Chapter 276: She Owed Him Two Lives
Qiao Jiusheng rarely saw a man with long hair.
In the past, she always felt that a man with long hair was either crazy or immortal.
I’m probably seeing a living immortal.
Qiao Jiusheng stared at the man and was distracted for a few seconds.
The man was wearing sungla.s.ses and holding a cane. He probably wanted to wash his hands, so he stretched out a slender and beautiful hand. On the wrist of that hand was a string of Buddhist beads. The man’s hand reached out several times in front of him, but he could not find the water tap.
Qiao Jiusheng was surprised. He can’t see?
The man felt his hand, which was searching for the tap, suddenly get grabbed by another person’s hand. Fang Yusheng was stunned for a moment, then he let that soft hand hold his hand and bring it under the tap.
Qiao Jiusheng told him, “The tap is here.”
The tap was automatic. The cold water splashed on the back of Fang Yusheng’s hand. It was summer, and he felt a comfortable chill.
“Thanks,” he said.
His gentle voice was like spring rain. With a single sound, all things would revive.
Qiao Jiusheng looked at him a few more times before saying, “You’re welcome.”
Even though she felt that this person was handsome and wanted to look at him a million times, her rationality told her that if she continued to look at him like this, she would probably end up in the police station.
She would be the first teenage girl brought back to the police station for hara.s.sment.
Fang Yusheng remained silent when he heard the sound of footsteps moving further and further away. He could sense that the girl had been sizing him up just now. The boldness in her gaze reminded him of the little girl he had met a few years ago in Meng Hai. That girl was the same. She had sized him up without any restraint.
Fang Yusheng left the washroom, and Qi Bufan walked up to escort him out of the airport. Fang Yusheng thought of something and suddenly said, “The new students are about to start school, right?”
Although Qi Bufan found his question strange, he still said, “Yes, only a few days left.”
“Is that so?”
After getting into the car, Fang Yusheng rested his head on his hand and closed his eyes to listen to the music in the car.
[Starry starry night…
Paint your palette blue and grey…]
The middle-aged man’s voice was ancient and intoxicating.
As Fang Yusheng listened to the song, a sentence rang in his head.
Wait, I will go to Binjiang City to look for you.
Thinking that the girl would come to Binjiang in a few days, Fang Yusheng looked forward to meeting her again.
Fang Yusheng hadn’t expected that he would have to wait for nearly seven years.
***
Qiao Jiusheng woke up again in a hospital bed.
It was already night, and the ward had only one lamp. The light was like malt tea, warm and intoxicating. Fang Yusheng sat on a small stool by the bed, nodding from time to time, looking extremely sleepy. Qiao Jiusheng looked at him with a complicated expression.
He actually waited foolishly for me for so many years.
Qiao Jiusheng carefully recalled and realized that the change in Fang Yusheng’s att.i.tude toward her had started when she had secretly gone to his collection room last year.
The collection room…
Did I touch that phone?
No wonder!
Qiao Jiusheng found it strange.
In her previous life, Fang Yusheng would rather spend the rest of his life alone because of the white moonlight in his heart. Although Qiao Jiusheng was very confident in her beauty, she was not so dumb that she thought that with her little charm, she could make Fang Yusheng fall in love with her in a short period.
Fang Yusheng had a white moonlight in his heart.
In the end, that moonlight became his lover.
Qiao Jiusheng finally remembered everything. That painful night, the time spent with Fang Yusheng in that half a month, and the time they had met at the airport.
However, fate had played tricks on her, and she did not recognize him.
As for him, he could not see or recognize her either.
Thinking back to her previous life, she had delayed Fang Yusheng’s life. For her, he had schemed to bring down Fang Mu and Qiao Jiuyin. Qiao Jiusheng’s heart ached.
Although she did not know how in her previous life, Fang Yusheng knew about her relations.h.i.+p with Qiao Jiuyin, he had really done a lot for her.
Qiao Jiusheng recalled the notes Fang Yusheng had written in his journal in her previous life.
I have never owned her, yet it feels like I have lost her countless times. Every time I think about her, I lose her again.
My mother named me Yusheng because she wanted me to live a happy life but I spent the rest of my life reliving my heartbreak.
The rest of my life is a lonely one.
Qiao Jiusheng thought: Fang Yusheng, in this life, I will accompany you.
