Chapter Eighty-Three Old Wounds

  Watching Zou Ze leave, Ji Liang turned to look at Ji Xin'an, the meaning in his eyes was clearly asking 'what's going on this time?' However, he was much calmer this time.

  Ji Xin'an thought that if she did something out of the ordinary, she would be caught. It seemed that she didn't have the potential to do anything bad after all. This time with Zou Ze was just a fuss, so there wasn't any sign of guilt either.

  "Dad, he's just my master's son, we're just ordinary friends, it was just a joke, don't misunderstand." But since the last time, Ji Xin'an was afraid that her dad would worry about her, so after Zou Ze left, Ji Xin'an quickly explained to Ji Liang.

  Ji Liang listened to her explanation and saw that she was looking at him worriedly, so he felt relieved and smiled lightly. "I didn't misunderstand, Dad believes you wouldn't do anything to deceive us."

  "Dad, you're so great." Ji Xin'an saw that her words were believed by him without any discount, and she felt a thrill of excitement. She coquettishly hugged her dad's arm and leaned her head on his shoulder.

  "Wait until your master is healed, then invite his whole family to our home for a meal. You really are something, after knowing them for so many years, and they've taught you things and helped you find places to practice, but at home we didn't even know about it. If not for this injury, we might still not have known that you had such a master." Ji Liang tapped Ji Xin'an's forehead, although his tone carried some blame, he wasn't really blaming her, after all, children grow up and should have their own social circle.

  "I didn't forget, I'll introduce you guys later, but we have to wait until Master's arm heals." Ji Xin'an said with a smile, indeed she had been neglectful. But it wasn't her fault, Master only came back for a few days each time, and her parents were always working, they just didn't have the chance to meet.

  Ji Liang also understood her meaning, so of course there would be no objection. "As long as you don't forget this time, that's fine."

  The father and daughter went home laughing and chatting.

  Zou Weiguo was finally discharged from the hospital after more than a month of recovery. Although he can be discharged, it's just that the injuries on other parts of his body have almost healed, but the wound where his leg was amputated has not fully recovered. As for getting a prosthetic leg, he can only go home and rest for a while first. It will only be considered after he is fully recovered.

  So even if Zou Weiguo is back home, he still needs someone to take care of him. Liu Lihua alone can't take care of him, and Zou Ze is really worried about it. So Ji Xin'an came up with the idea of spending money to hire a special nurse to help take care of him. This way, Liu Lihua can also relax a bit and doesn't have to keep taking leave from work all the time. After all, she has her own job too and can't always be absent from work.

  Zou Ze naturally agreed as soon as he heard it, while Zou Weiguo and the other two absolutely disagreed. Although Zou Weiguo's medical expenses were paid by the army, finding a nurse to take care of him was impossible. The army had no such precedent.

  But if I have to pay for it myself, money is a problem. Both my husband and I are soldiers, and although we've saved some money over the years because our expenses are relatively low, our monthly salary is limited, and there's only so much we can spare. And after getting injured, there are many places where I need to spend money, so of course I have to be frugal.

  Zou Ze smiled after hearing the concerns of the two, "Mom, you don't have to worry about this money anymore. I'll take care of it."

  "Where did you get the money from, just saving those small change? It's not even enough for someone to take care of a month's salary." Liu Lihua didn't pay attention to his words at all, how could she possibly believe he had money.

  "Mom, I haven't asked you for pocket money in years, I really have the money." So he told them about his experiences with Ji Xin'an releasing records, starting a company, and developing tourist areas.

  "Are you two An Xin and Kan Ke? Now the biggest entertainment company in the city is also yours?" Zhou Weiguo didn't like these popular songs. Maybe he didn't know, but that doesn't mean Liu Lihua didn't know how popular they were back then.

  Before the two nodded, Zou Weiguo spoke again, "Does that 'Utopia' in the suburbs have your shares?" If it were the old Zou Weiguo, he would definitely not know this and wouldn't know what it meant. But after staying in the hospital for so long, he spent a lot of time watching TV, and local news was his daily must-see. As for 'Utopia' which frequently appeared in the news, he was all too familiar with it.

  "What you said are all ours, but not all of them, just some shares." Ji Xin'an took over the conversation and explained with a smile.

  Having obtained a definite answer from Ji Xin'an, Zou Weiguo was suddenly stunned and speechless. Ji Xin'an and Zou Ze had started making money since junior high school, when they were only so young. Now the amount of money they earn is probably more than what they could make in several lifetimes, and that "utopia" where he himself wanted to recover from illness and take Liu Lihua to play together actually has their shares.

