54: Chapter 54 Tian Zhenxi's Request

After a moment of joy, he took one last look at the sleeping Tian Zhenxi, quietly exited the room, and gently closed the door.

The night was deep, and the entire village was immersed in slumber.

Cao Kun returned to the Ji Family's small courtyard and lay back on his bed, yet he found himself unable to fall asleep.

The warmth of Tian Zhenxi leaning against his shoulder, the single tear at the corner of her eye, and her twenty years of steadfast devotion... these images repeatedly surfaced in his mind.

Fortunately, he would be leaving soon; otherwise, he really wouldn't know how to face Tian Zhenxi.

Outside the window, the horizon was already turning the color of a fish's belly.

A new day was about to begin, and for Tian Zhenxi's life, a new dawn should finally be arriving as well.

Thinking this, Cao Kun finally closed his eyes and decided to take a short nap.

What he didn't know was that Tian Zhenxi had actually woken up long ago.

She lay quietly in bed, staring at the ceiling, recalling everything that had just happened, her eyes filled with complex and inscrutable emotions.

This night had been far too long for both of them.

...

Over the next two days, Cao Kun noticed a subtle change in his feelings toward Tian Zhenxi.

After that night, the two of them tacitly avoided mentioning what had occurred.

In front of others, they maintained a proper distance.

Cao Kun was the Ji Family's future son-in-law, and Tian Zhenxi was a relative by marriage—an Auntie who had just lost her husband.

But whenever their gazes inadvertently met or they brushed past each other, Cao Kun could always catch a trace of complex emotion in Tian Zhenxi's eyes.

It wasn't just gratitude; it was more like an indescribable sense of intimacy.

Seeing her dressed in plain white mourning clothes, standing before the funeral hall with reddened eyes to thank the guests, a strange sensation would always well up in his heart.

It was a protective instinct, a sense of heartache, and an attraction he couldn't quite explain.

On the morning of the third day, the number of guests dwindled, and the courtyard enjoyed a rare moment of peace.

Cao Kun saw Tian Zhenxi sitting alone on a low stool in a side room, her head bowed and her shoulders trembling slightly.

He hesitated for a moment before walking in.

“Auntie,” Cao Kun called out softly.

Tian Zhenxi looked up, her eyes red and swollen, but when she saw it was Cao Kun, her expression visibly softened.

She quickly wiped the corners of her eyes and forced a smile. “Oh, it's Xiao Cao.”

“Are you... okay?” Cao Kun sat down on the stool beside her.

Tian Zhenxi fell silent for a moment and said softly, “I just feel empty inside. I looked after him for twenty years, and now that he’s suddenly gone, I actually don't know how to live anymore.”

She spoke calmly, but Cao Kun could hear the heavy weight behind her words.

Twenty years, over seven thousand days and nights, her life had revolved around that unconscious husband.

Now the shackles were undone and freedom had come, but she had also lost her direction.

“Things will get better,” Cao Kun said clumsily, not knowing how else to comfort her. “From now on, you can live for yourself.”

Tian Zhenxi glanced at him, her gaze containing gratitude and something else.

She nodded. “About that night... thank you. I know you could have just left me be.”

“It was the right thing to do.” Cao Kun paused. “In that situation, anyone would have helped.”

The two fell silent again for a while.

The sound of Ji Guangli talking with some relatives came from the courtyard. Knowing he couldn't stay long, Cao Kun stood up. “Auntie, take care of yourself. If you need help with anything, just say the word.”

Tian Zhenxi gave him a deep look. “Mm.”

That afternoon, Cao Kun kept thinking about how to make it up to Tian Zhenxi.

Although in a sense he had saved her, he had still taken advantage of her after all.

He decided to give Tian Zhenxi a sum of money.

Fifty thousand yuan—neither too much nor too little—enough to improve her life for a while without appearing too deliberate.

At dusk, Cao Kun found an opportunity to call Tian Zhenxi to the edge of the vegetable garden behind the courtyard.

It was relatively secluded here, and they weren't likely to be seen.

“Auntie, this is for you.” Cao Kun handed over a thick envelope.

Tian Zhenxi didn't take it, looking at him in confusion. “What is this?”

“A small token,” Cao Kun said. “You just lost your husband, and you'll definitely need money for living expenses later. Take it and improve your life a bit.”

Tian Zhenxi opened the envelope for a look, and her face immediately changed. “This much? No, I can't take this!”

“Take it, just consider it a small gesture from me and Guangli,” Cao Kun insisted.

Tian Zhenxi stuffed the envelope back into Cao Kun's hand, her gaze becoming serious. “Xiao Cao, is it because of what happened that night? Do you feel you owe me?”

Cao Kun was stunned; he hadn't expected her to point it out so directly.

Tian Zhenxi sighed. “If anyone owes anyone, it's me who owes you. You saved me and preserved my reputation. I absolutely cannot take this money.”

“But...”

“No buts.” Tian Zhenxi interrupted him, her tone soft but firm. “As for that night, we'll just act as if it never happened. You don't need to use money to make up for anything, really.”

Cao Kun looked at her determined eyes and knew that further persuasion would be useless.

He put the envelope away, but he felt even more uneasy in his heart.

Tian Zhenxi suddenly said, “If you really want to help me... once things are settled here, I plan to go to Zhongzhou to find a job.”

Cao Kun looked at her in surprise. “Go to Zhongzhou?”

“Mm.” Tian Zhenxi nodded. “I'm only forty-five this year; I can't stay in the countryside forever. I want to go to the city to see, find a job, and start over.”

A certain light flickered in her eyes—a longing for a new life.

Cao Kun suddenly understood that money wasn't the most important thing to her; what she needed was an opportunity, a pivot point to stand back up.

“But I don't have any skills, and I've never lived in the city,” Tian Zhenxi continued, her tone carrying a hint of apprehension.

“When I first get there, I might not even find a place to stay. If... if you really want to help me, could you help me find a temporary place to settle down then? Just to transition.”

Cao Kun hardly hesitated. “No problem! Leave it to me. I have a house in Zhongzhou; I can arrange it for you.”

...