Give Me Heartthrobs 76

Chapter 76: Willfulness

After many twists and turns, Chen Yin finally got in touch with Ye Qifan. The call came from the hospital. When she received the call, her heart leaped to her throat, but then she let out a heavy sigh of relief.

Learning that Ye Qifan was in the hospital, Ye Qizhen was also extremely worried. Seeing her anxiety, Wen Qiuxian didn’t delay for a moment and drove her there directly.

In the hospital room, the cold white light made Ye Qifan’s skin look even paler. She turned her head to avoid other gazes, eyes half-closed, dry lips shut, remaining silent throughout.

When Ye Qizhen rushed to the ward, Ye Qifan was lying on the bed, and Chen Yin was standing by the bed, seemingly having just arrived as well.

The atmosphere was strangely silent. Ye Qizhen lowered her voice and asked, “Is Sister okay?”

Chen Yin turned around, her gaze wandering, and said absentmindedly, “She’s fine now.”

This was the first time mother and daughter met after the big fight that night. Ye Qizhen could see Chen Yin’s mental state was terrible, her complexion poor, suddenly looking several years older.

Ye Qizhen looked at the hospital bed. Listening to Chen Yin, Ye Qifan was hospitalized due to drinking, but fortunately, it wasn’t serious, just a false alarm.

Chen Yin only learned today that Ye Qifan smoked and drank without missing a beat. How did the daughter she raised and took pride in become like this? Looking at Ye Qifan who seemed like a different person, she felt helpless and fell into self-doubt again.

Ye Qizhen didn’t think Ye Qifan had become a different person. Perhaps her sister was always like this, just taking off the mask, not meeting their expectations.

“What exactly is going on with you?” Chen Yin persuaded earnestly.

Ye Qifan, who had been silent for a long time, finally turned her head. Her voice was weak but her tone was firm: “Do I have to give you a satisfactory explanation for everything?”

These days, what broke her down wasn’t the divorce itself—divorce was really nothing—but the gossip and pointers from people around her. Clearly unable to empathize, they insisted on telling you as experienced people that your choice was wrong and what you should do to be correct.

“But divorce is such a big…” Chen Yin blurted out, but seeing the patient in the next bed looking over, she helplessly held back and didn’t continue.

Ye Qifan said as calmly as possible, “I want to rest alone for a while.”

“Let’s go out first,” Ye Qizhen quickly said to Chen Yin. Two people in bad moods weren’t suitable to stay together. “Let Sister rest.”

Chen Yin walked out of the ward with red eyes, head lowered, silent for a long time. Ye Qizhen stood beside her, also silent.

Wen Qiuxian figured out what happened. No wonder the reaction to the divorce was so big that day. Standing aside, she couldn’t help saying, “Doctor Chen, life is unsatisfactory eight or nine times out of ten. Look past it, don’t be too stubborn. If you can’t go on, divorce is just divorce. What era is this? Divorce isn’t a big deal…”

People came and went in the corridor. Hearing Wen Qiuxian talk about divorce left and right, Chen Yin’s head ached even more.

“Wen Yu…” Ye Qizhen wasn’t at ease with the situation here and definitely had to stay, so she said, “You and Auntie go back first, I want to stay here and accompany my sister.”

“I’ll stay with you.” Wen Yu wasn’t at ease with Ye Qizhen either. Until now, Ye Qizhen’s relationship with her family was still stiff.

“No need, you go back with Auntie, it’s very late.” Ye Qizhen gently pulled her hand, then turned to thank Wen Qiuxian for driving her to the hospital.

Wen Yu had to agree. Looking at Chen Yin’s cold attitude, she still politely said, “Auntie, we’re leaving first.”

Chen Yin looked up, wanted to say something but didn’t.

Ye Qizhen accompanied Wen Yu to the elevator entrance and pressed the down button, but Wen Yu held her hand and wouldn’t let go. “I’d better stay and accompany you.”

Ye Qizhen smiled. “It’s okay.”

“Call me if anything happens, no matter how late.” Wen Yu continued to instruct.

“Mn.” Seeing Wen Yu couldn’t let go of her worry, Ye Qizhen leaned in and hugged Wen Yu, whispering, “Don’t worry.”

Wen Qiuxian watched from the side and laughed. Young people are just young people; didn’t realize the little girl was quite smooth.

In a blink of an eye, only a few days of winter vacation remained.

Because of Ye Qifan’s sudden hospitalization, Ye Qizhen moved back to the Ye house. Regarding her coming out, the family never mentioned it again, as if it never happened. Except when she interacted with her parents, there was a subtle suppression.

After Ye Qifan was discharged, her mood stabilized, and she was willing to talk about some things actively. She said the divorce wasn’t because of infidelity or violence, but just feeling that the current life wasn’t what she wanted.

