Chapter 584: Episode 3: Tranquil Times (Ya Xi and Doug)

"Big sister, it’s me." Ya Xi’s voice came through the phone. Shen Qinglan was slightly stunned and looked at the phone; she hadn’t expected it to be Ya Xi.

"Ya Xi." Shen Qinglan’s voice softened unconsciously, as if afraid to frighten her.

Ya Xi’s lips were a bit pale, her hand holding the phone trembling slightly. Her eyes looked confused, seemingly at a loss for what to say.

After a long wait without a response from Ya Xi, a trace of sadness flashed in Shen Qinglan’s eyes, and her voice became even gentler, "Ya Xi, have you been well lately?"

"Mm." Ya Xi responded softly, "I’m very fine."

"That’s good. Take care of yourself. It’s going to get colder in Xueli City, make sure to keep warm and don’t catch a cold." Shen Qinglan advised; she usually disliked saying such things, thinking it made her sound like a nagging old woman, but facing Ya Xi, she repeatedly broke her own rules.

Ya Xi’s eyes were focused ahead, but without a focal point, Shen Qinglan’s advice echoing in her ears. Her eyes reddened and she blinked, "Big sister, I’m all good, don’t worry about me."

Hearing this, Shen Qinglan smiled, "If you are well, then I am relieved. Actually, having Doug by your side, I can be at ease."

Knowing Ya Xi’s current situation, Shen Qinglan didn’t say much more and soon hung up after a couple more exchanges.

Ya Xi turned around to see someone standing behind her. She was slightly startled; Doug walked over, smiling gently, "Calling Shen Qinglan?"

Ya Xi nodded, "Doug, I want to go to Beijing tomorrow."

Doug paused, "Did something happen to Shen Qinglan?" Otherwise, why would she suddenly want to go to Beijing.

"I just want to go back for a visit. Is that okay?" Ya Xi didn’t mention that she longed to see Shen Qinglan, really longed.

"Okay, I’ll go with you tomorrow. I’ll book the tickets now. Will you be okay here by yourself?" Often, Ya Xi feared him being far away, so he always informed her in advance about where he was going.

Ya Xi nodded, "I’ll be fine, go ahead."

Doug fixed her with a steady look, seeing that she appeared calm, he felt slightly reassured and turned to go to the study.

**

Beijing International Airport, Ya Xi looked at the familiar city in front of her, feeling completely alien. She hadn’t been away for long, but it felt like half a lifetime. Doug stood beside her, pushing two suitcases.

Doug hailed a cab, and this time neither of them had told anyone of their return.

Ya Xi wanted to see Shen Qinglan right away, but instead of going to her, she followed Doug to the hotel first. In the hotel, Ya Xi was restless, "Doug, if I go see big sister now, do you think she would want to see me?"

Doug chuckled, "Of course, she’ll see you." It was unquestionable how much Shen Qinglan cared for Ya Xi; saying Shen Qinglan regarded Ya Xi as her own beloved younger sister was no exaggeration.

Ya Xi slightly lowered her gaze, "Doug, if I were big sister, I would hate someone like me." She knew her previous actions must have hurt Shen Qinglan; unable to move past her own traumas, stuck in her mental conflicts yet blaming everyone around her—her father and brother, Doug, and Shen Qinglan, too—such a selfish person like her deserved a lifetime of unhappiness.

Doug pressed his lips together, "Ya Xi, it’s not your fault."

Ya Xi gave a bitter smile, looking down silently. After a while, she looked up at Doug, "I want to see big sister; could you call her for me?"

Doug nodded and called Shen Qinglan. Shen Qinglan was very surprised to hear that Ya Xi was actually in Beijing and immediately said, "Okay, I’m coming out right now."

They agreed to meet at University B. Shen Qinglan arrived at the University B gate first. Doug dropped her off and then found a seat in a café opposite the school; he was worried about Ya Xi’s potential emotional turmoil and didn’t dare leave.

Ya Xi seemed much better than the last time Shen Qinglan had seen her. Although Shen Qinglan could sense that Ya Xi was very nervous, especially when people passed by nearby, her body would involuntarily tense up.

Shen Qinglan walked on the periphery around Ya Xi, keeping her adequately isolated from the crowd. As they walked through the campus of University B, Shen Qinglan glanced sideways at the young girl beside her. Ya Xi’s head hung low as she followed, and they proceeded in silence.

Shen Qinglan led Ya Xi to a quiet, sparsely populated lawn on campus. Indeed, once Ya Xi arrived there, her body relaxed, and she unconsciously sighed in relief.

"Big sister, I’m sorry." Ya Xi said softly, her voice so quiet that only Shen Qinglan could hear.

Shen Qinglan paused, "Why are you apologizing to me again?" Even she couldn’t remember how many times Ya Xi had said sorry to her.

"Ya Xi, I was too selfish before. Because I couldn’t bear the past, I blamed you. It was my fault, I’m sorry." Ya Xi spoke hoarsely. She had held these words in her heart for a long time and had not had the courage to say them.

