The Withered Tree Always Welcomes Spring chapter 56

After returning from the clinic, Shen Jixue was still a bit confused. He didn’t know what Chen Xian’s “I understand” meant. It didn’t seem like acceptance or rejection, but with Wu Bie around, he couldn’t ask.

“Let’s have dinner together before you go back.” Chen Xian was afraid of being alone with Shen Jixue. He wanted Wu Bie to stay as long as possible.

Wu Bie glanced at Chen Xian disdainfully. When he needed something, he remembered him. He wanted to refuse Chen Xian, but Chen Xian spoke up first.

“What should we eat tonight? Let’s go buy it together.” Afraid Wu Bie would refuse, Chen Xian grabbed his arm. “Come on, before it gets too late and there’s nothing left to buy.”

Wu Bie reluctantly got up, suspiciously eyeing Chen Xian. Earlier, when Shen Jixue shut him out, he sensibly didn’t eavesdrop but sat on the sofa to smoke instead. He didn’t want to hear their sappy conversation.

Sappy…

Hell, could they really…

Chen Xian was busy instructing Shen Jixue, “Xiao Shen, wait at home and don’t move around. I’ll turn on the TV for you to listen to the news.”

With that, he dragged Wu Bie away in a hurry. Wu Bie didn’t want to run, but Chen Xian’s grip was strong, making him stumble several times.

“Come on, are you that scared of Shen Jixue? Be a man!”

In the corridor, Wu Bie freed himself from Chen Xian’s grasp, rubbing his reddened wrist.

Chen Xian looked back at his door. Shen Jixue definitely couldn’t chase after him. He didn’t need to be so terrified.

“I think you’re too easy-going with Jiang Ying. If that Shen kid hadn’t stopped you today, Jiang Ying might have sweet-talked you into giving her money.”

Chen Xian felt very aggrieved, “How can even you think this way?”

Wu Bie, walking ahead without looking back, snorted coldly, “Don’t I know you well enough? Shen Jixue is right. Jiang Ying dared to come to you because she knew you’d be soft-hearted. If it were any other man, they’d have already had a fight with her. But you listened to her nonsense so patiently.”

As they descended the stairs, Wu Bie realized that Chen Xian had been silent all along. He stopped, waiting for him to catch up, and saw that Chen Xian was lost in thought, not paying attention to anything he was saying.

Talking about Jiang Ying, there was still Shen Jixue to deal with. Why did Chen Xian have to run into all these messes?

“I told you, that little guy has impure intentions towards you. Look at how agitated he is. Anyone would think a mistress had come to the door.”

Chen Xian remained silent, his expression complex, as if he wanted to say something but couldn’t.

Wu Bie’s expression became even more dramatic, his face flushing red and then turning pale. “What did he say to you?”

Chen Xian moved his tongue in his mouth. Shen Jixue was still young and could say straightforward things that Chen Xian found hard to repeat.

Wu Bie, seeing his expression like he was constipated, felt equally uncomfortable. “What did he say?”

“He said… he likes me.”

“What did I tell you!” Wu Bie was very agitated, spinning in a circle and finally putting his hands on his hips. “He has ulterior motives towards you. That kid is crazy, definitely sick! What did you say to him?”

Chen Xian covered his face with his arm, groaning in pain, wanting to escape. “I said I understand.”

“That’s it?” Wu Bie spread his hands, finding it unbelievable. “Just a ‘I understand’ and that’s it?”

Chen Xian pushed Wu Bie aside and walked ahead quickly. “He kept asking endlessly. Besides saying I understand,’ what else could I say?”

Wu Bie hurried to catch up, squeezing next to him. “What do you mean, what else could you say? Can’t you refuse? You can’t refuse women, fine, but why are you like this with men too? What do you mean you understand? That’s basically giving him permission. Let him like you however he wants?”

“If he likes me, how can I force him not to?” Chen Xian’s mind was a mess, and Wu Bie’s continuous nagging was driving him crazy.

Wu Bie grabbed Chen Xian’s arm, stopping him from moving forward. “You can’t control him, but can’t you control yourself? If you don’t like him, make it clear, you…”

Halfway through his words, Wu Bie stared at Chen Xian with wide eyes. “Don’t tell me you like him?”

Chen Xian opened his mouth in shock, realizing he hadn’t made a sound. It took him a while to force out, “How is that possible? Xiao Shen is just a kid… I think he just… with his parents not around… what… security, he has this illusion… that he likes me…”

Wu Bie scrutinized Chen Xian, clearly not buying his explanation.

