Figure Skating: Waltz on Ice

Unexpectedly, Mei Jing said something so outrageous. Jiang Shuchun, who had been staring at him, was instantly enraged and slammed his hand on the table.

The tea was splashed everywhere by the shock, showing how much force was used and how angry the person was.

"What right do you have to talk to us like that! What gives you the right to say these things to us?"

"Don't assume we condone your relationship just because we haven't contacted you about it. Let me tell you, that's impossible!"

"Seeing that you are a junior, I, as an elder, don't want to say anything too harsh or embarrass you. But what do you mean by blaming us for not taking good care of Xiao Chen? If we hadn't taken care of him, would he have grown up safely like this!"

"You accuse us of putting pressure on Xiaochen? Then I'd like to ask you, what pressure did we put on him?"

"Not living with my family, but living with you?"

"Ha~ How ridiculous! I don't believe you can't hear what's going on online. You're taking care of Xiao Chen? What are you going to do to take care of him? Do you know that if you do this, you'll ruin him!"

"If Xiaochen's condition weren't so unstable right now, do you think we would have come out if you had asked us to?"

Jiang Shuchun's outburst instantly made Tian Zhixi, who was also angry, feel better. She looked at Mei Jing, who was being scolded, with icy eyes.

How dare they? They invited the other party's parents out to assert their dominance and even entrusted their own son to his care. They are utterly shameless!

Mei Jing pursed his lips, suppressing his emotions, and kept reminding himself that he was there to resolve the problem, not to create conflict.

He continued earnestly.

"I'm sorry, I may have used the wrong words and caused you to misunderstand. I apologize."

"Actually, we all have the same goal: to help the same person get better as soon as possible."

“I know Chenchen has always had insomnia. Do you know when you can’t sleep? The night that usually passes by in one sleep can suddenly feel incredibly long. That kind of loneliness can drive you crazy and terrify you.”

"I have to go to school during the day and can't sleep at night. I'll break down sooner or later."

Tian Zhixi didn't live with Du Liangchen and didn't know his daily routine. When she heard Mei Jing say that he had insomnia, she was suddenly shocked and looked at her mother-in-law beside her.

"Xiao Chen had insomnia before, but he had been taking Chinese medicine to treat it, and it's cured now."

"Mom, has Xiaochen started having trouble sleeping again lately?"

Jiang Shuchun's eyelashes trembled slightly, her eyes full of doubt. Then she shook her head and loudly denied it, "How could that be! I get up every night to go to Xiaochen's room to see if he's covered up properly, and he's always asleep!"

The two of them looked at Mei Jing, wondering what else he could say.

Mei Jing was speechless, realizing that they had always thought Du Liangchen's insomnia was cured.

"it is true!"

"He probably knows that you come to his room to see him every night, and he's been pretending to be asleep."

“His insomnia has never gotten better. He only said he was better because he didn’t want you to worry. He’s lying to you.”

Seeing that Tian Zhixi and Jiang Shuchun still didn't believe her, Mei Jing continued.

"Haven't you noticed that he's always listless? Even in the morning, he's not energetic, he seems sullen, and he doesn't eat much."

Jiang Shuchun recalled Du Liangchen's condition each day.

“Haven’t he always been like this? Maybe the pressure of his studies is too much. His grandfather and I have been making him very nourishing food lately.”

"You said he has insomnia, could it be that Xiao Chen told you?"

Mei Jing shook her head.

"He didn't tell me; I found out myself."

"He is quiet every day, and it is actually very difficult to detect his emotional fluctuations or psychological problems. He is really good at disguising himself. Without spending a long time together, it is even more difficult to notice his abnormality."

"I only noticed it later. His eyes were dull after he had insomnia. He was still very serious about training and studying, but if you looked closely, you would find that he often spaced out and drifted off."

"I once asked him, 'Why don't you say you're unhappy?'"

"But he countered by asking me, 'Will coming out make you happier? Will the problem be solved? No, coming out will only expose your vulnerability to others. If you encounter a kind person, they might offer some advice, but if you encounter a radical person, they might say you're making a mountain out of a molehill, and then it will become fodder for their gossip behind your back. No one can truly empathize with your current situation, not even your parents or relatives. Because you've eaten less rice than they've tasted salt. What's a small problem or a minor emotion for them is an insurmountable mountain for you.'"

