Chapter 433 - Memories Are All That’s Left of The Past (1)
After a simple lunch, Shen Yue called Mu Yuchen to go golfing with him, to which the latter agreed, knowing that they probably had things to discuss. Xi Xiaye did not tag along, so she went to West Park instead.
So many things had happened, and they were all handled by Mu Yuchen. She did not get involved with the storm at all. Now that West Park was empty, she wanted to go back and take a look.
The weather was sunny. When she drove by the back entrance to West Park, she noticed that there was already a new lock in place. The whole mansion looked very still and quiet.
Xi Xiaye never would have thought that she would bump into her father, Xi Mushan, here. From afar, she could see him standing with his hands behind his back underneath a streetlamp. As he gazed up at this mansion before him, his expression seemed a little solemn. With his frail and tall body bathed in the faint sunlight, he seemed somewhat desolate.
Xi Xiaye stopped at a parking spot on the side. When he heard the sound of a car, Xi Mushan slowly returned to his senses in that instant.
Xi Xiaye pushed the car door open and walked over, stopping by his side and looking up with her twinkling eyes. Her calm gaze silently watched the quiet mansion before her.
Xi Mushan glimpsed at her and did not say anything. He followed her gaze and looked over as well.
After a while, his deep and calm voice was heard. “Why are you here too?”
A faint smile flashed across Xi Xiaye’s face as her gaze remained calm while she stared at this mansion before her. Her tone was quiet. “Li Si sent the key card over early this morning. He said this place was cleared out, so I came over to take a look.”
“Mu Yuchen said you went to see her, and that she’s not doing too well.”
Xi Mushan obviously knew who she was referring too and his gaze dimmed. “She’s paralyzed on one side, so it’s hard for her to move around. The doctor said that it’s probably going to always be like this. This might be her karma.”
He did not seem to have any sympathy for her. Before he married Shen Wenna, Deng Wenwen still treated him fine, but after Shen Wenna married him followed by all those things that happened subsequently, he was only left with hatred for her.
If it were not for her, perhaps all of this misfortune would not have happened.
“She didn’t treat Yue Lingsi and Xi Xinyi too badly. I’m afraid she never would’ve thought they would treat her this way in the end.” As Xi Xiaye said this, a mocking smile appeared on her face, yet apart from such emotions, she felt a hint of lament.
“Yueying’s about to fall, Father. Do you blame me?” When she said this, Xi Xiaye abruptly turned to him and fixed her gaze on Xi Mushan. Her eyes were dense with a flickering light. “The Xi family was once so glorious, and now it’s…”
Before Xi Xiaye could finish, Xi Mushan sighed softly. He suddenly shut his eyes and tried to ease himself for quite a while, then he opened his eyes and the still light in them had returned to the usual calm, he said gently, “Why would I blame you? This family has long been ruined… Ever since the moment your mother and I divorced, I never found that so-called family again.”
When she heard these, Xi Xiaye suddenly did not know how to answer, she thought about it, then smiled wryly, “When you and Mother just got divorced, I’d actually always fantasize about the day you’d chase Yue Lingsi and her daughter out, then bring Mother back. Unfortunately, now that they’ve finally been chased out, we can never return to how it was.”
“There were some good memories here. If you want to look for them again, you can have West Park,” Xi Xiaye said very calmly as she looked at Xi Mushan with clear eyes.
“This is what your grandfather left you. Keep it well. I don’t need such a huge place all to myself.”
“I know that Xi Xinyi went looking for you. I’m very grateful that you could maintain neutral in the midst of our fight. That way, at least, it wouldn’t make things difficult for everyone.”
Xi Mushan smiled sadly without saying anything.
“How are you and Mother doing?”
Recently, she had been busy with work and did not have much time to care for her mother. When she recently returned to the Shen residence, she heard from Aunt Wu that Xi Mushan had gone over almost every day. In fact, it seemed like he was planning to lecture at University A.
When Shen Wenna was mentioned, Xi Mushan’s faintly steadfast face darkened.
Shen Wenna was very hostile to him. Sometimes, she would not even say a word to him for the whole day.
Xi Xiaye took in all of Xi Mushan’s expressions. She could not help but feel her heart sink. “Mother’s like that. She’ll only be amenable to coaxing but not coercion. Father, you need to have some patience.”
“I know, I just feel guilty towards your mother. The fact that she’s in her current state yet presents herself as strong makes me worried.”
As Xi Mushan spoke, Shen Wenna’s cold and stubborn expression flashed in his mind. He could not help but feel his heart ache.
“Don’t worry. When I brought Mother for a check up a few days ago, the doctor said that there are traces of the blood clot slowly dissipating. I think that as long as we let Mother rest well and recuperate, she’ll definitely see the light again. So, Father, now whether or not you feel tormented, I hope that you can be by Mother’s side. She looks strong now, but actually, this is also the time when Mother is most vulnerable and helpless.”
Xi Xiaye said softly.
Actually, she quite understood her own mother. Her own personality was more or less influenced by her. Now that she had Mu Yuchen, of course, she hoped that Shen Wenna could find her own happiness too, yet only Xi Mushan could provide that happiness.
Xi Xiaye’s gaze fell onto Xi Mushan’s calm face and she could not help but ask, “I heard Aunt Wu say that you’re planning to lecture at University A. Is that true?”
“I’ve spent more than half my life in bureaucracy. Now, I just want to live a different kind of simple and calm life, just as your mother said. To be a teacher with students everywhere is great too. Back then, when I joined politics, your mother didn’t agree either, but after that, she compromised. Now, it’s time that I compromised for her. For once, I want to get her back.”
Xi Mushan’s tone was sincere, yet Xi Xiaye could hear the bitterness in it.
When he finished, Xi Xiaye took a deep breath and nodded gently. She blinked her suddenly hot eyes and turned to continue looking at the mansion before them. “Does Mother know about Yue Lingsi’s matter?”
“I didn’t tell her, you know, this name to your mother. It might be…” Xi Mushan did not continue. He just let out a sigh and stared ahead too.
“Okay, since things have come to this point, let’s not think too much now. No matter what, I hope that you and Mother can regain your love, and revive your beautiful memories.”