Chapter 118: Chapter 118

Shen Jianian looked down at the steps under her feet, stepping up one by one. After registering visitor information at the gate, she entered the cemetery.

Rows of low pines were neatly trimmed, the tombstones nestled in their shadows. It was cool around, the wind stirred, and the leaves rustled, desolate and barren.

Shen Jianian found two adjacent tombstones, slowly squatted down, placed two bouquets of flowers in front of the graves, and picked up a few fallen leaves.

"Dad, Mom, it’s my fault. I’m sorry I’m visiting you so late."

Raindrops fell on the umbrella, sounding like cries, almost drowning out Shen Jianian’s voice.

The weather was bad, and she was the only one in the entire cemetery.

Shen Jianian touched the black-and-white photo on the tombstone with her hand, rainwater drenching her fingers, cold and icy: "I used to fantasize that all this was just a dream, that when I woke up you would still be here, and I could snuggle into your arms, telling you the interesting things that happened at school. Gradually, I stopped having fantasies, learned to face reality, and forced myself to move forward. Sometimes I’m confused, wondering if I should continue down the path of revenge."

Unknowingly, tears wetted her eyelashes, Shen Jianian’s lips trembled slightly, her voice choked: "Ah Che is dead, I am so sad, this result is not what I wanted, I may have made a mistake."

She disregarded the rainwater on the ground, knelt on one knee just to lean on the tombstone, like in her childhood, seeking comfort in her mother’s arms when faced with unsolvable problems: "Mom, can you tell me what the right thing to do is? I’m really tired, I miss you both."

Shen Jianian curled up into a small ball in the windy and rainy world, so small and helpless.

As time passed, her body stiffened from the cold; she slowly raised her head, her tears dried, her eyes slightly sore.

She raised her hand to wipe away the traces of tears on her face with her sleeve, accidentally touching the swollen area, causing a stinging pain. She tried to force a smile: "Sorry, I shouldn’t say things that make you worry about me. In the days since you left, I have gained something else. You know I have always admired Yan Qiusheng, right? He is my mentor now, I’ve been practicing piano earnestly, not to disappoint you. And also..."

Thinking of that man, she paused, not knowing how to bring it up to her parents.

"His name is Fu Jichen, he’s been quite good to me." Shen Jianian thought for a long time, and could only say this one sentence.

She supported herself with her knees, stood up, silently gazed at the photo on the tombstone for a while, took a deep breath, and bid them farewell: "Dad, Mom, I’ll visit you again next time."

Shen Jianian’s hand tightened around the umbrella handle as she walked back the way she came, without looking back.

Descending several dozen steps, Shen Jianian arrived by the car, closed the umbrella, opened the back door, and got in.

Qu Mo dispersed the cigarette smell in the car before she returned, confirmed through the rearview mirror that she was seated, started the engine, and drove back onto the wide road.

Even though it was raining, it was livelier outside than around the cemetery.

Shen Jianian closed her eyes to rest for a while, and when she opened them again, she had arrived at Yunding Palace.

She didn’t know when the rain had stopped. Shen Jianian checked the time as she got out of the car; it was past midnight.

After having a bowl of porridge in the morning, she didn’t feel hungry. She touched her left cheek where she was hit, without looking in the mirror, unsure whether it was bad, but it no longer hurt, just felt warm.

Cheng Jin, hearing the sound of the car stopping, opened the door, and was stunned upon seeing Shen Jianian’s face: "What happened to your face?"

Shen Jianian didn’t want to explain much, pulling a slight smile: "It’s nothing, just need to apply some medicine."

"There should be some ointment for reducing swelling and bruises at home, I’ll look for it."

Cheng Jin bent over to place slippers by her feet, searched the drawer under the cupboard, and couldn’t find the medicine box, then remembered that the last time Jianian’s hand was cut, the box was taken to the third floor by Sir and never returned.

"Aunt Cheng, don’t bother." Shen Jianian blinked slowly, showing a hint of fatigue, even her voice was weak, "The medicine box is in Fu Jichen’s room, I’ll put some on myself after I take a bath."

Cheng Jin looked at her reddened face: "I’ll go check if the chef has prepared any food, you should eat something before going up."

"You eat." Shen Jianian said, "I don’t really have an appetite."

Cheng Jin wanted to argue that not eating wasn’t good, but seeing her in this state, she couldn’t press further: "Then go rest first, call me when you’re hungry."

Shen Jianian softly replied, shuffled upstairs in slippers.

Cheng Jin watched her thin back, inevitably showing a worried expression, just about to go to the kitchen, suddenly heard a heavy "thud" sound, turned to look, and saw Shen Jianian fall down the stairs.

Shen Jianian woke up in the hospital room; the sky outside was completely dark, it seemed to have started raining again, she heard the pitter-patter of raindrops.

Slowly turning her head, in the bright light, Fu Jichen was sitting on the chair by the bedside, arms crossed in front of his chest, long legs casually sprawled, dozing with his head hanging low.

A few strands of his neatly groomed hair had fallen onto his forehead, from her angle, his facial features were sharp, eyes deep-set, after a long day, a subtle shadow of stubble appeared on his chin.

Although his face was extremely young, it was quite different from boys in their early twenties, lacking the youthful naivety, instead possessing mature and restrained charm.

He must be very tired to fall asleep in this position.

Shen Jianian felt thirsty, seeing a kettle on the bedside table, she shifted her body slightly, and Fu Jichen awoke, squinting sleepy eyes: "What do you need?"

His voice was a bit hoarse, but he had already stood up, walked around to the other side of the bed, and seeing her glance at the kettle: "Want some water?"

Shen Jianian leaned back against the headboard, looked at his face, nodded.

Fu Jichen took out a glass, went to the bathroom to wash it with cold water, then scalded it with hot water, poured in half a cup of hot water, opened a bottle of mineral water, mixed in a bit of cold water until the temperature was just right, and brought it to her lips.

He did these trivial things with patience and meticulousness, showing no signs of being self-important.

"I can do it myself." Shen Jianian felt slightly uncomfortable, holding the cup with both hands, finished the water.

Fu Jichen asked, "Want more?"

Shen Jianian shook her head, returning the cup.

Fu Jichen poured himself half a cup of water from her used glass, drank a couple of sips, and sat at the edge of the bed, holding her hand: "How did you fall off the stairs?"

Shen Jianian touched her knee through the blanket, it hurt a bit, probably bandaged.

"Luckily, it was just your knee that got hurt. If you’d hit your head, you wouldn’t have woken up so fast." Although he said this, Fu Jichen was quite terrified inside, "There’s an elevator at home but you chose to use the stairs, what were you thinking?"

Shen Jianian lowered her head at his words.

"Why are you not talking?" Fu Jichen’s hand reached over, pinching her chin up to look into her clear eyes, "Gone mute?"

"The tiles on the stairs have raised edges, I didn’t pay attention and tripped." Shen Jianian softly tried to justify herself.

Fu Jichen laughed: "Blaming uneven roads for not walking straight?"

The tiles on their home’s stairs were specially chosen for their anti-slip effect; the edges have three extra ridges compared to normal tiles. How distracted could she be to fall?

Shen Jianian remained silent again.

The accident had happened, talking more about it was useless, Fu Jichen sighed internally, asked her, "Hungry?"

"Yes." Shen Jianian responded quickly.

Fu Jichen’s lips slightly curved, he took out his phone, dialed a number, and asked someone to bring food over, lastly adding for them to pick up a set of toiletries from a nearby supermarket on the way.

After he finished the call, Shen Jianian finally spoke: "Are you staying to keep vigil?"