537 Beautiful yet sorrowful
It was the next morning when Jun, Ai and Xing Bi were completely recovered except for Jin who was still unconscious by the accident. Shui, who had sustained a few minor injuries too, was doing well and stayed beside Jin’s side for the entire night.
Her father, Zhiyuan, was troubled to see his daughter all exhausted. “Shui, why not go home and rest for sometime? You have been awake this entire time.’
Siying said, “Yeah you come back later. Jin would also be awake by then.”
Shui shook her head, her faint reddened eyes tired of crying. “I want to stay here.”
They sighed. Xinyi gave them a glance and nodded. She smiled and patted her head. “That’s okay. But you have to eat, okay? You cannot remain hungry like this.”
“Yes, Mom.”
ραпdα Йᴏνêl(сòm)
Nuo harrumphed. “Don’t worry, Aunt. I will make sure Shui eats. Otherwise I will go on a hunger strike too!”
Siying chuckled and pinched her cheek. “Now, now. I don’t want my precious girlfriend and sister to become thin and frail.”
Nuo grinned. “Or what? Will you scold us? You sure you want Dad to hear this?”
Siying wiped his forehead. “How can I dare let Uncle Jinhai hear this? He will skin me alive.”
Zhiyuan sneered in disdain. “You don’t have to be afraid of that man. I will support you, son. We have some old scores to settle.”
Xinyi’s mouth twitched.
Both my husband and Liu Jinhai act like such children at times. I pity Nana…
She pushed Zhiyuan and Siying towards the exit. “Yes, yes, you two keep on fighting until the end of the world. Now don’t disturb Jin’s rest and let’s leave.”
Siying bent over and said, “I will bring some food for you two. Wait up.”
“Yup!” Nuo said.
“Haish it’s finally peace!” Nuo took a seat on the couch and laid back.
Shui asked, “Where are Grandpa and Grandma?”
“Ah, they rushed away to meet my sister-in-laws. Grandpa was crying super hard to know that sister-in-law Ai and Xing Bi were hurt too,” she shook her head. “Now he won’t stop bothering them haha.”
Shui gave a weak smile. She wanted to cheer up too but with Jin’s state, she couldn’t bring herself to smile.
Nuo pressed her lips and walked up to her. She gently placed her hand on her shoulder. “Jin will be okay, Shui. The doctor said so. We just have to wait for him to wake up. Hmph. Then we will scold him for making us worry like this.”
Shui lowered her gaze and clenched her fists. “Nuo.”
“Yes?”
“Does Jin…often fall sick at home?”
She furrowed. “Sick?”
“Yeah like getting a high fever all of a sudden or feeling weak…”
“No. Jin is always fine at home. It has been years since he got a fever in the first place.”
Shui rubbed her palms together, thinking hard about the events that she witnessed before her.
“Why do you ask? Do you know something?”
Shui parted her lips but hesitated. At that time when he collapsed in the church, Jun didn’t want anybody else to know about Jin’s condition and in Liu Corps, Jinhai seemed to have had the same thoughts.
She smiled. “…Nothing.”
Nuo got slightly anxious with that pause. “A-are you mad at Jin? Please don’t be angry at Jin!” She bowed.
Shui’s eyes widened, stunned. “Huh, huh? Why are you suddenly apologizing?”
“I mean Jin is really a safe and responsible driver! But I don’t know what happened this time…I completely understand if you, Siying or Uncle and Aunt would get furious with Jin. B-But I just-“
“No, no!” Shui quickly held her hand and assured her. “I am not angry at Jin and trust me, neither is my family. Of course, it was an unfortunate accident, but we know Jin is not at fault. So please don’t bow like this. You don’t need to.”
Nuo wiped her eyes and sniffled. “Yes.”
Shui was satisfied. She then said, “You must have not met Jun, Ai and Xing Bi yet, right?”
“Ah no, I haven’t,” she scratched her chin.
“Why don’t you hop over then? I know you are really worried about them too.”
“But you…”
She smiled. “I am fine. Bro will be coming back sometime anyway.”
Nuo gave it a thought and nodded. “If you need anything, just give me a call.”
“Sure.”
As it became silent once again, Shui stared at Jin’s unconscious face and slowly lifted his hand to hold it. She bent her head down and rested it on his hand as she quietly broke down.
“It’s all…it’s all my fault, right Jin?” Her voice shivered as she poured her heart out. “You fall sick whenever…I am by your side. Whether it’s the church, the office or last night…Maybe I am bad luck for you? It’s only me who m-makes you so miserable like this…It’s all my fault…”
Shui thought long and hard for the entire night and came to this conclusion which only stabbed her heart with knives.
Is it because I touched his shoulder…?
She remembered that back at the office, Jin had taken off the leaf over her head and it was at that moment when he suddenly collapsed.
Last night too, Shui had just touched his shoulder after which Jin lost control over the car.
She cried as she blamed herself, tightly holding onto Jin’s hand. “I am sorry Jin…”
A few moments later, she heard a frail voice, “Don’t be sorry…It’s not…your fault.”
Shui jolted and looked up. “J-Jin?”
Her teary eyes shone upon seeing him awake. “You are awake!”
Jin stared at her for a long time and stayed silent. He looked down at his hand which was slightly wet by her tears.
“O-oh this! I am sorry…” Shui hastily wiped his hand with her handkerchief. “I-I will call the doctor!”
But he stopped her. “Wait.”
“Yes?”
“Why are you…blaming yourself when…it was me who put you in danger?”
“No, you didn’t! Look, I am completely fine!”
Jin looked at the minor scratches and bruises on her arms.
“These are nothing! They will be healed in a jiffy!” Shui quickly said. “It was my fault for moving around too much…”
Jin said nothing.
Shui noticed his odd stare at her. His black eyes felt as if they held a whirlpool of lament, sadness and other inexplicable emotions. Yet his lips held a very beautiful but sorrowful smile.
She didn’t know why but it made her shiver.
As if Jin was going somewhere farther away from her.