47

That night, Yu Mingjiao cried for a long time, as if she were shedding the tears she'd been holding back for the past five years, without a single moment's pause.

Cen Lingqiu comforted her for what felt like an eternity, unsure when they had fallen asleep. The only thing she remembered was that when Yu Mingjiao finally drifted off, her long, thick eyelashes were still damp, like reeds soaked by rain.

Cen Lingqiu gently caressed her face.

Her eyes are going to be swollen tomorrow, she thought.

Such a crybaby.

But Yu Mingjiao hadn't always been like this.

When had she become so prone to tears?

It seemed that ever since they had met, Yu Mingjiao had been crying constantly.

In the end, it was she who had become the source of her pain.

Cen Lingqiu felt a deep bitterness settle in her heart, mixed with a sense of helplessness.

The next morning, as expected, Yu Mingjiao's eyes were swollen and red, barely able to open.

The first thing she did when she woke up was to reach out for Cen Lingqiu.

Not feeling her by her side, fear overtook her. Thinking that last night had been yet another hallucination, she tried to get out of bed in a panic. Without any strength in her legs, she tumbled out of the bed, her head hitting the floor with a sharp thud.

Cen Lingqiu, who was in the kitchen warming up milk, immediately dropped everything when she heard the sound and rushed back to the bedroom.

"Jiao Jiao!"

She found Yu Mingjiao on the floor, her long hair spread out across the ground. When Yu Mingjiao heard her voice, she lifted her head, her nose bleeding from the fall. Her eyes, which had been blank moments before, were now filled with a mixture of nervousness and unsteady joy.

"...Lingqiu Jie," Yu Mingjiao whispered.

Cen Lingqiu hurriedly picked her up, carrying her in her arms. She was so thin that it felt like holding a bundle of bones. Grabbing a tissue, Cen Lingqiu carefully wiped the blood from her nose, unable to stop herself from gently scolding her. "Why did you try to get up by yourself? If you need something, just call me."

Yu Mingjiao didn't care about the blood. She clung tightly to Cen Lingqiu, her body trembling slightly, her teeth chattering.

Cen Lingqiu paused, hearing Yu Mingjiao's hoarse voice whispering, "Lingqiu Jie, I thought I was dreaming again..."

Cen Lingqiu chuckled softly and patted her back with one hand. "How could that be?"

"This isn't a dream, Jiao Jiao. Can't you feel my warmth?"

Yu Mingjiao pressed her face into Cen Lingqiu's neck, feeling her warmth and inhaling her familiar scent. She gave a muffled hum in response.

Cen Lingqiu wanted to put a cold compress on Yu Mingjiao's swollen eyes, but she refused to let go. No matter what Cen Lingqiu said, Yu Mingjiao wouldn't listen.

With a sigh, Cen Lingqiu gave in.

She had always indulged Yu Mingjiao.

—

Yu Mingjiao had even less sense of security than before. She lived in constant fear that Cen Lingqiu was just another figment of her imagination, and she didn't dare ask whether Cen Lingqiu would leave again. She lacked the courage to hear the answer.

She was terrified, deeply afraid that the answer wouldn't be the one she wanted.

Yu Mingjiao couldn't bear the thought of another goodbye.

She had no strength left to wait.

Unable to ask, she simply stuck to Cen Lingqiu's side day and night.

She no longer went to the office, choosing instead to work from home. Cen Lingqiu learned that Yu Mingjiao had become the lead designer at X.R., and her work had gained international recognition in the world of fashion, with collaborations from numerous luxury brands. Her reputation had grown both domestically and abroad.

Yet, despite her fame, Yu Mingjiao remained a mystery, rarely appearing in public. This only added to her allure, making her even more sought after. Despite producing only a few pieces in the last five years, each one had been met with great demand.

Cen Lingqiu couldn't help but feel a sense of pride, like a parent watching their child succeed.

You've really come so far, Jiao Jiao.

At work, Yu Mingjiao had the freedom to work remotely, and the company had no issues with her decision to stay at home.

Cen Lingqiu, with less than two months left, decided not to return to work either. She wanted to spend every moment with Yu Mingjiao.

The one thing they needed most was time, and yet they had so little of it.

So they spent every day together, inseparable.

Yu Mingjiao's insecurity was so overwhelming that she couldn't stand to be away from Cen Lingqiu for even a moment. Whether it was day or night, she needed to be near her. Even when Cen Lingqiu went downstairs to take out the trash, Yu Mingjiao would call her dozens of times.

Terrified that something had happened, Cen Lingqiu would rush back upstairs, only to find Yu Mingjiao waiting in the living room, her eyes brimming with unshed tears, saying she had called because she just wanted to see her.

