The Withered Tree Always Welcomes Spring chapter 16

Back home, Shen Jixue hadn’t slept. Chen Xian wasn’t very surprised; he figured he would be waiting for him.

He turned on the light and approached. He thought about how to broach the subject as he walked, feeling it necessary to have a good talk with Shen Jixue. This time, nothing bad happened, but what if something did? Shen Jixue would need to explain.

“Xiao Shen,” Chen Xian sat down next to him, leaning in to be more approachable. He didn’t want to impose an elder’s authority on Shen Jixue, nor did he want to pressure him. “Let’s talk about today’s incident.”

Shen Jixue sat alone for a long time, initially resigned, blaming Chen Xian, preparing himself to be kicked out of Chen Xian’s house. By the end, his mind was in chaos, unable to think straight.

Hearing Chen Xian’s voice, he tried to remain strong. “What do you want to talk about?”

He knew he was just a stranger to Chen Xian. Xiao Pang, at least, was a neighbor who Chen Xian had seen grow up. He didn’t expect Chen Xian to speak up for him.

Earlier, he had managed to let go of his guard around Chen Xian. Now faced with Chen Xian’s forceful attitude, he felt as prickly as a hedgehog, stiff and defensive in his speech.

Chen Xian felt helpless. He couldn’t bring himself to lecture Shen Jixue. “Xiao Shen, Xiao Pang and I agreed that this incident… he won’t mention it again. Let’s just pretend it didn’t happen.”

Far from comforting Shen Jixue, this statement seemed to touch a nerve. He suddenly became agitated.

“I don’t want your hypocritical concern. I know you’re just like them. You don’t really think that way. You’re annoyed with me too, you want me to leave. Clearly, it was him, he was the one who spoke first about me!”

The more Shen Jixue talked, the more agitated he became. His gestures were exaggerated. Seeing him like this, Chen Xian pulled him closer

“Xiao Shen! Calm down a bit.” Chen Xian, a capable adult man, effortlessly restrained Shen Jixue. “I know it was Xiao Pang who provoked you first, he was wrong, and so were you. I didn’t mean to blame any of you, nor did I intend to drive you away. I promised to help you find your father, and I’ll keep that promise.”

Shen Jixue lacked a sense of security. Security isn’t something you can easily feel just by someone casually mentioning it.

Chen Xian held Shen Jixue’s head gently, wanting to talk to him face to face. Even though Shen Jixue couldn’t see his face, at least he wouldn’t feel deceived.

The approaching breath quieted Shen Jixue down. He wanted to cry bitterly. His eyes couldn’t see, he couldn’t find his father, his future was uncertain. What was he going to do? Who could teach him? How could he survive in this world?

“You’re lying. You only care if Xiao Pang is lost. You didn’t even ask me what happened. In your mind, you’ve already guessed it was me, right? You’re disappointed in me, so you don’t want to pay attention to me. That’s what you’re thinking.”

Shen Jixue broke free from Chen Xian’s grasp, eager to get up. He couldn’t find the direction and his knees hit the corner of the coffee table directly, sharp pain making him squat down immediately, unable to stand up for a long time, only able to hold himself tightly with his arms.

Chen Xian, who had intended to stop him, saw him finally calm down a bit after experiencing some pain. He supported his arms and helped him up from the ground.

Chen Xian knew that Shen Jixue wouldn’t listen to anything he said now, so he stopped explaining. He bent Shen Jixue’s legs and slowly rolled up his trousers. The summer fabric was thin, and Shen Jixue’s knees had a bruise, and the place where it had hit the table corner was slightly torn, with signs of bleeding.

“Why are you so stubborn?” he sighed inwardly as he stood up and went to the cabinet to find the first aid kit.

The sound of rummaging through drawers echoed in Shen Jixue’s ears. What was Chen Xian doing? Was he helping him pack up? He didn’t have much stuff himself, so it wouldn’t take long to pack.

The sound of opening and closing drawers stopped, and footsteps gradually approached Shen Jixue. Suddenly, his ankle was grabbed. Just as he was about to struggle, Chen Xian spoke in a suppressed voice, “Don’t move.”

This “don’t move” seemed to have a magical power. Shen Jixue froze on the sofa as if he had been acupunctured. He felt something moist wiping over his knee, with a slight stinging sensation, not too unbearable.

“You have to hurt yourself before you behave.”

Shen Jixue didn’t want Chen Xian to touch him, so he dodged. Chen Xian discreetly brushed aside his hand, applying ointment while rolling up his sleeves.

Upon closer inspection, Shen Jixue had various bruises, some fading, some dark, all over his body. 

Chen Xian didn’t want to upset Shen Jixue further, so he stopped dwelling on Xiao Pang’s matter and tried to talk calmly to him, changing the subject.

“We tracked down Liu Jin’s workplace. Jiang Ying got scared and finally agreed to talk properly with me again. She’s afraid now, and doesn’t want her child’s registration affected.” Chen Xian spoke methodically to Shen Jixue.

He might not have realized it himself, but his tone was very low, his speech slow, and every word was solid, giving a great sense of security.

Shen Jixue lowered his shoulders, swallowing saliva, listening quietly without saying anything.

