Bab 24: Past Lives and Present Tears

As Jin Hui cleared his throat, attempting to adopt a gentler expression, Xie Ming's next action caught everyone off guard.

"Father," she whispered, her voice trembling with emotion. The look in her eyes was gentle, filled with a longing that seemed to come from somewhere deep within her soul.

The room fell silent, all eyes fixed on Xie Ming. Even Jin Liwei stared at his wife in bewilderment. The raw emotion in her voice was unlike anything they had ever heard from her before.

She clutched her chest tightly as if feeling a sharp pain, and tears began to fall from Xie Ming's eyes as she gazed at Jin Hui. His face, so strikingly similar to her father's in her past life, brought a flood of memories and regrets. In that life, her father had been the Head Physician of the Military, a close friend of His Majesty, who had served his country his entire life. He had loved his daughter fiercely, educating her against societal norms and teaching her both to heal and to fight.

But with those cherished memories came the pain of loss. She remembered how palace politics had claimed her father's life unfairly. The anguish of being unable to give him a peaceful funeral or a respectful burial after his death still weighed heavily on her heart. Now, seeing Jin Hui, who looked exactly like her father, Xie Ming found herself overwhelmed by long-suppressed emotions.

The raw grief and longing in her eyes were palpable as she struggled to reconcile her past life's memories with her present reality. The unfairness of her father's fate and her own powerlessness to honor him properly surged through her, manifesting in uncontrollable tears and a desperate need for a father's embrace.

Jin Liwei, alarmed by his wife's sudden distress, rushed to her side. "Xie Ming, are you okay?" he asked, his voice laced with concern. "Do you feel unwell? Should we go to the hospital?"

As he held her trembling body, watching her gasp for air between sobs, Jin Liwei's worry turned to self-reproach. "How irresponsible of me," he muttered, tightening his embrace. "I shouldn't have brought you out like this. You're still weak and sick. Last night you even fainted. Rather than letting you rest for a few days, I brought you here. It's all my fault." His heart ached to see her in such emotional turmoil, blaming himself for her current state.

Mother Jin, overhearing her son's words, gasped in shock. "WHAT?" she exclaimed, her eyes widening in disbelief and concern. "Xie Ming fainted last night, and you didn't tell us anything? If you had mentioned that, I wouldn't have urged you to bring her here."

She turned to Jin Liwei, her voice sharp with disapproval and growing anger. "How can you be so irresponsible? You really don't know anything!" Her eyes narrowed as a new thought struck her. "Now I feel that it was all your fault that Xie Ming was indifferent to us until now. You must have done something for her to get angry with you and be distant with us."

Mother Jin's words hung heavy in the air, causing Jin Liwei to flinch visibly. The accusation seemed to strike a chord, and he looked away, unable to meet his mother's piercing gaze. The rest of the family shifted uncomfortably, the tension in the room palpable.

The room fell into an uncomfortable silence, broken only by Xie Ming's quieting sobs. Jin Liwei looked chastened, torn between comforting his wife and defending himself against his mother's accusations.

While Mother Jin was blaming Jin Liwei for Xie Ming's condition, Xie Ming seemed lost in her own world, her eyes fixed on Jin Hui as tears continued to stream down her face. The intensity of her gaze was unsettling, filled with an emotion none of them could quite understand.

Suddenly, before anyone could react, Xie Ming broke free from Jin Liwei's grasp. In a swift motion that caught everyone off guard, she ran towards Jin Hui, enveloping him in a tight embrace.

The room collectively gasped, the sound sharp in the tense atmosphere. Mother Jin and Grandfather Jin exchanged puzzled glances, their earlier concerns momentarily forgotten in the face of this unexpected development. Jin Liwei stood frozen where Xie Ming had left him, a mix of confusion and concern etched deeply on his face.

Jin Hui, usually stoic and composed, found himself at a loss, his arms hanging awkwardly at his sides as Xie Ming clung to him. The silence in the room was deafening, everyone holding their breath, unsure of how to react to this unprecedented display of emotion from the usually aloof Xie Ming.

Jin Hui, usually stoic and composed, found himself at a loss. His arms hung awkwardly at his sides as Xie Ming clung to him, her body shaking with sobs. "Father," she repeated between tears, unable to articulate the complex emotions surging through her.

After a moment of shocked silence, Jin Liwei gently pried Xie Ming away from his father. He wrapped his arms around her, trying to calm her, but she continued to cry, her eyes never leaving Jin Hui's face.

Mother Jin, her voice soft with concern, suggested, "Perhaps we should take her to the hospital?"

Jin Liwei nodded, ready to whisk Xie Ming away, but she shook her head vigorously. "I'm fine," she managed between sobs. "It's just... I couldn't control my emotions. I'm sorry, everyone."

Turning to Jin Hui, she bowed deeply. "I'm sorry, Father. You must have been surprised by my behavior. Please accept my apologies and my greetings."

Jin Hui, his usual stern demeanor softened by Xie Ming's unexpected display of affection, found himself smiling. For the first time, he felt a connection to his daughter-in-law that he had never experienced before.

As the emotional storm subsided and everyone settled back into their seats, Xie Ming's gaze fell upon the young man sitting across from her. Her brow furrowed in confusion.

Sensing her puzzlement, the man stood and extended his hand. "I'm Jin Liang, Liwei's younger brother," he said with a charming smile. "We haven't had the chance to meet since your marriage. I've always been away when you visited. But I'm surprised you don't recognize me. I'm quite popular in the music industry, you know."

Before Xie Ming could respond, Jin Liwei intervened, swatting his brother's hand away. "She doesn't need to know you," he said curtly.

"She's just woken up from a coma and doesn't remember many things. Don't be so dramatic."

Xie Ming, however, offered Jin Liang a gentle smile. "It's nice to meet you, brother-in-law," she said softly, her voice still raw from crying.

Jin Liang's eyes widened in surprise. The Xie Ming he had heard about would never have addressed him so politely. As he studied her, he found himself reassessing everything he thought he knew about his sister-in-law.