The following evening, Jiang Sixian brought another set of new homework.
Ning Wenying, anticipating Jiang Sixian’s visit, had prepared dinner for three. When Jiang Sixian arrived, mother and daughter joined Jiang Yi for dinner.
After dinner, Jiang Sixian even checked Jiang Yi’s homework from the previous day. She was surprised to find that Jiang Yi had achieved a perfect score. Moreover, Jiang Yi had even previewed the subsequent material.
Flipping through the workbook, Jiang Sixian couldn’t help but praise her, “Quite impressive.” She knew Jiang Yi’s previous grades were decent, and now it seemed her self-study skills were excellent.
Receiving her praise, Jiang Yi felt a little embarrassed. Unable to show it, she quickly changed the subject. “Alright, tell me what we’re doing today.”
Jiang Sixian then told her about the current assignments.
After listening, Jiang Yi decided to do some homework to help with digestion.
Ning Wenying arranged the workbooks for her, then turned to her daughter and asked, “Did you bring your homework too, Xianxian? If you did, why don’t you finish it here with Xiao Yi before going back? It’s quite a drive home, and it’ll be troublesome to do it later.”
Jiang Sixian had indeed brought her homework. She hesitated, glancing at Jiang Yi. Jiang Yi looked at her, puzzled. “If you brought your homework, just do it. There’s plenty of space here. Surely you can find a spot to work?”
Jiang Sixian asked softly, “Will I disturb you?”
Jiang Yi bit the end of her pen, flipping open the workbook with one hand, muttering as she looked at the problems, “No, as long as you’re quiet.”
Jiang Sixian nodded, deciding to follow her mother’s suggestion. She took out her workbook from her school bag, spread it out on the small table in the ward, sat on the floor, and began working.
One was on the bed, the other at the small table by the sofa, each busy with their own work.
Sitting on the sofa, Ning Wenying looked at the two girls and couldn’t help but smile. She thought that if her other child hadn’t been lost, Jiang Sixian would have a younger sister now, and she would probably be helping her with her homework too.
Ning Wenying felt a pang of emotion. While the two girls were preoccupied, she discreetly took a picture of them working together and saved it.
Jiang Yi stayed in the hospital for several days. During this time, Jiang Sixian always brought her homework. She and Ning Wenying would accompany Jiang Yi for meals and homework, only returning home after Jiang Qionghua arrived.
After receiving such attentive care, in all honesty, it was difficult for Jiang Yi to remain indifferent. She was grateful to Ning Wenying, but her feelings towards Jiang Sixian were complex. She felt she couldn’t maintain such a cold attitude towards her. Even if it was just out of gratitude, Jiang Sixian was simply too kind to her.
Jiang Yi wasn’t heartless; she couldn’t keep treating someone who was kind to her with hostility. Even though she might die young because of Jiang Sixian, this vague, distant future, under the warmth of Jiang Sixian’s kindness, made Jiang Yi’s resolve increasingly weak.
By the time Jiang Yi realized this, a week had already passed!
Once again, after finishing dinner with Jiang Sixian, and even being served food by her, Jiang Yi suddenly realized this might be a “sugar-coated bullet” from fate! A siren song from the “Transmigration Gods” luring her towards death!
Jiang Yi had a sudden epiphany. Her psychological defenses couldn’t be so easily breached. Just because Jiang Sixian was a gentle person, she couldn’t forget her own doomed fate!
She had to constantly remind herself: Stay away from Jiang Sixian, protect your own life.
Therefore, after this dinner, while Ning Wenying was on a phone call, Jiang Yi looked at Jiang Sixian and said with great difficulty, “I heard our school has a monthly exam at the beginning of the semester. Is it coming up soon?”
Jiang Sixian was organizing her notes. She looked up at Jiang Yi. “Yes, it’s next week. The doctor said your hand still needs a few more days of observation. You might not be able to take the exam next week. You don’t have to take it.”
Jiang Yi thought, I’m not worried about taking the exam! I’m worried about being captured by this sugar-coated bullet!
Jiang Yi nodded. “Alright then. Isn’t the exam important? Then you should stay home and study tomorrow. You don’t need to come to the hospital anymore.”
Jiang Sixian hesitated. “But you…”
Seeing her hesitation, Jiang Yi quickly added, “No buts. Besides, you coming here every day puts a lot of pressure on me. I know you’re bringing me homework and helping me with it because you feel my hand was injured because of you.”
Once she started talking, the words flowed more easily. “But that day, even if it had been Qin Miaomiao or someone else outside, I would have reacted the same way.”
