CHAPTER 164: LOVE DOESN’T ALWAYS MEAN POSSESSION

"He was anxious..." Qi Jianyi whispered, her voice barely audible, trembling like a fragile thread in the air.

"When he found out that my body was weakening for no apparent reason, slowly fading away, Song Chengfeng grew restless. He stayed by my side every chance he got, terrified that I might disappear without a word, without a goodbye."

Qi Jianning listened quietly as she stepped closer to the bed. Her expression was softened by emotion, and she finally sat across from Qi Jianyi, reaching out to take her sister’s hand into hers.

Qi Jianyi didn’t resist. She let Qi Jianning hold her hand—small, warm, trembling slightly—as she continued.

"His clinginess only got worse with each passing day. It reached a point where it started to get on my nerves." She let out a faint laugh, filled with guilt. "I had to reassure him that I was fine, that nothing was going to happen to me."

"I told him... that I would tell him once I figured out how to return to my world. I promised him." Her voice faltered, and she paused to take a deep breath before exhaling slowly.

"But I broke that promise."

"I did find a way. A way to come back home... to return to you and our parents." Qi Jianyi’s eyelashes quivered as she fought back tears, her voice growing smaller.

"But I didn’t have the courage to tell him."

"Why?"

Qi Jianning asked, her brows furrowing. Her voice held no judgment—only confusion and concern. Qi Jianyi closed her eyes, as though the answer was too heavy to look at.

"Because I thought... I had more time," she said, her voice laden with regret. "I thought I could make more memories with him. I thought I could give him the happiness he deserved before leaving. I was so sure that I had time." She laughed bitterly, tears rolling down her cheeks.

"But I was wrong, Jianning. So wrong." She wiped at her tears but they kept falling, her voice breaking as she went on.

"I knew my body was shutting down. I could feel it. Every breath I took felt heavier than the last. I knew that one day I would leave that world behind. But I thought... if I just went to City A for a day, just one day, to clear my mind, it wouldn’t hurt. I thought I could come back and still see him again." Her shoulders shook as she tried to hold in her sobs.

"But fate had other plans. My body gave out while I was driving. It completely shut down." Her voice cracked, and a look of devastation crossed her face.

"The worst part is... I was on the phone with Song Chengfeng when it happened." Qi Jianyi’s voice was soft, almost inaudible, as if she were reliving that harrowing moment in her mind.

She looked directly into her little sister’s eyes—and for the first time, Qi Jianning saw something she’d never seen before. A pair of eyes that once held nothing but coldness and apathy now brimmed with emotion. Too many emotions.

But most of all—guilt.

That gaze struck Qi Jianning’s heart like a blade. The pain in her sister’s eyes was raw, filled with sorrow, heavy with remorse. It was as though Qi Jianyi was crumbling beneath the weight of regrets that time couldn’t erase—regrets she would carry for the rest of her life.

"I was ready to leave him," Qi Jianyi said, each word trembling with grief. It shattered Qi Jianning to hear it.

"The moment I chose to give him a chance... when I allowed myself to love him, I had already accepted that I would eventually lose him." Her voice cracked slightly. "I told myself—no, I believed—that whatever feelings I had for him, they would fade with time. That I could survive without him."

"But you were wrong," Qi Jianning cut in gently, her tone certain, unwavering. Qi Jianyi nodded and let out a quiet, self-mocking laugh.

"You’re right. I was wrong. So, so wrong." She looked away, her gaze distant.

"The more I tried to forget him, the more I sank into this guilt. And that guilt... it’s like a shadow that clings to me. It won’t fade until I know he’s truly okay. Until I see him living, breathing, and smiling without me." She looked back at her sister, eyes wet but steady.

"I want to see him again. Even just once. One last time."

Qi Jianning’s fingers tightened around her sister’s hand. Her heart clenched at those words.

"What if Song Chengfeng... the man you long for... has already moved on?" she asked quietly, the question reluctant, tender, as if each word might bruise.

Listening to her words, Qi Jianyi blinked, surprised. The thought had never crossed her mind. For a moment, her expression froze, then softened with a bittersweet smile.

"Then I’ll be relieved," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "At least I’ll know he chose to live for himself. That he let go... even if I couldn’t."

"But you love him," Qi Jianning whispered back, pain lacing her words. Qi Jianyi gave a sad, peaceful smile.

"Love doesn’t always mean possession, Jianning." She reached out and gently tucked a strand of hair behind her sister’s ear.

"Sometimes, love means giving them the freedom to be happy—even if that happiness doesn’t include you." Qi Jianning frowned. Her eyes shimmered with unspoken emotion.

