Chapter 48
The early summer sun penetrated the clean glass of the hospital room, trailing a trail of dancing dust particles as it fell on Jiang Yu's freshly packed suitcase. The smell of disinfectant in the air faded considerably, replaced by the faint scent of grass and trees wafting through the window. He stood by the window, no longer wearing his blue and white striped hospital gown, but a crisp, dark shirt and trousers. His figure was slimmer, and the lines of his face, shimmering in the sunlight, revealed a long-lost sharpness and composure. Li Mo waited quietly by the side, discharge documents in hand.
There was a gentle knock on the ward door, then it was pushed open.
Jiang Yu's parents walked in first. His mother, dressed in a well-tailored light-colored suit and delicately made-up, had a look of relief at her son's recovery, but also a hint of worry about the future. His father, remaining calm, glanced at his son's tall figure and nodded imperceptibly.
Following behind Jiang's father and mother was Xia Wan.
Today she wore a plain, light pink suit, her long hair loosely tied up, revealing her slender neck. The sunlight framed her beautiful profile, a faint hint of dark blue still lingering under her eyes, but her gaze was calm and gentle, and a perfectly balanced smile played on her lips. In her hands, she held a bouquet of fresh sunflowers. The bright yellow petals blossomed brilliantly in the morning light, like a small cluster of frozen sunlight, instantly brightening the somewhat silent ward.
"Xiao Yu, have you packed your things? The car is downstairs." Jiang's mother stepped forward and naturally straightened the wrinkles on her son's collar, which did not exist in the first place. Her eyes swept across the right arm protector that was still fixed on his chest, feeling distressed and helpless.
"Yeah, everything's fine," Jiang Yu agreed, his gaze darting past his mother's shoulder to the bouquet of sunflowers and Xia Wan, who was holding it. A hint of warmth flashed across his deep eyes, like a crack in a glacier, gushing out warm spring water. He nodded slightly at her, a barely perceptible curve at the corner of his lips.
Xia Wan stepped forward and handed over the bouquet of sunflowers. Her voice was clear and gentle: "Congratulations on your discharge, President Jiang. Sunflowers grow towards the sun. I hope President Jiang will also be able to recover in the same way."
Her wording was polite and measured in a workplace, cleverly avoiding intimacy, but there was an unspoken wish hidden in the implication of "growing towards the sun".
Jiang Yu was stunned. He had never expected Xia Wan, the woman he had kissed and embraced, to address him with such unfamiliarity. "Thank you, it's beautiful." Jiang Yu extended his left hand to take the bouquet, his fingertips carelessly brushing against her slightly cool fingers. The vibrant vitality of the sunflowers pressed against his chest, carrying the scent of sunshine and dew, as well as her own. He lowered his head, his gaze lingering for a moment on the bright yellow petals.
Li Mo stepped forward in time to take the luggage, and the group walked towards the elevator.
As the elevator descended, the atmosphere in the small space became tense. Jiang's mother's gaze shifted imperceptibly between her son and Xia Wan. She saw the shock and then gentleness in her son's eyes as he accepted the flowers, and also saw Xia Wan maintain her polite yet distant demeanor. This eased her anxieties about their mismatched social status, but it also gave rise to another complex feeling: this girl was too tactful and patient, which made her feel a little hard to understand.
Jiang's father paid more attention to the numbers jumping in the elevator, occasionally whispering a few words with Li Mo about the company's latest developments, and did not pay much attention to the silent undercurrent between the two young men behind him.
The elevator arrived at the underground garage. The Jiang family's driver was already waiting beside the spacious black sedan. Li Mo quickly put the luggage in the trunk.
"Xiao Yu, get in the car. You still need more rest." Jiang's mother opened the car door, her tone full of unquestionable concern.
Jiang Yu didn't move immediately. He turned and looked at Xia Wan, who stood a few steps away. Sunlight slanted in from the garage entrance, casting a hazy glow around her. She stood there quietly, clutching her small bag, like an elegant ink painting against a backdrop of cold steel and concrete.
"Xia Wan," he began, his voice low and clear. He paused, his gaze lingering on her face, with a hint of inquiry in his eyes, "Can you take me home? I've prepared some refreshments at home."
"Yes, Miss Xia, let's go up and sit together." Jiang's mother also spoke at the right time, with a decent social smile on her face, but her tone was polite as if she was treating an ordinary partner.
