Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Xia Ruoxin smiled indifferently. Her lips were turned up, and it looked pretty—but fake. This was her mom, Shen Yijun—her mother, her biological mother. Was she so unwilling to see her happy, and must she force her until she was at the end of her wits?
Really, she was not angry; she was not furious. She just smiled, but still buried somewhere in her heart was an immense sorrow. She should be crying, shouldn’t she? She should be shedding tears and mocking herself for how she had already lost motherly love, but in the end, she smiled tiredly and helplessly.
“Come here, Ruoxin.” She heard the man call her name—not ‘woman’, not ‘Xia Ruoxin’, but ‘Ruoxin’. This was the first time he said her name in front of other people. She glanced to the side, her lips quivering with a rare fragility. Just like a flower swaying continuously in the wind, she could fly away to an unknown place in the blink of an eye.
Chu Lui’s black eyes were unusually deep. He walked over and held her waist. Yes, he could not take it; he really felt genuine unfairness for her. He glanced at Shen Yijun. Both were her daughters, but somehow—surprisingly, he thought she was a failure of a mother.
“What? Have you gotten amnesia? You cannot even remember your own parents? Greet them.” His flicked her forehead softly—not with a strong force, but enough to make her a little dazed.
Such an intimate action, such a gentle expression, and a natural mild light-hearted tone. It made Shen Yijun’s face go pale. Had he forgotten about Yixuan? How could he treat Xia Ruoxin so nicely? For a moment, she seemed to have forgotten that Xia Ruoxin was her biological daughter—not an enemy.
Xia Ruoxin could feel a huge strength from the hand on her waist—as if giving her courage and strength, but it also served as torment and a warning.
“Dad, Mom, what a coincidence that you’re here.” She turned towards them, her voice dull without color and her eyes cold without feelings. She was not unwilling, but they were ungiving… and so she stopped trying.
“Yes. Looks like you’ve been doing well. That makes me feel better,” Xia Mingzhen said awkwardly. He had accepted it but still felt extremely uncomfortable, especially towards Chu Lui’s protectiveness over her. Had they really already gotten over Yixuan’s death?
Xia Ruoxin nodded her head lightly. She had not looked at Shen Yijun even once from the start.
She turned her head and looked at Chu Lui. His handsome face showed no signs of any expression, cold and hard as always. She bit her lips and said, “I want to go back. Is that okay?” She blinked her eyes rapidly, hiding the fragility that did not manage to disappear completely.
It was not that she did not care, but rather, she was unable to bring herself to care.
Chu Lui let go of her waist. “Let’s go.” After he said the words, his lips pursed together even more tightly. He had wanted to reject her, but he did not expect his mouth to make the decision faster than his heart.
“Dad, Mom, I’ll be leaving with Ruoxin first. Enjoy your night.” He nodded his head to the Xia couple and pulled Xia Ruoxin to leave, his strides bigger compared to the past.
Shen Yijun clutched her purse even tighter as if she was trying to strangle someone to death.
Suddenly, she felt sudden warmth on her shoulder; but it was not enough to warm her heart.
“Yijun, let’s not mention this incident anymore. I’m grateful for your protectiveness over Yixuan, but I don’t want you to regret. We are both old. How much longer do we have?”