Xia Rou quietly sat inside the living room, her head slightly lowered down, putting her sight on the varnished wooden coffee table.
Now she realized the color of the coffee table in the past 10 years was this color, she recalled back. After that, the coffee table was changed to another one, same design, but the color seemed to be darker a bit. Probably is because the wood material is different.
She wanted to stretch out her hand to feel the texture, whether that wood material really has a moist texture, but at this moment she heard a sonorous footstep getting closer.
Deep and steady, every step was at its own pace.
Every sound of it, has knocked into her heart, she couldn't help but her heartbeat fastened, as if it was trying to jump out from her chest.
"Xia Rou?" Translated by The Novelst
That familiar voice of his, was deep like a cello, calling out her name.
Xia Rou's slim white hand suddenly gripped tightly into a fist. She had a deep breath, then only had the courage to stand up, and turn around……
The man in black uniform is standing just right under the sunlight of the sunset. The sides of that dark uniform was reflected with a layer of gold.
Even his facial features were covered with golden light.
His stature was tall, standing at a near distance, calmly staring at her.
Xia Rou also stared at him, and she couldn't even…… let her eyes off.
As she was infatuatedly staring at him, she noticed Cao Yang's sharp gaze has turned gentler, slowly he walked towards her and said in a low voice: "My condolences."
Xia Rou finally realized that her tears had burst out in a line. Immediately she lowered her head and softly wiped out the tears on her face.
Just now, Cao Yang has seen her properly, Xia Rou wasn't the "kid" in his blurry memory anymore. Although her height was only up till his shoulders, but she has already grown up as a maiden.
Short hair is cut neatly to the length of her face, surrounded on her sharp little chins. A pair of thin lips were light pink color, lacking some redness. Her lips were tightly closed as if she's afraid that she'll say something wrong. She's wearing a piece of black long sleeved dress, giving more prominence to her snowy white skin.
Only that pair of large somber eyes, the moment she put her sight was on him, countless of complex emotion was revealed, as if endless words have been told in her eyes. Those endless words tumbled in her eyes, then fell off on her cheeks, but she herself hasn't noticed yet.
Cao Yang remembered that year when his mother just passed away, those days were so difficult to him. His heart gradually become softer to these memories, a word of "condolences" doesn't only show his courtesy, but also a kind of consolation.
Now the girl in front of him is bending her head down, looking at her pitch-black hair from top, the more he thinks that she's just a little kid. She's completely different from his little brothers, and also the women he made contact before.
She's just a small little girl, who lost her belonging, weak and nobody to rely on.
"My name is Cao Yang." He said.
Big brother……
Xia Rou raised her head, tears can still be seen on her cheeks, she moved her lips, but she voice out to address him.
15 years old of Xia Rou was supposed to be unfamiliar with Cao Yang, so she wasn't qualified to address him as "Big Brother" yet.
In the end she lowered back her head and called softly: "Brother Cao Yang."
When she lowers her head down, the line of her neck is beautiful, which reminds him of Cheng Wan. Cheng Wan had beautiful temperament that shows her gentleness which is much obvious compared to Xia Rou, probably, this is the reason why father favors her a lot.
"Don't cry." He said.
Xia Rou replied with "Mm", then she rubbed off her tears with the back of her hand.
Different to what Cao Yang thought, her sadness wasn't because her mother passed away.
Her mother passing away was already 10 years long ago, and she had already walked out from that depressing times. Her tears couldn't stop was because, she had never thought to have a second chance to meet Cao Yang again.
Clearly she remembers, when she fell off from the tall building, the last person who remained in her heart, was big brother Cao Yang's face.
At that time, regrets have filled up her whole chest, so much that it's trying to puncture her stomach out, just like a sharp knife inside giving her unbearable pain.
When she lay on the floor, slowly the blood stained everywhere, her life was slowly fading away.
Before the last darkness fully covered her eyesight, she thought, if there is an afterlife……
If there is an afterlife……
I will listen to big brother's words……
I will not make him mad again……
Thinking back the last time she saw him was when he was in a rage of her, so furious that she didn't looked at his face properly.
When she thought of that, she felt so regretful……
Bringing along the regrets in her heart, she died.
However, she had never thought that, when she opened up her eyes, there really is an afterlife!
The 25 years old of Xia Rou had died, but reincarnated back to when she was 15 years old.
Noticing that her gaze was looking straight, the face she wiped has started to cover with tears again, Cao Yang remained silence. He himself had gone through the pain of losing his mother, of course he would know the sadness of the loved ones leaving him cannot be simply comforted by anyone.
He gave her some time to wrap up her emotions, then only lowered his head and told her: "Sit down."
"I suppose you have already know right." He sat opposite to her, "My father wants you to live in our house."
"You are still young, we can't be rest assured letting you alone outside. From now onwards, think of this place as your home." He said.
After he finished, he paused a while and looked at Xia Rou.
Xia Rou put her snowy white hands on her laps, slowly she opened her eyes wider, looking at Cao Yang and softly replied: "Thank you……"
Thank all of you, for giving me a place to stay when I had nobody to rely on.
Thank all of you, for tolerating me to stay under this roof, raising me up in such a peaceful environment under your protection.
Thank you.
I'm sorry. Translated by The Novelst
This is what Xia Rou owed to the Cao Family, the two sentences that she owed to Cao Yang.
When she sat in this living room, those memories that was locked up long ago slowly appeared to her mind. Now she remembered, the first day when she stepped into Cao Family, she was completely drowned in sadness and trepidation, she was so miserable that time. Even when the Cao Family decided to take her in, she didn't even say a "thank you" to them.
Moreover, in the future 10 years, she was clutched by her pride and self-inferiority, torturing the family and herself, being hypocritical and pitiful. Don't even think of showing her gratitude to them.
Now, she wanted to thank god from the bottom of her heart, not because she could live again, but because she finally had the chance to tell the Cao Family, "Thank you".