Su He had been troubled lately.
Ever since that phone call from Laura, she felt something was amiss. After pondering for a long time, she finally realized what the problem was.
"When I was in high school, my English grades were actually just average. I could understand everyday conversations, but anything a bit more profound was like listening to gibberish..."
"But yesterday, Lu Yanbei's business partner called, and I actually understood, and even relayed the message to the other party in a timely manner... It was as if I suddenly had an epiphany. Isn't it strange!"
Su He called Jiang Xiaoxiao to vent.
Jiang Xiaoxiao listened and said with a smile, "Have you forgotten that you were once an exchange student abroad for a period of time?"
"Really?" Su He covered her head, stunned for a moment. Her memories of that period seemed a bit hazy. Logically, she should remember such a special experience clearly.
"Miaomiao, what's wrong?" Jiang Xiaoxiao sensed her strangeness and asked with concern. "Are you having headaches again?"
"Did I often have headaches before?" Su He asked subconsciously.
Seeing that she had let slip, Jiang Xiaoxiao hastily fabricated an excuse. "You had a car accident before, so you often got headaches. I'm used to it."
Su He said "Oh" and didn't press further. "So, my foreign languages were honed during that time."
"Yes, when you first went there, you often called me complaining that everyone around you spoke a foreign language and you couldn't understand what they were saying."
"Later, you worked part-time at a coffee shop, studied foreign languages diligently, and it took you more than two months to gradually adapt."
Recalling that past, Su He vaguely had some impression. "Alas, so many years have passed, I didn't expect you to remember so clearly."
"After hearing you talk about it so much, I naturally remembered it," Jiang Xiaoxiao explained.
"I must have had a tough time back then," Su He sniffled.
"Of course! Being in an unfamiliar place, anyone would feel lonely and scared," Jiang Xiaoxiao sighed.
Su He nodded. "Tell me more about that time."
"Why ask me? You're the one who experienced it, you should know better than I do," Jiang Xiaoxiao couldn't help but laugh.
"I can't quite recall the experiences of those two years," Su He said truthfully. "Perhaps it's a sequela of the car accident. In any case, my memory is very blurry. And I always feel like I've forgotten something very important."
Hearing this, Jiang Xiaoxiao's heart skipped a beat.
Her silence made the usually carefree Su He gradually sense something was wrong.
It seemed that every time the past abroad was mentioned, Jiang Xiaoxiao would become unusually silent. And she would always try her best to change the subject, as if hiding something.
As expected, Jiang Xiaoxiao's next words confirmed her guess.
"If you can't remember, just forget it. It wasn't a pleasant time. You cried so many times on the phone during those two years. Be good, let's not think about it, okay?"
"You just had surgery, you should think and worry less. It's good for your health."
Su He bit her lip, feeling a rejection of Jiang Xiaoxiao's comfort for the first time.
Jiang Xiaoxiao, unaware of Su He's unusual behavior, continued to chatter, trying to distract her. "How are you and Lu Yanbei getting along lately? Have you taken any further steps?"
This time, Su He didn't answer her question.
After a long silence, Su He mustered up the courage to ask, "Xiaoxiao, are you hiding something from me?"
Jiang Xiaoxiao's playful voice abruptly stopped. "Why would you think that?"
"Every time I mention things abroad, you either refuse to talk about it, or you brush it off perfunctorily, or you change the subject. Xiaoxiao, if you really consider me your good sister, tell me the truth, okay?"
Jiang Xiaoxiao gripped her phone tightly, unsure how to respond for a moment.
Her reaction further convinced Su He that she had a problem. "Xiaoxiao, you've been apologizing to me all along, is it also related to this matter?"
"Who are you helping to hide it from me?"
"Are you being threatened?"
"No," Jiang Xiaoxiao denied subconsciously.
Su He heard the urgency and unease in her voice, and her clenched fist loosened slightly. "If you have any difficulties, you can tell me."
"I'm sorry," Jiang Xiaoxiao apologized again.
"I don't want to hear that anymore," Su He said with a bitter smile. "If you still consider me your good sister, don't lie to me again."
Jiang Xiaoxiao's emotions were complicated.
Towards Su He, she was filled with self-reproach and guilt. She knew her good sister cared deeply about that past, yet she had been hiding it from her for Su Chen. And, for her own selfish reasons, she had repeatedly leaked Su He's information to Su Chen.
She deserved to die!
"Xiaoxiao?" Seeing that the other party didn't respond for a long time, Su He became anxious.
"Miaomiao, there are some things I can't say," Jiang Xiaoxiao said bitterly. "I know it's unfair to you, but I promised him, and I can't go back on my word."
"You can pretend you don't have me as a friend," Jiang Xiaoxiao made a difficult choice after careful consideration.
No matter how deeply Su Chen had hurt her, he had helped her out of her predicament.
She couldn't be ungrateful.
Also, she still couldn't let him go.
She would try her best to compensate for what she owed Su He.
Jiang Xiaoxiao tearfully hung up the phone.
Su He was doted on by Lu Yanbei and would surely live a happy life from now on. Whether she remembered that past or not, it didn't really matter to her. It would be better to keep it hidden forever!
Su He stared at the phone screen for a long time, then couldn't help but sigh.
What exactly made Jiang Xiaoxiao make such a choice? Their friendship was genuine! She could feel that Jiang Xiaoxiao truly considered her a close friend and protected her in every way.
There was no benefit to be gained between them.
But why would she conceal it? Could it be that the past was not very pleasant for her? Was it because she was afraid that Su He would be sad if she remembered that past?
As best friends, there shouldn't be anything they couldn't talk about.
She wasn't as fragile as she thought, unable to withstand a little storm.
Su He rested her chin on her hand, staring blankly out of the large floor-to-ceiling window.
Lu Yanbei entered from outside and saw this scene.
"What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?" He bent down and hugged her from behind.
Seeing Su He like this, he couldn't help but feel heartbroken.
Su He didn't turn around, only murmured, "I think I'm going to lose an important friend..."
Lu Yanbei, not understanding, squatted in front of her and asked, "What happened?"
Su He hesitated for a long time before explaining the whole story to him. "I believe she did it all for my own good. But that past means a lot to me, and I don't want to forget it so vaguely."
"Lu Yanbei, I know you're very capable. Please help me investigate what happened back then, okay?" She placed her hand on the back of his, requesting sincerely.
Su He's sad expression caused Lu Yanbei's heart to ache fiercely.
"Let's find some time, and I'll accompany you back there to walk around. Perhaps you'll remember something," Lu Yanbei said after a long period of thought.