novelnext 083. Eve has calmed down!
083. Eve has calmed down!
Eve stopped pounding, her hand still hanging in mid-air.
She looked at Sylvie with wariness and distrust in her eyes, but deep down, there was also a hint of curiosity.
After all, Xinlai must have had his reasons for bringing her back.
"Do you know what a canary is?" Sylvie asked without waiting for an answer.
"Those birds kept in magnificent cages eat the finest grains, drink the purest water, live in cages meticulously crafted by artisans, and even their perches are made of precious wood. Everyone says, 'This bird is so lucky; it lives a life ten thousand times better than its wild counterparts.'"
"But no one has ever asked the bird if it wanted to fly."
Sylvie's voice was calm and undisturbed, as if she were telling a story that had nothing to do with her.
Her gaze fell on the distant horizon, where several birds flew freely through the clouds.
"My days in Peach Blossom Garden were like those of a canary."
My cage is a room larger than an average person's entire house, with the softest bed, the most gorgeous dresses, and the most precious jewelry. Mr. Skechers will have the freshest fruit, the most exquisite pastries, and even a piano custom-made just for me.
"But my window is always locked."
Eve slowly lowered her fist, her fingers unconsciously gripping the hem of her skirt.
She looked at Sylvie, and that initial aversion began to be replaced by an indescribable emotion.
"I'd almost forgotten that grass can grow wildly," Sylvie said, looking down and fiddling with a blade of grass beneath her.
"In the Peach Heart Garden, all the lawns are meticulously trimmed, and every weed is uprooted."
I can no longer remember what the soil smells like after the rain, or what the temperature of the autumn wind is like on my face.
They even completely forgot that the warm feeling of sunlight on the skin can happen without any conditions.
"Every smile, every word, every movement of mine is practiced."
There are rules about when to laugh, the angle of the laugh, and how many teeth to show.
When to speak, what to say, and what tone to use are all pre-arranged.
Sylvie paused for a moment after saying this.
She turned to look at Eve, her gaze clear and open, without any flicker or evasion.
"Sin Lai was the first man to touch me."
The words were spoken softly, but every syllable carried weight.
Eve's pupils dilated slightly.
"In Mr. Skechers' eyes, I am his collection, a work of art he has carefully crafted. He will appreciate me, but he will not let anyone touch me, because that would 'destroy my value'."
I don't know when he plans to... but I know in my heart that day will come sooner or later.
Then Sin Lai appeared.
Sylvie's lips curved slightly upward, a genuine and warm smile.
He led me out of the country.
It wasn't redeemed with money, nor was it exchanged for anything; it was simply an escape.
That was the first time I climbed out of a window, the first time I ran at night, and the first time I felt the mess of my hair being blown around by the wind.
Sylvie's gaze returned to Eve's face, her expression serious and solemn:
"Miss Eve, I know how you feel. If I were you, I would be unhappy too."
You met Xinlai before I did, so there must be many stories between you that I don't know.
In terms of status, if you become Xinlai's wife in the future, your status will definitely be higher than mine.
"I don't expect you to accept me immediately, nor do I ask for any title or status."
All I need is to stay by Xinlai's side.
Whether he wants me or not is his business.
After she finished speaking, Sylvie fell silent.
She neither begged for Eve's sympathy nor offered any explanation for her existence.
She simply stated a fact calmly, openly revealing her scars to others without concealment or arrogance.
Eve fell silent.
She opened her mouth, wanting to say something to maintain her dignity as someone who arrived first, but the words stuck in her throat.
She looked down at her fingers, which were gripping the hem of her skirt tightly; her knuckles had turned white from the force.
Sylvie's candor made her feel ashamed.
She thought she was the most wronged one, the victim, and that Xinlai was a womanizer while Sylvie was the other woman.
But now she realizes that Sylvie is the one who truly crawled out of the mud.
She at least had the Tansting family training grounds to return to, though she didn't miss them at all.
But Sylvie has nothing.
Sylvie had no way back, because at the end of that road was a locked cage.
A feeling of helplessness and anger slowly began to take hold of Eve's heart.
