Chapter 29
At two o'clock in the morning, the sound of the key turning in the door lock was particularly clear in the silence.
The moment Tang Yuchuan pushed the door open, the living room was dark and he subconsciously slowed down his steps.
Just as he was about to turn on the light, a soft voice suddenly came from the darkness: "No, I don't want it to be so bright."
It’s Zou Ping.
Tang Yuchuan paused and tilted his head slightly, then he realized that she was sitting on the sofa, her back leaning against the cushion, her eyes looking at him quietly.
He didn't touch the switch on the wall again, but bent down and turned on the night light on the coffee table. The orange glow spread softly, making her look a little lonely.
"Why haven't you slept yet?" His voice was very soft, with a moment of worry.
"You scared me." He smiled, then slowed down his tone, "Are you waiting for me?"
Zou Ping didn't answer immediately. She pursed her lips and asked, "Why are you back so late?"
Tang Yuchuan was stunned. He lowered his head and unbuttoned his shirt sleeves, his movements neither hurried nor slow. His tone was gentle, as if casually explaining, "The company has been very busy lately, and I've been so busy until now that I've lost track of time."
The words were spoken naturally, without any pause.
There was no mention of the hospital or the IV drip, and Zou Ping didn't think about it that way.
The complex feelings she felt deep down weren't due to suspicions he was hiding something, but rather another, more hidden feeling. Tang Yuchuan had his own world, the company's affairs, the complex web of relationships, parts she had never been able to get involved in.
She always felt like she was standing outside the threshold and could only watch through a pane of glass.
Zou Ping looked at him, letting the complex emotions in her heart surge.
She didn't ask any further questions.
Silence stretched between the two of them until she finally spoke: "My dad is here."
Tang Yuchuan paused, his brows tightened almost imperceptibly, and he looked up at her.
"He stopped me outside the boxing gym and asked for money," Zou Ping whispered, her eyes calm but unable to hide a hint of fatigue. "He said my mother was sick and was also in Beijing. But I don't know if what he said is true or not."
Her fingers slowly tightened around the edge of the sofa, as if grasping at some only support.
"I don't know what to do." She finally raised her eyes and fixed them on Tang Yuchuan. Her voice was quiet, but filled with urgency, "Can you think about this with me?"
Tang Yuchuan looked at her, his expression not responding immediately. He just stared at her quietly, as if taking a long time to decipher the unsettled panic in her tone.
After a while, he reached out and gently placed his hand over her knuckles. His palm was warm and steady, like a silent promise.
"Okay," he said.
The tone was restrained, like a bottomless lake.
Zou Ping couldn't see it, and he almost lost his mind at that moment.
The "father" she spoke of was a shackle, a shadow she desperately wanted to break free of; and the "mother," though cowardly and withdrawn, ultimately left a trace of tenderness in her life. It was precisely because of this that she felt conflicted and wavered.
But in his heart, these names were like sharp blades, and every word reminded him: she should not have such a connection with them.
She doesn't belong in this home, doesn't belong in this predicament.
Her real name was never "Zou Ping".
Those secrets were buried deep in his heart, heavy as a stone.
He didn't even dare to let his gaze linger on her face for too long, because every time he looked at her, it was like a reminder that she should have lived a completely different life.
Looking at her distraught appearance, Tang Yuchuan wanted to tell her the truth directly for a moment.
But when the words came to his lips, he swallowed them back.
Human nature is inherently complex. Not all secrets will bring relief once they are revealed.
He had promised Gu Xing that he would not speak. That was the only bottom line for a man with an old wound, and he could not betray it.
But he knew in his heart that this was not just about fulfilling his promise, but selfish motives also entangled him.
Once he told the truth, he didn't know how to face her gaze.
Would she feel that the way he stood beside her these days was full of concealment and calculation?
What's more, the truth would be another kind of harm to her.
She had already been thrust into a terrible family, enduring her father's oppression and her mother's cowardice. If she knew that her biological parents were long gone, while her scumbag adoptive parents had been extremely harsh on Gu Xing and perhaps favored her in every way, the contrast would be a mental bombardment.
Asking her to accept two deceased "biological parents"? That kind of fragmented cognition wouldn't necessarily be any easier than it is now.
As for the Gu family's inheritance and material debts, Gu Xing had finally gotten what he wanted after all the hard work. He didn't want to fight for it for her, but he could give it to her himself.
Tang Yuchuan lowered his eyes and tightened his fingertips imperceptibly.
He hated lies, hated covering up, hated hypocrisy...but at this moment, he was weaving another lie with his own hands.
He knew very well that all the excuses of "doing it for her own good" were essentially evasions. No matter how high-sounding the words were, they could not change the fact that she had the right to know the truth, and he had deprived her of it.
This realization felt like cold iron against his heart, instantly making him feel almost self-loathing.
He asked himself more than once: Am I too cowardly? Is it because I'm afraid of losing that I'd rather bury the truth deep in my heart and live in peace for a moment?
What is this? Just a terrible person.
But even so, he still didn't speak.
The light reflected quietly on her face and in his silent eyes, making the lie almost silent.