"I couldn't understand his helplessness back then. I just thought he was too extreme. He even had to hide things from his parents and relatives and didn't dare to express his true feelings. He was too pessimistic."

"It wasn't until my parents divorced that, even though I was too busy to see them often, I felt like I had been abandoned by the whole world after they divorced. That's when I truly understood his words and realized how terrifying it is to be isolated and helpless."

“He helped me a lot during that time. When I couldn’t sleep and broke down crying alone in the bathroom, he would comfort me even though he was terrified of the dark. He would tell me stories and sing to me when I couldn’t sleep. He would eat with me and make me happy. It was then that I realized how warm-hearted a seemingly cold and indifferent person could be. It was as if the sun had dispelled the gloom in my heart.”

"That's when I started to fall in love with him. I hope he's doing well, even if we can't be together."

Tian Zhixi looked at her mother-in-law and saw the undercurrent in her eyes. She lowered her head in shame, knowing that her mother-in-law had harbored resentment towards her all these years.

To my shame, I, as a mother, am not as well understood by any outsider as she is by her son.

She knew she had let Du Liangchen down, but she didn't regret it, and she would do the same thing again if given the chance. Because she was also an independent individual, and she couldn't sacrifice her career for her child just because she was a mother, even if that child was exceptionally outstanding.

Mei Jing sniffed, her eyes red-rimmed.

“Over the years I have been reading books on psychology and have also taken psychology as an elective course. I can see that his pressure comes from many sources.”

"The unconditional support from fans, the slander online, the pressure of training, the exhaustion from studying, the lack of support from his family for his love life, the helplessness of being suspended... No one but me can empathize with these pressures more than him. He is so anxious right now and needs a quiet environment where he feels very safe to process his emotions."

“Auntie, Grandma, we have the same goal! I want to take care of him until he gets over his trauma.”

"Please give me this chance, let me take care of him the way he helped me back then. Otherwise, I'm really afraid his condition will get worse and worse, and he'll eventually torture himself to death."

“He’s not telling you anything right now, he’s keeping all his thoughts to himself. It’s obvious that you’re not giving him enough security. Why don’t you let me give it a try?”

“I know I’m young and you don’t trust me. I can give you the spare key to the house so you can go and see him whenever you have time.”

……

"Ah~"

Jiang Shuchun and Tian Zhixi sat facing each other on the sofa in the living room.

A week has passed since my last conversation with Mei Jing, and I have been observing her for some time now.

Jiang Shuchun secretly observed Du Liangchen these past few nights and indeed discovered that Du Liangchen had severe insomnia.

Yesterday, Jiang Shuchun sent a message to Tian Zhixi, asking her to come back and discuss Du Liangchen's matter.

Du Junzhi had just returned from grocery shopping and entered the house, and before he had even taken off his shoes, he heard his wife sigh.

"What's going on? Who upset you... Huh?! Zhixi's back! When did she arrive? Honey, why didn't you tell me? I could have bought more of her favorite dishes!"

"Dad, don't bother. I decided to come back suddenly without telling you beforehand."

Tian Zhixi stood up and was about to take the vegetables from his hand when Du Junzhi dodged her by stepping aside.

"Don't touch it, I'll do it myself. You can't overexert yourself after surgery. Go sit and talk with your mother. In a bit, the old man will show you two his skills."

Jiang Shuchun looked at them with a worried expression. "Old man, there's no rush to cook. Come here and we can talk."

Noticing his wife's troubled expression, Du Junzhi put down the bag he was carrying and sat down next to him. "What's wrong? What happened?"

Seeing her mother-in-law's reaction, Tian Zhixi quickly explained, "Mom is worried about Xiaochen."

"Mom, don't worry, let's talk to Xiaochen when he gets home from school."

Du Junzhi's face instantly darkened, his mind racing. "Xiao Chen! What happened to Xiao Chen? Is someone at school gossiping about him, or bullying him?"

Jiang Shuchun patted him on the shoulder. "Xiao Chen has insomnia but doesn't tell us." Her tone was filled with undeniable worry and heartache.