  Liu Lihua was shocked, no less than him. Unlike Zou Weiguo, who often didn't come home, she lived with Zou Ze every day. He had done so many things, yet he himself knew nothing about it. In fact, Zou Ze's actions were not without any abnormality, just like he said that for several years, he hadn't managed his own pocket money and school expenses, and often bought clothes and other things by himself.

  I didn't realize it myself, it seems that as a mother she is indeed derelict in her duties. Fortunately, my son is sensible and only does the right thing. If he were to learn something bad from other kids, the consequences would be severe. Now that I think about it, I feel a chill run down my spine.

  If it were before, Zou Ze would have been scolded by his family for doing such a big thing in secret, but after going through this experience, Zou Weiguo also opened up a lot, "Zou Ze has really grown up this time, and we don't need to worry about him anymore."

  Liu Lihua was still feeling down because of her own dereliction of duty, and after hearing Zou Weiguo's words, she felt a mix of emotions in her heart. At the same time, she couldn't help but feel a little lost. In her eyes, Zou Ze was still the son she held in her arms, but before she knew it, he had already started his own career.

  "Dad, I just wanted to follow and play at first. And I only sang a few songs at the beginning, nothing else was used on me, I didn't think it would develop to this extent at that time, if I had known earlier, I would have told you." Zou Ze saw that Zou Weiguo did not speak as usual, but instead looked uncomfortable, and then looked at Liu Lihua's disappointed face, and hurriedly thought of an explanation.

  "You don't have to think much, Dad is happy for you. You can have such a big career at such a young age, it seems that I really underestimated you before." Zou Weiguo looked at him with satisfaction. Although he couldn't inherit his own business and felt disappointed in his heart, he was also happy that he had achieved success in other aspects.

  "Master, Zou Ze's abilities are not just limited to these. Later on, you can expect him to stand out." Ji Xin'an saw that the two were somewhat disheartened and understood what they were thinking, but couldn't persuade them, so he praised Zou Ze instead. Only this way would they be even happier.

  "You're so sweet." Zou Weiguo heard this and knew that Ji Xin'an was trying to cheer him up, so he smiled and ruffled her hair.

  Ji Xin'an covered her head, looking at him with dissatisfaction, but thinking that the matter was urgent. So she didn't argue with him, "This time you won't object to spending money to find someone to take care of Master, will you?"

  "Alright then, let's do it your way. It'll also make things easier for my wife." Zou Weiguo saw that they had been taking care of him these past few days and were all very tired, so since there was such a condition, he might as well listen to them.

  Seeing him agree, they looked at each other and smiled, having settled this matter, they could finally go to school with peace of mind.

  A few days later, after settling the affairs at Zou Ze's home, the two finally returned to school for classes. It was already more than a month since the start of the critical third year of high school. The classmates in their class were very curious, but Ji Xin'an and Zou Ze's Tai Chi skills were still good, so they easily glossed over it.

  When Yao Wen-hao saw Ji Xin-an appear at school again, he felt a mix of emotions: guilt, regret, and sadness all swirled in his heart.

  These days, he knew where Ji Xin'an was, but he didn't have the courage to see her. His heart was looking forward to her coming back soon, and this contradictory psychology made him sleepless and appetite-less. Today, he finally saw her, and his heart didn't know whether it was excited or what.

  "An An, I...I want to talk to you." Yao Wen Hua had been waiting for an opportunity when Ji Xin An was alone, and finally found his chance after school when she was by herself. He quickly followed her.

  "What else is there to talk about, do you think it's still necessary?" Ji Xin'an saw him again, feeling very calm in her heart. She could probably guess what he wanted to say. Since seeing herself in Zou Weiguo's hospital room, he must have understood everything, but even so, nothing could be changed now.

  "Wait, don't go yet, I just want to say a few words, it won't take up too much of your time." Yao Wenhuo hastily blocked her path, afraid that she would leave like this.

  Ji Xin'an thought for a moment and felt that it was okay to talk about this too, so she nodded slightly in agreement with his request.

  Two people were standing by the road, many students who had just finished school were passing by, and they would curiously glance at them when they passed by their side, so it was also inconvenient to talk here, so they found a quiet place.

  It's unclear whether it was a coincidence or not, but the two of them ended up at the same café where Ji Xianan and Yao Wenhao's mother had met last time. This time, however, Ji Xianan didn't go into a private room, instead finding a secluded corner in the main hall to sit down.

  After the two sat down, Yao Wenhao looked at the girl in front of him who used to only show him a smiling face, and his heart was filled with all sorts of emotions, suddenly becoming stunned.

