Lu Xuan's fingertips tapped unconsciously on his phone case, making a faint "thump, thump" sound.
Second Aunt's house... Zhu Siyuan...
His Second Aunt's somewhat harsh face appeared in his mind. In his previous life, when his family was down and out, his Second Aunt had not held back from making veiled criticisms, saying that his Mom had poor judgment, married the wrong person, lived a tight life, and even made them, her relatives, lose face.
The implication of her words, in and out, was nothing more than disdain for their family's poverty, dragging them down.
Let him go help them? Lu Xuan's lips curled into a cold sneer. He, Lu Xuan, was no saint who repaid evil with good.
If it weren't for his mother's sake, not kicking them while they were down would already be a sign of remembering old ties. Did they really expect him to actively offer a helping hand? It was simply a pipe dream.
He took a breath, his tone calm with a hint of detachment: "Mom, this matter... I'm afraid we can't handle it. I'm just a freshman, new to Yanjing and unfamiliar with the area. What connections could I possibly have? How am I supposed to inquire about things in the education system? You know our family's situation; we're just ordinary people. What do we have to fight against others?"
He paused, his voice devoid of any ripples: "To put it bluntly, if there's really someone manipulating this behind the scenes, for a family like ours, if we get caught up in it, what can we do besides accepting our fate?"
"Accept our fate?!" Lu Xuan's Mom on the other end of the phone sounded as if she had been pricked by a needle, her voice suddenly rising, filled with a strong crying tone, "Xuan Xuan! How can you say such a thing! That's your cousin! He studied hard for more than ten years, hoping to get into a good university and escape rural life, and now everything is ruined! How will he live in the future?"
"Your Second Aunt... your Second Aunt is almost going crazy! She came to see me this morning, her eyes swollen like rotten peaches, she couldn't even speak clearly, just kept wiping away tears, saying that if there's no explanation for Siyuan's matter, she... she doesn't want to live anymore!"
Lu Xuan's brow furrowed almost imperceptibly.
His mother rarely lost her composure like this; it seemed his Second Aunt had truly distressed her this time.
"Mom, please don't get agitated," he tried to calm his mother down, "I didn't mean it that way. I meant that this kind of thing is very complicated, I..."
"You did mean it that way!" Lu Xuan's Mom didn't listen to his explanation at all, her voice filled with despair and a hint of desperate pleading, "Xuan Xuan, Mom knows you've been smart since you were little, and now you've been admitted to Yanjing University, which is one of the best universities in the country. You're knowledgeable and quick-witted."
"Your Second Aunt is truly at her wit's end, that's why she came to me. She's counting on you to help Siyuan out! Please... please just pity your unfortunate cousin and help him find a solution, okay?"
Lu Xuan remained silent, listening to his mother's suppressed sobs on the other end, each sound like a small hammer tapping on his heart.
He could imagine his mother's dilemma and anxiety at that moment.
"Mom, it's not that I don't want to help," he sighed, his voice involuntarily softening a bit, "You also know that this kind of thing is very deep. I'm just a student, unarmed, truly..."
"I know it's difficult for you!" Lu Xuan's Mom's voice suddenly choked up, carrying a deep sense of powerlessness, but her tone abruptly shifted, "But... but that's your Second Aunt! Xuan Xuan, you... have you forgotten? When you were four years old, you had a high fever, you were delirious, and you had pneumonia. The doctor said if you were sent to the hospital any later, your little life would have been in danger! At that time, where did we have money? Your Dad was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan. It was I... it was I who cried and called your Second Aunt."
"She didn't say a word. In the middle of the night, she borrowed money from house to house and managed to gather the life-saving money. She took a car overnight and sent you to the hospital! Without your Second Aunt's help back then, you... you might have been gone long ago! Mom will remember this kindness for the rest of her life. We can't forget our roots, Xuan Xuan!"
The last few words, Lu Xuan's Mom almost roared them out, filled with endless grievance and indignation.
Lu Xuan's hand holding the phone suddenly stiffened, his knuckles turning slightly white from the force.
Four years old... high fever... pneumonia... Second Aunt borrowing money...
Some dusty, blurry fragments, like mist blown away by a strong wind, abruptly flashed in his mind.
He seemed to be able to feel the dizziness of the high fever back then, and a pair of warm hands anxiously stroking his forehead...
He had always thought that his impression of his Second Aunt's family consisted only of those trivial complaints and faint disdain, but he never expected that behind those unpleasant memories, such a life-changing past was deeply hidden.
He, Lu Xuan, had always prided himself on repaying grievances, not offending others if they didn't offend him, but if they did, he would dig three feet deep to return it.
But similarly, a drop of kindness should be repaid with a gushing spring; this was also a principle ingrained in his bones.
If his mother's words were true, then this kindness had long exceeded the scope of a "drop"; it was truly a life-saving grace!
For a moment, his Second Aunt's occasional sharp words and her patronizing lectures over the years didn't seem so unbearable anymore.
Perhaps it was just a middle-aged woman's habitual complaints, burdened by life, or perhaps it was an awkward and clumsy way of expressing her concern for her relatives?
Lu Xuan took a deep breath, then slowly exhaled.
The little resentment and unhappiness in his heart, born from his memories of his previous life, instantly vanished in the face of the weighty words "life-saving grace," appearing so insignificant, even somewhat ridiculous.
"Mom," his voice was much calmer, but upon closer listening, one could detect a subtle softening and warmth, "Please don't cry anymore. Crying won't solve the problem. If tears could bring Siyuan's grades back, I'd cry with you."
The sobbing on the other end of the phone noticeably quieted, with a hint of nasal surprise: "Xuan Xuan, you..."
"This matter... I understand." Lu Xuan rubbed his somewhat throbbing forehead, his tone much more decisive, "Tell Second Aunt to send me Zhu Siyuan's examination permit number, ID number, and the school and major he applied for, all in detail. I... I'll try to find a way, give it a shot. But I'll say this upfront, I can't guarantee 100% success, after all, this kind of thing involves too much."
"Oh! Oh! Good! Good!" Lu Xuan's Mom immediately burst into tears of joy, her voice filled with the relief of surviving a disaster and unspeakable excitement, as if she had grasped the last straw of hope, "Mom knew it! Mom knew my son is the most filial and capable! Your Second Aunt will definitely jump for joy if she knows you're willing to help! Don't worry, just do your best, Mom won't blame you! Oh, I'll call her right now to get the information! Not a second to waste!"
Listening to his mother's relieved and overjoyed voice on the other end, Lu Xuan shook his head helplessly, but a faint arc involuntarily curved at the corner of his lips.
This old lady's emotions changed faster than flipping a book.
"Alright, alright, Mom, don't get too excited. It's still too early to tell." He paused, then deliberately said in a light, joking tone, "If you keep crying like this, Second Aunt might see you later and think I, your son, did something to you. With her fiery temper, she might really rush to Yanjing and scratch my face."
"You little rascal, what kind of time is it, and you still dare to tease your Mom!" Lu Xuan's Mom giggled, "Pfft," at his words, and the oppressive gloom from before largely dissipated, her tone much lighter, "Alright, I won't waste time with you, I need to go do something important. Xuan Xuan, this time... thank you so much. Mom knows this will definitely cause you a lot of trouble."
"Mom, we're family, don't be so polite." Lu Xuan chuckled, "Wait for my news, I'll do my best."
After hanging up the phone, Lu Xuan put his phone back in his pocket, looked out the window, and sighed.