Chapter 82 I'm Getting Married

When did you draw this?

Xu Bozhou took the note and repeatedly ran his fingertips along the drawings on it, as if touching a memory from many years ago:

"When I was ten years old."

He looked down at her, his eyes filled with laughter.

"When you picked me and Xu An up that day, your dresses were covered in the scent of gardenias. She remembered it for fifteen years... and so did I."

Indeed, if you don't meet someone too amazing when you're young, it means your life afterward will be nothing special.

However, he was happy to do it.

Su Xiao froze, and those vague childhood memories suddenly became clear.

"Have you liked me for a long time?"

"yes."

Xu Bozhou nodded and gently touched the end of her hair.

"Su Xiao, I've liked you for ten years. Xu An knows, Qin Yu knows, but you don't."

The ward was quiet, with only the soft sound of snowflakes falling on the glass outside the window.

Looking into the seriousness in his eyes, Su Xiao's long-held hesitation suddenly vanished.

She used to be afraid to face her own feelings because of Yan Mingshen, but from the moment she saw him rush into the ruins when the warehouse exploded, she knew that she had long since fallen in love with this person who had silently protected her for more than ten years.

She reached out and gently grasped his uninjured hand, her fingertips trembling slightly.

"Xu Bozhou, I'm sorry, I only just realized your feelings."

She looked up, a glimmer of light in her eyes. "From now on, let me get closer to you, okay?"

Xu Bozhou's breath hitched. He gripped her hand tightly, his fingertips turning white from the pressure, as if afraid this was all a dream.

He lowered his head, his nose brushing against the top of her head, his voice hoarse: "I don't need you to come close to me. I will cling to you for the rest of my life, even if you hate me or despise me."

At this moment, the ward door was gently pushed open, and Gu Ming walked in carrying a thermos. Seeing the two clasped hands, he deliberately coughed:

"Looks like I've come at the wrong time?"

He placed the thermos on the bedside table.

"Xu An asked me to bring this pork rib soup, it's good for your health. Mr. Xu, you should drink more of it, otherwise how can you protect our Xiaoxiao?"

Su Xiao's ears burned from what she heard, so she quickly let go of his hand and bent down to unscrew the lid of the thermos.

Xu Bozhou didn't let go; instead, he gripped it even tighter, raising an eyebrow at Gu Ming:

"Thank you, but you don't need to worry about it."

Gu Ming chuckled and pulled a document from his pocket, handing it to Su Xiao:

"The police just informed us that Zhou Manyun and the Xia family have been apprehended, and Xia Zhi has been temporarily admitted to a mental hospital due to her unstable mental state."

"Furthermore, Yan Mingshen voluntarily turned himself in to the police station, confessing to helping Zhou Manyun conceal the truth and even participating in the transfer of counterfeit ancient paintings."

Su Xiao took the document, and as her fingertips traced the three characters "Yan Mingshen," her heart was completely calm, only a sense of peace that had settled.

She looked up at Xu Bozhou: "I want to go see him."

Xu Bozhou paused for a moment, then nodded: "I'll go with you."

He knew that Su Xiao wasn't still hung up on the past; she just wanted to say goodbye to it completely.

The visiting room in the detention center was cold, with monotonous white walls and a thin layer of dust on the table.

Su Xiao sat in the chair, looking at Yan Mingshen across the glass—he was wearing prison clothes, his hair was messy, and his eyes were bloodshot; he looked much more haggard than when they last met.

"You've arrived."

Yan Mingshen's voice came through the microphone, a little hoarse. He looked at Su Xiao, his eyes filled with complex emotions.

“I knew you would come.”

After Xia Zhi told him that day, he had anticipated that this day would come.

I just didn't expect it to come so quickly.

Su Xiao didn't speak, but just looked at him quietly, waiting for him to speak.

She knew in her heart that there was nothing left for them to say; their only connection was this belated farewell.

Yan Mingshen remained silent for a long time before slowly speaking:

"sorry."

His voice trembled, and tears welled up in his eyes.

"Xiaoxiao, I never thought we would end up like this."

He paused, looking at Su Xiao:

"I'm the one who held you back..."

Perhaps their meeting was a mistake from the very beginning.

At that year's freshman orientation, she stood on the podium, beautiful and proud, like the Creator's most beloved child. All the beautiful words in the world seemed to pale in comparison to her.

He felt joy the moment he saw her.

It was like meeting the moon.

But one cannot have both the moon and flowers.

Ultimately, it was because he was too greedy.

In the end, nothing will be left.

Su Xiao listened to his words without any emotional fluctuation, and simply nodded slightly.

"I don't care anymore."

She looked at Yan Mingshen, her tone calm.

"I'm here today to tell you that I'm getting married."

Yan Mingshen's body jolted violently. He stared at Su Xiao, as if he couldn't believe his ears:

"Marriage? With Xu Bozhou?"

"yes."

Su Xiao nodded, a faint smile in her eyes, a smile that reflected her anticipation for the future.