Chapter 63 Asthma Attack
The plane was about to take off. After composing herself in the bathroom, Ruan Jingwei returned to say goodbye to Lan Jia.
Lan Jia held the straw of a glass of orange juice, staring blankly with a serious expression.
"I have to go." She packed her belongings into her bag and looked at Lan Jia.
She then snapped out of her daze, forced a smile, and said, "Alright, have a safe trip."
Ruan Jingwei opened her arms and gave her a brief hug before quickly leaving with her plane ticket.
Inside the coffee shop, only Lan Jia remained. On the small wooden round table, Ruan Jingwei's glass of juice still sat, barely touched. Everything was fleeting, like flowing water leaving no trace, like passing clouds, coming and going around her, never to be grasped or held onto.
She didn't know how long she sat there, until a staff member came over to ask if she wanted to try the store's new drinks. Only then did she belatedly realize that her face was wet. In the chaos, she politely declined and fled the coffee shop as if escaping. As for how Zuo Tai took her home afterward, she had no memory of it at all.
It was getting late, and Meng Cenjun had arrived home. For the first time ever, she sat on the sofa in the living room and started reading.
Lan Jia changed her shoes and walked forward, her legs feeling weak. As she passed by, he called out to her, "Why are you only coming back now?"
The guest room was dark, with the only light source coming from a floor lamp beside him. The soft beige light shone on his face, making his handsome features appear much gentler. Unfortunately, because he was turning his head to look at her, he was enveloped in a half-light and half-dark atmosphere.
Lan Jiali stood there gazing at him from afar, feeling for the first time how unfamiliar and unfathomable he seemed.
Seeing her silence, Meng Cenjun's voice softened further: "Come sit down for a while."
Lan Jia walked over step by step and sat down beside him.
He put down his book, reached out and put his arm around her shoulder to bring her closer.
"Bad mood?"
She leaned against him and said expressionlessly, "I went to the airport to see Jingwei off. She doesn't plan to stay in Lijiang."
"Oh, that's good, her marriage can be postponed." He didn't seem too surprised.
"Well, that's good. Now that she's gone, you don't have to deal with it anymore and put yourself in a difficult position," she said.
Meng Cenjun remained silent.
Lan Jia saw it all, but felt he was just pretending to be indifferent. With Jingwei suddenly going abroad, could he really say he hadn't interfered?
She composed herself and continued, "I really find it strange that people around me always seem to disappear without a trace from my life. Was it because I wasn't good enough? Or was I not sincere enough to them? Why does everyone have to leave me? Why, after all these years, have I still not been able to make a long-term, stable friend?"
"It's not your problem, it's that they're not sincere enough towards you."
Meng Cenjun paused for a moment, then said, "At least you still have Qiao Zimu by your side."
Yes, he only left her with Qiao Zimu. Did he expect her to thank him for his mercy? Lan Jia found it particularly ironic and ridiculous.
Is it because the Qiao family is both wealthy and powerful that he hasn't had a chance to make a move against him? Since he can't deal with Qiao Zimu, he's turning his attention to other people without a background? And who's next? Who will be next? She simply doesn't dare to think about it.
Lan Jia covered her forehead with her hand and said wearily, "I'm really tired."
She was too tired to argue, and even less able to rack her brains to debate who was right and who was wrong. Anyway, he always had a valid reason, always using the excuse of doing it for her.
Just like at the airport, even though she found the check, she was powerless to question Ruan Jingwei. Since running away would allow her to achieve her wish, she would respect her choice and preserve the last bit of dignity for both of them.
She no longer throws hysterical tantrums like she used to, like a child who couldn't get candy.
Having accumulated enough disappointment, she left calmly, which could be considered the last thing this experience taught her.
Lan Jia stood up, lowered her eyelids, and said, "I want to go back to my room to rest."
Meng Cenjun felt a sudden pang of panic, and quickly grabbed her wrist, pulling her into his arms.
Lan Jia didn't struggle, and just floated down, where he held her tightly.
The two embraced quietly for a while, then he said, "No matter what, you'll always have me."
"Lanjia, we are the closest family in the world, and we will never be separated."
She nestled against his neck, inhaling his warm, familiar scent, yet felt stiff and cold all over. After a long while, she forced a smile and said, "Thank you, brother."
“Lan Jia…” He had already clearly sensed something was wrong.
Before he could continue, she interrupted him, saying, "I'm going to sleep."
"Mmm." He kissed the top of her head before saying, "Go."
He lingered, holding her hand in mid-air until it formed a straight line before finally letting go.
Lan Jia left, and Meng Cenjun watched her retreating figure with worry, thinking: The Ruan Jingwei incident was just a tiny interlude in her life; with time, she'll gradually move on. He would do everything he could to cheer her up and help her make even more worthwhile friends. His Lan Jia would surely have a bright and colorful future, and he would undoubtedly do everything in his power to protect her, care for her, and ensure she remained forever happy and innocent under his protection.
Tomorrow, she might be in a better mood. The jewelry he ordered has arrived, and it's all pieces she'll like.
As he was thinking this, he got up and started walking up the stairs, one step at a time.
Suddenly, the sound of a heavy object falling to the ground filled the air, dragging a porcelain vase down with it, which shattered into pieces.
The sound seemed to blend into a powerful sonic wave, crashing towards him.
