Chapter 72 In this kiss, both of them were filled with passion…

The kiss was intense, their tongues swirling wildly at each other, neither giving an inch. The fierce intensity seemed to be a desire to meld the other into their very bones, as if only in this way could they be certain that the other belonged to them, not just in body but also in heart.

In the corridor, they held each other tightly with their arms around each other, one wrapped around the other's back, one holding the other's neck and long hair, their lips and tongues entwined, kissing for a long time. They looked at each other for a few seconds, and then kissed each other deeply again.

Kiss fell like raindrops, one after another. Whether it was the tenderness of the night or the lingering breeze, the two seemed captivated by the allure, unable to get enough of kissing.

Their intertwined breaths burned, winding their way downwards, causing the desire within their bodies to surge in layers.

Just as Li Xingzhou was about to take things a step further, Huang Shiyu's phone rang, instantly breaking the sticky atmosphere.

Li Xingzhou opened his eyes and looked at her, while Huang Shiyu stared back at him with equally wide eyes. Their gazes lingered for a moment, while the phone continued to ring, as if the caller would keep calling until she answered.

After lingering like this for a while, Li Xingzhou felt he couldn't delay any longer. He stroked the back of her head with one hand, a faint smile on his lips, "Aren't you going to answer?"

Huang Shiyu seemed to snap out of her daze. She tilted her head slightly, and as fresh air rushed in, she took a breath and raised an eyebrow. "This person better have something important to say. What a spoilsport."

Li Xingzhou didn't speak, just quietly looked at her, but his brows were full of smiles.

Huang Shiyu took out his phone and saw that it was Dou Dou calling. It was so late, she should be asleep by now. He wondered if something was wrong.

She twitched her thumb, pressed the answer button, and turned on speakerphone. Just as she was about to ask a question, DouDou's preemptive voice came through the receiver.

"Godmother Shiyu, do you watch Douyin?" On the phone, Dou Dou's voice still carried the childish tone typical of his age. "I've sent you so many messages, but you haven't replied to me at all."

Huang Shiyu was both amused and exasperated: "Godmother was busy just now, I came to see what DouDou sent to her."

"What is Godmother busy with so late at night?"

Upon hearing this, Huang Shiyu paused in her scrolling, and inexplicably looked up at Li Xingzhou. He still had a smile on his face, but she could see that there was a hint of mockery in that smile. Then she saw him mouth three words to her.

What are you busy with?

Knowing that Li Xingzhou was deliberately teasing her, Huang Shiyu glared at him while holding her phone.

Perhaps not receiving a reply from Huang Shiyu, Dou Dou continued, "Godmother, I've finished the puzzle you gave me last time. You haven't come to play with Dou Dou in a long time either. Dou Dou misses Godmother."

“If you miss your godmother, you can send her a message.” Huang Shiyu looked at her phone.

DouDou was silent for a while before slowly saying, "I can't read, so I can only call you."

Just as Huang Shiyu was about to suggest sending a voice message, she heard Shen Nanfeng calling Dou Dou to brush her teeth from the other end of the phone.

"It's all done." After replying, DouDou turned around and answered Huang Shiyu's question in her childish voice, "But it's okay, I'll be in kindergarten soon and I'll be able to read then."

These words really caught Huang Shiyu off guard. She didn't expect Dou Dou to say such a thing. She was such a little kid, and she should have been saying childish things, but she was able to say something so touching.

Sometimes you have to admit that the sweet words an adult racks their brains to say can't compare to a child's quick wit.

"I really don't understand why anyone would sleep with their head completely covered. Doesn't it feel suffocating?" Shen Nanfeng's casual, fabricated voice continued through the receiver. "Oh, you popped out and then shrank back in. What are you doing? Are you playing the coward?"

DouDou snorted in protest, "The blanket started it! I'm not a coward!!!"

Huang Shiyu and Li Xingzhou listened quietly to the two bickering, their words more childish than the other. Huang Shiyu was truly amazed today, never expecting that Judge Shen, who was so serious and proper in public, had such an unknown side. Could this be the charm of human children?

