Chapter 172 A Belated Apology "Kneel down and kowtow to me."...

"Han Jiang is coming back this month. Do you want to meet him?" Li Leshan asked him.

Over the years, Li Leshan and Han Jiang have maintained contact, chatting occasionally to catch up. But there's not much to say about their lives; they mostly share good news and keep the bad to themselves. After graduating from university, everyone scattered like dandelion seeds in the wind, going their separate ways, running all over the country, and hardly ever seeing each other again.

Han Jiang worked in the Hangzhou Delta region. After graduating, he simply stayed there. He said he wanted to broaden his horizons, so he really did stay in the big city. Anyway, he was quite busy, and sometimes he wouldn't come back for holidays. He would always jokingly say, "Shengping is really a heartbreaking place."

He was on a business trip out of town and happened to pass through Shengping, so he decided to stay for a few days. He hadn't seen his parents in a long time, and after hearing Li Leshan mention that the Lijiang Bridge was going to be demolished, he thought he'd come back to visit. If he didn't come back this time, he didn't know when he'd be able to come back again.

"Hanjiang?" Jiang Yueming was taken aback.

This name hadn't appeared in his memory for a long time. After what happened with Xiaobai, Jiang Yueming wanted to apologize, but after editing a message, he found that the other party had already blocked him. He knew he had done wrong, and he didn't beg for Han Jiang's forgiveness. He was sincerely sorry, but he was determined not to go back to Shengping, so the two never contacted each other again.

“Actually… he didn’t blame you.” Li Leshan looked at him.

“He’s acting strangely,” Jiang Yueming knew Han Jiang as well as she knew herself. How could he not be strange? “It’s just that time has passed, and maybe he’s too lazy to bother with me anymore.”

Li Leshan's Adam's apple bobbed, but he didn't speak again. He kept his head down in silence, still feeling that everything was his fault.

Jiang Yueming felt a little bad. He stepped forward and patted Li Leshan's hand, then recalled, "Lele, do you know? Han Jiang and I have argued at least five hundred times since we were kids."

"Looking back now, I've long forgotten why we argued in the first place, but I still remember how we made up. We were both quite stubborn, neither of us willing to back down, neither of us willing to give in first, always feeling that whoever gave in first was a coward. In order not to be that coward, I never gave in. But if we can argue 500 times, surely I must have made a mistake, right? But I wouldn't admit it back then, and I always waited for Han Jiang to apologize to me. Actually, I wasn't angry anymore."

Looking back now, I realize how awful I was. If I were in that situation, I would have punched him long ago. Han Jiang was really forgiving of him. Maybe he was afraid of losing a friend. Their friendship has lasted for so many years, it's hard to say exactly how deep it is.

"Xiaobai, I was wrong about this, and I will admit it." Jiang Yueming held Li Leshan's hand, thinking that some things should be resolved and some misunderstandings should be cleared up.

“But you can’t keep thinking you’re wrong.” He knew what Li Leshan was thinking, and he joked, “When Han Jiang rushes up and hits me, you have to protect me, you know?”

Jiang Yueming chuckled twice, leaned against Li Leshan's chest, and asked in a low voice, "Are they all doing well? I haven't asked them. Am I not being a good enough friend?"

"They" refers to many people. It refers to all the people he hasn't contacted since he left, with Han Jiang being the most prominent among them.

Li Leshan gently shook his head. "They are all doing very well."

After Jiang Yueming left, Li Leshan became the one to contact them on his behalf, as if Jiang Yueming's departure meant Jiang Yueming's departure as well, because they had once been inseparable. This included Han Jiang, Xu Qing, their homes during holidays, and even Yin Guiying and Wu Jinzhong's...

He was like a bridge, connecting Jiang Yueming to the world she had fled. It was as if, in this way, Jiang Yueming had never left.

