Love Affairs in Melbourne-Chapter 105 - 102 The impermanence of worldly affairs

"Don’t go, with such a magnetic voice, it’s a waste not to hear you speak more. I just want to hear you say that Qi Yi is all about his looks," Yan Yan took out her phone, ready to turn on the recording function.

"In high school, how come I never noticed you were this bizarre?" Chu Ying felt that she needed to get to know Yan Yan all over again.

"Is ’bizarre’ really the right word for someone like me, who everyone loves, who gets picked up by any car, and who even makes flowers bloom? Do you think it fits me?" Yan Yan obviously didn’t like the adjective Chu Ying had just assigned to her.

"Does Qi University’s Hottest Guy agree with you getting into any car you like?" Chu Ying cut straight to the chase, leaving out everything but the potential consequences of being picked up by any car.

"Whether he agrees or not is his business, whether I get into a car is my business, and more importantly, whether someone wants to give me a ride is their business. Even if I’m good-looking, I can’t control someone else’s free will. Wanting to give me a ride isn’t a crime, but forcibly dragging me into a car could be. Do you know why humans have original sin?" Yan Yan asked Chu Ying, who was a bit lost for words.

"Please, enlighten me," Chu Ying figured it was best to conserve her words.

"Enlighten you? I’m not good at preaching, but I can share something secondhand. I once asked a Priest, since God is omniscient and omnipotent, did He know that Adam and Eve would commit the original sin?" Yan Yan paused here.

"And? What was the Priest’s answer?" Chu Ying was good at communicating.

"The Priest said that God certainly knew," Yan Yan replied.

"Then what? Why did they still commit the original sin?" Chu Ying started to get curious about what Yan Yan was saying.

"The Priest said it was because God gave humans free will," Yan Yan explained.

"I see. Why suddenly bring this up?" Chu Ying was curious but also confused.

"Suddenly? Not at all. The root of all human evil is the pursuit of free will. Since free will is sacred and inviolable, nobody can stop someone from wanting to give me a ride the moment they see me," Yan Yan finally circled back to the point she was boasting about.

"Given the circumstances, it’s time to look at you in a new light," Chu Ying felt completely defeated by the current Yan Yan and straightforwardly asked about what she really cared about, "Have you booked your ticket back for August? Which day are you coming back?"

"I’m heading back to Melbourne this time to start my thesis and prepare for the graduation exhibition. The exact schedule from the school will only be known after the term starts, so I can’t set a date right now. I’ll let you know as soon as I book my ticket," Yan Yan knew that Chu Ying cared a lot about the difference between 43 and 44. When Qi Yi was out of contact, Chu Ying had asked Yan Yan several times to confirm whether she really didn’t have Qi Yi’s contact information because she couldn’t make up the 44.

.........

Although school wasn’t starting until the end of July, Yan Yan rushed back to Melbourne just a few days after the month had started, following the end of the class reunion.

When Yan Yan returned to China, Shen Xi was sick, but it wasn’t very serious - just a loss of appetite, a sallow complexion, and frequent drowsiness.

These symptoms could be a sign of illness, at worst a severe case of being under the weather.

But when Yan Yan called Bao Bao yesterday, she received the shocking news that Shen Xi was critically ill and had been admitted to the ICU.

Yan Yan hadn’t expected that during her return home, such a serious issue would arise in Melbourne.

How could a perfectly healthy person suddenly end up like this?

When Meina expressed her concern that Bao Bao might not cope alone in Australia, Yan Yan thought Meina was overthinking it.

In the current situation, it was definitely not appropriate to leave Bao Bao alone in Australia.

Yan Yan changed her flight to the earliest one available and rushed back to Melbourne as fast as she could.

Yan Yan wasn’t a doctor, she couldn’t do much, but as a friend, she wanted to be there for Shen Xi and Bao Bao.

Since she had already seen Jin Jin in Shanghai during her return from the United States, Yan Yan didn’t need to transfer through Shanghai on her way back to Australia.

Yan Yan chose to fly with Dragonair to Hong Kong and then take Cathay Pacific to Melbourne.

Yan Yan was to meet Bao Meina, who was departing from Xiamen, in Hong Kong and take the same flight to Melbourne.

Bao Meina had already obtained her Australian visa to attend her sister’s wedding.

Meina had not expected to be going to Australia under such circumstances.

Bao Meina and Yan Yan were both worried that Bao Bao might have an emotional breakdown, unable to cope, so they decided to rush to Melbourne as quickly as possible.

When Yan Yan and Meina arrived at the hospital, they found Bao Bao was left there all alone.

Shen Xi had left, and the Shen Family had barred Bao Bao from the last ward.

Since the wedding ceremony had not been officially conducted, Bao Bao and Shen Xi had no legal familial relationship.

Bao Bao’s face was devoid of expression, revealing neither sadness nor joy.

Meina walked over and embraced Bao Bao. Only then did Bao Bao’s tears begin to overflow.

This was the first time Yan Yan saw Bao Bao cry, silently, without a sound.

Yan Yan just stood by, watching the embrace of sisters Meina and Bao Bao, unable to utter a comforting word.

In such moments, all words seem pale and powerless.

.................

Shen Xi’s mother couldn’t accept the sudden loss of her daughter.

Mrs. Shen got the news about Shen Xi’s incident around the same time as Yan Yan.

Ever since she knew about Shen Xi’s plans to marry Bao Bao, Mrs. Shen hadn’t answered another call from Shen Xi.

If Bao Bao had not made a series of over a dozen calls to the Shen Family, Mrs. Shen might not have seen Shen Xi for the last time.

Shen Xi’s mother broke down emotionally, appearing wan and haggard.

She must blame herself for not answering her younger daughter’s calls over the New Year, nor agreeing to let Shen Xi come home.

She could never have imagined that it would be Shen Xi’s last New Year.

But people often find it hard to accept their own mistakes. Mrs. Shen attributed all the blame to Bao Bao.

Having heard too much about the link between gay people and AIDS, in Mrs. Shen’s mind, she felt that a woman being with another woman was also "filthy."

Despite the vast gap between her perspective and reality.

Two women together is the cleanest thing, even cleaner than a woman being with a man.

There has never been a report of a disease that is particularly prevalent among lesbians.

The cause of Shen Xi’s sudden organ failure had not even been identified by the doctors.

There was not much Yan Yan could do, but she could still block the unwarranted accusations and even personal attacks Mrs. Shen hurled at Bao Bao.

The more a person blames themselves, the easier it is to vent that self-blame on others.

Bao Meina couldn’t understand Mrs. Shen’s actions, but Yan Yan understood very clearly that Mrs. Shen didn’t intend to target Bao Bao. She was just unable to get over the hurdle in her own heart.

There’s a strange saying often heard, that as long as one makes their own decisions, they won’t have regrets.

But in this world, there simply can’t be a person who never has regrets. At most, it is a matter of unwillingness to acknowledge one’s own regrets.

Shen Xi passed away just like that, leaving Yan Yan with the profound realization that life is unpredictable, and there’s no need to live too planned out a life.

Who can know what will happen tomorrow, or where they will be?