When they got out of the car, Lu Yinchu took her hand. To his surprise, she was more composed than usual and did not pull away. As their palms touched, she felt an inexplicable sense of calm.
Lu Yinchu said, "Don’t go anywhere. Stay at home and rest."
Nanxi’s eyes flickered as she nodded in agreement.
"Also," Lu Yinchu paused, "keep using the ointment and taking the medicine. If you run out, call me."
Nanxi nodded again. Lu Yinchu said nothing more. Nanxi felt awkward, and she parted her lips to say, "Well... I’ll go now."
Nanxi got out of the car. Lu Yinchu didn’t cling to her, only watching her delicate figure recede into the distance.
Nanxi didn’t dare turn back, but she knew he was watching. He always gazed at her in a way that felt like an offering, which she never accepted...
Yet, why did she have that feeling? It was a mystery to her.
To her surprise, Qiaoqiao, her grandmother, and her uncle were home when she arrived. Though they were delighted to see her, they were concerned when they noticed the rash on her face. Her grandmother fretted, "How did such a thing happen to you?"
Nanxi comforted her, "It’s nothing serious. I just need to stop eating random things. Don’t worry!"
In the room, Qiaoqiao was packing up things. Nanxi asked her, "What are you packing?"
"Just some stuff to take to my apartment."
"Huh?" Nanxi blinked, puzzled. She noticed Qiaoqiao was packing old toys, comic books, and... her aunt’s photos.
"Old man is getting married!" Qiaoqiao blurted.
Nanxi was stunned. Her uncle was getting married? When did this happen?
"Last night, we discussed it with grandmother, and decided on a date in the middle of next month. The old man didn’t oppose..."
Nanxi didn’t know what to say. She watched Qiaoqiao pick up a photo. The woman in it looked young, with a stylish short haircut and a graceful smile. Her eyebrows and eyes bore a strong resemblance to Qiaoqiao.
Qiaoqiao smiled slightly and said, "In my memory, she always had short hair. She said it was easier and saved time compared to maintaining long hair. She felt like she didn’t have a feminine side, in her speech and behavior... she always acted like a man. She even felt that she might have been a man in her past life."
"When she gave birth to me, a daughter, she was very happy. She used to buy me beautiful dresses and hair clips, and make my hair pretty. She poured all of her girlish dreams into me. She hoped that I could grow up to be ladylike and not be as strong as her. She said that if a woman is too strong, it’s not good. Women need to depend on men. They need to be protected by men. If a woman is too strong, it means loneliness and not being loved."
Qiaoqiao’s eyes flickered with a moist shimmer. She said, "Actually, in my memory, the relationship between the old man and her wasn’t great. Men have their pride and dignity, and it is the woman’s tenderness that sustains it. Unfortunately, she couldn’t learn to be that way... So when I met Xu Mei, I knew she was the type of woman the old man wanted. He does like her."
"Cousin..." Nansi’s heart ached. She reached for Qiaoqiao’s hand, finding it a bit chilly. She wanted to say something comforting, but she found herself unable to articulate any words.
Qiaoqiao wiped the corner of her eyes, wiping away a tear. She forced a smile and said, "It’s alright, I just miss her a bit. I’m not going to feel upset about it, because I know that the current situation is what she would have wanted. Actually, the person who was obsessed with the past was not her, not the old man, but me."
Nanxi stayed at the Liang’s house for two days, spending her free time taking strolls with her grandmother and helping Liang Youquan with his calligraphy. She sometimes cooked and did some housework. The days were bland but serene.
Sometimes, Nanxi wondered if this was the kind of life her mother would have enjoyed if she could come back - leisurely, unexcited, yet real.
During this time, Li Weihuan called. She said her grandmother wasn’t feeling well and she was taking time off to be with her.
Li Weihuan was busy learning about Li Xiangchen’s work projects and didn’t have time to check on Nanxi. He said over the phone, "Nanxi, wait for me, only for two days, just two more."
After hearing this, Nanxi felt a pang in her heart. Lu Yinchu had promised her time, and she herself felt that their issues would not take much longer to resolve!