  After seeing Yao Wenhuo sit down, he didn't speak anymore. Ji Xin'an leaned back on the chair and looked at Yao Wenhuo with an expressionless face, "If you have something to say, just say it, I still have things to do later."

  "An An, how have you been lately?" Yao Wenhuo woke up from his daydream.

  "It's still the same, can't say it's good or bad." Ji Xin'an picked up the coffee in front of her and took a sip.

  For Ji Xin'an's cold face, Yao Wenhuo had been prepared for a long time, but still felt a little awkward. He mustered up the courage to look at Ji Xin'an and said, "An An, I was wrong in the past, I should apologize to you."

  "You said you were not wrong, how could you be wrong?" Ji Xin'an sneered, although she can now calmly face Yao Wenhuo, but it doesn't mean she has forgotten his insult. Bringing up this matter again, she immediately thought of the sadness when he misunderstood her at that time.

  "I'm sorry, it was all my fault from the start. I used your feelings to give Yu Yao a chance to be with Zou Ze, and after you found out, I didn't even reflect on my actions, instead I framed you and Uncle Zou's relationship. Now that I think about it, I really am worthless, I'm truly sorry to you." Yao Wen Hua lowered his head. Facing Ji Xin An's cold ridicule, he felt a bit embarrassed, but he didn't blame her, as he had hurt her first. If Ji Xin An were to beat him up now to vent her anger, he would willingly let her do so.

  "What's the use of saying that now. It's all in the past." Ji Xin'an turned her head to look out the window, without mentioning whether she accepted his apology.

  "Even if it's a past matter, it was my fault. I must apologize, and this thing has been on my mind, tormenting me. If I don't speak out, I'll be guilty for the rest of my life." Yao Wenhao raised his head, with a face full of remorse.

  "But what's the use, the harm you've brought to me has already been done. Now that you're apologizing, will it just disappear?" Ji Xin'an said slowly, only she herself knew how difficult it was for her to get over this hurdle.

  "I know that no matter what I do, I won't be able to make up for the harm I caused you in the first place. I don't even hope to get your forgiveness. As long as you can feel a little better in your heart, it's okay even if you hit me." Yao Wenhuo looked at Ji Xin'an, his eyes filled with sincerity.

  Ji Xin'an looked into his eyes, her heart skipped a beat. Although Yao Wenhuo's approach was no longer driven by ulterior motives, they had indeed loved each other before and shared beautiful memories. Faced with his sincere apology, the resentment she once felt dissipated somewhat. "Hitting you won't solve anything, if it's just for your peace of mind. Then consider me forgiving you." Ji Xin'an smiled lightly, though her heart softened a little, in her mind, this relationship was already over; although the scars still lingered, she couldn't carry them with her forever.

  "Can...can you really forgive me?" When Yao Wen Hua heard Ji Xin An forgiving him, he became excited all of a sudden and didn't notice Ji Xin An's tone. He only had one thought in his mind: An An forgave him.

  Ji Xin An nodded, "Things have passed for so long, what's the point of always remembering those unhappy things? It's better to let go than to keep hating past events." Hating someone is too tiring, she's still so young, with a great life ahead, and her own long-held dreams to pursue. She has so many things to do, no time to waste on hating him.

  "An An, if you can forgive me, could I have another chance to make it up to you? I promise to treat you well and not let you suffer any more grievances. I will be honest with you and trust you, and I won't make the same mistake again." Yao Wen Hua excitedly stared at Ji Xin An, his eyes full of expectation, feeling like he had suddenly gone from hell to heaven.

  "I can forgive you, but some things have happened and can never be made up for. The wound in my heart is already there, no matter what, it won't disappear." Ji Xin'an shook her head slightly. Although they had truly loved each other before, after experiencing such hurt, even if they felt moved again, they wouldn't go back to the way things were.

  "Sorry, I know I hurt you too deeply. Even if I'm given a chance to make amends, okay?" Yao Wenhuo felt a pang of heartache, not because of her rejection, but because he pitied Ji Xin'an. He had made such mistakes and misjudged her so badly back then, she must have been hurt very deeply at that time.

  "Although I seem to be so open-minded now, just a moment ago my heart was still resentful towards you. In this situation, if I can forgive you, it means that I want to forget all these things and only remember the good times we had together. When I look back on this relationship years later, I hope I will only recall the most beautiful memories, not those unbearable past events. But even if they were beautiful, they are already in the past, and I cannot pretend that those things never happened and be with you again.