She glanced at Li Xingzhou, wondering what he was like taking care of the child, whether it would be in a uniquely interesting way. Probably so; the way he interacted with Dou Dou last time was quite adorable.

After the call ended, she heard Li Xingzhou ask her, "What did that kid send you?"

"I'm not telling you." Huang Shiyu waved her phone at him in a "friendly" manner, but it was actually full of provocation.

Li Xingzhou smiled, and without saying a word, he grabbed her wrist and pushed her onto the bed. Before Huang Shiyu could react, he snatched the phone from her hand. He had only intended to tease Huang Shiyu, but when he looked down, he saw their Douyin chat history from a few months ago on the screen, which he must have accidentally accessed when he grabbed the phone.

Li Xingzhou showed no sign of unease. He handed the phone back to her untouched and even let out a soft sigh of surprise, "President Huang, I didn't expect you to be so cunning in private."

Then he asked, "Who is the anonymous user?"

If Xiang Zhinan were here, upon hearing him say this, he would surely praise him from the bottom of his heart, saying, "What a thief crying 'stop thief!'"

Huang Shiyu brought her phone closer, glanced at it, and immediately realized it was the chat message from the anonymous user who said he only wanted to be the main wife. She didn't know what to say. Li Xingzhou's hands were really capable! What a coincidence that it slid here.

Li Xingzhou was not distracted by her laughter and said very seriously, "Don't laugh. Be serious and answer my question."

"Didn't you say you wanted to be with me? Are you lying to me, or are you backing out now and don't want to be with me anymore?"

His gaze involuntarily lingered on Huang Shiyu, and seeing that she still had that cheerful and smiling expression, he pursed his lips and said, "Why aren't you saying anything?"

As if by some strange twist of fate, Huang Shiyu couldn't resist teasing him, and with a smile, she began to say something against her will, "I was thinking about the three of us living together, the kind that lasts a lifetime, what do you think?"

These words seemed to touch a nerve with Li Xingzhou, for he suddenly hugged Huang Shiyu, inhaling her sweet fragrance, and said in a muffled voice, "You're not allowed to like that bitch." He was so ruthless that he even cursed himself.

Huang Shiyu was held very tightly by Li Xingzhou, and could only tilt her head slightly. She had the illusion that Li Xingzhou wanted to crush her bones. To make matters worse, she was also constantly bombarded with his incessant questioning.

"You can only choose one between me and him. Will you choose me or him?"

"Don't you want to be with me anymore? Don't you like me anymore?"

Even though he knew the reason behind it all and that the two things were unrelated, he just couldn't control himself. He had to repeatedly confirm Huang Shiyu's love for him and his place in her heart.

Perhaps this is the essence of love and loving someone: repeatedly confirming one's sincerity while in love, and also wondering if this sincerity extends to others as well.

Why aren't you saying anything?

Huang Shiyu took a deep breath. Li Xingzhou's embrace was so tight that she could hardly breathe. She struggled to push him away, but Li Xingzhou not only didn't let go, but the more she struggled, the tighter he held her. It really felt like he wanted to meld her into his body. After several fruitless struggles, she gave in to him.

"No." She hadn't expected that Li Xingzhou would still doubt her feelings for him. However, the facts were undeniable. After thinking for a moment, she continued, "If it weren't for you snatching my phone today, I would have broken his hand long ago. I thought my feelings were obvious enough, couldn't you see?"

"Really?"

"Hmm, am I really that unreliable?"

Fearing that Li Xingzhou wouldn't believe her, Huang Shiyu earnestly explained to him that the anonymous user was just a fellow stock trader she knew. She didn't omit how they met and became friends, telling him everything without reservation, emphasizing that she was open and honest.

Li Xingzhou still held her, buried his face in the warm crook of her neck, and whispered, "Will you hate me and stop liking me when I act so jealous and unreasonable?"

He wanted to continue, but this was the real him, the most authentic him. He wasn't always calm and composed; he also had other, unfounded emotions.

Huang Shiyu rested her chin on his shoulder and neck, and after a moment of silence, she spoke: "As long as I still like you, I won't hate you."

