Chapter 21
The bedroom wasn't big, so the bed wasn't big either; it felt a bit cramped for two adults. Liang Shi waited until he finished showering and got into bed, his eyelids practically glued shut.
The scent of shower gel was very noticeable in the room, especially when he lay down in bed. Liang Shi moved to the side and said, "Li Junqian, I invited you in to sleep with me for no other reason than to thank you for bringing me food and drinks when I had a cold last time. It's really uncomfortable to have a cold, and I don't want you to catch a cold here and then cling to me. Also, let me reiterate, if you are disrespectful to me tonight, then we'll keep our relationship separate from each other from now on. I'm sleepy, go to sleep."
Li Junqian raised his hand and turned off the light: "Don't worry, I'm not that kind of person."
Ha, who would believe that! If he wasn't that kind of person, which pig took her virginity?
The more Liang Shi thought about it, the less he could sleep. He felt that letting him in to sleep together was a mistake! It was as if she was sending him a signal that letting him in meant she still had feelings for him.
But that wasn't her intention; she hoped he wouldn't overthink it.
Liang Shi turned over and opened her eyes in the darkness. The curtains weren't fully drawn, and moonlight shone in. She could see the shadow of his prominent nose. Some people say that the higher a man's nose is, the better his skills in that area. Tsk, thinking about it, it's really true.
There must be quite a few women who covet Li Junqian. When Liang Shi thought of Zhao Jiaren, he felt a tightness in his chest and turned over again.
Can't sleep?
Liang Shi was startled: "You're not asleep?"
"You turned over three times in one minute. I'm a light sleeper."
The implication was that she was bothering him.
"I'm not moving anymore, you go to sleep."
Li Junqian didn't want to miss such a good opportunity to chat: "Are you planning to stay here for the New Year this year?"
Liang Shi stared at the moonlight reflected on the ceiling: "This is my hometown. Where else can I spend the New Year if not here? What, Mr. Li, do you want me to spend the New Year at your house? Your mother will probably kick me out. I dare not go. By the way, I advise you to hurry back to Shanghai. The New Year is coming soon."
"I'll spend the New Year with you here."
Upon hearing this, Liang Shi felt as if he had heard a joke: "You want to keep me company? Who are you to me? I don't need you to keep me company. I have friends to spend the New Year with. You ruined my holiday. If you leave tomorrow, I can pretend I never saw you here."
If he had stayed in Wenchuan, and if Zhao Jiaren had found out, she probably wouldn't have been able to return to Shanghai.
"With that man downstairs? Yuan An?"
With a start, Liang Shi sat up. In the darkness, she reached out and grabbed the collar of his pajamas, her long fingernails tracing across his chest: "Li Junqian, are you sick in the head? You even investigated him?"
Li Junqian reached out and turned on the light. The sudden light was probably a bit too bright, so Liang Shi covered his eyes with both hands for a while before taking them away.
"Don't get upset, it was just a coincidence when we ran into each other upstairs. If it's just the two of you spending the New Year together, then having me along is fine..."
Liang Shi turned her head and interrupted him: "No way! Li Junqian, who do you think you are? We've broken up, can't you be more open-minded? You're bothering me! Also, turn off the lights right now, my eyes hurt!"
The pain in her eyes was secondary; the main problem was that when she looked at his face from the bed, it was really hard to suppress her feelings. If she looked at him a few more times, she was afraid she would really pounce on him.
The room fell into darkness again. Liang Shi felt a chill on her shoulders and quickly lay back down in bed. But the next second, he turned her over and pulled her into his arms.
She paused for two seconds in the familiar and warm embrace before trying to push him away: "Li Junqian, what do you want to do! If you dare, I will hate you!"
Li Junqian gently patted her back: "Don't be afraid, I won't do anything to you, I just want to hug you. When I came to this land as a child, my heart was heavy, especially when I saw those road signs and buildings marked with earthquake symbols. I would think about how helpless and desperate you were back then, but no matter what happens now or in the future, I will support and protect you."
"That sounds nice, but we broke up. Your mother was right, I'm not good enough for you. I come from this small county, while you were born in Shanghai. Our social standing alone made me back down. Your mother also said we didn't have anything in common, that you like good girls who are proficient in everything from music and art to calligraphy and painting, but I can't do any of those things..."