Xia Wan met Jiang Yu's gaze, then glanced at Jiang's mother, who was smiling naturally, her eyes devoid of eagerness. She clearly understood the politeness and testing behind the invitation. To her, the Jiang family mansion, nestled in the prime location of Jinzhou, now felt more like an invisible arena.
She smiled gently, her eyes clear and open, without the slightest hesitation or retreat, yet with a clear sense of boundaries: "Thank you, Auntie, and thank you, Director Jiang, for your kindness. However, there is an important project coordination meeting at the hospital this afternoon, so I have to go back early to prepare some materials." Her tone was natural, her reasons were sufficient, and she was impeccable. "I am relieved to see that Director Jiang has been discharged smoothly and has recovered well. He still needs to rest for the follow-up recovery, so I won't bother you any further."
Her words were flawless and gave both parties enough respect.
Jiang Yu felt a gentle prick in his heart as he gazed into her calm, unwavering eyes. He understood her concerns, and the boundaries she had drawn. The brief moment of vulnerability and dependence she'd briefly displayed in the ward's sunset seemed like an illusion. He respected her "space," but that respect only brought with it a deeper sense of powerlessness.
"Okay." He finally nodded, his voice devoid of emotion. "Work is important. Be careful on the road."
"I will. Mr. Jiang, take good care of yourself too." Xia Wan nodded again and turned her gaze to Jiang's father and mother. "Uncle and aunt, goodbye."
"Miss Xia, take care." Jiang's father responded calmly. Jiang's mother also maintained a smile: "Be careful on the road."
Xia Wan turned and walked calmly and steadily to the other side of the garage, where the online taxi she had called in advance was parked. The sound of her high heels tapping on the ground echoed crisply in the empty garage, gradually fading away.
Jiang Yu stood there, watching the slender figure disappear in the dazzling light of the garage entrance. The bouquet of sunflowers in his hand seemed to have lost the warmth it had a moment ago.
"Let's go." Jiang's father's voice sounded behind him.
Jiang Yu retracted his gaze, suppressed the emotions surging in his eyes, bent down and sat in the car.
The car door closed, shutting out the light and sound from outside. The cabin was filled with the scent of leather seats and car fragrance. Jiang's mother looked at her son's silent profile, hesitated for a moment, and finally couldn't help but speak. Her tone was tentative and contained a subtle admonition: "Xiaoyu, Miss Xia... seems like a sensible girl. However, she is so busy with work. Will she be able to take good care of you in the future? I still feel..."
"Mom," Jiang Yu interrupted his mother, his eyes cast at the rapidly receding city scene outside the car window. His voice was not loud, but it carried a quiet tiredness and unquestionable tone, "I am responsible for my own life. Xia Wan is fine, she doesn't need to 'take care' of me. We... have our own way of getting along." He deliberately emphasized "we".
Jiang's mother was choked. Looking at her son's cold and hard profile, she said nothing in the end. She just sighed softly.
The carriage fell silent, with only the monotonous sound of wheels scraping against the ground echoing.
Jiang Yu leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. Xia Wan's final image, as she turned away, and the distant calmness in her eyes, recurred in his mind. He subconsciously tightened his left hand, as if he could still feel the cool touch of her fingers on his fingertips.
Xia Wan's destination was not to go to the hospital to organize materials, but to rush to the other end of the city - the high-speed rail station.
The high-speed train churned smoothly toward the small northern city of Jincheng. Xia Wan sat by the window, looking out over the rolling green plains of the north, a stark contrast to the skyscrapers of Jinzhou. She had traded her formal business suit for a comfortable cotton and linen shirt and trousers, her long hair undone, her face a faint trace of fatigue from the long journey. Her eyes gazed blankly out the window at the fields passing by.
The phone screen lit up, and it was Lin Wei's message:
"Wanbao! Did you pick up Mr. Jiang from your house? How was the situation? Did the Queen Mother Jiang give you any trouble? (Rubbing hands nervously)"
Xia Wan's fingertips moved slightly and replied:
"I was discharged safely. I gave her the flowers and left. It was... quite a formality."
Lin Wei replied immediately:
"Respectable? (Confused face) Why does that word sound a bit chilling? You're just leaving like that? Mr. Jiang didn't try to keep you?"
Xia Wan: "He tried to keep me, out of courtesy. I politely declined as well. We both knew our place. (Smile)"
Lin Wei: "...(covering her chest) My CP! This damn sense of propriety for adults! Wanbao, can you not be so clear-headed? Can't you just throw yourself at him once in a while?!"
