The Withered Tree Always Welcomes Spring chapter 32

Following Aunt Wang’s recipe, the braised spare ribs turned out alright. Wu Bie ate most of them himself, but Shen Jixue didn’t seem to have much appetite and barely touched his rice.

Wu Bie wanted to discuss with Chen Xian when they could visit Shen Jixue’s relatives in the neighboring province, but seeing Shen Jixue in this state, Chen Xian couldn’t leave. After dinner, Wu Bie could only sensibly leave, giving the two some private space.

Glancing at the dishes on the table, Chen Xian said to Shen Jixue, who was lost in thought, “Why don’t you take a bath and rest early tonight?”

At this moment, Shen Jixue seemed soulless. Whatever Chen Xian said, he obeyed. After being led into the bathroom, he sat numbly on the little stool Chen Xian had prepared for him.

Chen Xian got everything ready for him. “Your clothes are here, your toiletries are here. If you need anything, call me. I’ll go wash the dishes.”

He didn’t know what was on Shen Jixue’s mind. After a long while, he nodded in response. Chen Xian felt uneasy and looked at Shen Jixue a couple more times. He sighed inwardly and then left the bathroom.

After closing the door behind him, he stood at the door for a while, watching Shen Jixue’s dispirited appearance. He really couldn’t bear it. But without seeing Shen Liang, and with Shen Jixue already in such bad shape, he couldn’t imagine what would happen to him if he learned the truth.

He was still so young, having to experience the separation of life and death. Not to mention a student who was still studying. Even he himself had taken a while to accept the fact that his parents had both passed away.

Dim light seeped out from under the bathroom door. One door separated them. Chen Xian wanted to help Shen Jixue, but he didn’t know where to start. The feeling of helplessness made him despise himself.

He had just thought about washing the dishes in the kitchen when he heard a bang from the bathroom. His body reacted before his mind did, pushing the door open. “Xiao Shen?”

In the bathroom, the small stool had fallen to the side. Shen Jixue, naked, had fallen awkwardly on the floor. The shower was spraying water on his head, soaking his hair, which was sticking to his forehead. He blinked incessantly, trying to avoid the impact of the water.

Chen Xian quickly helped him up, grabbed a towel from the rack, and carefully wiped the water off his face.

“I didn’t sit steadily.” Shen Jixue tilted his chin up, letting Chen Xian wipe his face, stubbornly explaining for himself.

While wiping Shen Jixue’s face, Chen Xian asked, “You didn’t hit anything, did you?”

“I’m fine.” Shen Jixue shook his head desperately, trying to prove he was okay. “You go ahead with what you were doing. I can manage by myself.”

Seeing Shen Jixue in his current state, how could Chen Xian rest assured? But since Shen Jixue insisted, he could only leave the bathroom, closing the door with a crack left open.

He stared at the figure through the crack in the door. Shen Jixue had his back to him, water flowing down from his head, sliding down his back, and onto his smooth back, and from there onto his thigh.

A few days ago, Shen Jixue had eaten well, and his skinny body had finally become stronger. Maybe because he had been thinking about his father a lot recently, Shen Jixue seemed to have lost weight again.

Chen Xian stared at Shen Jixue’s back, lost in thought, until the sound of water suddenly stopped. Shen Jixue turned around, and Chen Xian instinctively glanced away.

Shen Jixue was slightly taller than him. Now that the child was growing up well, he really was …

Chen Xian shook his head. How could he think of such things? Seeing Shen Jixue drying himself and putting on his clothes, Chen Xian pretended nothing had happened and turned his head away, tidying up the dishes on the table and heading to the kitchen.

When Shen Jixue finished showering and came out, Chen Xian was still busy in the kitchen. He told Shen Jixue to rest first. After he finished cleaning up the dishes and showered, he deliberately went to the master bedroom to take a look. Shen Jixue was surprisingly still awake.

He leaned against the head of the bed, “watching” out the window in a daze. When he heard movement, he turned his head. “Chen Xian?”

Chen Xian knew Shen Jixue was waiting for him. He walked into the room and sat down by the bed. “Why aren’t you asleep yet?”

“I can’t sleep.” Shen Jixue shrunk down a bit along the head of the bed. With Chen Xian here, even if he couldn’t sleep, he could lie down a bit more relaxed. “Did you talk to my dad?”

After telling such a big lie, Chen Xian hoped his lie would make Shen Jixue feel a little better.

“I did. He’s busy and didn’t talk for long.”

Shen Jixue seemed calm. “What did he say to you?”

Even though he was thirty this year, many people his age had become fathers. Although he didn’t have children, he could guess what a father would say to his child.

Chen Xian held Shen Jixue’s hand. “Your dad asked me to tell you to eat well, sleep well, and not worry about him. He’s doing well in Shenzhen, his boss is good, his colleagues are good, and everyone treats him well.”

Shen Jixue looked in the direction of Chen Xian, Chen Xian’s voice unexpectedly gentle. Even if it was fake, he was willing to believe it.

“When will he write the letter? How long until it arrives? I’m afraid that by the time the letter arrives, the ship will have left, and there will be no one to read me the letter.”

It seemed that by specifying a particular time and understanding the details clearly, it would increase the credibility of his dad going to Shenzhen..

Chen Xian lowered his eyes. When he lied, he couldn’t face Shen Jixue’s face. “Shenzhen is quite far from here. It might take several days for a letter to arrive. It will definitely arrive before I leave. Definitely. I will definitely finish reading the letter before I leave.”

So certain, Shen Jixue had to believe it. If even Chen Xian said so, it must be true.

“Chen Xian, I’ve troubled you.”

Shen Jixue’s light and casual words made Chen Xian’s heart skip a beat, as if Shen Jixue knew everything.

“Why are you suddenly so polite?” Chen Xian’s big hand covered Shen Jixue’s hand back. “I promised you, to help you find your dad. I’ll keep my word, no trouble at all.”

“Chen Xian… you’re a good person.”

Chen Xian felt ashamed of Shen Jixue’s praise of him as a “good person”. What kind of good person was he? He had lied to Shen Jixue.

“Am not that good of a person. I’m just…” He had no ability, no achievements, and couldn’t help Shen Jixue. He spoke softly, “I’m just an ordinary person.”

Shen Jixue didn’t speak. His eyes seemed to redden, but he quickly closed them. Chen Xian didn’t get a clear look; he only felt Shen Jixue’s hand tightly grasping his.

The electric fan was already fixed. Originally, he should have gone back to the bedroom next door to rest. Shen Jixue held him so tightly that Chen Xian couldn’t bear to break free from him. He turned off the light and lay down beside him.

Suddenly, Shen Jixue turned over next to him, both hands tightly holding Chen Xian’s arm, forehead against Chen Xian’s shoulder. Before Chen Xian could react, his shoulder seemed to get wet.

Shen Jixue was crying.