“My hand getting injured was just an accident. It wasn’t caused by you or anyone else. You don’t have to come here every day…”
Jiang Sixian didn’t know what to say. Although she could understand many things, she was sometimes a bit slow. Her life experience was still limited, and she was a bit naive, not yet mature enough to handle many situations.
For example, she had been curious about Jiang Yi before, but besides wanting to see more of Jiang Yi’s reactions, she didn’t understand what she truly wanted.
Or now, for example, she couldn’t explain to Jiang Yi that she wasn’t just grateful. She simply felt happy watching Jiang Yi eat.
Jiang Sixian looked away and saw Qin Miaomiao’s gift still sitting unopened on the nightstand. She pursed her lips, her feelings complex.
Jiang Sixian was silent for a moment, then asked, “Do you feel burdened by me coming to the hospital?”
Jiang Yi nodded. “Yes. Because if it’s about expressing gratitude, Auntie Ning has cooked for me for so many days, which is more than enough to offset my small effort at the equestrian center that day.”
Jiang Yi spoke clearly, and Jiang Sixian couldn’t say anything more. She paused, then asked, “But what about your homework?”
Jiang Yi pointed to the open workbook on the small table with her good hand. “Isn’t it all here? If there’s new homework, you can just text me.”
Jiang Sixian pursed her lips, and after a while, she said helplessly, “Jiang Yi, I don’t have your contact information.” They had known each other for so long, but neither had added the other on social media. She had no way to contact Jiang Yi.
Jiang Yi seemed to realize this too. She thought for a moment, then fumbled for her phone with her one good hand, opened WeChat, and showed Jiang Sixian her QR code. “Then add me on WeChat. You can send me the homework assignments that way.”
Jiang Sixian nodded, opened her phone, scanned Jiang Yi’s code, and agreed.
Soon, Ning Wenying returned after taking a call. She said apologetically to Jiang Yi, “Xiao Yi, Auntie Ning has an invitation I can’t refuse. I won’t be able to cook for you on Friday. I’m so sorry.”
Jiang Yi felt a little embarrassed. She said shyly, “It’s okay, Auntie Ning. You’ve been with me for almost ten days. I’ve been eating and drinking for free for so long, and I haven’t properly thanked you. You should go if you have something to do. Don’t worry about me.”
Honestly, if it weren’t for Ning Wenying’s delicious cooking, and Jiang Yi’s love of food, she wouldn’t have had the nerve to let Ning Wenying cook for her for so long.
Ning Wenying reached out and patted Jiang Yi’s head, coaxing her, “Then Auntie Ning will make you a big meal tomorrow.”
Jiang Yi’s eyes lit up. “Okay!”
Jiang Sixian, watching their interaction, felt a pang of jealousy.
Soon, Ning Wenying left with Jiang Sixian.
Sitting on the bed, Jiang Yi watched Jiang Sixian’s retreating figure, feeling happy that she wouldn’t have to interact with her tomorrow.
But as Jiang Sixian’s figure disappeared, and the sound of footsteps in the corridor faded, a wave of melancholy washed over Jiang Yi. She lifted her good hand, held her head, and frowned in deep thought.
She thought for a while, then decided not to think about it anymore. She reached for her phone and happily started playing games.
After some time, Jiang Qionghua returned to the hospital after finishing work. A while later, Jiang Yi received a WeChat message.
“Good night.”
Jiang Sixian had sent her the first greeting through WeChat. Jiang Yi exited the game, hesitated for a moment, then typed two words in reply: “Good night.”
After sending the message, Jiang Yi put away her phone and lay down on the bed.
She lay there for a long time, feeling restless and unable to sleep.
After much deliberation, Jiang Yi made up her mind: It was better to see each other less in the future.
In the following days, Jiang Sixian indeed didn’t visit her, only sending her homework assignments through WeChat.
But on Friday evening, Jiang Sixian, carrying a food container, knocked on Jiang Yi’s ward door.
Jiang Yi, with her arm in a cast, hopped down from the bed to open the door. Seeing Jiang Sixian outside, she froze. “Why are you here?”
Jiang Sixian smiled, holding up the food container. “I brought you dinner.”
“Mom said you’re alone in the hospital tonight, so I came.”
On Friday evenings, Ning Wenying and Jiang Qionghua usually attended a dinner engagement. Originally, Jiang Qionghua had asked her assistant to accompany Jiang Yi. But after hearing this, Jiang Sixian felt Jiang Yi might be more comfortable with her, so she volunteered to come.
Jiang Yi didn’t speak, looking at her with a complicated expression for a long moment. Jiang Sixian, sensing her displeasure, asked nervously, “Can I come in?”
What else could Jiang Yi say?
She stepped aside, letting Jiang Sixian in.
Author’s Note:
Jiang Yi: Feels like she’s being tamed, quickly refuses!