Li Xingzhou nuzzled her neck like a puppy, sniffing her scent. "Then you have to love me forever, promise me you won't hate me, okay?"

Being held so tightly by Li Xingzhou, she felt a little suffocated, but she also kind of enjoyed this almost unbearable feeling, as if she wanted to melt the other person into her own bones and blood.

She didn't know why she had such thoughts.

Perhaps it's because in love, the lover is the only weakness.

"Say something! Say you don't hate me!" Li Xingzhou was flustered and anxious, afraid that Huang Shiyu's next words would be something he didn't want to hear. He subconsciously hugged her tighter, and his breathing became somewhat rapid.

"Okay, okay, it won't change. Whoever changes first is a puppy, alright?" Huang Shiyu patted his back gently, as if stroking his fur, and whispered in his ear, "It's late, I want to sleep. Are you sleepy?"

Looking at the dark circles under her eyes caused by staying up too late, Li Xingzhou felt a pang of heartache. He carried her back to the room and gently placed her on the bed. "Sleep now, I'll stay with you."

She has been busy with the artificial intelligence competition and raising funds for the auction for the past month and has hardly slept well.

Huang Shiyu didn't speak, but closed her eyes, rested her forehead on Li Xingzhou's shoulder, and softly hummed in agreement.

Perhaps he was really exhausted, because Huang Shiyu fell asleep in less than three seconds.

She looked very peaceful while sleeping, her features softer than when she was awake, and she seemed to have lost some of the shrewdness she displayed in the business world.

He gazed at Huang Shiyu's sleeping face, now completely asleep, reached out and brushed the stray hairs from her forehead aside, then leaned down and kissed her forehead.

This person is finally his.

He finally got what he'd been waiting for.

Indeed, there is a kind of love in this world that can be waited for. If it doesn't work this time, try again next time. There will always be a time when you can wait for it.

He looked at Huang Shiyu, a faint smile in his eyes, and his mood gradually brightened.

But before that gaze could linger for long, Huang Shiyu's phone rang.

He picked up his phone and looked at the caller ID and contact name on the screen. His expression immediately changed. He frowned, looked down at Huang Shiyu, who was leaning on his shoulder and nuzzling his face against his collarbone, clearly fast asleep.

After hesitating for a moment, I answered the call.

It was Lu Xiao calling.

"Hey, Shigure."

“It’s me. Shiyu is asleep. She hasn’t been getting much rest these past few days, so I didn’t want to disturb her.” Li Xingzhou held his phone in one hand and tried to tuck the blanket covering Huang Shiyu in with the other. “If you need anything, just tell me, and I’ll pass it on to her later.”

"It's mainly because of what just happened."

Li Xingzhou paused in his hand, which was twisting the blanket. He had expected Lu Xiao to come and ask Huang Shiyu, but he didn't expect it to happen so soon.

Lu Xiao wanted to say something more, but Li Xingzhou cut her off, saying, "I'll find a chance to talk to her."

He only said that one sentence, and the meaning was very clear: he would talk about it. Lu Xiao on the other end of the phone didn't say anything more. "Okay, then take good care of her and let her get some rest."

Lu Xiao's answer immediately relieved Li Xingzhou.

After hanging up the phone, he deleted the call history with Lu Xiao and put the phone back where it was.

After finishing this, he sat on the edge of the bed in a daze for a long time before getting into bed and embracing Huang Shiyu from behind to fall asleep.

Actually, at some point afterward, he regretted it, wondering why he hadn't revealed everything to Huang Shiyu at that moment, but he didn't regret doing so.

Because he simply couldn't watch Huang Shiyu's career burn brightly like a shooting star and then disappear quietly, and he didn't leave enough time for him to make full preparations.

Perhaps because he had something on his mind, Li Xingzhou slept in a daze, and the slightest sound could wake him up immediately.

When he was fully awake, the rain had stopped outside. He suddenly looked up at the window. The night was dark, and a few sparse stars lit up the night sky.

He saw Huang Shiyu standing on the balcony talking on the phone, and for some reason, he had a strange feeling that Shanghai at this time had a desolate feeling similar to that of Germany.

