Chapter 82 Responsibility "Pick a good day and discuss the engagement date."...
She finally emerged. At this moment, the old house was like a solid natural barrier, a safe haven, completely severing the ties between her and Meng Cenjun.
Lan Jia should have been happy, but instead felt a sense of loss.
The house was warm and cozy. The old lady had the kitchen prepare a late-night snack. Lan Jia held a bowl of steaming bird's nest soup but didn't touch it.
Hearing footsteps outside, she immediately looked toward the door and saw Aunt Xiu come in. She couldn't quite describe the feeling.
"Is he still here?" The old lady slowly took a sip of soup.
Aunt Xiu nodded.
"He knew everything?"
"yes."
“Then tell him he doesn’t need to wait anymore, and that Lan Jia will stay here from now on.”
Aunt Xiu glanced at Lan Jia and saw that she had her eyes downcast and her fingers were tightly gripping the rim of the bowl, looking very preoccupied.
Seeing that she didn't offer any opinion, she turned and left.
The old lady said, "I'll have Chunyu accompany you to the hospital tomorrow to make sure all your indicators are normal, so I can feel at ease."
I don't want to go out.
"With me here, I won't let him do whatever he wants."
Lan Jia felt a strange unease upon hearing this. When did they start treating Meng Cenjun like an outsider, on guard?
After a long silence, Aunt Xiu returned. Meeting the old lady's questioning gaze, she sighed and said, "She's still here."
"Since he won't listen to advice, then let him wait and see."
The old lady put down the porcelain bowl and said wearily, "I'm going to sleep. Shuyuan has already been cleaned up. You should rest too."
Lan Jia nodded, watching as Aunt Xiu helped her back to her room.
She pushed open the door, and a gust of cold wind rushed in, seeping into her sleeves, giving her goosebumps all over.
Winter has arrived on the Li River; it's damp and cold, making you feel like you're walking in icy water.
Letting her stand outside for a while might make her catch a cold.
Lan Jia returned to Shu Garden alone, but instead of resting, she went to Meng Cenjun's room.
Although the siblings did not often return to the old house, they always had a fixed place to live, and the two of them lived very close to each other.
She opened the closet, and thankfully, there were some spare clothes inside.
Lan Jia took a long, dark coat, held it in her arms, and tiptoed out the door.
It's just sending clothes, it doesn't mean anything. She's already experienced how painful it is to be sick, and no matter what, she doesn't want him to get sick too.
She convinced herself of this, but fearing being discovered by her grandmother and the others, she dodged and weaved her way to the front door.
She handed him the clothes and left without saying a word. She was still angry and didn't want him to think she was trying to make amends; she wouldn't easily give in to him!
Lan Jia mentally prepared herself for a while, mustered up her courage and pushed open the door, only to see Meng Cenjun hurriedly getting into the car.
He's gone?
He just left like that?
Lan Jia opened her eyes wide and opened her mouth, only to find herself suddenly speechless.
For some reason, only one thought filled my mind: I can't let him go like this.
Clutching her coat, she stumbled down the stairs, spotted the car, and quickened her pace to catch up.
A cold wind whipped across her face. Lan Jia held her breath and ran for a long distance, but her speed gradually decreased.
The car sped away.
She stopped walking.
Lan Jia, panting heavily, clutched her back and stared at the car that disappeared into the darkness, feeling as if a piece of her heart had been ripped out.
How could he just leave without saying a word?
Lan Jia stood there for a long time before turning around and slowly turning back.
As I walked, I could hear the cracking sound of my kneecaps, and tears welled up in my eyes without me even realizing it.
She only learned from the news the next day that the old man of the Meng family had suddenly fallen ill and passed away the previous night.
It's likely that Meng Cenjun was summoned back to the Meng family to handle the funeral arrangements.
Lan Jia couldn't quite describe her feelings, but she felt extremely uncomfortable whenever she heard anything about the Meng family.
When Meng Cenjun became involved with them, that discomfort suddenly became even stronger.
The biggest victims are her deceased parents, and she cannot forgive anyone on their behalf.
With one problem after another, Lan Jia was in a depressed mood all morning and didn't step out of her room even once.
Aunt Xiu came to call her to have lunch with the old lady, as guests were coming.
Lan Jia put on a thick, light pink sweater and planned to walk to the dining hall of Qiaoyuan. But she had only gone halfway when she heard someone call out from behind, "Lan Jia!"
When she turned around, she saw Qiao Zimu standing by the lotus pond. He was wearing a dark blue sweater and his eyes crinkled with laughter as he looked at her.
Before Lan Jia could even utter the word, he charged at her like a big, furry dog, crashing straight into her arms.
She stumbled back two steps from the sudden force, but he held her tightly, picked her up, and spun her around twice.
"That's enough, that's enough, I'm dizzy." Lan Jia rubbed her head and stopped her with a smile.
After she landed and stood still, Qiao Zimu smiled at her, but his eyes were filled with tears: "You're finally back. I missed you..."
"It's only been two months, why are you crying?" She punched him lightly.
“We have never been out of contact for such a long time in all these years.”
Lan Jia smiled and said, "It won't happen again."