Xia Wan laughed and tapped with her fingertips:
"Throw him in? Throw him into his priceless living room and subject him to his mother's 360-degree scrutiny? Wei Ma, spare me. I just finished chewing on a bone and don't have the energy for any more palace intrigue. Go home and recharge."
Lin Wei: "(Sighs) Alright, alright, charging is important! Bring it to Auntie for me! Get some rest! We'll fight again when you come back!"
Xia Wan put down her phone, the smile fading from her lips. Lin Wei's antics had dispelled some of the tedium of the journey, but the heavy, empty feeling in her heart remained. Jiang's mother's polite, distant gaze, Jiang Yu's deep, unfathomable gaze as he silently accepted her departure, and the bouquet of sunflowers left in the car... all of them settled silently like tiny dust particles.
The air in Jincheng carried the familiar scent of dry dust and the faint fragrance of locust flowers. Xia Wan dragged her suitcase out of the slightly dated station and immediately spotted her mother waiting at the exit.
"Mom!" Xia Wan walked over quickly, and a smile finally appeared on her face, showing her complete relaxation after returning home.
Xia's mother, Zhou Wenjuan, wore a well-worn floral shirt, her hair meticulously combed. Her eyes bore the marks of time, but her expression remained bright and gentle. She took the suitcase from her daughter, surveyed it, and immediately frowned. "You've lost weight! You've lost weight again! You've only been gone a few days. Have you been skipping meals again? No matter how busy you are at work, you have to take care of yourself!" Her tone was chastising, but her eyes were filled with heartache.
"No, Mom, I'm fine." Xia Wan took her mother's arm and nuzzled it affectionately. The familiar scent of her mother, a mixture of oil smoke and soap, was like a potent tranquilizer, instantly soothing the tension she'd felt for days.
Returning to that familiar little home, the air was filled with the warm aroma of home-cooked meals.
Xia Wan put down her luggage, took a deep breath, and the scent of home instantly filled her every limb.
Dinner was a selection of Xia Wan's favorite home-cooked dishes: tender and flavorful braised pork ribs, crispy stir-fried vegetables, and a small bowl of steamed egg custard sprinkled with chopped green onions. Xia's mother kept serving food to her daughter, and the wrinkles around her eyes softened as she watched her devour the food.
"Yangyang went to Shanghai with his master for an internship and won't be back this year..." Mother Xia muttered, her eyes filled with unwavering love. "Eat slowly, don't choke. Is that enough? There's still soup in the pot..."
"Enough, enough, Mom, it's delicious!" Xia Wan mumbled, her mouth full, enjoying this long-lost, unburdened pampering. Only in front of her mother could she always be the little girl who could act coquettishly, complain about being tired, and be accepted unconditionally.
After dinner, Xia Wan took the initiative to clear the dishes. Mother and daughter squeezed into the small kitchen. The water rushed and the dishes clattered against each other.
"Wanwan," Zhou Wenjuan said casually while wiping the stove, her tone cautious and tentative, "Can you stay a few more days this time? Mom sees that you don't look well. Are you too tired from work? Or... ask your boss for a leave and rest for a few more days?"
Xia Wan paused while washing the dishes. She knew what her mother really wanted to ask. Her mother was always extra sensitive at this time of year. She softened her voice, "Mom, the May Day holiday is almost here, and I've taken two days off, which will last a week. Work... is a little busy, but it's all over now. I can handle it."
"Oh, that's good, that's good." Zhou Wenjuan nodded and silently wiped the already shiny stove. The only sound in the kitchen was the running water.
After a while, she seemed to have made up her mind. She turned around and looked at her daughter, her eyes full of worry and hesitation: "Wanwan, tell mom the truth...your personal problem...what are you thinking? Look at you, you're about to...Alas, mom is either urging you or afraid of you...Afraid that you'll always be alone and it's too hard. If your dad were still here..." When she mentioned her husband, her voice choked and she couldn't go on.
Xia Wan turned off the faucet, and the kitchen fell silent. She dried her hands, turned, and faced her mother. Under the dim light, the worry and unfulfilled anticipation in her mother's eyes pierced her heart like fine needles. She knew there were some things she couldn't avoid.
She took a deep breath and helped her mother sit down on the old fabric sofa in the living room. On the coffee table, warm jasmine tea was brewing in an old-fashioned glass, exuding a faint aroma.
