After Shen Xi did the acupuncture for Li Yuan, she carefully instructed him about how to care for his wound, then carried Toffeecito home.
Li Yuan sent her to the door and watched her leave. His eyes gradually turned cold and desolate. He lowered his gaze and looked at his legs. The feeling of powerlessness again engulfed him.
Shen Xi arrived at the living room door and could hear the word “neighbor”. She perked up her ears immediately and eavesdropped nervously.
‘Was I so unlucky that Mom found out I went next door?’
A moment later, she breathed a sigh of relief.
The conversation in the living room was audible.
Du Juan came out of the kitchen together with Yun Jinping. She was carrying a dish and suddenly thought of something, so she said, “Jinping, I saw your neighbor today.”
Yesterday, Yun Jinping and Shen Zhangqing had mentioned their neighbor and she coincidentally saw him today.
“Oh, what’s he like?” Yun Jinping was stunned for a moment before she asked with a smile. She was truly interested because she had not seen him since he moved here a long time ago.
Recently, Shen Xi had not climbed the wall as diligently as before. She would just look for Toffeecito and shout at the wall occasionally.
Shen Zhangqing had his doubts dispelled and was no longer suspicious of the neighbor.
“I didn’t see what he looked like, but he’s sitting in a wheelchair. I bought groceries and turned the corner, just in time to see someone pushing him in.” Du Juan sighed and said with some sympathy, “He looked quite young too.”
Yun Jinping said, “Xixi said that he’s an uncle.”
Du Juan added, “Maybe he just looks young!”
Shen Tang was helping to set the table. Even if she was blind, her hearing and senses were very sensitive. She heard the sound of the door opening and footsteps stopping at the living room door.
The light footsteps definitely belonged to Xixi, and not her uncle or father.
Shen Xi heard the conversation take a turn before she entered the house with Toffeecito in her arms. After a cheerful greeting, Shen Xi threw her school bag aside and helped Shen Tang.
When Shen Tang got close to Shen Xi, she paused in her action and knitted her brows slightly. She lowered her voice and asked with concern, “Are you injured?”
‘Why, did she smell of blood?’
Shen Xi did not think she would be discovered after taking a shower and changing her clothes. She smiled and said, “It’s not mine. My deskmate was sharpening pencils and accidentally cut his hand and got some on me.”
Shen Tang listened to Shen Xi’s overstretched lie and did not say anything. The smell of blood was quite strong, so it was certainly not a light injury. However, Xixi was no longer a child, so she should not probe further if Xixi was not willing to tell her.
Shen Xi said, “Sister, I’ll go get changed first.”
Yun Jinping already shouted at Shen Xi. “Hurry down and wash your hands before dinner!”
It was already April and there were only two months left before the college entrance exams. Shen Xi’s studies were getting more intense by the day, so she said she would come back an hour later every day for the next two months.
Shen Zhangqing had been very busy with his business lately.
Shen Zhanglin bought a shop two days ago and he was getting it renovated and furnished. He was afraid the workers would be sloppy, so he spent most of his time there.
After dinner, Du Juan took an insulated lunch box and sent food to Shen Zhanglin at the store.
Yun Jinping did not feel comfortable with Du Juan being alone, so she drove her there.
The two girls were left in the house with Toffeecito.
After doing two sets of mock exams, Shen Xi took a shower and stood at the window to look next door. The lights were still on and she seemed to smell smoke coming from there.
Shen Tang came out after a shower and felt Shen Xi was at the window, so she asked, “What are you looking at?”
Shen Xi said, “At the stars. They’re so pretty tonight.”
Shen Tang smiled, sat on the edge of the bed, and looked in Shen Xi’s direction. “I heard an explosion earlier and smelled smoke. Did something happen at the neighbor’s house?”
This time, Shen Xi did not pretend and let out a faint “mm”. She instantly felt emotionally drained and disappointed. When she thought about the moment she rushed in, her heart clenched with pain.
“Is everything okay?” Shen Tang asked.
“No.” Shen Xi turned around and leaned her back against the windowsill. She said seriously, “Sister, please keep it a secret.”
Shen Xi knew Shen Tang was attentive and had sensed something during Chinese New Year’s Eve.
Shen Tang nodded and asked, “He’s not an uncle, is he?”
Shen Xi said, “Yeah, but he’s in a wheelchair.”
Shen Tang heard her and thought of herself. She felt a little emotional. “That’s okay, just follow your heart.”
Shen Xi was touched and said, “We’re not in that kind of relationship yet, but I’ve decided to come clean with my parents the day I become an adult.”
She used to think the biggest obstacle to being with Li Yuan was probably her parents.
Knowing Shen Zhangqing, he would be devastated that she liked someone physically challenged.
Yun Jinping also hoped her daughter could find a perfect man without any flaws.
However, Shen Xi now knew that the biggest obstacle was not her parents, but Li Yuan himself. He could not accept himself.
“Then go for it.” Shen Tang smiled gently. “I will always support you.”
‘What’s a physical disability anyway? I’m blind, but I still have the right to choose and pursue what I want and who I love…’
“Thank you,” Shen Xi ran over and hugged her with red eyes.
Shen Tang accompanied Shen Xi in silence.
It took a while before Shen Xi talked to her about business. Shen Xi brought out the relevant documents, moved a chair over, and sat opposite Shen Tang. “Sister, this is the proposal for ‘The Immortal Songs’ show. I discussed with Chairman Yuan and we decided to let you make your debut in this program.”
“I can’t do this… I heard Qi Xiu mention that this program will invite famous singers who have already made a name in the music industry. It’s a very fierce competition and it’ll test our techniques. I’m just an ordinary person, so if I participate in this program, I’ll be criticized…” Shen Tang did not have much confidence in herself to win in a competition against professional singers.
The day Shen Tang came to the Capital, she had already reported to the office and went to work every day for systematic vocal studies.
Although Shen Tang was a contracted singer with Cosmos Entertainment, her debut plan was different from Qi Xiu’s. Shen Xi wanted Sheng Tang to be exposed to the public first, so going to a professional talent show was ideal.
The company’s Planning Department recently came up with three music-related programs.
The girl group reality show, “National Idol”, needed girls who could sing and dance. The girls would go through layers of screening to form a new idol group for their debut.
