章 30: It's too late to regret
In the Qi family's house.
Mrs. Qi poured a cup of tea, her gaze drifting toward the window. Outside, the world was cloaked in a cold drizzle, the raindrops tapping softly against the glass.
She stared at the rain for a moment before taking a sip of her tea. "Old man, it's raining out there. Do you think Jianyi will come home, or will she stay at her dorm?" Mrs. Qi's voice was laced with concern.
Though the rain wasn't heavy, Mrs. Qi couldn't shake the worry that gnawed at her. The roads could be treacherous on rainy days, and the thought of her daughter driving in such weather troubled her.
Mr. Qi, drawn into the conversation, looked up from his reading and turned to the window. He studied the rain for a few moments, then pursed his lips. "It's going to rain heavily later. It would be better if Jianyi stayed at her dorm tonight."
Mrs. Qi sighed softly, her dejected expression not going unnoticed. Mr. Qi glanced at her, confusion flickering in his eyes. "What's wrong?" he asked gently.
"Nothing… I just feel like our daughter is slowly leaving the nest," Mrs. Qi lamented, her voice tinged with sadness. The more she thought about how her little girl had blossomed into a beautiful young woman, the more reluctant she became to let go.
"We neglected her when she was young. And now, she's grown up, ready to leave us and live her life." Her words hung heavy in the air, filled with the sorrow of missed moments and lost time. They had been so consumed by their careers, so driven by ambition, that they had, in a way, abandoned their own daughter.
Mr. Qi listened, the weight of her words sinking in. He was silent for a moment, then nodded, a somber realisation dawned on him. They had indeed ignored their daughter during her childhood, and now, as she stood on the threshold of independence, what right did they have to hold her back? Could they really invoke filial piety when they had barely fulfilled their duties as parents?
He had always resisted the idea of Qi Jianyi moving out, his heart clinging to the hope that she would stay. But how long could he keep her tethered to them? One day, she would spread her wings and fly, leaving behind the home that had once been her world.
"She's like a butterfly," Mr. Qi murmured, more to himself than to his wife. "And a butterfly's wings shouldn't be chained."
He sighed, the lines on his face deepening with weariness. "Why were we so greedy for success?" he asked, his voice heavy with regret. "Ling'er, if we hadn't been so ambitious, maybe our daughter wouldn't feel so distant from us."
Mrs. Qi's eyes glistened with unshed tears. It was true—they had once been young and full of dreams, but those dreams had come at a cost. The love and attention they should have lavished on their daughter had instead been sacrificed on the altar of their careers.
Mr. Qi continued, his voice barely above a whisper. "I sometimes wonder, if it weren't for the family portrait hung on the wall, would Jianyi even remember what we look like?"
His words hung in the air, a stark reminder of the price they had paid for their ambition. And now, as the rain continued to fall outside, they both knew that the time for regret had come too late.
"Just like us when we were young, Jianyi might have her own ideas for her life. The least we can do as her parents is not to hold her back," Mrs. Qi said softly, reaching out to hold her husband's hand.
"Jingxuan, maybe it's time for us to support her and let go," she continued, her voice growing firmer with each word. "I just hope our daughter won't repeat our mistakes. I want her to live her life, achieve great things, and then, when she's ready, start her own family."
Though regret weighed heavily on them, they knew there was no way to change the past. The best they could do now was to focus on the future and support their daughter in whatever path she chose.
After all, it was their fault. They weren't ready to have a child, yet they went ahead and did it, only to fail in their duties as parents. It would be better if Qi Jianyi figured out her own life before rushing into building a family.
They had silently come to an agreement: they would never pressure their daughter to marry early or give them grandchildren. They would let Qi Jianyi make that decision on her own.
And when she finally chose to start a family, they would be there to support her wholeheartedly.
Understanding the meaning behind his wife's words, Mr. Qi nodded solemnly. He, too, had resolved not to be an obstacle in their daughter's life.
Since Qi Jianyi had made it clear she didn't want to inherit the family business, Mr. Qi could only reluctantly place his hopes on his two cheap sons.
"Then let her be. We'll support her whenever she needs it," Mr. Qi said, nodding to show his agreement with his wife.
As the conversation faded, they remained together, enjoying the slight chill brought by the rain. Though they were now in their mid-forties, the sight of them sitting side by side exuded a sense of harmony. Their relationship was clearly strong, filled with deep love for each other.
However, the warm atmosphere was soon interrupted by the sound of the door opening. Both Mr. Qi and Mrs. Qi turned to see which of their children had finally made their way home.
To their surprise, it was the last person they expected. Qi Jianyi, dripping slightly from the rain, patted her wet hair, only to freeze in place as she noticed the pair of eyes fixed on her with intense focus.
