Chapter 78 Ex-wife Bai Yueguang 11 It’s cold, let’s go back

The night in Jiangyuan is deep and quiet. Compared with the hustle and bustle of the city, it feels particularly vast. The moonlight shines on the snow-capped mountains and glaciers, reflecting a cold blue light. The lake reflects the entire starry sky like a mirror.

Sheng Yu and Ali walked slowly along the camp, the dry and cold air mixed with the smell of moss.

Ali was wearing a warm down jacket, with her hands tucked into her pockets and gloved. Sheng Yu walked beside her, holding a flashlight. "Are you cold?"

Ali shook his head: "It's fine, but why are you wearing so little?"

"I was in a hurry to get out and didn't pay attention." He said slowly.

In just a few minutes, Sheng Yu's hands were already red from the cold. Ali hesitated for a moment, took off a glove and handed it to him.

Perhaps it was because it was exceptionally cold tonight, enough to suppress all the past warmth beneath the ice, and the two of them were able to have a good chat, like friends who had known each other for a long time.

"We observed a snow leopard today. Your work should be completed soon?" Sheng Yu spoke first.

Ali nodded. "Well, the most important footage has already been filmed, but we'll also need to find time to visit the homes of nearby herdsmen and collect some written materials."

Sheng Yu pushed aside the weeds on the road ahead to let Ali pass first. "Then I guess we'll see this incredibly significant report published soon."

"Mr. Xiao, the reporter."

Ali smiled faintly. "It's not particularly significant, but it's something I've always wanted to do. If this report can contribute to protecting the living environment of these animals, that would be even better."

Sheng Yu tilted his head to look at her. The girl who stood up for injustice and dared to challenge conventions was now shining in the field she loved and was good at.

"I haven't congratulated you yet. Your dream has come true." He was sincerely happy for her.

Ali looked at him, his eyes flashing: "Thank you."

As they continued walking, Sheng Yu recalled, "You are a man of integrity and righteousness, and you are a man of ruthless courage. I remember you used to say this a lot."

A Li touched his frozen face a little embarrassedly: "Do you still remember this?"

"When I was in school, I wanted to take this sentence as my motto, but when I entered society and came into contact with real people and things, I realized that the world is not black and white, and there are some principles that you can only keep in your heart and uphold silently."

"But you have been doing well." Sheng Yu suddenly said.

Ali was stunned and laughed: "How did you know?"

Sheng Yu glanced at her and said mysteriously, "I just know."

Ali narrowed his eyes and patted his arm: "Stop bragging. We've been divorced for so many years. How would you know this?"

Sheng Yu's eyes dimmed: "Really?"

Ali sighed, his eyes watering: "In another year, the time we've spent together will be as long as the time we've spent apart."

"Have you ever thought about extending the time we spend together?" Sheng Yu slowed down his pace, as if asking casually.

Ali stopped and turned to look at him.

Sheng Yu stepped forward and said, "If I want to start over with you, would you give me this chance?"

His tone was sincere and slow, yet filled with a strong sense of uncertainty and uneasiness.

Ali didn't remain silent for long. She carefully wrapped her drooping scarf around her neck and raised her eyes: "I don't want to."

Expected answer.

Sheng Yu clenched his hands tightly, suppressing the bitterness in his heart: "Is it because of Yan Xia? I have already broken off the engagement with her."

A trace of surprise flashed in Ali's eyes, and he shook his head: "It's not because of her."

"Is it because my mother forced you to leave back then?" Sheng Yu's voice was a little hoarse.

Although he hadn't found out anything specific yet, he knew his mother well, and he knew even more clearly what the sudden change in Ali's expression meant.

He felt like a thousand pounds weighed on his chest: "She said a lot of nasty things to you, didn't she?"

Ali was slightly shocked and stared at him for a long time, as if the grievance that had been hidden in the corner and deliberately ignored was suddenly discovered.

Seeing her like this, Sheng Yu's heart was shattered.

He lowered his head, his Adam's apple rolling slightly: "I apologize to you on her behalf. I promise that I will never let her appear in front of you again."

Ali turned her head away, not wanting him to see her red eyes.

Sheng Yu held her hand tremblingly, his eyes full of guilt: "I'm sorry."

It was because he failed to protect her from the beginning that she suffered so much.

Tears rolled down Ali's cheeks, and the silent crying made Sheng Yu panic.

His throat seemed to be blocked by something, and he could only gently wipe the moisture off her face, wanting to hold her in his arms.

