Chapter 42: Begonia

Xia Qingyi’s first psychological consultation at the Tianxing Villa had ended.

It had not gone smoothly.

During the brief half-hour session, she found it difficult to obtain any truly useful information. Moreover, Yu Zhu could only respond by writing, and for most questions, he chose silence and evasion.

In the end, aside from the single note in his hand that read “Hello,” she gained no other information she wanted.

The clock display jumped to 13:30. The short alarm hadn’t yet sounded, and Venerable Suhua, who had been waiting outside, pushed the door open and walked in.

“Beep—”

“Beep—”

Venerable Suhua approached and pressed the alarm, saying, “Doctor Xia, today’s psychological consultation has ended.” She walked in front of Yu Zhu and looked at Xia Qingyi seated on the chair. “It’s still raining outside. Doctor Xia, you can rest in the villa until the rain stops before heading back.”

Xia Qingyi stood, her red curls cascading like waves. She picked up her coat from the back of the chair. “Miss Venerable Suhua, I have another patient this afternoon, so I won’t take up more time. But regarding Xihe, there are a few things I’d like to discuss with you.”

The implication in her words was obvious: she wanted to discuss Yu Zhu’s current psychological condition privately with Venerable Suhua, avoiding him.

But Venerable Suhua asked directly, “What about Xihe?”

Xia Qingyi’s eyebrow lifted slightly, almost imperceptibly. “Miss Venerable Suhua, are you sure we should discuss it here?”

“If it’s about Xihe’s defensiveness toward you, Doctor Xia, there’s no need to discuss that here,” Venerable Suhua said, her long lower eyelashes fluttering slightly with a trace of a smile. “Of course, Doctor Xia needn’t worry too much. Today was your first visit, and Xihe is always cautious with strangers. Once he becomes familiar, perhaps he won’t be so defensive toward you.”

The sharpness and veiled hostility in her tone were almost unhidden.

“Miss Venerable Suhua makes a valid point,” Xia Qingyi said, glancing at her fingers, clenched tight with tension. “A psychologist must befriend the patient. Only by becoming a friend can we effectively address their issues. It takes time.”

“Since Miss Venerable Suhua is clear about this, I need not say more.”

The maid was already waiting outside. Xia Qingyi buttoned her coat and headed out.

“Safe travels, Doctor Xia,” Venerable Suhua said politely but perfunctorily. Once Xia Qingyi’s figure disappeared along the villa path, she crouched down to meet Yu Zhu’s gaze.

“Xihe, are you tired?”

Yu Zhu nodded lightly.

The weariness in his eyes, like a persistent drizzle in Jiangnan, bound Venerable Suhua’s heart completely.

“We’ll…”

Her voice faltered. Yu Zhu’s eyelashes twitched. Her gaze reddened and clouded, but she clenched her hand to restrain herself from leaning in to kiss him as she had before.

Venerable Suhua rested her head on his lap, breathing a little heavily.

“Xihe, let me… slowly…”

No reason, no justification.

She was hopeless.

Outside, the spring rain continued to fall gently. The sound of rain muffled everything else. The breeze carried the rain, washing the dust from the air. Once again, sunlight rose through the dim clouds.

Seven days later, Xia Qingyi returned to Tianxing Villa on a bright, radiant spring day.

Outside the study, greenery was thick, leaves overlapping. Light filtering through seemed tinted with green.

She tied up her burgundy curls and wore a formal suit, sitting in the sunlit armchair, smiling gently at Yu Zhu as she resumed her previously unproductive psychological session.

“Xihe, did you have a good day today?”

Outside, the peach leaves swayed lightly in the wind, the scattered shadows dancing across Yu Zhu’s face.

His gaze remained calm as he looked at the shadow falling over him.

“It seems Xihe isn’t very happy today.”

“Although I don’t know what happened in your past, Xihe, you can’t dwell on past pain. The road ahead is long…”

“There are still people waiting for you in this world: your sister, your friends. What’s past is past. You need to move forward.”

“Xihe, don’t build such high walls around yourself. You can try to…”

A monologue, like a one-person play.

Suddenly, the wind outside picked up, and the light across Yu Zhu’s face shifted rapidly.

“Thank you.”

Warm, measured words appeared on the paper. Before the alarm could ring, Yu Zhu handed the note to her.

Xia Qingyi hadn’t had a chance to respond. Venerable Suhua had already pushed the door open, hands on Yu Zhu’s wheelchair, saying to her, “Doctor Xia, today’s consultation is over. Xihe still has rehabilitation to do, so we won’t keep you.”

The maid remained waiting at the door. The scene felt familiar. Xia Qingyi said nothing, following behind.

The rehabilitation room was opposite the study, with floor-to-ceiling windows along the same wall. Outside, the shaded area was full of clusters of pale pink weeping crabapple, red flowers filling the branches, delicate and drooping.

Inside the rehab room, Yu Zhu trembled as he held Venerable Suhua’s hand, shivering all over. Step by step, he walked along the path of flowers along the window. By the end, his hand shook more violently, his footing unstable, and the light before his eyes flickered again.

“Xihe!”

His limp, powerless body was held, as on that snowy night.

Venerable Suhua embraced him, slowly sitting down on the carpet.

Outside the rehab room, Xia Qingyi stopped.

She held the note that had been left in the study, the one with “Thank you” written on it, her expression unreadable as she stood by the half-open door.

The shaded sunlight outside was dim, like a sheet of yellowed parchment, barely touching a single line of clear light. Outside, the crabapple blossoms were radiant and vivid.

In this scene, Venerable Suhua lowered her head and kissed Yu Zhu at the corner of his lips.

Xia Qingyi saw the boy’s eyes hazy, consciousness unclear, leaning into her arms. The buttons on his collar were being undone, revealing a pale collarbone.

Instinctively, she stepped forward.

“Doctor Xia.”

A voice sounded beside her.

Xia Qingyi turned. The fair-faced maid stood smiling at her.

“Doctor Xia, did you find the item you forgot?” The maid raised a hand to close the door.

Xia Qingyi didn’t react but clenched the note tightly, smiling. “Yes, I found it.”

“Good. I’ll see you out.”

Once again, Xia Qingyi followed her along the cobblestone path.

It was midday in April. The sunlight was dazzling, and the faint fragrance of crabapple seemed to drift in the wind.

Though, crabapple has no scent.

Yu Zhu breathed in slowly. The lines crossing his vision gradually returned to normal.

“Xihe, still uncomfortable?” Venerable Suhua asked, watching him anxiously.

Yu Zhu had no strength in his body. Blinking, he watched the cold sweat on Venerable Suhua’s forehead. In his mind, the image of those burgundy eyes outside the door flashed once more.

Past and future, good and bad, true and false.

In his heart, there was nothing.

Empty.

Nothing at all.

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