Hearing this, Shu Nian looked at the rehabilitation doctor and hesitantly asked, “Do you encourage him like this usually?”

The rehabilitation doctor raised his eyebrows and smiled suggestively at Xie Ruhe: “Yes, indeed.”

“…” Xie Ruhe’s eyelids twitched slightly as he pressed his lips together, saying nothing.

Shu Nian thought for a moment, then suddenly pointed to a spot between the parallel bars: “Can I stand here?”

The rehabilitation doctor said: “Of course.”

Then, Shu Nian walked up and stopped at a position about three steps away from Xie Ruhe. Her expression was very serious as if she was treating this as a job to execute.

“Exactly three steps, one, two, three…” Shu Nian lowered her head and tapped her finger three times, then looked at Xie Ruhe, “If you walk over here, I’ll give you encouragement.”

The tone of that last sentence was identical to when she had tried to entice him with candy to make him walk her home every day after encountering that pervert.

Xie Ruhe was slightly stunned and nodded instinctively.

Although after repeated training he could now stand without holding onto anything for about a minute, walking three steps without support was still beyond his capabilities at this stage.

He held onto the parallel bars beside him with both hands and after preparing himself, his upper and lower limbs exerted force simultaneously.

His thighs felt numb and painful.

Sweat dripped down Xie Ruhe’s face, his jaw muscles tightened, and his upper body tensed as if he were using all his strength. His muscle lines stretched taut, blue veins visibly protruding.

He slowly exhaled, emptying his mind.

Seeing his condition, Shu Nian grew tense, holding her breath as she watched his movements.

Xie Ruhe’s movements were slow, almost giving the impression that the scene had frozen. After a while, he slightly lifted his left foot and laboriously moved one step forward.

A movement that couldn’t be simpler for ordinary people was extremely difficult for him.

Shu Nian’s nose inexplicably stung with emotion.

Xie Ruhe steadied his breathing, and after adjusting himself, began to lift his right foot.

The second step.

The step was very small.

The three-step distance Shu Nian had calculated was about one and a half meters. But now after Xie Ruhe had taken two steps, he had moved less than half a meter. The distance between them seemed hardly reduced at all.

After completing the second step, Xie Ruhe’s face turned pale, as if he was enduring some extreme pain.

He closed his eyes briefly and said hoarsely: “Sorry, it hurts too much…”

He couldn’t take the third step.

Though only one step away from his goal, it was a distance he couldn’t cross despite his desperate effort.

At the same time, the rehabilitation doctor brought a chair over and said: “Take a rest, let’s stop for now.”

The next moment, Shu Nian suddenly took a big step forward, as if completing the step he couldn’t take. She moved close to him, stood on her tiptoes, and gently embraced him, her hand patting his back in a comforting manner.

Her soft, small body surrounded him in an instant, and he could feel her breath against his chest. Xie Ruhe was completely drenched, with sweat still running down his jaw.

But Shu Nian seemed not to mind at all.

Not expecting her to make such a move, Xie Ruhe’s body instantly stiffened, not knowing how to react.

Soon, Shu Nian withdrew her hands, looked up at him, and said: “You did very well.”

“…”

“You did very well,” Shu Nian repeated as if stating something extremely important. “Xie Ruhe, I believe you will recover.”

Xie Ruhe’s voice was deep: “Is that so.”

“Mm.” Shu Nian patted his shoulder again, her small face serious like an old man, “Everything will be fine.”

Xie Ruhe stared at her steadily, then made a sound of agreement.

“Okay.”

There are moments like this.

No matter how disheveled, how powerless and enduring, how desperate and weary, even if overwhelming negative emotions come flooding in, they can’t withstand a single sentence from a certain person.

It’s as if, in an instant, daylight breaks through.

He only needs to believe without a doubt.

If she says he will get better, then he will recover.

Shu Nian’s birthday was quite coincidental, happening just a day before Valentine’s Day.

February thirteenth.

After entering high school, due to her personality, Chen Hanzheng gave her the nickname “bookworm.” But Shu Nian wasn’t just a student who buried herself in books, so the nickname emphasized the “silly” aspect.

Later, after learning about Shu Nian’s birthday, he changed it to “er bi” (idiot).

Some others thought it was funny and started calling her that too.

Shu Nian had a good temper. Although she didn’t like being called that, she didn’t mind too much. She had her approach—she would simply act as if she hadn’t heard anything when others called her that.

Once during a class break, Shu Nian sat at Xie Ruhe’s desk to explain a problem on a test paper to him.

Just then, a male student returned from the office and looked at Shu Nian, but didn’t call her properly by name: “Er bi, the teacher wants you in the office.”

Hearing this, Shu Nian’s pen paused, but without looking up, she continued explaining the problem to Xie Ruhe.

The boy didn’t have much patience and shouted: “Did you hear me? Er bi, can’t you at least respond when you hear someone talking to you?”

But Shu Nian did not react. Instead, it was Xie Ruhe who looked up: “Who are you calling?”

The boy raised his eyebrows and pointed his chin at Shu Nian: “Her.”

Xie Ruhe’s expression darkened: “You don’t know how to call her by name?”

“What name?” the boy said with a smirk. “Aren’t we good classmates? Using a nickname shows we have a good relationship.”

Shu Nian looked up and said to Xie Ruhe: “Ignore him.”

Xie Ruhe acted as if he hadn’t heard her, staring steadily at the boy, then suddenly smiled and leaned back in his chair.

“You look like scum to me,” Xie Ruhe’s phoenix eyes narrowed, as if he was angry, his words sharp and unforgiving, “Should I give you a nickname and call you ‘scum’?”

