Chapter 102

Zhong Ning rested her elbow on her knee, covering her face with her hand. Slowly, she inhaled deeply, then exhaled.

She was truly frightened!

It was just a breakup, after all—just a breakup. How many young people these days haven't gone through one? Although Zhong Ning yearned for a lifelong love like that of her elders, she also understood that such things couldn't be forced. Among her friends alone, there were already plenty of breakup stories.

Do your best and leave the rest to fate—she had always been philosophical about it. If things worked out, that would be ideal. But even if she gave it her all and still didn’t get a happy ending, that couldn’t be helped; it wasn’t something that could be forced.

But she hadn't expected that, when it happened to her, it would feel like she had poked a hole through the heavens.

Xie Shiqing had completely lost her mind.

She had been the one to initiate the cold war, the one who lied, and yet also the one who refused to break up. Zhong Ning genuinely didn’t know what to do anymore.

The issues between them now were like a rift, a chasm that had only widened with time.

Xie Shiqing’s problem had, admittedly, built a bridge over that chasm, giving them a renewed chance to communicate. But Zhong Ning could only be soft-hearted for a moment. Once the other’s condition stabilized, she still had to speak up.

She wouldn’t sweep the problem under the rug and continue on muddle-headed like this.

Xie Shiqing’s state truly was pitiful—miserable, even—but Zhong Ning would not carry someone else’s suffering on her own back, nor would she wrong herself just to fulfill someone else’s happiness.

Her kindness and tolerance were built on the foundation of her own well-being.

Besides, Xie Shiqing...

Zhong Ning was worried. Did she even have the capacity to shoulder and endure the love of someone like that?

Her emotions were far too intense—like a storm, like thunder—practically the type of character only found in literature. When she cried, it was gut-wrenching, as if she were vomiting out her heart and lungs, laying them bare in front of Zhong Ning.

Could she really accept such a frenzied tide of passion?

She was just an ordinary person, wanting a simple, ordinary life. When playing games, she’d come across characters who were both obsessive and beautiful, the very embodiment of her fantasies. Her liking was sincere—but that was a game character, a fictional being.

If someone like that actually appeared in real life, even bystanders would instinctively steer clear, afraid that her unhinged emotions might affect them. Let alone consider dating her.

Instability meant a loss of control, meant madness. Xie Shiqing could hurt herself without a second thought—so would she hurt others too? That was the most pressing, most serious concern.

Zhong Ning rubbed her face hard a few times, reddening her otherwise fine skin. She felt as though she was about to be driven insane herself.

If possible, she truly didn’t want to hurt Xie Shiqing. She wanted to resolve things between them as peacefully as she could.

But what could she do...

Xie Shiqing hadn’t slept for long. The medication hadn’t worn off yet, and her body was still groggy.

"Do you want some water?" Zhong Ning's voice sounded beside her as soon as she moved slightly.

But those few words passed through her ears as if muffled, unable to prompt any immediate reaction. All her emotions seemed to be separated by a pane of frosted glass, blurred and indistinct. Only when the question was repeated did she slowly give a faint hum of acknowledgment.

A pair of hands helped her sit up, then returned with a cup of water. The straw gently touched her lips.

Zhong Ning's brows were slightly furrowed as she watched Xie Shiqing, who seemed like an old, outdated android unable to connect to the signals of the modern world—everything she did was slow and sluggish.

Her condition had been terrible before, and it definitely couldn’t be called normal now either.

Psychotropic drugs were practically a form of fighting poison with poison. Had she been relying on these things for years?

Thinking about the handfuls of pills Xie Shiqing took after every meal, Zhong Ning couldn't quite describe what she was feeling inside.

She believed she truly cared about Xie Shiqing, but that care had remained on the surface; it hadn’t reached into her inner world.

Suddenly, she felt the urge to laugh. Two people who were engaged—who had even made love many times—yet did not understand anything about each other.

What a perfectly mismatched pair they were in heart and soul.

They really needed an honest, open conversation—when both of their emotions were stable.

After a few sips of water, whether she was truly clear-headed or not couldn’t be said. In a tiny voice, Xie Shiqing called out, "Ning Ning..."

Zhong Ning hadn't even set down the cup yet, but she instinctively reached out and grasped the hand that was wandering through the air.

Their arms formed a short chain, tethering her to the edge of the bed, leaving her no choice but to place the water cup on the nightstand.

But Zhong Ning’s expression remained calm, and so did her mood. She was someone who, once she made a decision, wouldn’t second-guess or hesitate. Let this remnant of love burn for now—after accompanying Xie Shiqing through this phase, they would see whether the flame died out or reignited a new.

"Are you feeling any better?" Zhong Ning reached out and touched her forehead.

"...Ning Ning." Xie Shiqing only whispered her name, pulling her hand toward her face and nestling into her palm, a curve of satisfaction forming at the corners of her lips.

The kitchen had timed dinner perfectly—it was all light and easy-to-digest food. The butler personally brought the meal tray upstairs.

She pressed a few spots on the bedside frame, and surprisingly, a small table slid out. Zhong Ning hadn’t even known the bed had this function.

She first fed Xie Shiqing dinner before eating her own, which had already gone slightly cold.

Fortunately, though slow to react and dazed, Xie Shiqing could still handle basic hygiene. Zhong Ning wiped her face, then carried her back to bed.

Using her hand as a comb, she ran her fingers through Xie Shiqing’s long hair again and again. The thick, black strands slipped through her fingers like silk, reflecting light as if stirring a galaxy of ink.

She felt like one of those live-in caregivers—and though she couldn’t say what part of the situation struck her as funny, Zhong Ning let out a sudden chuckle.

Her expression carried a sense of open clarity, peaceful and calm. A person who grew up with love had a stable emotional core; even when hit by a shock, she could settle herself quickly.

That night, Zhong Ning stayed and slept there, because Xie Shiqing still refused to let go of her hand.

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