Cen Lingqiu was at a loss for what to do.

That, however, wasn't the most difficult part.

The hardest thing for Cen Lingqiu was realizing just how deeply Yu Mingjiao's insecurities ran—she had absolutely no sense of safety.

The hallucinations were still there. Sometimes, even though Cen Lingqiu was sitting right next to her, Yu Mingjiao would suddenly turn and stare at an empty corner of the room.

When Cen Lingqiu asked what she was looking at, Yu Mingjiao would reply, "Someone's talking to me."

She would nervously point to the balcony. "Someone's standing there, talking. It's Lingqiu Jie. She's telling me to come home with her."

Even in the middle of the night, Yu Mingjiao would wake up from her sleep, muttering, "She's talking again. She's crying. She says she's in pain…"

Yu Mingjiao would reach for her neck, her expression dazed and frantic. "She says it hurts here."

She would cry, her tears falling as she whispered that it hurt.

Cen Lingqiu found it all unbearably tragic. She was right there, yet Yu Mingjiao still couldn't find any comfort in her presence.

Five years was such a long time.

Long enough to utterly break someone's spirit, to turn a person into a shell of who they once were.

In those five years, Yu Mingjiao had been completely shattered.

The neighbors sometimes whispered when they saw Yu Mingjiao.

"The girl in the wheelchair next door seems mentally unstable."

"Yeah, I've seen her talking to herself. It's creepy."

"I once shared the elevator with her, and she suddenly insisted that someone hadn't come in with her and that she needed to go back down. It scared the life out of me."

"Such a pity. She's so young and beautiful, but she's gone mad."

These were things Yu Sui'an told Cen Lingqiu after overhearing them. She had argued with the neighbors countless times because of it.

How could Cen Lingqiu not feel heartbroken?

It was unbearable—like a pain that twisted her inside out.

And so, she cried too, holding Yu Mingjiao tightly and kissing her.

Only when they kissed did Yu Mingjiao seem to regain some sense of clarity.

They kissed and cried, living through many days like this.

Today, the temperature had dropped a little. Cen Lingqiu had to go back home for a bit—Zhang Li had asked her to come for a family dinner, and she wanted her to bring Yu Mingjiao along.

Though Cen Lingqiu didn't know why Zhang Li wanted her to bring Yu Mingjiao, she thought it might be a good opportunity to get her out of the house.

Lately, they hadn't gone out much, spending all their time together indoors.

Cen Lingqiu would read while Yu Mingjiao worked on her designs beside her. Sometimes, their eyes would meet, and they would kiss without even thinking about it.

It felt so strange.

Neither of them had ever explicitly expressed their feelings for each other, but kissing had become so natural, as if it was the most normal thing in the world—as if this was what was always meant to happen between them.

But it couldn't go on like this forever. Cen Lingqiu's lips were constantly cracked and sore from the frequent kissing.

This couldn't be how things were supposed to be.

So, using the dinner invitation as an excuse, she took Yu Mingjiao back home with her.

When they arrived, Zhang Li was already waiting for them at the dining table. She smiled softly as she saw them approach.

"Mom," Cen Lingqiu greeted her, feeling a bit awkward. In the original story, the father and brother were complicated characters, but Zhang Li had always been a normal, loving mother.

"You're here," Zhang Li said, her expression showing signs of wear and tear from the years. "Sit down."

Yu Mingjiao, feeling a bit distant toward Zhang Li, nodded politely. "Hello, Auntie."

Zhang Li returned her smile warmly.

"Your father is still abroad," Zhang Li explained. "He couldn't make it back for dinner, and your grandfather's health has declined so much that he can't leave his bed. So, it's just us tonight."

The original character's grandfather had collapsed under the weight of his grandchildren's tragedies—Lin Dong's imprisonment and Lin Qiu's accident. Now, he spent his days bedridden, barely clinging to life.

Their father, burdened with the company's responsibilities, had thrown himself into work as a way of escaping the grief. He rarely came home anymore.

It felt as though, overnight, everyone had lost the chance for happiness. There were no more joyful days ahead.

Only pain.

Cen Lingqiu felt a suffocating sense of sorrow settle over her.

Sensing her discomfort, Yu Mingjiao subtly reached for her hand under the table, gently hooking their pinkies together.

Cen Lingqiu managed a small smile in return, squeezing her hand in reassurance.

Throughout the meal, Zhang Li casually chatted with Yu Mingjiao, asking about work and health, while also making sure to serve her food. Yu Mingjiao responded politely, though she seemed a little out of place with the extra attention.

Cen Lingqiu, meanwhile, tried to take care of her too, reminding her, "Don't eat too much spicy food. Your stomach can't handle it."