But he still prefers Shanghai a little more. Actually, every city is pretty much the same to him. He likes Shanghai mainly because it holds old dreams that he never had.

Ignoring his still somewhat dizzy head, he immediately went to the balcony. Just as he was about to push open the door, he heard Ms. Tong's voice coming from the receiver. He stopped his hand on the doorknob and listened quietly without interrupting.

"Tell me how much you want to borrow?"

“Five million. I’ve been transferring money to you every month and on holidays, right? Lend me five million first and I’ll pay you back later. I don’t lend money for free and charge interest.”

Perhaps afraid of disturbing Li Xingzhou who was sleeping inside, Huang Shiyu spoke in an exceptionally low voice.

“Where would I get so much money? I haven’t even figured out how to pay for your brother’s house and wedding yet. You, as his older sister, not only don’t share the burden, but you’re also trying to take advantage of your mother, who’s halfway to the grave. I don’t have any money.”

Huang Shiyu's eyes dimmed for a moment at these words. Since she started her company, Ms. Tong's remarks had often appeared in their conversations. However, Huang Shiyu was not a puppet to be manipulated. She was an independent thinker and naturally would always fight back against Ms. Tong. The result was obvious: the conversation ended unpleasantly for both of them.

Moreover, she had long known that Ms. Tong would not lend her the money so readily, but the auction was approaching, and if she hadn't already lent her all she could, she wouldn't have set her sights on Ms. Tong.

If the person borrowing the money was Yang Hengyu, Ms. Tong would probably lend it without saying much, and if it wasn't enough, she might even ask him to give her more.

Shanghai, which had just shed its winter chill at the end of April, was suddenly hit by a heavy rain, making it the coldest time of the night. Huang Shiyu stood on the balcony for a while and felt a bit chilly.

Her throat felt like it was frozen by the cold wind, and she suddenly couldn't speak.

But she still had to speak up.

"Didn't I buy you a house before? I give you so much money every year, how could you not have money?"

Li Xingzhou, standing outside the door, looked at Huang Shiyu with a somewhat surprised expression.

He always thought that Huang Shiyu had invested all her money in projects instead of buying a house in Shanghai. Little did he know that she did buy a house, but not for herself.

Upon hearing this, Ms. Tong didn't speak immediately. After a moment, she seemed to have thought of a response: "Whether you believe it or not, I've put all my money in the stock market. I don't have a single penny."

This is quite clear: Ms. Tong doesn't want to lend a single penny of the five million.

Huang Shiyu initially wanted to say something sarcastic, as she didn't believe Ms. Tong had no money at all. However, when she thought of Huang Guodong's predicament after accumulating a mountain of debt from stock speculation, her tone softened considerably. "Mom, the stock market isn't like it used to be. It's very risky. You should withdraw all your money quickly, or you'll be trapped and lose everything."

To everyone's surprise, Ms. Tong on the other end of the line was completely unimpressed and snorted coldly, "No wonder you called me today for the first time ever; it turns out you're after your own family."

“I’m not taking this money just for myself. I’m using it to invest in projects. Once the projects make money, giving you a few million will be nothing to me.” Huang Shiyu’s tone was dry, and the grievances in her heart were about to overflow, but she suppressed them. “If I really had no other choice, I wouldn’t have asked you for this.”

She repeatedly explained to Ms. Tong that she borrowed the money so that her current project could continue operating.

In the end, all she got in return was Ms. Tong's indifferent reply, "Do as you say." She didn't take her words seriously at all.

Glancing at the city, sparkling clean from the rain, the night wind was biting. Huang Shiyu lowered her head, took a deep breath, and felt as if something was blocking her nostrils, making her breathing less smooth than before. "Mom, the investment return rate of this project I'm working on..."

Ms. Tong didn't give Huang Shiyu a chance to continue speaking, cutting him off and starting to speak herself.

"I see now, Huang Shiyu, you're finally coming clean with me, no more pretending, right? You really are just like Huang Guodong, exactly the same! Fine, now you're not pretending anymore, your true nature is showing!"