Qi Jianyi subconsciously tilted her head in confusion. "Mom, Dad, what's wrong?" she asked.
Seeing his daughter's adorable, puzzled expression, Mr. Qi felt a renewed pang of regret for having neglected her during her childhood.
Mrs. Qi, however, was quicker to regain her composure. She smiled warmly and replied with concern, "Nothing, dear. We just thought you'd stay at your dorm tonight. It's raining outside—why take the risk of driving home?" Her motherly instincts couldn't help but show as she voiced her worries.
Qi Jianyi wiped her wet face and made her way to the couch. She really admired her parents in this world—they were already in their older years but still so affectionate, unlike her real parents, who had long forgotten their love for each other.
Maybe that's the difference between her real parents and the ones in this world. Her real parents rarely showed affection for each other, but they showed their care for the children. In contrast, her parents in this world had a strong bond with each other, but when it came to their children? Not so much.
"I was already on the road when the rain started. Anyway, it's not that heavy," Qi Jianyi replied, a hint of teasing in her voice. "Are you two enjoying the rain together?"
Hearing the teasing in her daughter's tone, Mrs. Qi blushed and retorted, "What enjoying the rain? You're talking nonsense," before playfully pushing away her innocent husband as if he were the one who had uttered those words.
Mr. Qi, who was pushed aside, only smiled sheepishly at his wife's reaction. But as he turned to his daughter, his expression shifted to concern when he noticed Qi Jianyi's slightly swollen eyes. "What's wrong with your eyes?" he asked immediately.
The sudden question made Mrs. Qi whirl around to look at their daughter, catching Qi Jianyi just as she tried to glance away.
However, Qi Jianyi couldn't tell Mr. and Mrs. Qi the real reason behind her red eyes. So, she quickly shook her head and pretended to rub her eyes, making them even redder in the process.
"I think I didn't get enough sleep, and my eyes have been itchy since this afternoon," Qi Jianyi lied. Actually it wasn't entirely false. her eyes did tend to get itchy when she lacked sleep. Both she and the real Qi Jianyi shared this odd condition.
Sometimes they would rub their eyes too harshly and make it swollen. Qi Jianyi was reminded of a time when her real mother had to take her to the hospital after she had rubbed her eyes so much that they swelled shut.
The memory of middle school, when she had to go to class with a bandage over one eye, gaining the attention of the whole class, flashed vividly in her mind.
But Mr. Qi and Mrs. Qi had never known about this issue. Unlike Qi Jianyi, who would have sought comfort from her parents no matter the situation, the real Qi Jianyi had always kept her suffering to herself.
It wasn't that she didn't want to confide in them, it was simply that they were never home. How could she have told them anything?
"Then how are you feeling now? Should we ask the family doctor to come and check on you?" Mrs. Qi interjected, pulling her daughter closer and gently stopping her from rubbing her already irritated eyes.
Despite her parents' concern, Qi Jianyi couldn't possibly let the family doctor examine her. She had been lying! If the doctor examined her now, he would only see that her eyes were swollen from excessive crying.
Panic surged within her, and she quickly shook her head. "No, it's fine, Mom. The swelling will go down later. I just need to wash my eyes carefully and put in some eye drops, and I'll be fine!" she reassured her mother, fearing that Mrs. Qi might actually call for the doctor.
Mrs. Qi grew more skeptical as she listened to her daughter's hasty explanation. She leaned in closer, softly rubbing Qi Jianyi's swollen eyes. "Are you sure you don't need the doctor to come?" she asked again, her concern deepening.
Qi Jianyi forced a smile and nodded obediently. "Yes, really, there's no need to trouble the doctor. This isn't something new—I've dealt with it before!"
"This isn't the first time your eyes have swollen like this?" Mrs. Qi asked in surprise. Both she and Mr. Qi were bewildered by this sudden revelation.
Seeing their dumbfounded expressions, Qi Jianyi raised her eyebrows, puzzled. She nodded slowly, "Of course, it's been years since my eyes have been like this."
"Anyway, it's fine. You don't have to worry about it," she continued, trying to reassure them.
However, the more Qi Jianyi explained, the more guilt her parents felt. They hadn't even known that their daughter had this problem.
"Is your eye problem serious?" Mr. Qi asked, his tone lowered to conceal his growing guilt.
For a moment, Qi Jianyi couldn't understand why her parents were acting as if this was a big deal. Yes, they didn't know, but it wasn't that serious after all.
"It's not serious at all. The doctor said my eyes get swollen because I tend to rub them whenever they itch. If I don't rub my eyes, they'll be fine," Qi Jianyi explained, hoping to ease their concern.
"It's not an allergic reaction or anything. I just need some sleep," she added softly.
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