Ali pushed him away, his voice trembling: "Sheng Yu, it's impossible for us."

"Why? You clearly still have me in your heart." Sheng Yu looked at her in disbelief, his face paler than ever.

He broke off the engagement and promised his mother that she would never appear in front of her again.

Because of what Song Yuqing said in the car, he carefully invited her out tonight, and carefully considered every word he said, for fear of hurting her.

Sheng Yu, who has been a favored child since childhood and has grown up to be a decisive and ruthless person in the business world, learned for the first time to stand in Ali's perspective and understand her feelings and emotions.

He knew that he was not a good person.

But now he wants to repent and wants to win back the most important person in his life.

"But Sheng Yu, I don't want to wait for you to change. I'm really tired."

Ali stood a few steps away from him, sobbing, his eyes clear and desperate.

"We've been together for six years. We've been through so much and it took so long to get along, but there's still no way, right?"

Sheng Yu took a deep breath, trying his best to suppress the pain in his heart, and walked towards her with a normal expression: "Who said there is no way? You didn't even give me a chance, so how can you make such a rash conclusion?"

"Or, that person won't let you leave?"

Ali wiped the tears from his cheeks and smiled sadly: "You see, the relationship between us has never been strong enough."

Suddenly, light snow began to fall from the sky, and the fine snowflakes hit the two of them, making a slight rustling sound.

Sheng Yu looked up and saw that the snow was just like the night of Ali's birthday six years ago.

At that time, because of work and studies, he had not returned home before midnight for a long time.

It was Ali's birthday, so he took a special leave and bought her favorite blueberry cake. He also went to the market to buy a lot of her favorite vegetables. While looking up recipes, he planned to cook a birthday dinner for her himself.

The clock in the living room had already passed the number seven, but Ali still hadn't returned home.

She hung up all the calls from Sheng Yu and only replied with a message saying that she would be back late because she was working overtime tonight and that there was nothing else.

He had a hunch that something was not right, but when he recalled that Ali had not behaved abnormally recently, he had to suppress his uneasiness temporarily.

The kitchen light was always on. Although it was his first time cooking, Sheng Yu quickly put all of Ali's favorite dishes on the table, which were delicious and fragrant.

At this time, when the pointer pointed to eight o'clock, he finally couldn't sit still anymore. Worried that something had happened to Ali, he anxiously picked up his coat and went to Ali's company to find her.

At this moment, the sound of a car stopping came from downstairs.

Sheng Yu walked to the window and saw Ali getting out of a strange man's car.

She had an unfamiliar suit jacket draped over her shoulders, and the man practically hugged her and carried her into the building.

But when the door opened and Ali saw Sheng Yu coming home early with a table full of food, his expression was very reluctant.

On her birthday, she avoided all contact with him and even went to bed without eating anything.

Sheng Yu had asked her indirectly, but she only said that the man was her colleague and refused to say anything else. She defended the man with a stubborn and silent attitude.

Under the night sky of Jiangyuan.

Sheng Yu caught a snowflake, his eyes dark and unclear: "It's because of that person that you won't change your mind no matter what, right?"

A stranger easily destroyed the relationship they had maintained for so many years.

Ali frowned, not understanding why Sheng Yu was so bothered by Ji Zhengyang. "This matter has nothing to do with him."

But the more she defended Ji Zhengyang, the worse the situation became.

Sheng Yu suddenly grabbed her wrist and held her in his arms, his cold eyes lowered: "Since it has nothing to do with him, why don't you come back to me?"

Obviously, there is no obstacle between them anymore.

The Sheng family is in his hands, and no one can stop them from being together.

Ali backed away desperately to break free from him, practically gritting his teeth and saying, "Let me go!"

She originally thought Sheng Yu really wanted to change for her, but now he was disregarding her wishes and feelings. How was he any different from before?

"Can't you see? We are not suitable to be together at all. Even if you force me to stay with you, it will only make us unrecognizable in the end."

"Is this the ending you wanted?"

Ali's eyes gradually turned red, and his chest heaved uncontrollably.

Sheng Yu, however, held her in his arms regardless, ignoring her struggles. The emotions that had been suppressed for a long time had already gone out of control: "As long as you stay by my side, no matter what the outcome, I can accept it."

Love or hate, he is the only one who will stay by her side.

Sheng Yu narrowed his eyes, and the look in his eyes suddenly became fierce.

For a moment, Ali felt a deep sense of powerlessness.

