Chapter 338: Healing Each Other

Happy times are always fleeting.

Fang Zhou’s group spent a joyful day at the villa party. They enjoyed two delicious meals and everyone was in high spirits. Despite a minor hiccup, the mood wasn’t dampened as none of them were overly sensitive, and they quickly forgot about it.

Even Fang Wenjing and Zhang Zhiyin didn’t make much of Song Qinghuan’s sudden appearance.

As they descended the mountain, it was already dark. Fortunately, Li Siming, ever the thoughtful one, had arranged for several cars to take everyone home.

“Alright then, we’re off! Don’t forget to come to our competition next week, Wenjing!” Li Siming reminded Fang Wenjing before leaving.

Li Siming and Fang Zhou had been close since high school, calling each other brothers. Their families trusted each other deeply. Li Siming treated Fang Wenjing like his own sister, especially since he only had an older sister who often bullied him. He preferred to pamper Fang Zhou’s sister.

He was also very concerned about Fang Wenjing’s wellbeing. When Fang Zhou was in need of money, Li Siming didn’t hesitate to use his savings to help with Wenjing’s treatment. Fang Zhou was very grateful and ensured that when he got back on his feet, he involved Li Siming in his business endeavors.

Fang Wenjing smiled brightly and waved at Li Siming, responding enthusiastically, “I’ll definitely be there! You guys do your best!”

The studio team members behind Li Siming laughed along. “With such a beautiful girl cheering us on, the first prize is in the bag!”

Su Yang and Fang Zhou both coughed simultaneously, teasingly reminding everyone, “Talk is cheap, let’s see how you perform!”

“Haha, I didn’t say that, he did!”

“Bull! It was you!”

“Don’t worry, we’ll bring home the win!”

The boys’ carefree laughter echoed through the valley, more enchanting than the cicadas in the summer evening.

Fang Zhou had driven his own car, so he first dropped Zhang Zhiyin off, then took his sister home.

“Bro, I’m really tired. I’m going to take a bath and sleep,” Fang Wenjing said as soon as they entered the house, feeling utterly exhausted.

Her weak body and a whole day of fun had drained her energy. Despite barely having the strength to keep her eyes open, she forced herself to wash up and get ready for bed.

Fang Zhou watched her with concern, nodding once he was sure she was okay. “Go ahead, you’ve had a long day. Get some rest.”

Seeing his sister smiling all day reassured Fang Zhou that he had made the right decision. She needed to get out, see friends, and have new experiences instead of being cooped up at home.

Previously, their circumstances hadn’t allowed for such outings. Fang Zhou had been confined to streaming at home, forgetting what life outside was like.

Now that things were looking up, Fang Zhou felt more optimistic and started planning new activities for his sister. As the saying goes, a healthy mind leads to a healthy body. Even medical treatment for illnesses is more effective with a positive mindset.

His sister’s condition could be improved with a kidney transplant, and Fang Zhou felt hopeful about the future.

Entering his room, he turned on the light and immediately noticed the psychology books on his shelf. The memory of his encounter with Song Qinghuan that day and her words came flooding back.

If he ignored the personal grudges and prejudices, Fang Zhou realized that participating in the dating show had benefited him more than it had harmed. Without the show, he wouldn’t have been able to cover his sister’s medical expenses. Meeting his ex-girlfriends revealed that Qiao Sisi and Han Xi were victims of their circumstances, both having suffered childhood traumas that left psychological scars.

Their dysfunctional families had shaped their flawed personalities, turning them into troubled individuals. It was like someone had tossed a piece of trash upstream, and those downstream were inevitably affected.

Of course, the main reason for the breakups lay with Fang Zhou himself. Blaming the women would be irresponsible and unkind.

Thinking about all this, Fang Zhou walked over to the bookshelf and opened a drawer. Inside were many books, and from the bottom, he pulled out a medical record book bearing his name: Patient Fang Zhou.

This was the record given to him after his diagnosis. Fang Zhou gently rubbed the cover for a moment before opening it.

He read through the lines, recalling the doctor’s words: “Your condition isn’t severe. It’s just stress-induced depression. Finding a way to shift your focus can help you escape this mental trap.”

Fang Zhou had felt something was wrong with his mental state, which led him to seek medical advice. The diagnosis revealed not only mild depression but also a condition known as ‘limerence.’ This explained why his relationships with his ex-girlfriends always ended quickly.

He liked the idea of the moon, hanging high in the sky, but not when it was at his feet, where he could trample on it.

At that time, Fang Zhou felt guilty towards his exes. Even when asked to rekindle old flames on the dating show, he found it impossible.

Now, after everything he had been through, his perception of his exes had significantly changed.

Could it be that they were healing each other?

Fang Zhou pondered this possibility, feeling a sense of mutual healing and growth from their shared experiences.