Veiled Heartbreak

Jiang Nuan opened her eyes, momentarily unsure of where she was. She tried to sit up but felt as if a boulder was pressing down on her. Realizing the effort was futile, she turned her head to look around. Her eyes fell upon old furniture and peeling wallpaper, which surprisingly brought her a sense of peace. When her father was still alive, their home was not well-off, similar to this setting. Yet, those times held memories of joy that Jiang Nuan would never forget. Her consciousness gradually returned. She remembered the feeling of suffocating in the cold, remembered sinking into the sea. But she was alive? Did even the heavens despise someone like her? Jiang Nuan then thought of the box she was holding before she closed her eyes, feeling a bit anxious. The bed creaked as she moved. This noise naturally drew attention from outside. The curtain at the door was lifted, and an old woman with silver hair walked in, meeting Jiang Nuan’s eyes. She smiled so widely her eyes became slits: “Child, you’re awake?” Her words soothed Jiang Nuan’s inner turmoil. She tried to speak but found no voice coming out. A look of panic involuntarily crossed Jiang Nuan’s face. The old woman came over, struggling to help her sit up: “No rush, we’ll take it slow. Your body is too weak.” The old woman’s hands were thin and bony, yet Jiang Nuan felt a long-lost warmth. She clung to the old woman’s hand, unwilling to let go. The old woman’s face showed affection as she sat beside the bed according to Jiang Nuan’s wish: “Do you have any family? When I found you by the sea, there was nothing with you.” Jiang Nuan thought of Fu Yusen, thought of Jiang’s mother, pain evident in her eyes. The old woman patted her back: “It’s okay, I’m alone too. If you don’t mind, consider this place your home.” Jiang Nuan nestled in her embrace, the scent of locust flowers on the old woman making her tears flow uncontrollably. Since her father’s death, she had been like a rootless duckweed drifting through the world, but now, she had found a home again. She remembered the box and quickly wiped her tears, gesturing to the old woman. But this was bound to be misunderstood; the old woman shook her head apologetically: “I don’t understand what you’re saying. Tell me when you can speak, okay?” Jiang Nuan obediently nodded, feeling her strength gradually returning. Apart from temporarily being unable to speak, she surprisingly felt no discomfort.