Chapter 7 / Section 2: Sudden Change
The truth will eventually be revealed to the world; the truth will always come out eventually. And her heart, too, stirred with the revelation of the truth, her affection for him trembling every second.
That year, Lu Xixue also came to Yantai, Shandong, to look for her younger brother, Lu Xiyao.
As Lu Xixue stepped out of Yantai High-Speed Railway Station, a breathtaking scene of snow-covered landscape unfolded before her eyes. Snowflakes danced in the air, like fairies descending to earth. She knew she should have come with her younger brother sooner, but now it was the second year, and she had to come despite her reluctance. She wanted to tell Lu Xiyao that they must fight for their rights to the beloved bear Yingguang—it was Chen Yao's dying wish for her and Haiyang.
Lu Xiyao and Lu Xixue are orphans with no parents. If it weren't for Chen Yao taking them in, the siblings would have starved to death on the roadside long ago. Now that news of Chen Yao's death has reached Lu Xixue's ears, she is heartbroken and insists on coming to Yantai, Shandong, to pay her respects to Chen Yao, who once raised them as her own children.
“Chen Yao… how could you just leave like that… I haven’t even had a chance to repay you for the hope you gave me, for all the financial support you gave my brother and me to go to school…” Lu Xixue sobbed softly.
She knew she wouldn't make it in time to see Chen Yao one last time, but she still hoped that, in the end, when she was powerless to do anything more, she could still come to pay her respects to Chen Yao.
Lu Xiyao went to the station to pick up his sister, Cang Ruoxi, who was beside him—the most beautiful girl in Lu Xixue's memory. A year had passed, and they had finally reunited. The feeling of being reunited after so long was bittersweet and painful.
“Xiyao, you’ve grown up. Look, you’re 18 this year. You’re no longer the little one in your sister’s eyes,” Lu Xixue said softly.
“Sister…Aunt Chen Yao…Aunt Chen Yao, she…” Lu Xiyao’s voice choked with sobs.
“I know, I know everything. We shouldn’t be sad. If we are sad, Aunt Chen Yao’s spirit in heaven won’t rest in peace. Xi Yao, you have to be strong. You are the only one who can give Xiong Yingguang a sense of security. Aunt Chen Yao has taken care of us so much. This time, it’s our turn to take care of her daughter,” Lu Xixue comforted her.
You can't pierce her heart with gentleness, because you can't bear to turn gentleness into cruelty. You don't like seeing her sad, nor do you like seeing her too upset, so you'll have a thousand reasons to comfort her.
"Are you Lu Xiyao's older sister?" Cang Ruoxi asked.
"Yes, what's wrong?" Lu Xixue replied.
“It’s nothing, Auntie has finally waited for you to come. We are all the same, orphans adopted by Aunt Chen Yao. Aunt Chen Yao is so kind, but why can’t we wait for the day when our dreams come true?” Cang Ruoxi sighed.
Chen Yao's dream was to have a complete family. But Jing Tongyu tore that family apart, and that dream will never be realized. Her daughter, Xiong Yingguang, spends her days clutching Chen Yao's belongings, unable to eat or drink. She doesn't understand why, as a daughter, she can't do anything for her mother.
——
Muping District, Yantai City, Shandong Province.
Chen Yao's death added immense pressure to Xiong Yingguang. She was constantly busy, juggling school and managing her mother's business. Xiong Yingguang could no longer afford to be naive; she was under more pressure than anyone else. Despite Haiyang's help, she remained exhausted every day.
"Xiong Yingguang, take a rest. Don't overwork yourself," Zhou Xin advised.
The Zhou family began investing in the Chen family to help Xiong Yingguang share the burden, preventing her from being overwhelmed.
“Xiong Yingguang, aren’t you really going to see Jing Moran off? He’s going back to Nanning tomorrow. Although I was his childhood fiancée, I’ve let go of the past and won’t believe children’s innocent words anymore,” Zhou Xin said.
“Zhou Xin, he’s so heartless, why are you still so persistent about him? He clearly doesn’t care about you, yet you keep talking about him, constantly mentioning Jing Moran. What’s so good about Jing Moran? As his sister, I hate it when he appears in front of me,” Xiong Yingguang said coldly.
"But why do you hate him? He's clearly your brother," Zhou Xin asked, puzzled.
“Because every time I see his face, I think of the man who defiled me, that beast. He disregarded blood ties and even…” Xiong Yingguang’s voice trembled.
“Xiong Yingguang, you…” Zhou Xin was speechless for a moment.
"Zhou Xin, my body is no longer clean," Xiong Yingguang said in a low voice.
Zhou Xin was somewhat surprised when she heard those words.
Her heart belonged only to Jing Moran, yet why did she have to be that person's sister? She so wished that every drop of blood they shed was unrelated. Because of that boy, she hated how he always spoke ill of her under the guise of being her brother, hated how he reminded her of that person's face.
Zhou Xin couldn't find the words to comfort Xiong Yingguang. She knew that Xiong Yingguang had already experienced despair and pain that ordinary people couldn't even imagine.
"Zhou Xin, why are you getting close to me?" Xiong Yingguang asked.
"Why can't I get close to you?" Zhou Xin retorted.
“I am an analgesic, and no one who gets close to me has a good ending… I’m a monster. If it weren’t for me, Yan Xinhe wouldn’t have died in that fire…” Xiong Yingguang said remorsefully.
"Xiong Yingguang! Xiong Yingguang! It's not your fault. Don't sink into darkness anymore. Wake up!" Zhou Xin shouted.
Xiong Yingguang could not forget the shadow cast by that fire. Everyone said she was the one who killed people, so Xiong Yingguang had a vivid memory of that fire and could not forget it even if she wanted to.
She could not forget, because she did not want to forget the scythe that would become the memory she would recall again, the scythe that pierced her chest, penetrated her internal organs, and stained the ground with blood.
If she doesn't mention it, she might forget. But once she does, the deep-seated pain will seep into her heart, shattering her facade. She can't let go, she can't relinquish it. Because any attempt to let go would only be self-deception, a self-humiliating excuse. So every day she lives in fear, terrified that you'll appear in her dreams, causing her sleepless nights and nightmares.
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