The next second, Liang Shi felt a chill in his chest. The room light came on. Liang Shi was lying on his side, not looking up. All that could be seen was the muscle definition on his thighs, which were clad in silver-gray silk pajamas.
No wonder, Li Junqian thought, staring at the woman beside him. He had planned everything, but he hadn't expected his mother to have already approached her. No wonder she was so resolute in breaking up with him.
It was a bit quiet, and Liang Shi couldn't help but look up at him: "Why are you staring at me? It's the middle of the night, turn off the lights and go to sleep!"
Li Junqian raised his hand and touched Liang Shi's flushed face: "Xiao Shi, when you first returned to China, you were confident and fearless. Why are you so timid when it comes to relationships? It's the 21st century. Even if my family background is a bit complicated, my marriage is still my decision. My mother talked to you and may have said some hurtful things. I apologize to you for that. Xiao Shi, love requires mutual compromise. Let's get through this together."
Liang Shi knew he was smart, but she didn't expect him to guess so quickly that she had met his mother. She was a little angry, slapped his hand away, turned over, and said to him, "I think your mother is right. We're not suitable for each other. I'll be thirty-one after the New Year. With you? How many years would it take to get along? I don't want to waste time. Can we talk about it tomorrow? I'm really sleepy."
Li Junqian didn't say anything more. Now was really not a good time to talk about these things. He turned off the light and had just lain down when the person next to him rolled up the blanket and said, "I'm warning you, don't you dare touch me again! Stay away from our fists!"
She set the rules, but she was also the one who ignored them in the middle of the night. Ruan Xiangru clung to him like an octopus. No matter how much he could endure, he was still a normal man. He barely slept all night. Li Junqian got up very quietly.
After running for half an hour, he stopped by a breakfast stall and bought some local specialties: potato cakes and flatbread, along with some vegetables. As he carried his things upstairs, he coincidentally ran into Yuan An, who was opening the door.
Yuan An saw that Li Junqian was wearing a gray tracksuit and looked even younger than yesterday. He must have gone for a run. He was full of energy, which Yuan An, who had been in a wheelchair for more than ten years, did not have.
Li Junqian greeted him, "Are these vegetables on the ground yours?"
Just as Yuan An was about to bend down to take it, the tall, slender man outside the door had already brought the bag of groceries to him: "Shall I take it in for you?"
"No need, just put it on my lap."
The bag of vegetables was quite heavy. Li Junqian stared at his thighs, hesitated for a moment, but still did as he was told: "Have you had breakfast?"
Yuan An saw what was in his hand and smiled slightly: "Liang Shi asked you to buy this, right? She loves pickled cabbage and potato cakes the most. You two... have made up?"
Li Junqian placed the breakfast in his hands: "Thank you for telling me what she likes to eat, but knowing her as I do, a breakfast won't win her over. I guess I'll have to work harder to make up with her. Would it be convenient to come to your place? Let's have breakfast together?"
Yuan An was taken aback: "Aren't you eating with Liang Shi?"
"It's too early, she's probably still asleep. The food will get cold if I take it upstairs, I'll go buy it for her later."
Yuan An didn't refuse, and pushed his wheelchair back to indicate that he could come in. Actually, he also wanted to talk to this man; even if he and she weren't meant to be, he still wanted to give her his opinion.
Given Li Junqian's height, when sitting in a chair, he couldn't even place his hands on the table; he even had to bend over.
“This table is indeed a bit low for you. Hold it up and eat. Back in high school, I bought Liang Shi these potato cakes every day. They were quite delicious. I don’t know if you can get used to them.”
Their clothes and appearance are definitely not those of ordinary people, and they must be very particular about food as well, Yuan An thought.
Li Junqian took a bite and said, "It's alright."
Li Junqian observed the room. Support railings were installed on the walls, and some exercise equipment was placed in part of the living room. He also looked at Yuan An's hands and saw many calluses on his palms. Whether the calluses were from years of moving a wheelchair or from exercise, he admired Yuan An.
They did not give up on life after losing both legs.
"Are you serious about Liang Shi...?"
