Chapter 285

Chapter 285: 278: Changling self-harms, Xie Shang notices Chapter 285: 278: Changling self-harms, Xie Shang notices Wen Changling slept until eleven o’clock, just in time for Granny Zhu’s soup to be ready. She drank soup in the yard while Xie Shang brought over a medical kit, applied some medicine on her, and changed her Band-Aid.

“It’s the weekend today, let’s go out and watch a movie,” she suggested.

“Okay.”

The afternoon movie was chosen by Wen Changling. She didn’t look at online reviews but selected it based on the poster. The movie had a sad ending. The general died in battle, his wife perished together with the enemy troops, and their home and country were destroyed, never to be restored.

When they left the cinema, it was already dark.

The car was at a traffic light junction, intending to go straight, when Wen Changling said, “Let’s go to the lakeside. I want to feel the night breeze.”

Baiyang Lake was just to the right of the junction.

“Aren’t you hungry?”

“Not hungry.”

Xie Shang drove the car to the lakeside.

Baiyang Lake is the second largest freshwater lake in the empire. It is currently the dry season, with no boats on the water, yet the wind is still strong. Many trees are planted along the lake, adorned with colorful string lights.

In recent years, the area around Baiyang Lake has changed significantly. Lake-view houses have sprung up one after another, surrounding the lake. The spot where the car stopped offered views of every corner of the residential areas, with their lights and smoke, each with its own beauty.

Wen Changling rolled down the car window and the wind brought noises inside. The quiet cabin began to get noisy, and she heard the cries of vendors from a snack stall in the distance.

After feeling the night wind for a while, she suddenly asked Xie Shang, “If I die first, how long would it take for you to forget me?”

The question was rather pessimistic, perhaps influenced by the movie.

“Movies are make-believe. Don’t think nonsense,” he replied.

Gazing at the petals on the branches swaying precariously in the wind, she said, “I’m not thinking nonsense, just assuming. After all, life is unpredictable, and not everyone can live to a ripe old age.” She turned her head to look at Xie Shang, “Don’t just answer me off the cuff. Think about it properly.”

Xie Shang did not immediately respond. He had an answer, but he hesitated over what kind of response Wen Changling wanted to hear.

“There’s a stall over there selling roasted chestnuts.”

“I’ll go buy some. You wait in the car for me.”

They had dinner at Su Beihe’s place, where Wen Changling ate very little. Her appetite had been poor lately. When they got back to Lotus Pond Street, it wasn’t even nine o’clock. Xie Shang parked the car behind the courtyard.

After getting out of the car, he asked Wen Changling, “Are you coming to my place?”

“Not tonight.”

She returned to Granny Zhu’s courtyard.

“Changling.”

She turned around.

Xie Shang said nothing, just looked at her.

She had already reached the back door of Granny Zhu’s house and put down the bag with the roasted chestnuts. Then she turned back, gave Xie Shang a reassuring kiss, “Good night.”

Just as she lowered herself from tiptoe, Xie Shang reached out and wrapped his hand around her waist.

“That’s not fair,” he said.

“What isn’t fair?” she asked.

Xie Shang tightened his arms, carrying Wen Changling over the threshold and closing the door with a hand as he pressed down on her, “You can’t only consider your own needs.” He called her Miss Wen, “Think about mine too.”

He had found a bottle of sleeping pills in her room and didn’t dare leave her alone.

Their gazes locked, he was enticing her, his stare like the glaring sun at high noon, making the skin he looked upon intensely hot.

And then very naturally, they began to kiss. Initially led by Wen Changling, when she gradually lost her strength, she clung to the hem of Xie Shang’s shirt at his lower back.

Xie Shang supported her waist, kissing her softly, allowing her time to breathe before going deeper.

She slowly couldn’t keep up with him, leaning back continuously, her arms braced against the door. She frowned slightly and accidentally bit Xie Shang.

He stopped, “What happened to your hand?”

“It’s nothing.”

The moonlight was only enough to illuminate outlines, making details unclear. Xie Shang turned on the light and held Wen Changling’s left hand, pulling up her sleeve. There was a thin layer of bandage around her left arm, probably self-applied, and wrapped in a haphazard way.

“How did you get hurt?” he asked.

“The knife slipped while I was cutting fruit,” she answered.

That’s how she explained the cuts on her fingers too.

Xie Shang unwrapped the bandage. There was no medicine on her wound, and it had started to bleed slightly from the accidental contact just now.

“I have an answer to the question you asked by the lake,” he said calmly with a gaze devoid of impulsiveness, reflecting thoughtfulness and certainty. “Xiao Huan always says I am lovesick, and I never denied it. Changling, I don’t treasure life that much; otherwise, I wouldn’t have played deep-sea escape in Lileitu immediately after coming of age.”

Wen Changling seemed frozen, this wasn’t the answer she wanted.

Without a word, she let Xie Shang lead her into the room to apply medicine.

“Don’t cut fruit by yourself anymore.”

A long time passed.

She finally said, “Okay.”

After Ah Na and Wen Yuan passed away, she fell ill, a sickness that lingered and never improved. She had self-harmed and attempted suicide, even selecting her own gravesite next to Ah Na’s. She planned everything, intending to join her family after avenging them.

Xie Shang was an accident, a form of end-of-life care she’d prescribed for herself.

Once, as a hospice nurse, the head nurse told her, “End-of-life care needs to be measured; otherwise, those who must leave find it hard to let go.”

Wen Changling turned on the shower faucet and made a call.

“Doctor Tao.”

She looked at her newly bandaged arm, “Is Saturday available for an appointment?”

She had seen such patients before, who, once transferred to hospice, found it hard to let go. But they couldn’t save themselves.