Solitary Toss of Tenderness

There are many things you don’t know

After the car entered Linzhou, Jiang Huaixi suddenly spoke to Jiang Wang, saying, “Jiang Wang, when we get back home, could you please accompany Zizheng to go home again and pack some things to bring to Ji’an later?”

Before Jiang Wang could respond, Mother Jiang’s suspicion arose, and she said, “Huaixi, why are you in such a hurry?”

Lu Zizheng couldn’t help but express her concern, “Huaixi, are you leaving soon? Why not rest at home for a few days before going? I’m worried that traveling like this, and with your body not fully recovered, it might be too much for you.”

Jiang Huaixi raised an eyebrow and teasingly said, “Are you trying to be lazy and take care of me less for a few days? Zizheng, that’s not very nice.”

Lu Zizheng wasn’t in the mood to joke with her. She looked at Jiang Huaixi and replied gloomily, “You know it’s not like that. Wouldn’t this way be less strenuous?”

Jiang Huaixi looked at Lu Zizheng’s worried expression and smiled softly. With gentle eyes, she asked in response, “Didn’t you say you’ll do your best to take care of me? Would you let me get tired?”

Lu Zizheng was slightly taken aback but remained resolute, saying, “I definitely won’t let that happen…”

Jiang Huaixi raised an eyebrow, calmly stating, “Then that’s good.”

From the rearview mirror, Mother Jiang observed Jiang Huaixi’s complete focus on Lu Zizheng, feeling annoyed and neglected. It seemed like she didn’t pay any attention to her at all! She cleared her throat and decided to have a serious talk with Jiang Huaixi, “Huaixi…”

However, before she could say more than three words, Jiang Huaixi interrupted her, speaking calmly, “Mom, I’ve already made up my mind. Don’t worry, I’ll be fine…”

Mother Jiang choked, a surge of emotion stuck in her throat, making her feel overwhelmed. Was Jiang Huaixi so patient and gentle with Lu Zizheng but so brusque with her?!

She had her own temper too! So, for the rest of the journey, Mother Jiang decided to remain silent. However, it was evident that Jiang Huaixi didn’t seem to notice her anger. She stewed in her own thoughts, and when they were close to Jiang’s home, she couldn’t help but worry about what to bring for Huaixi. She wondered if the house in Ji’an was properly arranged and if everything was prepared. Sigh…

Upon arriving at the Jiang residence, Grandmother Jiang had already received the news and was waiting at the door. As soon as she saw the car, she called for assistance and came to help with the luggage from the car trunk. Only Jiang Huaixi and Mother Jiang got out of the car. Before Jiang Huaixi closed the car door, she slightly bent her body. Her delicate bangs partially covered her shining, beautiful eyes, but it couldn’t conceal the tender expression in her eyes. She said, “Zizheng, I’ll be waiting for you here…”

Lu Zizheng’s heart trembled slightly upon hearing this, looking at Jiang Huaixi. For the first time since her mother’s accident, she showed a smile, light and fleeting. Her response was soft but sincere, “Okay.”

Only then did Jiang Huaixi relax her gaze and contentedly closed the car door.

Underneath the mask, Jiang Wang’s lips also revealed a faint curve. Her expression was a mix of envy and gratification as she started the car and drove slowly towards Lu Zizheng’s home.

Upon arriving at Lu Zizheng’s place, they walked through the hallway with Lu Zizheng in the front and Jiang Wang following behind. When they reached a corner, Jiang Wang finally took off her mask, which had been covering her face, and tossed it into a nearby trash bin. She spoke up to Lu Zizheng, “Miss Lu, there’s something I’m not sure whether I should say or not.”

Lu Zizheng inserted her keys into the keyhole, turned around, and softened her expression slightly. She replied, “Dr. Jiang, you don’t need to be so formal. Just call me Zizheng. There’s nothing you can’t say. Please go ahead.”