“Fang Yusheng.” When Qiao Jiusheng opened her mouth to speak, she realized that her throat was very tight and her voice was very hoa.r.s.e. It looked like she was seriously dehydrated.
Fang Yusheng woke up easily.
When he woke up, a hint of sleepiness still lingered in his eyes. However, he immediately looked at Qiao Jiusheng and worriedly asked, “You’re awake? How do you feel? Are you feeling unwell?”
Qiao Jiusheng shook her head.
“You’ve been unconscious for two days.” For the past two days, Fang Yusheng had never left her side.
Upon hearing this, Qiao Jiusheng looked dazed.
“Two days?”
She felt like she was dreaming. Two days had pa.s.sed.
Upon seeing the dark green color in Fang Yusheng’s eyes, Qiao Jiusheng felt bitter again. “Come here and lie down.” She moved to the other side to make room for him.
Fang Yusheng was also extremely sleepy.
He lay down, half of his body hanging outside the window.
As he lay sideways, he looked at Qiao Jiusheng’s dry lips. “What’s wrong with you?”
Qiao Jiusheng did not explain.
She took his hand and stroked it back and forth. Suddenly, she said, “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Yeah?”
Fang Yusheng was confused.
Qiao Jiusheng explained further, “Why didn’t you tell me that we already knew each other?”
Fang Yusheng was stunned.
After a moment of shock, he looked worried. “You remember everything? Your parents…” Whether she could remember him was secondary. Most importantly, he was worried that she would not be able to bear the pain.
Even though her heart was still aching, Fang Yusheng’s thoughtfulness and concern warmed Qiao Jiusheng.
Qiao Jiusheng snuggled into his embrace and sobbed as she told him, “Fang Yusheng, I didn’t mean to miss the appointment.”
Fang Yusheng’s heart softened. “Don’t cry.” After what had happened, he understood her.
“Ah Sheng, it’s okay. You came to my side anyway.”
However, Qiao Jiusheng shook her head. “I’m sorry, Brother Yusheng. I didn’t mean to forget you.” She had forgotten about Fang Yusheng and felt guilty. “I saw you before, but still didn’t recognize you. I even caused us to be separated for so long. I’m sorry.”
Fang Yusheng was surprised.
“We’ve met before?” Why do I not remember?
Qiao Jiusheng said, “Eight years ago, I came to Binjiang City to study at a university. I met you in the toilet at the airport.”
Fang Yusheng could not remember the incident.
Qiao Jiusheng reminded him, “You need to wash your hands. You didn’t find the tap. It…”
“That was you?” Fang Yusheng remembered.
At that time, he had sensed that the girl was looking at him with a bold gaze. He had thought that the girl resembled “Third Girl.” He didn’t expect it to really be her.
For a moment, he sighed with emotion.
“It was me.” Qiao Jiusheng moved her head in his arms. She also felt complicated. “I had already forgotten about you back then. I’m sorry! I didn’t recognize you.”
Fang Yusheng chuckled.
As he caressed her back, he said, “Then I should apologize to you. After all, I didn’t recognize you when you approached me twice.” It had been so many years, and Fang Yusheng couldn’t see, so it was normal that he couldn’t recognize her.
If it wasn’t for the coincidence of that phone, he might not have recognized her.
He could only blame fate.
Qiao Jiusheng could not bear to hear Fang Yusheng apologize.
Knowing how much Fang Yusheng had suffered in his previous life, Qiao Jiusheng felt her heart ache for him in this life. “Brother Yusheng.” She hugged him tightly and told him over and over again in his arms, “I will never leave you again. Never again.
“I will always be there for you. I will never leave you alone.
“I swear.”
I left him alone in one life. I deserve to die.
In the past, Qiao Jiusheng could not understand how deeply Fang Yusheng loved her. However, she had lived through a lifetime and witnessed Fang Yusheng’s deep love for his childhood lover. At that time, she did not know that she herself was that person, but Fang Yusheng’s love had touched her.
Now that she knew that she was that person herself, Qiao Jiusheng felt all kinds of pain.
Fang Yusheng was someone she had been ashamed to face in both her past and present lives.
She was extremely glad that in this life, she had found him at the double seventh festival last year.
It was only then that she realized how much better she should have treated Fang Yusheng. He loved her so much, but she had never cooked for him or done anything to make him happy. She had even disappointed him when he had begged her not to see Fang Mu.