Under Wu Bie’s gaze, Chen Xian felt extremely uncomfortable and tried to explain further, “Xiao Shen… he’s very sensitive… I’m afraid if I reject him too bluntly, he won’t take it well… look at the situation now… he has nowhere else to go but my place…”

Wu Bie, who had been agitated, suddenly became unusually calm. He leaned back a bit and asked, “If Jiang Ying came today demanding to remarry you, would you agree?”

Although puzzled by Wu Bie’s sudden change of topic, Chen Xian felt a bit relieved not talking about Shen Jixue anymore.

“Of course not.” He replied without hesitation, confidently and straightforwardly.

“So you can refuse someone. You answered that so firmly, without worrying about Jiang Ying making a scene.” Wu Bie raised an eyebrow at him, “You say you won’t remarry Jiang Ying, I believe you. But regarding Shen Jixue…”

Chen Xian, feeling flustered, repeated unconvincingly, “He’s just a kid.”

“I’ve told you before, Shen Jixue is twenty years old, taller than you when he stands up. He’s not a kid, it’s just you see him as vulnerable.”

Shen Jixue might be visually impaired, but he was sharp-minded, much more so than Chen Xian. If one day Chen Xian got swindled by Shen Jixue, he’d still think it was Shen Jixue being naïve.

“I asked you a question, what’s your answer?”

Just like that “I understand,” dodging the issue was sometimes the best response.

Chen Xian felt like he was sitting on pins and needles. His eyes blinked uncontrollably. After a long while, he pried Wu Bie’s hand away, “Let’s go, it’s getting late. We need to get things and head back early.”

Watching Chen Xian’s back, Wu Bie cursed silently, feeling that Shen Jixue was up to no good. Bringing Chen Xian down, liking men, was just too perverted!

When they got home after shopping, Shen Jixue was still sitting on the sofa, maintaining his original position.

There was no alcohol at this dinner. With Wu Bie around, Shen Jixue stayed silent. Chen Xian, being naturally reserved, found it hard to speak. Even the usually talkative Wu Bie kept quiet, making the atmosphere awkward.

Chen Xian had no choice but to initiate a conversation, “Xiao Shen, stay at home for now. If you really want to go back to work, wait until your foot heals.”

Wu Bie buried his face in his bowl, his eyes darting between the two. Chen Xian seemed incurable, always eager to play caretaker. First, it was Jiang Ying, who didn’t need to work and just spent Chen Xian’s money while he was away. Now, it was Shen Jixue, whom Chen Xian wanted to keep hidden at home, still pretending he only saw Shen Jixue as a kid.

Shen Jixue didn’t argue. Going out in his condition wouldn’t earn him any money and would only trouble Chen Xian. He could only agree quietly, “Okay.”

Hearing that Shen Jixue was in low spirits, Chen Xian, as if afraid he would lose confidence, encouraged him, “When your foot is healed, I’ll have Wu Bie talk to his friend.”

Why drag me into this? It was clearly Chen Xian who made the promise, what’s it got to do with me? When did I agree to it? So shameless, using me to please Shen Jixue.

With a “ding”, the home phone rang urgently, startling Chen Xian. He patted Shen Jixue on the back to reassure him before answering the call.

“Hello?”

A man’s excited voice came through the phone, “Is this Chen Xian?”

The voice sounded familiar—it was Shen Jun. He had refused to take any calls earlier, but now he was calling voluntarily? Did the sun rise in the west?

Shen Jixue also recognized the voice. He put down his bowl and chopsticks, puzzled, “My uncle?”

Chen Xian covered the receiver and whispered, “Yes.”

“What good could he possibly bring?” Wu Bie grumbled, annoyed. The Shen family was always causing trouble.

Chen Xian cleared his throat and responded, “Yes, Shen Jun?”

“Yes, it’s me. Sorry about before. Now that the floodwaters have receded, I can finally find the time. Shen Jixue is with you, right? I think I should bring him back.”

Although Wu Bie didn’t approve of Chen Xian keeping Shen Jixue around, Shen Jun never contacted without a reason. From the start, it was clear he had ulterior motives. Offering to take Shen Jixue back was definitely not for any good reason.

Shen Jixue instinctively clenched his fists, wringing the corner of his shirt. He was very scared that Chen Xian would agree to Shen Jun’s request so easily.

Chen Xian noticed Shen Jixue’s small actions. He wouldn’t push Shen Jixue into a pit of fire. Shen Jixue was smart but couldn’t outwit those who were visibly malicious.

“Hello? Hello? Why is there no sound?” Shen Jun shouted twice, realizing the call was still connected, he continued, “I’ll come to pick him up in a couple of days.”