Chapter 145 He is the only one who expects a happy ending
The door opened, and Tong Zhongyuan, unable to stop himself, fell against the doorframe. His hair was disheveled, his hands resting on his legs, and he was bent over, gasping for breath. He reached out and grasped the doorknob, then raised his head, gasping for air, his eyes bloodshot.
The rage within him burned like a fireball, nearly consuming his sanity. Where had he been?! Why hadn't he replied to the message?! Why was his phone turned off?! What excuse could there be for not replying to a single message all night? With modern communication, there was no longer any reason to disconnect. The only excuse was simply not wanting to reply, not wanting to contact. What had he done wrong to deserve this?
He stayed awake all night, standing by the window, thinking about all kinds of terrible possibilities. He had been afraid like this during the sandstorm in Niya, but that time he was only afraid for twenty minutes, but this time, he was tortured by the fear magnified in the darkness all night.
Reason told him that he was not even qualified to call the police after being out of contact for 48 hours. An adult has the right to stay out all night without notifying anyone. But he knew Qin Tian. As long as the phone was still with her, she would not ignore his contact. He thought about it over and over again, and his mind was full of her being in trouble. He even thought that if he could see her coming back from Tang Zhixu's car in the next second, he would be willing as long as she was safe. However, from night to day, apart from calling her long-turned-off phone over and over again, all he could do was look out the window at the only road leading to her building corridor.
As the morning sun began to brighten, he vaguely thought of Niya, dressed in red, galloping across the grasslands, her owl feathers swaying in the wind, her smile as beautiful as a flower. The old voice of Director Jiang chanted, "Who will summon the soul after a thousand years?" He closed his eyes, letting the new, unfamiliar pain overwhelm him.
Until he saw her get out of the taxi. Ecstasy coursed through him like an electric current, yet it also ignited a rapidly growing sense of resentment. The worry and fear he'd been carrying all night long dissolved into rage the moment it vanished.
He leaned against the door frame to catch his breath, and asked the first question in a broken voice: "Where's your...cell phone?"
Qin Tian didn't expect to see him before she even left the house, and she hadn't thought about how to answer her. She could only tell the truth.
"The power went out and the phone was shut down last night."
It's hard to describe the feeling. It wasn't so much like a bucket of cold water being poured down on her, but more like the chill seeping through her fingertips when she touches ice and snow. Her phone wasn't lost. Before she turned it off, he'd called her at least five times and sent her three or four messages. He was almost ridiculously confident, firmly believing that as long as she had the phone, she would reply.
After rushing up 12 floors, his panting gradually subsided. Like a suspect's closest relative, he tried his best to find various alibis.
"What happened yesterday?"
Qin Tian didn't answer. From yesterday until now, even during every moment she spent searching for Qin Yunjie, she kept thinking of Tong Zhongyuan. She thought of the first time he'd run downstairs at Dahu's house, blushing, thinking of him holding her fingers in the dust storm, thinking of the warmth of his embrace, thinking of his silent companionship every night while he called.
She would usually think of these fragments, always feeling sweet. But last night, all about him and her, she was powerless to stop the memories from invading her mind layer by layer, like ink dripping into clear water, tinging every scene with a sense of sadness.
Her unspeakable secret. What could she do? Tell him that her father had Alzheimer's, forcing him to return home burdened with guilt? Or should she continue this sultry romance with him out of pity?
"What happened yesterday?" he repeated stubbornly.
"Just a personal matter, nothing serious. It's been resolved."
"What private matter?"
It started. Over the past few days, she had gotten to know him a little better. He wasn't as indifferent as he appeared, and when he became persistent, he could be very difficult to deal with.
"I'm sorry I didn't reply to your message yesterday and made you anxious. I'm sorry."
Tong Zhongyuan took a step forward, walked into the living room, and closed the door.
"What personal matter am I asking about?"
His voice was calm and quiet, but she sensed he was at a breaking point. Beneath the tranquil surface of the lake lay a devastating volcano.
She didn't want to provoke him, but she also didn't want to lie to him.
"It was wrong of me not to reply to the message. But I don't want to talk about my private affairs."
"Why can't I tell you?" He chuckled faintly. "What private matter is it that prevents me from answering the phone? Is he unconscious? Has he committed a crime? Has his phone been confiscated? What else could it be? I can't think of it."
She argued feebly: "I've already apologized..."
He interrupted her: "Do you think I want you to apologize??"