Although Huang Shiyu's expression was calm, his eyes were somewhat blank, as if he was at a loss for words in the face of these aggressive words.

She tried to take out a cigarette, but found that she couldn't get it out no matter how hard she tried. Normally, she could easily hold it in her hand with a simple touch, but this time it felt like it was deliberately working against her. Only later did she realize that her hand was shaking.

This was the first time she had ever regretted borrowing money from Ms. Tong, and she regretted even more why she had made that phone call.

"No wonder you were so kind. You usually only give me 10,000 yuan a month when you're struggling, and you don't even give me more. But you're so generous during holidays and festivals, transferring hundreds of thousands of yuan at a time and even buying me an apartment. So that's what you were waiting for!!"

The wind seemed to be blowing even harder, but Huang Shiyu didn't feel how biting the wind was at all, still standing on the balcony being swept by the cold wind. She was dressed lightly, wearing only a thin silk shirt. Normally, she would have already fled back to her bedroom, but perhaps the chill in her heart was greater than the cold in her body, leaving her no time to care.

Ms. Tong's next words were as biting as the cold wind, each one sharp and merciless, tearing Huang Shiyu's heart to shreds.

"How could you be so good at calculating, Huang Shiyu? How come I never noticed before! I used to tell everyone that my daughter was incredibly well-behaved, sensible, and filial, much better than my son. I've really misjudged her. She's an ingrate, an unfilial daughter, and now she even wants to take your mother's pension."

"Don't even mention five million, I don't even have one million!!!"

Ms. Tong's long speech was simply to say that she would never give her money, not even a single penny, and there was no room for negotiation.

These words, sharp as knives, blew in with the cold night wind, hitting the bullseye precisely. Her breath trembled, and even the cigarette in her mouth quivered slightly.

In Huang Shiyu's memory, Ms. Tong was not actually so harsh to her before. People are all made of flesh and blood. After all, Huang Shiyu was her own flesh and blood, whom she carried for ten months and gave birth to. No parent would dislike their own child, and Ms. Tong was no exception.

However, this beautiful period ended when she was six years old. Ms. Tong and Huang Guodong divorced. The trigger for Ms. Tong's divorce was simple: she did not want to get involved in Huang Guodong's gambling debts at such a young age. At that time, Huang Guodong's gambling addiction was not too big, but it was not small either. Every time he played cards with others, he would lose several months' salary.

His job wasn't much better; he worked as a security guard at a school, and his monthly salary wasn't much, barely enough to support his family. Ordinary families couldn't afford such treatment.

Therefore, the only way for Ms. Tong to avoid being dragged down by Huang Guodong is through divorce.

She remembered clearly that on the day Ms. Tong was leaving, she touched her face and told her that she was going out to earn money to buy her many pretty little dresses and shoes, and that she should be good at home and listen to her grandparents. She was young at the time, but she wasn't ignorant; she understood what was going on.

Ms. Tong was just trying to coax her with those words.

She knew perfectly well that Ms. Tong would never come back once she left.

So she cried and made a scene, tugging at Ms. Tong's clothes, demanding that Ms. Tong take her with her.

Ultimately, she didn't get her way; she couldn't overpower Ms. Tong, and a child's strength was no match for an adult's.

She watched as Ms. Tong got into the car. It was the rainy season that day, and as she chased after the car, a torrential downpour began. The raindrops clung to her eyes, just like the wheels of the car in her vision. She ran blindly, and in the end, all she could see was the car speeding away.

Throughout the entire ordeal, Ms. Tong did not open the car window even once.

She felt that she hadn't caught up mainly because she wasn't running fast enough. She believed that if she tried harder, gave it her all, and went faster, she would definitely be able to catch up.

While a four-wheeled vehicle may be fast, she is still young and has plenty of time and energy. Given time, she may catch up.

However, Ms. Tong should have understood some truths when she left: no matter how hard you try, some things will never bring positive feedback.

Huang Shiyu shook his head and smiled.

Her breath was cut off by the cold wind, and a faint stinging sensation came from her nasal mucosa. Huang Shiyu's ethereal thoughts gradually returned amidst this silent pain.

