Chapter 5

Crying for someone is a deeply private matter.

Gu Qianxi watched tears slide down Cheng Su's face, her gaze fixed on the faint tear tracks. She couldn't understand why Cheng Su would cry for her.

Was she worried enough to cry for me?

Yet this morning, Cheng Su had been insistent about how incompatible they were, claiming she didn't like Gu Qianxi and that they should pursue "true love." Now, as evening fell, she had suddenly reversed her stance, saying she didn't want a divorce anymore, using such flimsy excuses.

Having grown up with a difficult past and harsh circumstances, Gu Qianxi was usually adept at reading people. She understood the universal human flaws of obsession, anger, greed, and desire. No ordinary person could escape them. Yet Cheng Su, this one person, remained an enigma even after Gu Qianxi's rebirth.

Gu Qianxi rarely felt defeated. Even when her family had plotted against her in her previous life, she hadn't been deeply affected. Her emotionally stunted upbringing had shaped her into this way. But facing Cheng Su, facing those inexplicable tears, Gu Qianxi felt an inexplicable sense of powerlessness.

A person who claimed to dislike her, who acted as though they despised her, was now shedding their most precious tears for her.

What could this possibly mean?

Is this an act? Can tears even be faked?

Gu Qianxi steered her smart wheelchair to Cheng Su's side. She saw Cheng Su's hands still trembling, unable to press the buttons properly.

Gu Qianxi frowned, took the phone from Cheng Su's trembling grip, and said softly, "I haven't eaten."

Tears blurred Cheng Su's long, curled eyelashes. When she looked up at Gu Qianxi, her eyes were like flower buds about to bloom in the early morning.

Cheng Su blinked slowly, her eyes widening. Her voice was muffled and hoarse. "Really?"

Gu Qianxi swallowed, then gave a soft hum. "Really."

Cheng Su couldn't hold back anymore. She pouted, sniffling violently, her chest heaving. In a voice choked with tears, she blurted out, "Do you know how scared I was? My mind went completely blank. I was thinking about how long it would take the ambulance to get here, whether I should try to give you first aid while we waited, and what if you didn't make it? How many years in prison would it take to pay for my crime? And while I was locked up, would you come back as a ghost to haunt me?"

Even though she was crying so hard she could barely breathe, she still managed to say all that in one breath. How could she be such a chatterbox? Gu Qianxi chuckled softly, amused by Cheng Su's outburst.

Seeing Gu Qianxi smile, Cheng Su's eyes filled with resentment. "You're still smiling? You're so evil, you did that on purpose to scare me, didn't you?"

Gu Qianxi denied it, shaking her head. "No."

Cheng Su didn't believe her. That wicked woman never tells the truth.

Confused, Cheng Su wiped her tears with the back of her hand, still angry. "Who jokes about their own life and health? Don't ever do that again—it's terrifying!"

Gu Qianxi quietly observed Cheng Su's small movements and listened to her energetic words. She asked, "Are you really worried about me?"

"Of course," Cheng Su replied without hesitation. "If something happened to you, I'd be a murderer. That's too awful."

Gu Qianxi thought for a moment. "But you said before that people like me would be better off dead than living in darkness."

Cheng Su's pupils dilated, and she asked uncertainly, "Did I really say that? Are you sure you're not misremembering?"

Gu Qianxi studied Cheng Su's reaction closely. "You also said that at least my death would have some value—the insurance company could pay out a lot."

Cough, cough, cough. Cheng Su picked up her water glass, took a sip to calm herself, and explained, "I, I didn't mean it that way. I just want you to be well now. It would be best if we were both free of any obligations."

Gu Qianxi quietly met Cheng Su's gaze. "Free of obligations? Then why aren't we getting divorced?"

"This, that..." Cheng Su couldn't find a coherent explanation.

"Hmm? What's holding you back?"

Gu Qianxi pressed her with pointed questions, leaving Cheng Su speechless and cornered.

Seeing Cheng Su's flustered and helpless expression, Gu Qianxi shook her head. How could I expect her to ever tell me the truth?

"Cheng Su, whether you're faking this repentance or not, there's no future for us. We can postpone the divorce, but it will happen eventually."

Gu Qianxi's final words hung in the air.

The dinner was neither warm nor cold. After Gu Qianxi went upstairs, Cheng Su cleaned the dining room before lingering.

She went to the flower room she had tidied up that morning and adjusted the small string lights.

Cheng Su turned off the main lights and quietly watched the colorful lights twinkle and flash.

Outside, cicadas chirped and frogs croaked, filling the air with the essence of summer. Cheng Su stretched her limbs, and the tension in her nerves finally eased.

Cheng Su leaned against the window of the flower room, the evening breeze on her face as she gazed at the modern villa before her, a towering architectural giant. It felt as if she were standing outside, observing someone else's life from a distance.

Gu Qianxi's room was on the second floor. The curtains were still open, and Cheng Su could see her figure clearly from her vantage point.

Suddenly, the light in Gu Qianxi's room went out—or rather, the entire villa plunged into darkness.

Cheng Su frowned, straightened up, and walked back toward the villa without hesitation.

Entering the villa, she checked the surroundings and happened to encounter Gu Qianxi descending the stairs.

Cheng Su quickly turned on her phone's flashlight. "Don't move. The power's out."

Aside from the light emanating from Cheng Su, Gu Qianxi noticed that the area around her had indeed grown much darker.

Cheng Su approached Gu Qianxi, placing her hands on the back of the wheelchair. "What are you doing down here?"