He waited all night, nearly breaking down with worry. He didn't want to say any of this; it was pointless. If she cared about him, she wouldn't have missed his feelings. He just wanted an answer. Was he worthy of knowing her private affairs, the ones that kept her from answering his calls?
She lowered her head, staring at the leather shoes at the door. Trying to ease her foot pain, she'd worn the heels. Her wool coat was wrinkled from sleeping on the edge of the bed, with strands of hair clinging to the sleeves. Her loose hair was dusty, greasy, and tangled. She'd tried it on, knowing it wasn't for her, but it only took a day to reduce her to her old self. Unsuitable, after all, unsuitable.
They were incompatible from head to toe. The 10,000 kilometers between them was incompatible, their worldviews were incompatible, and their family backgrounds were incompatible.
Her life path is a vast expanse of sand, a rugged search, a single-minded pursuit, and the life of a father with Alzheimer's. His life path is one of luxury, fame and fortune, a smooth sailing, and the life of a mother who is a world-class restoration master. He cannot be part of the path she is taking, not even in her.
In the silence, marked only by the sound of breathing, a premonition of parting gradually grew. She raised her head, her eyes meeting his. Her moist eyes reflected him and a vague sense of parting. The answer he was waiting for was in her slightly parted lips. She whispered his name, barely audible.
Instantly, he understood. He took a step back, turned around, and at the end of his name, he opened the door and walked out.
He walked quickly into the corridor and pressed the elevator button continuously.
From behind him came the sound of her footsteps, getting closer and closer.
"Tong Zhongyuan." A familiar voice was calling him.
He gave up the elevator and pushed open the fire door. His hurried footsteps echoed in the empty space. He turned a corner and his figure disappeared in the corridor.
The Chunhua Ge Tie exhibition is now in its third week, and tickets are still sold out. Preparations are also underway for the sensational Jin Dynasty Huhou Bell exhibition. Ming Yuanxing personally traveled to Shanxi and persuaded the Shanxi Museum to ship the two remaining chime bells to Shanghai so they can be exhibited together. This joint exhibition honors the restoration of the Western Zhou Dynasty Huhou Bell, both in terms of the overall integrity of the artifacts and its publicity.
Ming Yuanxing negotiated the restoration of the Jin Dynasty bell and went directly to the National Museum. When discussing the restoration of the Yuan blue and white porcelain, Director Hua was inevitably a little embarrassed. Although everyone knew that Tong Zhongyuan had gone to Jingdezhen to make the missing pieces, this was an untried path, and the hope was still slim. Unexpectedly, on Ming Yuanxing's first day back, he received shocking news from the restoration department.
Even with gloves on, Song Suiyang didn't dare touch the missing piece, fearing it might break and she wouldn't be able to make the same one again. The color wasn't quite as good as the Yuan Dynasty blue and white porcelain, but she knew Tong Zhongyuan's abilities; this difference was well within his capabilities.
But what surprised her most wasn't Tong Zhongyuan's return from Jingdezhen with the missing piece, but something about him that looked off. He'd taken it out, asked her to register it for safekeeping, and then left without even beginning to repair it or greeting anyone. She was left alone with the missing piece, feeling a heavy burden of responsibility. After a long moment's deliberation, she reported the matter to Director Ming.
Director Ming arrived in a few minutes, repeatedly shouting, "Zhong Yuan is back?"
Song Suiyang replied awkwardly, "The person had come, but no one knew where he had gone. The missing piece was left behind."
Ming Yuanxing examined the missing piece, feeling a surge of emotion. He hadn't expected Qin Tian and Tong Zhongyuan to think of using modern porcelain to match ancient porcelain, and actually pull it off. While this was only the first step in a long journey, this experimentation itself was incredibly meaningful.
"Tell me when the little boy comes back. I want to see him."
After giving his instructions, Ming Yuanxing returned to the office.
Song Suiyang waited all morning, but still couldn't find Tong Zhongyuan. He had no choice but to send him a message, saying that the director was looking for him.
Tong Zhongyuan didn't go far. He was in a café near the Shanghai Museum with his computer. Eithans had sent him a bunch of materials, hoping to try to get the studio moving by mail. But he couldn't get into it, absolutely not. He even wondered if it was necessary. How far could he and Qin Tian go?
For all this time, his goal had been to pursue Qin Tian. If he could catch her, there would be a happy ending, all difficulties would be resolved. He and she, they would be together forever, falling in love, getting married, and spending their lives together.
That morning, he saw the truth. In this relationship,.
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