Chen Yin obviously couldn’t accept this explanation but dared not say harsh words again. “Living together will definitely have friction and unhappiness; who doesn’t argue? You’re still too impulsive.”

“I’m very calm. Maybe you all think I’m living very well, marrying the right person at the right age, smooth sailing, what else is there to be unsatisfied with? Coming home every day to face someone I don’t really like, enduring trivial frictions and quarrels. You say this is life, but thinking that the next few decades will be like this, I feel like breaking down.” Ye Qifan said calmly.

Love, marriage, family—once they become standards for measuring happiness, they become disguised constraints. She followed the steps, completing the so-called indicators at the right time, but she didn’t feel happy.

Ye Qifan said in one breath, “Maybe I disappointed you greatly, but this choice is what I want myself. I can only say, stop using your expectations to measure my life; otherwise, there will be more disappointment.”

Chen Yin was rendered speechless.

Ye Qizhen didn’t know if the family could understand her sister, but it didn’t matter. Ye Qifan’s current state was much better than before. At least she could express her joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness wantonly, no longer suppressing herself for the outside world, maintaining the so-called perfect persona.

***

After the winter vacation ended, Ye Qizhen and Wen Yu bid farewell to the long, dull winter in Beilin and returned to school, returning to their own world.

Early spring in Nancheng arrived quickly. Just as school started, the willow branches by the lake sprouted new buds.

Under the sunlight, the wind supported the willow branches swaying gently, tender and affectionate. Ye Qizhen looked at the lake surface, then at Wen Yu. Everything was bright and just right. She thought, Truly a season suitable for dating.

The apartment hadn’t been lived in for nearly a month. The first thing Ye Qizhen did upon returning was to clean it seriously.

Wen Yu looked around this small apartment earnestly. Over half a year, it was filled with the breath of life. Her previous way wasn’t called living; only after Ye Qizhen accompanied her side did it count.

A new flower shop opened downstairs. They bought a bouquet of flowers when passing by just now.

Wen Yu stood by the desk, putting the flowers into the glass vase one by one with great interest.

Ye Qizhen was fiddling with her camera. Seeing this scene inadvertently, she aimed the lens at Wen Yu’s profile, easily finding the best angle. After all, the model in the lens was someone she knew all too well.

The clicking sound of the shutter attracted Wen Yu’s attention. Accustomed to it, she just threw a tacit look at Ye Qizhen.

Ye Qizhen took several shots before putting down the camera. She walked slowly to Wen Yu, looking at the fresh bouquet in the vase. On a whim, she picked a small flower and carefully tucked it behind Wen Yu’s ear.

Her family didn’t strongly oppose her relationship with Wen Yu anymore, but they didn’t approve either. But she didn’t feel regretful. Life is never that perfect. Have to accept that people around you may not understand you, have to accept that biological parents can be biased… One always has to care more about what one already has to be happy.

Ye Qizhen looked at Wen Yu’s face closely, flowers blooming in her heart too.

Wen Yu stood obediently letting Ye Qizhen fiddle, thinking Ye Qizhen wanted to take pictures of her. But Ye Qizhen just stared at her straight, the corners of her mouth raised in a beautiful arc.

“Smiling so happily?”

“Good mood.” Ye Qizhen said. Although coming out happened earlier than they imagined, after experiencing this, they had an extra firmness and confidence in the future, and Wen Yu would feel more secure too.

“Always giggling foolishly, when are you ever in a bad mood?” Wen Yu looked down and scolded her. Even during the hardest days of winter vacation, Ye Qizhen maintained such a smile at all times.

“Say what you want, can you not add the word ‘foolish’?” Ye Qizhen bargained with Wen Yu. “Ever seen a fool as fresh and lively as me?”

Wen Yu looked at her and laughed.

Ye Qizhen hugged Wen Yu, acting coquettishly after a long time: “Because being with Wen Yuyu makes every day happy.”

Wen Yu hugged her back. “Such a sweet mouth.”

“Is it?” Talking while getting closer and closer. Ye Qizhen liked hugging and talking to Wen Yu like this, looking at her brows and eyes at close range, smelling the just-right fragrance on her.

Wen Yu took more practical action, smiling and kissing her lips, tongue skillfully prying open, entangling and kissing for a while, then telling her accurately: “Yes, very sweet.”

Warmth lingered on her lips. Ye Qizhen wasn’t satisfied, inevitably wanting to lean in again.

Wen Yu played dumb and laughed at her: “What are you doing?”

Ye Qizhen blocked Wen Yu by the desk, pestering her: “Kiss again.” Saying this, she had already kissed over…

Wen Yu lowered her eyes and smiled. Actually, Ye Qizhen was sweetest when she was like this—warm, soft, and carrying a bit of willfulness.

Ye Qizhen kissed with a smile on her lips, especially as Wen Yu gradually became more passionate than her. After being cloying for a good while, she remembered an important thing she missed. “Follow me.”