Xu Qingqing was one of the happiest children in the world. She came from a wealthy family and enjoyed a blissful, harmonious home life.
She had grandparents who adored her, an aunt who seemed cool and aloof but would carry her pink backpack for her, and a childhood friend who grew up with her and would always stand up for her.
Xu Qingqing had a gentle and virtuous mother, and a somewhat strict father who loved her dearly.
Of course, some unpleasant incidents and accidents had also occurred in her life. For instance, she once fell from a tree branch and got hurt when she was little; she had a sworn rival named Le Jiaojiao; some boys liked to bully her; and she once had a good friend named Bai Youlan, whose mother was her own mother's close friend.
But later, her parents had a huge argument at home. Her mother cried for a long time and said she would take Qingqing to the Lin family. Her father knelt and begged her not to leave... After that, that Aunt Bai Yaxiu and her daughter Bai Youlan disappeared from her life.
She went to tell her grandparents, but they just sighed, patted her little head, and slowly said, "These are adult matters, Qingqing is still a child. What you need to do is support your mother's decision."
Xu Qingqing understood, but not completely.
Aside from these minor episodes, Xu Qingqing's life could be described as smooth sailing.
Then one day, Xu Qingqing went with her mother to a private hospital to visit her grandmother who was convalescing there.
Her mother and grandmother had a lot to talk about, so she was shooed out by the adults. Just before leaving, she heard her grandmother exclaim a word, saying, "You want a divorce?!"
"Are you foolish? You're giving up your position! Let that woman surnamed Bai become Mrs. Xu and have a son to compete with Qingqing for the family property?!"
Her mother was very angry and said, "Mom!! Don't talk about these things in front of Qingqing!" However, she was always gentle and virtuous, and even her anger was expressed in a soft, gentle manner. It was unclear whether her grandmother took this matter to heart.
Xu Qingqing leaned by the door. The voices inside the room gradually grew softer. Seeing that she couldn't hear anything anymore, she slowly walked away.
She knew what divorce meant. Her mom and dad would live separately from then on, and each would have new families and children...
Xu Qingqing was wearing a little yellow duck hat on her head, her hair styled in two little braids. She had on a pink dress and carried a single-strap bag filled with various candies, snacks, and biscuits.
She walked dejectedly downstairs and finally reached the garden of the convalescent home. It was very quiet here, with only one boy sitting in a wheelchair. He was holding a book in his hands, reading, with a towering tree in front of him.
Xu Qingqing walked over and climbed up the tree in a few quick moves. She had been to this convalescent home several times and had become quite skilled at climbing this tree.
A gentle breeze blew slowly, the leaves swayed with it, and the flowers on the grass emitted waves of fragrance.
Xu Qingqing suddenly looked at the boy and said, "Hey, what are you reading?"
Xie Lianqing was reading and, upon hearing her, ignored her. He didn't even look up.
Xu Qingqing immediately felt a bit angry. Sitting on the tree branch, she muttered to herself, "Hmph, what's with the attitude. Reading a book at the hospital, you think you're so great."
Xie Lianqing: ...
Xu Qingqing muttered again, "All you do is read books every day, you don't even play with me. I thought we were friends."
She was simply too noisy. Xie Lianqing had to close his book, look up at her, and sigh helplessly, saying, "What's wrong with you this time?"
Xie Lianqing had actually met Xu Qingqing a few days prior. Back then, she had come running to the garden to play and had even given him a piece of candy.
After that, every time Xu Qingqing came to the hospital on a Wednesday, she would return to the garden to chat with Xie Lianqing. Strangely enough, she always managed to find Xie Lianqing here.
She had thought he might not come sometimes. Gradually, this became their special arrangement.
Xu Qingqing was very upset and said, "My grandmother said my parents are getting a divorce."
Xie Lianqing was surprised for a moment. Seeing her eyes were red, he comforted her gently, saying, "You can have two sets of parents, more people to love you!"
Xu Qingqing was disdainful: "If it's so great, why don't you have your own parents get divorced too."
Xie Lianqing: ...
He was silent for a moment, then suddenly said, "Xu Qingqing, I suggest you learn some self-defense, so you don't get beaten up someday."
Xu Qingqing snorted: "Of course, you don't have to tell me that? I've learned sprinting." She did have a rival named Le Jiaojiao, who could punch through a table with one fist. If she hadn't learned some sprinting, she'd probably have been done for long ago.
Xu Qingqing looked so proud. Xie Lianqing was speechless.
Xu Qingqing started muttering again: "After my parents divorce, they will have new children, and the love originally meant for me will be divided among their new families and children."
Xie Lianqing suddenly realized that Xu Qingqing wasn't as naive as she seemed. No wonder his earlier attempt to placate her with that child-soothing approach had failed.
Xu Qingqing chattered on to Xie Lianqing about many of her confusions and troubles, finally saying, "If my parents divorce, I'd rather live with my grandparents."
She knew her mother wanted to take her back to the Lin family, but she had no desire to go there at all.
Her aunt-in-law always looked at her with a critical eye. She had a whole bunch of older cousins, and some of them would secretly push her.
She was actually a little afraid of her grandfather too, feeling he was just like the big bad wolf in fairy tales. Although her mother always said her grandparents were very good, she still couldn't feel close to them.
Xu Qingqing alone was like an alarm clock. With just her presence in the tranquil garden, even the breeze seemed to become livelier.