It's sympathy.
Eve recalled her days training with the Tanstin family.
Those endless training sessions, those harsh and almost cruel demands, those times when all personal will was taken away.
At that time, she felt like the most unfortunate person in the world, but at least... at least she had a goal, a direction, and she knew why she was suffering.
And what about Sylvie? Even the meaning of Sylvie's suffering was given to her by others, in order to become a more perfect "collection".
What are the essential differences between them?
They are all birds kept in cages.
The only difference is that Eve's cage is a training ground, while Sylvie's cage is a heart-shaped garden.
Eve's eyes stung with tears. She tried her best to hold them back, not wanting to cry in front of Sylvie; that would be too embarrassing.
But she couldn't help but steal a glance at Sylvie. Sylvie was quietly gazing into the distance, her face expressionless, as if her heartfelt confession was just an insignificant anecdote told during casual conversation.
This composure, this attitude of taking everything lightly, only made Eve even more... unsure how to put it.
She even felt a little envious of Sylvie.
Why could she be so calm? Why could she accept the existence of another woman without any reservations? Eve couldn't do it, she really couldn't.
She remembered the gazes and tenderness that should have belonged to her, but were taken away by someone else.
These images pierced her heart like needles; not particularly painful, but densely packed, leaving her nowhere to escape.
But... what could she do?
What would happen if she made a scene, if she argued, if she forced Xinlai to choose between them? Eve didn't dare to think about it.
It wasn't that she lacked confidence; rather, she knew Xinlai too well.
Sinlai dislikes being constrained, dislikes being asked to do things, and dislikes anyone trying to influence his decisions.
If she really makes a scene, the person who will leave will most likely be herself.
Besides, did Sylvie really do something wrong?
Eve kept asking herself this question.
Sylvie did not seduce Sinley, did not show off in front of her, and did not deliberately create opportunities to be alone with Sinley.
She even took the initiative to explain everything, without any concealment or embellishment, frankly laying bare her most shameful past.
This honesty, this respect for Eve, caused cracks to appear in the wall of "hostility" in Eve's heart.
Although she still couldn't immediately accept the fact that Sylvie would be serving Sinley alongside her in the future.
Eve repeatedly emphasized the words "unacceptable" in her mind, as if saying them a few more times would solidify her stance.
But she knew in her heart that although the wall was still there, it was no longer as sturdy.
Out of sympathy for women, and out of shared experience of being tormented by fate, the barrier in her heart gradually diminished.
She looked up at Sylvie, her lips moving slightly.
"...Thank you for telling me all this."
The voice was very soft, as if squeezed out from between the teeth, reluctant yet sincere.
After Eve finished speaking, she immediately turned her face away, her ears turning bright red, as if she had done something terrible.
Sylvie turned her head and looked at Eve's reddened ear tips, a slight smile curving her lips.
"Yes, I also want to thank you for listening to me, Miss Eve."
Their eyes met for a moment in the air before they looked away.
There was no handshake or reconciliation, no sisterly affection, not even a proper reconciliation. It was just that, unnoticed, someone had quietly opened a small window in that wall of separation.
Xinlai remained silent throughout.
He watched the subtle changes between the two girls, and a barely perceptible smile appeared on his lips.
Then he lay down on his back on the grass and closed his eyes.
An autumn breeze blew by, carrying the scent of earth and fallen leaves. In the distance, several unidentified birds were singing, their voices clear and melodious.
The warm sunshine felt like a soft blanket on my body.
The shadows of the three people stretched long on the grass, overlapping and then separating, much like some kind of inexplicable relationship.
Eve glanced at Xinlai and saw that he had closed his eyes and was breathing heavily.
She hesitated for a moment, but finally leaned in slowly and carefully, gently resting her head on his shoulder.
Then she quickly closed her eyes, pretending she was asleep, pretending that her wildly beating heart didn't exist.
Sylvie watched this scene and smiled silently.
She lay back down on the grass, put her hands behind her head, and looked up at the blue sky above, which was fragmented by the sycamore leaves.
The next chapter is a bonus chapter; I'm not sure if it will be censored.