"It seems that you've made up your mind." Xue Jinxu observed how steadfast her friend's resolution appeared. 

"Mhmm… Yes." Teng Man Rui answered, smiling sincerely.

After their long, painful misunderstanding, the two best friends Xue Jinxu and Teng Man Rui slowly mended their friends.h.i.+p. It required hard work, but the two were willing to undergo the necessary process.

No matter how awkward it was, they began alternately contributing to the emotional bank that their friends.h.i.+p needed for it to grow and flourish to its old glory.

Teng Man Rui started by sending baskets of freshly picked fruits to Xue Jinxu's house. At first, Xue Jinxu thought that Chen Linyun bought it, but the man denied it.

"No, I hadn't been to the market lately." The husband denied and refused to take on the credit that wasn't his.

Then, one time while he visited the pregnant twin, Xue Minhe mentioned in pa.s.sing some suggestions for cla.s.ses which soon-to-be parents could optimize. Some included labor rehearsals, and everything to know about pregnancy. Xue Minhe even came with a complete list.

The list made Xue Jinxu instantly suspicious. How would her twin brother know so much about it? 

"Did you research it all by yourself?" Xue Jinxu narrowed her eyes at her brother, a hint of a mischievous smirk was on her lips.

The twin brother, not wanting to lie to his only sister, reluctantly retorted, "Some months ago, my ex-wife and I prepared this list. I thought it would be more of a waste to keep it to myself and cling to it, or just throw it, when it can be beneficial to you."

"Ahhh… Great explanation, Ge-ge. I see." Eyebrows raised, she nodded, unconvinced. She laughed heartily after her statement.

Xue Jinxu did lack on her end as well.

To prove that she's open for reconciliation, Xue Jinxu often sent text messages of good, inspiring quotes to Teng Man Rui. The lady thought that it was such a perfect idea to reconnect because sending those quotes would not require a response at all.

She continued to do it without expecting a response in return, but Teng Man Rui would almost always respond with a smiley or a simple thanks.

Those modest actions kept the ball rolling.

Until one day, Xue Jinxu stopped all the pretense and circuitous act. She straightforwardly invited her best friend to her house. With her personally, she would rather proactively confront her friend no matter what the consequences are. However, she had hoped for their encounter to turn out well.

Teng Man Rui obliged, "Okay, there's something I want to tell you as well. It would be better to meet up in person."

And so, they met. It was during the second week of September.

"Autumn is almost here." Xue Jinxu started tentatively.

The maids served some fruit juice and bread. The two friends started to warm up with each other. They exchanged some more small talks and pleasantries.

After all the trivialities, Teng Man Rui finally broke her news to her. "En. As the seasons change, I plan to start anew too."

"That's great, Xiao Rui." Xue Jinxu timidly agreed without pressing too much. However, her curiosity was beyond the roof.

"I've been undergoing therapy lately. You know… To… To cope up with the harrowing events that happened to me recently." She paused, took a breather, and smiled. The topic was all too sensitive for her. It took her to muster her courage to talk about it to anyone openly.

Then, she continued, "My therapist advised me to start afresh and try something new – something that is not part of my daily routine before."

"That's what exactly I would be doing. Actually, I'm excited about it! Hehehe." Her eyes formed small arches as her façade was engulfed with enthusiasm.

Teng Man Rui relayed some more of her optimistic plans to Xue Jinxu, the latter attentively listening and only b.u.t.ting in with 'Ahhh' and 'I see' and 'sounds good'.

During their conversation, Xue Jinxu had been feeling some sort of pain in her belly, but she shrugged it off thinking that it's tolerable and even short-lived. She kept silent about it with a plastered smile on her attentive-looking face so that it would not disrupt the jovial atmosphere they were enjoying.

As Teng Man Rui ended relaying her plans, the two best of friends talked about their childhood and the happy memories they spent during their teens.

They both sighed contentedly, both with the awareness that after a few years they would find themselves in a situation wherein they wouldn't be able to fathom how fate would play tricks on them. Their young selves would never have imagined – no matter how creative they were – all the possibilities of how real life has just unfolded for both of them.

Regardless of how painful their experiences were, here they were, still friends, enduring, emerging triumphant no matter what storm they had to go through. Their friends.h.i.+p is strong and resilient, too. 

True love proves to be everywhere, not just between family members but with friends, too. 

Perhaps, there would come a time in the future when they would be able to laugh off all their silliness and foolishness and all the painful memories of the present time, looking back.

---

Teng Man Rui eventually left. They bid their farewells, and a promise of a reunion in the future no one knows exactly when.

The lady exchanges their well-wishes for the lives they chose, and prayers for good health and prosperity.

As soon as Teng Man Rui left, the pain in Xue Jinxu's abdomen grew stronger. Her knees wobbled, and she proactively leaned on the doorway to support herself. She stayed there for a good while since she's not quite sure if she could reach the couch safely on her own.

Her forehead and back started to sweat profusely now. Grabbing the doorway's post tightly, she attempted to shout for help.

The maids heard her and went swiftly to her rescue. They supported her by the elbows and back and towed her slowly towards the couch.

She panted heavily as she requested for her mobile phone. The maids around her searched for it vigorously and pa.s.sed it on to her as soon as they found it.

She was able to send two messages successfully before she pa.s.sed out.