Chapter 30: His New Life
Xie Jingyan’s gaze quietly watched her.
He had made it very clear: from now on, they were strangers. Why was she still lingering around him?
Xie Jingyan could not forgive her.
Seeing her reminded him of his parents who were burned to death in the big fire.
He also did not think of himself as someone with a good temper.
Actually, he was so bad that he wanted to kill.
Xie Jingyan took a deep breath, his voice flat: “I don’t need your help, Su Wanyuan. Don’t be so annoying, okay.”
A calm sentence with no ups and downs forced Su Wanyuan’s tears to roll down instantly.
“A Yan.” She sobbed, her gaze pleading: “I’m sorry, I didn’t want to either. I was just too afraid, A Yan. You’re all I have left. There’s twenty thousand in the card. Let’s take Xiao He to transfer hospitals. Jin Cheng has more than one hospital. A Yan, give me a chance to make it up to you, okay.”
Su Wanyuan’s tears kept falling, dripping to the ground and soaking a patch on the floor.
He felt no movement in his heart, only annoyance, great annoyance.
He recalled the last words his mother left him before she passed away.
She had said: “Xiao Yan, don’t cry, don’t blame yourself, don’t resent anyone, don’t live with hatred, don’t blame Wanyuan. She’s a pitiful child. No one is to blame for this. Promise me, okay?”
Xie Jingyan had promised.
He did not hate Su Wanyuan, but he could not forgive her either.
He hated himself.
Xie Jingyan heard his own voice, very soft yet very cold: “I don’t belong to you, and don’t call me A Yan anymore. They’re dead. There’s no chance to make up for it. Su Wanyuan, don’t make me hate you.”
He closed the door, blocking out Su Wanyuan’s desperate gaze.
His heart was numb, like a gap had been torn open, endlessly pouring in cold wind.
“Xiao Yan…”
Old Mrs. Xie’s worried voice came from behind.
Xie Jingyan adjusted his mood before smiling at Old Mrs. Xie: “I’m fine, Grandmother. You take Xiao He to rest.”
“As for the benefactor’s suggestion to take Xiao He to the Capital City for treatment, I think it’s feasible. I’ll ask for leave from school and take you there.”
Old Mrs. Xie held his hand and shook her head at him: “No need. I’ll take Xiao He there. Zhaozhao sent me a message saying she’s arranged everything on that side. I just need to bring Xiao He to the hospital. I’ll rent a house nearby the hospital to take care of Xiao He. You’re in the critical period of Grade 3 now, Xiao Yan. You’re our family’s hope. You must make something of yourself.”
Xie Jingyan was silent for a few seconds before replying: “Okay. But we’ve borrowed so much money at once. I’ll have to repay it after I go to university.”
“Sigh, we’ll try our best.”
Old Mrs. Xie had no method. For Xie He’s sake, she would beg the benefactor for more time even if she had to.
“Xiao Yan, no one is to blame for what happened to your parents. They died trying to save Xiao He too. Don’t blame Wanyuan anymore. She has her own path.” With that, she shook her head and left.
Only when the living room was empty did Xie Jingyan collapse onto the sofa as if his strength had drained away.
His gaze stared blankly at the ceiling.
His memory flashed back to thirteen years ago.
In Xiao Ge Town, he still remembered it was a sunny summer day.
He was five then, coming to this picturesque town for the first time with his mother to settle down here. Su Wanyuan’s family lived across from them at the time. Compared to the young and lively Su Wanyuan, Xie Jingyan was not a talkative child. She wanted to be friends with him, but back then, Xie Jingyan stayed home and went nowhere else.
Later, his mother met Father Xie and they formed a new family. Since Father Xie was very good to him, he called him Father.
A year later, Xiao He was born, and their family of four lived peacefully and happily.
In the year Xie Jingyan turned ten, he accidentally rescued the drowning Su Wanyuan.
Later, their family came to thank them, and they had contact again.
From then on, she followed him around like a little tail, impossible to shake off.
Little Su Wanyuan was very lively and cheerful back then, sweetly calling “A Yan” every time.
She said she liked him and wanted to be his bride in the future.
When the adults from both families found out, they teasingly talked about arranging a child betrothal for them.
Xie Jingyan back then did not know what liking someone meant; he only knew he did not dislike Su Wanyuan.
So, he directed more of his gaze toward her.
Later, the Su family fell on hard times.
Su Wanyuan’s parents passed away one after another.
Taking care of her became Xie Jingyan’s responsibility.
Five years was enough time for him to care deeply about her.
The youth’s first stirring of love came at fifteen.
He never voiced his feelings, because Su Wanyuan excitedly told him she was going to Jin Cheng.
A kindhearted person was willing to provide her financial aid until she went to university.
She did not want to keep troubling Xie Jingyan’s parents.
His family was only modestly well-off.
Xie Jingyan needed to study, and that year Xie He was diagnosed with illness, which would cost a lot of money.
He suppressed his urge to ask her to stay and finally wished her a bright future.
The day of the incident was the hottest day that year.
Xie He’s medicine had run out.
Xie Jingyan needed to go to the hospital in the nearby county town.
Father Xie and Mother Xie had to go to work, and Grandmother was in the countryside at the time. They had originally planned to call Grandmother over to take care of Xie He.
But Su Wanyuan patted her chest and guaranteed them that she would take good care of Xiao He until they returned.
On the gas stove, Mother Xie had chicken soup simmering on low heat, and she also instructed Su Wanyuan to turn off the fire in an hour.
After they all left.
The Gu Family that was providing financial aid to Su Wanyuan sent a car to pick her up.
The Gu Family was very busy and had no extra time to wait for her.
While Su Wanyuan hurriedly packed her luggage, she saw Xie He sleeping soundly and left a note before leaving.
She completely forgot about the lit gas stove and the chicken soup simmering on it.
Two hours after she left.
An explosion occurred at Xie Jingyan’s house, with flames shooting into the sky.
Father Xie and Mother Xie received the news and rushed home desperately.
Xie He was inside.
Without thinking, Mother Xie rushed in; she wanted to save her daughter.
Father Xie could not stop her and in the end shook off the firefighters and ran in too.
Xie He was well protected by them and was not injured at all, only inhaling too much thick smoke. She went into the ICU along with Mother Xie.
Father Xie was declared dead on the spot after failed rescue attempts.
When Xie Jingyan rushed back from the neighboring county town, he only made it in time to see Mother Xie one last time.
She was covered in blood, with 90% severe burns over her body.
After telling him to take good care of his sister and live well, she passed away.
His parents’ death was the dampness of his life.
Thinking of it hurt.
He kept replaying the nightmare of that day over and over.
If he had not gone to the county town, if he had called Grandmother, if Mother had not been simmering chicken soup, if they had not entrusted Su Wanyuan.
Would all this tragedy not have happened?
But reality has no ifs.
No matter how painful, tired, or unwilling to live.
He had to think of his still young sister.
Xie He, whose life was exchanged for by Father and Mother’s lives.
Xie Jingyan placed his hand over his eyes, and even the back of his hand became damp.
A long time passed.
Only then did he lower his head, his black hair covering the emotions in his eyes.
He unlocked his mobile phone, found the chat interface with “Lingling You Nan,” whom he had not contacted in a long time, and sent two words in her chat box.
【Thank you.】
Was today his new life?
Something like that.
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