Jiang Sixian carried her school bag to Jiang Yi’s bedside and placed her homework on the small table. Taking out the assignments one by one, she explained, “Your class only has physics and math homework today. I brought them for you. Oh, and Chinese—you have a memorization assignment.”
Jiang Yi watched as Jiang Sixian laid out the assignments, a sense of dread creeping in. “My hand is like this. Do you think I can even do homework?”
Jiang Sixian tilted her head, glancing at her. “You’re not left-handed, are you? Using your right hand shouldn’t be a problem. Besides, it’s not that much… If you really don’t want to, you can just memorize the text.”
Jiang Yi felt like she was suffocating.
She was a patient! She shouldn’t have to do homework in the hospital! This was a hard-earned break from school. Shouldn’t she be enjoying this rare moment of freedom?
Ning Wenying, noticing Jiang Yi’s displeasure, quickly intervened. “Let’s not worry about homework right now. Xiao Yi, eat your dinner.”
Holding the bowl, she turned to her daughter. “Xianxian, you’re already here at the hospital. Did you come straight from school? Are you hungry? I brought your Auntie Jiang’s portion too. Have a little something if you’re hungry.”
Jiang Sixian shook her head. “Not really.”
Ning Wenying smiled. “Then you can eat with me after Xiao Yi finishes.”
Jiang Sixian nodded obediently. “Okay, Mom.” She paused, then took something out of her bag and said to Jiang Yi, “This is a gift from Miaomiao. She wanted to visit you, but it wasn’t convenient, so she asked me to bring it.” Since Qin Miaomiao had presented as an Omega, her family had become extremely protective, essentially picking her up immediately after school every day.
Jiang Yi glanced at the small gift box in Jiang Sixian’s hand and thought Qin Miaomiao was truly a good person. She paused, then said to Jiang Sixian, “Thank you. Please thank her for me tomorrow.”
Jiang Sixian agreed, then asked, “Where do you think I should put this?”
Jiang Yi replied, “On the nightstand.”
Jiang Sixian bent down and placed the gift on the nightstand. Seeing their conversation end, Ning Wenying scooped a spoonful of rice and held it to Jiang Yi’s lips, smiling. “Alright, you two, stop chatting. Xiao Yi, eat your dinner before it gets cold.”
Jiang Yi, mouth full of rice, glanced at the incredibly gentle Ning Wenying, then, using her peripheral vision, she peeked at Jiang Sixian and noticed a slight shift in her expression. Jiang Yi’s eyes lit up.
Aha! Jiang Sixian is jealous!
Eat more, eat more! Let her think I’m a childish brat vying for a mother’s love!
With this thought, Jiang Yi beamed at Ning Wenying. “Thank you, Auntie Ning! The food you made is delicious!”
Ning Wenying was momentarily taken aback, then smiled. “Now you decide to compliment me? Eat more if you like it.” She scooped another large spoonful for Jiang Yi.
Ning Wenying then proceeded to make Jiang Yi drink a large bowl of soup. Only after Jiang Yi was full did she and Jiang Sixian leave.
On the drive home, Jiang Sixian, hugging her school bag in the passenger seat, thought about what Jiang Yi had said and, after a moment’s hesitation, asked, “Mom, if you’re free next week, could you teach me how to cook?”
Ning Wenying turned, surprised. “Xianxian, you want to learn how to cook? That’s wonderful! Cooking is such a joyful activity.”
Jiang Sixian nodded in agreement. She recalled Jiang Yi’s satisfied expression as she ate and thought that probably everyone would be willing to cook for her. That look of pure enjoyment was incredibly rewarding for a cook.
Perhaps because she’d eaten too much, after Ning Wenying left, Jiang Yi opened her phone and played a city-building game. But as she played, her attention drifted to the small table beside her.
She turned, looked at the conspicuous workbooks and textbook, hesitated for a long time, and finally, resigned to her fate, she got out of bed, carried the books to the table with her one good hand, and started on her homework.