"Mom," Xia Wan's voice was soft, yet filled with a calm determination, "I... have a partner."
Zhou Wenjuan's eyes lit up instantly, like two small flames: "Really?! Where is he from? What does he do? What is he like? Is he good to you? When will you bring him back for mom to see?" A series of questions came out impatiently.
Xia Wan watched her mother's sudden glow, a pang of sadness welling up in her heart. She held her mother's rough hand and began to speak, "His name... is Jiang Yu. We... were high school classmates." She paused, then added, "He's... the guy sitting in front of you I mentioned before."
"The desk in front?" Zhou Wenjuan was stunned for a moment, then remembered. A sudden realization and a slightly delighted smile crossed her face. "Oh! That boy you always liked to talk about back in high school, the one with excellent grades and a very energetic appearance? Isn't that right? Mom remembers! Back then, you also said that his notes were very neat and you always liked to borrow them! Oh, it turns out to be an old classmate! That's great! We know each other well! What job does he do now?"
"Yes, it's him." Xia Wan nodded, acknowledging the name that had haunted her throughout her youth. Seeing the pure joy on her mother's face, the hesitation in her heart was suppressed. Her voice remained calm. "He now... runs his own company, specializing in architectural structural consulting. It's quite large and well-known in Jinzhou."
Zhou Wenjuan's smile widened. "Starting a company is great! You're capable! So...what about his family? What do his parents do?"
Here it comes. Xia Wan's heart sank slightly. She picked up the teacup, feeling the warmth from the cup's walls with her fingertips. Avoiding her mother's eager gaze, she lowered her voice a few notches: "His parents... are both abroad. His family... is well off."
"Overseas? Good conditions?" Zhou Wenjuan keenly caught the unusual tinge in her daughter's tone. Her smile faded a little, and she pressed, "How good? Wanwan, tell me more specifically."
Xia Wan put down her teacup, raised her head, and met her mother's cautious gaze, no longer avoiding it. "His father is a Chinese businessman, and his mother... is a pianist. Their family... has businesses in Jinzhou and also has roots overseas. The apartment he lives in is in Jinzhou's prime riverside location, one apartment per floor."
She stated the facts clearly, without exaggeration or derogatory criticism. Every word was like a heavy stone, hitting Zhou Wenjuan's heart.
The living room fell into a brief silence, and the chirping of insects outside the window was particularly clear.
The smile on Zhou Wenjuan's face completely vanished. Looking at her daughter's face, calm yet tinged with a subtle hint of fatigue, her heart sank. Her brow furrowed tightly, her eyes filled with shock, worry, and a hint of...instinctive resistance.
"Wanwan..." Zhou Wenjuan's voice trembled slightly, filled with disbelief and great worry. "How...how could you...how could you find a family like this?"
She grabbed her daughter's hand tightly with her backhand, so hard that Xia Wan felt pain. "It's not a good match! This is not a small difference! Wanwan, listen to what mom says, what's the situation in our family? Your father passed away early, leaving only the three of us, ordinary people! What kind of family is that? They are like clouds in the sky! We can't reach them, and we can't even climb up to them!"
Her mother's excitement and blunt remark about "they're not a good match" were like a bucket of cold water, pouring down on her head. Xia Wan looked at the deep fear in her mother's eyes, the deep understanding of class differences that came from the hardships of life, and felt a mixture of emotions.
"Mom," she tried to comfort him, her voice still steady, "Jiang Yu...he is a very good person. We..."
"A nice person? What's the point of being nice?" Zhou Wenjuan interrupted her eagerly, her eyes slightly red. "Wanwan, you're too young! You don't understand! That kind of family has so many rules and regulations! So many things to pay attention to! Think about it, who's his mother? A pianist! How particular and picky is that? People like us who come from a humble family, how we eat, talk, and dress, which one of them can possibly please others? You think he's nice now, but that's because he's still new! Once we get to the point of talking about marriage, all the differences will become apparent! Who will be wronged then? It's you, Wanwan!"
She grew increasingly emotional as she spoke, as if she could see her daughter's future suffering injustice in a wealthy family. "Look at what's shown on TV. How many of those who marry into wealthy families have a good ending? Either they're bullied by their mother-in-law or disliked by their husbands! Wanwan, I've been through this before, and I don't want to see you go the wrong way! Let's just live a stable life, find someone of equal status who understands us and cares for us, and live a down-to-earth life. Why suffer that?"
