Second Chance At Life

3

"I am so sorry for how I've treated you in the past."

Ai Jia stood there in shock, not believing what she just had heard. How could... how could someone like her apologise?

"...Stop lying. What do you want from me?" Ai Jia clenched her fists shut waiting for what's the come. She also felt a bit angry. 'If she really meant her apology, am I supposed to forgive her, just like that? After everything she's done to me?'

"I'm not lying and I don't want anything from you. I know that I did a lot of wrong things in the past and I'm sorry for that." Li Chaoxing tried to convey her sincerity as much as she could.

"Am I just supposed to forgive now? After everything you've done, I should just forgive?"

"No, if you don't want to forgive me, then that is within your right, but that does not change the fact that I'll try to gain your forgiveness. I know I did a lot of messed up things that won't be easily forgiven to you, and I understand that. I just needed to apologise because I know what I did was wrong."

They stood there in silence for a few minutes before Ai Jia responded.

"You- ...I don't forgive you but you can try to earn it... I am only giving you this chance for my daughter and my husband." She whispered unsure if Li Chaoxing would even want to really earn her forgiveness.

"Thank you for giving me a chance. I appreciate it." Again, a sincere smile that Ai Jia really didn't expect.

Before they both headed back, Li Chaoxing added something. "Oh, yeah. So while we are still on topic of change and forgiving, what is the name of your adorable and cute daughter?"

"...Li Hwa Young"

After that, they both rejoined the family in the living room. If anyone noticed the changed mood between Li Chaoxing and Ai Jia, no one commented on it.

Again, Li Chaoxing walked up to Li Zhou and Ai Jia but this time with another reason. Ai Jia was holding her baby daughter.

"Can I steal this cutie from you for a second?" Li Chaoxing's eyes shone like a puppy's. Ai Jia looked at her sceptically before carefully handing her daughter to Li Chaoxing.

Li Chaoxing carefully held Li Hwa Young in her arms and the baby showed her 2 front teeth with a big smile. "Oh, little one... Can I bite your cheeks please?" Li Chaoxing was playing with the little cutie and was making her laugh a lot. Then, after a long time of playing Li Hwa Young fell asleep in her arms. Li Chaoxing then carefully made her way to Ai Jia so she could put the baby in a crib.

"Li Hwa Young, she fell asleep while playing."

Ai Jia looked surprised to see her daughter sleeping in someone else's arms. "...She normally doesn't sleep in someone else's arms except for me and Li Zhou." Ai Jia muttered.

With a beaming smile Li Chaoxing said; "That's because I'm her aunt!"

After that, they sat together in the living room for a while before Li Chaoxing's brother and father left after receiving a phone call. Both of them rushed to the company to handle some matters.

As everyone started to leave one by one, Li Chaoxing also left. She went up to her room and flopped down on her bed. With a sigh she pulled up her phone and went to her contacts. She messaged Han Sicheng asking if he wanted to come and have dinner with them. He messaged back saying that he'll come at 8.

It was only 12 and she didn't have much to do so she started to think again. She gave up on her dream of being an actress just for Yu Feng, but now... it's possible to still achieve it.

Li Chaoxing studied in the College of Arts and there she studied acting. She was honestly quite good at it and had a real talent for it, even her professors told her that she is capable of great things. Yet she gave it all up for one stupid man. Aah... how naive she was, thinking that he only wanted the best for her.

Now back to acting, she was still hesitating if she should give it a chance or not. Li Chaoxing really didn't know what to do and felt really troubled by it. She got up and grabbed her notebook again.

She then started writing another song about how she felt. And then another about the past... and another about her ex.

This is the song she 'wrote' about her ex and about her past with him (I think it fits her situation well)

She continued writing even skipping lunch until Han Sichen sent her a message, saying he'll be here in 1 hour.

She looked at herself in the mirrors, in pyjamas and completely messed up. She jumped in the shower real quick, took care of her long hair and put on a beautiful but casual dress. Li Chaoxing wanted to look good in front of him and once she realised that she blushed.

She wanted to make things up with him but she still doesn't know what she exactly felt for him. And she realised that wanting to look good for him says quite a lot already. She blushed again as she realised that she (probably) liked him.

She looked in the mirror again and saw her eye bags; she again put on some concealer even though it wasn't good coverage. She thought that earlier at breakfast nobody noticed so it didn't really matter that much.

Then, Li Chaoxing heard someone ringing the bell. She ran downstairs and opened the door a bit out of breath. And there stood her prince charming with a beautiful bouquet of flowers, specifically pink tulips. Accompanied with the flowers was a little box.

Han Sicheng pushed the flower and box into her arms and shyly looked away. His cheeks were a beautiful pink tone. "For you...", he mumbled.

"Thank you, these flowers look beautiful.", she gave him that sincere smile again and he stunningly stared at her. Li Chaoxing opened the little box he gave her and found a beautiful necklace. It was a gold one with a pink diamond on it but... she seemed to recognize it; it was his mother's necklace, the one she used to wear before she sadly passed away.

Li Chaoxing shockingly stared at him and questions were running through her mind; "I- How... could you give this to me?" She really appreciated it but their relationship was still not so good to give her something like this. Why would he give something so valuable to her, not even knowing if she's sincere to him?

He gently picked up the necklace and motioned for her to turn around. Before he could even touch her hair to put it on the side, she had already done it. While he was putting the necklace on her, he started speaking; "I feel like it already belongs to you and that it suits you...", as she turned around and he could see her with it on he said; ", and I was right, it does suit you."

Before Li Chaoxing could even respond he cooly walked inside. He looked so cool and amazing, that is if... she didn't notice his reddened ears. Chaoxing really had to hold back her laughter after he acted so cool.

*Li Chaoxing's dress