Chapter 54 Hug Me
On the third day of the long holiday, all the rice of the Ruan family was stored in the warehouse.
The afternoon is free.
Ruan Xingyue sat in the driver's seat and answered Xu Yanzi's call.
The other party seemed a little excited: "Sister Xingyue! I've been thinking about it since I came back, but I still can't remember when it happened. But then I found my elementary school diary and flipped through it all day and night, and finally I remembered it!"
"Well, go ahead."
From Ruan Xingyue's perspective, through the fully open floor-to-ceiling window, she could see Ruan Xingmian hurriedly packing things in the room.
I lose things all the time, but I collect more and more things.
The corner of his usually cold and unruly mouth curled up into a smile, without a trace of impatience on his face.
Xu Yanzi continued, "Sister, during the summer vacation when I was 12, that girl was punished by Teacher Li for dating a little boy and was not allowed to eat dinner. I went to see her that night, and after scolding Teacher Li a few times, she cried and said that she was not Ruan Xingmian at all. She said her name was Ruan Daya, and it wasn't her mother who cared so much. She also said why couldn't she have a relationship when she was 20, but we were only 12 at the time. After that, she never talked to me again, and she no longer appeared in my diary."
20? 12? Six years after the accident...
Ruan Xingmian finally came out, wearing the taro cake skirt she bought for her, a white and green striped vest underneath, a shirt and a sun-protective jacket, and she ran out with a small step.
Ruan Xingyue leaned over and shouted, "Ruan Xingmian, slow down. No one is rushing you."
Ruan Xingyue rubbed her nose with her slender fingers and said to the person on the phone, "Yanzi, thank you. Your memories are very important to Xingmian and me."
After hanging up the phone, he watched Ruan Xingmian climb into the back seat.
Ruan Xingyue started the car: "What do you want to eat tonight?"
Ruan Xingmian still said the same thing: "It's all right."
"I see you have a light taste."
Ruan Xingmian nodded: "When I was a kid, I couldn't eat anything with strong flavors."
Ruan Xingyue asked again: "What's your name over there? How old are you? Do you have any family?"
She saw Ruan Xingmian frown in the rearview mirror and said quickly, "It's just a casual question, you don't have to take it seriously."
Ruan Xingmian nodded and shook her head, indicating that she was just thinking: "I was called Ruan Daya, and later changed my name to Ruan Xingmian. I was 28 when I came here. As for my family, my childhood memories are fragmentary. I never saw my parents, but I think I had a grandparents..."
Ruan Xingyue frowned: "Why do you say it seems like that?"
Ruan Xingmian said dejectedly, "My memories of that world are blurring, but your sister's memories of this world are starting to become clearer."
Ruan Xingmian felt a little depressed, not knowing whether it was because of the memory loss caused by pregnancy.
Ruan Xingyue nodded and stopped talking.
She bit her thin lips lightly and rolled a few numbers on the tip of her tongue.
6 years old.
14 years old.
20 years old.
28 years old.
Exactly fourteen years, fourteen years of being replaced.
She suddenly realized something, and her hands holding the steering wheel trembled slightly, her knuckles turning white.
Ruan Xingyue tried her best to hold back her breath. She wanted to cry but couldn't, and her throat was aching.
A 6-year-old child in the body of a 14-year-old.
Ignorant and unable to take care of himself.
Mentally immature, they are ridiculed, isolated and bullied.
Her lovely baby sister opened her eyes and couldn't see her sister or mother-in-law. She was crying alone in the corner.
When she cries, is there anyone who gently hugs her, comforts her, and gives her something to eat?
How did that little girl, who was afraid of the dark, dogs, and hunger, and had to sleep in the same bed with her sister, get through those helpless and long nights...
Ruan Xingyue pulled over and said in a hoarse voice, "I'm going to go out and have a cigarette."
"You..." Ruan Xingmian stopped her, "You don't seem to be well."
"It's okay." Ruan Xingyue opened the car door and got out, standing on the side of the road with her back to Ruan Xingmian.
She was wearing a black suit and long skirt today, with her long hair casually tied into a fluffy low bun.
Only an ebony hairpin was used to pass diagonally from right to left, and a few strands of hair were slightly scattered at the ends, hanging like ink-colored tassels.
