Chapter 1-6
6
Qiao Ruo returned to the guesthouse alone. As soon as she entered the room, she felt a terrible emptiness in her heart. This feeling of losing everything was unbearable for her, and she almost wanted to turn around and run out immediately to catch up with He Yajun.
She kicked off her high heels, went to the bathroom to wash her face with cold water, and after calming down, she didn't even bother to take off her coat, simply throwing herself onto the bed.
She closed her eyes, but couldn't fall asleep for a long time, so she had to give up the idea of taking a nap and took out her phone to pass the time.
She opened WeChat and first went to look at He Yajun's Moments. There was no "visible for only three days" setting, but he posted very few statuses. The last one was a news article he forwarded two years ago, and most of the others were also forwarded content. None of them involved his private life.
With nothing to do, she opened an audiobook app, randomly selected a novel, and let it read on.
She closed her eyes and listened without thinking, and unknowingly fell asleep. Unfortunately, her sleep was not restful, and she kept having all sorts of strange dreams.
As she dreamt that she was running in a dark sea but was always trapped in the same place, a sharp and piercing bell suddenly rang in her ears.
She was suddenly awakened, completely dazed, her heart pounding wildly.
She reached for her phone beside her; this time it was her sister, Qiao Min, calling.
She was filled with worries and didn't want to answer the phone, but she realized that no matter which direction her life took in the future, she could never completely sever ties with her sister, so she had no choice but to answer.
"Qiaoqiao, you finally answered my call."
Qiao Ruo got straight to the point: "What do you want from me?"
Qiao Min choked, then chuckled: "For so many years, you've always been cold to me, unwilling to meet me, answer my calls, or reply to my messages. You used to say that I was the most immoral person to break up other people's marriages and families, and that I would eventually suffer the consequences. I think the only consequence I've swallowed is no longer being liked by my own sister and father, but I got what I wanted, so I have nothing to complain about."
Qiao Ruo frowned: "What exactly are you trying to say?"
Qiao Min took a deep breath and replied in a hoarse voice, "My retribution has come. Your brother-in-law has another woman outside. Not only did that woman come to my door to assert her dominance, but when I questioned your brother-in-law and asked him for an explanation, he accused me of being a vulgar woman who does nothing all day, only spends men's money, and has no inner qualities or thoughts."
Qiao Ruo was stunned.
"Your words have come true. I have indeed ended up in a bad situation. But I've always been a man who can afford to lose. I'm just a man. If others have the ability to take it away, then let them take it. I only need to protect what I want to protect. Nothing else is that important."
“You don’t need to report your marital affairs to me. When you were getting married, I told you that we could never go back to the close sisterhood we had before. Whether you are doing well or badly in the future, it has nothing to do with me.”
"Of course, ever since I got pregnant, you have been righteously criticizing my character and morality, asserting that I will never truly be happy. For so many years, you have ignored me completely, and when we finally meet at my parents' house, you don't even give me a second glance. Given your attitude of turning your back on your own family, do you really think I can win back your image in my heart and become your close sister again by playing the role of a pitiful abandoned woman?"
Qiao Ruo pursed her lips and remained silent.
Qiao Min sighed, paused for a moment, then softened her voice and said worriedly, "Qiao Qiao, Dad is sick. He went to the hospital for a checkup, and they found a rather large lesion in his stomach. I don't know much about medicine, but I suspect he most likely has a tumor in his stomach, though we can't determine whether it's benign or malignant yet. However, he's lost a lot of weight recently, and his mental state isn't good either. Plus, he's had a long-standing habit of drinking and smoking, so I really can't be optimistic. What's worse, he refuses to have any further tests done and even told Mom not to tell us."
Qiao Ruo broke out in a cold sweat: "When did this happen?"
“I only found out yesterday. From what my mother said, my father doesn’t want to be a burden on us. I went to see him and tried to persuade him not to be shy about seeing a doctor or worry about the cost, but he flatly refused, saying that my money was ill-gotten and he would never use a single penny of mine.” Qiao Min choked up. “I know that in many people’s eyes, I’m a shameless mistress who got ahead of her husband by getting pregnant out of wedlock and climbing up to a rich man. My father feels that I’ve disgraced him, making him unable to hold his head up in front of relatives, neighbors, colleagues, and friends. For so many years, no matter what I buy him—food, clothes, or other necessities—he refuses them all. If it weren’t for my daughter, he probably wouldn’t even let me into the house. But now the situation is different. I clearly have enough financial means to allow him to see a doctor without any worries. How can I ignore him and let his condition worsen?”
Qiao Min's worries about her father were clearly genuine, and Qiao Ruo could no longer be stern with her: "I'll buy a ticket and go back right away."
Just as Qiao Ruo was about to hang up, Qiao Min spoke up again: "If all else fails, when you come back, you can persuade Dad to get checked out as soon as possible. I'll cover all the expenses, whether it's for the check-up or the surgery. I'll transfer the money to you, and you can just tell Dad that it's all your money."
No matter how much Qiao Ruo disapproves of some of Qiao Min's actions and behaviors, she has to admit that, at least in terms of money, Qiao Min's contributions to her parents are beyond reproach.
"I'll go back and find out what happened. Maybe it's just a false alarm."
She ended the call and immediately went online to check flight tickets. The earliest flight was tomorrow afternoon around 1 p.m.
She booked her plane ticket and immediately called her father, Qiao Wei, to inquire about his health.
Qiao Wei downplayed the issue, saying, "It's just a minor ailment. At our age, our organs are all declining. It's perfectly normal to have aches and pains here and there. Your mother takes good care of me, so you don't need to worry."
"You should have told me immediately if you felt unwell. How could you hide it from me? Tell me honestly, what did the test results say? What did the doctor tell you?"
Qiao Wei hesitated for a moment: "How could I remember so much? The doctor told me to do some other tests, but I don't know the specifics. Anyway, the doctor didn't say that I have a terminal illness. That's how hospitals are these days. Once you're in, they'll do all sorts of tests, from head to toe, they won't stop until they've done everything..."
"Dad!" She was getting a little annoyed by his completely indifferent tone and unconsciously raised her voice, "You can't neglect your health. Whether you're sick or not, you have to listen to the doctor and get proper checkups and treatment. I've already bought the plane tickets, and we'll be home tomorrow night. I'll go with you to see the doctor then."
“Sigh, your mother… You’re so busy and tired from work, yet she still insists on telling you these things.”
"My mother didn't tell me that."
Qiao Wei fell silent.
Qiao Ruo suppressed a sigh and gently instructed, "Dad, you absolutely mustn't drink anymore, not even a drop, and you're not allowed to smoke either. Get some rest early tonight, and if anything happens, remember to call me."
After receiving her father's assurance, she hung up the phone, and her heart, which had been in turmoil, finally calmed down a little.
Calculating the time, she knew she had to leave early the next morning, so she started sorting out the things scattered around the room, putting what needed to be put into her suitcase and what needed to be put into her backpack.
After finishing this busy period, she thought of He Yajun, who was also on the island. She had thought she would have a chance to see him again tomorrow, but now it seemed that the luck that fate had given her had run out.
She didn't know whether she should call He Yajun to say goodbye. It wasn't that she was afraid he wouldn't answer; she was certain that, given the gentlemanly manners he was displaying, he would politely answer her call and say goodbye. She just... couldn't bear to say goodbye to him. She had a vague feeling that once the words of farewell were spoken, she would never have the chance to see him again in her life.
But she couldn't just leave without a word.
Just as she was hesitating, she received a WeChat message from He Yajun: Qiao Ruo, do you want to watch the sunset?
She agreed immediately without any hesitation.
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