Li Junqian placed the things on the table, met his gaze, and gave him a definite answer to the question: "Liang Shi is the person I want to spend the rest of my life with. There's been a misunderstanding between us, and I've come this time hoping to get her to accept me again."
Yuan An was filled with envy upon hearing him express his love so frankly. Looking down at the missing legs, he thought that if he had them, he would definitely compete with him. Unfortunately, there are no "what ifs" in this world.
"No matter how much things have changed, Liang Shi is a good girl. How did you two meet?"
Li Junqian briefly recounted his father's earthquake relief efforts that year and what happened afterward. Yuan An felt somewhat saddened after hearing this, as she hadn't told Liang Shi anything about his more than ten years abroad.
He knew her intention in concealing this from him; the gap between them was already too great, and she simply didn't want him to feel out of place.
“I see. I’m relieved. She and I were good friends. All the friends we played and went to school with back then died in the earthquake. When I learned that Liang Shi was still alive, I gave up on suicide because I lost both my legs in the earthquake. But we lost contact over the years, and I didn’t have the ability to find her. Now that I see her living such a wonderful life, my wish has come true.”
Li Junqian knew he wasn't exactly a gentleman, but he was very patient with Yuan An, regardless of whether Yuan An and Liang Shi had been mutually in love before. Li Junqian felt no jealousy whatsoever.
Her life was shattered by the earthquake, and he appeared late in life—that much was unchangeable. But Li Junqian sometimes believed in fate; he thought that something was bound to happen when he met Liang Shi.
After finishing his food, Li Junqian looked at his leg and asked, "Have you ever considered getting a prosthetic leg?"
Walking normally is now a luxury for Yuan An. He did think about it back then, and really wanted to, but the price made him give up. His sister lost two fingers in the earthquake, and in order to raise money for his rehabilitation training, she went to Guangzhou to work in a restaurant. The Spring Festival is when she earns the most money, and he hasn't spent the Spring Festival with his sister for several years.
Yuan An shook his head and laughed, "Without money, it's all just empty talk. Even if I were to fake it, I'd still need to do rehabilitation exercises. I live alone and don't have many friends, so I'm not going to bother."
Li Junqian pointed to the dishes on the table: "I ran into the girl downstairs who brought you the vegetables. You could tell she cares about you a lot."
Yuan An thought of Meng Zhilei and sighed, "She's a good girl, but with my legs, I don't want to hold her back. I'm just a useless person, I can't do anything. Go buy breakfast for Liang Shi, we've arranged to go pay respects to her parents today, she's probably already up."
Li Junqian, however, was in no hurry. He pointed out his pessimistic and erroneous view: "I don't think that girl was just acting on a whim. Perhaps she has been in your life for a long time. You rejected her because of your health. Do you think that's fair to her? Since she knows about you but still often appears by your side, it means she is prepared to stand with you through thick and thin. Yuan An, you should take that step."
Many earthquake survivors who suffer permanent disabilities often carry psychological scars, which is why the psychological relief and support programs implemented after the disaster were so extensive and necessary. Like Yuan An, although he accepted the reality of losing both legs, he hadn't yet accepted the opinions of others, only daring to face his physical limitations alone. But perhaps having come to terms with it, he reached a different level of understanding.
After Li Junqian finished speaking, he smiled to himself and suddenly felt that he had talked too much today, but if he could, he would like to help Yuan An.
“I…” Yuan An was speechless.
He was conflicted. On the one hand, he accepted all of Meng Zhilei's kindness, which made him feel that he, a disabled person, was still somewhat attractive. But if he really took that step, the two of them would inevitably go further. He couldn't imagine her seeing him going to the toilet with his crutches and taking a bath in the tub. If a healthy and good girl saw this scene, she probably wouldn't want to be with him anymore.
So, it's better not to start at all.
"The bad situation is only temporary. Give it your heart. That's about it. I need to buy breakfast for Liang Shi. What time are you two meeting?"
Yuan An was still pondering his words when he paused for a moment before saying, "9:30."
"If you don't mind, I'll go with you?"
During his conversation with Li Junqian, Yuan An learned that the man was quite reliable, and that if Liang Shi could be with him, it would be a good outcome.
"OK."
...
Li Junqian returned with breakfast. Liang Shi was brushing his teeth in the bathroom. He stood at the bathroom door watching him with a smile in his eyes. It was the first time he had ever seen someone brush their teeth with their eyes closed.
