Chapter 89

After seeing Wang Haining off, Kong Xiyan stared at the ceiling, which was a pallid white. Chi Wanzhao walked over, fed her some water, and asked, "Hungry? Should I have Zhou Sheng bring some porridge?"

Kong Xiyan took her hand and held it in her palm. "No need, I'm not hungry."

Chi Wanzhao's pale face showed traces of exhaustion, the red veins in her bright eyes not yet faded. Her usually proud and aloof profile softened, and even her voice grew warm. "Does it still hurt?"

Kong Xiyan: "It's okay, not too painful."

Seeing that Chi Wanzhao was still frowning, she couldn't help but raise her lips and say, "Don't you need to go back and check on your sister?"

"Her emotions are easily stirred; won't something happen if you don't go back?"

Chi Wanzhao sat down by her bed, brushed Kong Xiyan's long hair behind her ear, and said with lowered eyes, "She'll be fine."

Kong Xiyan hummed in response, and the ward fell into silence.

The cold wind outside the window continued, snowflakes dancing wildly, seeming to grow heavier.

Chi Wanzhao couldn't help but glance toward the window, her bright eyes deep and thoughtful. Kong Xiyan's head still ached; she didn't want to move much. Seeing Chi Wanzhao's gaze drift away, she asked, "Is it snowing heavily outside?"

City B wasn't a city where it snowed every year, but this year it had already snowed several times—most unusual.

Hearing this, Chi Wanzhao nodded. "A little heavy."

Kong Xiyan touched the back of her head, still sore. "Then it must be freezing cold."

She had never liked winter, and with snow, she disliked it even more.

Chi Wanzhao slowly clenched her fists at her words, her gaze fixed outside. The windowsill was already covered with a layer of snow, some flakes just landing before being swept up by the wind to drift elsewhere.

Kong Xiyan, lying on the hospital bed, thought for a moment and said, "Actually, I can understand your sister."

After speaking, she turned her head to look at Chi Wanzhao, inadvertently pulling at her wound, causing her to frown in pain, tears glistening in her eyes. Chi Wanzhao said with concern, "Don't move recklessly."

Kong Xiyan's voice was soft. "Okay."

Seeing her so obedient, Chi Wanzhao spoke, "Chi Xuan indeed went too far this time; it's time she learned a lesson."

But Kong Xiyan took her hand and said, "But this matter can't be entirely blamed on her."

"She's always had a strong hostility toward Haining, and with Haining appearing at the apartment, her losing control of her emotions for a moment is understandable."

"She's still young and doesn't know how to vent her anger..."

Kong Xiyan's voice gradually faded as she spoke.

She looked at Chi Wanzhao.

Chi Xuan, because of her youth, couldn't control her emotions and vented her grievances in such a manner.

What about the person before her?

Three years had passed; how had she dealt with that wound?

Did she lick it alone in the dead of night, or did she pretend nothing had happened?

Her calmness toward the past.

Was she truly indifferent, or had she buried it all inside, bearing it alone?

A subtle pain spread across Kong Xiyan's heart, quickly engulfing her whole body. She pursed her lips, her words trailing off halfway. Chi Wanzhao, puzzled, lowered her head and noticed her pallid complexion. She said urgently, "What's wrong? Headache? Wait here; I'll go find..."

She had just stood up when Kong Xiyan reached out and grabbed her wrist with surprising strength, pulling her to sit on the bed. Then Kong Xiyan wrapped both arms around her waist.

Chi Wanzhao placed her hands on Kong Xiyan's shoulders, but before she could ask what was wrong, she heard the soft, mumbling voice of the person in her arms.

Kong Xiyan spoke, "Chi Wanzhao, does it hurt for you too?"

Her question came out of nowhere, but it made Chi Wanzhao's hands suddenly lose their strength.

Should she say it didn't hurt?

She couldn't bring herself to say it.

That incident three years ago had dealt a heavy blow to the Chi family and to her.

She had locked herself in her apartment for many days, childishly hiding away. Only after a long time did Zhou Sheng tell her that her mother had been bedridden for days, and moreover, the world in City B had changed.

Only then did she move back home and slowly walk out of that storm.

But when she wanted to find Kong Xiyan again, it was no longer so easy.

Chi Wanzhao snapped out of her reverie, placed her hands on Kong Xiyan's shoulders, and said softly, "It's in the past."

Whether it hurt or not, it was over.

Even a bloody wound would have scarred long ago.

On hearing this, Kong Xiyan felt even worse, but she didn't say anything and just held her.

The two in the ward drew warmth from each other.

Chi Wanzhao felt as if her heart were soaked in warm water, the warmth flowing over the ferocious, ugly scars, slowly soothing them, making her heart whole again and beating fiercely.