Shen Qinglan was startled and looked at her intently, "Ya Xi, I never took it to heart as long as you are alright."

Shen Qinglan’s lack of blame made Ya Xi even more uneasy. Guilt surged in her heart like a tide, almost drowning her. She wondered what good she had done in her past life to have met Shen Qinglan in this life.

"Sister, you could actually blame me." If Shen Qinglan blamed her, she would have felt relieved.

Shen Qinglan raised her hand, intending to stroke Ya Xi’s hair. She lifted it halfway, then remembered Ya Xi’s illness and hesitated. However, seeing that Ya Xi had no reaction, she eventually let her hand rest gently on her shoulder, patting it lightly. "Ya Xi, don’t take all the blame upon yourself. You don’t know how happy I am seeing you gradually getting better."

Ya Xi looked up to meet Shen Qinglan’s eyes, as warm as she remembered, and suddenly started to cry. She clung to Shen Qinglan’s hand, wondering what she had missed.

Ya Xi cried uncontrollably. Shen Qinglan reached out, drew her into an embrace, and gently patted her back as if comforting a crying child.

After a long while, Ya Xi gradually calmed down. Her head rested on Shen Qinglan’s shoulder, her hand gripping Shen Qinglan’s, "Sister, I will work very hard to cooperate with Doug’s treatment. I will definitely get better as soon as possible. When I am better, I will come to find you."

Shen Qinglan smiled. "Alright."

The day after meeting Shen Qinglan, Ya Xi returned to Xueli City. As she said, upon returning from Beijing, she started cooperating fully with Doug’s treatment. Although she had been cooperating before, she had always held back, causing the treatment to be effective but slow. Now, however, it was different; Ya Xi was willing to expose herself completely to him, which was very beneficial for her condition. In a short time, Ya Xi’s condition had made significant progress, to the extent that she now dared to go shopping alone.

When Ya Xi went out, Doug followed her from a distance, ready to rush to her if her emotions became uncontrollable. He saw her entering the supermarket and, like everyone else, picking out the groceries she needed for the day. At one moment, a child bumped into Ya Xi. Doug had been ready to rush to her, but instead, he saw Ya Xi help the child up and even gave him a smile and a gentle pat on the head, which excited Doug enormously.

He only left after watching Ya Xi finish shopping and take a taxi; he then took a shortcut home.

When Ya Xi returned home from the supermarket, she saw Doug standing at the door, obviously waiting for her. She hesitated for a moment, then smiled at him and lifted the grocery bag she was carrying.

Doug walked over. "Great."

Ya Xi smiled, "Were you very worried about me?"

Doug nodded, then shook his head, "I trust you can do well, Ya Xi. You have always been amazing in my heart."

Dinner was prepared by Doug, with Ya Xi helping out. They usually made Western food, and Doug was quite good at it.

Ya Xi loved this kind of life now, peaceful and serene.

Shen Qinglan would occasionally call Ya Xi to talk about recent things in life, often speaking about Anan because Ya Xi liked Anan very much.

Ya Xi’s condition improved day by day. Yan Anbang, her father, although never receiving calls from her and still not meeting her, felt relieved knowing that Ya Xi could live a normal life.

Ya Xi’s condition fully recovered in the spring of the next year. When Doug received the medical report, despite being prepared, he was still so excited that he was at a loss for words.

Ya Xi, looking nervous, watched the man in front of her. Her hands tightened at her sides, and suddenly, Doug embraced her. "Ya Xi, it’s wonderful, you’ve finally recovered."

Tears fell almost instantly from Ya Xi’s eyes. She could feel Doug’s tension and excitement. Throughout her disease, Doug had been the one who had given the most, staying by her side all these years, never wavering or regretting.

"Ya Xi, let’s get married when we go back," Doug suddenly said.

Ya Xi was stunned, hardly able to react, "Doug, I..." She was thrilled that her illness was cured, but marrying Doug...

"Ya Xi, do you know how long I have waited for this day? I’ve dreamt of it," Doug’s voice trembled slightly, and Ya Xi could clearly feel his excitement.

"Doug, my past..." Her past was so bleak; she didn’t deserve someone as wonderful as him.

"Fool, if I minded your past, I wouldn’t have stayed by your side all these years. Ya Xi, will you marry me?" he gazed at her deeply.

Seemingly possessed, Ya Xi nodded her head. By the time she realized it, Doug had already lifted her in his arms and spun her around several times. Ya Xi let out a little shriek, then laughed.

Ya Xi and Doug’s wedding was low-key, attended only by a few people including Shen Qinglan and Yan Shengyu. Yan Anbang didn’t come, but he sent a wedding gift through Yan Shengyu – a bank card containing all his life savings.

In the third year of her marriage to Doug, Ya Xi gave birth to their first daughter, rounding out her far-from-smooth life.