And some obsessions gradually dissipate with the passing wind.

"You know how I'm so good at calculating? Okay, let's do the math." Huang Shiyu flicked his cigarette butt, took a deep breath to ease the stinging in his eyes, "Do you remember when my birthday is? You don't, do you? Well, that's understandable, you gave all your love to Yang Hengyu."

But I remember your birthday.

She added silently to herself.

"Also, do I really like eating scrambled eggs with tomatoes?"

Huang Shiyu gave a wry smile.

“If I really cared about your money, I wouldn’t have given you so much before, let alone bought you a house. I’m grateful for the child support you gave me, but you know exactly how much you gave.”

Once this opening was made, Huang Shiyu's outpouring of grievances became unstoppable, leaving himself no time to catch his breath, as if his suffering was endless.

“I earned most of my own expenses during my studies, and I also paid for Yang Hengyu’s college expenses and even his graduation certificate. I didn’t hold any resentment or dislike towards him just because he is my half-brother. I also didn’t blame you for favoring boys over girls. I’ve done all this, are you still not satisfied?”

For an ordinary person to say these words through gritted teeth, word for word, would surely be incredibly painful. In the end, besides feeling wronged, they would definitely be crying their eyes out, unable to speak.

But Huang Shiyu didn't cry. Instead, she calmly finished speaking about these injustices in a calm and gentle tone.

It was as if she had rehearsed these words in her mind many times, and now she was simply stating an objective fact.

His hand remained on the doorknob, not pushing the door open. This swamp of family ties that had trapped Huang Shiyu for so many years could only be climbed out by herself; only if she wanted to climb out would it be effective.

The torture of Huang Shiyu was not over yet, and Ms. Tong was pressing her for answers.

"Are you blaming me for being biased? Huang Shiyu, let me tell you, you were awarded to Huang Guodong back then. Did that gambling addict Huang Guodong have the money to support you? Would you be where you are today without the child support I gave you? Isn't it only right that I take some money from you? Even if you were raising a dog, it would have been tamed by now, right? Is your project short of money now because of me? Who owes whom?"

These almost hysterical interrogations were like a trial, an interrogation, and a relentless pursuit of her.

After ten months of pregnancy, the mother and daughter, whose blood ties should have been unbreakable, have gradually developed into this state of weighing pros and cons, more like strangers than strangers.

However, Huang Shiyu was not too surprised by this. Ms. Tong did not love her, so naturally she would only care about her immediate interests and would not make long-term plans for her.

That's enough.

She was utterly exhausted, both physically and mentally, and even the thought of refuting Ms. Tong felt tiring and exhausting.

She no longer stubbornly begs for the maternal love depicted in the book, nor does she insist on borrowing money from Ms. Tong; she only wants relief.

"Um...that's fine then..." As she spoke, her throat tightened, as if something was stuck in it, and she let out a long sigh. "I don't want the money anymore..."

Consider it repayment for the ten months she drank Ms. Tong's blood inside her womb.

The call ended.

Everything returned to calm, as if what had just happened was just a dream.

Huang Shiyu stood quietly in front of the railing, facing the wind. Perhaps the wind was too strong, because her upright figure looked a little swaying, like a duckweed floating on the water, all alone, unable to find a harbor to rely on.

This eavesdropping was unintentional on his part. He looked at Huang Shiyu's still-standing figure and then at his hand on the doorknob. He was torn between whether to push the door open now and go forward, or wait a while and pretend that he had just gotten up. He was afraid that Huang Shiyu would feel embarrassed. But before he could make a decision, Huang Shiyu seemed to sense something and turned around first.

His expression changed slightly.

She was clearly surprised to see Li Xingzhou there, but she quickly put on the same smile she always wore in public.

She slightly raised the corners of her mouth, trying hard to put on a bright smile, but her eyes, which never seemed to bring a smile to her face, betrayed her.

Looking into those numb and vulnerable eyes, Li Xingzhou felt an overwhelming pang of heartache. For a moment, he regretted and blamed himself. Why hadn't he pushed open the door and stepped forward? Even if he hadn't done anything, he should have stayed by her side. How could he have left her to face it alone?

