits, his piano playing melodious and delightful, like his brilliant life at that time. She, on the other hand, always struggled mightily, the musical notation twisted into a hideous monster in her eyes. But a single glimpse of Jin Yu's focused profile beside her would clench her teeth, brace herself, and continue to wrestle with the torturous notes.
Fourteen-year-old Jin Yu, twelve-year-old her, and seven-year-old Jin Cang sat in a small park on Mid-Autumn Festival, the moonlight shining brightly. Together, they set off sky rockets, their sharp whistles piercing the night sky. Zhao Zhiling played with goldfish sparklers, the tiny sparks gently scattering, and accidentally burned her fingers.
She pouted and extended her reddened fingers toward Jin Yu, hoping he would look at her, hoping for a comforting look. However, Jin Yu's full attention was on Jin Cang, who was trembling with fear from the sky rocket. He hugged his brother tightly, whispering soothing words, a tenderness she had never expected.
At the age of 23, Zhao Zhiling received her first salary after starting work.
She happily picked out a new dress for herself and also ran through several streets to pick out a bottle of perfume for Jin Yu that she thought best suited his temperament. She dressed up carefully, holding the gift with joy, and walked through the alley to the door of the Jin family across the street.
But she saw Jin Yu was on his way out in a hurry, and he didn't even glance at her new clothes and carefully styled hairstyle.
Beside him stood the man named Dai Tianyu. They walked down the slope side by side, laughing and chatting. The sunlight shone on them, stinging Zhao Zhiling's eyes. From afar, she saw their hands, held together. That day, the perfume bottle in her hand was as cold as a piece of iron.
On Jin Yu’s twenty-sixth birthday.
Zhao Zhiling was carrying a cake and roast duck she had just bought from a famous store. The familiar weight weighed heavily on her heart. She walked up the familiar ramp and saw Jin Yu and Dai Tianyu not far ahead. They were chatting and laughing intimately as they walked into the house and went straight up to the second floor.
It was on this day, three years ago, Jin Yu's twenty-sixth birthday, the day when all the tragedies began...
At that time, the Jin family's beef noodle shop had not yet been sold to Yao Fengqin to open a dumpling shop. In the kitchen, steam was thick.
Zhao Zhiling walked in, carrying a paper bag with the company logo in each hand. Jin Changan was busy at the sink, the sound of water splashing and dishes clattering. The mountain of mess had been almost cleared.
"Uncle Jin, the cake is back." Zhao Zhiling's voice broke the monotony of the kitchen.
Jin Changan raised his head, a smile on his slightly tired face: "And..."
"We also bought Dayu's favorite Peking duck," Zhao Zhiling quickly added in a cheerful tone.
"Thank you, Zhiling. I'll give you the money later." Jin Changan said with a smile, and the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes were squeezed into beautiful patterns in his smile.
"Uncle Jin, the last table of guests just paid their bill and left. I think... should we close early?" Zhao Zhiling suggested, with something strange and ambiguous in her eyes.
Jin Changan looked at the wall clock and said, "It's still early. Let's wait a little longer."
"You go back first, I'm closing early. I saw a few big cockroaches this morning, so I bought some insecticide..." Zhao Zhiling urged.
"Cockroaches? Impossible? I clean it very well every day." Jin Changan turned off the faucet and frowned slightly.
"It's okay, I'll take care of it," Zhao Zhiling picked up a bottle of insecticide from the corner. "You go back first. Be careful not to spray the cake and roast duck with the smell of disinfectant. My mother might have braised the pig's feet, and it seems she has already sent it over."
Jin Changan wiped his hands and nodded without thinking: "Then can you go alone? After spraying, lock the door and go home early."
"Don't worry, Uncle Jin, go back and celebrate Dayu's birthday with him." Zhao Zhiling smiled like a flower.
Jin Changan picked up the cake and roast duck, smiled, and strode out of the kitchen.
Zhao Zhiling watched Jin Changan's back disappear at the door. The smile on her face slowly faded, replaced by an uncertain look.
Then, the earth-shattering scene happened just as she expected.
Yao Fengqin looked at her daughter's pale face and sighed softly, "Life is long. Perhaps one day you will understand that if you truly love someone, you can help them achieve their goals. That's when you truly love them."
It turned out that Yao Fengqin, as her mother, had long known about her daughter's unspoken secret love and the exile three years ago that almost destroyed the Jin family.
But she chose to remain silent and wait, waiting for her daughter to realize her mistake and repent.
Zhao Zhiling could no longer contain herself after hearing her mother's words. She suddenly squatted on the ground, covered her face with her hands, and burst into tears. Her sobs were filled with regret, unwillingness, years of accumulated grievances, irreparable guilt, and endless sorrow for her humble love.
Yao Fengqin silently watched her daughter weeping, saying nothing more. She raised her head and gazed at the moon, which had broken through the clouds. Its cool, clear moonlight shone down, carrying a certain compassion. She clasped her hands together devoutly and bowed silently to the moon.
The night sky was exceptionally clear after the heavy rain stopped, and a bright moon finally hung high in the sky.
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