She kept her back to Ruan Xingmian, said she was going to smoke but didn't light a cigarette, and stood alone with her arms folded, being blown by the wind.
Ruan Xingmian couldn't see her expression, but only looked at her lonely back. Suddenly, an indescribable sadness surged in her heart, as heavy as a stone, pressing on her chest.
I don’t know how long it took, but Ruan Xingyue returned to the car, her beautiful eyes and eyebrows seemed to be covered with a layer of mist.
On the way, Ruan Xingyue suddenly forced a smile and said, "Let me tell you about my sister."
Ruan Xingmian leaned back, thinking she was missing the original owner, and empathized with her. She sniffled and said, "Well, you talk, I'm listening."
"She weighed 6.62 jins (16.62 catties) and was born naturally at 6:06 am. The midwife said it was a perfect timing and she will have a smooth and loving life."
Ruan Xingyue glanced up and said, "In fact, her father died young, her mother remarried, and she grew up with her mother-in-law. She has had no one to protect her unconditionally since she was born."
"She's a little girl who's been called an orphan. She laughs like a fool every day. People laugh at her. Ruan Xingmian, your sister is number one in the grade. How many places are you in the class? Your sister is so amazing, you can't even count on your ten fingers..."
She tilted her head: "Guess what the little girl said."
Ruan Xingmian knew this, and deliberately cooperated with Ruan Xingyue to imitate the original owner's childhood coquettish and arrogant tone: "Yes, yes, the first place is my sister, I'm so proud, are you?"
Ruan Xingyue nodded and took a deep breath. "Until September when she was six, she had a car accident and never called me sister again. Whenever someone mentioned my grades, she would throw things and cry about having a headache..."
"Later, I watched her gradually become worse. She wanted to do things that minors were not allowed to do. One day, I slapped her in the face."
Ruan Xingyue pulled over and said, "We're here."
The car stopped in front of an abandoned unfinished building.
She looked so heavy-hearted.
Ruan Xingmian couldn't bear it: "Actually, it's okay for your sister to go through there. I have some money there. But she is really strong-willed and extreme. She has her eyes on the assistant's boyfriend and is trying to steal his girlfriend. The assistant is also very strong-willed..."
Ruan Xingyue raised her hand to interrupt her: "I don't care about her. Everything is her own fault."
After getting off the car, Ruan Xingyue stretched out her hand: "Give me your hand."
She took out a red cloth strip from somewhere, twisted it into a rope and tied it tightly around Ruan Xingmian's wrist.
Ruan Xingmian lowered his head and asked, "What is this?"
"To bring good fortune and ward off evil."
Ruan Xingmian was speechless for a moment. Sister, do you want to see that I am the evil one?
Looking up carefully, I saw the red rope tied around her fair wrist, a bright red that was eye-catching.
Ruan Xingyue took her to the rooftop without saying a word. It was not high, only three stories high.
Amidst the overgrown weeds, there was only a path that Ruan Xingyue was familiar with.
She took Ruan Xingmian and slowly climbed up to the third floor.
Jump onto the rooftop fence first.
Ruan Xingmian marveled at her agility and raised his voice: "Ruan Xingyue, slow down!"
She sat down skillfully, her legs hanging down naturally, "It's okay, I come here often."
Ruan Xingmian approached the fence and looked down. Fortunately, there was a small terrace below, but it was still very dangerous.
She urged Ruan Xingyue: "Why don't we change places?"
It's eerie and scary here.
"Mianmian, I want to show you the place where I have spent the most time in the past few years." She looked straight ahead, tears in her eyes.
Only then did Ruan Xingmian notice that on the terrace at her feet, there was a pile of cigarette butts on the moss, some of which were new.
"What can we see here?" Ruan Xingmian followed her gaze and looked into the distance. His eyes paused. There were white dots on the opposite mountain. That was a cemetery!
Ruan Xingyue played with a cigarette between her fingers, spinning it like a pen: "I came to see my friend."
She turned around and said, "She was raped and murdered by a man and died on the rooftop of the Children's Palace..."
Ruan Xingyue paused: "Are you afraid?"
If she was afraid, she wouldn't say it.
Ruan Xingmian shook his head and said, "You seem to really need an audience. I can overcome that."
