Chapter 372: Chapter 372: Do You Miss Xiao Yi?
Seeing there was a potential solution, Qin Zhonghui and Su Yun breathed a sigh of relief. That’s just how family is; no matter what, they didn’t want to see her uncle and aunt go so far as to get a divorce.
But ultimately, the decision to divorce was up to her uncle, Qin Bogang.
Qin Jiao left her parents’ room and went to chat with Mr. Du for a while. Everyone was busy during the day, and soon Xiao Shi would be starting school, too. After that, Mr. Du might be the only one left at home.
Mr. Du smiled. "You don’t need to worry about me. I’ll play chess or tend to the birds with Grandpa Li and Grandpa Zhang from next door. Besides, we have a phone in the house. If anything comes up, I’ll call you."
Qin Jiao said, "When Shen Yi and I have a lighter course load, we’ll come back for lunch."
"By the way, I wonder if Xiao Yi’s trip to the South is going well. Xiao Jiao, do you miss him?"
Qin Jiao was suddenly at a loss for how to answer. After a moment’s thought, she said, "Of course I do. There’s still so much to do at the clothing factory, and we start school tomorrow. He probably won’t make it back in time."
"Xiao Jiao, before your family moved in next door, Xiao Yi wasn’t the person he is today. I’ve watched him become more hardworking, ambitious, and cheerful. And do you know when that change began? It was that day in the hospital, when he happily told me that you were his good friend—the first good friend he’d made in Ping’an Town."
Qin Jiao remembered the day Mr. Du was talking about. ’But in reality,’ she thought, ’Shen Yi’s transformation must have begun with his rebirth.’
’After all, his last life was such a failure. He must want to make up for many things in this one. She was the same way.’
But she couldn’t tell Mr. Du the real reason and could only remain vague.
Mr. Du continued with feeling, "Xiao Jiao, you are Xiao Yi’s light."
"I’m not that great. In fact, Shen Yi has helped me a lot too."
"I know you haven’t fallen for him yet. Even the way you address him is so distant. But Xiao Jiao, I hope you’ll give Xiao Yi a fair chance and seriously consider him."
’Their marriage was still a sham, entered into mainly to resolve the crisis at the clothing factory.’
’It was also to deal with the slanderous rumors about Shen Yi being mentally ill.’
’But Mr. Du knew that right now, the affection between the two of them was one-sided on Xiao Yi’s part. The most one could say about Xiao Jiao was that she didn’t dislike him.’
Qin Jiao hadn’t expected Mr. Du to play wingman, too. Not knowing whether to laugh or cry, she said, "Grandpa, let’s just let nature take its course with matters of the heart. There’s so much going on right now, I don’t have the time to think about it on its own."
"I suppose that’s fine. You young people have your own ideas. Alright now, school starts tomorrow. Stop keeping this old man company and hurry back to get some rest."
"Okay. You get some rest too, Grandpa."
After returning to her room, Qin Jiao checked over everything she needed for school the next day one more time, then took a shower, turned off the light, and prepared to sleep.
But for some reason, she couldn’t fall asleep. She tossed and turned, not feeling the least bit tired.
’Shen Yi has been gone for so long,’ she thought suddenly. ’Nothing’s happened to him, right?’
She eventually drifted into a hazy sleep, but her dreams were far from peaceful. She had the vague sensation of returning to the moment right before her rebirth; she and Shen Yi were sitting in a car, about to go finalize their divorce.
An incredibly deep, unshakeable sadness filled Shen Yi’s eyes. He gripped the steering wheel and said in a very low voice, "Jiao Jiao, I don’t want a divorce."
Just as Qin Jiao opened her mouth to speak, a blinding light flashed before them. The next instant, she jolted awake from the nightmare.
"Jiao Jiao, what’s wrong?"