Jiang Wang pondered for a moment before calmly saying, “Zizheng, in a person’s lifetime, to have someone who loves them wholeheartedly and treats them tenderly is a fortunate thing that many people long for. If possible, please cherish it. I’ve known Huaixi for many years and I know she can be a bit complicated. But I want you to have confidence that no matter what, her love for you is undoubtedly genuine.”

Lu Zizheng pushed open the door to her home and turned back to earnestly observe Jiang Wang. In an instant, she felt a sense of familiarity in the coldness of the girl’s expression and the undeniable warmth in her eyes. A shadow flickered in her mind, but when she tried to recall it carefully, she couldn’t quite grasp that figure. Lu Zizheng lowered her gaze, feeling somewhat disheartened. She stepped aside and invited Jiang Wang inside, replying somberly, “If it’s possible, I will indeed cherish it. But perhaps, that possibility doesn’t exist at all…”

Jiang Wang was taken aback and fell silent. She wasn’t someone who spoke much, and uttering those words had already gone against her nature. Perhaps it was because of her encounter with Xu Baihan earlier in the morning that she had truly let go of her in her heart. As a result, she suddenly felt exceptionally emotional, earnestly hoping that Jiang Huaixi and Lu Zizheng, two people deeply in love, could find happiness together.

Love is a conditional proposition, with “p” being mutual love, and “q” being the courage to pursue it. Both conditions must be fulfilled to deduce the true proposition of love. Jiang Wang and Xu Baihan failed in this love proposition, as neither condition was met, leading to their inevitable failure. However, Jiang Huaixi and Lu Zizheng were so close to fulfilling both conditions, just a little bit of courage away from proving their love. Jiang Wang didn’t know if she feared that they would have regrets or if she feared her own regrets for not having such a rare and genuine love.

Jiang Wang accompanied Lu Zizheng as they tidied up the room. She saw Lu Zizheng take out a small suitcase, quickly packing some clothes from the wardrobe. Then, she went to the bedside, took down the photo of Lu Zizheng’s parents and herself as a family of three, gazing affectionately at it for a long time before carefully placing it inside the suitcase. Next, Lu Zizheng opened the bottom drawer and pulled out a bundle of hair tied with a red thread and a chunky watch strap.

Lu Zizheng placed the hair deep into the suitcase, and then she squatted on the ground, staring blankly at the watch for a long time. Finally, she opened the clasp and slowly put it back on her wrist, bit by bit, concealing the rough and unsightly scar on her wrist under the chunky watch strap.

Jiang Wang’s keen eyes noticed that the bottom layer of the drawer contained a colorful hand-drawn map, with the paper showing signs of age, as if it had been there for some time.

Jiang Wang hesitated several times but decided to meddle and speak up once again. She walked behind Lu Zizheng and lowered her head to look at the map inside the drawer. With a calm tone, she asked, “The map at the bottom, Huaixi gave it to you, right?”

Lu Zizheng looked surprised and turned her head to glance at Jiang Wang. Then, she gently pulled out the map, stood up, and carefully unfolded it, spreading it flat on the bed. Looking at the detailed shop symbols and annotations on it, she smiled tenderly, “Yes, how did Dr. Jiang know?”

Jiang Wang sighed and smiled wryly, “Because, I also put in some effort for this map.”

Lu Zizheng was taken aback, “This is the birthday gift Huaixi gave me during my third year at university. She said she accidentally remembered it was my birthday on the day we were supposed to meet. Since we needed to see each other that day, she felt it would be impolite and lacking in manners if she didn’t bring a gift. Before leaving, she looked for something and came across this hand-drawn map of the recommended food places around the school, given to freshmen during their first year. She thought it suited me well as a foodie, so she brought it as a gift. So, Dr. Jiang, you were also from our school before?”

Jiang Wang chuckled, “I attended the Medical University. Do you really believe everything Huaixi says?”