"But sister... how can we call that real love if we let it go so easily?" Her voice trembled, unsure.

"Why do we have to own the things we love to call it real love?" Qi Jianyi replied with a question of her own, gently deflecting her sister’s doubts.

Qi Jianning frowned, momentarily lost for words. She didn’t know how to respond. Her chest tightened with emotions she couldn’t quite name.

With a soft sigh, Qi Jianyi reached out and rubbed her sister’s hair gently, a comforting gesture filled with affection.

"Jianning, I’m not asking you to understand me," she said quietly. "We both know we see love differently. But I hope you can support me, just this once." She paused, her eyes searching her sister’s.

"Maybe Mom was right. Maybe it’s time for me to chase something I love instead of always letting it go. Isn’t that what you’ve always told me, too? To hold tightly to the things you love and never let go?" Qi Jianyi raised her brows slightly as she echoed Jianning’s own past words back at her.

"Now, there’s someone I want to fight for," she said softly. "Will you let me do that?"

"But that means I’m going to lose you," Qi Jianning whimpered. The tears that had just begun to dry welled up in her eyes again, blurring her vision.

"I’m not going to die," Qi Jianyi chuckled softly, trying to lighten the mood.

"Sister!" Qi Jianning snapped, her voice cracking with frustration and fear.

"Okay, okay. That was too much," Qi Jianyi conceded, raising her hands slightly as if surrendering. Her smile faded into something gentler, more serious.

"But Jianning, I’m really not going to disappear." She leaned in closer, her tone reassuring. "Didn’t I tell you earlier? If I can switch places with that Miss Qi once, then maybe there’s a way we can do it again—willingly. If that’s possible, then what you’re afraid of... it’ll never happen."

"Okay, let’s say you really can swap lives willingly," Qi Jianning began, her voice still shaky. "But what if that Miss Qi refuses to switch back after you do it? What if she won’t return to her world and leaves you stuck there forever?"

It was a fear that Qi Jianyi couldn’t deny—and one she had considered herself.

Qi Jianyi smiled mischievously and gave her sister a teasing look. "Then, my dear sister, I can only place all my hopes in you."

"And what could I possibly do in that situation?" Qi Jianning asked, her voice full of doubt.

"Annoy her to death until she gives up and goes back to her own world," Qi Jianyi said shamelessly. Qi Jianning let out an exasperated huff and smacked her sister lightly on the arm.

Because of Qi Jianyi’s spontaneous words, the heavy, depressive air in the room lightened considerably as the sisters burst into laughter.

After a moment, Qi Jianning sighed softly.

"I really don’t want you to go back to that world," she whispered, eyes shut as if holding back everything she felt.

"But I would hate myself even more if I became the reason why you couldn’t chase your own happiness." She looked into Qi Jianyi’s eyes, her gaze firm and determined.

"So, sister... go. If you really can go back to that world, then go and find my future brother-in-law. I believe he’s still waiting for you."

Qi Jianyi’s heart clenched. Hearing her little sister’s blessing felt like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders.

"Find him and live happily. Don’t worry about mom and dad. I promise you—I’ll take care of them, just like you did. You can live with peace of mind and be with him," Qi Jianning choked, her voice breaking halfway. She tried her best to hold back the flood of emotions, but failed miserably.

Seeing her sister relent, Qi Jianyi immediately pulled her into her arms again.

"I promise," she whispered firmly.

"I’ll come back to see you all often. And if you ever come across something you can’t figure out, write it down and wait for me to return. If it’s urgent, then leave it to Miss Qi. She’ll handle it."

"What if she doesn’t like me?" Qi Jianning murmured, a trace of insecurity in her voice.

Qi Jianyi shook her head with certainty. "No, she likes you. I can vouch for that."

"How can you be so sure?" Qi Jianning narrowed her eyes with disbelief.

"I just know," Qi Jianyi replied, shrugging casually.

Qi Jianning rolled her eyes and huffed, then changed the topic with a more serious tone.

"Sister, if you really can go to that world... please don’t disappear without telling us, okay?" she pleaded. "Let us know. I don’t want to wake up one day and realize you’re just...gone."

Qi Jianyi smiled warmly and nodded in agreement. "I promise. If I ever do get the chance to return to that world, I’ll tell you and our parents beforehand. Maybe, by then, you can cook me my favorite food," she added with a playful glint in her eyes.

"It’s been a while since I had something you made."

"Huh? Who’s the elder sister here?"

Qi Jianning complained, clearly exasperated. She didn’t quite understand why Qi Jianyi liked her cooking so much. Maybe it was because her sister had no talent in the kitchen, so the simplest things Qi Jianning made felt special to her.