Staying in Qingdu City

"What are you doing here?" Jiang Yue asked when she saw the man inside Jiang Xiu's ward.

Luo Zhelan was wearing casual clothes, very different from the formal suit that he wore yesterday.

He looks good and looked like a laidback young man.

His aura isn't that suffocating anymore but the man still exudes an aloof aura.

"Oh, I let him in Sister, he was waiting outside for you. I also thanked him for helping us yesterday." Jiang Yue simply nodded.

She put the fruits she brought on the table.

Her brows knitted when she noticed what Jiang Xiu was wearing, "Why are you not wearing a hospital gown anymore?"

"Aren't we going to Ningyi Town today?" Jiang Xiu questioned back.

"Are you out of your mind? With that condition of yours?"

"It's not like I can't walk..." Jiang Xiu replied in a small voice.

"You. Can't. Walk." Jiang Yue uttered, emphasizing each word.

"Well... I can still somehow.. hop." Jiang Xiu's voice got smaller with each word. She felt goosebumps when she saw the look her sister is giving her.

Despite the fear that she felt, she gathered her courage and continued, "Sister, I won't feel safe if you go out alone. I won't let you leave if that's the case." She explained slowly, she noticed that Jiang Yue's eyes softened and just as she wants to push the topic of her going, another voice added.

"I'll go with your Sister." Both women turned their heads to the man who was quietly watching their banter. Seeing that their attention was on him, he explained to the girl on the hospital bed.

"I'm working on a project with your sister. I don't have anything to do today so I can go with her."

Jiang Xiu hesitated for a while and then breathed out of relief. "Thank you. I'll feel secure if my Sister goes with you."

Luo Zhelan simply nodded, "It's nothing." Then he looked at Jiang Yue and said, "Then I'll wait for you outside."

'I haven't even agreed to it.' Jiang Yue thought so but then she let it be.

She sat on the hospital bed and looked at the girl.

She wanted to ask about her bruises but she couldn't bring herself to do it.

Although they are not always together, Jiang Xiu never hid any important matters from her.

Some of the bruises were old.

She knew that Jiang Xiu must have gotten it long before but she never got a word that she was getting abused or bullied.

It must have been done by someone close to her and she doubt her sister would want to let her know about it.

The best thing she could do now is stay with her and protect her herself.

Thinking about this, her brows couldn't help but furrow.

She never stayed that long in Qingdu City.

"Jiang Yue..." Jiang Yue's eyes refocused when she heard Jiang Xiu call her.

"What?"

"I know I shouldn't meddle with your affairs but..." Seeing her sister listening to her, Jiang Xiu couldn't help but be nervous and stammer, "I mean.. can't you stay in Qingdu City? It's much safer here, right? You know that other cities are pretty dangerous... you shouldn't get yourself in... trouble." The last word can be barely heard.

"Be straight to the point."

Jiang Xiu immediately straightened her back when she heard that.

"...I heard some rumors... that you've been hanging out with gangsters."

"And you believe them?" Jiang Yue asked in a monotonous voice.

It was as if the rumors aren't about her.

Jiang Xiu immediately shook her head, but then on second thought, she nodded. "To be honest, I don't know what to believe at this point. You're always gone and I can only see you a few times. I don't want to believe those rumors but if you're gone for months, without telling me what you've been up to, and seeing you... kill those people... made me think that maybe those rumors were indeed true."

Jiang Xiu breathed out of relief when she finally said what has been bugging her mind. She looked at Jiang Yue and continued, "Would it hurt you to tell me? Every time someone we know asks me where I've been, I could not even utter a word. What am I supposed to answer? Only God knows where Sister is right now?"

"Are you that interested to know?"

"Would I be opening this up if I don't?"

Jiang Yue stared at her for a few seconds then nodded. "I've been trying to find the one who sent those men."

Jiang Xiu pursed her lips and gestured for her to continue.

"Xiao Xiu, I can't just let those people who killed Brother Wei go. Father is still in the hospital in a vegetative state because of them, and you... you were also hurt." Certain images of that incident flashed in Jiang Yue's mind making her eyes look cold-blooded.

"It's exactly because I know what happened that day that I'm more worried about you. If you keep looking for them, they might come back and they won't hesitate to kill you. Sister, every time I visit Father in the hospital I couldn't help but think about you and what you're doing. If you are safe or not, If you're eating well or not, and how you've been all these days. There's no guarantee that Father will recover from his state and I only have you left..." Jiang Xiu's voice quivered when she said the last sentence.

Their mother died because of birth complications, leaving the father and twins. It was hard for Jiang Guo to raise both of them alone, yet he was still able to take care of them much better than any parent could.

But everything crumbled with that incident.

"...I don't want to lose anyone anymore. I do live in a good villa but it never felt like home. Uncle is very good to me, and Cousin also sometimes brings home some sweets for me but I always craved those simple meals that we have in our small house. There are days when I just think about our past because I can't face the reality I have now..."

Jiang Yue lowered her head when she heard that.

Jiang Xiu always goes with whatever she says, she never went against her words even after all these years when they don't see each other that much. It was the first time her sister spoke her mind to her and she never realized that Jiang Xiu has been keeping all these by herself.

"Why don't you stay with me for now Sister? Let's go to school together, okay? Class is gonna continue this Monday, then let's go to a university afterward. If... by that time... you still want to take revenge, then I won't stop you."

Silence filled the hospital ward.

One was anxious and the other one is deep in thought.

They had drifted apart all these years but their care for each other never lessened.

Jiang Yue might not show sometimes that she cares for her sister, but Jiang Xiu could feel it.

There was a time when Jiang Yue went back and she saw someone pushing Jiang Xiu, making her bruise her hand, the girl didn't hesitate to take revenge for her sister. And it was not just simply pushing the boy back, she beat him up which caused her to be reported and had to offer community service for a week.

That's why Jiang Xiu never intended to tell her about her bruises because she knows Jiang Yue will surely do something.

Jiang Yue won't hesitate to avenge her once again.

Jiang Xiu waited for her sister's response, as her fists clenched.

"Okay." Jiang Yue agreed as she nodded.