Oh well, I just can’t stand leaving things unfinished. Since Jiang Sixian had brought the homework, she might as well do it.
Jiang Yi flipped open the textbook with her right hand and immediately noticed neat, handwritten notes filling the previously blank pages. She paused, realizing it was Jiang Sixian’s handwriting.
Sure enough, when she opened to the assigned text, she found a sticky note: “I’ve taken notes for you. The sections to memorize are the third, fifth, and last paragraphs.”
Such a simple sentence, yet it fully demonstrated Jiang Sixian’s thoughtfulness and gentle nature.
Jiang Yi traced the words on the sticky note with her finger, lost in thought.
If this weren’t a novel, and Jiang Sixian weren’t the person intertwined with her fate, the one who could turn her into a short-lived white moonlight, Jiang Yi felt she would be drawn to her irresistibly.
Good grades, considerate, gentle, and beautiful. Who could resist such a fairy? Certainly not Jiang Yi.
A wave of melancholy washed over her.
But it lasted only a second. She quickly slapped her cheeks and told herself, “Get a grip! You’re meant to live a long life!”
She wouldn’t throw her life away for anyone. As much as it pained her, Jiang Sixian would have to remain a passing figure in her life.
Resolute, Jiang Yi started on her homework.
She’d almost finished the physics assignment when Jiang Qionghua arrived with dinner.
Entering the ward, she saw Jiang Yi, with her cast, hunched over the small table doing homework, and froze.
Looking at her diligent daughter, Jiang Qionghua felt a mix of heartache and pride. She tiptoed inside, placed the food on her own table, and turned to Jiang Yi. “Jiang Yi, are you hungry? I brought dinner. Take a break from your homework and eat something.”
She then added apologetically, “I had a meeting this afternoon and got back a bit late…”
Jiang Yi had already heard her come in. Looking up, she said casually, “It’s okay. Auntie Ning brought me food this afternoon, and Jiang Sixian brought my homework.”
She paused. “I’m full. You eat.”
Jiang Qionghua, unsure what to do, looked at her for a long moment before saying, “Alright, then I’ll eat. I won’t disturb you.”
Turning her back, she started unpacking the takeout containers. But as she looked at the food, she suddenly felt a pang of unease. Sighing, she turned back to Jiang Yi and asked hesitantly, “Jiang Yi, do you… do you think I treat you badly since you came here?”
Jiang Yi was baffled. Looking up from her homework, she asked, “Why would you say that? You provide for me, you haven’t mistreated me. Isn’t that good enough?”
Jiang Qionghua hesitated, then asked directly, “Then why won’t you call me ‘Mom’?”
Jiang Yi felt choked. Taking a deep breath, she said, “I don’t think it’s that simple. Calling someone ‘Mom’… it’s an instinct for babies. But I’m not a child anymore…”
Jiang Yi found it difficult to express herself, but she didn’t want Jiang Qionghua to misunderstand, to feel unappreciated. She paused, then continued, “You have to give me time to adjust. Relationships take time to build, we… we both need time, don’t you think?”
Jiang Qionghua was an adult; she understood what Jiang Yi meant. She knew Jiang Yi was more mature than most teenagers, but she was still surprised by her words.
Jiang Qionghua nodded. “Okay, I understand.”
Seeing her awkwardly turn back to her takeout containers, Jiang Yi couldn’t help but add, “Of course, if you and Auntie Ning were married, maybe I would.”
Please, please, please, just get married and save this poor child!
Jiang Qionghua turned her back and scoffed. “Easy for you to say. Do you think I don’t want to get married?”
Jiang Yi nodded knowingly. “Okay, I understand. Auntie Ning doesn’t want to marry you.”
This hit a nerve. Jiang Qionghua felt choked. “You know, sometimes, if you spoke less, you might be more lovable.”
Jiang Yi ignored her. She didn’t want to be a “lovable child” anyway.