"Are you very sleepy?" he asked, knowing the answer already.
I did go to bed a little late last night.
Liang Shi was brushing his teeth, unable to speak. He looked at Liang Shi in the mirror, his eyes and eyebrows almost furrowed together, as if to say, "Isn't this all your doing?"
"Breakfast is on the table."
Liang Shi rinsed his mouth and tossed the toothbrush into the mouthwash cup: "Trying to curry favor?"
Li Junqian took a set of clothes out of his suitcase and said, "Little Shi, if I wanted to be attentive, I wouldn't have started with breakfast. Last night, I heard your stomach growling..."
Liang Shi had never thought Li Junqian would lie before, but at this moment, Liang Shi knew that he was just teasing him. He had eaten so much hot pot last night, how could his stomach be growling!
"It's freezing cold, Mr. Li, you really have the willpower to do morning exercises. Hurry up and take a shower, or you'll catch a cold in this little temple. No one will take care of you."
After saying that, Liang Shi went to the living room. Good heavens, that familiar smell! It was the potato cakes she used to love! And they were still piping hot!
Although we know the purpose of Li Junqian's trip, we can't just waste food!
The phone on the table rang. Liang Shi stared at the contact name, feeling as if food was stuck in his throat. It was Li Junqian's phone; the caller was his mother.
Today is the eve of the Lunar New Year, and tomorrow is the Spring Festival. No wonder Zhao Jiaren made three phone calls without sparing any effort.
Liang Shi heard the bathroom door open and his footsteps approaching. She peeled a boiled egg and casually said, "Your mom called you three times. She's probably worried sick because she can't find you."
Li Junqian seemed not to hear her, pulled out a chair, and sat to her right, so that the two were at a right angle and could face each other.
"Is it tasty?"
Liang Shi couldn't understand him. Why did he have to make things uneasy for both sides during the New Year? Liang Shi was furious at his irrelevant answer and threw the egg into the bowl: "Tomorrow is the New Year, Mr. Li. I think you should go back to Shanghai as soon as possible. Otherwise... something unpleasant might happen."
She originally thought that if he didn't go back, Zhao Jiaren would definitely investigate his whereabouts and find out about her, then she might really not be able to go back to Shanghai.
Li Junqian remained unmoved and even continued to peel the eggs for her: "Eat breakfast first. I've called a car, and I'll accompany you and Yuan An to pay respects to your parents later."
No wonder there was a pile of fruit and other things on the table. It turns out he really wasn't wasting a single moment; he was eyeing Yuan An!
"Li Junqian. Didn't you understand what I said? Stay away from my friends. And I don't need you to stay with us. I just want you to go back to Shanghai as soon as possible! Can't we talk about our issues when I get back to Shanghai?"
With the Lunar New Year so close, Zhao Jiaren might already be investigating Li Junqian's whereabouts... How annoying!
Li Junqian put the prepared eggs into her bowl, took a tissue and wiped his well-defined fingers: "Xiaoshi, I know what you're worried about. I came here to spend the holiday with you and to tell you that my mother has no right to interfere with my marriage. It was my oversight that she asked you to break up with me."
Sure enough, he guessed the reason!
The Li and Zhao families have been prominent for three generations; how could they possibly allow a woman with no parents and nothing to enter their homes? Even if free love and marriage are advocated now, the disparity in social status ultimately makes love unable to overcome the barriers of social class.
She rubbed her forehead, not wanting to talk about this anymore: "I don't want to talk about this today. As for these new things, I'll give you the price."
"Okay, I won't mention it again today. It's almost time. After you finish eating, change your clothes and go downstairs to call Yuan An. The car will be here soon."
Seeing that he wasn't going to talk about money, Liang Shi didn't bother arguing with him anymore. To be honest, she felt incredibly relieved that someone had arranged everything for her, especially since that person was Li Junqian, who was incredibly thoughtful and attentive.
Eggs are nutritious, so we should eat them and not waste them.
Liang Shi thought about it carefully. With him there, he could be of some help: "You can go with him. Yuan An has a leg problem, and you're a man with more strength, so..."
"good."
Liang Shi glanced at him and even learned to answer first.
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