How are your eyes? Are they fully healed?
"You need to go to the hospital for a check-up this afternoon."
"Then I'll go with you."
"Let's eat first."
The two walked side by side, Qiao Zimu squeezing in close to chat with her, laughing and talking all the way to the old lady's buckwheat garden.
The dishes were just served, and the soup was simmering on a small stove, bubbling and releasing a delicious aroma.
The old lady sat at the main table, smiling as she watched the two little ones come in.
Qiao Zimu has a sweet tongue; he calls everyone he meets "Grandma," and the old lady nods in agreement, looking very happy.
Lan Jia had overheard her mention, intentionally or unintentionally, that Qiao Zimu visited the old house more often than she did, and that she was often lonely when she was alone, so she was grateful to have him by her side.
It's not unreasonable for the old lady to like him, but seeing how happy they were together, it seemed like they had formed some kind of alliance.
Having already witnessed her completely different attitudes towards the two people, for some reason, whenever she thought of Meng Cenjun, her heart felt as if it had been eaten away by worms, and even her sense of pain was numb; she only knew that it was uncomfortable.
Perhaps, the fact that Meng Cenjun was gradually being ostracized by them made her feel very uncomfortable.
Three people sat around a round table eating. Lan Jia remained silent, listening to the two others' trivial conversation, feeling as if her soul was adrift, isolated by an invisible barrier.
"Lan Jia?" the old lady looked at her. "What do you think?"
She then snapped out of her daze and asked listlessly, "What do you mean, how do you see it?"
Qiao Zimu pursed his lips and silently served her a bowl of pickled bamboo shoots and pork soup.
The old lady smiled and said, "It's naturally about your marriage."
Lan Jia paused, her hand holding the spoon still, without saying a word.
"I'm sure you two have discussed this privately, haven't you? Didn't you decide on it a while ago?" The old lady glanced at Qiao Zimu and said gently, "Although a lot has happened since then, I've already asked Zimu, and his feelings have remained unchanged. So, why don't we pick a good day, have both families get together for a meal, and discuss the engagement date?"
Yes, she promised herself, everyone knows that, and now she's gone back on her word. What will people think if word gets out? What will they think of the Yi family? And how will they view Grandma?
However, she couldn't bring herself to nod without feeling guilty.
She was wrong.
She was too impulsive back then.
She hurt Qiao Zimu, she hurt everyone, and she hurt herself.
Lan Jia lowered her eyes, staring only at the bowl of soup in front of her.
She remained silent, and the atmosphere at the dinner table gradually grew quiet.
The old lady's smile vanished, and she slammed her chopsticks down.
Seeing that things were not going well, Qiao Zimu quickly stepped in to smooth things over: "Lan Jia is still not fully recovered, so how about we postpone the engagement again?"
No one responded.
He carefully observed their expressions and then tentatively said, "Lan Jia and I haven't finished our studies yet, so now is indeed not the best time. But it's okay. No matter when, I will respect Lan Jia's wishes, and my family also unanimously supports my decision."
After a long silence, the old lady finally spoke in a nonchalant tone: "Let's eat."
No one dared to put down their chopsticks at that moment. The two younger children picked up their bowls again and finished their meal in the strangely suffocating atmosphere.
After lunch, the old lady told Qiao Zimu to go back to the company and get back to work. He knew she meant for him to leave, so he glanced at Lan Jia with concern and reluctantly went out.
After everyone had gone, the grandmother and granddaughter spoke face to face. The old lady said coldly, "You're not a child anymore. You have to take responsibility for what you say and do. How can I entrust everything of the Yi family to you in the future if you act so impulsively?"
“Zimu did nothing wrong. You shouldn’t hurt him like this. If you had no feelings for him, you shouldn’t have given him hope in the first place, and now you’ve disappointed him.”
Lan Jia said patiently, "I made the decision because of your wishes, but now I realize that my wishes have always been contrary to yours."
The old woman said expressionlessly, "Is it because of him? You get all confused whenever you're with him."
“It’s not his fault; it’s my own indecisiveness and hesitation.”
Seeing that she was still protecting him, the old lady became even angrier: "I clearly told you that you were wrong, but you insisted on continuing on your own. What am I supposed to think? Am I supposed to just watch you walk down a dead end? Are you trying to drive me crazy?"
"How can you know it's a dead end if we haven't reached the end yet?"
"I really regret it. I shouldn't have entrusted you to him in the first place." He raised you for ten years, and the two of you have almost identical temperaments.
"I'm sorry," Lan Jia said, her eyes reddening, but her voice was firm. "I will bear all the consequences of my actions alone."
"You're only twenty years old. Are you capable of taking on this responsibility?" the old lady said bluntly. "Before you do anything in the future, consider whether you're qualified."
Lan Jia was speechless.
An old hand reached out and patted her shoulder: "I only have Hanzhen as my child in this life, and you are her only child. How could I not love you? How could I not want what's best for you? I have nothing left but you, so please try to understand your grandmother's good intentions, okay?"
"Don't force me to give up on you."
Author's note: My thoughts are a bit scattered, so this chapter might need to be revised.
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