Chapter 113

Other than terminal illnesses, most ailments could be cured. Yet people still asked about them—it was a way of showing their concern and care.

There were countless sick people in the world. But why didn’t passersby rush up to comfort every coughing stranger? It was because everyone else was just that—strangers.

The moment Xie Shiqing heard her question, her eyes immediately welled up with tears. She forced herself to hold back the surge of emotion, but her voice still rose a little,

"Just another month or so of recovery, then I should be able to walk normally again."

"No more injections, just medication now."

As she spoke, her fingers tightened, clutching Zhong Ning’s hand, and the latter didn’t pull away, allowing her to hold on like that.

Little pine mushroom was playing alone in the open space ahead, bouncing the balloon high into the air.

"I have a question."

Zhong Ning brushed her wind-tousled hair to the side. It had grown quite a bit, draping over her shoulders, yet she hadn’t cut it.

The sound of the wind blurred her words into a soft melody.

"All these changes you’ve made—did they truly come from your heart? Are they things you genuinely wanted? Things you’re sure you like? Or are you going against your nature, suppressing your true thoughts just to keep me around?"

"Of course it’s genuine, Ning Ning, I love you!"

Xie Shiqing began to tremble all over, nearly screaming out, thinking she’d accidentally exposed something or said the wrong thing and been found out.

Cold sweat instantly soaked her back, her heart thudding hotter than boiling water. Thankfully, at the critical moment, she reined herself in.

No, everything was fine. She had truly behaved herself this past week. Every word she’d spoken had been carefully thought out, repeatedly weighed. She’d reviewed each day thoroughly and made no missteps.

If this wasn’t a confrontation… could it be… a sign of reconciliation?

In the next second, ecstasy swept away panic and took over her entire being. Xie Shiqing nearly clutched her chest, afraid her wildly pounding heart might break her ribs and leap out of her chest.

The more critical the moment, the calmer she needed to be.

She bit down hard on the tip of her tongue, summoning all her reason. Every word that spilled from her mouth was one she had already chewed over countless times.

"I’m a flawed person—whether it’s in my personality or in the experiences of my past. I’m extreme and obsessive. Many of my beliefs were entirely wrong. But before I met you, I never realized any of that. I ended up treating you wrongly because of those flawed behaviors."

"Ning Ning, it was you who taught me how to love, how to accept kindness and warmth in life. It was you who showed me how to trust, and what it feels like to embrace warmth."

Scorching tears slid from the corners of her eyes, falling onto the backs of their clasped hands. She choked up,

"This period has felt like a rebirth for me, like I’ve started living again. For the first time, I realized how much joy life can hold, and how many beautiful things I had ignored before."

"Ning Ning, thank you. Thank you for giving me this chance. Thank you for being willing to save my life. Without you, I might have eventually driven myself mad. A person who only has darkness in their heart… cannot survive for long."

"I love you, and everything I’ve done came completely from the bottom of my heart."

She turned her head and wiped away her tears with the back of her hand, her tone carrying a sense of release.

"I now understand just how serious the mistakes I had once made. Even if… even if in the end, we still can’t be together, it’s okay. Really."

"I can accept that. What I want is for you to truly be happy. The essence of love is giving. I’ve come to understand that completely."

What could an obsessive person do in order to achieve their goal? And what if that person, obsessed with love, happened to possess the most eloquent tongue—one that made every word sound like a heartfelt confession straight from the soul?

Zhong Ning stared deeply into her eyes, watching the redness in her tear-filled gaze. For a long while, she couldn’t say anything.

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The cool autumn wind carried ginkgo leaves in spiraling swirls through the air. It was still early in the season—the centers of the ginkgo leaves were tinged with green, transitioning gradually toward a ginger-yellow at the edges.

A leaf floated gently down, landing in Xie Shiqing’s hair.

She truly had a beautiful name, and a beautiful face. Heaven had granted her extraordinary favor, letting her be born nearly at the pinnacle of the world. But fate was fair—it had given Xie Shiqing a life of cruelty and a heart shattered and twisted by it.

Had she really understood? Had she truly repented?

Zhong Ning focused her gaze on her face, watching the tears sparkle in the sunlight like crystal. Yet within her dark, lifeless pupils, no emotions could be read. Still, her expression conveyed relief, remorse, and a kind of clarity that brought with it liberation.

It was as if she were saying—

It’s all right. No matter what answer you give, I can accept it.

She was willing to accept the judgment of fate, and the judgment of the one she loved, and for that she had humbly lowered her head.

Zhong Ning couldn’t be certain, and she couldn’t make a decision lightly.

It wasn’t that Xie Shiqing hadn’t done well enough—but that she had to take responsibility for the rest of her life.

She couldn’t afford another emotional upheaval.

Being betrayed after blindly placing her trust, and being betrayed after deep thought and careful consideration—these were two completely different levels of pain.

The latter was far more devastating. It could crush a person, leaving them to fall into a suffocating abyss from which they’d never rise again.

Besides, how much courage and generosity did it take to trust someone who had once hurt you?

Her caution now, even if it left Xie Shiqing feeling uncertain or disappointed, was necessary—because if she gave her heart wrongly again, the consequences would be far worse.

Thinking of the possible heartbreak and unbearable pain that might await her, Zhong Ning had no choice but to be careful—extremely careful.

She would rather take her time, observe slowly, and consider thoroughly. After all, time was the only true test of everything.

Better that than rushing to agree, only to step back into an unknown whirlpool.

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