She didn't even need responses or an audience. Even if Xie Lianqing didn't answer or agree, she could talk excitedly all by herself.
Finally, she took a water bottle from around her neck, took a sip, and asked Xie Lianqing: "If your parents were getting a divorce, would you be sad?"
Xie Lianqing said flatly, "They won't divorce."
Xu Qingqing was curious: "Why?"
Xie Lianqing thought of his parents at home and said, "Because my dad doesn't want his legs broken."
Xu Qingqing nodded, suddenly understanding: "Is it your grandfather?" Her own grandfather had also come to her house once, and then her dad ended up in the hospital too, and no one had gone to see him yet.
Xie Lianqing shook his head and said, "No. My mother would personally beat my dad to death." Thinking of Madam Zhang's usual demeanor at home, he had no doubt she possessed the capability.
Xu Qingqing: ...
She was a little scared, but finally said, "My mother wouldn't. She's very gentle." Even when her mother got angry, it was in a gentle manner.
Xu Qingqing suddenly felt a surge of anger and resentment. She wished her mother could be that formidable too, so she wouldn't get hurt.
Xu Qingqing sat on the tree branch, looking down at Xie Lianqing in the wheelchair below.
She suddenly threw a piece of candy to him and said, "I'll treat you to some candy."
The candy wasn't thrown accurately and fell to the ground. And Xie Lianqing, sitting in a wheelchair, certainly couldn't pick it up himself.
He had fractured a bone in an accident and was now recuperating in the hospital while on leave from school, getting around in a wheelchair.
Xie Lianqing looked at the candy on the grass, then raised his head to gaze at Xu Qingqing and asked calmly, "Did you do that on purpose?"
Xu Qingqing had indeed done it on purpose. She was feeling unhappy today, somewhat envious of Xie Lianqing's mother, and a little sad, so she wanted to do something mischievous.
But under Xie Lianqing's cool, all-seeing gaze, she felt a bit embarrassed.
She scratched her head and defended herself in a small voice, "I didn't. I just threw it wrong."
She then laboriously climbed down from the tree, landing with a thud on the grass. Quickly, she ran over and picked up the candy.
She ran up to Xie Lianqing and carefully placed the candy into his arms, saying, "There, all better now."
Xie Lianqing's expression remained impassive. He said, "Take it back."
Xu Qingqing's mouth fell open as she stared at him in disbelief. "Why?"
Xie Lianqing, his eyes cool and clear, replied, "Because you are being terribly rude."
He came to the garden punctually every week at this time precisely to see Xu Qingqing. He gave up reading to chat with her, listening to her ridiculous and tedious complaints...
But she showed him no respect whatsoever.
Xie Lianqing was a veritable golden child, the pride of his parents and the center of his peers' world. Since childhood, everyone around him had coddled him; who would dare be so bold as to lose their temper with him?
And Xu Qingqing was the first person to do so, after he had offered his kindness and friendship.
Xie Lianqing felt irritated. He didn't want to converse with this sort of person; he even felt his earlier actions had been a waste of time.
Under his cold stare, Xu Qingqing's face flushed bright red in an instant.
Feeling wronged, she clutched the candy in her palm, unsure what to do. She stood there for a moment, thought it over, then took out a different candy and offered it to him. "I'm sorry. Let me give you a different one, okay?"
This garden was just for her and Xie Lianqing. Her mother always chatted for ages whenever she visited Grandma. If he ignored her, how terribly bored she would be!
Xie Lianqing picked up the candy placed in his palm and said, "I don't want it. Take it back."
Xu Qingqing stared at him blankly, feeling awkward. "You don't like grape? I have orange flavor too! Let me swap it for you."
As she spoke, she rummaged through the little backpack she carried, which was filled with all sorts of candies and snacks. She picked out an orange-flavored one and placed it in Xie Lianqing's hand. "Don't like orange either? I have strawberry flavor too!"
Xie Lianqing: ... Why doesn't this girl listen to what people say?
But his manners wouldn't allow him to throw the candy back at her. Xu Qingqing offered him a whole pile of different flavors. Xie Lianqing remained silent, his attitude as cold as ever.
Suddenly, Xu Qingqing got angry. Finally, she grabbed a whole handful of candies and threw them all at Xie Lianqing, hitting him and leaving him stunned, rooted to the spot.
Before Xie Lianqing could even get angry, Xu Qingqing remembered the stories about his mother, the one who was said to be able to break legs.
Oh my god, would his mother break her legs too?!
Terrified, Xu Qingqing let out a loud "Waaah!" and burst into tears, then turned and ran away as fast as she could.
Xie Lianqing: ...
Later, out of guilt, Xu Qingqing never went back to that sanatorium. Later still, her grandmother was discharged. When she and her mother went to pick up her grandmother, she specifically slipped away to the ward where Xie Lianqing had been and asked a nurse if he had left.
The nurse said, "Yes, he went home to recuperate."
They had actually found it strange that the young master of the Xie Group had stayed at their sanatorium for so long. After all, his family had private doctors, and recuperating at home would probably be more effective.
Xu Qingqing felt a sense of loss. But at her mother's call, she soon put this little episode out of her mind.
A year later, a new student arrived in Xu Qingqing's class and even became her deskmate.
The boy standing at the front of the classroom was none other than Xie Lianqing, whom she had met at the sanatorium.