Her mother's worries surged like a tide, each word hammering at Xia Wan's heart. Wasn't she also worried? Wasn't Jiang's mother's critical gaze the best proof? She looked at her mother's anxious, red eyes, felt the trembling in her hands, and felt a pang of pain in her heart.
She didn't argue, but simply squeezed her mother's hand tighter. Her voice was low but carried a strange soothing power: "Mom, I understand your worries. I've thought about everything you said."
She paused, gazing out the window at the dark night, as if gathering her thoughts. "Jiang Yu... might not be what you think. He's been through a lot, been hurt, and... hurt others. His mother... really cares about family background." She frankly stated Jiang's mother's attitude. "The last time he was discharged from the hospital, I gave him flowers, and his mother politely invited me up to sit with her, but I declined. I know that door isn't that easy to get through."
Zhou Wenjuan listened, tears welling up in her eyes. She patted her daughter's hand distressedly: "Silly child, you know everything, and you still..."
"Mom, please listen to me." Xia Wan gently interrupted her mother, turning her gaze back to her mother's face, her eyes clear and firm. "But Jiang Yu... he's different. He respects my work and understands my persistence. When I'm working on the most difficult projects, he'll silently support me from behind, not with money, but in his own way, giving me strength and inspiration. He even got hurt... to save me."
Xia Wan's voice choked as she mentioned that thrilling scene, but she fought back the tears and continued, "Mom, I'm not after his family's money or their influence. I just... really like him as a person. I like his resilience in struggling to get back on his feet after going through a low point, and I like his clumsiness and sincerity in learning to love someone in a healthier way. With him, I feel at ease and can be myself."
She took a deep breath and spoke out what was deep in her heart: "As for family background... I know it's a huge gap. I'm afraid too. I'm afraid that I'm not good enough, that his family won't accept me, and that I'll suffer endless grievances in the future. But Mom, if I give up on someone I feel is worth it and someone I'm willing to work hard for just because of fear, then... wouldn't that be a pity?"
Xia Wan's voice was low, but each word was clear, carrying a calm strength that came from a lifetime of struggle. She was no longer a little girl in need of her mother's protection, but an adult who saw the thorns ahead and chose to move forward.
Zhou Wenjuan stared at her daughter in amazement. The gleam in her eyes, the quiet determination, the clear understanding and responsibility she displayed for her emotions, all felt unfamiliar to her, yet also carried a profound power. She suddenly realized her daughter had grown up. No longer the little girl who needed her guidance and protection. She had her own judgment, her own choices, and even the courage to shoulder the consequences.
The living room fell silent again. Only the ticking of the old-fashioned wall clock recorded the passage of time. The aroma of jasmine tea quietly filled the air.
Zhou Wenjuan was silent for a long time, so long that Xia Wan thought her mother still couldn't accept it. She gently pulled her hand away, which had been numb from her mother's grip, and prepared to stand up.
"Wanwan..." Zhou Wenjuan suddenly spoke, her voice hoarse, filled with deep fatigue and a hint of imperceptible compromise, "Do you... really think he's worth it?"
Xia Wan paused and looked at her mother. The fierce opposition in her mother's eyes seemed to fade a little, leaving only deep worry.
"Yeah." Xia Wan nodded vigorously, without a trace of hesitation in her eyes, "It's worth it."
Zhou Wenjuan sighed deeply and long, as if to expel all the worry and helplessness in her heart. She raised her hand, and her rough fingers gently brushed her daughter's cheek, her gesture full of love.
"Since you think it's worth it..." Her voice was very soft, with a kind of resigned desolation, "Then... give it a try. Mom... can't stop you. But Wanwan, you have to promise me that no matter what, you will never let yourself down. Our family is small and ordinary, but my daughter is no worse than anyone else! If... if you've really been wronged, don't bear it, come home. Here with Mom, you'll always have food to eat and a place for you to stay."
Her mother's words contained no blessing, only the simplest concession and the most solid support. Xia Wan's tears welled up instantly, and she threw herself into her mother's arms, tightly hugging this thin body that worried about her, compromised for her, and gave her the whole world.
"Mom...thank you." Tears silently soaked the fabric on the mother's shoulders.
Zhou Wenjuan gently patted her daughter's back, as if lulling her to sleep when she was little, her eyes welling with tears. She looked out the window at the darkening night, muttering to herself, "Old Xia, do you see? Our daughter has grown up and has her own ideas. You... in heaven, please protect her."
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