"Why haven't you spoken yet... What does 'okay' mean?" Zou Ping's voice was so soft that it almost blended into the night. Her eyes lingered on him, as if looking for a safe answer.
"Leave this matter to me. You don't have to worry about it." Tang Yuchuan replied softly, his tone restrained, as if promising something he must do. "I won't let your father harass you again."
The two fell silent again.
In the corner of the sofa, the light of the night lamp lengthened their shadows, and the air was filled with the coolness of the night and unspoken complex emotions.
"I... miss my mom a little." Zou Ping's voice was soft and tight, as if she was admitting a sense of powerlessness to herself. Her fingers tightened slightly, gripping the fabric at the edge of the sofa, as if grasping for something to hold onto.
Tang Yuchuan seemed to notice her uneasiness, and gently placed her hand in his, patting it lightly, as if to convey some kind of comfort.
Zou Ping raised her head, the light shining on her slightly pale face, her eyes a little moist: "I... I don't know if he really wants my help or just wants to force me. But I... I'm really worried about my mother. She has been very good to me over the years."
Her mother had always been nice to her, except for that incident.
But, how can the mother-daughter relationship of more than 20 years be severed just because of a word or an event?
It might be easy to say harsh words, but Zou Ping knew it was not so easy to make her heart accept it.
Tang Yuchuan's hand tightened slightly, and her fingertips felt the warmth from his palm, but this warmth seemed to contain more unspeakable weight.
He said softly, "I understand your worries. Your mother has been good to you over the years, and this feeling is real. It's natural for you to care about her. There's nothing to be conflicted about. No one's mother is perfect, but that doesn't hinder love."
Zou Ping looked up at him, and at that moment, she understood that he understood her.
"I... am still a little worried." She whispered softly. She believed in him and relied on him, but there was still a trace of uneasiness in her heart. "I don't know how she is doing."
Tang Yuchuan frowned slightly, his hand still covering her knuckles, his palm warm and steady, "I will find out."
Zou Ping did not respond, but just slightly gripped the fabric on the edge of the sofa, her shoulders slightly leaning forward, as if she was bearing the worry herself.
The light shone quietly on her outline, reflecting her tenacity and also a hint of imperceptible helplessness.
Tang Yuchuan noticed her subtle change and gently held her hand. Without saying anything, he made a calm promise: "If it's true, I'll treat you. If it's a lie, I'll put your mind at ease. I'll find out as soon as possible."
The lights still dimmed gently, and the orange glow lengthened their shadows on the sofa and floor.
Time seemed to slow down, and every second was accompanied by a slight breathing sound.
"I... am still a little worried." Zou Ping whispered, her voice even softer than before, as if she was afraid of breaking the tranquility of the night.
Tang Yuchuan tightened his grip slightly, gently wrapping her fingers around him. "I know, don't worry."
She pursed her lips and was silent for a moment, as if she was sorting out the uneasiness in her heart. "I'm afraid he will...do something new."
"No." Tang Yuchuan said calmly and firmly, "I will let him know that he can't bother you anymore."
"What if... he really lied? My mother is fine, he just wants money?" There was a hint of weakness in her voice.
Tang Yuchuan lowered his head slightly, as if carefully considering every word. "Then I'll check it out. We'll discuss the matter and work out a solution together."
She was silent for a while, her fingers clasped on the sofa fabric, tightening slightly.
After a moment, she spoke softly, "Tell me, how did he find his way to the capital? Lately... I can't seem to control myself. I have a bad premonition and I'm always afraid... afraid that something might happen."
Tang Yuchuan smiled slightly, said nothing, and just squeezed her fingers a little tighter. This simple action was more powerful than any words.
"Don't be afraid." His voice was calm and firm. "No matter what happens, I'm here."
Zou Ping lowered her head and gently leaned on his shoulder. There was no hug, no extra movement, just leaning against him, as if she was putting her inner anxiety into his calmness.
As time passed, her voice would occasionally rise softly, repeating with worry: "I'm afraid of her..." "I'm afraid of him..." "I don't know if he will..."
Every time, Tang Yuchuan responded with the simplest sentence:
"I'll find out."
"I'll take care of it."
"Don't worry."
Just like that, one hour, two hours passed, the night grew darker, and the night light on the coffee table remained on, like a beacon keeping watch, keeping the room in a soft and stable state.
Occasionally, she would look up at him, her eyes filled with complex emotions: trust, dependence, and a slight uneasiness.
He noticed it and felt a strange warmth in his heart. She was not perfect, she was afraid, but she allowed herself to feel the fear and allowed herself to reach out for a little support. She did not let the fear consume her.
He didn't say much, just quietly accompanied her, occasionally patting the back of her hand or lightly covering her fingers. Every contact was a silent promise.
Her breathing gradually became steady, and she occasionally sighed softly, as if releasing the worries that had been weighing on her heart for a long time.
"Tang Yuchuan..." She said softly, almost whispering, "Thank you."
He lowered his head, his eyes filled with mixed emotions, and responded softly, "As I should, I'm not afraid."
The night was deep and quiet, and their shadows lengthened and shortened under the night light.
The repetitive and subtle conversations, like the rhythm of the night, gradually dissipate the anxiety.
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