Chapter 3, Devoting Oneself (Part 1)

The vast space was soon engulfed in darkness

Chi Xiaoying recounted the entire matter, interrupted several times by her tears.

Her father hanged himself in the garage with a thin rope during the winter of her freshman year in college

The moonlight was hazy, casting a silvery glow on Xuan Xiao's face. Chi Xiaoying tilted her head up and discovered that Xuan Xiao was indeed so handsome

Under normal circumstances, Xuan Xiao would say: I am sorry, there is nothing I can do about this matter, or before you even open your mouth, she would stifle your words back into your stomach

My uncle does not enjoy reading and managed to graduate from a vocational school with great difficulty. He partnered with a few friends to start a business. Unexpectedly, he turned out to be quite skilled at business, and after a few years, he earned a considerable amount of money

At that time, Chi Xiaoying was only nineteen years old, crying every day like a weeping person, taking the bus home every night to accompany her mother, fearing that something might happen to her mother.

Xuan Xiao smiled and said, "It is common for me to be scolded by my father, it is nothing. After all, I am his son, he won't do anything to me"

Not good, this is a sign of a cold

At the beginning, the business was indeed quite prosperous, successfully attracting customers from several bathhouses along that road. The owners of other bathhouses were dissatisfied and spent money hiring a few thugs to provoke and create trouble at my uncle's place. Somehow, a knife was drawn, and my uncle was pinned to the ground by several thugs, with the knife pressing closer. Just then, my father happened to visit my uncle. Upon seeing the situation, he rushed over to intervene. In the chaos, the knife was plunged into the chest of one of the thugs, who died on the spot from excessive bleeding

During the festive seasons, no matter how busy Xuan Xiao is, she will always set aside her work to accompany her home and spend a couple of days with her mother

Growing up in a strict and aloof government compound, Xuan Xiao exhibited a level of restraint and maturity beyond that of her male peers, speaking very little. The family rules of the Xuan household emphasized a clear distinction between public and private matters. Due to the particular nature of her father's work, family members were strictly prohibited from participating in his professional affairs

Chi Xiaoying returned home, and it was already past seven in the evening. She had walked for nearly two hours on the road, drenched like a drowned rat, and hurriedly immersed herself in hot water.

Until just before going to bed, extinguish them one by one

That night, my father and my uncle were taken into custody at the detention center, and the bath city was also sealed off

She has no siblings, nor a father; her only family is her mother, who lives in a small county near Binjiang City and has just retired this year

In front of the girls' dormitory, Chi Xiaoying looked at him apologetically and said that she felt guilty for causing him to be scolded by his father

Today, I cannot watch anything. I just got into bed, and the cold medicine has started to take effect. An overwhelming sense of drowsiness washes over me in waves, and my eyelids are heavy. Chi Xiaoying leans forward and turns off the lamp in front of the bed.

Teaching and nurturing, embodying Confucian values throughout one's life, yet ending one's life in such a manner, those who knew my father all sighed and shook their heads, saying it was too tragic

The rope is so thin, yet it can hold a father weighing one hundred and sixty pounds; how fragile life is!

The bed is a 1.8-meter double bed, adorned with pink satin sheets and a quilt, lying on it feels like resting on a cloud. Usually, she sleeps on the right side, while Xuanxiao sleeps on the left. When one person lies on this bed, they only occupy a small corner. Xuanxiao generally returns very late, afraid of disturbing her, so they each have their own quilt. But in the morning, when she opens her eyes, Xuanxiao is always sleeping under her quilt, his hand resting on her chest, while her hand is placed between his legs

Bai Yuan suddenly recalled Xuan Xiao from the master's program in the Luqiao Department when he heard Yan Nannan mention the matter concerning Chi Xiaoying's family. Xuan Xiao's father is the president of the Higher People's Court of Binjiang City, and Bai Yuan often played basketball with him; the two got along quite well

Chi Xiaoying sat in the living room of the Xuan family, hearing Dean Xuan furiously reprimanding Xuan Xiao. The severe tone made her feel so embarrassed that she wanted to flee through the door.