She lowered her hands and let Sheng Yu hold her tighter: "If you keep talking to yourself like this, then there's really no need to see each other again."

Her words were even colder than the wind on this cold winter night.

The blood in his body froze at this moment. Sheng Yu slowly let her go, and his breathing gradually became rapid.

He looked at her without blinking, but she never raised her eyes.

A hint of alienation appeared in Ali's eyes. He raised his hand to brush away the falling snow on his shoulders: "It's very cold, let's go back."

*

There were even fewer people on the bus departing that day.

The team leader stood at the front with his arms crossed, muttering to himself, "I have to go to the temple to pray in a few days. Every time I lead a group, there are always injuries or illnesses..."

After last night, Sheng Yu fell ill. I heard that he had a high fever and Yan Xia was taking care of him.

Ali, who was sitting by the window, lowered his eyes and carefully adjusted the equipment in his hand.

It couldn't be said that there was a single reason for her and Sheng Yu's separation. Rather, all the people and things underwent tremendous changes at that special time, just like a huge wave on the sea, which knocked them dizzy in an instant.

In this marriage that ended abruptly, they could only see what was happening in front of them.

One doesn't want to say, the other refuses to ask.

"Sister!" Song Yuqing in the front row suddenly turned around and interrupted Ali's thoughts.

"What are you doing?" Song Yuqing asked.

Ali raised the device in his hand and said, "Adjust the parameters."

Song Yuqing nodded. "Sister, I've always wanted to ask you a question. Why did you choose snow leopards as the subject of your report this time?"

Ali raised his eyes and smiled: "Because the cat I raised before looked very similar to the snow leopard."

"Really? That must be a very beautiful kitten!" Song Yuqing became interested. "Did you leave the cat with a friend when you returned to China this time?"

Ali was stunned for a moment, then whispered, "It's gone. It died of illness four years ago."

In the second year after she was forced into that strange land, Yuanyuan died of cancer.

Yuanyuan is a nimble and clever tabby cat that she and Shengyu found in the school garbage dump. It has a round head and is very clingy.

After graduation, Ali brought it back to their rental house.

Later, when she left the rental house, she took only it with her except for the clothes she was wearing.

When Yuanyuan was diagnosed, it was already in the late stage. Ali spent all his savings but still failed to keep her.

After that, her mental state, which was already very poor, became worse and worse, and she had to rely on medication to fall asleep every day.

In the blink of an eye, so many years have passed.

The group quickly arrived at the new observation point, which was much warmer than yesterday's place.

The leader handed them drinks and talked about some things happening nearby.

After hearing two of these words, Ah Li frowned and asked, "Is there still poaching around here now?"

The team leader nodded, his expression darkening. "Although poaching has been significantly reduced under strict state control, there are always criminals who take risks."

"Last year, an infrared camera placed in the wild recorded a snow leopard with its front limbs severed by a wire snare. In some places, snow leopard fur, claws, and teeth are even hung in markets and sold openly."

Song Yuqing slammed her backpack hard: "These people are so heartless!"

Ali's face was also not calm. She wrote down what the leader had just said in the notebook she carried with her, and decided to protect these beautiful creatures with her own strength and method.

The sun gradually rose and set. With the experience of yesterday's observation, everyone was well prepared today and waited patiently.

Finally, the team leader's telescope stopped at a certain place. Ali noticed his movement and quickly adjusted the lens to keep up.

In a crescent-shaped crack in the sandstone eroded by wind, three gray-yellow figures were leaping lightly.

They are snow leopards, one big and two small.

The mother leopard walked in front, her body-length tail slightly curled, and her two cubs followed behind her. Their markings were still very light and a little blurry under the backlight of the rocks.

As if she had just enjoyed her prey, the female leopard jumped lightly onto a large rock, turned over and faced her belly towards the sparse sun.

The two cubs couldn't keep up with their mother's pace, and had to take a long detour before they could barely climb the rock.

The female leopard squinted her eyes, licked her big paws, and basked in the sun comfortably.

The two cubs were very lively, constantly biting and playing around their mother, and occasionally pulling at her big tail with their furry claws.

This is an extremely rare sight, even for tour leaders.

Ali kept clicking the shutter, recording the leisurely afternoon time of the family of three.

Only after the snow leopard family of three had left did they go down the mountain and return to the camp.

Ali stood halfway up the mountain and looked back at the sandstone again.

Song Yuqing's voice calling her was coming from far away. Ali stood there in a daze, and his breathing suddenly became very light, for fear of disturbing this beautiful dream.