The Flower Bloomed Sixty Times

When the first rays of morning sunlight fell on the floor, Julian opened the door and walked in.

He stood over Xena and looked down at her. His indifferent gaze was cold and distant. “Do you know now what you did wrong?”

Xena softly said, “I do.”

She truly did.

The moment she fell in love with Julian had been the biggest mistake she made in her life. Then, she made mistake after mistake and decided to marry him.

Julian’s expression softened slightly. He turned and walked out. “Let’s go. I’ll take you home.”

They did not speak on the way. He dropped her off at the entrance to the house.

As she got out of the car, he suddenly said, “Don’t do such senseless things from now on. Xena, what I promised you will never change. As long as you are a good wife and a good mother, no one will take away your position.”

“I understand.”

Xena’s voice was calm. She walked straight inside.

When she passed Zayden and Yannick’s room, she heard voices coming from inside.

“Ms. Jensen, will our plan work? Will Mom really move out and stop controlling us all the time?”

“Ms. Jensen, once Mom is gone, I won’t have to do homework anymore. I want to eat lots of snacks and watch TV all the time.”

Xena paused for a brief moment. Then, she smiled bitterly and went back to her room.

She packed her bags and returned to her parents’ house. She explained everything to them, said goodbye, and left.

She planned to go to the city hall to collect the divorce certificate, then head straight to the airport.

The sunlight was gentle as she walked slowly along the greenway.

Julian’s car was parked nearby. The window rolled down. Moon sat in the front passenger seat. She held a bouquet of flowers and stared at Xena provocatively.

Julian said firmly, “Get in the car.”

Xena did not move.

Julian stepped out of the car and walked over to her. He frowned and took the luggage from her hands.

“Where’re you going with the luggage?”

When he put her luggage into the car, Xena had no choice but to get into the back seat.

“I’m going home for a few days.”

Julian fell silent for a while, then started the car. “That’s fine. Go back and reflect. Take some time to calm down.”

What was ironic was that he did not notice she was heading in the opposite direction from the Xander family villa.

Xena was quiet and thought about an excuse so that he would let her out of the car.

They had not driven far when a taxi coming from the opposite direction suddenly lost control and rushed straight at them.

Honk! Honk! Honk!

The sharp sound of the horn rang out. Julian yanked the steering wheel hard. It sent the car spinning aside.

The sound of shattering glass filled the air. A sharp pain tore through Xena’s arm and forehead. Warm blood flowed out.

As her consciousness began to fade, she saw Julian get out of the car in a panic. He rushed to the front passenger seat and pulled Moon out.

His voice trembled in fear. “Moon, are you okay?”

“I’m fine.” Moon smiled to comfort him. “The glass just cut me a little. It’s nothing serious.”

Xena saw Julian pull Moon into his arms with teary eyes. He held her tightly, as if he wanted to press her into himself. “Thank goodness you’re okay! Moon, I can’t lose you again.

“I’ll take you to the hospital. I’ll have someone handle the car.”

He kissed her on the forehead, then wrapped an arm around her and helped her walk away.

He never once looked back at Xena.

Perhaps he had already forgotten her.

…

Xena woke up in the hospital.

Bandages wrapped her forehead and arm. Her luggage was beside her bed.

She let out a quiet breath of relief. The nurse told her that the driver who caused the accident had brought her to the hospital.

Xena took her luggage and completed the discharge procedures despite the medical staff’s advice.

She rushed all the way to the city hall and finally got the divorce certificate before the place closed.

She kept her own copy and left Julian’s behind, along with the phone number of his workplace. She said to the staff, “Please notify him to come and collect it when you can.”

When she stepped out of the city hall, the sun was setting at the edge of the city. The shadows of people on the street stretched long across the ground.

She stood at the entrance for a while and watched. A young couple had just finished work and were walking home with two children carrying their schoolbags. Their laughter drifted down the street.

She suddenly collapsed onto the ground and cried until she had no strength left.

…

In the early hours of the morning, a plane bound for the south slowly took off.

Xena sat by the window and looked at the dark city below. She let out a soft sigh.

The chains that had bound her for sixty years were finally gone.

In this life, she would live only for herself.