Chapter 63 Now, it's good too.
Ning Yu's eyes became moist and red, and tears began to fall uncontrollably.
She raised her hand to wipe away her tears, looked at Huo Nanchen across from her, and expressed the guilt that had been tormenting her for five years.
“If I hadn’t insisted on breaking off the engagement back then and made you share the responsibility of dissolving the engagement, you wouldn’t have left the Huo family.”
“I know that breaking off the engagement is not something we can decide, but at the time I felt that you were irresponsible and dared not resist, so I put all the blame on you.”
"Five years ago, I jumped from the third floor of a coffee shop. Now I regret that I should not have used such an extreme method as threatening suicide to force both families to cancel the engagement."
"I also regret jumping down in front of you. It was selfish of me to only think of myself."
"I didn't think about what kind of harm this would cause you..."
"For the past five years, I've tried to find out about you and apologize, but without the Ning family's resources, it's like looking for a needle in a haystack..."
"Huo Nanchen...I'm sorry..."
Huo Nanchen listened, realizing that he had already taken all the responsibility from back then upon himself; he shouldn't have clung to that sliver of warmth.
He glanced silently at Ning Yu's face, which was filled with guilt and tears, then looked away at the night outside the window.
She did this extreme thing simply because she wanted to break free from the shackles of marriage into a prestigious family. Didn't her mother commit suicide for the same reason?
Suddenly, the image of Lin Xili appeared in his mind—a woman who was licking the wounds inflicted by her family of origin, yet radiating vitality in her own professional field.
Perhaps, giving up his Huo family identity is the best choice for him.
Finally, he said calmly, "It's all in the past. Now, things are fine too."
These simple words were like a gentle breeze, dispelling some of the gloom that had been weighing on Ning Yu's heart.
Huo Nanchen thought for a moment, then turned to look at her again, "Ning Yu, I believe your father still loves you."
“Elderly families have strict rules and value face above all else. He is still your father. If you go back, there might still be room for negotiation.”
Ning Yu shook her head with a wry smile, "No, I don't regret leaving the Ning family, I only regret what I did to you."
"Moreover, I own a dessert shop, and the business is doing reasonably well enough to support myself."
"only……"
She reached up and touched her neck to change the subject; there was slight swelling there due to hyperthyroidism.
"This illness is quite torturous, Nan Chen, I..."
"Could we add each other on WeChat?"
"If there's anything I don't understand about the follow-up treatment, it will be convenient for me to ask you."
This is a reasonable request, reflecting the patient's dependence on the doctor.
"I will be working at this hospital for three months."
"During my consultation hours, you can call me at any time in the fifth consultation room of the endocrinology department of the hospital to consult with me."
"Follow the instructions I gave you, strictly avoid iodine, and come back in a month for an iodine intake test."
"If the conditions are right, medication can be started, and recovery usually takes three months."
She understood what Huo Nanchen meant.
He refused private contact, strictly defining their relationship as that of "doctor and patient," and denied her the opportunity to make amends for her guilt.
She replied softly, "...Okay, I understand, thank you, Dr. Huo."
The way he addressed her changed back to the distant Dr. Huo.
Huo Nanchen nodded slightly, "Ning Yu, regardless of right or wrong in the past, the damage has been done, and we have paid the price of five years of torment from guilt. Live a good life from now on!"
Ning Yu nodded vigorously. "Dr. Huo, thank you. And finally, I'm sorry!"
Huo Nanchen glanced at his watch. "Then I'll be going!"
Ning Yu watched Huo Nanchen's departing figure, and tears streamed down her face again.
In the dormitory, Lin Xili did not immediately bury herself in her books as usual.
Instead, she curled up on the sofa with her knees drawn up to her chest, her gaze somewhat unfocused as she looked at the windowsill.
On the windowsill, the pot of blue plumbago is growing well, its slender branches stretching out and blooming with clusters of pale blue flowers, appearing particularly serene in the night.
Every time she sees this serene blue, her turbulent and restless heart finds a moment of solace.
But not tonight.
When Huo Nanchen came out of the bathroom after washing up, he saw her staring blankly at the blue snowflake.
"Not reading tonight?" he asked, drying his hair as he sat down on the other side of the sofa.
Lin Xili snapped out of her daze, pressed her cheek against her knees to hide her distraction, and replied sullenly, "I'll look at it later."
Her thoughts were still lingering on the scene at the dessert shop that afternoon.
Deep within her heart surged a fear she herself was unwilling to delve into—she was afraid.
She feared that Huo Nanchen might treat that girl the same way he treated her.
She feared that his silent yet steadfast protection was not unique to her.
Their harmonious relationship became precarious because of the appearance of that strange girl.
She never imagined that she would start to care about Huo Nanchen's private affairs.
Just as my mind was in turmoil, my phone rang.
Lin Xili picked up her phone, and the word "Mom" appeared on the screen.
Her brows furrowed instantly, and at the same time, a familiar sense of weariness and resistance washed over her.
She took a deep breath and pressed the answer button.
Before she could even speak, Song Yuan's accusatory words rang out:
"Lin Xili, look what you've done! Now Xu Yanchi and Xue Nuo are arguing about getting a divorce."
"Didn't you know Jon Snow was pregnant? If anything happens to him, how are you going to explain yourself!"
Lin Xili's face darkened. "What does their divorce have to do with me? Mom, can't you be reasonable?"
"Reason? If you hadn't been stirring things up and deliberately getting involved with Xu Yanchi, would he have treated Xue Nuo like this?"
"None of you are any of you who can handle anything. Are you trying to drive me crazy?"
"And when are you going to divorce Huo Nanchen? You better get a divorce right now, or your family will make new arrangements for you..."
It's always like this, as if she was born with original sin, the root of all misfortune, and the outlet for her emotions.
A deep sense of powerlessness and icy despair gripped Lin Xili.
She opened her mouth, but found that she didn't even have the strength to refute or argue.
This deep-seated prejudice and injustice had long since exhausted all her expectations.
Just then, her phone was snatched from her hand.
Lin Xili looked up in surprise and saw Huo Nanchen beside her.
He had put down the towel without realizing it, and he put the phone to his ear, interrupting Song Yuan's incessant accusations on the other end of the line.
"Auntie, I am Huo Nanchen."
Song Yuan on the other end of the phone was clearly not expecting him to be in Hong Kong, and her questioning came to an abrupt halt.
"The matter concerning the Xu family has nothing to do with Xi Li, so please do not disturb her further because of this."
"If you have any questions about my marriage with Xili, let's schedule a time to talk in person."
He added, "Xi Li is currently preparing for her doctoral entrance exam while employed, which is very stressful. She shouldn't be bothered by these irrelevant matters. Please understand."
After saying that, he ended the call without waiting for Song Yuan's response.
Then he turned off the phone screen and placed it back on the sofa next to Lin Xili.
Huo Nanchen turned his head and met her eyes, which were slightly red and swollen.
He didn't say anything, but simply asked, "It's late, are you still going to read?"
She sniffed softly, suppressing a sob in her throat, shook her head, then nodded, her voice hoarse: "I...I'm reading."
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