Ning Youguang knew that taking this step was already a significant act of bravery for Xia Fanxing.
Someone attributing their misfortune to others may feel justified.
But true courage lies in confronting one’s own issues.
From the first time he walked into her office with doubts to today, Xia Fanxing had finally begun to see the part he needed to shoulder in his childhood shadows and other issues.
He was making a tremendous effort to grow, and the results were gratifying.
"Shall we stop here for today? I think you’ve explained everything about yourself to me in great detail, which helps me understand you better, and I hope you feel the same way," Ning Youguang said.
"Yes, talking about these things today feels like I’m sorting things out for myself," Xia Fanxing smiled briefly.
Sharing his past with Teacher Ning awarded him more than he expected.
He began to feel grateful to his uncle for introducing him to Teacher Ning, providing him with a channel to face himself honestly, to express himself without the fear of ridicule or rejection.
Even the absurd seemed ordinary in her presence.
He liked the feeling of being understood by her.
He was neither a good person nor a bad one, just himself, but even such an ordinary self was given immense patience and interest by Teacher Ning to understand his inner world.
—All of this made him feel a previously unknown sense of respect.
Famous writer Lu Yao said in "Ordinary World": "People would rather pay attention to the daily lives of a mediocre actor than to the turbulent inner world of an ordinary person."
Thankfully, there are people like Teacher Ning and many others like her in the world.
They allow people like him, whose hearts are filled with pain, to be seen, understood, healed, and to live a life that truly belongs to them.
He felt like he gained the ability to recall the past without condemning himself.
He could identify the connections between events and look at problems objectively, no longer imposing his many subjective thoughts.
Gradually, he began to understand why certain things happened and how they influenced him.
He continually reflected on his life journey, learning and comprehending through reflection.
He began to view himself and everything around him strategically and holistically, finding that the methods he learned from Teacher Ning were very beneficial to him.
The Earth is a playground, and everyone is an actor.
He was once a marionette but now he had his own "exclusive script."
He had the right to choose.
In this vast playground, he could choose his role, play whatever he wanted, and not play what he didn’t.
Even more, he could have no script and improvise.
This feeling made him feel unprecedentedly relaxed.
He suddenly realized that perhaps he had unconsciously directed many "tragedies," only he wasn’t aware of it, but it was different now.
If he didn’t define his life, if he didn’t cast himself in "tragedies," life was actually full of the unknown.
Thinking like this, he couldn’t help but feel excited and thrilled.
Just imagine:
—"You thought there was only one path to life’s endpoint, but suddenly you’re told there are countless paths and ways to get there, doesn’t life suddenly feel brighter?"
"Since there are so many paths to choose from, he can absolutely follow his heart and choose the path he most wants to take."
"He wants to face himself sincerely."
"Break the confines of living under others’ value labels and live a more authentic life."
...
Walking out from the University of Science and Technology, Xia Fanxing pocketed his hands and walked home on a bed of golden leaves.
He felt everything around him was fresh—
The late autumn wind was cool, the air was fresh, and the fallen leaves being leisurely swept up by the wind looked beautiful.
Even the child rolling and pouting in front of the small supermarket, begging his mom to buy him candy, looked very cute.
Suddenly, he felt a surge of gratitude, these emotions stirring him deeply.
Hot tears slid from the corners of his eyes.
He was learning to open his eyes and see the world.
This world wasn’t perfect, but it was real.
If the heart was a bit softer, it even seemed a bit endearing.
...
"A little higher, it’s tilted, a bit lower on the right," Ming Jinxin directed as she watched Ning Youguang hang the painting, "Alright, alright, I’ll take a picture for you to see the overall effect."
Ning Youguang held the painting, waiting for a moment.
Ming Jinxin extended her phone in front of her, "See what you think of this painting hung here?"
It was a work by a new-generation artist she bought from an auction house last time; she understood a bit about art, but not as much as her daughter.
So, taking the chance of her being home today, she asked her for some advice on where to hang the painting.
"It’s quite good, but the shelf below needs to be moved," Ning Youguang said while standing on the chair.
"Alright," Ming Jinxin put away her phone, "I’ll ask the workers to move it later, come down now." She extended her hand.
Ning Youguang jumped off the chair, holding onto her shoulder.
After Ming Jinxin called the workers to move the shelf below.
The two stood quietly in front of the painting again for a moment.
"This painting, though simple, actually looks quite nice after looking at it long enough, right?" Ming Jinxin asked.
"It matches the style of the house well," Ning Youguang said.
Ming Jinxin was pleased.
The two moved to the living room.
"Why are you leaving this afternoon and not staying for dinner?" Ming Jinxin handed a tray of blueberries to Ning Youguang.
"I’m going to see the progress of the renovations with Wang Yue this afternoon," Ning Youguang picked up a few blueberries and popped them into her mouth.
"Seeing the progress of the renovations?" Ming Jinxin was puzzled.
"Yes," Ning Youguang said, "Wang Yue bought two properties before, they’re being renovated, and this afternoon he asked me to go check them out with him."
"So soon?" Ming Jinxin felt quite conflicted.
"Is it fast?" Ning Youguang said, "I don’t think so; it’s been several months already."
Ming Jinxin picked up a fork, poked a starfruit from another fruit plate, absent-mindedly eating it, realizing it was so sour that her teeth ached.
"So sour."
She couldn’t finish the remaining half and tossed it directly into the trash can beside her.
"Have some strawberries, they’re sweet," Ning Youguang offered her a juicy strawberry.
Ming Jinxin took it and bit into it, "It is quite sweet."
Ning Youguang gave her another one, "How’s my dad doing lately?"
"What else can he be doing? Being busy, he’s on set every day, I haven’t seen him for a month or two," Ming Jinxin said.