My youngest uncle paused for a moment before gently patting my hand. “Alright, get lost.”
There was a slight sob in his voice. I could hear it.
…
When Jing Ni saw me, she didn’t say anything. She threw herself into my arms and hugged me tightly.
I hugged her back and gently patted her back. For a moment like this, words were unnecessary. Bai Rui stood to the side and her eyes were red. After a long time, Jing Ni let me go with red eyes, she exclaimed, “Nanxing, we will get into M University!”
I patted her shoulder. “I believe in you! We’ll both do it!” I knew that Jing Ni had to do that to bring her mother away from the Jing Family.
Bai Rui pulled on my hand gently, “Nanxing, thank you for treating Jing Ni so well.”
I was guilty. “Auntie, I’m sorry. If I hadn’t provoked Jing Yan, this wouldn’t have happened. She wouldn’t have chased you out from the family.”
Bai Rui shook her head. “This is merely an excuse they use. It’s only a matter of time until they chased us out.”
I was surprised. “Old Master Jing didn’t come to help you?”
Bai Rui’s tears fell. “He can help us for a minute but not for a lifetime. I’ve chosen to endure the bullying for years because I thought it would be safer for Jing Ni to stay with the Jing Family. But I realize now that was a mistake, it only made them bully Jing Ni even harder. Who would have thought it is our family who wants to harm us the most.”
I comforted her. “Well, Auntie, that’s not all true. 7th uncle still care about Jing Ni and you. You can live here in peace.”
Bai Rui smiled. “I have some savings over the years. I wanted to rent a house near school so that I can help Ni Ni with her exam. But Jing Tian said that Ni Ni will be able to study better here so he made us stay. However, we can’t stay here forever.
“If there is one regret, it is that I didn’t bring Ni Ni away from the Jing Family when her father passed away. Living at Jing Family has made Ni Ni so cautious and fearful. Every time I see her cower from social interaction, my heart aches.” Jing Ni held her mother’s hand.
I smiled. “Auntie, please don’t think like that. At least you still have each other. I can’t even ask for a hug from my mother anymore. So in comparison, Jing Ni is still happier than I am. Auntie, if you have money problem, just tell me. I know you don’t like to owe others so we can have the debt written down in black and white. I plan to be friends with Jing Ni for life so she won’t be able to escape me as her debt-collector. Muahahaha!”
Then I sighed, “My parents aren’t around anymore. My little uncle tries his best to make up to me but he doesn’t really know what to do but to give me money. So you see, I have so much money but I lack my parent’s love. In contrast, Ni Ni might not be overly rich but she has you. And that is something money can’t buy.”
The pair of mother and daughter smiled. Jing Ni pulled on my hands, “Nanxing, you are my lucky star.”
“I’m more than that! I’m your friend for life!”
Bai Rui went to make dinner and finally Jing Ni and I were alone. I asked her about Lee Yang. Jing Ni’s expression was even. “He did come to find him, I told him everything will have to wait until after the college entrance exam. Nanxing, being in a relationship is too much of a luxury. Right now, I just want to focus on my studies. Only then can I have a future. Perhaps then I can consider a relationship.”
Seeing Jing Ni like this made my heart ache. But she was right. I chose to support her.
Suddenly Jing Ni said worriedly, “Nanxing, Jing Yan said that she would not forgive you.”
I nodded. “I know. Not only her, Nanyang will not let me off so easily either. I was originally someone they could bully at whim but now they couldn’t do that anymore, naturally they wouldn’t be able to stomach that change.
“They want to see me fail. My grades are improving and that must have annoyed them greatly. Naturally, they’ll do everything they can to destroy me.”
In my previous life, Li Yuan and Nanyang drugged my food on the day of the college entrance exam, I failed two subjects because I was locked in the toilet due to diarrhea. I made myself a laughing stock.
But now I had moved out from the Nan Family. That meant they couldn’t do that anymore. However, that didn’t mean they wouldn’t attempt something else. They wouldn’t stop until I was ruined.