“Fang Yusheng, I’m really sorry.”
As he listened to Qiao Jiusheng apologize over and over again, Fang Yusheng also felt that she was not in a good mood.
“Didn’t you just forget about me? It’s fine as long as you remember now. If you keep apologizing, I’ll get angry.”
Upon hearing Fang Yusheng’s words, Qiao Jiusheng restrained her emotions and did not reveal them.
She raised her head and gazed at Fang Yusheng. She couldn’t help but lean over and give him a peck on the lips. The thirteen-year-old Qiao Jiusheng had also wanted to kiss him. If not for the fact that they had only known each other for a short period and had to pretend to be reserved, she would have secretly kissed him.
“Oh right, are we still in Anyang County?”
“Yeah.”
“Did my matter scare Aunt Jin?”
“She was scared.” When Aunt Jin had heard about Qiao Jiusheng’s condition, she could not cook anymore. Without even taking off her ap.r.o.n, she had brought her straight to the hospital.
Qiao Jiusheng felt extremely sorry.
“Then give her a call and tell her I’m fine.”
“Okay.”
Fang Yusheng called Aunt Jin in front of Qiao Jiusheng. Qiao Jiusheng waited for him to finish his call before saying, “Back then, I wanted to tell you my name, but I didn’t have the time. That night, I…” It seemed to her as if the scene of her mother’s head being cut seemed to have happened the previous day.
Qiao Jiusheng suddenly s.h.i.+vered.
Fang Yusheng quickly held her hand. “Stop thinking about that.”
“How could I not want to?” Qiao Jiusheng smiled bitterly. No matter how bitter the past was, it was still a part of her. She had already grown up, and she needed to learn to bear the unbearable pain. When her parents were in trouble, Eldest Brother was only twenty-three years old, two years younger than her now.
As the Eldest Brother, no matter how much his heart ached, he had to grit his teeth and endure it.
Qiao Jiusheng was 25 now, and was not a little girl. No matter how painful the memory was, she had to accept it and get over it.
“Although my parents are dead, their choice makes me proud.” Qiao Jiusheng had watched Qiao Jingren’s pa.s.sionate love for s.h.i.+ Piaopiao; he was willing to protect s.h.i.+ Piaopiao at all costs at the moment of danger. Qiao Jiusheng had witnessed s.h.i.+ Piaopiao’s pride as the amba.s.sador of her country.
She was proud of her parents.
Upon hearing her words, Fang Yusheng realized that Qiao Jiusheng was stronger than he had imagined.
She has grown up.
“Let’s go back tomorrow.” Qiao Jiusheng wanted to go home.
“Okay.”
***
The next day, the two of them went home. Qi Bufan had not returned yet, and he would probably stay in his hometown for another ten days.
Aunt Jin wouldn’t be back until tomorrow.
When the couple reached home, Qiao Jiusheng said that she wanted to cook for Fang Yusheng.
Fang Yusheng raised his eyebrows in surprise. “Back in America, you said that you wanted to make glutinous rice, but…” In the end, she had fed the rice to the dogs.
Fang Yusheng wanted to kill those dogs.
“I’ll again make it for you another day. Right now, your stomach is not good, so you won’t be able to digest it if you eat it at night. I’ll make something else for you.” Qiao Jiusheng remembered that when she had met Fang Yusheng, he had just finished his surgery. As he had fled too intensely, the bandage on his chest was stained with blood.
When she had hidden him in the cave, Fang Yusheng always had a fever. Qiao Jiusheng had seen how serious his injuries were.
In the past, she had only heard Fang Yusheng say that he had been injured before, but she did not feel much when hearing those words. However, after recalling how she had seen him suffer in his injured state with her eyes, Qiao Jiusheng finally understood how much suffering Fang Yusheng had to go through.
In a foreign country, one could imagine how dangerous it was for a blind man who had been seriously shot and had to hide.
Fang Yusheng saw that Qiao Jiusheng was very considerate of him, and he was flattered. Hence, that night, Fang Yusheng had a dinner that did not taste very good but made him feel happy.
After dinner, Qiao Jiusheng requested to bathe with him.
Fang Yusheng felt a little hesitant.
He was not confident in his self-control. If he wanted it in the bathroom, he would have to take care of Qiao Jiusheng’s body. That would be… excruciating.