Stars Fall Into The Sea, Love Never Fades Chapter 7

Chapter 7 Discharge and the First Step of Atonement

The sun was exceptionally bright on the day A Zhi was discharged. He was dressed in clean casual clothes, and the gauze on his forehead had been removed, leaving only a faint scar. He carried his simple luggage, stepped out of the hospital entrance, and squinted up at the sky. The warm sunlight bathed his face, dispelling some of the hospital’s antiseptic smell and allowing his long-strained nerves to relax slightly.

The familiar Cedar Scent constantly lingered around him. Within Three Meters, Qi’s Soul quietly accompanied him. A Zhi could feel that Qi’s presence was softer than it had been in the hospital, as if he was happy about A Zhi’s recovery.

“Qi, we’re discharged,” he said softly, a faint smile touching his lips. “The weather is nice today. Shall we go see Auntie first?”

The “Auntie” he referred to was Qi’s Mother. Since Qi passed away, A Zhi had only seen her once at the funeral. After that, due to his own despair and self-reproach, he hadn’t dared to visit again. He knew that Qi’s Mother must hate him, hate him for causing the death of her son. But he had to go; this was the first step of his atonement, and it was also Qi’s long-held wish—Qi had been extremely filial when he was alive, always talking about taking good care of his mother.

A Zhi drove to the residential complex where Qi’s Mother lived. As the car traveled down the familiar streets, many places held remnants of his memories with Qi. The dessert shop on the corner was Qi’s favorite place to go; every time they passed it, Qi would pull him inside to buy a mango pancake. The small park by the road was where they used to stroll and chat, spending countless warm evenings.

Every memory was like a gentle knife, lightly tracing a cut on his heart, the pain laced with endless attachment.

“Qi, do you still remember that dessert shop?” A Zhi turned his head to look at the empty passenger seat. “You always said their mango pancakes were the best. You’d eat two every time, and you’d even feed me the mango chunks.”

The Cedar Scent beside him seemed to shift, as if Qi was nodding in response. A warm current surged in A Zhi’s heart, tinged with bitterness. How much he wished to see Qi’s smile again, to hear Qi’s voice again, but all of that had become a luxury.

The car stopped downstairs at the complex. A Zhi took a deep breath, opened the car door, and stepped out. Carrying the fruits and nutritional supplements he had bought beforehand, he walked step by step toward the building entrance. With every step, his heart was filled with apprehension. He didn’t know if Qi’s Mother would see him, if she would scold him, or even if she would throw him out.

He hesitated for a long time at the door before finally mustering the courage to press the doorbell.

The door opened quickly. Qi’s Mother stood behind it, and when she saw him, her eyes instantly became complicated. There was resentment, grief, and a hint of imperceptible fatigue.

“Auntie.” A Zhi’s voice was hoarse. He lowered his head, not daring to meet Qi’s Mother’s eyes. “I came to see you.”

Qi’s Mother didn’t speak, but simply stepped aside to let him in. The furnishings in the house were simple, clean, and tidy. A photo of Qi hung on the living room wall. In the picture, Qi was smiling, his eyes curved, like a bright and cheerful young man.

A Zhi’s gaze fell on the photo, and his heart clenched violently. His eyes instantly reddened. He remembered what Qi looked like when he was alive, remembering every moment they shared, and tears nearly fell.

“Sit down.” Qi’s Mother spoke, her voice slightly rough. She turned and walked into the kitchen, pouring A Zhi a glass of water.

A Zhi sat on the sofa, gripping the water cup tightly, his fingertips turning white from the force. He didn’t know what to say. A thousand words were stuck in his throat, finally condensing into a single, pale “I’m sorry.”

“Auntie, I’m sorry,” he choked out. “It’s all my fault. If it weren’t for me, Xiao Qi… he wouldn’t have left. If you want to hit me or scold me, please take it out on me. I won’t complain a single word.”

Qi’s Mother looked at him, her eyes also red. She sighed, her voice filled with exhaustion. “A Zhi, the matter is over. No amount of assigning blame can bring Xiao Qi back.”

She paused, then continued, “Xiao Qi loved you very much when he was alive, I could see that. He always talked about you in front of me, saying you were excellent, saying you treated him well. The day you broke up, he came back crying and told me you had separated. I even advised him, saying if he truly loved you, he should try to fight for it again. But he said you had already made up your mind, and he didn’t want to bother you anymore.”

“After that, he became more and more silent, more and more haggard. I took him to the doctor. The doctor said it was Severe Depression and prescribed medication, but he wouldn’t take it at all. He said, without you, no medicine would help.” As Qi’s Mother spoke, tears streamed down her face. “I watched him collapse little by little, yet I couldn’t do anything. I advised him, scolded him, and even begged him, but he just wouldn’t listen.”

A Zhi couldn’t hold back his own tears. He knew that everything Qi’s Mother said was true. It was his coldness, his finality, that had pushed Qi into the abyss of despair. He was the culprit; he had ruined Qi’s life and ruined Qi’s Mother’s hope.

“Auntie, please don’t worry.” A Zhi wiped away his tears, his gaze becoming resolute. “From now on, I will take care of you as if you were my own mother. Xiao Qi is gone, but I am your son. I will care for you in your old age and fulfill Xiao Qi’s unfinished wishes.”

Qi’s Mother looked at him, a flicker of emotion in her eyes. She knew A Zhi was sincere, but the pain in her heart could not be smoothed over by a simple promise of care. She sighed. “A Zhi, it’s enough that you have this intention. I don’t need you to do anything, I just hope you can live well from now on, and not ignore the people around you like you did before. Xiao Qi’s Spirit in heaven wouldn’t want to see you living in regret forever.”

“I know.” A Zhi nodded. “I will, Auntie. I will live well, carrying Xiao Qi’s love, and live well.”

The Cedar Scent beside him became exceptionally strong, as if Qi was happy about his decision, and also moved by his mother’s forgiveness. A Zhi could feel that Qi’s Soul was standing right beside him, reaching out, seemingly wanting to embrace both him and his mother.

He stayed at Qi’s Mother’s house for a long time, accompanying her and talking about many of Qi’s past memories. Qi’s Mother went from initial sadness to calmness, and finally, she even started sharing funny stories about Qi’s childhood. A Zhi listened attentively, engraving every detail into his heart, as if making up for the parts of Qi’s life he hadn’t been involved in.

When he left, the sky had gradually darkened. Qi’s Mother saw him to the door, instructing, “A Zhi, be careful on the road. Come visit often when you have time.”

“I will.” A Zhi nodded. “Auntie, please take care of your health too. Call me anytime if you need anything.”

Sitting in the car, A Zhi started the engine and slowly drove away from the complex. He could feel that Qi’s Soul was with him the entire time; the Cedar Scent carried a trace of gentle warmth.

“Qi, did you see?” he whispered. “Auntie forgave me. She told me to live well. From now on, I will visit her often, take good care of her, and not let her be lonely anymore.”

As the car drove home, A Zhi felt much lighter than when he arrived. He knew this was only the beginning of his path to atonement. There was still a long way to go and many things left to do. But he was no longer lost, no longer despairing, because he knew that Qi would always be with him, Within Three Meters, watching him, encouraging him, until he completed all his atonement, until he could truly let go of the past.