Ruan Xingyue turned around and looked at one of the graves. "Her body was exposed to the rain all night. The murderer was very skilled and had a strong anti-detection awareness. He covered her mouth and nose with her clothes and took away all the evidence afterwards. The rooftop was as clean as if it had been washed..."
Ruan Xingyue shook her head. "She had clearly made an appointment with me that day to look at schools and majors together. I confirmed her admission to University A as a sophomore and planned a comprehensive curriculum for her. She wanted to stay at the best dance school in City A, learn ancient dance, and perform on a big stage. All of these were possible... but everything was ruined that summer."
She turned to look at Ruan Xingmian: "Mianmian, do you know why I am telling you this?"
Ruan Xingmian looked at her and said, "You may need someone to listen to you. I can be that person."
"Because my sister asked her to go up to the rooftop, saying I was bringing her some study materials. She tricked her onto the rooftop and locked her up just to get back at me for slapping her."
Ruan Xingyue dug her nails deep into her flesh. "After she died, thanks to surveillance, the case was quickly solved. Her family received five million in compensation from the Lu family. Her parents divorced the next day and are now living happily ever after. Her body lay in the morgue, unattended. I put in a lot of effort to keep her close to me."
She lowered her eyes. "Many times, I wanted to strangle that stupid little sister and then commit suicide. Do you understand the despair of watching your lovely little sister deteriorate step by step and become completely rotten?"
Ruan Xingmian just looked at her: "Do you need a hug?"
She can give.
Ruan Xingyue thought for a moment, turned around, and hugged Ruan Xingmian from top to bottom.
Just like when I bent down to hug Ruan Xingmian when I was a child.
The warm liquid hit Ruan Xingmian's neck. She felt her sadness and couldn't help but pat her twice: "I understand how you feel. If you want, you can treat me as your new sister."
"No." Ruan Xingyue straightened up, her expression regaining its composure. "I only have one sister, the only one."
Ruan Xingmian frowned, looking sad and embarrassed.
"Ruan Xingmian." Ruan Xingyue called her seriously, "Only you are Ruan Xingmian."
She jumped down from the rooftop railing and said, "You're home, Mianmian."
Ruan Xingmian: “?”
"That person calls herself Ruan Daya and doesn't remember anything about her childhood. You're the only one who remembers the childhood memories of Wangshanping."
I heard the original owner reveal that her real name was Ruan Daya.
Ruan Xingmian's breathing suddenly stopped.
She looked up in disbelief, "Are you saying that I am Ruan Xingmian and not Ruan Daya?"
Ruan Xingyue nodded. "I've suspected countless times before that that person wasn't my sister, but once she complained of a headache, I retracted my suspicions. I've been reading similar papers lately, as well as a lot of systematic research studies. Don't you have a system?"
Ruan Xingmian shook her head, she didn't.
She looked at Ruan Xingyue, tears welling in her eyes. She sniffed hard, pointed at herself and then at Ruan Xingyue: "You mean, grandpa and grandma are mine, mom and dad are mine, Xu Yanzi is mine, and that pillar is mine too?"
Ruan Xingyue nodded, tears welling in her eyes as well: "Where's my sister? She's not yours anymore?"
Ruan Xingmian stared at her stubbornly, tears falling like pearls from a broken string.
Ruan Xingyue raised her hand to wipe her tears: "Don't cry, if you cry like a big crybaby, you will give birth to a little crybaby."
Ruan Xingmian wiped her tears with both hands: "Who just got off the car and cried like a dog and didn't let anyone see it?"
Ruan Xingyue paused her hand that was wiping her tears, and looked at her quietly. Tears surged again, instantly drowning her rebellious and cold face.
Seeing her cry, Ruan Xingmian felt even more distressed: "Don't cry."
Ruan Xingyue let her tears fall: "I didn't cry."
Ruan Xingmian's tears kept coming out no matter how hard she tried to wipe them.
Ruan Xingyue wiped her carefully over and over again: "If you cry again, I'll call Gu to wake up and comfort you. I can't comfort you anymore."
Ruan Xingmian looked at her: "Hug me, sister, hug me."
Ruan Xingyue was stunned, opened her arms, and hugged her lost sister tightly in her arms.
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