Chapter 131

Zhong Ning patted her head, her gaze solemn. “No more blame. I forgive you, Shiqing.”

She was already pitiful enough.

If she still did not forgive her, it would really be unreasonable. Even Zhong Ning herself would feel guilty.

A tear suddenly escaped from Xie Shiqing’s eyes, followed by another, then two more, falling like pearls from a broken string.

Zhong Ning felt utterly helpless. She tossed the crumpled tissue in her hand into the trash bin, then hurriedly pulled her into her arms. “Don’t cry anymore, don’t cry… If you keep crying, your eyes will be gone, you know?”

How could someone cry this much?

Seeing that the tears of the person in her arms not only failed to stop but grew even more intense, Zhong Ning could only deliberately lower her voice and say, “You keep crying—does that mean you’re unhappy?”

Xie Shiqing shook her head in a hurry. “No, I’m happy.” She sniffled. “I’m so happy, Ning Ning.”

“I’ve imagined countless times that you would leave me completely, walk out of my world. And I had no way to stop it, so all I could do was do my best in what I should do, hoping to earn your forgiveness. If I failed, I could only accept it.”

“I’ve dreamed of this kind of scene countless times, and every time I woke up from the dream in a panic… Ning Ning, I was really scared.”

“But I also knew that if I forced you to stay by my side, you wouldn’t be happy. And because you were unhappy, I would be unhappy too. That kind of relationship is wrong.”

The joy in Xie Shiqing’s eyes shimmered faintly as she choked out, “For you to forgive me… even in the best dreams I’ve ever had, I’ve never seen a scene like this.”

“Have a little confidence in yourself, Shiqing.” Zhong Ning lowered her head and lightly kissed her on the lips. “I forgive you because you’re worth it.”

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Xie Shiqing: The self-pity tactic is really useful.

Chapter 51

Worth it?

Xie Shiqing had indeed heard many such phrases before, but the content was entirely different.

“You’re worthy of this honor.” “You deserve this praise.” “Earning your current position is what you deserve.” “It’s only natural for you to have everything you have now.”

They praised her success, flattered her power, but not a single person had ever said, “You deserve to be loved.”

Her mother was a very gentle woman, with a heart full of compassion and great love. She often traveled on business to truly impoverished areas to visit displaced families and help children with no one to rely on.

Because of this, she neglected certain aspects of her own daughter’s upbringing. She could be said to have led by example, yet in the end, Xie Shiqing still took after her mother more—becoming someone who discarded emotions and cared only for interests.

Xie Shiqing still liked her mother and liked her gentleness, but she did not like the faint sadness that was always hidden in her mother’s eyes when she looked at her, as if everything she had now was wrong.

What a joke. Wasn’t her mother the one who had failed in the family?

Xie Shiqing longed to become strong, to become the one in control, believing that gentleness was a sign of weakness. But she realized it too late—only now did she understand that a person who had love in their heart and compassion for the world was the one who was truly strong inside.

Her mother was an outstanding and successful woman. She had never obtained love, nor did she regard love as the most important part of life. She had a full and rich life that nourished her spirit, and what she spread was genuine, universal love.

Zhong Ning was equally exceptional, with her own thoughts and persistence, her own principles and bottom line that she never retreated from. Her spiritual world was also rich; she had things she liked to do, goals she wanted to achieve, and she did not treat love as the entirety of life.

Only Xie Shiqing herself, who seemed wealthy and possessed endless riches and an enviable status, had a soul that was impoverished and empty. In order to grasp even a single ray of sunlight, to obtain care and love, she could abandon everything.

What she once considered success was, in truth, complete and utter failure.

Fortunately, now she could also have what she wanted.

Xie Shiqing adjusted her posture, making her tears look even more pitiful and heartbreaking.

And so, she received another gentle peck of a kiss.

This was what she deserved… She had worked so hard for today, paid so much effort, and finally welcomed the result she wanted. Wasn’t it only natural?

“Ning Ning, I really love you so much,” she said repeatedly. “I’m so happy, I’m so happy…”

“Just look at you, crying and laughing at the same time.” Zhong Ning held her, rubbing the tip of her own nose against hers. “Your face is all smudged, like a little kitten.”

“Don’t cry anymore. Do you still want to eat lychees? I’ll peel them for you, alright?”

Xie Shiqing leaned into her arms as if all the bones in her body had melted, obediently nodding.

Ripe lychees were full of juice. The moment the skin was peeled just a little, their unique fresh sweetness began to fill the air.

Zhong Ning pulled several more tissues and placed them over Xie Shiqing’s chest, letting them serve as a makeshift bib.

There was no towel or handkerchief nearby, and she did not want to call anyone to bring them, letting others intrude on their two-person world at this moment, so she could only make do with tissues for now.

She touched the tender white flesh of the fruit to Xie Shiqing’s lips, and she opened her mouth to chew slowly.

She really was such a troublesome person.

Anyone else would think Xie Shiqing was a complete and utter big trouble—her overly fervent and obsessive spirit, along with her damaged and twisted mental state, would make anyone who caught even a glimpse of it pack up their bags overnight and flee far, far away from her.

How could a puddle bear a storm? How could a blade of grass withstand thunder?

But Zhong Ning had thought about it carefully. She had spent a lot of time considering and concluded that she could endure it.

It was not arrogance born of overconfidence, nor ignorance of boundaries or of the seriousness of the matter. It was precisely after careful and repeated contemplation that she reached such a conclusion.

Zhong Ning believed she could handle this big trouble, that she could accept Xie Shiqing, heal her, and still not let it affect her own state.

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