73: But I know you will forgive me, even if I make you angry, even if I make mistakes, even if I do many outrageous things that upset you, you will still forgive me.

On the day of the performance, Pei Yanxiu sent Shang Zhi a message. It wasn't an exaggerated encouragement or comfort, but simply a reminder to remember to eat breakfast. Shang Zhi tends to forget to eat breakfast when she's nervous, and forgetting to eat breakfast often leads to stomach aches.

When she was with him, he would watch her eat breakfast, and her stomach pains almost never recurred.

Shang Zhi stared at his message for a few seconds without replying.

The stage lights came on, and she felt a familiar gaze watching her from a distance.

The performance was even more successful than expected. Some media outlets that were waiting to see her fail failed to capture any negative moments, but instead captured some stunning moments of Shang Zhi.

Looking at the thunderous applause from below the stage, Shang Zhi felt like crying. Growing up is really not easy, but she did it, she did it all.

She looked towards the center of the audience, but the familiar figure was gone. She rushed backstage, turned on her phone, and saw several messages from Pei Yanxiu.

【XiXi, you were great today, you've always been great.】

I'm leaving. My flight back to Hong Kong is at 1 PM. There are still some things at the company that I need to take care of. I've been here for so long, it's time for me to go back. Besides, you've always wanted me to leave, so I don't think I have any reason to bother you any longer.

I'm giving you the freedom you've always wanted; consider it my last gift to you. I think this is all I can do for you. Walk your path well from now on. I believe we will meet again in the future, perhaps as friends, competitors, or partners.

Whatever it is, I believe in you; you can do anything.

Backstage, Shang Zhi held her phone, unable to express her feelings. Her mind was in turmoil. She pushed through the crowd and went home, wanting to be alone and quiet.

She opened the closet to change her clothes; it was the notebook Pei Wang had given her last time.

Shang Zhi opened it; inside were letters addressed to her and his notes.

The letter contained nothing special; it was just the usual lecturing, telling her to study hard and learn about the company's management experience.

He would occasionally mention missing her, albeit indirectly.

Most of the notebooks were notes, almost filling the entire book. They were all from four years ago, page after page, covering every aspect of her life.

Regarding how to help her with her studies, how to deal with a teenage girl's rebellious phase, and how to properly balance her diet to help her grow better.

It's practically a record of raising a pet.

He really enjoys being a father.

He really puts a lot into himself, no wonder he's always angry. He made so many plans, but many of them were interrupted by her protests.

That thick notebook was so big that even Shang Zhi felt overwhelmed just reading it once, yet he wrote it down bit by bit. He had thought about so much and learned so much, all of it about himself.

In that instant, she made a seemingly impulsive decision: she didn't want it anymore, she didn't want the freedom she had always longed for; she wanted to win him back, she wanted to tell him, "Don't be angry, please forgive me."

I am beginning to understand that when our lives become connected, we inevitably lose a part of our freedom.

I'm beginning to understand that all the constraints and restrictions you stubbornly imposed on me carried a heavy weight.

This time, I've decided to surrender—to surrender my heart and my boundaries. I will learn to accept, to accept your care, your judgment, and your control.

I accept the temperature difference you give me, the difference in body temperature.

She checked her watch and it was almost midnight. She rushed to the airport and frantically called him, but he didn't answer. She wondered if he had already left.

She kept running through the airport, hoping to see that familiar figure appear, but she couldn't find him.

"Xi Xi?" Shang Zhi turned around and buried herself in his arms without thinking until the voice sounded behind her.

"Xixi, what happened?"

"Don't go, stay, Uncle Pei, let's remarry, don't leave me." Shang Zhi cried for a long time before she could finally say these words.

"What did you say?" Pei Yanxiu seemed to think he had misheard, somewhat incredulous.

Do you know what you're saying?

"I know I was wrong, I regret it, I've changed my mind. I want you back, please come back? Stay with me, always stay with me!"

Pei Yanxiu gently wiped away the tears from the corners of Shang Zhi's eyes, patted her back tenderly, and said calmly, "Xi Xi, you are too emotional right now. I think we should wait until you calm down before talking about this issue. Maybe in a couple of days, you won't think this way anymore, and you won't feel suppressed and controlled and want freedom from me."

“We’ve already tried once, and since it didn’t work, I don’t think there’s any need for us to try again.”

"My plane is about to leave, and I think we should both calm down."

Pei Yanxiu released Shang Zhi's hand and sighed softly. He felt that her childishness must have returned, and she was acting on a whim. He was sure she would throw a tantrum at him again in a few days.

He pushed his suitcase forward, but before he had gone two steps, she hugged him from behind, very tightly.

"Uncle Pei, don't you want me anymore? I was wrong. I'll try to scold you less in the future, okay? Don't go. This time I'll try to be more obedient and try not to yell at you, okay?"

"I've figured it out. I don't want freedom anymore. If it's you, since it's you, I can give up my standards and principles. I can change."

"You can discipline me, you can yell at me, you can scold me when I do something wrong, you're the only one in this world who can do that. I know you'll never hurt me. Please stay."

"You know I don't say things like that easily, Uncle Pei. If you don't agree, I'll lose face."

Upon hearing Shang Zhi's words, Pei Yanxiu stopped and looked down at her.

"But I know you will forgive me. Even if I make you angry, even if I make mistakes, even if I do a lot of outrageous things that make you angry, you will still forgive me, right?"

"Punish me, lecture me, and then forgive me, that's the process, right? I know, I know all of that."

"I can accept it, I accept it all, don't go."

"Are you sure, Xixi? You know I'm not exactly a gentle and easy-going man. I'm worried I'll still upset you."

"Haven't I been making you unhappy and upset too? Haven't you been putting up with it all along? I know you won't change, and you know I won't change either, so let's just put up with each other, okay?"

Pei Yanxiu was also on the verge of tears because of Shang Zhi. He really didn't expect Shang Zhi to say these things to him today. Over the years, he didn't feel like he was tolerating her. She was too young, and it was normal for her to act without thinking. He could tolerate and accept everything about her.

After all, he's an old man, so it's only right that he does these things.

"good."

His voice trembled.