The Crybaby Mistress GL - Chapter 43

“It’s really peaceful here.” Luo Jing and Chen Xin each held a bouquet of simple, elegant flowers as they walked through the memorial garden. It was not as cold or gloomy as one might expect. The breeze rustled through the treetops, and because the area was nestled halfway up a mountain on an open field of grass, the faint scent of fresh grass lingered in the air. The sunlight shone gently, bringing a refreshing and cool atmosphere.

Chen Xin smiled calmly, her mood visibly at ease. “Places like this are always quiet and peaceful.”

All around them was still, broken only by the soft whispers and footsteps of the two. Although the path was lined with solemn gravestones, the space did not feel overly sorrowful. Rather, it radiated a sense of respect and remembrance from the living to those who had passed.

Chen Xin led Luo Jing to a larger gravestone. It was a double plot, and the names inscribed were “Xu Fen” and “Zhao Youtian,” a married couple. The dates indicated their birth and death, and judging from them, the two had passed away in their thirties.

Luo Jing bowed politely to the gravestone, then turned and asked, “Are they your…?”

Chen Xin crouched and placed the white bouquet beside the tomb. “They are my parents.”

Luo Jing was surprised. “But the other day… wasn’t that lady your mother?”

Chen Xin smiled faintly. “She is my mother’s younger sister. After the accident, she took me in and raised me in the Chen family. She adopted me.”

Though the clothes they wore were of fine quality, the area was quiet and unfrequented. They chose to sit on the edge of the grave’s base. Luo Jing did not ask any more questions, but Chen Xin wanted her to understand her life better, so she began to tell her story.

Chen Xin had once been called Zhao Xin. She lived with her parents, Xu Fen and Zhao Youtian, as a family of three. Though they were not wealthy, they lived a warm and content life. Then a gas leak accident turned everything upside down.

An aunt, who had only met her a few times before, found her as the only survivor in the hospital and brought her to the Chen household. She was adopted and became an orphan. Almost immediately, her surname was changed to match Xu Fangting’s husband’s surname, Chen. To help her adjust quickly, Xu Fangting taught her to call them her parents.

That had been many years ago. Chen Xin was now in her early thirties. Still, the memory of that fire haunted her and often robbed her of sleep. The heat of the flames would return in her dreams, forcing her to rely on sleeping pills over the years.

She did not understand why sleeping alone in a cool bed could still make her dream of such intense heat. Yet, when she shared a bed with Luo Jing, though it was undeniably warmer, she always slept soundly without dreams. Although she could not explain it, she realized that the only ways she could get a good night’s sleep were either by taking pills or by sleeping next to Luo Jing.

She had long since stopped choosing the pills.

Luo Jing listened quietly. When Chen Xin said this all happened when she was seven, Luo Jing could not imagine how traumatic that must have been for a child. Her gaze turned tender, and she gently placed her hand on top of Chen Xin’s in comfort.

“No matter what, I wanted to bring you here to meet them,” Chen Xin said, moved by Luo Jing’s support. She turned her hand over and held Luo Jing’s fingers gently. “Even though I now call someone else Mom and Dad, they are still my real parents.”

As she spoke, a strange guilt crept into her voice, as if she were betraying the parents who had died protecting her. She could not explain it and did not know how to ease or express it. She could only cover it with a faint smile.

Luo Jing sensed the unease in her tone and immediately pulled her to her feet. “Let me say a few words to Uncle and Aunt.”

She brought Chen Xin to stand beside her, laid the bouquets neatly, and began to speak softly to the gravestone. “Uncle, Aunt, I’m Luo Jing.”

“My girlfriend,” Chen Xin added, only to be nudged by Luo Jing, who then continued.

“Uncle, Aunt, you can rest assured. Chen Xin is doing very well. She’s capable and makes good money. You don’t have to worry about her living conditions. She’s very kind to me. We are doing our best to be together, and being with her makes me really happy. She is a wonderful person. I will keep visiting with her from now on.”

Luo Jing glanced at Chen Xin and saw a gentle smile on her face. She added, “Chen Xin misses both of you very much. She treasures every memory of your time together.”

Chen Xin looked dazed for a moment. Luo Jing gently squeezed her hand and asked, “They must have been great parents, right?”

“Yes…” Chen Xin’s throat felt dry, and she struggled to speak. She bit her lip, wanting to say something, but no words came out.

Luo Jing lightly patted her and gave silent encouragement without forcing her to speak.

After a long moment, Chen Xin finally said hoarsely, “I miss you both very much, Mom, Dad.” When the words left her mouth, she felt a sense of relief. Her expression softened significantly.

In the past, when visiting with Xu Fangting, the older woman would always do the talking. She would report recent events and remind Chen Xin not to let down her birth parents’ expectations. She would tell her to work harder. Chen Xin had never spoken from her own heart during those visits. Now that she had, her whole face relaxed.

Just as she turned to smile at Luo Jing, tears spilled from her eyes. Embarrassed, she tried to wipe them, but the more she wiped, the more they came.

Luo Jing said nothing. She simply pulled Chen Xin into her arms and let her cry on her shoulder. It seemed Chen Xin was releasing years’ worth of built-up sorrow. Her tears soaked one side of Luo Jing’s shoulder, and the damp cloth clung to her skin, slightly cold.

From around a corner, Xu Fangting watched everything in silence. She was deeply shocked. She had thought Chen Xin had long since put the grief of her parents’ death behind her. Chen Xin had never spoken about it. She never imagined she would see Chen Xin so vulnerable. In her memory, Chen Xin had always been composed and mature since coming to the Chen family at age seven. Never once had she cried like this in someone else’s arms.

Watching her daughter embraced by another girl made Xu Fangting feel uncomfortable. She wanted to rush out and pull them apart. But after stepping forward, she hesitated and stepped back again.

If she walked out now, how awkward would it be for Chen Xin?

She could only remain hidden and continue watching. Xu Fangting had to admit, Chen Xin looked much more at ease with Luo Jing. Though she could not hear the soft words exchanged between them, the expressions and responses told her the atmosphere was genuinely gentle. It was clear that Luo Jing had helped Chen Xin open up and share what was truly in her heart.

Xu Fangting waited in the corner as long as the conversation lasted. Hearing Chen Xin speak made her feel a bit sour inside. It reminded her that life had not been easy for this child since coming to the Chen household. She had pushed Chen Xin hard to make her feel accepted by her adoptive father, Chen Zheng, always holding her to the highest standards.

Chen Xin had met every challenge, without fail. Maybe only in front of Luo Jing did she finally find room to breathe.

Now Xu Fangting could not even say whether all her sacrifices for Chen Zheng had been worth it.

It was only when the two turned to leave that they noticed Xu Fangting had been waiting. Both Chen Xin and Luo Jing froze in surprise.

Xu Fangting glanced at the time and said, “Let’s get something to eat.”

Luo Jing looked unsure of what to do. Xu Fangting gave her a quick look and curled her lip slightly. Since Luo Jing had come to accompany Chen Xin for this visit, Xu Fangting knew she could not avoid inviting her. “You come too.”