Chapter 40

In the evening, Suzhe took the baby and accompanied Anxin home by car.

At the door, Suzhe held the baby and stood behind Anxin, who held the keys but hesitated to open the door.

Suzhe understood Anxin's feelings. If the closest family members treated her like this, anyone else would not know how to face it. Suzhe did not speak, but stood silently behind Anxin with the baby.

After a long time, Anxin finally had the courage to push open the door.

The gray walls seemed to crumble at a touch, and even the bright moonlight streaming in through the window could not dispel the damp and gloominess of the house.

Fortunately, Andian and Xie Chunxiang were not at home, sparing Anxin the trouble and the pain of seeing them.

The house had only two rooms: one for Andian and his wife, and one for Anxin and Anxuan. Anxin's room was inside, and Suzhe followed her into her room.

The scene before her eyes made Anxin unable to hold back her tears. The room was in a mess. The wardrobe had been knocked over, and all the clothes were thrown on the ground. Books were scattered everywhere, and even the bed had been overturned.

It was as if the house had been ransacked. Clearly, this was the work of Xie Chunxiang, because even if the house had been burglarized, no thief would have gone to such lengths to waste time making the room look like this. Moreover, the other parts of the house were still in good condition.

This could only mean that Xie Chunxiang had done this, and Andian had also been involved. After all, Xie Chunxiang could not have overturned heavy items like the wooden bed and wardrobe on her own. Whether Andian had done it voluntarily or had been incited by Xie Chunxiang, it was unforgivable for a father to do such a thing.

Suzhe did not know how to comfort Anxin, so he put the baby down and handed her a tissue.

After crying for a while, Anxin felt much better. She dried her tears and started tidying up the clothes with Suzhe.

Suzhe casually picked up a pure white piece of cloth from the corner. Seeing that Anxin had calmed down, he wanted to start a conversation to distract her.

However, before he could speak, Anxin rushed over and snatched the item from Suzhe's hand.

When Anxin stuffed the pure white cloth into a bag, Suzhe saw what it was—a piece of Anxin's intimate underwear. At that moment, not only did Anxin blush, but Suzhe also felt extremely embarrassed and quickly explained, "I didn't mean to, I didn't see what it was just now, really, I..."

Anxin stopped Suzhe from continuing, saying, "No need to explain, I understand, I know."

Hearing this, Suzhe felt even more depressed. Did Anxin understand that he had really not meant to, or did she think he had done it on purpose? This ambiguous answer drove Suzhe crazy.

However, this incident did help dispel some of Anxin's gloom.

Suzhe no longer dared to help Anxin tidy up her clothes, so he started picking up the scattered books.

The two of them worked in silence, packing Anxin and Anxuan's clothes into a bag and then collecting the books.

Throughout the process, Andian and Xie Chunxiang did not return. Anxin left some money for Andian and wrote a note, which Suzhe did not read.

Suzhe held the bag of clothes in one hand and the bag of books in the other. Anxin took the baby and left the house that no longer belonged to the Anxin sisters.

They took a car home, put the things away, and then continued to the People's Hospital to visit Anxuan.

In the ward, the baby and Anxuan were playing happily.

When Anxin went to get water, Anxuan sneaked up to Suzhe, her breath warm on his ear, and whispered, "Brother-in-law." Then she giggled to herself.

Suzhe, tickled by Anxuan's breath, felt his head spin at the title. If he and Anxin really had a relationship, it wouldn't be a problem. But they were completely innocent, and being misunderstood made him anxious.

However, even if Suzhe tried to explain, Anxuan wouldn't believe him, so he just smiled bitterly and said nothing. This only made Anxuan more convinced of her guess, and she called him "Brother-in-law" again.

Suzhe had no idea what to do with this innocent and sometimes mischievous girl. He also admired and pitied Anxuan, who, despite growing up in such an environment and suddenly facing such a serious illness, had never shown any signs of depression. Every time he saw her, she was always optimistic and could find joy in the midst of hardship, living a happier life than most people.

Soon, Anxin returned.

That night, Suzhe decided to stay at the hospital with the sisters, and the baby also insisted on staying with Anxuan.

Late at night, the baby and Anxuan were asleep, lying together on the hospital bed. Their small bodies did not make the bed too crowded. Suzhe and Anxin rented two folding chairs from the hospital's convenience store and planned to sleep in them.

In the middle of the night, Suzhe, who was not used to sleeping in the chair, woke up. Listening to their breathing, it seemed they were all asleep.

Unable to sleep, Suzhe decided to get up and stretch his stiff body. He stood up quietly, trying not to make any noise that might wake them.

He inadvertently heard a muffled sobbing.

His gaze finally settled on Anxuan, who was secretly crying.

Her optimism and strength were just a facade, a way to prevent those who cared about her from feeling sad. A girl in her teens, facing such a situation, would naturally be afraid. Without a mother's love from a young age and now abandoned by her father, anyone else would have broken down long ago. But Anxuan never complained or blamed fate, always smiling in front of others.

Only in the dead of night, when she was alone, did she dare to cry secretly.

Suzhe did not go to comfort Anxuan but let her cry alone. If he went over now, it might shatter her fragile facade and make her even more distressed.

After Anxuan cried herself to sleep, he left the room.

He felt very uncomfortable. Life is full of disappointments. We have struggled, cried, and sometimes even given up. Isn't the purpose of a lifetime of effort to make life more satisfying?

He had the ability to change his fate but had been hesitant and afraid to act. What was the point of living like this?

He couldn't change others, but he had to take control of his own destiny and not let life be filled with regrets.

He had to cure Anxuan, even if it meant exposing his ability. Anxuan had already suffered enough and should not have to endure the pain of chemotherapy.

With this resolve, Suzhe felt refreshed and invigorated. Life should be lived to the fullest and with joy, not just for the sake of living.