Meng Cenjun's eyes widened, her ears rang for a moment, and then she stumbled and ran towards Lan Jia's bedroom.
That night, the lights were on all night. Lan Jia's asthma flared up, and the entire Yi family was mobilized and kept busy.
Fortunately, Meng Cenjun received timely emergency treatment, and her family doctor arrived quickly. After administering medication and carefully examining her, her condition gradually showed signs of improvement.
But Aunt Ming remained worried. As soon as the doctor came out, she rushed forward and asked, "It's always been well controlled with medication, and it hasn't flared up for several years. How could this happen...?"
"There are many triggers for a sudden onset of asthma. Excluding allergens and environmental factors, emotional fluctuations can also play a role." The doctor glanced into the bedroom and then whispered, "If the young lady experiences excessive anxiety, sadness, anger, or other emotions, it could very likely affect the airway's contraction and relaxation functions, triggering an asthma attack."
Aunt Ming nodded solemnly and glanced into the room. Meng Cenjun was sitting motionless by Lan Jia's bedside, holding her hand.
The doctor advised that Lan Jia must be left alone tonight to prevent another relapse.
Aunt Ming originally planned to visit Gu Lanjia, but Meng Cenjun refused. After all, he was her brother, and at this time, his words carried the most weight. Aunt Ming could not insist any further, so she had no choice but to wait in the living room downstairs. However, thinking of what the doctor had said earlier, and having long harbored prejudice against Meng Cenjun, she naturally assumed that he had quarreled with Lanjia again, which caused her to fall ill. Therefore, she felt increasingly suffocated and remained cold towards him for a long time afterward.
It was already past midnight. Lan Jia's breathing gradually calmed down, and she finally opened her eyes. She felt extremely tired and weak after each attack, so she had just taken a short nap.
I woke up coughing, intermittent dry cough, covering my mouth, my shoulders trembling, and it took me a long time to recover.
She turned her eyes and realized that Meng Cenjun had been sitting on the edge of the bed watching her. He looked like a wooden statue, staring straight in one direction. His skin was so white under the light that it was almost bloodless, making the red around his eyes stand out even more.
When he saw her looking over, he showed a rare hint of panic. He got up to pour water, but accidentally burned his hand. After adjusting the water temperature to a suitable level, he brought the cup over.
He helped Lan Jia up, placed her against two down pillows, and handed them to her, urging her in a hoarse voice, "Have some."
Lan Jia stared at him, and took small sips of the drink from the hand that held the cup.
Meng Cenjun lowered his eyes, avoiding her gaze. He was still in a daze and didn't want her to see him.
The scene that flashed through his mind—Lan Jia lying on the ground, shards of broken vase scattered everywhere, a hellish scene of sharp knives—made it impossible for him to find a foothold, making every step a struggle. He didn't know how he managed to move over and pick her up; he only remembered that every step felt like torture, causing him unbearable pain.
He had a pretty good idea of what caused her illness, and naturally took all the blame upon himself.
He clearly meant well for her, but in the end, he was the one who hurt her the most.
He doesn't deserve to be her brother.
Lan Jia finished drinking the water, but continued to stare at him with a hint of resentment in her eyes.
Whenever she felt unwell, she felt like throwing a tantrum, and Meng Cenjun was the perfect outlet for her anger.
Since it was all his fault, he should bear the consequences.
She immediately straightened her face, threw her hand away, wrapped herself in the blanket, turned to her side, and said coldly, "With the light so bright, how am I supposed to sleep?"
Meng Cenjun remained silent, put down the empty cup, and turned off the light, instantly plunging the room into a thick darkness.
He didn't leave; he remained sitting by her bedside, watching over her in the darkness.
His breathing was very light, almost inaudible, but Lan Jia knew he was there, and still felt a surge of anger for no reason: "You're disturbing me here, go back to your own room."
Meng Cenjun lowered her eyes and spoke with difficulty, "I'm worried about leaving you alone."
"So you're planning to sit here all night?"
He fell silent again.
"Get out," Lan Jia said irritably, shooing him away.
"I'm not leaving."
"I never knew you were so difficult to deal with."
"I need to make sure you're okay."
Lan Jia was getting a little frustrated. She clamped her head between a pillow and refused to listen to him.
Hearing the noise, Meng Cenjun swallowed her words and kept her mouth shut.
The room fell completely silent, like a deathly silent tomb, but the two people inside were both fully awake.
One was filled with anger with nowhere to vent, while the other was filled with guilt with nowhere to confide in.
They remained deadlocked, waiting for someone to break the deadlock first.
After an unknown amount of time, Lan Jia reached out a hand, yanked the blanket off forcefully, and angrily commanded, "Get up here."
The open space next to her felt cool for a moment, then quickly warmed up again.
Meng Cenjun lay down on her, like a large animal seeking comfort, clinging to her very dependently, pressing his cheek against the crook of her neck.
They were so close, their breathing was in sync, and their heartbeats resonated.
After a long pause, Lan Jia finally spoke coldly: "I know all about those things."
He gave a muffled "hmm" without explaining.
Then I heard her say, "If there's a next time, I won't forgive you."
Meng Cenjun nodded without saying a word, but hugged her even tighter.
Lan Jia sighed, closed her eyes, and after a long while, she felt a patch of dampness on the skin of her neck.
Author's note: My mental state became increasingly unstable as the story progressed.
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