Chapter 37
For seven or eight consecutive nights, Ren Qiao'an walked alone on the small paths on campus.
Ren Qiao'an was reflecting on himself and was also feeling anxious.
She had to admit that she was very annoyed that she couldn't contact Guiqulaixie.
She had to admit that she missed Guiqulaixie and Jinxi.
well.
Before he knew it, Ren Qiao'an had reached the playground, where a large blue net trapped the vibrant crowd. Through the mesh, he could see figures running enthusiastically. Ren Qiao'an loved watching others run at night. Everyone ran for different reasons: aspirations, resentment, joy, struggle... just like Ren Qiao'an's own thoughts.
Suddenly, a familiar figure flashed across Ren Qiaoyuan’s eyes. Is this... Jin Xi?
Ren Qiao'an's expression was one of disbelief. Her body stiffened for a moment, then her gaze, reassuring her, followed closely the figure that had only appeared in her dreams. It was really Jin Xi! She was back.
After confirming that everything was correct, Ren Qiao'an could no longer move. She just watched the man run round and round quietly.
It lasted for a long time, so long that Ren Qiaoan was tired of just standing.
The man was still running, from running fast to slower and slower.
…
Ren Qiao'an could feel the exhaustion of the person on the track. Was she venting something? Ren Qiao'an didn't know.
After running until she had used up her last bit of strength, Jin Xi slowly walked towards the rest area.
Sitting on the cement steps, the evening breeze swept away the heat from beneath her sweatshirt, bringing a slight coolness to Jin Xi, a feeling she loved. The steam rising from her skin, mingled with the scalding sweat, gave Jin Xi a firm sense of her own body, a real, existing woman.
"for you."
Suddenly, a slender hand appeared in Jinxi's eyes, holding mineral water and wet wipes.
Is it her?
Ren Qiao'an was very glad that there were vending machines near the playground. Without these things, Ren Qiao'an really couldn't find any reason to get close to her.
"..." Jin Xi hesitated for a moment, then took the things. Ren Qiao'an also sat next to her, but no one took the initiative to start a conversation.
Um…
Then what? What should we do next? Ren Qiao'an! Ren Qiao'an, please say something! What are you doing here?
Ren Qiao'an glanced at the people around him several times, and each time he seemed to be hesitant to speak.
"You... have..." Jin Xi wanted Ren Qiao'an to speak up, but Ren Qiao'an suddenly stood up. Jin Xi looked at Ren Qiao'an in surprise, not knowing what she wanted to do. Ren Qiao'an quickly took off his coat and put it on her.
"Be careful not to catch a cold." After saying that, Ren Qiao'an sat down again.
"..." Beneath the red and white plaid coat, there was still the warmth of its original owner. This was the nth time Ren Qiao'an had given her the coat. Jin Xi couldn't help but laugh out loud, "Pfft."
Jin Xi's laughter reached Ren Qiao'an's ears, and his ears turned red. She didn't do anything wrong, right?
Suddenly, Ren Qiao'an felt a weight on his shoulders, and a blush crept onto his cheeks.
"Tell me, why would two people who don't love each other have a child?"
Why is this happening? Is it because they have a child that their love has faded? Jin Xi doesn’t understand.
"..." Jin Xi's actions made Ren Qiao'an blush and his heart beat faster, but Jin Xi's words made Ren Qiao'an's heart tremble. Ren Qiao'an tilted his head to look at Jin Xi. The girl in front of him, with ink-black eyes, looked intently at the distant night.
Is this why she is unhappy?
Perhaps it was because Ren Qiao'an was staring too intently, Jin Xi felt a little uncomfortable being stared at. She raised her eyes to look at Ren Qiao'an, and the moment their eyes met, Ren Qiao'an turned his head away, pretending to look straight ahead.
Jin Xi raised the corner of her mouth and could not help but rub Ren Qiao'an's shoulder. It was so nice. The tip of her nose was filled with the scent of Ren Qiao'an, and her body was also filled with the scent of Ren Qiao'an. The refreshing soap scent made Jin Xi relax.
"My life is such a mess." Jin Xi suddenly missed this taste very much, but it could never belong to her.
"No." Ren Qiao'an retorted subconsciously, "You are good, and your life is good too."
"..." From this angle, Jin Xi could see Ren Qiao'an's smooth chin, her fair neck, and even the fine hairs and blue veins on her skin. Jin Xi could also feel Ren Qiao'an's stiff body and nervousness, but being around her was truly reassuring, so reassuring that she was willing to believe her words.
"Do you know why I came home this time?"
"Hmm?" Ren Qiao'an glanced at Jin Xi out of the corner of his eye, and Jin Xi looked away again.
"Blind date." Jin Xi looked into the distant night and slowly uttered a word that seemed ridiculous to her.
"Huh?" Ren Qiaoyuan looked at Jin Xi in disbelief and asked sincerely, "How old are you?" There was no need to be so anxious.
"He just wanted to keep me back home."
"He is?" Jinxi's parents were so...traditional? Ren Qiao'an had never expected that.