Yu Mingjiao obediently nodded, listening to everything Cen Lingqiu said.

When Cen Lingqiu placed some liver on her plate, explaining that it was good for her blood, Yu Mingjiao's expression showed her reluctance. Only after some coaxing did she reluctantly eat it.

Zhang Li observed the two of them for a while, her gaze deepening with thought. Finally, she took a sip of water and asked Yu Mingjiao in a casual tone.

"Xiao Yu, you're about twenty-six or twenty-seven now, right? Do you have a boyfriend?"

Yu Mingjiao shook her head. "No, I don't."

"Why not?" Zhang Li pressed. "You're so beautiful and talented in your work. Haven't any boys pursued you?"

Cen Lingqiu felt uncomfortable with the line of questioning. "Mom, that's a personal matter. Maybe we shouldn't—"

Zhang Li shot her a sly glance and smiled. "Why are you so flustered, Lingqiu?"

Taken aback, Cen Lingqiu stammered, "What?"

Ignoring her, Zhang Li turned back to Yu Mingjiao. "Xiao Yu, is there anyone you like? If there is, you can tell me. Maybe I can help."

Yu Mingjiao fell silent, unsure of how to respond.

The person she liked.

The first name that came to mind was Cen Lingqiu.

It could only be Cen Lingqiu.

Seeing her hesitation, Cen Lingqiu assumed she didn't want to talk about it and was about to steer the conversation in another direction when Zhang Li suddenly dropped a bombshell.

"Xiao Yu, are you and Lingqiu dating?"

Cen Lingqiu's eyes widened in shock. She choked on her water, hastily gulping it down before she could speak. "Mom—we're just friends."

"Friends?" Zhang Li raised an eyebrow in disbelief. "Lingqiu, you didn't treat Wen Zhi this way."

Zhang Li wiped her mouth slowly and deliberately, speaking with a calm and measured tone. "Lingqiu, when you were injured five years ago, I thought we were going to lose you. I was already making arrangements for your funeral. But Xiao Yu was the one who stood by your side, refusing to let anyone touch your body."

A faint smile tugged at Zhang Li's lips as she remembered. "It was as if she would die on your grave if we went through with the burial."

Cen Lingqiu was stunned. She hadn't known about this. She looked over at Yu Mingjiao.

Yu Mingjiao had her eyes cast down, her expression quiet and unreadable.

Zhang Li continued. "Xiao Yu kept insisting you weren't dead—that you would wake up. But we thought it was impossible. When she saw that we weren't listening, she stayed by your side day and night, making sure no one touched you."

"Later…" Zhang Li shook her head. "Later, your body started showing signs of life again."

Zhang Li still remembered how Yu Mingjiao had clung to Cen Lingqiu's side like a woman possessed, refusing to eat or sleep, guarding her lifeless body.

Zhang Li had thought Yu Mingjiao had lost her mind and wanted to pull her away. But Yu Mingjiao had held a knife to her own neck, her eyes dark and filled with despair, as if she really would kill herself in an instant.

Zhang Li had been so shaken by that look that she had given in and stopped preparing Cen Lingqiu's funeral.

Then, miraculously, one day, Cen Lingqiu's body had shown signs of life again. Zhang Li had placed her in the best care facility, hoping against hope that she would wake up again, just as she had before.

After that day, Yu Mingjiao had disappeared.

Zhang Li had wanted to check in on her, but she soon realized that Yu Mingjiao's mental health had deteriorated.

It was during this time that Zhang Li had begun to suspect that there was something more between Yu Mingjiao and her daughter—something beyond the bounds of friendship.

Recently, fearing for Cen Lingqiu's safety, Zhang Li had secretly had her watched. She had even received photos of Cen Lingqiu and Yu Mingjiao kissing in the courtyard.

"There's no need to be so flustered, Lingqiu," Zhang Li said gently, patting her daughter's hair. "I've already lost so much. You're the only one I have left. No matter who you love, I won't stand in your way."

Cen Lingqiu, who was already in her thirties, found it oddly comforting to be patted on the head by her mother for the first time.

"And…" Zhang Li added, smiling at Yu Mingjiao, "I trust Xiao Yu's feelings for you. Whatever happens between you two, I'm too old to interfere."

Yu Mingjiao's eyes flickered slightly.

Both she and Cen Lingqiu fell silent, neither knowing what to say.

The rest of the meal passed peacefully enough.

As they were leaving, Zhang Li called out to Cen Lingqiu.

"Lingqiu, come back and visit me when you can."

"Bring Xiao Yu with you next time too. I'd love to hear you both chat with me."