Chapter 205.2 - Wilting Summer Flower

“Big Sister Qi, stop, you’re hurting Young Teacher.”

Shui Yun’er held Qi Qiqi’s shoulders, distressed.

“Qilin, answer me!”

Even though Qi Qiqi shook her, Xue Qilin still didn’t say a word. She doesn’t dare to answer, afraid that the girl in front of her eyes may disintegrate into a pile of fragments.

However, silence is not a solution either.

— silence is oftentimes an answer in and of itself.

Qi Qiqi appears to have gotten her answer from Xue Qilin’s silence.

“How could that be…” She bemoaned.

Although she is already used to the contact with Qi Qiqi, but Xue Qilin feels that the other party’s slight trembling sends out an indescribable burning sensation, as if it is going to burn her.

“You said you will bring Little Qing back!”

When countless negative emotions are mixed together, it gives rise to causeless anger.

Qi Qiqi vented this anger on Xue Qilin. She opened her bright red eyes wide. The bright red in her eyes seems like it will overflow and devour Xue Qilin at any time.

After opening her mouth, Xue Qilin found that she doesn’t know what to say. In the end, she could only squeeze out two words.

“I’m sorry.”

Qi Qiqi’s face is ashen and her lips are blue. Her complexion is scary. She bit her lower lip, looking like there is a most scorching anger brewing inside her. Xue Qilin shrank back in fear. However, she didn’t break free. She lowered her head, ready to welcome the coming torrent of fire.

However —

“Qi… Lin…”

Qi Qiqi released Xue Qilin and squeezed out two words powerlessly.

Next, there was a cry of surprise.

“Ah, Big Sister Qi!”

Xue Qilin looked up in bewilderment and saw Qi Qiqi limping in Shui Yun’er’s arms as if she lost all her strength, looking like she will fall to the ground at any time.

“Little Seven, don’t scare me like that!”

Xue Qilin quickly held Qi Qiqi by the shoulders.

However, since her legs have lost all their strength, Qi Qiqi could only slowly sit down on the ground with the support of the two.

“Big Sister Qi, are you okay?”

“Little Seven, what’s wrong with you?”

As if she didn’t hear the words spoken by the two, Qi Qiqi just looked dully at the ground.

“Why… Qilin… you promised me… Little Sister Shui also said that it’s going to be okay, that you can bring Qing’er back… but why… why… ”

Qi Qiqi looks very weak. Nevertheless, as if she wants to exhaust all her strength, she mumbled to herself.

Xue Qilin has imagined what Qi Qiqi’s reaction would be after learning the truth countless times, but she was still surprised by Qi Qiqi’s pained expression of betrayal.

Unable to bear the scene that enters her eyes and tries to eat away at her heart bit by bit, she moved her gaze away involuntarily.

However, Qi Qiqi’s soft voice, which sounds like she’s talking in her dream, still penetrated her heart without reservations.

You already looked away, but will you cover your ears as well? You’re such a coward, Xue Qilin! Xue Qilin secretly scolded herself for being a letdown.

At this moment —

A water-colored shadow cut into Xue Qilin’s field of vision and hit the girl in red on the cheek.

Slap!

The clear and crisp sound washed away the silence of the morning. Consequently, Qi Qi leaned to one side.

Shui Yun’er slapped Qi Qiqi.

Little Yun hit Little Seven? Xue Qilin’s eyes widened in disbelief. Qi Qiqi, as if she was suddenly roused awake, clasped her face and stared blankly at Shui Yun’er.

“Big Sister Qi, you have gone too far.”

Her tone resembles more that of an aggrieved statement than that of a denouncement. Although Shui Yun’er’s voice was low, but it could still reach Qi Qiqi’s heart.

“I…”

Qi Qiqi’s voice trembled. Even after a ling time, she still couldn’t say a complete sentence.

Probably because she finally realized that she hurt Xue Qilin, Qi Qiqi looked uneasily at her. Her gaze no longer contains the intensity from before. Now only timidity remains.

Even if I’d like to blame her, I couldn’t bear it… Xue Qilin sighed to herself.

“It’s all right! I’m used to it!”

Xue Qilin smiled at Qi Qiqi.

Her smile is ugly. The eyes aren’t smiling.

Xue Qilin couldn’t give Qi Qiqi a bright smile at this time. The matter with Gong Tianqing and Qi Qiqi’s words interwove into a rope that shackled her heart, making it so she can’t smile from the bottom of her heart.

Then, tears slid down along the contours of Qi Qiqi’s beautiful face. She cried, cried while covering her mouth with a hand.

“Hey, wh, why are you crying?”

Xue Qilin is at a loss of what to do. She can’t stand seeing others crying the most.

Just as she was about to ask Shui Yun’er for help, something knocked into her.

It was soft and fragrant, yet instantly wetted her clothing — and heart.

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry…”

Qi Qiqi buried herself in Xue Qilin’s arms, cried bitterly, and apologized in a muffled voice. She grabbed Xue Qilin’s clothing and held it tightly, to the point that Xue Qilin felt like it was hard to breath.

A wave of dejection came down on Xue Qilin, and her heart ached. After feeling distressed for a long time, she finally extended her hands and stroked Qi Qiqi’s head and repeatedly uttered the words “don’t cry” in a gentle voice, as if coaxing a child.

Shui Yun’er left quietly, leaving the two people who are embracing each other alone.

Perhaps with the past few days when she lost her composure in mind, Qi Qiqi apologized and cried at first, and then just cried. She cried for a long time. Letting her vent, Xue Qilin quietly stroked her head.

After who knows how long, Qi Qiqi’s crying gradually faded away, and her body relaxed subsequently.

In the end, Xue Qilin heard her regular, subtle breathing.

Qi Qiqi finally fell asleep.

Xue Qilin let out a sigh of relief. The heavy feeling that has been pressing on her shoulder since she came back here became a little lighter.

— made her cry.

Xue Qilin wiped away the tears on Qi Qiqi’s face with her sleeve, and then gently picked her up. Qi Qiqi is lighter than and maybe not as strong as she imagined.

Xue Qilin brought Qi Qiqi back to the room, put her on the bed, and covered her with a quilt, and then took a chair to sat beside the bed.

Shui Yun’er came quietly to behind Xue Qilin and said softly, “Young Teacher, go have some sleep. You should be tired, too.”

“I’m not tired.”

Xue Qilin shook her head gently.

At this moment, she just wants to stay beside Qi Qiqi.