Xuan Xiao escorted Chi Xiaoying back to the academy, and along the way, both of them remained silent

The rain continues to fall, seemingly endless. The light from the bathroom spills out, entangled with the curtain of rain

The roommate Yan Nannan, who is closest to Chi Xiaoying, is lively and outgoing, tall and charming. As soon as she entered university, she caught the eye of the senior Bai Yuan. The two quickly entered a passionate state of romance.

After the noodles were cooked, she stood in front of the stove and devoured them hungrily, working up a sweat. After washing the bowl, she habitually made her way around each room.

Xuan Xiao can be considered a competent husband. If he is not on a business trip, he will at least accompany her at home for breakfast. However, out of the three hundred sixty-five days in a year, he is away on business for two hundred days. The family finances are entirely under her control, but she does not have many opportunities to exercise that control. When it comes to buying a house, purchasing a car, or acquiring large furniture and appliances, Xuan Xiao always makes arrangements well in advance. He buys his clothes from a few fixed brand stores, so she does not need to worry about it, as his taste in clothing is better than hers. She only needs to take care of herself.

That day was quite strange. After Chi Xiaoying finished speaking, Xuan Xiao did not say a word. However, that evening, he took Chi Xiaoying back to his home

Before going to bed, Chi Xiaoying sometimes reads a book, and when she encounters a good TV series, she also watches it.

Xuan Xiao has been persistently defending Father Chi, maintaining a volume that is neither too high nor too low

Mother was born into a large family, with five sisters. Grandmother gave birth to Uncle when she was in her forties. Uncle is only eight years older than Chi Xiaoying and was spoiled by Grandmother and several sisters. From a young age, Chi Xiaoying knew that she had to give way to Uncle in everything.

He gradually became dissatisfied with staying in a small shop, clamoring to open the largest bathhouse in Binjiang City. A wave of bathing culture seemed to have swept in from nowhere, and many bathhouses sprang up in Binjiang City like mushrooms after rain. His uncle saw this lucrative opportunity, invested the money he had earned over the years, and even took out loans from various places, finally managing to open the bathhouse.

Thus, Bai Yuan brought the tearful Chi Xiaoying, whose eyes resembled those of a rabbit, to Xuan Xiao's dormitory

After the first trial, the father was sentenced to ten years, and the uncle was sentenced to life imprisonment; the knife belonged to the uncle

Chi Xiaoying tearfully expressed her gratitude, stating that not being with those true criminals would at least spare her father some humiliation. She did not dare to hope for more; this was the best outcome.

The house is too large, with room after room, covering 200 square meters, so quiet that only her footsteps and breathing can be heard. The floor is devoid of any dust, the walls are silent, and the woman is solitary and shadowy. This home feels too empty; when she is alone at home, she has to turn on all the lights to fill the space with illumination

Thus, the two individuals have come to know each other

The study door finally opened, and Dean Xuan came out to say to Chi Xiaoying: I know your father is a highly respected old teacher who has never quarreled with anyone in his life. Although this incident was an accident, the consequences are too severe, and the sentence cannot be changed. I will do my utmost to have him released on medical parole to return home, so he does not have to suffer at the farm. Young lady, this is already the bottom line.

Taking care of herself is too easy; she cannot even spend all of her own salary, so there is no need to use his

Chi Xiaoying took a few cold medicine pills from the medicine cabinet and swallowed them with warm water. Lacking the appetite to prepare a nutritious dinner for herself, she simply cooked a bowl of instant noodles, the spicy beef noodles from Kang Shifu, which is the best delicacy for a cold night

Chi Xiaoying stood up unsteadily from the bathtub, wiped her body clean, and dried her hair. The chill in her body had disappeared, and the pain in her sprained ankle was gone as well, but it was replaced by a lingering soreness that seemed to seep out from the very bones.

My mother, as if driven mad, was seeking help from everyone to prepare for an appeal. My father is a mere teacher, and my mother is a factory worker; they do not know anyone of significance.