Lu Zizheng’s body stiffened, feeling somewhat speechless under Jiang Wang’s questioning gaze. She bit her lip, looking somewhat aggrieved and puzzled as she observed Jiang Wang.

Jiang Wang glanced at the map with a distant look in her eyes. “The map in the freshman guide would never be so detailed and comprehensive, covering everything. This map was specially prepared by Huaixi as a birthday gift for you for a whole month.”

Lu Zizheng’s eyes widened at the revelation, utterly astonished. At the time when Jiang Huaixi handed her this map, her expression seemed so nonchalant. “Here, take this map for now, and let me know what you want later. I’ll give you something else in a few days.”

Back then, she was clearly annoyed by Jiang Huaixi’s arrogant attitude. Giving a gift was meant to show sincerity, but the way Jiang Huaixi did it made her feel like she was begging for a gift. Lu Zizheng couldn’t help but reply with a hint of annoyance, “No need to trouble yourself. I’ll just take the map.”

Jiang Wang continued, “One week before your birthday, Jiang Huaixi had a high fever due to gastroenteritis and was on intravenous drips for three days. Do you know why?”

Lu Zizheng crouched down and gently touched the map, her expression lost and shaking her head in disbelief.

Jiang Wang’s voice carried a nostalgic and ethereal tone, “Because in order to draw this food recommendation map, Huaixi spent a whole month going to the nearby restaurants after class every day, trying out dishes from all of them. She didn’t trust others to be meticulous enough or understand your taste, so she personally tasted the dishes and made annotations for each restaurant and each dish based on your preferences. In the end, she got gastroenteritis from eating something unclean. When I went to give her the intravenous drips, I saw her with a small table by her bed. While her left hand was connected to the IV, her right hand was still hurriedly coloring the map. I couldn’t bear to see it and couldn’t persuade her otherwise, so I ended up picking up a pen and helping her with the coloring.”

In an instant, tears welled up in Lu Zizheng’s eyes and rolled down her cheeks. “I didn’t know, I’m sorry, I didn’t know anything…”

“At that time, I asked Huaixi why she was drawing such a map, and when she replied, it was the first time I saw such a gentle look in her eyes. She said your palate had been spoiled by Auntie, and you couldn’t get used to the school cafeteria food, often ending up dissatisfied with dishes from outside restaurants too. You would take a few bites and then refuse to eat further, and she worried that your stomach would suffer someday. So, she made the map, hoping it could help you gain some weight.”

Jiang Wang sighed with emotion, “Every year, just before your birthday, Huaixi would rack her brains hoping to give you a special gift, so you’d know that in this world, there’s someone who genuinely appreciates and rejoices in your existence and birth. Zizheng, what are you still afraid of and doubting? If this isn’t love, then I truly feel sorry for Huaixi.”

Lu Zizheng gently held the watch on her wrist and gazed at the spread-out map, recalling Jiang Huaixi’s tender expression when she softly said, “Zizheng, I’ll be waiting for you here.” In her clear and watery eyes, a glimmer of hope slowly blossomed…

As Lu Zizheng arrived at Jiang’s house once again with Jiang Wang, a group of people had already gathered at the front gate. Jiang Huaixi stood at the forefront, tall and elegant, her black hair gently swaying in the wind. Her gaze was fixed directly on Lu Zizheng.

Lu Zizheng got out of the car and walked towards Jiang Huaixi step by step, her footsteps resolute. Finally, she stood in front of her, offering a faint smile, “Huaixi, I kept you waiting. I’m here now…”

Jiang Huaixi’s expression softened, and a faint, gentle smile appeared on her lips. It was as if a soft breeze brushed against Lu Zizheng’s cheek, gently lifting her long hair, and little by little, it soothed the scars on her wounded heart, gently and calmly easing her pain.

Jiang Wang said, “Zizheng, there are many things you don’t know.”

So, Huaixi, since you understand me like that, now let me make an effort to know you, to understand you, okay?