Jiang Yueming hummed in agreement, seemingly satisfied with what he knew. From Li Leshan's description alone, he learned many things that had happened since he left: Han Jiang's father had fallen ill but thankfully recovered; Xu Qing had been accepted into graduate school and gone to the north; Wu Jinzhong's daughter had gotten married last year, and Li Leshan had even attended the wedding… Big and small, he suddenly realized how many things had happened since he left. It seemed he had truly missed out on so much.

Han Jiang arrived at the high-speed rail station at 10 PM. Upon learning that Li Leshan was coming to pick him up at the entrance, he practically launched himself into action, dashing to the station entrance as if overcoming all obstacles. It sounds a bit dramatic, but that's exactly how exciting the scene was.

He was unaware of Jiang Yueming's existence, so much so that when he saw Li Leshan and Jiang Yueming at the exit, he even thought he was seeing things or hallucinating.

Han Jiang stood there dumbfounded, oblivious to the fact that his luggage was almost snatched away by the unlicensed taxi driver at the door. He stood there blankly, still feeling unreal. All the sounds around him—the announcements, the voices of people, the rolling wheels of his suitcase—fell far, far away.

Chiang...

Jiang Yueming?

He really came back? Right in front of me? He really...

Jiang Yueming took a step forward, looking at Han Jiang's shocked expression, his heart filled with mixed feelings.

Han Jiang opened his mouth, but couldn't utter a single word. He glanced at Li Leshan beside him, then turned his gaze back to Jiang Yueming, chuckling awkwardly. He was about to say something polite or sarcastic, but before he could say anything, tears began to stream down his face.

In the first year after he left, Han Jiang swore that if Jiang Yueming ever appeared in front of him again, he would rush up and beat the man up, demanding, "Xiaobai left, why didn't you come back..."

Jiang Yueming did not return in the first year.

The year after Han Jiang left, he swore that if Jiang Yueming ever appeared before him again, he would coldly mock him, "Oh, the busy man has returned to Shengping. How can such a small temple like Shengping accommodate such a great Buddha..."

Jiang Yueming did not return the following year.

Three years after he left, Han Jiang swore that if Jiang Yueming appeared before him again, he would say nothing this time. If he had to say something, he would ask, "Who is this person? I don't recognize him..."

Jiang Yueming did not return in the third year.

...

"Damn it," Han Jiang looked at Jiang Yueming with tears in his eyes. He didn't want to cry at all, because it would be too pathetic, making it seem like he had missed her all these years. "Am I dreaming? Am I still asleep on the high-speed train?"

Jiang Yueming forced a smile and spoke, his voice slightly hoarse, "I wasn't dreaming. Do you still recognize me?"

"Damn it," Han Jiang choked, wiping his face hard, "I'd recognize you even if you were ashes."

Jiang Yueming laughed twice, but the laughter soon faded as he felt a lump in his throat, a tightness and pain in his throat.

"I was wrong, Han Jiang. I'm sorry."

Han Jiang had waited many, many years for this belated apology. He stood there, realizing that the person in his memory who had never bowed his head before had finally bowed to him this time.

But to forgive Jiang Yueming for leaving without saying goodbye all these years, isn't that too lenient with her? Isn't that too unfair to myself after all these years of waiting?

Han Jiang held back his tears, feeling that he had finally made it to the day when Jiang Yueming bowed his head to him, and he couldn't be so pathetic.

Is anyone recording at the entrance of this high-speed rail station? Was Jiang Yueming's statement recorded? Or are there any other witnesses besides Li Leshan? If he had known this would happen, he would have styled himself, worn a suit and dress shoes, or at least not run so fast when getting off the high-speed rail...

"Don't think you can just let it go with a casual apology. You'd better kneel down and kowtow to me," Han Jiang said.

As soon as he finished speaking, Li Leshan suddenly took a step forward, grabbed Jiang Yueming's wrist, and tried to pull him behind him.

Jiang Yueming stood still, remaining silent for a long time before finally saying, "Fine."