“At first, she was quite tough. Maybe she didn’t expect me to really confront her this time. Her attempts to deceive me were futile, and that’s why she loosened her grip.” Chen Xian finished applying medicine to Shen Jixue’s legs, then lifted his short sleeves and carefully inspected him. “Thanks to you suggesting we find a lawyer, otherwise, she wouldn’t have yielded so easily.”

These days, Shen Jixue had been eating well, and his previously emaciated body was finally showing some improvement.

“Congratulations, with the money, you can go back to work on the ship.” Shen Jixue’s voice was hoarse. Even if Chen Xian wouldn’t drive him away now, what about after he divorced? He couldn’t stay here forever.

After applying ointment to Shen Jixue’s back, Chen Xian put down his clothes. “So, we should hurry up and find your father, right?”

Shen Jixue was stunned for a moment, feeling like something was stuck in his throat, he could only make short, abrupt sounds.

“I promise you, I won’t break my promise. I’ll definitely settle you down and then I can go back to the ship.” Hearing his repeated assurances, Shen Jixue nodded with tears in his eyes. Chen Xian seized the opportunity, “If something like today happens again…”

Shen Jixue wasn’t accustomed to swallowing his pride. Chen Xian felt like he was standing up for a younger family member, placing a big hand on Shen Jixue’s shoulder.

“If anything happens, you tell me, I’ll definitely help you.” Thinking of Shen Jixue’s sensitive heart, easily overthinking even the slightest things, he explained again, “I care about him, not because I don’t care about you. When Xiao Pang disappeared, my priority was to find him first. In the end, it’s all for your sake.”

Chen Xian understood Shen Jixue’s feelings. Shen Jixue was now alone and needed someone unconditionally on his side. Even if he knew Shen Jixue was wrong, he would still speak up for him.

“If there’s anything, you have to tell me.” he rubbed Shen Jixue’s head, his tone extremely gentle.

The hand on his head was warm, and an inexplicable clarity surged from Shen Jixue’s head to his limbs. It was like being electrified. With a sniffle, he lunged towards Chen Xian, tears streaming down his face.

“Chen Xian… I’m scared… sob…” For so long, this was the first time Shen Jixue had confessed his inner fear.

Chen Xian almost fell back from his impact, barely stabilizing himself by supporting the sofa with his hand. Shen Jixue was thin now, but he was tall, and his frame wasn’t light. This kind of embrace caused some of the ointment he had applied earlier to smear on himself.

“I know.” he gently patted Shen Jixue’s back. How could Shen Jixue, who was still just a college student, not be afraid? Even if it were him facing such a situation, he might not remain calm. “It’s okay, there’s always a solution.”

Shen Jixue’s body trembled uncontrollably, clinging desperately to Chen Xian, trying to hide his body in Chen Xian’s embrace, as if only in this place could he barely feel secure.

At this moment, comforting words to him were futile. Chen Xian lifted him up and leaned against the sofa, continuing to pat his back, allowing him to cry to his heart’s content.

Shoulders wet with tears, the sobs gradually turned into sniffles. It was unclear how long it had been, but Shen Jixue must have cried, pressing his forehead against Chen Xian’s shoulder, his body gently trembling.

“Go take a shower and sleep. Everything will be fine tomorrow morning.” Chen Xian brushed away the tears hanging from Shen Jixue’s eye corners with his fingers. The tears fell like beads off a broken string, seemingly never-ending, like a child who wouldn’t stop crying.

Shen Jixue tried to respond to Chen Xian, but all that came out was a choked sound. He didn’t want to move, as if shifting even a little would make something slip away.

Seeing Shen Jixue sweating profusely from crying, Chen Xian patiently continued to console him. “Take a shower, I’ll reapply the medicine for you. Look, your back is soaked.”

Finally, he walked Shen Jixue into the bathroom. He had prepared clean clothes for him and reassured him several times that he would wait in the living room. Only then did Shen Jixue feel at ease enough to take a shower.

The sound of water rushed through the bathroom, and through the hollow space under the bathroom door, Chen Xian saw Shen Jixue’s slender legs, confirming that he was showering. Finally, he breathed a sigh of relief.

Just moments ago, Chen Xian had been rushing around, his back soaked with sweat from the heat. The fan’s effect was minimal, and holding onto Shen Jixue for so long, their bodies exchanging heat, had made his short sleeves drenched with sweat. He wiped his forehead and picked up the chairs and stools lying in the middle of the room. He was just about to increase the fan speed when its rotation gradually slowed down.

“Hmm?” Chen Xian approached the fan, tinkering with it, plugging and unplugging it, completely unaware that the sound of water from the bathroom had stopped.

“What’s wrong?” Shen Jixue heard Chen Xian’s slightly puzzled voice and couldn’t help asking.

“Sigh, this fan is broken.” After repeatedly switching the fan on and off, Chen Xian confirmed that it was broken. “Are you done showering?”

Turning around, Shen Jixue stood at the bathroom door, his whole body flushed from the hot water. His reddened eyes were not as conspicuous, and he sniffled, his lips slightly swollen from the earlier crying, the faint color now vivid. He looked like a peeled egg, translucent and shiny.