Chapter 887: Loving Someone Is So Exhausting

Cai Xiaotang took out her phone, unable to tell if what she felt inside was anticipation or some other emotion.

After a two-second pause, she hurriedly lowered her head to glance at the screen.

Seeing the words "Old Brother" displayed, she instantly let out a sigh of relief.

"Baobao, I'll be going now. Get some good rest, and I'll come to see you again tomorrow."

Cai Xiaotang smiled at Jiang Baobao and hurriedly turned to walk out.

Closing the hospital room door, she then answered the call.

Before she could even speak, she heard Mu Liusu anxiously asking on the other end: "Xiao Tang, how are you? Where are you now? Are you hurt?"

"Hurt?"

Cai Xiaotang was stunned upon hearing this, a flash of confusion crossing her eyes, before she suddenly realized something and had a moment of epiphany.

Old Brother must have found out about the ski resort incident... She didn't see him often, so she had forgotten that, just like someone else, he was also a member of that "Dark Gate"...

And he was in charge of intelligence, so how could he not know about what happened last night?

Not wanting him to worry, Cai Xiaotang hurriedly replied: "I'm perfectly fine, doing great."

"Really okay?"

Mu Liusu was still somewhat skeptical and continued to press: "But why does it sound like you're at a Hospital? I thought I heard the sound of a nurse talking just now."

Cai Xiaotang was taken aback, not expecting him to be so sharp. She glanced at the passing medical staff, feeling a warmth in her heart, and hurriedly assured him again: "I'm really fine! A friend of mine is hospitalized, so I came to the Hospital to see her. I'm planning to head home in a bit, Brother, so please don't worry."

Mu Liusu didn't speak upon hearing this, seemingly deep in thought. After another two seconds, he suddenly suggested: "Why don't you come home for a while? Li Xiao... is indeed not very reassuring. You can wait until this period passes before moving back in with him."

Mu Liusu's tone sounded uncharacteristically helpless.

If he weren't worried about Cai Xiaotang encountering some situation, he wouldn't want to "break them up" either.

However, she probably wouldn't agree anyway.

Mu Liusu thought to himself, waiting for Cai Xiaotang's reply.

Cai Xiaotang, however, had suddenly gone silent.

She gripped her phone, her eyes slightly reddening.

She had already been holding back in front of Jiang Baobao, saying nothing, but now, hearing the concern from her brother, she finally couldn't hold it in anymore.

Unable to tell if it was more grievance or sadness, Cai Xiaotang suddenly felt an urge to have a good cry, yet she felt it would be too embarrassing to actually break down.

Her lips were pressed tightly together, fearing that if she were careless, Mu Liusu would hear her current emotional state.

"Xiao Tang?"

Mu Liusu's voice came through again; hearing her silence, he was somewhat confused.

Cai Xiaotang hurriedly adjusted her emotions and replied: "No need, Brother. I'm really fine. I won't talk to you for now; my friend is calling me. Let's chat when I'm free."

After saying this, she hurriedly hung up the phone and let out a sigh of relief.

Yet the sadness in her heart didn't diminish in the slightest. The images from the cave were firmly imprinted in her mind; every time she recalled them, her heart felt a bit more pained, stuck in her chest.

Cai Xiaotang took a deep breath and suddenly thought of Mu Liusu's words just now.

Home...

She had absolutely no interest in that home.

However, it was true that she hadn't gone back to visit her mother in a very long time...

Half an hour later—

Cai Xiaotang stood outside the gate of the Mu Family villa.

She calmly knocked the door open and immediately saw the butler looking at her with a face full of surprise.

"Eldest Miss! Why have you suddenly returned?"

Cai Xiaotang nodded casually and walked through the door without stopping, intending to go straight upstairs.

Just as she reached the living room, she saw Father Mu and Madam Mu walking hand-in-hand, seemingly about to go out.

Not expecting her to return suddenly, Father Mu was stunned for a moment before immediately showing a look of pleasant surprise.

"Xiao Tang? Why did you suddenly come back?"

As Father Mu spoke, he let go of Madam Mu's hand and walked toward Cai Xiaotang, wanting to reach out and pat her shoulder.

Cai Xiaotang, however, abruptly stepped back, avoiding his movement.

"Came back to see my mother."

She coldly tossed out these six words and indifferently shifted her gaze away.

Then she heard Father Mu say happily: "Good! It's good that you're back! Then Dad won't go out anymore; I'll stay home and keep you company today!"

"Not needed."

Cai Xiaotang frowned and refused without a second thought, walking past him to head upstairs.

Then she heard Madam Mu say sarcastically: "Heh, trying to curry favor and getting a cold shoulder, aren't you? Our Eldest Miss Cai doesn't care for your company..."

Once these words were out, Father Mu couldn't keep his composure, and he glared at Madam Mu with annoyance.

Cai Xiaotang was already used to Madam Mu's tone and didn't even respond, heading straight upstairs.

Behind her, the sound of the two of them talking continued to drift over.

Cai Xiaotang, however, suddenly felt her legs growing weaker and her vision blurring; feeling as if she couldn't hold on any longer, she collapsed onto the floor.

Barely making it to her mother's bedroom door, she had just pushed it open when she "fell" directly into the room!

"Ugh..."

Her knee slammed into the doorframe, making her unable to help but let out a muffled groan.

But the familiar environment allowed her body and spirit to relax in an instant.

Cai Xiaotang closed the bedroom door and moved to the bedside to sit down.

Then she rolled up her pant leg to look at her knee.

It hadn't broken the skin, it was just slightly red, and hadn't even swollen up.

But for some reason, the pain seemed to pierce through the skin and seep into the bones, making every nerve in her body tense up.

"Drip—"

A drop of water fell onto her knee, catching her off guard.

Cai Xiaotang was dazed, and subconsciously reached out to wipe her eyes, only then discovering that tears had actually run out on their own.

She froze for two seconds, then suddenly and uncontrollably grabbed the pillow beside her, buried her face in it, and let her tears run wild.

"Mom..."

Cai Xiaotang spoke with a sob, her voice becoming somewhat hoarse.

"I just bumped my leg, it hurts so much..."

"You're not here... there's no one to help me blow on it..."

Just like when she was a child acting spoiled with her mother, she complained intermittently about her "bad luck."

But what hurt more than her leg was her heart.

"Mom... if only you were still here... how good that would be..."

"I miss you so much..."

"Mom..."

"I don't want to like anyone else ever again... liking someone is so exhausting..."

Cai Xiaotang's tears were like beads with a broken string, and very quickly, a large patch of the pillow in her arms was soaked through.

Her brain also became increasingly sluggish, and her whole body was burning hot.

The fever that hadn't completely subsided last night seemed to have made a comeback.

But Cai Xiaotang didn't care.

She only wanted to have a good cry and vent all the emotions in her heart.

And then, she didn't want to like anyone ever again.

Let it end.

She was really so tired...