Kong Xiyan couldn't help but rest her head on Chi Wanzhao's chest, listening to the thumping sound and feeling a sense of peace.

Neither spoke, as if savoring the quiet atmosphere.

It wasn't until the buzz of a phone vibrating came from the coffee table that the silence broke.

Kong Xiyan nudged Chi Wanzhao. "Answer it."

Chi Wanzhao helped her lie down properly, walked to the coffee table, picked up the phone, and glanced at it.

Then she answered.

"Hello, Mom."

Xie Dan, hearing Chi Wanzhao's detached voice, said hurriedly, "Xiaowan, is your sister with you?"

Chi Wanzhao glanced at Kong Xiyan, who looked back with clear eyes. She smiled and pointed toward the bathroom. Kong Xiyan nodded.

Only after she had closed the bathroom door did Chi Wanzhao say, "She's not here."

"You can call her directly."

As she spoke, she walked to the bathroom window and saw Chi Xuan, still standing outside.

Her figure was buffeted this way and that by the wind, snowflakes pelting her in large flakes. She gritted her teeth and refused to budge. Li Bo seemed to be persuading her from the side, but she shook her head and pushed him away. Her pretty face was as pale as paper, her lips drained of color.

Chi Wanzhao could clearly see her body trembling.

She lowered her gaze and looked away.

On the other end, Xie Dan said directly, "She's not answering my calls now. Xiaowan, is she still standing outside?"

Chi Wanzhao pursed her lips. "Yes."

Xie Dan said urgently, "How could you let her stand outside all this time!"

Chi Wanzhao: "I asked her to come back inside, but she refused."

"She really did do something wrong this time."

Xie Dan was anxious. "If she's wrong, teach her slowly! Isn't it snowing heavily over there? How can her body withstand the cold? Xiaowan, listen to Mom, don't hold grudges against your sister, okay?"

Chi Wanzhao's voice was faint. "I'm not holding a grudge; I'm teaching her slowly."

"Mom, you can't protect her forever. She needs to know what mistakes she must not make."

Xie Dan shouted, "But it's because of me!"

"She did it for me!"

After shouting, she realized what she had said, then covered her mouth tightly, the sound of soft sobbing coming through. Chi Wanzhao's face gradually tightened. "Because of what?"

"Is there something you've been hiding from me?"

Xie Dan knew that when it came to stubbornness, she could never match this daughter of hers.

Moreover, Chi Xuan was still standing outside; her heart ached.

Faced with Chi Wanzhao's not-exactly-pressing question, she had no choice but to confess helplessly.

After hearing her explanation, Chi Wanzhao bit her lip.

Then she hung up.

Outside the bathroom, in the ward, Li Bo had entered after knocking. Kong Xiyan faced him and asked, "What did you say? Chi Xuan is standing outside? For how long?"

Li Bo blinked. "Not too long, but Second Miss, she..."

Kong Xiyan's voice raised a bit. "Even if it's not long, she can't stay standing there; go get her inside!"

She saw Li Bo's gaze wander around the ward, so she understood and said, "Tell her to come in quickly; say her second sister approved."

Li Bo sighed with relief. "Alright, I'll go now."

Just as Li Bo left the ward, Chi Wanzhao came out of the bathroom. Phone in hand, brows furrowed, she was about to speak when Kong Xiyan asked, "Did you know Chi Xuan was standing outside all along?"

Chi Wanzhao was startled for a moment, then looked toward the ward door and sighed. "Did Li Bo come to you?"

Kong Xiyan said with some anger, "How could you let her stand outside like that? If Li Bo hadn't told me, were you planning to let her stand all night?"

Chi Wanzhao walked over and sat beside her. "How could I? Her frame couldn't last a whole night."

Seeing that she had a clear head about it, Kong Xiyan's anger eased a little, but she was still unhappy and said, "You still shouldn't have done that. She..."

"Xiyan, she needs to take responsibility for her mistakes. We can forgive her this time, but what about next time? What if it's someone else? She should pay for her own actions."

Kong Xiyan pouted. "But!"

Chi Wanzhao tilted her head to look at her, using her gaze to stop the words she was about to say.

Fine.

Kong Xiyan had to admit that Chi Wanzhao was right.

No matter how angry Chi Xuan got, she shouldn't resort to violence. This time they were lucky that nothing serious happened.

But what if luck didn't hold?

So letting her learn a lesson was necessary.

Kong Xiyan sighed as she came to terms with it, then noticed Chi Wanzhao's gaze still fixed on her. She met those bright eyes and asked, puzzled, "Why are you staring at me?"

Chi Wanzhao said softly, "I'm thinking about a problem."

Kong Xiyan: "What problem?"

Chi Wanzhao: "I'm thinking that if we ever have children, we definitely can't have you teaching them."

Kong Xiyan: ...