"My grandpa." Jin Xi looked at the sky in the distance and spoke slowly, "My parents divorced when I was young. Later, they each started a family and had children. So, my grandpa has been raising me all the time." It was strange that after her parents divorced, both of them developed better. Her father's business was booming, and her mother married a good man. Everything was so perfect, except Jin Xi.
Become redundant.
"..." Jin Xi's words were concise, but contained a huge amount of information. Ren Qiaoan listened quietly and digested it.
"Grandpa is very good to me, but he is a stubborn old man who always tries every possible means to make me stay in my hometown so that he can arrange my life for me." This time, he even teamed up with his mother to deceive her. God knows how panicked and scared Jin Xi was when she learned that her grandfather was seriously ill. Jin Xi didn't even know what kind of mood she was in when she returned home. She was so scared, scared that the only grandfather in the world who loved her and treated her well would no longer want her and abandon her. But when she opened the door, Jin Xi saw a table full of delicious food and wine, her grandfather's satisfied expression, her mother's hypocritical smile, and a strange man.
“…What about you?”
"Hmm?" Jin Xi raised her head and looked at Ren Qiaoyuan in confusion.
Ren Qiaoan said seriously, "What is your choice? It's your life, you choose it."
Sometimes, Ren Qiao'an's thoughts are simple and cruel.
"I..." Jin Xi was furious with her grandfather. She overturned the table full of delicious food and wine, and then her grandfather was actually hospitalized. She was so angry that she said, "I'm scared..." Jin Xi was terrified just thinking about it. She was so angry at the time that she never thought her grandfather would be so angry. She was so scared that her grandfather would really...
Fear, anger, and unwillingness, Jin Xi's eyes were red, and the next second, Jin Xi fell into a warm hug.
"Don't cry, I'm scared too." Ren Qiao'an said sullenly. Ren Qiao'an didn't know Jin Xi's family, and couldn't empathize with Jin Xi, but she couldn't bear to see Jin Xi cry.
Jin Xi didn't want to cry, but Ren Qiao'an's hug was so warm that it made her cry, "Why is he so stubborn?" He was so stubborn that he was willing to let Jin Xi break up with her father just for a house; he was so stubborn that he was willing to join forces with his daughter to deceive her so that she could get married; he was so stubborn that he wanted to leave everything he had to her regardless of his sons and daughters' objections.
"I know he is doing this for my own good. He wants to arrange everything for me so that I can be happy and worry-free, but I really can't do it. I can't marry someone I don't love." Jin Xi buried her head in Ren Qiao'an's shoulder, crying, "I'm not happy. I'm not happy." Jin Xi missed her childhood when she could act coquettishly with her grandfather without any worries. After growing up, everything changed.
"It's okay, it's okay." Ren Qiao'an could hear Jin Xi's sobbing voice. She felt like she had bitten into a bitter piece of dark chocolate. "No one can be with someone they don't love. It's not your problem." Ren Qiao'an couldn't help but pat Jin Xi's back, as if comforting a child. "Talk to your grandfather. Who knows, he might... If that doesn't work out, we can retreat to advance and go along with his wishes for a perfunctory blind date. You're only a sophomore. He definitely won't really let you get married before graduation. It's a temporary deal. Two years is not a short time. By then... you might..." Ren Qiao'an didn't know what he was talking about. "If you really find the right person, a boy, true love and so on, and your grandfather is satisfied, then everyone will be happy. By then, your grandfather will be reluctant to let you get married so early. Besides, people change. Some parents' ideas change from day to day, just like the weather forecast."
"Pfft" Jin Xi was successfully amused by Ren Qiao'an's words, "You are so optimistic."
"Ah?" Ren Qiao'an didn't hear Jin Xi's laughter, but only felt that Jin Xi's voice was muffled. "It's not that I'm optimistic, it's just that, people should still be happy." Ren Qiao'an felt guilty when she said this. Her mood recently didn't seem to be "cheerful and happy", and she even "shamelessly" advised others.
"Um…"
At this moment, Ren Qiao'an was standing, while Jin Xi was sitting on the nearly one-meter-high platform. Ren Qiao'an was impulsive, his body reacting faster than his brain. When he saw Jin Xi's eyes moistening, he stood up in a flash of impulse and hugged Jin Xi in his arms.
At this moment, Ren Qiaoyuan realized belatedly that something was wrong.
At first, Ren Qiao'an leaned forward slightly towards Jin Xi. Slowly, realizing that something was wrong, Ren Qiao'an stood up straight. Now, it was Jin Xi who put her arms around Ren Qiao'an's neck, as if not allowing him to leave.
The air became still.
"..." What else should I say? Ren Qiao'an has never been good at comforting people. How about just standing there quietly?
Neither of them spoke, and the atmosphere suddenly became strange.
Jin Xi, who had calmed down, suddenly felt ashamed, and a blush crept up her cheeks. At the same time, the quiet environment allowed Jin Xi to clearly hear the "thumping" sound of Ren Qiao'an's heartbeat.
She wasn't the only one feeling nervous, was she?
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