Gu Qianxi tightened her grip on the armrests. "I was going to take a shower, but there's no water."

Cheng Su's voice was clear and crisp. "I just checked the fuse box—it's fine. It's probably the electricity bill. It should come back on after we pay it."

"Mm."

In the pitch-black darkness, all her senses seemed heightened, and a growing sense of unease began to creep into her heart.

Fine beads of sweat formed on Cheng Su's forehead.

Using the faint glow of the flashlight, Cheng Su quietly observed Gu Qianxi's profile. Gu Qianxi seemed like a still lake, calm and serene, her expression placid.

Yet Cheng Su noticed something different: Gu Qianxi was gripping the wheelchair's armrests tightly, the veins on the back of her hands standing out with tension.

It was almost instantaneous to conclude: Gu Qianxi was afraid.

Her fear was subtle, so much so that she showed no outward signs of distress.

Cheng Su couldn't quite describe how she felt upon noticing these small gestures. Her heart felt like the armrest beneath Gu Qianxi's palm, being unconsciously squeezed tighter.

"Do you want to go outside?" Cheng Su cleared her dry throat and asked Gu Qianxi.

Gu Qianxi's shoulders twitched. Even with Cheng Su, a source of light, beside her, she couldn't fully face the darkness of the environment.

Though blind and accustomed to living in a lightless world, she still knew the surroundings were bright. But when even that certain light suddenly vanished, who could say whether wolves or tigers might spring from the shadows to tear into her, helpless and unable to fight back?

Gu Qianxi nodded. At least the moon outside would offer a soft glow, dispelling her unease.

Cheng Su pushed Gu Qianxi to the flower room.

Gu Qianxi froze when she saw the scene before her.

"Here?" she asked Cheng Su.

Cheng Su explained, "The flower room behind the villa. I tidied it up."

Cheng Su pushed Gu Qianxi along, pointing out the tiered flower stands on the left, identifying the species, and noting which plants were well-behaved and which were a bit wild. She then gestured to the right, where vines and climbing plants dominated, highlighting the most bizarrely shaped and the most vibrantly colored specimens.

She chattered on like a tour guide.

Because Cheng Su stayed close to her, Gu Qianxi had a chance to observe the flower room's meticulous arrangement as they walked.

It was clearly arranged with care and warmth.

Cheng Su had always loved to chatter, even when no one was there to respond. She could entertain herself for hours with her own monologues, which made her seem self-assured and lively to those who first met her, like the sun forever blazing in the sky.

Gu Qianxi interrupted her, for reasons she couldn't quite explain, "Cheng Su, I can't see."

What's the point of all this nonstop, breathless rambling if I can't see it?

Cheng Su froze visibly. She scratched the back of her head, thought for a long moment, and then said earnestly, "Do you want to?"

Gu Qianxi didn't answer. Cheng Su continued, "Actually, I think being overly sensitive around people with disabilities can be harmful. True harm comes from fearing to interact normally. Openly sharing and allowing them to appreciate things in their own way—that's the healthiest and most comfortable way for both of us to connect."

"When I was describing it to you, you were listening so intently. We both really enjoyed the whole process. You must have imagined the entire flower room in your own unique way, right?"

Cheng Su's sincerity was palpable, her twinkling eyes seeming to hold the entire galaxy.

Truth be told, Gu Qianxi didn't dislike the flower room Cheng Su had cleaned up. In fact, she was quite surprised.

The string lights made the entire space feel so cozy and inviting.

Gu Qianxi was taken aback by Cheng Su's words, once again unable to understand her.

"Hmm, that makes sense."

Cheng Su smiled bashfully, her shyness often striking her later. "So, did you imagine it to be beautiful? I worked so hard on it."

Gu Qianxi blinked, looking at the flower room, then at Cheng Su, noticing the earnest expectation in her eyes.

Cheng Su thought she couldn't see it, but Gu Qianxi had been watching carefully. A smile touched her lips. "It's very beautiful."

Cheng Su's gaze lingered on Gu Qianxi's faint smile, her own expression softening. "You look so lovely when you smile. Smile more often, okay?"

Gu Qianxi frowned, her smile fading. "I wasn't smiling."

Cheng Su chuckled, her smile widening. "Why deny it? I'm complimenting you! Are you embarrassed?"

Gu Qianxi shot Cheng Su a glare.

Cheng Su, sensing the murderous intent behind Gu Qianxi's blindfolded eyes, immediately surrendered. "I didn't laugh, I didn't laugh! I must have imagined it."

After a moment, a gentle breeze swept through, dispelling the lingering heat.

Perhaps it was the perfect atmosphere between them, the comfortable summer night, or the dazzling glow of the flower room's lights.

Cheng Su crouched beside Gu Qianxi, watching the sliver of moon peeking through the leaves. "Gu Qianxi," she said, "let's be friends."

"Friends?"

"Yeah, just good friends. The kind who help each other out, unaffected by all that love, hate, passion, and resentment."

Gu Qianxi smiled but said nothing.

In this relaxed atmosphere, Cheng Su grew bolder. She blurted out, "Actually, your eyes can be cured."

Gu Qianxi glanced at Cheng Su's overly thin shoulders. "How do you know?"

Cheng Su's eyes crinkled as she tilted her head, propping her cheek with one hand. She deliberately spoke with a mix of truth and falsehood, "Maybe I can see the future."

But Cheng Su's words sent an involuntary chill down Gu Qianxi's spine.

She cleared her dry throat and asked, "Then what will happen to me in the future?"