But Huang Shiyu doesn't need any comfort at all. She's not the type to complain to others. What she said to Ms. Tong just now was already the limit of her life.

Furthermore, she doesn't like others showing too much concern, because then she has to strain herself to deal with their feelings, which she doesn't like; it makes her feel burdened and tired.

She had endured those days of licking her wounds alone until they healed, and she had gotten used to it.

Li Xingzhou slowly walked to the edge of the balcony.

No one spoke.

He really wanted to ask Huang Shiyu if she was alright, but he was afraid that if he asked the question, it would bring back the pain in Huang Shiyu's heart.

There's really no need to bring up or dwell on unhappy things; doing so will only cause the person involved to fall into an emotional vortex again, which is harmful to both themselves and others.

In the end, all the words in the story boiled down to one sentence: "Come inside. It's windy at night, and you're not dressed warmly enough, so don't catch a cold."

Huang Shiyu's eyes flickered. She was somewhat surprised that Li Xingzhou didn't ask her anything. Although she didn't know how much Li Xingzhou had heard, he must have heard something.

She stared at Li Xingzhou for several seconds, then turned her face away and asked blankly, "What do you think fatherly love and motherly love feel like?"

Li Xingzhou was taken aback, seemingly not expecting her to ask this question suddenly. After a moment of silence, he slowly said, "Parents who love their children plan far ahead for them."

“Parents who love their children plan far ahead for them,” Huang Shiyu said, emphasizing each word. “Yes, if you truly love someone, you won’t ask for anything in return.” She inhaled and exhaled a puff of smoke, the thin smoke quickly swirling around her, and blinked hard.

Smelling the strong tobacco scent, Li Xingzhou sensed Huang Shiyu's frozen figure after hearing those words. Seeing the loneliness and desolation that inadvertently appeared in her eyes, he felt a tightness in his chest. He couldn't bear Huang Shiyu's gaze; he would rather she had a good cry than look so forlorn.

But he also knew that for someone as strong as Huang Shiyu, it was already difficult enough for her to show any emotion on her face, let alone make her shed tears in front of others. That would be harder than climbing to heaven.

He sighed softly: "Give me one."

Huang Shiyu paused, holding the cigarette in his hand: "Didn't you say you didn't smoke?"

"Not smoking doesn't mean you can't smoke."

His craving for tobacco wasn't as essential as Huang Shiyu's. He would only take a puff or two occasionally when he was feeling down, or just put it in his mouth to satisfy his craving. But today, for some reason, watching Huang Shiyu smoke, he suddenly wanted to smoke too.

Huang Shiyu hesitated for a moment before taking out a cigarette from his pocket and handing it to him, saying, "I don't know if you can get used to smoking it."

"fine."

Li Xingzhou took the cigarette, and when Huang Shiyu was about to light it for him, he took the initiative, pointing the cigarette at the butt in her mouth and taking a light drag. At that moment, the smoke thickened, swirling between them and forming a thick barrier, blocking their view of each other.

Because of this action, he tilted his head slightly, and Huang Shiyu couldn't help but lower her eyes. Their eyes met, and the distance between them was too close. In Huang Shiyu's eyes, and indeed the whole world, was filled with Li Xingzhou's dark pupils.

His gaze was like a torch, his dark pupils appearing even deeper than ink in the dim light, as if countless drops of ink had been poured into them to make them so dark and unfathomable.

This gaze reminded Huang Shiyu of black holes in the universe, where one could be sucked in and unable to escape if one wasn't careful.

Huang Shiyu thought to herself, "Li Xingzhou's eyes are really beautiful. He just stares at people like that, making them feel restless and anxious."

She couldn't help but reach out to touch it, but before she could even raise her hand, Li Xingzhou, as if he could read her mind, grabbed her wrist tightly and lifted it upwards.

Almost the instant his hand touched Li Xingzhou's eyes, Huang Shiyu suddenly stopped breathing.

In the pitch-black night, the scorching Milky Way rushed towards her.