  Every romance has its own happy side, whether it was my ex-boyfriend's betrayal or Yawen Hua's impure intentions, but they all had their joyful moments, which is enough. Perhaps years later she will fall in love with someone else, but he will definitely not be Yawen Hua again, because he has already passed."

  "I should have expected this outcome, getting your forgiveness is already an unexpected surprise. It's just that I'm a bit unwilling to accept it, you used to like me so unconditionally, now it can only end with such a result." Yao Wen Hua lowered his head in disappointment. Maybe he himself ruined their relationship, if he could do it again, he thought he would confess everything at the beginning, if he said it himself, with Ji Xin An's personality, even if she got angry, it wouldn't have ended up like this today, unfortunately, there are no ifs.

  "There are some things that can't be blamed on you for misunderstanding, at the time I didn't explain the situation clearly to you, now you should also understand the true situation, so I won't say more, and you shouldn't hold a grudge either. Let these things pass." Ji Xin'an smiled lightly, when she said the words of forgiving Yao Wenhuo, she really let go, and her heart felt much lighter, it turned out that forgiving others was also setting oneself free.

  "I couldn't let go. Maybe at first, I was pursuing you for Yao's sake, but when you finally agreed to be with me, I forgot about Yao, forgot my original purpose. All that remained was excitement and thrill, the days spent with you were the happiest moments of my life, I truly liked you, but I messed everything up. Not even leaving a chance for redemption." Looking at Ji Xin'an who was right in front of him, he seemed to see the person under the fireworks again. Those bright eyes and beautiful smile, that day might have been the happiest day of his life, yet happiness was so fleeting.

  "At that time, I was also happy, but we really can't go back. Even if we were together again, it wouldn't be the same as before." Ji Xin'an didn't expect that they would have such a day again, bringing up those things from the past. This feeling made people feel very strange, although there was some nostalgia for those good times, but now only nostalgia remained.

  Such an answer was expected from Yao Wenhao, since there wasn't much hope to begin with. Then there wouldn't be too much disappointment either. "An An, I know you've been deeply hurt by me and have lost all confidence in me. But I won't give up, even if you'll never accept me again. Just being able to watch over you from afar is enough for me."

  Yao Wenhao finally spoke out the things that had been weighing on his mind, and suddenly felt much lighter. But people are never satisfied, at first he thought that as long as Ji Xin'an didn't blame him, he would be very content already. Now that Ji Xin'an has forgiven him, he started to think more, he believed that Ji Xin'an used to really like him, so she still had feelings for him. If he could change his past mistakes and truly treat Ji Xin'an with kindness, maybe he still had a chance.

  "Although I can't ask you to do anything, since we've already broken up, I won't turn back, so don't waste your time on me anymore." Ji Xin'an saw that he was not giving up and felt a sense of helplessness in his heart. He thought that no matter what he said, it didn't count, but what he himself did still counted.

  "You can refuse my pursuit again, and you can despise me, but you can't stop me from liking you. You can rest assured that even if I pursue you again, it won't interfere with your normal life or bring you any trouble." He understood Ji Xianan's temperament and knew what she hated the most. If he really followed her around every day, not only would he have no chance, but their current relationship would also be lost.

  Ji Xin'an helplessly shook her head. She had already said everything she could say. If he didn't affect himself, then whatever he wanted to do was none of her business. "I still have things to attend to. If you don't have anything else, I'll take my leave."

  "An An, are we still friends now?" Seeing Ji Xian had stood up and was about to leave, she also stood up, looking at her expectantly.

  Ji Xin'an turned around, looking at his expectant eyes, her heart softened, and she really wanted to agree with him. However, she didn't want to give him that non-existent hope, so she hardened her heart. "Yao Wenhuo, let's just be ordinary classmates, although I've forgiven you, but I don't want someone by my side every day reminding me of the existence of that wound."

  Yao Wenhao's heart sank when he heard this, but he didn't blame Ji Xin'an and could understand her. What she had done was already quite magnanimous, so he didn't stop her either, letting Ji Xin'an leave.

  Although the relationship between the two can't even be considered as friends, after getting Qi Xin An's forgiveness, a stone in his heart finally fell to the ground. He wanted to use his own efforts to win back Qi Xin An's heart, if not in a month then in a year, if not in a year then in ten years, he wants to make up for the hurt he caused Qi Xin An in his own way.

  Watching Jing Xin'an leave, I thought of the time she was cold with me because of the university entrance exam, it seemed like yesterday's thing. Now thinking about it, even quarreling was so sweet at that time. So I muttered to myself: "Maybe taking the military academy exam is also a good choice."