Later, Shu Nian had secretly asked Xie Ruhe.

Did he think she looked like an “er bi” (idiot), which was why he said those things to that boy? After all, they gave her that nickname just because of her birthday numbers.

At that time, Xie Ruhe had remained silent for a while and didn’t answer her.

Since becoming an adult, Shu Nian no longer had much anticipation for birthdays. The arrival of this day only told her that she was a year older, and her brief life was one year shorter.

Days that originally didn’t feel lonely now seemed to have become desolate.

Shu Nian had forgotten about her birthday.

But when she heard movement at the door while sleeping and came out to look, she found that Deng Qingyu had arrived and was busy doing something in the kitchen. There was a cake box on the dining table, which reminded her.

This annual day.

Shu Nian went over and opened the cake box, secretly eating a strawberry from the top.

Just then, Deng Qingyu brought out a bowl of steaming noodles, placed it in front of her, and then stroked her head: “Have a bowl of noodles first, you’re another year older.”

“Mm.” Shu Nian smiled at her.

Deng Qingyu sat down across from her.

Shu Nian lowered her head and took a sip of soup, then suddenly remembered something: “Mom, I checked my ICBC card yesterday and found that you’re still transferring money to me.”

“…” Deng Qingyu’s expression faltered for a moment. “Yes, you need to see a psychologist, and you have monthly expenses. Besides, didn’t you say your job doesn’t pay much?”

“I have enough money to spend.” Shu Nian lowered her eyes. “Please stop giving me money. I’ll transfer it back to you later.”

Deng Qingyu shook her head: “Let’s talk about it when your situation stabilizes, okay?”

Shu Nian was very insistent: “I’m doing very well now. Wang Linxi is about to start high school, and you all need to spend money too.”

Wang Linxi was Wang Hao’s son, Deng Qingyu’s stepson, and Shu Nian’s stepbrother.

Deng Qingyu’s expression didn’t change much: “It’s fine, you don’t need to worry about these things.”

“Don’t give me money anymore.” Shu Nian mumbled with noodles in her mouth, “I have my own money.”

Deng Qingyu wanted to say something more, but Shu Nian spoke again, as if not knowing how to express herself, speaking slowly: “I… went to find you once before and heard you arguing with Uncle Wang.”

“…”

“He is a good person.” Shu Nian’s expression was very serious. “I hope you two can get along well.”

“…” Deng Qingyu looked stunned. “What did you hear?”

—”What kind of illness isn’t cured after a year? The last time I saw your daughter, she seemed perfectly normal! This money might as well be burned! I’ve reminded you so many times, have you ever discussed this with Shu Nian?!”

—”I don’t want to argue with you. I just want to tell you, that you can’t just focus all your attention on your daughter. If we had money, would I need to bother arguing with you about these things?”

Shu Nian didn’t speak anymore, eating her noodles in silence.

Deng Qingyu looked at her, her eyes gradually reddening.

Before moving to Ruchuan City, Deng Qingyu had sold their house in Shiyan Town. She used this money, along with most of the savings Shu Gaolis had left for Shu Nian, to buy a house for Shu Nian in Ruchuan City.

At that time, she had been married to Wang Hao for less than a year.

Shu Nian was completely unfamiliar with this father and son, became extremely guarded, and was unwilling to live with them.

The house itself wasn’t big, just a one-bedroom apartment.

Deng Qingyu moved in to live with Shu Nian, taking care of her every day. Wang Hao had downplayed Shu Nian’s condition, but after spending every day with her, Deng Qingyu knew how severe it could get at its worst.

She was afraid to go out. Every day she couldn’t eat or sleep, would cry at the slightest thing, and would repeatedly mutter only three words—”save me.” She rapidly lost weight, becoming skin and bones.

She would tremble at the slightest sound, her nerves extremely sensitive. She often said she could hear the sound of dripping water and that her head hurt terribly. When it got severe, she would have difficulty breathing, break out in cold sweats, and collapse in bed unable to move.

As if she was about to die.

Shu Nian would only stay in her small room, living as if in a drunken dream. She would only leave the room when coaxed by Deng Qingyu—to eat, use the bathroom, or bathe.

She had severe mental issues as if she had completely lost hope for living.

Deng Qingyu had researched online.

She knew that Shu Nian had PTSD and post-traumatic Stress Disorder, which had also triggered depression, anxiety, and other mental disorders. During that period, Deng Qingyu was physically and mentally exhausted, living each day in a state of constant tension, as if she might break at any moment.

Deng Qingyu knew her thinking was problematic. Even knowing how serious Shu Nian’s condition was, she didn’t want to take her to see a psychologist. She felt that if people they knew found out, the gossip would be unpleasant.

She was waiting for Shu Nian to get better on her own.

This way of thinking finally collapsed one day.

Deng Qingyu would never forget what she saw when she returned from buying groceries that day—Shu Nian was holding a knife, about to cut her wrist.

Deng Qingyu immediately knocked the knife out of her hand, instantly breaking down and holding her while sobbing loudly.

Shu Nian looked bewildered, saw her tears, and, not understanding why, slowly teared up as well.

The next day.

Shu Nian left that small room on her initiative for the first time. She stood barefoot, looking at Deng Qingyu’s stunned expression, silently shedding tears. She seemed to have awakened, but her demeanor remained extremely timid.

She wanted to save herself.

She didn’t want to continue living days where she felt she didn’t want to live anymore, yet truly wanted to survive.

Heaven had given her a chance to live, not for her to live like this.

After a long while, Shu Nian began to sob like a child, begging for what she needed.

“Mom… I want to see a psychologist.”