Chapter Twenty-Three: Rong Luozheng

My face flushed, and I lowered my head to change the subject. “The school anniversary is coming up soon. Should we put on a performance?”

Their attention shifted immediately. For the past two years, we had participated in the anniversary celebrations with performances that received great acclaim. In fact, Li Wanqiu had secured his election as student council president last year thanks to our performance.

Qilin, however, had never shown interest in such trivial matters. He was the eldest son of the Rui family, heirs to the Rui Group, who had transferred into Kang University last year. Having studied in the United States all his life, he had only returned because his father forced him to take over the family business.

When we asked him for suggestions about the anniversary, he offered a faint smile and shrugged, clearly uninterested.

Xia Qi, the daughter of Kang University’s president, broke some top-secret news. “My father says there’ll be a mysterious guest at this year’s celebration. As for who it is, he wouldn’t tell me even under threat of death.”

After chatting for a while, they left. I lay down on my bed, and soon my mother arrived, carrying food for me.

I had little appetite, but didn’t want to disappoint her, so I forced myself to eat a bit.

She sat beside my bed, peeling grapes for me. She handed me a bowlful. I ate one—it was sweet and tart.

“You weren’t home last night. Your grandfather came back and quarreled with us, asking why we were forcing you. Darling, tell me—when have your father and I ever forced you? True, what your sister did was wrong, but she’s already paid the price. Don’t you think so?”

I put the grape back into the bowl and nodded. “Yes, I’ve paid the price too. Are you satisfied?”

My mother failed to catch the anger I couldn’t keep from my voice. She smiled, peeling more grapes. “Child, I’m talking to you about something important, why bring it back to yourself again? My point is, what’s done is done. You should try to move on. Fan Chuan is a good man—he’ll be a good husband, a good son-in-law, and a good brother-in-law.”

It felt as if my chest had been torn open, countless hands reaching inside to stir my insides, and then, with a rip, one hand seized my heart, using slender nails to gouge out bloody pieces and lay them before me.

Yi Huayang and Du Fanchuan were those hands; my mother was the nails.

I set down the bowl, wiped my hands with a tissue, and said, “Mom, I’m tired. Please go home.”

After that, I lay down with my back to her. She didn’t move for a long time. At last, she tucked the quilt around me and left.

I don’t know how long I lay there before the nurse came in to give me an IV. She clucked and laughed. “Goodness, you have a fever.”

The next day, I felt a little better, but my eyes were still stinging and would tear up at everything.

Wearing sunglasses my grandfather had bought me, I went down to the little garden to bask in the sun. I heard someone call my name, softly, almost a whisper: “Lanshan, is that you?”

I turned. It was Rong Luozheng.

Perhaps my blurred vision made him appear thinner, but he didn’t seem aged.

I smiled. “What brings you here?”

He came over and sat beside me. “I wanted to see you. It’s been years. How have you been?”

I nodded, and strangely, felt no resentment toward him.

Neither of us mentioned the incident at the airport. We talked instead about our lives, as if we were old friends catching up.

He’d been in Hong Kong these past years. His father-in-law’s health was failing, so he’d left all the business matters to him. This time, he’d come back to sign a contract with a client.

Remembering his beautiful daughter, I asked about her.

He smiled at the mention. “She’s in high school in Canada now.”

I said, “That’s wonderful. For a girl, an education is the finest adornment—knowledge brings its own elegance.”

We chatted a little longer, and at last he asked, “How is your sister?”

I knew I couldn’t dodge the question. After a few moments of silence, I replied, “Don’t you already know? Why ask me? Unless… do you still love her?”

He smiled, looked down, and fiddled with his phone. I took that as his answer. Signing a contract was just an excuse—seeing his old flame was the real reason, wasn’t it?

Coldly, I said, “Don’t flatter yourself. She’s with her boyfriend now, happier than ever. She’s long since forgotten you.”

With that, I turned and left. He called after me, but I ignored him.

He caught up and grabbed my arm. “Lanshan, that wasn’t what I meant. I just… feel some regret.”