It was Jiang Yueming who said "okay," but Li Leshan did not hesitate. In just a moment, his knees were about to kneel down.

"What are you doing!" Han Jiang exclaimed in shock, quickly pulling Li Leshan up. He really didn't know what to say to the two of them. He glanced at Jiang Yueming and noticed that the man also looked shocked. "What does this have to do with you, Leshan?"

Han Jiang hadn't expected him to agree so readily. He hadn't actually intended for him to kneel; he was just still holding a grudge. What kind of person would he be if he did? Besides, no one could kneel before Li Leshan, otherwise Jiang Yueming would hold a grudge against him.

"Forget it, forget it. Thinking about it, it's too easy on you." Han Jiang changed his mind. "Stand still and let me punch you a couple of times."

After saying that, he quickly pointed at Li Leshan, afraid that he would interfere, "Hey, don't think about taking this punch for him. I'm definitely going to punch him. I'll punch Xiaobai and punch myself."

Jiang Yueming didn't resist; he accepted whatever came his way.

Han Jiang was gathering his strength on the side. He had been gathering it for a long time, thinking he was about to unleash a punch that would shake the heavens and earth, but instead, the fist landed lightly on Jiang Yueming's shoulder.

Then he buried his face in Jiang Yueming's shoulder and burst into tears, crying and shouting, "Sometimes I really hate you so much. Every time I want to contact you again, I tell myself that I can't be so spineless and cowardly. I've lowered my head so many times, can't you lower your head to me just once? Why is your face considered face, but mine isn't?"

"Where the hell have you been all these years? Were you working on projects worth hundreds of billions? Li Leshan is looking for you every day, and I've told him to stop, but he won't even give me the time of day..."

The high-speed rail station was bustling with people, and curious glances were frequently cast their way. After all, this wasn't something you'd see every day. On this summer night at the high-speed rail station, in the place where they had grown up, their long-awaited reunion was unfolding in the most real and awkward way possible.

Han Jiang started crying and then laughed. His eyes welled with tears as he looked at Jiang Yueming, expecting the man to be deeply moved. Instead, he was the only one crying his eyes out. Feeling resentful, he punched her again, "How can you be so heartless? You're not even crying—"

Looking at his appearance, Jiang Yueming seemed to recall something and laughed, "I've already cried."

When they left, the melodrama was over. Han Jiang put his arm around Li Leshan and Jiang Yueming, with the two acting as his "servants." Jiang Yueming carried the bag, Li Leshan pulled the luggage, and Han Jiang walked in the middle like a lord.

“What kind of work are you doing? You’re so dark. I didn’t even recognize you at first glance,” Jiang Yueming said.

"Do you think I spend all my time in the office like I'm in Leshan? I'm either on construction sites every day, braving wind and rain. Do you think it's easy for me?" Han Jiang said angrily.

“Hey, don’t talk about Lele,” Jiang Yueming quickly said. “Can you be like him? With your grades, where do you think you can go?”

"Damn it, Li Leshan, look at him," Han Jiang said, displeased. "I'm wondering how you could forgive this kid. Did he really kneel down for you? How could you forgive him so easily? You still owe me a punch..."

"Fine, fine, I'll pay you back." Jiang Yueming wasn't going to argue with him. He glanced at Han Jiang's hand. "Could you please stop clinging to Li Leshan?"

"What's wrong, jealous? Let me tell you, I've been taking care of Leshan all these years you were gone. Our relationship might even be better than yours now," Han Jiang said proudly.

Jiang Yueming's lips twitched. He was holding back his temper, but he really wanted to explode. He felt like he was about to grind his back teeth to powder. "Fine. Then I should thank you."

"That's right," Han Jiang said, his tone completely unreadable. He raised an eyebrow at Li Leshan, trying to get her approval. "Am I right, Leshan? Aren't we best friends?"

"No, what do you mean by ignoring me?!" Han Jiang roared three seconds later.